Fosfomycin and Tobramycin in Combination Downregulate Nitrate Reductase GenesnarGandnarH, Resulting in Increased Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa under Anaerobic Conditions
ABSTRACTThe activity of aminoglycosides, which are used to treatPseudomonas aeruginosarespiratory infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, is reduced under the anaerobic conditions that reflect the CF lungin vivo. In contrast, a 4:1 (wt/wt) combination of fosfomycin and tobramycin (F:T), which is under investigation for use in the treatment of CF lung infection, has increased activity againstP. aeruginosaunder anaerobic conditions. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the increased activity of F:T under anaerobic conditions. Microarray analysis was used to identify the transcriptional basis of increased F:T activity under anaerobic conditions, and key findings were confirmed by microbiological tests, including nitrate utilization assays, growth curves, and susceptibility testing. Notably, growth in subinhibitory concentrations of F:T, but not tobramycin or fosfomycin alone, significantly downregulated (P< 0.05) nitrate reductase genesnarGandnarH, which are essential for normal anaerobic growth ofP. aeruginosa. Under anaerobic conditions, F:T significantly decreased (P< 0.001) nitrate utilization inP. aeruginosastrains PAO1, PA14, and PA14lasR::Gm, a mutant known to exhibit increased nitrate utilization. A similar effect was observed with two clinicalP. aeruginosaisolates. Growth curves indicate that nitrate reductase transposon mutants had reduced growth under anaerobic conditions, with these mutants also having increased susceptibility to F:T compared to the wild type under similar conditions. The results of this study suggest that downregulation of nitrate reductase genes resulting in reduced nitrate utilization is the mechanism underlying the increased activity of F:T under anaerobic conditions.