Parasiticidal activity of human alpha-defensin-5 against Toxoplasma gondii

In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2010 Jun;46(6):560-5. doi: 10.1007/s11626-009-9271-9. Epub 2010 Feb 5.

Abstract

Human defensins play a fundamental role in the initiation of innate immune responses to some microbial pathogens. In this paper, we show that human alpha-defensin-5 displays a parasiticidal role against Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Exposure of the tachyzoite form of T. gondii to defensin induced aggregation and significantly reduced parasite viability in a concentration-dependent peptide. Pre-incubation of tachyzoites with human alpha-defensin-5 followed by exposure to a mouse embryonal cell line (NIH/3T3) significantly reduced T. gondii infection in these cells. Thus, human alpha-defensin-5 is an innate immune molecule that causes severe toxocity to T. gondii and plays an important role in reducing cellular infection. This is the first report showing that human alpha-defensin-5 causes aggregation, leading to Toxoplasma destruction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiparasitic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Time Factors
  • Toxoplasma / drug effects*
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasma / metabolism
  • Toxoplasmosis / parasitology
  • alpha-Defensins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antiparasitic Agents
  • DEFA5 protein, human
  • alpha-Defensins