Additive Effects of Cyclic Peptide [R4W4] When Added Alongside Azithromycin and Rifampicin against Mycobacterium avium Infection

Authors

Melissa Kelley, Western University of Health Sciences
Kayvan Sasaninia, Western University of Health SciencesFollow
Arbi Abnousian, Western University of Health SciencesFollow
Ali Badaoui, Western University of Health Sciences
James Owens, Western University of Health SciencesFollow
Abrianna Beever, Kansas City University
Nala Kachour, University of California, RiversideFollow
Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Chapman UniversityFollow
Vishwanath Venketaraman, Western University of Health SciencesFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-18-2023

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium (M. avium), a type of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), poses a risk for pulmonary infections and disseminated infections in immunocompromised individuals. Conventional treatment consists of a 12-month regimen of the first-line antibiotics rifampicin and azithromycin. However, the treatment duration and low antibiotic tolerability present challenges in the treatment of M. avium infection. Furthermore, the emergence of multidrug-resistant mycobacterium strains prompts a need for novel treatments against M. avium infection. This study aims to test the efficacy of a novel antimicrobial peptide, cyclic [R4W4], alongside the first-line antibiotics azithromycin and rifampicin in reducing M. avium survival. Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts were assessed after treating M. avium cultures with varying concentrations of cyclic [R4W4] alone or in conjunction with azithromycin or rifampicin 3 h and 4 days post-treatment. M. avium growth was significantly reduced 4 days after cyclic [R4W4] single treatment. Additionally, cyclic [R4W4]–azithromycin and cyclic [R4W4]–rifampicin combination treatments at specific concentrations significantly reduced M. avium survival 3 h and 4 days post-treatment compared with single antibiotic treatment alone. These findings demonstrate cyclic [R4W4] as a potent treatment method against M. avium and provide insight into novel therapeutic approaches against mycobacterium infections.

Comments

This article was originally published in Pathogens, volume 12, in 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081057

Recommended Citation

Kelley, M.; Sasaninia, K.; Abnousian, A.; Badaoui, A.; Owens, J.; Beever, A.; Kachour, N.; Tiwari, R.K.; Venketaraman, V. Additive Effects of Cyclic Peptide [R4W4] When Added Alongside Azithromycin and Rifampicin against Mycobacterium avium Infection. Pathogens 2023, 12, 1057. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081057

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.