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Sriram D, Wahi R, Maggioncalda EC, Panthi CM, Lamichhane G. Clofazimine as a comparator for preclinical efficacy evaluations of experimental therapeutics against pulmonary M. abscessus infection in mice. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2022; 137:102268. [PMID: 36228452 PMCID: PMC10739713 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2022.102268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacteroides abscessus (Mab, also known as Mycobacterium abscessus) can cause chronic pulmonary disease in the setting of structural lung conditions. Current treatment recommendations require at least one year of daily therapy with repurposed antibiotics. Yet these therapies are often ineffective and associated with significant adverse events. To address this challenge, research efforts are underway to develop new antibiotics and regimens. During the preclinical phase of treatment development, experimental agents require testing and comparison alongside positive controls that are known agents with clinical history. As there are no FDA approved treatments for this indication, here, we have considered repurposed antibiotics currently included in the recommendation for treating Mab disease as candidates for selection of an ideal standard comparator that can serve as a positive control in preclinical studies. Clofazimine meets the criteria for an ideal positive control as it can be administered via the least invasive route, requires only once-daily dosing, is well tolerated, and is widely available in high purity from independent sources. Using a mouse model of pulmonary Mab disease, we assessed for ideal dosages of clofazimine in C3HeB/FeJ and BALB/c mice in a six-week treatment window. Clofazimine, 25 mg/kg, once daily, produced desired reduction in Mab burden in the lungs of C3HeB/FeJ and BALB/c mice. Based on these findings, we conclude that clofazimine meets the criteria for a positive control comparator in mice for use in preclinical efficacy assessments of agents for treatment of Mab pulmonary disease. Although not included in the current standard-of-care for treating Mab disease, rifabutin, 20 mg/kg, also produced desired reduction in Mab lung burden in C3HeB/FeJ mice but not in BALB/c mice. IMPORTANCE: Mycobacteroides abscessus can cause life-threatening infections in patients with chronic lung conditions. New treatments are needed as cure rate using existing drugs is low. During pre-clinical phase of treatment development, it is important to compare the efficacy of the experimental drug against existing ones with known history. Here, we demonstrate that clofazimine, one of the antibiotics repurposed for treating Mab disease, can serve as a positive control comparator for efficacy assessments of experimental drugs and regimens to treat M. abscessus disease in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Sriram
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rishi Wahi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Emily C Maggioncalda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Chandra M Panthi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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Batchelder HR, Zandi TA, Kaushik A, Naik A, Story-Roller E, Maggioncalda EC, Lamichhane G, Nuermberger EL, Townsend CA. Structure-Activity Relationship of Penem Antibiotic Side Chains Used against Mycobacteria Reveals Highly Active Compounds. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1627-1636. [PMID: 35916356 PMCID: PMC10029149 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections has placed ever-increasing importance on discovering new antibiotics to treat these diseases. Recently, a new penem, T405, was discovered to have strong antimicrobial activity against M. tuberculosis and Mycobacteroides abscessus. Here, a penem library of C2 side-chain variants was synthesized, and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. abscessus ATCC 19977. Several new penems with antimicrobial activity stronger than the standard-of-care carbapenem antibiotics were identified with some candidates improving on the activity of the lead compound, T405. Moreover, many candidates showed little or no increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration in the presence of serum compared to the highly protein-bound T405. The penems with the strongest activity identified in this study were then biochemically characterized by reaction with the representative l,d-transpeptidase LdtMt2 and the representative penicillin-binding protein d,d-carboxypeptidase DacB2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter R Batchelder
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Trevor A Zandi
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Amit Kaushik
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Akul Naik
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Elizabeth Story-Roller
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Emily C Maggioncalda
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Eric L Nuermberger
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Craig A Townsend
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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Batchelder HR, Story-Roller E, Lloyd EP, Kaushik A, Bigelow KM, Maggioncalda EC, Nuermberger EL, Lamichhane G, Townsend CA. Development of a penem antibiotic against Mycobacteroides abscessus. Commun Biol 2020; 3:741. [PMID: 33288821 PMCID: PMC7721803 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01475-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
β-lactams are the most widely used antibiotic class to treat bacterial infections in humans. Mycobacteroides abscessus is an emerging pulmonary pathogen resistant to most antibiotics, including penicillins and cephalosporins. With no current FDA-approved treatment and cure rates <50%, there is a pressing need for effective therapies. Here we report T405, a new β-lactam of the penem subclass that exhibits potent activity against M. abscessus and a panel of drug-resistant strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. Additionally, in combination with the β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam, the rate of spontaneous resistance of M. abscessus to T405 approached the limit of detection. Lastly, we show the favorable pharmacokinetic profile of T405 in mice and the absence of toxicity at elevated dosage, which support the clinical potential of this compound. Batchelder et al. report a new penem class antibiotic, T405, which exhibits potent activity against M. abscessus and clinical isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. The development of resistance to T405 is inhibited with the addition of a β-lactamase inhibitor, avibactam. Its clinical potential is further demonstrated by T405 displaying a favourable pharmacokinetic profile in mice with an absence of toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter R Batchelder
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Elizabeth Story-Roller
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Evan P Lloyd
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Amit Kaushik
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kristina M Bigelow
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Emily C Maggioncalda
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Eric L Nuermberger
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Craig A Townsend
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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Maggioncalda EC, Story-Roller E, Mylius J, Illei P, Basaraba RJ, Lamichhane G. A mouse model of pulmonary Mycobacteroides abscessus infection. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3690. [PMID: 32111900 PMCID: PMC7048719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60452-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
There is no preclinical mouse model to investigate pulmonary Mycobacteroides abscessus (formerly Mycobacterium abscessus) infection in an immunocompetent mouse strain, especially in the context of antibiotic testing and regimen development. We developed a mouse model of pulmonary M. abscessus infection using the aerosolized route of infection that leads to an increase in bacterial burden post- implantation and develops pathology as a result. In this mouse model, treatment with corticosteroid allows for initial proliferation and sustained M. abscessus pulmonary infection and permits evaluation of efficacies of antibiotics. Administration of corticosteroids that permitted higher levels of bacterial burden in the lungs were more likely to have pathology. Treatment of mice with antibiotics administered intranasally or subcutaneously significantly reduced lung M. abscessus burden. In addition to the reference strain, independent clinical isolates of M. abscessus also readily establish infection and proliferate in the lungs of mice in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Maggioncalda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Elizabeth Story-Roller
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Julian Mylius
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Peter Illei
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Randall J Basaraba
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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Story-Roller E, Maggioncalda EC, Lamichhane G. Select β-Lactam Combinations Exhibit Synergy against Mycobacterium abscessus In Vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:e02613-18. [PMID: 30745389 PMCID: PMC6437493 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02613-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a nontuberculous mycobacterium that causes invasive pulmonary infections in patients with structural lung disease. M. abscessus is intrinsically resistant to several classes of antibiotics, and an increasing number of strains isolated from patients exhibit resistance to most antibiotics considered for treatment of infections by this mycobacterium. Therefore, there is an unmet need for new regimens with improved efficacy to treat this disease. Synthesis of the essential cell wall peptidoglycan in M. abscessus is achieved via two enzyme classes, l,d- and d,d-transpeptidases, with each class preferentially inhibited by different subclasses of β-lactam antibiotics. We hypothesized that a combination of two β-lactams that comprehensively inhibit the two enzyme classes will exhibit synergy in killing M. abscessus Paired combinations of antibiotics tested for in vitro synergy against M. abscessus included dual β-lactams, a β-lactam and a β-lactamase inhibitor, and a β-lactam and a rifamycin. Of the initial 206 combinations screened, 24 pairs exhibited synergy. A total of 13/24 pairs were combinations of two β-lactams, and 12/24 pairs brought the MICs of both drugs to within the therapeutic range. Additionally, synergistic drug pairs significantly reduced the frequency of selection of spontaneous resistant mutants. These novel combinations of currently available antibiotics may offer viable immediate treatment options against highly-resistant M. abscessus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Story-Roller
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emily C Maggioncalda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Story-Roller E, Maggioncalda EC, Cohen KA, Lamichhane G. Mycobacterium abscessus and β-Lactams: Emerging Insights and Potential Opportunities. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2273. [PMID: 30319581 PMCID: PMC6167491 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
β-lactams, the most widely used class of antibiotics, are well-tolerated, and their molecular mechanisms of action against many bacteria are well-documented. Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a highly drug-resistant rapidly-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Only in recent years have we started to gain insight into the unique relationship between β-lactams and their targets in Mab. In this mini-review, we summarize recent findings that have begun to unravel the molecular basis for overall efficacy of β-lactams against Mab and discuss emerging evidence that indicates that we have yet to harness the full potential of this antibiotic class to treat Mab infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Story-Roller
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Emily C Maggioncalda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Keira A Cohen
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gyanu Lamichhane
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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