Drug Resistance Developed By Bacteria In Cystic Fibrosis – Discovered

Slimy strategy used by bacteria to defeat antibiotics and other drugs used to combat infections afflicting people with cystic fibrosis have been discovered by the researchers at the University of Montana, published in the journal Cell Reports. Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening disease, caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The disease limits a person's ability to breathe over time, due to the persistent lung infections. Once the bacteria establishes its infection, it becomes incredibly difficult to cure, despite repeated courses of antibiotics.

The present study has successfully demonstrated that the stubborn germs living in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients create a self-produced carbohydrate slime. The bacteria become more resistant to the antibiotics because of this slime, making the treatment difficult.

Slimy Strategy in Cystic Fibrosis

"We found the first direct evidence that these carbohydrates are produced at the sites of infection. We showed that one of the carbohydrates, called Pel, sticks to extracellular DNA, which is abundant in the thick mucus secretions prominent in cystic fibrosis lungs. This interaction makes a slimy protective layer around the bacteria, making them harder to kill. As such, it reduces the pathogen's susceptibility to antibiotics and drugs aimed at reducing the thickness of airway mucus by digesting DNA", says Dr. Laura Jennings, a research assistant professor in UM's Division of Biological Sciences and an affiliate with the University's Center for Translational Medicine.

The study thereby hypothesizes that the carbohydrates are responsible for the grouping or aggregating bacteria in cystic fibrosis lungs.

And, the carbohydrate Pel is found to diminish the efficacy of the most commonly used therapeutics for cystic fibrosis, which are inhaled antibiotics and a drug that breaks down the thickness of the airway mucus, making it easier to cough up.

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"This is important because we know that physically breaking up bacterial aggregates can restore bacterial susceptibility to killing with antibiotics and cells of the immune system. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that promote bacterial aggregation may facilitate new therapeutic approaches aimed at digesting the carbohydrates holding bacterial cells together" says, Jennings.

Source-Medindia