The anti-biofilm and anti-virulence activities of trans-resveratrol and oxyresveratrol against uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Abstract

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the primary causative agent of urinary tract infections, which are one of the most common infectious disease types in humans. UPEC infections involve bacterial cell adhesion to bladder epithelial cells, and UPEC can also form biofilms on indwelling catheters that are often tolerant to common antibiotics. In this study, the anti-biofilm activities of t-stilbene, stilbestrol, t-resveratrol, oxyresveratrol, ε-viniferin, suffruticosol A, and vitisin A were investigated against UPEC. t-Resveratrol, oxyresveratrol, and ε-viniferin, suffruticosol A, and vitisin A significantly inhibited UPEC biofilm formation at subinhibitory concentrations (10–50 μg ml⁻¹). These findings were supported by observations that t-resveratrol and oxyresveratrol reduced fimbriae production and the swarming motility in UPEC. Furthermore, t-resveratrol and oxyresveratrol markedly diminished the hemagglutinating ability of UPEC, and enhanced UPEC killing by human whole blood. The findings show that t-resveratrol, oxyresveratrol, and resveratrol oligomers warrant further attention as antivirulence strategies against persistent UPEC infections.

Keywords:

• Biofilm
• resveratrol
• oxyresveratrol
• urinary tract infections
• uropathogenic Escherichia coli
• virulence

Acknowledgements

ε-Viniferin, suffruticosol A, and vitisin A were kindly provided by the Korea Chemical Bank (Daejeon, Korea).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the Basic Science Research Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Education [#2018R1D1A3B07040699 to J.-H. Lee and #2018R1D1A1B07044288 to J. Lee], and by a grant from the Priority Research Centers Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Education [#2014R1A6A1031189].