• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.12.1-12.10
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• 2024

Background: Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius are the major etiological agents of staphylococcal infections in humans, livestock, and companion animals. The misuse of antimicrobial drugs has led to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus spp., including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP). One novel therapeutic approach against MRSA and MRSP is a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) that can bind to the target nucleotide strands and block expression. Previously, two PNAs conjugated with cell-penetrating peptides (P-PNAs), antisense PNA (ASP)-cmk and ASP-deoD, targeting two essential genes in S. aureus, were constructed, and their antibacterial activities were analyzed. Objectives: This study analyzed the combined antibacterial effects of P-PNAs on S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius clinical isolates. Methods: S. aureus ATCC 29740 cells were treated simultaneously with serially diluted ASP-cmk and ASP-deoD, and the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured. The combined P-PNA mixture was then treated with S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius veterinary isolates at the determined MIC, and the antibacterial effect was examined. Results: The combined treatment of two P-PNAs showed higher antibacterial activity than the individual treatments. The MICs of two individual P-PNAs were 20 and 25 µM, whereas that of the combined treatment was 10 µM. The application of a combined treatment to clinical Staphylococcus spp. revealed S. aureus isolates to be resistant to P-PNAs and S. pseudintermedius isolates to be susceptible. Conclusions: These observations highlight the complexity of designing ASPs with high efficacy for potential applications in treating staphylococcal infections in humans and animals.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.15.1-15.16
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• 2022

Foreign molecules, including viruses and bacteria-derived toxins, can also induce airway inflammation. However, to the best of our knowledge, the roles of these molecules in the development of airway inflammation have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we investigated the precise role and synergistic effect of virus-mimicking double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in macrophages and epithelial cells. To identify cytokine expression profiles, both the THP-1-derived macrophages and BEAS-2B epithelial cells were stimulated with dsRNA or SEB. A total of 21 cytokines were evaluated in the culture supernatants. We observed that stimulation with dsRNA induced cytokine production in both cell types. However, cytokine production was not induced in SEB-stimulated epithelial cells, compared to the macrophages. The synergistic effect of dsRNA and SEB was evaluated observing cytokine level and intracellular phospho-signaling. Fifteen different types were detected in high-dose dsRNA-stimulated epithelial cells, and 12 distinct types were detected in macrophages; those found in macrophages lacked interferon production compared to the epithelial cells. Notably, a synergistic effect of cytokine induction by co-stimulation of dsRNA and SEB was observed mainly in epithelial cells, via activation of most intracellular phosphor-signaling. However, macrophages only showed an accumulative effect. This study showed that the type and severity of cytokine productions from the epithelium or macrophages could be affected by different intensities and a combination of dsRNA and SEB. Further studies with this approach may improve our understanding of the development and exacerbation of airway inflammation and asthma.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 2008

Purpose : Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (4S) is uncommon, but reports of 4S are on the increase during the recent years. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical features and associated factors of 4S during the recent 10 years. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and microbiologic results of 63 patients (27 neonates and 36 children) from January 1998 to December 2007. Results : Since 2003, the incidence of 4S has increased. The mean age of the patients was 16.3 months and the gender ratio was 1:1. The clinical types of 4S were 38 cases of the abortive type (60%), 19 cases of the intermediate type (30%) and 6 cases of the generalized type (10%). The culture results were 36 cases of Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), 4 cases of Methicillin sensitive S. aureus and 17 cases of no growth. The patients were treated with semi-synthetic penicillin. For the 9 patients who had MRSA isolated and who didn't improve with penicillin, they were treated with vancomycin instead of penicillin. All the patients had no complications. 4S abruptly increased in 2005, and especially in neonates, due to an MRSA outbreak at a local nursery room. The associated factors of 4S in neonates were hospitalization (27 cases), including nursery infection in 2005 (18 cases) and dermatitis (1 case). There was an unknown origin for some children, and the suggested factors for their infection were community acquired infection (24 cases), atopic dermatitis (9 cases) and hospitalization (3 cases). Conclusion : 4S has recently been increasing. The major associated factors of 4S are a history of hospitalization, an outbreak in a nursery room, atopic dermatitis and community acquired infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.196-203
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• 2011

Staphylococcus spp. is one of the most common bacteria isolated from the lesions of atopic dermatitis (AD) in humans, and their colonization is known to be a possible trigger factor of clinical signs. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. in canine AD (CAD), the types of exotoxins present, and their relation with the clinical severity of CAD. From 79 dogs with AD, 72 samples of Staphylococcus spp. were isolated (91.1%), and 65 (90.3%) were confirmed as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Concerning the profile of the exotoxin gene, 50 isolates (69.4%) contained at least one exotoxin gene, and 28 isolates (56%) were found to contain more than 2 different exotoxins. There was a significant difference in clinical severity with the presence of staphylococcal exotoxins (P=0.028), whereas no correlation was found with the presence of Staphylococcus spp. (P=0.598). The clinical severity of CAD increased only in relation to staphylococcal enterotoxin D (SED) and exfoliative toxins (P<0.05). Some clinical evaluation criteria (erythema, papule/pustule) were correlated with the presence of the exotoxin gene (P<0.05). This study showed that the high prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. and staphylococcal exotoxins in lesions from dogs with AD may be regarded as an important trigger factor for exacerbation of the clinical signs of CAD.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1236-1241
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• 2007

Five fusion proteins between Z domains derived from Staphylococcal Protein A and Green Fluorescent Protein or Human Proinsulin were produced on the periplasm of Escherichia coli. The effects of the molecular weight and amino acid composition of the translocated peptide, culture medium composition, and growth phase of the bacterial culture were analyzed regarding the expression and periplasmic secretion of the recombinant proteins. It was found that secretion was not affected by the size of the translocated peptide (17-42 kDa) and that the highest periplasmic production values were obtained on the exponential phase of growth. Moreover, the highest periplasmic values were obtained in minimal medium, showing the relevance of the culture medium composition on secretion. In silico prediction analysis suggested that with respect to the five proteins used in this study, those that are prone to form ${\alpha}$-helix structures are more translocated to the periplasm.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.274-277
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• 2001

Lipase of Staphylococcus sp. was purified from the culture supernatant, and its molecular mass estimated to be 44 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Its optimum temperature and pH for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl substrates was $28^{\circ}C$ and pH 8.5, respectively The gene encoding the lipase was cloned in Escherichia coli in the $NH_2$-teminally truncated form by using the shotgun method, and sequenced. The mature enzyme had a 49-93% amino acid sequence homology with other staphylococcal lipases. This lipase was used for the hydrolysis of the 3-O-acetate of cephalosporin-C to give an intermediate, deacetylated cephalosporin-C that is useful for further chemical elaborations.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.354-357
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• 2017

There is an increase in the presence of drug-resistant staphylococci outside of the nosocomial and healthcare setting. Although the presence of staphylococci has been studied in several public spaces, nothing is known on the presence of staphylococci in public libraries. Book surfaces from public libraries in the East London area, United Kingdom were swabbed and cultured and identity of the isolates determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Seven different staphylococcal species were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. This short study provides evidence of the presence of multidrug-resistant staphylococci in public libraries in the East London area.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.342-345
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• 1996

Mycotic anuerysms are uncommon but it is a fulminant infectious process frequently resulting in rupture and death if not properly treated. Commonly known it as infected aneurysm caused by noncardiogenic bacteremia. We experienced a case of infected aneurysm of the abdominal aorta that ruptured into the retroperitoneum. A 57 year old man was admitted with lower back pain, fever and palpable mass. It was identified as an inf cted abdominal aneurysm with staphylococcal septicemia. He underwent resection of aneurysm and replacement with a prosthetic graft and prolonged postoperative organism-specific antibiotics therapy. He recovered well and discharged without complications postoperatively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.1028-1032
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• 1999

Alpha toxin of S aureus has cytolytic activity respectively. This antigen has been received the most attention since it is a major virulence factor in pathogenesis of staphylococcal mastitis. Thus, alpha toxin has been focused as potential candidate of vaccine to minimize mastitis in cows. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple, efficient production and purification methods of sufficient amount of alpha toxin antigen from S aureus. Alpha toxin production measured by hemolytic activity was the highest at 18 hrs postinoculation in yeast extract culture medium supplemented with thiamine, nicotinic acid and casamino acid. Alpha toxin was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation (65%) and ultrafiltration. Molecular weight of the toxin was 33 kDa in the analysis with SDS-PAGE. Conclusionally, when alpha toxin was included in the vaccine, the optimal harvest time of alpha toxin was at 18 hrs after inoculation in yeast extract medium supplemented with thiamine and nicotinic acid.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.86-90
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• 2015

In this study, we reported the morphogenetic analysis and genome sequence by genomic analysis of the newly isolated staphylococcal phage SMSAP5 from soil of slaughterhouses for cattle. Based on transmission electron microscopy evident morphology, phage SMSAP5 belonged to the Siphoviridae family. Phage SMSAP5 had a double-stranded DNA genome with a length of 45,552 bp and 33 % G+C content. Bioinformatics analysis of the phage genome revealed 43 open reading frames. A blastn search revealed that its nucleotide sequence shared a high degree of similarity with that of the Staphylococcus phage tp310-2. In conclusion, this study is the first report to show the morphological features and the complete genome sequence of the phage SMSAP5 from soil of slaughterhouses for cattle.