Role of surface adhesin proteins of Staphylococcus aureus in virulence and its clinical significances: a review

Staphylococcus aureus is omnipresent and it causes a wide range of diseases in hospitals as well as in community. Its pathogenesis depends on wide varieties of virulence factors. Over the past two decades, the antibiotic resistance mechanism has shown a rise in S. aureus , which is alarming given the fact that there is no working vaccine or other significant methods of preventing or treating infections caused by S. aureus . This demands the need to explore possibilities for effective treatment and prevention. In this article, we have reviewed the surface adhesin proteins of S. aureus , their role in pathogenesis and clinical significances. These adhesins are located on the cell surface and participate in colonization by binding to their specific ligands. Fibronectin binding protein, collagen binding protein, biofilm associated protein, protein A, clumping factor are some of the important adhesins. They take part in colonization, invasion, biofilm formation, evasion of host immunity by binding their ligands on the host cells. Attempts to develop vaccine against these proteins, in combination or individually, have been made but they seem to fail at clinical testing stage. Some fails due to its lesser antigenicity against humans as compared to animals in preclinical stage of testing. This review concludes with the wide range of possibilities in prevention and treatment options that can be developed from these adhesins. Extensive studies targeting the adhesin ligand binding using structurally homologues compounds or structure based drug designing can help in eradicating colonization which is the first step of infection.