Ureteral Stents Harbor Complex Biofilms With Rich Microbiome-Metabolite Interactions

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Indwelling ureteral stents are prone to biofilm formation.
• Biofilms on medical devices can lead to infections and complications.
• Understanding the microbial communities within these biofilms is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize microbe-metabolite interactions in ureteral stent biofilms.
• To associate these interactions with patient factors like infection and antibiotic exposure.
• To recreate biofilm formation in vitro on various stent materials.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of ureteral stent samples using 16S sequencing and metabolomics.
• In vitro biofilm reconstitution using a bioreactor with stent-isolated bacteria and materials (silicone, PTFE, polyurethane, polycarbonate, titanium).
• Statistical analysis of microbial diversity, abundance, and association with clinical data.

Main Results:

• All analyzed ureteral stents harbored microbiota.
• Specific bacterial genera (e.g., Escherichia/Shigella, Ureaplasma) were associated with antibiotic exposure and infection.
• A specific microbe-metabolite interaction (Ureaplasma and 9-methyl-7-bromoeudistomin) was enriched in infected stents.
• Isolated microbes successfully reconstituted biofilms in vitro, with variations based on bacterial strain and material type.

Conclusions:

• Ureteral stent biofilms display distinct microbial and metabolic profiles related to infection and antibiotic use.
• In vitro models of biofilm formation can be successfully reconstituted from clinical isolates.
• This research provides a foundation for developing novel anti-biofilm strategies, testing new materials, and exploring bacterial interference therapies.