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Manoharadas S, Al-Rayes BF, Almuzaini MAM, Almohammadi YM. Resensitisation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus to Conventional Antibiotics in the Presence of an Engineered Enzybiotic. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2511. [PMID: 37896271 PMCID: PMC10610342 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most dreadful pathogens relevant in community and nosocomial-related infections around the world. Resensitising MRSA to antibiotics, once it became resistant, was a tough choice due to the high adaptability of this bacteria to savage conditions. This study aimed to create a chimeric enzybiotic against MRSA and test its efficiency, either individually or in combination with antibiotics. The novel enzybiotic BAC100 was constructed by fusing the catalytic domain from the bacteriocin BacL1 from Enterococcus faecalis with the cell-wall-binding domain from protein P17 of Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage ϕ44AHJD. Apart from its partial lone activity, BAC100 was found to resensitise the MRSA strain to traditional antibiotics, including ampicillin and tetracycline. Both drugs were able to reduce live MRSA cells by 85 and 90%, respectively, within 60 min of treatment together with BAC100. However, no significant activity was observed against MRSA when these drugs were tested independently, pointing to the inherent resistance of MRSA against these conventional antibiotics. To our knowledge, this is one of the first instances where an engineered enzybiotic was found to resensitise MRSA to conventional antibiotics. This study will pave the way for the development of similar peptides that can be used together with antibiotics against gruesome pathogens of clinical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Manoharadas
- Central Laboratory, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2454, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (B.F.A.-R.); (M.A.M.A.); (Y.M.A.)
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2
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Mehmood Khan F, Manohar P, Singh Gondil V, Mehra N, Kayode Oyejobi G, Odiwuor N, Ahmad T, Huang G. The applications of animal models in phage therapy: An update. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2175519. [PMID: 36935353 PMCID: PMC10072079 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2175519] [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: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid increase in antibiotic resistance presents a dire situation necessitating the need for alternative therapeutic agents. Among the current alternative therapies, phage therapy (PT) is promising. This review extensively summarizes preclinical PT approaches in various in-vivo models. PT has been evaluated in several recent clinical trials. However, there are still several unanswered concerns due to a lack of appropriate regulation and pharmacokinetic data regarding the application of phages in human therapeutic procedures. In this review, we also presented the current state of PT and considered how animal models can be used to adapt these therapies for humans. The development of realistic solutions to circumvent these constraints is critical for advancing this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazal Mehmood Khan
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Prasanth Manohar
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Vijay Singh Gondil
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Nancy Mehra
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Greater Kayode Oyejobi
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Department of Microbiology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Nelson Odiwuor
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Microbiology, Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Tauseef Ahmad
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangtao Huang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.,Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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3
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Pulmonary Delivery of Emerging Antibacterials for Bacterial Lung Infections Treatment. Pharm Res 2022; 40:1057-1072. [PMID: 36123511 PMCID: PMC9484715 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-022-03379-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial infections in the respiratory tract are considered as one of the major challenges to the public health worldwide. Pulmonary delivery is an attractive approach in the management of bacterial respiratory infections with a few inhaled antibiotics approved. However, with the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is necessary to develop new/alternative inhaled antibacterial agents in the post-antibiotic era. A pipeline of novel biological antibacterial agents, including antimicrobial peptides, RNAi therapeutics, and bacteriophages, has emerged to combat bacterial infections with excellent performance. In this review, the causal effects of bacterial infections on the related pulmonary infectious diseases will be firstly introduced. This is followed by an overview on the development of emerging antibacterial therapeutics for managing lung bacterial infections through nebulization/inhalation of dried powders. The obstacles and underlying proposals regarding their clinical transformation are also discussed to seek insights for further development. Research on inhaled therapy of these emerging antibacterials are still in the infancy, but the promising progress warrants further attention.
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4
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Biocontrol of bacterial wilt in tomato with a cocktail of lytic bacteriophages. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:3837-3848. [PMID: 35562488 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11962-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) have been proposed as promising alternative pesticides against various bacterial diseases of crops. However, the efficacy of phages in managing plant bacterial diseases is variable and poorly understood in natural settings. In this study, two lytic phages, RpT1 and RpY2, were investigated for their biocontrol potential against bacterial wilt by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum invasion in tomato plants. The two phages possess similar morphology and genome organization to those of the Autographiviridae family with a broad host range. Treatment with the two phages (alone or in combination) resulted in a significant reduction in bacterial wilt incidence. Three days post-treatment with phages, which was performed after R. pseudosolanacearum inoculation with a specified density of 108 PFU (plaque forming units)/g of soil, led to the most effective biocontrol activity compared to other treatments and a lower density of phage. A phage cocktail containing both RpT1 and RpY2 suppressed disease symptoms in agricultural soils, mimicking their ability to control diseases in natural settings. Furthermore, supplementation with specific adjuvants enhanced the biocontrol potential of both phages. The persistence of the two phages under various environmental conditions indicates their stable activity in soils. Consequently, the consistent biocontrol activity of these phages provides insights into the proper application, timing, and density of phages for effective phage therapy in bacterial wilt control in tomato. KEY POINTS: • Biocontrol potential of phages in natural settings individually and as a cocktail. • Apparent long-term persistence of phages in natural soils, various temperatures, and pH. • An effective approach for developing phages for biocontrol.
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5
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Ngiam L, Schembri MA, Weynberg K, Guo J. Bacteriophage isolated from non-target bacteria demonstrates broad host range infectivity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5569-5586. [PMID: 34390602 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance represents a global health challenge. The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria such as uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) has attracted significant attention due to increased MDR properties, even against the last line of antibiotics. Bacteriophage, or simply phage, represents an alternative treatment to antibiotics. However, phage applications still face some challenges, such as host range specificity and development of phage resistant mutants. In this study, using both UPEC and non-UPEC hosts, five different phages were isolated from wastewater. We found that the inclusion of commensal Escherichia coli as target hosts during screening improved the capacity to select phage with desirable characteristics for phage therapy. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that four out of five phages adopt strictly lytic lifestyles and are taxonomically related to different phage families belonging to the Myoviridae and Podoviridae. In comparison to single phage treatment, the application of phage cocktails targeting different cell surface receptors significantly enhanced the suppression of UPEC hosts. The emergence of phage-resistant mutants after single phage treatment was attributed to mutational changes in outer membrane protein components, suggesting the potential receptors recognized by these phages. The findings highlight the use of commensal E. coli as target hosts to isolate broad host range phage with infectivity against MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyman Ngiam
- Advanced Water Management Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Mark A Schembri
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Karen Weynberg
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Advanced Water Management Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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6
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Arroyo-Moreno S, Begley M, Dembicka K, Coffey A. Engineering of the CHAPk Staphylococcal Phage Endolysin to Enhance Antibacterial Activity against Stationary-Phase Cells. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10060722. [PMID: 34208478 PMCID: PMC8235606 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060722] [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] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage endolysins and their derivatives have strong potential as antibacterial agents considering the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in common bacterial pathogens. The peptidoglycan degrading peptidase CHAPk, a truncated derivate of staphylococcal phage K endolysin (LysK), has proven efficacy in preventing and disrupting staphylococcal biofilms. Nevertheless, the concentration of CHAPk required to eliminate populations of stationary-phase cells was previously found to be four-fold higher than that for log-phase cells. Moreover, CHAPk-mediated lysis of stationary-phase cells was observed to be slower than for log-phase cultures. In the present study, we report the fusion of a 165 amino acid fragment containing CHAPk with a 136 amino acid fragment containing the cell-binding domain of the bacteriocin lysostaphin to create a chimeric enzyme designated CHAPk-SH3blys in the vector pET28a. The chimeric protein was employed in concentrations as low as 5 μg/mL, producing a reduction in turbidity in 7-day-old cultures, whereas the original CHAPk required at least 20 μg/mL to achieve this. Where 7-day old liquid cultures were used, the chimeric enzyme exhibited a 16-fold lower MIC than CHAPk. In terms of biofilm prevention, a concentration of 1 μg/mL of the chimeric enzyme was sufficient, whereas for CHAPk, 125 μg/mL was needed. Moreover, the chimeric enzyme exhibited total biofilm disruption when 5 μg/mL was employed in 4-h assays, whereas CHAPk could only partially disrupt the biofilms at this concentration. This study demonstrates that the cell-binding domain from lysostaphin can make the phage endolysin CHAPk more effective against sessile staphylococcal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Arroyo-Moreno
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland; (S.A.-M.); (M.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Máire Begley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland; (S.A.-M.); (M.B.); (K.D.)
- APC Microbiome Institute, University College, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Kornelia Dembicka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland; (S.A.-M.); (M.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Aidan Coffey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland; (S.A.-M.); (M.B.); (K.D.)
- APC Microbiome Institute, University College, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +353-214-335-486
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7
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Basit A, Qadir S, Qureshi S, Rehman SU. Cloning and expression analysis of fused holin-endolysin from RL bacteriophage; Exhibits broad activity against multi drug resistant pathogens. Enzyme Microb Technol 2021; 149:109846. [PMID: 34311883 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2021.109846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance has become a major risk to community health over last few years because of antibiotics overuse around the globe and lack of new antibiotics development. Phages and their lytic enzymes are considered as an effective alternative of antibiotics to control drug resistant bacterial pathogens. Endolysins prove to be a promising class of antibacterials due to their specificity and less chances of resistance development in bacterial pathogens. Though large number of endolysins has been reported against gram positive bacteria, very few reported against gram negative bacteria due to the presence of outer membrane, which acts as physical barrier against endolysin attack to peptidoglycan. In the current study, we have expressed endolysin (RL_Lys) and holin fused at the N terminus of endolysin (RL_Hlys) from RL phage infecting multi drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both endolysin variants were found active against wide range of MDR strains P. aeruginosa, Klebsella pneumonia, Salmonella Sp. and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Broth reduction assay showed that RL_Hlys is more active than RL_Lys due to presence of holin, which assist the endolysin access towards cell wall. The protein ligand docking and molecular dynamic simulation results showed that C- terminus region of endolysin play vital role in cell wall binding and even in the absence of holin, hydrolyze a broad range of gram negative bacterial pathogens. The significant activity of RL-Lys and RL_Hlys against a broad range of MDR gram negative and positive bacterial pathogens makes them good candidates for antibiotic alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Basit
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
| | - Sania Qadir
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
| | - Sara Qureshi
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
| | - Shafiq Ur Rehman
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
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8
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Abdelsattar AS, Nofal R, Makky S, Safwat A, Taha A, El-Shibiny A. The Synergistic Effect of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles and Phage ZCSE2 as a Novel Approach to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:678. [PMID: 34198823 PMCID: PMC8228988 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is considered a public health concern. Salmonella is one of the most common pathogens that cause high mortality and morbidity rates in humans, animals, and poultry annually. In this work, we developed a combination of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with bacteriophage (phage) as an antimicrobial agent to control microbial growth. The synthesized AgNPs with propolis were characterized by testing their color change from transparent to deep brown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The phage ZCSE2 was found to be stable when combined with AgNPs. Both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were evaluated for AgNPs, phage, and their combination. The results indicated that MIC and MBC values were equal to 23 µg/mL against Salmonella bacteria at a concentration of 107 CFU/mL. The combination of 0.4× MIC from AgNPs and phage with Multiplicity of Infection (MOI) 0.1 showed an inhibitory effect. This combination of AgNPs and phage offers a prospect of nanoparticles with significantly enhanced antibacterial properties and therapeutic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah S. Abdelsattar
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
- Center for X-ray and Determination of Structure of Matter, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt
| | - Rana Nofal
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Salsabil Makky
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Anan Safwat
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Amera Taha
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Ayman El-Shibiny
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt; (A.S.A.); (R.N.); (S.M.); (A.S.); (A.T.)
- Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, Arish 45511, Egypt
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Abraha HB, Kim K, Sbhatu DB. Bacteriophages for detection and control of foodborne bacterial pathogens—The case of
Bacillus cereus
and their phages. J Food Saf 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Haftom Baraki Abraha
- Department of Food Science and Technology Jeonbuk National University Jeonju Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang‐Pyo Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology Jeonbuk National University Jeonju Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural Convergence Technology Collage of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University Jeonju Republic of Korea
| | - Desta Berhe Sbhatu
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Mekelle Institute of Technology, Mekelle University Mekelle Ethiopia
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10
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Vrancianu CO, Gheorghe I, Dobre EG, Barbu IC, Cristian RE, Popa M, Lee SH, Limban C, Vlad IM, Chifiriuc MC. Emerging Strategies to Combat β-Lactamase Producing ESKAPE Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8527. [PMID: 33198306 PMCID: PMC7697847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1929 as a therapeutic agent against staphylococci, β-lactam antibiotics (BLAs) remained the most successful antibiotic classes against the majority of bacterial strains, reaching a percentage of 65% of all medical prescriptions. Unfortunately, the emergence and diversification of β-lactamases pose indefinite health issues, limiting the clinical effectiveness of all current BLAs. One solution is to develop β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs) capable of restoring the activity of β-lactam drugs. In this review, we will briefly present the older and new BLAs classes, their mechanisms of action, and an update of the BLIs capable of restoring the activity of β-lactam drugs against ESKAPE (Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) pathogens. Subsequently, we will discuss several promising alternative approaches such as bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, nanoparticles, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) cas technology, or vaccination developed to limit antimicrobial resistance in this endless fight against Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
| | - Irina Gheorghe
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
| | - Elena-Georgiana Dobre
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
| | - Ilda Czobor Barbu
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
| | - Roxana Elena Cristian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Marcela Popa
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
| | - Sang Hee Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Myongji University, 03674 Myongjiro, Yongin 449-728, Gyeonggido, Korea;
- National Leading Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Myongji University, 116 Myongjiro, Yongin 17058, Gyeonggido, Korea
| | - Carmen Limban
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Traian Vuia no.6, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.L.); (I.M.V.)
| | - Ilinca Margareta Vlad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Traian Vuia no.6, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.L.); (I.M.V.)
| | - Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
- Microbiology Immunology Department and The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (C.O.V.); (E.-G.D.); (I.C.B.); (M.P.); (M.C.C.)
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 030167 Bucharest, Romania
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11
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Abbaszadeh F, Leylabadlo HE, Alinezhad F, Feizi H, Mobed A, Baghbanijavid S, Baghi HB. Bacteriophages: cancer diagnosis, treatment, and future prospects. JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL INVESTIGATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40005-020-00503-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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12
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Phage-Antibiotic Synergy Is Driven by a Unique Combination of Antibacterial Mechanism of Action and Stoichiometry. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.01462-20. [PMID: 32753497 PMCID: PMC7407087 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01462-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The continued rise in antibiotic resistance is precipitating a medical crisis. Bacteriophage (phage) has been hailed as one possible therapeutic option to augment the efficacy of antibiotics. However, only a few studies have addressed the synergistic relationship between phage and antibiotics. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of phage-antibiotic interaction that evaluates synergism, additivism, and antagonism for all classes of antibiotics across clinically achievable stoichiometries. We combined an optically based real-time microtiter plate readout with a matrix-like heat map of treatment potencies to measure phage and antibiotic synergy (PAS), a process we term synography. Phage-antibiotic synography was performed against a pandemic drug-resistant clonal group of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) with antibiotic levels blanketing the MIC across seven orders of viral titers. Our results suggest that, under certain conditions, phages provide an adjuvating effect by lowering the MIC for drug-resistant strains. Furthermore, synergistic and antagonistic interactions are highly dependent on the mechanism of bacterial inhibition by the class of antibiotic paired to the phage, and when synergism is observed, it suppresses the emergence of resistant cells. Host conditions that simulate the infection environment, including serum and urine, suppress PAS in a bacterial growth-dependent manner. Lastly, two different related phages that differed in their burst sizes produced drastically different synograms. Collectively, these data suggest lytic phages can resuscitate an ineffective antibiotic for previously resistant bacteria while also synergizing with antibiotics in a class-dependent manner, processes that may be dampened by lower bacterial growth rates found in host environments.IMPORTANCE Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is a promising approach to combat the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Currently, the preferred clinical modality is to pair phage with an antibiotic, a practice thought to improve efficacy. However, antagonism between phage and antibiotics has been reported, the choice of phage and antibiotic is not often empirically determined, and the effect of the host factors on the effectiveness is unknown. Here, we interrogate phage-antibiotic interactions across antibiotics with different mechanisms of action. Our results suggest that phage can lower the working MIC for bacterial strains already resistant to the antibiotic, is dependent on the antibiotic class and stoichiometry of the pairing, and is dramatically influenced by the host microenvironment.
