Work

In vivo degradation of bacterial cell wall by the muralytic enzyme mutanolysin

Year: 1986

Type: article

Abstract: The muralytic enzyme mutanolysin can act in vivo to eliminate chronic erosive arthritis induced in rats by polymers of peptidoglycan-polysaccharide isolated from group A streptococci (PG-APS). The amounts of PG-APS in the livers and spleens of rats treated with mutanolysin were significantly reduced compared with the amounts in control rats treated with phosphate-buffered saline. However, the amounts of PG-APS in the limbs of mutanolysin- and phosphate-buffered saline-treated rats were comparable. PG-APS polymers extracted from the livers, spleens, and limbs of mutanolysin-treated rats were extensively degraded, whereas PG-APS extracted from phosphate-buffered saline-treated rats had a high molecular weight. We propose that mutanolysin abrogates arthritis in rats by degrading PG-APS polymers to a size which is no longer able to induce chronic erosive arthritis, even though the polymers are still present in the limbs.

Source: Infection and Immunity

DOI: 10.1128/iai.52.2.459-467.1986

Authors: M J Janusz, R E Esser, J H Schwab

Language: English

Topic: Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies

Subfield: Rheumatology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service

Awards: BACTERIAL CELL WALLS IN RELAPSING EROSIVE SYNOVITIS, G7502073858