Cytotoxic rhamnolipid micelles drive acute virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that has developed multi- or even pan-drug resistance toward most frontline and last resort antibiotics, leading to increasing frequency of infections and deaths among hospitalized patients, especially those with compromised immune systems. Further complicating treatment, P. aeruginosa produces numerous virulence factors that contribute to host tissue damage and immune evasion, promoting bacterial colonization and pathogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate the importance of rhamnolipid production in host-pathogen interactions. Secreted rhamnolipids form micelles that exhibited highly acute toxicity toward murine macrophages, rupturing the plasma membrane and causing organellar membrane damage within minutes of exposur

SUBMITTER: Xu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10929412 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature