Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Induced Lung Injury Model
07:24

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Induced Lung Injury Model

Published on: October 29, 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa recognizes and responds aggressively to the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Morten Alhede1,2, Thomas Bjarnsholt3,1, Peter Ø Jensen3

  • 1Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Microbiology (Reading, England)
|August 1, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms sense immune cells and use quorum sensing to deploy rhamnolipids, creating a shield that eliminates polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to establish infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNs) are crucial for innate immunity, particularly in cystic fibrosis lung infections.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that evades PMN destruction, leading to persistent infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how P. aeruginosa biofilms interact with and evade PMNs.
  • To elucidate the role of quorum sensing (QS) in P. aeruginosa's response to PMNs.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro and in vivo analyses were conducted.
  • Quorum sensing (QS) signalling pathways were studied.
  • Rhamnolipid synthesis and function were assessed.

Main Results:

  • P. aeruginosa biofilm cells detect PMNs via QS signalling.
  • PMN presence upregulates QS-controlled virulence factors, including rhamnolipids.
  • Rhamnolipids form a protective shield that eliminates PMNs.

Conclusions:

  • P. aeruginosa utilizes QS to coordinate a defense against PMNs.
  • Rhamnolipids act as a 'shield' to neutralize host immune cells.
  • Cross-kingdom communication is vital for P. aeruginosa evasion strategies.

More Related Videos

Tools for the Real-Time Assessment of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection Model07:39

Tools for the Real-Time Assessment of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection Model

Published on: April 6, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Overview
Atypical Pneumonia01:14

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...