Characterization of the leishmanicidal activity of antimicrobial peptides.

This chapter describes the basic methodology to assay the activity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) on Leishmania, a human protozoan parasite. The protocols included can be methodologically divided into two major blocks. The first one addresses the basic technology for growth of the different stages of Leishmania, assessment of leishmanicidal activity, and monitoring of plasma membrane permeabilization. The second block encompasses the monitoring of bioenergetic parameters of the parasite, visualization of structural damage by transmission electron microscopy, or those methods more closely related to the involvement of intracellular AMP targets, as subcellular localization of the peptide and induction of parasite apoptosis.