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Li C, Sutherland D, Richter A, Coombe L, Yanai A, Warren RL, Kotkoff M, Hof F, Hoang LMN, Helbing CC, Birol I. De novo synthetic antimicrobial peptide design with a recurrent neural network. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5088. [PMID: 38988311 PMCID: PMC11237553 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5088] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is recognized as an imminent and growing global health threat. New antimicrobial drugs are urgently needed due to the decreasing effectiveness of conventional small-molecule antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a class of host defense peptides, are emerging as promising candidates to address this need. The potential sequence space of amino acids is combinatorially vast, making it possible to extend the current arsenal of antimicrobial agents with a practically infinite number of new peptide-based candidates. However, mining naturally occurring AMPs, whether directly by wet lab screening methods or aided by bioinformatics prediction tools, has its theoretical limit regarding the number of samples or genomic/transcriptomic resources researchers have access to. Further, manually designing novel synthetic AMPs requires prior field knowledge, restricting its throughput. In silico sequence generation methods are gaining interest as a high-throughput solution to the problem. Here, we introduce AMPd-Up, a recurrent neural network based tool for de novo AMP design, and demonstrate its utility over existing methods. Validation of candidates designed by AMPd-Up through antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 40 of the 58 generated sequences possessed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and/or Staphylococcus aureus. These results illustrate that AMPd-Up can be used to design novel synthetic AMPs with potent activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenkai Li
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Bioinformatics Graduate ProgramUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Darcy Sutherland
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Public Health LaboratoryBritish Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Amelia Richter
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Public Health LaboratoryBritish Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Lauren Coombe
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Anat Yanai
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Public Health LaboratoryBritish Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - René L. Warren
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Monica Kotkoff
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Fraser Hof
- Department of Chemistry and the Centre for Advanced Materials and Related TechnologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Linda M. N. Hoang
- Public Health LaboratoryBritish Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Caren C. Helbing
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Inanc Birol
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences CentreBC Cancer AgencyVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Public Health LaboratoryBritish Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Medical GeneticsUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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Wu X, Tian Y, Ran K, Yao J, Wang Y, Ouyang X, Mao W, Zhang J, Li B, Yang P, Ba Z, Liu H, Gou S, Zhong C, Zhang Y, Ni J. Rational design of a new short anticancer peptide with good potential for cancer treatment. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 273:116519. [PMID: 38795519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116519] [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] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Anticancer peptides (ACPs) have regarded as a new generation of promising antitumor drugs due to the unique mode of action. The main challenge is to develop potential anticancer peptides with satisfied antitumor activity and low toxicity. Here, a series of new α-helical anticancer peptides were designed and synthesized based on the regular repeat motif KLLK. The optimal peptides 14E and 14Aad were successfully derived from the new short α-helical peptide KL-8. Our results demonstrated that 14E and 14Aad had good antitumor activity and low toxicity, exhibiting excellent selectivity index. This result highlighted that the desirable modification position and appropriate hydrophobic side-chain structure of acidic amino acids played critical roles in regulating the antitumor activity/toxicity of new peptides. Further studies indicated that they could induce tumor cell death via the multiple actions of efficient membrane disruption and intracellular mechanisms, displaying apparent superiority in combination with PTX. In addition, the new peptides 14E and 14Aad showed excellent antitumor efficacy in vivo and low toxicity in mice compared to KL-8 and PTX. Particularly, 14Aad with the longer side chain at the 14th site exhibited the best therapeutic performance. In conclusion, our work provided a new avenue to develop promising anticancer peptides with good selectivity for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yali Tian
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Kaixin Ran
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yuxia Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Wenbo Mao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Beibei Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Ping Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Zufang Ba
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
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Liang Q, Liu Z, Liang Z, Zhu C, Li D, Kong Q, Mou H. Development strategies and application of antimicrobial peptides as future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172150. [PMID: 38580107 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The use of in-feed antibiotics has been widely restricted due to the significant environmental pollution and food safety concerns they have caused. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted widespread attention as potential future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics owing to their demonstrated antimicrobial activity and environment friendly characteristics. However, the challenges of weak bioactivity, immature stability, and low production yields of natural AMPs impede practical application in the feed industry. To address these problems, efforts have been made to develop strategies for approaching the AMPs with enhanced properties. Herein, we summarize approaches to improving the properties of AMPs as potential alternatives to in-feed antibiotics, mainly including optimization of structural parameters, sequence modification, selection of microbial hosts, fusion expression, and industrially fermentation control. Additionally, the potential for application of AMPs in animal husbandry is discussed. This comprehensive review lays a strong theoretical foundation for the development of in-feed AMPs to achieve the public health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingping Liang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Zhemin Liu
- Fundamental Science R&D Center of Vazyme Biotech Co. Ltd., Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Ziyu Liang
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Changliang Zhu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Dongyu Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Qing Kong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Haijin Mou
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China.
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Wongchai M, Wongkaewkhiaw S, Kanthawong S, Roytrakul S, Aunpad R. Dual-function antimicrobial-antibiofilm peptide hybrid to tackle biofilm-forming Staphylococcus epidermidis. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2024; 23:44. [PMID: 38755634 PMCID: PMC11100219 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-024-00701-7] [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: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to their resistance and difficulty in treatment, biofilm-associated infections are problematic among hospitalized patients globally and account for 60% of all bacterial infections in humans. Antibiofilm peptides have recently emerged as an alternative treatment since they can be effectively designed and exert a different mode of biofilm inhibition and eradication. METHODS A novel antibiofilm peptide, BiF, was designed from the conserved sequence of 18 α-helical antibiofilm peptides by template-assisted technique and its activity was improved by hybridization with a lipid binding motif (KILRR). Novel antibiofilm peptide derivatives were modified by substituting hydrophobic amino acids at positions 5 or 7, and both, with positively charged lysines (L5K, L7K). These peptide derivatives were tested for antibiofilm and antimicrobial activities against biofilm-forming Staphylococcus epidermidis and multiple other microbes using crystal violet and broth microdilution assays, respectively. To assess their impact on mammalian cells, the toxicity of peptides was determined through hemolysis and cytotoxicity assays. The stability of candidate peptide, BiF2_5K7K, was assessed in human serum and its secondary structure in bacterial membrane-like environments was analyzed using circular dichroism. The action of BiF2_5K7K on planktonic S. epidermidis and its effect on biofilm cell viability were assessed via viable counting assays. Its biofilm inhibition mechanism was investigated through confocal laser scanning microscopy and transcription analysis. Additionally, its ability to eradicate mature biofilms was examined using colony counting. Finally, a preliminary evaluation involved coating a catheter with BiF2_5K7K to assess its preventive efficacy against S. epidermidis biofilm formation on the catheter and its surrounding area. RESULTS BiF2_5K7K, the modified antibiofilm peptide, exhibited dose-dependent antibiofilm activity against S. epidermidis. It inhibited biofilm formation at subinhibitory concentrations by altering S. epidermidis extracellular polysaccharide production and quorum-sensing gene expression. Additionally, it exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and no significant hemolysis or toxicity against mammalian cell lines was observed. Its activity is retained when exposed to human serum. In bacterial membrane-like environments, this peptide formed an α-helix amphipathic structure. Within 4 h, a reduction in the number of S. epidermidis colonies was observed, demonstrating the fast action of this peptide. As a preliminary test, a BiF2_5K7K-coated catheter was able to prevent the development of S. epidermidis biofilm both on the catheter surface and in its surrounding area. CONCLUSIONS Due to the safety and effectiveness of BiF2_5K7K, we suggest that this peptide be further developed to combat biofilm infections, particularly those of biofilm-forming S. epidermidis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathira Wongchai
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Saharut Wongkaewkhiaw
- School of Dentistry, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sakawrat Kanthawong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Ratchaneewan Aunpad
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
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5
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Peng Z, Wei C, Cai J, Zou Z, Chen J. Characterization of an antimicrobial peptide family from the venom gland of Heteropoda venatoria. Toxicon 2024; 241:107657. [PMID: 38428753 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107657] [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] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Spider venom boasts extensive peptide diversity, constituting a natural biochemical arsenal for defense and predation. The new family HvAMPs, including 9 homologous members, were identified from the unnormalized cDNA library of Heteropoda venatoria venom gland by Sanger sequencing. The putative mature peptide is composed of 22 aliphatic amino acid residues. The mature peptides of HvAMP1 and HvAMP5, with 3 different amino acids, were synthesized and both were shown to adopt an amphipathic α-helical structure and amphipathicity in SDS buffer by CD spectroscopy. In comparison to HvAMP1, HvAMP5 exhibits higher antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, coupled with reduced hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. Results from SYTO 9/PI staining indicate that HvAMP5 acts by disrupting bacterial cell membranes. Analysis of the relationships between structures and functions suggests that HvAMP5 enhances antibacterial activity and reduces mammalian cell toxicity by increasing positive charge and proline substitution. The three residues variation can augment the electrostatic attraction of antibacterial peptides to the bacterial phospholipid bilayer. The present study suggests that the HvAMPs may exert lytic action against cells of different origins to increase cellular and tissue barrier permeability to facilitate spider's defense or predation. Moreover, HvAMP5 holds promise as a novel antibacterial agent for treating Gram-positive bacterial infections. Simultaneously, the numerous diverse amino acid residue substitutions within the HvAMP family offer a template for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Peng
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Chao Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Jisen Cai
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zou
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China; School of Public Health & Laboratory Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, 418000, China.
| | - Jinjun Chen
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China; Hunan Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Mechanics and Function Analysis, Changsha, 418000, China.
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Han J, Wu P, Yang J, Weng Y, Lin Y, Chen Z, Yu F, Lü X, Ni L. Development of a novel hybrid antimicrobial peptide for enhancing antimicrobial spectrum and potency against food-borne pathogens. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae023. [PMID: 38337177 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae023] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To address the increasingly serious challenge of the transmission of foodbrone pathogens in the food chain. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we employed rational design strategies, including truncation, amino acid substitution, and heterozygosity, to generate seven engineered peptides with α-helical structure, cationic property, and amphipathic characteristics based on the original Abhisin template. Among them, as the hybird antimicrobial peptide (AMP), AM exhibits exceptional stability, minimal toxicity, as well as broad-spectrum and potent antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. Besides, it was observed that the electrostatic incorporation demonstrates by AM results in its primary targeting and disruption of the cell wall and membrane of Escherichia coli O157: H7 (EHEC) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), resulting in membrane perforation and enhanced permeability. Additionally, AM effectively counteracts the deleterious effects of lipopolysaccharide, eradicating biofilms and ultimately inducing the demise of both food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the significant potential of AM as a highly promising candidate for a novel food preservative and its great importance in the design and optimization of AMP-related agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhi Han
- Food Nutrition and Health Research Center, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Fuzhou University, Jinjiang, Fujian 362200, China
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Peifen Wu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Yanlin Weng
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Yayi Lin
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Zhiying Chen
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Fengfan Yu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Xucong Lü
- Food Nutrition and Health Research Center, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Fuzhou University, Jinjiang, Fujian 362200, China
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Li Ni
- Food Nutrition and Health Research Center, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Fuzhou University, Jinjiang, Fujian 362200, China
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
- Fujian Research Center of Food Biotechnology and Innovation Engineering, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
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Xu K, Zhao X, Tan Y, Wu J, Cai Y, Zhou J, Wang X. A systematical review on antimicrobial peptides and their food applications. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 155:213684. [PMID: 37976831 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Food safety issues are a major concern in food processing and packaging industries. Food spoilage is caused by microbial contamination, where antimicrobial peptides (APs) provide solutions by eliminating microorganisms. APs such as nisin have been successfully and commonly used in food processing and preservation. Here, we discuss all aspects of the functionalization of APs in food applications. We briefly review the natural sources of APs and their native functions. Recombinant expression of APs in microorganisms and their yields are described. The molecular mechanisms of AP antibacterial action are explained, and this knowledge can further benefit the design of functional APs. We highlight current utilities and challenges for the application of APs in the food industry, and address rational methods for AP design that may overcome current limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangjie Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - XinYi Zhao
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yameng Tan
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Junheng Wu
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yiqing Cai
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China..
