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Albumin Inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing and Alters Polymicrobial Interactions

Allie Clinton Smith1,2,3, Anne Rice4, Bryan Sutton4

  • 1Department of Honors Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.

Infection and Immunity
|June 21, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Serum albumin in chronic wounds inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing, allowing Staphylococcus aureus to survive. This finding explains how wound environment affects bacterial interactions and infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Chronic wounds are often polymicrobial, commonly involving Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • While P. aeruginosa can kill S. aureus in vitro, they coexist in chronic wounds, suggesting environmental modulation of their interaction.
  • Cell-to-cell signaling (quorum sensing) is crucial for bacterial interactions, but host influence on this process is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how wound environment components affect the interaction between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.
  • To determine if serum albumin influences the communication and virulence of P. aeruginosa in the context of polymicrobial infections.

Main Methods:

  • Co-culture experiments of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus under varying serum albumin concentrations.
  • Analysis of P. aeruginosa quorum sensing signal molecules (homoserine lactones).
  • Assessment of P. aeruginosa virulence factor production and its effect on S. aureus viability.

Main Results:

  • Physiological levels of serum albumin inhibit P. aeruginosa quorum sensing.
  • Serum albumin binds and sequesters homoserine lactone signals, disrupting P. aeruginosa communication.
  • Inhibition of quorum sensing prevents P. aeruginosa from producing virulence factors that normally kill S. aureus.

Conclusions:

  • Serum albumin is a key host factor modulating P. aeruginosa virulence and its interaction with S. aureus in chronic wounds.
  • This mechanism explains the coexistence of these bacteria in polymicrobial infections.
  • Understanding these interactions can inform strategies for treating chronic wound infections.
Keywords:
Pseudomonas aeruginosaStaphylococcus aureusalbuminpolymicrobial infectionquorum sensingwound

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