Novel Antibacteria proteins
TECH FIELD(S)Medical-therapeutic
FEATURES
Innate immunity is the first line of defense a body has against microorganisms. This innate immunity includes components of the immune system such as phagocytic and pro-inflammatory cells (neutrophils and macrophages) and humoral components (lysozyme, complement, and soluble CD14). Pattern recognition receptors are components of the innate immune system that recognize conserved genetic patterns found in microorganisms and help differentiate between the microorganisms and self. In mammals, pattern recognition receptors can induce phagocytosis, chemotaxis or secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators.
Peptidoglycan is an essential cell wall component of virtually all bacteria and is an excellent target for recognition by the innate immune system. Peptidoglycan induces strong antibacterial responses in insects and activates monocytes, macrophages and B-lymphocytes in mammals. The prophenoloxidase cascade is an antimicrobial mechanism in insects that is activated by the binding of peptidoglycan to a peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP). Mouse PGRP binds peptidoglycan with nanomolar affinity and both mouse and human PGRP are expressed in bone marrow and neutrophils.
IU researchers have identified three novel peptidoglycan recognition proteins. Each of the novel proteins contains two transmembrane, one cytoplasmic and two extracellular domains. PGRP-L is predominately expressed in the liver, which is a known site for acute-phase response against bacterial invasion of the blood stream. PGRP-I and PGRP-I are predominately expressed in the esophagus with levels of PGRP-I 10 times greater than PGRP-I . The esophagus is where initial contact with food borne bacteria can occur.
BENEFITS
With the increasing number of bacteria that have become resistant to conventional antibiotic treatment, use of these new proteins could result in the development of alternative treatments for infections resulting from antibiotic resistant bacteria. These proteins may also result in the development of treatments that would address patients predisposed to various bacterial infections due to a genetic mutation of a PGRP gene
Inventor(s): Dr. Roman Dziarski
Type of Offer: Licensing
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