| | - Xinglong Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology and School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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8
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Wu P, Yang J, Chen C, Li R, Chen S, Weng Y, Lin Y, Chen Z, Yu F, Lü X, Ni L, Han J. Rational design of Abhisin-like peptides enables generation of potent antimicrobial activity against pathogens. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6621-6640. [PMID: 37672069 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12748-1] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Infections caused by pathogens can be a significant challenge in wound healing, particularly when antimicrobial resistance is a factor. This can pose a serious threat to human health and well-being. In this scenario, it is imperative to explore novel antimicrobial agents to fight against multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria. This study employed rational design strategies, including truncation, amino acid replacement, and heterozygosity, to obtain seven α-helical, cationic, and engineered peptides based on the original template of Abhisin. Among the analogs of Abhisin, AB7 displayed broad-spectrum and potent antimicrobial activity, superior targeting of membranes and DNA, and the ability to disrupt biofilms and anti-endotoxins in vitro. Additionally, we evaluated the anti-infection ability of AB7 using a murine skin wound model infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and found that AB7 displayed negligible toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, AB7 exhibited desirable therapeutic efficacy by reducing bacterial burden and pro-inflammatory mediators, modulating cytokines, promoting wound healing, and enhancing angiogenesis. These results highlight the potential of AB7 as a promising candidate for a new antibiotic. KEY POINTS: • A α-helical, cationic, and engineered peptide AB7 was obtained based on Abhisin. • AB7 exhibited potent antimicrobial activity and multiple bactericidal actions. • AB7 effectively treated infected skin wounds in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peifen Wu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Chi Chen
- College of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Fujian Vocational College of Agriculture, Fuzhou, 350303, China
| | - Ruili Li
- College of Food Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shunxian Chen
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yanlin Weng
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yayi Lin
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Zhiying Chen
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Fengfan Yu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Xucong Lü
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Li Ni
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Jinzhi Han
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
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9
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Kurnaz LB, Barman S, Yang X, Fisher C, Outten FW, Nagarkatti P, Nagarkatti M, Tang C. Facial amphiphilic naphthoic acid-derived antimicrobial polymers against multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria and biofilms. Biomaterials 2023; 301:122275. [PMID: 37619264 PMCID: PMC10530118 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the facial amphiphilic nature and antimicrobial efficacy of many antimicrobial peptides, this work reported facial amphiphilic bicyclic naphthoic acid derivatives with different ratios of charges to rings that were installed onto side chains of poly(glycidyl methacrylate). Six quaternary ammonium-charged (QAC) polymers were prepared to investigate the structure-activity relationship. These QAC polymers displayed potent antibacterial activity against various multi-drug resistant (MDR) gram-negative pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Polymers demonstrated low hemolysis and high antimicrobial selectivity. Additionally, they were able to eradicate established biofilms and kill metabolically inactive dormant cells. The membrane permeabilization and depolarization results indicated a mechanism of action through membrane disruption. Two lead polymers showed no resistance from MDR-P. aeruginosa and MDR-K. pneumoniae. These facial amphiphiles are potentially a new class of potent antimicrobial agents to tackle the antimicrobial resistance for both planktonic and biofilm-related infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leman Buzoglu Kurnaz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Swagatam Barman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29209, United States
| | - Claire Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - F Wayne Outten
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Prakash Nagarkatti
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29209, United States
| | - Mitzi Nagarkatti
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29209, United States
| | - Chuanbing Tang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States.
