PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA LPS FROM CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS: IMPLICATIONS OF STRUCTURE IN ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Biofilm-associated infections pose a major healthcare challenge, particularly in chronic and nosocomial diseases, where antibiotic resistance complicates the treatment. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a key pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF), forms biofilms and modifies its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure, contributing to persistence and immune evasion. Understanding these modifications is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic strategies [1]. Here we analyzed LPS and Lipid A structural variations in P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from CF patients at different stages of disease, by comparing antibiotic-sensitive clinical strain (WT2), two multi-drug resistant (MDR1 and MDR5) and pan-drug-resistant (PDR7) strains with the antibiotic-sensitive reference strain PA14 [2]. The isolates were grown under planktonic and biofilm conditions to mimic the CF pulmonary environment. Structural variations in Lipid A across these strains were evaluated concerning the degree of antibiotic resistance and chronic infection. Furthermore, we will assess the effects of LPSs and Lipids A on inflammatory pathway activation [3,4].