title: Potential strategies for the eradication of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.
abstract: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the leading threats to society. The increasing burden of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infection is particularly concerning as such bacteria are demonstrating resistance to nearly all currently licensed therapies. Various strategies have been hypothesized to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections including: targeting the Gram-negative outer membrane; neutralization of lipopolysaccharide; inhibition of bacterial efflux pumps and prevention of protein folding. Silver and silver nanoparticles, fusogenic liposomes and nanotubes are potential strategies for extending the activity of licensed, Gram-positive selective, antibiotics to Gram-negatives. This may serve as a strategy to fill the current void in pharmaceutical development in the short term. This review outlines the most promising strategies that could be implemented to solve the threat of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Rawan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huwaitat
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Alice P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Brendan F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laverty
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000379:methods*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011113:Polymyxins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011113:Polymyxins
keywords: Gram-negative; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial peptides; efflux pumps; lipopolysaccharide; nanomaterial; nosocomial; outer membrane; polymyxin; porins