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Niu H, Gu J, Zhang Y. Bacterial persisters: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic development. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:174. [PMID: 39013893 PMCID: PMC11252167 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01866-5] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Persisters refer to genetically drug susceptible quiescent (non-growing or slow growing) bacteria that survive in stress environments such as antibiotic exposure, acidic and starvation conditions. These cells can regrow after stress removal and remain susceptible to the same stress. Persisters are underlying the problems of treating chronic and persistent infections and relapse infections after treatment, drug resistance development, and biofilm infections, and pose significant challenges for effective treatments. Understanding the characteristics and the exact mechanisms of persister formation, especially the key molecules that affect the formation and survival of the persisters is critical to more effective treatment of chronic and persistent infections. Currently, genes related to persister formation and survival are being discovered and confirmed, but the mechanisms by which bacteria form persisters are very complex, and there are still many unanswered questions. This article comprehensively summarizes the historical background of bacterial persisters, details their complex characteristics and their relationship with antibiotic tolerant and resistant bacteria, systematically elucidates the interplay between various bacterial biological processes and the formation of persister cells, as well as consolidates the diverse anti-persister compounds and treatments. We hope to provide theoretical background for in-depth research on mechanisms of persisters and suggest new ideas for choosing strategies for more effective treatment of persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Niu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Key Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaying Gu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Key Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250022, Shandong, China.
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2
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Kuang SF, Xiang J, Zeng YY, Peng XX, Li H. Elevated Membrane Potential as a Tetracycline Resistance Mechanism in Escherichia coli. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2196-2211. [PMID: 38836553 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
The metabolic environment is responsible for antibiotic resistance, which highlights the way in which the antibiotic resistance mechanism works. Here, GC-MS-based metabolomics with iTRAQ-based proteomics was used to characterize a metabolic state in tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli K12 (E. coli-RTET) compared with tetracycline-sensitive E. coli K12. The repressed pyruvate cycle against the elevation of the proton motive force (PMF) and ATP constructed the most characteristic feature as a consequence of tetracycline resistance. To understand the role of the elevated PMF in tetracycline resistance, PMF inhibitor carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and the pH gradient were used to investigate how the elevation influences bacterial viability and intracellular antibiotic concentration. A strong synergy was detected between CCCP and tetracycline to the viability, which was consistent with increasing intracellular drug and decreasing external pH. Furthermore, E. coli-RTET and E. coli-RGEN with high and low PMF concentrations were susceptible to gentamicin and tetracycline, respectively. The elevated PMF in E. coli-RTET was attributed to the activation of other metabolic pathways, except for the pyruvate cycle, including a malate-oxaloacetate-phosphoenolpyruvate-pyruvate-malate cycle. These results not only revealed a PMF-dependent mechanism for tetracycline resistance but also provided a solution to tetracycline-resistant pathogens by aminoglycosides and aminoglycoside-resistant bacteria by tetracyclines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Fang Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jiao Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Ying-Yue Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xuan-Xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
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Wan J, Dai L, Xiao H, Zhang W, Zhang R, Xie T, Jia Y, Gao X, Huang J, Liu F. Biological characteristics of mechanosensitive channels MscS and MscL in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0042923. [PMID: 38391161 PMCID: PMC10955882 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00429-23] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is an important respiratory pathogen that can cause porcine contagious pleuropneumonia (PCP), resulting in significant economic losses in swine industry. Microorganisms are subjected to drastic changes in environmental osmolarity. In order to alleviate the drastic rise or fall of osmolarity, cells activate mechanosensitive channels MscL and MscS through tension changes. MscL not only regulates osmotic pressure but also has been reported to secrete protein and uptake aminoglycoside antibiotic. However, MscL and MscS, as the most common mechanosensitive channels, have not been characterized in A. pleuropneumoniae. In this study, the osmotic shock assay showed that MscL increased sodium adaptation by regulating cell length. The results of MIC showed that deletion of mscL decreased the sensitivity of A. pleuropneumoniae to multiple antibiotics, while deletion of mscS rendered A. pleuropneumoniae hypersensitive to penicillin. Biofilm assay demonstrated that MscL contributed the biofilm formation but MscS did not. The results of animal assay showed that MscL and MscS did not affect virulence in vivo. In conclusion, MscL is essential for sodium hyperosmotic tolerance, biofilm formation, and resistance to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, penicillin, and oxacillin. On the other hand, MscS is only involved in oxacillin resistance.IMPORTANCEBacterial resistance to the external environment is a critical function that ensures the normal growth of bacteria. MscL and MscS play crucial roles in responding to changes in both external and internal environments. However, the function of MscL and MscS in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae has not yet been reported. Our study shows that MscL plays a significant role in osmotic adaptation, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm formation of A. pleuropneumoniae, while MscS only plays a role in antibiotic resistance. Our findings provide new insights into the functional characteristics of MscL and MscS in A. pleuropneumoniae. MscL and MscS play a role in antibiotic resistance and contribute to the development of antibiotics for A. pleuropneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Wan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Lu Dai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Huasong Xiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Wendie Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Tingting Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Yizhen Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Xuejun Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Huang
- College of Arts and Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Feng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
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Lang M, Carvalho A, Baharoglu Z, Mazel D. Aminoglycoside uptake, stress, and potentiation in Gram-negative bacteria: new therapies with old molecules. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0003622. [PMID: 38047635 PMCID: PMC10732077 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00036-22] [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] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYAminoglycosides (AGs) are long-known molecules successfully used against Gram-negative pathogens. While their use declined with the discovery of new antibiotics, they are now classified as critically important molecules because of their effectiveness against multidrug-resistant bacteria. While they can efficiently cross the Gram-negative envelope, the mechanism of AG entry is still incompletely understood, although this comprehension is essential for the development of new therapies in the face of the alarming increase in antibiotic resistance. Increasing antibiotic uptake in bacteria is one strategy to enhance effective treatments. This review aims, first, to consolidate old and recent knowledge about AG uptake; second, to explore the connection between AG-dependent bacterial stress and drug uptake; and finally, to present new strategies of potentiation of AG uptake for more efficient antibiotic therapies. In particular, we emphasize on the connection between sugar transport and AG potentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Lang
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Paris, France
| | - André Carvalho
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Paris, France
| | - Zeynep Baharoglu
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Paris, France
| | - Didier Mazel
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Paris, France
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Li R, Shen X, Li Z, Shen J, Tang H, Xu H, Shen J, Xu Y. Combination of AS101 and Mefloquine Inhibits Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo. Infect Drug Resist 2023; 16:7271-7288. [PMID: 38023412 PMCID: PMC10664714 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s427232] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) has spread around the world, leading to a high mortality and close attention of medical community. In this study, we aim to find a new strategy of treatment for CRPA infections. Methods Eight strains of CRPA were collected, and PCR detected the multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The antimicrobial susceptibility test was conducted using the VITEK@2 compact system. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for AS101 and mefloquine was determined using the broth dilution method. Antibacterial activity was tested in vitro and in vivo through the chessboard assay, time killing assay, and a mouse model. The mechanism of AS101 combined with mefloquine against CRPA was assessed through the biofilm formation inhibition assay, electron microscopy, and detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results The results demonstrated that all tested CRPA strains exhibited multidrug resistance. Moreover, our investigation revealed a substantial synergistic antibacterial effect of AS101-mefloquine in vitro. The assay for inhibiting biofilm formation indicated that AS101-mefloquine effectively suppressed the biofilm formation of CRPA-5 and CRPA-6. Furthermore, AS101-mefloquine were observed to disrupt the bacterial cell wall and enhance the permeability of the cell membrane. This effect was achieved by stimulating the production of ROS, which in turn hindered the growth of CRPA-3. To evaluate the therapeutic potential, a murine model of CRPA-3 peritoneal infection was established. Notably, AS101-mefloquine administration resulted in a significant reduction in bacterial load within the liver, kidney, and spleen of mice after 72 hours of treatment. Conclusion The present study showed that the combination of AS101 and mefloquine yielded a notable synergistic bacteriostatic effect both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a potential clinical application of this combination in the treatment of CRPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Provincial Laboratories of Pathogen Biology and Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuhang Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengyuan Li
- Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jilong Shen
- Provincial Laboratories of Pathogen Biology and Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huaming Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jilu Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Anhui Public Health Clinical Center, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanhong Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Ramirez VI, Wray R, Blount P, King MD. The Effects of Airflow on the Mechanosensitive Channels of Escherichia coli MG1655 and the Impact of Survival Mechanisms Triggered. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2236. [PMID: 37764080 PMCID: PMC10534522 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how bacteria respond to ventilated environments is a crucial concept, especially when considering accurate airflow modeling and detection limits. To properly design facilities for aseptic conditions, we must minimize the parameters for pathogenic bacteria to thrive. Identifying how pathogenic bacteria continue to survive, particularly due to their multi-drug resistance characteristics, is necessary for designing sterile environments and minimizing pathogen exposure. A conserved characteristic among bacterial organisms is their ability to maintain intracellular homeostasis for survival and growth in hostile environments. Mechanosensitive (MS) channels are one of the characteristics that guide this phenomenon. Interestingly, during extreme stress, bacteria will forgo favorable homeostasis to execute fast-acting survival strategies. Physiological sensors, such as MS channels, that trigger this survival mechanism are not clearly understood, leaving a gap in how bacteria translate physical stress to an intracellular response. In this paper, we study the role of mechanosensitive ion channels that are potentially triggered by aerosolization. We hypothesize that change in antimicrobial uptake is affected by aerosolization stress. Bacteria regulate their defense mechanisms against antimicrobials, which leads to varying susceptibility. Based on this information we hypothesize that aerosolization stress affects the antimicrobial resistance defense mechanisms of Escherichia coli (E. coli). We analyzed the culturability of knockout E. coli strains with different numbers of mechanosensitive channels and compared antibiotic susceptibility under stressed and unstressed airflow conditions. As a result of this study, we can identify how the defensive mechanisms of resistant bacteria are triggered for their survival in built environments. By changing ventilation airflow velocity and observing the change in antibiotic responses, we show how pathogenic bacteria respond to ventilated environments via mechanosensitive ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violette I. Ramirez
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Robin Wray
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Paul Blount
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Maria D. King
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
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Seghayer I, Lee AHC, Cheung GSP, Zhang C. Effect of Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation, Er,Cr:YSGG Laser, and Photon-Induced Photoacoustic Streaming against Enterococcus faecalis Biofilms in the Apical Third of Root Canals. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10040490. [PMID: 37106677 PMCID: PMC10135464 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10040490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to compare the antibacterial effectiveness of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), Er,Cr:YSGG laser (WTL), and photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) using an Er:YAG laser against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms in the apical third of root canals. METHODS Root canals of 70 single-rooted human teeth were instrumented and infected with E. faecalis for 3 weeks to form biofilms. The samples were randomly divided into five groups as follows: (i) PUI + 3% NaOCl (n = 16); (ii) Er,Cr:YSGG laser (n = 16); (iii) PIPS + 3% NaOCl (n = 16); (iv) positive control group (n = 10); and (v) negative control group (n = 10). The bacterial content in the root canal was sampled using (a) the paper-point sampling method before (S1) and after (S2) treatment and (b) pulverising the apical 5 mm of the root. The number of bacteria recovered from each group was counted as colony-forming units (CFUs). The amount of reduction between the groups was compared with the Kruskal-Wallis test and post-test Dunn's multiple comparisons tests. The significance level was set at 5% (p < 0.05). RESULTS The samples from the paper-point sampling method showed that the amount of bacteria before (S1) and after treatment (S2) was significantly different between PIPS and WTL, as well as between the PUI and WTL groups. In contrast, no significant difference was found between the PIPS and PUI groups. From the pulverised samples, the results indicated no significant difference among all experimental groups in the amount of bacterial reduction in the apical 5 mm of the root. CONCLUSIONS PUI and PIPS showed a significantly greater reduction in bacterial content within the main root canal compared with the WTL. There was no difference among all experimental groups in the apical third of the root.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Seghayer
- Endodontology, Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Angeline H C Lee
- Endodontology, Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Gary S P Cheung
- Endodontology, Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chengfei Zhang
- Endodontology, Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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8
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Lv B, Huang X, Lijia C, Ma Y, Bian M, Li Z, Duan J, Zhou F, Yang B, Qie X, Song Y, Wood TK, Fu X. Heat shock potentiates aminoglycosides against gram-negative bacteria by enhancing antibiotic uptake, protein aggregation, and ROS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217254120. [PMID: 36917671 PMCID: PMC10041086 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217254120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The potentiation of antibiotics is a promising strategy for combatting antibiotic-resistant/tolerant bacteria. Herein, we report that a 5-min sublethal heat shock enhances the bactericidal actions of aminoglycoside antibiotics by six orders of magnitude against both exponential- and stationary-phase Escherichia coli. This combined treatment also effectively kills various E. coli persisters, E. coli clinical isolates, and numerous gram-negative but not gram-positive bacteria and enables aminoglycosides at 5% of minimum inhibitory concentrations to eradicate multidrug-resistant pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Mechanistically, the potentiation is achieved comprehensively by heat shock-enhanced proton motive force that thus promotes the bacterial uptake of aminoglycosides, as well as by increasing irreversible protein aggregation and reactive oxygen species that further augment the downstream lethality of aminoglycosides. Consistently, protonophores, chemical chaperones, antioxidants, and anaerobic culturing abolish heat shock-enhanced aminoglycoside lethality. We also demonstrate as a proof of concept that infrared irradiation- or photothermal nanosphere-induced thermal treatments potentiate aminoglycoside killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a mouse acute skin wound model. Our study advances the understanding of the mechanism of actions of aminoglycosides and demonstrates a high potential for thermal ablation in curing bacterial infections when combined with aminoglycosides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Lv
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Xuebing Huang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Chenchen Lijia
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Yuelong Ma
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Mengmeng Bian
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Zhongyan Li
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
| | - Juan Duan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou City350122, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital, Shenzhen City518055, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou350122, China
| | - Xingwang Qie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou215163, China
| | - Yizhi Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou215163, China
| | - Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802-4400
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
- Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City350117, China
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9
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Webster CM, Shepherd M. A mini-review: environmental and metabolic factors affecting aminoglycoside efficacy. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:7. [PMID: 36350431 PMCID: PMC9646598 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03445-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Following the discovery of streptomycin from Streptomyces griseus in the 1940s by Selman Waksman and colleagues, aminoglycosides were first used to treat tuberculosis and then numerous derivatives have since been used to combat a wide variety of bacterial infections. These bactericidal antibiotics were used as first-line treatments for several decades but were largely replaced by ß-lactams and fluoroquinolones in the 1980s, although widespread emergence of antibiotic-resistance has led to renewed interest in aminoglycosides. The primary site of action for aminoglycosides is the 30 S ribosomal subunit where they disrupt protein translation, which contributes to widespread cellular damage through a number of secondary effects including rapid uptake of aminoglycosides via elevated proton-motive force (PMF), membrane damage and breakdown, oxidative stress, and hyperpolarisation of the membrane. Several factors associated with aminoglycoside entry have been shown to impact upon bacterial killing, and more recent work has revealed a complex relationship between metabolic states and the efficacy of different aminoglycosides. Hence, it is imperative to consider the environmental conditions and bacterial physiology and how this can impact upon aminoglycoside entry and potency. This mini-review seeks to discuss recent advances in this area and how this might affect the future use of aminoglycosides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calum M Webster
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Mark Shepherd
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK.
