Evaluation of the in vitro anti-T.cruzi activity of four antimicrobial peptides from Ecuadorian anurans

Background: Chagas disease (CD) caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is considered the most important parasitic disease in the Americas. It is estimated to affect approximately 8 million people, 30% of which will develop the debilitating and potentially fatal health complications as a result. Infection by T. cruzi can be cured if treatment with benznidazole or nifurtimox is administered shortly after the infection occurs. However, treatment efficacy decreases over time, making treatment of chronic Chagas disease challenging. Additionally, these drugs frequently induce side effects. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), biologically active molecules produced by organisms through their innate immune system, are of considerable interest for developing new antimicrobial therapies. Methods. The anti-T. cruzi activity of four antimicrobial peptides derived from the gliding tree frog, Agalychnis spurrelli, was studied. Synthetic versions of adenoregulin- AS1 (ADN-AS1), dermatoxin-AS1 (DTX-AS1), dermaseptin-SP9 (DRS-SP9), and dermaseptin-SP10 (DRS-SP10) were tested in vitro against trypomastigotes of the recombinant Tula-ß-gal T. cruzi strain via colorimetric assays. The cytotoxicity of the peptides against mammalian cells was also evaluated, using rezasurin reduction assays. Results: The four studied peptides exhibited varying degrees of activity against T. cruzi tripomastigotes, the parasite forms infective to mammals, including humans. Three peptides (DTX-AS1, DRS-SP10, and ADN-AS1) displayed activity against the parasite (EC50 = 0,35, 1,21 and, 1,58 µM, respectively) with limited cytotoxic effects over mammalian host cells. DRS-SP9, conversely, displayed much lower (EC50 = 22, 91µM) activity. Conclusions: These findings suggest the studied peptides are active against T. cruzi trypomastigotes. Dermatoxina-AS1 (DTX-AS1) displays the most specific activity against the parasite. Although our data suggest peptides are lytic for the parasite, additional studies are required to clarify their mechanism of action.