Description:
One of the most pressing infectious diseases that researchers are searching
to diagnose, prevent, and treat is that caused by the bacteria Bacillus
anthracis (Anthrax). This disease is increasingly important to address as its
bacterial spores have been used in bioterrorism, where there is the use of
antibiotic resistant strains.
Early diagnosis and intervention before toxin
production is vital for patient survival. However, the current methods of
diagnosis with bacterial cultures take 12-14 hours for a preliminary diagnosis
and further testing with sophisticated assays for more definitive diagnosis.
This is a very time consuming process, and initial point of contact diagnosis
would be a much more effective means with which to diagnose and then treat
Anthrax infections before toxin production is too high.
Background
A collaboration of researchers at the
University of New Mexico, University of Nevada, Reno, and University of
Minnesota have developed a system of both vaccine formulation and method of
immunization to better diagnose, treat, and even prevent infection of B.
anthracis through utilizing the glutamic acid capsule that surrounds the
bacteria. The capsules that surround this specific bacteria, made of yDPGA
or yLPGA, prevent phagocytosis of the pathogen and thus allow for its
replication within the subject’s blood and tissues. The vaccine formulated by
researchers involves combining these capsulated polypeptides of the Anthrax
pathogen and a CD40 agonist, which when injected with either enough
concentration or over a series of injections can elicit an immunoprotective
response in the patient against this pathogen. This introduction of two
substances can be done either simultaneously, in immediate sequence, or through
the use of booster shots of the polypeptide that either do or do not include the
CD40 again. The vaccines can be formulated to contain either/both of yDPGA or
yLPGA.
Technology Summary
Researchers have also
proposed a method of deriving and extracting antibodies to fight the anthrax
infection via attacking the polypeptide surrounding capsules, which can then aid
in the process of preventing and treating infections of this pathogen.
Antibodies can be extracted from humans or animals previously exposed to the
previously discussed immunization sequence(s) and then introduced into a new
subject via passive immunization to elicit immunity and prevent infection. This
passive immunity process can also occur through creation of monoclonal
hybridomas of the antibodies. These same antibodies are also envisioned to serve
a purpose in diagnosis via contacting a sample of interest with the antibody to
see if the capsular polypeptide of the pathogen of interest is present and
comparing the levels to that of a baseline value or a known-uninfected sample
from the same species of patient. High levels of the capsules would indicate
infection.
Applications/Advantages
- Allows for diagnostic tests that are faster than current culture diagnoses
- Easier than nucleic acid hybridization techniques
- Not dependent on the presence of viable pathogen which would not be
present if patient already treated with antibiotic
- Provides antibody for treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of disease
- Can be utilized pre or post-exposure
- Immunization and immunity target the capsule of the bacteria which is
essential for production of disease and not subject to manipulation for
bioterrorism
- Same process can be expanded to apply to other infectious diseases that
are encapsulated in glutamic acid polypeptides
IP Status
UNR ID#: UNR04-001
Compositions and Methods
for Detection, Prevention, and Treatment of Anthrax and Other Infectious
Diseases
Us Patent No.: 7,682,796
