Biofilm formation by Propionibacterium acnes is associated with increased resistance to antimicrobial agents and increased production of putative virulence factors.
Propionibacterium acnes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, a common disorder of the pilosebaceous follicles. Recently, it was suggested that P. acnes cells residing within the follicles grow as a biofilm. In the present study, we tested the biofilm-forming ability of several P. acnes strains in a microtiter plate model. We also evaluated the resistance of biofilm-grown P. acnes towards antimicrobial agents commonly used in the treatment of acne and the production of putative virulence factors. Our results indicate that P. acnes can form biofilms in vitro. The results also show that sessile P. acnes cells are more resistant to various commonly used antimicrobial agents than planktonic cells. In addition, sessile cells produce more extracellular lipases as well as significant amounts of the quorum-sensing molecule autoinducer-2.
Coenye
Tom
T
Laboratorium voor Farmaceutische Microbiologie, Universiteit Gent, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. tom.coenye@ugent.be
Peeters
Elke
E
Nelis
Hans J
HJ
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000382:microbiology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007783:Lactones; C091088:N-octanoylhomoserine lactone; D037521:Virulence Factors; D006714:Homoserine; D008049:Lipase; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases; C117753:LuxS protein, Bacteria