N-clorotaurine, a key substance of the human defence system: Investigation of the mechanism of the microbicidal action at inflammatory reactions

N-Chlorotaurine (C1-HN-CH 2 -CH 2 -SO 3 H), the N-chloro derivative of the amino acid taurine, is an essential weak oxidant produced by human leukocytes during inflammatory reactions. N-Chlorotaurine demonstrates microbicidal efficacy against bacteria, viruses and fungi. Surprisingly, this efficacy increases in presence of both particular amino compounds and also human inflammation samples. This is in contrast to other N-chloro compounds like chloramine T and hypochlorite. The function of this project is to investigate the mechanisms of this improved efficacy: Translocation of active chlorine and therefore oxidizing activity from N-chlorotaurine to other amino compounds is supposed. Biochemical procedures will be used to separate proteins of different bulk of inflammation samples, and the influence of each fraction on the microbicidal efficacy of N-chlorotaurine will be examined. Especially, N-chloro derivatives of selected amino acids will be investigated on their occurrence and importance on the killing of bacteria in human inflammation samples. Application of these results in vivo shall be shown with an animal model by testing the efficacy of N-chlorotaurine and some N-chloro derivatives of other amino acids to cure murine peritonitis. In vitro experiments on the influence of the application interval of N-chlorotaurine will provide information about success of therapy in case of repeated applications. Importance of this project: Those N-chloro derivatives, that are the main agents produced by human leukocytes to kill pathogens, will be determined and their mode of action will be characterized. Additionally, essential basic information for a possible usage of N-chlorotaurine as an antimicrobial agent in human medicine to cure localized infections is acquired, especially the efficacy and susceptibility of microbicidal action within inflammation milieu.