In Vitro and In Vivo Studies on the Antibacterial Activity and Safety of a New Antimicrobial Peptide Dermaseptin-AC

Antimicrobial resistance has been an increasing public health threat in recent years. Antimicrobial peptides are considered as potential drugs against drug-resistant bacteria because they are mainly broad-spectrum and are unlikely to cause resistance. In this study, a novel peptide was obtained from the skin secretion of Agalychnis callidryas using the “shotgun” cloning method. The amino acid sequence, molecular weight, and secondary structure of Dermaseptin-AC were determined. The in vitro antimicrobial activity, hemolysis, and cytotoxicity of Dermaseptin-AC were evaluated. MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of Dermaseptin-AC against seven different bacterial strains ranged between 2 ∼ 4 μM and 2 ∼ 8 μM. The HC(50) (50% maximum hemolysis concentration) of Dermaseptin-AC against horse erythrocytes was 76.55 μM. The in vivo anti-MRSA effect was tested on immune-suppressed MRSA pneumonia in mice. Dermaseptin-AC showed anti-MRSA effects similar to the same dose of vancomycin (10 mg/kg body weight). Short-term (7 days of intraperitoneal injection, 10 mg/kg body weight) in vivo safety evaluation of Dermaseptin-AC was tested on mice. The survival rate during the 7-day injection was 80%. Dermaseptin-AC showed no obvious effect on the liver, heart, spleen, kidney, and blood, but did induce slight pulmonary congestion. The skin safety of Dermaseptin-AC was evaluated on wounds on the back skin of a rat, and no irritation was observed. IMPORTANCE In this study, we discovered a new antimicrobial peptide, Dermaseptin-AC, and studied its in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity. These studies provide some data for finding new antimicrobial peptides for overcoming antimicrobial resistance. Dermaseptin-AC showed strong broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and relatively low hemolysis, and was more cytotoxic to cancer cells than to normal cells. Dermaseptin-AC was active in vivo, and its anti-MRSA effect was similar to that of vancomycin when administered by intraperitoneal injection. Safety studies found that continuous injection of Dermaseptin-AC may cause mild pulmonary congestion, while there was no obvious irritation when it was applied to skin wounds. Chronic wounds are often accompanied by high bacterial burdens and, at the same time, antimicrobial resistance is more likely to occur during repeated infections and treatments. Therefore, developing Dermaseptin-AC to treat chronic wound infection may be an attractive choice.