In this week's issue of Science , a team of researchers report an exciting new lead. Nicholas Duesbery, Ph.D., lead author of the study, and George Vande Woude, Ph.D., senior author, both with ABL- Basic Research Program in Frederick, Md., which is operated by a National Cancer Institute contract, said they think that this finding has important implications for developing new therapies for anthrax. Until now, scientists have relied on traditional vaccine approaches of teaching the immune system to recognize anthrax as an invader. The scientists said their work establishes that lethal factor is a protease, an enzyme that clips proteins in two. It is exciting that, in this case, we now have a molecular target in sight that we might be able to exploit to thwart the deadly effects of anthrax.
Anthrax is a naturally occurring disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
Spores from the bacterium enter the bodies of animals or humans, causing an infection. As the spores germinate, they release a toxin that can be extremely deadly, particularly if the spores are inhaled or ingested. In the United States, about five new cases of anthrax are reported each year, with this figure rising to about 2,000 to 5,000 per year worldwide. Most of these cases involve the less-lethal cutaneous form of the disease, in which the spores enter the body via cuts or abrasions on the skin. However, in recent years, the emergent threat of a mass- produced, aerosol form of anthrax being employed as a biological weapon has been recognized.