The potential use of toxin antibodies as a strategy for controlling acute Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

The pandemic human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, displays high levels of antibiotic resistance and is a major cause of hospital- and community-associated infections. S. aureus disease manifestation is to a great extent due to the production of a large arsenal of virulence factors, which include a series of secreted toxins. Antibodies to S. aureus toxins are found in people who are infected or asymptomatically colonized with S. aureus. Immunotherapies consisting of neutralizing anti-toxin antibodies could provide immediate aid to patients with impaired immune systems or in advanced stages of disease.

AREAS COVERED:

Important S. aureus toxins, their roles in pathogenesis, rationales for selecting S. aureus toxins for immunization efforts, and caveats associated with monoclonal antibody-based passive immunization are discussed. This review will focus on hyper-virulent community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus because of their recent surge and clinical importance.

EXPERT OPINION:

Antibodies against genome-encoded toxins may be more broadly applicable than those directed against toxins found only in a sub-population of S. aureus isolates. Furthermore, there is substantial functional redundancy among S. aureus toxins. Thus, an optimal anti-S. aureus formulation may consist of multiple antibodies directed against a series of key S. aureus genome-encoded toxins.

• Authors: Gordon Y C Cheung, Michael Otto
• Journal: Expert opinion on therapeutic targets (Expert Opin Ther Targets) Vol. 16 Issue 6 Pg. 601-12 (Jun 2012) ISSN: 1744-7631 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22530584 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural, Review)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antigens, Bacterial
• Bacterial Toxins

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (therapeutic use)
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology)
• Bacterial Toxins (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunotherapy
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (immunology)
• Staphylococcal Infections (therapy)