American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · 2003 · 78 citations · 17 references
Life SciencesInfectious DiseasesMicrobiologyInflammationInnate ImmunityPulmonary Function TestingBacterial Virulence FactorsPulmonary InfectionsPulmonary InflammationQuorum SensingQuorum Sensing In PathogenesisRespiratory Tract InfectionsBronchoalveolar Lavage AnalysisNeutrophil MigrationPneumonia PathologyPneumonia-associated InflammationPneumonia-associated Lung InjuryQuorum Sensing ReceptorsQuorum Sensing SignalsQuorum Sensing-regulated Virulence
The virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is partly controlled by the las quorum-sensing system. A rat model of acute pneumonia was used to investigate the pathophysiological impact of this system by comparing the virulence of the wild-type virulent laboratory strain PAO1 with that of its lasR-deleted mutant PAOR. In comparison with PAO1, PAOR was avirulent after an instillation of 106 cfu (mortality rates, 72 versus 0%, respectively; p < 0.0001). A ten-fold higher inoculum slightly increased the mortality rate induced by PAOR (25%), which remained lower than that induced by PAO1 (75%, p = 0.0001). In addition, with both inocula lung and bronchoalveolar lavage bacterial counts were significantly lower in rats infected with PAOR than with PAO1 (p </= 0.01). Histopathological analysis showed that PAO1 induced a drastic vascular congestion and neutrophil infiltration of the lungs, whereas lung injury in rats infected with PAOR was mild with predominantly macrophage infiltration. This study adds evidence that the quorum-sensing system has an important role in the pathophysiology of P. aeruginosa pulmonary infection.
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Amel Latifi, Maryline Foglino, Kan Tanaka et al. · Molecular Microbiology · 1996 · 716 citations
Amel Latifi, Michael K. Winson, Maryline Foglino et al. · Molecular Microbiology · 1995 · 480 citations