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In vitro susceptibility of Burkholderia pseudomallei to antimicrobial peptides

Sakawrat Kanthawong1, Kamran Nazmi, Surasakdi Wongratanacheewin

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
|July 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial peptides show promise against drug-resistant Burkholderia pseudomallei. The human cathelicidin peptide LL-37 effectively killed all tested B. pseudomallei isolates, including antibiotic-resistant strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, a severe infection with high mortality rates.
  • Intrinsic antibiotic resistance in B. pseudomallei necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer broad-spectrum bactericidal activity and immunomodulatory effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of 10 AMPs against 24 B. pseudomallei isolates.
  • To identify potent AMPs effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of B. pseudomallei.
  • To investigate the influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phenotype on bacterial susceptibility to AMPs.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro testing of 10 AMPs, including histatin 5, LL-37, and lactoferrin peptides, against 24 B. pseudomallei isolates.
  • Determination of peptide dose-dependency and bacterial isolate variability in antimicrobial activity.
  • Assessment of susceptibility across different LPS phenotypes (smooth type A, smooth type B, rough type).

Main Results:

  • Peptide efficacy varied with dose and bacterial isolate.
  • Human cathelicidin peptide LL-37 demonstrated the most potent killing activity.
  • B. pseudomallei with smooth type A LPS were more susceptible than those with type B or rough LPS.
  • LL-37 effectively inhibited B. pseudomallei isolates resistant to ceftazidime and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Conclusions:

  • LL-37 exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against B. pseudomallei, irrespective of LPS phenotype.
  • LL-37 is a promising therapeutic candidate for treating melioidosis, including infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains.
  • AMPs represent a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics for combating B. pseudomallei infections.

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