PUBLICATION
Safety evaluation of microbisporicin (NAI-107) using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo - a pilot study
- Authors
- Gestels, Z., Abdellati, S., Willaert, A., Kenyon, C., Manoharan-Basil, S.S.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-250516-2
- Date
- 2025
- Source
- FEMS microbiology letters : (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Willaert, Andy
- Keywords
- Microbisporicin, NAI-107, zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Anti-Bacterial Agents*/adverse effects
- Anti-Bacterial Agents*/pharmacology
- Anti-Bacterial Agents*/toxicity
- Embryo, Nonmammalian*/drug effects
- Heart Rate/drug effects
- Larva/drug effects
- Pilot Projects
- Zebrafish*/embryology
- PubMed
- 40372399 Full text @ FEMS Microbiol. Lett.
Citation
Gestels, Z., Abdellati, S., Willaert, A., Kenyon, C., Manoharan-Basil, S.S. (2025) Safety evaluation of microbisporicin (NAI-107) using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo - a pilot study. FEMS microbiology letters. :.
Abstract
NAI-107 has demonstrated in vitro and in vivo efficacy against multi drug resistance (MDR) pathogens. Studies using the Galleria mellonella model found NAI-107 effective against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and vanB-resistant Enterococcus faecium, with no toxicity at concentrations up to 64 µg/mL. This pilot study evaluated NAI-107's safety using transgenic zebrafish embryos (kdrl:eGFP) that were exposed to NAI-107 concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and 30 µM from 5 hours post-fertilization (hpf) to 4 days post-fertilization (dpf). No mortality or significant morphological abnormalities were observed across all treatment groups. At 2 dpf, larvae treated with 20 and 30 µM NAI-107 exhibited a significant increase in heart rate (p < 0.05), although other cardiac parameters remain unaffected. At 4 dpf, larvae displayed no significant growth differences but had increased locomotor activity at 20 and 30 µM NAI-107 groups, indicated by the higher total distance moved and mean velocity (p < 0.05). NAI-107, at concentrations up to 30 µM, did not induce significant toxic effects in zebrafish embryos. The absence of adverse impacts on survival or gross morphology suggests a favorable safety margin. However, the observed increases in heart rate and locomotor activity suggest possible subclinical effects at higher concentrations that warrant further investigation.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping