Aforementioned

differences were statistically significant (P < 0.005), as shown in Fig. 5. Live planktonic cell stimulation exhibited higher IL-6 concentration than biofilm phase bacteria (P < 0.05). No differences were observed on IL-6 using either phase of formalin-fixed bacteria. Also, formalin-fixed planktonic cell stimulation exhibited higher IL-1β concentration than biofilm phase bacteria (P < 0.005). No differences were observed on IL-1β using either phase of live bacteria. In contrast, biofilm bacteria induced higher amounts of IL-8, IL-13 and GM-CSF (P < 0.005). http://www.selleckchem.com/products/VX-809.html Incubation of MDMs with live biofilm phase bacteria resulted in lower amounts of the proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6, as well as IL-12p40 and IL-12p70 as compared to planktonic phase bacteria (Table 1). Biofilm formation is considered a major virulence factor of S. epidermidis. It is well accepted that bacterial pathogens growing in a biofilm are recalcitrant to the action of most antibiotics and are resistant to the innate immune system (Fey, 2010). Our results demonstrate that although biofilm phase bacteria exhibit higher degrees Selleckchem Tofacitinib of adherence and phagocytosis, they are more resistant to killing by human macrophages than their planktonic counterparts.

We could assume that biofilm organization promotes phagocytosis either because of interaction of specific bacterial moieties with specific macrophage receptors or because of the fact that upon interaction with biofilm fragments, macrophages are forced to engulf an increased number of bacterial cells firmly attached to each other. Although hydrophilicity of bacteria because of of the presence of exopolysaccharides has generally been correlated with decreased phagocytosis by PMNs, a previous report showed increased adherence and increased phagocytosis of a biofilm-producing strain (RP62A; ATCC35984), as compared to its phenotypic variant, nonbiofilm-producing RP62A-NA, upon interaction with human neutrophils despite its lower hydrophobicity (Heinzelmann et al., 1997). In contrast, other studies indicate that S. epidermidis’ extracellular polysaccharide

moiety decreases phagocytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner that is independent of interferon activation (Shiau & Wu, 1998). Also, phagocytosis by human PMNs was found to be significantly increased in a PIA-negative mutant strain as compared to the wild-type strain (Vuong et al., 2004). Consistent with this are studies in J774A.1 murine macrophages where phagocytic uptake of mature biofilm-forming S. epidermidis 1457 was attenuated compared to its isogenic mutant 1457-M10. This effect could be completely abrogated upon disaggregation of the biofilm by mechanical disruption or ultrasound treatment supporting a role for PIA and biofilm in leucocyte evasion (Schommer et al., 2011).