Effect of Ibicella lutea on uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis growth, virulence, and biofilm formation.
BACKGROUND
Proteus mirabilis, an important uropathogen that can cause complicated urinary tract infections (UTI), has emerged as a therapeutic problem following mutations that compromise the use of antimicrobial drugs. Due to the serious effects associated with uropathogenic P. mirabilis and the problems related to the use of antibiotics, it is necessary to develop alternative strategies for its control. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Ibicella lutea extract, a South American indigenous plant, on growth, virulence and biofilm production of uropathogenic P. mirabilis.


METHODS
This study was based on the extract generation and the assessment of its effect on bacterial features related to virulence. These assays involved determination of antibacterial activity, swarming motility, Western blot to assess expression of fimbriae and flagella, biofilms formation, haemagglutination, haemolysis, and electron microscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
I. lutea extract had an effect on bacterial growth rate and bacterial morphology. It also affected P. mirabilis swarming differentiation, hemagglutination and biofilm formation on glass and polystyrene. These findings suggest that I. lutea may have a role as an agent for the control of P. mirabilis UTI.
Sosa
Vanessa
V
Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Avenida Italia 3318, CP11600, Montevideo, Uruguay. vanessa@iibce.edu.uy
Zunino
Pablo
P
D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D029624:Ferns; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005407:Flagella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011513:Proteus mirabilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
D010936:Plant Extracts; D011137:Polystyrenes