What New Can Be Done To Treat Leprosy?

Advancement in the treatment of leprosy - One of the promising approaches being researched is cell-penetrating peptides. Read on to know more about it.

Leprosy is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. In earlier times, leprosy was a dreaded disease believed to spread easily and cause significant disability. However, it is now known that the spread of the disease can be controlled, and the effects can be managed by timely intervention. Delayed treatment or no treatment, however, can affect the nerves and lead to crippling of hands and legs as well as blindness.

A person can contract leprosy by contact with secretions of an infected person (cough, sneeze, etc.). However, the bacterium is slow growing and patients may experience symptoms years after the initial infection. The bacterium affects the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose. When it affects the nerves, a patient can lose the ability to sense touch and pain. Despite significant success of conventional treatments for leprosy, patient compliance might be a factor as the treatment duration is prolonged and it is very important to complete the course in order to prevent residual effects or reinfection. Thus, it would be useful to have a treatment that eliminates the bacteria rapidly, prevents reinfection, and improves the existing and residual defects.

New approaches in the treatment of leprosy

Science continues to race ahead with inventions and innovations that aim to address core pathology, disability, and improve the overall quality of life of patients. One such therapeutic advancement for leprosy being researched is by using cell-penetrating peptides. These may be considered carrier molecules or 'vehicles' that can enter the cell, thereby allowing the delivery of drugs and other therapeutic molecules.

The advantage of this therapy is that, because these peptides are target-specific, they can be delivered to the precise location without the worry of being disseminated throughout the body. For example, in leprosy, cell-penetrating peptides can be loaded with either, drugs for leprosy or cells and growth factors that possess the ability to modify the diseased environment, stimulate the renewal of cells, and promote regeneration of damaged tissues. There is ongoing research on technologies that enable topical delivery of these peptides (from the skin), thus eliminating the need for invasive surgeries.

For example, principles of electroporation, magnetic field, and other stimulation-based cargo delivery options are being explored with significant success in conditions like non-healing wounds, nerve healing in stroke, etc. The same principle can be utilized to target the specific manifestations of leprosy as well (ulcers, skin issues, nerve issues, etc.). In addition, growth factors can be used to assist the regenerative therapies. Growth factors are proteins that provide nutrition to the cells, and also help in cell growth, circulation, and creating a healthy environment suitable for healing. In leprosy, nerve growth factor is important to reduce tissue damage resulting from nerve injury and skin lesions caused by the bacteria.

Treatment of leprosy through regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, and gene therapy are promising approaches. We have just begun to explore the possibilities using these approaches. In the future, it will be possible to modify site-specific responses based on these principles, thus leading to better treatment outcomes in various diseases.

The author of the article is Dr. Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative Medicine Researcher, StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Navi Mumbai.