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shown that deletion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exoU gene can lead to a decrease <strong>in</strong> histopathology<br />

(F<strong>in</strong>ck-Barbancon et al. 1997). <strong>The</strong> group measured levels <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> oedema with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

lungs caused by exoproducts. <strong>The</strong> PA103 mutant <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> exoU gene had significantly<br />

lower amount <strong>of</strong> damage <strong>in</strong> comparison to <strong>the</strong> wild-type as measured 4 hour post-<br />

<strong>in</strong>fection. <strong>The</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> PAPI-2 and <strong>the</strong>refore ExoU is likely <strong>the</strong> cause <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

additional histopathology damage seen with <strong>the</strong> isogenic mutants, PA14 and<br />

∆PAPI-1.<br />

4.7 Conclusions and fur<strong>the</strong>r work<br />

<strong>The</strong> aim <strong>of</strong> this project was to explore <strong>the</strong> <strong>role</strong> <strong>of</strong> pathogencity islands on <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>virulence</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Pseudomonas</strong> aerug<strong>in</strong>osa with<strong>in</strong> a mur<strong>in</strong>e respiratory model. This is<br />

first study to use P. aerug<strong>in</strong>osa pathogenicity island deletant mutants <strong>in</strong> vivo. <strong>The</strong><br />

project <strong>in</strong>volved develop<strong>in</strong>g an acute respiratory model and its use demonstrated<br />

that PAPI-1 and PAPI-2 contribute to <strong>the</strong> <strong>virulence</strong> <strong>of</strong> PA14 <strong>in</strong> a mur<strong>in</strong>e acute<br />

respiratory model. This project reports a <strong>role</strong> for PAPI-1 <strong>in</strong> an acute respiratory<br />

model <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>fection. This is <strong>the</strong> first acute respiratory model developed for P.<br />

aerug<strong>in</strong>osa to evaluate <strong>the</strong> upper respiratory tract. <strong>The</strong> data generated highlighted<br />

that PAPI-2 plays an important <strong>role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>fection <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nasopharynx. <strong>The</strong> reduction<br />

<strong>in</strong> dissem<strong>in</strong>ation from lungs to blood <strong>in</strong> mutants lack<strong>in</strong>g PAPI-2 led to <strong>the</strong><br />

development <strong>of</strong> an <strong>in</strong>travenous sepsis model. <strong>The</strong> sepsis model demonstrated that<br />

PAPI-2 (ExoU) was essential for dissem<strong>in</strong>ation from <strong>the</strong> lungs but was not essential<br />

for survival with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> blood. <strong>The</strong> results also support <strong>the</strong> literature suggest<strong>in</strong>g that<br />

<strong>the</strong> difference <strong>in</strong> <strong>virulence</strong> between PAO1 and PA14 is more complex than <strong>the</strong><br />

presence or absence <strong>of</strong> pathogenicity islands. <strong>The</strong> <strong>virulence</strong> <strong>of</strong> PAO1 was more<br />

closely mimicked by ∆PAPI-2 than ∆PAPI-1∆PAPI-2. This is despite PAO1 itself<br />

not conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g ei<strong>the</strong>r PAPI-1 or PAPI-2.<br />

<strong>The</strong> project has shown that <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> pathogenicity island mutants <strong>in</strong> <strong>virulence</strong><br />

models is feasible. <strong>The</strong> use <strong>of</strong> this model <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> future could aid <strong>the</strong> labell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />

known genomic islands as pathogenicity islands. <strong>The</strong> data generated could also be<br />

used as a start<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t to p<strong>in</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>virulence</strong> genes. Fur<strong>the</strong>r experiments based on<br />

this premise, could be to evaluate <strong>the</strong> 58 PA14-specific regions highlighted by Lee<br />

et al. (2006). This could produce <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g results especially as our laboratory has<br />

129

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