scholarly journals Microcin MccI47 selectively inhibits enteric bacteria and reduces carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae colonization in vivo when administered via an engineered live biotherapeutic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt M Mortzfeld ◽  
Jacob D Palmer ◽  
Shakti K Bhattarai ◽  
Haley L Dupre ◽  
Regino Mercado-Lubo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Genetically Modify ◽  
Enteric Bacteria ◽  
Probiotic Bacterium ◽  
Multicopy Plasmid ◽  
Gi Tract ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes

Background: The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the reservoir for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, specifically carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Enterobacteriaceae, which often lead to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes, severe extraintestinal infections, and lethal outcomes. Selective GI decolonization has been proposed as a new strategy for preventing transmission to other body sites and minimizing spreading to susceptible individuals. Results: Here, we purify the to-date uncharacterized class IIb microcin I47 (MccI47) and demonstrate potent inhibition of numerous Enterobacteriaceae, including MDR clinical isolates, in vitro at concentrations resembling those of commonly prescribed antibiotics. We then genetically modify the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to produce MccI47 from a stable multicopy plasmid by using MccI47 toxin production in a counterselection mechanism to engineer one of the native EcN plasmids, which renders provisions for inducible expression and plasmid selection unnecessary. We then test the clinical relevance of the MccI47-producing engineered EcN in a murine CR K. pneumoniae colonization model and demonstrate significant MccI47-dependent reduction of CR K. pneumoniae abundance after seven days of daily oral live biotherapeutic administration without disruption of the resident microbiota. Conclusions: This study provides the first demonstration of MccI47 as a potent antimicrobial against certain Enterobacteriaceae, and its ability to significantly reduce the abundance of CR K. pneumoniae in a preclinical animal model, when delivered from an engineered live biotherapeutic product. This study serves as the foundational step towards the use of engineered live biotherapeutic products aimed at the selective removal of MDR pathogens from the GI tract.

scholarly journals Aerobactin Seems To Be a Promising Marker Compared With Unstable RmpA2 for the Identification of Hypervirulent Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: In Silico and In Vitro Evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaitra Shankar ◽  
Soumya Basu ◽  
Binesh Lal ◽  
Sathiya Shanmugam ◽  
Karthick Vasudevan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Fitness Cost ◽  
Virulence Plasmid ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes

BackgroundThe incidence of hypervirulent (hv) carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is increasing globally among various clones and is also responsible for nosocomial infections. The CR-hvKp is formed by the uptake of a virulence plasmid by endemic high-risk clones or by the uptake of plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance genes by the virulent clones. Here, we describe CR-hvKp from India belonging to high-risk clones that have acquired a virulence plasmid and are phenotypically unidentified due to lack of hypermucoviscosity.MethodsTwenty-seven CRKp isolates were identified to possess rmpA2 by whole-genome sequencing; and resistance and virulence determinants were characterized. By in silico protein modeling (and validation), protein backbone stability analysis, and coarse dynamics study, the fitness of RmpA, RmpA2, and aerobactin-associated proteins-IucA and IutA, were determined to establish a reliable marker for clinical identification of CR-hvKp.ResultsThe CR-hvKp belonged to multidrug-resistant (MDR) high-risk clones such as CG11, CG43, ST15, and ST231 and carried OXA-232 as the predominant carbapenemase followed by NDM. The virulence plasmid belonged to IncHI1B replicon type and carried frameshifted and truncated rmpA and rmpA2. This resulted in a lack of hypermucoviscous phenotype. However, functional aerobactin was expressed in all high-risk clones. In silico analysis portrayed that IucA and IutA were more stable than classical RmpA. Furthermore, IucA and IutA had lower conformational fluctuations in the functional domains than the non-functional RmpA2, which increases the fitness cost of the latter for its maintenance and expression among CR-hvKp. Hence, RmpA and RmpA2 are likely to be lost among CR-hvKp owing to the increased fitness cost while coding for essential antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors.ConclusionIncreasing incidence of convergence of AMR and virulence is observed among K. pneumoniae globally, which warrants the need for reliable markers for identifying CR-hvKp. The presence of non-functional RmpA2 among high-risk clones highlights the significance of molecular identification of CR-hvKp. The negative string test due to non-functional RmpA2 among CR-hvKp isolates challenges phenotypic screening and faster identification of this pathotype. This can potentially be counteracted by projecting aerobactin as a stable, constitutively expressed, and functional marker for rapidly evolving CR-hvKp.

