TORONTO, March 20 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists said a study identifying several compounds that block activity of a key protein might lead to innovative cystic fibrosis therapies.
The University of Toronto researchers said their findings might also serve as a model for future therapies against the human immunodeficiency virus.
A team led by Professor Igor Stagljar identified compounds that block activity of the protein exoenzymeS. One compound, exosin, significantly inhibited infections in mammalian cells, showing promise for increasing the effectiveness of antibiotics in the treatment of chronic and acute bacterial respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis patients.
"These studies created a road map to the rational design of more potent, highly selective inhibitors against other similar toxins using a totally novel yeast-based approach," Stagljar said. "This innovative approach is an important advance, not only for the value it may have in cystic fibrosis treatment, but also because this technique could be used to design novel therapies for any bacterial pathogen as well as the HIV virus."
The scientists now plan to test the action of their inhibitors in an animal model of cystic fibrosis.
The research that included graduate student Anthony Arnoldo is detailed in the online edition of the journal PLoS Genetics.
