1
|
Abdelmassih MM, Ismail MM, Kashef MT, Essam T. Repurposing fusidic acid as an antimicrobial against enterococci with a low probability of resistance development. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-024-00506-w. [PMID: 38532184 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00506-w] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Drug repurposing constitutes a strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance, by using agents with known safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Previous studies have implemented new fusidic acid (FA) front-loading-dose regimens, allowing higher serum levels than those achievable with ordinary doses. As susceptibility breakpoints are affected by serum level, we evaluated the repurposing of FA as an antimicrobial product against enterococci. FA minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against standard enterococci strains; Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and Enterococcus faecium ATCC 27270 were 2 and 4 µg/mL, respectively. The MIC against 98 enterococcal clinical isolates was ≤ 8 µg/mL; all would be susceptible if categorized according to recalculated breakpoints (≥ 16 µg/mL), based on the serum level achieved using the front-loading regimen. FA administration in vivo, using the BALB/c mouse infection model, significantly reduced bacterial burden by two to three log10 units in the liver and spleen of mice infected with vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant strains. Exposure of the standard enterococcal strains to increasing, but not fixed, FA concentrations resulted in resistant strains (MIC = 128 µg/mL), with thicker cell walls and slower growth rates. Only one mutation (M651I) was detected in the fusA gene of the resistant strain derived from serial passage of E. faecium ATCC 27270, which was retained in the revertant strain after passage in the FA-free medium. In conclusion, FA can be repurposed as an antimicrobial drug against enterococci with a low probability of mutational resistance development, and can be employed for treatment of infections attributable to vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark M Abdelmassih
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Maha M Ismail
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Mona T Kashef
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
| | - Tamer Essam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Valand N, Gazioglu O, Yesilkaya H, Shivkumar M, Horley N, Arroo R, Wallis R, Kishore U, Venkatraman Girija U. Interactions of Candida tropicalis pH-related antigen 1 with complement proteins C3, C3b, factor-H, C4BP and complement evasion. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152303. [PMID: 36495597 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2022.152303] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Candida, as a part of the human microbiota, can cause opportunistic infections that are either localised or systemic candidiasis. Emerging resistance to the standard antifungal drugs is associated with increased mortality rate due to invasive Candida infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. While there are several species of Candida, an increasing number of Candida tropicalis isolates have been recently reported from patients with invasive candidiasis or inflammatory bowel diseases. In order to establish infections, C. tropicalis has to adopt several strategies to escape the host immune attack. Understanding the immune evasion strategies is of great importance as these can be exploited as novel therapeutic targets. C. albicans pH-related antigen 1 (CaPra1), a surface bound and secretory protein, has been found to interact strongly with the immune system and help in complement evasion. However, the role of C. tropicalis Pra1 (CtPra1) and its interaction with the complement is not studied yet. Thus, we characterised how pH-related antigen 1 of C. tropicalis (CtPra1) interacts with some of the key complement proteins of the innate immune system. CtPra1 was recombinantly produced using a Kluyveromyces lactis yeast expression system. Recombinant CtPra1, was found to bind human C3 and C3b, central molecules of the complement pathways that are important components of the innate immune system. It was also found to bind human complement regulatory proteins factor-H and C4b-binding protein (C4BP). CtPra1-factor-H and CtPra1-C4BP interactions were found to be ionic in nature as the binding intensity affected by high sodium chloride concentrations. CtPra1 inhibited functional complement activation with different effects on classical (∼20 %), lectin (∼25 %) and alternative (∼30 %) pathways. qPCR experiments using C. tropicalis clinical isolates (oral, blood and peritoneal fluid) revealed relatively higher levels of expression of CtPra1 gene when compared to the reference strain. Native CtPra1 was found to be expressed both as membrane-bound and secretory forms in the clinical isolates. Thus, C. tropicalis appears to be a master of immune evasion by using Pra1 protein. Further investigation using in-vivo models will help ascertain if these proteins can be novel therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Valand
- Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, UK
| | - Ozcan Gazioglu
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, UK
| | - Hasan Yesilkaya
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, UK
| | | | - Neill Horley
- Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, UK
| | - Randolph Arroo
- Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, UK
| | - Russell Wallis
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, UK
| | - Uday Kishore
