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Dechow SJ, Abramovitch RB. Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis pH-driven adaptation. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001458. [PMID: 38717801 PMCID: PMC11165653 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) senses and adapts to host environmental cues as part of its pathogenesis. One important cue sensed by Mtb is the acidic pH of its host niche - the macrophage. Acidic pH induces widespread transcriptional and metabolic remodelling in Mtb. These adaptations to acidic pH can lead Mtb to slow its growth and promote pathogenesis and antibiotic tolerance. Mutants defective in pH-dependent adaptations exhibit reduced virulence in macrophages and animal infection models, suggesting that chemically targeting these pH-dependent pathways may have therapeutic potential. In this review, we discuss mechanisms by which Mtb regulates its growth and metabolism at acidic pH. Additionally, we consider the therapeutic potential of disrupting pH-driven adaptations in Mtb and review the growing class of compounds that exhibit pH-dependent activity or target pathways important for adaptation to acidic pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby J. Dechow
- Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert B. Abramovitch
- Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Fontes FL, Rooker SA, Lynn-Barbe JK, Lyons MA, Crans DC, Crick DC. Pyrazinoic acid, the active form of the anti-tuberculosis drug pyrazinamide, and aromatic carboxylic acid analogs are protonophores. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1350699. [PMID: 38414662 PMCID: PMC10896915 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1350699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Pyrazinoic acid is the active form of pyrazinamide, a first-line antibiotic used to treat Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. However, the mechanism of action of pyrazinoic acid remains a subject of debate, and alternatives to pyrazinamide in cases of resistance are not available. The work presented here demonstrates that pyrazinoic acid and known protonophores including salicylic acid, benzoic acid, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone all exhibit pH-dependent inhibition of mycobacterial growth activity over a physiologically relevant range of pH values. Other anti-tubercular drugs, including rifampin, isoniazid, bedaquiline, and p-aminosalicylic acid, do not exhibit similar pH-dependent growth-inhibitory activities. The growth inhibition curves of pyrazinoic, salicylic, benzoic, and picolinic acids, as well as carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone, all fit a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) derived from acid-base equilibria with R2 values > 0.95. The QSAR model indicates that growth inhibition relies solely on the concentration of the protonated forms of these weak acids (rather than the deprotonated forms). Moreover, pyrazinoic acid, salicylic acid, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone all caused acidification of the mycobacterial cytoplasm at concentrations that inhibit bacterial growth. Thus, it is concluded that pyrazinoic acid acts as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation and that disruption of proton motive force is the primary mechanism of action of pyrazinoic acid rather than the inhibition of a classic enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio L. Fontes
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Steven A. Rooker
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jamie K. Lynn-Barbe
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Michael A. Lyons
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Debbie C. Crans
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Dean C. Crick
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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Shi PC, Xiao JL, Deng WF, Guo Q, Jin L, Zhou ZX, Ji C. Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and DFT Study of (5-Bromo-2-fluorophenyl)-2-pyrazinylmethanone. RUSS J GEN CHEM+ 2023. [DOI: 10.1134/s1070363223010139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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Miranda-Velez M, Sarker GS, Ramisetty P, Geden S, Bartolomeu Halicki PC, Annamalai T, Tse-Dinh YC, Rohde KH, Moon JH. Proton Motive Force-Disrupting Antimycobacterial Guanylurea Polymer. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:4668-4677. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Miranda-Velez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Golam Sabbir Sarker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Priya Ramisetty
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Sandra Geden
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32827, United States
| | - Priscila Cristina Bartolomeu Halicki
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32827, United States
| | - Thirunavukkarasu Annamalai
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Kyle H. Rohde
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32827, United States
| | - Joong Ho Moon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida 33199, United States
