Scientists found a way to use gene therapy to combat Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the world. With a growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is increasingly difficult to cure Chlamydia infections. However, now scientists from the University of Waterloo have developed a new way to prevent and treat Chlamydia infections and it is actually a type of gene therapy.

The new medicine would be delivered via nanotechnology. Initial tests showed that it would be 65 % efficient in preventing chlamydia infection on a single dose. This gives hope that Chlamydia infections are not going to become incurable in the near future. The antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing threat and the number of methods we have to address Chlamydia is rapidly declining. Every year, millions of cases occur in the entire planet and several hundreds of them result in deaths. Although death toll of the Chlamydia infection is still not that high, it is predicted to increase due to antibiotics becoming ineffective. That is why scientists are looking into alternative ways of addressing Chlamydia and gene therapy seems like a good option.

The newly developed medicine prevents Chlamydia from entering cells in the genital tract and destroys any bacteria that are able to penetrate a cell wall. Scientists achieved this effect by using a small interfering ribonucleic acid, which stimulates PDGFR-beta gene in the female reproductive tract. This results in a release of a protein that binds to Chlamydia bacteria. Emmanuel Ho, lead scientist behind this achievement, explained: “By targeting PDGFR-beta we’re able to stop the creation of the protein that Chlamydia will use to enter genital tract skin cells. As a result, an incoming infection has fewer targets to latch onto and infection is less likely to occur”.

Aforementioned small interfering ribonucleic acid is unable to enter skin cells to reduce PDGFR-beta expression and prevent Chlamydia by itself – it needs a delivery mechanism. That is why scientists use a unique nanoparticle that carries medicine to its target. Even if Chlamydia binds to a cell, infected skin cells are able to form a bubble around that bacteria and destroy it. Initial tests showed that the new medicine would work in majority of the cases, although more testing needs to be done.

Scientists are looking for alternative ways to treat bacterial infections. Superbugs are going to be completely immune to our current antibiotics and new methods will have to be created. Gene therapy seems to be the next best thing once antibiotics stop working.

Source: University of Waterloo