Ben Gurion University (BGU) researchers discovered that a protein, Alpha1-antitrypsin, combats infections and eradicates bacteria.
The researchers were curious if treating individuals with immune-compromised conditions using Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in would make them more susceptible to infections. Lead by Kaner Ziv and Shahaf Galit of the Lewis Lab at BGU, mice were directly infected with various strains of live bacteria at different infection sites, including their lungs and digestive tract. The initial aim was to exclude the possibility of worsening infection progression in treated mice. Yet the group stumbled upon highly unexpected outcomes: not only did the treated mice combat the infections better, but the bacteria that were directly introduced into the various compartments were practically eradicated by Alpha-1 Antitrypsin therapy before the end of the first 24 hours. There were barely bacteria left to grow colonies on a plate. The team says the clinical implications of these findings are immense. (viaIsrael21c)