Biochemical basis for the selective toxicity of erythromycin

Purification and characterization of an erythromycin esterase from an erythromycin-resistant Pseudomonas sp

An erythromycin esterase (molecular mass 51200 Da) was purified from Pseudomonas sp. GD100, which was isolated from a salmon hatchery sediment sample from Washington State. The pI of the protein was 4.5-4.8. The enzyme was inhibited by 1 mM mercuric acid, and had the substrate specificity for structurally related 14-membered macrolides, which decreased in the order of oleandomycin, erythromycin A and erythromycin A enol ether. The activity for erythromycin A varied with temperature, but the effect of pH was minimal at pH 6.0-9.0. The half-life of the enzyme was estimated to be 8.9 h at 35 degrees C and 0.23 h at 55 degrees C, and the activation energy of the catalytic reaction of erythromycin A was estimated at 16.2 kJ mol(-1).

In vitro effects of four macrolides (roxithromycin, spiramycin, azithromycin [CP-62,993], and A-56268) on Toxoplasma gondii

The effect of four macrolides against intracellular Toxoplasma gondii was determined in three different in vitro systems. Unactivated murine peritoneal macrophages were infected with the virulent RH strain of T. gondii. The activity of the macrolides was first measured with [3H]uracil, which is incorporated by the parasite but not the host cell. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) and 95% confidence limits were calculated at 54 (38 to 73), 140 (98 to 201), 147 (101 to 214), and 246 (187 to 325) micron for roxithromycin, azithromycin (CP-62,993), A-56268, and spiramycin, respectively. Inhibition of Toxoplasma growth was confirmed by microscopic examination of the infected macrophages after treatment with roxithromycin. Compared with untreated controls, roxithromycin concentrations near the IC50s decreased the number of infected cells, the number of tachyzoites per vacuole, and the number of cells containing rosettes (i.e., clusters of more than eight tachyzoites). After treatment with the four macrolides, tachyzoites were released from the macrophages and subcultured in HeLa cells, which are nonprofessional phagocytes, to assess the viability of the remaining parasites. This showed that the macrolides at concentrations corresponding to four times their 90% inhibitory concentrations (IC90s) had no significant killing effect. At 8 times the IC90, roxithromycin showed an incomplete killing effect, similar to that of the combination of pyrimethamine (0.41 microM)-sulfadiazine (99.42 microM). All macrolides tested showed inhibitory effects against intracellular T. gondii, but amounts of azithromycin and A-56268 corresponding to the IC90 appeared to be toxic against the host macrophages, which might have had nonspecific activity against Toxoplasma metabolism.

Correlation between erythromycin and acid phosphatase in mouse liver

1. Whole liver homogenates obtained from mice 1h after an intraperitoneal injection of erythromycin lactobionate (343 mg/kg, 1/3 LD 50) were fractionated into nuclear (7000 times g min), mitochondrial (33000 times g min) and lysosomr-rich (250 000 times g min) fractions. 2. The resulting fractions, as well as the final supernatant, were analyzed for erythromycin, acid phosphatase and protein. 3. The highest relative specific activities (per cent total protein) of erythromycin and of acid phosphatase were exhibited by the lysosome-rich fraction. 4. It was of interest, therefore, to examine the effects of erythromycin upon the free activity of acid phosphatase in soluble form and on its in vitro and in vivo release from liver lysosomes. 5. Concentrations of 1.7 - 10-4 M, 3.4 - 10-4 M, 6.8 - 10-4 M and 13. 6 - 10-4 M of erythromycin lactobionate had no significant effect upon the free activity of acid phosphatase in soluble form but retarded the release of this enzyme from the liver lysosome-rich preparation. This effect of erythromycin lactobionate was dose- and time-dependent. 6. Treatment of mice with erythromycin lactobionate (343 mg/kg, 1/3 LD 50) iwtraperitoneally for 7 days significantly decreased the unsedimentable acid phosphatase activity expressed as per cent of total activity in whole liver homogenates. This indicated an in vivo diminished release of acid phosphatase from liver lysosomes by erythromycin. 7. Since erythromycin lactobionate is ionisable it could be possible that erythromycin basis as many other cationic molecules accumulates in lysosomes. 8. The in vitro and in vivo diminished release of acid phosphatase may suggest that erythromycin decreases permeability of lysosomal membrane.