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Antibacterial Peptides Are Present in Chromaffin Cell Secretory Granules

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Abstract

1. Antibacterial activity has recently been associated with the soluble matrix of bovine chromaffin granules. Furthermore, this activity was detected in the contents secreted from cultured chromaffin cells following stimulation.

2. The agents responsible for the inhibition of Gram+ and Gram− bacteria growth are granular peptides acting in the micromolar range or below. In secretory granules, these peptides are generated from cleavage of chromogranins and proenkephalin A and are released together with catecholamines into the circulation.

3. Secretolytin and enkelytin are the best characterized; these two peptides share sequence homology and similar antibacterial activity with insect cecropins and intestinal diazepam-binding inhibitor. For some of the peptides derived from chromogranin A, posttranslational modifications were essential since antibacterial activity was expressed only when peptides were phosphorylated and/or glycosylated.

4. The significance of this activity is not yet understood. It may be reminiscent of some primitive defense mechanism or may serve as a first barrier to bacteria infection during stress, as these peptides are secreted along with catecholamines.

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  1. Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité; 338 de Biologie de la Communication Cellulaire, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg Cedex, France

    Marie-Hélène Metz-Boutigue, Yannick Goumon, Karine Lugardon, Jean-Marc Strub & Dominique Aunis

  2. Unité INSERM U-338, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg Cedex, France

    Dominique Aunis

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  1. Marie-Hélène Metz-Boutigue
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Metz-Boutigue, MH., Goumon, Y., Lugardon, K. et al. Antibacterial Peptides Are Present in Chromaffin Cell Secretory Granules. Cell Mol Neurobiol 18, 249–266 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022573004910

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