Stable peptide inhibitors prevent binding of lethal and oedema factors to protective antigen and neutralize anthrax toxin in vivo.

ABSTRACT: The lethal and oedema toxins produced by Bacillus anthracis, the aetiological agent of anthrax, are made by association of protective antigen with lethal and oedema factors and play a major role in the pathogenesis of anthrax. In the present paper, we describe the production of peptide-based specific inhibitors in branched form which inhibit the interaction of protective antigen with lethal and oedema factors and neutralize anthrax toxins in vitro and in vivo. Anti-protective antigen peptides were selected from a phage library by competitive panning with lethal factor. Selected 12-mer peptides were synthesized in tetra-branched form and were systematically modified to obtain peptides with higher affinity and inhibitory efficiency.

SUBMITTER: Pini A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1409687 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature