scholarly journals Cladodionen Is a Potential Quorum Sensing Inhibitor Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengjia Wang ◽  
Lu Zhao ◽  
Hao Wu ◽  
Chaoyue Zhao ◽  
Qianhong Gong ◽  
...  

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen using virulence factors and biofilm regulated by quorum sensing (QS) systems to infect patients and protect itself from environmental stress and antibiotics. Interfering with QS systems is a novel approach to combat P. aeruginosa infections without killing the bacteria, meaning that it is much harder for bacteria to develop drug resistance. A marine fungus Cladosporium sp. Z148 with anti-QS activity was obtained from Jiaozhou Bay, China. Cladodionen, a novel QS inhibitor, was isolated from the extracts of this fungus. Cladodionen had a better inhibitory effect than pyocyanin on the production of elastase and rhamnolipid. It also inhibited biofilm formation and motilities. The mRNA expressions of QS-related genes, including receptor proteins (lasR, rhlR and pqsR), autoinducer synthases (lasI, rhlI and pqsA) and virulence factors (lasB and rhlA) were down-regulated by cladodionen. Molecular docking analysis showed that cladodionen had better binding affinity to LasR and PqsR than natural ligands. Moreover, the binding affinity of cladodionen to LasR was higher than to PqsR. Cladodionen exhibits potential as a QS inhibitor against P. aeruginosa, and its structure–activity relationships should be further studied to illustrate the mode of action, optimize its structure and improve anti-QS activity.

Author(s):  
Nourhan G. Naga ◽  
Dalia E. El-Badan ◽  
Heba S. Rateb ◽  
Khaled M. Ghanem ◽  
Mona I. Shaaban

The last decade has witnessed a massive increase in the rate of mortalities caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore, developing new strategies to control virulence factors and pathogenicity has received much attention. One of these strategies is quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) which was developed to control Pseudomonas infection. This study aims to validate the effect of one of the most used β-lactam antibiotics; cefoperazone (CFP) and its metallic-derivatives on quorum sensing (QS) and virulence factors of P. aeruginosa. Assessment of quorum sensing inhibitory activity of CFP, cefoperazone Iron complex (CFPF) and cefoperazone Cobalt complex (CFPC) was performed by using reporter strain Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was carried out by the microbroth dilution method. The influence of sub-MICs (1/4 and 1/2 MICs) of CFP, CFPF and CFPC on virulence factors of P. aeruginosa was evaluated. Data was confirmed on the molecular level by RT-PCR. Also, molecular docking analysis was conducted to figure out the possible mechanisms of QSI. CFP, CFPF, and CFPC inhibited violacein pigment production of C. violaceum ATCC 12472. Sub-MICs of CFP (128- 256 μg/mL), and significantly low concentrations of CFPC (0.5- 16 μg/mL) and CFPF (0.5- 64 μg/mL) reduced the production of QS related virulence factors such as pyocyanin, protease, hemolysin and eliminated biofilm assembly by P. aeruginosa standard strains PAO1 and PA14, and P. aeruginosa clinical isolates Ps1, Ps2, and Ps3, without affecting bacterial viability. In addition, CFP, CFPF, and CFPC significantly reduced the expression of lasI and rhlI genes. The molecular docking analysis elucidated that the QS inhibitory effect was possibly caused by the interaction with QS receptors. Both CFPF and CFPC interacted strongly with LasI, LasR and PqsR receptors with a much high ICM scores compared to CFP that could be the cause of elimination of natural ligand binding. Therefore, CFPC and CFPF are potent inhibitors of quorum sensing signaling and virulence factors of P. aeruginosa.


2019 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 01004
Author(s):  
Shan Li ◽  
Jiangning Yao ◽  
Haoming Li

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative organism that can survive under harsh conditions, and it is also an opportunistic pathogen that can produce cell-associated extracellular virulence factors. Several of these virulence factors have been demonstrated to be regulated by quorum sensing (QS). Plantain Herb has been used as antibacterial agents for many centuries in China. In this study, we analyzed Plantain Herb Extracts (PHE) at the concentration of 16 μg/mL (Group A, MIC), 8 μg/mL (Group B, 1/2 MIC) and 4 μg/mL (Group C, 1/4 MIC) for inhibition of the virulence factors production and biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa PAO1. The virulence factors included pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, protease and alginate. PHE showed significant inhibition of virulence factors as compared to the control group without interfering its growth. Thus, PHE might be a potent QS inhibitor and anti-biofilm agent in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1461
Author(s):  
Soha Lotfy Elshaer ◽  
Mona I. Shaaban

