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Chourashi R, Oglesby AG. Iron starvation increases the production of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa RsmY and RsmZ sRNAs in static conditions. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0027823. [PMID: 38624234 PMCID: PMC11112995 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00278-23] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that induces virulence gene expression in response to host-mediated iron starvation. Recently, our laboratory showed that some virulence factors are responsive to iron limitation in static but not shaking growth conditions. One of these is the HSI-2-type six secretion system (T6SS), which is also induced during chronic infection. Iron regulation of T6SS was partially impacted by the iron-responsive PrrF sRNA and completely dependent upon the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) biosynthetic gene pqsA. Here, we analyzed the impact of iron on the expression of two small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), RsmY and RsmZ, that activate the expression of T6SS by sequestering the RsmA translation inhibitor. Our results demonstrate that iron starvation induces the expression of RsmY and RsmZ in static but not shaking cultures. We further show that this induction occurs through the rsmY and rsmZ promoters and is dependent upon PqsA. Disruption of either the pqsR gene also eliminated iron-dependent regulation of rsmY and rsmZ promoter activity. Taken together, our results show novel targets of iron regulation that are specific to static growth, highlighting the importance of studying regulatory mechanisms in static communities that may be more representative of growth during chronic infection.IMPORTANCEIron is a central component of various bacterial metabolic pathways making it an important host-acquired nutrient for pathogens to establish infection. Previous iron regulatory studies primarily relied on shaking bacterial cultures; while these ensure cultural homogeneity, they do not reflect growth conditions during infection. We recently showed that static growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa promotes iron-dependent regulation of a type six secretion system (T6SS), a virulence factor that is induced during chronic infections. In the current study, we found that static growth also promotes iron-dependent regulation of the RsmY and RsmZ sRNAs, which are global regulators that affect T6SS during chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. Hence, our work demonstrates the Rsm sRNAs as potential effectors of iron regulation during static growth that may also be relevant in chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhishita Chourashi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda G. Oglesby
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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2
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Mendoza AG, Guercio D, Smiley MK, Sharma GK, Withorn JM, Hudson-Smith NV, Ndukwe C, Dietrich LEP, Boon EM. The histidine kinase NahK regulates pyocyanin production through the PQS system. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0027623. [PMID: 38169296 PMCID: PMC10809955 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00276-23] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Many bacterial histidine kinases work in two-component systems that combine into larger multi-kinase networks. NahK is one of the kinases in the GacS Multi-Kinase Network (MKN), which is the MKN that controls biofilm regulation in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This network has also been associated with regulating many virulence factors P. aeruginosa secretes to cause disease. However, the individual role of each kinase is unknown. In this study, we identify NahK as a novel regulator of the phenazine pyocyanin (PYO). Deletion of nahK leads to a fourfold increase in PYO production, almost exclusively through upregulation of phenazine operon two (phz2). We determined that this upregulation is due to mis-regulation of all P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing (QS) systems, with a large upregulation of the Pseudomonas quinolone signal system and a decrease in production of the acyl-homoserine lactone-producing system, las. In addition, we see differences in expression of quorum-sensing inhibitor proteins that align with these changes. Together, these data contribute to understanding how the GacS MKN modulates QS and virulence and suggest a mechanism for cell density-independent regulation of quorum sensing. IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium that establishes biofilms as part of its pathogenicity. P. aeruginosa infections are associated with nosocomial infections. As the prevalence of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa increases, it is essential to understand underlying virulence molecular mechanisms. Histidine kinase NahK is one of several kinases in P. aeruginosa implicated in biofilm formation and dispersal. Previous work has shown that the nitric oxide sensor, NosP, triggers biofilm dispersal by inhibiting NahK. The data presented here demonstrate that NahK plays additional important roles in the P. aeruginosa lifestyle, including regulating bacterial communication mechanisms such as quorum sensing. These effects have larger implications in infection as they affect toxin production and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia G. Mendoza
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Danielle Guercio
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Marina K. Smiley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gaurav K. Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Jason M. Withorn
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | | | - Chika Ndukwe
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Lars E. P. Dietrich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Boon
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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Khayat MT, Abbas HA, Ibrahim TS, Elbaramawi SS, Khayyat AN, Alharbi M, Hegazy WAH, Yehia FAZA. Synergistic Benefits: Exploring the Anti-Virulence Effects of Metformin/Vildagliptin Antidiabetic Combination against Pseudomonas aeruginosa via Controlling Quorum Sensing Systems. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051442. [PMID: 37239113 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The repurposing of drugs is one of the most competent strategies for discovering new antimicrobial agents. Vildagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPI-4) that is used effectively in combination with metformin to control blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-virulence activities of this combination against one of the most clinically important pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The current findings show a significant ability of the vildagliptin-metformin combination to diminish biofilm formation, bacterial motility, and the production of virulent extracellular enzymes and pyocyanin pigment. Furthermore, this drug combination significantly increased the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to oxidative stress, indicating immunity enhancement in the eradication of bacterial cells. In compliance with the in vitro findings, the histopathological photomicrographs of mice showed a considerable protective effect of the metformin-vildagliptin combination against P. aeruginosa, revealing relief of inflammation due to P. aeruginosa-induced pathogenesis. P. aeruginosa mainly employs quorum sensing (QS) systems to control the production of its huge arsenal of virulence factors. The anti-virulence activities of the metformin-vildagliptin combination can be interrupted by the anti-QS activities of both metformin and vildagliptin, as both exhibited a considerable affinity to QS receptors. Additionally, the metformin-vildagliptin combination significantly downregulated the expression of the main three QS-encoding genes in P. aeruginosa. These findings show the significant anti-virulence activities of metformin-vildagliptin at very low concentrations (10, 1.25 mg/mL, respectively) compared to the concentrations (850, 50 mg/mL, respectively) used to control diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maan T Khayat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hisham A Abbas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Tarek S Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samar S Elbaramawi
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Ahdab N Khayyat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majed Alharbi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael A H Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
- Pharmacy Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oman College of Health Sciences, Muscat 113, Oman
| | - Fatma Al-Zahraa A Yehia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
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Robertson SN, Soukarieh F, White TM, Camara M, Romero M, Griffiths RL. Probing Interkingdom Signaling Molecules via Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis-Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2023; 95:5079-5086. [PMID: 36881460 PMCID: PMC10034741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Previously, metabolites diffused or secreted from microbial samples have been analyzed via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approaches following lengthy extraction protocols. Here, we present a model system for growing biofilms on discs before utilizing rapid and direct surface sampling MS, namely, liquid extraction surface analysis, to study the microbial exometabolome. One of the benefits of this approach is its surface-specific nature, enabling mimicking biofilm formation in a way that the study of planktonic liquid cultures cannot imitate. Even though Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Candida albicans (C. albicans) have been studied previously in isolation, very few studies consider the complexity of the interplay between these pathogens, which are commonly combined causative agents of infection. Our model system provides a route to investigate changes in the exometabolome, such as metabolites that become circulatory in the presence of multiple pathogens. Our results agree with previous reports showing that 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone signal molecules produced by P. aeruginosa are important markers of infection and suggest that methods for monitoring levels of 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline and 2,4-dihydroxyquinoline, as well as pyocyanin, could be beneficial in the determination of causative agents in interkingdom infection including P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, studying changes in exometabolome metabolites between pqs quorum sensing antagonists in treated and nontreated samples suggests suppression of phenazine production by P. aeruginosa. Hence, our model provides a rapid analytical approach to gaining a mechanistic understanding of bacterial signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun N Robertson
- U.K. National Biofilm Innovation Centre (NBIC), Biodiscovery Institute, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
| | - Fadi Soukarieh
- U.K. National Biofilm Innovation Centre (NBIC), Biodiscovery Institute, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
| | - Thomas M White
- Faculty of Science, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
| | - Miguel Camara
- U.K. National Biofilm Innovation Centre (NBIC), Biodiscovery Institute, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
| | - Manuel Romero
- U.K. National Biofilm Innovation Centre (NBIC), Biodiscovery Institute, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology-CIBUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rian L Griffiths
- Faculty of Science, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, U.K
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Lahiri P, Gogoi P, Ghosh D. Single-Step Capture and Targeted Metabolomics of Alkyl-Quinolones in Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2625:201-216. [PMID: 36653645 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2966-6_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), also called as bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs), are secreted by many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. These nanoscale vesicles traffic discrete arrays of virulence factors that can often induce complex pathologies far from the infection sites. The OMVs of P. aeruginosa, often regarded as the gold standard of BMVs are known to traffic a battery of specific small MW alkyl-quinolones (AQs). These AQs function like primordial hormones by modulating intra-species and inter-species bacterial interactions. They can also perform cross-kingdom signaling with the human host and directly exacerbate pathogenesis. The discrete isotopic signatures of AQs enjoy potential in the mass spectrometry-based diagnosis P. aeruginosa infections. Matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) presents a robust, cost-effective platform to fit this demand. We describe a LDI-MS system using inert ceramic filters that performs dual role of single-step enrichment of OMVs and matrix-free ionization/identification of AQs in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Lahiri
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Priyakshi Gogoi
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Dipankar Ghosh
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
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Zhang Y, Liang F, Zhang D, Qi S, Liu Y. Metabolites as extracellular vesicle cargo in health, cancer, pleural effusion, and cardiovascular diseases: An emerging field of study to diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 157:114046. [PMID: 36469967 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are highly diverse nanoscale membrane-bound structures released from different cell types into the extracellular environment. They play essential functions in cell signaling by transporting their cargo, such as proteins, RNA, DNA, lipids, metabolites, and small molecules, to recipient cells. It has recently been shown that EVs might modulate carcinogenesis by delivering cargo to recipient cells. Furthermore, recent discoveries revealed that changes in plasma-derived EV levels and cargo in subjects with metabolic diseases were documented by many researchers, suggesting that EVs might be a promising source of disease biomarkers. One of the cargos of EVs that has recently attracted the most attention is metabolites. The metabolome of these vesicles introduces a plethora of disease indicators; hence, examining the metabolomics of EVs detected in human biofluids would be an effective approach. On the other hand, metabolites have various roles in biological systems, including the production of energies, synthesizing macromolecules, and serving as signaling molecules and hormones. Metabolome rewiring in cancer and stromal cells is a characteristic of malignancy, but the current understanding of how this affects the metabolite composition and activity of tumor-derived EVs remains in its infancy. Since new findings and studies in the field of exosome biology and metabolism are constantly being published, it is likely that diagnostic and treatment techniques, including the use of exosome metabolites, will be launched in the coming years. Recent years have seen increased interest in the EV metabolome as a possible source for biomarker development. However, our understanding of the role of these molecules in health and disease is still immature. In this work, we have provided the latest findings regarding the role of metabolites as EV cargoes in the pathophysiology of diseases, including cancer, pleural effusion (PE), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We also discussed the significance of metabolites as EV cargoes of microbiota and their role in host-microbe interaction. In addition, the latest findings on metabolites in the form of EV cargoes as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and treatment are presented in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Liang
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - DuoDuo Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Qi
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Hand Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China.
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Cavalu S, Elbaramawi SS, Eissa AG, Radwan MF, S. Ibrahim T, Khafagy ES, Lopes BS, Ali MAM, Hegazy WAH, Elfaky MA. Characterization of the Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Quorum Sensing Activities of the β-Adrenoreceptor Antagonist Atenolol against Gram-Negative Bacterial Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13088. [PMID: 36361877 PMCID: PMC9656717 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is an increasing public health issue that worsens with the formation of biofilms. Quorum sensing (QS) orchestrates the bacterial virulence and controls the formation of biofilm. Targeting bacterial virulence is promising approach to overcome the resistance increment to antibiotics. In a previous detailed in silico study, the anti-QS activities of twenty-two β-adrenoreceptor blockers were screened supposing atenolol as a promising candidate. The current study aims to evaluate the anti-QS, anti-biofilm and anti-virulence activities of the β-adrenoreceptor blocker atenolol against Gram-negative bacteria Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis. An in silico study was conducted to evaluate the binding affinity of atenolol to S. marcescens SmaR QS receptor, P. aeruginosa QscR QS receptor, and P. mirabilis MrpH adhesin. The atenolol anti-virulence activity was evaluated against the tested strains in vitro and in vivo. The present finding shows considerable ability of atenolol to compete with QS proteins and significantly downregulated the expression of QS- and virulence-encoding genes. Atenolol showed significant reduction in the tested bacterial biofilm formation, virulence enzyme production, and motility. Furthermore, atenolol significantly diminished the bacterial capacity for killing and protected mice. In conclusion, atenolol has potential anti-QS and anti-virulence activities against S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa, and P. mirabilis and can be used as an adjuvant in treatment of aggressive bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Cavalu
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, P-ta 1 Decembrie 10, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Samar S. Elbaramawi
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Ahmed G. Eissa
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Mohamed F. Radwan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tarek S. Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - El-Sayed Khafagy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Bruno Silvester Lopes
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BA, UK
- National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington DL1 1HG, UK
| | - Mohamed A. M. Ali
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11432, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Wael A. H. Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
- Pharmacy Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oman College of Health Sciences, Muscat 113, Oman
| | - Mahmoud A. Elfaky
- Department of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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Jia T, Liu D, Bi X, Li M, Cai Z, Fu J, Liu Z, Wu P, Ke X, Jia A, Zhang G, Li G, Yang L. The AhR ligand phthiocol and vitamin K analogs as Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing inhibitors. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:896687. [PMID: 36187967 PMCID: PMC9515472 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.896687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein senses microbial-secreted metabolites to trigger the host's innate immune system. The Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) metabolite phthiocol (Pht) are both ligands of AhR with similar chemical structures. As PQS is an essential quorum-sensing molecule that regulates a wide range of virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we hypothesized that Pht and its analogs are potential P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing inhibitors (QSIs) with immune-modulating functions. In this study, we demonstrated that Pht was able to inhibit the P. aeruginosa pqs QS system and reduce both biofilm formation and the production of pyocyanin. Molecular docking analysis suggested that Pht competes with PQS at the binding site of its receptor, PqsR. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirmed the Pht-PqsR interaction and showed that Pht attenuated PqsR from binding to the pqsA promoter. Proteomic analysis showed that synthesis of the key pqs QS proteins decreased upon the addition of Pht to the bacterial cultures. Furthermore, Pht analogs vitamins K1 (Phylloquinone), K2 (Menaquinones), and K3 (Menadione) were also showed to inhibit the P. aeruginosa pqs QS system while able to activate the AhR signaling pathways. Our study suggests that the AhR ligands Pht and its vitamin K analogs are promising QSIs for the alternative treatment of P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyuan Jia
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dongjing Liu
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xianbiao Bi
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Menglu Li
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhao Cai
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiapeng Fu
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengyao Wu
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue Ke
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aiqun Jia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Guoliang Zhang
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guobao Li
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Guobao Li
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Liang Yang
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Anti-Quorum Sensing Activities of Gliptins against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051169. [PMID: 35625906 PMCID: PMC9138634 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics constitutes an emerging public health issue. Promising approaches have been innovated to conquer bacterial resistance, and targeting bacterial virulence is one of these approaches. Bacterial virulence mitigation offers several merits, as antivirulence agents do not affect the growth of bacteria and hence do not induce bacteria to develop resistance. In this direction, numerous drugs have been repurposed as antivirulence agents prior to their clinical use alone or in combination with traditional antibiotics. Quorum sensing (QS) plays a key role in controlling bacterial virulence. In the current study, dipeptidase inhibitor-4 (DPI-4) antidiabetic gliptins were screened for their antivirulence and anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) activities against Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Upon assessing their antibiofilm activities, the ten tested gliptins significantly diminished biofilm formation. In particular, sitagliptin exhibited the most efficient antibiofilm activity, so it was chosen as a representative of all gliptins to further investigate its antivirulence activity. Sitagliptin significantly protected mice from P. aeruginosa and S. aureus pathogenesis. Furthermore, sitagliptin downregulated QS-encoding genes in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. To test the anti-QS activities of gliptins, a detailed molecular docking study was conducted to evaluate the gliptins’ binding affinities to P. aeruginosa and S. aureus QS receptors, which helped explain the anti-QS activities of gliptins, particularly sitagliptin and omarigliptin. In conclusion, this study evaluates the possible antivirulence and anti-QS activities of gliptins that could be promising novel candidates for the treatment of aggressive Gram-negative or -positive bacterial infections either alone or as adjuvants to other antibiotics.
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Khayat MT, Abbas HA, Ibrahim TS, Khayyat AN, Alharbi M, Darwish KM, Elhady SS, Khafagy ES, Safo MK, Hegazy WAH. Anti-Quorum Sensing Activities of Gliptins against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1169. [PMID: 35625906 PMCID: PMC9138634 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1203672activities 10.3390/biomedicines10051169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics constitutes an emerging public health issue. Promising approaches have been innovated to conquer bacterial resistance, and targeting bacterial virulence is one of these approaches. Bacterial virulence mitigation offers several merits, as antivirulence agents do not affect the growth of bacteria and hence do not induce bacteria to develop resistance. In this direction, numerous drugs have been repurposed as antivirulence agents prior to their clinical use alone or in combination with traditional antibiotics. Quorum sensing (QS) plays a key role in controlling bacterial virulence. In the current study, dipeptidase inhibitor-4 (DPI-4) antidiabetic gliptins were screened for their antivirulence and anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) activities against Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Upon assessing their antibiofilm activities, the ten tested gliptins significantly diminished biofilm formation. In particular, sitagliptin exhibited the most efficient antibiofilm activity, so it was chosen as a representative of all gliptins to further investigate its antivirulence activity. Sitagliptin significantly protected mice from P. aeruginosa and S. aureus pathogenesis. Furthermore, sitagliptin downregulated QS-encoding genes in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. To test the anti-QS activities of gliptins, a detailed molecular docking study was conducted to evaluate the gliptins' binding affinities to P. aeruginosa and S. aureus QS receptors, which helped explain the anti-QS activities of gliptins, particularly sitagliptin and omarigliptin. In conclusion, this study evaluates the possible antivirulence and anti-QS activities of gliptins that could be promising novel candidates for the treatment of aggressive Gram-negative or -positive bacterial infections either alone or as adjuvants to other antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maan T. Khayat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (T.S.I.); (A.N.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Hisham A. Abbas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt;
| | - Tarek S. Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (T.S.I.); (A.N.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Ahdab N. Khayyat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (T.S.I.); (A.N.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Majed Alharbi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (T.S.I.); (A.N.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Khaled M. Darwish
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt;
| | - Sameh S. Elhady
- Department of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - El-Sayed Khafagy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41552, Egypt
| | - Martin K. Safo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA;
| | - Wael A. H. Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Program, Oman College of Health Sciences, Muscat 113, Oman
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11
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Utilization of Fishery-Processing By-Product Squid Pens for Scale-Up Production of Phenazines via Microbial Conversion and Its Novel Potential Antinematode Effect. FISHES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fishes7030113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Fishery by-products (FBPs) have been increasingly investigated for the extraction and production of a vast array of active molecules. The aim of this study was to produce phenazine compounds from FBPs via microbial fermentation and assess their novel antinematode effect. Among various FBPs, squid pen powder (SPP) was discovered as the most suitable substrate for phenazine production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa TUN03 fermentation. Various small-scale experiments conducted in flasks for phenazine production indicated that the most suitable was the newly designed liquid medium which included 1% SPP, 0.05% MgSO4, and 0.1% Ca3(PO4)2 (initial pH 7). Phenazines were further studied for scale-up bioproduction in a 14 L bioreactor system resulting in a high yield (22.73 µg/mL) in a much shorter cultivation time (12 h). In the fermented culture broth, hemi-pyocyanin (HPC) was detected as a major phenazine compound with an area percentage of 11.28% in the crude sample. In the bioactivity tests, crude phenazines and HPC demonstrate novel potential nematicidal activity against black pepper nematodes, inhibiting both juveniles (J2) nematodes and egg hatching. The results of this work suggest a novel use of SPP for cost-effective bioproduction of HPC, a novel potential nematodes inhibitor. Moreover, the combination of MgSO4 and Ca3(PO4)2 was also found to be a novel salt composition that significantly enhanced phenazine yield by P. aeruginosa fermentation in this work.
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12
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Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Species-Specific Metabolite Production and Shared Nutrient Consumption by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. mSystems 2021; 6:e0048021. [PMID: 34156287 PMCID: PMC8269234 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00480-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While bacterial metabolism is known to impact antibiotic efficacy and virulence, the metabolic capacities of individual microbes in cystic fibrosis lung infections are difficult to disentangle from sputum samples. Here, we show that untargeted metabolomic profiling of supernatants of multiple strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus grown in monoculture in synthetic cystic fibrosis media (SCFM) reveals distinct species-specific metabolic signatures despite intraspecies metabolic variability. We identify a set of 15 metabolites that were significantly consumed by both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, suggesting that nutrient competition has the potential to impact community dynamics even in the absence of other pathogen-pathogen interactions. Finally, metabolites that were uniquely produced by one species or the other were identified. Specifically, the virulence factor precursor anthranilic acid, as well as the quinoline 2,4-quinolinediol (DHQ), were robustly produced across all tested strains of P. aeruginosa. Through the direct comparison of the extracellular metabolism of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in a physiologically relevant environment, this work provides insight toward the potential for metabolic interactions in vivo and supports the development of species-specific diagnostic markers of infection. IMPORTANCE Interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus can impact pathogenicity and antimicrobial efficacy. In this study, we aim to better understand the potential for metabolic interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in an environment resembling the cystic fibrosis lung. We find that S. aureus and P. aeruginosa consume many of the same nutrients, suggesting that metabolic competition may play an important role in community dynamics during coinfection. We further identify metabolites uniquely produced by either organism with the potential to be developed into species-specific biomarkers of infection in the cystic fibrosis lung.
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13
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Biological and clinical significance of quorum sensing alkylquinolones: current analytical and bioanalytical methods for their quantification. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 413:4599-4618. [PMID: 33959788 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03356-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a sophisticated bacterial communication system which plays a key role in the virulence and biofilm formation of many pathogens. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa QS network consists of four sets of connected systems (las, rlh, pqs and iqs) hierarchically organized. The pqs system involves characteristic autoinducers (AI), most of them sharing an alkylquinolone (AQ) structure, and is able to carry out several relevant biological functions besides its main signalling activity. Their role in bacterial physiology and pathogenicity has been widely studied. Indeed, the presence of these metabolites in several body fluids and infected tissues has pointed to their potential value as biomarkers of infection. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings about the biological implications and the clinical significance of the main P. aeruginosa AQs. These findings have encouraged the development of analytical and bioanalytical techniques addressed to assess the role of these metabolites in bacterial growth and survival, during pathogenesis or as biomarkers of infections. The availability of highly sensitive reliable analytical methods suitable for clinical analysis would allow getting knowledge about pathogenesis and disease prognosis or progression, supporting clinicians on the decision-making process for the management of these infections and guiding them on the application of more effective and appropriate treatments. The benefits from the implementation of the point-of-care (PoC)-type testing in infectious disease diagnostics, which are seen to improve patient outcomes by promoting earlier therapeutic interventions, are also discussed.
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14
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Elmassry MM, Bisht K, Colmer-Hamood JA, Wakeman CA, San Francisco MJ, Hamood AN. Malonate utilization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa affects quorum-sensing and virulence and leads to formation of mineralized biofilm-like structures. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:516-537. [PMID: 33892520 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that uses malonate among its many carbon sources. We recently reported that, when grown in blood from trauma patients, P. aeruginosa expression of malonate utilization genes was upregulated. In this study, we explored the role of malonate utilization and its contribution to P. aeruginosa virulence. We grew P. aeruginosa strain PA14 in M9 minimal medium containing malonate (MM9) or glycerol (GM9) as a sole carbon source and assessed the effect of the growth on quorum sensing, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance. Growth of PA14 in MM9, compared to GM9, reduced the production of elastases, rhamnolipids, and pyoverdine; enhanced the production of pyocyanin and catalase; and increased its sensitivity to norfloxacin. Growth in MM9 decreased extracellular levels of N-acylhomoserine lactone autoinducers, an effect likely associated with increased pH of the culture medium; but had little effect on extracellular levels of PQS. At 18 hr of growth in MM9, PA14 formed biofilm-like structures or aggregates that were associated with biomineralization, which was related to increased pH of the culture medium. These results suggest that malonate significantly impacts P. aeruginosa pathogenesis by influencing the quorum sensing systems, the production of virulence factors, biofilm formation, and antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moamen M Elmassry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Karishma Bisht
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Jane A Colmer-Hamood
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Department of Medical Education, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Michael J San Francisco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Honors College, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Abdul N Hamood
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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15
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Bacterial Alkyl-4-quinolones: Discovery, Structural Diversity and Biological Properties. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25235689. [PMID: 33276615 PMCID: PMC7731028 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25235689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The alkyl-4-quinolones (AQs) are a class of metabolites produced primarily by members of the Pseudomonas and Burkholderia genera, consisting of a 4-quinolone core substituted by a range of pendant groups, most commonly at the C-2 position. The history of this class of compounds dates back to the 1940s, when a range of alkylquinolones with notable antibiotic properties were first isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. More recently, it was discovered that an alkylquinolone derivative, the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) plays a key role in bacterial communication and quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Many of the best-studied examples contain simple hydrocarbon side-chains, but more recent studies have revealed a wide range of structurally diverse examples from multiple bacterial genera, including those with aromatic, isoprenoid, or sulfur-containing side-chains. In addition to their well-known antimicrobial properties, alkylquinolones have been reported with antimalarial, antifungal, antialgal, and antioxidant properties. Here we review the structural diversity and biological activity of these intriguing metabolites.
