Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Confine Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ocular Biofilms and Restrict Brain Invasion.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial biofilm infections are difficult to eradicate because of antibiotic insusceptibility and high recurrence rates. Biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of bacterial keratitis, is facilitated by the bacterial Psl exopolysaccharide and associated with heightened virulence. Using intravital microscopy, we observed that neutrophilic recruitment to corneal infections limits P. aeruginosa biofilms to the outer eye surface, preventing bacterial dissemination. Neutrophils moved to the base of forming biofilms, where they underwent neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis) in response to high expression of the bacterial type-3 secretion system (T3SS). NETs formed a barrier "dead zone," confining bacteria to the external corneal environment and inhibiting bacte

SUBMITTER: Thanabalasuriar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7364305 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature