The aminothiol cysteamine has many potential therapeutic applications and is also an endogenous molecule, produced in the body via the activity of pantetheinase enzymes such as vanin-1. This simple small molecule is highly reactive in biological settings and much is yet unknown about its endogenous role in innate immunity to infection, including the impact of cysteamine on bacterial pathogens. We discuss the literature surrounding its biochemistry and challenges to its development as well as the multiple beneficial properties which have been uncovered that support research into its development as novel antimicrobial therapy.
Keywords: antibiotics; cysteamine; cystic fibrosis; infection; innate immunity; vanin-1.
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society and the Royal Society of Biology.