Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Cystic Fibrosis — The Estradiol Connection

Mucoid conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is associated with infective exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Among CF patients, women acquire this pathogen — and experience mucoid conversion — earlier than men. Investigators recently examined the effect of estradiol and its metabolite estriol on P. aeruginosa isolates and the effect of estradiol on infective disease exacerbations in women with CF. The study was conducted in Ireland, which has the highest incidence and carrier rate of CF worldwide.

In vitro experiments demonstrated that estradiol and estriol induced the production of alginate (which is responsible for the mucoid phenotype) in a well-known laboratory strain of P. aeruginosa (PA01) that is initially nonmucoid, …