Growth and adherence of Staphylococcus aureus were enhanced through the PGE2 produced by the activated COX-2/PGE2 pathway of infected oral epithelial cells

PLoS One. 2017 May 4;12(5):e0177166. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177166. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen of varieties of oral mucous infection. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a pro-inflammatory factor and Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a critical enzyme of PGE2 biosynthesis. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Staphylococcus aureus can increase PGE2 production of oral epithelial cells and how PGE2 functions in the growth and adherence of Staphylococcus aureus. mRNA levels of COX-2, fnbpA and fnbpB were estimated by quantitative PCR. PGE2 production was measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The binding biomass of Staphylococcus aureus to human fibronectin was investigated by crystal violet staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy and the adherent force was measured by atomic force microscope (AFM). The COX-2 mRNA level and PGE2 production were increased by Staphylococcus aureus. PGE2 promoted the growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, enhanced the attachment of Staphylococcus aureus to the human fibronectin as well as to the HOK cells. The transcription of fnbpB was up-regulated by PGE2 in both early and middle exponential phase but not fnbpA. These results suggest that the activation of COX-2/PGE2 pathway in oral epithelial cell by Staphylococcus aureus can in turn facilitate the growth and the ability to adhere of the pathogen. These findings uncover a new function of PGE2 and may lead to the potential of COX-2/PGE2 targeting in the therapy of inflammation and cancer in both which the COX-2/PGE2 pathway were observed activated.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Adhesion / physiology*
  • Biofilms
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / genetics
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism*
  • Dinoprostone / biosynthesis
  • Dinoprostone / physiology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fibronectins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Mouth Mucosa / enzymology
  • Mouth Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Mouth Mucosa / microbiology
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Staphylococcus aureus / growth & development*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology

Substances

  • Fibronectins
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Dinoprostone

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/) 2016YFC1102700 to X.Z.; National Natural Science Foundation of China grant (http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/) 81372889 to L.C., 81600858 to B.R., 81372890 to M.F. and 81430011 to X.Z.; and Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases (http://www.sklod.org/CN/index_cn.html) 2040305193002; Recruitment Program for Young Professionals to M.F.. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.