In vitro activities of different inhibitors of bacterial transcription against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2007 Sep;51(9):3117-21. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00343-07. Epub 2007 Jul 2.

Abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of nosocomial infections because of its ability to form biofilms on the surface of medical devices. Only a few antibacterial agents are relatively active against biofilms, and rifampin, a transcription inhibitor, ranks among the most effective molecules against biofilm-related infections. Whether this efficacy is due to advantageous structural properties of rifampin or to the fact that the RNA polymerase is a favorable target remains unclear. In an attempt to answer this question, we investigated the action of different transcription inhibitors against S. epidermidis biofilm, including the newest synthetic transcription inhibitors. This comparison suggests that most of the antibiotics that target the RNA polymerase are active on S. epidermidis biofilms at concentrations close to their MICs. One of these compounds, CBR703, despite its high MIC ranks among the best antibiotics to eradicate biofilm-embedded bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amidines / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Hydroxylamines / pharmacology
  • Luminescence
  • Rifampin / analogs & derivatives
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis / physiology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects*

Substances

  • Amidines
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • CBR 703
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Hydroxylamines
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • Rifampin