The Effect Of 1-Hydroxyphenazine And Pyocyanin From Pseudomonas Aeruginosa On Mammalian Cell Respiration

Abstract

Summary Since 1-hydroxyphenazine was found to inhibit mitochondrial respiration, attempts were made to determine whether this material would affect whole cells. Oxygen uptake by mouse liver L “S” cells, hamster kidney cells (BHK strain C13) and guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages was inhibited by 1-hydroxyphenazine and pyocyanin. In-vivo experiments confirmed that these compounds permeated the cell membrane. Pyocyanin did not inhibit mitochondrial respiration, and the hypothesis was put forward that this compound is acted on by a demethylase to produce the inhibitory 1-hydroxyphenazine and thus cause inhibition of cell respiration.