Protective effects of anti-alginate monoclonal antibody against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of HeLa cells

Recent Advances in Immunotherapeutic and Vaccine-Based Approaches for the Treatment of Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections

Antimicrobial resistance poses a grave threat to global public health. Although new antibiotics are urgently needed, most share resistance mechanisms with existing drugs, thereby necessitating the development of alternative antibacterial therapeutics. Various immunotherapeutic agents, including monoclonal antibodies, therapeutic vaccines, cellular therapies, and immunomodulators, have been developed and explored to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in immunotherapies and vaccine-based approaches as alternative strategies to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections. Our findings indicate that immunotherapy offers several advantages over traditional antibiotics, such as enhanced specificity, long-term effects, overcoming resistance mechanisms, broad applicability, potential for combination therapies, personalized medicine, and reduced toxicity. Also, formulation and delivery strategies, including nanoparticles, liposomes, cellular vehicles, and diverse administration routes, have been employed to improve the efficacy and targeting of these immunotherapeutic agents. In-depth evaluations of promising preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate their potential effectiveness against pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Helicobacter pylori. These suggest that immunotherapy is a promising alternative to address the growing challenge of drug-resistant bacterial infections, potentially revolutionizing infection management strategies.

How Three Self-Secreted Biofilm Exopolysaccharides of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Psl, Pel, and Alginate, Can Each Be Exploited for Antibiotic Adjuvant Effects in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infection

In cystic fibrosis (CF), pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a cause of increased morbidity and mortality, especially in patients for whom infection becomes chronic and there is reliance on long-term suppressive therapies. Current antimicrobials, though varied mechanistically and by mode of delivery, are inadequate not only due to their failure to eradicate infection but also because they do not halt the progression of lung function decline over time. One of the reasons for this failure is thought to be the biofilm mode of growth of P. aeruginosa, wherein self-secreted exopolysaccharides (EPSs) provide physical protection against antibiotics and an array of niches with resulting metabolic and phenotypic heterogeneity. The three biofilm-associated EPSs secreted by P. aeruginosa (alginate, Psl, and Pel) are each under investigation and are being exploited in ways that potentiate antibiotics. In this review, we describe the development and structure of P. aeruginosa biofilms before examining each EPS as a potential therapeutic target for combating pulmonary infection with P. aeruginosa in CF, with a particular focus on the current evidence for these emerging therapies and barriers to bringing these therapies into clinic.

Recent advances to combat ESKAPE pathogens with special reference to essential oils

Biofilm-associated bacteria, especially ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.), are a serious challenge worldwide. Due to the lack of discovery of novel antibiotics, in the past two decades, it has become necessary to search for new antibiotics or to study synergy with the existing antibiotics so as to counter life-threatening infections. Nature-derived compounds/based products are more efficient than the chemically synthesized ones with less resistance and lower side effects. In this descriptive review, we discuss the most promising therapeutics for the treatment of ESKAPE-related biofilms. The first aspect includes different types of natural agents [botanical drugs, essential oils (EOs), antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages, and endolysins] effective against ESKAPE pathogens. The second part of the review deals with special references to EOs/essential oil components (EOCs) (with some exclusive examples), mode of action (via interfering in the quorum-sensing pathways, disruption of biofilm and their inhibitory concentrations, expression of genes that are involved, other virulence factors), existing in literature so far. Moreover, different essential oils and their major constituents were critically discussed using in vivo models to target ESKAPE pathogens along with the studies involving existing antibiotics.

Anti-bacterial monoclonal antibodies: next generation therapy against superbugs

Prior to the nineteenth century, infectious disease was one of the leading causes of death. Human life expectancy has roughly doubled over the past century as a result of the development of antibiotics and vaccines. However, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs brings new challenges. The side effects of broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as causing antimicrobial resistance and destroying the normal flora, often limit their applications. Furthermore, the development of new antibiotics has lagged far behind the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. On the other hand, the genome complexity of bacteria makes it difficult to create effective vaccines. Therefore, novel therapeutic agents in supplement to antibiotics and vaccines are urgently needed to improve the treatment of infections. In recent years, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have achieved remarkable clinical success in a variety of fields. In the treatment of infectious diseases, mAbs can play functions through multiple mechanisms, including toxins neutralization, virulence factors inhibition, complement-mediated killing activity, and opsonic phagocytosis. Toxins and bacterial surface components are good targets to generate antibodies against. The U.S. FDA has approved three monoclonal antibody drugs, and there are numerous candidates in the preclinical or clinical trial stages. This article reviews recent advances in the research and development of anti-bacterial monoclonal antibody drugs in order to provide a valuable reference for future studies in this area. KEY POINTS: • Novel drugs against antibiotic-resistant superbugs are urgently required • Monoclonal antibodies can treat bacterial infections through multiple mechanisms • There are many anti-bacterial monoclonal antibodies developed in recent years and some candidates have entered the preclinical or clinical stages of development.