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16
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Song S, Yin W, Sun X, Cui B, Huang L, Li P, Yang L, Zhou J, Deng Y. Anthranilic acid from Ralstonia solanacearum plays dual roles in intraspecies signalling and inter-kingdom communication. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2248-2260. [PMID: 32457502 PMCID: PMC7608240 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0682-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) signals are widely utilized by bacteria to regulate biological functions in response to cell population density. Previous studies have demonstrated that Ralstonia solanacearum employs two different types of QS systems. We report here that anthranilic acid controls important biological functions and the production of QS signals in R. solanacearum. It was demonstrated that the biosynthesis of anthranilic acid is mainly performed by TrpEG. The accumulation of anthranilic acid and the transcription of trpEG occur in a cell density-dependent manner in R. solanacearum. Both the anthranilic acid and TrpEG homologues are conserved in various bacterial species. Moreover, we show that Sporisorium scitamineum sexual mating and hypha formation are strongly inhibited by the addition of exogenous anthranilic acid. Our results suggest that anthranilic acid is important for the physiology of bacteria in addition to its role in inter-kingdom communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Song
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wenfang Yin
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xiuyun Sun
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Binbin Cui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lei Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Peng Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, 571158, China
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yinyue Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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17
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Repurposing Anti-diabetic Drugs to Cripple Quorum Sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091285. [PMID: 32842696 PMCID: PMC7569791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant human pathogen, it possesses almost all of the known antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Quorum sensing (QS) is an intercellular communication system that orchestrates bacterial virulence and its targeting is an effective approach to diminish its pathogenesis. Repurposing of drugs is an advantageous strategy, in this study we aimed to repurpose the anti-diabetic drugs sitagliptin, metformin and vildagliptin as anti-QS in P. aeruginosa. The effects of sub-inhibitory concentrations of the tested drugs on the expression of QS-encoding genes and QS-regulated virulence factors were assessed. The protective activity of tested drugs on P. aeruginosa pathogenesis was evaluated in vivo on mice. In silico analysis was performed to evaluate the interference capabilities of the tested drugs on QS-receptors. Although the three drugs reduced the expression of QS-encoding genes, only sitagliptin inhibited the P. aeruginosa virulence in vitro and protected mice from it. In contrast, metformin showed significant in vitro anti-QS activities but failed to protect mice from P. aeruginosa. Vildagliptin did not show any in vitro or in vivo efficacy. Sitagliptin is a promising anti-QS agent because of its chemical nature that hindered QS-receptors. Moreover, it gives an insight to consider their similar chemical structures as anti-QS agents or even design new chemically similar anti-QS pharmacophores.
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18
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Soukarieh F, Liu R, Romero M, Roberston SN, Richardson W, Lucanto S, Oton EV, Qudus NR, Mashabi A, Grossman S, Ali S, Sou T, Kukavica-Ibrulj I, Levesque RC, Bergström CAS, Halliday N, Mistry SN, Emsley J, Heeb S, Williams P, Cámara M, Stocks MJ. Hit Identification of New Potent PqsR Antagonists as Inhibitors of Quorum Sensing in Planktonic and Biofilm Grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Chem 2020; 8:204. [PMID: 32432073 PMCID: PMC7213079 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are becoming less effective because of the increasing rates of multi-antibiotic resistance. Pharmacological targeting of virulence through inhibition of quorum sensing (QS) dependent virulence gene regulation has considerable therapeutic potential. In P. aeruginosa, the pqs QS system regulates the production of multiple virulence factors as well as biofilm maturation and is a promising approach for developing antimicrobial adjuvants for combatting drug resistance. In this work, we report the hit optimisation for a series of potent novel inhibitors of PqsR, a key regulator of the pqs system, bearing a 2-((5-methyl-5H-[1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indol-3-yl)thio) acetamide scaffold. The initial hit compound 7 (PAO1-L IC50 0.98 ± 0.02 μM, PA14 inactive at 10 μM) was obtained through a virtual screening campaign performed on the PqsR ligand binding domain using the University of Nottingham Managed Chemical Compound Collection. Hit optimisation gave compounds with enhanced potency against strains PAO1-L and PA14, evaluated using P. aeruginosa pqs-based QS bioreporter assays. Compound 40 (PAO1-L IC50 0.25 ± 0.12 μM, PA14 IC50 0.34 ± 0.03 μM) is one of the most potent PqsR antagonists reported showing significant inhibition of P. aeruginosa pyocyanin production and pqs system signaling in both planktonic cultures and biofilms. The co-crystal structure of 40 with the PqsR ligand binding domain revealed the specific binding interactions occurring between inhibitor and this key regulatory protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi Soukarieh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ruiling Liu
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Romero
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shaun N Roberston
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - William Richardson
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Simone Lucanto
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Eduard Vico Oton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Naim Ruhul Qudus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Alaa Mashabi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Scott Grossman
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sadiqur Ali
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tomás Sou
- Drug Delivery Group, Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Pharmacometrics Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Irena Kukavica-Ibrulj
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Christel A S Bergström
- Drug Delivery Group, Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,The Swedish Drug Delivery Center, Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nigel Halliday
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shailesh N Mistry
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jonas Emsley
- The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Stephan Heeb
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Williams
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel Cámara
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J Stocks
- The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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19
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García-Reyes S, Soberón-Chávez G, Cocotl-Yanez M. The third quorum-sensing system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Pseudomonas quinolone signal and the enigmatic PqsE protein. J Med Microbiol 2020; 69:25-34. [PMID: 31794380 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that produces several virulence factors such as lectin A, pyocyanin, elastase and rhamnolipids. These compounds are controlled transcriptionally by three quorum-sensing circuits, two based on the synthesis and detection of N-acyl-homoserine-lactone termed the Las and Rhl system and a third system named the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) system, which is responsible for generating 2-alkyl-4(1 h)-quinolones (AQs). The transcriptional regulator called PqsR binds to the promoter of pqsABCDE in the presence of PQS or HHQ creating a positive feedback-loop. PqsE, encoded in the operon for AQ synthesis, is a crucial protein for pyocyanin production, activating the Rhl system by a still not fully understood mechanism. In turn, the regulation of the PQS system is modulated by Las and Rhl systems, which act positively and negatively, respectively. This review focuses on the PQS system, from its discovery to its role in Pseudomonas pathogenesis, such as iron depletion and pyocyanin synthesis that involves the PqsE protein - an intriguing player of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene García-Reyes
- Departamento de Biología molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Apdo Postal 70228, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gloria Soberón-Chávez
