Biomaterial-associated infections are frequent clinical complications in the use of implants and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Currently, antibiotic treatments are primarily used to prevent or treat such infections. However, the heavy use of antibiotics has caused bacteria to mutate and emerge as multi-drug resistant “super bugs” such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In time, without the development of new and effective antimicrobial drugs, it is possible that some bacteria will be untreatable by conventional antibiotics. To deal with this antibiotic resistance concern, antimicrobial peptides have attracted great interest. The objective of this study was to develop and identify antimicrobial peptides that have high antimicrobial properties against bacteria along with low toxicity toward human cells. LL-37 and a unique synthetic peptide (i.e. Pep-Lcyto) were studied against both extra- and intra-cellular bacteria. We found that LL-37 was potent and fast-killing against both extra- and intra-cellular bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) while it was also toxic to human cells like osteoblasts. The Pep-Lcyto was also potent and quick in killing bacteria. Its bacterial killing percentage increased with increasing peptide concentration and achieved 100% killing at 200 µM within 30 min. The bacterial killing was fast: ~93% S. aureus was killed within the first 5 min. Compared to the commonly used antibiotics (e.g. vancomycin, rifampin, cefazolin, and fusidic acid), Pep-Lcyto showed significantly higher killing efficacy toward bacteria while exhibiting significantly lower toxicity toward human cells like osteoblasts.

Advanced antimicrobial peptides reduce biomaterial-associated infections

254th National Meeting (2017)

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