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Updated: May 19, 2026

Co-culture Models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown on Live Human Airway Cells
11:21

Co-culture Models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown on Live Human Airway Cells

Published on: October 6, 2010

Characterization of biofilm-like structures formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a synthetic mucus medium

Cecily L Haley1, Jane A Colmer-Hamood, Abdul N Hamood

  • 1Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Lubbock TX, USA.

BMC Microbiology
|August 21, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms biofilm-like structures (BLS) in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung conditions. Environmental oxygen and quorum sensing significantly impact BLS development and bacterial interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients experience lung infections from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus due to thick mucus.
  • These infections lead to severe lung damage and respiratory failure.
  • P. aeruginosa forms surface-independent biofilm-like structures (BLS) in artificial sputum medium (ASM+).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of mucin, extracellular DNA, environmental oxygen (EO2), and quorum sensing (QS) in P. aeruginosa BLS development.
  • To examine the impact of EO2 and P. aeruginosa on S. aureus BLS formation.
  • To analyze bacterial interactions and competition within BLS.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an artificial sputum medium (ASM+) with optimized mucin and extracellular DNA concentrations.
  • Cultured P. aeruginosa and S. aureus strains under varying environmental oxygen levels (0%, 10%, 20%).
  • Assessed the effect of QS gene mutations (rhlI, rhlR) in P. aeruginosa on BLS formation.
  • Investigated co-inoculation and sequential inoculation dynamics between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.

Main Results:

  • P. aeruginosa PAO1 formed robust BLS in ASM+ at 20% EO2, with thicker structures observed at 10% EO2.
  • S. aureus AH133 formed well-developed BLS exclusively at 20% EO2.
  • QS gene mutations in P. aeruginosa significantly altered BLS structure and architecture.
  • P. aeruginosa eradicated S. aureus from co-cultured BLS within 48-56 hours.

Conclusions:

  • ASM+ effectively models CF lung airway aggregates, supporting BLS formation.
  • Environmental oxygen levels and P. aeruginosa QS genes critically influence BLS architecture and features.
  • ASM+ serves as a valuable in vitro model for studying the impact of host and bacterial factors on BLS and treatment susceptibility in CF lung infections.

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