Metronidazole uptake in Helicobacter pylori

• Published in: Canadian journal of microbiology Vol. 41; no. 8; p. 746
• Main Authors: Moore, R A, Beckthold, B, Bryan, L E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada 01.08.1995
• Subjects: Biological Transport, Active - drug effects; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone - pharmacology; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Helicobacter Infections - drug therapy; Helicobacter pylori - drug effects; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Helicobacter pylori - metabolism; Humans; Imidazoles - pharmacology; Kinetics; Metronidazole - pharmacokinetics; Metronidazole - pharmacology; Potassium Cyanide - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0008-4166
• DOI: 10.1139/m95-102

Currently, the mechanism of metronidazole resistance is not understood in Helicobacter pylori. We have looked at uptake of metronidazole into a sensitive and a resistant strain of H. pylori. Both strains displayed rapid uptake of [14C]metronidazole, although the resistant strain accumulated the drug at a slower rate and to a lesser amount than the sensitive strain. Uptake was inhibited by KCN and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone (CCCP) but not by sodium arsenate. Thin-layer chromatography analysis of lysed cell supernatants showed that metronidazole was metabolized in both strains. A variety of related imidazole compounds inhibited metronidazole uptake, consistent with a common transport system for this group of antibiotics. Our data do not support an absence of uptake or metabolism as a cause of resistance in the strain examined.