Inhibition of Pertussis Toxin by Human α-Defensins-1 and -5: Differential Mechanisms of Action.

ABSTRACT: Whooping cough is a severe childhood disease, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which releases pertussis toxin (PT) as a major virulence factor. Previously, we identified the human antimicrobial peptides α-defensin-1 and -5 as inhibitors of PT and demonstrated their capacity to inhibit the activity of the PT enzyme subunit PTS1. Here, the underlying mechanism of toxin inhibition was investigated in more detail, which is essential for developing the therapeutic potential of these peptides. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry revealed that α-defensin-5 strongly reduced PT binding to, and uptake into cells, whereas α-defensin-1 caused only a mild reduction. Conversely, α-defensin-1, but not α-defensin-5 was taken up into different cell lines and interacted with PTS1 insi

SUBMITTER: Kling C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10341622 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature