title: Porphyrin-based compounds exert antibacterial action against the sexually transmitted pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus ducreyi.
abstract: A series of porphyrin based compounds without (nMP) or with (MP) metals were found to have potent bactericidal action in vitro against the sexually transmitted pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus ducreyi. nMP and MP did not show bactericidal activity against five species of lactobacilli. An MP containing gallium had the capacity to block a gonococcal infection in a murine vaginal model, indicating that its development as a topical microbicide to block sexually transmitted bacterial infections is warranted. In contrast to other bacterial species, loss of the gonococcal haemoglobin uptake system encoded by hpuB or energy supplied through the TonB-ExbB-ExbD system did not significantly affect levels of MP-susceptibility in gonococci. In contrast, mutations in gonococci that inactivate the mtrCDE-encoded efflux pump were found to enhance gonococcal susceptibility to nMPs and MPs while over-production of this efflux pump decreased levels of gonococcal susceptibility to these compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bozja
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Shafer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stojiljkovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D023421:Models, Animal; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011524:Protoporphyrins