AHLi-11

AHLi-11 is a synthetic small molecule designed as a quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI) targeting *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*. It specifically functions as a competitive antagonist of the LasR receptor, a key transcriptional regulator that responds to the autoinducer N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-AHL). By binding to the LasR ligand-binding domain, AHLi-11 prevents the receptor from dimerizing and binding to DNA, thereby suppressing the expression of numerous virulence genes. This inhibition leads to a significant reduction in the production of extracellular virulence factors such as elastase, pyocyanin, and alkaline protease, and impairs the formation and maturation of bacterial biofilms. AHLi-11 is primarily investigated as an anti-virulence strategy to treat chronic infections, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis, by attenuating bacterial pathogenicity without exerting the direct selective pressure for resistance associated with traditional bactericidal antibiotics.