scholarly journals The Novel Immunotherapeutic Oligodeoxynucleotide IMT504 Protects Neutropenic Animals from Fatal Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteremia and Sepsis

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 1225-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Chahin ◽  
Steven M. Opal ◽  
Jorge Zorzopulos ◽  
David V. Jobes ◽  
Yazan Migdady ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIMT504 is a novel immunomodulatory oligonucleotide that has shown immunotherapeutic properties in early preclinical and clinical studies. IMT504 was tested in a neutropenic rat model ofPseudomonas aeruginosabacteremia and sepsis. This animal system recapitulates many of the pathological processes found in neutropenic patients with Gram-negative, bacterial infections. The research was conducted in the setting of an academic research laboratory. The test subjects were Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were rendered neutropenic by administration of cyclophosphamide, colonized withP. aeruginosaby oral feeding, and then randomized to receive IMT504 over a range of doses and treatment regimens representing early and late therapeutic interventions. IMT504 immunotherapy conferred a significant survival advantage over the 12-day study period compared with the results seen with placebo-treated animals when the therapy was administered at the onset of neutropenia and even in the absence of antibiotics and after the onset of fever and systemic infection. Notably, even late salvage IMT504 monotherapy was highly effective (13/14 surviving rats with IMT504 therapy versus 2/14 controls,P= <0.001). Moreover, late salvage IMT504 monotherapy was as effective as antibiotic therapy (13/14 surviving rats versus 21/21 rats,P= 0.88). In addition, no antagonism or loss of therapeutic efficacy was noted with combination therapy of IMT504 plus antibiotics. IMT504 immunotherapy provides a remarkable survival advantage in bacteremia and sepsis in neutropenic animals and deserves further study as a new treatment option in patients with, or at risk for, severe Gram-negative bacterial infections and sepsis.

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. e01040-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Stainton ◽  
Marguerite L. Monogue ◽  
Masakatsu Tsuji ◽  
Yoshinori Yamano ◽  
Roger Echols ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Herein, we evaluated sustainability of humanized exposures of cefiderocol in vivo over 72 h against pathogens with cefiderocol MICs of 0.5 to 16 μg/ml in the neutropenic murine thigh model. In Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae displaying MICs of 0.5 to 8 μg/ml (n = 11), sustained kill was observed at 72 h among 9 isolates. Postexposure MICs revealed a single 2-dilution increase in one animal compared with controls (1/54 samples, 1.8%) at 72 h. Adaptive resistance during therapy was not observed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel T. Cahill ◽  
Ricky Cain ◽  
David Y. Wang ◽  
Christopher T. Lohans ◽  
David W. Wareham ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT β-Lactamase-mediated resistance is a growing threat to the continued use of β-lactam antibiotics. The use of the β-lactam-based serine-β-lactamase (SBL) inhibitors clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and tazobactam and, more recently, the non-β-lactam inhibitor avibactam has extended the utility of β-lactams against bacterial infections demonstrating resistance via these enzymes. These molecules are, however, ineffective against the metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), which catalyze their hydrolysis. To date, there are no clinically available metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors. Coproduction of MBLs and SBLs in resistant infections is thus of major clinical concern. The development of “dual-action” inhibitors, targeting both SBLs and MBLs, is of interest, but this is considered difficult to achieve due to the structural and mechanistic differences between the two enzyme classes. We recently reported evidence that cyclic boronates can inhibit both serine- and metallo-β-lactamases. Here we report that cyclic boronates are able to inhibit all four classes of β-lactamase, including the class A extended spectrum β-lactamase CTX-M-15, the class C enzyme AmpC from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and class D OXA enzymes with carbapenem-hydrolyzing capabilities. We demonstrate that cyclic boronates can potentiate the use of β-lactams against Gram-negative clinical isolates expressing a variety of β-lactamases. Comparison of a crystal structure of a CTX-M-15:cyclic boronate complex with structures of cyclic boronates complexed with other β-lactamases reveals remarkable conservation of the small-molecule binding mode, supporting our proposal that these molecules work by mimicking the common tetrahedral anionic intermediate present in both serine- and metallo-β-lactamase catalysis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 2280-2285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert K. Flamm ◽  
Paul R. Rhomberg ◽  
Ronald N. Jones ◽  
David J. Farrell

ABSTRACTRX-P873 is a novel antibiotic from the pyrrolocytosine series which exhibits high binding affinity for the bacterial ribosome and broad-spectrum antibiotic properties. The pyrrolocytosines have shownin vitroactivity against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains of bacteria known to cause complicated urinary tract, skin, and lung infections, as well as sepsis.Enterobacteriaceae(657),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(200), andAcinetobacter baumannii(202) isolates from North America and Europe collected in 2012 as part of a worldwide surveillance program were testedin vitroby broth microdilution using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methodology. RX-P873 (MIC90, 0.5 μg/ml) was >32-fold more active than ceftazidime and inhibited 97.1% and 99.5% ofEnterobacteriaceaeisolates at MIC values of ≤1 and ≤4 μg/ml, respectively. There were only three isolates with an MIC value of >4 μg/ml (all were indole-positiveProtea). RX-P873 (MIC50/90, 2/4 μg/ml) was highly active againstPseudomonas aeruginosaisolates, including isolates which were nonsusceptible to ceftazidime or meropenem. RX-P873 was 2-fold less active againstP. aeruginosathan tobramycin (MIC90, 2 μg/ml; 91.0% susceptible) and colistin (MIC90, 2 μg/ml; 99.5% susceptible) and 2-fold more potent than amikacin (MIC90, 8 μg/ml; 93.5% susceptible) and meropenem (MIC90, 8 μg/ml; 76.0% susceptible). RX-P873, the most active agent againstAcinetobacter baumannii(MIC90, 1 μg/ml), was 2-fold more active than colistin (MIC90, 2 μg/ml; 97.0% susceptible) and 4-fold more active than tigecycline (MIC90, 4 μg/ml). This novel agent merits further exploration of its potential against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.


mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Cai ◽  
Xiou Cao ◽  
Alejandro Aballay

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to take advantage of the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansto perform a whole-animal chemical screen to identify potential immune activators that may confer protection against bacterial infections. We identified 45 marketed drugs, out of 1,120 studied compounds, that are capable of activating a conserved p38/PMK-1 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway required for innate immunity. One of these drugs, the last-resort antibiotic colistin, protected against infections by the Gram-negative pathogensYersinia pestisandPseudomonas aeruginosabut not by the Gram-positive pathogensEnterococcus faecalisandStaphylococcus aureus. Protection was independent of the antibacterial activity of colistin, since the drug was administered prophylactically prior to the infections and it was also effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Immune activation by colistin is mediated not only by the p38/PMK-1 pathway but also by the conserved FOXO transcription factor DAF-16 and the transcription factor SKN-1. Furthermore, p38/PMK-1 was found to be required in the intestine for immune activation by colistin. Enhanced p38/PMK-1-mediated immune responses by colistin did not reduce the bacterial burden, indicating that the pathway plays a role in the development of host tolerance to infections by Gram-negative bacteria.IMPORTANCEThe innate immune system represents the front line of our defenses against invading microorganisms. Given the ever-increasing resistance to antibiotics developed by bacterial pathogens, the possibility of boosting immune defenses represents an interesting, complementary approach to conventional antibiotic treatments. Here we report that the antibiotic colistin can protect against infections by a mechanism that is independent of its microbicidal activity. Prophylactic treatment with colistin activates a conserved p38/PMK-1 pathway in the intestine that helps the host better tolerate a bacterial infection. Since p38/PMK-1-mediated immune responses appear to be conserved from plants to mammals, colistin may also activate immunity in higher organisms, including humans. Antibiotics with immunomodulatory properties have the potential of improving the long-term outcome of patients with chronic infectious diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Makowski ◽  
Damian Trojanowski ◽  
Rob Till ◽  
Carey Lambert ◽  
Rebecca Lowry ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBdellovibrio bacteriovorusis a small Gram-negative, obligate predatory bacterium that is largely found in wet, aerobic environments (e.g., soil). This bacterium attacks and invades other Gram-negative bacteria, including animal and plant pathogens. The intriguing life cycle ofB. bacteriovorusconsists of two phases: a free-living nonreplicative attack phase, in which the predatory bacterium searches for its prey, and a reproductive phase, in whichB. bacteriovorusdegrades a host’s macromolecules and reuses them for its own growth and chromosome replication. Although the cell biology of this predatory bacterium has gained considerable interest in recent years, we know almost nothing about the dynamics of its chromosome replication. Here, we performed a real-time investigation into the subcellular localization of the replisome(s) in single cells ofB. bacteriovorus. Our results show that inB. bacteriovorus, chromosome replication takes place only during the reproductive phase and exhibits a novel spatiotemporal arrangement of replisomes. The replication process starts at the invasive pole of the predatory bacterium inside the prey cell and proceeds until several copies of the chromosome have been completely synthesized. Chromosome replication is not coincident with the predator cell division, and it terminates shortly before synchronous predator filament septation occurs. In addition, we demonstrate that if thisB. bacteriovoruslife cycle fails in some cells ofEscherichia coli, they can instead use second prey cells to complete their life cycle.IMPORTANCENew strategies are needed to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Application of the predatory bacteriumBdellovibrio bacteriovorus, which kills other bacteria, including pathogens, is considered promising for combating bacterial infections. TheB. bacteriovoruslife cycle consists of two phases, a free-living, invasive attack phase and an intracellular reproductive phase, in which this predatory bacterium degrades the host’s macromolecules and reuses them for its own growth. To understand the use ofB. bacteriovorusas a “living antibiotic,” it is first necessary to dissect its life cycle, including chromosome replication. Here, we present a real-time investigation into subcellular localization of chromosome replication in a single cell ofB. bacteriovorus. This process initiates at the invasion pole ofB. bacteriovorusand proceeds until several copies of the chromosome have been completely synthesized. Interestingly, we demonstrate that some cells ofB. bacteriovorusrequire two prey cells sequentially to complete their life cycle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Juliane Kahl ◽  
Alexa Price-Whelan ◽  
Lars E. P. Dietrich

ABSTRACT Light is known to trigger regulatory responses in diverse organisms, including slime molds, animals, plants, and phototrophic bacteria. However, light-dependent processes in nonphototrophic bacteria, and those of pathogens in particular, have received comparatively little research attention. In this study, we examined the impact of light on multicellular development in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of biofilm-based bacterial infections. We grew P. aeruginosa strain PA14 in a colony morphology assay and found that growth under prolonged exposure to low-intensity blue light inhibited biofilm matrix production and thereby the formation of vertical biofilm structures (i.e., “wrinkles”). Light-dependent inhibition of biofilm wrinkling was correlated with low levels of cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), consistent with the role of this signal in stimulating matrix production. A screen of enzymes with the potential to catalyze c-di-GMP synthesis or degradation identified c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases that contribute to light-dependent inhibition of biofilm wrinkling. One of these, RmcA, was previously characterized by our group for its role in mediating the effect of redox-active P. aeruginosa metabolites called phenazines on biofilm wrinkle formation. Our results suggest that an RmcA sensory domain that is predicted to bind a flavin cofactor is involved in light-dependent inhibition of wrinkling. Together, these findings indicate that P. aeruginosa integrates information about light exposure and redox state in its regulation of biofilm development. IMPORTANCE Light exposure tunes circadian rhythms, which modulate the immune response and affect susceptibility to infection in plants and animals. Though molecular responses to light are defined for model plant and animal hosts, analogous pathways that function in bacterial pathogens are understudied. We examined the response to light exposure in biofilms (matrix-encased multicellular assemblages) of the nonphotosynthetic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We found that light at intensities that are not harmful to human cells inhibited biofilm maturation via effects on cellular signals. Because biofilm formation is a critical factor in many types of P. aeruginosa infections, including burn wound infections that may be exposed to light, these effects could be relevant for pathogenicity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bárbara Magalhães ◽  
Laurence Senn ◽  
Dominique S. Blanc

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the major Gram-negative pathogens responsible for hospital-acquired infections. Here, we present high-quality genome sequences of isolates from three P. aeruginosa genotypes retrieved from patients hospitalized in intensive care units.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 718-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Heath Damron ◽  
Elizabeth S. McKenney ◽  
Herbert P. Schweizer ◽  
Joanna B. Goldberg

ABSTRACTWe describe a mini-Tn7-based broad-host-range expression cassette for arabinose-inducible gene expression from the PBADpromoter. This delivery vector, pTJ1, can integrate a single copy of a gene into the chromosome of Gram-negative bacteria for diverse genetic applications, of which several are discussed, usingPseudomonas aeruginosaas the model host.


2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (19) ◽  
pp. 6110-6116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeinab Hosseinidoust ◽  
Theo G. M. van de Ven ◽  
Nathalie Tufenkji

ABSTRACTThe rapid increase in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has attracted attention to bacteriophages for treating and preventing bacterial infections. Bacteriophages can drive the diversification ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, giving rise to phage-resistant variants with different phenotypes from their ancestral hosts. In this study, we sought to investigate the effect of phage resistance on cytotoxicity of host populations toward cultured mammalian cells. The library of phage-resistantP. aeruginosaPAO1 variants used was developed previously via experimental evolution of an isogenic host population using phages PP7 and E79. Our results presented herein indicate that the phage-resistant variants developed in a heterogeneous phage environment exhibit a greater ability to impede metabolic action of cultured human keratinocytes and have a greater tendency to cause membrane damage even though they cannot invade the cells in large numbers. They also show a heightened resistance to phagocytosis by model murine macrophages. Furthermore, all isolates produced higher levels of at least one of the secreted virulence factors, namely, total proteases, elastase, phospholipase C, and hemolysins. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed upregulation in the transcription of a number of genes associated with virulence ofP. aeruginosafor the phage-resistant variants. The results of this study indicate a significant change in thein vitrovirulence ofP. aeruginosafollowing phage predation and highlight the need for caution in the selection and design of phages and phage cocktails for therapeutic use.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa D. Barnes ◽  
Christopher R. Bethel ◽  
Jim Alsop ◽  
Scott A. Becka ◽  
Joseph D. Rutter ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a prevalent and life-threatening Gram-negative pathogen. Pseudomonas -derived cephlosporinase (PDC) is the major inducible cephalosporinase in P. aeruginosa . In this investigation, we show that relebactam, a diazabicyclooctane β-lactamase inhibitor, potently inactivates PDC-3, with a k 2 / K of 41,400 M −1 s −1 and a k off of 0.00095 s −1 . Relebactam restored susceptibility to imipenem in 62% of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa clinical isolates, while only 21% of isolates were susceptible to imipenem-cilastatin alone. Relebactam promises to increase the efficacy of imipenem-cilastatin against P. aeruginosa .


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