Although much is known about how virulence factors affect pathogens and host tissues in vitro, far less is understood about their dynamics in vivo. As a step toward characterizing the chemistry of infected environments, we measured phenazine abundance in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Phenazines are redox-active small molecules produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that damage host epithelia, curb the growth of competing organisms, and play physiologically important roles in the cells that produce them. Here, we quantify phenazines within expectorated sputum, characterize the P. aeruginosa populations responsible for phenazine production, and assess their relationship to CF lung microflora. Chemical analyses of expectorated sputum showed that the concentrations of two phenazines, namely, pyocyanin (PYO) and phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), were negatively correlated (ρ = -0.68 and -0.57, respectively) with lung function. Furthermore, the highest phenazine concentrations were found in patients whose pulmonary function showed the greatest rates of decline. The constituent P. aeruginosa populations within each patient showed diverse capacities for phenazine production. Early during infection, individual isolates produced more PYO than later during infection. However, total PYO concentrations in sputum at any given stage correlated well with the average production by the total P. aeruginosa population. Finally, bacterial community complexity was negatively correlated with phenazine concentrations and declines in lung function, suggesting a link to the refinement of the overall microbial population. Together, these data demonstrate that phenazines negatively correlate with CF disease states in ways that were previously unknown, and underscore the importance of defining in vivo environmental parameters to better predict clinical outcomes of infections.

We tested whether diet-induced obesity results from increased energy consumption, is associated with changes in expression of genes involved in leptin signal transduction, and is altered by hyperleptinemia. C57BL/6 mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for up to 15 weeks. HFD mice weighed significantly more than LFD controls by 3 weeks, despite consuming less energy. HFD mice had significantly greater leptin, insulin, and glucose levels than LFD mice, suggesting leptin and insulin resistance. Adiponectin levels declined with age but were unaffected by diet. HFD was associated with altered hypothalamic expression of genes whose products regulate the activity or nuclear translocation of STAT3, an important mediator of leptin actions. Expression of two isoforms of the leptin receptor decreased at 15 weeks in hypothalami of HFD mice in a tissue-specific manner. The type of fat (saturated versus unsaturated) did not influence weight gain on an HFD, but animals on LFD gained significantly more weight and adiposity if the dietary fat consisted mostly of saturated fats; this occurred despite no difference in energy consumption or absorption. Replacement of leptin to leptin-deficient ob/ob mice decreased hypothalamic leptin receptor expression and did not prevent HFD-induced weight gain. It is concluded that (1) increased energy consumption is not required for HFD-induced obesity in C57BL/6 mice, (2) HFD results in weight gain partly by modulating hypothalamic leptin-signaling pathways, (3) saturated fats induce weight gain even when total fat content of the diet is low, and (4) the effects of HFD are manifest in the presence or absence of circulating leptin.