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.A.E. University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sahu SK, Kulkarni DH, Ozanturk AN, Ma L, Kulkarni HS. Emerging roles of the complement system in host-pathogen interactions. Trends Microbiol 2021; 30:390-402. [PMID: 34600784 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The complement system has historically been entertained as a fluid-phase, hepatically derived system which protects the intravascular space from encapsulated bacteria. However, there has been an increasing appreciation for its role in protection against non-encapsulated pathogens. Specifically, we have an improved understanding of how pathogens are recognized by specific complement proteins, as well as how they trigger and evade them. Additionally, we have an improved understanding of locally derived complement proteins, many of which promote host defense. Moreover, intracellular complement proteins have been identified that facilitate local protection and barrier function despite pathogen invasion. Our review aims to summarize these advances in the field as well as provide an insight into the pathophysiological changes occurring when the system is dysregulated in infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanjaya K Sahu
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Devesha H Kulkarni
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ayse N Ozanturk
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lina Ma
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hrishikesh S Kulkarni
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ali YM, Ferrari M, Lynch NJ, Yaseen S, Dudler T, Gragerov S, Demopulos G, Heeney JL, Schwaeble WJ. Lectin Pathway Mediates Complement Activation by SARS-CoV-2 Proteins. Front Immunol 2021; 12:714511. [PMID: 34290717 PMCID: PMC8287855 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.714511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Early and persistent activation of complement is considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Complement activation products orchestrate a proinflammatory environment that might be critical for the induction and maintenance of a severe inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 by recruiting cells of the cellular immune system to the sites of infection and shifting their state of activation towards an inflammatory phenotype. It precedes pathophysiological milestone events like the cytokine storm, progressive endothelial injury triggering microangiopathy, and further complement activation, and causes an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). To date, the application of antiviral drugs and corticosteroids have shown efficacy in the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but failed to ameliorate disease severity in patients who progressed to severe COVID-19 pathology. This report demonstrates that lectin pathway (LP) recognition molecules of the complement system, such as MBL, FCN-2 and CL-11, bind to SARS-CoV-2 S- and N-proteins, with subsequent activation of LP-mediated C3b and C4b deposition. In addition, our results confirm and underline that the N-protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds directly to the LP- effector enzyme MASP-2 and activates complement. Inhibition of the LP using an inhibitory monoclonal antibody against MASP-2 effectively blocks LP-mediated complement activation. FACS analyses using transfected HEK-293 cells expressing SARS-CoV-2 S protein confirm a robust LP-dependent C3b deposition on the cell surface which is inhibited by the MASP-2 inhibitory antibody. In light of our present results, and the encouraging performance of our clinical candidate MASP-2 inhibitor Narsoplimab in recently published clinical trials, we suggest that the targeting of MASP-2 provides an unsurpassed window of therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of severe COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youssif M. Ali
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Matteo Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Lynch
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Jonathan L. Heeney
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Wilhelm J. Schwaeble
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ghrissi H, Veloso ACA, Marx ÍMG, Dias T, Peres AM. A Potentiometric Electronic Tongue as a Discrimination Tool of Water-Food Indicator/Contamination Bacteria. Chemosensors 2021; 9:143. [DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors9060143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microorganism assessment plays a key role in food quality and safety control but conventional techniques are costly and/or time consuming. Alternatively, electronic tongues (E-tongues) can fulfill this critical task. Thus, a potentiometric lab-made E-tongue (40 lipid sensor membranes) was used to differentiate four common food contamination bacteria, including two Gram positive (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Principal component analysis and a linear discriminant analysis-simulated annealing algorithm (LDA-SA) showed that the potentiometric signal profiles acquired during the analysis of aqueous solutions containing known amounts of each studied bacteria allowed a satisfactory differentiation of the four bacterial strains. An E-tongue-LDA-SA model (12 non-redundant sensors) correctly classified 98 ± 5% of the samples (repeated K-fold-CV), the satisfactory performance of which can be attributed to the capability of the lipid membranes to establish electrostatic interactions/hydrogen bonds with hydroxyl, amine and/or carbonyl groups, which are comprised in the bacteria outer membranes. Furthermore, multiple linear regression models, based on selected subsets of E-tongue sensors (12–15 sensors), also allowed quantifying the bacteria contents in aqueous solutions (0.993 ± 0.011 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.998 ± 0.005, for repeated K-fold-CV). In conclusion, the E-tongue could be of great value as a preliminary food quality and safety diagnosis tool.
