AUTHOR=Shi Chao , Yan Chunhong , Sui Yue , Sun Yi , Guo Du , Chen Yifei , Jin Tong , Peng Xiaoli , Ma Linlin , Xia Xiaodong 

TITLE=Thymoquinone Inhibits Virulence Related Traits of Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC 29544 and Has Anti-biofilm Formation Potential

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02220

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2017.02220

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The aim of this study was to determine whether thymoquinone, the principal active ingredient in the volatile oil of <italic>Nigella sativa</italic> seeds, could suppress certain virulence traits of <italic>Cronobacter sakazakii</italic> ATCC 29544 which contribute to infection. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of thymoquinone significantly decreased motility, quorum sensing, and endotoxin production of <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> ATCC 29544 and biofilm formation of <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> 7-17. Thymoquinone substantially reduced the adhesion and invasion of <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> ATCC 29544 to HT-29 cells and decreased the number of intracellular bacterial cells within the RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Thymoquinone also repressed the transcription of sixteen genes involved in the virulence. These findings suggest that thymoquinone could attenuated virulence-related traits of <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> ATCC 29544, and its effects on other <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> strains and <italic>in vivo C. sakazakii</italic> infection need further investigation.</p>