Subinhibitory concentrations of tedizolid induce upregulation of virulence gene transcription in Staphylococcus aureus

Han Yang; Wen Lin; Chunyan He; Wen Shu; Wenjing Chen; Qingzhong Liu

doi:10.3855/jidc.20386

Subinhibitory concentrations of tedizolid induce upregulation of virulence gene transcription in Staphylococcus aureus

Authors

Han Yang Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7590-5692
Wen Lin Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5291-4464
Chunyan He Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Wen Shu Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Wenjing Chen Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Qingzhong Liu Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20386

Keywords:

Staphylococcus aureus, subinhibitory concentration, tedizolid, linezolid, virulence gene, qRT-PCR

Abstract

Introduction: Sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of antibiotics can modulate the expression of virulence factors in bacterial pathogens. This study aimed to assess the impacts of sub-MICs of tedizolid on virulence gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and compare them with those of linezolid.

Methodology: Two S. aureus strains (N315 and Newman) possessing the selected virulence genes were analyzed. The MICs of tedizolid and linezolid were determined, and sub-MICs for subsequent experiments were selected based on bacterial growth kinetics. Using qRT-PCR, we assessed the expression of 23 virulence genes, including 7 cell wall-anchored (CWA) protein genes, 4 exoenzyme genes, 6 toxin genes, and 6 regulatory genes, before and after exposure to tedizolid and linezolid.

Results: Growth kinetics indicated that 1/8 and 1/4 MICs were optimal for evaluating the influence of drugs on gene expression. The qRT-PCR results revealed that sub-MICs of tedizolid and linezolid primarily enhanced the expression of the studied virulence genes in both strains. In Newman, tedizolid upregulated the expression of more genes encoding CWA proteins, regulators, and toxins than linezolid. In N315, tedizolid stimulated the expression of more toxin-coding genes but fewer regulatory genes compared to linezolid.

Conclusions: Sub-MIC of tedizolid and linezolid could increase the mRNA levels of different types of virulence genes in S. aureus, with strain-dependent variations. These findings provide new insights into the potential role of oxazolidinones in bacterial virulence regulation.

Downloads

Published

2025-12-31

How to Cite

Yang H, Lin W, He C, Shu W, Chen W, Liu Q (2025) Subinhibitory concentrations of tedizolid induce upregulation of virulence gene transcription in Staphylococcus aureus. J Infect Dev Ctries 19:1838–1846. doi: 10.3855/jidc.20386

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 12: December 2025

Section

Original Articles

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).