Collapse
|
6
|
Shehab El-Din EMR, Elgaml A, Ali YM, Hassan R. Inhibition of the Classical Pathway of Complement Activation Impairs Bacterial Clearance during Enterococcus faecalis Infection. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e00660-20. [PMID: 33593889 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00660-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis infections are considered a major public health concern worldwide. The complement system has a crucial role in the protection against different microbial pathogens, including E. faecalis Complement can be activated through three different pathways, including the classical, lectin, and alternative pathways. There is limited information on the role of the classical pathway (CP) in protection against infections caused by E. faecalis In the present study, we generated Fab fragments that successfully block the CP in mouse via inhibition of a key enzyme, C1s-A. Our results showed that anti-C1s-A Fab fragments block CP-mediated C3b and C4b deposition in vitro We further showed that administration of anti-C1s-A Fab fragments significantly impairs the CP functional activity in vivo Moreover, treatment of mice infected with E. faecalis using anti-C1s-A Fab fragments significantly impairs bacterial clearance as determined from the viable bacterial counts recovered from blood, kidneys, spleens, livers, and lungs of infected mice. Overall, this study highlights the essential role of the CP in host defense against E. faecalis.
Collapse
|
7
|
Bjanes E, Nizet V. More than a Pore: Nonlytic Antimicrobial Functions of Complement and Bacterial Strategies for Evasion. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:e00177-20. [PMID: 33504655 DOI: 10.1128/MMBR.00177-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement system is an evolutionarily ancient defense mechanism against foreign substances. Consisting of three proteolytic activation pathways, complement converges on a common effector cascade terminating in the formation of a lytic pore on the target surface. The classical and lectin pathways are initiated by pattern recognition molecules binding to specific ligands, while the alternative pathway is constitutively active at low levels in circulation. Complement-mediated killing is essential for defense against many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, and genetic deficiencies in complement can render individuals highly susceptible to infection, for example, invasive meningococcal disease. In contrast, Gram-positive bacteria are inherently resistant to the direct bactericidal activity of complement due to their thick layer of cell wall peptidoglycan. However, complement also serves diverse roles in immune defense against all bacteria by flagging them for opsonization and killing by professional phagocytes, synergizing with neutrophils, modulating inflammatory responses, regulating T cell development, and cross talk with coagulation cascades. In this review, we discuss newly appreciated roles for complement beyond direct membrane lysis, incorporate nonlytic roles of complement into immunological paradigms of host-pathogen interactions, and identify bacterial strategies for complement evasion.
Collapse
|
8
|
Kumar D, Romero Y, Schuck KN, Smalley H, Subedi B, Fleming SD. Drivers and regulators of humoral innate immune responses to infection and cancer. Mol Immunol 2020; 121:99-110. [PMID: 32199212 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The complement cascade consists of cell bound and serum proteins acting together to protect the host from pathogens, remove cancerous cells and effectively links innate and adaptive immune responses. Despite its usefulness in microbial neutralization and clearance of cancerous cells, excessive complement activation causes an immune imbalance and tissue damage in the host. Hence, a series of complement regulatory proteins present at a higher concentration in blood plasma and on cell surfaces tightly regulate the cascade. The complement cascade can be initiated by B-1 B cell production of natural antibodies. Natural antibodies arise spontaneously without any known exogenous antigenic or microbial stimulus and protect against invading pathogens, clear apoptotic cells, provide tissue homeostasis, and modulate adaptive immune functions. Natural IgM antibodies recognize microbial and cancer antigens and serve as an activator of complement mediated lysis. This review will discuss advances in complement activation and regulation in bacterial and viral infections, and cancer. We will also explore the crosstalk of natural antibodies with bacterial populations and cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Yeni Romero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Kaitlynn N Schuck
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Haley Smalley
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Bibek Subedi
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Sherry D Fleming
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Human fecal contamination is a crucial threat that results in difficulties in access to clean water. Enterococcus faecalis is a bacteria which is utilized as an indicator in polluted water. Nevertheless, existing strategies face several challenges, including low affinity and the need for labelling, which limit their access to large scale applications. Herein, a label-free fingerprint of the surface proteins of waterborne bacteria on a sensor was demonstrated for real-time bacteria detection from aqueous and water samples. The kinetic performance of the sensor was evaluated and shown to have a range of detection that spanned five orders of magnitude, having a low detection limit (3.4 × 104 cfu/mL) and a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9957). The sensor also designated a high selectivity while other competitor bacteria were employed. The capability for multiple usage and long shelf-life are superior to other modalities. This is an impressive surface modification method that uses the target itself as a recognition element, ensuring a broad range of variability to replicate others with different structure, size and physical and chemical properties.
Collapse
|