An innovative role for luteolin as a natural quorum sensing inhibitor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) 2021-06, Vol.274, p.119325-119325, Article 119325
• Main Authors: Geng, Ya Fei, Yang, Cheng, Zhang, Yi, Tao, Sheng Nan, Mei, Jie, Zhang, Xu Chang, Sun, Ya Juan, Zhao, Bing Tian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-Butyrolactone - analogs & derivatives; 4-Butyrolactone - antagonists & inhibitors; Antibiotic tolerance; Antibiotics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biofilms; Biofilms - drug effects; Biofilms - growth & development; Cystic fibrosis; Drug resistance; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Homoserine - analogs & derivatives; Homoserine - antagonists & inhibitors; Humans; Inhibitors; L-Homoserine lactone; Luteolin; Luteolin - pharmacology; Molecular docking; Molecular Docking Simulation; Molecular modelling; Motility; N-Butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone; Polymerase chain reaction; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - isolation & purification; Pseudomonas Infections - drug therapy; Pseudomonas Infections - microbiology; Quorum sensing; Quorum Sensing - drug effects; RhlR protein; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Transcription; Virulence; Virulence Factors
• ISSN: 0024-3205; 1879-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119325

The emergence of antibiotic tolerance was a tricky problem in the treatment of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected cystic fibrosis and burn victims. The quorum sensing (QS) inhibitor may serve as a new tactic for the bacterial resistance by inhibiting the biofilm formation and the production of virulence factors. This study explored the potential of luteolin as a QS inhibitor against P. aeruginosa and the molecular mechanism involved. Crystal violet staining, CLSM observation, and SEM analysis were carried out to assess the effect of luteolin on biofilm formation. The motility assays and the production of virulence factors were determined to evaluate the QS-inhibitory activity of luteolin. Acyl-homoserine lactone, RT-PCR, and molecular docking assays were conducted to explain its anti-QS mechanisms. The biofilm formation, the production of virulence factors, and the motility of P. aeruginosa could be efficiently inhibited by luteolin. Luteolin could also attenuate the accumulation of the QS-signaling molecules N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) and N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL) (P