International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Complement Inactivation Strategy of Staphylococcus aureus Using Decay-Accelerating Factor and the Response of Infected HaCaT Cells Kyoung Ok Jang 1, Youn Woo Lee 1, Hangeun Kim 2,* and Dae Kyun Chung 1,2,3,* 1 Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea;
[email protected] (K.O.J.);
[email protected] (Y.W.L.) 2 Research and Development Center, Skin Biotechnology Center Inc., Yongin 17104, Korea 3 Skin Biotechnology Center, Kyung Hee University, Suwon 16229, Korea * Correspondence:
[email protected] (H.K.);
[email protected] (D.K.C.); Tel.: +82-31-201-2487 (H.K.); +82-31-888-6170 (D.K.C.) Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a species of Gram-positive staphylococcus. It can cause sinusitis, respiratory infections, skin infections, and food poisoning. Recently, it was discovered that S. aureus infects epithelial cells, but the interaction between S. aureus and the host is not well known. In this study, we confirmed S. aureus to be internalized by HaCaT cells using the ESAT-6-like protein EsxB and amplified within the host over time by escaping host immunity. S. aureus increases the expression of decay-accelerating factor (CD55) on the surfaces of host cells, which inhibits the activation of the complement system. This mechanism makes it possible for S. aureus to survive in host cells. S. aureus, sufficiently amplified within the host, is released through the initiation of cell death. On the other hand, the infected host cells increase their surface expression of UL16 binding protein 1 to inform Citation: Jang, K.O.; Lee, Y.W.; Kim, immune cells that they are infected and try to be eliminated.