The Effect of Silybin Encapsulated in Nanoparticles on oprM Gene Expression in Drug Resistant Isolates of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen that using several classes of antibiotics to treat has been led to the emergence of multiple drug resistance. One of the drug resistance mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is overexpression of mexXY-oprM efflux pump system. Silybin as main flavonolignan of silymarin extracted from Silybum marianum is a hepatoprotective agent that its anti-bacterial properties was studied, recently. In this study, the effect of combination of silybin and ciprofloxacin on oprM gene expression in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated. Materials and Methods: In this study, seven ciprofloxacin resistant isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were treated by ciprofloxacin (1/2MIC) only (control sample) and in the combination with silybin-encapsulated micelle (nanoparticles) (test sample). After 24h, RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed in silybin treated and un-treated cells and oprM gene expression was quantitatively investigated by realtime PCR method. Results: Results of this study showed that a silybin encapsulated in nanoparticles (400μg/ml) induces death up to 50% in resistant isolates treated by ciprofloxacin (1/2MIC) during 24h. Also, quantitative Real-Time PCR analysis revealed that silybin encapsulated in nanoparticles decreases the expression of oprM gene compared to silybin untreated cells. Conclusion: It seems that Decrease of oprM expression in resistant isolates lead to decrease of mexAB-oprM and mexXY-oprM in cell surface, subsequently decrease of antibiotic withdrawal to extracellular environment and increase of sensitivity to antibiotics.