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Quantifying the Cytotoxicity of Staphylococcus aureus Against Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes
Published on: January 3, 2020
Menthol diminishes Staphylococcus aureus virulence-associated extracellular proteins expression
Jiazhang Qiu1, Mingjing Luo, Jing Dong
1Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Xi'an Road 5333, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China.
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|February 3, 2011
Summary
Menthol significantly reduces the expression of key toxins in Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogen. This suggests menthol could be a valuable addition to antibiotic treatments for S. aureus infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen responsible for diverse infections.
- Bacterial virulence factors, particularly extracellular proteins, are key to S. aureus pathogenicity.
- Targeting virulence offers a promising strategy for antimicrobial chemotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of menthol on the expression of critical virulence factors in S. aureus.
- To evaluate menthol's potential as an anti-virulence agent.
Main Methods:
- Hemolytic activity assays
- Tumor necrosis factor release assays
- Western blot assays
- Real-time reverse transcription-PCR assays
Main Results:
- Low concentrations of menthol markedly inhibited the expression of α-hemolysin, enterotoxins A and B, and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 in S. aureus.
- Menthol demonstrated potential in managing S. aureus infections, especially when combined with β-lactam antibiotics.
Conclusions:
- Menthol can effectively suppress the expression of major S. aureus virulence factors.
- Menthol's basic structure holds promise for developing novel anti-virulence drugs.
- Combination therapy with menthol and β-lactam antibiotics may be beneficial for treating S. aureus infections.
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