Streptococcus Suis is an important zoonotic pathogen and is gaining attention due to
emergence of drug resistance and recently reported some deaths of human by this
pathogen.Recently, fluoroquinolone (FQ)
resistant strains of Streptococcus suis in animal as well as in human
clinics are increasingly reported worldwide. Up to now no study on role of
efflux pumps in FQs resistance has been documented, therefore we analyzed
resistance mechanisms for FQs in stepwise induced mutantsof S. suis
strains. Results showed some resistant strains without alterations within QRDR
of DNA gyrase enzyme and topoisomerase IV but with a FQs-resistant phenotype.
MIC of ciprofloxacin, not enrofloxacin against resistant isolates can be reduced
by adding reserpine. It suggests that there were any efflux pumps contributed to
ciprofloxacin resistance in S. suis. Furthermore, growth inhibition
assays and its parallel assays were performed and the results intensively
indicated there are any efflux pumps in ciprofloxacin resistant strains. Based
on the high homology of SatA, SatB and SmrA with PatA, PatB and PmrA, which
mediated resistance to FQs in Streptococcus pneumococcus, thus the mRNA
expression level of satA, saB and smrAwere investigated.
Overexpression of satA and satB was found in
ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates but expression levels of smrA were not
significantly changed in resistant strains if compared with their parental
sensitive strains. In addition, isolates overexpressing satA and satB
accumulate significantly less ciprofloxacin. In conclusion, all these data
represent that SatA and SatB, not SmrA play a clinically relevant role in
ciprofloxacin resistance.
Key words:
ABC transporters,
Efflux pump,
Fluoroquinolone resistance, S suis