New trends in the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing activity.

Many microorganisms, including the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, evolved quorum sensing (QS) systems as key regulators of virulence factor expression and biofilm formation. QS is a cell-to-cell, density-dependent communication system that regulates the bacterial expression of specific genes, whose products modify the local host environment favoring the invasion and persistence of the pathogen. P. aeruginosa causes severe and chronic pulmonary infections in patients affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). These infections are difficult to treat owing to the bacterial sessile status that increases the bacterial drug resistance. QS is therefore considered an attractive therapeutic target and currently many compounds are being evaluated as QS antagonists. In this note we report some new trends regarding QS inhibitors that may represent a new family of anti-infective agents.