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Lucidi M, Visaggio D, Migliaccio A, Capecchi G, Visca P, Imperi F, Zarrilli R. Pathogenicity and virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii: Factors contributing to the fitness in healthcare settings and the infected host. Virulence 2024; 15:2289769. [PMID: 38054753 PMCID: PMC10732645 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2289769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of healthcare-associated infections and hospital outbreaks, particularly in intensive care units. Much of the success of A. baumannii relies on its genomic plasticity, which allows rapid adaptation to adversity and stress. The capacity to acquire novel antibiotic resistance determinants and the tolerance to stresses encountered in the hospital environment promote A. baumannii spread among patients and long-term contamination of the healthcare setting. This review explores virulence factors and physiological traits contributing to A. baumannii infection and adaptation to the hospital environment. Several cell-associated and secreted virulence factors involved in A. baumannii biofilm formation, cell adhesion, invasion, and persistence in the host, as well as resistance to xeric stress imposed by the healthcare settings, are illustrated to give reasons for the success of A. baumannii as a hospital pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Lucidi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniela Visaggio
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Imperi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Zarrilli
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Lucidi M, Capecchi G, Visaggio D, Gasperi T, Parisi M, Cincotti G, Rampioni G, Visca P, Kolmakov K. Expanding the microbiologist toolbox via new far-red-emitting dyes suitable for bacterial imaging. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0369023. [PMID: 38095476 PMCID: PMC10782969 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03690-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE By harnessing the versatility of fluorescence microscopy and super-resolution imaging, bacteriologists explore critical aspects of bacterial physiology and resolve bacterial structures sized beyond the light diffraction limit. These techniques are based on fluorophores with profitable photochemical and tagging properties. The paucity of available far-red (FR)-emitting dyes for bacterial imaging strongly limits the multicolor choice of bacteriologists, hindering the possibility of labeling multiple structures in a single experiment. The set of FR fluorophores characterized in this study expands the palette of dyes useful for microbiologists, as they can be used for bacterial LIVE/DEAD staining and for tagging the membranes of viable Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis cells. The absence of toxicity makes these dyes suitable for live-cell imaging and allows monitoring of bacterial membrane biogenesis. Moreover, a newly synthesized FR-fluorophore can be employed for imaging bacterial membranes with stimulated emission depletion microscopy, a super-resolution technique capable of increasing the resolving power of conventional microscopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Lucidi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Visaggio
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Tecla Gasperi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Miranda Parisi
- Department of Engineering, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Wang Y, Cai D, Ouyang X, He H, Liu Y, Zou J, Chen Z, Wu B, Wu H, Liu D. Cascade filtration and droplet digital detection integrated microfluidic assay enables isolating culture-free phenotypic identification of carbapenem-resistant organisms. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 220:114863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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She P, Li Z, Li Y, Liu S, Li L, Yang Y, Zhou L, Wu Y. Pixantrone Sensitizes Gram-Negative Pathogens to Rifampin. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0211422. [PMID: 36318018 PMCID: PMC9769682 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02114-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of bacterial drug resistance poses a severe threat to global public health. In particular, antimicrobial-resistant pathogens lead to a high rate of treatment failure and significantly increase mortality. Repurposing FDA-approved compounds to sensitize superbugs to conventional antibiotics provides a promising strategy to alleviate such crises. Pixantrone (PIX) has been approved for treating aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. By high-throughput drug screening, we profiled the synergistic activity between PIX and rifampin (RFP) against Gram-negative extensively drug-resistant isolates by checkerboard assay. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that PIX impacted the flagellum assembly, induced irreversible intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation and disrupted proton motive force. In addition, the combination of PIX with RFP possesses effective antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant strains in vivo without detected toxicity. Collectively, these results reveal the potential of PIX in combination with RFP as a therapy option for refractory infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens. IMPORTANCE Bacterial resistance has become increasingly serious because of the widespread use and abuse of antibiotics. In particular, the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has posed a serious threat to human public health. Drug repurposing, the process of finding new uses for existing drugs, provide a promising pathway to solve antimicrobial resistance. Compared to the development of novel antibiotics, this strategy leverages well-characterized pharmacology and toxicology of known drugs and is more cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei She
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zehao Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yimin Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Linhui Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Linying Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Fardelli E, Lucidi M, Di Gioacchino M, Bashiri S, Persichetti L, Capecchi G, Gasperi T, Sodo A, Visca P, Capellini G. Bio-physical mechanisms of dehydrating membranes of Acinetobacter baumannii linked to drought-resistance. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184045. [PMID: 36108779 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumanni, is an opportunistic nosocomial multi-drug resistant bacterium, which represents a threat for human health. This pathogen is able to persist in intensive care units thanks to its extraordinary resistance towards dehydration, whose mechanisms are unknown and enable it to easily spread through surfaces, contaminating also medical devices. In this article we reveal, with a multimodal approach, based on μ-R Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching, the bio-physical mechanisms that the membrane of two A. baumannii strains undergoes during dehydration. Showing a substantial decoupling of the phase transition from liquid crystalline to gel phase from evidence of cell lysis. Such decoupling may be the core of the resistance of A. baumannii against dehydration and highlights the different ability to resist to drought between strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Fardelli
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy.
| | - Massimiliano Lucidi
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Michael Di Gioacchino
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Shadi Bashiri
- CNR, NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze, P.zza S. Silvestro, 12, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | - Luca Persichetti
- University of Tor Vergata, Department of physics, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1, Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Giulia Capecchi
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Tecla Gasperi
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy; National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Viale delle Medaglie d'Oro, 305, Rome, 00136, Italy
| | - Armida Sodo
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Paolo Visca
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy; Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Via Ardeatina, 306/354, Rome, 00179, Italy
| | - Giovanni Capellini
- University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Viale G. Marconi, 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
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Ordek A, Gordesli-Duatepe FP. Impact of sodium nitroprusside concentration added to batch cultures of Escherichia coli biofilms on the c-di-GMP levels, morphologies and adhesion of biofilm-dispersed cells. BIOFOULING 2022; 38:796-813. [PMID: 36229918 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2022.2131399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biofilm dispersion can be triggered by the application of dispersing agents such as nitric oxide (NO)-donors, resulting in the release of biofilm-dispersed cells into the environment. In this work, biofilm-dispersed cells were obtained by adding different concentrations of NO-donor sodium nitroprusside (0.5, 5, 50 µM, and 2.5 mM of SNP) to batch cultures of pre-formed Escherichia coli biofilms. Except for those dispersed by 5 µM of SNP, biofilm-dispersed cells were found to be wider and longer than the planktonic cells and to have higher c-di-GMP levels and greater adhesion forces to silicon nitride surfaces in water as measured by atomic force microscope. Consequently, the optimum concentration of SNP to disperse E. coli biofilms was found to be 5 µM of SNP, whose addition to batch cultures resulted in a significant biofilm dispersion and the dispersed cells having c-di-GMP levels, morphologies and adhesion strengths similar to their planktonic counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayse Ordek
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, Graduate School, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
| | - F Pinar Gordesli-Duatepe
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
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