title: Susceptibility of Chlamydia trachomatis to protegrins and defensins.
abstract: We compared the susceptibilities of Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies (EBs) to human defensin HNP-2 and porcine protegrin PG-1, cysteine-rich beta-sheet antimicrobial peptides produced by mammalian leukocytes. Although both peptides protected McCoy cell monolayers from infection by chlamydial EBs, protegrins were especially potent. Protegrin-mediated inactivation of chlamydiae occurred rapidly, was relatively independent of the presence of serum, and was effective against serovars L2, D, and H. Protegrin-treated EBs showed striking morphological changes, with obvious damage to their limiting membranes and loss of their cytoplasmic contents and nucleoid. Their effectiveness against chlamydial EBs and other sexually transmitted pathogens combined with their relative lack of cytotoxicity suggests that protegrins and related molecules could serve as prototypes for topical agents to prevent sexually transmitted chlamydial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yasin
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Harwig
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wagar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000187:drug effects*; D023082:Defensins; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D023084:alpha-Defensins
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001798:Blood Proteins; D023082:Defensins; D011506:Proteins; D023084:alpha-Defensins; C406416:human neutrophil peptide 2; C094880:protegrin-1