ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to (i) evaluate the in vitro action of rifampicin (RIF), ethambutol or isoniazid with efflux pumps inhibitors (EPIs) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Rv and (ii) evaluate the morphological and efflux pumps (EPs) transcriptional changes by the action of rifampicin + verapamil combination (RIF + VP). The minimal inhibitory concentration and synergic effect of drug combinations were determined by Resazurin Microtiter Plate Assay and Resazurin Drugs Combination Microtiter Assay, respectively. VP showed greater capacity of ethidium bromide accumulation and RIF + VP had the lower fractional inhibitory concentration index. The RIF + VP exerted a similar reduction of viable cell counts to RIF by time-kill curve, but decreases in the expression of EPs genes were observed by Real time PCR at 72 h of RIF + VP exposure. Accumulative morphological changes (wrinkled and rounding) caused by each drug were observed by scanning electron microscopy after RIF + VP exposure. The downexpression of EPs related genes exposed to RIF + VP, suggest an effective inhibitory activity of VP in Mtb H37Rv. The role of EPs and the use of EPIs open up a powerful approach and the RIF + VP combination should be studied in Mtb more thoroughly.
Subject(s)
Antibiotics, Antitubercular/pharmacology , Bacterial Proteins/drug effects , Membrane Transport Proteins/drug effects , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/drug effects , Rifampin/pharmacology , Verapamil/pharmacology , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Therapy, Combination , Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial/drug effects , Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Microbial Viability , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/metabolism , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/ultrastructure , Time Factors , Transcription, Genetic/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Aminoquinoline/steroid conjugates were synthesized based on the fact that steroid transporters have been shown to accept and carry a variety of drugs. So, in continuing our research of antileishmanial and antitubercular drugs, aminoquinoline/steroid conjugates (12, 13, and 14) were regioselectively synthesized via 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition of alkynes 3, 5, and 7 with azide 12. The aminoquinoline/steroids conjugates were evaluated in vitro against Leishmania major and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. RESULTS: Regioselective synthesis of the novel aminoquinoline/steroid conjugates was achieved in very high yield. All aminoquinoline/steroid conjugates (12, 13, and 14) exhibited best results against Leishmania and M. tuberculosis than the respective alkyne intermediate structures (3, 5, and 7, respectively). Among them, the compound 12 exhibited the best activity for M. tuberculosis (MIC = 8.8 µM). This result is comparable to drugs commonly used in tuberculosis treatment. Also, for antileishmanial assay, the aminoquinoline/steroid conjugates demonstrated a significant activity against promastigote and amastigote forms of L. major. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of a steroid group to aminoquinoline molecules enhanced the leishmanicidal and antitubercular activities. These results highlight the importance of steroids as carrier.
