Targeting anti-virulence factor strategies of bacterial pathogens
Jiashu Li, Tianyuan Jia, Liang Yang
Abstract
• Bacterial virulence factors evolve mainly via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), limited by enzyme degradation, genome structure, and the CRISPR/Cas system. • Anti-microbial strategies targeting biofilm-related virulence factors and quorum sensing (QS)-related virulence factors are expected to efficiently restrain drug-resistant bacteria. • Future anti-virulence strategies including natural drugs, antibiotic resistance inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and vaccines are discussed. • Innovative anti-virulence strategies, such as targeting biofilms, QS, metabolic pathways, and utilizing active learning guided drug design, offer promising solutions to address antibiotic resistance and bacterial pathogenicity. Antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens pose substantial biosafety and health hazards, leading to millions of deaths each year. The evolution of bacterial virulence factors is mainly propelled by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In addition to traditional antibiotics, antimicrobial strategies targeting biofilm-related virulence factors and quorum sensing (QS)-related virulence factors can effectively restrain drug-resistant bacteria. Future anti-virulence strategies, encompassing natural drugs, antibiotic resistance inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and vaccines, are in the development pipeline. Consequently, by disrupting virulence factors, these drugs can eliminate the ability of bacterial pathogens to cause disease. In conclusion, this Perspective comprehensively summarizes current anti-bacterial virulence factor strategies and prospects for future cutting-edge approaches, which may address the issues of antibacterial resistance and curtail the spread of pathogens in the future.