Antibacterial activities of the cathelicidins prophenin (residues 62 to 79) and LL-37 in the presence of a lung surfactant preparation.
The antibacterial activities of the cathelicidin peptides LL-37 and an 18-residue C-terminal fragment of prophenin, corresponding to positions 62 to 79 of native prophenin (PF-18), were analyzed in the presence of a modified surfactant preparation isolated from minced porcine lungs. At low micromolar concentrations, both LL-37 and PF-18 showed significant activities against different serotypes of group B streptococci, with LL-37 being more active on a molar basis. The surfactant preparation at a concentration of 10 mg/ml partly blocked the antibacterial activity of 9 microM LL-37 and completely blocked the antibacterial activity of 9 microM PF-18. However, 10 mg of the surfactant preparation per ml had only minor inhibitory effects on LL-37 and PF-18 at 90 microM. Addition of up to 900 microM PF-18 did not affect the surface properties of the surfactant preparation. These data suggest that surfactant preparations containing antimicrobial peptides could be useful for the local treatment of pulmonary infections.
Wang
Yuqin
Y
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Walter
Gabi
G
Herting
Egbert
E
Agerberth
Birgitta
B
Johansson
Jan
J
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054804:Cathelicidins; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013552:Swine
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054804:Cathelicidins; D011506:Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; C092764:prophenin 1