Evaluation of the Interaction Between Polymyxin B and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm and Planktonic Cells: Reactive Oxygen Species Induction and Zeta Potential

Overview

Journal BMC Microbiol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2019 May 31

PMID 31142260

Citations 13

Authors

Marlucy Rodrigues Lima

Gabriella Freitas Ferreira

Wallace Ribeiro Nunes Neto

Joveliane de Melo Monteiro

Aquila Rodrigues Costa Santos

Priscila Batista Tavares

Angelo Marcio Leite Denadai

Maria Rosa Quaresma Bomfim

Vera Lucia Dos Santos

Sirlei Garcia Marques

Andrea de Souza Monteiro

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Although the most widely accepted mechanism of action for polymyxins is related to bacterial lysis via disruption, we hypothesized that this antimicrobial drug class could have other effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa planktonic and sessile cells. Little is known regarding oxidative burst and zeta potential (ZP) data associated with the interaction between polymyxin B and P. aeruginosa cells. The present study evaluated endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and changes in the net charges of biofilm and planktonic cells in response to polymyxin B.

Results: Polymyxin B induced concentration-dependent killing at all concentrations tested in planktonic and sessile cells from P. aeruginosa strains. Sublethal concentrations of polymyxin B induced oxidative burst. ROS production was higher in resistant planktonic cells than in biofilm cells but this was not observed for susceptible cells. Moreover, no net surface charge alterations were observed in planktonic cells from a susceptible strain treated with polymyxin B, but a significant increase of ZP was noted in planktonic cells from a resistant strain.

Conclusion: Oxidative burst generated by planktonic and sessile cells from P. aeruginosa strains against polymyxin B indicates that ROS may have an important role in the mechanism of action of this drug. ZP data revealed that electrostatic interactions of the cationic peptide with the anionic surface of the cells are strain-dependent. Therefore, we suggested that the intracellular effects of polymyxin B should be further investigated to understand polymyxin B-induced stress in P. aeruginosa.

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