A new quorum-sensing inhibitor attenuates virulence and decreases antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

J Microbiol. 2012 Dec;50(6):987-93. doi: 10.1007/s12275-012-2149-7. Epub 2012 Dec 30.

Abstract

Quorum sensing (QS) has been a novel target for the treatment of infectious diseases. Here structural analogs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa autoinducer N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) were investigated for QS inhibitor (QSI) activity and a novel QSI was discovered, N-decanoyl-L-homoserine benzyl ester (C2). Virulence assays showed that C2 down-regulated total protease and elastase activities, as well as the production of rhamnolipid, that are controlled by QS in P. aeruginosa wild-type strain PAO1 without affecting growth. C2 was also shown to inhibit swarming motility of PAO1. Using a microdilution checkerboard method, we identified synergistic interactions between C2 and several antibiotics, tobramycin, gentamycin, cefepime, and meropenem. Data from real-time RT-PCR suggested that C2 inhibited the expression of lasR (29.67%), lasI (21.57%), rhlR (28.20%), and rhlI (29.03%).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial* / genetics
  • Drug Synergism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Homoserine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Homoserine / chemistry
  • Homoserine / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / physiology*
  • Quorum Sensing* / genetics
  • Virulence / genetics
  • Virulence Factors / genetics
  • Virulence Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • N-decanoylhomoserine benzyl ester
  • Virulence Factors
  • Homoserine