Light Modulates Important Pathogenic Determinants and Virulence in ESKAPE Pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Light sensing has been extensively characterized in the human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii at environmental temperatures. However, the influence of light on the physiology and pathogenicity of human bacterial pathogens at temperatures found in warm-blooded hosts is still poorly understand. In this work, we show that Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ESKAPE) priority pathogens, which have been recognized by the WHO and the CDC as critical, can also sense and respond to light at temperatures found in human hosts. Most interestingly, in these pathogens, light modulates important pathogenicity determinants as well as virulence in an epithelial infection model, which could have implications in human infections. In fact, we found that alpha-toxin-dependent hemolysis, motility, and growth under iron-deprived conditions are modulated by light in S. aureus Light also regulates persistence, metabolism, and the ability to kill competitors in some of these microorganisms. Finally, light exerts a profound effect on the virulence of these pathogens in an epithelial infection model, although the response is not the same in the different species; virulence was enhanced by light in A. baumannii and S. aureus, while in A. nosocomialis and P. aeruginosa it was reduced. Neither the BlsA photoreceptor nor the type VI secretion system (T6SS) is involved in virulence modulation by light in A. baumannii Overall, this fundamental knowledge highlights the potential use of light to control pathogen virulence, either directly or by manipulating the light regulatory switch toward the lowest virulence/persistence configuration.IMPORTANCE Pathogenic bacteria are microorganisms capable of producing disease. Dangerous bacterial pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, are responsible for serious intrahospital and community infections in humans. Therapeutics is often complicated due to resistance to multiple antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. In this work, we show that these pathogens sense natural light and respond to it by modulating aspects related to their ability to cause disease; in the presence of light, some of them become more aggressive, while others show an opposite response. Overall, we provide new understanding on the behavior of these pathogens, which could contribute to the control of infections caused by them. Since the response is distributed in diverse pathogens, this notion could prove a general concept.

Contributions of Spore Secondary Metabolites to UV-C Protection and Virulence Vary in Different Aspergillus fumigatus Strains.

Fungi are versatile organisms which thrive in hostile environments, including the International Space Station (ISS). Several isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus have been found contaminating the ISS, an environment with increased exposure to UV radiation. Secondary metabolites (SMs) in spores, such as melanins, have been shown to protect spores from UV radiation in other fungi. To test the hypothesis that melanin and other known spore SMs provide UV protection to A. fumigatus isolates, we subjected SM spore mutants to UV-C radiation. We found that 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin mutants of two clinical A. fumigatus strains (Af293 and CEA17) but not an ISS-isolated strain (IF1SW-F4) were more sensitive to UV-C than their respective wild-type (WT) strains. Because DHN-melanin has been shown to shield A. fumigatus from the host immune system, we examined all DHN mutants for virulence in the zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis. Following recent studies highlighting the pathogenic variability of different A. fumigatus isolates, we found DHN-melanin to be a virulence factor in CEA17 and IF1SW-F4 but not Af293. Three additional spore metabolites were examined in Af293, where fumiquinazoline also showed UV-C-protective properties, but two other spore metabolites, monomethylsulochrin and fumigaclavine, provided no UV-C-protective properties. Virulence tests of these three SM spore mutants indicated a slight increase in virulence of the monomethylsulochrin deletion strain. Taken together, this work suggests differential roles of specific spore metabolites across Aspergillus isolates and by types of environmental stress.IMPORTANCE Fungal spores contain secondary metabolites that can protect them from a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses. Conidia (asexual spores) of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus synthesize several metabolites, including melanin, which has been reported to be important for virulence in this species and to be protective against UV radiation in other fungi. Here, we investigate the role of melanin in diverse isolates of A. fumigatus and find variability in its ability to protect spores from UV-C radiation or impact virulence in a zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis in two clinical strains and one ISS strain. Further, we assess the role of other spore metabolites in a clinical strain of A. fumigatus and identify fumiquinazoline as an additional UV-C-protective molecule but not a virulence determinant. The results show differential roles of secondary metabolites in spore protection dependent on the environmental stress and strain of A. fumigatus As protection from elevated levels of radiation is of paramount importance for future human outer space explorations, the discovery of small molecules with radiation-protective potential may result in developing novel safety measures for astronauts.

Blue light emitting diodes cripple Helicobacter pylori by targeting its virulence factors.

BACKGROUND: The endogenous photosensitizing porphyrins in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), make blue light therapy an attractive addition to the armamentarium in the war against this very prevalent and difficult to treat infectious agent. METHODS: In the current study we examined in vitro the effect of blue LED (Light Emitting Diode) irradiation for 1-6 minutes on the viability and virulence factors of H. pylori, which allow this microorganism to colonize and establish infection. Specifically, we examined the effects of blue LED on urease production, motility, adhesion and biofilm formation. RESULTS: We found that exposure to blue LED for 1-6 minutes significantly decreased the viability of H. pylori and caused decreased urease activity, as well as, swarming motility. Furthermore, blue LED irradiation for 6 minutes caused greater than 50% disruption of preformed mature biofilms of H. pylori, relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, the results of our in-vitro study indicate that therapy with blue LED may be an added weapon in the eradication of H. pylori by targeting the virulence factors of this very common pathogen. We envisage that phototherapy will have an adjuvant effect on conventional anti-H. pylori therapy, especially considering its efficacy in biofilm disruption and the fact that microorganisms are unlikely to develop resistance as a result of the multi-target effects.

Effects of prolonged exposure to moderate static magnetic field and its synergistic effects with alkaline pH on Enterococcus faecalis.

Static magnetic field (SMF) has been shown to biologically affect various microorganisms, but its effects on Enterococcus faecalis, which is associated with multiple dental infections, have not been reported yet. Besides, Enterococcus faecalis was found to be resistant to the alkaline environment provided by a major dental antimicrobial, calcium hydroxide. Therefore, the antibacterial activity of prolonged exposure to moderate SMF (170 mT) and its possible synergistic activity with alkaline pH (pH = 9) were evaluated in the study. The ability to form a biofilm under these conditions was examined by crystal violet assay. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to evaluate the relative expression of stress (dnaK and groEL) and virulence (efaA, ace, gelE and fsrC) related genes. As the results indicated, cell proliferation was inhibited after 120 h of SMF exposure. What's more, the combined treatment of SMF and alkaline pH showed significantly improved antimicrobial action when compared to single SMF and alkaline pH treatment for more than 24 h and 72 h respectively. However, the ability to form a biofilm was also enhanced under SMF and alkaline pH treatments. SMF can induce stress response by up-regulating the expression of dnaK and elevate virulence gene expression (efaA and ace). These responses were more significant and more genes were up-regulated including groEL, gelE and fsrC when exposed to SMF and alkaline pH simultaneously. Hence, combination of SMF and alkaline pH could be a promising disinfection strategy in dental area and other areas associated with Enterococcus faecalis infections.

Blue light treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Strong bactericidal activity, synergism with antibiotics and inactivation of virulence factors.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the most common pathogens responsible for both acute and chronic infections of high incidence and severity. Additionally, P. aeruginosa resistance to conventional antimicrobials has increased rapidly over the past decade. Therefore, it is crucial to explore new therapeutic options, particularly options that specifically target the pathogenic mechanisms of this microbe. The ability of a pathogenic bacterium to cause disease is dependent upon the production of agents termed 'virulence factors', and approaches to mitigate these agents have gained increasing attention as new antibacterial strategies. Although blue light irradiation is a promising alternative approach, only limited and preliminary studies have described its effect on virulence factors. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of lethal and sub-lethal doses of blue light treatment (BLT) on P. aeruginosa virulence factors. We analyzed the inhibitory effects of blue light irradiation on the production/activity of several virulence factors. Lethal BLT inhibited the activity of pyocyanin, staphylolysin, pseudolysin and other proteases, but sub-lethal BLT did not affect the production/expression of proteases, phospholipases, and flagella- or type IV pili-associated motility. Moreover, a eukaryotic cytotoxicity test confirmed the decreased toxicity of blue light-treated extracellular P. aeruginosa fractions. Finally, the increased antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa treated with sequential doses of sub-lethal BLT was demonstrated with a checkerboard test. Thus, this work provides evidence-based proof of the susceptibility of drug-resistant P. aeruginosa to BLT-mediated killing, accompanied by virulence factor reduction, and describes the synergy between antibiotics and sub-lethal BLT.

Inactivation of staphylococcal virulence factors using a light-activated antimicrobial agent.

