A short synthetic peptide, based on LyeTx I from Lycosa erythrognatha venom, shows potential to treat pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii without detectable resistance

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2021 Jul;74(7):425-434. doi: 10.1038/s41429-021-00421-6. Epub 2021 May 10.

Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), together with relative stagnation in the development of effective antibiotics, has led to enormous health and economic problems. In this study, we aimed to describe the antibacterial spectrum of LyeTx I mnΔK, a short synthetic peptide based on LyeTx I from Lycosa erythrognatha venom, against CRAB. LyeTx I mnΔK showed considerable antibacterial activity against extensively resistant A. baumannii, with minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations ranging from 1 to 16 µM and 2 to 32 µM, respectively. This peptide significantly increased the release of 260 nm-absorbing intracellular material from CRAB, suggesting bacteriolysis. LyeTx I mnΔK was shown to act synergistically with meropenem and colistin against CRAB. The cytotoxic concentration of LyeTx I mnΔK against Vero cells (CC50 = 55.31 ± 5.00 µM) and its hemolytic activity (HC50 = 77.07 ± 4.00 µM) were considerably low; however, its antibacterial activity was significantly reduced in the presence of human and animal serum and trypsin. Nevertheless, the inhalation of this peptide was effective in reducing pulmonary bacterial load in a mouse model of CRAB infection. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the peptide LyeTx I mnΔK is a potential prototype for the development of new effective and safe antibacterial agents against CRAB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter Infections / drug therapy
  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / isolation & purification
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / toxicity
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Carbapenems / pharmacology
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Stability
  • Drug Synergism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Spider Venoms / chemistry*
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Carbapenems
  • Peptides
  • Spider Venoms