Colistin exerts potent activity against mcr+ Enterobacteriaceae via synergistic interactions with the host defense.

ABSTRACT: Colistin (COL) is a cationic cyclic peptide that disrupts the membranes of Gram-negative bacteria and is often used as a last resort antibiotic against multidrug-resistant strains. The emergence of plasmid-borne mcr genes, which confer transferable COL resistance, has raised serious concerns, particularly in strains also carrying extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase genes. Standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), performed in enriched bacteriological media, indicates no activity of COL against mcr+ strains, leading to its exclusion from treatment regimens. However, these media poorly reflect in vivo physiology and lack host immune components. Here we show that COL retained bactericidal activity against mcr-1+ Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella en

SUBMITTER: Kumaraswamy M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12165787 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature