The antibacterial activity of nitroxoline (NIT), an antibiotic used in the treatment of acute or recurrent urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli, is decreased in the presence of Mg 2؉ and Mn 2؉ but not Ca 2؉ . In order to elucidate the interaction between this drug and the divalent cations, spectrophotometric studies based on the natural absorption of the nitroxoline moiety were conducted. In the presence of the divalent metal ions, a shift in the NIT A 448 suggested the formation of drug-ion complexes, for which the stability followed the order Mn 2؉ > Mg 2؉ > Ca
2؉. A clear correlation was found between the chelating property and antibacterial activity of NIT; both were pH dependent. A convenient colorimetric method for the determination of NIT uptake by bacterial cells was also developed. Uptake was energy independent and showed biphasic kinetics: a rapid association with cells and then a slower increase in cell-associated NIT which reached a plateau. NIT uptake was reduced in the presence of magnesium. The implications of metal ion complexation and pH on the clinical efficacy of NIT are discussed.Nitroxoline (NIT), or 5-nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline, is an antibiotic which does not belong to any known antimicrobial class. This drug is used in France in the treatment of acute or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) (14, 26) since it shows bacteriostatic activity against Escherichia coli strains frequently encountered in UTIs. On the other hand, the pharmacokinetics of NIT in plasma and urine are well established (4). NIT also possesses fungistatic activity (11) and bactericidal properties against Mycoplasma spp. (7).Recent studies have shown an inhibition of adherence of uropathogenic E. coli to uroepithelial cells (27) and urinary catheters (8) at sub-MICs of NIT. In order to explain this activity Bourlioux et al. (9) proposed that NIT promotes a disorganization of the bacterial outer membrane resulting from the chelation by NIT of the divalent ions Mg 2ϩ and Ca 2ϩ . The same investigators observed a decrease in the antibacterial activity of NIT on E. coli in the presence of some divalent metal ions (9). It is interesting to note that 8-hydroxyquinoline (oxine) and its derivatives have been reported to complex with metal ions (23, 37).To acquire further information on the mechanism of action of NIT and the behavior of the molecule toward the bacterial envelope, the interaction between NIT and some divalent metal ions was spectrophotometrically examined by using the absorption properties of the molecule in the visible region. In addition, microbiological investigations were carried out to determine the role of these ions and the pH in the antibacterial activity of NIT. The uptake of NIT by E. coli was also studied.
MATERIALS AND METHODSBacterial strains and culture conditions. Three strains of E. coli were studied. Strains J96 and AL46 were isolated from patients with UTIs. J96 is a standard strain, frequently used in bacterial adherence assays, expressing type 1 and P fimbriae (24); the AL...