title: Effects of antimicrobial peptides derived from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma defensin on mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide.
abstract: We previously reported that synthetic peptides, RLYLRIGRR-NH2 (peptide A) and RLRLRIGRR-NH2 (peptide B), derived from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma defensin, showed antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and negative bacteria and suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression in a murine macrophage cell line. In this study, inhibitory effects of these peptides in LPS-induced mouse peritoneal macrophage activation were investigated. The supplement of peptide A to macrophages cultured with LPS resulted in a significant decrease in nitric oxide and TNF-alpha production. Furthermore, NF-kappaB activation was also blocked by addition of peptide A. These results indicated that peptide A blocked macrophage activation induced by LPS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Production Diseases, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motobu
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Kikuyasu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saido-Sakanaka
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asaoka
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirota
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D023082:Defensins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023082:Defensins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010455:Peptides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide