Cytoskeletal Dysregulation Underlies Buruli Ulcer Formation

news headlines

email to a friend

printer friendly

Cytoskeletal Dysregulation Underlies Buruli Ulcer Formation

Main Category: Dermatology
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 18 Mar 2013

Mycobacterium ulcerans infects the skin and subcutaneous tissues and secretes a lipid toxin, mycolactone, which causes open skin lesions, known as Buruli ulcers.

In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers led by Caroline Demangel at the Pasteur Institue in Paris investigated the molecular actions of mycolactone and found that it dysregulates the cellular skeleton (cytoskeleton) through activation of a protein known as N-WASP.

They found that excessive N-WASP activity caused defects in cell adhesion and migration that impaired the integrity of the skin. Demangel and colleagues demonstrated that they could block the degradation process by administration of the N-WASP inhibitor wiskostatin.

These results reveal the molecular pathogenesis of M. ulcerans and suggest that drugs that disrupt mycolactone/N-WASP interaction could be used to treat Buruli ulcers.

TITLE: Mycolactone activation of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome proteins underpins Buruli ulcer formation

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/66576?key=27d03cca761796d4a69e

Original article posted on Medical News Today.
Articles not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Medical News Today publishes the latest health news and health videos for consumers and health professionals. It has a searchable archive of over 100,000 health news articles.

< back to medical news

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Send your press releases to