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10
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Wang J, Blount P. Feeling the Tension: The Bacterial Mechanosensitive Channel MscL as a Model System and Drug Target. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2022.100627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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11
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Li Z, Sun F, Fu X, Chen Y. 5-Methylindole kills various bacterial pathogens and potentiates aminoglycoside against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14010. [PMID: 36124131 PMCID: PMC9482361 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens has become a severe threat to human health. To counteract antibiotic resistance, it is of significance to discover new antibiotics and also improve the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Here we show that 5-methylindole, a derivative of the interspecies signaling molecule indole, is able to directly kill various Gram-positive pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and also Gram-negative ones (e.g., Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), with 2-methylindole being less potent. Particularly, 5-methylindole can kill methicillin-resistant S. aureus, multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and antibiotic-tolerant S. aureus persisters. Furthermore, 5-methylindole significantly potentiates aminoglycoside antibiotics, but not fluoroquinolones, killing of S. aureus. In addition, 5-iodoindole also potentiates aminoglycosides. Our findings open a new avenue to develop indole derivatives like 5-methylindole as antibacterial agents or adjuvants of aminoglycoside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyan Li
- Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Fengqi Sun
- Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yajuan Chen
- Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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12
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Nitrite Promotes ROS Production to Potentiate Cefoperazone-Sulbactam-Mediated Elimination to Lab-Evolved and Clinical-Evolved Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0232721. [PMID: 35863024 PMCID: PMC9430864 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02327-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cefoperazone-sulbactam (SCF)-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a big challenge in the use of SCF to treat infection caused by the pathogen. We have recently shown exogenous nitrite-enabled killing of naturally and artificially evolved Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO, respectively) by SCF. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Here, reprogramming metabolomics was adopted to investigate how nitrite enhanced the SCF-mediated killing efficacy. Nitrite-reprogrammed metabolome displayed an activated pyruvate cycle (P cycle), which was confirmed by elevated activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase. The activated P cycle provided NADH for the electron transport chain and thereby increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), which potentiated SCF to kill AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO. The nitrite-enabled killing of AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO by SCF was inhibited by PDH inhibitor furfural and ROS scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine but promoted by ROS promoter Fe3+. SCF alone could not induce ROS, but SCF-mediated killing efficacy was enhanced by ROS. In addition, the present study demonstrated that nitrite repressed antioxidants, which were partly responsible for the elevated ROS. These results reveal a nitrite-reprogrammed metabolome mechanism by which AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO sensitivity to SCF is elevated. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has become a real concern in hospital-acquired infections, especially in critically ill and immunocompromised patients. Understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms and developing novel control measures are highly appreciated. We have recently shown that a reduced nitrite-dependent NO biosynthesis contributes to cefoperazone-sulbactam (SCF) resistance, which is reverted by exogenous nitrite, in both naturally and artificially evolved P. aeruginosa strains (AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO, respectively). However, the mechanism is unknown. The present study reports that the nitrite-enabled killing of AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO by SCF is attributed to the promoted production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nitrite activates the pyruvate cycle to generate NADH for the electron transport chain, which in turn promotes ROS generation. Nitrite-potentiated SCF-mediated killing is decreased by pyruvate dehydrogenase inhibitor furfural and ROS scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine but increased by ROS promoter Fe3+. Furthermore, SCF-mediated killing is promoted by H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the combination of nitrite and H2O2 greatly enhances SCF-mediated killing. These results not only disclose a nitrite-ROS-potentiated SCF-mediated killing, but also show SCF-mediated killing is dependent upon ROS.
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Polyphosphate Kinase Is Required for the Processes of Virulence and Persistence in Acinetobacter baumannii. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0123022. [PMID: 35867473 PMCID: PMC9430702 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01230-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii, one of the most successful bacteria causing severe nosocomial infection, was identified as a top-priority pathogen by the WHO. Thus, genetic manipulations to clarify the potential targets for fighting A. baumannii resistance and virulence are vital. Polyphosphate (polyP) kinase (PPK) is conserved in nearly all bacteria and is responsible for polyP formation, which is associated with bacterial pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance. In this study, ppk1-deficient (Δppk1::Apr), ppk1-complemented (Δppk1::Apr/PJL02-ppk1), and wild-type strains of A. baumannii ATCC 17978 were used to determine the influence of PPK1 on A. baumannii virulence and persistence mainly by polyP quantification, surface motility, biofilm formation, and bacterial persistence assays. Our work found that PPK1 is indispensable for polyP formation in vivo and that the motility of the PPK1-deficient strain was significantly impaired due to the lack of a pilus-like structure typically present compared with the complemented and wild-type strains. The deficiency of PPK1 also inhibited the biofilm formation of A. baumannii and decreased bacterial persistence under stimuli of high-concentration ampicillin (Amp) treatment, H2O2 stress, heat shock, and starvation stress. Furthermore, ppk1-deficient bacterium-infected mice showed a significantly reduced bacterial load and a decreased inflammatory response. However, complementation with PPK1 effectively rescued the impaired virulence and persistence of ppk1-deficient A. baumannii. In addition, metabonomic analysis revealed that PPK1 was associated with glycerophospholipid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. Taken together, our results suggest that targeting PPK1 to control A. baumannii pathogenicity and persistence is a feasible strategy to fight this pathogen. IMPORTANCEA. baumannii was identified as a top-priority pathogen by the WHO due to its antibiotic resistance. Meanwhile, the pathogenicity of A. baumannii mediated by several vital virulence factors also cannot be ignored. Here, the role of PPK1 in A. baumannii was also explored. We found that the motility ability and biofilm formation of a PPK1-deficient strain were significantly impaired. Furthermore, PPK1 was essential for its persistence maintenance to resist stimuli of high-concentration Amp treatment, H2O2 stress, heat shock, and starvation stress. Metabonomic analysis revealed that PPK1 was associated with glycerophospholipid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. In addition, ppk1-deficient bacterium-infected mice showed significantly reduced bacterial loads and a decreased inflammatory responses in vivo. Together, our results suggest that PPK1 is vital for A. baumannii pathogenicity and persistence.
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Sidarta M, Baruah L, Wenzel M. Roles of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Channels in Infection and Antibiotic Susceptibility. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15070770. [PMID: 35890069 PMCID: PMC9322971 DOI: 10.3390/ph15070770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria accumulate osmolytes to prevent cell dehydration during hyperosmotic stress. A sudden change to a hypotonic environment leads to a rapid water influx, causing swelling of the protoplast. To prevent cell lysis through osmotic bursting, mechanosensitive channels detect changes in turgor pressure and act as emergency-release valves for the ions and osmolytes, restoring the osmotic balance. This adaptation mechanism is well-characterized with respect to the osmotic challenges bacteria face in environments such as soil or an aquatic habitat. However, mechanosensitive channels also play a role during infection, e.g., during host colonization or release into environmental reservoirs. Moreover, recent studies have proposed roles for mechanosensitive channels as determinants of antibiotic susceptibility. Interestingly, some studies suggest that they serve as entry gates for antimicrobials into cells, enhancing antibiotic efficiency, while others propose that they play a role in antibiotic-stress adaptation, reducing susceptibility to certain antimicrobials. These findings suggest different facets regarding the relevance of mechanosensitive channels during infection and antibiotic exposure as well as illustrate that they may be interesting targets for antibacterial chemotherapy. Here, we summarize the recent findings on the relevance of mechanosensitive channels for bacterial infections, including transitioning between host and environment, virulence, and susceptibility to antimicrobials, and discuss their potential as antibacterial drug targets.
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15
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Lv B, Zeng Y, Zhang H, Li Z, Xu Z, Wang Y, Gao Y, Chen Y, Fu X. Mechanosensitive Channels Mediate Hypoionic Shock-Induced Aminoglycoside Potentiation against Bacterial Persisters by Enhancing Antibiotic Uptake. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0112521. [PMID: 34902270 PMCID: PMC8846477 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01125-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the efficacy of existing antibiotics is a promising strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant/tolerant bacterial pathogens that have become a severe threat to human health. We previously reported that aminoglycoside antibiotics could be dramatically potentiated against stationary-phase Escherichia coli cells under hypoionic shock conditions (i.e., treatment with ion-free solutions), but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we show that mechanosensitive (MS) channels, a ubiquitous protein family sensing mechanical forces of cell membrane, mediate such hypoionic shock-induced aminoglycoside potentiation. Two-minute treatment under conditions of hypoionic shock (e.g., in pure water) greatly enhances the bactericidal effects of aminoglycosides against both spontaneous and triggered E. coli persisters, numerous strains of Gram-negative pathogens in vitro, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice. Such potentiation is achieved by hypoionic shock-enhanced bacterial uptake of aminoglycosides and is linked to hypoionic shock-induced destabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane in E. coli. Genetic and biochemical analyses reveal that MscS-family channels directly and redundantly mediate aminoglycoside uptake upon hypoionic shock and thus potentiation, with MscL channel showing reduced effect. Molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis analyses reveal a putative streptomycin-binding pocket in MscS, critical for streptomycin uptake and potentiation. These results suggest that hypoionic shock treatment destabilizes the cytoplasmic membrane and thus changes the membrane tension, which immediately activates MS channels that are able to effectively transport aminoglycosides into the cytoplasm for downstream killing. Our findings reveal the biological effects of hypoionic shock on bacteria and can help to develop novel adjuvants for aminoglycoside potentiation to combat bacterial pathogens via activating MS channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Lv
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Youhui Zeng
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Huaidong Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zhongyan Li
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zhaorong Xu
- Fujian Burn Institute, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
- Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yajuan Chen
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
- Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China
