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Impact of luteolin on the production of alpha‐toxin by Staphylococcus aureus
Author(s) -
Qiu J.,
Li H.,
Meng H.,
Hu C.,
Li J.,
Luo M.,
Dong J.,
Wang X.,
Wang J.,
Deng Y.,
Deng X.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2011.03098.x
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , toxin , alpha (finance) , luteolin , biology , bacteria , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , antioxidant , construct validity , nursing , patient satisfaction , quercetin
Aims: To investigate the influence of subinhibitory concentrations of luteolin on the production of α‐toxin in Staphylococcus aureus . Methods and Results: The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using a broth microdilution method, and the MICs of luteolin against the tested Staph. aureus strains ranged from 16 to 64 μg ml −1 . Haemolysis, Western blot and real‐time reverse transcription (RT)–PCR assays were used to evaluate the effect of luteolin on Staph. aureus α‐toxin secretion and on the level of gene expression, respectively. The data indicated that subinhibitory concentrations of luteolin dose dependently decreased the production of α‐toxin in both meticillin‐sensitive Staph. aureus (MSSA) and meticillin‐resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA). Furthermore, the transcriptional levels of agr (accessory gene regulator) in Staph. aureus were also inhibited by luteolin. Conclusions: Luteolin decreases the production and/or secretion of α‐toxin in Staph. aureus ; the reduced production may be dependent, in part, upon the luteolin‐induced inhibition of the agr locus. Significance and Impact of the Study: The findings indicate that luteolin may be used as a basis for the development of antimicrobial agents aimed at bacterial virulence factors.