Potent antimycobacterial activity of the pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone analog 2-pyridylcarboxaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone: a lipophilic transport vehicle for isonicotinic acid hydrazide.
The rise in drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major threat to human health and highlights the need for new therapeutic strategies. In this study, we have assessed whether high-affinity iron chelators of the pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH) class can restrict the growth of clinically significant mycobacteria. Screening a library of PIH derivatives revealed that one compound, namely, 2-pyridylcarboxaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PCIH), exhibited nanomolar in vitro activity against Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin and virulent M. tuberculosis. Interestingly, PCIH is derived from the condensation of 2-pyridylcarboxaldehyde with the first-line antituberculosis drug isoniazid [i.e., isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH)]. PCIH displayed minimal host cell toxicity and was effective at inhibiting growth of M. tuberculosis within cultured macrophages and also in vivo in mice. Further, PCIH restricted mycobacterial growth at high bacterial loads in culture, a property not observed with INH, which shares the isonicotinoyl hydrazide moiety with PCIH. When tested against Mycobacterium avium, PCIH was more effective than INH at inhibiting bacterial growth in broth culture and in macrophages, and also reduced bacterial loads in vivo. Complexation of PCIH with iron decreased its effectiveness, suggesting that iron chelation may play some role in its antimycobacterial efficacy. However, this could not totally account for its potent efficacy, and structure-activity relationship studies suggest that PCIH acts as a lipophilic vehicle for the transport of its intact INH moiety into the mammalian cell and the mycobacterium. These results demonstrate that iron-chelating agents such as PCIH may be of benefit in the treatment and control of mycobacterial infection.
Microbial Immunity and Pathogenesis Group, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology (S.E., L.L., J.A.T.), and Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute (D.S.K., M.L.H.H., D.R.R.), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; and Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research-Pathology West, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (P.J., V.S.).
Samantha
S
Ellis
Danuta S
DS
Kalinowski
Lisa
L
Leotta
Michael L H
ML
Huang
Peter
P
Jelfs
Vitali
V
Sintchenko
Des R
DR
Richardson
James A
JA
Triccas
D000818:Animals; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012995:Solubility
C404192:2-pyridylcarboxaldehyde isonicotinoylhydrazone; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D011725:Pyridines; D007538:Isoniazid