Immunoregulatory activity of rifaximin associated with a resistant mutant of Bifidobacterium infantis (original) (raw)

Genetic and proteomic characterization of rifaximin resistance in Bifidobacterium infantis BI07

Research in Microbiology, 2007

Rifaximin resistance in the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium infantis BI07 was studied to assess the use of an antibioticeprobiotic combination for clinical management of intestinal disorders. A rifaximin-resistant mutant was selected and a 129 bp core region of the rpoB gene was sequenced and compared with the respective sequence of the sensitive clone. A miss-sense mutation of codon 513, producing the substitution of Gln with Arg in the protein sequence, was found. The involvement of metabolic changes associated with rifaximin resistance was also investigated by proteomic analysis performed with two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The principal categories of proteins, whose expression levels varied as a consequence of rifaximin resistance, included chaperonins, regulatory factors and metabolic enzymes. The hypothesis of rifaximin inactivation by bacterial enzymatic activities was excluded, as neither structural modifications nor degradation derivates of the drug moiety was identified using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

Molecular and phenotypic traits of in-vitro-selected mutants of Bifidobacterium resistant to rifaximin

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 2008

Nucleotide mutations inside a core region of the rpoB gene, encoding the β subunit of RNA polymerase, were found in rifaximin-resistant mutants of Bifidobacterium. Five different missense mutations of codons 513, 516, 522 and 529 were identified. Further aspects of rifaximin resistance were investigated, using Bifidobacterium infantis BI07 as a model strain. Partial resistance of RNA polymerase of a BI07 mutant at a rifaximin concentration >10 g/mL was observed by cell-free transcription assay. Mass spectrometry detection of rifaximin in the cellular pellet of the BI07 resistant mutant, as well as changes in biosynthesis of saturated and cyclopropane fatty acids during growth, suggested a reduction in membrane permeability for the antibiotic moiety.

Rifaximin: beyond the traditional antibiotic activity

Rifaximin is a non-systemic oral antibiotic derived from rifampin and characterized by a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and-negative, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Rifaximin was first approved in Italy in 1987 and afterwards in many other worldwide countries for the treatment of several gastrointestinal diseases. This review updates the pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of rifaximin highlighting the different actions, beyond its antibacterial activity, such as alteration of virulence, prevention of gut mucosal adherence and bacterial translocation. Moreover, rifaximin exerts some anti-inflammatory effects with only a minimal effect on the overall composition of the gut microbiota. All these properties make rifaximin a good candidate to treat various gastrointestinal diseases.

The Effect of Rifaximin on Gut Flora and Staphylococcus Resistance

Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 2013

Aim Rifaximin is a non-absorbed antibiotic relative of rifampicin. The location of effect and staphylococcal resistance are two recent potential concerns with rifaximin. In this study we evaluate the location of effect of rifaximin as well as the development of staphylococcal rifampicin resistance. Methods Rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 gavaged for 10 days with PBS, group 2 gavaged with rifaximin for 10 days, and group 3 gavaged with rifaximin for 10 days and housed for 30 days. In each group, stool was collected daily for quantitative culture of Staphylococcus spp. and coliforms. After euthanasia luminal bacterial counts were determined at multiple gut locations by qPCR. Rifampicin susceptibility was tested on Staphylococcus pre and post rifaximin. Results At baseline, rats had a median of 2.90 9 10 6 cfu/ ml Staphylococcus spp. in stool. After 10 days of rifaximin, this dropped to 1.20 9 10 5 cfu/ml (P \ 0.01). With coliform counts, rats had a median of 1.86 9 10 4 cfu/ml at baseline which dropped to 2.2 9 10 3 cfu/ml (P \ 0.01) after rifaximin. After cessation of rifaximin, coliform counts recovered within 3 days. When examining the total bacterial counts by qPCR, rifaximin reduced small bowel bacterial levels, but not colon. This reduction was sustained for 30 days. No colonies of Staphylococcus became resistant and only one colony was intermediate. The mean inhibitory concentration for rifampicin was not different before and after rifaximin. Conclusion Staphylococcal spp. fail to demonstrate resistance to rifampicin after rifaximin. The transient reductions in stool coliform counts recover while rifaximin appears to produce durable reductions in duodenal bacteria.

In vitro activity of rifaximin against isolates from patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Rifaximin, a non-absorbable rifamycin derivative, has published clinical efficacy in the alleviation of symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is associated with the pathogenesis of IBS. This study describes for the first time the antimicrobial effect of rifaximin against SIBO microorganisms from humans. Fluid was aspirated from the third part of the duodenum from 567 consecutive patients; quantitative cultures diagnosed SIBO in 117 patients (20.6%). A total of 170 aerobic microorganisms were isolated and the in vitro efficacy of rifaximin was studied by (i) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing by a microdilution technique and (ii) time–kill assays using bile to simulate the small intestinal environment. At a breakpoint of 32 g/mL, rifaximin inhibited in vitro 85.4% of Escherichia coli, 43.6% of Klebsiella spp., 34.8% of Enterobacter spp., 54.5% of other Enterobacteriaceae spp., 82.6% of non-Enterobacteriaceae Gram-negative spp., 100% of Enterococcus faecalis, 100% of Enterococcus faecium and 100% of Staphylococcus aureus. For the time–kill assays, 11 E. coli, 15 nonE. coli Gram-negative enterobacteria and three E. faecalis isolates were studied. Rifaximin produced a >3 log 10 decrease in the starting inoculum against most of the tested isolates at 500 g/mL after 24 h of growth. The results indicate that rifaximin has a potent effect on specific small bowel flora associated with SIBO. This conclusion should be regarded in light of the considerable time–kill effect at concentrations lower than those achieved in the bowel lumen after administration of conventional doses in humans.

Rifaximin: a unique gastrointestinal-selective antibiotic for enteric diseases

Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 2010

Purpose of review-Rifaximin is gaining attention for its potential activity in a multitude of gastrointestinal diseases. We review the unique pharmaceutical properties of this antibiotic and the published evidence in the literature regarding the use of rifaximin for different gastrointestinal disorders. Recent findings-Rifaximin is a gastrointestinal-selective antibiotic with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, an excellent safety profile, minimal drug interactions, and negligible impact on the intestinal microbiome. Rifaximin is currently approved in the United States for the treatment of travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and is approved in more than 30 other countries for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. Considerable research with this medication has been conducted for the treatment and prevention of travelers' diarrhea, the treatment of portal systemic encephalopathy, Clostridium difficile infection, small bowel intestinal overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, pouchitis, and colonic diverticular disease. Summary-Rifaximin is effective for the treatment of travelers' diarrhea and can be considered as the treatment of choice for uncomplicated travelers' diarrhea. When invasive travelers' diarrhea pathogens are suspected, an alternative antibiotic should be administered. Rifaximin appears promising as a chemoprophylaxis for travelers' diarrhea and as a treatment of portal systemic encephalopathy. This antibiotic may be effective for other gastrointestinal diseases, but more welldesigned clinical studies are needed to confirm its efficacy for these off-label indications. Future studies will determine whether the development of significant bacterial resistance will limit rifaximin use.