Medications for osteoporosis can overcome drug-resistant bacteria

US scientists say they have found a way to prevent drug-resistant bacteria from growing in current treatments.

The team found a key weakness in enzymes that help bacteria exchange resistance genes. They also found that drugs called bisphosphonates, often used in the treatment of osteoporosis, may hinder this enzyme and prevent bacteria from replicating antibiotic resistance genes.

Intervention in enzymes has increased the effectiveness of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the laboratory cultures. Currently, researchers are conducting experiments on animals.

Mechanism of action of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

When patients take antibiotics, they kill the weakest bacteria in the blood. Any bacteria with mutations that protect themselves and resist antibiotics will survive. These drug-resistant bacteria quickly accumulate beneficial mutations and share them with other bacteria through the process of conjugation - a form of mating of bacteria.

The synaptic process begins when two bacteria flatten their membranes. After a child opens a small hole in the membrane, the other child will launch a single DNA sequence. Each of them then has new genes that are resistant to antibiotics that help them survive and continue their 'interesting' path.

Bacteria replicate antibiotic resistance genes by transferring DNA sequences containing this gene to neighboring cells.Enzymes called relaxase play an important role in this process.(Photo: Science Daily)

Many types of strong drug-resistant bacteria depend on an enzyme called DNA relaxase to receive and replicate resistance genes. This enzyme plays a very important role in the process of conjugation, it initiates and ends the conversion of DNA between bacteria.

The researchers analyzed the structure of the enzyme and discovered a weak point that could be exploited very useful and potential.

Treatment measures

They found that bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis could be used to stop the enzyme normally associated with bacteria.

Tests on E. coli, a serious bacterium that causes food poisoning, have shown that the drug destroyed inside the bacteria that are preparing to transfer genes to each other. Scientists have not yet evaluated exactly how bisphosphonates kill bacteria but the effect of this drug has proved very effective. The drug has killed any DNA relaxase E. coli bacteria.

Researchers have planned further testing to determine the effect of bisphosphonates on similar bacterial species, such as bacteria that cause pneumonia and other lung infections.

Prospects

This study provides a new weapon in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a serious problem for public health. In the last decade, almost every type of bacterium has been increasingly resistant to antibiotic therapy. They cause dangerous forms of infection, difficult to treat and costly.

According to Dr. Matt Redinbo, a senior researcher and professor of chemistry, biochemistry and physiology at UNC-Chapel Hill, their findings may bring the possibility of destroying the selection of resistant bacteria. antibiotics in patients and prevent the development of drug resistance in the treatment of diseases in hospitals.

The bisphosphonates can be very effective in locations where clinicians can best control the dose such as on the skin and intestinal tract. Other applications may include treatment drugs and disinfectants for farm animals.

Dr. Matt Redinbo and his colleagues filed a patent application and set up a small company to develop this technology further.

This research was published online July 9, 2007 as a record of the National Academy of Sciences.

Minh Minh