Azithromycin inhibits quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2001 Jun;45(6):1930-3. doi: 10.1128/AAC.45.6.1930-1933.2001.

Abstract

We report that 2 microg of azithromycin/ml inhibits the quorum-sensing circuitry of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1. Addition of synthetic autoinducers partially restored the expression of the trancriptional activator-encoding genes lasR and rhlR but not that of the autoinducer synthase-encoding gene lasI. We propose that azithromycin interferes with the synthesis of autoinducers, by an unknown mechanism, leading to a reduction of virulence factor production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Azithromycin / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / drug effects*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / drug effects
  • Lac Operon / drug effects
  • Membrane Transport Proteins*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Trans-Activators / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • LasR protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • QsrP protein, Vibrio fischeri
  • Trans-Activators
  • xcpR protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Azithromycin