Do you know when we take antibiotics?
When our body is infected by pathogenic bacteria, we use antibiotics. Antibiotics are also known as Bacteriostatic (Static means to stop) or Bactericidal (Cidal means to kill). A statistic shows that the global antibiotic consumption rate from 2000 to 2018 increased by 46%.
This is tremendous growth!!
In recent years, this increase has been even more significant.
Rising Antibiotic Resistance And The Global Impact of Drug Resistance
As antibiotic usage rises, the data reveals a concerning trend: the overuse of these medications is fostering a growing resistance within our bodies.
For example, Methicillin, once used as an antibiotic for infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, has now lost its effectiveness, as these bacteria have evolved resistance to this antibiotic.
The same goes for Penicillin, a widely used antibiotic for various bacterial diseases that has now become resistant to many bacteria.
Some recent data shows that in 2019 almost 1.3 million people died worldwide because of drug resistance, and it is assumed that this number may reach 10 million by 2050.
This is definitely something to worry about.
A Hidden Opportunity: Wasp Venom
Every challenge is a hidden opportunity, a glimmer of possibility shining through the fog of adversity.
Some recent studies show that this possibility may be hidden in wasp venom.
You might be thinking,
how can venom be life-saving?
Let’s unlock the secret.
Unlocking the Secret: Mastoparan-L
A protein named mast-L (mastoparan-L) is found in the Korean yellow jacket wasp, Vespula lewisii.
This protein can damage bacteria like an antibiotic, and is not dangerous for humans in small amounts. However, significant amount this protein can create toxicity in human blood cells, leading to an inflammatory reaction in which blood pressure drops, and breathing becomes difficult.
That’s why direct use of this venom is not possible. But a bit of engineering may turn this into a new opportunity.
Engineering a Solution: Mast-MO
At the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, a research team started studying a vast database of protein sequences of hundreds of known antimicrobial peptides to discover new insights.
They found a region called the pentapeptide motif. This region can lead to harmful bacterial activity. The research team targeted a sequence from mast-L that was thought to be the primary culprit behind cellular toxicity in humans and replaced the pentapeptide motif at the end of the target sequence of mast-L.
The new protein developed was named mast-MO.
Now, it’s time for testing the new protein.
Testing Mast-MO
This test was done on mice. At first, they were infected with strains of the bacteria E. coli or Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause sepsis (an extreme response of the immune system due to infection in the body).
After a few hours, one group of these mice was treated with mast-MO and another group with mast-L. 80% of the mice survived in the group treated with mast-MO, showing almost no toxicity.
But the mice in the other group faced significant survival challenges and showed severe infection.
The Future of Antimicrobial Drugs
The research is ongoing, with new sequences being developed and tested to create safe and effective antimicrobial drugs. With continued innovation, this approach might offer new hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance. The battle isn’t over, but science is getting closer to winning the war.
