ABSTRACT
The thick mucus within the airways of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) promotes frequent respiratory infections that are often polymicrobial. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most prevalent pathogens that cause CF pulmonary infections, and both are among the most common etiologic agents of chronic wound infections. Furthermore, the ability of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus to form biofilms promotes the establishment of chronic infections that are often difficult to eradicate using antimicrobial agents. In this study, we found that multiple LasR-regulated exoproducts of P. aeruginosa, including 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide (HQNO), siderophores, phenazines, and rhamnolipids, likely contribute to the ability of P. aeruginosa PA14 to shift S. aureus Newman norfloxacin susceptibility profiles. Here, we observe that exposure to P. aeruginosa exoproducts leads to an increase in intracellular norfloxacin accumulation by S. aureus. We previously showed that P. aeruginosa supernatant dissipates the S. aureus membrane potential, and furthermore, depletion of the S. aureus proton motive force recapitulates the effect of the P. aeruginosa PA14 supernatant on shifting norfloxacin sensitivity profiles of biofilm-grown S. aureus Newman. From these results, we hypothesize that exposure to P. aeruginosa PA14 exoproducts leads to increased uptake of the drug and/or an impaired ability of S. aureus Newman to efflux norfloxacin. Surprisingly, the effect observed here of P. aeruginosa PA14 exoproducts on S. aureus Newman susceptibility to norfloxacin seemed to be specific to these strains and this antibiotic. Our results illustrate that microbially derived products can alter the ability of antimicrobial agents to kill bacterial biofilms.
IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are frequently coisolated from multiple infection sites, including the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) and nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers. Coinfection with P. aeruginosa and S. aureus has been shown to produce worse outcomes compared to infection with either organism alone. Furthermore, the ability of these pathogens to form biofilms enables them to cause persistent infection and withstand antimicrobial therapy. In this study, we found that P. aeruginosa-secreted products dramatically increase the ability of the antibiotic norfloxacin to kill S. aureus biofilms. Understanding how interspecies interactions alter the antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial biofilms may inform treatment decisions and inspire the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Clinical outcomes associated with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infections in adult cystic fibrosis patients
