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Davis KP, Morales Y, Ende RJ, Peters R, McCabe AL, Mecsas J, Aldridge BB. Critical role of growth medium for detecting drug interactions in Gram-negative bacteria that model in vivo responses. mBio 2024; 15:e0015924. [PMID: 38364199 PMCID: PMC10936441 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00159-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The rise in infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has necessitated a variety of clinical approaches, including the use of antibiotic combinations. Here, we tested the hypothesis that drug-drug interactions vary in different media, and determined which in vitro models best predict drug interactions in the lungs. We systematically studied pair-wise antibiotic interactions in three different media, CAMHB, (a rich lab medium standard for antibiotic susceptibility testing), a urine mimetic medium (UMM), and a minimal medium of M9 salts supplemented with glucose and iron (M9Glu) with three Gram-negative ESKAPE pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab), Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa). There were pronounced differences in responses to antibiotic combinations between the three bacterial species grown in the same medium. However, within species, PaO1 responded to drug combinations similarly when grown in all three different media, whereas Ab17978 and other Ab clinical isolates responded similarly when grown in CAMHB and M9Glu medium. By contrast, drug interactions in Kp43816, and other Kp clinical isolates poorly correlated across different media. To assess whether any of these media were predictive of antibiotic interactions against Kp in the lungs of mice, we tested three antibiotic combination pairs. In vitro measurements in M9Glu, but not rich medium or UMM, predicted in vivo outcomes. This work demonstrates that antibiotic interactions are highly variable across three Gram-negative pathogens and highlights the importance of growth medium by showing a superior correlation between in vitro interactions in a minimal growth medium and in vivo outcomes. IMPORTANCE Drug-resistant bacterial infections are a growing concern and have only continued to increase during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Though not routinely used for Gram-negative bacteria, drug combinations are sometimes used for serious infections and may become more widely used as the prevalence of extremely drug-resistant organisms increases. To date, reliable methods are not available for identifying beneficial drug combinations for a particular infection. Our study shows variability across strains in how drug interactions are impacted by growth conditions. It also demonstrates that testing drug combinations in tissue-relevant growth conditions for some strains better models what happens during infection and may better inform combination therapy selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen P. Davis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yoelkys Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel J. Ende
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ryan Peters
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anne L. McCabe
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Joan Mecsas
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bree B. Aldridge
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, & Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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Sawant NV, Chang SS, Pandit KA, Khekare P, Warner WR, Zimmern PE, De Nisco NJ. VesiX cetylpyridinium chloride is rapidly bactericidal and reduces uropathogenic Escherichia coli bladder epithelial cell invasion in vitro. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0271223. [PMID: 38240572 PMCID: PMC10913388 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02712-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Management of urinary tract infection (UTI) in postmenopausal women can be challenging. The recent rise in resistance to most of the available oral antibiotic options together with high recurrence rate in postmenopausal women has further complicated treatment of UTI. As such, intravesical instillations of antibiotics like gentamicin are being investigated as an alternative to oral antibiotic therapies. This study evaluates the efficacy of the candidate intravesical therapeutic VesiX, a solution containing the cationic detergent Cetylpyridinium chloride, against a broad range of uropathogenic bacterial species clinically isolated from postmenopausal women with recurrent UTI (rUTI). We also evaluate the cytotoxicity of VesiX against cultured bladder epithelial cells and find that low concentrations of 0.0063% and 0.0125% provide significant bactericidal effect toward diverse bacterial species including uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis while minimizing cytotoxic effects against cultured 5637 bladder epithelial cells. Lastly, to begin to evaluate the potential utility of using VesiX in combination therapy with existing intravesical therapies for rUTI, we investigate the combined effects of VesiX and the intravesical antibiotic gentamicin. We find that VesiX and gentamicin are not antagonistic and are able to reduce levels of intracellular UPEC in cultured bladder epithelial cells. IMPORTANCE When urinary tract infections (UTIs), which affect over 50% of women, become resistant to available antibiotic therapies dangerous complications like kidney