Host Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Potentiate Aminoglycoside Killing of Staphylococcus aureus
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus infects every niche of the human host, and these infections are the leading cause of Gram-positive sepsis. Aminoglycoside antibiotics are inexpensive, stable, and effective against many bacterial infections. However, S. aureus can shift its metabolism to become tolerant of aminoglycosides, requiring increased concentrations and/or longer courses of treatment, which can cause severe host toxicity. Here, we report that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have low host toxicity, disrupt the S. aureus membrane, making the pathogen susceptible to aminoglycosides. Additionally, cotreatment with aminoglycosides is effective at killing S. aureus small colony variants, strains that are difficult to treat with antibiotics. Taken together, the data presented herein show the promise of PUFA cotreatment to increase the efficacy of aminoglycosides against S. aureus infections and decrease the risk to the human host of antibiotic-induced toxicity.
Source: Microbiology Spectrum
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,500
OpenAlex ID: W4225089677