Inhibition of alpha-toxin production by subinhibitory concentrations of naringenin controls Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia

摘要

Staphylococcal pneumonia provoked by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a life-threatening infection in which alpha-toxin is an essential virulence factor. In this study, we investigate the influence of naringenin on alpha-toxin production and further assess its therapeutic performance in the treatment of staphylococcal pneumonia. Remarkably, the expression of alpha-toxin was significantly inhibited when the organism was treated with 16 mu g/ml of naringenin. When studied in a mouse model of S. aureus pneumonia, naringenin could attenuate the symptoms of lung injury and inflammation in infected mice. These results suggest that naringenin is a promising agent for treatment of S. aureus infection