NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An RNAIII-inhibiting peptide suppresses drug-resistant staphylococcal infections in a vascular-graft rat model, according to a report in the July 15th issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
“Our research has demonstrated the possibility of preventing drug-resistant staphylococcal infections with a drug that has a mode of action that is different from common antibiotics,” lead author Dr. Naomi Balaban, from Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, told Reuters Health.
Dr. Balaban and colleagues investigated the effects of the quorum-sensing inhibitor RNAIII-inhibiting peptide (RIP) applied locally and systemically in inhibiting drug-resistant S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms in a vascular-graft rat model.
RIP inhibits the pathogenesis of staphylococci by disrupting bacterial cell-cell communication (known as “quorum sensing”), the authors explain, not by killing the bacteria directly.
All rats in the control group demonstrated evidence of graft infection, the authors report, whereas all rats in the RIP-soaked-graft group showed reduced bacterial loads (2 log10 to 3 log10 versus 6 log10 to 7 log10 in controls).
None of the rats that received RIP-soaked-grafts along with intraperitoneal RIP developed graft infection or had quantifiable culture results, indicating 100% protection, the investigators note.
None of the rats showed clinical evidence of drug-related adverse effects in this limited study, the researchers note.
“We anticipate a role for RIP as a therapeutic in addition to its use related to medical devices,” Dr. Balaban added.
Source: J Infect Dis 2004;190:318-320. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Biological Phenomena: Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity: Biological Sciences: Biology: Drug Resistance, Microbial: Genetics: Genetics, Microbial: Microbiologic Phenomena: Pharmacogenetics: Biological SciencesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
