London - Saba:
A team of researchers has uncovered a previously unknown aspect of the immune system, described as a "treasure trove of gold" for developing new antibiotics.
The study showed that the body's protein recycling mechanism possesses a "secret mode" that enables it to release chemical compounds capable of eliminating bacteria.
The scientific breakthrough occurred within the proteasome, a delicate structure found in all cells of the body, known for its role in disassembling and reusing old proteins.
However, experiments published in the journal Nature revealed that the proteasome transforms upon detecting a bacterial infection, reshaping its structure to convert old proteins into compounds that attack the outer shell of the bacteria and effectively destroy them.
One of the researchers involved in the study commented on the discovery, saying, "We have uncovered a completely new mechanism for immune defense against bacterial infections," noting that this natural response could lead to the production of a new generation of antibiotics within the body's cells.
Daniel Davies, an immunologist at Imperial College London, described the discovery as "extremely exciting," revealing a previously unknown process that produces antimicrobial molecules within the body.
However, he emphasized that translating this discovery into effective treatments still requires further research and testing.
| more of (International) |