Functional features of KPC-109, a novel 270-loop KPC-3 mutant mediating resistance to avibactam-based β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and cefiderocol

Objectives: To investigate a ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA)-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (NE368), isolated from a patient exposed to CZA, expressing a novel K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-3 variant (KPC-109).

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by reference broth microdilution. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of NE368 was performed combining a short- and long-reads approach (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies). Functional characterization of KPC-109 was performed to investigate the impact of KPC-109 production on the β-lactam resistance phenotype of various Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, including derivatives of K. pneumoniae with OmpK35 and OmpK36 porin alterations. Horizontal transfer of the KPC-109-encoding plasmid was investigated by conjugation and transformation experiments.

Results: K. pneumoniae NE368 was isolated from a patient after repeated CZA exposure, and showed resistance to CZA, fluoroquinolones, piperacillin/tazobactam, expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, amikacin, carbapenems and cefiderocol. WGS revealed the presence of a large chimeric plasmid of original structure (pKPN-NE368), encoding a novel 270-loop mutated KPC-3 variant (KPC-109; ins_270_KYNKDD). KPC-109 production mediated resistance/decreased susceptibility to avibactam-based combinations (with ceftazidime, cefepime and aztreonam) and cefiderocol, with a trade-off on carbapenem resistance. However, in the presence of porin alterations commonly encountered in high-risk clonal lineages of K. pneumoniae, KPC-109 was also able to confer clinical-level resistance to carbapenems. Resistance of NE368 to cefiderocol was likely contributed by KPC-109 production acting in concert with a mutated EnvZ sensor kinase. The KPC-109-encoding plasmid did not appear to be conjugative.

Conclusions: These findings expand current knowledge about the diversity of emerging KPC enzyme variants with 270-loop alterations that can be encountered in the clinical setting.