In vitro effect on Cryptosporidium parvum of short-term exposure to cathelicidin peptides.
Two laboratory methods, a cell culture system and double fluorogenic staining, were used to study the viability and infective ability of Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites and oocysts after short-term exposure to four cathelicidin peptides. The compounds, SMAP-29, BMAP-28, PG-1 and Bac7(1-35), exerted a strong cytotoxic effect on sporozoites, but did not affect the viability and function of oocysts consistently. Overall, in the sporozoite series, a percentage of the viable population decreased rapidly to less than detectable levels after 15 and 60 min exposure to the peptides at concentrations of 100 and 10 micro g/mL, respectively. In the oocyst series, no compound produced complete inhibition of parasite growth: 60-85% of the oocyst population was viable after 180 min exposure at 100 micro g/mL. SMAP-29 exerted the highest activity against both sporozoites and oocysts.
Giacometti
Andrea
A
Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, University of Ancona, Italy. anconacmi@interfree.it
Cirioni
Oscar
O
Del Prete
Maria Simona
MS
Skerlavaj
Barbara
B
Circo
Raffaella
R
Zanetti
Margherita
M
Scalise
Giorgio
G
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000469:parasitology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054804:Cathelicidins; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000187:drug effects*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D054804:Cathelicidins; D010455:Peptides