Exotoxins from Staphylococcus aureus activate 5-lipoxygenase and induce leukotriene biosynthesis.

Massive neutrophil infiltration is an early key event in infectious inflammation, accompanied by chemotactic leukotriene (LT)B₄ generation. LTB₄ biosynthesis is mediated by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), but which pathogenic factors cause 5-LOX activation during bacterial infections is elusive. Here, we reveal staphylococcal exotoxins as 5-LOX activators. Conditioned medium of wild-type Staphylococcus aureus but not of exotoxin-deficient strains induced 5-LOX activation in transfected HEK293 cells. Two different staphylococcal exotoxins mimicked the effects of S. aureus-conditioned medium: (1) the pore-forming toxin α-hemolysin and (2) amphipathic α-helical phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) peptides. Interestingly, in human neutrophils, 5-LOX activation was exclusively evoked by PSMs, which was prevented by the selective FPR2/ALX receptor antagonist WRW4. 5-LOX activation by PSMs was confirmed in vivo as LT formation in infected paws of mice was impaired in response to PSM-deficient S. aureus. Conclusively, exotoxins from S. aureus are potent pathogenic factors that activate 5-LOX and induce LT formation in neutrophils.