title: Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the mastoparan Polybia-MPII isolated from venom of the social wasp Pseudopolybia vespiceps testacea (Vespidae, Hymenoptera).
abstract: Mastoparans, a class of peptides found in wasp venom, have significant effects following a sting as well as useful applications in clinical practice. Among these is their potential use in the control of micro-organisms that cause infectious diseases with a significant impact on society. Thus, the present study describes the isolation and identification of a mastoparan peptide from the venom of the social wasp Pseudopolybia vespiceps and evaluated its antimicrobial profile against bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense), fungi (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans) and in vivo S. aureus infection. The membrane pore-forming ability was also assessed. The mastoparan reduced in vitro and ex vivo mycobacterial growth by 80% at 12.5 µM in infected peritoneal macrophages but did not affect the shape of bacterial cells at the dose tested (6.25 µM). The peptide also showed potent action against S. aureus in vitro (EC50and EC90values of 1.83 µM and 2.90 µM, respectively) and reduced the in vivo bacterial load after 6 days of topical treatment (5 mg/kg). Antifungal activity was significant, with EC50and EC90values of 12.9 µM and 15.3 µM, respectively, for C. albicans, and 11 µM and 22.70 µM, respectively, for C. neoformans. Peptides are currently attracting interest for their potential in the design of antimicrobial drugs, particularly due to the difficulty of micro-organisms in developing resistance to them. In this respect, Polybia-MPII proved to be highly effective, with a lower haemolysis rate compared with peptides of the same family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology, Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Heath, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lázaro M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology, Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Heath, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology, Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Heath, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Monalisa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Trentini
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mucury-Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karina S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Smidt
authors.affiliation: Center for Proteomics and Biochemical Analyses, Genomic Science and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabel C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Fensterseifer
authors.affiliation: Center for Proteomics and Biochemical Analyses, Genomic Science and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Department of Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osmar N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Clissa
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathália
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vilela
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guilhelmelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciano P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology, Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Heath, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kipnis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ildinete
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silva-Pereira
authors.affiliation: Center for Proteomics and Biochemical Analyses, Genomic Science and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Brazil; Department of Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil; S-Inova Biotech, Graduate Biotechnology Program, Dom Bosco Catholic University, Campo Grande, Brazil.
authors.forename: Octavio L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology, Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Heath, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Junqueira-Kipnis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anamelia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bocca
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. Electronic address: mmortari@unb.br.
authors.forename: Márcia R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mortari
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000382:microbiology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014863:Wasps / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D014862:Wasp Venoms; C037500:mastoparan
keywords: Candida albicans; Cryptococcus neoformans; Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense; Peptide; Staphylococcus aureus; Wasp venom