BACKGROUND: Tigecycline resistance has emerged recently and has shown diverse mechanisms. The aim of this study was to assess the role of efflux activity in tigecycline resistance in 120 clinical isolates of A. baumannii using two methods: the H33342 accumulation assay and adeB real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between the expression level of adeB and H33342 accumulation level. METHODS: A. baumannii clinical isolates was divided into tigecycline-resistant (49 strains), intermediate (40 strains), and susceptible (31 strains) groups. The H33342 accumulation was measured in the absence or presence of the efflux pump inhibitor carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). Real-time RT-PCR was performed to determine the relative expression of the adeB gene in A. baumannii clinical isolates. RESULTS: The level of H33342 accumulation in the resistant group was relatively lower than those in the other groups. The addition of CCCP caused a significantly increased fold change in H33342 accumulation in the tigecycline-resistant group. Significant difference in the fold change level in H33342 accumulation was found between tigecycline-susceptible and resistant isolates. Those findings support the role of efflux pumps of which substrates are H33342 in the resistance of tigecycline. Significant differences in the relative expression levels of adeB were shown between tigecycline-susceptible and resistant groups also. CONCLUSION: The results showed that several efflux pumps of which substrates were H33342 can contribute to tigecycline resistance. The adeB overexpression can also contribute to tigecycline resistance. It is possible that efflux pumps other than adeB efflux pumps contribute to tigecycline resistance because there was no correlation between fold change level in H33342 accumulation and adeB expression level.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

To prove the buffering contribution of mitochondria to the increase of intracellular Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]i) via background nonselective cation channel (background NSCC), we examined whether inhibition of mitochondria by protonophore carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) affects endothelial Ca2+ entry and Ca2+ buffering in freshly isolated rabbit aortic endothelial cells (RAECs). The ratio of fluorescence by fura-2 AM (R340/380) was measured in RAECs. Biological state was checked by application of acetylcholine (ACh) and ACh (10microM) increased R340/380 by 1.1+/-0.15 (mean+/-S.E., n=6). When the external Na+ was totally replaced by NMDG+, R340/380 was increased by 1.19+/-0.17 in a reversible manner (n=27). NMDG+-induced [Ca2+]i increase was followed by oscillatory decay after [Ca2+]i reached the peak level. The increase of [Ca2+]i by NMDG+ was completely suppressed by replacement with Cs+. When 1microM CCCP was applied to bath solution, the ratio of [Ca2+]i was increased by 0.4+/-0.06 (n=31). When 1microM CCCP was used for pretreatment before application of NMDG+, oscillatory decay of [Ca2+]i by NMDG+ was significantly inhibited compared to the control (p < 0.05). In addition, NMDG+-induced increase of [Ca2+]i was highly enhanced by pretreatment with 2microM CCCP by 320+/-93.7%, compared to the control (mean+/-S.E., n=12). From these results, it is concluded that mitochondria might have buffering contribution to the [Ca2+]i increase through regulation of the background NSCC in RAECs.
Acetylcholine ; Baths ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Endothelial Cells* ; Fluorescence ; Fura-2 ; Mitochondria*

The mechanism underlying oxidant-induced intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) increase was studied in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) using fura-2 AM. In the presence of 2 mM extracellular Ca2+, the application of DTBNP (20microM), a membrane-permeable oxidant, caused an increase in [Ca2+]i, and DTT (2 mM) as a reductant completely reversed the effect of DTBNP. The [Ca2+]i increase induced by DTBNP was also observed in an extracellular Ca2+-free/2 mM EGTA solution, indicating the release of Ca2+ from intracellular store (s). After endoplasmic reticulum was depleted by an IP3-generating agonist, ATP (30microM) or an ER Ca2+ pump inhibitor, thapsigargin (1microM), DTBNP-stressed BAECs showed an increase of [Ca2+]i in Ca2+-free/2 mM EGTA solution. Ratio-differences before and after the application of DTBNP after pretreatment with ATP or thapsigargin were 0.42+/-0.15 and 0.49+/-0.07, respectively (n=7), which are significantly reduced, compared to the control value of 0.72+/-0.07 in a Ca2+-free/2 mM EGTA solution. After the protonophore CCCP (10microM) challenge to release mitochondrial Ca2+, the similar result was obtained. Ratio-difference before and after the application of DTBNP after pretreatment with CCCP was 0.46+/-0.09 (n=7). Simultaneous application of thapsigargin and CCCP completely abolished the DTBNP-induced [Ca2+]i increase. The above results together indicate that the increase of [Ca2+]i by DTBNP resulted from the release of Ca2+ from both endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Egtazic Acid ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Endothelial Cells* ; Fura-2 ; Mitochondria ; Thapsigargin

