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Liu W, Yang T, Kong Y, Xie X, Ruan Z. Ureaplasma infections: update on epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-31. [PMID: 38794781 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2349556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Human Ureaplasma species are being increasingly recognized as opportunistic pathogens in human genitourinary tract infections, infertility, adverse pregnancy, neonatal morbidities, and other adult invasive infections. Although some general reviews have focused on the detection and clinical manifestations of Ureaplasma spp., the molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis of Ureaplasma spp. have not been adequately explained. The purpose of this review is to offer valuable insights into the current understanding and future research perspectives of the molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis of human Ureaplasma infections. This review summarizes the conventional culture and detection methods and the latest molecular identification technologies for Ureaplasma spp. We also reviewed the global prevalence and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance for Ureaplasma spp. Aside from regular antibiotics, novel antibiotics with outstanding in vitro antimicrobial activity against Ureaplasma spp. are described. Furthermore, we discussed the pathogenic mechanisms of Ureaplasma spp., including adhesion, proinflammatory effects, cytotoxicity, and immune escape effects, from the perspectives of pathology, related molecules, and genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingying Kong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyou Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi Ruan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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2
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Biernat-Sudolska M, Rojek-Zakrzewska D, Drożdż K, Bilska-Wilkosz A. Antimicrobial Activity of N,N-Diethyldithiocarbamate against Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:40. [PMID: 38203213 PMCID: PMC10778836 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ureaplasma species (Ureaplasma spp.) are commonly found as commensals in the human urogenital tracts, although their overgrowth can lead to infection in the urogenital tract and at distal sites. Furthermore, ureaplasmas lack a cell wall and do not synthesize folic acid, which causes all β-lactam and glycopeptide antibiotics, and sulfonamides and diaminopyrimidines, to be of no value. The antibiotics used in therapy belong to the fluoroquinolone, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and macrolide classes. However, the growing incidence of antibiotic-resistant Ureaplasma spp. in the population becomes a problem. Thus, there is a need to search for new drugs effective against these bacteria. Since 1951, the FDA-approved, well-tolerated, inexpensive, orally administered drug disulfiram (DSF) has been used in the treatment of chronic alcoholism, but recently, its antimicrobial effects have been demonstrated. The main biological metabolite of DSF, i.e., N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), is generally believed to be responsible for most of the observed pharmacological effects of DSF. In the presented studies, the effect of DDC at concentrations of 2 µg/mL, 20 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL on the growth and survival of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum was tested for the first time. The results indicated that all the used DDC concentrations showed both bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against both tested strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Biernat-Sudolska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.B.-S.); (D.R.-Z.); (K.D.)
| | - Danuta Rojek-Zakrzewska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.B.-S.); (D.R.-Z.); (K.D.)
| | - Kamil Drożdż
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.B.-S.); (D.R.-Z.); (K.D.)
| | - Anna Bilska-Wilkosz
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-034 Krakow, Poland
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3
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Kaul L, Abdo AI, Coenye T, Swift S, Zannettino A, Süss R, Richter K. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of diethyldithiocarbamate with copper ions and its liposomal formulation for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms. Biofilm 2023; 5:100130. [PMID: 37274173 PMCID: PMC10238467 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) biofilms. Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria embedded in a self-produced matrix that offers protection against antibiotics and promotes the spread of antibiotic-resistance in bacteria. Consequently, antibiotic treatment frequently fails, resulting in the need for alternative therapies. The present study describes the in vitro efficacy of the Cu(DDC)2 complex (2:1 M ratio of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC-) and Cu2+) with additional Cu2+ against S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms in models mimicking SSIs and in vitro antibacterial activity of a liposomal Cu(DDC)2 + Cu2+ formulation. The in vitro activity on S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms grown on two hernia mesh materials and in a wound model was determined by colony forming unit (CFU) counting. Cu2+-liposomes and Cu(DDC)2-liposomes were prepared, and their antibacterial activity was assessed in vitro using the alamarBlue assay and CFU counting and in vivo using a Galleria mellonella infection model. The combination of 35 μM DDC- and 128 μM Cu2+ inhibited S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms on meshes and in a wound infection model. Cu(DDC)2-liposomes + free Cu2+ displayed similar antibiofilm activity to free Cu(DDC)2 + Cu2+, and significantly increased the survival of S. epidermidis-infected larvae. Whilst Cu(DDC)2 + Cu2+ showed substantial antibiofilm activity in vitro against clinically relevant biofilms, its application in mammalian in vivo models is limited by solubility. The liposomal Cu(DDC)2 + Cu2+ formulation showed antibiofilm activity in vitro and antibacterial activity and low toxicity in G. mellonella, making it a suitable water-soluble formulation for future application on infected wounds in animal trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurine Kaul
- Richter Lab, Department of Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, University of Adelaide, 37 Woodville Road, Adelaide, SA, 5011, Australia
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Freiburg, Sonnenstr. 5, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Adrian I. Abdo
- Richter Lab, Department of Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, University of Adelaide, 37 Woodville Road, Adelaide, SA, 5011, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Tom Coenye
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Simon Swift
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Zannettino
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Regine Süss
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Freiburg, Sonnenstr. 5, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Richter
- Richter Lab, Department of Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, University of Adelaide, 37 Woodville Road, Adelaide, SA, 5011, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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Andrews RM, Bollar GE, Giattina AS, Dalecki AG, Wallace Jr JR, Frantz L, Eschliman K, Covarrubias-Zambrano O, Keith JD, Duverger A, Wagner F, Wolschendorf F, Bossmann SH, Birket SE, Kutsch O. Repurposing sunscreen as an antibiotic: zinc-activated avobenzone inhibits methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Metallomics 2023; 15:mfad049. [PMID: 37653446 PMCID: PMC10478290 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major healthcare concern with associated healthcare costs reaching over ${\$}$1 billion in a single year in the USA. Antibiotic resistance in S. aureus is now observed against last line of defense antibiotics, such as vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin. Unfortunately, high throughput drug discovery approaches to identify new antibiotics effective against MRSA have not resulted in much tangible success over the last decades. Previously, we demonstrated the feasibility of an alternative drug discovery approach, the identification of metallo-antibiotics, compounds that gain antibacterial activity only after binding to a transition metal ion and as such are unlikely to be detected in standard drug screens. We now report that avobenzone, the primary active ingredient of most sunscreens, can be activated by zinc to become a potent antibacterial compound against MRSA. Zinc-activated avobenzone (AVB-Zn) potently inhibited a series of clinical MRSA isolates [minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.62-2.5 µM], without pre-existing resistance and activity without zinc (MIC: >10 µM). AVB-Zn was also active against clinical MRSA isolates that were resistant against the commonly used zinc-salt antibiotic bacitracin. We found AVB-Zn exerted no cytotoxicity on human cell lines and primary cells. Last, we demonstrate AVB-Zn can be deployed therapeutically as lotion preparations, which showed efficacy in a mouse wound model of MRSA infection. AVB-Zn thus demonstrates Zn-activated metallo-antibiotics are a promising avenue for future drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Andrews
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Gretchen E Bollar
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - A Sophia Giattina
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alex G Dalecki
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - John R Wallace Jr
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Leah Frantz
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kayla Eschliman
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Obdulia Covarrubias-Zambrano
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Johnathan D Keith
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alexandra Duverger
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Frederic Wagner
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Frank Wolschendorf
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Stefan H Bossmann
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Susan E Birket
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Olaf Kutsch
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Comparison of Five Commercial Molecular Assays for Mycoplasma Testing of Cellular Therapy Products. J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0149822. [PMID: 36688643 PMCID: PMC9945500 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01498-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Testing of cellular therapy products for Mycoplasma is a regulatory requirement by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the sterility and safety of the product prior to release for patient infusion. The risk of Mycoplasma contamination in cell culture is high. Gold standard testing follows USP <63> which requires a 28-day agar and broth cultivation method that is impractical for short shelf-life biologics. Several commercial molecular platforms have been marketed for faster raw material and product release testing; however, little performance data are available in the literature. In this study, we performed a proof-of-principle analysis to evaluate the performance of five commercial molecular assays, including the MycoSEQ Mycoplasma detection kit (Life Technologies), the MycoTOOL Mycoplasma real-time detection kit (Roche), the VenorGEM qOneStep kit (Minerva Biolabs), the ATCC universal Mycoplasma detection kit, and the Biofire Mycoplasma assay (bioMérieux Industry) using 10 cultured Mollicutes spp., with each at four log-fold dilutions (1,000 CFU/mL to 1 CFU/mL) in biological duplicates with three replicates per condition (n = 6) to assess limit of detection (LOD) and repeatability. Additional testing was performed in the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Based on LOD alone, the Biofire Mycoplasma assay was most sensitive followed by the MycoSEQ and MycoTOOL which were comparable. We showed that not all assays were capable of meeting the ≤10 CFU/mL LOD to replace culture-based methods according to European and Japanese pharmacopeia standards. No assay interference was observed when testing in the presence of TILs.
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Custodio MM, Sparks J, Long TE. Disulfiram: A Repurposed Drug in Preclinical and Clinical Development for the Treatment of Infectious Diseases. ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS 2022; 20:e040122199856. [PMID: 35782673 PMCID: PMC9245773 DOI: 10.2174/2211352520666220104104747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews preclinical and clinical studies on the repurposed use of disulfiram (Antabuse) as an antimicrobial agent. Preclinical research covered on the alcohol sobriety aid includes uses as an anti-MRSA agent, a carbapenamase inhibitor, antifungal drug for candidiasis, and treatment for parasitic diseases due to protozoa (e.g., giardiasis, leishmaniasis, malaria) and helminthes (e.g., schistosomiasis, trichuriasis). Past, current, and pending clinical studies on disulfiram as a post-Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) therapy, an HIV latency reversal agent, and intervention for COVID-19 infections are also reviewed..
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco M. Custodio
- Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, 736 Battlefield Blvd. N Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
| | - Jennifer Sparks
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Administration and Research, Marshall University School of Pharmacy, One John Marshall Drive, Huntington WV 24755-0001, USA
| | - Timothy E. Long
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Research, Marshall University School of Pharmacy, One John Marshall, Drive Huntington WV 24755-0001, USA
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A systematic review of disulfiram as an antibacterial agent: What is the evidence? Int J Antimicrob Agents 2022; 59:106578. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2022.106578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Hyre A, Casanova-Hampton K, Subashchandrabose S. Copper Homeostatic Mechanisms and Their Role in the Virulence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. EcoSal Plus 2021; 9:eESP00142020. [PMID: 34125582 PMCID: PMC8669021 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0014-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Copper is an essential micronutrient that also exerts toxic effects at high concentrations. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on copper handling and homeostasis systems in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. We describe the mechanisms by which transcriptional regulators, efflux pumps, detoxification enzymes, metallochaperones, and ancillary copper response systems orchestrate cellular response to copper stress. E. coli and S. enterica are important pathogens of humans and animals. We discuss the critical role of copper during killing of these pathogens by macrophages and in nutritional immunity at the bacterial-pathogen-host interface. In closing, we identify opportunities to advance our understanding of the biological roles of copper in these model enteric bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Hyre
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Kaitlin Casanova-Hampton
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Sargurunathan Subashchandrabose
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
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Demonstration of N, N-Dimethyldithiocarbamate as a Copper-Dependent Antibiotic against Multiple Upper Respiratory Tract Pathogens. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0077821. [PMID: 34468162 PMCID: PMC8557878 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00778-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Transition metals are necessary cofactors and structural elements in living systems. Exposure to high concentrations of biologically important transition metals, such as zinc and copper, results in cell toxicity. At the infection site, the immune system deploys metal sorbent proteins (e.g., lactoferrin and calprotectin) to starve pathogens of necessary metals (such as iron), while phagocytes expose engulfed pathogens to high levels of other metals, such as copper and zinc. The opportunistic pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) encounters macrophages during initial and protracted infections. The pneumococcus employs a copper export pathway, which improves colonization and persistent infection of the nasopharynx and the upper respiratory tract. Because copper is tightly regulated in the host, we instead sought to leverage the localized power of nutritional immunity by identifying small molecules with copper-dependent toxicity (CDT) through a targeted screen of compounds for antibiotic efficacy. We chose to include dithiocarbamates, based on the copper synergy observed in other organisms with 1-(diethylthiocarbamoyldisulfanyl)-N,N-diethyl-methanethioamide (tetraethylthiuram disulfide, disulfiram). We observed CDT of some dithiocarbamates in S. pneumoniae. Only N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMDC) was consistently toxic across a range of concentrations with copper both in vitro and in vivo against the pneumococcus. We also observed various degrees of CDT in vitro using DMDC in Staphylococcus aureus, Coccidioides posadasii, and Schistosoma mansoni. Collectively, we demonstrate that the compound DMDC is a potent bactericidal compound against S. pneumoniae with antimicrobial efficacy against bacterial and fungal pathogens. IMPORTANCE With the rise of antibiotic resistance, approaches that add new antimicrobials to the current repertoire are vital. Here, we investigate putative and known copper ionophores in an attempt to intoxicate bacteria and use ionophore/copper synergy, and we ultimately find success with N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMDC). We show that DMDC has in vitro efficacy in a copper-dependent manner and kills pathogens across three different kingdoms, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Coccidioides posadasii, and Schistosoma mansoni, and in vivo efficacy against S. pneumoniae. As such, dithiocarbamates represent a new potential class of antimicrobials and thus warrant further mechanistic investigation.
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Daubenspeck JM, Totten AH, Needham J, Feng M, Balish MF, Atkinson TP, Dybvig K. Mycoplasma genitalium Biofilms Contain Poly-GlcNAc and Contribute to Antibiotic Resistance. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:585524. [PMID: 33193233 PMCID: PMC7652822 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.585524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma genitalium is an important etiologic agent of non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), known for chronicity and multidrug resistance, in which biofilms may play an integral role. In some bacterial species capable of forming biofilms, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) composed of poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) are a crucial component of the matrix. Monosaccharide analysis of M. genitalium strains revealed high abundance of GlcNAc, suggesting a biofilm-specific EPS. Chromatograms also showed high concentrations of galactose and glucose as observed in other mycoplasma species. Fluorescence microscopy of M. genitalium biofilms utilizing fluor-coupled lectins revealed differential staining of biofilm structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed increasing maturation over time of bacterial “towers” seen in biofilm development. As seen with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, organisms within fully mature M. genitalium biofilms exhibited loss of cell polarization. Bacteria associated with disrupted biofilms exhibited decreased dose-dependent viability after treatment with antibiotics compared to bacteria with intact biofilms. In addition, growth index analysis demonstrated decreases in metabolism in cultures with disrupted biofilms with antibiotic treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that M. genitalium biofilms are a contributing factor in antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Daubenspeck
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Arthur H Totten
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jason Needham
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Monica Feng
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Mitchell F Balish
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - T Prescott Atkinson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Kevin Dybvig
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Crawford CL, Dalecki AG, Perez MD, Schaaf K, Wolschendorf F, Kutsch O. A copper-dependent compound restores ampicillin sensitivity in multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8955. [PMID: 32488067 PMCID: PMC7265353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65978-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), has become a worldwide, major health care problem. While initially restricted to clinical settings, drug resistant S. aureus is now one of the key causative agents of community-acquired infections. We have previously demonstrated that copper dependent inhibitors (CDIs), a class of antibiotics that are only active in the presence of copper ions, are effective bactericidal agents against MRSA. A second-generation CDI, APT-6K, exerted bactericidal activity at nanomolar concentrations. At sub-bactericidal concentrations, it effectively synergized with ampicillin to reverse drug resistance in multiple MRSA strains. APT-6K had a favorable therapeutic index when tested on eukaryotic cells (TI: > 30) and, unlike some previously reported CDIs, did not affect mitochondrial activity. These results further establish inhibitors that are activated by the binding of transition metal ions as a promising class of antibiotics, and for the first time, describe their ability to reverse existing drug resistance against clinically relevant antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alex G Dalecki
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mildred D Perez
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Schaaf
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Frank Wolschendorf
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Olaf Kutsch
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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