1
|
Carrera-Aubesart A, Li J, Contreras E, Bello-Madruga R, Torrent M, Andreu D. From In Vitro Promise to In Vivo Reality: An Instructive Account of Infection Model Evaluation of Antimicrobial Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9773. [PMID: 39337261 PMCID: PMC11431785 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25189773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are regarded as a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics in the face of ever-increasing resistance. However, many AMPs fail to progress into clinics due to unexpected difficulties found in preclinical in vivo phases. Our research has focused on crotalicidin (Ctn), an AMP from snake venom, and a fragment thereof, Ctn[15-34], with improved in vitro antimicrobial and anticancer activities and remarkable serum stability. As the retroenantio versions of both AMPs maintained favorable profiles, in this work, we evaluate the in vivo efficacy of both the native-sequence AMPs and their retroenantio counterparts in a murine infection model with Acinetobacter baumannii. A significant reduction in bacterial levels is found in the mice treated with Ctn[15-34]. However, contrary to expectations, the retroenantio analogs either exhibit toxicity or lack efficacy when administered to mice. Our findings underscore the critical importance of in vivo infection model evaluation to fully calibrate the therapeutic potential of AMPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Carrera-Aubesart
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jiarui Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Estefanía Contreras
- Integrated Service for Laboratory Animals (SIAL), Faculty of Veterinary, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Roberto Bello-Madruga
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Marc Torrent
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang D, Liu Y, Nussinov R, Zheng J. Exploring pathological link between antimicrobial and amyloid peptides. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:8713-8763. [PMID: 39041297 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00878a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid peptides (AMYs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as the two distinct families of peptides, characterized by their unique sequences, structures, biological functions, and specific pathological targets. However, accumulating evidence has revealed intriguing pathological connections between these peptide families in the context of microbial infection and neurodegenerative diseases. Some AMYs and AMPs share certain structural and functional characteristics, including the ability to self-assemble, the presence of β-sheet-rich structures, and membrane-disrupting mechanisms. These shared features enable AMYs to possess antimicrobial activity and AMPs to acquire amyloidogenic properties. Despite limited studies on AMYs-AMPs systems, the cross-seeding phenomenon between AMYs and AMPs has emerged as a crucial factor in the bidirectional communication between the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and host defense against microbial infections. In this review, we examine recent developments in the potential interplay between AMYs and AMPs, as well as their pathological implications for both infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. By discussing the current progress and challenges in this emerging field, this account aims to inspire further research and investments to enhance our understanding of the intricate molecular crosstalk between AMYs and AMPs. This knowledge holds great promise for the development of innovative therapies to combat both microbial infections and neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
| | - Yanxian Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pirhaghi M, Mamashli F, Moosavi-Movahedi F, Arghavani P, Amiri A, Davaeil B, Mohammad-Zaheri M, Mousavi-Jarrahi Z, Sharma D, Langel Ü, Otzen DE, Saboury AA. Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Promising Therapeutics and Drug-Delivery Systems for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2097-2117. [PMID: 38440998 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Currently, one of the most significant and rapidly growing unmet medical challenges is the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). This challenge encompasses the imperative development of efficacious therapeutic agents and overcoming the intricacies of the blood-brain barrier for successful drug delivery. Here we focus on the delivery aspect with particular emphasis on cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), widely used in basic and translational research as they enhance drug delivery to challenging targets such as tissue and cellular compartments and thus increase therapeutic efficacy. The combination of CPPs with nanomaterials such as nanoparticles (NPs) improves the performance, accuracy, and stability of drug delivery and enables higher drug loads. Our review presents and discusses research that utilizes CPPs, either alone or in conjugation with NPs, to mitigate the pathogenic effects of neurodegenerative diseases with particular reference to AD and PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Pirhaghi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan 6673145137, Iran
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mamashli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | | | - Payam Arghavani
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Ahmad Amiri
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Bagher Davaeil
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Mahya Mohammad-Zaheri
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Zahra Mousavi-Jarrahi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| | - Deepak Sharma
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh 160036, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Ülo Langel
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C 1592-224, Denmark
| | - Ali Akbar Saboury
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614335, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Walrant A, Sachon E. Photoaffinity labeling coupled to MS to identify peptide biological partners: Secondary reactions, for better or for worse? MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024. [PMID: 38576378 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Affinity photolabeling is a smart method to study noncovalent and transient interactions and provide a submolecular picture of the contacts between interacting partners. In this review, we will focus on the identification of peptide partners using photoaffinity labeling coupled to mass spectrometry in different contexts such as in vitro with a purified potential partner, in model systems such as model membranes, and with live cells using both targeted and nontargeted proteomics studies. Different biological partners will be described, among which glycoconjugates, oligonucleotides, peptides, proteins, and lipids, with the photoreactive label inserted either on the peptide of interest or on the potential partner. Particular attention will be paid to the observation and characterization of specific rearrangements following the photolabeling reaction, which can help characterize photoadducts and provide a better understanding of the interacting systems and environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Walrant
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, Sorbonne Université, École normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Sachon
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, Sorbonne Université, École normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Mass Spectrometry Sciences Sorbonne Université, MS3U platform, Fédération de Chimie moléculaire de Paris centre, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kam A, Loo S, Qiu Y, Liu CF, Tam JP. Ultrafast Biomimetic Oxidative Folding of Cysteine-rich Peptides and Microproteins in Organic Solvents. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317789. [PMID: 38342764 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Disulfides in peptides and proteins are essential for maintaining a properly folded structure. Their oxidative folding is invariably performed in an aqueous-buffered solution. However, this process is often slow and can lead to misfolded products. Here, we report a novel concept and strategy that is bio-inspired to mimic protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) by accelerating disulfide exchange rates many thousand-fold. The proposed strategy termed organic oxidative folding is performed under organic solvents to yield correctly folded cysteine-rich microproteins instantaneously without observable misfolded or dead-end products. Compared to conventional aqueous oxidative folding strategies, enormously large rate accelerations up to 113,200-fold were observed. The feasibility and generality of the organic oxidative folding strategy was successfully demonstrated on 15 cysteine-rich microproteins of different hydrophobicity, lengths (14 to 58 residues), and numbers of disulfides (2 to 5 disulfides), producing the native products in a second and in high yield.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antony Kam
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Wuzhong No.111, Renai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Shining Loo
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- Wisedom Lake Academy of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Wuzhong No. 111, Renai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibo Qiu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Chuan-Fa Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - James P Tam
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mourenza A, Ganesan R, Camarero JA. Resistance is futile: targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria with de novo Cys-rich cyclic polypeptides. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:722-735. [PMID: 37799576 PMCID: PMC10549238 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00015j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The search for novel antimicrobial agents to combat microbial pathogens is intensifying in response to rapid drug resistance development to current antibiotic therapeutics. The use of disulfide-rich head-to-tail cyclized polypeptides as molecular frameworks for designing a new type of peptide antibiotics is gaining increasing attention among the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry. The use of macrocyclic peptides, further constrained by the presence of several disulfide bonds, makes these peptide frameworks remarkably more stable to thermal, biological, and chemical degradation showing better activities when compared to their linear analogs. Many of these novel peptide scaffolds have been shown to have a high tolerance to sequence variability in those residues not involved in disulfide bonds, able to cross biological membranes, and efficiently target complex biomolecular interactions. Hence, these unique properties make the use of these scaffolds ideal for many biotechnological applications, including the design of novel peptide antibiotics. This article provides an overview of the new developments in the use of several disulfide-rich cyclic polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins, and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, among others, in the development of novel antimicrobial peptides against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Mourenza
