Jessica Christina Mcloughlin

Ms. Jessica Christina Mcloughlin


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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26 September 2025 in Acta Microbiologica Hellenica
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ABAmina Belboul
Amina Belboul
MMMohamed El Mohtadi
Mohamed El Mohtadi
AFAbdulmannan Fadel
Abdulmannan Fadel
JMJessica Christina Mcloughlin
Jessica Christina Mcloughlin
AMAyman Mahmoud
Ayman Mahmoud
JAJason Ashworth
Jason Ashworth
Age-related impaired wounds often become infected with bacteria, leading to substantial mortality and morbidity in the elderly. The decline in androgen levels with increasing age is believed to exacerbate inflammation during wound infections. Despite its well-documented anti-inflammatory activities in wound repair, little is known about the effect of age-related androgen deprivation on bacterial phagocytosis in impaired chronic wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of age-related testosterone deprivation on the phagocytic functions of THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages to eliminate Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in vitro. Host–pathogen interaction experiments were conducted to quantify the macrophage-mediated clearance of two common wound-associated bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, under in vitro environments that model testosterone levels representative of those found in elderly males, healthy young adults and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Testosterone and its metabolite 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) significantly dampened the macrophage-mediated phagocytosis of both MRSA and P. aeruginosa in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Blockade of the androgen receptor (AR) using enzalutamide confirmed that testosterone mediates bacterial clearance through binding to the AR. Blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT through stimulation of macrophages with the 5-α-reductase inhibitor finasteride reversed the testosterone-mediated effects on bacterial clearance, which confirmed that testosterone could potentially dampen the innate phagocytic responses in macrophages through conversion to DHT. Novel findings in this study suggest that the selective manipulation of the AR and/or blockade of testosterone–DHT conversion may provide effective therapeutic treatments to combat wound infections in the elderly.