Killing of Staphylococcus aureus by allylpyrocatechol is potentiated by induction of intracellular oxidative stress and inhibition of catalase activity.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of allylpyrocatechol (APC), the major component in ethanolic extract of Piper betle, on key oxidative stress resistance enzymes important for the survival of Staphylococcus aureus, a major pathogen in the human host.

Methods: Effects of APC on expressions of genes encoding catalase (katA), superoxide dismutases (SODs), including sodA and sodM, and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (ahpC) in S aureus were quantitated by RT-qPCR in reference to gyrA and 16S rRNA. Corresponding activities of the enzymes were also investigated. The Livak analysis was performed for verification of gene-fold expression data. Effects of APC on intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined using the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction assay.

Results: APC-treated S aureus cells had higher sodA and sodM transcripts at 1.5-fold and 0.7-fold expressions respectively with corresponding increase in total SOD activity of 12.24 U/mL compared to untreated cells, 10.85 U/mL (P<0.05). Expression of ahpC was highest in APC-treated cells with 5.5-fold increased expression compared to untreated cells (P<0.05). Correspondingly, ahpC activity was higher in APC-treated cells at 0.672 (A) compared to untreated cells which was 0.394 (A). In contrast, katA expression was 1.48-fold and 0.33-fold lower respectively relative to gyrA and 16S rRNA. Further, APC-treated cells showed decreased catalase activity of 1.8 ×10 (U/L or μmol/(min·L)) compared to untreated cells, which was 4.8 ×10 U/L (P<0.05). Absorbance readings (A) for the NBT reduction assay were 0.709 and 0.695 respectively for untreated and treated cells, which indicated the presence of ROS. APC-treated S aureus cells had lower ROS levels both extracellularly and intracellularly, but larger amounts remained intracellularly compared to extracellular levels with absorbances of 0.457 and 0.137 respectively (P<0.05).

Conclusion: APC induced expressions of both sodA and sodM, resulting in increased total SOD activity in S aureus. Higher sodA expression indicated stress induced intracellularly involving O , presumably leading to higher intracellular pools of HO. A concommittant decrease in katA expression and catalase activity possibly induced ahpC expression, which was increased the highest in APC-treated cells. Our findings suggest that in the absence of catalase, cells are propelled to seek an alternate pathway involving ahpC to reduce stress invoked by O and HO. Although APC reduced levels of ROS, significant amounts eluded its antioxidative action and remained intracellularly, which adds to oxidative stress in treated cells.