The impact of quorum sensing on polymyxin and azithromycin pharmacodynamics was assessed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and an isogenic rhlR/lasR double knockout. For polymyxin B, greater killing against the rhlR/lasR knockout than against PAO1 was observed at 10(8) CFU/ml (polymyxin B half-maximal effective concentration [EC50], 5.61 versus 12.5 mg/liter, respectively; P < 0.005). Polymyxin B combined with azithromycin (256 mg/liter) was synergistic against each strain, significantly reducing the respective polymyxin B EC50 compared to those with monotherapy (P < 0.005), and is a promising strategy by which to combat P. aeruginosa.
KEYWORDS: P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, azithromycin, colistin, mechanism-based modeling, pharmacodynamics, polymyxin B, polymyxins, quorum sensing