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Research on the effect and mechanism of antimicrobial peptides HPRP ‐A1/A2 work against Toxoplasma gondii infection
Author(s) -
Liu Ran,
Ni Yangyue,
Song Jingwei,
Xu Zhipeng,
Qiu Jingfan,
Wang Lijuan,
Zhu Yuxiao,
Huang Yibing,
Ji Minjun,
Chen Yuxin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/pim.12619
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , biology , immune system , antimicrobial , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , antibiotics , cytoplasm , immunology , antibody , genetics
Summary With increasing antibiotic resistance and drug safety concerns, novel therapeutics are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides are promising candidates that could address the spread of multidrug‐resistant pathogens. HPRP ‐A1/A2 are known to display antimicrobial activity against gram‐negative bacteria, gram‐positive bacteria and some pathogenic fungi, but whether HPRP ‐A1/A2 work on Toxoplasma gondii ( T gondii ) is unknown. In this study, we found that the viability of tachyzoites that received HPRP ‐A1/A2 treatment was significantly decreased, and there was a reduction in the adhesion to and invasion of macrophages by tachyzoites after HPRP ‐A1/A2 treatment. HPRP ‐A1/A2 damaged the integrity of tachyzoite membranes, as characterized by membrane disorganization in and cytoplasm outflow from tachyzoites. In addition, in vivo injection with HPRP ‐A1/A2 resulted in a significantly decreased number of tachyzoites and an accelerated Th1/Tc1 response, and elicited pro‐inflammatory cytokines in T gondii‐ infected mice. Furthermore, HPRP ‐A1/A2‐treated splenocytes exhibited a significantly increased Tc1/Th1 response, and HPRP ‐A1/A2‐stimulated macrophages inhibited the growth of carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl amino ester ( CFSE )‐labelled tachyzoites, which had higher TNF ‐α/ IL ‐12 mRNA levels. Altogether, these results imply that HPRP ‐A1/A2 are effective against T gondii through damaging the structure of tachyzoites and inducing a protective immune response, which could offer an alternative approach against T gondii infection.