scholarly journals Comparative analysis of Clinial Carbapenem- Resistant (CR), Hypermucoviscous (HM) and CR-HM Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Ying Zhu ◽  
Guang-Yu Wang ◽  
Qing Wei ◽  
Zhen Shen ◽  
Qiong Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Carbapenem Resistance ◽  
Resistance Rate ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
String Test

Abstract Background: Although carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae (HMKP) were largely non-overlapping, the recent emergence of CR-HMKP has raised great alarm in the world. We compared the molecular characteristics of CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates.Results: 220 cases of K. pneumoniae isolates was collected and identified between Jan 2015 and Dec 2016 from Renji Hospital. Carbapenem resistance test and string test were performed to screen CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates. All the CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates were investigated for capsular genotyping, virulence genes and resistance genes by PCR and DNA sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to characterize isolates sequence types (STs). Serum killing assay and mouse lethality assay were respectively performed to confirm the virulence of the isolates in vitro and in vivo. Of 220 K. pneumoniae，71 HMKP, 84 CRKP and 8 CR-HMKP were identified. Resistance rate to carbapenems was significantly higher in CRKP than HMKP and CR-HMKP. For MLST and serotyping, ST23 (26.8%)，K1 (33.8%) and K2 (23.9%) serotypes were the most common in HMKP isolates while ST11 (84.5%, 100%) and K-nontypable (91.6%, 100%) were the predominant types in CRKP and CR-HMKP isolates. The existence of virulence genes rmpA, magA and iutA was significantly higher in HMKP while the prevalence of resistance gene blaKPC-2 was higher in CRKP and CR-HMKP. Virulence test in vivo and in vitro both showed the lower virulence of CRKP and CR-HMKP compared to HMKP.Conclusions: In spite of low virulence, the emergence of CR-HMKP indicates a confluence of hypermucoviscous phenotype and carbapenem resistance. Furthermore, the similar molecular characteristics between CRKP and CR-HMKP suggested that CR-HMKP might evolve from CRKP.

scholarly journals Serum Antibody Responses against Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Infected Patients

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasturi Banerjee ◽  
Michael P. Motley ◽  
Elizabeth Diago-Navarro ◽  
Bettina C. Fries
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Capsular Polysaccharide ◽  
Serum Antibody ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Capsular Polysaccharides ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Reactive Properties

ABSTRACT Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) heterogeneity within carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) strain sequence type 258 (ST258) must be considered when developing CPS-based vaccines. Here, we sought to characterize CPS-specific antibody responses elicited by CR-Kp-infected patients. Plasma and bacterial isolates were collected from 33 hospital patients with positive CR-Kp cultures. Isolate capsules were typed by wzi sequencing. Reactivity and measures of efficacy of patient antibodies were studied against 3 prevalent CR-Kp CPS types (wzi29, wzi154, and wzi50). High IgG titers against wzi154 and wzi50 CPS were documented in 79% of infected patients. Patient-derived (PD) IgGs agglutinated CR-Kp and limited growth better than naive IgG and promoted phagocytosis of strains across the serotype isolated from their donors. Additionally, poly-IgG from wzi50 and wzi154 patients promoted phagocytosis of nonconcordant CR-Kp serotypes. Such effects were lost when poly-IgG was depleted of CPS-specific IgG. Additionally, mice infected with wzi50, wzi154, and wzi29 CR-Kp strains preopsonized with wzi50 patient-derived IgG exhibited lower lung CFU than controls. Depletion of wzi50 antibodies (Abs) reversed this effect in wzi50 and wzi154 infections, whereas wzi154 Ab depletion reduced poly-IgG efficacy against wzi29 CR-Kp. We are the first to report cross-reactive properties of CPS-specific Abs from CR-Kp patients through both in vitro and in vivo models. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a rapidly emerging public health threat that can cause fatal infections in up to 50% of affected patients. Due to its resistance to nearly all antimicrobials, development of alternate therapies like antibodies and vaccines is urgently needed. Capsular polysaccharides constitute important targets, as they are crucial for Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenesis. Capsular polysaccharides are very diverse and, therefore, studying the host’s capsule-type specific antibodies is crucial to develop effective anti-CPS immunotherapies. In this study, we are the first to characterize humoral responses in infected patients against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae expressing different wzi capsule types. This study is the first to report the efficacy of cross-reactive properties of CPS-specific Abs in both in vitro and in vivo models.

In vitro and in vivo synergistic effects of tigecycline combined with aminoglycosides on carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wentao Ni ◽  
Deqing Yang ◽  
Jie Guan ◽  
Wen Xi ◽  
Dexun Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Synergistic Activity ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Clinical Pharmacokinetics ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Time Kill

Abstract Objectives Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) infections represent severe threats to public health worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess potential synergistic interaction between tigecycline and aminoglycosides via in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods Antibiotic resistance profiles and molecular characteristics of 168 CR-KP clinical isolates were investigated by susceptibility testing, PCR and MLST. Chequerboard tests and time–kill assays were performed for 20 CR-KP isolates to evaluate in vitro synergistic effects of tigecycline combined with aminoglycosides. A tissue-cage infection model of rats was established to evaluate in vivo synergistic effects. Different doses of tigecycline and aminoglycosides alone or in combination were administered for 7 days via tail vein injection. Antibiotic efficacy was evaluated in tissue-cage fluid and emergence of resistance was screened. Results The chequerboard tests showed that this combination displayed synergistic or partial synergistic activity against CR-KP. The time–kill assays further demonstrated that strong synergistic effects of such a combination existed against isolates that were susceptible to both drugs but for resistant isolates no synergy was observed if clinical pharmacokinetics were taken into consideration. The in vivo study showed that the therapeutic effectiveness of combination therapies was better than that of monotherapy for susceptible isolates, suggesting in vivo synergistic effects. Furthermore, combinations of tigecycline with an aminoglycoside showed significant activity in reducing the occurrence of tigecycline-resistant mutants. Conclusions Compared with single drugs, tigecycline combined with aminoglycosides could exert synergistic effects and reduce the emergence of tigecycline resistance. Such a combination might be an effective alternative when treating CR-KP infections in clinical practice.

scholarly journals Combination of Colistin and Azidothymidine Demonstrates Synergistic Activity against Colistin-Resistant, Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1964
Author(s):  
Ya-Ting Chang ◽  
Tsung-Ying Yang ◽  
Po-Liang Lu ◽  
Shang-Yi Lin ◽  
Liang-Chun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Combination Therapy ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Toxicity Testing ◽  
World Health ◽  
Synergistic Activity ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is listed as an urgent threat by the World Health Organization because of the limited therapeutic options, rapid evolution of resistance mechanisms, and worldwide dissemination. Colistin is a common backbone agent among the “last-resort” antibiotics for CRE; however, its emerging resistance among CRE has taken the present dilemma to the next level. Azidothymidine (AZT), a thymidine analog used to treat human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, has been known to possess antibacterial effects against Enterobacteriaceae. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of AZT and colistin in 40 clinical isolates of colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CCRKP). Eleven of the 40 isolates harbored Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. The in vitro checkerboard method and in vivo nematode killing assay both revealed synergistic activity between the two agents, with fractional inhibitory concentration indexes of ≤0.5 in every strain. Additionally, a significantly lower hazard ratio was observed for the nematodes treated with combination therapy (0.288; p < 0.0001) compared with either AZT or colistin treatment. Toxicity testing indicated potentially low toxicity of the combination therapy. Thus, the AZT–colistin combination could be a potentially favorable therapeutic option for treating CCRKP.

scholarly journals Safety and Efficacy of a Phage, kpssk3, in an in vivo Model of Carbapenem-Resistant Hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteremia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunlong Shi ◽  
Yuan Peng ◽  
Yixin Zhang ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most significant threats to global public health. As antibiotic failure is increasing, phages are gradually becoming important agents in the post-antibiotic era. In this study, the therapeutic effects and safety of kpssk3, a previously isolated phage infecting carbapenem-resistant hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-HMKP), were evaluated in a mouse model of systemic CR-HMKP infection. The therapeutic efficacy experiment showed that intraperitoneal injection with a single dose of phage kpssk3 (1 × 107 PFU/mouse) 3 h post infection protected 100% of BALB/c mice against bacteremia induced by intraperitoneal challenge with a 2 × LD100 dose of NY03, a CR-HMKP clinical isolate. In addition, mice were treated with antibiotics from three classes (polymyxin B, tigecycline, and ceftazidime/avibactam plus aztreonam), and the 7 days survival rates of the treated mice were 20, 20, and 90%, respectively. The safety test consisted of 2 parts: determining the cytotoxicity of kpssk3 and evaluating the short- and long-term impacts of phage therapy on the mouse gut microbiota. Phage kpssk3 was shown to not be cytotoxic to mammalian cells in vitro or in vivo. Fecal samples were collected from the phage-treated mice at 3 time points before (0 day) and after (3 and 10 days) phage therapy to study the change in the gut microbiome via high-throughput 16S rDNA sequence analysis, which revealed no notable alterations in the gut microbiota except for decreases in the Chao1 and ACE indexes.

scholarly journals 1952. Bacteriophage Treatment Improves Survival of Mice Infected with Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S60-S60
Author(s):  
Shayla Hesse ◽  
Natalia Malachowa ◽  
Adeline Porter ◽  
Brett Freedman ◽  
Scott Kobayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Lytic Phage ◽  
Mouse Blood ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
In Vitro Data

Abstract Background Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is being considered as a treatment option for patients with multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections. However, there is a dearth of controlled clinical data to support therapeutic phage efficacy. As a first step toward addressing this deficiency, we tested the ability of two well-characterized phages, alone and in combination, to kill carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (ST258) in blood in vitro and rescue mice from lethal ST258 infection. Methods Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were infected with a lethal inoculum of ST258 by intra-peritoneal (IP) injection followed 1 hour later by IP administration of lytic phage P1, P2, or P1+P2 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) estimated at 1. Survival of each group of mice was tracked for 10 days. In separate experiments, mice were sacrificed at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours post-phage treatment. Mouse blood and tissues were collected at each timepoint for enumeration of bacteria and phage, screening for phage resistance, and histopathology. Results ST258 survival in mouse blood in vitro was significantly less after 1 hour of incubation with P1 or P1+P2 (MOI 1) compared with the control group (no phage). Consistent with the in vitro data, none of the mice (0/15) in the control group (no phage) survived to 10 days post-infection, whereas 12/15, 14/15, and 15/15 mice survived in the P2, P1, and P1+P2-treated groups, respectively (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Prompt, systemic administration of lytic bacteriophages rescued mice from lethal ST258 infection. These data support the potential of phage therapy to effectively treat infections caused by ST258. It will be important to assess whether, for other phage-bacteria combinations, in vitro lysis in blood correlates with in vivo treatment efficacy and therefore may have predictive utility. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

In vitro and in vivo assessments of inspired ag/80S bioactive nanocomposites against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

2021 ◽  
pp. 112093
Author(s):  
Tsung-Ying Yang ◽  
Ya-Ju Hsieh ◽  
Po-Liang Lu ◽  
Lin Lin ◽  
Liang-Chun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant

scholarly journals In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity assays of carvacrol: A candidate for development of innovative treatments against KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246003
Author(s):  
Gleyce Hellen de Almeida de Souza ◽  
Joyce Alencar dos Santos Radai ◽  
Marcia Soares Mattos Vaz ◽  
Kesia Esther da Silva ◽  
Thiago Leite Fraga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Antimicrobial Effect ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Interesting Candidate

Dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a threat to the successful treatment of bacterial diseases and increases the need for new antibacterial agents development. The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of carvacrol against multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae. Carbapenemase production was detected by MALDI-TOF. The PCR and sequencing showed that the blaKPC-2, blaOXA-48, blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M-8 genes were present in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains. The polymyxin-resistant K. pneumoniae strain exhibited alterations in mgrB gene. The antimicrobial activity of carvacrol was evaluated in vitro using broth microdilution and time-kill methods. For this, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and polymyxin-resistant strains, were evaluated. The in vitro results showed that carvacrol had antimicrobial activity against all isolates evaluated. The survival curves showed that carvacrol eradicated all of the bacterial cells within 4 h. The antimicrobial effect of carvacrol in vivo was determined using a mouse model of infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). The treatment with carvacrol was associated with increased survival, and significantly reduced bacterial load in peritoneal lavage. In addition, groups treated with carvacrol, had a significant reduction in the total numbers of white cell and significantly increased of platelets when compared to the untreated group. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that carvacrol regimens exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against KPC-producing K. pneumoniae, making it an interesting candidate for development of alternative treatments.

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