Design and Syntheses of Highly Potent Teixobactin Analogues against Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) in Vitro and in Vivo

J Med Chem. 2018 Mar 8;61(5):2009-2017. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01634. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Abstract

The cyclic depsipeptide, teixobactin, kills a number of Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis without detectable resistance. To date, teixobactin is the only molecule in its class that has shown in vivo antibacterial efficacy. In this work, we designed and synthesized 10 new in vivo ready teixobactin analogues. These analogues showed highly potent antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in vitro. One analogue, d-Arg4-Leu10-teixobactin, 2, was found to be noncytotoxic in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, topical instillation of peptide 2 in a mouse model of S. aureus keratitis decreased the bacterial bioburden (>99.0% reduction) and corneal edema significantly as compared to untreated mouse corneas. Collectively, our results have established the high therapeutic potential of a teixobactin analogue in attenuating bacterial infections and associated severities in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Depsipeptides / chemical synthesis
  • Depsipeptides / chemistry*
  • Drug Design
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Keratitis / drug therapy
  • Keratitis / microbiology
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Mice
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Vancomycin Resistance
  • Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / drug effects*

Substances

  • Depsipeptides
  • teixobactin