scholarly journals Systematic measurement of combination drug landscapes to predict in vivo treatment outcomes for tuberculosis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonah Larkins-Ford ◽  
Talia Greenstein ◽  
Nhi Van ◽  
Yonatan N. Degefu ◽  
Michaela C. Olson ◽  
...  

AbstractA lengthy multidrug chemotherapy is required to achieve a durable cure in tuberculosis. Variation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug response is created by the differing microenvironments in lesions, which generate different bacterial drug susceptibilities. To better realize the potential of combination therapy to shorten treatment duration, multidrug therapy design should deliberately explore the vast combination space. We face a significant scaling challenge in making systematic drug combination measurements because it is not practical to use animal models for comprehensive drug combination studies, nor are there well-validated high-throughput in vitro models that predict animal outcomes. We hypothesized that we could both prioritize combination therapies and quantify the predictive power of various in vitro models for drug development using a dataset of drug combination dose responses measured in multiple in vitro models. We systematically measured M. tuberculosis response to all 2- and 3-drug combinations among ten antibiotics in eight conditions that reproduce lesion microenvironments. Applying machine learning to this comprehensive dataset, we developed classifiers predictive of multidrug treatment outcome in a mouse model of disease relapse. We trained classifiers on multiple mouse models and identified ensembles of in vitro models that best describe in vivo treatment outcomes. Furthermore, we found that combination synergies are less important for predicting outcome than metrics of potency. Here, we map a path forward to rationally prioritize combinations for animal and clinical studies using systematic drug combination measurements with validated in vitro models. Our pipeline is generalizable to other difficult-to-treat diseases requiring combination therapies.One Sentence SummarySignatures of in vitro potency and drug interaction measurements predict combination therapy outcomes in mouse models of tuberculosis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A663-A663
Author(s):  
Keegan Cooke ◽  
Juan Estrada ◽  
Jinghui Zhan ◽  
Jonathan Werner ◽  
Fei Lee ◽  
...  

BackgroundNeuroendocrine tumors (NET), including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), have poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. AMG 757 is an HLE BiTE® immune therapy designed to redirect T cell cytotoxicity to NET cells by binding to Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) expressed on the tumor cell surface and CD3 on T cells.MethodsWe evaluated activity of AMG 757 in NET cells in vitro and in mouse models of neuroendocrine cancer in vivo. In vitro, co-cultures of NET cells and human T cells were treated with AMG 757 in a concentration range and T cell activation, cytokine production, and tumor cell killing were assessed. In vivo, AMG 757 antitumor efficacy was evaluated in xenograft NET and in orthotopic models designed to mimic primary and metastatic SCLC lesions. NSG mice bearing established NET were administered human T cells and then treated once weekly with AMG 757 or control HLE BiTE molecule; tumor growth inhibition was assessed. Pharmacodynamic effects of AMG 757 in tumors were also evaluated in SCLC models following a single administration of human T cells and AMG 757 or control HLE BiTE molecule.ResultsAMG 757 induced T cell activation, cytokine production, and potent T cell redirected killing of DLL3-expressing SCLC, neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and other DLL3-expressing NET cell lines in vitro. AMG 757-mediated redirected lysis was specific for DLL3-expressing cells. In patient-derived xenograft and orthotopic models of SCLC, single-dose AMG 757 effectively engaged human T cells administered systemically, leading to a significant increase in the number of human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in primary and metastatic tumor lesions. Weekly administration of AMG 757 induced significant tumor growth inhibition of SCLC (figure 1) and other NET, including complete regression of established tumors and clearance of metastatic lesions. These findings warranted evaluation of AMG 757 (NCT03319940); the phase 1 study includes dose exploration (monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab) and dose expansion (monotherapy) in patients with SCLC (figure 2). A study of AMG 757 in patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer is under development based on emerging data from the ongoing phase 1 study.Abstract 627 Figure 1AMG 757 Significantly reduced tumor growth in orthotopic SCLC mouse modelsAbstract 627 Figure 2AMG 757 Phase 1 study designConclusionsAMG 757 engages and activates T cells to kill DLL3-expressing SCLC and other NET cells in vitro and induces significant antitumor activity against established xenograft tumors in mouse models. These preclinical data support evaluation of AMG 757 in clinical studies of patients with NET.Ethics ApprovalAll in vivo work was conducted under IACUC-approved protocol #2009-00046.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. eaau8857 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Di Rienzo ◽  
M. Antonioli ◽  
C. Fusco ◽  
Y. Liu ◽  
M. Mari ◽  
...  

