Quorum Sensing: A Prospective Therapeutic Target for Bacterial Diseases

Biomed Res Int. 2019 Apr 4:2019:2015978. doi: 10.1155/2019/2015978. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication in which specific signals are activated to coordinate pathogenic behaviors and help bacteria acclimatize to the disadvantages. The QS signals in the bacteria mainly consist of acyl-homoserine lactone, autoinducing peptide, and autoinducer-2. QS signaling activation and biofilm formation lead to the antimicrobial resistance of the pathogens, thus increasing the therapy difficulty of bacterial diseases. Anti-QS agents can abolish the QS signaling and prevent the biofilm formation, therefore reducing bacterial virulence without causing drug-resistant to the pathogens, suggesting that anti-QS agents are potential alternatives for antibiotics. This review focuses on the anti-QS agents and their mediated signals in the pathogens and conveys the potential of QS targeted therapy for bacterial diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Homoserine / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Lactones
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quorum Sensing / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Virulence Factors

Substances

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Lactones
  • N-octanoylhomoserine lactone
  • Virulence Factors
  • Homoserine