Statins and Antimicrobial Effects: Simvastatin as a Potential Drug against Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm

Author(s)

Graziano, Talita Signoreti ^[1] ; Cuzzullin, Maria Claudia ^[1] ; Franco, Gilson Cesar ^[2] ; Schwartz-Filho, Humberto Osvaldo ^[3] ; de Andrade, Eduardo Dias ^[1] ; Groppo, Francisco Carlos ^[1] ; Cogo-Mueller, Karina ^{[1, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Dept Physiol Sci, Pharmacol Anesthesiol & Therapeut, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Ponta Grossa, Dept Gen Biol, Area Physiol & Pathophysiol, Ponta Grossa, Parana - Brazil

^[3] Univ Santo Amaro, Dept Dent, Implantol Area, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 10, n. 5 MAY 28 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 30

Abstract

Statins are important lipid-lowering agents with other pleiotropic effects. Several studies have explored a possible protective effect of statins to reduce the morbidity and mortality of many infectious diseases. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main pathogens implicated in nosocomial infections; its ability to form biofilms makes treatment difficult. The present study observed the MIC of atorvastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin against S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. Simvastatin was the only agent with activity against clinical isolates and reference strains of methicilin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Thus, the effects of simvastatin on the growth, viability and biofilm formation of S. aureus were tested. In addition, a possible synergistic effect between simvastatin and vancomycin was evaluated. Simvastatin's MIC was 15.65 mu g/mL for S. aureus 29213 and 31.25 mu g/mL for the other strains of S. aureus. The effect of simvastatin was bactericidal at 4xMIC and bacteriostatic at the MIC concentration. No synergistic effect was found between simvastatin and vancomycin. However, the results obtained against S. aureus biofilms showed that, in addition to inhibiting adhesion and biofilm formation at concentrations from 1/16xMIC to 4xMIC, simvastatin was also able to act against mature biofilms, reducing cell viability and extra-polysaccharide production. In conclusion, simvastatin showed pronounced antimicrobial activity against S. aureus biofilms, reducing their formation and viability. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/15795-3 - ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF STATINS ON THE BACTERIAL VIABILITY AND BIOFILM FORMATION OF PATHOGENIC AEROBIC MICROORGANISMS
• Grantee: Talita Signoreti Graziano
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 13/06570-3 - Analysis of the effects of statins on the bacterial viability and biofilm formation of pathogenic aerobic microorganisms
• Grantee: Karina Cogo Müller
• Support type: Regular Research Grants