Scientists discover new part of immune system with antibiotic potential
What's the story
Researchers have found a previously unknown component of the immune system, with potential implications for treating infectious diseases. The finding, backed by the European Research Council, indicates that these newly identified "natural antibacterials" could provide alternatives to conventional antibiotics in fighting antibiotic-resistant infections. The research centered on proteasomes, cellular structures responsible for protein breakdown and now thought to detect bacteria and initiate defense.
Discovery
Proteasomes: A new defense mechanism against bacterial infections
The study published in Nature reveals that proteasomes can detect bacteria inside cells and trigger defenses to prevent their growth. In a conversation with BBC, Professor Yifat Merbl from the Weizmann Institute of Science described this as an "exciting" discovery, saying it introduces "a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defense against bacterial infection." He added this process happens throughout our body in all cells, creating a whole new class of potential natural antibiotics.
AMR crisis
Antibiotic resistance: A pressing global health issue
The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the urgent need for new antibiotics and alternative defenses against infections as pathogens develop resistance over time. This phenomenon, called antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a global health issue that is also on the rise in the UK. AMR directly causes 7,600 deaths annually in the UK and contributes to around 35,200 deaths each year, a recent National Audit Office (NAO) report found.
Drug misuse
Misuse of antimicrobial drugs drives AMR, report reveals
The NAO report blames the rise in AMR partly on "misuse and overuse" of antimicrobial drugs, including unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions for viral infections. The NHS is not fully equipped to tackle the "major public health threat" of AMR as facilities fail to meet standards. Despite the government's serious approach toward this issue, limited progress has been made in the last five years on an action plan addressing AMR.