TY - JOUR T1 - Targeting iron uptake to control <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> infections in cystic fibrosis JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 1723 LP - 1736 DO - 10.1183/09031936.00124012 VL - 42 IS - 6 AU - Daniel J. Smith AU - Iain L. Lamont AU - Greg J. Anderson AU - David W. Reid Y1 - 2013/12/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/6/1723.abstract N2 - The aerobic Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening acute and chronic infections in humans. As part of chronic infection P. aeruginosa forms biofilms, which shield the encased bacteria from host immune clearance and provide an impermeable and protective barrier against currently available antimicrobial agents. P. aeruginosa has an absolute requirement for iron for infection success. By influencing cell–cell communication (quorum sensing) and virulence factor expression, iron is a powerful regulator of P. aeruginosa behaviour. Consequently, the imposed perturbation of iron acquisition systems has been proposed as a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilm infection. In this review, we explore the influence of iron availability on P. aeruginosa infection in the lungs of the people with the autosomal recessive condition cystic fibrosis as an archetypal model of chronic P. aeruginosa biofilm infection. Novel therapeutics aimed at disrupting P. aeruginosa are discussed, with an emphasis placed on identifying the barriers that need to be overcome in order to translate these promising in vitro agents into effective therapies in human pulmonary infections. Can targeting iron uptake be utilised to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis patients? http://ow.ly/pcLtw ER -