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Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen
Published on: March 21, 2011
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Effect of Predatory Bacteria on Human Cell Lines
Shilpi Gupta1, Chi Tang2, Michael Tran1
1Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, United States of America.
Plos One
|September 1, 2016
Summary
Predatory bacteria, like Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, show no toxicity to human cells. This research supports their potential as live antibiotics against dangerous bacterial infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Predatory bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria that target other Gram-negative bacteria.
- They are being explored as therapeutic agents against multi-drug resistant pathogens.
- Previous studies in animal models indicated they are non-toxic and non-immunogenic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of predatory bacteria on human cell viability and inflammatory responses.
- To assess the safety of using predatory bacteria as live antibiotics against human pathogens.
Main Methods:
- Tested Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (strains 109J, HD100) and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus (strain ARL-13) on five human cell lines.
- Assessed cell viability and inflammatory cytokine production.
- Used microscopic imaging to observe cellular effects.
Main Results:
- Predatory bacteria exhibited no cytotoxicity across all tested human cell lines.
- No signs of cell detachment were observed compared to controls.
- Higher concentrations of predators did not significantly elevate pro-inflammatory cytokines in most cell lines.
Conclusions:
- Predatory bacteria display non-pathogenic characteristics towards human cells.
- These findings highlight the potential of predatory bacteria as safe and effective live antibiotics.
