title: Efficacy of the amphibian peptide distinctin in a neutropenic mouse model of staphylococcal sepsis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of distinctin in a neutropenic mouse model of staphylococcal sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, and controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory in a University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c male mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were rendered neutropenic by injecting cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg of body weight/day) on days -4 and -2 preinfection. Infection was induced at time 0 by intraperitoneal injection of 1 x 10(9) colony forming units of the staphylococcal strain. For each model, all animals were randomized to receive intravenous isotonic sodium chloride solution, 1 mg/kg distinctin, and 10 mg/kg imipenem, 10 mg/kg vancomycin, 10 mg/kg teicoplanin or 10 mg/kg linezolid alone, or combined with 1 mg/kg distinctin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lethality, bacterial growth in blood and peritoneum, spleen, liver, and mesenteric lymph nodes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All combined regimen showed lower lethality rates than singly treated-groups. Distinctin plus vancomycin or teicoplanin exerted the lowest lethality rate. All regimens were significantly superior to controls at reducing blood, spleen, peritoneum, liver and mesenteric lymph node complex bacterial burdens, whereas all combined treated groups were higher effective than singly treated groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that distinctin alone or combined with other antibiotics may be useful in treating severe staphylococcal infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy. o.cirioni@univpm.it
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cirioni
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghiselli
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Salzano
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mocchegiani
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalise
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scaloni
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giacometti
mesh_terms: D029845:Amphibian Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001001:Anura; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006461:Hemolysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C531945:distinctin