Antibiotic regimen based on population analysis of residing persister cells eradicates Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms
Biofilm formation is a major pathogenicity strategy of Staphylococcus epidermidis causing various medical-device infections. Persister cells have been implicated in treatment failure of such infections. We sought to profile bacterial subpopulations residing in S. epidermidis biofilms and to establis...
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Published in | Scientific reports Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 18578 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
London
Nature Publishing Group UK
21.12.2015
Nature Publishing Group |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Biofilm formation is a major pathogenicity strategy of
Staphylococcus epidermidis
causing various medical-device infections. Persister cells have been implicated in treatment failure of such infections. We sought to profile bacterial subpopulations residing in
S. epidermidis
biofilms and to establish persister-targeting treatment strategies to eradicate biofilms. Population analysis was performed by challenging single biofilm cells with antibiotics at increasing concentrations ranging from planktonic minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) to biofilm MBCs (MBC
biofilm
). Two populations of “persister cells” were observed: bacteria that survived antibiotics at MBC
biofilm
for 24/48 hours were referred to as dormant cells; those selected with antibiotics at 8 X MICs for 3 hours (excluding dormant cells) were defined as tolerant-but-killable (TBK) cells. Antibiotic regimens targeting dormant cells were tested
in vitro
for their efficacies in eradicating persister cells and intact biofilms. This study confirmed that there are at least three subpopulations within a
S. epidermidis
biofilm: normal cells, dormant cells and TBK cells. Biofilms comprise more TBK cells and dormant cells than their log-planktonic counterparts. Using antibiotic regimens targeting dormant cells,
i.e
. effective antibiotics at MBC
biofilm
for an extended period, might eradicate
S. epidermidis
biofilms. Potential uses for this strategy are in antibiotic lock techniques and inhaled aerosolized antibiotics. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 2045-2322 2045-2322 |
DOI: | 10.1038/srep18578 |