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13
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Campos WF, Silva EC, Oliveira TJ, Oliveira JM, Tubino M, Pereira C, Vila MM, Balcão VM. Transdermal permeation of bacteriophage particles by choline oleate: potential for treatment of soft-tissue infections. Future Microbiol 2020; 15:881-896. [PMID: 32716215 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2019-0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: A sodium alginate-based biohydrogel was prepared integrating choline oleate deep euthetic solvent as facilitator of transdermal delivery and a cocktail of lytic bacteriophages for Acinetobacter baumannii, aiming at treating soft-tissue infections by the aforementioned pathogen. Materials & methods: Two bacteriophages were isolated from a hospital sewage and a wastewater treatment plant sewage in Sorocaba (Brazil), and characterized via SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, transmission electron microscope and evaluation of lytic spectra of the bacteriophage cocktail. The biohydrogel was prepared and characterized by DSC, FTIR, XRD, DESEM, XRT and transdermal permeation of the bacteriophage cocktail. Results & conclusion: The physico-chemical characterization of the biohydrogel produce indicated adequate structural characteristics and ability to promote/facilitate transdermal delivery of bacteriophage particles, thus showing potential for biopharmaceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Welida F Campos
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Erica C Silva
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Thais J Oliveira
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - José M Oliveira
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Matthieu Tubino
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas/SP, Brazil
| | - Carla Pereira
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, P-3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marta Mdc Vila
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Victor M Balcão
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms & Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba/SP, Brazil.,Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, P-3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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14
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Garvey M. Bacteriophages and the One Health Approach to Combat Multidrug Resistance: Is This the Way? Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9070414. [PMID: 32708627 PMCID: PMC7400126 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9070414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance necessitates action to reduce and eliminate infectious disease, ensure animal and human health, and combat emerging diseases. Species such as Acinetobacter baumanniii, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus, methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as other WHO priority pathogens, are becoming extremely difficult to treat. In 2017, the EU adopted the “One Health” approach to combat antibiotic resistance in animal and human medicine and to prevent the transmission of zoonotic disease. As the current therapeutic agents become increasingly inadequate, there is a dire need to establish novel methods of treatment under this One Health Framework. Bacteriophages (phages), viruses infecting bacterial species, demonstrate clear antimicrobial activity against an array of resistant species, with high levels of specificity and potency. Bacteriophages play key roles in bacterial evolution and are essential components of all ecosystems, including the human microbiome. Factors such are their specificity, potency, biocompatibility, and bactericidal activity make them desirable options as therapeutics. Issues remain, however, relating to their large-scale production, formulation, stability, and bacterial resistance, limiting their implementation globally. Phages used in therapy must be virulent, purified, and well characterized before administration. Clinical studies are warranted to assess the in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic characteristics of phages to fully establish their therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Garvey
- Department of Life Science, Sligo Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland
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15
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Storms ZJ, Teel MR, Mercurio K, Sauvageau D. The Virulence Index: A Metric for Quantitative Analysis of Phage Virulence. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2020; 1:27-36. [PMID: 36147620 PMCID: PMC9041455 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2019.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: One of the main challenges in developing phage therapy and manufacturing phage products is the reliable evaluation of their efficacy, performance, and quality. Since phage virulence is intrinsically difficult to fully capture, researchers have turned to rapid but partially inadequate methods for its evaluation. Materials and Methods: This study demonstrates a standardized quantitative method to assess phage virulence based on three parameters: the virulence index (VP )-quantifying the virulence of a phage against a host, the local virulence (vi )-assessing killing potential at given multiplicities of infection (MOIs), and MV50 -the MOI at which the phage achieves 50% of its maximum theoretical virulence. This was shown through comparative analysis of the virulence of phages T4, T5, and T7. Results: Under the conditions tested, phage T7 displayed the highest virulence, followed by phage T4 and, finally, by phage T5. The impact of parameters such as temperature and medium composition on virulence was shown for each phage. The use of the method to evaluate the virulence of combinations of phages-for example, for cocktail formulation-is also shown with phages T5 and T7. Conclusions: The method presented provides a platform for high-throughput quantitative assessment of phage virulence and quality control of phage products. It can also be applied to phage screening, evaluation of phage strains, phage mutants, infection conditions and/or the susceptibility of host strains, and the formulation of phage cocktails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J. Storms
