title: Targeting quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms: current and emerging inhibitors.
abstract: Bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics combined with an increasing acknowledgement of the role of biofilms in chronic infections has led to a growing interest in new antimicrobial strategies that target the biofilm mode of growth. In the aggregated biofilm mode, cell-to-cell communication systems involved in the process known as quorum sensing regulate coordinated expression of virulence with immune shielding mechanisms and antibiotic resistance. For two decades, the potential of interference with quorum sensing by small chemical compounds has been investigated with the aim of developing alternative antibacterial strategies. Here, we review state of the art research of quorum sensing inhibitors against the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is found in a number of biofilm-associated infections and identified as the predominant organism infecting the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.
authors.affiliation: Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of International Health, Immunology & Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tim Holm
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bjarnsholt
authors.forename: Peter Østrup
authors.initials: PØ
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Givskov
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Høiby
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents