The synthetic cathelicidin HHC-10 inhibits Mycobacterium bovis BCG in vitro and in C57BL/6 mice

Microb Drug Resist. 2013 Apr;19(2):124-9. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2012.0149. Epub 2012 Dec 11.

Abstract

Tuberculosis causes close to 1.5 million deaths in the world, with new cases exceeding 9 million in recent years. Coinfection with HIV further worsens the global situation. New molecules that overcome the limitations of currently used drugs are needed. We aimed to determine whether HHC-10 is active against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria Mycobacterium bovis bacille calmette guerin (BCG) in vitro and in vivo. For this, HHC-10 was tested in vitro using different peptide concentrations, and in vivo, in C57BL/6 mice infected intratracheally, at two doses (1.25 and 2.5 mg kg(-1), once a week, 4 weeks). Interferon (IFN)-γ, TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-10 mRNA transcript levels were compared between treated and nontreated mice. In vitro, HHC-10 decreased 69% and 88% the number of colony-forming units (CFU) per millileter recovered after 24-hr treatment at 50 and 100 μg/ml, respectively. In vivo, BCG CFUs in mouse lungs were reduced 77.8% and 95.8% at 1.25 and 2.5 mg kg(-1), respectively. IFN-γ expression was lower in the HHC-10-treated group than that of nontreated animals. Considering genomic conservation between BCG and M. tuberculosis, the in vitro and in vivo activities of HHC-10 observed in this study suggest that the use of this peptide may be useful as therapeutic agent against tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / therapeutic use
  • Antitubercular Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cathelicidins
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Female
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-10 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-10 / immunology
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mycobacterium bovis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium bovis / growth & development
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Spleen / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • IL10 protein, mouse
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Cathelicidins