title: Effect of the antimicrobial peptide gomesin against different life stages of Plasmodium spp.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Malaria Research Institute, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors: Cristina K
authors: CK
authors: Moreira
authors: Flávia G
authors: FG
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Anil
authors: A
authors: Ghosh
authors: Fernando de P
authors: Fde P
authors: Varotti
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Miranda
authors: Sirlei
authors: S
authors: Daffre
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Jacobs-Lorena
authors: Luciano A
authors: LA
authors: Moreira
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C415987:gomesin; D000077332:Artesunate