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Biomedical subjects

Matthew R Redinbo

Publications and source records attributed to Matthew R Redinbo.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Microbiota and kidney disease: the road ahead.

More than 850 million individuals worldwide, accounting for 10-15% of the adult population, are estimated to have chronic kidney disease. Each of these individuals is host to tens of trillions of microorganisms that are collectively referred to as microbiota - a dynamic ecosystem that both influences host health and is itself influenced by changes in the host. Available evidence supports the existence of functional connections between resident microorganisms and kidney health that are altered in the context of specific kidney diseases, including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and renal stone disease. Moreover, promising data from preclinical studies suggest that targeting of gut microbial pathways may provide new therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of kidney disease. This Roadmap describes current understanding of the mechanisms by which microorganisms regulate host organ function, the effects of kidney disease on the gut microbiome, and how these insights may contribute to the development of microbe-targeted therapeutics. We highlight key knowledge gaps that remain to be addressed and strategies for addressing these, outlining both the promise and the potential pitfalls of leveraging our understanding of the gut microbiota to better understand and treat kidney disease.

Humans

Targeting Borrelia burgdorferi HtpG with a berserker molecule, a strategy for anti-microbial development.

Conventional antimicrobial discovery relies on targeting essential enzymes in pathogenic organisms, contributing to a paucity of new antibiotics to address resistant strains. Here, by targeting a non-essential enzyme, Borrelia burgdorferi HtpG, to deliver lethal payloads, we expand what can be considered druggable within any pathogen. We synthesized HS-291, an HtpG inhibitor tethered to the photoactive toxin verteporfin. Reactive oxygen species, generated by light, enables HS-291 to sterilize Borrelia cultures by causing oxidation of HtpG, and a discrete subset of proteins in proximity to the chaperone. This caused irreversible nucleoid collapse and membrane blebbing. Tethering verteporfin to the HtpG inhibitor was essential, since free verteporfin was not retained by Borrelia in contrast to HS-291. For this reason, we liken HS-291 to a berserker, wreaking havoc upon the pathogen's biology once selectively absorbed and activated. This strategy expands the druggable pathogenic genome and offsets antibiotic resistance by targeting non-essential proteins.

Borrelia burgdorferi

Characterizing the metabolic effects of the selective inhibition of gut microbial β-glucuronidases in mice.

The hydrolysis of xenobiotic glucuronides by gut bacterial glucuronidases reactivates previously detoxified compounds resulting in severe gut toxicity for the host. Selective bacterial β-glucuronidase inhibitors can mitigate this toxicity but their impact on wider host metabolic processes has not been studied. To investigate this the inhibitor 4-(8-(piperazin-1-yl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-[1,2,3]triazino[4',5':4,5]thieno[2,3-c]isoquinolin-5-yl)morpholine (UNC10201652, Inh 9) was administered to mice to selectively inhibit a narrow range of bacterial β-glucuronidases in the gut. The metabolomic profiles of the intestinal contents, biofluids, and several tissues involved in the enterohepatic circulation were measured and compared to control animals. No biochemical perturbations were observed in the plasma, liver or gall bladder. In contrast, the metabolite profiles of urine, colon contents, feces and gut wall were altered compared to the controls. Changes were largely restricted to compounds derived from gut microbial metabolism. This work establishes that inhibitors targeted towards bacterial β-glucuronidases modulate the functionality of the intestinal microbiota without adversely impacting the host metabolic system.

Mice