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Antibiotic magainins exert cytolytic activity against transformed cell lines through channel formation
R A Cruciani1, J L Barker, M Zasloff
1Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Abstract:
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.