Pectic Oligosaccharides from Cranberry Prevent Quiescence and Persistence in the Uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073

Abstract

AbstractUrinary tract infections (UTIs) caused byEscherichia colicreate a large burden on healthcare and frequently lead to recurrent infections. Part of the success ofE. colias an uropathogenic bacterium can be attributed to its ability to form quiescent intracellular reservoirs in bladder cells and its persistence after antibiotic treatment. Cranberry juice and related products have been used for the prevention of UTIs with varying degrees of success. In this study, a group of cranberry pectic oligosaccharides (cPOS) were found to both inhibit quiescence and reduce the population of persister cells formed by the uropathogenic strain, CFT073. This is the first report detailing constituents of cranberry with the ability to modulate these important physiological aspects of uropathogenicE. coli. Further studies investigating cranberry should be keen to include oligosaccharides as part of the ‘active’ cocktail of chemical compounds.