infection and lethal sepsis can occur. New therapeutic paradigms are needed to expand our arsenal against these difficult to manage infections. Our study investigates VesiX, a Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC)-based therapeutic, as a candidate broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent for use in bladder instillation therapy for antibiotic-resistant UTI. CPC is a cationic surfactant that is FDA-approved for use in mouthwashes and is used as a food additive but has not been extensively evaluated as a UTI therapeutic. Our study is the first to investigate its rapid bactericidal kinetics against diverse uropathogenic bacterial species isolated from postmenopausal women with recurrent UTI and host cytotoxicity. We also report that together with the FDA-approved bladder-instillation agent gentamicin, VesiX was able to significantly reduce intracellular populations of uropathogenic bacteria in cultured bladder epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrata V. Sawant
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Samuel S. Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Krutika A. Pandit
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Prachi Khekare
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | | | - Philippe E. Zimmern
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Nicole J. De Nisco
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Khan FZ, Palmer K, Dillon N. Siderophores mediate antibiotic resistance. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:587-588. [PMID: 38413833 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabiha Zaheen Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Kelli Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Nicholas Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
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McCabe S, Bjånes E, Hendriks A, Wang Z, van Sorge NM, Pill-Pepe L, Bautista L, Chu E, Codée JDC, Fairman J, Kapoor N, Uchiyama S, Nizet V. The Group A Streptococcal Vaccine Candidate VAX-A1 Protects against Group B Streptococcus Infection via Cross-Reactive IgG Targeting Virulence Factor C5a Peptidase. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1811. [PMID: 38140215 PMCID: PMC10747066 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121811] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae or GBS) is the leading infectious cause of neonatal mortality, causing roughly 150,000 infant deaths and stillbirths annually across the globe. Approximately 20% of pregnant women are asymptomatically colonized by GBS, which is a major risk factor for severe fetal and neonatal infections as well as preterm birth, low birth weight, and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Current clinical interventions for GBS infection are limited to antibiotics, and no vaccine is available. We previously described VAX-A1 as a highly effective conjugate vaccine against group A Streptococcus that is formulated with three antigens, SpyAD, streptolysin O, and C5a peptidase (ScpA). ScpA is a surface-expressed, well-characterized GAS virulence factor that shares nearly identical sequences with the lesser studied GBS homolog ScpB. Here, we show that GBS C5a peptidase ScpB cleaves human complement factor C5a and contributes to disease severity in the murine models of pneumonia and sepsis. Furthermore, antibodies elicited by GAS C5a peptidase bind to GBS in an ScpB-dependent manner, and VAX-A1 immunization protects mice against lethal GBS heterologous challenge. These findings support the contribution of ScpB to GBS virulence and underscore the importance of choosing vaccine antigens; a universal GAS vaccine such as VAX-A1 whose formulation includes GAS C5a peptidase may have additional benefits through some measure of cross-protection against GBS infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinead McCabe
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (S.M.); (E.B.); (S.U.)
| | - Elisabet Bjånes
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (S.M.); (E.B.); (S.U.)
| | - Astrid Hendriks
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.H.); (N.M.v.S.)
| | - Zhen Wang
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands; (Z.W.); (J.D.C.C.)
| | - Nina M. van Sorge
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.H.); (N.M.v.S.)
- Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam UMC, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lucy Pill-Pepe
- Vaxcyte, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA; (L.P.-P.); (L.B.); (E.C.); (J.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Leslie Bautista
- Vaxcyte, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA; (L.P.-P.); (L.B.); (E.C.); (J.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Ellen Chu
- Vaxcyte, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA; (L.P.-P.); (L.B.); (E.C.); (J.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Jeroen D. C. Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands; (Z.W.); (J.D.C.C.)
| | - Jeff Fairman
- Vaxcyte, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA; (L.P.-P.); (L.B.); (E.C.); (J.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Neeraj Kapoor
- Vaxcyte, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA; (L.P.-P.); (L.B.); (E.C.); (J.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Satoshi Uchiyama
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (S.M.); (E.B.); (S.U.)
| | - Victor Nizet
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (S.M.); (E.B.); (S.U.)
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Bösch A, Macha ME, Ren Q, Kohler P, Qi W, Babouee Flury B. Resistance development in Escherichia coli to delafloxacin at pHs 6.0 and 7.3 compared to ciprofloxacin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0162522. [PMID: 37882542 PMCID: PMC10649057 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01625-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the resistance mechanisms of antibiotics in the micro-environment of the infection is important to assess their clinical applicability and potentially prevent resistance development. We compared the laboratory resistance evolution of Escherichia coli to delafloxacin (DLX) compared to ciprofloxacin (CIP), the co-resistance evolution, and underlying resistance mechanisms at different pHs. Three clones from each of the eight clinical E. coli isolates were subjected to subinhibitory concentrations of DLX or CIP in parallel at either pH 7.3 or 6.0. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were regularly tested (at respective pHs), and the antibiotic concentration was adjusted accordingly. After 30 passages, MICs were determined in the presence of the efflux pump inhibitor phenylalanine-arginine-β-naphthylamide. Whole genome sequencing of the parental isolates and their resistant derivatives (n = 54) was performed. Complementation assays were carried out for selected mutations. Quantitative PCR and efflux experiments were carried out for selected derivatives. For DLX-challenged strains, resistance to DLX evolved much slower in acidic than in neutral pH, whereas for CIP-challenged strains, the opposite was the case. Mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region were mainly seen in CIP-challenged E. coli, whereas a multifactorial mechanism including mutations in efflux-related genes played a role in DLX resistance evolution (predominantly at pH 6.0). This work provides novel insights into the resistance mechanisms of E. coli to delafloxacin and highlights the importance of understanding micro-environmental conditions at the infection site that might affect the true clinical efficacy of antibiotics and challenges our current antibiotic susceptibility-testing paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Bösch
- Medical Research Center, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Magreth E. Macha
- Medical Research Center, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Qun Ren
- Laboratory for Biointerfaces, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Kohler
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Weihong Qi
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Baharak Babouee Flury
- Medical Research Center, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Tiwari S, Nizet O, Dillon N. Development of a high-throughput minimum inhibitory concentration (HT-MIC) testing workflow. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1079033. [PMID: 37303796 PMCID: PMC10249070 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1079033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The roots of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination go back to the early 1900s. Since then, the test has undergone modifications and advancements in an effort to increase its dependability and accuracy. Although biological investigations use an ever-increasing number of samples, complicated processes and human error sometimes result in poor data quality, which makes it challenging to replicate scientific conclusions. Automating manual steps using protocols decipherable by machine can ease procedural difficulties. Originally relying on manual pipetting and human vision to determine the results, modern broth dilution MIC testing procedures have incorporated microplate readers to enhance sample analysis. However, current MIC testing procedures are unable to simultaneously evaluate a large number of samples efficiently. Here, we have created a proof-of-concept workflow using the Opentrons OT-2 robot to enable high-throughput MIC testing. We have further optimized the analysis by incorporating Python programming for MIC assignment to streamline the automation. In this workflow, we performed MIC tests on four different strains, three replicates per strain, and analyzed a total of 1,152 wells. Comparing our workflow to a conventional plate MIC procedure, we find that the HT-MIC method is 800% faster while simultaneously boasting a 100% accuracy. Our high-throughput MIC workflow can be adapted in both academic and clinical settings since it is faster, more efficient, and as accurate than many conventional methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Tiwari
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Oliver Nizet
- La Jolla Country Day School, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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7
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Saleh MM, Yousef N, Shafik SM, Abbas HA. Attenuating the virulence of the resistant superbug Staphylococcus aureus bacteria isolated from neonatal sepsis by ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, and sodium bicarbonate. BMC Microbiol 2022; 22:268. [PMID: 36348266 PMCID: PMC9644464 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-022-02684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infections affecting neonates caused by Staphylococcus aureus are widespread in healthcare facilities; hence, novel strategies are needed to fight this pathogen. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the FDA-approved medications ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, and sodium bicarbonate to reduce the virulence of the resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that causes neonatal sepsis and seek out suitable alternatives to the problem of multi-drug resistance. Methods Tested drugs were assessed phenotypically and genotypically for their effects on virulence factors and virulence-encoding genes in Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, drugs were tested in vivo for their ability to reduce Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis. Results Sub-inhibitory concentrations (1/8 MIC) of ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, and sodium bicarbonate reduced the production of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors, including biofilm formation, staphyloxanthin, proteases, and hemolysin production, as well as resistance to oxidative stress. At the molecular level, qRT-PCR was used to assess the relative expression levels of crtM, sigB, sarA, agrA, hla, fnbA, and icaA genes regulating virulence factors production and showed a significant reduction in the relative expression levels of all the tested genes. Conclusions The current findings reveal that ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, and sodium bicarbonate have strong anti-virulence effects against Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, suggesting that they might be used as adjuvants to treat infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in combination with conventional antimicrobials or as alternative therapies.
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