title: Antimicrobial activity of magainin analogues against anaerobic oral pathogens.
abstract: Magainins are a family of potent antimicrobial cationic peptides that possess antimicrobial activity against a wide range of target organisms. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of synthetic magainin-mimetic compounds MSI-751 and MSI-774 was investigated against the periodontal pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Eikenella corrodens, Prevotella loescheii and Prevotella intermedia. P. gingivalis was more susceptible to MSI-751 than to MSI-774, whereas the other oral pathogens showed little difference in susceptibility to the two compounds. MSI-751 exhibited a rapid, dose-dependent bactericidal effect on P. gingivalis. Electron microscopy of MSI-751-treated P. gingivalis revealed intact cell wall vesicles devoid of cell contents, suggesting perturbation of the cytoplasmic membrane by this compound, perhaps equivalent to formation of membrane-disruptive ion channels by magainin peptides. These studies demonstrate that synthetic magainin derivatives exhibit antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens by disruption of cell membrane integrity.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118-2393, USA.
authors.forename: Caroline Attardo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Genco
authors.forename: W Lee
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Maloy
authors.forename: U Prasad
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Kari
authors.forename: Milwood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides