Does staphylococcus aureus α-toxin modulate skin host response to viral infection?
The current study introduces the novel concept that staphylococcal α-toxin promotes viral skin infection and provides a mechanism by which S aureus infection might predispose the host toward disseminated viral infections.
Our study demonstrates that the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is expressed and operative in adult lung epithelium. Increased Wnt/beta-catenin signaling may be involved in epithelial cell injury and hyperplasia, as well as impaired epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk in IPF. Thus, modification of Wnt signaling may represent a therapeutic option in IPF.