BACKGROUND: One of the limitations of antibiotic therapy is that even after successful killing of the infecting microorganism, virulence factors may still be present and cause significant damage to the host. Light-activated antimicrobials show potential for the treatment of topical infections; therefore if these agents can also inactivate microbial virulence factors, this would represent an advantage over conventional antibiotic therapy. Staphylococcus aureus produces a wide range of virulence factors that contribute to its success as a pathogen by facilitating colonisation and destruction of host tissues. RESULTS: In this study, the ability of the light-activated antimicrobial agent methylene blue in combination with laser light of 665 nm to inactivate staphylococcal virulence factors was assessed. A number of proteinaceous virulence factors were exposed to laser light in the presence of methylene blue and their biological activities re-determined. The activities of V8 protease, alpha-haemolysin and sphingomyelinase were shown to be inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by exposure to laser light in the presence of methylene blue. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that photodynamic therapy could reduce the harmful impact of preformed virulence factors on the host.

Nondividing but metabolically active gamma-irradiated Brucella melitensis is protective against virulent B. melitensis challenge in mice.

Brucella spp. are gram-negative bacteria that cause the most frequent zoonotic disease worldwide, with more than 500,000 human infections yearly; however, no human vaccine is currently available. As with other intracellular organisms, cytotoxic mechanisms against infected cells are thought to have an important role in controlling infection and mediating long-term immunity. Live attenuated strains developed for use in animals elicit protection but retain unacceptable levels of virulence. Thus, the optimal design for a brucellosis vaccine requires a nonliving vaccine that confers effective immunity. Historically, inactivation methods such as chemical or heat treatment successfully impair Brucella reproductive capacity; nevertheless, metabolically inactive vaccines (subunit or killed) present very limited efficacy. Hence, we hypothesized that bacterial metabolism plays a major role in creating the proper antigenic and adjuvant properties required for efficient triggering of protective responses. Here, we demonstrate that inactivation of Brucella melitensis by gamma-irradiation inhibited its replication capability and yet retained live-Brucella protective features. Irradiated Brucella possessed metabolic and transcriptional activity, persisted in macrophages, generated antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells, and protected mice against virulent bacterial challenge, without signs of residual virulence. In conclusion, pathogen metabolic activity has a positive role in shaping protective responses, and the generation of inactivated and yet metabolically active microbes is a promising strategy for safely vaccinating against intracellular organisms such as B. melitensis.

Brief heat treatment increases cytotoxicity of Mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin in an LFA-1 independent manner.

Mannheimia haemolytica is an important respiratory pathogen in cattle. Its predominant virulence factor is a leukotoxin (LKT) that is a member of the RTX family of exotoxins produced by a variety of Gram negative bacteria. LKT binds to the CD18 chain of beta(2) integrins on bovine leukocytes, resulting in cell death. In this study, we show that brief heat treatment of native LKT (95 degrees C for 3 min) results in increased cytotoxicity for BL-3 (bovine lymphoblastoid) cells. Similar heat treatment restored the activity of LKT that had been rendered inactive by incubation at 22 degrees C for 3 days. A hallmark of LKT is that its toxicity is restricted to leukocytes from cattle or other ruminant species. Surprisingly, heat treatment rendered LKT cytotoxic for human, porcine and canine leukocytes. Membrane binding studies suggested that heat-treated LKT binds to membrane proteins other than LFA-1, and is distributed diffusely along the BL-3 cell membrane. Circular Dichroism spectroscopy studies indicate that heat treatment induced a small change in the secondary structure of the LKT that was not reversed when the LKT was cooled to room temperature. Thus, we speculate that these structural changes might contribute to the altered biological properties of heat-treated LKT.

Photosensitized oxidation and inactivation of pyocyanin, a virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pyocyanin (PyO-) (1-hydroxy-5-methylphenazine) is a cytotoxic compound secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an omnipresent bacterium and a human pathogen. We report that visible light illumination in the presence of rose bengal, or riboflavin, in aerated solutions (pH 7.0-7.2) induces irreversible loss of the pigment's characteristic absorption band at 690 nm, indicating its oxidation. This photobleaching was paralleled by generation of a multiline Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectrum attributed to a PyO(-)-derived radical. The reaction was dependent on the presence of air, sensitizers and light, was inhibited by sodium azide and was unaffected by ethanol. This suggests that PyO- was oxidized largely via singlet oxygen and that hydroxyl radicals were not involved. The photochemically modified pigment was less efficient in oxidizing NAD(P)H and generated less superoxide (by approximately 50%) than the intact PyO-, indicating its partial inactivation. 1-Methoxy-5-methylphenazine, a PyO- analog in which the -O- moiety was replaced by the methoxy group (-OMe), was resistant to oxidation, suggesting that oxidation of PyO- involves its phenolate moiety. These results also suggest that photosensitization could be a potentially useful method for inactivation of PyO- and, possibly, detoxification of superficial wounds (skin, eye) infected with P. aeruginosa.