Bacterial pore-forming proteins as anthelmintics.

Crystal (Cry) proteins are made by the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Cry proteins are pore-forming proteins and are the most widely used biological insecticides in the world. Our laboratory found some Cry proteins are highly effective against a broad range of nematodes (roundworms). Here, we discuss our results of Cry protein activity against intestinal roundworms. Both Cry5B and Cry21A have therapeutic activities against infections of the roundworm Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri in mice. Cry5B also shows highly therapeutic activity against Ancylostoma ceylanicum infection in hamsters. A. ceylanicum is a minor hookworm parasite of humans, and it is closely related to the more prevalent Ancylostoma duodenale. In addition, Cry proteins show excellent combinatorial therapeutic properties with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists, one of the two classes of compounds approved by the World Health Organization for the treatment for intestinal roundworms in humans. Given their non-toxicity to humans and their broad spectrum of nematicidal action, Cry proteins show great potential as next-generation anthelmintics.