Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered as the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause severe infections including liver abscesses. To the best of our knowledge,iron in human body primarily gathers in liver. Further understanding of effects of iron on K. pneumoniae causing liver abscess is a promising way to elucidate the mechanism of poor prognosis of liver abscess. Results: All tested K. pneumoniae including those collected from liver abscess and other sterile sites and K. pneumoniae ATCC 700603 cultured in LB broth containing 50 μM iron grew optimally and were in possession of the strongest biofilm formation ability, while worst growth and biofilm formation ability of the strains cultured in iron-deplete environment were observed. The infection model of G. mellonella larvae showed the virulence of K. pneumoniae cultured with additional iron was significantly higher than cultured with iron chelator (P<0.05). The relative expression level of the four siderophores genes (iucB, iroB, irp1, entB) in K. pneumoniae strains isolated from liver abscess cultured with additional iron was lower than that with iron chelator. Conclusions: It is suggested by our research that iron in the environment can promote the growth and enhance the biofilm formation ability of K. pneumoniae and the lower expression of siderophores genes may be one of the mechanisms of iron affecting the virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae. Further deeper evaluation of these phenomenons is warranted.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause severe infections including liver abscesses. To the best of our knowledge, a large proportion of iron in the human body is accumulated and stored in the liver. We hypothesize that increased iron availability is an important factor driving liver abscess formation and we therefore aim to understand the effects of iron on K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. Results: All tested K. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including those isolated from liver abscesses and other abdominal invasive infection sites, grew optimally when cultured in LB broth supplemented with 50 μM iron and exhibited the strongest biofilm formation ability under those conditions. Decreased growth and biofilm formation ability were observed in all tested strains when cultured with an iron chelator (P<0.05). The infection model of G. mellonella larvae indicated the virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae (2/3) cultured in LB broth with additional iron was significantly higher than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of the four siderophore genes (iucB, iroB, irp1, entB) in K. pneumoniae strains isolated from liver abscesses cultured with additional iron were lower than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05). Conclusions: It is suggested by our research that iron in the environment can promote growth, biofilm formation and enhance virulence of K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. A lower expression of siderophore genes correlates with increased virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae. Further deeper evaluation of these phenomena is warranted.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause severe infections including liver abscesses. To the best of our knowledge, a large proportion of iron in the human body is accumulated and stored in the liver. We hypothesize that increased iron availability is an important factor driving liver abscess formation and we therefore aim to understand the effects of iron on K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. Results: All tested K. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including those isolated from liver abscesses and other abdominal invasive infection sites, grew optimally when cultured in LB broth supplemented with 50 μM iron and exhibited the strongest biofilm formation ability under those conditions. Decreased growth and biofilm formation ability were observed in all tested strains when cultured with an iron chelator (P<0.05). The infection model of G. mellonella larvae indicated the virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae (2/3) cultured in LB broth with additional iron was significantly higher than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of the four siderophore genes (iucB, iroB, irp1, entB) in K. pneumoniae strains isolated from liver abscesses cultured with additional iron were lower than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05). Conclusions: It is suggested by our research that iron in the environment can promote growth, biofilm formation and enhance virulence of K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. A lower expression of siderophore genes correlates with increased virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae. Further deeper evaluation of these phenomena is warranted.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause severe infections including liver abscesses. To the best of our knowledge, a large proportion of iron in the human body is accumulated and stored in the liver. We hypothesize that increased iron availability is an important factor driving liver abscess formation and we therefore aim to understand the effects of iron on K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses.Results: All tested K. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including those isolated from liver abscesses and other abdominal invasive infection sites, grew optimally when cultured in LB broth supplemented with 50 μM iron and exhibited the strongest biofilm formation ability under those conditions. Decreased growth and biofilm formation ability were observed in all tested strains when cultured with an iron chelator (P<0.05). The infection model of G. mellonella larvae indicated the virulence of liver abscesscausing K. pneumoniae (2/3) cultured in LB broth with additional iron was significantly higher than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of the four siderophore genes (iucB, iroB, irp1, entB) in K. pneumoniae strains isolated from liver abscesses cultured with additional iron were lower than those under iron-restricted conditions (P<0.05).Conclusions: It is suggested by our research that iron in the environment can promote growth, biofilm formation and enhance virulence of K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. A lower expression of siderophore genes correlates with increased virulence of liver abscess-causing K.pneumoniae. Further deeper evaluation of these phenomena is warranted. BackgroundKlebsiella pneumoniae is considered the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause both community-acquired and nosocomial infections, including liver abscesses, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bacteremia worldwide [1]. In the past two decades, a distinct hypervirulent variant of K. pneumoniae, characterized by its hypermucoviscous phenotype, was firstly isolated from liver abscesses in Asia and has emerged as a clinically significant pathogen responsible for highly invasive infections [2]. Unlike classical K. pneumoniae, hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) can spread from the original site of infection to other organs. Once invasive dissemination occurs,

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered the most clinically relevant species of Enterobacteriaceae, known to cause severe infections including liver abscesses. To the best of our knowledge, a large proportion of iron in the human body is accumulated and stored in the liver. We hypothesize that increased iron availability is an important factor driving liver abscess formation and we therefore aim to understand the effects of iron on K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. Results: All tested K. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including those isolated from liver abscesses and other abdominal invasive infection sites, grew optimally when cultured in LB broth supplemented with 50 μM iron and exhibited the strongest biofilm formation ability under those conditions. Decreased growth and biofilm formation ability were observed in all tested strains when cultured with an iron chelator (P<0.05). The infection model of G. mellonella larvae indicated the virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae (2/3) cultured in LB broth with additional iron was significantly higher than those under iron depletion conditions (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of the four siderophore genes (iucB, iroB, irp1, entB) in K. pneumoniae strains isolated from liver abscesses cultured with additional iron were lower than those under iron depletion conditions (P<0.05). Conclusions: It is suggested by our research that iron in the environment can promote growth, biofilm formation and enhance virulence of K. pneumoniae causing liver abscesses. A lower expression of siderophore genes correlates with increased virulence of liver abscess-causing K. pneumoniae. Further deeper evaluation of these phenomena is warranted.