Abstract
Cecropins are antimicrobial peptides (30-35 amino acids) isolated from the hemolymph of the cecropia moth. Previous studies have demonstrated their antimicrobial efficacy against a variety of pathogens, including both gram- positive and -negative bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and enveloped viruses. To assess their therapeutic potential against ocular pathogens, we analyzed the in vitro antimicrobial activity of a synthetic cecropin analog, Shiva-11, against virulent microbial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Candida albicans), Bacterial isolates were obtained from human cases of severe ulcerative keratitis. Shiva-11 was tested at varying concentrations in bacterial suspensions containing 1-2 x 106 CFU/ml at 37°C. Samples were plated on nutrient agar and colonies counted after 24-48 h of incubation. Shiva-11 yielded >3 log killing of all isolates after 60 min of exposure to this compound. The results of this study indicate that Shiva-11 possesses broad-spectrum in vitro antimicrobial activity against human clinical ocular pathogens.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 237-242 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Cornea |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - 1994 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Antimicrobial peptides
- Cecropins
- Ocular pathogens
- Shiva-11
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology