AUTHOR=Kosgodage Uchini S. , Matewele Paul , Awamaria Brigitte , Kraev Igor , Warde Purva , Mastroianni Giulia , Nunn Alistair V. , Guy Geoffrey W. , Bell Jimmy D. , Inal Jameel M. , Lange Sigrun 

TITLE=Cannabidiol Is a Novel Modulator of Bacterial Membrane Vesicles

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00324

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2019.00324

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Membrane vesicles (MVs) released from bacteria participate in cell communication and host-pathogen interactions. Roles for MVs in antibiotic resistance are gaining increased attention and in this study we investigated if known anti-bacterial effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid from <italic>Cannabis sativa</italic>, could be in part attributed to effects on bacterial MV profile and MV release. We found that CBD is a strong inhibitor of MV release from Gram-negative bacteria (<italic>E. coli</italic> VCS257), while inhibitory effect on MV release from Gram-positive bacteria (<italic>S. aureus</italic> subsp<italic>. aureus</italic> Rosenbach) was negligible. When used in combination with selected antibiotics, CBD significantly increased the bactericidal action of several antibiotics in the Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, CBD increased antibiotic effects of kanamycin in the Gram-positive bacteria, without affecting MV release. CBD furthermore changed protein profiles of MVs released from <italic>E. coli</italic> after 1 h CBD treatment. Our findings indicate that CBD may pose as a putative adjuvant agent for tailored co-application with selected antibiotics, depending on bacterial species, to increase antibiotic activity, including via MV inhibition, and help reduce antibiotic resistance.</p>