Identification of Staphylococcus aureus Cellular Pathways Affected by the Stilbenoid Lead Drug SK-03-92 Using a Microarray.

The mechanism of action for a new lead stilbene compound coded SK-03-92 with bactericidal activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is unknown. To gain insight into the killing process, transcriptional profiling was performed on SK-03-92 treated vs. untreated S. aureus. Fourteen genes were upregulated and 38 genes downregulated by SK-03-92 treatment. Genes involved in sortase A production, protein metabolism, and transcriptional regulation were upregulated, whereas genes encoding transporters, purine synthesis proteins, and a putative two-component system (SACOL2360 (MW2284) and SACOL2361 (MW2285)) were downregulated by SK-03-92 treatment. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses validated upregulation of srtA and tdk as well as downregulation of the MW2284/MW2285 and purine biosynthesis genes in the drug-treated population. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of MW2284 and MW2285 mutants compared to wild-type cells demonstrated that the srtA gene was upregulated by both putative two-component regulatory gene mutants compared to the wild-type strain. Using a transcription profiling technique, we have identified several cellular pathways regulated by SK-03-92 treatment, including a putative two-component system that may regulate srtA and other genes that could be tied to the SK-03-92 mechanism of action, biofilm formation, and drug persisters.

Design and synthesis of novel antimicrobials with activity against Gram-positive bacteria and mycobacterial species, including M. tuberculosis.

The alarming increase in bacterial resistance over the last decade along with a dramatic decrease in new treatments for infections has led to problems in the healthcare industry. Tuberculosis (TB) is caused mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is responsible for 1.4 million deaths per year. A world-wide threat with HIV co-infected with multi and extensively drug-resistant strains of TB has emerged. In this regard, herein, novel acrylic acid ethyl ester derivatives were synthesized in simple, efficient routes and evaluated as potential agents against several Mycobacterium species. These were synthesized via a stereospecific process for structure activity relationship (SAR) studies. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays indicated that esters 12, 13, and 20 exhibited greater in vitro activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis than rifampin, one of the current, first-line anti-mycobacterial chemotherapeutic agents. Based on these studies the acrylic ester 20 has been developed as a potential lead compound which was found to have an MIC value of 0.4 µg/mL against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The SAR and biological activity of this series is presented; a Michael-acceptor mechanism appears to be important for potent activity of this series of analogs.

Antibacterial spirobisnaphthalenes from the North American cup fungus Urnula craterium.

Urnucratins A-C (1-3), which possess an unusual bisnaphthospiroether skeleton with one oxygen bridge and one C-C bridge and represent a new subclass of bisnaphthalenes, were isolated from the North American cup fungus Urnula craterium. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were determined by means of HRMS, NMR, and quantum chemical CD calculations. Urnucratin A (1) was found to be active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, and Streptococcus pyogenes with MIC values of 2, 1, and 0.5 µg/mL, respectively.

A new class of potential anti-tuberculosis agents: Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of novel acrylic acid ethyl ester derivatives.

Novel acrylic acid ethyl ester derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as potential agents against Mycobacterium species. A versatile and efficient copper-catalyzed coupling process was developed and used to prepare a library of substituted acrylic acid ethyl ester analogs. Minimum inhibitory concentration assays indicated that two of these compounds 3 and 4 have greater in vitro activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis than rifampin, one of the current, first-line anti-mycobacterial chemotherapeutic agents. Moreover, members of this new class of compounds appear to exhibit a specific anti-mycobacterial effect and do not inhibit the growth of the other Gram-positive or Gram-negative species tested.

