title: Antibiotic activity and synergistic effect of antimicrobial peptide against pathogens from a patient with gallstones.
abstract: HP (2-20) is a peptide derived from the N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 that has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against various species of bacteria. When we tested the effects of HP (2-20), we found that this peptide displayed strong activity against pathogens from a patient with gallstones, but it did not have hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. We also found that HP (2-20) had potent activity against cefazolin sodium-resistant bacterial cell lines, and that HP (2-20) and cefazolin sodium had synergistic effects against cell lines resistant to the latter. To investigate the mechanism of action of HP (2-20), we performed fluorescence activated flow cytometry using pathogens from the patient with gallstones. As determined by propidium iodide (PI) staining, pathogenic bacteria treated with HP (2-20) showed higher fluorescence intensity than untreated cells, similar to melittin-treated cells, and that HP (2-20) acted in an energy- and salt-dependent manner. Scanning electron microscopy showed that HP (2-20) caused significant morphological alterations in the cell surface of pathogens from the patient with gallstones. By determining their 16S rDNA sequences, we found that both the pathogens from the patient with gallstones and the cefazolin sodium-resistant cell lines showed 100% homology with sequences from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Taken together, these results suggest that HP (2-20) has antibiotic activity and that it may be used as a lead drug for the treatment of acquired pathogens from patients with gallstones and antibiotic-resistant cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Proteineous Materials, Chosun University, 375 Seosuk-Dong, Dong-Ku, Kwangju 501-759, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoonkyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon Nang
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seong-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joon Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joon Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.forename: Kyung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hahm
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D042882:Gallstones / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008555:Melitten / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012492:Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D019810:Sodium Azide / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D012492:Salts; C028546:ribosomal protein L1; D008555:Melitten; D019810:Sodium Azide; D002437:Cefazolin