title: Effect of poloxamer 407 on the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to corneal epithelial cells.
abstract: The effect of poloxamer 407 on Pseudomonas aeruginosa adherence to cultured epithelial cells from rabbit corneas was investigated. Three methods of bacterial quantification were used to assess P. aeruginosa adherence: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) counts, radioactivity counts, and viable bacteria counts. Confluent monolayers of rabbit corneal epithelial cells were incubated in agitation for 30 min at room temperature with H3-labeled or nonradiolabeled P. aeruginosa (10(10) bacteria/ml) in a solution of poloxamer 407 [2% or 4% in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)] or PBS as control. Cell monolayers were washed to remove nonadherent bacteria and fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and processed for SEM or processed for radioactivity counting or for culture on agar plates. The results showed that both solutions of poloxamer 407 inhibited approximately 75% of the bacterial adherence to epithelial cells (p < 0.05). Similar percentages of bacterial inhibition were obtained using the three methods of bacterial quantification. The use of an antiadherent agent such as poloxamer 407 in eye drops could possibly be a prophylactic approach to P. aeruginosa keratitis.
authors.affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Portolés
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nos-Barberá
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Refojo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011060:Poloxalene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D011060:Poloxalene