In vitro effectiveness of the antimicrobial peptide eCATH1 against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens of horses.
Abstract: The equine antimicrobial peptide eCATH1 previously has been shown to have in vitro activity against antibiotic-susceptible reference strains of Rhodococcus equi and common respiratory bacterial pathogens of foals. Interestingly, eCATH1 was also found to be effective in the treatment of R. equi infection induced in mice. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro activity of eCATH1 against equine isolates of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas spp.) and Gram-positive (R. equi, Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria resistant to multiple classes of conventional antibiotics. A modified microdilution method was used to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the antimicrobial peptide. The study revealed that eCATH1 was active against all equine isolates of E. coli, S. enterica, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp. and R. equi tested, with MICs of 0.5-16 μg mL(-1), but was not active against most isolates of S. aureus. In conclusion, the activity of the equine antimicrobial peptide eCATH1 appears to not be hampered by the antibiotic resistance of clinical isolates. Thus, the data suggest that eCATH1 could be useful, not only in the treatment of R. equi infections, but also of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens.
© 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-12-18 PubMed ID: 24279745DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12337Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Letter
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the in vitro impact of the antimicrobial peptide eCATH1 on antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens commonly found in horses. The results suggest that eCATH1 could potentially be used in the treatment of infections caused by these multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Background of the Study
- The research is fueled by the earlier documented activity of an equine antimicrobial peptide, eCATH1, against antibiotic-susceptible bacteria that often cause respiratory infections in foals.
- Anecdotal evidence from prior research also revealed that eCATH1 could effectively treat infections induced by R. equi in mice.
- However, the activity of eCATH1 against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly those that routinely infect horses, had previously not been investigated.
- The goal of the researchers in this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of eCATH1 against a range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria that are resistance to multiple classes of conventional antibiotics.
Methodology
- The study used a modified microdilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eCATH1 necessary to inhibit the growth of various bacterial species.
- The bacteria tested include equine isolates of Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, S. enterica, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp.) and Gram-positive bacteria (R. equi, S. aureus), all of which were resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Findings
- eCATH1 demonstrated activity against all tested isolates of E. coli, S. enterica, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp., and R. equi, with MICs ranging from 0.5 to 16 μg/mL.
- However, eCATH1 did not show significant activity against most S. aureus isolates.
Conclusion
- Notably, the antimicrobial activity of eCATH1 was not hindered by the antibiotic resistance of these clinical isolates.
- This leads to the hypothesis that eCATH1 could be a valuable tool, not only in the treatment of R. equi infections, but also for treating infections caused by other multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Schlusselhuber M, Guldbech K, Sevin C, Leippe M, Petry S, Grötzinger J, Giguère S, Cauchard J.
(2013).
In vitro effectiveness of the antimicrobial peptide eCATH1 against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens of horses.
FEMS Microbiol Lett, 350(2), 216-222.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6968.12337 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Unit Bacteriology and Parasitology, Dozulé Laboratory for Equine Diseases, Anses, Goustranville, France.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology
- Bacteria / drug effects
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial
- Horses / microbiology
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests
- Cathelicidins
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Rimayanti R, Khairullah AR, Mustofa I, Utomo B, Lestari TD, Utama S, Akintunde AO, Mulyati S, Hernawati T, Dawood AQ, Riady G, Khan IU, Rasad SD, Moses IB. Hidden menace: Understanding the devastating consequences of dourine disease in horses. Open Vet J 2025 Sep;15(9):3931-3942.
- Ghimire J, Guha S, Nelson BJ, Morici LA, Wimley WC. The Remarkable Innate Resistance of Burkholderia bacteria to Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides: Insights into the Mechanism of AMP Resistance. J Membr Biol 2022 Oct;255(4-5):503-511.
- Kumar R, Ali SA, Singh SK, Bhushan V, Mathur M, Jamwal S, Mohanty AK, Kaushik JK, Kumar S. Antimicrobial Peptides in Farm Animals: An Updated Review on Its Diversity, Function, Modes of Action and Therapeutic Prospects. Vet Sci 2020 Dec 18;7(4).
- Wimley WC. Application of Synthetic Molecular Evolution to the Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides. Adv Exp Med Biol 2019;1117:241-255.
- Cauchard S, Van Reet N, Büscher P, Goux D, Grötzinger J, Leippe M, Cattoir V, Laugier C, Cauchard J. Killing of Trypanozoon Parasites by the Equine Cathelicidin eCATH1. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016 May;60(5):2610-9.
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