Cathelicidin peptide sheep myeloid antimicrobial peptide-29 prevents endotoxin-induced mortality in rat models of septic shock.

The present study was designed to investigate the antiendotoxin activity and therapeutic efficacy of sheep myeloid antimicrobial peptide (SMAP)-29, a cathelicidin-derived peptide. The in vitro ability of SMAP-29 to bind LPS from Escherichia coli 0111:B4 was determined using a sensitive limulus chromogenic assay. Two rat models of septic shock were performed: (1) rats were injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg E.

Neutralization of endotoxin in vitro and in vivo by Bac7(1-35), a proline-rich antibacterial peptide.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), or endotoxins, are structural components of gram-negative bacteria implicated in the pathogenesis of septic shock. In this study the antiendotoxin activity of Bac7(1-35), a synthetic peptide based on the sequence of a proline-rich antibacterial peptide from bovine neutrophils, was investigated in vitro and in an experimental rat model of gram-negative septic shock. The ability of Bac7(1-35) to bind LPS from Escherichia coli O111:B4 was determined using a sensitive Limulus chromogenic assay.

In vitro effect on Cryptosporidium parvum of short-term exposure to cathelicidin peptides.

Two laboratory methods, a cell culture system and double fluorogenic staining, were used to study the viability and infective ability of Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites and oocysts after short-term exposure to four cathelicidin peptides. The compounds, SMAP-29, BMAP-28, PG-1 and Bac7(1-35), exerted a strong cytotoxic effect on sporozoites, but did not affect the viability and function of oocysts consistently. Overall, in the sporozoite series, a percentage of the viable population decreased rapidly to less than detectable levels after 15 and 60 min exposure to the peptides at concentrations of 100 and 10 micro g/mL, respectively.

Structural and functional characterization of hBD-1(Ser35), a peptide deduced from a DEFB1 polymorphism.

beta-Defensins are mammalian antimicrobial peptides that share a unique disulfide-bonding motif of six conserved cysteines. An intragenic polymorphism of the DEFB1 gene that changes a highly conserved Cys to Ser in the peptide coding region has recently been described. The deduced peptide cannot form three disulfide bonds, as one of the cysteines is unpaired.

Cathelicidin peptides as candidates for a novel class of antimicrobials.

Cathelicidin peptides are a numerous group of mammalian cationic antimicrobial peptides. Despite a common evolutionary origin of their genes, peptides display a remarkable variety of sizes, sequences and structures. Their spectra of antimicrobial activity are varied and cover a range of organisms that includes bacteria, fungi and enveloped viruses.