Emerging Extracellular Molecular Targets for Innovative Pharmacological Approaches to Resistant Mtb Infection

Abstract

Emerging pharmacological strategies that target major virulence factors of antibiotic-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are presented and discussed. This review is divided into three parts corresponding to structures and functions important for Mtb pathogenicity: the cell wall, the lipoarabinomannan, and the secretory proteins. Within the cell wall, we further focus on three biopolymeric sub-components: mycolic acids, arabinogalactan, and peptidoglycan. We present a comprehensive overview of drugs and drug candidates that target cell walls, envelopes, and secretory systems. An understanding at a molecular level of Mtb pathogenesis is provided, and potential future directions in therapeutic strategies are suggested to access new drugs to combat the growing global threat of antibiotic-resistant Mtb infection.

Virulence Factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection: Structural and Functional Studies

“…Wei et al identify a transcription factor, denoted as CasR (CRISPR-associated protein repressor, encoded by Rv1776c), that binds to the upstream DNA sequence of the CRISPR-Cas gene cluster both in vivo and in vitro, and regulates the expression of cas genes [ 10 ]. A panoramic of emerging pharmacological strategies that target major virulence factors of antibiotic-resistant M. tuberculosis is reported by Italia et al [ 11 ]. Authors present a comprehensive overview of drugs and drug candidates that target cell walls, envelopes, and secretory systems.…”