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ARTICLE | Clinical News

Researchers suggest ipgm-1 inhibitor could treat infections

April 4, 2017 11:48 PM UTC

In a paper published Monday in Nature Communications, a team led by NIH and University of Tokyo researchers identified cyclic peptide inhibitors of the enzyme 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (ipgm-1) that could treat both parasitic and bacterial infections.

The authors said the enzyme is essential for survival in both parasites such as Brugia malayi, a roundworm which causes lymphatic filariasis, and bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis. It is also structurally and mechanistically different from its human isozyme counterpart, which could make it a target to treat multiple infectious diseases...