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Update Date: 2008/09/04 10:18
[China Times, Li Zongyou/Taipei Report]
Bacterial infections leading to sepsis and organ failure are the greatest threats to hospitalized patients. A research team led by Professor Wu Hualin, a distinguished professor at the College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, has made a groundbreaking global discovery. They found that "lectin-like" molecules on cell surfaces can stimulate immune cells to kill bacteria and suppress inflammatory responses. This discovery holds potential for future applications in preventing and treating hospital-acquired infections.
"Lectin-like" molecules are part of the structure of glycoprotein "thrombomodulin" on human cell surfaces. While many studies have identified thrombomodulin as a crucial factor in controlling blood coagulation in vascular endothelial cells, its relationship with inflammatory responses caused by bacterial infections had never been explored. The findings of Wu Hualin's research team have been published online in the prestigious international hematology journal "Blood," with the print version scheduled for release soon.
Wu Hualin explained that "lectin-like" molecules exist naturally in the human body. When there is a wound or bacterial infection, these molecules automatically bind to bacteria and their outer endotoxins, suppressing inflammatory responses and enhancing the phagocytic function of immune system macrophages to eliminate invading cells.
However, the quantity of lectin-like molecules is very limited. If relying solely on the body's natural response, it takes two to three days to initiate a "counterattack," and it is difficult to achieve complete success in one attempt. If the concentration of these molecules can be artificially increased, it could prevent the worsening of conditions immediately and even provide therapeutic effects.
The research team used genetic engineering to produce lectin-like molecules and conducted animal experiments on mice. They found that mice infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae all died within 24 hours without lectin-like molecule injections. However, after injection, the survival rate after 24 hours increased to 60-70%, and the mice fully recovered. In injured mice treated with lectin-like molecule injections, wounds that would normally take six to seven days to heal were reduced to three to four days.
The team also injected lectin-like molecules into healthy mice and observed that even when infected with bacteria, the mice did not develop inflammation or die, showing resilience akin to an "invincible iron giant." This indicates that lectin-like molecules have both therapeutic and preventive effects.
However, Wu Hualin emphasized that lectin-like molecules have only been tested in animal experiments so far. Clinical application will require human trials, which could take at least four to five years.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 080904/ 57/ 15bp1. html
Cheng Kung University Professor Leads Global Discovery of Lectin-like Gene for Combating Hospital Infections
[China Times, Li Zongyou/Taipei Report]
Bacterial infections leading to sepsis and organ failure are the greatest threats to hospitalized patients. A research team led by Professor Wu Hualin, a distinguished professor at the College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, has made a groundbreaking global discovery. They found that "lectin-like" molecules on cell surfaces can stimulate immune cells to kill bacteria and suppress inflammatory responses. This discovery holds potential for future applications in preventing and treating hospital-acquired infections.
"Lectin-like" molecules are part of the structure of glycoprotein "thrombomodulin" on human cell surfaces. While many studies have identified thrombomodulin as a crucial factor in controlling blood coagulation in vascular endothelial cells, its relationship with inflammatory responses caused by bacterial infections had never been explored. The findings of Wu Hualin's research team have been published online in the prestigious international hematology journal "Blood," with the print version scheduled for release soon.
Wu Hualin explained that "lectin-like" molecules exist naturally in the human body. When there is a wound or bacterial infection, these molecules automatically bind to bacteria and their outer endotoxins, suppressing inflammatory responses and enhancing the phagocytic function of immune system macrophages to eliminate invading cells.
However, the quantity of lectin-like molecules is very limited. If relying solely on the body's natural response, it takes two to three days to initiate a "counterattack," and it is difficult to achieve complete success in one attempt. If the concentration of these molecules can be artificially increased, it could prevent the worsening of conditions immediately and even provide therapeutic effects.
The research team used genetic engineering to produce lectin-like molecules and conducted animal experiments on mice. They found that mice infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae all died within 24 hours without lectin-like molecule injections. However, after injection, the survival rate after 24 hours increased to 60-70%, and the mice fully recovered. In injured mice treated with lectin-like molecule injections, wounds that would normally take six to seven days to heal were reduced to three to four days.
The team also injected lectin-like molecules into healthy mice and observed that even when infected with bacteria, the mice did not develop inflammation or die, showing resilience akin to an "invincible iron giant." This indicates that lectin-like molecules have both therapeutic and preventive effects.
However, Wu Hualin emphasized that lectin-like molecules have only been tested in animal experiments so far. Clinical application will require human trials, which could take at least four to five years.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 080904/ 57/ 15bp1. html