Evaluation of the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-virulence effects of acetic acid and the related mechanisms on colistin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) has been majorly implicated in the infection of burns, wounds, skin, and respiratory tract. Colistin is considered the last line of defense against P. aeruginosa infections. However, colistin is becoming increasingly invalid in treating patients infected with colistin-resistant (COL-R) P. aeruginosa. As one of the disinfectants used for wound infections, acetic acid (AA) offers good antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against P. aeruginosa. This study investigated the effects of AA on COL-R P. aeruginosa in terms of its antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-virulence properties and the corresponding underlying mechanisms. Results The antimicrobial susceptibility and growth curve data revealed that 0.078% (v/v) AA exhibited good antibacterial activity against COL-R P. aeruginosa. Subinhibitory concentrations of AA were ineffective in inhibiting biofilm formation, but 4 × and 8 × of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was effective in removing the preformed biofilms in biofilm-eradication assays. The virulence results illustrated that AA inhibited COL-R P. aeruginosa swimming, swarming, twitching, and pyocyanin and elastase production. The analysis of the potential antibacterial mechanisms of AA on COL-R P. aeruginosa revealed that AA acted by increasing the outer and inner membrane permeability, polarizing the membrane potential, and decreasing the reduction potential in a concentration-dependent manner. The qRT-PCR results revealed that AA may inhibit the virulence of COL-R P. aeruginosa by inhibiting the expression of T3SS-related and QS-related genes. Conclusions AA possesses antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-virulence properties that ultimately lead to the alteration of the bacterial membrane permeability, membrane potential, and reduction potential. Our findings indicated that AA is presently one of the effective treatment options for infections. A high concentration of AA (> 0.156% v/v) can be used to sterilize biofilm-prone surgical instruments, for hospital disinfection, and for treating the external wound, whereas a low concentration of AA (0.00975–0.039% v/v) may be used as an anti-virulence agent for adjuvant treatment of COL-R P. aeruginosa, thereby further improving the application value of AA in the treatment of infections.

Effect of additives and moisture on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of high moisture ear corn

“…The negative correlation between acetic acid content and abundance of harmful bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa may be due to the inhibitory effect of acetic acid on harmful bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa . A similar finding was made by Feng et al (2022) who showed that acetic acid could inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by altering its membrane permeability, membrane potential and reduction potential. A positive correlation between DM content and abundance of pseudomonas is also consistent with our results showing that the higher water content inhibited the growth of pseudomonas .…”

Active learning for medium optimization for selective bacterial culture

“…As yeast extract was reported to provide initial nutrients for cell division and substance synthesis 32, 33 , the abundance of the resource might determine the final population size. It was reasonable that acetic acid, which often inhibited microbe growth 34, 35, 36 , decided r_Lp , as Lp preferred an acidic environment. On the other hand, both r_Ec and K_Ec were commonly determined by K 2 HPO 4 (Fig.…”

“…A novel understanding of the chemical role of bacterial growth was achieved. As an example of new findings, acetic acid was commonly used to adjust the pH of the media for culturing Lp (e.g., MRS) to suppress the growth of other microbiomes growing at neutral conditions 34, 35, 36 . The GBDT analytical results showed that the inhibitory effect of acetic acid on Ec was limited, and yeast extract played a more significant role in selective culture.…”

“…It was reasonable that acetic acid, which often inhibited microbe growth 34,35,36 , decided r_Lp, as Lp preferred an acidic environment. On the other hand, both r_Ec and K_Ec were commonly determined by K 2 HPO 4 (Fig.…”

The Chemical Profiles and Antioxidant Properties of Live Fruit or Vegetable Vinegars Available on the Polish Food Market

“…This compound gives them specific sensory characteristics so that they can be identified by the senses. It is an effective antiseptic and is responsible for many of the therapeutic properties of vinegar [80]. It has been suggested that, through several mechanisms, it can lower fasting glucose levels, promote weight loss, and regulate blood pressure [81][82][83].…”