Bac(teria) To The Future: Two Bacterial Types Helpful in Vaccine Transport and in Blocking Zika Transmission

          Yeah! The rest of the USA may be celebrating the fourth of July but we here at Partial Ellipsis of the Sun are celebrating bacteria. Two research publications published the first week of July note the role of two kinds of bacteria in being a vaccine transport capsule and in blocking Zika virus transmission. 

     Researchers experimenting with harmless strains of E. coli have developed an E. coli-based transport capsule designed to help next-generation vaccines do a more efficient and effective job than today’s immunizations.

       The research, described in a study published July 1, 2016, in the journal Science Advances, highlights the capsule’s success in fighting pneumococcal disease, an infection that can result in pneumonia, sepsis, ear infections and meningitis.

     “It’s a bit counterintuitive given what you hear about E. coli, but there are many strains of the bacteria, most of which are perfectly normal in the body, that have great potential to fight disease,” said Blaine A. Pfeifer, PhD, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

      The core of the transport capsule is harmless E. coli. A synthetic polymer — poly (beta amino ester), or PBAE — wraps around the bacteria and resembles a chain link fence. The positive-charged polymer, combined with the negative-charged bacteria cell wall, create a sort of hybrid capsule.

     To test the capsule, the researchers then inserted a protein-based vaccine, designed to fight pneumococcal disease. The results, when tested in mice, were impressive.

     The capsule’s hybrid design provided:

·         Both passive and active targeting of specific immune cells called antigen-presenting cells that trigger an immune response.

·         Natural and multicomponent adjuvant properties, which enhance the body’s immune response.

·         Dual intracellular delivery mechanisms to direct a particular immune response.

·         Simultaneous production and delivery of the components (antigens) required for a vaccine.

·         Strong vaccination protection capabilities against pneumococcal disease.

     It’s also relatively inexpensive to create and flexible in terms of use. For example, the capsule could be used as a delivery device for therapies that target cancer, viral-based infectious disease and other illnesses.

      And that's not all!

       This same week, researchers
 at the University of Wisconsin have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti. Scientists say the bacteria could present a 'novel biological control mechanism,' aiding efforts to stop the spread of Zika virus.

       Other research with Wolbachia pipientis has previously shown that the bacterium is an effective tool in stopping transmission of mosquito-borne viruses. The newest research, stepped up due to the Summer Olympics in Brazil, is quite promising.

         Indeed, Bac(teria) to the Future is here! 

Happy July from the PEOTS Staph, ;-)
Steph