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Matthew R. Teel
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Kevin Mercurio
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Dominic Sauvageau
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Address correspondence to: Dominic Sauvageau, PhD, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
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16
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Abstract
Clinical trial results of phage treatment of bacterial infections show a low to moderate efficacy, and the variation in infection clearance between subjects within studies is often large. Phage therapy is complicated and introduces many additional components of variance as compared to antibiotic treatment. A large part of the variation is due to in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics being virtually unknown, but also to a lack of standardisation. This is a consequence of the great variation of phages, bacteria, and infections, which results in different experiments or trials being impossible to compare, and difficulties in estimating important parameter values in a quantitative and reproducible way. The limitations of phage therapy will have to be recognised and future research focussed on optimising infection clearance rates by e.g. selecting phages, bacteria, and target bacterial infections where the prospects of high efficacy can be anticipated, and by combining information from new mathematical modelling of in vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes and quantitatively assessed experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders S. Nilsson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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17
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Batinovic S, Wassef F, Knowler SA, Rice DTF, Stanton CR, Rose J, Tucci J, Nittami T, Vinh A, Drummond GR, Sobey CG, Chan HT, Seviour RJ, Petrovski S, Franks AE. Bacteriophages in Natural and Artificial Environments. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8030100. [PMID: 31336985 PMCID: PMC6789717 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8030100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are biological entities that have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. They have been reported as the most abundant biological entities on the planet and their ability to impact the composition of bacterial communities is of great interest. In this review, we aim to explore where phages exist in natural and artificial environments and how they impact communities. The natural environment in this review will focus on the human body, soils, and the marine environment. In these naturally occurring environments there is an abundance of phages suggesting a role in the maintenance of bacterial community homeostasis. The artificial environment focuses on wastewater treatment plants, industrial processes, followed by pharmaceutical formulations. As in natural environments, the existence of bacteria in manmade wastewater treatment plants and industrial processes inevitably attracts phages. The presence of phages in these environments can inhibit the bacteria required for efficient water treatment or food production. Alternatively, they can have a positive impact by eliminating recalcitrant organisms. Finally, we conclude by describing how phages can be manipulated or formulated into pharmaceutical products in the laboratory for use in natural or artificial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Batinovic
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Flavia Wassef
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Sarah A Knowler
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Daniel T F Rice
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Cassandra R Stanton
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Jayson Rose
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Joseph Tucci
- Department of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
| | - Tadashi Nittami
- Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Antony Vinh
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Grant R Drummond
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Christopher G Sobey
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Hiu Tat Chan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Robert J Seviour
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Steve Petrovski
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Ashley E Franks
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
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18
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Segall AM, Roach DR, Strathdee SA. Stronger together? Perspectives on phage-antibiotic synergy in clinical applications of phage therapy. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 51:46-50. [PMID: 31226502 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly, clinical infections are becoming recalcitrant or completely resistant to antibiotics treatment and multidrug resistance is rising alarmingly. Patients suffering from infections that used to be treated successfully by antibiotic regimens are running out of the treatment options. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy, long practiced in parts of Eastern Europe and the states of the former Soviet Union, is now being reevaluated as a treatment option complementary to and synergistic with antibiotic treatments. We discuss some current studies that have addressed synergistic killing activity between phages and antibiotics, the issues of treatment order and antibiotic class, and point to considerations that will have to be addressed by future studies. Overall, co-treatments with phages and antibiotics promise to extend the utility of antibiotics in current use. Nevertheless, a lot of work, both basic and clinical, remains to be done before such co-treatments become routine options in the hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca M Segall
- Department of Biology and the Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, United States.
| | - Dwayne R Roach
- Department of Biology and the Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, United States
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, United States.
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19
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Górski A, Międzybrodzki R, Węgrzyn G, Jończyk-Matysiak E, Borysowski J, Weber-Dąbrowska B. Phage therapy: Current status and perspectives. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:459-463. [PMID: 31062882 DOI: 10.1002/med.21593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The spread of antimicrobial resistant bacterial pathogens combined with the lack of new drug classes in the antibiotic pipeline causes a resurgence of the use of bacterial viruses (phages) to treat bacterial infections (phage therapy [PT]). There has been a substantial increase in patients subjected to this experimental therapy and emergence of new PT centers in Europe and the United States paralleled by one clinical trial completed in accord with good medical practice (GMP) requirements and a few others underway. What is more, evidence has been accumulating to suggest that phages can also exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory action which opens new pathways for the development of novel targets for PT. Here we present the status quo of the PT, recent regulatory, and clinical developments as well as new perspectives for its wider application in clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Górski
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Ryszard Międzybrodzki
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan Borysowski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
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20
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Mulani MS, Kamble EE, Kumkar SN, Tawre MS, Pardesi KR. Emerging Strategies to Combat ESKAPE Pathogens in the Era of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Review. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:539. [PMID: 30988669 PMCID: PMC6452778 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 736] [Impact Index Per Article: 147.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The acronym ESKAPE includes six nosocomial pathogens that exhibit multidrug resistance and virulence: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. Persistent use of antibiotics has provoked the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) bacteria, which render even the most effective drugs ineffective. Extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase producing Gram negative bacteria have emerged as an important therapeutic challenge. Development of novel therapeutics to treat drug resistant infections, especially those caused by ESKAPE pathogens is the need of the hour. Alternative therapies such as use of antibiotics in combination or with adjuvants, bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, nanoparticles, and photodynamic light therapy are widely reported. Many reviews published till date describe these therapies with respect to the various agents used, their dosage details and mechanism of action against MDR pathogens but very few have focused specifically on ESKAPE. The objective of this review is to describe the alternative therapies reported to treat ESKAPE infections, their advantages and limitations, potential application in vivo, and status in clinical trials. The review further highlights the importance of a combinatorial approach, wherein two or more therapies are used in combination in order to overcome their individual limitations, additional studies on which are warranted, before translating them into clinical practice. These advances could possibly give an alternate solution or extend the lifetime of current antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansura S Mulani
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Ekta E Kamble
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Shital N Kumkar
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Madhumita S Tawre
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Karishma R Pardesi
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
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21
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Abstract
Australia is well positioned to conduct clinical trials in phage-based technology. Despite challenges with translating phage therapy to mainstream medicine, our regulations are designed for safe and innovative development. Recent success indicates that Australia is ideal for conducting further phage clinical trials. There are also expert clinical research organisations and generous tax incentives.
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22
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Antibiotic Therapy Using Phage Depolymerases: Robustness Across a Range of Conditions. Viruses 2018; 10:v10110622. [PMID: 30424521 PMCID: PMC6266388 DOI: 10.3390/v10110622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage-derived depolymerases directed against bacterial capsules are showing therapeutic promise in various animal models of infection. However, individual animal model studies are often constrained by use of highly specific protocols, such that results may not generalize to even slight modifications. Here we explore the robustness of depolymerase therapies shown to succeed in a previous study of mice. Treatment success rates were reduced by treatment delay, more so for some enzymes than others: K1- and K5 capsule-degrading enzymes retained partial efficacy on delay, while K30 depolymerase did not. Phage were superior to enzymes under delayed treatment only for K1. Route of administration (intramuscular versus intraperitoneal) mattered for success of K1E, possibly for K1F, not for K1H depolymerase. Significantly, K1 capsule-degrading enzymes proved highly successful when using immune-suppressed, leukopenic mice, even with delayed treatment. Evolution of bacteria resistant to K1-degrading enzymes did not thwart therapeutic success in leukopenic mice, likely because resistant bacteria were avirulent. In combination with previous studies these results continue to support the efficacy of depolymerases as antibacterial agents in vivo, but system-specific details are becoming evident.
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23
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Vázquez R, García E, García P. Phage Lysins for Fighting Bacterial Respiratory Infections: A New Generation of Antimicrobials. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2252. [PMID: 30459750 PMCID: PMC6232686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections and tuberculosis are responsible for the death of about 4.5 million people each year and are the main causes of mortality in children under 5 years of age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial pathogen associated with severe pneumonia, although other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are involved in respiratory infections as well. The ability of these pathogens to persist and produce infection under the appropriate conditions is also associated with their capacity to form biofilms in the respiratory mucous membranes. Adding to the difficulty of treating biofilm-forming bacteria with antibiotics, many of these strains are becoming multidrug resistant, and thus the alternative therapeutics available for combating this kind of infections are rapidly depleting. Given these concerns, it is urgent to consider other unconventional strategies and, in this regard, phage lysins represent an attractive resource to circumvent some of the current issues in infection treatment. When added exogenously, lysins break specific bonds of the peptidoglycan and have potent bactericidal effects against susceptible bacteria. These enzymes possess interesting features, including that they do not trigger an adverse immune response and raise of resistance is very unlikely. Although Gram-negative bacteria had been considered refractory to these compounds, strategies to overcome this drawback have been developed recently. In this review we describe the most relevant in vitro and in vivo results obtained to date with lysins against bacterial respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
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