Di-K19Hc, an antimicrobial peptide as new ototopical agent for treatment of otitis media

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica 2010-08, Vol.130 (8), p.897-903
• Main Authors: Lee, Young Shin, Kim, Young-Jin, Choi, Seung Hyo, Shin, Kyoung Hwa, Jang, Woong Sik, Lee, In Hee, Chung, Jong Woo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Infective Agents - adverse effects; Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - administration & dosage; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - adverse effects; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Ent and stomatologic bacterial diseases; Hair Cells, Auditory - drug effects; Hearing - drug effects; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Non tumoral diseases; Otitis Media - drug therapy; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; ototoxicity; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas Infections - drug therapy; round window membrane; Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; Staphylococcus aureus; Toxicity Tests; Toxicity: respiratory system, ent, stomatology
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.3109/00016480903536036

Abstract Conclusion: Di-K19Hc is a promising new ototopical antibiotic for treatment of middle ear infections associated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Objectives: Di-K19Hc was previously shown to exert profound antimicrobial activity against a variety of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi. In this study, we evaluated the potential use of di-K19Hc as a topical agent for the treatment of otitis media (OM) caused by a variety of microbial pathogens including bacteria resistant to conventional antibiotics. Methods: Antimicrobial activity of di-K19Hc was measured by colony count assay. Hearing threshold was determined by measurement of auditory brainstem response in mice treated with di-K19Hc. Mice treated with gentamicin were used as a control. Results: Di-K19Hc showed much stronger antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with human OM than did ofloxacin. Also, it was shown that the peptide exhibited substantial dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against microbes from middle ear fluid of patients with OM. Topically applied di-K19Hc caused neither a decrease of hearing level nor loss of hair cells.