Characterization of casein-derived peptide bioactivity: Differential effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and cytokine and nitric oxide production.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are used as starter cultures in the production of fermented dairy products and have the potential to confer bioactivity relevant to cardiovascular health, as they possess extensive proteolytic systems that liberate small bioactive peptides from larger milk proteins. Certain casein-derived peptides released by various LAB strains during fermentation have been shown to reduce hypertension and to modulate the immune system. We investigated the growth and peptide production of 2 LAB strains, Lactobacillus helveticus R0389 and Lactocaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011, their immunomodulatory activities, as well as their abilities to inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Peptide fractions collected from the cell-free supernatant of both medium-grown and milk fermentation cultures were assessed for ACE-inhibitory activity and their effects on the production of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines by human THP-1 monocytes. Cultures were grown in medium, with or without supplementation with 0.1% casein, or in 3.25% milk fermented with each LAB strain. Casein supplementation increased the growth rate of both LAB strains, and significantly increased ACE-inhibitory activity of peptide fractions collected from both L. helveticus R0389 and L. rhamnosus R0011 cultures grown for 12 h. Fermentation peptide fractions of L. rhamnosus R0011 showed comparable ACE-inhibitory activity to known ACE inhibiting peptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro (up to 79% inhibition) with a significant difference between culture peptide fractions and acidified and nonacidified control fractions collected after 6 d of fermentation. Many milk and casein-derived peptides reported in previous studies have been identified as part of a larger bioactive fraction. We synthesized a group of these peptides to individually assess both ACE-inhibitory and immunomodulatory activity. The known ACE inhibitors Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro showed similar ACE inhibition to previously published results, while also inducing the production of the regulatory cytokine IL-10 by monocytes in the presence and absence of a proinflammatory stimulant. These synthesized peptides could also induce the production of nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator, in human endothelial cell cultures. Investigating the relationships among these bioactive properties could improve the use of probiotic organisms and their secreted products in the food industry.

Diversity of microorganisms within rock varnish in the Whipple Mountains, California.

Rock varnish from Arizona's Whipple Mountains harbors a microbial community containing about 10(8) microorganisms g(-1) of varnish. Analyses of varnish phospholipid fatty acids and rRNA gene libraries reveal a community comprised of mostly Proteobacteria but also including Actinobacteria, eukaryota, and a few members of the Archaea. Rock varnish represents a significant niche for microbial colonization.

Eradication of biofilm cells of Staphylococcus aureus with tobramycin and cephalexin.

The kinetics of growth and formation of biofilm by Staphylococcus aureus were investigated under iron-limited conditions in the chemostat. The population of planktonic cells reached 5.5 x 10(9) cells/mL 24 h after inoculation (D = 0.05 h-1) and remained constant throughout. The number of biofilm cells of S. aureus colonizing the silicone tubing increased exponentially from 6 x 10(4) to 2.7 x 10(7) cells/cm2 (6 days later) and continued to increase at a reduced rate to 2.7 x 10(8) cells/cm2 on day 13. Planktonic cells of S. aureus were susceptible to tobramycin and cephalexin. The planktonic cells could be successfully eradicated with a combination of 5 micrograms tobramycin plus 100 micrograms cephalexin per millilitre. Exposure of young biofilm cells of S. aureus to 5 micrograms tobramycin plus 100 micrograms cephalexin per millilitre resulted in a rapid loss of cell viability. The percentage of survival dropped to less than 0.0001% after exposure to these concentrations of antibiotics for 3 h. Old biofilm cells of S. aureus were found to be extremely resistant to these antibiotics. The cell viability was reduced to 0.09% after exposure to 10 micrograms tobramycin plus 100 micrograms cephalexin per millilitre. The results suggest that it is possible to eradicate S. aureus infection at the early stage with tobramycin plus cephalexin. Any delay in implementing antibiotic therapy is likely to result in the failure of the treatment. It is important to note that the concentrations of antibiotics required for the eradication of young biofilm cells must be determined for the treatment of device-associated infections.

Dynamic interactions of biofilms of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa with tobramycin and piperacillin.

The dynamic interaction of planktonic and biofilm cells of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa with tobramycin and piperacillin was investigated in a chemostat system. The results indicated that planktonic and young biofilm cells of the 2-day-old chemostat culture of P. aeruginosa were susceptible to killing by chemostat-controlled doses of either 250 micrograms of piperacillin per ml plus 5 micrograms of tobramycin per ml or 500 micrograms of piperacillin per ml plus 5 micrograms of tobramycin per ml. Complete eradication of the planktonic and young biofilm cells was observed after exposure of the cells to six chemostat-controlled doses of these antibiotic at 8-h intervals for 7 days. Regrowth of the organism was not observed after the termination of antibiotic therapy on day 7. A different picture was observed when antibiotic treatment was initiated on day 10 after inoculation. Viable old biofilm cells were reduced to approximately 20% after exposure to the chemostat-controlled doses of 500 micrograms of piperacillin per ml plus 5 micrograms of tobramycin per ml. Complete eradication of old biofilm cells could not be achieved, and regrowth of the organism occurred after the termination of antibiotic therapy. These data suggest that young biofilm cells of mucoid P. aeruginosa can be effectively eradicated with the combination of piperacillin and tobramycin, while old biofilm cells are very resistant to these antibiotics and eradication of old biofilm cells is not achievable with the chemostat-controlled doses of piperacillin and tobramycin used in this study.

Susceptibility of biofilm cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to bactericidal actions of whole blood and serum.

The planktonic and young biofilm cells (harvested on day 2) of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to the bactericidal actions of whole blood and serum. Aging biofilms of this organism (harvested on day 7) were very resistant to the killing effect of whole blood and serum. From this study we propose that the establishment of aging biofilms may contribute to persistence of this organism in biofilm-associated infections.

Kinetic interaction of biofilm cells of Staphylococcus aureus with cephalexin and tobramycin in a chemostat system.

Planktonic and young biofilm cells were completely eradicated after exposure of these cells to drug levels representing one loading and two maintenance doses of tobramycin and cephalexin. A very different picture was observed when antibiotic exposure was initiated on day 21. Complete eradication of the old biofilm cells was not observed even when the antibiotic exposure was continued for an extra 6 days. Regrowth of the organism was observed when the antibiotic exposure was terminated.

Growth characteristics and expression of iron-regulated outer-membrane proteins of chemostat-grown biofilm cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

An in vitro chemostat system was used to study the growth and the expression of iron-regulated outer-membrane proteins (IROMPs) by biofilm cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultivated under conditions of iron limitation. The population of the planktonic cells decreased when the dilution rate was increased. At a dilution rate of 0.05 h-1, the populations of planktonic cells of both mucoid and nonmucoid P. aeruginosa were 3 x 10(9) cells/mL. This value dropped to 5 x 10(6) cells/mL when the dilution rate was increased to 1.0 h-1. The reverse was observed for the biofilm cells. The number of biofilm cells colonising the silicone tubing increased when the dilution rate was increased. The number of biofilm cells of the mucoid strain at steady state was 2 x 10(8) cells/cm (length) when the dilution rate was fixed at 0.05 h-1. The figure increased to 8 x 10(9) cells/cm when the dilution rate was increased to 1.0 h-1. The population of biofilm cells of the nonmucoid strain was 9 x 10(7) cells/cm (length) when the dilution rate was 0.05 h-1. It increased to 2 x 10(9) cells/cm when the dilution rate was set at 1.0 h-1. The expression of IROMPs was induced in the biofilm cells of both mucoid and nonmucoid strains when the dilution rates were 0.05 and 0.2 h-1. IROMPs were reduced but still detectable at the dilution rate of 0.5 h-1. However, the expression of IROMPs was repressed when the dilution rate was increased to 1.0 h-1. The data suggest that the biofilm cells of P. aeruginosa switch on the expression of IROMPs to assist iron acquisition when the dilution rate used for the chemostat run is below 0.5 h-1. The high affinity iron uptake system is not required by the biofilm cells when the dilution rate is increased because the trace amount of iron present in the chemostat is sufficient for the growth of adherent biofilm cells.