Buruli Ulcer (BU) is a cutaneous disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The pathogenesis of this disease is closely related to the secretion of the toxin mycolactone that induces extensive destruction of the skin and soft tissues. Currently, there are no effective measures to prevent the disease and, despite availability of antibiotherapy and surgical treatments, these therapeutic options are often associated with severe side effects. Therefore, it is important to develop alternative strategies for the treatment of BU. Endolysins (lysins) are phage encoded enzymes that degrade peptidoglycan of bacterial cell walls. Over the past years, lysins have been emerging as alternative antimicrobial agents against bacterial infections. However, mycobacteria have an unusual outer membrane composed of mycolylarabinogalactan-peptidoglycan. To overcome this complex barrier, some mycobacteriophages encode a lipolytic enzyme, Lysin B (LysB). In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that recombinant LysB displays lytic activity against M. ulcerans isolates. Moreover, using a mouse model of M. ulcerans footpad infection, we show that subcutaneous treatment with LysB prevented further bacterial proliferation, associated with IFN-γ and TNF production in the draining lymph node. These findings highlight the potential use of lysins as a novel therapeutic approach against this neglected tropical disease.
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