title: Cationic antimicrobial peptide killing of African trypanosomes and Sodalis glossinidius, a bacterial symbiont of the insect vector of sleeping sickness.
abstract: Nine biochemically distinct cationic antimicrobial peptides were tested in vitro for their effects on bloodstream forms and procyclic (insect) forms of African trypanosomes, the protozoan parasites that cause African sleeping sickness in humans and trypanosomiasis in domestic animals. At low concentrations, one peptide completely inhibited growth of bloodstream forms, one inhibited procyclic forms, and five inhibited both trypanosome life cycle stages. The peptides were also tested on Sodalis glossinidius, a bacterial symbiont of tsetse flies. S. glossinidius was highly resistant to seven of the nine peptides, including both that specifically inhibited either bloodstream or procyclic forms and three of the five that inhibited both trypanosome life cycle stages. The results indicate that several of these peptides may be ideal candidates for therapy of trypanosome infected mammals or for transgenic expression in S. glossinidius as a strategy for inhibiting trypanosome survival, development, and maturation in tsetse and interference with transmission of African sleeping sickness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3.
authors.forename: Lee R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Robert E W
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Terry W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Pearson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D013559:Symbiosis; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D014370:Tsetse Flies / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents