Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has become a major threat to humanity as it rapidly evolves and becomes resistant to most antibiotics. Therefore, scientists from the Academic Medical Center in New York (USA) decided to go the other way and try to weaken the pathogen with human antibodies.
To do this, the researchers created small proteins called centirins that prevent bacteria from attacking and destroying the body’s immune cells. These engineered antibodies were specifically targeted to Staphylococcus aureus and then injected into 20 mice 4 hours after infection with the pathogen. At the same time, the control group of animals did not receive antibodies.
The genetically engineered antibody has been successfully tested in mice.© Shutterstock
After three days, skin lesions in mice injected with genetically modified antibodies were reduced by 95% compared to the control group. Also, animals with antibodies had an average of 98% fewer bacteria in infected tissues than untreated animals, proving that antibody treatment does indeed work against resistant staph.
After that, the team decided to conduct a separate experiment on 54 mice that developed kidney damage due to Staphylococcus aureus, and discoveredthat antibody treatment enhances the efficacy of the antibiotic vancomycin. Mice treated with the combination therapy had 99% fewer bacteria in their kidney tissue than mice treated with vancomycin alone. Researchers hope they have found a new way to prevent many more deaths in the future.
2023-05-03 03:44:35
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