Eh??? Where did this come from? Is it a round headed pin or a flat headed pin? Who manufactured the pin? What qualifies as head? Only the very tip or the entire beveled edge from the beginning of the shaft bevel all the way to the very atom which forms the tip? It would make a difference. They have electron scans of BPI, consequently if the size of the molecule has been measured, and the cross section of the pin's head is known, it would be a simple cross-sectional area computation to determine how much BPI could be placed on the head of a pin. But probably more relevant to the discussion would be the answer to the question, "Can God create a rock so big she can't lift it?"
And yes, it appears from your correspondence that Neuprex may very well work on gram positive bacteria, which is interesting. Studies indicate BPI binds to lipopolysaccharide on gram negative bacteria. It's this lipid wall construction that prevents the crystal-violet from binding to the cell, allowing the CV to escape when the decolorizer is added.
I am sure you recall that most cell walls contain peptidoglycan, and a distinguishing factor among Gram-positive bacteria is that nearly 90% of their cell wall is made up of peptidoglycan. I understand Gram-positive bacteria can have more than 20 layers of peptidoglycan stacked together to form the cell wall.
This is what in interesting, the multi-role that BPI can play in cells made up two very different compounds, the amino acid and sugars of gram + bacteria and the lipids in gram - bacteria.
The studies I have read primarily focused on gram-negative cells and that study that found increased electrical activity in cells attacked by BPI is also a must remember. Other studies would correlate my statement that disrupt a cell's electrical processes and the cell dies. Just grab a bare wire while standing in puddle of water if you are looking for confirmation ;-).
Re the question how much will a Neuprex treatment cost a patient, I hope the answer is, "Whatever the market will bear." |
