Identification of novel targets of azithromycin activity against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> grown in physiologically relevant media
Corrie R. Belanger, Amy Huei‐Yi Lee, Daniel Pletzer, Bhavjinder K. Dhillon, Reza Falsafi, Robert E. W. Hancock
Abstract
Significance The host environment in which infection occurs plays a crucial role in the interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antibiotic treatments. To make up for the lack of new antibiotics, alternative approaches, such as combination therapy and discovery of novel activity of known antibiotics in the host environment, are vital for treatment of pathogens such as P. aeruginosa. This research demonstrates how in vitro conditions that closely mimic human infection more accurately reflect the antimicrobial activity of antibiotics. We have shown that azithromycin (AZM) has increased activity and synergy with synthetic peptides in physiologically relevant in vitro conditions and in vivo. Furthermore, this research also provides potential alternative mechanisms for the activity of AZM against P. aeruginosa .