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Ronco T, Kappel LH, Aragao MF, Biagi N, Svenningsen S, Christensen JB, Permin A, Saaby L, Holmstrøm K, Klitgaard JK, Sabat AJ, Akkerboom V, Monaco M, Tinelli M, Friedrich AW, Jana B, Olsen RH. Insight Into the Anti-staphylococcal Activity of JBC 1847 at Sub-Inhibitory Concentration. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:786173. [PMID: 35069485 PMCID: PMC8766816 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.786173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant pathogens constitute a serious global issue and, therefore, novel antimicrobials with new modes of action are urgently needed. Here, we investigated the effect of a phenothiazine derivative (JBC 1847) with high antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus aureus, using a wide range of in vitro assays, flow cytometry, and RNA transcriptomics. The flow cytometry results showed that JBC 1847 rapidly caused depolarization of the cell membrane, while the macromolecule synthesis inhibition assay showed that the synthesis rates of DNA, RNA, cell wall, and proteins, respectively, were strongly decreased. Transcriptome analysis of S. aureus exposed to sub-inhibitory concentrations of JBC 1847 identified a total of 78 downregulated genes, whereas not a single gene was found to be significantly upregulated. Most importantly, there was downregulation of genes involved in adenosintrifosfat (ATP)-dependent pathways, including histidine biosynthesis, which is likely to correlate with the observed lower level of intracellular ATP in JBC 1847-treated cells. Furthermore, we showed that JBC 1847 is bactericidal against both exponentially growing cells and cells in a stationary growth phase. In conclusion, our results showed that the antimicrobial properties of JBC 1847 were primarily caused by depolarization of the cell membrane resulting in dissipation of the proton motive force (PMF), whereby many essential bacterial processes are affected. JBC 1847 resulted in lowered intracellular levels of ATP followed by decreased macromolecule synthesis rate and downregulation of genes essential for the amino acid metabolism in S. aureus. Bacterial compensatory mechanisms for this proposed multi-target activity of JBC 1847 seem to be limited based on the observed very low frequency of resistance toward the compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troels Ronco
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Line H. Kappel
- Research Unit of Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria F. Aragao
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niccolo Biagi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Svenningsen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørn B. Christensen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Janne K. Klitgaard
- Research Unit of Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Research Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Artur J. Sabat
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Viktoria Akkerboom
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Monica Monaco
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Tinelli
- Division of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Hospital of Lodi, Lodi, Italy
| | - Alexander W. Friedrich
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Bimal Jana
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Rikke H. Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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3
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Magnowska Z, Jana B, Brochmann RP, Hesketh A, Lametsch R, De Gobba C, Guardabassi L. Carprofen-induced depletion of proton motive force reverses TetK-mediated doxycycline resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17834. [PMID: 31780689 PMCID: PMC6882848 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54091-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously showed that doxycycline (DOX) and carprofen (CPF), a veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, have synergistic antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) carrying the tetracycline resistance determinant TetK. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of this synergy, we investigated the effects of the two drugs, individually and in combination, using a comprehensive approach including RNA sequencing, two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis, macromolecule biosynthesis assays and fluorescence spectroscopy. Exposure of TetK-positive MRSP to CPF alone resulted in upregulation of pathways that generate ATP and NADH, and promote the proton gradient. We showed that CPF is a proton carrier that dissipates the electrochemical potential of the membrane. In the presence of both CPF and DOX, the energy compensation strategy was attenuated by downregulation of all the processes involved, such as citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and ATP-providing arginine deiminase pathway. Furthermore, protein biosynthesis inhibition increased from 20% under DOX exposure alone to 75% upon simultaneous exposure to CPF. We conclude that synergistic interaction of the drugs restores DOX susceptibility in MRSP by compromising proton-motive-force-dependent TetK-mediated efflux of the antibiotic. MRSP is unable to counterbalance CPF-mediated PMF depletion by cellular metabolic adaptations, resulting in intracellular accumulation of DOX and inhibition of protein biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia Magnowska
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Bimal Jana
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Rikke Prejh Brochmann
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Andrew Hesketh
- Department of Biochemistry and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Rene Lametsch
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Cristian De Gobba
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Luca Guardabassi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark. .,Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
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Greco I, Hansen JE, Jana B, Molchanova N, Oddo A, Thulstrup PW, Damborg P, Guardabassi L, Hansen PR. Structure⁻Activity Study, Characterization, and Mechanism of Action of an Antimicrobial Peptoid D2 and Its d- and l-Peptide Analogues. Molecules 2019; 24:E1121. [PMID: 30901860 PMCID: PMC6470533 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) constitutes an emerging health problem for companion animals in veterinary medicine. Therefore, discovery of novel antimicrobial agents for treatment of Staphylococcus-associated canine infections is urgently needed to reduce use of human antibiotics in veterinary medicine. In the present work, we characterized the antimicrobial activity of the peptoid D2 against S. pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is another common integumentary pathogen in dogs. Furthermore, we performed a structure⁻activity relationship study of D2, which included 19 peptide/peptoid analogs. Our best compound D2D, an all d-peptide analogue, showed potent minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against canine S. pseudintermedius (2⁻4 µg/mL) and P. aeruginosa (4 µg/mL) isolates as well as other selected dog pathogens (2⁻16 µg/mL). Time⁻kill assays demonstrated that D2D was able to inhibit MRSP in 30 min at 1× MIC, significantly faster than D2. Our results suggest that at high concentrations D2D is rapidly lysing the bacterial membrane while D2 is inhibiting macromolecular synthesis. We probed the mechanism of action at sub-MIC concentrations of D2, D2D, the l-peptide analog and its retro analog by a macromolecular biosynthesis assay and fluorescence spectroscopy. Our data suggest that at sub-MIC concentrations D2D is membrane inactive and primarily works by cell wall inhibition, while the other compounds mainly act on the bacterial membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Greco
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Johannes E Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Bimal Jana
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Natalia Molchanova
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Alberto Oddo
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Peter W Thulstrup
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Peter Damborg
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Luca Guardabassi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts AL9 7TA, UK.
| | - Paul R Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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