Inhibition of Host Arginase Activity Against Staphylococcal Bloodstream Infection by Different Metabolites

Staphylococcus aureusis a notorious bacterial pathogen that often causes soft tissue and bloodstream infections and invariably garners resistance mechanisms against new antibiotics. Modulation of the host immune response by metabolites is a powerful tool against bacterial infections, but has not yet been used againstS. aureusinfections. In this study, we identified four metabolite biomarkers: L-proline, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, and L-valine (PILV), through a metabolomics study using animal models ofS. aureusbloodstream infection. The exogenous administration of each metabolite or of PILV showed anti-infective effects, and a higher protection was achieved with PILV in comparison to individual metabolites. During the staphylococcal infection, the expression of most host arginase and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isozymes was simultaneously induced in mouse liver, kidney, and blood samples. However, the induction of arginase isozymes was dramatically stronger than that of NOS isozymes. This elevated arginase activity was inhibited by the metabolite biomarkers thus killingS. aureus, and PILV exhibited the strongest inhibition of arginase activity and bacterial inhibition. The suppression of arginase activity also contributed to the metabolite-mediated phagocytic killing ofS. aureusin mouse and human blood. Our findings demonstrate the metabolite-mediated arginase inhibition as a therapeutic intervention forS. aureusinfection.