Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40912150›Full record

ArticleEBioMedicine2025

A strategy to re-sensitise drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria to oxazolidinone-class antibiotics.

Qi Zhang, Yang Yang, Ying Yang, Jin Shang, Shan Su, Peng Gao, Xiao-Xiao Li, Zhao Liu, Richard Yi-Tsun Kao, Ben Chi-Bun Ko and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in EBioMedicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Compartmental pH regulation in cancer and antitumor immunity: therapeutic opportunities and challenges.Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Qi ZhangState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong.
Yang YangState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong.
Ying YangState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong.
Jin ShangState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong.
Shan SuState Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology (Incubation), Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, China.
Peng GaoApplied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Sassoon Road, Hong Kong.
Xiao-Xiao LiState Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology (Incubation), Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, China.
Zhao LiuCentre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong.
Richard Yi-Tsun KaoDepartment of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Sassoon Road, Hong Kong.
Ben Chi-Bun KoState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Benjamin ThompsonCentre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong; School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Qian ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: q.zhao@polyu.edu.hk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultidrug-resistant bacterial infections have high mortality rates and few treatment options. Synergistic combinations may improve clinical outcome but traditional strategies often damage healthy microbiome. Oxazolidinone-class antibiotics are typical last-resort drugs for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections but are becoming less effective due to resistance development.

methodsAfter high-throughput screening, synergy was further assessed by in vitro indices (like fractional inhibitory concentration index, biofilm formation and resistance development) and in vivo symptoms in animals with skin and ocular bacterial infections (and ocular microbiome extraction analysis). Proteomics, chemical synthesis, multi-microscopy techniques and antibiotic real-time/kinetic accumulation were employed to explore mechanisms and expand translational applications.

findingsCombining phosphorylated oxazolidinone-class antibiotics with positively charged compounds (lysozyme as native representative) resulted in broad-spectrum drug re-sensitisation. In representative combination, urea cycle was disrupted to alkalinise cytoplasm, which subsequently activated alkaline phosphatase to promote conversion of phosphorylated prodrug to active form. By introducing concept of restored healthy microbiome as the evaluated index in antibiotic therapy, we confirmed excellent translational and microbiome-friendly potential of this strategy in clinical settings because it not only inhibited biofilm formation and development of drug-resistant mutations in vitro, but also alleviated symptoms in infected animals including the restoration of healthy microbiome.

interpretationAs both agents have excellent safety profiles, such clinical investigation may immediately be contemplated in humans. Translationally, scientists benefit from strategy by simultaneously achieving greater efficacy (>500-fold re-sensitisation) and higher safety (prodrug-based and microbiome-friendly strategy especially when active form may be toxic).

fundingCollaborative Research Funds from Research Grants Council (C5033-19E).

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsDrug Resistance, BacterialDrug Resistance, Multiple, BacterialGram-Positive BacteriaOxazolidinonesAnimalsBiofilmsDrug SynergismHumansMiceMicrobial Sensitivity TestsMicrobiotaAnti-Bacterial AgentsOxazolidinonesAntimicrobial resistanceLysozymeOcular microbiomeOxazolidinone-class antibioticsPhosphorylated prodrugsTedizolid phosphate

Identifiers

PMID40912150
PMCPMC12446384

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.