Apoptosis induced by Staphylococcus aureus toxins.

Apoptosis stimulated by bacterial toxins is common during infection and is now considered important in disease processes. As a major human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus also causes apoptosis during infection. In some diseases such as atopic dermatitis and sepsis, the apoptosis induced by S. aureus influences the severity and outcome of diseases. S. aureus has various toxins, many of which have reportedly triggered apoptosis. In this review, we focused on the apoptosis-inducing toxins secreted by S. aureus, and their underlying mechanisms. Novel therapies for cancer that utilized the reconstructed S. aureus toxins were also discussed.