2. Academic Validation
  3. α-Pinene: Inhibitor of Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms and potential therapeutic agent for pneumonia

α-Pinene: Inhibitor of Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms and potential therapeutic agent for pneumonia

  • Int Immunopharmacol. 2025 Apr 4:151:114287. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2025.114287.
Shu-Yun Wei 1,  Yu-Long Li 1,  Lin Wang 1,  Zi-Yong Chu 2,  Yan-Chun Qin 3,  Hong Zeng 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Basic Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Technology Innovation Cooperation Base of Prevention and Control Pathogenic Microbes with Drug Resistance, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Clinical Prevention and Control Technology and Leading Drug for Microorganisms with Drug Resistance in Border Ethnic Areasn, Baise 533000, China; Key Laboratory of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug-Resistant Microbial Infecting, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Baise 533000, China.
  • 2 School of Basic Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Technology Innovation Cooperation Base of Prevention and Control Pathogenic Microbes with Drug Resistance, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Clinical Prevention and Control Technology and Leading Drug for Microorganisms with Drug Resistance in Border Ethnic Areasn, Baise 533000, China; Key Laboratory of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug-Resistant Microbial Infecting, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Baise 533000, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China.
  • 3 School of Basic Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Technology Innovation Cooperation Base of Prevention and Control Pathogenic Microbes with Drug Resistance, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Clinical Prevention and Control Technology and Leading Drug for Microorganisms with Drug Resistance in Border Ethnic Areasn, Baise 533000, China; Key Laboratory of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug-Resistant Microbial Infecting, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Baise 533000, China. Electronic address: qinyanchun06@163.com.
  • 4 School of Basic Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Technology Innovation Cooperation Base of Prevention and Control Pathogenic Microbes with Drug Resistance, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise 533000, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Clinical Prevention and Control Technology and Leading Drug for Microorganisms with Drug Resistance in Border Ethnic Areasn, Baise 533000, China; Key Laboratory of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug-Resistant Microbial Infecting, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Baise 533000, China. Electronic address: zenghong0705@163.com.
PMID: 40015205 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2025.114287
Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium whose biofilm formation and mechanisms contribute to its persistent infectivity and drug resistance in clinical settings. Inhibition or disruption of biofilms might hold the key to resolving the issue of drug resistance in A. baumannii. α-Pinene, a bicyclic terpene olefin derived from the essential oils of Plants, exhibits multiple biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this investigation, we discovered that α-Pinene had powerful antimicrobial activity against A. baumannii 390015, and its minimum inhibitory concentration was 0.625 μL/mL. In vitro experiments demonstrated that α-Pinene exerted an inhibitory effect on biofilm formation and impacted the production of extracellular Polymers and the twitching motility of A. baumannii. Moreover, qRT-PCR experiments in combination with proteomic validation revealed that bmfR, csuAB, ompA, and bap were down-regulated in A. baumannii after the action of α-Pinene. In vivo experiments indicated that α-Pinene decreased the expression of inflammatory factors, including interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in tissues. Additionally, the expression levels of JNK, P38, and ERK in the downstream pathways of TRAF6 were evaluated, and it was found that α-Pinene decreased the expression levels of JNK, P38, and ERK. Notably, the expression levels of these markers increased as the concentration of α-Pinene decreased. These findings suggest that α-Pinene can inhibit biofilm formation in A. baumannii and mitigate inflammation, highlighting its therapeutic potential for A. baumannii infections.

Keywords

A. baumannii; Antimicrobial; Biofilm; Pneumonia; α-Pinene.

Figures
Products