fosA3 overexpression with transporter mutations mediates high-level of fosfomycin resistance and silence of fosA3 in fosfomycin-susceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae producing carbapenemase clinical isolates

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 28;15(8):e0237474. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237474. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The effective treatment of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infection has been limited and required novel potential agents. Due to the novel drug development crisis, using old antimicrobial agents and combination therapy have been highlighted. This study focused on fosfomycin which inhibits cell wall synthesis and has potential activity on Enterobacteriaceae. We evaluated fosfomycin activity against carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae and characterized fosfomycin resistance mechanisms. Fosfomycin revealed effective activity against only 31.8% of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae isolates. The major resistance mechanism was FosA3 production. The co-occurrence of FosA3 overexpression with the mutation of glpT (or loss of glpT) and/or uhpT was mediated high-level resistance (MIC>256 mg/L) to fosfomycin. Moreover, fosA3 silenced in sixteen fosfomycin-susceptible isolates and the plasmid carrying fosA3 of these isolates increased 32- to 64-fold of fosfomycin MICs in Escherichia coli DH5α transformants. The in vitro activity of fosfomycin combination with amikacin by checkerboard assay showed synergism and no interaction in six (16.2%) and sixteen isolates (43.3%), respectively. No antagonism of fosfomycin and amikacin was observed. Notably, the silence of aac (6)'-Ib and aphA6 was observed in amikacin-susceptible isolates. Our study suggests that the combination of fosfomycin and amikacin may be insufficient for the treatment of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae isolates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amikacin / pharmacology
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Fosfomycin / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / pathology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / drug effects*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / enzymology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Fosfomycin
  • Amikacin
  • beta-Lactamases
  • carbapenemase

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Ratchadapisek Somphot Fund for Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chulalongkorn University to Uthaibhorn Singkham-in, the 90th Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University Fund (Ratchadaphiseksompot Endowment Fund) from Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University to Netchanok Muhummudaree, and the Ratchadapiseksompotch Fund from Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University to Tanittha Chatsuwan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.