Inflammatory and antimicrobial responses to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an in vitro wound infection model.

ABSTRACT: Treatment of patients with burn wound infections may become complicated by the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and biofilms. Herein, we demonstrate an in vitro thermal wound infection model using human skin equivalents (HSE) and biofilm-forming methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for the testing of agents to combat such infections. Application of a liquid nitrogen-cooled metal device on HSE produced reproducible wounds characterized by keratinocyte death, detachment of the epidermal layer from the dermis, and re-epithelialization. Thermal wounding was accompanied by up-regulation of markers for keratinocyte activation, inflammation, and antimicrobial responses. Exposure of thermal wounded HSEs to MRSA resulted in significant numbers of adherent MRSA/HSE after 1 hou

SUBMITTER: Haisma EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3858326 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature