Oxford University Press (OUP), The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 7(209), p. 1077-1086
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Gram-positive (G+) bacteria cause a broad spectrum of infection-related diseases in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts, ranging from localized infections to severe systemic conditions such as septic and toxic shock syndormes. This situation has been aggravated by the recent emergence of multidrug-resistant strains, thus stressing the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. One such a possibility would be modulating the host's immune response. Herein, the potential use of a soluble form of the scavenger-like human lymphocyte receptor CD6 (shCD6) belonging to an ancient family of innate immune receptors has been evaluated. shCD6 can bind to a broad spectrum of G+ bacteria thanks to the recognition of highly conserved cell wall components (lipoteichoic acid, LTA and peptidoglycan, PGN), which are essential for their viability and pathogenicity and are not amenable to antibiotic resistance. shCD6 has in vitro inhibitory effects on both bacterial growth and TLR-mediated inflammatory response induced by LTA plus PGN. In vivo infusion of shCD6 improves survival on mouse models of septic shock by S. aureus (either multidrug-resistant or-sensitive) or their endo- (LTA+PGN) or exotoxins (TSST-1). These results support the use of shCD6 and/or other scavenger-like immune receptors in the treatment of severe G+-induced infectious conditions.