An alternative to antibiotics to fight Staphylococcus aureus infections

• Recombinant endolysine XZ.700 is able to hinder colonization of the skin of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) by the Staphylococcus aureus.
• Endolysin XZ.700 could be an alternative to antibiotics in patients with CTCL and in general in patients with S infections.aureus antibiotic resistant (MRSA).
• In addition, in vitro, endolysine treatment counteracts the pro-tumor effect of S. aureus.

Why it matters

• Infections with S. aureus  can be very serious and sometimes fatal in patients with weakened immune systems.
• Antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus are increasingly widespread, new antimicrobial agents are needed.
• Patients with CTCL are susceptible to infection with S. aureus, but long-lasting antibiotic prophylaxis puts them at risk of developing resistance.
• It is suspected that staphylococcal enterotoxin may support the proliferation of malignant cells, through an indirect mechanism involving non-malignant T lymphocytes, favoring the progression of CTCL.

How the study was conducted

• Endolysine XZ.700 was tested in vitro and ex vivo on skin samples.
• Endolysins are bacteriophage enzymes capable of hydrolyzing peptidoglycans; Being selective for a certain composition of peptidoglycans, the antimicrobial action is species-specific and spares commensal bacteria.

Main results

• XZ.700 showed dose-dependent bactericidal action on strains of S.aureus laboratory and isolated from CTCL patients.
• Added together with S. aureus, XZ.700 inhibited bacterial colonization of skin samples from healthy subjects; tested on skin already colonized, XZ.700 reduced bacterial concentration in a dose-dependent manner (at a concentration of 10 μg/ml eradication was almost complete).
• Added together with S. aureus, XZ.700 inhibited bacterial colonization of lesioned skin samples from CTCL patients.
• In healthy skin samples, XZ.700 counteracted the induction of interferon gamma and chemokine CXCL10, which were thought to be important for the pathogenesis of CTCL.
• In vitro, XZ.700 reduced bacterial counts and release of staphylococcal enterotoxin below the threshold required for S.aureus isolated from patients to induce malignant T cell proliferation.

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Source — https://www.univadis.it/viewarticle/un%25E2%2580%2599alternativa-agli-antibiotici-combattere-le-2023a1000635