Plant Phenolics Inhibit Focal Adhesion Kinase and Suppress Host Cell Invasion by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Traditional folk treatments for the prevention and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other infectious diseases often include plants and plant extracts that are rich in phenolic and polyphenolic compounds. These have been ascribed a variety of activities, including inhibition of bacterial interactions with host cells. Here we tested a panel of four well-studied phenolic compounds – caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), resveratrol, catechin, and epigallocatechin gallate – for effects on host cell adherence and invasion by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). These bacteria, which are the leading cause of UTIs, can bind and subsequently invade bladder epithelial cells via an actin-dependent process. Intracellular UPEC reservoirs within the bladder are often protected from antibiotics and host defenses, and likely contribute to the development of chronic and recurrent infections. Using cell culture-based assays, we found that only resveratrol had a notable negative effect on UPEC adherence to bladder cells. However, both CAPE and resveratrol significantly inhibited UPEC entry into the host cells, coordinate with attenuated phosphorylation of the host actin regulator Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK, or PTK2) and marked increases in the numbers of focal adhesion structures. We further show that the intravesical delivery of resveratrol inhibits UPEC infiltration of the bladder mucosa in a murine UTI model, and that resveratrol and CAPE can disrupt the ability of other invasive pathogens to enter host cells. Together, these results highlight the therapeutic potential of molecules like CAPE and resveratrol, which could be used to augment antibiotic treatments by restricting pathogen access to protective intracellular niches. IMPORTANCE Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are exceptionally common and increasingly difficult to treat due to the ongoing rise and spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Furthermore, the primary cause of UTIs, uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), can avoid antibiotic exposure and many host defenses by invading the epithelial cells that line the bladder surface. Here we identified two plant-derived phenolic compounds that disrupt activation of the host machinery needed for UPEC entry into bladder cells. One of these compounds (resveratrol) effectively inhibited UPEC invasion of the bladder mucosa in a mouse UTI model, and both phenolic compounds significantly reduced host cell entry by other invasive pathogens. These findings suggest that select phenolic compounds can be used to supplement existing antibacterial therapeutics by denying uropathogens shelter within host cells and tissues, and help explain some of the benefits attributed to traditional plant-based medicines.