Inhibiting fatty acid synthesis overcomes colistin resistance

Treating multidrug-resistant infections has increasingly relied on last-resort antibiotics, including polymyxins, for example colistin. As polymyxins are given routinely, the prevalence of their resistance is on the rise and increases mortality rates of sepsis patients. The global dissemination of plasmid-borne colistin resistance, driven by the emergence of mcr-1, threatens to diminish the therapeutic utility of polymyxins from an already shrinking antibiotic arsenal. Restoring sensitivity to polymyxins using combination therapy with sensitizing drugs is a promising approach to reviving its clinical utility. Here we describe the ability of the biotin biosynthesis inhibitor, MAC13772, to synergize with colistin exclusively against colistin-resistant bacteria. MAC13772 indirectly disrupts fatty acid synthesis (FAS) and restores sensitivity to the last-resort antibiotic, colistin. Accordingly, we found that combinations of colistin and other FAS inhibitors, cerulenin, triclosan and Debio1452-NH3, had broad potential against both chromosomal and plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in chequerboard and lysis assays. Furthermore, combination therapy with colistin and the clinically relevant FabI inhibitor, Debio1452-NH3, showed efficacy against mcr-1 positive Klebsiella pneumoniae and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli systemic infections in mice. Using chemical genomics, lipidomics and transcriptomics, we explored the mechanism of the interaction. We propose that inhibiting FAS restores colistin sensitivity by depleting lipid synthesis, leading to changes in phospholipid composition. In all, this work reveals a surprising link between FAS and colistin resistance. Inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis re-sensitizes colistin-resistant clinically relevant bacteria in vivo by inducing stress responses and altering membrane composition.