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Case Reports
. 2011:2011:549302.
doi: 10.4061/2011/549302. Epub 2011 Mar 17.

Production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Intercellular Small Signaling Molecules in Human Burn Wounds

Yok-Ai Que  1 , Ronen Hazan, Colleen M Ryan, Sylvain Milot, François Lépine, Martha Lydon, Laurence G Rahme
Affiliations
Case Reports

Production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Intercellular Small Signaling Molecules in Human Burn Wounds

Yok-Ai Que et al. J Pathog. 2011.

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa has developed a complex cell-to-cell communication system that relies on low-molecular weight excreted molecules to control the production of its virulence factors. We previously characterized the transcriptional regulator MvfR, that controls a major network of acute virulence functions in P. aeruginosa through the control of its ligands, the 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs)-4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline (HHQ) and 3,4-dihydroxy-2-heptylquinoline (PQS). Though HHQ and PQS are produced in infected animals, their ratios differ from those in bacterial cultures. Because these molecules are critical for the potency of activation of acute virulence functions, here we investigated whether they are also produced during human P. aeruginosa acute wound infection and whether their ratio is similar to that observed in P. aeruginosa-infected mice. We found that a clinically relevant P. aeruginosa isolate produced detectable levels of HAQs with ratios of HHQ and PQS that were similar to those produced in burned and infected animals, and not resembling ratios in bacterial cultures. These molecules could be isolated from wound tissue as well as from drainage liquid. These results demonstrate for the first time that HAQs can be isolated and quantified from acute human wound infection sites and validate the relevance of previous studies conducted in mammalian models of infection.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
High levels of HAQs are produced in P. aeruginosa infected burn wounds. (a) Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of right lower extremity biopsy specimen demonstrating active deep infection with myonecrosis and inflammatory infiltrate (10x) (b) Oil immersion view of the same specimen demonstrating myonecrosis with proliferating rods. Note the presence of intramuscular bacteria (inset). HHQ, PQS and HQNO levels measured in two operative specimens, necrotic muscle with fat (c) and pus and liquefied fat (d); and from the collected drainage liquid (e) obtained from an infected burn wound on the patient's right leg. Notably, HAQs were detected in the drainage liquid at a magnitude similar to that encountered in bacterial broth cultures.
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