title: The inhibitory effect of micafungin on biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: This study assesses the potential effect of micafungin, an antifungal agent known to inhibit 1,3-β-D-glucan synthesis in Candida albicans, on biofilm formation of selected Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates by decreasing the synthesis of extracellular matrix β-D-glucan forming units. The effect of an optimal therapeutic dose of 10 mg ml(-1) micafungin on the production of biofilm was monitored in vitro using a microtiter plate assay. Phenotypic reduction in the formation of biofilm was significant (based on average optical density; p < 0.05) in most of the isolates. Moreover, the relative gene expression of biofilm encoding genes for alginate and pellicles (algC and pelC, respectively), and the cell wall 1,3-β-D-glucan encoding gene (ndvB) was evaluated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. For all the genes tested, the levels of mRNA transcription were also decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in micafungin-treated samples cf. their untreated counterparts. In conclusion, this study presents micafungin as a potential agent for disrupting the structure of a biofilm of P. aeruginosa allowing the possible exposure and treatment of core-planktonic cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bazzi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabra
authors.forename: Lama
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zahreddine
authors.forename: Marie Therese
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Khairallah
authors.forename: Maysa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baroud
authors.forename: Usamah
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hadi
authors.forename: Ghassan M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Matar
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077551:Micafungin; D017875:Phosphotransferases (Phosphomutases) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D054714:Echinocandins; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D055666:Lipopeptides; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D047071:beta-Glucans; C010770:polysaccharide-K; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D017875:Phosphotransferases (Phosphomutases); D000077551:Micafungin