RESUMO
The rise of antimicrobial resistance poses a substantial threat to our health system, and, hence, development of drugs against novel targets is urgently needed. The natural peptide thanatin kills Gram-negative bacteria by targeting proteins of the lipopolysaccharide transport (Lpt) machinery. Using the thanatin scaffold together with phenotypic medicinal chemistry, structural data, and a target-focused approach, we developed antimicrobial peptides with drug-like properties. They exhibit potent activity against Enterobacteriaceae both in vitro and in vivo while eliciting low frequencies of resistance. We show that the peptides bind LptA of both wild-type and thanatin-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains with low-nanomolar affinities. Mode of action studies revealed that the antimicrobial activity involves the specific disruption of the Lpt periplasmic protein bridge.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Escherichia coli , Peptidomiméticos , Enterobacteriaceae , Lipopolissacarídeos , Peptidomiméticos/farmacologia , Escherichia coli , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Proteínas de TransporteRESUMO
An Amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
RESUMO
There is an urgent need for new antibiotics against Gram-negative pathogens that are resistant to carbapenem and third-generation cephalosporins, against which antibiotics of last resort have lost most of their efficacy. Here we describe a class of synthetic antibiotics inspired by scaffolds derived from natural products. These chimeric antibiotics contain a ß-hairpin peptide macrocycle linked to the macrocycle found in the polymyxin and colistin family of natural products. They are bactericidal and have a mechanism of action that involves binding to both lipopolysaccharide and the main component (BamA) of the ß-barrel folding complex (BAM) that is required for the folding and insertion of ß-barrel proteins into the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Extensively optimized derivatives show potent activity against multidrug-resistant pathogens, including all of the Gram-negative members of the ESKAPE pathogens1. These derivatives also show favourable drug properties and overcome colistin resistance, both in vitro and in vivo. The lead candidate is currently in preclinical toxicology studies that-if successful-will allow progress into clinical studies that have the potential to address life-threatening infections by the Gram-negative pathogens, and thus to resolve a considerable unmet medical need.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Resistência Microbiana a Medicamentos , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/efeitos dos fármacos , Peptidomiméticos/química , Peptidomiméticos/farmacologia , Animais , Antibacterianos/efeitos adversos , Proteínas da Membrana Bacteriana Externa/química , Proteínas da Membrana Bacteriana Externa/genética , Produtos Biológicos/química , Descoberta de Drogas , Resistência Microbiana a Medicamentos/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/química , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/genética , Fluorescência , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/genética , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/patogenicidade , Humanos , Lipopolissacarídeos/química , Compostos Macrocíclicos/efeitos adversos , Compostos Macrocíclicos/química , Compostos Macrocíclicos/farmacologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Viabilidade Microbiana/efeitos dos fármacos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Modelos Moleculares , Mutação , Peptidomiméticos/efeitos adversos , Marcadores de FotoafinidadeRESUMO
Peptide-based reversible and irreversible cysteine proteases inhibitors are well reported in the literature. Many of these compounds have an electrophilic carbonyl group as a cysteine trap in the place of a scissile amide moiety of the natural substrate. As a common mechanism strategy, we have designed a probe library of a cysteine trap for rapid optimization of P1-P1' pockets of different cysteine proteases. The synthesis of this library using a straightforward methodology based on polymer-supported reagents and scavengers to avoid tedious purification steps has been achieved. For the selective monobromination of diazo ketones, preparation of a new supported reagent, piperidinoaminomethylpolystyrene hydrobromide, is also described.
