The effect of steroid hormones on pseudomonas virulence, persistence and signaling

Abstract

Sex steroid hormones in their natural and synthetic form can influence Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence differently according to their polarity in vitro. The mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs is through the molecular signalling pathway of the muc operon known to modulate bacterial cell envelope stress response, virulence production, and planktonic or sessile mode of growth. Sex steroid hormones act like environmental stressors onto the P. aeruginosa membrane, triggering P. aeruginosa to adapt for its survival through the production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), altered biofilm architecture, secreted factors, and altered surface motility. Moreover, pre-exposed P. aeruginosa to sex steroid hormones reduced bacterial lung clearance and induced the production of OMVs with diminished inflammatory capability in vivo. Notably, sex steroid hormone and P. aeruginosa interaction can extend their influence on interkingdom relationships of microbe-microbe and host-microbe.