About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Scientists Unearth New Drug Candidate for Fungal Lung Infections

by Kathy Jones on October 8, 2013 at 9:13 PM
 Scientists Unearth New Drug Candidate for Fungal Lung Infections

Official data indicates that there are an estimated 100,000 Histoplasma infections each year in the United States.

Most are contained by the body's immune system, but each year a few thousand people will develop chronic or life-threatening histoplasmosis disease requiring hospitalization and antifungal treatment. The antifungals currently used to treat the infection have undesirable toxic side effects requiring monitoring by a physician and may need to be taken for weeks or months.

Advertisement

"Histoplasma is particularly good at avoiding detection by the body's immune system and surviving the immune response," said Jessica Edwards, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University.

Respiratory histoplasmosis manifests with flu-like symptoms, often making diagnosis difficult. Rappleye says people with histoplasmosis have been mistakenly diagnosed with colds, the flu, and even lung cancer. "It depends on how familiar a physician is with histoplasmosis," he said.
Advertisement

Intrigued by the challenges of finding a new drug that would target the fungus without harming the human host, in 2012, Rappleye received pilot funding from Ohio State's Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) and the Public Health Preparedness for Infectious Diseases Program (PHPID).

Rappleye's team searched a library of commercially-available small molecules used by other investigators to find new antivirals or anticancer drugs. They performed a high-throughput phenotypic screen of 3,600 compounds looking for agents that inhibited fungal, but not human, cells.

To speed the selection process, Rappleye and Edwards engineered Histoplasma cells with a fluorescent protein that made the cells glow red while inside of a living macrophage - the type of mammalian immune cell that Histoplasma attacks and in which it reproduces.



Source: Eurekalert
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Research News

NELL-1 Protein Aids to Reduce Bone Loss in Astronauts
Microgravity-induced bone loss in space, can be reduced by systemic delivery of NELL-1, a protein required for bone growth and its maintenance.
Connecting Genetic Variants to the Alzheimer's Puzzle
Researchers establish connections between Alzheimer's-linked genetic alterations and the functioning of brain cells.
Gene Therapy Sparks Spinal Cord Regeneration
Team at NeuroRestore introduces a groundbreaking gene therapy that has effectively promoted nerve regrowth and reconnection, post spinal cord injury.
Unlocking the Gut Microbiome's Influence on Bone Density
Scientists aim to pinpoint particular functional pathways affected by these bacteria that may have an impact on skeletal health.
Hop-Derived Compound Reduces Gut Microbe Linked to Metabolic Syndrome
Consuming a diet rich in saturated fats triggers persistent, low-level inflammation within the body, ultimately contributing to the onset of metabolic syndrome.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
MediBotMediBot
Greetings! How can I assist you?MediBot
×

Scientists Unearth New Drug Candidate for Fungal Lung Infections Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests