When Czech and Korean Scientists Team Up Against Nerve Agents
The body stiffens, breathing slows, muscles contract. Even brief contact with a nerve agent is enough to halt the vital communication between nerves and muscles in the human body. Signal transmission collapses and the body loses control of its functions. At this very moment, when minutes decide between life and death, an invisible race against time begins.
At the Faculty of Science University of Hradec Králové, a team led by Professor Kamil Musílek from the Department of Chemistry has decided not only to enter this race, but to win it. Their work builds on many years of research, as scientists in Hradec Králové have been developing antidotes for a long time. Their research now takes on a new dimension through a project with colleagues from South Korea, focusing on the development of more effective antidotes
The Invisible Killers Behind Nerve Agents
Substances capable of shutting down the human body in such a drastic way are known as organophosphates. This group of compounds includes certain pesticides and, above all, feared chemical warfare agents such as sarin or VX.
Why are they so dangerous? Their toxicity lies in targeting cholinesterases, enzymes that are essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. These enzymes terminate nerve signal transmission by breaking down neurotransmitters, allowing muscles to return to a resting state. When organophosphates act, the enzymes are blocked, leading to uncontrolled accumulation of neurotransmitters. The result is muscle spasms progressing to overall paralysis, which can be fatal.
Why Current Treatments Are Still Not Enough
Reversing this fatal process is the goal of Professor Musílek’s team. Their research focuses on oximes, compounds capable of reactivating the paralyzed enzymes and restoring vital communication in the body before irreversible damage occurs.
"The development of new substances is crucial because current drugs have significant limitations. “They are not universal, which means that they may work against sarin but fail against VX, and vice versa,” explains Professor Musílek. “Another complication is that these substances do not reach the central nervous system, where their action is needed most.”
A Cross-Border Scientific Alliance
Addressing these shortcomings is the aim of a new international collaboration within the prestigious INTER-ACTION programme, which links researchers from the University of Hradec Králové with colleagues from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology. The joint project, entitled “Modified Oxime Nucleophiles for the Reactivation of Phosphylated Cholinesterases,” will run from 2025 to 2028. During this period, the scientists will focus on designing molecules with precisely defined structures. These molecules should retain key pharmacological parameters required for application in living organisms.
Although the development of new medicines is a long-term endeavour, this international collaboration offers hope that effective protection will become available even against agents for which current medicine has no adequate answer.
