Magainin II is a member of the antimicrobial peptides family. It is a cationic peptide with Gly-Ile-Gly-Lys-Phe-Leu-His-Ser-Ala-Lys-Lys-Phe-Gly-Lys-Ala-Phe-Val-Gly-Glu-Ile-Met-Asn-Ser amino acid sequence. Magainin II is water soluble and non-hemolytic at its effective and amphiphilic antimicrobial concentrations.
Magainin II acts as an antibiotic in a variety of organisms. Magainin II exhibits cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects via pore formation in bladder cancer cells. In mice, it acts as an anti-tumor agent in several cancer cell lines and tumors. Magainin II facilitates lactate dehydrogenase discharge from mammalian cells. It directly interacts with certain cell membranes via amphiphilic α-helix and forms permeable ion channels, which results in depolarization and irreversible cytolysis and finally cell death. At low concentrations, Magainin II retards the growth of bacterial and fungal species and it promotes cytolysis in protozoa.
