Cationic Amphipathic Triazines with Potent Anti-bacterial, Anti-inflammatory and Anti-atopic Dermatitis Properties

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1292. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-37785-z.

Abstract

The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria forces the therapeutic world into a position, where the development of new and alternative kind of antibiotics is highly important. Herein, we report the development of triazine-based amphiphilic small molecular antibacterial agents as mimics of lysine- and arginine-based cationic peptide antibiotics (CPAs). These compounds were screened against a panel of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Further, anti-inflammatory evaluation of these compounds led to the identification of four efficient compounds, DG-5, DG-6, DL-5, and DL-6. These compounds displayed significant potency against drug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MDRPA), and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF). Mechanistic studies, including cytoplasmic membrane depolarization, confocal imaging and flow cytometry suggest that DG-5, DG-6, and DL-5 kill bacteria by targeting bacterial membrane, while DL-6 follows intracellular targeting mechanism. We also demonstrate that these molecules have therapeutic potential by showing the efficiency of DG-5 in preventing the lung inflammation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. More interestingly, DL-6 exhibited impressive potency on atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in BALB/c mice model by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these results suggest that they can serve a new class of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-atopic agents with promising therapeutic potential.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Lung Injury / chemically induced
  • Acute Lung Injury / drug therapy*
  • Acute Lung Injury / metabolism
  • Acute Lung Injury / pathology
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / pharmacology
  • Bacteria / growth & development*
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / chemically induced
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / drug therapy*
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / metabolism
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Sheep
  • Triazines* / chemical synthesis
  • Triazines* / chemistry
  • Triazines* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Triazines