BACKGROUND
Microbial resistance to antibiotics is a serious worldwide health problem, which presents the risk of increased infection and uncontrolled transmission. Unfortunately, one of the drivers for this resistance is overuse of antibiotics, which genetically selects for the survival of resistant strains. This occurs especially in the animal production sector, where livestock is administered with antibiotics as a group to prevent illness and curb infection spread. However, host-directed immunotherapies have emerged as promising alternative approaches to disease control and prevention with a minimized risk of developing microbial resistance. Host defense peptides are a large and diverse group of small molecules that act as an important component to innate immunity. Controlled induction of these peptides could address the critical need for antimicrobial therapies that are less likely to induce resistance.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at OSU have developed a proof-of-concept harnessing host defense peptide induction in animals as an alternative to antibiotics. A cell-based high throughput screening assay developed at OSU for chickens, pigs, and humans was used to screen several thousand small-molecule compounds. The screening identified numerous hits that augment the synthesis of endogenous host defense peptides. Select compounds from the hit list have been validated using cell lines, intestinal explants, and live animals. These identified and validated small molecule compounds could be developed as a novel method of antimicrobial disease control, eliminating the need for generalized antibiotic administration in farm animals, which would drastically reduce the evolution of antibiotic resistant pathogens.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
MAIN ADVANTAGES
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT