Disease tolerance mechanism in sepsis patients identified!

Prama Ghosh, Amity University Kolkata

Sepsis, a complication caused by dysregulation of the immune system causes around 11 million deaths every year in the world. Treatment includes antibiotics and organ support measures, but it fails many times due to unsuccessful attempts at modulating the immune response. Surviving the condition requires activation of resistance mechanisms which decreases the infectious agents and of disease tolerance which controls the damage caused by the immune system.

Mitochondria are identified to play a role in disease tolerance mechanism according to the researchers at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC), led by Luís Ferreira Moita who is the principal investigator.  From among a selected group of drugs which interferes with the basic functions of the cell, it was observed that doxycycline, an antibiotic belonging to the family of the tetracyclines, presents an increase in the survival of mice upon sepsis. 

Past information has shown that the drug blocks the functioning of mitochondrial ribosome, which is responsible for protein production in these cellular structures. The inhibition of this protein production increases the survival rate in a sepsis affected organism. This role of the antibiotic is independent of its antibacterial properties.

The benefits of doxycycline are seen in the lungs where it decreases cell damage and activates mechanisms of tissue repair.

Also read:The Critical role of UGP2 – Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treatment

 Reference:

Colaco, H. G., et al. (2020) Tetracycline Antibiotics Induce Host-Dependent Disease Tolerance to Infection. Immunity. doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2020.09.011.

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