Antimicrobial peptide exposure selects for Staphylococcus aureus resistance to human defence peptides

Jessica Z. Kubicek-Sutherland, Hava Lofton, Martin Vestergaard, Karin Hjort, Hanne Ingmer, Dan I. Anderson

33 Citationer (Scopus)
145 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: The clinical development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is currently under evaluation to combat the rapid increase in MDR bacterial pathogens. However, many AMPs closely resemble components of the human
innate immune system and the ramifications of prolonged bacterial exposure to AMPs are not fully understood.

Objectives: We show that in vitro serial passage of a clinical USA300 MRSA strain in a host-mimicking environment containing host-derived AMPs results in the selection of stable AMP resistance.

Methods: Serial passage experimentswere conducted using steadily increasing concentrations of LL-37, PR-39 or wheat germ histones. WGS and proteomic analysis by MS were used to identify the molecular mechanism associated
with increased tolerance of AMPs. AMP-resistant mutants were characterized by measuring in vitro fitness, AMP and antibiotic susceptibility, and virulence in a mouse model of sepsis.

Results: AMP-resistant Staphylococcus aureus mutants often displayed little to no fitness cost and caused invasive disease in mice. Further, this phenotype coincided with diminished susceptibility to both clinically prescribed
antibiotics and human defence peptides.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that therapeutic use of AMPs could select for virulent mutants with crossresistance to human innate immunity as well as antibiotic therapy. Thus, therapeutic use of AMPs and the implications of cross-resistance need to be carefully monitored and evaluated.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftJournal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Vol/bind72
Udgave nummer1
Sider (fra-til)115-127
Antal sider13
ISSN0305-7453
DOI
StatusUdgivet - jan. 2017

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