Optimal autophagic activity is crucial to maintain muscle integrity, with either reduced or excessive levels leading to specific myopathies. LGMD2H is a muscle dystrophy caused by mutations in the ubiquitin ligase TRIM32, whose function in muscles remains not fully understood. Here, we show that TRIM32 is required for the induction of muscle autophagy in atrophic conditions using both in vitro and in vivo mouse models. Trim32 inhibition results in a defective autophagy response to muscle atrophy, associated with increased ROS and MuRF1 levels. The proautophagic function of TRIM32 relies on its ability to bind the autophagy proteins AMBRA1 and ULK1 and stimulate ULK1 activity via unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin. LGMD2H-causative mutations impair TRIM32’s ability to bind ULK1 and induce autophagy. Collectively, our study revealed a role for TRIM32 in the regulation of muscle autophagy in response to atrophic stimuli, uncovering a previously unidentified mechanism by which ubiquitin ligases activate autophagy regulators.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Beatriz Medeiros-Fonseca ◽  
Antonio Cubilla ◽  
Haissa Brito ◽  
Tânia Martins ◽  
Rui Medeiros ◽  
...  

Penile cancer is an uncommon malignancy that occurs most frequently in developing countries. Two pathways for penile carcinogenesis are currently recognized: one driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and another HPV-independent route, associated with chronic inflammation. Progress on the clinical management of this disease has been slow, partly due to the lack of preclinical models for translational research. However, exciting recent developments are changing this landscape, with new in vitro and in vivo models becoming available. These include mouse models for HPV+ and HPV− penile cancer and multiple cell lines representing HPV− lesions. The present review addresses these new advances, summarizing available models, comparing their characteristics and potential uses and discussing areas that require further improvement. Recent breakthroughs achieved using these models are also discussed, particularly those developments pertaining to HPV-driven cancer. Two key aspects that still require improvement are the establishment of cell lines that can represent HPV+ penile carcinomas and the development of mouse models to study metastatic disease. Overall, the growing array of in vitro and in vivo models for penile cancer provides new and useful tools for researchers in the field and is expected to accelerate pre-clinical research on this disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 3211-3216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Göttig ◽  
Denia Frank ◽  
Eleonora Mungo ◽  
Anika Nolte ◽  
Michael Hogardt ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination ceftazidime/avibactam is active against KPC-producing Enterobacterales. Herein, we present molecular and phenotypic characterization of ceftazidime/avibactam resistance in KPC-3-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae that emerged in vivo and in vitro. Methods Sequence analysis of blaKPC-3 was performed from clinical and in vitro-generated ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates. Time–kill kinetics and the Galleria mellonella infection model were applied to evaluate the activity of ceftazidime/avibactam and imipenem alone and in combination. Results The ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant clinical K. pneumoniae isolate revealed the amino acid change D179Y in KPC-3. Sixteen novel mutational changes in KPC-3 among in vitro-selected ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant isolates were described. Time–kill kinetics showed the emergence of a resistant subpopulation under selection pressure with either imipenem or ceftazidime/avibactam. However, combined selection pressure with imipenem plus ceftazidime/avibactam prevented the development of resistance and resulted in bactericidal activity. Concordantly, the G. mellonella infection model revealed that monotherapy with ceftazidime/avibactam is prone to select for resistance in vivo and that combination therapy with imipenem results in significantly better survival. Conclusions Ceftazidime/avibactam is a valuable antibiotic against MDR and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. Based on time–kill kinetics as well as an in vivo infection model we postulate a combination therapy of ceftazidime/avibactam and imipenem as a strategy to prevent the development of ceftazidime/avibactam resistance in KPC-producing Enterobacterales in vivo.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi237-vi238
Author(s):  
Miranda Montgomery ◽  
Abigail Zalenski ◽  
Amanda Deighen ◽  
Sherry Mortach ◽  
Treg Grubb ◽  
...  

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) has a particularly high rate of recurrence with a 5-year overall survival rate of approximately 5%. This is in part due to a sub-population of cancer stem cells (CSC), which are both radioresistant and chemotherapeutically resistant to conventional treatments. Here we investigated CBL0137, a small molecule form of curaxin, in combination with radiotherapy as a means to radiosensitize CSCs. CBL0137 sequesters FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription) complex to chromatin, which leads to activation of p53 and inhibition of NF-κB. This sequestering of FACT results in cytotoxicity especially within tumor cells and prevents FACT from performing its primary role as a histone chaperone, as well as inhibits its part in the DNA damage response pathway. We show that when combined with radiotherapy, CBL0137 administration limited the ability of CSCs to identify and repair damaged DNA. CSCs treated in vitro with CBL0137 and irradiation showed an increased inhibition of cancer cell growth and decreased viability compared to irradiation or drug alone. Combination therapy also showed more DNA damage in the CSCs than with either agent alone. Based on our in vitro evidence for the efficacy of combination therapy to target CSCs, we moved forward to test the treatment in vivo. Using a subcutaneous model, we show that the amount of CD133+ cells (a marker for GMB CSCs) was reduced in irradiation plus CBL0137 compared to either treatment alone. Survival studies demonstrated that irradiation plus CBL0137 compared to irradiation alone or CBL0137 alone increase lifespan. Here we show the ability of CBL0137, in combination with irradiation, to target patient GBM CSCs both in vitro and in vivo. This work establishes a new treatment paradigm for GBM that inclusively targets CSCs and may ultimately reduce tumor recurrence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong Eun Kim ◽  
Hee Kyung Kim ◽  
Su-Mi Choi ◽  
Yohan Yu ◽  
Uh Jin Kim ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The mortality rate associated with Vibrio vulnificus sepsis remains high. An in vitro time-kill assay revealed synergism between tigecycline and ciprofloxacin. The survival rate was significantly higher in mice treated with tigecycline plus ciprofloxacin than in mice treated with cefotaxime plus minocycline. Thus, combination treatment with tigecycline-ciprofloxacin may be an effective novel antibiotic regimen for V. vulnificus sepsis.


2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme N. Forrest ◽  
Kimberly Tamura

SUMMARY The increasing emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has resulted in the increased use of rifampin combination therapy. The data supporting rifampin combination therapy in nonmycobacterial infections are limited by a lack of significantly controlled clinical studies. Therefore, its current use is based upon in vitro or in vivo data or retrospective case series, all with major limitations. A prominent observation from this review is that rifampin combination therapy appears to have improved treatment outcomes in cases in which there is a low organism burden, such as biofilm infections, but is less effective when effective surgery to obtain source control is not performed. The clinical data support rifampin combination therapy for the treatment of prosthetic joint infections due to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) after extensive debridement and for the treatment of prosthetic heart valve infections due to coagulase-negative staphylococci. Importantly, rifampin-vancomycin combination therapy has not shown any benefit over vancomycin monotherapy against MRSA infections either clinically or experimentally. Rifampin combination therapy with daptomycin, fusidic acid, and linezolid needs further exploration for these severe MRSA infections. Lastly, an assessment of the risk-benefits is needed before the addition of rifampin to other antimicrobials is considered to avoid drug interactions or other drug toxicities.