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Rajasekaran Ganesan
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles CA90033 USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sweany RR, Cary JW, Jaynes JM, Rajasekaran K. Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity of Synthetic Peptides GV185 and GV187. PLANT DISEASE 2023; 107:3211-3221. [PMID: 36947838 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-11-22-2572-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Optimizing synthetic antimicrobial peptides for safe and enhanced activity against fungal and bacterial pathogens is useful for genetic engineering of plants for resistance to plant pathogens and their associated mycotoxins. Nine synthetic peptides modeled after lytic peptides tachyplesin 1, D4E1 from cecropin A, and protegrin 1 were added to germinated spores of fungal species Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, F. verticillioides, F. graminearum, Claviceps purpurea, Verticillium dahliae, and Thielaviopsis basicola and bacterial cultures of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris at different doses and inhibitory dose response curves, and were modeled to assess antimicrobial activity. Peptides GV185 and GV187, modified from tachyplesin 1, had superior abilities to inhibit fungal and bacterial growth (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50] ranging from 0.1 to 8.7 µM). R. stolonifer (IC50 = 8.1 µM), A. flavus (IC50 = 3.1 µM), and F. graminearum (IC50 = 2.2 µM) were less inhibited by GV185 and GV187 than all the remaining fungi (IC50 = 1.4 µM) and bacteria (IC50 = 0.1 µM). Of the remaining peptides, GV193, GV195, and GV196 (IC50 range of 0.9 to 6.6 µM) inhibited fungal growth of A. flavus, F. verticillioides, and F. graminearum less than GV185 and GV187 (IC50 range of 0.8 to 3.9 µM), followed by GV197 (IC50 range of 0.8 to 9.1 µM), whereas GV190 and GV192 inhibited poorly (IC50 range of 28.2 to 36.6 µM and 15.5 to 19.4 µM, respectively) and GV198 stimulated growth. GV185 and GV187 had slightly weaker hydrophobic and cationic residues than other tachyplesin 1 modified peptides but still had unexpectedly high lytic activity. Germinated fungal spores of R. stolonifer and F. graminearum exposed to these two peptides and D4E1 and AGM182 appeared wrinkled, with perforations near potential cytoplasmic leakage, which provided evidence of plasma membrane and cell wall lysis. We conclude that peptides GV185 and GV187 are promising candidates for genetic engineering of crops for resistance to plant-pathogenic bacteria and fungi, including A. flavus and aflatoxin contamination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R Sweany
- Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA 70124
| | - Jeffrey W Cary
- Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA 70124
| | - Jesse M Jaynes
- Genvor, LLC, Dallas, TX 75240
- College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, and College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088
| | - Kanniah Rajasekaran
- Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA 70124
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hilpert K, Munshi T, López-Pérez PM, Sequeira-Garcia J, Hofmann S, Bull TJ. Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides That Can Accelerate Culture Diagnostics of Slow-Growing Mycobacteria Including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2225. [PMID: 37764069 PMCID: PMC10536189 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can directly kill Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, enveloped viruses, and parasites. At sublethal concentrations, some AMPs and also conventional antibiotics can stimulate bacterial response increasing their resilience, also called the hormetic response. This includes stimulation of growth, mobility, and biofilm production. Here, we describe the discovery of AMPs that stimulate the growth of certain mycobacteria. Peptide 14 showed a growth stimulating effect on Mycobacteria tuberculosis (MTB), M. bovis, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), M. marinum, M. avium-intracellulare, M. celatum, and M. abscessus. The effect was more pronounced at low bacterial inocula. The peptides induce a faster transition from the lag phase to the log phase and keep the bacteria longer in the log phase before entering stationary phase when compared to nontreated controls. In some cases, an increase in the division rate was observed. An initial screen using MAP and a collection of 75 peptides revealed 13 peptides with a hormetic effect. For MTB, a collection of 25 artificial peptides were screened and 13 were found to reduce the time to positivity (TTP) by at least 5%, improving growth. A screen of 43 naturally occurring peptides, 11 fragments of naturally occurring peptides and 5 designed peptides, all taken from the database APD3, identified a further 44 peptides that also lowered TTP by at least 5%. Lasioglossin LL-III (Bee) and Ranacyclin E (Frog) were the most active natural peptides, and the human cathelicidin LL37 fragment GF-17 and a porcine cathelicidin protegrin-1 fragment were the most active fragments of naturally occurring peptides. Peptide 14 showed growth-stimulating activity between 10 ng/mL and 10 µg/mL, whereas the stability-optimised Peptide 14D had a narrow activity range of 0.1-1 µg/mL. Peptides identified in this study are currently in commercial use to improve recovery and culture for the diagnostics of mycobacteria in humans and animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Hilpert
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | - Tulika Munshi
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | | | | | - Sven Hofmann
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | - Tim J. Bull
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
To J, Zhang X, Tam JP. Design of Potent and Salt-Insensitive Antimicrobial Branched Peptides. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3594. [PMID: 37688220 PMCID: PMC10489980 DOI: 10.3390/polym15173594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendrimeric and branched peptides are polypeptides formed by diverse types of scaffolds to give them different forms. Previously, we reported a cascade-type, Lys-scaffolded antimicrobial peptide dendrimer D4R tethered with four RLYR tetrapeptides. Antimicrobial D4R is broad-spectrum, salt insensitive, and as potent as the natural-occurring tachyplesins, displaying minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) < 1 μM. However, the relationships between scaffolds and antimicrobial potency remain undefined. Here, we report the design of four novel types of peptide antimicrobials whose scaffolded backbones are lysine (Lys), iso-Lys, ornithine (Orn), or iso-Orn tethered with RLYR on their α- or sidechain-amines to give ε-, δ-, and their α-branched peptides. When assayed against ten microorganisms, the Lys-scaffolded α- and ε-branched peptides are broadly active, salt insensitive, and as potent as D4R and tachyplesins, whereas the corresponding Orn-scaffolded α- and δ-branched peptides are salt sensitive and much less potent, displaying MICs ranging from 1 to >500 μM. Structure-activity relationship studies suggested that Lys-scaffolds, but not Orn-scaffolds, can support a reverse turn to organize RLYR tetrapeptides as parallel β-strands to form an amphipathic structure with Leu-Tyr as a hydrophobic core. Together, these results provide a structural approach for designing potent and salt-insensitive dendrimeric or branched peptide antimicrobials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James P. Tam
- Synzymes and Natural Products Center (SYNC), School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fernández-De La Cruz E, Wessely-Szponder J, Viñas M, Vinuesa T, Merlos A, Jorba M, Espinal P, Fusté E. Native Pig Neutrophil Products: Insights into Their Antimicrobial Activity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2119. [PMID: 37630679 PMCID: PMC10459379 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cationic antimicrobial peptides are molecules with potential applications for treating infections due to their antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this work was to explore the antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of action of a porcine neutrophil cathelicidin mixture (MPPN). Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and experiments of both time-kill kinetics and effects on growth curves were performed. Planar black lipid bilayer conductance was measured to analyze the interaction of MPPN with lipid bilayers. Visualization of bacterial surfaces and membrane alterations was achieved using atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The effects on the activity of efflux pumps (EPs) were studied with an intracellular accumulation of acridine orange (AO) assay. In E. coli, MPPN behaves as a bactericide at high concentrations and as a bacteriostatic at lower concentrations. The bacteriostatic effect was also observed for slightly shorter periods in S. enterica. The mixture was not active on S. aureus. The increase in AO accumulation in the presence of MPPN indicates that, at least in E. coli, the mixture causes inhibition of the EP function. Observed and detected variable conductance events demonstrate a strong MPPN effect on lipid bilayers. Damage to the structure of treated E. coli indicates that MPPN induces alterations in the bacterial surface. The use of AMPs capable of inhibiting EP can be seen as a good tool to combat antimicrobial resistance since they could be used alone or in combination with other conventional antibiotics to which bacteria have become resistant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Fernández-De La Cruz
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Joanna Wessely-Szponder
- Sub-Department of Pathophysiology, Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Miguel Viñas
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Teresa Vinuesa
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Alexandra Merlos
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Marta Jorba
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Paula Espinal
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
| | - Ester Fusté
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology & Antimicrobials, Department of Pathology & Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, IDIBELL-University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (E.F.-D.L.C.); (M.V.); (T.V.); (A.M.); (M.J.)
- Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Maternal and Child Nursing, University of Barcelona, Campus Bellvitge, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nhàn NTT, Yamada T, Yamada KH. Peptide-Based Agents for Cancer Treatment: Current Applications and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12931. [PMID: 37629112 PMCID: PMC10454368 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based strategies have received an enormous amount of attention because of their specificity and applicability. Their specificity and tumor-targeting ability are applied to diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients. In this review, we will summarize recent advancements and future perspectives on peptide-based strategies for cancer treatment. The literature search was conducted to identify relevant articles for peptide-based strategies for cancer treatment. It was performed using PubMed for articles in English until June 2023. Information on clinical trials was also obtained from ClinicalTrial.gov. Given that peptide-based strategies have several advantages such as targeted delivery to the diseased area, personalized designs, relatively small sizes, and simple production process, bioactive peptides having anti-cancer activities (anti-cancer peptides or ACPs) have been tested in pre-clinical settings and clinical trials. The capability of peptides for tumor targeting is essentially useful for peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs), diagnosis, and image-guided surgery. Immunomodulation with peptide vaccines has been extensively tested in clinical trials. Despite such advantages, FDA-approved peptide agents for solid cancer are still limited. This review will provide a detailed overview of current approaches, design strategies, routes of administration, and new technological advancements. We will highlight the success and limitations of peptide-based therapies for cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhàn
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Tohru Yamada
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
- Richard & Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois College of Engineering, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Kaori H. Yamada
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bolosov IA, Panteleev PV, Sychev SV, Khokhlova VA, Safronova VN, Toropygin IY, Kombarova TI, Korobova OV, Pereskokova ES, Borzilov AI, Ovchinnikova TV, Balandin SV. Design of Protegrin-1 Analogs with Improved Antibacterial Selectivity. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2047. [PMID: 37631261 PMCID: PMC10458893 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Protegrin-1 (PG-1) is a cationic β-hairpin pore-forming antimicrobial peptide having a membranolytic mechanism of action. It possesses in vitro a potent antimicrobial activity against a panel of clinically relevant MDR ESKAPE pathogens. However, its extremely high hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells prevent the further development of the protegrin-based antibiotic for systemic administration. In this study, we rationally modulated the PG-1 charge and hydrophobicity by substituting selected residues in the central β-sheet region of PG-1 to design its analogs, which retain a high antimicrobial activity but have a reduced toxicity toward mammalian cells. In this work, eight PG-1 analogs with single amino acid substitutions and five analogs with double substitutions were obtained. These analogs were produced as thioredoxin fusions in Escherichia coli. It was shown that a significant reduction in hemolytic activity without any loss of antimicrobial activity could be achieved by a single amino acid substitution, V16R in the C-terminal β-strand, which is responsible for the PG-1 oligomerization. As the result, a selective analog with a ≥30-fold improved therapeutic index was obtained. FTIR spectroscopy analysis of analog, [V16R], revealed that the peptide is unable to form oligomeric structures in a membrane-mimicking environment, in contrast to wild-type PG-1. Analog [V16R] showed a reasonable efficacy in septicemia infection mice model as a systemic antibiotic and could be considered as a promising lead for further drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilia A. Bolosov
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Pavel V. Panteleev
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Sergei V. Sychev
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Veronika A. Khokhlova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Victoria N. Safronova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Ilia Yu. Toropygin
- V. N. Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana I. Kombarova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Olga V. Korobova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Eugenia S. Pereskokova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Alexander I. Borzilov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Tatiana V. Ovchinnikova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
- Department of Biotechnology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Balandin
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tyler TJ, Durek T, Craik DJ. Native and Engineered Cyclic Disulfide-Rich Peptides as Drug Leads. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073189. [PMID: 37049950 PMCID: PMC10096437 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioactive peptides are a highly abundant and diverse group of molecules that exhibit a wide range of structural and functional variation. Despite their immense therapeutic potential, bioactive peptides have been traditionally perceived as poor drug candidates, largely due to intrinsic shortcomings that reflect their endogenous heritage, i.e., short biological half-lives and poor cell permeability. In this review, we examine the utility of molecular engineering to insert bioactive sequences into constrained scaffolds with desired pharmaceutical properties. Applying lessons learnt from nature, we focus on molecular grafting of cyclic disulfide-rich scaffolds (naturally derived or engineered), shown to be intrinsically stable and amenable to sequence modifications, and their utility as privileged frameworks in drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan J. Tyler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Liu X, Henriques ST, Craik DJ, Chan LY. Unlocking the Potential of the Antimicrobial Peptide Gomesin: From Discovery and Structure-Activity Relationships to Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065893. [PMID: 36982972 PMCID: PMC10053013 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Gomesin is a cationic antimicrobial peptide which is isolated from the haemocytes of the Brazilian tarantula Acanthoscurria gomesiana and can be produced chemically by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. Gomesin exhibits a range of biological activities, as demonstrated by its toxicity against therapeutically relevant pathogens such as Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, cancer cells, and parasites. In recent years, a cyclic version of gomesin has been used for drug design and development as it is more stable than native gomesin in human serum and can penetrate and enter cancer cells. It can therefore interact with intracellular targets and has the potential to be developed as a drug lead for to treat cancer, infectious diseases, and other human diseases. This review provides a perspective on the discovery, structure-activity relationships, mechanism of action, biological activity, and potential clinical applications of gomesin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Liu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sónia T Henriques
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lai Yue Chan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Sperandeo P, Martorana AM, Zaccaria M, Polissi A. Targeting the LPS export pathway for the development of novel therapeutics. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2023; 1870:119406. [PMID: 36473551 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The rapid rise of multi-resistant bacteria is a global health threat. This is especially serious for Gram-negative bacteria in which the impermeable outer membrane (OM) acts as a shield against antibiotics. The development of new drugs with novel modes of actions to combat multi-drug resistant pathogens requires the selection of suitable processes to be targeted. The LPS export pathway is an excellent under exploited target for drug development. Indeed, LPS is the major determinant of the OM permeability barrier, and its biogenetic pathway is conserved in most Gram-negatives. Here we describe efforts to identify inhibitors of the multiprotein Lpt system that transports LPS to the cell surface. Despite none of these molecules has been approved for clinical use, they may represent valuable compounds for optimization. Finally, the recent discovery of a link between inhibition of LPS biogenesis and changes in peptidoglycan structure uncovers additional targets to develop novel therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sperandeo
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra M Martorana
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Marta Zaccaria
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Polissi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zharkova MS, Komlev AS, Filatenkova TA, Sukhareva MS, Vladimirova EV, Trulioff AS, Orlov DS, Dmitriev AV, Afinogenova AG, Spiridonova AA, Shamova OV. Combined Use of Antimicrobial Peptides with Antiseptics against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: Pros and Cons. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:291. [PMID: 36678918 PMCID: PMC9863607 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are acknowledged as a promising template for designing new antimicrobials. At the same time, existing toxicity issues and limitations in their pharmacokinetics make topical application one of the less complicated routes to put AMPs-based therapeutics into actual medical practice. Antiseptics are one of the common components for topical treatment potent against antibiotic-resistant pathogens but often with toxicity limitations of their own. Thus, the interaction of AMPs and antiseptics is an interesting topic that is also less explored than combined action of AMPs and antibiotics. Herein, we analyzed antibacterial, antibiofilm, and cytotoxic activity of combinations of both membranolytic and non-membranolytic AMPs with a number of antiseptic agents. Fractional concentration indices were used as a measure of possible effective concentration reduction achievable due to combined application. Cases of both synergistic and antagonistic interaction with certain antiseptics and surfactants were identified, and trends in the occurrence of these types of interaction were discussed. The data may be of use for AMP-based drug development and suggest that the topic requires further attention for successfully integrating AMPs-based products in the context of complex treatment. AMP/antiseptic combinations show promise for creating topical formulations with improved activity, lowered toxicity, and, presumably, decreased chances of inducing bacterial resistance. However, careful assessment is required to avoid AMP neutralization by certain antiseptic classes in either complex drug design or AMP application alongside other therapeutics/care products.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria S. Zharkova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Aleksey S. Komlev
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Tatiana A. Filatenkova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Maria S. Sukhareva
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Elizaveta V. Vladimirova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Andrey S. Trulioff
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Dmitriy S. Orlov
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Dmitriev
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Anna G. Afinogenova
- St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Mira Street, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Anna A. Spiridonova
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 Lev Tolstoy Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
| | - Olga V. Shamova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, WCRC “Center for Personalized Medicine”, 12 Academic Pavlov Street, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia
- Department of Biochemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Embankment, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yang W, Choi J, Choi SH, Shin S, Park SM, Lee Y, Seo J. A conjugate of chlorin e6 and cationic amphipathic peptoid: a dual antimicrobial and anticancer photodynamic therapy agent. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2022; 22:655-667. [PMID: 36481980 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00343-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cationic amphipathic structures are often utilized in natural membrane-active host-defense peptides. Negatively charged surface membranes of rapidly proliferating bacterial and cancer cells have been targeted by various synthetic peptides and peptidomimetics adopting the structural motif. Herein, we synthesized a set of conjugates composed of cationic amphipathic peptoids (i.e., oligo-N-substituted glycines) and a chlorin photosensitizer, named chlorin e6 (Ce6)-peptoid conjugates (CPCs). Among the nine CPCs, CPC 7, composed of Ce6, a PEG linker, and guanidine-rich helical amphipathic peptoids, exhibited a distinct photoresponsive inactivation of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Subsequent studies showed that CPC 7 effectively killed various cancer cells after irradiation with red light (655 nm), suggesting the potential of CPC 7 as a dual antimicrobial and anticancer agent. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry data suggested that CPC 7 could induce apoptotic cell death. Our results show the potential of peptoid-based photosensitizer conjugates as a versatile platform for antimicrobial and anticancer photodynamic therapy agents and peptoid therapeutics.
Collapse
|
18
|
Perez-Rodriguez A, Eraso E, Quindós G, Mateo E. Antimicrobial Peptides with Anti-Candida Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169264. [PMID: 36012523 PMCID: PMC9409312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoses are accountable for millions of infections yearly worldwide. Invasive candidiasis is the most usual, presenting a high morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans remains the prevalent etiologic agent, but the incidence of other species such as Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida auris keeps increasing. These pathogens frequently show a reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs, including polyenes, triazoles and echinocandins, and the incidence of emerging multi-drug-resistant strains of these species continues to increase. Therefore, the need to search for new molecules that target these pathogenic species in a different manner is now more urgent than ever. Nature is an almost endless source of interesting new molecules that could meet this need. Among these molecules, antimicrobial peptides, present in different sources in nature, possess some advantages over conventional antifungal agents, even with their own drawbacks, and are considered as a promising pharmacological option against a wide range of microbial infections. In this review, we describe 20 antimicrobial peptides from different origins that possess an activity against Candida.
Collapse
|
19
|
Moreno-Morales J, Guardiola S, Ballesté-Delpierre C, Giralt E, Vila J. A new synthetic protegrin as a promising peptide with antibacterial activity against MDR Gram-negative pathogens. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:3077-3085. [PMID: 35972429 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Protegrins are a family of natural peptides from the innate immune system of vertebrates, with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. However, the toxicity and haemolysis of protegrin-1 (PG-1) at low concentrations renders it useless for therapeutic application. We rationally designed PLP-3, a novel synthetic PG-1-like peptide, comprising key activity features of protegrins in a constrained bicyclic structure. Our main objective was to investigate PLP-3's activity against MDR strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae and to analyse its haemolysis and cytotoxicity. METHODS Peptide synthesis was performed via solid phase and intramolecular ligation in solution, and the correct folding of the peptide was verified by circular dichroism. Antimicrobial activity was performed through broth microdilution. The test panel contained 45 bacterial strains belonging to A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae (15 strains per species) comprising colistin-resistant and MDR strains. Cytotoxicity was assessed by XTT cell viability assays using HeLa and A549 cells and haemolysis of human erythrocytes. RESULTS PLP-3 was successfully synthesized, and its antiparallel β-sheet conformation was confirmed. Antimicrobial activity screening showed MIC90 values of 2 mg/L for A. baumannii, 16 mg/L for K. pneumoniae and 8 mg/L for P. aeruginosa. The haemolysis IC50 value was 48.53 mg/L. Cytotoxicity against human HeLa and A549 cells showed values of ca. 200 mg/L in both cell lines resulting in a 100-fold selectivity window for bacterial over human cells. CONCLUSIONS PLP-3 has potent antimicrobial activity, especially against A. baumannii, while maintaining low haemolysis and toxicity against human cell lines at antimicrobial concentrations. These characteristics make PLP-3 a promising peptide with an interesting therapeutic window.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Clara Ballesté-Delpierre
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernest Giralt
- IRB Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Vila
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
La Barbera L, Mauri E, D’Amelio M, Gori M. Functionalization strategies of polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery in Alzheimer's disease: Current trends and future perspectives. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:939855. [PMID: 35992936 PMCID: PMC9387393 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.939855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive and multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder whose primary causes are mostly unknown. Due to the increase in life expectancy of world population, including developing countries, AD, whose incidence rises dramatically with age, is at the forefront among neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, a definitive cure is not yet within reach, imposing substantial medical and public health burdens at every latitude. Therefore, the effort to devise novel and effective therapeutic strategies is still of paramount importance. Genetic, functional, structural and biochemical studies all indicate that new and efficacious drug delivery strategies interfere at different levels with various cellular and molecular targets. Over the last few decades, therapeutic development of nanomedicine at preclinical stage has shown to progress at a fast pace, thus paving the way for its potential impact on human health in improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of age-related neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. Clinical translation of nano-based therapeutics, despite current limitations, may present important advantages and innovation to be exploited in the neuroscience field as well. In this state-of-the-art review article, we present the most promising applications of polymeric nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery for bypassing the blood-brain barrier of AD preclinical models and boost pharmacological safety and efficacy. In particular, novel strategic chemical functionalization of polymeric nanocarriers that could be successfully employed for treating AD are thoroughly described. Emphasis is also placed on nanotheranostics as both potential therapeutic and diagnostic tool for targeted treatments. Our review highlights the emerging role of nanomedicine in the management of AD, providing the readers with an overview of the nanostrategies currently available to develop future therapeutic applications against this chronic neurodegenerative disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Livia La Barbera
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Mauri
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuele Gori
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC) - National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Atomic-Resolution Structures and Mode of Action of Clinically Relevant Antimicrobial Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094558. [PMID: 35562950 PMCID: PMC9100274 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Global rise of infections and deaths caused by drug-resistant bacterial pathogens are among the unmet medical needs. In an age of drying pipeline of novel antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are proven to be valid therapeutics modalities. Direct in vivo applications of many AMPs could be challenging; however, works are demonstrating encouraging results for some of them. In this review article, we discussed 3-D structures of potent AMPs e.g., polymyxin, thanatin, MSI, protegrin, OMPTA in complex with bacterial targets and their mode of actions. Studies on human peptide LL37 and de novo-designed peptides are also discussed. We have focused on AMPs which are effective against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Since treatment options for the infections caused by super bugs of Gram-negative bacteria are now extremely limited. We also summarize some of the pertinent challenges in the field of clinical trials of AMPs.
Collapse
|
22
|
Antimicrobial Peptides as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Neisseria Infections. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:102. [DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-02767-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
23
|
Randall JR, Davidson G, Fleeman RM, Acosta SA, Riddington IM, Cole TJ, DuPai CD, Davies BW. Synthetic antibacterial discovery of symbah-1, a macrocyclic β-hairpin peptide antibiotic. iScience 2022; 25:103611. [PMID: 35005555 PMCID: PMC8719016 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development and spread of antibiotic resistance necessitate the development of novel strategies for antibiotic discovery. Symbah-1, a synthetic peptide antibiotic, was identified in a high-throughput antibacterial screen of random peptide sequences. Symbah-1 functions through membrane disruption and contains broad spectrum bactericidal activity against several drug-resistant pathogens. Circular dichroism and high-resolution mass spectrometry indicate symbah-1 has a β-hairpin structure induced by lipopolysaccharide and is cyclized via an intramolecular disulfide bond. Together these data classify symbah-1 as an uncommon synthetic member of the β-hairpin antimicrobial peptide class. Symbah-1 displays low hemolysis but loses activity in human serum. Characterization of a symbah-1 peptide library identified two variants with increased serum activity and protease resistance. The method of discovery and subsequent characterization of symbah-1 suggests large synthetic peptide libraries bias toward macrocyclic β-hairpin structure could be designed and screened to rapidly expand and better understand this rare peptide antibiotic class.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin R. Randall
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Gillian Davidson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Renee M. Fleeman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Santos A. Acosta
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ian M. Riddington
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - T. Jeffrey Cole
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Cory D. DuPai
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Bryan W. Davies
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wong KH, Riaz MK, Xie Y, Zhang X, Liu Q, Chen H, Bian Z, Chen X, Lu A, Yang Z. Review of Current Strategies for Delivering Alzheimer's Disease Drugs Across the Blood-Brain Barrier. FOCUS (AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC PUBLISHING) 2022; 20:117-136. [PMID: 35746925 PMCID: PMC9063600 DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.20106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
(Appeared originally in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2019; 20:381) Reprinted under Creative Commons CC-BY license.
Collapse
|
25
|
Panjla A, Kaul G, Chopra S, Titz A, Verma S. Short Peptides and Their Mimetics as Potent Antibacterial Agents and Antibiotic Adjuvants. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:2731-2745. [PMID: 34779605 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been increasing unrelentingly worldwide, thus negatively impacting human health. The discovery and development of novel antibiotics is an urgent unmet need of the hour. However, it has become more challenging, requiring increasingly time-consuming efforts with increased commercial risks. Hence, alternative strategies are urgently needed to potentiate the existing antibiotics. In this context, short cationic peptides or peptide-based antimicrobials that mimic the activity of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could overcome the disadvantages of AMPs having evolved as potent antibacterial agents. Besides their potent antibacterial efficacy, short peptide conjugates have also gained attention as potent adjuvants to conventional antibiotics. Such peptide antibiotic combinations have become an increasingly cost-effective therapeutic option to tackle AMR. This Review summarizes the recent progress for peptide-based small molecules as promising antimicrobials and as adjuvants for conventional antibiotics to counter multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Panjla
- Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Grace Kaul
- Department of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow-226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
- AcSIR: Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sidharth Chopra
- Department of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow-226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
- AcSIR: Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Alexander Titz
- Chemical Biology of Carbohydrates (CBCH), Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), 38124, Standort Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sandeep Verma
- Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Center for Nanoscience, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, Uttar Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bin Hafeez A, Jiang X, Bergen PJ, Zhu Y. Antimicrobial Peptides: An Update on Classifications and Databases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11691. [PMID: 34769122 PMCID: PMC8583803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are distributed across all kingdoms of life and are an indispensable component of host defenses. They consist of predominantly short cationic peptides with a wide variety of structures and targets. Given the ever-emerging resistance of various pathogens to existing antimicrobial therapies, AMPs have recently attracted extensive interest as potential therapeutic agents. As the discovery of new AMPs has increased, many databases specializing in AMPs have been developed to collect both fundamental and pharmacological information. In this review, we summarize the sources, structures, modes of action, and classifications of AMPs. Additionally, we examine current AMP databases, compare valuable computational tools used to predict antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of action, and highlight new machine learning approaches that can be employed to improve AMP activity to combat global antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmer Bin Hafeez
- Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan;
| | - Xukai Jiang
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Phillip J. Bergen
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
| | - Yan Zhu
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Fadaka AO, Sibuyi NRS, Madiehe AM, Meyer M. Nanotechnology-Based Delivery Systems for Antimicrobial Peptides. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111795. [PMID: 34834210 PMCID: PMC8620809 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant threat to global health. The conventional antibiotic pool has been depleted, forcing the investigation of novel and alternative antimicrobial strategies. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown potential as alternative diagnostic and therapeutic agents in biomedical applications. To date, over 3000 AMPs have been identified, but only a fraction of these have been approved for clinical trials. Their clinical applications are limited to topical application due to their systemic toxicity, susceptibility to protease degradation, short half-life, and rapid renal clearance. To circumvent these challenges and improve AMP’s efficacy, different approaches such as peptide chemical modifications and the development of AMP delivery systems have been employed. Nanomaterials have been shown to improve the activity of antimicrobial drugs by providing support and synergistic effect against pathogenic microbes. This paper describes the role of nanotechnology in the targeted delivery of AMPs, and some of the nano-based delivery strategies for AMPs are discussed with a clear focus on metallic nanoparticle (MNP) formulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mervin Meyer
- Correspondence: (A.O.F.); (N.R.S.S.); (A.M.M.); (M.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lee MW, Luo EWC, Silvestre-Roig C, Srinivasan Y, Akabori K, Lemnitzer P, Schmidt NW, Lai GH, Santangelo CD, Soehnlein O, Wong GCL. Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptide Inhibits Neutrophil-Driven Inflammatory Damage via Membrane Remodeling and Suppression of Cell Lysis. ACS NANO 2021; 15:15930-15939. [PMID: 34586780 PMCID: PMC8720511 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c03978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Neutrophils are crucial for host defense but are notorious for causing sterile inflammatory damage. Activated neutrophils in inflamed tissue can liberate histone H4, which was recently shown to perpetuate inflammation by permeating membranes via the generation of negative Gaussian curvature (NGC), leading to lytic cell death. Here, we show that it is possible to build peptides or proteins that cancel NGC in membranes and thereby suppress pore formation, and demonstrate that they can inhibit H4 membrane remodeling and thereby reduce histone H4-driven lytic cell death and resultant inflammation. As a demonstration of principle, we use apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) mimetic peptide apoMP1. X-ray structural studies and theoretical calculations show that apoMP1 induces nanoscopic positive Gaussian curvature (PGC), which interacts with the NGC induced by the N-terminus of histone H4 (H4n) to inhibit membrane permeation. Interestingly, we show that induction of PGC can inhibit membrane-permeating activity in general and "turn off" diverse membrane-permeating molecules besides H4n. In vitro experiments show an apoMP1 dose-dependent rescue of H4 cytotoxicity. Using a mouse model, we show that tissue accumulation of neutrophils, release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and extracellular H4 all strongly correlate independently with local tissue cell death in multiple organs, but administration of apoMP1 inhibits histone H4-mediated cytotoxicity and strongly prevents organ tissue damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle W Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Elizabeth Wei-Chia Luo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Carlos Silvestre-Roig
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Yashes Srinivasan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Kiyotaka Akabori
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Patricia Lemnitzer
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Nathan W Schmidt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Ginkgo Bioworks, 27 Drydock Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Ghee Hwee Lai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, SBS-01N-27, Singapore 637551
| | - Christian D Santangelo
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Oliver Soehnlein
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (FyFa), Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ganesan R, Dughbaj MA, Ramirez L, Beringer S, Aboye TL, Shekhtman A, Beringer PM, Camarero JA. Engineered Cyclotides with Potent Broad in Vitro and in Vivo Antimicrobial Activity. Chemistry 2021; 27:12702-12708. [PMID: 34159664 PMCID: PMC8410672 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The search for novel antimicrobial agents to combat microbial pathogens is intensifying in response to the rapid development of drug resistance to current antibiotic therapeutics. Respiratory failure and septicemia are the leading causes of mortality among hospitalized patients. Here, the development of a novel engineered cyclotide with effective broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against several ESKAPE bacterial strains and clinical isolates is reported. The most active antibacterial cyclotide was extremely stable in serum, showed little hemolytic activity, and provided protection in vivo in a murine model of P. aeruginosa peritonitis. These results highlight the potential of the cyclotide scaffold for the development of novel antimicrobial therapeutic leads for the treatment of bacteremia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajasekaran Ganesan
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Mansour A. Dughbaj
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Lisa Ramirez
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Steven Beringer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Teshome L. Aboye
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Alexander Shekhtman
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Paul M. Beringer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zhang Y, Guo P, Ma Z, Lu P, Kebebe D, Liu Z. Combination of cell-penetrating peptides with nanomaterials for the potential therapeutics of central nervous system disorders: a review. J Nanobiotechnology 2021; 19:255. [PMID: 34425832 PMCID: PMC8381574 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although nanomedicine have greatly developed and human life span has been extended, we have witnessed the soared incidence of central nervous system (CNS) diseases including neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease), ischemic stroke, and brain tumors, which have severely damaged the quality of life and greatly increased the economic and social burdens. Moreover, partial small molecule drugs and almost all large molecule drugs (such as recombinant protein, therapeutic antibody, and nucleic acid) cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, it is especially important to develop a drug delivery system that can effectively deliver therapeutic drugs to the central nervous system for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) provide a potential strategy for the transport of macromolecules through the blood-brain barrier. This study analyzed and summarized the progress of CPPs in CNS diseases from three aspects: CPPs, the conjugates of CPPs and drug, and CPPs modified nanoparticles to provide scientific basis for the application of CPPs for CNS diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Pan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Zhe Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Peng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Dereje Kebebe
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.,School of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Zhidong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China. .,Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Valdez-Miramontes CE, De Haro-Acosta J, Aréchiga-Flores CF, Verdiguel-Fernández L, Rivas-Santiago B. Antimicrobial peptides in domestic animals and their applications in veterinary medicine. Peptides 2021; 142:170576. [PMID: 34033877 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules with a broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. These peptides are widely distributed in insects, amphibians and mammals. Indeed, they are key molecules of the innate immune system with remarkable antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activity. Besides, these peptides have also shown regulatory activity for gut microbiota and have been considered inductors of growth performance. The current review describes the updated findings of antimicrobial peptides in domestic animals, such as bovines, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, canines and felines, analyzing the most relevant aspects of their use as potential therapeutics and their applications in Veterinary medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C E Valdez-Miramontes
- Academic Unit of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico.
| | - Jeny De Haro-Acosta
- Medical Research Unit-Zacatecas, Mexican Institute for Social Security- IMSS, Zacatecas, Mexico
| | - C F Aréchiga-Flores
- Academic Unit of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
| | - L Verdiguel-Fernández
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Veterinary, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico
| | - B Rivas-Santiago
- Medical Research Unit-Zacatecas, Mexican Institute for Social Security- IMSS, Zacatecas, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Aronica PGA, Reid LM, Desai N, Li J, Fox SJ, Yadahalli S, Essex JW, Verma CS. Computational Methods and Tools in Antimicrobial Peptide Research. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:3172-3196. [PMID: 34165973 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an ongoing and troubling development that has increased the number of diseases and infections that risk going untreated. There is an urgent need to develop alternative strategies and treatments to address this issue. One class of molecules that is attracting significant interest is that of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Their design and development has been aided considerably by the applications of molecular models, and we review these here. These methods include the use of tools to explore the relationships between their structures, dynamics, and functions and the increasing application of machine learning and molecular dynamics simulations. This review compiles resources such as AMP databases, AMP-related web servers, and commonly used techniques, together aimed at aiding researchers in the area toward complementing experimental studies with computational approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pietro G A Aronica
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671
| | - Lauren M Reid
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671.,School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield Southampton, Hampshire, U.K. SO17 1BJ.,MedChemica Ltd, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, U.K. SK10 4TG
| | - Nirali Desai
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671.,Division of Biological and Life Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Central Campus, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India 380009
| | - Jianguo Li
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671.,Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road Discovery Tower, Singapore 169856
| | - Stephen J Fox
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671
| | - Shilpa Yadahalli
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671
| | - Jonathan W Essex
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield Southampton, Hampshire, U.K. SO17 1BJ
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, 117543 Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, 637551 Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Amponnawarat A, Chompunud Na Ayudhya C, Ali H. Murepavadin, a Small Molecule Host Defense Peptide Mimetic, Activates Mast Cells via MRGPRX2 and MrgprB2. Front Immunol 2021; 12:689410. [PMID: 34248979 PMCID: PMC8261236 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.689410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent cause of hospital-acquired wound infection and is difficult to treat because it forms biofilms and displays antibiotic resistance. Previous studies in mice demonstrated that mast cells (MCs) not only contribute to P. aeruginosa eradication but also promote wound healing via an unknown mechanism. We recently reported that host defense peptides (HDPs) induce human MC degranulation via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2). Small molecule HDP mimetics have distinct advantages over HDPs because they are inexpensive to synthesize and display high stability, bioavailability, and low toxicity. Murepavadin is a lipidated HDP mimetic, (also known as POL7080), which displays antibacterial activity against a broad panel of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa. We found that murepavadin induces Ca2+ mobilization, degranulation, chemokine IL-8 and CCL3 production in a human MC line (LAD2 cells) endogenously expressing MRGPRX2. Murepavadin also caused degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells expressing MRGPRX2 but this response was significantly reduced in cells expressing missense variants within the receptor's ligand binding (G165E) or G protein coupling (V282M) domains. Compound 48/80 induced β-arrestin recruitment and promoted receptor internalization, which resulted in substantial decrease in the subsequent responsiveness to the MRGPRX2 agonist. By contrast, murepavadin did not cause β-arrestin-mediated MRGPRX2 regulation. Murepavadin induced degranulation in mouse peritoneal MCs via MrgprB2 (ortholog of human MRGPRX2) and caused increased vascular permeability in wild-type mice but not in MrgprB2-/- mice. The data presented herein demonstrate that murepavadin activates human MCs via MRGPRX2 and murine MCs via MrgprB2 and that MRGPRX2 is resistant to β-arrestin-mediated receptor regulation. Thus, besides its direct activity against P. aeruginosa, murepavadin may contribute to bacterial clearance and promote wound healing by harnessing MC's immunomodulatory property via the activation of MRGPRX2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aetas Amponnawarat
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chalatip Chompunud Na Ayudhya
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Faculty of Dentistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ligands and Signaling of Mas-Related G Protein-Coupled Receptor-X2 in Mast Cell Activation. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 179:139-188. [PMID: 33479839 DOI: 10.1007/112_2020_53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2) is known as a novel receptor to activate mast cells (MCs). MRGPRX2 plays a dual role in promoting MC-dependent host defense and immunomodulation and contributing to the pathogenesis of pseudo-allergic drug reactions, pain, itching, and inflammatory diseases. In this article, we discuss the possible signaling pathways of MCs activation mediated by MRGPRX2 and summarize and classify agonists and inhibitors of MRGPRX2 in MCs activation. MRGPRX2 is a low-affinity and low-selectivity receptor, which allows it to interact with a diverse group of ligands. Diverse MRGPRX2 ligands utilize conserved residues in its transmembrane (TM) domains and carboxyl-terminus Ser/Thr residues to undergo ligand binding and G protein coupling. The coupling likely initiates phosphorylation cascades, induces Ca2+ mobilization, and causes degranulation and generation of cytokines and chemokines via MAPK and NF-κB pathways, resulting in MCs activation. Agonists of MRGPRX2 on MCs are divided into peptides (including antimicrobial peptides, neuropeptides, MC degranulating peptides, peptide hormones) and nonpeptides (including FDA-approved drugs). Inhibitors of MRGPRX2 include non-selective GPCR inhibitors, herbal extracts, small-molecule MRGPRX2 antagonists, and DNA aptamer drugs. Screening and classifying MRGPRX2 ligands and summarizing their signaling pathways would improve our understanding of MRGPRX2-mediated physiological and pathological effects on MCs.
Collapse
|
35
|
Pan B, Liu C, Zhan X, Li J. Protegrin-1 Regulates Porcine Granulosa Cell Proliferation via the EGFR-ERK1/2/p38 Signaling Pathway in vitro. Front Physiol 2021; 12:673777. [PMID: 34093234 PMCID: PMC8176212 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.673777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are traditionally known to be essential components in host defense via their broad activities against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. Their immunomodulatory properties have also recently received considerable attention in mammalian somatic tissues of various species. However, little is known regarding the role of AMPs in the development and maturation of ovarian follicles. Protegrin-1 (PG-1) is an antimicrobial peptide which is known to have potent antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and negative bacteria. Here we report that the PG-1 is present in the porcine ovarian follicular fluid. Treatment of granulosa cell with PG-1 enhanced granulosa cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. This is accompanied by increased expression of cell-cycle progression-related genes such as cyclin D1(CCND1), cyclin D2 (CCND2), and cyclin B1(CCNB1). Additionally, Western blot analysis showed that PG-1 increased phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the phosphorylated-/total extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 ratio. Pretreatment with either U0126, a specific ERK1/2 phosphorylation inhibitor, or EGFR kinase inhibitor, AG1478, blocked the PG-1 induced proliferation. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay revealed that ETS domain-containing protein-1 (Elk1) C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and the transcription activators downstream of the MAPK pathway, were activated by PG-1. These data collectively suggest that PG-1 may regulate pig granulosa cell proliferation via EGFR-MAPK pathway., Hence, our finding offers insights into the role of antimicrobial peptides on follicular development regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Pan
- Department of Animal BioSciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Canying Liu
- Department of Animal BioSciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Department of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Xiaoshu Zhan
- Department of Animal BioSciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Department of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Julang Li
- Department of Animal BioSciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Low CX, Tan LTH, Ab Mutalib NS, Pusparajah P, Goh BH, Chan KG, Letchumanan V, Lee LH. Unveiling the Impact of Antibiotics and Alternative Methods for Animal Husbandry: A Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:578. [PMID: 34068272 PMCID: PMC8153128 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10050578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the 1950s, antibiotics have been used in the field of animal husbandry for growth promotion, therapy and disease prophylaxis. It is estimated that up to 80% of the antibiotics produced by the pharmaceutical industries are used in food production. Most of the antibiotics are used as feed additives at sub-therapeutic levels to promote growth. However, studies show the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens that threaten both animal health and human health, including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). This scenario is further complicated by the slow progress in achieving scientific breakthroughs in uncovering novel antibiotics following the 1960s. Most of the pharmaceutical industries have long diverted research funds away from the field of antibiotic discovery to more lucrative areas of drug development. If this situation is allowed to continue, humans will return to the pre-antibiotics era and potentially succumb to huge health and economic consequences. Fortunately, studies investigating various alternatives to antibiotics use in livestock show promising results. These alternatives include the application of bacteriophages and phage derived peptidoglycan degrading enzymes, engineered peptides, egg yolk antibodies, probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, as well as quorum quenching molecules. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the use of growth-promoting antibiotics and their impact on livestock and provide insights on the alternative approaches for animal husbandry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuen Xian Low
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
| | - Loh Teng-Hern Tan
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
- Clinical School Johor Bahru, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Johor Bahru 80100, Malaysia
| | - Nurul-Syakima Ab Mutalib
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), UKM Medical Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Priyia Pusparajah
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
| | - Bey-Hing Goh
- Biofunctional Molecule Exploratory Research Group (BMEX), School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia;
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhenjiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kok-Gan Chan
- Division of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- International Genome Centre, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Vengadesh Letchumanan
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
| | - Learn-Han Lee
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery (NBDD) Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia; (C.X.L.); (L.T.-H.T.); (N.-S.A.M.); (P.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Baranyai Z, Biri-Kovács B, Krátký M, Szeder B, Debreczeni ML, Budai J, Kovács B, Horváth L, Pári E, Németh Z, Cervenak L, Zsila F, Méhes E, Kiss É, Vinšová J, Bősze S. Cellular Internalization and Inhibition Capacity of New Anti-Glioma Peptide Conjugates: Physicochemical Characterization and Evaluation on Various Monolayer- and 3D-Spheroid-Based in Vitro Platforms. J Med Chem 2021; 64:2982-3005. [PMID: 33719423 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Most therapeutic agents used for treating brain malignancies face hindered transport through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and poor tissue penetration. To overcome these problems, we developed peptide conjugates of conventional and experimental anticancer agents. SynB3 cell-penetrating peptide derivatives were applied that can cross the BBB. Tuftsin derivatives were used to target the neuropilin-1 transport system for selectivity and better tumor penetration. Moreover, SynB3-tuftsin tandem compounds were synthesized to combine the beneficial properties of these peptides. Most of the conjugates showed high and selective efficacy against glioblastoma cells. SynB3 and tandem derivatives demonstrated superior cellular internalization. The penetration profile of the conjugates was determined on a lipid monolayer and Transwell co-culture system with noncontact HUVEC-U87 monolayers as simple ex vivo and in vitro BBB models. Importantly, in 3D spheroids, daunomycin-peptide conjugates possessed a better tumor penetration ability than daunomycin. These conjugates are promising tools for the delivery systems with tunable features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Baranyai
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Martin Krátký
- Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 500 05 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Bálint Szeder
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta L Debreczeni
- 3rd Department of Medicine Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Kútvölgyi út 4, H-1125 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Johanna Budai
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bence Kovács
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2-4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Lilla Horváth
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edit Pári
- Laboratory of Interfaces and Nanostructures, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Németh
- 3rd Department of Medicine Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Kútvölgyi út 4, H-1125 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Cervenak
- 3rd Department of Medicine Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Kútvölgyi út 4, H-1125 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Zsila
- Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Előd Méhes
- Department of Biological Physics, Institute of Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Kiss
- Laboratory of Interfaces and Nanostructures, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jarmila Vinšová
- Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 500 05 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Szilvia Bősze
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Korneli M, Fuchs SW, Felder K, Ernst C, Zinsli LV, Piel J. Promiscuous Installation of d-Amino Acids in Gene-Encoded Peptides. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:236-242. [PMID: 33410661 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
d-Amino acids can have major effects on the structure, proteolytic stability, and bioactivity of peptides. Proteusin radical S-adenosyl methionine epimerases regioselectively install such residues in ribosomal peptides to generate peptides with the largest number of d-residues currently known in biomolecules. To study their utility in synthetic biology, we investigated the substrate tolerance and substrate-product relationships of the cyanobacterial model epimerase OspD using libraries of point mutants as well as distinct extended peptides that were fused to an N-terminal leader sequence. OspD was found to exhibit exceptional substrate promiscuity in E. coli, accepting 15 different amino acids and converting peptides with a broad range of compositions, secondary structures, and polarities. Diverse single and multiple epimerization patterns were identified that were dictated by the peptide sequence. The data suggest major potential in creating genetically encoded products previously inaccessible by synthetic biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madlen Korneli
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian W. Fuchs
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katja Felder
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Ernst
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Léa V. Zinsli
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jörn Piel
- Institute of Microbiology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Choi MK, Le MT, Cho HS, Lee J, Jeon H, Cha SY, Na M, Chun T, Kim JH, Song H, Park C. Transgenic Mice Overexpressing PG1 Display Corneal Opacity and Severe Inflammation in the Eye. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1586. [PMID: 33557346 PMCID: PMC7915784 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are of interest as alternatives to antibiotics or immunomodulators. We generated and characterized the phenotypes of transgenic mice overexpressing protegrin 1 (PG1), a potent porcine cathelicidin. No obvious differences were observed between PG1 transgenic and wild-type mice in terms of growth, development, general behaviour, and the major immune cell population. However, PG1 transgenic mice intranasally infected with Staphylococcus aureus resulted in a reduction in microscopic pulmonary injury, improved clearance of bacteria, and lower proinflammatory cytokine secretion, compared to those of wild-type mice. On the other hand, approximately 25% of PG1 transgenic mice (n = 54/215) showed corneal opacity and developed inflammation in the eye, resulting ultimately in phthisis bulbi. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that PG1 and its activator, neutrophil elastase, localized to the basal cells of the cornea and glands in eyelids, respectively. In addition, apoptosis indicated by a Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL)-positive signal was detected from flat cells of the cornea. Our study suggests that the expression regulation or localization of AMPs such as PG1 is important to prevent their adverse effects. However, our results also showed that the cytotoxic effects of PG1 on cells could be tolerated in animals, except for the eyes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min-Kyeung Choi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Minh Thong Le
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Hye-Sun Cho
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Juyoung Lee
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Hyoim Jeon
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Se-Yeoun Cha
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea;
| | - Manheum Na
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (M.N.); (T.C.)
| | - Taehoon Chun
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (M.N.); (T.C.)
| | - Jin-Hoi Kim
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Hyuk Song
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Chankyu Park
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Seoul 05029, Korea; (M.-K.C.); (M.T.L.); (H.-S.C.); (J.L.); (H.J.); (J.-H.K.); (H.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Antibiofilm peptides as a promising strategy: comparative research. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:1647-1656. [PMID: 33475795 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11103-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms lead to approximately 65% of infections, and these infections are hard to treat. Thus, it is crucial to identify effective antibiofilm agents with low cytotoxicity. Peptides with antibiofilm activity have been regarded as promising solutions, and peptides with MBICs (minimal biofilm inhibitory concentrations) that are lower than their minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) (minimal inhibitory concentrations) are appealing. Therefore, we systematically summarized and classified previously reported peptides with antibiofilm activity. A total of 51 peptides with antibiofilm activity were classified into 14 categories. The MICs and MBICs of these fourteen representative peptides, one selected from each category, were compared against the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus mutans, the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the fungus Candida albicans. Six representative peptides (C5-pleurocidin, C6-Pac-525, C9-protegrin-1, C11-TetraF2W-RR, C13-WLBU2, and C14-melittin) showed antibiofilm activity against both bacteria and fungi, and among these 6 representative peptides, 4 peptides (C9-protegrin-1, C11-TetraF2W-RR, C13-WLBU2, and C14-melittin) could prevent biofilm formation with lower MBIC values than their MICs. CLSM (confocal laser scanning microscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) were further used to observe the morphologies of the biofilms after treatment with the peptides. Among the above 4 peptides, WLBU2 and melittin sparsely scattered the biofilms without destroying the bacteria. In conclusion, the currently reported peptides with antibiofilm activity are limited in number, but peptides with lower MBICs than MICs exist as promising candidates against biofilm-related infections and need further study. KEY POINTS: • Antibiofilm peptides could inhibit biofilm formation with MBICs that are lower than MICs. • The mechanism of antibiofilm peptides is not only due to antimicrobial activity.
Collapse
|
41
|
Pore-forming proteins: From defense factors to endogenous executors of cell death. Chem Phys Lipids 2020; 234:105026. [PMID: 33309552 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2020.105026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pore-forming proteins (PFPs) and small antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a large family of molecules with the common ability to punch holes in cell membranes to alter their permeability. They play a fundamental role as infectious bacteria's defensive tools against host's immune system and as executors of endogenous machineries of regulated cell death in eukaryotic cells. Despite being highly divergent in primary sequence and 3D structure, specific folds of pore-forming domains have been conserved. In fact, pore formation is considered an ancient mechanism that takes place through a general multistep process involving: membrane partitioning and insertion, oligomerization and pore formation. However, different PFPs and AMPs assemble and form pores following different mechanisms that could end up either in the formation of protein-lined or protein-lipid pores. In this review, we analyze the current findings in the mechanism of action of different PFPs and AMPs that support a wide role of membrane pore formation in nature. We also provide the newest insights into the development of state-of-art techniques that have facilitated the characterization of membrane pores. To understand the physiological role of these peptides/proteins or develop clinical applications, it is essential to uncover the molecular mechanism of how they perforate membranes.
Collapse
|
42
|
Varnava KG, Edwards PJB, Cameron AJ, Harjes E, Sarojini V. Cyclic peptides bearing the d-Phe-2-Abz turn motif: Structural characterization and antimicrobial potential. J Pept Sci 2020; 27:e3291. [PMID: 33283398 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The effect on secondary structure and antimicrobial activity of introducing different cyclic constraints in linear β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides has been investigated with the intention of generating cyclic β sheets as promising antimicrobials with improved therapeutic potential. The linear peptides were cyclized head to tail either directly or after the addition of either a second turn motif or a disulfide bridge. The propensity of these peptides to adopt a cyclic β-sheet structure has been correlated to their antibacterial activity. All cyclic peptides showed enhanced activity, compared with their linear counterparts against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies showed that this family kills bacteria through membrane lysis. The peptide that showed the best efficacy against all strains (exhibiting nanomolar activity), while retaining low haemolysis, bears two symmetrical, homochiral d-phe-2-Abz-d-ala turns and adopted a flexible structure. Its twin peptide that bears heterochiral turns (one with d-ala and one with L-Ala) showed reduced antibacterial activity and higher percentage of haemolysis. Circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicate that heterochirality in the two turns leads to oligomerization of the peptide at higher concentrations, stabilizing the β-sheet secondary structure. More rigid secondary structure is associated with lower activity against bacteria and loss of selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyriakos G Varnava
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Patrick J B Edwards
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular BioDiscovery, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Alan J Cameron
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular BioDiscovery, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Elena Harjes
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular BioDiscovery, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.,The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Pen G, Yang N, Teng D, Mao R, Hao Y, Wang J. A Review on the Use of Antimicrobial Peptides to Combat Porcine Viruses. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9110801. [PMID: 33198242 PMCID: PMC7696308 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9110801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral infectious diseases pose a serious threat to animal husbandry, especially in the pig industry. With the rapid, continuous variation of viruses, a series of therapeutic measures, including vaccines, have quickly lost their efficacy, leading to great losses for animal husbandry. Therefore, it is urgent to find new drugs with more stable and effective antiviral activity. Recently, it has been reported that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have great potential for development and application in animal husbandry because of their significant antibacterial and antiviral activity, and the antiviral ability of AMPs has become a research hotspot. This article aims to review the research situation of AMPs used to combat viruses in swine production of animal husbandry, clarify the mechanism of action of AMPs on viruses and raise some questions, and explore the future potential of AMPs in animal husbandry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guihong Pen
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Na Yang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (N.Y.); (J.W.); Tel.: +86-10-82106081 (J.W.); Fax: +86-10-82106079 (J.W.)
| | - Da Teng
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ruoyu Mao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ya Hao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (G.P.); (D.T.); (R.M.); (Y.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (N.Y.); (J.W.); Tel.: +86-10-82106081 (J.W.); Fax: +86-10-82106079 (J.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Rodnin MV, Vasquez-Montes V, Nepal B, Ladokhin AS, Lazaridis T. Experimental and Computational Characterization of Oxidized and Reduced Protegrin Pores in Lipid Bilayers. J Membr Biol 2020; 253:287-298. [PMID: 32500172 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00124-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Protegrin-1 (PG-1), an 18-residue β-hairpin stabilized by two disulfide bonds, is a member of a family of powerful antimicrobial peptides which are believed to act through membrane permeabilization. Here we used a combination of experimental and computational approaches to characterize possible structural arrangements of PG-1 in lipid bilayers mimicking bacterial membranes. We have measured the dose-response function of the PG-1-induced leakage of markers of various sizes from vesicles and found it to be consistent with the formation of pores of two different sizes. The first one allows the release of small dyes and occurs at peptide:lipid ratios < 0.006. Above this ratio, larger pores are observed through which the smallest of dextrans FD4 can be released. In parallel with pore formation, we observe a general large-scale destabilization of vesicles which is probably related to complete rupture of some vesicles. The population of vesicles that are completely ruptured depends linearly on PG-1:lipid ratio. Neither pore size, nor vesicle rupture are influenced by the formation of disulfide bonds. Previous computational work on oxidized protegrin is complemented here by all-atom MD simulations of PG-1 with reduced disulfide bonds both in solution (monomer) and in a bilayer (dimer and octamer). The simulations provide molecular insights into the influence of disulfide bonds on peptide conformation, aggregation, and oligomeric structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mykola V Rodnin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Victor Vasquez-Montes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Binod Nepal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Alexey S Ladokhin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
| | - Themis Lazaridis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA. .,Graduate Programs in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Biswas K, Ilyas H, Datta A, Bhunia A. NMR Assisted Antimicrobial Peptide Designing: Structure Based Modifications and Functional Correlation of a Designed Peptide VG16KRKP. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:1387-1404. [PMID: 31232231 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190624090817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs), within their realm incorporate a diverse group of structurally and functionally varied peptides, playing crucial roles in innate immunity. Over the last few decades, the field of AMP has seen a huge upsurge, mainly owing to the generation of the so-called drug resistant 'superbugs' as well as limitations associated with the existing antimicrobial agents. Due to their resilient biological properties, AMPs can very well form the sustainable alternative for nextgeneration therapeutic agents. Certain drawbacks associated with existing AMPs are, however, issues of major concern, circumventing which are imperative. These limitations mainly include proteolytic cleavage and hence poor stability inside the biological systems, reduced activity due to inadequate interaction with the microbial membrane, and ineffectiveness because of inappropriate delivery among others. In this context, the application of naturally occurring AMPs as an efficient prototype for generating various synthetic and designed counterparts has evolved as a new avenue in peptide-based therapy. Such designing approaches help to overcome the drawbacks of the parent AMPs while retaining the inherent activity. In this review, we summarize some of the basic NMR structure based approaches and techniques which aid in improving the activity of AMPs, using the example of a 16-residue dengue virus fusion protein derived peptide, VG16KRKP. Using first principle based designing technique and high resolution NMR-based structure characterization we validate different types of modifications of VG16KRKP, highlighting key motifs, which optimize its activity. The approaches and designing techniques presented can support our peers in their drug development work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karishma Biswas
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII(M), Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Humaira Ilyas
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII(M), Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Aritreyee Datta
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII(M), Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII(M), Kolkata 700054, India
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Ağçeli GK, Cihangir N. Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial performance of novel nanostructured biopolymer film based on levan/clay/LL-37 antimicrobial peptide. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2019.101421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
47
|
|
48
|
Deplazes E, Chin YKY, King GF, Mancera RL. The unusual conformation of cross-strand disulfide bonds is critical to the stability of β-hairpin peptides. Proteins 2019; 88:485-502. [PMID: 31589791 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The cross-strand disulfides (CSDs) found in β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (β-AMPs) show a unique disulfide geometry that is characterized by unusual torsion angles and a short Cα-Cα distance. While the sequence and disulfide bond connectivity of disulfide-rich peptides is well studied, much less is known about the disulfide geometry found in CSDs and their role in the stability of β-AMPs. To address this, we solved the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of the β-AMP gomesin (Gm) at 278, 298, and 310 K, examined the disulfide bond geometry of over 800 disulfide-rich peptides, and carried out extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the peptides Gm and protegrin. The NMR data suggests Cα-Cα distances characteristic for CSDs are independent of temperature. Analysis of disulfide-rich peptides from the Protein Data Bank revealed that right-handed and left-handed rotamers are equally likely in CSDs. The previously reported preference for right-handed rotamers was likely biased by restricting the analysis to peptides and proteins solved using X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, data from MD simulations showed that the short Cα-Cα distance is critical for the stability of these peptides. The unique disulfide geometry of CSDs poses a challenge to biomolecular force fields and to retain the stability of β-hairpin fold over long simulation times, restraints on the torsion angles might be required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Deplazes
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ricardo L Mancera
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Gong Z, Doolin MT, Adhikari S, Stroka KM, Karlsson AJ. Role of charge and hydrophobicity in translocation of cell‐penetrating peptides into
Candida albicans
cells. AIChE J 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.16768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zifan Gong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
| | - Mary T. Doolin
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
| | - Sayanee Adhikari
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
| | - Kimberly M. Stroka
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
| | - Amy J. Karlsson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Lu W, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Owen S, Green M, Ni T, Edwards M, Li Y, Zhang L, Harris A, Li JL, Jackson DG, Jiang S. TNF-derived peptides inhibit tumour growth and metastasis through cytolytic effects on tumour lymphatics. Clin Exp Immunol 2019; 198:198-211. [PMID: 31206614 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a multi-functional cytokine with profound and diverse effects on physiology and pathology. Identifying the molecular determinants underlying the functions and pathogenic effects of TNF is key to understanding its mechanisms of action and identifying new therapeutic opportunities based on this important molecule. Previously, we showed that some evolutionarily conserved peptides derived from TNF could induce cell death (e.g. apoptosis and/or necrosis), a feature of immune defence mechanisms shared by many vertebrates. In this study, we demonstrated that necrosis-inducing peptide P16 kills human glioblastoma cancer cells and primary human hepatoma or renal cancer cells isolated from patients who had not responded to standard treatments. Importantly, we show that the necrosis-inducing peptide P1516 significantly improves survival by inhibiting tumour metastasis in a 4T1 breast cancer syngeneic graft mouse model. Because the lymphatic system is an important metastatic route in many cancers, we also tested the effect of TNF-derived peptides on monolayers of primary human lymphatic endothelial cells (hDLEC) and found that they increased junctional permeability by inducing cytoskeletal reorganization, gap junction formation and cell death. Transmission electron microscopy imaging evidence, structural analysis and in-vitro liposome leakage experiments strongly suggest that this killing is due to the cytolytic nature of these peptides. P1516 provides another example of a pro-cytotoxic TNF peptide that probably functions as a cryptic necrotic factor released by TNF degradation. Its ability to inhibit tumour metastasis and improve survival may form the basis of a novel approach to cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W Lu
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Shanghai JW Inflinhix Co. Ltd, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Oxford Vacmedix (Changzhou) Co. Ltd, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China
| | - Y Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Q Zhang
- Oxford Vacmedix (Changzhou) Co. Ltd, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China
| | - S Owen
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Green
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - T Ni
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Y Li
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - L Zhang
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - A Harris
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - J-L Li
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.,Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth Science Park, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - D G Jackson
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - S Jiang
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Shanghai JW Inflinhix Co. Ltd, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Oxford Vacmedix (Changzhou) Co. Ltd, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China.,Oxford Vacmedix UK Ltd, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|