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Santos ATD, Kumar S, Albuquerque JVDS, Arcce IML, Chaves OA, Cruz GS, Carretero VJ, Melo LM, Chaves MS, Guijo JMH, Freitas VJDF, Rádis-Baptista G. The anti-infective crotalicidin peptide analog RhoB-Ctn[1-9] is harmless to bovine oocytes and able to induce parthenogenesis in vitro. Toxicon 2023; 234:107274. [PMID: 37657514 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Crotalicidin is a cathelicidin-related anti-infective (antimicrobial) peptide expressed in the venom glands of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. Congener peptides of crotalicidin, named vipericidins, are found in other pit vipers inhabiting South America. Crotalicidin is active against bacteria and pathogenic yeasts and has anti-proliferative activity for some cancer cells. The structural dissection of crotalicidin produced fragments (e.g., Ctn [15-34]) with multiple biological functionalities that mimic the native peptide. Another structural characteristic of crotalidicin and congeners is a unique repetitive stretch of amino acid sequences in tandem embedded in their primary structures. One of the encrypted vipericidn peptides (Ctn [1-9]) was synthesized, and the analog covalently conjugated with rhodamine B (RhoB-Ctn [1-9]) displayed considerable antimicrobial activity and selective cytotoxicity. Methods to evaluate antimicrobial peptides' toxicity include lysis of red blood cells (hemolysis) in vitro and cytotoxicity of healthy cultured cells (e.g., fibroblasts). Here, as a non-conventional model of toxicity, the bovine oocytes were exposed to two standardized concentrations of RhoB-Ctn [1-9], and embryo viability and development at its first stage of cleavage (division of cells) and blastocyst formation were evaluated. Oocytes treated with peptide at 10 and 40 μM induced cleavage rates of 44.94% and 51.53%, resulting in the formation of blastocysts of 7.07% and 11.73%, respectively. Light sheet microscopy and in silico prediction analysis indicated that RhoB-Ctn [1-9] peptide interacts with zona pellucida and internalizes into bovine oocytes and developing embryos. The ADMET prediction estimated good bioavailability of RhoB-Ctn [1-9]. In conclusion, the peptide appeared harmless to bovine oocytes and, remarkably, activated the parthenogenesis in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Teixeira Dos Santos
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Dentistry, And Nursing, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Satish Kumar
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - João Victor da Silva Albuquerque
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Irving Mitchell Laines Arcce
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Otávio Augusto Chaves
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; CQC-IMS, Departament of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga S/n, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Gabriela Silva Cruz
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Dentistry, And Nursing, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Victoria Jimenez Carretero
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Luciana Magalhães Melo
- Molecular Genetics Research Unit, University Center Fametro (UNIFAMETRO), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Maiana Silva Chaves
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Jesus Miguel Hernandez Guijo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Gandhi Rádis-Baptista
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
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Liu C, Yao S, Li X, Wang F, Jiang Y. iRGD-mediated core-shell nanoparticles loading carmustine and O 6-benzylguanine for glioma therapy. J Drug Target 2016; 25:235-246. [PMID: 27646474 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2016.1238091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
iRGD (internalizing RGD) with high affinity to αν integrins was reported to enhance tumor penetrability by binding to neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). Based on our previous study, chitosan surface-modified poly (lactide-co-glycolides) nanoparticles (PLGA/CS NPs), loaded with carmustine (BCNU) and its sensitizer (O6-benzylguanine, BG) showed stronger anti-tumor effect than free drugs. In present study, PLGA/CS NPs (NPs) with core-shell structure were prepared and modified with iRGD or mPEG. F98, C6 or U87 cell lines with different receptors levels were selected for in vitro and in vivo studies. After administration of iRGD-mediated NPs, including iRGD-modified NPs (iRGD-NPs) and co-administration of iRGD and NPs (iRGD + NPs), their effects on glioma were compared with NPs. iRGD-NPs showed stronger cytotoxicity and cellular uptake than other groups. iRGD-NPs and iRGD + NPs displayed deeper tumor penetration and stronger anti-invasion effect on three dimensional (3D) glioma spheroids than NPs. On F98 glioma-bearing mice model, iRGD-mediated NPs showed enhanced crossing BBB ability and brain tumor accumulation levels. Correspondingly, the median survival time of iRGD + NPs, iRGD-NPs and NPs groups were 58, 49 and 34.5 days, respectively. Present studies supported the iRGD-mediated strategy to improve the efficacy of antitumor drug delivery system. Importantly, co-administration of iRGD may be a greater way over the conjugation of iRGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- a Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, Department of pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy, Fudan University , Shanghai , China
| | - Sen Yao
- a Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, Department of pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy, Fudan University , Shanghai , China
| | - Xuqian Li
- a Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, Department of pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy, Fudan University , Shanghai , China
| | - Feng Wang
- a Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, Department of pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy, Fudan University , Shanghai , China
| | - Yanyan Jiang
- a Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, Department of pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy, Fudan University , Shanghai , China
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Abstract
Mammalian embryo development is init iated by intracel lular Ca2+ oscillations that result in oocyte activation following gamete membrane fusion. It is widely believed that oocyte Ca2+ oscillations are triggered by a sperm-specific protein, phospholipase C-zeta (PLCζ) that activates InsP3 production leading to repetitive Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. However, a recent report in the FASEB Journal by Aarabi et al. challenges this view by proposing postacrosomal WW domain-binding protein (PAWP) as another sperm-derived protein that can also initiate Ca2+ oscillations and zygotic development at fertilization. Here we discuss these new findings and examine the evidence suggesting PAWP as the "real" sperm factor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard Oko
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada,
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Pate BJ, White KL, Chen D, Aston KI, Sessions BR, Bunch TD, Weimer BC. A novel approach to identify bovine sperm membrane proteins that interact with receptors on the vitelline membrane of bovine oocytes. Mol Reprod Dev 2008; 75:641-9. [PMID: 17886263 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.20805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
At fertilization, the sperm triggers intracellular calcium oscillations, which are pivotal to oocyte activation and development. A working hypothesis for the interaction between the sperm and the oocyte is that disintegrin ligands on the inner acrosomal membrane of the sperm bind to integrin receptors on the oocyte vitelline membrane. The aim of these experiments was to find and identify the sperm protein ligands involved in bovine sperm-oocyte interactions. In situ fluorescent labeling of proteins and 2-D gel electrophoresis were used to identify specific sperm membrane proteins that interact with proteins in the oocyte vitelline membrane. Sperm were labeled with a fluorescent dye and used to fertilize zona-free oocytes. Sperm-oocyte complexes were either lysed immediately, or following covalent cross-linking of proteins with dibromobimane. The cross-linking reagent serves the critical function of covalently linking proteins together so that they will remain as a unit through lysis of the cells and 2-D gel analysis, and which can be subsequently identified by mass spectrometry. Lysates were electrophoretically run on the same 2-D gel. The comparison of uncross-linked and cross-linked protein spots revealed that some proteins shifted position based on binding. These spots were picked and proteins identified by mass spectrometry. These results provide a list of specific sperm proteins that interact with oocyte membrane proteins and establish a group of candidate ligands, one or more of which may be responsible for induction of outside-in signaling resulting in oocyte activation and fusion of the gametes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry J Pate
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences and Center for Integrated BioSystems, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
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