Brevicidine TFA

Brevicidine TFA is an antimicrobial peptide with selective bactericidal activity against Gram-negative pathogens. Brevicidine TFA disrupts bacterial morphology by binding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the bacterial cell membrane to form pores. Brevicidine TFA causes dissipation of intracellular proton motive force, outer membrane damage, inhibition of ATP biosynthesis and reactive oxygen species accumulation in bacterial cells. As a sensitizer, Brevicidine TFA exerts synergistic activity when combined with a variety of conventional antibiotics ^{[1] [2]}.

In Vivo, Brevicidine (5 mg/kg; i.v.; single dose) TFA reduces mortality and decreases bacterial load in a mouse peritonitis-sepsis model induced by A. baumannii^[1].

In Vitro, Brevicidine (0-2 μM; 20 h) TFA acts as a synergistic sensitizer. When combined with outer membrane-impermeable antibiotics (Erythromycin, Azithromycin, Vancomycin ) against Acinetobacter baumannii strains, it reduces the MIC by up to 128-fold at concentrations as low as 1 μM^[1]. Brevicidine (0.125-4 μM; 25 min) TFA disrupts the outer membrane of Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978 in a dose-dependent manner^[1]. Brevicidine (1-4 μM; 1 h) TFA inhibits ATP synthesis and induces ROS production in Acinetobacter baumannii, and this effect is enhanced when used in combination with Erythromycin^[1]. Brevicidine (1-16 mg/L; 20 h) TFA selectively inhibits Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria with an MIC range of 1-16 mg/L, and shows no activity against Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria^[2].

References:
[1]. Zhong X, et al. Brevicidine acts as an effective sensitizer of outer membrane-impermeable conventional antibiotics for Acinetobacter baumannii treatment. Front Microbiol. 2023 Dec 15;14:1304198.
[2]. Zhao X, et al. BrevicidineB, a New Member of the Brevicidine Family, Displays an Extended Target Specificity. Front Microbiol. 2021;12:693117. Published 2021 Jun 9.