2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 806-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikkol Melnick ◽  
Gowrisankar Rajam ◽  
George M. Carlone ◽  
Jacquelyn S. Sampson ◽  
Edwin W. Ades

ABSTRACT P4, a 28-amino-acid peptide, is a eukaryotic cellular activator that enhances specific in vitro opsonophagocytic killing of multiple bacterial pathogens. In a previous study, we successfully recreated this phenomenon in mice in vivo by using a two-dose regimen of P4 and pathogen-specific antibodies, which significantly reduced moribundity in mice. For the present study, we hypothesized that the inclusion of a low-dose antibiotic would make it possible to treat the infected mice with a single dose containing a mixture of P4 and a pathogen-specific antibody. A single dose consisting of P4, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and ceftriaxone effectively reduced moribundity compared to that of untreated controls (n = 10) by 75% (P < 0.05) and rescued all (10 of 10) infected animals (P < 0.05). If rescued animals were reinfected with Streptococcus pneumoniae and treated with a single dose containing P4, IVIG, and ceftriaxone, they could be rerescued. This observation of the repeated successful use of P4 combination therapy demonstrates a low risk of tolerance development. Additionally, we examined the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) derived from infected mice and observed that P4 enhanced in vitro opsonophagocytic killing (by >80% over the control level; P < 0.05). This finding supports our hypothesis that PMN are activated by P4 during opsonophagocytosis and the recovery of mice from pneumococcal infection. P4 peptide-based combination therapy may offer an alternative and rapid immunotherapy to treat fulminant pneumococcal infection.


2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1797-1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K. Shields ◽  
M. Hong Nguyen ◽  
Brian A. Potoski ◽  
Ellen G. Press ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTreatment failures of a carbapenem-colistin regimen among patients with bacteremia due to sequence type 258 (ST258), KPC-2-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaewere significantly more likely if both agents were inactivein vitro, as defined by a colistin MIC of >2 μg/ml and the presence of either a majorompK36porin mutation (guanine and alanine insertions at amino acids 134 and 135 [ins aa 134–135 GD], IS5promoter insertion [P= 0.007]) or a doripenem MIC of >8 μg/ml (P= 0.01). MajorompK36mutations among KPC-K. pneumoniaestrains are important determinants of carbapenem-colistin responsesin vitroandin vivo.


2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 310-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Pierce ◽  
William Kutschke ◽  
Rafael Cabeza ◽  
Sarah K. England

Transgenic and knockout mouse models have proven useful in the study of genes necessary for parturition—including genes that affect the timing and/or progression of labor contractions. However, taking full advantage of these models will require a detailed characterization of the contractile patterns in the mouse uterus. Currently the best methodology for this has been measurement of isometric tension in isolated muscle strips in vitro. However, this methodology does not provide a real-time measure of changes in uterine pressure over the course of pregnancy. Recent advances have opened the possibility of using radiotelemetric devices to more accurately and comprehensively study intrauterine pressure in vivo. We tested the effectiveness of this technology in the mouse, in both wild-type (WT) mice and a mouse model of defective parturition (SK3 channel-overexpressing mice), after surgical implant of telemetry transmitters into the uterine horn. Continuous recordings from day 18 of pregnancy through delivery revealed that WT mice typically deliver during the 12-h dark cycle after 19.5 days postcoitum. In these mice, intrauterine pressure gradually increases during this cycle, to threefold greater than that measured during the 12-h cycle before delivery. SK3-overexpressing mice, by contrast, exhibited lower intrauterine pressure over the same period. These results are consistent with the outcome of previous in vitro studies, and they indicate that telemetry is an accurate method for measuring uterine contraction, and hence parturition, in mice. The use of this technology will lead to important novel insights into changes in intrauterine pressure during the course of pregnancy.


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