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10
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Sosiangdi S, Taemaitree L, Tankrathok A, Daduang S, Boonlue S, Klaynongsruang S, Jangpromma N. Rational design and characterization of cell-selective antimicrobial peptides based on a bioactive peptide from Crocodylus siamensis hemoglobin. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16096. [PMID: 37752188 PMCID: PMC10522709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43274-9] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing health concern. Antimicrobial peptides are a potential solution because they bypass conventional drug resistance mechanisms. Previously, we isolated a peptide from Crocodylus siamensis hemoglobin hydrolysate, which has antimicrobial activity and identified the main peptide from this mixture (QL17). The objective of this work was to evaluate and rationally modify QL17 in order to: (1) control its mechanism of action through bacterial membrane disruption; (2) improve its antimicrobial activity; and (3) ensure it has low cytotoxicity against normal eukaryotic cells. QL17 was rationally designed using physicochemical and template-based methods. These new peptide variants were assessed for: (1) their in vitro inhibition of microbial growth, (2) their cytotoxicity against normal cells, (3) their selectivity for microbes, and (4) the mode of action against bacteria using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy. The results indicate that all designed peptides have more potent antimicrobial efficacy than QL17 and IL15 peptides. However, only the most rationally modified peptides showed strong antimicrobial activity and minimal toxicity against normal cells. In particular, IL15.3 (hydrophobicity of 47% and net charge of + 6) was a potent antimicrobial agent (MIC = 4-12 μg/mL; MBC = 6-25 μg/mL) and displayed excellent selectivity for microbes (cf. human cells) via FACS assays. Microscopy confirmed that IL15.3 acts against bacteria by disrupting the cell membrane integrity and penetrating into the membrane. This causes the release of intracellular content into the outer environment leading to the death of bacteria. Moreover, IL15.3 can also interact with DNA suggesting it could have dual mode of action. Overall, a novel variant of QL17 is described that increases antimicrobial activity by over 1000-fold (~ 5 μg/mL MIC) and has minimal cytotoxicity. It may have applications in clinical use to treat and safeguard against bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirinthip Sosiangdi
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Lapatrada Taemaitree
- Department of Integrated Science, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Anupong Tankrathok
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Kalasin University, Kalasin, 46000, Thailand
| | - Sakda Daduang
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Sophon Boonlue
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Sompong Klaynongsruang
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Nisachon Jangpromma
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
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11
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Zhu Y, Xu Y, Yan J, Fang Y, Dong N, Shan A. "AMP plus": Immunostimulant-Inspired Design Based on Chemotactic Motif -( PhHA hPH) n. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:43563-43579. [PMID: 37691475 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09353] [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: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Ability to stimulate antimicrobial immunity has proven to be a useful therapeutic strategy in treating infections, especially in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance. Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibiting immunomodulatory functions normally encompass complex activities, which make it difficult to optimize their therapeutic benefits. Here, a chemotactic motif was harnessed as a template to design a series of AMPs with immunostimulatory activities plus bacteria-killing activities ("AMP plus"). An amphipathic peptide ((PhHAhPH)n) was employed to improve the antimicrobial impact and expand the therapeutic potential of the chemotactic motif that lacked obvious bacteria-killing properties. A total of 18 peptides were designed and evaluated for their structure-activity relationships. Among the designed, KWH2 (1) potently killed bacteria and exhibited a narrow antimicrobial spectrum against Gram-negative bacteria and (2) activated macrophages (i.e., inducing Ca2+ influx, cell migration, and reactive oxygen species production) as a macrophage chemoattractant. Membrane permeabilization is the major antimicrobial mechanism of KWH2. Furthermore, the mouse subcutaneous abscess model supported the dual immunomodulatory and antimicrobial potential of KWH2 in vivo. The above results confirmed the efficiency of KWH2 in treating bacterial infection and provided a viable approach to develop immunomodulatory antimicrobial materials with desired properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhui Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
| | - Yinghan Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
| | - Jianming Yan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
| | - Yuxin Fang
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
| | - Na Dong
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Nutrition and Immunity, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150038, China
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12
