Antibiofilm agents with therapeutic potential against enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is a predominant but neglected enteric pathogen implicated in infantile diarrhoea and nutrient malabsorption. There are no non-antibiotic approaches to dealing with persistent infection by these exceptional colonizers, which form copious biofilms. We screened the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box for chemical entities that inhibit EAEC biofilm formation.

Methodology

We used EAEC strains, 042 and MND005E in a medium-throughput crystal violet-based antibiofilm screen. Hits were confirmed in concentration-dependence, growth kinetic and time course assays and activity spectra were determined against a panel of 25 other EAEC strains. Antibiofilm activity against isogenic EAEC mutants, molecular docking simulations and comparative genomic analysis were used to identify the mechanism of action of one hit.

Principal findings

In all, five compounds (1.25%) reproducibly inhibited biofilm accumulation by at least one strain by 30–85% while inhibiting growth by under 10%. Hits exhibited potent antibiofilm activity at concentrations at least 10-fold lower than those reported for nitazoxanide, the only known EAEC biofilm inhibitor. Reflective of known EAEC heterogeneity, only one hit was active against both screen isolates, but three hits showed broad antibiofilm activity against a larger panel of strains. Mechanism of action studies point to the EAEC anti-aggregation protein (Aap), dispersin, as the target of compound MMV687800.

Conclusions

This study identified five compounds, not previously described as anti-adhesins or Gram-negative antibacterials, with significant EAEC antibiofilm activity. Molecule, MMV687800 targets the EAEC Aap. In vitro small-molecule inhibition of EAEC colonization opens a way to new therapeutic approaches against EAEC infection.