Screening a mushroom extract library for activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Burkholderia cepacia and the identification of a compound with anti-Burkholderia activity.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii and species within the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) are significant opportunistic bacterial pathogens of humans. These species exhibit a high degree of antibiotic resistance, and some clinical isolates are resistant to all currently available antimicrobial drugs used for treatment. Thus, new drugs are needed to treat infections by these species. Mushrooms could be a potential source for new drugs to treat A. baumannii and BCC infections. METHODS: The aim of this study was to screen a library of crude extracts from 330 wild mushrooms by disk diffusion assays for antibacterial activity against A. baumannii and Burkholderia cepacia in the hope of identifying a novel natural drug that could be used to treat infections caused by these species. Once positive hits were identified, the extracts were subjected to bioassay-guided separations to isolate and identify the active drug molecules. MICs were performed to gauge the in vitro activity of the purified compounds. RESULTS: Only three crude extracts (0.9%) had activity against A. baumannii and B. cepacia. Compounds from two of these extracts had MICs greater than 128 microg/ml, and further analyses were not performed. From the third extract, prepared from Leucopaxillus albissimus, 2-aminoquinoline (2-AQ) was isolated. This compound exhibited a modest MIC in vitro against strains from nine different BCC species, including multi-drug resistant clinical isolates (MIC = 8-64 microg/ml), and a weak MIC (128 microg/ml) against A baumannii. The IC50 against a murine monocyte line was 1.5 mg/ml. CONCLUSION: The small number of positive hits in this study suggests that finding a new drug from mushrooms to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections may be difficult. Although 2-AQ was identified in one mushroom, and it was shown to inhibit the growth of multi-drug resistant BCC isolates, the relatively high MICs (8-128 microg/ml) for both A. baumannii and BCC strains suggests that 2-AQ is not suitable for further drug development in its current form.

Antibacterial compounds from mushrooms II: lanostane triterpenoids and an ergostane steroid with activity against Bacillus cereus isolated from Fomitopsis pinicola.

Anti- Bacillus cereus bioassay-guided fractionation of a crude extract of the American mushroom, Fomitopsis pinicola, was performed using thin-layer chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and preparative-scale HPLC. Five lanostane triterpenoids (1-5) and one ergostane steroid (6) were isolated and identified. Compound 1 is a new lanostane triterpenoid, and its structure was determined using 1D and 2D NMR experiments, HR-MS, and physical data. Each of the purified compounds (1-6) was tested for antibacterial activity against B. cereus using standard MIC assays. Compounds 1-6 had MIC values of 32, 16, 32, 32, 128, and 64 microg/mL, respectively.

Antibacterial compounds from mushrooms I: a lanostane-type triterpene and prenylphenol derivatives from Jahnoporus hirtus and Albatrellus flettii and their activities against Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus faecalis.

Antibacterial bioassay-guided fractionation of two American mushroom species, Jahnoporus hirtus and Albatrellus flettii, led to the isolation and identification of their major antibacterial constituents: 3,11-dioxolanosta-8,24( Z)-diene-26-oic acid (1) from J. hirtus and confluentin (2), grifolin (3), and neogrifolin (4) from A. flettii. Compound 1 is a new lanostane-type triterpene. All purified compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus faecalis using standard MIC assays. Compounds 1- 4 demonstrated MIC values of 40, 20, 10, and 20 microg/mL, respectively, against B. cereus and MIC values of 32, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.5 microg/mL, respectively, against E. faecalis. Thus, one novel compound and three others were shown to possess antimicrobial activities against these gram-positive bacteria employed as surrogates for more virulent and dangerous pathogens.

New classes of Gram-positive selective antibacterials: inhibitors of MRSA and surrogates of the causative agents of anthrax and tuberculosis.

An antimicrobial phenolic stilbene, (E)-3-hydroxy-5-methoxystilbene, 1 was recently isolated from the leaves of Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coulter and shown to possess inhibitory activity against several Gram-positive bacteria, including isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and avirulent Bacillusanthracis (Sterne strain), among others. These results prompted the design and synthesis of two new classes of compounds, phenoxystyrenes and phenothiostyrenes, as analogs of the natural antimicrobial stilbene. These and additional stilbenoid analogs were synthesized using new, efficient, copper-mediated coupling strategies. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) antimicrobial assays were performed on all compounds prepared. These preliminary structure-activity relationship studies indicated that both new classes of synthetic analogs, as well as the stilbenes, show promising activity against Gram-positive bacteria when at least one phenolic moiety is present, but not when absent. The potencies of the phenolic phenoxystyrenes and phenothiostyrenes were found to be comparable to those of the phenolic stilbenes tested.