A Tobramycin Vector Enhances Synergy and Efficacy of Efflux Pump Inhibitors against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria

J Med Chem. 2017 May 11;60(9):3913-3932. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00156. Epub 2017 Apr 24.

Abstract

Drug efflux mechanisms interact synergistically with the outer membrane permeability barrier of Gram-negative bacteria, leading to intrinsic resistance that presents a major challenge for antibiotic drug development. Efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) which block the efflux of antibiotics synergize antibiotics, but the clinical development of EPI/antibiotic combination therapy to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative infections has been challenging. This is in part caused by the inefficiency of current EPIs to penetrate the outer membrane and resist efflux. We demonstrate that conjugation of a tobramycin (TOB) vector to EPIs like NMP, paroxetine, or DBP enhances synergy and efficacy of EPIs in combination with tetracycline antibiotics against MDR Gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Besides potentiating tetracycline antibiotics, TOB-EPI conjugates can also suppress resistance development to the tetracycline antibiotic minocycline, thereby providing a strategy to develop more effective adjuvants to rescue tetracycline antibiotics from resistance in MDR Gram-negative bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / drug effects*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Tobramycin / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Tobramycin

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