The development of microbial resistance requires a novel approach to control microbial infection. This study implies the microbial synthesis of nanometals and assessment of their antivirulent activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Streptomyces isolate S91 was isolated from soil with substantial ability for growth at high salts concentrations. The cell-free supernatant of S91was utilized for the synthesis of Au-NPs and Se-NPs. The 16S rRNA sequence analysis of Streptomyces S91 revealed that S91 had a high similarity (98.82%) to Streptomyces olivaceous. The biosynthesized Au-NPs and Se-NPs were characterized using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The quorum sensing inhibitory (QSI) potential of Au-NPs and Se-NPs and the antivirulence activity was examined against P. aeruginosa. The QSI potential was confirmed using RT-PCR. The synthesized Au-NPs and Se-NPs were monodispersed spherical shapes with particle size of 12.2 and 67.98 nm, respectively. Au-NPs and Se-NPs eliminated QS in P. aeruginosa at a concentration range of 2.3–18.5 µg/mL for Au-NPs and 2.3–592 µg/mL for Se-NPs. In addition, Au-NPs and Se-NPs significantly inhibited QS-related virulence factors, such as pyocyanin, protease and, elastase in P. aeruginosa. At the molecular level, Au-NPs and Se-NPs significantly suppressed the relative expression of QS genes and toxins. Hence, the biosynthesized Au-NPS and Se-NPS could be substantial inhibitors of QS and virulence traits of P. aeruginosa.


Author(s):  
Amel Elsheredy ◽  
Ingy El-Soudany ◽  
Eglal Elsherbini ◽  
Dalia Metwally ◽  
Abeer Ghazal

Background and Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a problematic opportunistic pathogen causing several types of nosocomial infections with a high resistance rate to antibiotics. Production of many virulence factors in P. aeruginosa is regulated by quorum sensing (QS), a cell-to-cell communication mechanism. In this study, we aimed to assess and compare the inhibitory effect of azithromycin (AZM) and EPI- PAβN (efflux pump inhibitor- Phenylalanine-Arginine Beta-Naphthylamide) on QS system and QS-dependent virulence factors in P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 P. aeruginosa isolates were obtained from different types of clinical specimens. Isolates were investigated for detection of QS system molecules by AHL cross-feeding bioassay and QS-dependent virulence factors; this was also confirmed by detection of QS genes (lasR, lasI, rhlR, and rhlI) using PCR assay. The inhibitory effect of sub-MIC AZM and EPI PAβN on these virulence factors was assessed. Results: All the P. aeruginosa, producing QS signals C4 HSL, failed to produce C4 HSL in the presence of sub-MIC AZM, In the presence of EPI PAβN (20 µg/ml) only 14 isolates were affected, there was a significant reduction in QS-dependent virulence factors production (protease, biofilm, rhamnolipid and pyocyanin) in the presence of either 20 µg/ml EPI or subMIC of AZM with the inhibitory effect of AZM was more observed than PAβN. Conclusion: Anti-QS agents like AZM and EPI (PAβN) are useful therapeutic options for P. aeruginosa due to its inhibitory effect on QS-dependent virulence factors production without selective pressure on bacteria growth, so resistance to these agents is less likely to develop.


Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (7) ◽  
pp. 2120-2132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier M. Vandeputte ◽  
Martin Kiendrebeogo ◽  
Tsiry Rasamiravaka ◽  
Caroline Stévigny ◽  
Pierre Duez ◽  
...  

