Abstract
The nervous system, the immune system, and microbial pathogens interact closely at barrier tissues. Here, we find that a bacterial pathogen, Streptococcus pyogenes, hijacks pain and neuronal regulation of theimmune response to promote bacterial survival. Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening soft tissue infection in which "pain is out of proportion" to early physical manifestations. We find that S.pyogenes, the leading cause of necrotizing fasciitis, secretes streptolysin S (SLS) to directly activate nociceptor neurons and produce pain during infection. Nociceptors, in turn, release the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) into infected tissues, which inhibits the recruitment of neutrophils and opsonophagocytic killing of S.pyogenes. Botulinum neurotoxin A and CGRP antagonism block neuron-mediated suppression of host defense, thereby preventing and treating S.pyogenes necrotizing infection. We conclude that targeting the peripheral nervous system and blocking neuro-immune communication is a promising strategy to treat highly invasive bacterial infections. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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