Natural TPs inhibit biofilm formation by Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and biofilm-induced pulmonary inflammation.

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) infections cause elevated rates of patient deaths in intensive care units owing to the high antibiotic resistance of the clinical isolates. The advent of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB) strains and the formation of their biofilms are cause for concern. Tea polyphenols (TPs), which exhibit antimicrobial activity, is an ideal alternative strategy for lowering the incidence of nosocomial bacterial infections. This study was conducted to determine the effects of TPs on MDRAB. The antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of TPs against MDRAB were investigated in vitro using the propidium iodide assay, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, crystalline violet staining and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The in vivo anti-biofilm and anti-inflammatory effects of TPs were studied using a rat model of MDRAB biofilm-induced pulmonary inflammation. TPs effectively inhibited the proliferation of MDRAB and damaged its cell membrane. Additionally, they inhibited MDRAB biofilm formation by reducing the content of microbial extracellular polymeric substances and altering the expression of genes related to biofilm formation. Moreover, TPs reduced pathological features of lung injury and alleviated MDRAB biofilm-induced pneumonia in rats with a tracheal cannula, attenuating the inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-κB signaling. Our findings suggest that the anti-biofilm and anti-inflammatory activities of TPs render these naturally active compounds favorable candidates for the treatment of tracheal catheter-related infections.