STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS PRODUCES A CELL-ASSOCIATED PROTEINACEOUS FRACTION WHICH CAUSES BONE-RESORPTION BY A PROSTANOID-INDEPENDENT MECHANISM - RELEVANCE TO THE TREATMENT OF INFECTED ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS

Citation
S. Meghji et al., STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS PRODUCES A CELL-ASSOCIATED PROTEINACEOUS FRACTION WHICH CAUSES BONE-RESORPTION BY A PROSTANOID-INDEPENDENT MECHANISM - RELEVANCE TO THE TREATMENT OF INFECTED ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS, British journal of rheumatology, 36(9), 1997, pp. 957-963
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Rheumatology
ISSN journal
02637103
Volume
36
Issue
9
Year of publication
1997
Pages
957 - 963
Database
ISI
SICI code
0263-7103(1997)36:9<957:SPACPF>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the, most commonly isolated coagulase-ne gative staphylococcus from the skin, gut and upper respiratory tract. Although it is less virulent than Staphylococcus aureus, it has emerge d in recent years as an important causative agent of infections associ ated with metal implants, prosthetic devices and i.v. lines. We have p reviously demonstrated that a saline wash of S. aureus contained prote ins which had potent bone-resorbing activity in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gently washing S. epidermidis in s aline also released osteolytically active proteins. The so-called surf ace-associated material (SAM) eluted from S. epidermidis in saline was able to induce osteolysis, and activity was heat and trypsin sensitiv e, suggesting that the active component was proteinaceous. Fractionati on studies have suggested that activity is due to a small number of ca tionic proteins. This SAM-induced bone resorption was not inhibited by the cycle-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, or the 5-lipoxygenase in hibitors BWA70C and MK886. However, it was partially inhibited by high concentrations of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and was completel y blocked by a neutralizing antibody to tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Thus, the SAM from this organism is a potent osteolytic agent which di ffers from that of S. aureus SAM in not being inhibited by cyclo-oxyge nase inhibitors. As adjunctive therapy is becoming necessary in infect ious diseases, either as a result of the side-effects of antibiotics o r their lack of efficacy, consideration should be given to the future treatment of bone infections with staphylococci in the light of the di fferent mechanisms of action of the surface proteins produced by these bacteria.