Preliminary screening of the Malagasy plant Combretum albiflorum for compounds attenuating the production of quorum sensing (QS)-controlled virulence factors in bacteria led to the identification of active fractions containing flavonoids. In the present study, several flavonoids belonging to the flavone, flavanone, flavonol and chalcone structural groups were screened for their capacity to reduce the production of QS-controlled factors in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (strain PAO1). Flavanones (i.e. naringenin, eriodictyol and taxifolin) significantly reduced the production of pyocyanin and elastase in P. aeruginosa without affecting bacterial growth. Consistently, naringenin and taxifolin reduced the expression of several QS-controlled genes (i.e. lasI, lasR, rhlI, rhlR, lasA, lasB, phzA1 and rhlA) in P. aeruginosa PAO1. Naringenin also dramatically reduced the production of the acylhomoserine lactones N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL) and N-butanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL), which is driven by the lasI and rhlI gene products, respectively. In addition, using mutant strains deficient for autoinduction (ΔlasI and ΔrhlI) and LasR- and RhlR-based biosensors, it was shown that QS inhibition by naringenin not only is the consequence of a reduced production of autoinduction compounds but also results from a defect in the proper functioning of the RlhR–C4-HSL complex. Widely distributed in the plant kingdom, flavonoids are known for their numerous and determinant roles in plant physiology, plant development and in the success of plant–rhizobia interactions, but, as shown here, some of them also have a role as inhibitors of the virulence of pathogenic bacteria by interfering with QS mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1807
Author(s):  
Léonie Pellissier ◽  
Sara Leoni ◽  
Laurence Marcourt ◽  
Emerson Ferreira Queiroz ◽  
Nicole Lecoultre ◽  
...  

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the “critical priority pathogens” due to its multidrug resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. Its ability to invade and damage host tissues is due to the use of quorum sensing (QS) to collectively produce a plethora of virulence factors. Inhibition of QS is an attractive strategy for new antimicrobial agents because it disrupts the initial events of infection without killing the pathogen. Highly diverse microorganisms as endophytes represent an under-explored source of bioactive natural products, offering opportunities for the discovery of novel QS inhibitors (QSI). In the present work, the objective was to explore selective QSIs within a unique collection of fungal endophytes isolated from the tropical palm Astrocaryum sciophilum. The fungi were cultured, extracted, and screened for their antibacterial and specific anti-QS activities against P. aeruginosa. The endophytic strain Lasiodiplodia venezuelensis was prioritized for scaled-up fractionation for its selective activity, leading to the isolation of eight compounds in a single step. Among them, two pyran-derivatives were found to be responsible for the QSI activity, with an effect on some QS-regulated virulence factors. Additional non-targeted metabolomic studies on P. aeruginosa documented their effects on the production of various virulence-related metabolites.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weifeng Yang ◽  
Qing Wei ◽  
Qian Tong ◽  
Kaiyu Cui ◽  
Gaiying He ◽  
...  

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can infect a wide variety of hosts including humans, plants, and animals. The production of virulence factors is the determinant of the infection paradigm and is under orchestrated regulation via cell-to-cell communication process called quorum sensing (QS). To disable QS circuits and prevent bacterial infections, a large battery of anti-QS agents, particularly from traditional Chinese medicine have been developed. Here, we used P. aeruginosa as a model microorganism to investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine Tanreqing (TRQ) formula on bacterial pathogenicity. Phenotypic analysis showed that TRQ treatment could completely inhibit the production of phenazine pyocyanin and moderately inhibit the production of virulence factors such as rhamnolipids, elastase, and alkaline protease. Further transcriptomic analyses revealed that TRQ treatment could significantly attenuate the expression of QS-regulated genes in P. aeruginosa and TRQ-treated P. aeruginosa regulon shared a large overlap with QS regulon. Component contribution to QS inhibition shed light on the indispensable role of all five components in TRQ formula. Further genetic analysis indicated that upstream regulators of QS systems, including two-component systems GacS/GacA and PprA/PprB, were both inhibited by TRQ treatment. Finally, our TRQ formula could efficiently protect Caenorhabditis elegans from killing by P. aeruginosa. Altogether, we have proved TRQ formula as an effective and specific agent to attenuate bacterial virulence and combat bacterial infections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-430
Author(s):  
Rana Abdel Fattah Abdel Fattah ◽  
◽  
Fatma El zaharaa Youssef Fathy ◽  
Tahany Abdel Hamed Mohamed ◽  
Marwa Shabban Elsayed

<abstract> <p>Antibiotic-resistant strains of <italic>Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa</italic>) pose a major threat for healthcare-associated and community-acquired infections. <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> is recognized as an opportunistic pathogen using quorum sensing (QS) system to regulate the expression of virulence factors and biofilm development. Thus, meddling with the QS system would give alternate methods of controlling the pathogenicity. This study aimed to assess the inhibitory impact of chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) on <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> virulence factors regulated by QS (e.g., motility and biofilm formation) and <italic>LasI</italic> and <italic>RhlI</italic> gene expression. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CS-NPs against 30 isolates of <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> was determined. The CS-NPs at sub-MIC were utilized to assess their inhibitory effect on motility, biofilm formation, and the expression levels of <italic>LasI</italic> and <italic>RhlI</italic> genes. CS-NPs remarkably inhibited the tested virulence factors as compared to the controls grown without the nanoparticles. The mean (±SD) diameter of swimming motility was decreased from 3.93 (±1.5) to 1.63 (±1.02) cm, and the mean of the swarming motility was reduced from 3.5 (±1.6) to 1.9 (±1.07) cm. All isolates became non-biofilm producers, and the mean percentage rate of biofilm inhibition was 84.95% (±6.18). Quantitative real-time PCR affirmed the opposition of QS activity by lowering the expression levels of <italic>LasI</italic> and <italic>RhlI</italic> genes; the expression level was decreased by 90- and 100-folds, respectively. In conclusion, the application of CS-NPs reduces the virulence factors significantly at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. These promising results can breathe hope in the fight against resistant <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> by repressing its QS-regulated virulence factors.</p> </abstract>


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Banzhaf ◽  
Osbaldo Resendis-Antonio ◽  
M. Lisandra Zepeda-Mendoza

AbstractIntroductionPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen with an extraordinary metabolic adaptability and a large repertoire of virulence factors that allow it to cause acute and chronic infections. Treatment of P. aeruginosa infections often fail due to its antibiotic resistance mechanisms, thus novel strategies aim at targeting virulence factors instead of growth-related features. However, there is currently not a clear understanding of the dynamic nature inherent to the wiring of its virulence networks.ResultsIn this study, we manually reconstructed the signalling and transcriptional regulatory networks of 12 acute (incl. pyocin and elastase) and 8 chronic virulence factors (incl. biofilm), and the 4 quorum sensing (QS) systems of P. aeruginosa. Using Boolean modelling (BM), we unveiled the important roles that stochasticity and node connectivity play in the networks’ inherent dynamicity and robustness. We showed that both the static interactions, as well as the time when the interactions take place, are important features in the QS network. In addition, we found that the virulence factors of the acute networks are under strict repression, or under an activation that is non-strict or oscillatory, while the chronic networks favour the repression of the virulence factor, with only moderate activation under certain conditions.ConclusionIn conclusion, our in silico-modelling framework provided us with a system-level view of the P. aeruginosa virulence and QS networks to gain new insights into the various mechanisms that support its pathogenicity and response to stressors targeting these networks. Thus, we suggest that BM provides an invaluable tool to guide the design of new treatments against P. aeruginosa.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 12699
Author(s):  
Shiwei Wang ◽  
Yuqi Feng ◽  
Xiaofeng Han ◽  
Xinyu Cai ◽  
Liu Yang ◽  
...  

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important opportunistic pathogen, is capable of producing various virulence factors and forming biofilm that are regulated by quorum sensing (QS). It is known that targeting virulence factor production and biofilm formation instead of exerting selective pressure on growth such as conventional antibiotics can reduce multidrug resistance in bacteria. Therefore, many quorum-sensing inhibitors (QSIs) have been developed to prevent or treat this bacterial infection. In this study, wogonin, as an active ingredient from Agrimonia pilosa, was found to be able to inhibit QS system of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Wogonin downregulated the expression of QS-related genes and reduced the production of many virulence factors, such as elastase, pyocyanin, and proteolytic enzyme. In addition, wogonin decreased the extracellular polysaccharide synthesis and inhibited twitching, swimming, and swarming motilities and biofilm formation. The attenuation of pathogenicity in P. aeruginosa PAO1 by wogonin application was further validated in vivo by cabbage infection and fruit fly and nematode survival experiments. Further molecular docking analysis, pathogenicity examination of various QS-related mutants, and PQS signal molecule detection revealed that wogonin could interfere with PQS signal molecular synthesis by affecting pqsA and pqsR. Taken together, the results indicated that wogonin might be used as an anti-QS candidate drug to attenuate the infection caused by P. aeruginosa.


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