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Antimicrobial peptide CEC-TY1: a potential antibacterial drug against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections in hospitals and the issues arising from their rapid spread have become significant public health challenges. Therefore, a new class of effective and safe antibacterial drugs is urgently required. In this study, we identified an antimicrobial peptide in the cecropin family, cecropin-TY1 (CEC-TY1), from the salivary glands of the horsefly. CEC-TY1 showed significant antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria, at concentrations up to 100 μg/mL, with no observed cytotoxicity or hemolytic activity against cells. Moreover, CEC-TY1 protected mice from lethal infections of CRKP in vivo , improving the survival rate of the infected mice. This peptide also alleviated excessive and harmful inflammatory responses by inhibiting the production of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial peptides are a promising alternative to antibiotics in the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Specifically, the antimicrobial peptide cecropin-TY1 (CEC-TY1), identified in the salivary glands of horseflies, showed significant antibacterial activity against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), both in vitro and in vivo . CEC-TY1 also has selective toxicity and low hemolytic activity and is therefore a potential therapeutic agent for acute CRKP infection.

Source: Microbiology Spectrum

DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00543-25