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Importance of Propionibacterium acnes hemolytic activity in human intervertebral discs: A microbiological study

Manu N Capoor1,2, Filip Ruzicka3, Gurpreet Sandhu4

  • 1Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America.

Plos One
|November 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Propionibacterium acnes, common in chronic lower back pain (CLBP) patients, may cause pain by producing pore-forming proteins. This study links bacterial phylogroups to hemolytic activity, suggesting a mechanism for CLBP.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Orthopedics
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is often linked to degenerative disc disease.
  • Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) frequently colonizes discs in CLBP patients.
  • Staphylococcus aureus uses pore-forming toxins to activate pain receptors, suggesting a similar mechanism for P. acnes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hemolytic activity of P. acnes found in patient disc specimens.
  • To determine if P. acnes hemolytic patterns correlate with its molecular phylogroups.
  • To explore the potential role of P. acnes pore-forming proteins in CLBP pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing P. acnes from disc specimens obtained during therapeutic discectomies.
  • Assessing hemolytic activity of P. acnes isolates on sheep-blood agar.
  • Determining molecular phylogroups of P. acnes isolates.

Main Results:

  • P. acnes isolates exhibited variable β-hemolytic patterns on sheep-blood agar.
  • Hemolytic patterns were dependent on the molecular phylogroup of P. acnes.
  • A correlation was established between P. acnes phylogroups and their hemolytic activity.

Conclusions:

  • P. acnes possesses pore-forming proteins with hemolytic activity.
  • These proteins may contribute to the symptoms of chronic P. acnes disc infections and CLBP.
  • Phylogenetic analysis can predict the hemolytic potential of P. acnes in CLBP patients.

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