Novel approaches to bacterial infection therapy by interfering with bacteria-to-bacteria signaling

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2007 Apr;5(2):271-6. doi: 10.1586/14787210.5.2.271.

Abstract

The growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance and the paucity of novel antibiotics underscore the importance of developing novel therapeutics. Bacterial cell-to-cell signaling constitutes a novel drug target. Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell signaling mechanism that refers to the ability of bacteria to respond to chemical hormone-like molecules called autoinducers. QS is responsible for controlling a plethora of virulence genes in several bacterial pathogens. Antagonists to autoinducers will intercept bacterial intercellular communication, hindering their ability to act in a coordinated manner to express virulence traits. Moreover, since QS is not involved directly in essential processes, such as bacterial growth, one can reason that inhibition of QS will not yield a selective pressure for the development of resistance.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Bacterial Infections / genetics
  • Bacterial Infections / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology
  • Humans
  • Quorum Sensing / drug effects*
  • Quorum Sensing / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical / trends*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents