The osteoclast intracellular environment fosters bacterial growth during Staphylococcus aureus infection

ABSTRACT Bone infections, which are predominantly caused by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus , can be difficult to treat and have high rates of chronicity and reoccurrence. We previously identified that osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone matrix, may contribute to disease progression by allowing S. aureus to replicate intracellularly. There we identified that this bacterium’s ability to grow intracellularly is tied to the maturation of osteoclasts. In this study we addressed whether osteoclast differentiation supports intracellular growth by changing the host cell’s response to infection or by altering the host cell environment to better support S. aureus . Using dual species RNA-sequencing we analyzed host and bacterial transcripts of infected osteoclast and precursor bone marrow macrophage (BMM) cultures. Host transcript analysis suggests that infected osteoclasts are slow to upregulate bacterial response genes compared to BMMs. We also identify that the S. aureus transcriptional response is primarily determined by the host cell type, and that bacteria in osteoclasts upregulate carbon metabolism genes compared to those inside BMMs. By utilizing intracellular survival assays on S. aureus mutants deficient in carbon metabolism and related pathways we determine that S. aureus require glycolysis, acetyl-CoA synthesis, and aspartate biosynthesis for proliferation inside osteoclasts, although bacteria can survive without them. With differentiation, osteoclasts increase glutamine uptake, and this metabolite is required for S. aureus intracellular growth. Taken together, these findings suggest that osteoclasts support S. aureus intracellular growth by providing nutrients required to replicate in the context of a blunted antimicrobial response. IMPORTANCE Infectious osteomyelitis, bone infection, is frequently caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus . Intracellular infection of cells that build bone, osteoblasts, and cells that resorb bone, osteoclasts, have been implicated in disease progression by providing a niche for immune evasion. While S. aureus in osteoblasts are largely quiescent, bacteria in osteoclasts proliferate and therefore may be a source of reemergent infection. Factors that promote this growth in osteoclasts are poorly characterized. In this study we find that osteoclasts have a diminished transcriptional response to infection and show that S. aureus acquire glucose and glutamine, which have high flux in osteoclasts, to support intracellular growth. We further observe that S. aureus in osteoclasts require aspartate synthesis to grow intracellularly. This work highlights the importance of host cellular metabolism for the intracellular fate of S. aureus as an added factor beyond the direct antimicrobial response.