New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, helps explain why Staphylococcus aureus infections take hold after prosthetic surgery that are resistant to both the body's natural defenses as well as antibiotic treatments. In the report, researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center show that the bacteria use a naturally occurring molecule called interleukin-10 to shield themselves and survive. This molecule is made by white blood cells called "myeloid-derived suppressor cells," which are produced by bone marrow. Understanding the process by which these bacteria take advantage of the body's normal defenses may lead to the development of new treatments that would ultimately reduce complications from infection that can occur after prosthetic surgery.
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