Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases(NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2
Mycobacteriology Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3
Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5
Respiratory Immunology Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Bacterial biofilms pose a significant healthcare challenge due to their robust resistance to antibiotics and their involvement in various diseases, including cancer and infectious conditions. Biofilms hinder the antimicrobial activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) by restricting their penetration through the extracellular matrix. With the rise of antimicrobial resistance, non-antibiotic strategies are gaining attention. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) have been investigated for their potential to inhibit bacterial growth. This study investigates the impact of GOS on the biofilm development of GFP-labelled Staphylococcus aureus (GFP-SA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (GFP-PA) in the presence of blood PMNs from patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and healthy controls.
Materials and Methods: Bacterial biofilms were investigated in the presence or absence of PMNs isolated from the blood of 12 NSCLC patients and 3 healthy controls (HC), with the inclusion of GOS. These PMNs were incubated with GFP-SA or GFP-PA biofilms and exposed to various concentrations of GOS (2.5%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) for 24 hours in a microplate setting. The progress of bacterial biofilm was quantified using the crystal violet assay.
Results: GOS itself, with bacteria at high concentrations (10%, 15%, and 20%), suppressed biofilm formation. PMNs of NSCLC patients show higher biofilm formation than in the absence of PMNs.
Conclusion: Based on our findings, PMNs in NSCLC patients may disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the lungs, potentially leading to an overgrowth of biofilm-forming bacteria. GOS are known to influence immune function and may improve the ability of PMNs to fight infections. Consequently, it is proposed that GOS could enhance the ability of PMNs to phagocytose bacterial biofilms and counteract the negative effects of cancerous PMNs on biofilm formation. However, further research is needed to confirm whether GOS can effectively manage bacterial biofilms in lung cancer patients.
Keywords
Subjects