- Departamento de Biología molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Apdo Postal 70228, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Miguel Cocotl-Yanez
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad 3000, Cd. Universitaria, C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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20
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Mok N, Chan SY, Liu SY, Chua SL. Vanillin inhibits PqsR-mediated virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Food Funct 2020; 11:6496-6508. [DOI: 10.1039/d0fo00046a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Vanillin, a natural phenolic aldehyde from vanilla bean, has been reported to inhibit pqs quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with potential applications in combinatorial antimicrobial therapy against biofilm infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Mok
- Department of Biology
- University of Waterloo
- Waterloo
- Canada
| | - Shepherd Yuen Chan
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Kowloon
- China
| | - Sylvia Yang Liu
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Kowloon
- China
| | - Song Lin Chua
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Kowloon
- China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
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21
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Aleksic I, Jeremic J, Milivojevic D, Ilic-Tomic T, Šegan S, Zlatović M, Opsenica DM, Senerovic L. N-Benzyl Derivatives of Long-Chained 4-Amino-7-chloro-quionolines as Inhibitors of Pyocyanin Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2800-2809. [PMID: 31647218 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of nosocomial infections that are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to the occurrence of antibiotic resistant strains. Since P. aeruginosa virulence is controlled through quorum sensing, small molecule treatments inhibiting quorum sensing signaling pathways provide a promising therapeutic option. Consequently, we synthesized a series of N-octaneamino-4-aminoquinoline derivatives to optimize this chemotype's antivirulence activity against P. aeruginosa via inhibition of pyocyanin production. The most potent derivative, which possesses a benzofuran substituent, provided effective inhibition of pyocyanin production (IC50 = 12 μM), biofilm formation (BFIC50 = 50 μM), and motility. Experimentally, the compound's activity is achieved through competitive inhibition of PqsR, and structure-activity data were rationalized using molecular docking studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Aleksic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena Jeremic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dusan Milivojevic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Ilic-Tomic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sandra Šegan
- Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Njegoševa 12, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mario Zlatović
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dejan M. Opsenica
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Chemistry and Engineering, ICTM, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Lidija Senerovic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia
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22
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Reen FJ, McGlacken GP, O'Gara F. The expanding horizon of alkyl quinolone signalling and communication in polycellular interactomes. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 365:4953739. [PMID: 29718276 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Population dynamics within natural ecosystems is underpinned by microbial diversity and the heterogeneity of host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. Small molecule signals that intersperse between species have been shown to govern many virulence-related processes in established and emerging pathogens. Understanding the capacity of microbes to decode diverse languages and adapt to the presence of 'non-self' cells will provide an important new direction to the understanding of the 'polycellular' interactome. Alkyl quinolones (AQs) have been described in the ESKAPE pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the primary agent associated with mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis and the third most prevalent nosocomial pathogen worldwide. The role of these molecules in governing the physiology and virulence of P. aeruginosa and other pathogens has received considerable attention, while a role in interspecies and interkingdom communication has recently emerged. Herein we discuss recent advances in our understanding of AQ signalling and communication in the context of microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions. The integrated knowledge from these systems-based investigations will facilitate the development of new therapeutics based on the AQ framework that serves to disarm the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa and competing pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Jerry Reen
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard P McGlacken
- School of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Fergal O'Gara
- BIOMERIT Research Centre, School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Human Microbiome Programme, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, USA
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23
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Fleitas Martínez O, Cardoso MH, Ribeiro SM, Franco OL. Recent Advances in Anti-virulence Therapeutic Strategies With a Focus on Dismantling Bacterial Membrane Microdomains, Toxin Neutralization, Quorum-Sensing Interference and Biofilm Inhibition. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:74. [PMID: 31001485 PMCID: PMC6454102 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance constitutes one of the major challenges facing humanity in the Twenty-First century. The spread of resistant pathogens has been such that the possibility of returning to a pre-antibiotic era is real. In this scenario, innovative therapeutic strategies must be employed to restrict resistance. Among the innovative proposed strategies, anti-virulence therapy has been envisioned as a promising alternative for effective control of the emergence and spread of resistant pathogens. This review presents some of the anti-virulence strategies that are currently being developed, it will cover strategies focused on quench pathogen quorum sensing (QS) systems, disassemble of bacterial functional membrane microdomains (FMMs), disruption of biofilm formation and bacterial toxin neutralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osmel Fleitas Martínez
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Marlon Henrique Cardoso
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Suzana Meira Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados, Brazil
| | - Octavio Luiz Franco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
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24
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Hubbard TD, Liu Q, Murray IA, Dong F, Miller C, Smith PB, Gowda K, Lin JM, Amin S, Patterson AD, Perdew GH. Microbiota Metabolism Promotes Synthesis of the Human Ah Receptor Agonist 2,8-Dihydroxyquinoline. J Proteome Res 2019; 18:1715-1724. [PMID: 30777439 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a major regulator of immune function within the gastrointestinal tract. Resident microbiota are capable of influencing AHR-dependent signaling pathways via production of an array of bioactive molecules that act as AHR agonists, such as indole or indole-3-aldehyde. Bacteria produce a number of quinoline derivatives, of which some function as quorum-sensing molecules. Thus, we screened relevant hydroxyquinoline derivatives for AHR activity using AHR responsive reporter cell lines. 2,8-Dihydroxyquinoline (2,8-DHQ) was identified as a species-specific AHR agonist that exhibits full AHR agonist activity in human cell lines, but only induces modest AHR activity in mouse cells. Additional dihydroxylated quinolines tested failed to activate the human AHR. Nanomolar concentrations of 2,8-DHQ significantly induced CYP1A1 expression and, upon cotreatment with cytokines, synergistically induced IL6 expression. Ligand binding competition studies subsequently confirmed 2,8-DHQ to be a human AHR ligand. Several dihydroxyquinolines were detected in human fecal samples, with concentrations of 2,8-DHQ ranging between 0 and 3.4 pmol/mg feces. Additionally, in mice the microbiota was necessary for the presence of DHQ in cecal contents. These results suggest that microbiota-derived 2,8-DHQ would contribute to AHR activation in the human gut, and thus participate in the protective and homeostatic effects observed with gastrointestinal AHR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Charles Miller
- Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences , Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine , New Orleans , Louisiana 70112 , United States
| | | | - Krishne Gowda
- Department of Pharmacology , Penn State College of Medicine , Hershey , Pennsylvania 17033 , United States
| | - Jyh Ming Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Penn State College of Medicine , Hershey , Pennsylvania 17033 , United States
| | - Shantu Amin
- Department of Pharmacology , Penn State College of Medicine , Hershey , Pennsylvania 17033 , United States
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25
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Schütz C, Empting M. Targeting the Pseudomonas quinolone signal quorum sensing system for the discovery of novel anti-infective pathoblockers. Beilstein J Org Chem 2018; 14:2627-2645. [PMID: 30410625 PMCID: PMC6204780 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes severe nosocomial infections. It uses quorum sensing (QS) to regulate and coordinate population-wide group behaviours in the infection process like concerted secretion of virulence factors. One very important signalling network is the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) QS. With the aim to devise novel and innovative anti-infectives, inhibitors have been designed to address the various potential drug targets present within pqs QS. These range from enzymes within the biosynthesis cascade of the signal molecules PqsABCDE to the receptor of these autoinducers PqsR (MvfR). This review shortly introduces P. aeruginosa and its pathogenicity traits regulated by the pqs system and highlights the published drug discovery efforts providing insights into the compound binding modes if available. Furthermore, suitability of the individual targets for pathoblocker design is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schütz
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Martin Empting
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Saarbrücken, Germany
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26
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Chen W, Wang B, Gruber JD, Zhang YM, Davies C. Acyl Carrier Protein 3 Is Involved in Oxidative Stress Response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2244. [PMID: 30294316 PMCID: PMC6158461 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa expresses three acyl carrier proteins (ACPs): AcpP, Acp1, and Acp3. The function of AcpP in membrane fatty acid synthesis (FAS) was confirmed recently, but the physiological roles of Acp1 and Acp3 remain unclear. To address this, we investigated the physiological role of Acp3 in P. aeruginosa. We found that expression of Acp3 dramatically increases in the log phase of cell growth and that its transcription is under the control of the QS regulators LasR and RhlR. Deletion of acp3 from P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 results in thicker biofilm formation, increased resistance of the strain to hydrogen peroxide, and higher persistence in a mouse infection model. Tandem affinity purification (TAP) experiments revealed several novel protein-binding partners of Acp3, including KatA, the major catalase in P. aeruginosa. Acp3 was found to repress the catalase activity of KatA and, consistent with inhibition by Acp3, less reactive oxygen species are present in the acp3 deletion strain. Overall, our study reveals that Acp3 has a distinct function from that of the canonical AcpP and may be involved in the oxidative stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of the Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jordon D Gruber
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Yong-Mei Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Christopher Davies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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27
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Soukarieh F, Williams P, Stocks MJ, Cámara M. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing Systems as Drug Discovery Targets: Current Position and Future Perspectives. J Med Chem 2018; 61:10385-10402. [PMID: 29999316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to public health globally, manifested by the frequent emergence of multidrug resistant pathogens that render current chemotherapy inadequate. Health organizations worldwide have recognized the severity of this crisis and implemented action plans to contain its adverse consequences and prolong the utility of conventional antibiotics. Hence, there is a pressing need for new classes of antibacterial agents with novel modes of action. Quorum sensing (QS), a communication system employed by bacterial populations to coordinate virulence gene expression, is a potential target that has been intensively investigated over the past decade. This Perspective will focus on recent advances in targeting the three main quorum sensing systems ( las, rhl, and pqs) of a major opportunistic human pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and will specifically evaluate the medicinal chemistry strategies devised to develop QS inhibitors from a drug discovery perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi Soukarieh
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , NG7 2RD , U.K
| | - Paul Williams
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , NG7 2RD , U.K
| | - Michael J Stocks
- School of Pharmacy, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , NG7 2RD , U.K
| | - Miguel Cámara
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , NG7 2RD , U.K
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28
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Freund JR, Mansfield CJ, Doghramji LJ, Adappa ND, Palmer JN, Kennedy DW, Reed DR, Jiang P, Lee RJ. Activation of airway epithelial bitter taste receptors by Pseudomonas aeruginosa quinolones modulates calcium, cyclic-AMP, and nitric oxide signaling. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9824-9840. [PMID: 29748385 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (taste family 2 bitter receptor proteins; T2Rs), discovered in many tissues outside the tongue, have recently become potential therapeutic targets. We have shown previously that airway epithelial cells express several T2Rs that activate innate immune responses that may be important for treatment of airway diseases such as chronic rhinosinusitis. It is imperative to more clearly understand what compounds activate airway T2Rs as well as their full range of functions. T2R isoforms in airway motile cilia (T2R4, -14, -16, and -38) produce bactericidal levels of nitric oxide (NO) that also increase ciliary beating, promoting clearance of mucus and trapped pathogens. Bacterial quorum-sensing acyl-homoserine lactones activate T2Rs and stimulate these responses in primary airway cells. Quinolones are another type of quorum-sensing molecule used by Pseudomonas aeruginosa To elucidate whether bacterial quinolones activate airway T2Rs, we analyzed calcium, cAMP, and NO dynamics using a combination of fluorescent indicator dyes and FRET-based protein biosensors. T2R-transfected HEK293T cells, several lung epithelial cell lines, and primary sinonasal cells grown and differentiated at the air-liquid interface were tested with 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone (known as Pseudomonas quinolone signal; PQS), 2,4-dihydroxyquinolone, and 4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinolone (HHQ). In HEK293T cells, PQS activated T2R4, -16, and -38, whereas HHQ activated T2R14. 2,4-Dihydroxyquinolone had no effect. PQS and HHQ increased calcium and decreased both baseline and stimulated cAMP levels in cultured and primary airway cells. In primary cells, PQS and HHQ activated levels of NO synthesis previously shown to be bactericidal. This study suggests that airway T2R-mediated immune responses are activated by bacterial quinolones as well as acyl-homoserine lactones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna R Freund
- From the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and
| | | | | | - Nithin D Adappa
- From the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and
| | - James N Palmer
- From the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and
| | - David W Kennedy
- From the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and
| | - Danielle R Reed
- the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Peihua Jiang
- the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Robert J Lee
- From the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and .,Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 and
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29
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Witzgall F, Ewert W, Blankenfeldt W. Structures of the N-Terminal Domain of PqsA in Complex with Anthraniloyl- and 6-Fluoroanthraniloyl-AMP: Substrate Activation in Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) Biosynthesis. Chembiochem 2017; 18:2045-2055. [PMID: 28834007 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a prevalent pathogen in nosocomial infections and a major burden in cystic fibrosis, uses three interconnected quorum-sensing systems to coordinate virulence processes. At variance with other Gram-negative bacteria, one of these systems relies on 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones (Pseudomonas quinolone signal, PQS) and might hence be an attractive target for new anti-infective agents. Here we report crystal structures of the N-terminal domain of anthranilate-CoA ligase PqsA, the first enzyme of PQS biosynthesis, in complex with anthraniloyl-AMP and with 6-fluoroanthraniloyl-AMP (6FABA-AMP) at 1.4 and 1.7 Å resolution. We find that PqsA belongs to an unrecognized subfamily of anthranilate-CoA ligases that recognize the amino group of anthranilate through a water-mediated hydrogen bond. The complex with 6FABA-AMP explains why 6FABA, an inhibitor of PQS biosynthesis, is a good substrate of PqsA. Together, our data might pave a way to new pathoblockers in P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Witzgall
- Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Wiebke Ewert
- Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.,Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wulf Blankenfeldt
- Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.,Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstrasse 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
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30
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Allegretta G, Maurer CK, Eberhard J, Maura D, Hartmann RW, Rahme L, Empting M. In-depth Profiling of MvfR-Regulated Small Molecules in Pseudomonas aeruginosa after Quorum Sensing Inhibitor Treatment. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:924. [PMID: 28596760 PMCID: PMC5442231 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium, which causes opportunistic infections in immuno-compromised individuals. Due to its multiple resistances toward antibiotics, the development of new drugs is required. Interfering with Quorum Sensing (QS), a cell-to-cell communication system, has shown to be highly efficient in reducing P. aeruginosa pathogenicity. One of its QS systems employs Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) and 4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline (HHQ) as signal molecules. Both activate the transcriptional regulator MvfR (Multiple Virulence Factor Regulator), also called PqsR, driving the production of QS molecules as well as toxins and biofilm formation. The aim of this work was to elucidate the effects of QS inhibitors (QSIs), such as MvfR antagonists and PqsBC inhibitors, on the biosynthesis of the MvfR-regulated small molecules 2′-aminoacetophenone (2-AA), dihydroxyquinoline (DHQ), HHQ, PQS, and 4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline-N-oxide (HQNO). The employed synthetic MvfR antagonist fully inhibited pqs small molecule formation showing expected sigmoidal dose-response curves for 2-AA, HQNO, HHQ and PQS. Surprisingly, DHQ levels were enhanced at lower antagonist concentrations followed by a full suppression at higher QSI amounts. This particular bi-phasic profile hinted at the accumulation of a biosynthetic intermediate resulting in the observed overproduction of the shunt product DHQ. Additionally, investigations on PqsBC inhibitors showed a reduction of MvfR natural ligands, while increased 2-AA, DHQ and HQNO levels compared to the untreated cells were detected. Moreover, PqsBC inhibitors did not show any significant effect in PA14 pqsC mutant demonstrating their target selectivity. As 2-AA is important for antibacterial tolerance, the QSIs were evaluated in their capability to attenuate persistence. Indeed, persister cells were reduced along with 2-AA inhibition resulting from MvfR antagonism, but not from PqsBC inhibition. In conclusion, antagonizing MvfR using a dosage capable of fully suppressing this QS system will lead to a favorable therapeutic outcome as DHQ overproduction is avoided and bacterial persistence is reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Allegretta
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany
| | - Christine K Maurer
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jens Eberhard
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany
| | - Damien Maura
- Department of Surgery and Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, BostonMA, United States.,Department of Surgery, Center for Surgery, Innovation and Bioengineering, Massachusetts General Hospital, BostonMA, United States.,Shriners Hospitals for Children, BostonMA, United States
| | - Rolf W Hartmann
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany.,Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Saarland UniversitySaarbrücken, Germany
| | - Laurence Rahme
- Department of Surgery and Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, BostonMA, United States.,Department of Surgery, Center for Surgery, Innovation and Bioengineering, Massachusetts General Hospital, BostonMA, United States.,Shriners Hospitals for Children, BostonMA, United States
| | - Martin Empting
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany
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31
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Buzid A, Reen FJ, Langsi VK, Muimhneacháin EÓ, O'Gara F, McGlacken GP, Luong JHT, Glennon JD. Direct and Rapid Electrochemical Detection ofPseudomonas aeruginosaQuorum Signaling Molecules in Bacterial Cultures and Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Samples through Cationic Surfactant-Assisted Membrane Disruption. ChemElectroChem 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.201600590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alyah Buzid
- Innovative Chromatography Group, Irish Separation Science Cluster (ISSC); University College Cork, Western Road, Cork (Ireland)
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - F. Jerry Reen
- BIOMERIT Research Centre, School of Microbiology; University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - Victor K. Langsi
- Innovative Chromatography Group, Irish Separation Science Cluster (ISSC); University College Cork, Western Road, Cork (Ireland)
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - Eoin Ó Muimhneacháin
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - Fergal O'Gara
- BIOMERIT Research Centre, School of Microbiology; University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
- School of Biomedical Sciences; Curtin Health Innovation Research Curtin University; Perth WA 6845 Australia
| | - Gerard P. McGlacken
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - John H. T. Luong
- Innovative Chromatography Group, Irish Separation Science Cluster (ISSC); University College Cork, Western Road, Cork (Ireland)
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
| | - Jeremy D. Glennon
- Innovative Chromatography Group, Irish Separation Science Cluster (ISSC); University College Cork, Western Road, Cork (Ireland)
- Department of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF); University College Cork; College Road Cork T12 YN60 Ireland
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32
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Lahiri P, Ghosh D. Single-Step Capture and Targeted Metabolomics of Alkyl-Quinolones in Outer Membrane Vesicles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1609:171-184. [PMID: 28660582 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6996-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are secreted by all Gram-ve pathogens. These nano-scale delivery vehicles contain discrete arrays of prokaryotic pathogenic determinants, including a family of low molecular weight (MW) lipidic quorum signaling alkyl-quinolones (AQs). These are synthesized from β-keto-fatty acids and function like primordial lipidic hormones, which regulate numerous pathogenic factors both inter-species and intra-species. Significantly, AQs can also directly exacerbate pathogenesis by cross-kingdom signaling with the host immune, metabolic, and other systems. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa more than 50 AQs are reported; many with pathogenic mechanisms that are largely unknown. Some of these AQs are exclusively associated with OMVs. Accurate characterization of these OMV-AQs may reveal novel mechanism of diseases and Pseudomonas aeruginosa presents an ideal model. Matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) technologies enjoy unique advantages in mass spectrometry (MS)-based imaging and low MW analysis. We report single-step isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa OMV on inert ceramic filters and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis of AQs vesicle in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Lahiri
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Dipankar Ghosh
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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33
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Kamal AAM, Maurer CK, Allegretta G, Haupenthal J, Empting M, Hartmann RW. Quorum Sensing Inhibitors as Pathoblockers for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections: A New Concept in Anti-Infective Drug Discovery. TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/7355_2017_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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