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Effect of synthetic antimicrobial peptides on Naegleria fowleri trophozoites

Supathra Tiewcharoen, Watchara Phurttikul, Jundee Rabablert

    The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
    |July 1, 2014
    PubMed

    Insights

    Tritrpticin effectively induced apoptosis in Naegleria fowleri trophozoites in vitro. This peptide showed potential as a therapeutic agent by targeting the parasite

    Area of Science:

    • Parasitology
    • Drug Discovery
    • Molecular Biology

    Background:

    • Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but highly fatal infection.
    • Limited therapeutic options exist for Naegleria fowleri infections, necessitating the search for novel treatment strategies.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the in vitro efficacy of tritrpticin against Naegleria fowleri trophozoites.
    • To compare tritrpticin's activity with other peptides and amphotericin B.
    • To investigate the mechanism of action of tritrpticin on N. fowleri.

    Main Methods:

    • In vitro testing of tritrpticin, lactoferrin, killer decapeptide, and scrambled peptide against N. fowleri trophozoites.
    • Assessment of parasite viability, apoptosis induction, and morphological changes using Gormori trichrome staining.
    • Ultrastructural analysis of trophozoite surface membrane and food cup formation.
    • Evaluation of tritrpticin's toxicity against human SK-N-MC cells.

    Main Results:

    • Tritrpticin (100 microg/ml) induced apoptosis in N. fowleri trophozoites, unlike other tested peptides.
    • Tritrpticin affected trophozoite surface membrane elasticity and reduced nuclear size.
    • Complete inhibition of N. fowleri trophozoite surface membrane ultrastructure and food cup formation was observed.
    • Tritrpticin demonstrated no toxicity against human SK-N-MC cells at the tested concentration.
    • Results suggest inhibition of nfa1 and Mp2CL5 genes involved in food cup formation.

    Conclusions:

    • Tritrpticin exhibits significant in vitro activity against Naegleria fowleri trophozoites.
    • Tritrpticin targets the parasite's surface membrane and key genes involved in its function.
    • Tritrpticin presents a promising candidate for developing new therapeutic agents against N. fowleri infections.

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