AbaI/AbaR Quorum Sensing in Acinetobacter baumannii: Virulence Regulation, Epithelial Injury, Innate Immune Activation and Anti-Virulence Strategies
4 affiliations
- 1Student Research Group “Medical Image Analysis and Research in Pathology” (SKN MIARP), Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wybrzeże L. Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
- 2Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Tytusa Chalubinskiego 4, 50-376 Wroclaw, Poland
- 3Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 672, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- 4Department of Biological and Earth Sciences, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR 72801, USA
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections due to its remarkable capacity for environmental persistence and multidrug resistance. The quorum-sensing (QS) network, particularly the AbaI/AbaR system, contributes to the regulation of several traits involved in colonization and infection. Current evidence indicates that AbaI/AbaR-mediated signalling coordinates biofilm formation, surface-associated motility, antimicrobial tolerance via modulation of efflux pump activity, oxidative stress responses and membrane integrity, as well as biofilm-associated antibiotic resistance and stress adaptation. QS also influences interactions with host cells, including epithelial damage and modulation of innate immune responses, although its role in adaptive immunity remains largely unresolved. This review summarises current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying AbaI/AbaR-mediated signalling, its role in regulating A. baumannii infection-relevant phenotypes and host–pathogen interactions. It also discusses the therapeutic potential of quorum-quenching (QQ) strategies for attenuating A. baumannii virulence, as well as their current limitations in infection control.
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BibTeX
@article{buslowicz2026abaiabar,
title = {{AbaI/AbaR Quorum Sensing in Acinetobacter baumannii: Virulence Regulation, Epithelial Injury, Innate Immune Activation and Anti-Virulence Strategies}},
author = {Tomasz Busłowicz and Karolina Pawłuszkiewicz and Zofia Biel and Emilia Maria Nowak and Matylda Korgiel and Bachar Cheaib and Bindu Subhadra and Emil Paluch},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27209212},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9212},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - AbaI/AbaR Quorum Sensing in Acinetobacter baumannii: Virulence Regulation, Epithelial Injury, Innate Immune Activation and Anti-Virulence Strategies
AU - Tomasz Busłowicz
AU - Karolina Pawłuszkiewicz
AU - Zofia Biel
AU - Emilia Maria Nowak
AU - Matylda Korgiel
AU - Bachar Cheaib
AU - Bindu Subhadra
AU - Emil Paluch
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27209212
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9212
AB - Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections due to its remarkable capacity for environmental persistence and multidrug resistance. The quorum-sensing (QS) network, particularly the AbaI/AbaR system, contributes to the regulation of several traits involved in colonization and infection. Current evidence indicates that AbaI/AbaR-mediated signalling coordinates biofilm formation, surface-associated motility, antimicrobial tolerance via modulation of efflux pump activity, oxidative stress responses and membrane integrity, as well as biofilm-associated antibiotic resistance and stress adaptation. QS also influences interactions with host cells, including epithelial damage and modulation of innate immune responses, although its role in adaptive immunity remains largely unresolved. This review summarises current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying AbaI/AbaR-mediated signalling, its role in regulating A. baumannii infection-relevant phenotypes and host–pathogen interactions. It also discusses the therapeutic potential of quorum-quenching (QQ) strategies for attenuating A. baumannii virulence, as well as their current limitations in infection control.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -