title: Antibiotic magainins exert cytolytic activity against transformed cell lines through channel formation.
abstract: Magainins are an ionophoric class of vertebrate peptides with antibiotic activity against various microorganisms. Here we show that magainin 2 and synthetic analogues can rapidly and irreversibly lyse hematopoietic tumor and solid tumor target cells with a relative cytotoxic potency that parallels their antibacterial efficacy and at concentrations that are relatively nontoxic to well-differentiated cells. The cytotoxicity is prevented by cell depolarization. Magainins represent a natural cytolytic agent in vertebrates and may provide another therapeutic strategy for certain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cruciani
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zasloff
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Colamonici
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002712:Chlorides / Q000502:physiology; D006096:Gramicidin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels; D007476:Ionophores; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D010455:Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002712:Chlorides; D007473:Ion Channels; D007476:Ionophores; D010455:Peptides; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C053300:magainin 1 peptide, Xenopus; D006096:Gramicidin; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium