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Santos AL, Liu D, van Venrooy A, Beckham JL, Oliver A, Tegos GP, Tour JM. Nonlethal Molecular Nanomachines Potentiate Antibiotic Activity Against Gram-Negative Bacteria by Increasing Cell Permeability and Attenuating Efflux. ACS Nano 2024; 18:3023-3042. [PMID: 38241477 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a pressing public health threat. Despite rising resistance, antibiotic development, especially for Gram-negative bacteria, has stagnated. As the traditional antibiotic research and development pipeline struggles to address this growing concern, alternative solutions become imperative. Synthetic molecular nanomachines (MNMs) are molecular structures that rotate unidirectionally in a controlled manner in response to a stimulus, such as light, resulting in a mechanical action that can propel molecules to drill into cell membranes, causing rapid cell death. Due to their broad destructive capabilities, clinical translation of MNMs remains challenging. Hence, here, we explore the ability of nonlethal visible-light-activated MNMs to potentiate conventional antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria. Nonlethal MNMs enhanced the antibacterial activity of various classes of conventional antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, including those typically effective only against Gram-positive strains, reducing the antibiotic concentration required for bactericidal action. Our study also revealed that MNMs bind to the negatively charged phospholipids of the bacterial inner membrane, leading to permeabilization of the cell envelope and impairment of efflux pump activity following light activation of MNMs. The combined effects of MNMs on membrane permeability and efflux pumps resulted in increased antibiotic accumulation inside the cell, reversing antibiotic resistance and attenuating its development. These results identify nonlethal MNMs as pleiotropic antibiotic enhancers or adjuvants. The combination of MNMs with traditional antibiotics is a promising strategy against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections. This approach can reduce the amount of antibiotics needed and slow down antibiotic resistance development, thereby preserving the effectiveness of our current antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L Santos
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- IdISBA - Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares, 07120 Palma, Spain
| | - Dongdong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Alexis van Venrooy
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jacob L Beckham
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Antonio Oliver
- IdISBA - Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares, 07120 Palma, Spain
- Servicio de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, 07120 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - George P Tegos
- Office of Research, Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare, Mohawk Valley Health System, 1676 Sunset Avenue, Utica, New York 13502, United States
| | - James M Tour
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- NanoCarbon Center and Rice Advanced Materials Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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2
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Santos AL, Beckham JL, Liu D, Li G, van Venrooy A, Oliver A, Tegos GP, Tour JM. Visible-Light-Activated Molecular Machines Kill Fungi by Necrosis Following Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Calcium Overload. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2023; 10:e2205781. [PMID: 36715588 PMCID: PMC10074111 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are a growing public health threat. As fungi become increasingly resistant to existing drugs, new antifungals are urgently needed. Here, it is reported that 405-nm-visible-light-activated synthetic molecular machines (MMs) eliminate planktonic and biofilm fungal populations more effectively than conventional antifungals without resistance development. Mechanism-of-action studies show that MMs bind to fungal mitochondrial phospholipids. Upon visible light activation, rapid unidirectional drilling of MMs at ≈3 million cycles per second (MHz) results in mitochondrial dysfunction, calcium overload, and ultimately necrosis. Besides their direct antifungal effect, MMs synergize with conventional antifungals by impairing the activity of energy-dependent efflux pumps. Finally, MMs potentiate standard antifungals both in vivo and in an ex vivo porcine model of onychomycosis, reducing the fungal burden associated with infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Santos
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- IdISBA – Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas BalearesPalma07120Spain
| | | | - Dongdong Liu
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
| | - Gang Li
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
| | | | - Antonio Oliver
- IdISBA – Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas BalearesPalma07120Spain
- Servicio de MicrobiologiaHospital Universitari Son EspasesPalma07120Spain
| | - George P. Tegos
- Office of ResearchReading HospitalTower Health, 420 S. Fifth AvenueWest ReadingPA19611USA
| | - James M. Tour
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- Smalley‐Curl InstituteRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineeringRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- NanoCarbon Center and the Welch Institute for Advanced MaterialsRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
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3
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van Venrooy A, Wyderka AM, García-López V, Alemany LB, Martí AA, Tour JM. Probing the Rotary Cycle of Amine-Substituted Molecular Motors. J Org Chem 2023; 88:762-770. [PMID: 36622748 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c01457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of the rotary cycle of molecular motors (MMs), a key component of an approach to opening cells using mechanical motion, is important in furthering the research. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used for in situ analysis of illuminated light-active MMs. We found that the presence of a N,N-dimethylethylenediamine in a position conjugated to the central olefin results in changes to the rotation of a second-generation Feringa-type MM. Importantly, the addition decreases the photostability of the compound. The parent compound 1 can withstand >2 h of illumination with no signs of decomposition, while the amino 7 decomposes after 10 min. We found that the degradation can be mitigated by implementing the simple techniques of modulating the light dose, dilution, and stirring the sample while illuminating. Additionally, the presence of moisture affects the rate of the motor's rotation. The addition of the amino group to 1, without moisture present, makes the rotation of motor 7 three times slower than the unfunctionalized parent compound. We also report the use of a method that can be used to determine the molar extinction coefficient of a light-generated metastable species. This method can be used when in situ NMR illumination is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis van Venrooy
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Aaron M Wyderka
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Víctor García-López
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Lawrence B Alemany
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Shared Equipment Authority, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Angel A Martí
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - James M Tour
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,NanoCarbon Center and the Welch Institute for Advanced Materials, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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Santos AL, van Venrooy A, Reed AK, Wyderka AM, García‐López V, Alemany LB, Oliver A, Tegos GP, Tour JM. Hemithioindigo-Based Visible Light-Activated Molecular Machines Kill Bacteria by Oxidative Damage. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2022; 9:e2203242. [PMID: 36002317 PMCID: PMC9596824 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a growing health threat. There is an urgent and critical need to develop new antimicrobial modalities and therapies. Here, a set of hemithioindigo (HTI)-based molecular machines capable of specifically killing Gram-positive bacteria within minutes of activation with visible light (455 nm at 65 mW cm-2 ) that are safe for mammalian cells is described. Importantly, repeated exposure of bacteria to HTI does not result in detectable development of resistance. Visible light-activated HTI kill both exponentially growing bacterial cells and antibiotic-tolerant persister cells of various Gram-positive strains, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Visible light-activated HTI also eliminate biofilms of S. aureus and B. subtilis in as little as 1 h after light activation. Quantification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and protein carbonyls, as well as assays with various ROS scavengers, identifies oxidative damage as the underlying mechanism for the antibacterial activity of HTI. In addition to their direct antibacterial properties, HTI synergize with conventional antibiotics in vitro and in vivo, reducing the bacterial load and mortality associated with MRSA infection in an invertebrate burn wound model. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the antimicrobial activity of HTI-based molecular machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Santos
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- IdISBA – Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas BalearesPalma07120Spain
| | | | - Anna K. Reed
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
| | | | | | - Lawrence B. Alemany
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- Shared Equipment AuthorityRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
| | - Antonio Oliver
- IdISBA – Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas BalearesPalma07120Spain
- Servicio de MicrobiologiaHospital Universitari Son EspasesPalma07120Spain
| | - George P. Tegos
- Office of ResearchReading HospitalTower Health420 S. Fifth AvenueWest ReadingPA19611USA
| | - James M. Tour
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- Smalley‐Curl InstituteRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- Department of Materials Science and NanoengineeringRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
- NanoCarbon Center and the Welch Institute for Advanced MaterialsRice UniversityHoustonTX77005USA
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Santos AL, Liu D, Reed AK, Wyderka AM, van Venrooy A, Li JT, Li VD, Misiura M, Samoylova O, Beckham JL, Ayala-Orozco C, Kolomeisky AB, Alemany LB, Oliver A, Tegos GP, Tour JM. Light-activated molecular machines are fast-acting broad-spectrum antibacterials that target the membrane. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabm2055. [PMID: 35648847 PMCID: PMC9159576 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm2055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The increasing occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the dwindling antibiotic research and development pipeline have created a pressing global health crisis. Here, we report the discovery of a distinctive antibacterial therapy that uses visible (405 nanometers) light-activated synthetic molecular machines (MMs) to kill Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, in minutes, vastly outpacing conventional antibiotics. MMs also rapidly eliminate persister cells and established bacterial biofilms. The antibacterial mode of action of MMs involves physical disruption of the membrane. In addition, by permeabilizing the membrane, MMs at sublethal doses potentiate the action of conventional antibiotics. Repeated exposure to antibacterial MMs is not accompanied by resistance development. Finally, therapeutic doses of MMs mitigate mortality associated with bacterial infection in an in vivo model of burn wound infection. Visible light-activated MMs represent an unconventional antibacterial mode of action by mechanical disruption at the molecular scale, not existent in nature and to which resistance development is unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Santos
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- IdISBA–Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | - Dongdong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Anna K. Reed
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Aaron M. Wyderka
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | | | - John T. Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Victor D. Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Mikita Misiura
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Olga Samoylova
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jacob L. Beckham
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | | | | | - Lawrence B. Alemany
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Shared Equipment Authority, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Antonio Oliver
- IdISBA–Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares, Palma, Spain
- Servicio de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma, Spain
| | - George P. Tegos
- Office of Research, Reading Hospital, Tower Health, 420 S. Fifth Avenue, West Reading, PA 19611, USA
| | - James M. Tour
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- NanoCarbon Center and the Welch Institute for Advanced Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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Ayala-Orozco C, van Venrooy A, Liu D, Shi Y, Beckham J, Izhaky D, Tour JM, Myers JN, Rangel R. Abstract 269: Harnessing the mechanical power of nanomachines to treat cancer: Light-activated molecular nanomachines kill melanoma and oral cancer cells. Cancer Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2021-269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Molecular nanomachines (MNMs) have been studied for their anti-tumor efficacy in a number of solid malignancies. They consist of small (1 nm) organic molecule-based motors that change conformation upon light activation and mechanically drill holes in the cell membrane resulting in cellular necrosis. That opens a novel way of molecular mechanical therapy. Recently, we generated a blue light spectrum (395-405 nm)-activated MNMs which showed promising results in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Herein, we evaluate the in vitro efficacy in various oral and skin cancers including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and melanoma, a disease characterized by fast progression and therapeutic resistance.
Methods: MNMs activated by the blue light spectrum were synthesized. In vitro efficacy of the activated MNMs (8 µM in 0.1% DMSO) was investigated in skin cancer cell lines. Cells were incubated with MNMs for 30 minutes, then treatment groups were subjected to 150 mW/cm2 blue light for 4 minutes or 300 mW/cm2 for 5 min. Control groups included MNMs without light, 0.1% DMSO (required for solubility of the MNMs) with light, and 0.1% DMSO without light. Cell viability was quantitatively evaluated utilizing propidium iodide (PI) and flow cytometry assay with each datapoint representing triplicates. Additionally, cells were grown and tested by clonogenic assay 1d and 9d following light and MNMs treatment.
Results: B16-F10 (murine melanoma cancer cell line) treated with light-activated MNMs exhibited almost 100% loss in viability when treated with MNMs and light. Solution only (0.1% DMSO), unactivated MNMs and DMSO solution combined with light exhibited less than 5% change in cell viability suggesting that all the controls are non-cytotoxic evaluated by PI-flow cytometry at 3 h after treatment. Clonogenic assay 9 day post treatment confirmed 100% cell death for the MNMs + light treated cells, while showing nearly 80-90% survival of cells in the light only treatment control. Other treated cell lines include SCC cell lines (ROC 1 and ROC 3) showing 100% loss in cell viability when treated with MNMs and light.
Conclusions: Light-activated MNM exhibit profound in vitro efficacy in multiple skin cancer cells lines. MNMs are a promising novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of oral and skin cancers, and there are no known resistance mechanisms for nanomechanical therapy. They are now being tested on murine tumor models of B16-F10 in C57BL/6 mice and further preclinical characterization of antitumor efficacy and tolerability are necessary in these studies.
Citation Format: Ciceron Ayala-Orozco, Alexis van Venrooy, Dongdong Liu, Yewen Shi, Jacob Beckham, David Izhaky, James M. Tour, Jeffrey N. Myers, Roberto Rangel. Harnessing the mechanical power of nanomachines to treat cancer: Light-activated molecular nanomachines kill melanoma and oral cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 269.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yewen Shi
- 3MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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van Venrooy A, García-López V, Li JT, Tour JM, Dubrovskiy AV. Nanocars with Permanent Dipoles: Preparing for the Second International Nanocar Race. J Org Chem 2020; 85:13644-13654. [PMID: 33085894 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.0c01811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
With the desire to synthesize surface-rolling molecular machines that can be translated and rotated with extreme precision and speed, we have synthesized a series of five nanocars. Each structure features a permanent dipole moment, generated by an N,N-dimethylamino- moiety on one end of the car coupled with a nitro group on the other end. These cars are designed to be stimulated with an electric field gradient from a scanning probe microscopy tip. The nanocars all possess unexplored combinations of structural features: tert-butyl wheels, short alkyne chassis, and combination sets of wheels including one set of tert-butyl wheels and another set of larger adamantane wheels on the same car. Each of these features needs to be assessed as preparation for the second International Nanocar Race that is taking place in 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anton V Dubrovskiy
- Department of Physical and Applied Sciences, University of Houston-Clear Lake, 2700 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77058, United States
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Schmink JR, Dockrey SAB, Zhang T, Chebet N, van Venrooy A, Sexton M, Lew SI, Chou S, Okazaki A. Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Aryl Vinyl Sulfides via 1,3-Oxathiolanes As Vinyl Sulfide Surrogates. Org Lett 2016; 18:6360-6363. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason R. Schmink
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Summer A. Baker Dockrey
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Tianyi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Naomi Chebet
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Alexis van Venrooy
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Mary Sexton
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Sarah I. Lew
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Steffany Chou
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
| | - Ami Okazaki
- Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-2899, United States
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