title: Key Roles of Human Polymorphonuclear Cells and Ciprofloxacin in Lactobacillus Species Infection Control.
abstract: Lactobacilli have the potential to act as reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes similar to those found in human pathogens, with the risk of transferring these genes to many pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the role of human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) against Lactobacillus spp. both resistant and susceptible to ciprofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone) and the effect of ciprofloxacin on the interaction between PMNs and three Lactobacillus spp. with different patterns of susceptibility to this drug. Hence, the primary functions of PMNs, such as phagocytosis and bacterial intracellular killing, against lactobacilli were investigated. The rate of PMN phagocytosis was high for ciprofloxacin-sensitive and ciprofloxacin-resistant strains. The patterns of intracellular killing of ciprofloxacin-sensitive and ciprofloxacin-resistant strains by PMNs underline that PMNs alone were able to kill lactobacilli. The addition of ciprofloxacin to PMNs did not result in a significant increase in the bacterial uptake by phagocytes. On the contrary, ciprofloxacin had a marked effect on PMN intracellular killing, resulting in increased numbers of killed ciprofloxacin-sensitive bacteria in comparison with antibiotic-free controls. Our data show that by itself, the profile of antibiotic resistance does not constitute an intrinsic factor of greater or lesser pathogenicity toward the host. The ability of PMNs to kill a diverse array of bacterial pathogens is essential for human innate host defense, primarily in immunocompromised patients.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Narcisa
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2949-4556
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mandras
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy vivian.tullio@unito.it.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8660-4248
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tullio
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Pio Maria
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1782-9758
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Furneri
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Janira
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roana
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0585-9247
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Allizond
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scalas
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy BioBIM-Multidisciplinary Interinstitutional BioBank, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petronio Petronio
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fuochi
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2219-0223
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banche
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Division, Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2698-164X
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cuffini
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin