Anti-Psl Targeting of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms for Neutrophil-Mediated Disruption

Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 22;7(1):16065. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16215-6.

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms are recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy and a major cause of persistent and recurrent infections. New antibody-based therapies may offer potential to target biofilm specific components for host-cell mediated bacterial clearance. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the Psl biofilm exopolysaccharide exhibit protective activity against planktonic bacteria in acute infection models. However, anti-Psl mAb activity against P. aeruginosa biofilms is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that anti-Psl mAbs targeting three distinct Psl epitopes exhibit stratified binding in mature in vitro biofilms and bind Psl within the context of a chronic biofilm infection. These mAbs also exhibit differential abilities to inhibit early biofilm events and reduce biomass from mature biofilms in the presence of neutrophils. Importantly, a mAb mixture with neutrophils exhibited the greatest biomass reduction, which was further enhanced when combined with meropenem, a common anti-Pseudomonal carbapenem antibiotic. Moreover, neutrophil-mediated killing of biofilm bacteria correlated with the evident mAb epitope stratification within the biofilm. Overall, our results suggest that anti-Psl mAbs might be promising candidates for adjunctive use with antibiotics to inhibit/disrupt P. aeruginosa biofilms as a result of chronic infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Biofilms* / drug effects
  • Biomass
  • Cell Aggregation / drug effects
  • Epitopes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Meropenem / pharmacology
  • Neutrophils / drug effects
  • Neutrophils / metabolism*
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Pseudomonas Infections / microbiology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / physiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Meropenem