5-ethyl-2'-deoxyuridine fragilizes Klebsiella pneumoniae outer wall and facilitates intracellular killing by phagocytic cells

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 31;17(10):e0269093. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269093. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Klebsiella pneumoniae is the causative agent of a variety of severe infections. Many K. pneumoniae strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, and this situation creates a need for new antibacterial molecules. K. pneumoniae pathogenicity relies largely on its ability to escape phagocytosis and intracellular killing by phagocytic cells. Interfering with these escape mechanisms may allow to decrease bacterial virulence and to combat infections. In this study, we used Dictyostelium discoideum as a model phagocyte to screen a collection of 1,099 chemical compounds. Phg1A KO D. discoideum cells cannot feed upon K. pneumoniae bacteria, unless bacteria bear mutations decreasing their virulence. We identified 3 non-antibiotic compounds that restored growth of phg1A KO cells on K. pneumoniae, and we characterized the mode of action of one of them, 5-ethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (K2). K2-treated bacteria were more rapidly killed in D. discoideum phagosomes than non-treated bacteria. They were more sensitive to polymyxin and their outer membrane was more accessible to a hydrophobic fluorescent probe. These results suggest that K2 acts by rendering the membrane of K. pneumoniae accessible to antibacterial effectors. K2 was effective on three different K. pneumoniae strains, and acted at concentrations as low as 3 μM. K2 has previously been used to treat viral infections but its precise molecular mechanism of action in K. pneumoniae remains to be determined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Dictyostelium* / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections* / microbiology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics
  • Phagocytes

Substances

  • edoxudin
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) (“Sinergia” grant CRSI33_130016 to PC, TS, HH, LS; 31003A_172951 to PC). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.