Staphylococcal superantigen-like 12 induces the production of interleukin 4 in murine basophils.

S. aureus is associated with atopic dermatitis (AD). Several staphylococcal products including cell wall components, protease, and exotoxins, are thought to be involved in allergic inflammation of AD via activating immune cells such as T cells and mast cells.

Staphylococcal α-hemolysin does not induce cell damage in murine mast cells but it augments the degranulation induced by FcεRI cross-linking and ionomycin.

Staphylococcal α-hemolysin (Hla) is a principal small β-barrel pore forming toxin. It targets a variety of mammalian cells including immune cells; however little is known about its effects on mast cells. In this study, we examined whether Hla affects the degranulation of mast cells.