How Staph (Staphylococcus aureus) causes itching and skin inflammation
Staphylococcus aureus induced itch and neuro-immune signaling in skin infections
['FUNDING_R01'] · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · NIH-11143782
This research looks at whether proteins made by Staphylococcus aureus make skin nerves trigger itch and worsen inflammation for people with itchy skin conditions like atopic dermatitis.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11143782 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
The team is studying a common skin bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, and a secreted enzyme called the V8 protease to see how they make nerves in the skin cause itch and drive inflammation. They use mouse skin infection models with normal and mutant strains of S. aureus and purified V8 to observe scratching behavior, nerve activation, and skin damage. The researchers measure immune cell responses in the skin and test whether blocking the protease or nerve signaling reduces itch and inflammation. Although most experiments are in animals, the work focuses on human-relevant bacteria and atopic dermatitis to guide therapies that could help people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with atopic dermatitis, recurrent or infected itchy skin lesions, or frequent Staphylococcus aureus–colonized skin would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose itching is unrelated to skin infection (for example purely allergy-driven itch) or who have systemic neurologic causes of itch may not see direct benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that block bacterial proteases or nerve signals to reduce itch, scratching, and skin damage in conditions like atopic dermatitis.
How similar studies have performed: Linking microbes directly to itch is a relatively new idea with promising animal data but limited prior testing in humans.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CHIU, ISAAC MING-CHENG — HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- Study coordinator: CHIU, ISAAC MING-CHENG
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.