2. Academic Validation
  3. Identification of Eltrombopag as a Repurposing Drug Against Staphylococcus epidermidis and its Biofilms

Identification of Eltrombopag as a Repurposing Drug Against Staphylococcus epidermidis and its Biofilms

  • Curr Microbiol. 2021 Apr;78(4):1159-1167. doi: 10.1007/s00284-021-02386-z.
Juan Zhu 1,  Pengfei She 2,  Juhua Fu 3,  Canhui Peng 1,  Yong Wu 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
  • 2 Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
  • 3 Department of Human Resources, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China.
  • 4 Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
PMID: 33611618 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02386-z
Abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common cause of nosocomial infections, and readily adheres to medical apparatus to form biofilms consisting of highly resistant persister cells. Owing to the refractory infections caused by S. epidermidis biofilms and persisters in immunosuppressed patients, it is crucial to develop new antimicrobials. In the present study, we analyzed the antimicrobial effects of the Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonist eltrombopag (EP) against S. epidermidis planktonic cells, biofilms, and persister cells. EP was significantly toxic to S. epidermidis with the minimal inhibitory concentration of 8 μg/ml, and effectively inhibited the biofilms and persisters in a strain-dependent manner. In addition, EP was only mildly toxic to mammalian cells after 12 to 24 h treatment. It also partially synergized with vancomycin against S. epidermidis, which enhanced its antimicrobial effects and reduced its toxicity to mammalian cells. Taken together, EP is a potential Antibiotic for treating refractory infections caused by S. epidermidis.

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