Streptomycin-starved Mycobacterium tuberculosis 18b, a drug discovery tool for latent tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacterium tuberculosis 18b, a streptomycin (STR)-dependent mutant that enters a viable but nonreplicating state in the absence of STR, has been developed as a simple model for drug testing against dormant bacilli. Here, we further evaluated the STR-starved 18b (SS18b) model both in vitro and in vivo by comparing the behavior of 22 approved and experimental tuberculosis drugs. Using the resazurin reduction microplate assay (REMA), rifampin (RIF), rifapentine (RPT), TMC207, clofazimine (CFM), and linezolid (LIN) were found to be active against SS18b in vitro, and their bactericidal activity was confirmed by determining the number of CFU. A latent 18b infection was established in mice, and some of the above-mentioned drugs were used for treatment, either alone or in combination with RIF.

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3486556 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature