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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Production and Visualization of Bacterial Spheroplasts and Protoplasts to Characterize Antimicrobial Peptide Localization
Published on: August 11, 2018
Histatin and lactoferrin derived peptides: antimicrobial properties and effects on mammalian cells
Hein P Stallmann1, Chris Faber, Antonius L J J Bronckers
1Orthopedic Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. h.stallmann@vumc.nl
Abstract:
In order to analyze the clinical potential of two antimicrobial peptides, human lactoferrin 1-11 (hLF1-11) and synthetic histatin analogue Dhvar-5, we measured the killing effect on bacteria, and the potential toxicity on erythrocytes and bone cells. The antimicrobial activity was determined in a killing assay on six strains, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. The effect on human erythrocytes and MC3T3 mouse bone cells was measured with a hemolysis assay and a viability assay, respectively. Both hLF1-11 and Dhvar-5 dose-dependently killed all bacterial strains, starting at concentrations of 6 microg/mL. hLF1-11 had no effect on mammalian cells at concentrations up to 400 microg/mL, but Dhvar-5 induced significant hemolysis (37% at 200 microg/mL) and bone cell death (70% at 400 microg/mL). This indicates that both peptides are able to kill various resistant and non-resistant bacteria, but Dhvar-5 may exert a cytotoxic effect on host cells at higher concentrations.
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