Development of mechanism-based antibacterial synergy between Fmoc-phenylalanine hydrogel and aztreonam

Biomater Sci. 2020 Mar 31;8(7):1996-2006. doi: 10.1039/c9bm01978b.

Abstract

Recently, fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) conjugated amino acids (Fmoc-AA), especially Fmoc-phenylalanine (Fmoc-F), have been discovered to have antimicrobial properties specific to Gram-positive bacteria including MRSA. Their weak antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria is due to their inability to cross the bacterial membrane. Here in order to increase the antibacterial spectrum of Fmoc-F, we prepared a formulation of Fmoc-F with the Gram-negative specific antibiotic aztreonam (AZT). This formulation displayed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and significantly reduced the bacterial load in a mouse wound infection model. The combination produced a synergistic effect and higher efficacy against P. aeruginosa due to the increased Fmoc-F permeability by AZT through the bacterial membrane. This combinatorial approach could be an effective strategy for other Fmoc-AA having a Gram-positive specific antibacterial effect for the better management of bacterial wound infections.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Aztreonam / administration & dosage*
  • Aztreonam / chemistry
  • Aztreonam / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Bacterial Load / drug effects
  • Dipeptides / chemistry*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Synergism
  • Fluorenes / chemistry*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Hydrogels
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Wound Infection / drug therapy
  • Wound Infection / microbiology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Dipeptides
  • Fluorenes
  • Hydrogels
  • fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl diphenylalanine
  • Aztreonam