The antimicrobial peptides LL-37, KR-20, FK-13 and KR-12 inhibit the growth of a sensitive and a metronidazole-resistant strain of Trichomonas vaginalis

The parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is the aetiologic agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. This infection often remains asymptomatic and is related to several health complications. The traditional treatment for trichomoniasis uses drugs of the 5-n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology research (1987) 2022-12, Vol.121 (12), p.3503-3512
Main Authors: Ramírez-Ledesma, María G., Rodríguez, Mayra C., Alva-Murillo, Nayeli, Avila, Eva E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antimicrobial peptides
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Drug resistance
Health aspects
Immunology
Medical Microbiology
Metronidazole
Microbicides
Microbiology
Nitroimidazole
Parasitic diseases
Peptides
Sexually transmitted diseases
STD
Strains (organisms)
Tinidazole
Trichomonas vaginalis
Trichomoniasis
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Summary:The parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is the aetiologic agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. This infection often remains asymptomatic and is related to several health complications. The traditional treatment for trichomoniasis uses drugs of the 5-nitroimidazole family, such as metronidazole; however, scientific reports indicate an increasing number of drug-resistant strains. Antimicrobial peptides could be an alternative or complementary treatment. In this sense, one attractive candidate is the human cathelicidin, being LL-37 its active form. LL-37 possesses microbicidal activity against many microorganisms such as bacteria, Candida albicans , and Entamoeba histolytica . Shorter sequences derived from this peptide, such as KR-20, FK-13 and KR-12, have been shown to possess a higher microbicidal effect than LL-37. In this study, we determined the activity of LL-37 and its derivatives against T. vaginalis , which was unknown. The results showed that the four peptides (LL-37, KR-20, FK-13-NH 2 and KR-12) decreased the viability of T. vaginalis on a 5-nitroimidazole-sensitive and a 5-nitroimidazole-resistant strain; however, KR-20 was the most effective peptide, followed by FK-13-NH 2 . Low concentrations of all peptides showed a better effect when combined with metronidazole in the sensitive and resistant T. vaginalis strains. These results are promising for potential future therapeutic uses.
ISSN:0932-0113
1432-1955
DOI:10.1007/s00436-022-07674-6