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He J, Lin X, Zhang D, Hu H, Chen X, Xu F, Zhou M. Wake biofilm up to enhance suicidal uptake of gallium for chronic lung infection treatment. Biomaterials 2024; 310:122619. [PMID: 38805955 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The hypometabolic and nutrient-limiting condition of dormant bacteria inside biofilms reduces their susceptibility to antibacterial agents, making the treatment of biofilm-dominating chronic infections difficult. Herein, we demonstrate an intratracheal aerosolized maltohexaose-modified catalase-gallium integrated nanosystem that can 'wake up' dormant Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm to increase the metabolism and nutritional iron demand by reconciling the oxygen gradient. The activated bacteria then enhance suicidal gallium uptake since gallium acts as a 'Trojan horse' to mimic iron. The internalized gallium ions disrupt biofilms by interfering with the physiological processes of iron ion acquisition and utilization, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing. Furthermore, aerosol microsprayer administration and bacteria-specific maltohexaose modification enable accumulation at biofilm-infected lung and targeted release of gallium into bacteria to improve the therapeutic effect. This work provides a potential strategy for treating infection by reversing the dormant biofilm's resistance condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian He
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Xiuhui Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Dongxiao Zhang
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China
| | - Huiqun Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Chen
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore; Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Center for Nanomedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Min Zhou
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China; The National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China.
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Chatterjee S, Leach ST, Lui K, Mishra A. Symbiotic symphony: Understanding host-microbiota dialogues in a spatial context. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 161-162:22-30. [PMID: 38564842 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Modern precision sequencing techniques have established humans as a holobiont that live in symbiosis with the microbiome. Microbes play an active role throughout the life of a human ranging from metabolism and immunity to disease tolerance. Hence, it is of utmost significance to study the eukaryotic host in conjunction with the microbial antigens to obtain a complete picture of the host-microbiome crosstalk. Previous attempts at profiling host-microbiome interactions have been either superficial or been attempted to catalogue eukaryotic transcriptomic profile and microbial communities in isolation. Additionally, the nature of such immune-microbial interactions is not random but spatially organised. Hence, for a holistic clinical understanding of the interplay between hosts and microbiota, it's imperative to concurrently analyze both microbial and host genetic information, ensuring the preservation of their spatial integrity. Capturing these interactions as a snapshot in time at their site of action has the potential to transform our understanding of how microbes impact human health. In examining early-life microbial impacts, the limited presence of communities compels analysis within reduced biomass frameworks. However, with the advent of spatial transcriptomics we can address this challenge and expand our horizons of understanding these interactions in detail. In the long run, simultaneous spatial profiling of host-microbiome dialogues can have enormous clinical implications especially in gaining mechanistic insights into the disease prognosis of localised infections and inflammation. This review addresses the lacunae in host-microbiome research and highlights the importance of profiling them together to map their interactions while preserving their spatial context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumi Chatterjee
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children Hospital, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Steven T Leach
- Discipline Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Kei Lui
- Department of Newborn Care, Royal Hospital for Women and Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Archita Mishra
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children Hospital, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
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3
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Basu Choudhury G, Datta S. Implication of Molecular Constraints Facilitating the Functional Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa KPR2 into a Versatile α-Keto-Acid Reductase. Biochemistry 2024. [PMID: 38962820 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Theoretical concepts linking the structure, function, and evolution of a protein, while often intuitive, necessitate validation through investigations in real-world systems. Our study empirically explores the evolutionary implications of multiple gene copies in an organism by shedding light on the structure-function modulations observed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa's second copy of ketopantoate reductase (PaKPR2). We demonstrated with two apo structures that the typical active site cleft of the protein transforms into a two-sided pocket where a molecular gate made up of two residues controls the substrate entry site, resulting in its inactivity toward the natural substrate ketopantoate. Strikingly, this structural modification made the protein active against several important α-keto-acid substrates with varied efficiency. Structural constraints at the binding site for this altered functional trait were analyzed with two binary complexes that show the conserved residue microenvironment faces restricted movements due to domain closure. Finally, its mechanistic highlights gathered from a ternary complex structure help in delineating the molecular perspectives behind its kinetic cooperativity toward these broad range of substrates. Detailed structural characteristics of the protein presented here also identified four key amino acid residues responsible for its versatile α-keto-acid reductase activity, which can be further modified to improve its functional properties through protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gourab Basu Choudhury
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Raja S C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Saumen Datta
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Raja S C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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4
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Sheykhsaran E, Abbasi A, Memar MY, Ghotaslou R, Baghi HB, Mazraeh FN, Laghousi D, Sadeghi J. The role of Staphylococcus aureus in cystic fibrosis pathogenesis and clinico-microbiological interactions. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 109:116294. [PMID: 38678689 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive and inherited disease that affects approximately 70000 individuals all over the world annually. A mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene serves as its defining feature. Bacterial infections have a significant impact on the occurrence and development of CF. In this manuscript, we discuss the role and virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus as an important human pathogen with the ability to induce respiratory tract infections. Recent studies have reported S. aureus as the first isolated bacteria in CF patients. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pathogens are approximately resistant to all β-lactams. CF patients are colonized by MRSA expressing various virulence factors including toxins, and Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec) types, and have the potential for biofilm formation. Therefore, variations in clinical outcomes will be manifested. SCCmec type II has been reported in CF patients more than in other SCCmec types from different countries. The small-colony variants (SCVs) as specific morphologic subtypes of S. aureus with slow growth and unusual properties can also contribute to persistent and difficult-to-treat infections in CF patients. The pathophysiology of SCVs is complicated and not fully understood. Patients with cystic fibrosis should be aware of the intrinsic risk factors for complex S. aureus infections, including recurring infections, physiological issues, or coinfection with P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Sheykhsaran
- Immunology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Students' Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amin Abbasi
- Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Science and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Yousef Memar
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Reza Ghotaslou
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi
- Immunology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Fariba Naeimi Mazraeh
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Delara Laghousi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Javid Sadeghi
- Immunology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Szymczak K, Woźniak-Pawlikowska A, Burzyńska N, Król M, Zhang L, Nakonieczna J, Grinholc M. Decrease of ESKAPE virulence with a cationic heme-mimetic gallium porphyrin photosensitizer: The Trojan horse strategy that could help address antimicrobial resistance. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2024; 256:112928. [PMID: 38723545 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2024.112928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emerging antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens has forced an urgent need for alternative non-antibiotic strategies development that could combat drug resistant-associated infections. Suppression of virulence of ESKAPE pathogens' by targeting multiple virulence traits provides a promising approach. OBJECTIVES Here we propose an iron-blocking antibacterial therapy based on a cationic heme-mimetic gallium porphyrin (GaCHP), which antibacterial efficacy could be further enhanced by photodynamic inactivation. METHODS We used gallium heme mimetic porphyrin (GaCHP) excited with light to significantly reduce microbial viability and suppress both the expression and biological activity of several virulence traits of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative ESKAPE representatives, i.e., S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Moreover, further improvement of the proposed strategy by combining it with routinely used antimicrobials to resensitize the microbes to antibiotics and provide enhanced bactericidal efficacy was investigated. RESULTS The proposed strategy led to substantial inactivation of critical priority pathogens and has been evidenced to suppress the expression and biological activity of multiple virulence factors in S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Finally, the combination of GaCHP phototreatment and antibiotics resulted in promising strategy to overcome antibiotic resistance of the studied microbes and to enhance disinfection of drug resistant pathogens. CONCLUSION Lastly, considering high safety aspects of the proposed treatment toward host cells, i.e., lack of mutagenicity, no dark toxicity and mild phototoxicity, we describe an efficient alternative that simultaneously suppresses the functionality of multiple virulence factors in ESKAPE pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Szymczak
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Agata Woźniak-Pawlikowska
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Natalia Burzyńska
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Król
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Joanna Nakonieczna
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Mariusz Grinholc
- Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland.
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Adamiak JW, Ajmal L, Zgurskaya HI. Non-interchangeable functions of efflux transporters of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in survival under infection-associated stress. J Bacteriol 2024:e0005424. [PMID: 38874367 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00054-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a challenging opportunistic pathogen due to its intrinsic and acquired mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. A large repertoire of efflux transporters actively expels antibiotics, toxins, and metabolites from cells and enables growth of P. aeruginosa in diverse environments. In this study, we analyzed the roles of representative efflux pumps from the Resistance-Nodulation-Division (RND), Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), and Small Multidrug Resistance (SMR) families of proteins in the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to antibiotics and bacterial growth under stresses imposed by human hosts during bacterial infections: an elevated temperature, osmotic stress, low iron, bile salts, and acidic pH. We selected five RND pumps MexAB-OprM, MexEF-OprN, MexCD-OprJ, MuxABC-OpmB, and TriABC-OpmH that differ in their substrate specificities and expression profiles, two MFS efflux pumps PA3136-3137 and PA5158-5160 renamed here into MfsAB and MfsCD-OpmG, respectively, and an SMR efflux transporter PA1540-1541 (MdtJI). We found that the most promiscuous RND pumps such as MexEF-OprN and MexAB-OprM are integrated into diverse survival mechanisms and enable P. aeruginosa growth under various stresses. MuxABC-OpmB and TriABC-OpmH pumps with narrower substrate spectra are beneficial only in the presence of the iron chelator 2,2'-dipyridyl and bile salts, respectively. MFS pumps do not contribute to antibiotic efflux but play orthogonal roles in acidic pH, low iron, and in the presence of bile salts. In contrast, MdtJI protects against polycationic antibiotics but does not contribute to survival under stress. Thus, efflux pumps play specific, non-interchangeable functions in P. aeruginosa cell physiology and bacterial survival under stresses. IMPORTANCE The role of multidrug efflux pumps in the intrinsic and clinical levels of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other gram-negative bacteria is well-established. Their functions in bacterial physiology, however, remain unclear. The P. aeruginosa genome comprises an arsenal of efflux pumps from different protein families, the substrate specificities of which are typically assessed by measuring their impact on susceptibility to antibiotics. In this study, we analyzed how deletions and overproductions of efflux pumps affect P. aeruginosa growth under human-infection-induced stresses. Our results show that the physiological functions of multidrug efflux pumps are non-redundant and essential for the survival of this important human pathogen under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna W Adamiak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Laiba Ajmal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Helen I Zgurskaya
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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Greenwald MA, Meinig SL, Plott LM, Roca C, Higgs MG, Vitko NP, Markovetz MR, Rouillard KR, Carpenter J, Kesimer M, Hill DB, Schisler JC, Wolfgang MC. Mucus polymer concentration and in vivo adaptation converge to define the antibiotic response of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during chronic lung infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0345123. [PMID: 38651896 PMCID: PMC11237767 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03451-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The airway milieu of individuals with muco-obstructive airway diseases (MADs) is defined by the accumulation of dehydrated mucus due to hyperabsorption of airway surface liquid and defective mucociliary clearance. Pathological mucus becomes progressively more viscous with age and disease severity due to the concentration and overproduction of mucin and accumulation of host-derived extracellular DNA (eDNA). Respiratory mucus of MADs provides a niche for recurrent and persistent colonization by respiratory pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in MADs. Despite high concentration inhaled antibiotic therapies and the absence of antibiotic resistance, antipseudomonal treatment failure in MADs remains a significant clinical challenge. Understanding the drivers of antibiotic tolerance is essential for developing more effective treatments that eradicate persistent infections. The complex and dynamic environment of diseased airways makes it difficult to model antibiotic efficacy in vitro. We aimed to understand how mucin and eDNA concentrations, the two dominant polymers in respiratory mucus, alter the antibiotic tolerance of P. aeruginosa. Our results demonstrate that polymer concentration and molecular weight affect P. aeruginosa survival post antibiotic challenge. Polymer-driven antibiotic tolerance was not explicitly associated with reduced antibiotic diffusion. Lastly, we established a robust and standardized in vitro model for recapitulating the ex vivo antibiotic tolerance of P. aeruginosa observed in expectorated sputum across age, underlying MAD etiology, and disease severity, which revealed the inherent variability in intrinsic antibiotic tolerance of host-evolved P. aeruginosa populations. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic treatment failure in Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic lung infections is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, illustrating the clinical challenge of bacterial infection control. Understanding the underlying infection environment, as well as the host and bacterial factors driving antibiotic tolerance and the ability to accurately recapitulate these factors in vitro, is crucial for improving antibiotic treatment outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that increasing concentration and molecular weight of mucin and host eDNA drive increased antibiotic tolerance to tobramycin. Through systematic testing and modeling, we identified a biologically relevant in vitro condition that recapitulates antibiotic tolerance observed in ex vivo treated sputum. Ultimately, this study revealed a dominant effect of in vivo evolved bacterial populations in defining inter-subject ex vivo antibiotic tolerance and establishes a robust and translatable in vitro model for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Greenwald
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne L Meinig
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lucas M Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Cristian Roca
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew G Higgs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas P Vitko
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew R Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kaitlyn R Rouillard
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jerome Carpenter
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mehmet Kesimer
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - David B Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan C Schisler
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew C Wolfgang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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8
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Xiu W, Dong H, Chen X, Wan L, Lu L, Yang K, Yuwen L, Li Q, Ding M, Zhang Y, Mou Y, Wang L. Metabolic Modulation-Mediated Antibiotic and Immune Activation for Treatment of Chronic Lung Infections. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15204-15217. [PMID: 38803167 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm in recalcitrant chronic lung infections not only develops high antimicrobial tolerance but also induces an aberrant host inflammatory response. The metabolic condition plays a vital role in both the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria and the inflammatory response of immune cells, thereby offering a potential therapeutic target. Herein, we described a metabolic modulation strategy by using ultrasound-responsive liposomal nanoparticles containing a sonosensitizer and a hypoxia-activated prodrug against biofilm-associated chronic lung infections. Under ultrasound stimulation, the sonosensitizer generates antibacterial reactive oxygen species by oxygen consumption. Subsequently, the oxygen consumption-mediated hypoxia not only induces the anaerobic metabolism of bacteria for antibiotic activation but also triggers the glycolysis pathway of immune cells for inflammatory activation. Such metabolic modulation strategy demonstrated efficient therapeutic efficacy for P. aeruginosa biofilm-induced chronic lung infections in mice models and provides a promising way for combating biofilm-associated chronic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Heng Dong
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Xiaolong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Ling Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Liang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Kaili Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Lihui Yuwen
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Meng Ding
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yongbin Mou
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Lianhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210023, China
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Islam MM, Kolling GL, Glass EM, Goldberg JB, Papin JA. Model-driven characterization of functional diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates with broadly representative phenotypes. Microb Genom 2024; 10. [PMID: 38836744 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of infections in immunocompromised individuals and in healthcare settings. This study aims to understand the relationships between phenotypic diversity and the functional metabolic landscape of P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. To better understand the metabolic repertoire of P. aeruginosa in infection, we deeply profiled a representative set from a library of 971 clinical P. aeruginosa isolates with corresponding patient metadata and bacterial phenotypes. The genotypic clustering based on whole-genome sequencing of the isolates, multilocus sequence types, and the phenotypic clustering generated from a multi-parametric analysis were compared to each other to assess the genotype-phenotype correlation. Genome-scale metabolic network reconstructions were developed for each isolate through amendments to an existing PA14 network reconstruction. These network reconstructions show diverse metabolic functionalities and enhance the collective P. aeruginosa pangenome metabolic repertoire. Characterizing this rich set of clinical P. aeruginosa isolates allows for a deeper understanding of the genotypic and metabolic diversity of the pathogen in a clinical setting and lays a foundation for further investigation of the metabolic landscape of this pathogen and host-associated metabolic differences during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mazharul Islam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Glynis L Kolling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Emma M Glass
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | | | - Jason A Papin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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10
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Kasza K, Soukarieh F, Romero M, Hardie KR, Gurnani P, Cámara M, Alexander C. Triblock copolymer micelles enhance solubility, permeability and activity of a quorum sensing inhibitor against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. RSC APPLIED POLYMERS 2024; 2:444-455. [PMID: 38800514 PMCID: PMC11114570 DOI: 10.1039/d3lp00208j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a threat to public health for which new treatments are urgently required. The capability of bacteria to form biofilms is of particular concern as it enables high bacterial tolerance to conventional therapies by reducing drug diffusion through the dense, exopolymeric biofilm matrix and the upregulation of antimicrobial resistance machinery. Quorum sensing (QS), a process where bacteria use diffusible chemical signals to coordinate group behaviour, has been shown to be closely interconnected with biofilm formation and bacterial virulence in many top priority pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhibition of QS pathways therefore pose an attractive target for new therapeutics. We have recently reported a new series of pqs quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) that serve as potentiators for antibiotics in P. aeruginosa infections. The impact on biofilms of some reported QSIs was however hindered by their poor penetration through the bacterial biofilm, limiting the potential for clinical translation. In this study we developed a series of poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) triblock copolymers and evaluated their ability to form micelles, encapsulate a QSI and enhance subsequent delivery to P. aeruginosa biofilms. We observed that the QSI could be released from polymer micelles, perturbing the pqs pathway in planktonic P. aeruginosa. In addition, one of the prepared polymer variants increased the QSIs efficacy, leading to an enhanced potentiation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) action and therefore improved reduction in biofilm viability, compared to the non-encapsulated QSI. Thus, we demonstrate QSI encapsulation in polymeric particles can enhance its efficacy through improved biofilm penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Kasza
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics and Formulation, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Fadi Soukarieh
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Manuel Romero
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology-CIBUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela 15782 Spain
- Aquatic One Health Research Center (ARCUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Spain
| | - Kim R Hardie
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Pratik Gurnani
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Miguel Cámara
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Cameron Alexander
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics and Formulation, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
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11
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Thiriet-Rupert S, Josse J, Perez-Pascual D, Tasse J, Andre C, Abad L, Lebeaux D, Ghigo JM, Laurent F, Beloin C. Analysis of In-Patient Evolution of Escherichia coli Reveals Potential Links to Relapse of Bone and Joint Infections. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1546-1556. [PMID: 38041851 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone and joint infections (BJIs) are difficult to treat and affect a growing number of patients, in which relapses are observed in 10-20% of case. These relapses, which call for prolonged antibiotic treatment and increase resistance emergence risk, may originate from ill-understood adaptation of the pathogen to the host. Here, we investigated 3 pairs of Escherichia coli strains from BJI cases and their relapses to unravel adaptations within patients. Whole-genome comparison presented evidence for positive selection and phenotypic characterization showed that biofilm formation remained unchanged, contrary to what is usually described in such cases. Although virulence was not modified, we identified the loss of 2 virulence factors contributing to immune system evasion in one of the studied strains. Other strategies, including global growth optimization and colicin production, likely allowed the strains to outcompete competitors. This work highlights the variety of strategies allowing in-patient adaptation in BJIs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jérôme Josse
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - David Perez-Pascual
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jason Tasse
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Camille Andre
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Lélia Abad
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - David Lebeaux
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, Paris, France
- Département de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Lariboisière, Paris, France
- FHU PROTHEE (Prosthetic joint infections: innovative strategies to overcome a medico-surgical challenge) Group
| | - Jean-Marc Ghigo
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Laurent
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Beloin
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, Paris, France
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12
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Shepherd MJ, Fu T, Harrington NE, Kottara A, Cagney K, Chalmers JD, Paterson S, Fothergill JL, Brockhurst MA. Ecological and evolutionary mechanisms driving within-patient emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1. [PMID: 38689039 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The ecological and evolutionary mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence within patients and how these vary across bacterial infections are poorly understood. Increasingly widespread use of pathogen genome sequencing in the clinic enables a deeper understanding of these processes. In this Review, we explore the clinical evidence to support four major mechanisms of within-patient AMR emergence in bacteria: spontaneous resistance mutations; in situ horizontal gene transfer of resistance genes; selection of pre-existing resistance; and immigration of resistant lineages. Within-patient AMR emergence occurs across a wide range of host niches and bacterial species, but the importance of each mechanism varies between bacterial species and infection sites within the body. We identify potential drivers of such differences and discuss how ecological and evolutionary analysis could be embedded within clinical trials of antimicrobials, which are powerful but underused tools for understanding why these mechanisms vary between pathogens, infections and individuals. Ultimately, improving understanding of how host niche, bacterial species and antibiotic mode of action combine to govern the ecological and evolutionary mechanism of AMR emergence in patients will enable more predictive and personalized diagnosis and antimicrobial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Shepherd
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Taoran Fu
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Niamh E Harrington
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anastasia Kottara
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kendall Cagney
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - James D Chalmers
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Steve Paterson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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13
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Jiang B, Qiu H, Lu C, Lu M, Li Y, Dai W. Uncovering the GacS-mediated role in evolutionary progression through trajectory reconstruction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3856-3869. [PMID: 38477346 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic diversities of subpopulations drive the evolution of pathogens and affect their ability to infect hosts and cause diseases. However, most studies to date have focused on the identification and characterization of adaptive mutations in single colonies, which do not accurately reflect the phenotypes of an entire population. Here, to identify the composition of variant subpopulations within a pathogen population, we developed a streamlined approach that combines high-throughput sequencing of the entire population cells with genotyping of single colonies. Using this method, we reconstructed a detailed quorum-sensing (QS) evolutionary trajectory in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results revealed a new adaptive mutation in the gacS gene, which codes for a histidine kinase sensor of a two-component system (TCS), during QS evolution. This mutation reduced QS activity, allowing the variant to sweep throughout the whole population, while still being vulnerable to invasion by the emerging QS master regulator LasR-null mutants. By tracking the evolutionary trajectory, we found that mutations in gacS facilitated QS-rewiring in the LasR-null mutant. This rapid QS revertant caused by inactive GacS was found to be associated with the promotion of ribosome biogenesis and accompanied by a trade-off of reduced bacterial virulence on host cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the crucial role of the global regulator GacS in modulating the progression of QS evolution and the virulence of the pathogen population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Jiang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Huifang Qiu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Chenghui Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingqi Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuanhao Li
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Weijun Dai
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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14
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La Corte SG, Stevens CA, Cárcamo-Oyarce G, Ribbeck K, Wingreen NS, Datta SS. Morphogenesis of bacterial colonies in polymeric environments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590088. [PMID: 38712130 PMCID: PMC11071276 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Many bacteria live in polymeric fluids, such as mucus, environmental polysaccharides, and extracellular polymers in biofilms. However, lab studies typically focus on cells in polymer-free fluids. Here, we show that interactions with polymers shape a fundamental feature of bacterial life-how they proliferate in space in multicellular colonies. Using experiments, we find that when polymer is sufficiently concentrated, cells generically and reversibly form large serpentine "cables" as they proliferate. By combining experiments with biophysical theory and simulations, we demonstrate that this distinctive form of colony morphogenesis arises from an interplay between polymer-induced entropic attraction between neighboring cells and their hindered ability to diffusely separate from each other in a viscous polymer solution. Our work thus reveals a pivotal role of polymers in sculpting proliferating bacterial colonies, with implications for how they interact with hosts and with the natural environment, and uncovers quantitative principles governing colony morphogenesis in such complex environments.
