Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility

The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are correlated with their susceptibility to mechanical and chemical stress, and the airway environment in muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases (MOPD) facilitates robust biofilm formation. Hyperconcentrated, viscoelastic mucus promotes chronic inflammation and i...

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Main Authors: Kaitlyn R. Rouillard, Matthew R. Markovetz, William J. Kissner, William L. Boone, Lucas M. Plott, David B. Hill
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:Biofilm
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590207523000011
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author Kaitlyn R. Rouillard
Matthew R. Markovetz
William J. Kissner
William L. Boone
Lucas M. Plott
David B. Hill
author_facet Kaitlyn R. Rouillard
Matthew R. Markovetz
William J. Kissner
William L. Boone
Lucas M. Plott
David B. Hill
author_sort Kaitlyn R. Rouillard
collection DOAJ
description The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are correlated with their susceptibility to mechanical and chemical stress, and the airway environment in muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases (MOPD) facilitates robust biofilm formation. Hyperconcentrated, viscoelastic mucus promotes chronic inflammation and infection, resulting in increased mucin and DNA concentrations. The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are regulated by biopolymers, including polysaccharides and DNA, and influence responses to antibiotics and phagocytosis. We hypothesize that targeted modulation of biofilm rheology will compromise structural integrity and increase antibiotic susceptibility and mucociliary transport. We evaluate biofilm rheology on the macro, micro, and nano scale as a function of treatment with a reducing agent, a biopolymer, and/or tobramycin to define the relationship between the viscoelastic properties of biofilms and susceptibility. Disruption of the biofilm architecture is associated with altered macroscopic and microscopic moduli, rapid vector permeability, increased antibiotic susceptibility, and improved mucociliary transport, suggesting that biofilm modulating therapeutics will improve the treatment of chronic respiratory infections in MOPD.
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spelling doaj.art-c753f2302b8144688c2a073fe72f466c2023-06-19T04:29:30ZengElsevierBiofilm2590-20752023-12-015100104Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibilityKaitlyn R. Rouillard0Matthew R. Markovetz1William J. Kissner2William L. Boone3Lucas M. Plott4David B. Hill5Marsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USAMarsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USAMarsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USAMarsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USAMarsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USAMarsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Corresponding author. Marsico Lung Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are correlated with their susceptibility to mechanical and chemical stress, and the airway environment in muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases (MOPD) facilitates robust biofilm formation. Hyperconcentrated, viscoelastic mucus promotes chronic inflammation and infection, resulting in increased mucin and DNA concentrations. The viscoelastic properties of biofilms are regulated by biopolymers, including polysaccharides and DNA, and influence responses to antibiotics and phagocytosis. We hypothesize that targeted modulation of biofilm rheology will compromise structural integrity and increase antibiotic susceptibility and mucociliary transport. We evaluate biofilm rheology on the macro, micro, and nano scale as a function of treatment with a reducing agent, a biopolymer, and/or tobramycin to define the relationship between the viscoelastic properties of biofilms and susceptibility. Disruption of the biofilm architecture is associated with altered macroscopic and microscopic moduli, rapid vector permeability, increased antibiotic susceptibility, and improved mucociliary transport, suggesting that biofilm modulating therapeutics will improve the treatment of chronic respiratory infections in MOPD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590207523000011Pseudomonas aeruginosaBiofilmMucusRespiratory infectionViscoelasticityAntibiotic resistance
spellingShingle Kaitlyn R. Rouillard
Matthew R. Markovetz
William J. Kissner
William L. Boone
Lucas M. Plott
David B. Hill
Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
Biofilm
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Biofilm
Mucus
Respiratory infection
Viscoelasticity
Antibiotic resistance
title Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
title_full Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
title_fullStr Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
title_full_unstemmed Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
title_short Altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
title_sort altering the viscoelastic properties of mucus grown pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms affects antibiotic susceptibility
topic Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Biofilm
Mucus
Respiratory infection
Viscoelasticity
Antibiotic resistance
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590207523000011
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