PURIFICATION OF AN ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE FROM RABBIT AQUEOUS-HUMOR

Authors
DIAMOND JP MOULE K LEEMING JP TAVARE J EASTY DL
Citation
Jp. Diamond et al., PURIFICATION OF AN ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE FROM RABBIT AQUEOUS-HUMOR, Current eye research (Print), 17(8), 1998, pp. 783-787
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Ophthalmology
Journal title
Current eye research (Print) → ACNP
ISSN journal
02713683
Volume
17
Issue
8
Year of publication
1998
Pages
783 - 787
Database
ISI
SICI code
0271-3683(1998)17:8<783:POAAPF>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Purpose. To identify an antimicrobial factor previously demonstrated i n rabbit aqueous humour. Methods. Rabbit aqueous humour was fractionat ed by a multistage process involving anion-exchange and size-exclusion liquid chromatography. The antimicrobial effect of aqueous humour fra ctions upon Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated in an in vitro model. The components of aqueous humour fractions mediating an antimicrobial effect were investigated by SDS-PAGE. Results. A single peptide of mo lecular weight approximately 8 kDa was identified which mediated an an timicrobial effect upon Staphylococcus aureus. Attempts to identify th e peptide have been unsuccessful. Conclusions. Rabbit aqueous humour c ontains an unidentified peptide that mediates an antimicrobial effect upon Staphylococcus aureus. If such a peptide is present in human aque ous humour it may contribute to the apparent resistance to bacterial i nfection manifest in the anterior chamber.