Intracellular accumulation of linezolid in Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii and Enterobacter aerogenes: role of enhanced efflux pump activity and inactivation

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2007 Jun;59(6):1261-4. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkl380. Epub 2006 Sep 13.

Abstract

Objectives: The oxazolidinone class of antibiotics such as linezolid have a narrow spectrum of activity that targets Gram-positive bacteria. We hypothesized that the poor activity of linezolid in Gram-negative bacteria is in part caused by relatively low intracellular concentration due to efflux.

Methods: Using whole cell accumulation assays we estimated the intracellular concentration of linezolid in Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae. We included test strains with enhanced RND-type multidrug efflux pump activity and with genetic inactivation of the pump or functional inhibition by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone as inhibitor of the proton motive force or 1-(1-naphthylmethyl)-piperazine (NMP), an efflux pump inhibitor.

Results: Consistent with susceptibility studies, enhanced pump activity caused decreased accumulation, and pump inactivation and inhibition caused increased accumulation, of linezolid. The accumulation levels in test strains of E. coli, Citrobacter freundii and Enterobacter aerogenes with functional pumps were lower than in control strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium, but were higher after pump inactivation and correlated with ethidium bromide and pyronin Y accumulation.

Conclusions: The intracellular concentration of linezolid is comparatively low owing to efficient efflux of the drug and could be increased substantially by inhibition of RND-type efflux pumps.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / metabolism*
  • Acetamides / metabolism*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / metabolism*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone / pharmacology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Citrobacter freundii / metabolism*
  • Coloring Agents
  • Enterobacter aerogenes / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Ethidium
  • Fluorometry
  • Linezolid
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Oxazolidinones / metabolism*
  • Pyronine

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • Acetamides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Coloring Agents
  • Oxazolidinones
  • Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone
  • Ethidium
  • Linezolid
  • Pyronine