Potentiation of antibiotic effect

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions, kits and methods using combinations of surfactants or cell wall-hydrolyzing enzymes with antibiotics to potentiate the antibiotic effect against bacterial infections. In some embodiments, the surfactant is a pore-forming biosurfactant such as rhamnolipids and the antibiotic is an aminoglycoside antibiotic such as tobramycin.

1 . A composition comprising a surfactant and an aminoglycoside antibiotic. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a pore-forming biosurfactant. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the pore-forming biosurfaetant is a rhamnolipid. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the rhamnolipid is from  Pseudomonas aeruginosa.    
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the rhamnolipid is a mono-rhamnolipid, a di-rhamnolipid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the pore-forming biosurfactant is a xylolipid. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant and the aminoglycoside antibiotic are present in synergistic amounts. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aminoglycoside antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of streptomycin, kanamycin A, amikacin, tobramycin, dibekacin, gentamicin, sisomicin, netilmicin, neomycin B, neomycin C, and neomycin E (paromornycin). 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the aminoglycoside antibiotic is tobramycin. 
     
     
         10 . A kit comprising a surfactant and an aminoglyeoside antibiotic. 
     
     
         11 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of treating a bacterial infection in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a surfactant and an aminoglycoside antibiotic, wherein the bacterial infection, is treated. 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the bacteria is antibiotic resistant or antibiotic tolerant. 
     
     
         26 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the surfactant decreases the minimum inhibitory concentration of the aminoglycoside antibiotic. 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the bacteria is a gram-negative bacteria. 
     
     
         28 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the bacteria is a gram-positive bacteria. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the bacteria is  Staphylococcus aureus.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the bacteria is methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus.    
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the surfactant and the aminoglycoside antibiotic are administered in synergistic amounts. 
     
     
         34 . The method of claim  21 , wherein the aminoglycoside antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of streptomycin, kanamycin A, amikacin, tobramycin, dibekacin, gentamicin, sisomicin, netilmicin, neomycin. B, neomycin C, and neomycin (paromornycin). 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The method of claim  21 , wherein he surfactant is a pore-forming biosurfactant, 
     
     
         37 - 40 . (canceled)