Wickens HJ, Pinney RJ. Investigation of Smith's quinolone killing mechanisms during the PAE of ciprofloxacin on Escherichia coli.
Int J Pharm 2001;
227:149-56. [PMID:
11564549 DOI:
10.1016/s0378-5173(01)00793-1]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Quinolone antibacterials interact with the DNA-DNA gyrase complex, but subsequent events that lead to cell death are unresolved. Three distinct mechanisms of quinolone lethality have been identified by Smith and co-workers: Mechanism A, which requires RNA and protein synthesis and cell division for expression; Mechanism B, which remains active when these functions are precluded; and Mechanism C, which is active on non-dividing cells. Exposure to 4x MIC ciprofloxacin (Cip) in nutrient broth (NB) for 3 h reduced the viability of Escherichia coli AB1157 to 0.25%. Addition of rifampicin (Rif) or chloramphenicol (Cm), to inhibit RNA or protein synthesis, respectively, increased survival 70-fold. Treatment of cells with Cip in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), to inhibit cell division, increased survival 20-fold. No further cell death occurred once the various drug combinations or PBS had been washed out and cells resuspended in drug-free nutrient broth. These latter conditions allow expression of the post-antibiotic effect (PAE). PAE was lengthened in cells exposed to Cip in the presence of Rif or Cm, probably as a result of delay in the initiation of inducible DNA repair.
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