Vancomycin

Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic that is active against gram-positive bacteria^[1]. Vancomycin binds to the D-alanine-D-alanine residues of the cell wall monomer, causing conformational changes, blocking glycosyltransferase, thereby inhibiting the incorporation of cell wall monomers into the growing peptidoglycan chain and preventing further transpeptidation, ultimately interrupting cell wall synthesis^[2]. Vancomycin has been widely used to alter the intestinal microbiota of mice and reduce the occurrence of diabetes^[3].

In vitro, Vancomycin treatment (2μM) for 3 days significantly inhibited the viability of primary human muscle cells^[4]. 4mM Vancomycin treatment for 48 hours significantly induced apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane depolarization in LLC-PK1 cells^[5].

In vivo, Vancomycin treatment via oral administration at a dose of 50mg/kg twice daily for 6 days altered the gut microbiota and increased anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice^[6]. Oral administration of drinking water containing 500mg/ml Vancomycin for 67 consecutive days significantly alleviated the colonic damage and DNA damage in mice induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)^[7].

References:
[1] Álvarez R, Lopez Cortes L E, Molina J, et al. Optimizing the clinical use of vancomycin[J]. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 2016, 60(5): 2601-2609.
[2] Rubinstein E, Keynan Y. Vancomycin revisited–60 years later[J]. Frontiers in public health, 2014, 2: 217.
[3] Hansen C H F, Krych L, Nielsen D S, et al. Early life treatment with vancomycin propagates Akkermansia muciniphila and reduces diabetes incidence in the NOD mouse[J]. Diabetologia, 2012, 55(8): 2285-2294.
[4] Braun J, Eckes S, Rommens P M, et al. Toxic effect of vancomycin on viability and functionality of different cells involved in tissue regeneration[J]. Antibiotics, 2020, 9(5): 238.
[5] Arimura Y, Yano T, Hirano M, et al. Mitochondrial superoxide production contributes to vancomycin-induced renal tubular cell apoptosis[J]. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 2012, 52(9): 1865-1873.
[6] Ray P, Pandey U, Das D, et al. Vancomycin-induced changes in host immunity and behavior: comparative genomic and metagenomic analysis in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice[J]. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 2021, 66(11): 3776-3791.
[7] Tanaka Y, Ito S, Isobe K. Vancomycin-sensitive bacteria trigger development of colitis-associated colon cancer by attracting neutrophils[J]. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6(1): 23920.