title: Evaluation of the in vitro activity of dermaseptin 01, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, against Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that remains a considerable public health problem worldwide. Since the mainstay of schistosomiasis control is chemotherapy with a single drug, praziquantel, drug resistance is a concern. Here, we examined the in vitro effects of dermaseptin 01 (DS 01), an antimicrobial peptide found in the skin secretion of frogs of the genus Phyllomedusa, on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. DS 01 at a concentration of 100 μg/ml reduced the worm motor activity and caused the death of all worms within 48 h in RPMI 1640 medium. At the highest sublethal concentration of antimicrobial peptide (75 μg/ml), a 100% reduction in egg output of paired female worms was observed. Additionally, DS 01 induced morphological alterations on the tegument of S. mansoni, and a quantitative analysis carried out by confocal microscopy revealed extensive destruction of the tubercles in a dose-dependent manner over the concentration range of 50-200 μg/ml. It was the first time that an anthelmintic activity towards schistosomes has been reported for a dermaseptin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. josuem@usp.br
authors.forename: Josué
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Leiz M C V
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: José R S A
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Toshie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D029845:Amphibian Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001001:Anura; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000871:Anthelmintics; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C070905:dermaseptin