Magainins are an ionophoric class of vertebrate peptides with antibiotic activity against various microorganisms. Here we show that magainin 2 and synthetic analogues can rapidly and irreversibly lyse hematopoietic tumor and solid tumor target cells with a relative cytotoxic potency that parallels their antibacterial efficacy and at concentrations that are relatively nontoxic to well-differentiated cells. The cytotoxicity is prevented by cell depolarization. Magainins represent a natural cytolytic agent in vertebrates and may provide another therapeutic strategy for certain tumors.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.88.9.3792 | DOI Listing |
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Nano-viscosimetry analysis of membrane disrupting peptide magainin2 interactions with model membranes.
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January 2025
La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address:
The rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria has created an urgent need for new alternative antibiotic agents. Membrane disrupting antimicrobial peptides (AMPs): short amino acid sequences with bactericidal and fungicidal activity that kill pathogens by permeabilizing their plasma membrane may offer a solution for this global health crisis. Magainin 2 is an AMP secreted by the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) that is described as a toroidal pore former membrane disrupting AMP.
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