Try to defeat the superbugs stimulated by the discovery of immune defense

The discovery of a potential therapy based on the body's natural immune defenses could facilitate the fight against super-drugs.

Scientists have discovered that a molecule produced by the body, called LL-37, alters the behavior of cells when they are invaded by bacteria.

The molecule acts as a fire alarm, experts say, warning the body's immune system of infection and the need for urgent action.

The team at the University of Edinburgh's Inflammation Research Center has focused on lung diseases caused by bacterial infections, which are a leading cause of death in the world.

These infections are becoming more resistant to antibiotics, making them difficult to treat.

Previous studies in mice have shown that LL-37 directs cells in an infected lung to call specialized cells, called neutrophils, that can kill bacterial threats.

In tests on human lung cells, the researchers found that LL-37 specifically targeted infected cells, revealing the danger and producing a neutrophil-invoking signal.

At the same time, this flooding of LL-37 into infected cells causes self-destruction, eliminating the threat to healthy cells before the bacteria can grow and spread.

Experts say this discovery could lead to new approaches to treat these multidrug-resistant infections.

Dr. Donald J. Davidson of the MRC's Inflammation Research Center said: "Our search for alternative and complementary treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections is becoming increasingly urgent, trying to strengthen the best natural defenses of the world. human body, could prove to be an important part of our future solutions. "

The study, published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, was funded by the Medical Research Council.