Effect of the antimicrobial peptide gomesin against different life stages of Plasmodium spp.
While seeking strategies for interfering with Plasmodium development in vertebrate/invertebrate hosts, we tested the activity of gomesin, an antimicrobial peptide isolated from the hemocytes of the spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana. Gomesin was tested against asexual, sexual and pre-sporogonic forms of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium berghei parasites. The peptide inhibited the in vitro growth of intraerythrocytic forms of P. falciparum. When gomesin was added to in vitro culture of P. berghei mature gametocytes, it significantly inhibited the exflagellation of male gametes and the formation of ookinetes. In vivo, the peptide reduced the number of oocysts of both Plasmodium species in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, and did not appear to affect the mosquitoes. These properties make gomesin an excellent candidate as a transmission blocking agent for the genetic engineering of mosquitoes.
Moreira
Cristina K
CK
Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Malaria Research Institute, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Rodrigues
Flávia G
FG
Ghosh
Anil
A
Varotti
Fernando de P
Fde P
Miranda
Antonio
A
Daffre
Sirlei
S
Jacobs-Lorena
Marcelo
M
Moreira
Luciano A
LA
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077332:Artesunate; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D033661:Oocysts / Q000187:drug effects; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
D000962:Antimalarials; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C415987:gomesin; D000077332:Artesunate