J Korean Med Sci.  2009 Apr;24(2):289-295. 10.3346/jkms.2009.24.2.289.

Effect of Iron-Chelator Deferiprone on the In Vitro Growth of Staphylococci

• Kim CM
• Shin SH

• KMID: 1779132
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2009.24.2.289

Abstract

The standard iron-chelator deferoxamine is known to prevent the growth of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) which are major pathogens in iron-overloaded patients. However, we found that deferoxamine rather promotes the growth of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Accordingly, we tested whether deferiprone, a new clinically-available iron-chelator, can prevent the growth of S. aureus strains as well as CoNS. Deferiprone did not at least promote the growth of all S. aureus strains (n=26) and CoNS (n=27) at relatively low doses; moreover, it could significantly inhibit the growth of all staphylococci on non-transferrin-bound-iron and the growth of all CoNS on transferrin-bound iron at relatively high doses. At the same doses, it did not at least promote the growth of all S. aureus strains on transferrin-bound-iron. These findings indicate that deferiprone can be useful to prevent staphylococcal infections, as well as to improve iron overload, in iron-overloaded patients.

Keyword

Staphylococcus; Iron; Deferoxamine; Deferiprone; Transferrin

MeSH Terms

Deferoxamine/pharmacology
Humans
Iron/metabolism
Iron Chelating Agents/*pharmacology
Iron Overload/metabolism
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Pyridones/*pharmacology
Staphylococcus/*drug effects/growth & development
Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects/growth & development
Transferrin/metabolism