BACKGROUND: Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, was known to be beneficial in reducing neuronal or astroglial damage by anoxic or ischemic insults. Detection of DNA fragments in situ using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TDT)-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay is recently applied to investigate active cell death. Therefore, we tried to investigate the relationship of ketamine effect with DNA breakdown in the condition of low ATP. METHODS: Experimetal protocols are as follows: Astrocytoma cells were harvested and plated to chamber slides. Then experimental cells were divided to four groups as control group, iodoacetate (IAA)/carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) 1.5 mM/20 micrometer treated group, and IAA/ CCCP with ketamine 1 mM or 0.1 mM. In situ labelling of fragmented DNA was conducted with commercially available kits (In situ cell death detection kit, Boehringer Mannheim). Stained cells were observed by the use of light microscope. RESULTS: TUNEL-positive reaction appeared in energy depleted astrocytes. However, TUNEL-positive cells were not observed after perfusion with iodoacetate/CCCP and ketamine 0.1 mM or 1.0 mM together. CONCLUSIONS: We report here that in vitro addition of ketamine 0.1 mM or 1 mM protected DNA breakdown of astrocytes from energy depletion. These results suggest that ketamine may have potential effect in preventing ischemic damage in clinical setting.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Apoptosis* ; Astrocytes ; Astrocytoma ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Cell Death ; DNA Fragmentation* ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; DNA* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling* ; Ketamine* ; Neurons ; Perfusion

Although trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SXT) is considered the first-line therapy for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections, there is debate on the use of the bacteriostatic drug in serious infections, and recently, there has been an increasing occurrence of acquired resistance to TMP-SXT. In the present study, the effect of efflux pump inhibitors on the susceptibility of TMP-SXT and other antibiotics were investigated in S. maltophilia complex. The sul and/or dfrA genes were identified in only up to 27.8% of all 36 TMP-SXT-resistant S. maltophilia complex isolates. Thus, TMP-SXT resistance in S. maltophilia was not explained completely by the presence of sul and dfrA genes. Carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) decreased the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of TMP-SXT by eight to 128 folds in all 14 isolates. In contrast, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), phenyl-arginine-β-naphthylamide (PAβN), and reserpine did not reduce the MIC of TMP-SXT. In addition to TMP-SXT, slight decrease in MICs was observed for tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam by CCCP (by two folds) in one isolate. Although efflux pump may play a role in TMP-SXT resistance in S. maltophilia, inhibition of the efflux pump could be done by active proton pore.
2,4-Dinitrophenol ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Korea* ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Protons ; Reserpine ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia* ; Stenotrophomonas* ; Thiram* ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination*

BACKGROUNDThere is a growing interest in studying the relationship between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance to drugs. However, the relationship still remains unclear in the macroscopic bacterial growth. Our study is to illuminate the change of bacterial drug resistance of gyrA mutant and active efflux pump during the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilms.

METHODSThe strains of type II topoisomerase gene mutant (gyrA mutant) and multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump were clinical isolates and detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The process of bacterial biofilms development was observed by scanning electron microscope. Triparental mating experiments were performed to transfer report gene of green fluorescent protein (GFP) into P. aeruginosa biofilms strains and followed by analysis of bacterial survival rate between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance.

RESULTSThe fluorescent strains with pGFPuv could develop mature biofilms on Teflon surface. Before a period of 72 hours, the survival rate of biofilms bacteria and intrinsic resistance strains in ciprofloxacin solution was significantly different (P < 0.05). The survival number of intrinsic resistance strains (gyrA mutation and active efflux pump) was illustriously higher than biofilm strain in the initial stage of biofilms development. After 72 hours incubation, there was no clearly difference between mutants and biofilms strains in the survival rate (P > 0.05). The carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and azithromycin could significantly reduce the drug resistance of biofilm strains and efflux pump strains.

CONCLUSIONSIn the development of P. aeruginosa biofilms, the strains of gyrA mutation and MDR efflux could be conferred with new level of drug resistance. When co-cultured mutated strains with biofilm strains, biofilms may play a major role in bacterial resistance. But after 72 hours incubation (a mature biofilms had been developed), there was no clearly difference between the number of mutant strains and biofilm strains.

Biofilms ; drug effects ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; pharmacology ; Ciprofloxacin ; pharmacology ; DNA Gyrase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Mutation ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; genetics

This study aimed to investigate the effect of treadmill exercise on neuropathic pain and to determine whether mitophagy of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) contributes to exercise-mediated amelioration of neuropathic pain. Chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI) was used to establish a neuropathic pain model in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Von-Frey filaments were used to assess the mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (PWT), and a thermal radiation meter was used to assess the thermal paw withdrawal latency (PWL) in rats. qPCR was used to evaluate the mRNA levels of Pink1, Parkin, Fundc1, and Bnip3. Western blot was used to evaluate the protein levels of PINK1 and PARKIN. To determine the impact of the mitophagy inducer carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) on pain behaviors in CCI rats, 24 SD rats were randomly divided into CCI drug control group (CCI+Veh group), CCI+CCCP low-dose group (CCI+CCCP0.25), CCI+CCCP medium-dose group (CCI+CCCP2.5), and CCI+CCCP high-dose group (CCI+CCCP5). Pain behaviors were assessed on 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after modeling. To explore whether exercise regulates pain through mitophagy, 24 SD rats were divided into sham, CCI, and CCI+Exercise (CCI+Exe) groups. The rats in the CCI+Exe group underwent 4-week low-moderate treadmill training one week after modeling. The mechanical pain and thermal pain behaviors of the rats in each group were assessed on 0, 7, 14, 21, and 35 days after modeling. Western blot was used to detect the levels of the mitophagy-related proteins PINK1, PARKIN, LC3 II/LC3 I, and P62 in ACC tissues. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of mitochondrial morphology in the ACC. The results showed that: (1) Compared with the sham group, the pain thresholds of the ipsilateral side of the CCI group decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein levels of Pink1 were significantly higher, and those of Parkin were lower in the CCI group (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the CCI+Veh group, each CCCP-dose group showed higher mechanical and thermal pain thresholds, and the levels of PINK1 and LC3 II/LC3 I were elevated significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (3) The pain thresholds of the CCI+Exe group increased significantly compared with those of the CCI group after treadmill intervention (P < 0.001, P < 0.01). Compared with the CCI group, the protein levels of PINK1 and P62 were decreased (P < 0.001, P < 0.01), and the protein levels of PARKIN and LC3 II/LC3 I were increased in the CCI+Exe group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Rod-shaped mitochondria were observed in the ACC of CCI+Exe group, and there were little mitochondrial fragmentation, swelling, or vacuoles. The results suggest that the mitochondrial PINK1/PARKIN autophagy pathway is blocked in the ACC of neuropathic pain model rats. Treadmill exercise could restore mitochondrial homeostasis and relieve neuropathic pain via the PINK1/PARKIN pathway.
Rats ; Animals ; Mitophagy/physiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone/pharmacology* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Neuralgia ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism* ; Protein Kinases ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolism*

Acinetobacter baumannii ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; pharmacology ; DNA Gyrase ; genetics ; DNA Topoisomerase IV ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Fluoroquinolones ; pharmacology ; Reserpine ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND: Fluoroquinolone resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa may be due to efflux pump overexpression and/or target mutations. We designed this study to investigate the efflux pump mediated fluoroquinolone resistance and check the increasing effectiveness of fluoroquinolones in combination with an efflux pumps inhibitor among P. aeruginosa isolates from burn wounds infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 154 consecutive strains of P. aeruginosa were recovered from separate patients hospitalized in a burn hospital, Tehran, Iran. The isolates first were studied by disk diffusion antibiogram for 11 antibiotics and then minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) experiments were performed to detect synergy between ciprofloxacin and the efflux pump inhibitor, carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP). Then to elucidate the inducing of multi drug resistance due to different efflux pumps activation in Fluoroquinolone resistant isolates, synergy experiments were also performed in random ciprofloxacin resistant isolates which have overexpressed efflux pumps phenotypically, using CCCP and selected antibiotics as markers for Beta-lactams and Aminoglycosides. The isolates were also tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the MexA, MexC and MexE, which encode the efflux pumps MexAB-OprM, MexCD-OprJ and MexEF-OprN. RESULTS: Most of the isolates were resistant to 3 or more antibiotics tested. More than half of the ciprofloxacin resistant isolates exhibited synergy between ciprofloxacin and CCCP, indicating the efflux pump activity contributed to the ciprofloxacin resistance. Also increased susceptibility of random ciprofloxacin resistant isolates of P. aeruginosa to other selected antibiotics, in presence of CCCP, implied multidrug extrusion by different active efflux pump in fluoroquinolones resistant strains. All of Ciprofloxacin resistant isolates were positive for MexA, MexC and MexE genes simultaneously. CONCLUSION: In this burn hospital, where multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were prevalent, ciprofloxacin resistance and multidrug resistance due to the overexpression of fluoroquinolones mediated efflux pumps has also now emerged. Early recognition of this resistance mechanism should allow the use of alternative antibiotics and use an efflux pumps inhibitor in combination with antibiotic therapy.
Aminoglycosides ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; beta-Lactams ; Burns ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Ciprofloxacin ; Diffusion ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple* ; Fluoroquinolones ; Humans ; Iran ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Wounds and Injuries

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the most important bacterial pathogens causing diarrhea. The resistance of S. typhimurium to antimicrobial agents, which has recently been isolated from patients, is causing serious problems. We investigated the effects of salicylic acid (Sal) and acetyl salicylate (AcSal) on the susceptibility of S. typhimurium to cephalosporin antibiotics, which are known to increase resistance to cephalosporin and quinolone antibiotics. The MIC of cephalosporin antibiotics was higher than that of the media without Sal. The rate of accumulation of ethidium bromide (EtBr) in the bacteria by the outer membrane protein (Omp) was not different from that of the bacteria cultured in the medium containing Sal. However, Carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), an inhibitor of bacterial efflux pumps, significantly reduced the rate of accumulation of EtBr in bacteria cultured on Sal containing medium. In the medium containing CCCP, the MIC of the antimicrobial agent tended to decrease as compared with the control. In addition, the MIC of the bacteria treated with CCCP and Sal was higher than that of the antimicrobial agent against the CCCP treated experimental bacteria. These results suggest that Sal decreases the expression of OmpF in the Omp of S. typhimurium and reduces the permeability of cephalosporin antibiotics to bacteria, which may induce tolerance to cephalosporin antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteria ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; Cephalosporin Resistance ; Cephalosporins ; Diarrhea ; Ethidium ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Permeability ; Salicylic Acid ; Salmonella enterica ; Salmonella typhimurium ; Salmonella ; Serogroup