Evaluating the Role of Aminoglycosides in Modulating Carbapenemase Expression in Multi-Drug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
Keywords:
Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem resistance, aminoglycosides, KPC gene, MIC, real-time PCRAbstract
The global spread of MDR (MDR) K. pneumoniae is a major clinical challenge. This research explores the synergistic potential of aminoglycosides and carbapenems to reduce resistance by modulating carbapenemase gene expression. Among 80 clinical isolates from four age cohorts; 27 isolates (33.75%) were confirmed to be resistant to carbapenems. Antibiotic susceptibility tests and MIC assays revealed a high gentamicin MIC (up to 1024 µg/mL) and moderate meropenem MIC (as low as 0.5 µg/mL). Real-time PCR showed significant downregulation of the blaKPC gene expression by up to 79% (fold change = 0.21) with combination therapy. These findings suggest an effective approach for managing MDR K. pneumoniae infections.PCR-based gene expression profiling revealed that certain antibiotic combinations effectively downregulated carbapenemase genes (notably KPC), enhancing bacterial sensitivity. The findings suggest a promising strategy for managing infections caused by MDR K. pneumoniae.
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