Abstract

Microbial infections caused by sessile microorganisms are known to be a more challenging issue than infections caused by the same microorganisms in the planktonic state. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and biofilm-forming agent. This species presents intense cellular communication mediated by signaling molecules. This process is known as quorum sensing (QS) and induces the transcription of specific genes that favors cell density growth and three-dimensional bacterial grouping. In this context, the discovery of compounds capable of inhibiting the action of the QS signaling molecules seems to be a promising strategy against biofilms. This work aimed to evaluate the anti-biofilm action and the in vitro safety profile of a sulfamethoxazole-Ag complex. The results obtained indicate potential anti-biofilm activity through QS inhibition. In silico tests showed that the compound acts on the las and pqs systems, which are the main regulators of biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Additionally, the molecule proved to be safe for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

摘要

众所周知，由固着微生物引起的微生物感染比由处于浮游状态的相同微生物引起的感染更具挑战性。铜绿假单胞菌是一种机会性病原体和生物膜形成剂。该物种呈现出由信号分子介导的强烈细胞通讯。这个过程被称为群体感应 (QS)，并诱导有利于细胞密度增长和三维细菌分组的特定基因的转录。在这种情况下，发现能够抑制 QS 信号分子作用的化合物似乎是一种有希望的对抗生物膜的策略。这项工作旨在评估抗生物膜作用和体外磺胺甲恶唑-Ag复合物的安全性。获得的结果表明通过 QS 抑制具有潜在的抗生物膜活性。计算机测试表明，该化合物作用于 las 和 pqs 系统，它们是铜绿假单胞菌生物膜形成的主要调节剂。此外，该分子被证明对人外周血单核细胞是安全的。