title: Frog skin cultures secrete anti-yellow fever compounds.
abstract: There is an urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial substances. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as promising candidates for future therapeutic use. Because of the re-emergence of the Flavivirus infection, and particularly the yellow fever virus (YFV), we have compared the antiviral activities from skin secretions of seven different frog species against YFV (strain 17D). Secretions from Sphaenorhynchus lacteus, Cryptobatrachus boulongeri and Leptodactylus fuscus displayed the more powerful activities. S. lacteus was found to inhibit viral lysis of Vero E6 cells even at the highest viral concentration evaluated of 10 LD50. We also report the identification of a novel frenatin-related peptide from S. lacteus and found that this peptide-on its own-can lead to 35% protection against YVF, while displaying no cytotoxicity against somatic cells even at fivefold higher concentrations. These results are attractive and support the need for continued exploration of new sources of AMPs from frog skin secretions such as those described here in the development of new compounds for the treatment of infectious diseases in general and specific viral infections in particular.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Camargo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Margarita Correa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moscoso
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Narváez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Fundación Nativa, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Franz Kaston
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Florez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Groot
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mitrani
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D029845:Amphibian Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016466:CHO Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003412:Cricetulus; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011898:Ranidae / Q000145:classification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D014709:Vero Cells; D015005:Yellow fever virus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010455:Peptides