THE INTERACTION OF AMINOGLYCOSIDES WITH ENDOTHELIAL CELLS INFECTED BY PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA.

The membrane organization of cultured human endothelial cells (EA.hy926) infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PS) was studied in the temperature range 15-37 °C by using fluorescent depolarization and generalized polarization (GP) measurements on the cells suspensions labeled with TMA-DPH and laurdan, respectively. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa was chosen since this pathogen is the etiologic agent of resistant and recurrent pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, who require sustained treatment with antibiotics. The effect of several aminoglycoside antibiotics - gentamicin, amikacin and kanamycin - on membrane organization of infected cultured cells was recorded. The measurements results showed that the presence of aminoglycosides cations induces a rigidity of the infected cell membrane, gentamicin being the most efficient in this respect. This effect is temperature sensitive, being much more pronounced at temperatures close to physiological range. The above information may be of use in determining the treatment regimen of a CF patient who has recurrent infections and requires antibiotics treatment for a longer time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]