D‐amino acids do not inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation

OBJECTIVE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a known biofilm‐forming organism, is an opportunistic pathogen that plays an important role in chronic otitis media, tracheitis, cholesteatoma, chronic wounds, and implant infections. Eradication of biofilm infections has been a challenge because the biofilm phenotype provides bacteria with a protective environment from the immune system and antibiotics; thus, there has been great interest in adjunctive molecules that may inhibit biofilm formation or cause biofilm dispersal. There are reports that D‐amino acids may inhibit biofilms. In this study, we test the ability of various D‐amino acids to inhibit P. aeruginosa biofilm formation in vitro. STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated the effect of D‐alanine (10 mM), D‐leucine (10 mM), D‐methionine (10 mM), D‐tryptophan (10 mM), and D‐tyrosine (10 uM and 1 mM) on biofilm formation in two commonly studied laboratory strains of P. aeruginosa: PAO1 and PA14. METHODS: Biofilms were grown in 24‐well and 96‐well tissue culture plates, documented photographically and stained with 0.1% crystal violet and solubilized in 33% glacial acetic acid for quantification. RESULTS: In strains PAO1 and PA14, the addition of D‐amino acids did not result in an inhibitory effect on biofilm growth in 24‐well plates. Repeating the study in 96‐well plates confirmed our findings that D‐amino acids do not inhibit biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSION: We conclude that D‐amino acids only slow the production of biofilms rather than completely prevent biofilm formation; therefore, D‐amino acids represent a poor option for potential clinically therapeutic interventions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.