HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by LIAW, S.-J. Articles by WANG, W.-B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by LIAW, S.-J. Articles by WANG, W.-B. Agricola Articles by LIAW, S.-J. Articles by WANG, W.-B.

Inhibition of virulence factor expression and swarming differentiation in Proteus mirabilis by p-nitrophenylglycerol

SHWU-JEN LIAW, H.-C. LAI^*, S.-W. HO^*, K.-T. LUH and W.-B. WANG

Graduate Institute of Microbiology, *School and Graduate Institute of Medical Technology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University and Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

Corresponding author: Dr W.-B. Wang (e-mail: wbwang{at}ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw).

Received 6 Dec. 1999; accepted 11 Jan. 2000.

Abstract

Proteus mirabilis is a common cause of upper urinary tract infections that can involve invasion of host urothelial cells. The ability to invade urothelial cells is coupled closely to swarming, a form of multicellular behaviour in which vegetative bacteria differentiate into hyperflagellate, filamentous swarming cells capable of co-ordinated and rapid population migration. Co-ordinate expression of virulence factors including urease, protease, haemolysin and flagellin during swarm-cell differentiation in P. mirabilis has been reported. To investigate the effects of p-nitrophenylglycerol (PNPG), a potent anti-swarming agent, on the various swarming-associated traits of P. mirabilis and to elucidate the relationships among them, P. mirabilis growth rate, swarming/swimming activity, cell invasion ability and the ability to express various virulence factors were monitored in the presence or absence of PNPG. It was found that PNPG could inhibit the growth rate, swarming differentiation and swarming/swimming activities of P. mirabilis. The expression of virulence factors such as protease, urease, haemolysin and flagellin in P. mirabilis was also inhibited by PNPG. The ability of P. mirabilis to invade human urothelial cells was reduced dramatically in the presence of PNPG. These results suggest that PNPG has the potential to be developed as an agent active against the effects of P. mirabilis infection.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. E. Budding, C. J. Ingham, W. Bitter, C. M. Vandenbroucke-Grauls, and P. M. Schneeberger The Dienes Phenomenon: Competition and Territoriality in Swarming Proteus mirabilis J. Bacteriol., June 15, 2009; 191(12): 3892 - 3900. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Pearson, M. Sebaihia, C. Churcher, M. A. Quail, A. S. Seshasayee, N. M. Luscombe, Z. Abdellah, C. Arrosmith, B. Atkin, T. Chillingworth, et al. Complete Genome Sequence of Uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis, a Master of both Adherence and Motility J. Bacteriol., June 1, 2008; 190(11): 4027 - 4037. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W.-B. Wang, H.-C. Lai, P.-R. Hsueh, R. Y.-Y. Chiou, S.-B. Lin, and S.-J. Liaw Inhibition of swarming and virulence factor expression in Proteus mirabilis by resveratrol. J. Med. Microbiol., October 1, 2006; 55(Pt 10): 1313 - 1321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-J. Liaw, H.-C. Lai, and W.-B. Wang Modulation of Swarming and Virulence by Fatty Acids through the RsbA Protein in Proteus mirabilis Infect. Immun., December 1, 2004; 72(12): 6836 - 6845. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-J. Liaw, H.-C. Lai, S.-W. Ho, K.-T. Luh, and W.-B. Wang Role of RsmA in the regulation of swarming motility and virulence factor expression in Proteus mirabilis J. Med. Microbiol., January 1, 2003; 52(1): 19 - 28. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-J. LIAW, H.-C. LAI, S.-W. HO, K.-T. LUH, and W.-B. WANG Characterisation of p-nitrophenylglycerol-resistant Proteus mirabilis super-swarming mutants J. Med. Microbiol., December 1, 2001; 50(12): 1039 - 1048. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]