A San Diego State University biology researcher discovered immunity defense in an unlikely place: Mucus.
Jeremy Barr, 27, and his research team found that mucus is home to a powerful immune system that could change the way doctors treat a number of diseases. The researchers believe that it protects humans and animals from infection.
How it works: Bacteriophage, a bacteria-infecting virus, is housed inside protective layers of mucus. The body then uses bacteriophage to protect itself from infection when it adheres itself to the mucus layer, providing immunity called Bacteriophage Adhesion to Mucus (BAM). Sounds gross, but Barr says it’s a big win for the science community.
“This discovery not only proposes a new immune system but also demonstrates the first symbiotic relationship between phage and animals,” Barr said in a statement. “It will have a significant impact across numerous fields.”
Rendering courtesy of Jeremy Barr
So BAM has always been there, we just didn’t know about it until now. Barr and his team sampled mucus from animals and humans, which found that bacteriophage adheres to the mucus layer on all of them. He’s calling it a “new model of immunity which emphasizes the important role bacteriophage play in protecting the body from invading pathogens.”
To confirm BAM existed, the team also tested life forms that didn’t have bacteriophage. Turns out without BAM, cells had three times the amount of death.
“The research could be applied to any mucosal surface,” Barr said. “We envision BAM influencing the prevention and treatment of mucosal infections seen in the gut and lungs, having applications for phage therapy and even directly interacting with the human immune system.”
Barr’s research was recently published in the May Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Starting in July, Barr will become an assistant research professor of biology at SDSU and the grant for this research team was made possible by the National Institutes of Health.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of SDSU