Human salivary mucin MUC7 12-mer-L and 12-mer-D peptides: antifungal activity in saliva, enhancement of activity with protease inhibitor cocktail or EDTA, and cytotoxicity to human cells.

MUC7 12-mer-L exhibits potent in vitro antifungal activity in low-ionic-strength buffers. In this study, we investigated the anticandidal activity and stability of MUC7 12-mer-L and its all-D-amino-acid isomer, along with Hsn5 12-mer (P113) and magainin-II, in human clarified and unclarified saliva in the absence or presence of protease inhibitor cocktail (PIC, which includes EDTA) or EDTA alone. In the absence of PIC or EDTA in saliva, only MUC7 peptides showed significant candidacidal activity. At a 100 microM concentration in clarified saliva and unclarified saliva, MUC7 12-mer-D demonstrated 94 versus 64% killing, respectively; MUC7 12-mer-L showed 57 versus 32% killing; Hsn5 12-mer showed 16 versus 0% killing; and magainin-II showed no killing. Addition of PIC or EDTA to either saliva caused the enhancement of antifungal activities of all peptides, although to different degrees. Taken together, the results suggest that EDTA (a metal-dependent protease inhibitor and/or divalent cation chelator) enhanced the antifungal activity of all four peptides mainly by chelation of divalent cations present in saliva (known to inhibit peptide antifungal activity), and PIC enhanced the activity of the three L peptides above that achievable by EDTA alone through inhibition of all classes of proteases. Peptide stability in saliva monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed no degradation of MUC7 12-mer-D and 23, 60, and 75% degradation of MUC7 12-mer-L, Hsn5 12-mer, and magainin-II, respectively. Cytotoxicity assays determined that, at 100 microM peptide concentrations, MUC7 12-mer-D and 12-mer-L caused 3.5 and 4.3% hemolysis in phosphate-buffered saline and no toxicity to the HOK-16B cell line (derived from normal human oral keratinocytes). In summary, MUC7 12-mer peptides appear to be excellent candidates for investigation of antifungal activity in in vivo models of oral candidiasis.