Background: Quorum sensing is a cell-to-cell communication system in bacteria that controls the production of virulence factors.
Serratia marcescens is a causative agent of hospital-acquired infections that shows high resistance to antibiotics. This makes
the treatment of these infections difficult. Quorum sensing regulates the production of virulence factors of
S. marcescens such as
prodigiosin, protease, swimming and swarming motilities and formation of biofilms. Inhibition of quorum sensing may be an
alternative to antibiotic treatment to avoid emergence of resistance.
Objectives: Testing the ability of glyceryl trinitrate to inhibit quorum sensing and virulence factors of
Serratia marcescens.
Methods: The inhibiting activities of sub-inhibitory concentration of glyceryl trinitrate against the quorum-sensing regulated
violacein pigment in
Chromobacterium violaceum
CV026 was performed to evaluate the anti-quorum sensing effect of glyceryl
trinitrate. The anti-virulence activity was assessed against prodigiosin, protease, biofilm formation in addition to swimming and
swarming motilities.
Results: Glyceryl trinitrate at at a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml produced significant inhibitory effects against violacein (67.01%),
prodigiosin (82.67%), protease, swimming (36.72%) and swarming (79.31%) motilities and biofilm formation (87.83%).
Conclusion: Glyceryl trinitrate is a quorum sensing and virulence inhibitor that may be useful in treatment of nosocomial infections
caused by
Serratia marcescens.
