An in vitro Study on the Apoptosis Inducing Effects of Ultraviolet B light in Staphylococcus aureus.

OBJECTIVES Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacterium. In recent years, the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections has been steadily increased around the world. Nowaday, the phototherapy is a suitable alternative as a cheap and effective treatment and in some cases can be used in parallel with chemotherapy. That is why, in this survey, we tried to detect the eventual apoptosis feature in UVB-irradiated colonies of Staphylococcus aureus. MATERIALS AND METHODS The bacterial sample was harvested from the microbial collection center of Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods branch, Microbiology laboratory. The colonies of Staphylococcus aureus were radiated by UVB beam and then, the DNA molecules belonging to control and irradiated colonies were extracted by DNP kit. Next after DNA extraction, the DNA molecules mixed in loading dye were run in 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. Following the electrophoresis, the UV transilluminator was used to observe the orange luminescent DNA bands formed in agarose gel. OUTCOMES As it was indicated by experimental practices in the present investigation, no abnormalities, neither DNA laddering bands (apoptosis) nor smears (necrosis), were detected. CONCLUSIONS According to the results showing the lack of DNA denaturation after UVB light exposure, a hypothesis could be advanced on the role of the Heat shock proteins and in particular, HSP70 which would act as an anti-apoptotic mechanism inhibiting the induction of apoptosis in UVB light-exposed colonies of Staphylococcus aureus.