Antibiotics With Modified Peptides Could Help Tackle Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Healthcare professionals urgently require new antibiotics to combat bacteria that have developed resistance. To address this challenge, researchers from the University of Zurich and Spexis have modified naturally occurring peptides to create antimicrobial molecules that target unique aspects of bacterial metabolism.

In a recent study, titled "Peptidomimetic antibiotics disrupt the lipopolysaccharide transport bridge of drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae" published in Science Advances, researchers discuss the creation of a highly effective class of antibiotics that combat Gram-negative bacteria through an innovative approach.

(Photo : Pixabay/Arek Socha)
Antibiotics With Modified Peptides Could Help Tackle Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Safe and Effective Optimized Peptide

Every year, over five million individuals worldwide lose their lives due to bacteria that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The development of new antibiotics is of utmost importance to ensure successful treatment of bacterial infections.

Oliver Zerbe, a chemist leading the NMR facilities at the University of Zurich, said in a statement via Science Daily that it has been more than half a century since antibiotics targeting previously unexplored molecules were approved.

The World Health Organization categorizes this bacterial group as highly dangerous, and their resistance is particularly challenging due to their double cell membrane, including examples such as carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria. The collaborative study involved researchers from both the UZH team and the pharmaceutical company Spexis AG, with support from Innosuisse.

Researchers utilized the natural peptide thanatin, known for its infection-fighting properties, as the basis for their study. By modifying its chemical structure, they aimed to enhance its effectiveness as an antibiotic.

Through structural analyses and synthetic assembly of components, they identified how thanatin disrupted the transport bridge in Gram-negative bacteria. These findings guided the necessary chemical modifications to boost its antibacterial effects and stability.

Testing the synthetic peptides in mice with bacterial infections yielded excellent results, particularly in treating lung infections and combating carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria. The newly developed peptides demonstrated effectiveness, safety, and stability in the blood, making them potential candidates for drug approval.

To address antibacterial resistance, the researchers ensured the peptides remained effective against bacteria already resistant to thanatin. Further preclinical studies are required before human testing can commence, but this research offers the possibility of a new class of antibiotics that combat resistant bacteria while slowing down the development of antibacterial resistance.

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and fungi acquire the ability to withstand the drugs intended to eliminate them, leading to persistent growth and challenging, if not impossible, treatment of resistant infections.

Below are the five things that people should know about antibiotic resistance as per the health agency:

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when germs become resistant to drugs designed to kill them, such as antibiotics or antifungals.
Infections caused by resistant germs are difficult, sometimes impossible, to treat and can lead to extended hospital stays, additional doctor visits, and costly treatments.
To reduce the risk of infection, maintain healthy habits, get recommended vaccines, keep hands and wounds clean, and manage chronic conditions effectively.
Consult with healthcare providers or veterinarians to determine if antibiotics or antifungals are necessary, as these drugs do not work against viral infections.
Inform healthcare providers about recent travel or healthcare received in other countries, as antimicrobial resistance can spread globally through trade, travel, hospitals, farms, communities, and the environment.