title: Effect of pluronic acid F-127 on the toxicity towards eukaryotic cells of CSA-13, a cationic steroid analogue of antimicrobial peptides.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  CSA-13 is an antimicrobial cationic steroid with some toxicity against eukaryotic cells. The purpose of this work was to test whether pluronic acid F-127 could interfere with the toxicity of CSA-13 on human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) without modifying its bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The addition of pluronic acid F-127 slightly decreased the number of dead cells after exposure to CSA-13. Pluronic acid F-127 blocked the permeabilizing effect of CSA-13 on the plasma membrane of HUVEC (uptake of ethidium bromide, release of lactate dehydrogenase) without modifying its toxic effect on their mitochondrial function (MTT test, uptake of tetramethyl rhodamine ethyl ester).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pluronic acid F-127 decreased the toxicity of CSA-13 against eukaryotic cells without completely protecting them from mitochondrial damage at high concentrations of the drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work establishes that studies on the toxic effects of synthetic antimicrobials on eukaryotic cells should not only focus on the permeability of the plasma membrane but also on the integrity of the mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie biologique et médicale et de Microbiologie pharmaceutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nagant
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dehaye
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004996:Ethidium / Q000378:metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013256:Steroids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013256:Steroids; C521528:ceragenin CSA-13; D020442:Poloxamer; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D004996:Ethidium