Nitroxoline as an antimicrobial synergist reverses colistin resistance in multidrug-resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i>.

ABSTRACT: Colistin is a crucial drug for treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli infections. The emergence and bacterial transmission of the colistin-resistant gene mcr-1 have substantially diminished its therapeutic efficacy. The development of colistin enhancers represents an effective strategy to counteract this resistance. This study demonstrates that the FDA-approved drug nitroxoline (NTX) synergistically enhances the antibacterial activity of colistin against mcr-1-positive MDR E. coli and effectively suppresses the development of colistin resistance. Functional assays and transcriptomic profiling demonstrate that NTX targets MCR-1, thereby potentiating the membrane-disruptive activity of colistin. Moreover, the combined administration of NTX and colisti

SUBMITTER: Wang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12686718 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature