Identification of a potent antibacterial factor isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: guanidine,N-[3-[(aminoiminomethyl)amino]propyl]-N-dodecyl-, a potential source of error in the analysis of antibacterial agents

The widespread use of antibiotics in modern society has encouraged the search for new antibacterial compounds. In this laboratory investigations are being made to identify and characterise novel antibacterial peptides. With this in mind, the antibacterial properties of human bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from sarcoidosis patients is being investigated. In this communication we report on the identification and characterisation of a highly active non-peptide antibacterial compound isolated from BAL fluid. The structure of this active compound was elucidated by high-resolution accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry to be guanidine, N-3-(aminoiminomethyl)amino]propyl]-N-dodecyl-. This compound does not appear to be endogenous, and its presence in BAL fluid extracts presents a potential source of error in analysis of antibacterial agents. The biological effects of guanidine, N-3-(aminoiminomethyl)amino]propyl]-N-dodecyl- have not previously been described in the literature.