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15
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Chance DL, Wang W, Waters JK, Mawhinney TP. Insights on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Carbohydrate Binding from Profiles of Cystic Fibrosis Isolates Using Multivalent Fluorescent Glycopolymers Bearing Pendant Monosaccharides. Microorganisms 2024; 12:801. [PMID: 38674745 PMCID: PMC11051836 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to frequent, persistent, and, often, polymicrobial respiratory tract infections for individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Chronic CF infections lead to bronchiectasis and a shortened lifespan. P. aeruginosa expresses numerous adhesins, including lectins known to bind the epithelial cell and mucin glycoconjugates. Blocking carbohydrate-mediated host-pathogen and intra-biofilm interactions critical to the initiation and perpetuation of colonization offer promise as anti-infective treatment strategies. To inform anti-adhesion therapies, we profiled the monosaccharide binding of P. aeruginosa from CF and non-CF sources, and assessed whether specific bacterial phenotypic characteristics affected carbohydrate-binding patterns. Focusing at the cellular level, microscopic and spectrofluorometric tools permitted the solution-phase analysis of P. aeruginosa binding to a panel of fluorescent glycopolymers possessing distinct pendant monosaccharides. All P. aeruginosa demonstrated significant binding to glycopolymers specific for α-D-galactose, β-D-N-acetylgalactosamine, and β-D-galactose-3-sulfate. In each culture, a small subpopulation accounted for the binding. The carbohydrate anomeric configuration and sulfate ester presence markedly influenced binding. While this opportunistic pathogen from CF hosts presented with various colony morphologies and physiological activities, no phenotypic, physiological, or structural feature predicted enhanced or diminished monosaccharide binding. Important to anti-adhesive therapeutic strategies, these findings suggest that, regardless of phenotype or clinical source, P. aeruginosa maintain a small subpopulation that may readily associate with specific configurations of specific monosaccharides. This report provides insights into whole-cell P. aeruginosa carbohydrate-binding profiles and into the context within which successful anti-adhesive and/or anti-virulence anti-infective agents for CF must contend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah L. Chance
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
| | - James K. Waters
- Experiment Station Chemical Laboratories, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
| | - Thomas P. Mawhinney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
- Experiment Station Chemical Laboratories, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
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16
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Li T, Cao H, Duan C, Chen S, Xu Z. Activation of CzcS/CzcR during zinc excess regulates copper tolerance and pyochelin biosynthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0232723. [PMID: 38376236 PMCID: PMC10952498 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02327-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Zinc is an important transition metal that is essential for numerous physiological processes while excessive zinc is cytotoxic. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic human pathogen equipped with an exquisite zinc homeostatic system, and the two-component system CzcS/CzcR plays a key role in zinc detoxification. Although an increasing number of studies have shown the versatility of CzcS/CzcR, its physiological functions are still not fully understood. In this study, transcriptome analysis was performed, which revealed that CzcS/CzcR is silenced in the absence of the zinc signal but modulates global gene expression when the pathogen encounters zinc excess. CzcR was demonstrated to positively regulate the copper tolerance gene ptrA and negatively regulate the pyochelin biosynthesis regulatory gene pchR through direct binding to their promoters. Remarkably, the upregulation of ptrA and downregulation of pchR were shown to rescue the impaired capacity of copper tolerance and prevent pyochelin overproduction, respectively, caused by zinc excess. This study not only advances our understanding of the regulatory spectrum of CzcS/CzcR but also provides new insights into stress adaptation mediated by two-component systems in bacteria to balance the cellular processes that are disturbed by their signals. IMPORTANCE CzcS/CzcR is a two-component system that has been found to modulate zinc homeostasis, quorum sensing, and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To fully understand the physiological functions of CzcS/CzcR, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis in this study and discovered that CzcS/CzcR controls global gene expression when it is activated during zinc excess. In particular, we demonstrated that CzcS/CzcR is critical for maintaining copper tolerance and iron homeostasis, which are disrupted during zinc excess, by inducing the expression of the copper tolerance gene ptrA and repressing the pyochelin biosynthesis genes through pchR. This study revealed the global regulatory functions of CzcS/CzcR and described a new and intricate adaptive mechanism in response to zinc excess in P. aeruginosa. The findings of this study have important implications for novel anti-infective interventions by incorporating metal-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiluo Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cheng Duan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuzhen Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeling Xu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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17
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Trottier MC, de Oliveira Pereira T, Groleau MC, Hoffman LR, Dandekar AA, Déziel E. The end of the reign of a "master regulator''? A defect in function of the LasR quorum sensing regulator is a common feature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. mBio 2024; 15:e0237623. [PMID: 38315035 PMCID: PMC10936206 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02376-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium causing infections in immunocompromised individuals, regulates several of its virulence functions using three interlinked quorum sensing (QS) systems (las, rhl, and pqs). Despite its presumed importance in regulating virulence, dysfunction of the las system regulator LasR occurs frequently in strains isolated from various environments, including clinical infections. This newfound abundance of LasR-defective strains calls into question existing hypotheses regarding their selection. Indeed, current assumptions concerning factors driving the emergence of LasR-deficient isolates and the role of LasR in the QS hierarchy must be reconsidered. Here, we propose that LasR is not the primary master regulator of QS in all P. aeruginosa genetic backgrounds, even though it remains ecologically significant. We also revisit and complement current knowledge on the ecology of LasR-dependent QS in P. aeruginosa, discuss the hypotheses explaining the putative adaptive benefits of selecting against LasR function, and consider the implications of this renewed understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylène C. Trottier
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Thays de Oliveira Pereira
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Christine Groleau
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Lucas R. Hoffman
- Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ajai A. Dandekar
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Eric Déziel
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Québec, Canada
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18
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Rouillard KR, Esther CP, Kissner WJ, Plott LM, Bowman DW, Markovetz MR, Hill DB. Combination treatment to improve mucociliary transport of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294120. [PMID: 38394229 PMCID: PMC10890754 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
People with muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have acute or chronic respiratory infections that are difficult to treat due in part to the accumulation of hyperconcentrated mucus within the airway. Mucus accumulation and obstruction promote chronic inflammation and infection and reduce therapeutic efficacy. Bacterial aggregates in the form of biofilms exhibit increased resistance to mechanical stressors from the immune response (e.g., phagocytosis) and chemical treatments including antibiotics. Herein, combination treatments designed to disrupt the mechanical properties of biofilms and potentiate antibiotic efficacy are investigated against mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and optimized to 1) alter biofilm viscoelastic properties, 2) increase mucociliary transport rates, and 3) reduce bacterial viability. A disulfide bond reducing agent (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, TCEP), a surfactant (NP40), a biopolymer (hyaluronic acid, HA), a DNA degradation enzyme (DNase), and an antibiotic (tobramycin) are tested in various combinations to maximize biofilm disruption. The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are quantified with particle tracking microrheology and transport rates are quantified in a mucociliary transport device comprised of fully differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells. The combination of the NP40 with hyaluronic acid and tobramycin was the most effective at increasing mucociliary transport rates, decreasing the viscoelastic properties of mucus, and reducing bacterial viability. Multimechanistic targeting of biofilm infections may ultimately result in improved clinical outcomes, and the results of this study may be translated into future in vivo infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn R. Rouillard
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | | | - William J. Kissner
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Lucas M. Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Dean W. Bowman
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - David B. Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
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19
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Hofstaedter CE, Chandler CE, Met CM, Gillespie JJ, Harro JM, Goodlett DR, Rasko DA, Ernst RK. Divergent Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxO enzymes perform site-specific lipid A 2-hydroxylation. mBio 2024; 15:e0282323. [PMID: 38131669 PMCID: PMC10865791 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02823-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can survive in a myriad of environments, partially due to modifications of its lipid A, the membrane anchor of lipopolysaccharide. We previously demonstrated that divergent late acyltransferase paralogs, HtrB1 and HtrB2, add acyloxyacyl laurate to lipid A 2- and 2'-acyl chains, respectively. The genome of P. aeruginosa also has genes which encode two dioxygenase enzymes, LpxO1 and LpxO2, that individually hydroxylate a specific secondary laurate. LpxO1 acts on the 2'-acyloxyacyl laurate (added by HtrB2), whereas LpxO2 acts on the 2-acyloxyacyl laurate (added by HtrB1) in a site-specific manner. Furthermore, while both enzyme pairs are evolutionarily linked, phylogenomic analysis suggests the LpxO1/HtrB2 enzyme pair as being of ancestral origin, present throughout the Pseudomonas lineage, whereas the LpxO2/HtrB1 enzyme pair likely arose via horizontal gene transfer and has been retained in P. aeruginosa over time. Using a murine pulmonary infection model, we showed that both LpxO1 and LpxO2 enzymes are functional in vivo, as direct analysis of in vivo lipid A structure from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed 2-hydroxylated lipid A. Gene expression analysis reveals increased lpxO2 but unchanged lpxO1 expression in vivo, suggesting differential regulation of these enzymes during infection. We also demonstrate that loss-of-function mutations arise in lpxO1 and lpxO2 during chronic lung infection in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), indicating a potential role for pathogenesis and airway adaptation. Collectively, our study characterizes lipid A 2-hydroxylation during P. aeruginosa airway infection that is regulated by two distinct lipid A dioxygenase enzymes.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes severe infection in hospitalized and chronically ill individuals. During infection, P. aeruginosa undergoes adaptive changes to evade host defenses and therapeutic interventions, increasing mortality and morbidity. Lipid A structural alteration is one such change that P. aeruginosa isolates undergo during chronic lung infection in CF. Investigating genetic drivers of this lipid A structural variation is crucial in understanding P. aeruginosa adaptation during infection. Here, we describe two lipid A dioxygenases with acyl-chain site specificity, each with different evolutionary origins. Further, we show that loss of function in these enzymes occurs in CF clinical isolates, suggesting a potential pathoadaptive phenotype. Studying these bacterial adaptations provides insight into selection pressures of the CF airway on P. aeruginosa phenotypes that persist during chronic infection. Understanding these adaptive changes may ultimately provide clinicians better control over bacterial populations during chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey E. Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Courtney E. Chandler
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles M. Met
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph J. Gillespie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Janette M. Harro
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David R. Goodlett
- Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - David A. Rasko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert K. Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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20
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Mould DL, Finger CE, Conaway A, Botelho N, Stuut SE, Hogan DA. Citrate cross-feeding by Pseudomonas aeruginosa supports lasR mutant fitness. mBio 2024; 15:e0127823. [PMID: 38259061 PMCID: PMC10865840 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01278-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cross-feeding of metabolites between subpopulations can affect cell phenotypes and population-level behaviors. In chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections, subpopulations with loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in the lasR gene are common. LasR, a transcription factor often described for its role in virulence factor expression, also impacts metabolism, which, in turn, affects interactions between LasR+ and LasR- genotypes. Prior transcriptomic analyses suggested that citrate, a metabolite secreted by many cell types, induces virulence factor production when both genotypes are together. An unbiased analysis of the intracellular metabolome revealed broad differences including higher levels of citrate in lasR LOF mutants. Citrate consumption by LasR- strains required the CbrAB two-component system, which relieves carbon catabolite repression and is elevated in lasR LOF mutants. Within mixed communities, the citrate-responsive two-component system TctED and its gene targets OpdH (porin) and TctABC (citrate transporter) that are predicted to be under catabolite repression control were induced and required for enhanced RhlR/I-dependent signaling, pyocyanin production, and fitness of LasR- strains. Citrate uptake by LasR- strains markedly increased pyocyanin production in co-culture with Staphylococcus aureus, which also secretes citrate and frequently co-infects with P. aeruginosa. This citrate-induced restoration of virulence factor production by LasR- strains in communities with diverse species or genotypes may offer an explanation for the contrast observed between the markedly deficient virulence factor production of LasR- strains in monocultures and their association with the most severe forms of cystic fibrosis lung infections. These studies highlight the impact of secreted metabolites in mixed microbial communities.IMPORTANCECross-feeding of metabolites can change community composition, structure, and function. Here, we unravel a cross-feeding mechanism between frequently co-observed isolate genotypes in chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections. We illustrate an example of how clonally derived diversity in a microbial communication system enables intra- and inter-species cross-feeding. Citrate, a metabolite released by many cells including P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, was differentially consumed between genotypes. Since these two pathogens frequently co-occur in the most severe cystic fibrosis lung infections, the cross-feeding-induced virulence factor expression and fitness described here between diverse genotypes exemplify how co-occurrence can facilitate the development of worse disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dallas L. Mould
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Carson E. Finger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Amy Conaway
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Nico Botelho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Stacie E. Stuut
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Deborah A. Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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21
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Kasza K, Richards B, Jones S, Romero M, Robertson SN, Hardie KR, Gurnani P, Cámara M, Alexander C. Ciprofloxacin Poly(β-amino ester) Conjugates Enhance Antibiofilm Activity and Slow the Development of Resistance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:5412-5425. [PMID: 38289032 PMCID: PMC10859900 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
To tackle the emerging antibiotic resistance crisis, novel antimicrobial approaches are urgently needed. Bacterial biofilms are a particular concern in this context as they are responsible for over 80% of bacterial infections and are inherently more recalcitrant toward antimicrobial treatments. The high tolerance of biofilms to conventional antibiotics has been attributed to several factors, including reduced drug diffusion through the dense exopolymeric matrix and the upregulation of antimicrobial resistance machinery with successful biofilm eradication requiring prolonged high doses of multidrug treatments. A promising approach to tackle bacterial infections involves the use of polymer drug conjugates, shown to improve upon free drug toxicity and bioavailability, enhance drug penetration through the thick biofilm matrix, and evade common resistance mechanisms. In the following study, we conjugated the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) to a small library of biodegradable and biocompatible poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) polymers with varying central amine functionality. The suitability of the polymers as antibiotic conjugates was then verified in a series of assays including testing of efficacy and resistance response in planktonic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the reduction of viability in mono- and multispecies biofilm models. The most active polymer within the prepared PBAE-CIP library was shown to achieve an over 2-fold increase in the reduction of biofilm viability in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa monospecies biofilm and superior elimination of all the species present within the multispecies biofilm model. Hence, we demonstrate that CIP conjugation to PBAEs can be employed to achieve improved antibiotic efficacy against clinically relevant biofilm models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Kasza
- Division
of Molecular Therapeutics and Formulation, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Brogan Richards
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Sal Jones
- Division
of Molecular Therapeutics and Formulation, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Manuel Romero
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
- Department
of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology-CIBUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Shaun N. Robertson
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Kim R. Hardie
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Pratik Gurnani
- UCL
School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, U.K.
| | - Miguel Cámara
- National
Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Life Sciences, Biodiscovery
Institute, University Park, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Cameron Alexander
- Division
of Molecular Therapeutics and Formulation, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
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22
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Ambreetha S, Zincke D, Balachandar D, Mathee K. Genomic and metabolic versatility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to its inter-kingdom transmission and survival. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38362900 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most versatile bacteria with renowned pathogenicity and extensive drug resistance. The diverse habitats of this bacterium include fresh, saline and drainage waters, soil, moist surfaces, taps, showerheads, pipelines, medical implants, nematodes, insects, plants, animals, birds and humans. The arsenal of virulence factors produced by P. aeruginosa includes pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, siderophores, lytic enzymes, toxins and polysaccharides. All these virulent elements coupled with intrinsic, adaptive and acquired antibiotic resistance facilitate persistent colonization and lethal infections in different hosts. To date, treating pulmonary diseases remains complicated due to the chronic secondary infections triggered by hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa. On the contrary, this bacterium can improve plant growth by suppressing phytopathogens and insects. Notably, P. aeruginosa is one of the very few bacteria capable of trans-kingdom transmission and infection. Transfer of P. aeruginosa strains from plant materials to hospital wards, animals to humans, and humans to their pets occurs relatively often. Recently, we have identified that plant-associated P. aeruginosa strains could be pathologically similar to clinical isolates. In this review, we have highlighted the genomic and metabolic factors that facilitate the dominance of P. aeruginosa across different biological kingdoms and the varying roles of this bacterium in plant and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthivel Ambreetha
- Developmental Biology and Genetics, Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560012, India
| | - Diansy Zincke
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Dananjeyan Balachandar
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kalai Mathee
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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23
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Higazy D, Pham AD, van Hasselt C, Høiby N, Jelsbak L, Moser C, Ciofu O. In vivo evolution of antimicrobial resistance in a biofilm model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae036. [PMID: 38478426 PMCID: PMC10980832 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in biofilms has been repeatedly studied by experimental evolution in vitro, but rarely in vivo. The complex microenvironment at the infection site imposes selective pressures on the bacterial biofilms, potentially influencing the development of AMR. We report here the development of AMR in an in vivo mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm lung infection. The P. aeruginosa embedded in seaweed alginate beads underwent four successive lung infection passages with or without ciprofloxacin (CIP) exposure. The development of CIP resistance was assessed at each passage by population analysis of the bacterial populations recovered from the lungs of CIP-treated and control mice, with subsequent whole-genome sequencing of selected isolates. As inflammation plays a crucial role in shaping the microenvironment at the infection site, its impact was explored through the measurement of cytokine levels in the lung homogenate. A rapid development of AMR was observed starting from the second passage in the CIP-treated mice. Genetic analysis revealed mutations in nfxB, efflux pumps (mexZ), and two-component systems (parS) contribution to CIP resistance. The control group isolates exhibited mutations in the dipA gene, likely associated with biofilm dispersion. In the initial two passages, the CIP-treated group exhibited an elevated inflammatory response compared to the control group. This increase may potentially contribute to the release of mutagenic reactive oxygen species and the development of AMR. In conclusion, this study illustrates the complex relationship between infection, antibiotic treatment, and immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doaa Higazy
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anh Duc Pham
- Division of Systems Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Coen van Hasselt
- Division of Systems Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Niels Høiby
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Jelsbak
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Claus Moser
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oana Ciofu
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
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24
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Bottery MJ, Johansen HK, Pitchford JW, Friman VP. Co-occurring microflora and mucin drive Pseudomonas aeruginosa diversification and pathoadaptation. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae043. [PMID: 38707844 PMCID: PMC11067959 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
While several environmental factors contribute to the evolutionary diversification of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa during cystic fibrosis lung infections, relatively little is known about the impact of the surrounding microbiota. By using in vitro experimental evolution, we show that the presence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Staphylococcus aureus, or them both, prevent the evolution of loss of virulence, which repeatedly occurs in the absence of these species due to mutations in regulators of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal quorum sensing system, vqsM and pqsR. Moreover, the strength of the effect of co-occurring species is attenuated through changes in the physical environment by the addition of mucin, resulting in selection for phenotypes resembling those evolved in the absence of the co-occurring species. Together, our findings show that variation in mucosal environment and the surrounding polymicrobial environment can determine the evolutionary trajectory of P. aeruginosa, partly explaining its diversification and pathoadaptation from acute to chronic phenotype during cystic fibrosis lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Bottery
- Division of Evolution Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Helle Krogh Johansen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen 9301, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Jon W Pitchford
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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25
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Papa R, Imperlini E, Trecca M, Paris I, Vrenna G, Artini M, Selan L. Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis: Relationships between Normoxia and Anoxia Lifestyle. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 13:1. [PMID: 38275311 PMCID: PMC10812786 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are colonized by many pathogens and the most common is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental pathogen that is able to infect immunocompromised patients thanks to its ability to develop resistance to conventional antibiotics. Over 12% of all patients colonized by P. aeruginosa harbour multi-drug resistant species. During airway infection in CF, P. aeruginosa adopts various mechanisms to survive in a hostile ecological niche characterized by low oxygen concentration, nutrient limitation and high osmotic pressure. To this end, P. aeruginosa uses a variety of virulence factors including pigment production, biofilm formation, motility and the secretion of toxins and proteases. This study represents the first report that systematically analyzes the differences in virulence features, in normoxia and anoxia, of clinical P. aeruginosa isolated from CF patients, characterized by multi- or pan-drug antibiotic resistance compared to antibiotic sensitive strains. The virulence features, such as biofilm formation, protease secretion and motility, are highly diversified in anaerobiosis, which reflects the condition of chronic CF infection. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the real-world lifestyle of pathogens isolated during disease progression in each particular patient and to assist in the design of therapeutic protocols for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Papa
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.P.); (M.T.); (I.P.); (L.S.)
| | - Esther Imperlini
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
| | - Marika Trecca
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.P.); (M.T.); (I.P.); (L.S.)
| | - Irene Paris
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.P.); (M.T.); (I.P.); (L.S.)
| | - Gianluca Vrenna
- Research Unit of Diagnostical and Management Innovations, Children’s Hospital and Institute Research Bambino Gesù, 00165 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marco Artini
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.P.); (M.T.); (I.P.); (L.S.)
| | - Laura Selan
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.P.); (M.T.); (I.P.); (L.S.)
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26
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Taylor TB, Shepherd MJ, Horton JS. Pseudomonas aeruginosa's adaptive trajectory: diverse origins, convergent paths. Trends Microbiol 2023:S0966-842X(23)00337-2. [PMID: 38102036 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Does genetic background contribute to populations following the same or divergent adaptive trajectories? A recent study by Filipow et al. evolved multiple genetically distinct Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to an artificial cystic fibrosis lung sputum media. The strains adapted at different rates but converged on similar phenotypes despite their initial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany B Taylor
- Milner Centre for Evolution and Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | - Matthew J Shepherd
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - James S Horton
- Milner Centre for Evolution and Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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27
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Jarzynka S, Makarewicz O, Weiss D, Minkiewicz-Zochniak A, Iwańska A, Skorupa W, Padzik M, Augustynowicz-Kopeć E, Olędzka G. The Impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients-A Single Polish Centre Study. Pathogens 2023; 12:1440. [PMID: 38133323 PMCID: PMC10748198 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is one of the most predominant pathogens of lung infections, often causing exacerbations in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). MATERIALS AND METHODS Microbiological characterization of 74 PA isolates and to evaluate the correlations between the bacterial features and 44 adult Polish CF cohort clinical parameters. RESULTS The most common variant in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene was F508del (76.3%), followed by 3849+10kbC>T (26.3%). A total of 39.4% of the PA isolates showed multiple resistances. In patients with parameters pointing to a decline in lung function, there was a statistically significant moderate correlation with β-lactam resistance and a weak correlation between hospital frequency and colistin resistance. The mucoidity did not correlate with the biofilm formation ability, which showed 41.9% of the isolates. Proteolytic activity, observed in 60.8% of the clinical isolates, was weakly associated with motility detected in 78.4% of the strains. The genetic profiles of the PA were highly heterogeneous, and a weak positive correlation was established between cluster group and biofilm formation. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that there is a high variety in P. aeruginosa populations in adult CF patients. There is a need to monitor PA strains in groups of patients with cystic fibrosis, in particular, in terms of the occurrence of antibiotic resistance related to a decline in lung function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Jarzynka
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Litewska 14/16, 00-575 Warsaw, Poland; (A.M.-Z.); (M.P.); (G.O.)
| | - Oliwia Makarewicz
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany; (O.M.); (D.W.)
| | - Daniel Weiss
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany; (O.M.); (D.W.)
| | - Anna Minkiewicz-Zochniak
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Litewska 14/16, 00-575 Warsaw, Poland; (A.M.-Z.); (M.P.); (G.O.)
| | - Agnieszka Iwańska
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Plocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland; (A.I.); (E.A.-K.)
| | - Wojciech Skorupa
- First Department of Lung Diseases, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Plocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Marcin Padzik
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Litewska 14/16, 00-575 Warsaw, Poland; (A.M.-Z.); (M.P.); (G.O.)
| | - Ewa Augustynowicz-Kopeć
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Plocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland; (A.I.); (E.A.-K.)
| | - Gabriela Olędzka
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Litewska 14/16, 00-575 Warsaw, Poland; (A.M.-Z.); (M.P.); (G.O.)
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28
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Mei M, Pheng P, Kurzeja-Edwards D, Diggle SP. High prevalence of lipopolysaccharide mutants and R2-pyocin susceptible variants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations sourced from cystic fibrosis lung infections. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0177323. [PMID: 37877708 PMCID: PMC10714928 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01773-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients often experience chronic, debilitating lung infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The genetic and phenotypic diversity of P. aeruginosa populations in CF lungs raises questions about their susceptibility to non-traditional antimicrobials, like bacteriocins. In this study, we focused on R-pyocins, a type of bacteriocin with high potency and a narrow killing spectrum. Our findings indicate that a large number of infectious CF variants are susceptible to R2-pyocins, even within diverse bacterial populations, supporting their potential use as therapeutic agents. The absence of a clear correlation between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phenotypes and R-pyocin susceptibility suggests that LPS packing density may play a significant role in R-pyocin susceptibility among CF variants. Understanding the relationship between LPS phenotypes and R-pyocin susceptibility is crucial for developing effective treatments for these chronic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Mei
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory+Children’s Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Disease Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Preston Pheng
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Detriana Kurzeja-Edwards
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephen P. Diggle
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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29
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Van den Bossche S, Abatih E, Grassi L, De Broe E, Rigole P, Boelens J, Van Caenegem J, Verhasselt B, Janssens I, Van Braeckel E, Versmessen N, Cools P, Coenye T, Crabbé A. Pooling isolates to address the diversity in antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0044923. [PMID: 37982625 PMCID: PMC10714813 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00449-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE People with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) often suffer from chronic lung infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While antibiotics are still commonly used to treat P. aeruginosa infections, there is a high discordance between in vitro and in vivo antibiotic efficacy, which contributes to suboptimal antibiotic therapy. In the present study, we found that isolates from the same sputum sample had highly diverse antibiotic resistance profiles [based on the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)], which may explain the reported discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo antibiotic efficacy. Through systematic analysis, we report that pooling nine isolates per sputum sample significantly decreased intrasample diversity in MIC and influenced clinical interpretation of antibiotic susceptibility tests compared to single isolate testing. Hence, pooling of isolates may offer a solution to obtain a consistent MIC test result and could lead to optimizing antibiotic therapy in pwCF and other infectious diseases where diversity in antibiotic resistance is observed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel Abatih
- Data Analysis and Statistical Science (DASS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lucia Grassi
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emma De Broe
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Petra Rigole
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jerina Boelens
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joris Van Caenegem
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bruno Verhasselt
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Iris Janssens
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cystic Fibrosis Reference Centre, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Inflammation Research, Flemish Institute for Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva Van Braeckel
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cystic Fibrosis Reference Centre, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nick Versmessen
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Piet Cools
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Coenye
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Crabbé
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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30
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Houpt NSB, Kassen R. On the De Novo Emergence of Ecological Interactions during Evolutionary Diversification: A Conceptual Framework and Experimental Test. Am Nat 2023; 202:800-817. [PMID: 38033179 DOI: 10.1086/726895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
AbstractEcological interactions are crucial to the structure and function of biological communities, but we lack a causal understanding of the forces shaping their emergence during evolutionary diversification. Here we provide a conceptual framework linking different modes of diversification (e.g., ecological diversification), which depend on environmental characteristics, to the evolution of different forms of ecological interactions (e.g., resource partitioning) in asexual lineages. We tested the framework by examining the net interactions in communities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced via experimental evolution in nutritionally simple (SIM) or complex (COM) environments by contrasting the productivity and competitive fitness of whole evolved communities relative to their component isolates. As expected, we found that nutritional complexity drove the evolution of communities with net positive interactions whereas SIM communities had similar performance as their component isolates. A follow-up experiment revealed that high fitness in two COM communities was driven by rare variants (frequency <0.1%) that antagonized PA14, the ancestral strain and common competitor used in fitness assays. Our study suggests that the evolution of de novo ecological interactions in asexual lineages is predictable at a broad scale from environmental conditions. Further, our work demonstrates that rare variants can disproportionately impact the function of relatively simple microbial communities.
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31
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Lai K, Fireizen Y, Morphew T, Randhawa I. Pediatric Patients with Tracheostomies and Its Multifacet Association with Lower Airway Infections: An 8-Year Retrospective Study in a Large Tertiary Center. PEDIATRIC ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND PULMONOLOGY 2023; 36:133-142. [PMID: 38134318 DOI: 10.1089/ped.2022.0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Background: Lower respiratory tract infections frequently complicate the care of children with chronic tracheostomies. Pediatric patients have significantly more risk to have tracheostomy infections than adults. Better understanding of modifiable risk factors for pulmonary exacerbations may improve the care of technology-dependent children. Methods: A retrospective single-center cohort study conducted on children with tracheostomy and chronic home ventilator to determine the incidence of pulmonary exacerbations leading to hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) visits, and antibiotic prescriptions. Oral and nebulized antibiotic prescriptions were collected and correlated to the type of exacerbation. Results: Gram-negative enteric organisms were the most common microbes seen in the lower airways, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultured in 86% of the subjects. P. aeruginosa presence predicted a 4-fold increased rate of pulmonary-related hospitalization. In pediatric patients with chronic respiratory failure, 64% of readmissions were pulmonary or tracheostomy related. When compared to standard care subjects on dual agent, alternating monthly nebulized antibiotic therapy (for chronic pseudomonas colonization) experienced 41% fewer hospitalizations [incidence rate ratios (IRR) 0.59 (0.18), P = 0.08], 46% fewer ER visits [IRR 0.56 (0.16), P = 0.04], and 41% fewer pulmonary-related ER visits [IRR 0.59 (0.19), P = 0.94]. Discussion: Children who require artificial airways are at an increased risk for bacterial bronchopulmonary infections. Most notable risk factors for hospitalization in tracheostomized children included neurologic impairment, dysphagia, aspiration, gastrotomy tube dependence, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Pathogenic microbes such as P. aeruginosa species, certain gram-negative bacteria, candida, and yeast also predicted increased hospitalizations. Use of nebulized antibiotics prophylaxis in a subset of patients predicted lower rates of hospitalization or ER visits. More studies are needed to assess whether there is increased antimicrobial resistance with this strategy, and whether the benefits persist in the long-term nebulized antibiotics utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanh Lai
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital-University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utha, USA
| | - Yaron Fireizen
- Pulmonary Division, MemorialCare Miller Children's and Women's Hospital, Long Beach, California, USA
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonary, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Tricia Morphew
- Pulmonary Division, MemorialCare Miller Children's and Women's Hospital, Long Beach, California, USA
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonary, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Inderpal Randhawa
- Pulmonary Division, MemorialCare Miller Children's and Women's Hospital, Long Beach, California, USA
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonary, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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32
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Hibbert TM, Whiteley M, Renshaw SA, Neill DR, Fothergill JL. Emerging strategies to target virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37999716 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2285995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that is responsible for infections in people living with chronic respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB). Traditionally, in people with chronic respiratory disorders, P. aeruginosa infection has been managed with a combination of inhaled and intravenous antibiotic therapies. However, due in part to the prolonged use of antibiotics in these people, the emergence of multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa strains is a growing concern. The development of anti-virulence therapeutics may provide a new means of treating P. aeruginosa lung infections whilst also combatting the AMR crisis, as these agents are presumed to exert reduced pressure for the emergence of drug resistance as compared to antibiotics. However, the pipeline for developing anti-virulence therapeutics is poorly defined, and it is currently unclear as to whether in vivo and in vitro models effectively replicate the complex pulmonary environment sufficiently to enable development and testing of such therapies for future clinical use. Here, we discuss potential targets for P. aeruginosa anti-virulence therapeutics and the effectiveness of the current models used to study them. Focus is given to the difficulty of replicating the virulence gene expression patterns of P. aeruginosa in the CF and NCFB lung under laboratory conditions and to the challenges this poses for anti-virulence therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tegan M Hibbert
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marvin Whiteley
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Centre for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephen A Renshaw
- The Bateson Centre and Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Daniel R Neill
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Dupont C, Aujoulat F, Benaoudia M, Jumas-Bilak E, Chiron R, Marchandin H. Highly diverse dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization from initial detection in cystic fibrosis patients: A 7-year longitudinal genetic diversity study. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 115:105513. [PMID: 37832753 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
In cystic fibrosis (CF), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is a major pathogen that can persistently colonize patients. Genetic studies showed a high diversity of Pa, the success of widespread or 'international' clones and described epidemic clones in CF and Epidemic High-Risk (ERH) clones. Here, we characterized Pa genetic diversity over time after first colonization in CF patients, with the aim of accurately describing the dynamics of colonization in a context of scarce longitudinal studies including the first isolated Pa strain. Results represent the first genotyping data available for CF Pa in France. Forty-four CF patients with a first Pa colonization were included; 265 strains collected over 7 years in these patients were genotyped by multiplex rep-PCR, multilocus sequence typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and/or whole genome sequencing. Forty-one sequence types were identified: 4 were unknown, 22 never previously reported for CF patients, and 6 corresponded to widespread clones colonizing 16 patients (36%). Unrelated strains were identified in 41 patients (93%). Twenty-six patients (59%) presented a recurrence during the study period. No specific clones were associated with transient, recurrent or persistent colonization. Our longitudinal study revealed that 9 of the 26 patients with recurrence (35%) harbored strains of different genotypes. Great genetic diversity was observed among initial Pa isolates excluding any cross-transmission. Persistent colonization may appear more complex than expected, imitating persistence, with successive colonization events by unrelated Pa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Dupont
- HydroSciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Laboratoire de Bactériologie, CHU de Montpellier, France.
| | - Fabien Aujoulat
- HydroSciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, France
| | | | - Estelle Jumas-Bilak
- HydroSciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Microbienne Hospitalière, CHU de Montpellier, France
| | - Raphaël Chiron
- HydroSciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Centre de Ressources et de Compétences de la Mucoviscidose, CHU de Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Marchandin
- HydroSciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU de Nîmes, France.
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McDaniel MS, Sumpter NA, Lindgren NR, Billiot CE, Swords WE. Comparative genomics of clinical Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates reveals genetic diversity which correlates with colonization and persistence in vivo. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001408. [PMID: 37942787 PMCID: PMC10710838 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a Gram-negative emerging opportunistic pathogen often present in people with respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). People with CF (pwCF) experience lifelong polymicrobial infections of the respiratory mucosa. Our prior work showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa promotes persistence of S. maltophilia in mouse respiratory infections. As is typical for environmental opportunistic pathogens, S. maltophilia has a large genome and a high degree of genetic diversity. In this study, we evaluated the genomic content of S. maltophilia, combining short and long read sequencing to construct nearly complete genomes of 10 clinical isolates. The genomes of these isolates were then compared with all publicly available S. maltophilia genome assemblies, and each isolate was then evaluated for colonization/persistence in vivo, both alone and in coinfection with P. aeruginosa. We found that while the overall genome size and GC content were fairly consistent between strains, there was considerable variability in both genome structure and gene content. Similarly, there was significant variability in S. maltophilia colonization and persistence in experimental mouse respiratory infections in the presence or absence of P. aeruginosa. Ultimately, this study gives us a greater understanding of the genomic diversity of clinical S. maltophilia isolates, and how this genomic diversity relates to both interactions with other pulmonary pathogens and to host disease progression. Identifying the molecular determinants of infection with S. maltophilia can facilitate development of novel antimicrobial strategies for a highly drug-resistant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S. McDaniel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Birmingham, AL, US
- Gregory Fleming James Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research, Birmingham, AL, US
| | - Nicholas A. Sumpter
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Birmingham, AL, US
| | - Natalie R. Lindgren
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Birmingham, AL, US
- Gregory Fleming James Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research, Birmingham, AL, US
| | - Caitlin E. Billiot
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Birmingham, AL, US
- Gregory Fleming James Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research, Birmingham, AL, US
| | - W. Edward Swords
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Birmingham, AL, US
- Gregory Fleming James Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research, Birmingham, AL, US
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Niggli S, Schwyter L, Poveda L, Grossmann J, Kümmerli R. Rapid and strain-specific resistance evolution of Staphylococcus aureus against inhibitory molecules secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mBio 2023; 14:e0315322. [PMID: 37646506 PMCID: PMC10653847 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03153-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Polymicrobial infections are common. In chronic infections, the different pathogens may repeatedly interact, which could spur evolutionary dynamics with pathogens adapting to one another. Here, we explore the potential of Staphylococcus aureus to adapt to its competitor Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These two pathogens frequently co-occur, and P. aeruginosa is seen as the dominant species being able to displace S. aureus. We studied three different S. aureus strains and found that all became quickly resistant to inhibitory compounds secreted by P. aeruginosa. Our experimental evolution revealed strains-specific adaptations with three main factors contributing to resistance evolution: (i) overproduction of staphyloxanthin, a molecule protecting from oxidative stress; (ii) the formation of small colony variants also protecting from oxidative stress; and (iii) alterations of membrane transporters possibly reducing toxin uptake. Our results show that species interactions can change over time potentially favoring species co-existence, which in turn could affect disease progression and treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Niggli
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Schwyter
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lucy Poveda
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) Quartier Sorge-Batiment Amphipole, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Grossmann
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) Quartier Sorge-Batiment Amphipole, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kümmerli
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
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Chichón G, López M, de Toro M, Ruiz-Roldán L, Rojo-Bezares B, Sáenz Y. Spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST274 Clone in Different Niches: Resistome, Virulome, and Phylogenetic Relationship. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1561. [PMID: 37998763 PMCID: PMC10668709 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12111561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST274 is an international epidemic high-risk clone, mostly associated with hospital settings and appears to colonize cystic fibrosis (CF) patients worldwide. To understand the relevant mechanisms for its success, the biological and genomic characteristics of 11 ST274-P. aeruginosa strains from clinical and non-clinical origins were analyzed. The extensively drug-resistant (XDR/DTR), the non-susceptible to at least one agent (modR), and the lasR-truncated (by ISPsp7) strains showed a chronic infection phenotype characterized by loss of serotype-specific antigenicity and low motility. Furthermore, the XDR/DTR and modR strains presented low pigment production and biofilm formation, which were very high in the lasR-truncated strain. Their whole genome sequences were compared with other 14 ST274-P. aeruginosa genomes available in the NCBI database, and certain associations have been primarily detected: blaOXA-486 and blaPDC-24 genes, serotype O:3, exoS+/exoU- genotype, group V of type IV pili, and pyoverdine locus class II. Other general molecular markers highlight the absence of vqsM and pldA/tleS genes and the presence of the same mutational pattern in genes involving two-component sensor-regulator systems PmrAB and CreBD, exotoxin A, quorum-sensing RhlI, beta-lactamase expression regulator AmpD, PBP1A, or FusA2 elongation factor G. The proportionated ST274-P. aeruginosa results could serve as the basis for more specific studies focused on better antibiotic stewardship and new therapeutic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Chichón
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - María López
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - María de Toro
- Plataforma de Genómica y Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Lidia Ruiz-Roldán
- Joint Research Unit “Infection and Public Health” FISABIO-University of Valencia, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology I2SysBio (CSIC-UV), Av. de Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Rojo-Bezares
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Yolanda Sáenz
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
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37
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Tchagang CF, Mah TF, Campbell-Valois FX. Anaerobic fluorescent reporters for live imaging of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1245755. [PMID: 37928662 PMCID: PMC10623331 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1245755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa thrives in the airways of individuals with cystic fibrosis, in part by forming robust biofilms that are resistant to immune clearance or antibiotic treatment. In the cystic fibrosis lung, the thickened mucus layers create an oxygen gradient, often culminating with the formation of anoxic pockets. In this environment, P. aeruginosa can use nitrate instead of oxygen to grow. Current fluorescent reporters for studying P. aeruginosa are limited to the GFP and related analogs. However, these reporters require oxygen for the maturation of their chromophore, making them unsuitable for the study of anaerobically grown P. aeruginosa. To overcome this limitation, we evaluated seven alternative fluorescent proteins, including iLOV, phiLOV2.1, evoglow-Bs2, LucY, UnaG, Fluorescence-Activating and Absorption-Shifting Tag (FAST), and iRFP670, which have been reported to emit light under oxygen-limiting conditions. We generated a series of plasmids encoding these proteins and validated their fluorescence using plate reader assays and confocal microscopy. Six of these proteins successfully labeled P. aeruginosa in anoxia. In particular, phiLOV2.1 and FAST provided superior fluorescence stability and enabled dual-color imaging of both planktonic and biofilm cultures. This study provides a set of fluorescent reporters for monitoring P. aeruginosa under low-oxygen conditions. These reporters will facilitate studies of P. aeruginosa in biofilms or other contexts relevant to its pathogenesis, such as those found in cystic fibrosis airways. Due to the broad host range of our expression vector, the phiLOV2.1 and FAST-based reporters may be applicable to the study of other Gram-negative bacteria that inhabit similar low-oxygen niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caetanie F. Tchagang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Host-Microbe Interactions Laboratory, Center for Chemical and Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Thien-Fah Mah
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - François-Xavier Campbell-Valois
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Host-Microbe Interactions Laboratory, Center for Chemical and Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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38
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Disney-McKeethen S, Seo S, Mehta H, Ghosh K, Shamoo Y. Experimental evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to colistin in spatially confined microdroplets identifies evolutionary trajectories consistent with adaptation in microaerobic lung environments. mBio 2023; 14:e0150623. [PMID: 37847036 PMCID: PMC10746239 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01506-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a continuing global health crisis. Identifying the evolutionary trajectories leading to increased antimicrobial resistance can be critical to the discovery of biomarkers for clinical diagnostics and new targets for drug discovery. While the combination of patient data and in vitro experimental evolution has been remarkably successful in extending our understanding of antimicrobial resistance, it can be difficult for in vitro methods to recapitulate the spatial structure and consequent microenvironments that characterize in vivo infection. Notably, in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, changes to either the PmrA/PmrB or PhoP/PhoQ two-component systems have been identified as critical drivers for high levels of colistin and polymyxin resistance. When using microfluidic emulsions to provide spatially structured, low-competition environments, we found that adaptive mutations to phoQ were more successful than pmrB in increasing colistin resistance. Conversely, mutations to pmrB were readily identified using well-mixed unstructured cultures. We found that oxygen concentration gradients within the microdroplet emulsions favored adaptive changes to the PhoP/PhoQ pathway consistent with microaerobic conditions that can be found in the lungs of CF patients. We also observed mutations linked to hallmark adaptations to the CF lung environment, such as loss of motility and loss of O antigen biosynthesis (wbpL). Mutation to wbpL, in addition to causing loss of O antigen, was additionally shown to confer moderately increased colistin resistance. Taken together, our data suggest that distinct evolutionary trajectories to colistin resistance may be shaped by the microaerobic partitioning and spatial separation imposed within the CF lung.IMPORTANCEAntibiotic resistance remains one of the great challenges confronting public health in the world today. Individuals with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions are often at an increased for bacterial infections. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) produce thick mucus that clogs airways and provides a very favorable environment for infection by bacteria that further decrease lung function and, ultimately, mortality. CF patients are often infected by bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa early in life and experience a series of chronic infections that, over time, become increasingly difficult to treat due to increased antibiotic resistance. Colistin is a major antibiotic used to treat CF patients. Clinical and laboratory studies have identified PmrA/PmrB and PhoP/PhoQ as responsible for increased resistance to colistin. Both have been identified in CF patient lungs, but why, in some cases, is it one and not the other? In this study, we show that distinct evolutionary trajectories to colistin resistance may be favored by the microaerobic partitioning found within the damaged CF lung.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seokju Seo
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston , Texas , USA
| | - Heer Mehta
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston , Texas , USA
| | - Karukriti Ghosh
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston , Texas , USA
| | - Yousif Shamoo
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston , Texas , USA
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39
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Islam MM, Kolling GL, Glass EM, Goldberg JB, Papin JA. Model-driven characterization of functional diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates with broadly representative phenotypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.08.561426. [PMID: 37873245 PMCID: PMC10592701 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.08.561426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of infections in immunocompromised individuals and in healthcare settings. This study aims to understand the relationships between phenotypic diversity and the functional metabolic landscape of P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. To better understand the metabolic repertoire of P. aeruginosa in infection, we deeply profiled a representative set from a library of 971 clinical P. aeruginosa isolates with corresponding patient metadata and bacterial phenotypes. The genotypic clustering based on whole-genome sequencing of the isolates, multi-locus sequence types, and the phenotypic clustering generated from a multi-parametric analysis were compared to each other to assess the genotype-phenotype correlation. Genome-scale metabolic network reconstructions were developed for each isolate through amendments to an existing PA14 network reconstruction. These network reconstructions show diverse metabolic functionalities and enhance the collective P. aeruginosa pangenome metabolic repertoire. Characterizing this rich set of clinical P. aeruginosa isolates allows for a deeper understanding of the genotypic and metabolic diversity of the pathogen in a clinical setting and lays a foundation for further investigation of the metabolic landscape of this pathogen and host-associated metabolic differences during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mazharul Islam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903
| | - Glynis L. Kolling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903
| | - Emma M. Glass
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903
| | | | - Jason A. Papin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903
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40
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Cai W, Liao H, Lu M, Zhou X, Cheng X, Staehelin C, Dai W. New Evolutionary Insights into RpoA: A Novel Quorum Sensing Reprograming Factor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad203. [PMID: 37708386 PMCID: PMC10566545 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum-sensing (QS) coordinates the expression of virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen known for causing severe infections in immunocompromised patients. QS has a master regulator, the lasR gene, but in clinical settings, P. aeruginosa isolates have been found that are QS-active but LasR-null. In this study, we developed an experimental evolutionary approach to identify additional QS-reprogramming determinants. We began the study with a LasR-null mutant with an extra copy of mexT, a transcriptional regulator gene that is known to be able to reprogram QS in laboratory LasR-null strains. In this strain, spontaneous single mexT mutations are expected to have no or little phenotypic consequences. Using this novel method, which we have named "targeted gene duplication followed by mutant screening", we identified QS-active revertants with mutations in genes other than mexT. One QS-active revertant had a point mutation in rpoA, a gene encoding the α-subunit of RNA polymerase. QS activation in this mutant was found to be associated with the downregulated expression of mexEF-oprN efflux pump genes. Our study therefore uncovers a new functional role for RpoA in regulating QS activity. Our results indicate that a RpoA-dependent regulatory circuit controlling the expression of the mexEF-oprN operon is critical for QS-reprogramming. In conclusion, our study reports on the identification of non-MexT proteins associated with QS-reprogramming in a laboratory strain, shedding light on possible QS activation mechanisms in clinical P. aeruginosa isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Cai
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huimin Liao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingqi Lu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangting Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Cheng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Christian Staehelin
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijun Dai
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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41
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Tomlinson KL, Chen YT, Junker A, Urso A, Wong Fok Lung T, Ahn D, Hofstaedter CE, Baskota SU, Ernst RK, Prince A, Riquelme SA. Ketogenesis promotes tolerance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infection. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1767-1781.e6. [PMID: 37793346 PMCID: PMC10558090 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of pulmonary infection. As a Gram-negative pathogen, it can initiate a brisk and highly destructive inflammatory response; however, most hosts become tolerant to the bacterial burden, developing chronic infection. Using a murine model of pneumonia, we demonstrate that this shift from inflammation to disease tolerance is promoted by ketogenesis. In response to pulmonary infection, ketone bodies are generated in the liver and circulate to the lungs where they impose selection for P. aeruginosa strains unable to display surface lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Such keto-adapted LPS strains fail to activate glycolysis and tissue-damaging cytokines and, instead, facilitate mitochondrial catabolism of fats and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), which maintains airway homeostasis. Within the lung, P. aeruginosa exploits the host immunometabolite itaconate to further stimulate ketogenesis. This environment enables host-P. aeruginosa coexistence, supporting both pathoadaptive changes in the bacteria and the maintenance of respiratory integrity via OXPHOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira L Tomlinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ying-Tsun Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alex Junker
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - AndreaCarola Urso
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Danielle Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Casey E Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Swikrity U Baskota
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Robert K Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Alice Prince
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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42
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Kahl LJ, Stremmel N, Esparza-Mora MA, Wheatley RM, MacLean RC, Ralser M. Interkingdom interactions between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans affect clinical outcomes and antimicrobial responses. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 75:102368. [PMID: 37677865 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Infections that involve interkingdom microbial communities, such as those between bacteria and yeast pathogens, are difficult to treat, associated with worse patient outcomes, and may be a source of antimicrobial resistance. In this review, we address co-occurrence and co-infections of Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two pathogens that occupy multiple infection niches in the human body, especially in immunocompromised patients. The interaction between the pathogen species influences microbe-host interactions, the effectiveness of antimicrobials and even infection outcomes, and may thus require adapted treatment strategies. However, the molecular details of bacteria-fungal interactions both inside and outside the infection sites, are insufficiently characterised. We argue that comprehensively understanding the P. aeruginosa-C. albicans interaction network through integrated systems biology approaches will capture the highly dynamic and complex nature of these polymicrobial infections and lead to a more comprehensive understanding of clinical observations such as reshaped immune defences and low antimicrobial treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Kahl
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Biochemistry, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Stremmel
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Biochemistry, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Rachel M Wheatley
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - R Craig MacLean
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Markus Ralser
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Biochemistry, 10117 Berlin, Germany; University of Oxford, The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Shen C, Zeng J, Zheng D, Xiao Y, Pu J, Luo L, Zhou H, Cai Y, Zhang L, Wu M, Zhang X, Deng G, Li S, Li Q, Zeng J, Sun Z, Huang B, Chen C. Molecular epidemiology and genomic dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates causing relapse infections. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0531222. [PMID: 37768065 PMCID: PMC10581123 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05312-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is one of the leading causes of chronic infections, including reinfection, relapse, and persistent infection, especially in cystic fibrosis patients. Relapse P. aeruginosa infections are more harmful because of repeated hospitalization and undertreatment of antimicrobials. However, relapse P. aeruginosa infection in China remains largely unknown. Herein, we performed a 3-year retrospective study from 2019 to 2022 in a tertiary hospital, which included 442 P. aeruginosa isolates from 196 patients. Relapse infection was identified by screening clinical records and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). We found that 31.6% (62/196) of patients had relapsed infections. The relapse incidence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection (51.4%) is significantly higher than that of carbapenem-susceptible P. aeruginosa infection (20.2%, P < 0.0001). These isolates were assigned to 50 distinct sequence types and sporadically distributed in phylogeny, indicating that relapsed infections were not caused by certain lineages. Fast adaptation and evolution of P. aeruginosa isolates were reflected by dynamic changes of antimicrobial resistance, gene loss and acquisition, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms during relapse episodes. Remarkably, a convergent non-synonymous mutation that occurs in a pyochelin-associated virulence gene fptA (T1056C, M252T) could be a considerable target for the diagnosis and treatment of relapse P. aeruginosa infection. These findings suggest that integrated utilization of WGS and medical records provides opportunities for improved diagnostics of relapsed infections. Continued surveillance of the genomic dynamics of relapse P. aeruginosa infection will generate further knowledge for optimizing treatment and prevention in the future.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is a predominant pathogen that causes various chronic infections. Relapse infections promote the adaptation and evolution of antimicrobial resistance and virulence of P. aeruginosa, which obscure evolutionary trends and complicate infection management. We observed a high incidence of relapse P. aeruginosa infection in this study. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) revealed that relapse infections were not caused by certain lineages of P. aeruginosa isolates. Genomic dynamics of relapse P. aeruginosa among early and later stages reflected a plasticity scattered through the entire genome and fast adaptation and genomic evolution in different ways. Remarkably, a convergent evolution was found in a significant virulence gene fptA, which could be a considerable target for diagnosis and treatment. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of longitudinal surveillance of relapse P. aeruginosa infection in China since cystic fibrosis is rare in Chinese. Integrated utilization of WGS and medical records provides opportunities for improved diagnostics of relapse infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Shen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinxiang Zeng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dexiang Zheng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinglun Xiao
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieying Pu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Luo
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyun Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yimei Cai
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liling Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meina Wu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangyuan Deng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Song Li
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiwei Li
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianming Zeng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaohui Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cha Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Pritchard MF, Powell LC, Adams JYM, Menzies G, Khan S, Tøndervik A, Sletta H, Aarstad O, Skjåk-Bræk G, McKenna S, Buurma NJ, Farnell DJJ, Rye PD, Hill KE, Thomas DW. Structure-Activity Relationships of Low Molecular Weight Alginate Oligosaccharide Therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1366. [PMID: 37759766 PMCID: PMC10527064 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Low molecular weight alginate oligosaccharides have been shown to exhibit anti-microbial activity against a range of multi-drug resistant bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Previous studies suggested that the disruption of calcium (Ca2+)-DNA binding within bacterial biofilms and dysregulation of quorum sensing (QS) were key factors in these observed effects. To further investigate the contribution of Ca2+ binding, G-block (OligoG) and M-block alginate oligosaccharides (OligoM) with comparable average size DPn 19 but contrasting Ca2+ binding properties were prepared. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated prolonged binding of alginate oligosaccharides to the pseudomonal cell membrane even after hydrodynamic shear treatment. Molecular dynamics simulations and isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that OligoG exhibited stronger interactions with bacterial LPS than OligoM, although this difference was not mirrored by differential reductions in bacterial growth. While confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that both agents demonstrated similar dose-dependent reductions in biofilm formation, OligoG exhibited a stronger QS inhibitory effect and increased potentiation of the antibiotic azithromycin in minimum inhibitory concentration and biofilm assays. This study demonstrates that the anti-microbial effects of alginate oligosaccharides are not purely influenced by Ca2+-dependent processes but also by electrostatic interactions that are common to both G-block and M-block structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon F. Pritchard
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - Lydia C. Powell
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
- Microbiology and Infectious Disease Group, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Jennifer Y. M. Adams
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - Georgina Menzies
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK;
| | - Saira Khan
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - Anne Tøndervik
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465 Trondheim, Norway; (A.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Håvard Sletta
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465 Trondheim, Norway; (A.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Olav Aarstad
- Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (O.A.); (G.S.-B.)
| | - Gudmund Skjåk-Bræk
- Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (O.A.); (G.S.-B.)
| | - Stephen McKenna
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - Niklaas J. Buurma
- Physical Organic Chemistry Centre, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK;
| | - Damian J. J. Farnell
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - Philip D. Rye
- AlgiPharma AS, Industriveien 33, N-1337 Sandvika, Norway;
| | - Katja E. Hill
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
| | - David W. Thomas
- Advanced Therapies Group, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; (L.C.P.); (J.Y.M.A.); (S.K.); (S.M.); (D.J.J.F.); (K.E.H.); (D.W.T.)
