A happy accident
A drug has been discovered, one dose of which kills all resistant bacteria
Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+
As a result of one of the most successful accidents for humanity, Alexander Fleming received the first antibiotic penicillin. Another unintended discovery in this area was made by scientists from the United States – they accidentally discovered a potentially breakthrough drug that can become an alternative weapon in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The first tests showed its incredible effectiveness and safety for the rest of the body's cells.
Article by Alphonse et al. Pan-caspase inhibition as a potential host-directed immunotherapy against MRSA and other bacterial skin infections is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine – VM.
As in the case of Fleming, Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) turned out to be on the table of scientists from Johns Hopkins Medical Center, although this time its methicillin-resistant variety (MRSA). This life-threatening strain shows resistance to the effects of methicillin, a synthetic variety of penicillin.
Initially, scientists were going to investigate the mechanisms of MRSA skin infections in mouse models with the ability to produce interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and without it, according to the press release of 'Fortune Accident' May Yield Immunity Weapon Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. This protein, turning into an active form with the help of the enzyme caspase, increases protective immunity, helping immune cells neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages to fight bacterial infections.
"We gave the mice an all-caspase blocker, the Q-VD–OPH compound, thinking it would make both groups of mice more vulnerable to MRSA infection," said Professor Lloyd Miller, head of the scientific team. "To our surprise, this had the opposite effect, which led to a rapid and striking purification from MRSA bacteria, while preserving living immune cells and strengthening their protective functions."
Realizing that they might have a weapon in front of them to fight superbugs, Miller and his colleagues conducted research to make sure that their unexpected find was not a mistake. The results were promising: a single oral dose of Q-VD-OPH reduced the number of skin lesions and cleared the animals of the MRSA bacterium. At the same time, the treatment worked regardless of the presence of interleukin 1 beta and without any antibiotics.
As the researchers realized, caspase reduces apoptosis – one of the three main ways to remove damaged cells unnecessary to the body – neutrophils and monocytes, leaving them in sufficient numbers so that they can resist MRSA bacteria.
"It's like a fire station, where old fire trucks continue to fight the fire, because otherwise they will be written off," Miller explained.
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