Fluorinated Beta-diketo Phosphorus Ylides Are Novel Efflux Pump Inhibitors in Bacteria.

BACKGROUND One of the most important resistance mechanisms in bacteria is the increased expression of multidrug efflux pumps. To combat efflux-related resistance, the development of new efflux pump inhibitors is essential. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten phosphorus ylides were compared based on their MDR-reverting activity in multidrug efflux pump system consisting of the subunits acridine-resistance proteins A and B (AcrA and AcrB) and the multidrug efflux pump outer membrane factor TolC (TolC) of Escherichia coli K-12 AG100 strain and its AcrAB-TolC-deleted strain. Efflux inhibition was assessed by real-time fluorimetry and the inhibition of quorum sensing (QS) was also investigated. The relative gene expression of efflux QS genes was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS The most potent derivative was Ph3P=C(COC2F5)CHO and its effect was more pronounced on the AcrAB-TolC-expressing E. coli strain, furthermore the most active compounds, Ph3P=C(COCF3)OMe, Ph3P=C(COC2F5)CHO and Ph3P=C(COCF3)COMe, reduced the expression of efflux pump and QS genes. CONCLUSION Phosphorus ylides might be valuable EPI compounds to reverse efflux related MDR in bacteria.