Integrating chemical and genetic silencing strategies to identify host kinase-phosphatase inhibitor networks that control bacterial infection

ACS Chem Biol. 2014 Feb 21;9(2):414-22. doi: 10.1021/cb400421a. Epub 2013 Nov 25.

Abstract

Every year three million people die as a result of bacterial infections, and this number may further increase due to resistance to current antibiotics. These antibiotics target almost all essential bacterial processes, leaving only a few new targets for manipulation. The host proteome has many more potential targets for manipulation in order to control bacterial infection, as exemplified by the observation that inhibiting the host kinase Akt supports the elimination of different intracellular bacteria including Salmonella and M. tuberculosis. If host kinases are involved in the control of bacterial infections, phosphatases could be as well. Here we present an integrated small interference RNA and small molecule screen to identify host phosphatase-inhibitor combinations that control bacterial infection. We define host phosphatases inhibiting intracellular growth of Salmonella and identify corresponding inhibitors for the dual specificity phosphatases DUSP11 and 27. Pathway analysis places many kinases and phosphatases controlling bacterial infection in an integrated pathway centered around Akt. This network controls host cell metabolism, survival, and growth and bacterial survival and reflect a natural host cell response to bacterial infection. Inhibiting two enzyme classes with opposite activities-kinases and phosphatases-may be a new strategy to overcome infections by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases / genetics
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Gene Silencing
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Salmonella Infections / drug therapy*
  • Salmonella Infections / enzymology*
  • Salmonella Infections / genetics
  • Salmonella typhimurium / drug effects
  • Salmonella typhimurium / physiology*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases