Researchers from the University of Montana and their partners have discovered the strategy that bacteria use to overcome antibiotics and other medications used to combat infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis.
It is important to note that cystic fibrosis is a serious, life-threatening health condition that causes severe and persistent lung infections and limits a person's ability to breathe over time. A common strain of bacteria known as *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* often thrives in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, as well as in burn wounds or diabetic ulcers.
Although recurring antibiotic treatments are used, treating these infections can be extremely challenging. Dr. Laura Jennings, a research assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Michigan, collaborating with the university's Center for Translational Medicine, stated that their research has shown that the resilient germs living in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients produce a self-generated sticky carbohydrate substance, which makes the bacteria more resistant to antibiotics prescribed by doctors, as well as to medications that reduce mucus thickness.
She added, “We have found the first direct evidence that these carbohydrates are produced at sites of infection, and we demonstrated that one carbohydrate, called Pel, binds to extracellular DNA, secreting abundant thick mucus secretions prominent in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.”
She continued, “This interaction creates a sticky protective layer around the bacteria, making it harder to kill them, as it reduces the susceptibility of the bacteria to antibiotics and drugs aimed at thinning airway mucus by dissolving the pathogen's DNA. This is significant because we know that breaking down bacterial clumps can restore the ability to kill bacteria using antibiotics and immune system cells. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that promote bacterial accumulation may facilitate new therapeutic approaches aimed at digesting the carbohydrates that bind bacterial cells together.”
