Puerarin protects against Staphylococcus aureus-induced injury of human alveolar epithelial A549 cells via downregulating alpha-hemolysin secretion

Microb Drug Resist. 2014 Aug;20(4):357-63. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2013.0104. Epub 2013 Dec 28.

Abstract

Alpha-hemolysin, a secreted pore-forming toxin, plays an indispensable role in the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of puerarin against S. aureus was investigated; as a result, puerarin showed no influence on the growth of this organism. However, hemolysis and western blotting assays showed that puerarin concentration dependently inhibited the secretion of alpha-hemolysin at low concentrations. Real-time RT-PCR assay was further employed to evaluate the transcriptional level of hla, the gene encoding alpha-hemolysin, and RNAIII, an effector molecule of the agr system. The results indicated that the RNAIII expression and subsequent hla transcription were also inhibited by puerarin in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, puerarin significantly prevented human alveolar epithelial A549 cells from S. aureus-induced injury. Thereby, puerarin may be considered as a potential candidate for the development of antivirulence drugs in the treatment of S. aureus-mediated infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Toxins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Bacterial Toxins / biosynthesis
  • Cell Line
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Erythrocytes / microbiology
  • Hemolysin Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Hemolysin Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Hemolysin Proteins / metabolism
  • Hemolysis / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Isoflavones / isolation & purification
  • Isoflavones / pharmacology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
  • Rabbits
  • Respiratory Mucosa / drug effects
  • Respiratory Mucosa / microbiology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Isoflavones
  • Plant Extracts
  • staphylococcal alpha-toxin
  • puerarin