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Mei M, Pheng P, Kurzeja-Edwards D, Diggle SP. High prevalence of lipopolysaccharide mutants and R2-Pyocin susceptible variants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations sourced from cystic fibrosis lung infections. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.26.538445. [PMID: 37163048 PMCID: PMC10168318 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.26.538445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Chronic, highly antibiotic-resistant infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) lungs contribute to increasing morbidity and mortality. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common CF pathogen, exhibits resistance to multiple antibiotics, contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These bacterial populations display genetic and phenotypic diversity, but it is unclear how this diversity affects susceptibility to bacteriocins. R-pyocins, i.e. bacteriocins produced by P. aeruginosa, are phage tail-like antimicrobials. R-pyocins have potential as antimicrobials, however recent research suggests the diversity of P. aeruginosa variants within CF lung infections leads to varying susceptibility to R-pyocins. This variation may be linked to changes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS), acting as the R-pyocin receptor. Currently, it is unknown how frequently R-pyocin-susceptible strains are in chronic CF lung infection, particularly when considering the heterogeneity within these strains. In this study, we tested R2-pyocin susceptibility of 139 P. aeruginosa variants from 17 sputum samples of seven CF patients and analyzed LPS phenotypes. We found that 83% of sputum samples did not have R2-pyocin-resistant variants, while nearly all samples contained susceptible variants. there was no correlation between LPS phenotype and R2-pyocin susceptibility, though we estimate that about 76% of sputum-derived variants lack an O-specific antigen, 40% lack a common antigen, and 24% have altered LPS cores. The absence of a correlation between LPS phenotype and R-pyocin susceptibility suggests LPS packing density may play a significant role in R-pyocin susceptibility among CF variants. Our research supports the potential of R-pyocins as therapeutic agents, as many infectious CF variants are susceptible to R2-pyocins, even within diverse bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Mei
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory+Children’s Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Disease Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Preston Pheng
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Detriana Kurzeja-Edwards
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephen P. Diggle
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Sathe N, Beech P, Croft L, Suphioglu C, Kapat A, Athan E. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Infections and novel approaches to treatment "Knowing the enemy" the threat of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and exploring novel approaches to treatment. INFECTIOUS MEDICINE 2023; 2:178-194. [PMID: 38073886 PMCID: PMC10699684 DOI: 10.1016/j.imj.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an aerobic Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium with a comparatively large genome and an impressive genetic capability allowing it to grow in a variety of environments and tolerate a wide range of physical conditions. This biological flexibility enables the P. aeruginosa to cause a broad range of infections in patients with serious underlying medical conditions, and to be a principal cause of health care associated infection worldwide. The clinical manifestations of P. aeruginosa include mostly health care associated infections and community-acquired infections. P. aeruginosa possesses an array of virulence factors that counteract host defence mechanisms. It can directly damage host tissue while utilizing high levels of intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to counter most classes of antibiotics. P. aeruginosa co-regulates multiple resistance mechanisms by perpetually moving targets poses a significant therapeutic challenge. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel approaches in the development of anti-Pseudomonas agents. Here we review the principal infections caused by P. aeruginosa and we discuss novel therapeutic options to tackle antibiotic resistance and treatment of P. aeruginosa infections that may be further developed for clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Sathe
- Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Thane Belapur Road, Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, India
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - Peter Beech
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - Larry Croft
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - Cenk Suphioglu
- NeuroAllergy Research Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Arnab Kapat
- Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Thane Belapur Road, Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, India
| | - Eugene Athan
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, PO Box 281 Geelong 3220, Australia
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Harding CJ, Bischoff M, Bergkessel M, Czekster CM. An anti-biofilm cyclic peptide targets a secreted aminopeptidase from P. aeruginosa. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1158-1166. [PMID: 37386135 PMCID: PMC10449631 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01373-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes serious illness, especially in immunocompromised individuals. P. aeruginosa forms biofilms that contribute to growth and persistence in a wide range of environments. Here we investigated the aminopeptidase, P. aeruginosa aminopeptidase (PaAP) from P. aeruginosa, which is highly abundant in the biofilm matrix. PaAP is associated with biofilm development and contributes to nutrient recycling. We confirmed that post-translational processing was required for activation and PaAP is a promiscuous aminopeptidase acting on unstructured regions of peptides and proteins. Crystal structures of wild-type enzymes and variants revealed the mechanism of autoinhibition, whereby the C-terminal propeptide locks the protease-associated domain and the catalytic peptidase domain into a self-inhibited conformation. Inspired by this, we designed a highly potent small cyclic-peptide inhibitor that recapitulates the deleterious phenotype observed with a PaAP deletion variant in biofilm assays and present a path toward targeting secreted proteins in a biofilm context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher John Harding
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Marcus Bischoff
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Centre of Biophotonics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Clarissa Melo Czekster
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
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Llanos A, Achard P, Bousquet J, Lozano C, Zalacain M, Sable C, Revillet H, Murris M, Mittaine M, Lemonnier M, Everett M. Higher levels of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasB elastase expression are associated with early-stage infection in cystic fibrosis patients. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14208. [PMID: 37648735 PMCID: PMC10468528 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41333-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and a major contributor to progressive lung damage. P. aeruginosa elastase (LasB), a key virulence factor, has been identified as a potential target for anti-virulence therapy. Here, we sought to differentiate the P. aeruginosa isolates from early versus established stages of infection in CF patients and to determine if LasB was associated with either stage. The lasB gene was amplified from 255 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from 70 CF patients from the Toulouse region (France). Nine LasB variants were identified and 69% of the isolates produced detectable levels of LasB activity. Hierarchical clustering using experimental and clinical data distinguished two classes of isolates, designated as 'Early' and 'Established' infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that the isolates from the Early infection class show higher LasB activity, fast growth, tobramycin susceptibility, non-mucoid, pigmented colonies and wild-type lasR genotype. These traits were associated with younger patients with polymicrobial infections and high pFEV1. Our findings show a correlation between elevated LasB activity in P. aeruginosa isolates and early-stage infection in CF patients. Hence, it is this patient group, prior to the onset of chronic disease, that may benefit most from novel therapies targeting LasB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Llanos
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France.
| | - Pauline Achard
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Justine Bousquet
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Clarisse Lozano
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Magdalena Zalacain
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Carole Sable
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Hélène Revillet
- Service de Bactériologie-Hygiène, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- IRSD, INSERM, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Marlène Murris
- Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, Pulmonology Unit, Hôpital Larrey, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Marc Lemonnier
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
| | - Martin Everett
- Antabio SAS, Biostep, 436, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31760, Labège, France
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Chandler CE, Hofstaedter CE, Hazen TH, Rasko DA, Ernst RK. Genomic and Functional Characterization of Longitudinal Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates from Young Patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0155623. [PMID: 37358436 PMCID: PMC10433850 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01556-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from frequent and recurring microbial airway infections. The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common organisms isolated from CF patient airways. P. aeruginosa establishes chronic infections that persist throughout a patient's lifetime and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Throughout the course of infection, P. aeruginosa must evolve and adapt from an initial state of early, transient colonization to chronic colonization of the airways. Here, we examined isolates of P. aeruginosa from children under the age of 3 years old with CF to determine genetic adaptations the bacterium undergoes during this early stage of colonization and infection. These isolates were collected when early aggressive antimicrobial therapy was not the standard of care and therefore highlight strain evolution under limited antibiotic pressure. Examination of specific phenotypic adaptations, such as lipid A palmitoylation, antibiotic resistance, and loss of quorum sensing, did not reveal a clear genetic basis for such changes. Additionally, we demonstrate that the geography of patient origin, within the United States or among other countries, does not appear to significantly influence genetic adaptation. In summary, our results support the long-standing model that patients acquire individual isolates of P. aeruginosa that subsequently become hyperadapted to the patient-specific airway environment. This study provides a multipatient genomic analysis of isolates from young CF patients in the United States and contributes data regarding early colonization and adaptation to the growing body of research about P. aeruginosa evolution in the context of CF airway disease. IMPORTANCE Chronic lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is of major concern for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). During infection, P. aeruginosa undergoes genomic and functional adaptation to the hyperinflammatory CF airway, resulting in worsening lung function and pulmonary decline. All studies that describe these adaptations use P. aeruginosa obtained from older children or adults during late chronic lung infection; however, children with CF can be infected with P. aeruginosa as early as 3 months of age. Therefore, it is unclear when these genomic and functional adaptations occur over the course of CF lung infection, as access to P. aeruginosa isolates in children during early infection is limited. Here, we present a unique cohort of CF patients who were identified as being infected with P. aeruginosa at an early age prior to aggressive antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, we performed genomic and functional characterization of these isolates to address whether chronic CF P. aeruginosa phenotypes are present during early infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E. Chandler
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Casey E. Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tracy H. Hazen
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David A. Rasko
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert K. Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Rouillard KR, Esther CP, Kissner WJ, Plott LM, Bowman DW, Markovetz MR, Hill DB. Combination Treatment to Improve Mucociliary Transport of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.14.553173. [PMID: 37645913 PMCID: PMC10461968 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
People with muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have acute or chronic respiratory infections that are difficult to treat due in part to the accumulation of hyperconcentrated mucus within the airway. Mucus accumulation and obstruction promote chronic inflammation and infection and reduce therapeutic efficacy. Bacterial aggregates in the form of biofilms exhibit increased resistance to mechanical stressors from the immune response (e.g., phagocytosis) and chemical treatments including antibiotics. Herein, combination treatments designed to disrupt the mechanical properties of biofilms and potentiate antibiotic efficacy are investigated against mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and optimized to 1) alter biofilm viscoelastic properties, 2) increase mucociliary transport rates, and 3) reduce bacterial viability. A disulfide bond reducing agent (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, TCEP), a surfactant (NP40), a biopolymer (hyaluronic acid, HA), a DNA degradation enzyme (DNase), and an antibiotic (tobramycin) are tested in various combinations to maximize biofilm disruption. The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are quantified with particle tracking microrheology and transport rates are quantified in a mucociliary transport device comprised of fully differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells. The combination of the NP40 with hyaluronic acid and tobramycin was the most effective at increasing mucociliary transport rates, decreasing the viscoelastic properties of mucus, and reducing bacterial viability. Multimechanistic targeting of biofilm infections may ultimately result in improved clinical outcomes, and the results of this study may be translated into future in vivo infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lucas M Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Dean W Bowman
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | | | - David B Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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