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Lv B, Bian M, Huang X, Sun F, Gao Y, Wang Y, Fu Y, Yang B, Fu X. n-Butanol Potentiates Subinhibitory Aminoglycosides against Bacterial Persisters and Multidrug-Resistant MRSA by Rapidly Enhancing Antibiotic Uptake. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:373-386. [PMID: 35100802 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Potentiation of traditional antibiotics is of significance for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have become a severe threat to human and animal health. Here, we report that 1 min co-treatment with n-butanol greatly and specifically enhances the bactericidal action of aminoglycosides by 5 orders of magnitude against stationary-phase Staphylococcus aureus cells, with n-propanol and isobutanol showing less potency. This combined treatment also rapidly kills various S. aureus persisters, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) cells, and numerous Gram-positive and -negative pathogens including some clinically isolated multidrug-resistant pathogens (e.g., S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis) in vitro, as well as S. aureus in mice. Mechanistically, the potentiation results from the actions of aminoglycosides on their conventional target ribosome rather than the antiseptic effect of n-butanol and is achieved by rapidly enhancing the bacterial uptake of aminoglycosides, while salts and inhibitors of proton motive force (e.g., CCCP) can diminish this uptake. Importantly, such n-butanol-enhanced antibiotic uptake even enables subinhibitory concentrations of aminoglycosides to rapidly kill both MRSA and conventional S. aureus cells. Given n-butanol is a non-metabolite in the pathogens we tested, our work may open avenues to develop a metabolite-independent strategy for aminoglycoside potentiation to rapidly eliminate antibiotic-resistant/tolerant pathogens, as well as for reducing the toxicity associated with aminoglycoside use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Lv
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Mengmeng Bian
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Xuebing Huang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Fengqi Sun
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Yajuan Fu
- Biomedical Research Center of South China, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350117, China
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province 350117, China
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Combining Colistin with Furanone C-30 Rescues Colistin Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria in Vitro and in Vivo. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0123121. [PMID: 34730415 PMCID: PMC8567244 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01231-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has led to serious public health problems worldwide. Colistin, as a “last resort” for the treatment of MDR bacterial infections, has been used significantly in recent years and has led to the continuous emergence of colistin-resistant strains. In this study, we aimed to investigate the synergistic effect on the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of a colistin/furanone C-30 combination against colistin-resistant GNB in vitro and in vivo. According to antimicrobial resistance profiles, most of the colistin-resistant strains we collected showed MDR phenotypes. The checkerboard method and time-kill curve showed that the combination with furanone C-30 increases the antibacterial activity of colistin significantly. In addition, the furanone C-30/colistin combination can not only inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilm but also has a better eradication effect on preformed mature biofilms. The result of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the furanone C-30/colistin combination led to a significant reduction in the number of cells in biofilms. Furthermore, furanone C-30 at 50 μg/ml did not cause any additional toxicity to RAW264.7 cells according to a cytotoxicity assay. In in vivo infection experiments, the furanone C-30/colistin combination increased the survival rate of infected Galleria mellonella larvae as well as decreased the microbial load in a mouse thigh infection model. The synergistic effect of the furanone C-30/colistin combination against colistin-resistant GNB is encouraging, and this work may shed light on a new therapeutic approach to combat colistin-resistant pathogens. IMPORTANCE Colistin is among the few antibiotics effective against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) clinical isolates. However, colistin-resistant GNB strains have emerged in recent years. Therefore, the combination of colistin and nonantibacterial drugs has attracted much attention. In this study, the furanone C-30/colistin combination showed good antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in vitro and in vivo. In addition, increased membrane permeability leads to the synergistic effect of the furanone C-30/colistin combination. Because of the low cytotoxicity of furanone C-30, this combination has good application prospects in clinical anti-infective therapy. This finding might shed light on the discovery of combination therapy for infections caused by colistin-resistant GNB pathogens.
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Inactivation of Nitrite-Dependent Nitric Oxide Biosynthesis Is Responsible for Overlapped Antibiotic Resistance between Naturally and Artificially Evolved Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mSystems 2021; 6:e0073221. [PMID: 34546070 PMCID: PMC8547483 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00732-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic flexibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could lead to new strategies to combat bacterial infection. The present study used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics to investigate global metabolism in naturally and artificially evolved strains with cefoperazone-sulbactam (SCF) resistance (AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO, respectively) from the same parent strain (AP-RCLIN). Inactivation of the pyruvate cycle and nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis was identified as characteristic features of SCF resistance in both evolved strains. Nitrite-dependent NO biosynthesis instead of an arginine-dependent NO pathway is responsible for the reduced NO, which is attributed to lower nitrite and electrons from the oxidation of NADH to NAD+ provided by the pyruvate cycle. Exogenous fumarate, NADH, nitrate, and nitrite promoted the NO level and thereby potentiated SCF-mediated killing. Unexpectedly, fumarate caused the elevation of nitrite, while nitrite/nitrate resulted in the increase of Cyt bc1 complex (providing electrons). These interesting findings indicate that the nitrite-dependent NO biosynthesis and the pyruvate cycle are mutual to promote NO metabolism. In addition, the NO-potentiated sensitivity to SCF was validated by NO donor sodium nitroprusside. These results reveal an endogenous NO-mediated SCF resistance and develop its reversion by metabolites in P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa have become a real concern among hospital-acquired infections, especially in cystic fibrosis patients and immunocompromised individuals. Control of the pathogen is challenging due to antibiotic resistance. Since bacterial metabolic state impacts sensitivity and resistance to antibiotics, exploring and disclosing bacterial metabolic mechanisms can be used to develop a metabolome-reprogramming approach to elevate bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics. Therefore, GC-MS-based metabolomics is used to explore the similarities and differences of metabolomes between naturally and artificially evolved cefoperazone-sulbactam (SCF)-resistant P. aeruginosa (AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO, respectively) from the same parent strain (AP-RCLIN). It identifies the depressed nitrite-dependent nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis as the most overlapping characteristic feature between AP-RCLIN-EVO and AP-RLAB-EVO. This is because the pyruvate cycle fluctuates, thereby generating fewer NADH and providing fewer electrons for nitrite-dependent NO biosynthesis than the control. Interestingly, exogenous fumarate, NADH, nitrate, and nitrite as well as NO donor sodium nitroprusside promote NO generation to elevate sensitivity to SCF. These results highlight the way to understand metabolic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and explore metabolic modulation to combat the bacterial pathogen.
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Song S, Kim JS, Yamasaki R, Oh S, Benedik MJ, Wood TK. Escherichia coli cryptic prophages sense nutrients to influence persister cell resuscitation. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:7245-7254. [PMID: 34668292 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cryptic prophages are not genomic junk but instead enable cells to combat myriad stresses as an active stress response. How these phage fossils affect persister cell resuscitation has, however, not been explored. Persister cells form as a result of stresses such as starvation, antibiotics and oxidative conditions, and resuscitation of these persister cells likely causes recurring infections such as those associated with tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and Lyme disease. Deletion of each of the nine Escherichia coli cryptic prophages has no effect on persister cell formation. Strikingly, elimination of each cryptic prophage results in an increase in persister cell resuscitation with a dramatic increase in resuscitation upon deleting all nine prophages. This increased resuscitation includes eliminating the need for a carbon source and is due to activation of the phosphate import system resulting from inactivating the transcriptional regulator AlpA of the CP4-57 cryptic prophage. Deletion of alpA increases persister resuscitation, and AlpA represses phosphate regulator PhoR. Both phosphate regulators PhoP and PhoB stimulate resuscitation. This suggests a novel cellular stress mechanism controlled by cryptic prophages: regulation of phosphate uptake which controls the exit of the cell from dormancy and prevents premature resuscitation in the absence of nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802-4400, USA.,Department of Animal Science, Jeonbuk National University, 587 Baekje-Daero, Deokjin-Gu, Jeonju-Si, Jeollabuk-Do, 54896, South Korea.,Department of Agricultural Convergence Technology, Jeonbuk National University, 587 Baekje-Daero, Deokjin-Gu, Jeonju-Si, Jeollabuk-Do, 54896, South Korea
| | - Jun-Seob Kim
- Department of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Incheon, 22012, South Korea
| | - Ryota Yamasaki
- Department of Health Promotion, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 803-8580, Japan
| | - Sejong Oh
- Division of Animal Science, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-Ro, Buk-Gu, Gwangju, 61186, South Korea
| | - Michael J Benedik
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802-4400, USA
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20
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Wang C, Li X, Cheng T, Sun H, Jin L. Eradication of Porphyromonas gingivalis Persisters Through Colloidal Bismuth Subcitrate Synergistically Combined With Metronidazole. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:748121. [PMID: 34745052 PMCID: PMC8565575 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.748121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial persisters enable the development of certain intrinsic strategies for survival with extreme tolerance to multiple antimicrobials. Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered to be the "keystone" periodontopathogen. Indeed, periodontitis, as a highly common inflammatory disease, is the major cause of severe tooth loss and edentulism in adults globally, and yet it is crucially involved in various systemic comorbidities like diabetes. We have recently revealed P. gingivalis persisters-induced perturbation of immuno-inflammatory responses and effective suppression of this key pathogen by bismuth drugs. This study further explored novel approaches to eradicating P. gingivalis persisters through synergistic combination of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) with traditional antibiotics. P. gingivalis (ATCC 33277) cells in planktonic and biofilm states were cultured to stationary phase, and then treated with metronidazole (100 mg/L), amoxicillin (100 mg/L), CBS, (100 μM) and combinations of these medications, respectively. Persister survival rate was calculated by colony-forming unit. Cell viability and cytotoxicity of CBS were assessed in human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs). Notably, CBS combined with metronidazole enabled the effective eradication of P. gingivalis persisters in planktonic mode, and nearly eliminated their existence in biofilm mode. Importantly, CBS exhibited no effects on the viability of HGECs, along with minimal cytotoxicity (<5%) even at a high concentration (400 μM). This pioneering study shows that P. gingivalis persisters could be well eliminated via the synergistic combination of CBS with metronidazole. Our findings may contribute to developing novel approaches to tackling periodontitis and inflammatory systemic comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Wang
- Division of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Division of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tianfan Cheng
- Division of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hongzhe Sun
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lijian Jin
- Division of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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21
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Li Y, Wood TK, Zhang W, Li C. Vibrio splendidus persister cells induced by host coelomic fluids show a similar phenotype to antibiotic-induced counterparts. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5605-5620. [PMID: 34390618 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Persister cells are dormant variants of regular cells that are multidrug tolerant and have heterogeneous phenotypes; these cells are a potential threat to hosts because they can escape the immune system or antibiotic treatments and reconstitute infectious. Skin ulcer syndrome (SUS) frequently occurs in the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), and Vibrio splendidus is one of the main bacterial pathogens of SUS. This study found that the active cells of V. splendidus became persister cells more readily in the presence of A. japonicus coelomic fluids. We showed that the A. japonicus coelomic fluids plus antibiotics induce 100-fold more persister cells in V. splendidus compared with antibiotics alone via nine sets of experiments including assays for antibiotic resistance, metabolic activity, and single-cell phenotypes. Furthermore, the coelomic fluids-induced persister cells showed similar phenotypes as the antibiotic-induced persister cells. Further investigation showed that guanosine pentaphosphate/tetraphosphate (henceforth ppGpp) and SOS response pathway involved in the formation of persister cells as determined using real-time RT-PCR. In addition, single-cell observations showed that, similar to the antibiotic-induced V. splendidus persister cells, the coelomic fluids-induced persister cells have five resuscitation phenotypes: no growth, expansion, elongation, elongation and then division, and elongation followed by death/disappearance. In addition, dark foci formed in the majority of persister cells for both the antibiotic-induced and coelomic fluids-induced persister cells. Our results highlight that the pathogen V. splendidus might escape from the host immune system by entering the persister state during the process of infection due to exposure to coelomic fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Chenghua Li
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
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22
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Kuang SF, Chen YT, Chen JJ, Peng XX, Chen ZG, Li H. Synergy of alanine and gentamicin to reduce nitric oxide for elevating killing efficacy to antibiotic-resistant Vibrio alginolyticus. Virulence 2021; 12:1737-1753. [PMID: 34251979 PMCID: PMC8276662 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1947447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study explored the cooperative effect of both alanine (Ala) and gentamicin (Gent) on metabolic mechanisms by which exogenous Ala potentiates Gent to kill antibiotic-resistant Vibrio alginolyticus. To test this, GC-MS-based metabolomics was used to characterize Ala-, Gent- and both-induced metabolic profiles, identifying nitric oxide (NO) production pathway as the most key clue to understand metabolic mechanisms. Gent, Ala and both led to low, lower and lowest activity of total nitric oxide synthase (tNOS) and level of NO, respectively. NOS promoter L-arginine and inhibitor NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine inhibited and promoted the killing, respectively, with the elevation and decrease of NOS activity and NO level. The present study further showed that CysJ is the enzyme-producing NO in V. alginolyticus. These results indicate that the cooperative effect of Ala and Gent causes the lowest NO, which plays a key role in Ala-potentiated Gent-mediated killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Fang Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan-Xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhuang-Gui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control and the Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Zhuhai, Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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Song S, Wood TK. Are we really studying persister cells? ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:3-7. [PMID: 32363793 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Animal Science, JeonBuk National University, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA
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Khan F, Pham DTN, Tabassum N, Oloketuyi SF, Kim YM. Treatment strategies targeting persister cell formation in bacterial pathogens. Crit Rev Microbiol 2020; 46:665-688. [DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2020.1822278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Institute of Food Science, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
| | - Dung Thuy Nguyen Pham
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Industrial Convergence Bionix Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
| | | | - Young-Mog Kim
- Institute of Food Science, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
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Moreira Martins PM, Gong T, de Souza AA, Wood TK. Copper Kills Escherichia coli Persister Cells. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9080506. [PMID: 32806704 PMCID: PMC7459663 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their reduced metabolism, persister cells can survive most antimicrobial treatments, which usually rely on corrupting active biochemical pathways. Therefore, molecules that kill bacterial persisters should function in a metabolism-independent manner. Some anti-persister compounds have been found previously, such as the DNA-crosslinkers mitomycin C and cisplatin, but more effective and lower cost alternatives are needed. Copper alloys have been used since ancient times due to their antimicrobial properties, and they are still used in agriculture to control plant bacterial diseases. By stopping transcription with rifampicin and by treating with ampicillin to remove non-persister cells, we created a population that consists solely of Escherichia coli persister cells. Using this population of persister cells, we demonstrate that cupric compounds kill E. coli persister cells. Hence, copper ions may be used in controlling the spread of important bacterial strains that withstand treatment with conventional antimicrobials by forming persister cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Maria Moreira Martins
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (P.M.M.M.); (T.G.)
- Biotechnology Lab, Centro de Citricultura Sylvio Moreira, Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, Cordeirópolis-SP 13490-970, Brazil;
| | - Ting Gong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (P.M.M.M.); (T.G.)
| | - Alessandra A. de Souza
- Biotechnology Lab, Centro de Citricultura Sylvio Moreira, Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, Cordeirópolis-SP 13490-970, Brazil;
| | - Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (P.M.M.M.); (T.G.)
- Correspondence:
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