Antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of cathelicidin peptides against pathogens isolated from cystic fibrosis patients

Peptides. 2011 Sep;32(9):1807-14. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.08.002. Epub 2011 Aug 7.

Abstract

Six different cathelicidin-derived peptides were compared to tobramycin for antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and S. maltophilia strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. Overall, SMAP-29, BMAP-28, and BMAP-27 showed relevant antibacterial activity (MIC(50) 4-8μg/ml), and in some cases higher than tobramycin. In contrast, indolicidin, LL-37, and Bac7(1-35) showed no significant antimicrobial activity (MIC(50)>32μg/ml). Killing kinetics experiments showed that in contrast to tobramycin the active cathelicidin peptides exert a rapid bactericidal activity regardless of the species tested. All three peptides significantly reduced biofilm formation by S. maltophilia and P. aeruginosa strains at 1/2× MIC, although at a lower extent than tobramycin. In addition, BMAP-28, as well as tobramycin, was also active against S. aureus biofilm formation. Preformed biofilms were significantly affected by bactericidal SMAP-29, BMAP-27 and BMAP-28 concentrations, although at a lesser extent than tobramycin. Overall, our results indicate the potential of some cathelicidin-derived peptides for the development of novel therapeutic agents for cystic fibrosis lung disease.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Blood Proteins / pharmacology
  • Cathelicidins / pharmacology*
  • Cattle
  • Cystic Fibrosis / microbiology*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteins / pharmacology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / ultrastructure
  • Sheep
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / drug effects
  • Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / isolation & purification
  • Tobramycin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • BMAP-27
  • BMAP-28
  • Bac7(1-35) peptide
  • Blood Proteins
  • Cathelicidins
  • Proteins
  • SMAP29 protein, Ovis aries
  • indolicidin
  • Tobramycin