Overexpression of MexCD-OprJ reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence by increasing its susceptibility to complement-mediated killing

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014;58(4):2426-9. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02012-13. Epub 2014 Jan 13.

Abstract

We evaluated the resistance to complement-mediated killing of a collection of isogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains expressing different antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Only the nfxB mutant demonstrated increased susceptibility to complement compared with that for the wild-type strain. This increment was due to the overexpression of MexCD-OprJ, which led to increased C3 opsonization and a reduced ability to infect the lungs of mice. Our results show that the acquisition of antibiotic resistance may alter the interplay of P. aeruginosa with the host immune system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity*
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins