Optometry Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Optometry, including details on myopia, optometric practice, therapy.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum-Sensing Signal Molecules Induce IL-8 Production by Human Corneal Epithelial Cells.

Zhu H, Conibear TC, Thuruthyil SJ, Willcox MD

From the Institute for Eye Research, Vision CRC and School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

OBJECTIVES.: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the quorum-sensing molecules of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could induce the production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells in vitro. METHODS.: A confluent monolayer of immortalized HCE cells was treated with 12.5 to 50 muM n-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) or n-butanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (BHL) for 18 hours, or challenged with a wild-type P. aeruginosa PAO1 and its quorum-sensing mutants PAO-JP1 (lasI), PDO100 (rhlI), and PAO-JP2 (lasI/rhlI) for 1 hour. The levels of IL-8 in the culture supernatants were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS.: OdDHL stimulated the production of IL-8 in HCE cells in a dose dependent manner. IL-8 production was seen with low concentrations of BHL (12.5 and 25 muM), but not at higher levels. There was significantly less IL-8 production in the HCE cells challenged with quorum-sensing mutants compared with the wild-type strain PAO1-challenged cells. CONCLUSIONS.: These findings suggest that quorum-sensing signal molecules OdDHL and BHL may directly contribute to the induction of the inflammatory response in Pseudomonas keratitis.

Published 8 May 2008 in Eye Contact Lens, 34(3): 179-81.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Optometry Research Today. All Rights Reserved.