Evolving Carbapenemases: Can Medicinal Chemists Advance One Step Ahead of the Coming Storm (original) (raw)

Structural Aspects for Evolution of β-Lactamases from Penicillin-Binding Proteins

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2003

Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), biosynthetic enzymes of bacterial cell wall assembly, and -lactamases, resistance enzymes to -lactam antibiotics, are related to each other from an evolutionary point of view. Massova and Mobashery (Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 1998, 42, 1-17) have proposed that for -lactamases to have become effective at their function as antibiotic resistance enzymes, they would have had to undergo structure alterations such that they would not interact with the peptidoglycan, which is the substrate for PBPs. A cephalosporin analogue, 7 -[N-Acetyl-L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-L-lysine]-3-acetoxymethyl-3-cephem-carboxylic acid (compound 6), was conceived and synthesized to test this notion. The X-ray structure of the complex of this cephalosporin bound to the active site of the deacylation-deficient Q120L/Y150E variant of the class C AmpC -lactamase from Escherichia coli was solved at 1.71 Å resolution. This complex revealed that the surface for interaction with the strand of peptidoglycan that acylates the active site, which is present in PBPs, is absent in the -lactamase active site. Furthermore, insertion of a peptide in the -lactamase active site at a location where the second strand of peptidoglycan in some PBPs binds has effectively abolished the possibility for such interaction with the -lactamase. A 2.6 ns dynamics simulation was carried out for the complex, which revealed that the peptidoglycan surrogate (i.e., the active-site-bound ligand) undergoes substantial motion and is not stabilized for binding within the active site. These factors taken together disclose the set of structure modifications in the antibiotic resistance enzyme that prevent it from interacting with the peptidoglycan, en route to achieving catalytic proficiency for their intended function.

β-Lactamase Inhibitors To Restore the Efficacy of Antibiotics against Superbugs

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2019

Infections caused by resistant bacteria are nowadays too common, and some pathogens have even become resistant to multiple types of antibiotics, in which case few or even no treatments are available. In recent years, the most successful strategy in anti-infective drug discovery for the treatment of such problematic infections is the combination therapy "antibiotic + inhibitor of resistance". These inhibitors allow the repurposing of antibiotics that have already proven to be safe and effective for clinical use. Three main types of compounds have been developed to block the principal bacterial resistance mechanisms: (i) β-lactamase inhibitors; (ii) outer membrane permeabilizers; (iii) efflux pump inhibitors. This Perspective is focused on β-lactamase inhibitors that disable the most prevalent cause of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, i.e., the deactivation of the most widely used antibiotics, β-lactams (penicillins, cephalosporines, carbapenems, and monobactams), by the production of βlactamases. An overview of the most recently identified β-lactamase inhibitors and of combination therapy is provided. The article also covers the mechanism of action of the different types of β-lactamase enzymes as a basis for inhibitor design and target inactivation.

In vitro activities of the potent, broad-spectrum carbapenem MK-0826 (L-749,345) against broad-spectrum beta-lactamase-and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli clinical isolates

Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 1999

An important mechanism of bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is inactivation by beta-lactam-hydrolyzing enzymes (beta-lactamases). The evolution of the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) is associated with extensive use of beta-lactam antibiotics, particularly cephalosporins, and is a serious threat to therapeutic efficacy. ESBLs and broad-spectrum beta-lactamases (BDSBLs) are plasmid-mediated class A enzymes produced by gram-negative pathogens, principally Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. MK-0826 was highly potent against all ESBL- and BDSBL-producing K. pneumoniae and E. coli clinical isolates tested (MIC range, 0.008 to 0.12 microgram/ml). In E. coli, this activity was associated with high-affinity binding to penicillin-binding proteins 2 and 3. When the inoculum level was increased 10-fold, increasing the amount of beta-lactamase present, the MK-0826 MIC range increased to 0.008 to 1 microgram/ml. By comparison, similar observations were made with ...

In Vitro Activities of the Potent, Broad-Spectrum Carbapenem MK-0826 (L-749,345) against Broad-Spectrum β-Lactamase-and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli Clinical Isolates

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1999

An important mechanism of bacterial resistance to ␤-lactam antibiotics is inactivation by ␤-lactam-hydrolyzing enzymes (␤-lactamases). The evolution of the extended-spectrum ␤-lactamases (ESBLs) is associated with extensive use of ␤-lactam antibiotics, particularly cephalosporins, and is a serious threat to therapeutic efficacy. ESBLs and broad-spectrum ␤-lactamases (BDSBLs) are plasmid-mediated class A enzymes produced by gram-negative pathogens, principally Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. MK-0826 was highly potent against all ESBL-and BDSBL-producing K. pneumoniae and E. coli clinical isolates tested (MIC range, 0.008 to 0.12 g/ml). In E. coli, this activity was associated with high-affinity binding to penicillin-binding proteins 2 and 3. When the inoculum level was increased 10-fold, increasing the amount of ␤-lactamase present, the MK-0826 MIC range increased to 0.008 to 1 g/ml. By comparison, similar observations were made with meropenem while imipenem MICs were usually less affected. Not surprisingly, MIC increases with noncarbapenem ␤-lactams were generally substantially greater, resulting in resistance in many cases. E. coli strains that produce chromosomal (Bush group 1) ␤-lactamase served as controls. All three carbapenems were subject to an inoculum effect with the majority of the BDSBL-and ESBL-producers but not the Bush group 1 strains, implying some effect of the plasmid-borne enzymes on potency. Importantly, MK-0826 MICs remained at or below 1 g/ml under all test conditions.

Role of β-lactam carboxyl group on binding of penicillins and cephalosporins to class C β-lactamases

Proteins: Structure, Function, and Genetics, 2003

Molecular models for the Henry Michaelis complexes of Enterobacter cloacae, a class C ␤-lactamase, with penicillin G and cephalotin have been constructed by using molecular mechanic calculations, based on the AMBER force field, to examine the molecular differentiation mechanisms between cephalosporins and penicillins in ␤-lactamases. Ser318Ala and Thr316Ala mutations in both complexes and Asn346Ala and Thr316Ala/Asn346Ala double mutation in penicillin G complex have also been studied. Results confirm that Thr316, Ser318, and Asn346 play a crucial role in the substrate recognition, via their interactions with one of the oxygens of the antibiotic carboxyl group. Both mutation Ser318Ala and Thr316Ala strongly affect the correct binding of cephalotin to P99, the first mainly by precluding the discriminating salt bridge between carboxyl and serine OH groups, and the second one by the Ser318, Lys315, and Tyr150 spatial rearrangements. On the other hand, Ser318Ala mutation has little effect on penicillin G binding, but the Thr316Ala/Asn346Ala double mutation causes the departure of the antibiotic from the oxyanion hole. Molecular dynamic simulations allow us to interpret the experimental results of some class C and A ␤-lactamases. Proteins 2003; 51:442-452.

Penicillin Sulfone Inhibitors of Class D β-Lactamases

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2010

ABSTRACTOXA β-lactamases are largely responsible for β-lactam resistance inAcinetobacterspp. andPseudomonas aeruginosa, two of the most difficult-to-treat nosocomial pathogens. In general, the β-lactamase inhibitors used in clinical practice (clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and tazobactam) demonstrate poor activity against class D β-lactamases. To overcome this challenge, we explored the abilities of β-lactamase inhibitors of the C-2- and C-3-substituted penicillin and cephalosporin sulfone families against OXA-1, extended-spectrum (OXA-10, OXA-14, and OXA-17), and carbapenemase-type (OXA-24/40) class D β-lactamases. Three C-2-substituted penicillin sulfone compounds (JDB/LN-1-255, JDB/LN-III-26, and JDB/ASR-II-292) showed lowKivalues for the OXA-1 β-lactamase (0.70 ± 0.14 → 1.60 ± 0.30 μM) and demonstrated significantKiimprovements compared to the C-3-substituted cephalosporin sulfone (JDB/DVR-II-214), tazobactam, and clavulanic acid. The C-2-substituted penicillin sulfones JDB/ASR-II-...