Impact of nitric oxide donors on capsule, biofilm and resistance profiles of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered to be a critical public health threat due to its ability to cause fatal, multi-drug-resistant infections in the bloodstream and key organs. The polysaccharide-based capsule layer that shields K. pneumoniae from clearance via innate immunity is a prominent virulence factor.

Nitric Oxide-Induced Morphological Changes to Bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to global health, necessitating research for alternative approaches to treating infections. Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenously produced molecule involved in multiple physiological processes, including the response to pathogens. Herein, we employed microscopy- and fluorescence-based techniques to investigate the effects of NO delivered from exogenous NO donors on the bacterial cell envelopes of pathogens, including resistant strains.

Biofilm Dispersal, Reduced Viscoelasticity, and Antibiotic Sensitization via Nitric Oxide-Releasing Biopolymers.

Compared to planktonic bacteria, biofilms are notoriously difficult to eradicate due to their inherent protection against the immune response and antimicrobial agents. Inducing biofilm dispersal to improve susceptibility to antibiotics is an attractive therapeutic avenue for eradicating biofilms. Nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous antibacterial agent, has previously been shown to induce biofilm dispersal, but with limited understanding of the effects of NO-release properties.

Antimicrobial effects of nitric oxide in murine models of Klebsiella pneumonia.

Rationale: Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) exerts selective pulmonary vasodilation. Nitric oxide also has an antimicrobial effect on a broad spectrum of pathogenic viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of inhaled NO on bacterial burden and disease outcome in a murine model of Klebsiella pneumonia.