An in vitro platform for elucidating the molecular genetics of S. aureus invasion of the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network during chronic osteomyelitis

Publication date: Available online 24 June 2019Source: Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and MedicineAuthor(s): Elysia A Masters, Alec T Salminen, Stefano Begolo, Emma N Luke, Sydney C Barrett, Clyde T Overby, Ann Lindley Gill, Karen L de Mesy Bentley, Hani A Awad, Steven R Gill, Edward M Schwarz, James L McGrathAbstractStaphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis is a devasting disease that often leads to amputation. Recent findings have shown that S. aureus is capable of invading the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network (OLCN) of cortical bone during chronic osteomyelitis. Normally a 1 μm non-motile cocci, S. aureus deforms smaller than 0.5 μm in the sub-micron channels of the OLCN. Here we present the μSiM-CA (Microfluidic – Silicon Membrane – Canalicular Array) as an in vitro screening platform for the genetic mechanisms of S. aureus invasion. The μSiM-CA platform features an ultrathin silicon membrane with defined pores that mimic the openings of canaliculi. While we anticipated that S. aureus lacking the accessory gene regulator (agr) quorum-sensing system would not be capable of invading the OLCN, we found no differences in propagation compared to wild type in the μSiM-CA. However the μSiM-CA proved predictive as we also found that the agr mutant strain invaded the OLCN of murine tibiae.Graphical AbstractWe successfully developed the μSiM-CA (Microfluidic – Silicon Membrane – Canalicular Array) platform to distinguish the phenotype of mutant S. aure...
Source: Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine - Category: Nanotechnology Source Type: research