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Santucci P, Aylan B, Botella L, Bernard EM, Bussi C, Pellegrino E, Athanasiadi N, Gutierrez MG. Visualizing Pyrazinamide Action by Live Single-Cell Imaging of Phagosome Acidification and Mycobacterium tuberculosis pH Homeostasis. mBio 2022; 13:e0011722. [PMID: 35323041 PMCID: PMC9040869 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00117-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis segregates within multiple subcellular niches with different biochemical and biophysical properties that, upon treatment, may impact antibiotic distribution, accumulation, and efficacy. However, it remains unclear whether fluctuating intracellular microenvironments alter mycobacterial homeostasis and contribute to antibiotic enrichment and efficacy. Here, we describe a live dual-imaging approach to monitor host subcellular acidification and M. tuberculosis intrabacterial pH. By combining this approach with pharmacological and genetic perturbations, we show that M. tuberculosis can maintain its intracellular pH independently of the surrounding pH in human macrophages. Importantly, unlike bedaquiline (BDQ), isoniazid (INH), or rifampicin (RIF), the drug pyrazinamide (PZA) displays antibacterial efficacy by disrupting M. tuberculosis intrabacterial pH homeostasis in cellulo. By using M. tuberculosis mutants, we confirmed that intracellular acidification is a prerequisite for PZA efficacy in cellulo. We anticipate this imaging approach will be useful to identify host cellular environments that affect antibiotic efficacy against intracellular pathogens. IMPORTANCE We still do not completely understand why tuberculosis (TB) treatment requires the combination of several antibiotics for up to 6 months. M. tuberculosis is a facultative intracellular pathogen, and it is still unknown whether heterogenous and dynamic intracellular populations of bacteria in different cellular environments affect antibiotic efficacy. By developing a dual live imaging approach to monitor mycobacterial pH homeostasis, host cell environment, and antibiotic action, we show here that intracellular localization of M. tuberculosis affects the efficacy of one first-line anti-TB drug. Our observations can be applicable to the treatment of other intracellular pathogens and help to inform the development of more effective combined therapies for tuberculosis that target heterogenous bacterial populations within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Santucci
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Beren Aylan
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laure Botella
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elliott M. Bernard
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudio Bussi
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Enrica Pellegrino
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Athanasiadi
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maximiliano G. Gutierrez
- Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
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Ragunathan P, Cole M, Latka C, Aragaw WW, Hegde P, Shin J, Subramanian Manimekalai MS, Rishikesan S, Aldrich CC, Dick T, Grüber G. Mycobacterium tuberculosis PanD Structure-Function Analysis and Identification of a Potent Pyrazinoic Acid-Derived Enzyme Inhibitor. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1030-1039. [PMID: 33984234 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A common strategy employed in antibacterial drug discovery is the targeting of biosynthetic processes that are essential and specific for the pathogen. Specificity in particular avoids undesirable interactions with potential enzymatic counterparts in the human host, and it ensures on-target toxicity. Synthesis of pantothenate (Vitamine B5), which is a precursor of the acyl carrier coenzyme A, is an example of such a pathway. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), pantothenate is formed by pantothenate synthase, utilizing D-pantoate and β-Ala as substrates. β-Ala is mainly formed by the decarboxylation of l-aspartate, generated by the decarboxylase PanD, which is a homo-oliogomer in solution. Pyrazinoic acid (POA), which is the bioactive form of the TB prodrug pyrazinamide, binds and inhibits PanD activity weakly. Here, we generated a library of recombinant Mtb PanD mutants based on structural information and PZA/POA resistance mutants. Alterations in oligomer formation, enzyme activity, and/or POA binding were observed in respective mutants, providing insights into essential amino acids for Mtb PanD's proper structural assembly, decarboxylation activity and drug interaction. This information provided the platform for the design of novel POA analogues with modifications at position 3 of the pyrazine ring. Analogue 2, which incorporates a bulky naphthamido group at this position, displayed a 1000-fold increase in enzyme inhibition, compared to POA, along with moderately improved antimycobacterial activity. The data demonstrate that an improved understanding of mechanistic and enzymatic features of key metabolic enzymes can stimulate design of more-potent PanD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Ragunathan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Republic of Singapore
| | - Malcolm Cole
- University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry 8-101 Weaver-Densford Hall 308 Harvard St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Chitra Latka
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Republic of Singapore
| | - Wassihun Wedajo Aragaw
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, 111 Ideation Way, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | - Pooja Hegde
- University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry 8-101 Weaver-Densford Hall 308 Harvard St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joon Shin
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Republic of Singapore
| | | | - Sankaranarayanan Rishikesan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Republic of Singapore
| | - Courtney C. Aldrich
- University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry 8-101 Weaver-Densford Hall 308 Harvard St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Thomas Dick
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, 111 Ideation Way, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, 123 Metro Boulevard, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University, 3900 Reservoir Road NW Medical-Dental Building, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States
| | - Gerhard Grüber
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Republic of Singapore
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