Fungicidal effect of indolicidin and its interaction with phospholipid membranes

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 May 30;305(2):305-10. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(03)00755-1.

Abstract

The fungicidal effect and mechanism of a tryptophan-rich 13-mer peptide, indolicidin derived from granules of bovine neutrophils, were investigated. Indolicidin displayed a strong fungicidal activity against various fungi. In order to understand the fungicidal mechanism(s) of indolicidin, we examined the interaction of indolicidin with the pathogenic fungus Trichosporon beigelii. Fluorescence confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analysis revealed that indolicidin acted rapidly on the plasma membrane of the fungal cells in an energy-independent manner. This interaction is also dependent on the ionic environment. Furthermore, indolicidin caused significant morphological changes when tested for the membrane disrupting activity using liposomes (phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol; 10:1, w/w). The results suggest that indolicidin may exert its fungicidal activity by disrupting the structure of cell membranes, via direct interaction with the lipid bilayers, in a salt-dependent and energy-independent manner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antifungal Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Cell Membrane / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / drug effects
  • Cholesterol
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Liposomes / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Phospholipids / metabolism*
  • Salts / pharmacology
  • Trichosporon / drug effects
  • Trichosporon / metabolism
  • Trichosporon / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Liposomes
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Phospholipids
  • Salts
  • indolicidin
  • Cholesterol