Journal Article

Evaluation of the Anti-Shigellosis Activity of Dietary Isothiocyanates in Galleria mellonella Larvae

Nowicki, Dariusz, Szalewska-Pałasz, Agnieszka, Karczewska, Monika, Krause, Klaudyna

2021

Overview

Cruciferous vegetables, widely present in daily diets, are a rich source of organosulfur compounds with proven health benefits, especially chemopreventive or antioxidative effects. Isothiocyanate derivatives (ITCs) exhibit a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological activity and recently, their antibacterial properties have been of particular importance. Here, we have focused on the anti-shigellosis activity of sulforaphane (SFN) and phenethyl ITC (PEITC). The genus Shigella causes gastroenteritis in humans, which constitutes a threat to public health. Production of a potent Stx toxin by S. dysenteriae type 1 results not only in more severe symptoms but also in serious sequela, including the hemolytic uremic syndrome. Here, we present evidence that two aliphatic and aromatic ITCs derivatives, SFN and PEITC, have an effective antibacterial potency against S. dysenteriae, also negatively regulating the stx gene expression. The molecular mechanism of this effect involves induction of the global stress-induced stringent response. ITCs also inhibit bacterial virulence against the Vero and HeLa cells. We present evidence for the therapeutic effect of sulforaphane and phenethyl ITC against a S. dysenteriae infection in the Galleria mellonella larvae model. Thus, our results indicate that isothiocyanates can be effectively used to combat dangerous bacterial infections.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Animals / Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology / Antibiotics / Bacteria / Bacterial infections / Brassicaceae / chemoprevention / Chlorocebus aethiops / Diarrhea / Diet / E coli / Galleria mellonella / gastroenteritis / Gene expression / HeLa Cells / Hemocytes - drug effects / Hemocytes - physiology / hemolytic uremic syndrome / Humans / Infections / Isothiocyanates - pharmacology / Larva - microbiology / medicinal properties / Metabolites / Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Moths - drug effects / Moths - microbiology / Natural products / Pathogens / Phagocytosis / public health / Shiga Toxin - biosynthesis / Shiga Toxin - genetics / Shigella dysenteriae - drug effects / Shigella dysenteriae - growth & development / Shigella dysenteriae - metabolism / Shigella dysenteriae - pathogenicity / Shigellosis / stress response / sulforaphane / Sulfoxides - pharmacology / therapeutics / toxins / Vero Cells / Virulence