title: Evaluation of the in vitro cytotoxicity of the antimicrobial peptide P34.
abstract: The in vitro cytotoxicity of the antimicrobial peptide P34 was evaluated in different eukaryotic cells. The food-grade bacteriocin nisin was also analysed for comparison. Vero cells were treated with different concentrations (0.02-2.5 microg x ml(-1)) of antimicrobial peptide P34 and nisin. Cell viability and plasma membrane integrity were checked by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide], NRU (Neutral Red dye uptake) and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) assays. The EC50 values of the peptide P34 in MTT and NRU assays were 0.60 and 1.25 microg x ml(-1) respectively, while values of nisin found were 0.50 and 1.04 microg x ml(-1). In the LDH assay, the EC50 values were 0.65 and 0.62 microg x ml(-1) for P34 and nisin, respectively. The peptide P34 revealed similar haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes (5.8%) when compared with nisin (4.9%). The effects on viability, motility and acrosomal exocytosis of human sperm were also evaluated. Nisin and P34 showed similar effects on sperm parameters. The evaluation of cytotoxicity of antimicrobial peptides is a critical step to guarantee their safe use.
authors: Laboratrio de Bioqumica e Microbiologia Aplicada, Departamento de Cincia de Alimentos, ICTA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil.
authors: Rodrigo Almeida
authors: RA
authors: Vaucher
authors: Amanda de Souza
authors: Ade S
authors: da Motta
authors: Adriano
authors: A
authors: Brandelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009499:Neutral Red / Q000378:metabolism; D009561:Nisin / Q000633:toxicity; D010455:Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C549460:BLS P34 peptide, Bacillus; D010455:Peptides; D009561:Nisin; D009499:Neutral Red; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases