A role for antimicrobial peptides in intestinal microsporidiosis

Abstract

SUMMARY Clinical isolates from 3 microsporidia species,Encephalitozoon intestinalisandEncephalitozoon hellem, and the insect parasiteAnncaliia(Brachiola, Nosema) algerae, were used in spore germination and enterocyte-like (C2Bbe1) cell infection assays to determine the effect of a panel of antimicrobial peptides. Spores were incubated with lactoferrin (Lf), lysozyme (Lz), and human beta defensin 2 (HBD2), human alpha defensin 5 (HD5), and human alpha defensin 1 (HNP1), alone and in combination with Lz, prior to germination. Of theEncephalitozoonspecies onlyE. hellemspore germination was inhibited by HNP1, whileA. algeraespore germination was inhibited by Lf, HBD2, HD5 and HNP1, although HBD2 and HD5 inhibition required the presence of Lz. The effects of HBD2 and HD5 on microsporidia enterocyte infection paralleled their effects on spore germination. Lysozyme alone only inhibited infection withA. algerae, while Lf inhibited infection byE. intestinalisandA. algerae. HNP1 significantly reduced enterocyte infection by all 3 parasite species and a combination of Lf, Lz and HNP1 caused a further reduced infection withA. algerae. These data suggest that intestinal antimicrobial peptides contribute to the defence of the intestine against infection by luminal microsporidia spores and may partially determine which parasite species infects the intestine.