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Phage Therapy Application to Counteract Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Zebrafish Embryos
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Phage-choline Kinase Inhibitor Combination to Control Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Promising Combo

Moad Khalifa1, Ling Ling Few1, Wei Cun See Too1

  • 1School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.

Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
|December 28, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Phage therapy offers a viable strategy against the resilient bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Combining phages with novel choline kinase inhibitors presents a promising new treatment approach for P. aeruginosa infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Drug Discovery
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a resilient opportunistic pathogen, difficult to control in the post-antibiotic era.
  • Novel strategies are crucial to combat this widespread bacterium.
  • Bacteriophages (phages) present a viable alternative for controlling P. aeruginosa infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential of combining phages with choline kinase inhibitors (ChoKIs) as a treatment for P. aeruginosa.
  • To investigate choline kinase as a potential antibacterial target.

Main Methods:

  • Computational docking of Hemicholinium-3, a choline kinase inhibitor, to the P. aeruginosa choline kinase enzyme.
  • Review of existing literature on phage therapy and choline kinase inhibition.

Main Results:

  • Choline kinase (ChoK) is essential for phosphorylcholine synthesis in P. aeruginosa's outer membrane.
  • Hemicholinium-3 successfully docked to P. aeruginosa ChoK, suggesting its inhibitory potential.
  • Combination therapy with phages and antibiotics is a promising treatment option.

Conclusions:

  • Choline kinase inhibitors (ChoKIs) represent a novel antimicrobial strategy.
  • Combining ChoKIs with phage cocktails or synthetic phages is a proposed treatment for P. aeruginosa infections.
Keywords:
Choline kinase inhibitorPseudomonas aeruginosaantibiotic resistancecombined therapyinfectionphage therapy

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