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Wang Y, Xie Y, Luo Y, Jia P, Wei J, Zhang J, Yan W, Huang J. iASMP: An interpretable in-silico predictive tool focusing on species-specific antimicrobial peptides. J Pept Sci 2023; 29:e3490. [PMID: 36994602 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a crucial part of the innate immune system, have been exploited as promising candidates for antibacterial agents. Many researchers have been devoting their efforts to develop novel AMPs in recent decades. In this term, many computational approaches have been developed to identify potential AMPs accurately. However, finding peptides specific to a particular bacterial species is challenging. Streptococcus mutans is a pathogen with an apparent cariogenic effect, and it is of great significance to study AMP that inhibit S. mutans for the prevention and treatment of caries. In this study, we proposed a sequence-based machine learning model, namely iASMP, to exactly identify potential anti-S. mutans peptides (ASMPs). After collecting ASMPs, the performances of models were compared by utilizing multiple feature descriptors and different classification algorithms. Among the baseline predictors, the model integrating the extra trees (ET) algorithm and the hybrid features exhibited optimal results. The feature selection method was utilized to remove redundant feature information to improve the model performance further. Finally, the proposed model achieved the maximum accuracy (ACC) of 0.962 on the training dataset and performed on the testing dataset with an ACC of 0.750. The results demonstrated that iASMP had an excellent predictive performance and was suitable for identifying potential ASMP. Furthermore, we also visualized the selected features and rationally explained the impact of individual features on the model output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dental Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Biological Intelligence Manufacturing of Gansu Province, School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yihao Xie
- The Institute of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Dental Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Biological Intelligence Manufacturing of Gansu Province, School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Pengfei Jia
- The Institute of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jiaqi Wei
- Key Laboratory of Dental Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Biological Intelligence Manufacturing of Gansu Province, School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Dental Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Biological Intelligence Manufacturing of Gansu Province, School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Wenjin Yan
- The Institute of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jinqi Huang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
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13
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Lu Q, Regan DP, Barlow DE, Fears KP. Antimicrobial efficacy of cyclic α- and β-peptides incorporated in polyurethane coatings. Biointerphases 2023; 18:031008. [PMID: 37289032 DOI: 10.1116/6.0002515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial growth on surfaces poses health concerns and can accelerate the biodegradation of engineered materials and coatings. Cyclic peptides are promising agents to combat biofouling because they are more resistant to enzymatic degradation than their linear counterparts. They can also be designed to interact with extracellular targets and intracellular targets and/or self-assemble into transmembrane pores. Here, we determine the antimicrobial efficacy of two pore-forming cyclic peptides, α-K3W3 and β-K3W3, against bacterial and fungal liquid cultures and their capacity to inhibit biofilm formation on coated surfaces. These peptides display identical sequences, but the additional methylene group in the peptide backbone of β-amino acids results in a larger diameter and an enhancement in the dipole moment. In liquid cultures, β-K3W3 exhibited lower minimum inhibitory concentration values and greater microbicidal power in reducing the number of colony forming units (CFUs) when exposed to a gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, and two fungal strains, Naganishia albida and Papiliotrema laurentii. To evaluate the efficacy against the formation of fungal biofilms on painted surfaces, cyclic peptides were incorporated into polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane. The formation of N. albida and P. laurentii microcolonies (105 per inoculation) for cells extracted from coatings containing either peptide could not be detected after a 7-day exposure. Moreover, very few CFUs (∼5) formed after 35 days of repeated depositions of freshly cultured P. laurentii every 7 days. In contrast, the number of CFUs for cells extracted from the coating without cyclic peptides was >8 log CFU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Lu
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375
| | - Daniel P Regan
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375
| | - Daniel E Barlow
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375
| | - Kenan P Fears
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375
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14
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Copling A, Akantibila M, Kumaresan R, Fleischer G, Cortes D, Tripathi RS, Carabetta VJ, Vega SL. Recent Advances in Antimicrobial Peptide Hydrogels. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087563. [PMID: 37108725 PMCID: PMC10139150 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in the number and type of available biomaterials have improved medical devices such as catheters, stents, pacemakers, prosthetic joints, and orthopedic devices. The introduction of a foreign material into the body comes with a risk of microbial colonization and subsequent infection. Infections of surgically implanted devices often lead to device failure, which leads to increased patient morbidity and mortality. The overuse and improper use of antimicrobials has led to an alarming rise and spread of drug-resistant infections. To overcome the problem of drug-resistant infections, novel antimicrobial biomaterials are increasingly being researched and developed. Hydrogels are a class of 3D biomaterials consisting of a hydrated polymer network with tunable functionality. As hydrogels are customizable, many different antimicrobial agents, such as inorganic molecules, metals, and antibiotics have been incorporated or tethered to them. Due to the increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being increasingly explored as alternative agents. AMP-tethered hydrogels are being increasingly examined for antimicrobial properties and practical applications, such as wound-healing. Here, we provide a recent update, from the last 5 years of innovations and discoveries made in the development of photopolymerizable, self-assembling, and AMP-releasing hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryanna Copling
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Maxwell Akantibila
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Raaha Kumaresan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Gilbert Fleischer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Dennise Cortes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Rahul S Tripathi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Valerie J Carabetta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Sebastián L Vega
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
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15
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Wu Y, Tao Q, Xie J, Lu L, Xie X, Zhang Y, Jin Y. Advances in Nanogels for Topical Drug Delivery in Ocular Diseases. Gels 2023; 9:gels9040292. [PMID: 37102904 PMCID: PMC10137933 DOI: 10.3390/gels9040292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanotechnology has accelerated the development of the pharmaceutical and medical technology fields, and nanogels for ocular applications have proven to be a promising therapeutic strategy. Traditional ocular preparations are restricted by the anatomical and physiological barriers of the eye, resulting in a short retention time and low drug bioavailability, which is a significant challenge for physicians, patients, and pharmacists. Nanogels, however, have the ability to encapsulate drugs within three-dimensional crosslinked polymeric networks and, through specific structural designs and distinct methods of preparation, achieve the controlled and sustained delivery of loaded drugs, increasing patient compliance and therapeutic efficiency. In addition, nanogels have higher drug-loading capacity and biocompatibility than other nanocarriers. In this review, the main focus is on the applications of nanogels for ocular diseases, whose preparations and stimuli-responsive behaviors are briefly described. The current comprehension of topical drug delivery will be improved by focusing on the advances of nanogels in typical ocular diseases, including glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and bacterial keratitis, as well as related drug-loaded contact lenses and natural active substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Qing Tao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jing Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Lili Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xiuli Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yong Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230032, China
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16
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Zheng P, Li R, Li F, Wang R, Qian S. Exploration of Biological Properties and Antibacterial Action against
Escherichia coli
and
Staphylococcus aureus
of (LLKK)
3
‐Derived Peptides. ChemistrySelect 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202300355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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17
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Yang Z, Wei Y, Wu W, Zhang L, Wang J, Shan A. Characterization of simplified nonapeptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities as potential food preservatives, and their antibacterial mechanism. Food Funct 2023; 14:3139-3154. [PMID: 36892465 DOI: 10.1039/d2fo03861g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted attention in the field of food preservatives due to their favorable biosafety and potential antimicrobial activity. However, high synthetic cost, systemic toxicity, a narrow antimicrobial spectrum, and poor antimicrobial activity become the main bottlenecks for their practical applications. To address these questions, a set of derived nonapeptides were designed based on a previously discovered ultra-short peptide sequence template (RXRXRXRXL-NH2) and screened to identify an optimal peptide-based food preservative with excellent antimicrobial properties. Among these nonapeptides, the designed peptides 3IW (RIRIRIRWL-NH2) and W2IW (RWRIRIRWL-NH2) presented a membrane-disruptive and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation mechanism to execute potent and rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity without observed cytotoxicity. Moreover, they exhibited favorable antimicrobial stability regardless of high ionic strength, heat, and excessive acid-base conditions, retaining potent antimicrobial effects for chicken meat preservation. Collectively, their ultra-short sequence length and potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial capacity may be beneficial for the further development of green and safe peptide-based food preservatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanyi Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Yingxin Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Wanpeng Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Licong Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Jiajun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Anshan Shan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
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18
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Yao Y, Zhang W, Li S, Xie H, Zhang Z, Jia B, Huang S, Li W, Ma L, Gao Y, Song J, Wang R. Development of Neuropeptide Hemokinin-1 Analogues with Antimicrobial and Wound-Healing Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6617-6630. [PMID: 36893465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Wound healing is a complex process that can be delayed in some pathological conditions, such as infection and diabetes. Following skin injury, the neuropeptide substance P (SP) is released from peripheral neurons to promote wound healing by multiple mechanisms. Human hemokinin-1 (hHK-1) has been identified as an SP-like tachykinin peptide. Surprisingly, hHK-1 shares similar structural features with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), but it does not display efficient antimicrobial activity. Therefore, a series of hHK-1 analogues were designed and synthesized. Among these analogues, AH-4 was found to display the greatest antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Furthermore, AH-4 rapidly killed bacteria by membrane disruption, similar to most AMPs. More importantly, AH-4 showed favorable healing activity in all tested mouse full-thickness excisional wound models. Overall, this study suggests that the neuropeptide hHK-1 can be used as a desirable template for developing promising therapeutics with multiple functions for wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Sisi Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Huan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Zhengzheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Bo Jia
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Sujie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Wenyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Ling Ma
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Yuxuan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Jingjing Song
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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19
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Han H, Li S, Xu M, Zhong Y, Fan W, Xu J, Zhou T, Ji J, Ye J, Yao K. Polymer- and lipid-based nanocarriers for ocular drug delivery: Current status and future perspectives. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 196:114770. [PMID: 36894134 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Ocular diseases seriously affect patients' vision and life quality, with a global morbidity of over 43 million blindness. However, efficient drug delivery to treat ocular diseases, particularly intraocular disorders, remains a huge challenge due to multiple ocular barriers that significantly affect the ultimate therapeutic efficacy of drugs. Recent advances in nanocarrier technology offer a promising opportunity to overcome these barriers by providing enhanced penetration, increased retention, improved solubility, reduced toxicity, prolonged release, and targeted delivery of the loaded drug to the eyes. This review primarily provides an overview of the progress and contemporary applications of nanocarriers, mainly polymer- and lipid-based nanocarriers, in treating various eye diseases, highlighting their value in achieving efficient ocular drug delivery. Additionally, the review covers the ocular barriers and administration routes, as well as the prospective future developments and challenges in the field of nanocarriers for treating ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijie Han
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Su Li
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingyu Xu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueyang Zhong
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Fan
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingwei Xu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Tinglian Zhou
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Ji
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Ye
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ke Yao
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, People's Republic of China.
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20
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Sengkhui S, Klubthawee N, Aunpad R. A novel designed membrane-active peptide for the control of foodborne Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3507. [PMID: 36864083 PMCID: PMC9981719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30427-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The main cause of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection in humans is ingestion of contaminated animal-derived foods such as eggs, poultry and dairy products. These infections highlight the need to develop new preservatives to increase food safety. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have the potential to be further developed as food preservative agents and join nisin, the only AMP currently approved, for use as a preservative in food. Acidocin J1132β, a bacteriocin produced by probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus, displays no toxicity to humans, however it exhibits only low and narrow-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Accordingly, four peptide derivatives (A5, A6, A9, and A11) were modified from acidocin J1132β by truncation and amino acid substitution. Among them, A11 showed the most antimicrobial activity, especially against S. Typhimurium, as well as a favorable safety profile. It tended to form an α-helix structure upon encountering negatively charged-mimicking environments. A11 caused transient membrane permeabilization and killed bacterial cells through membrane depolarization and/or intracellular interactions with bacterial DNA. A11 maintained most of its inhibitory effects when heated, even when exposed to temperatures up to 100 °C. Notably, it inhibited drug-resistant S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant strains. Furthermore, the combination of A11 and nisin was synergistic against drug-resistant strains in vitro. Taken together, this study indicated that a novel antimicrobial peptide derivative (A11), modified from acidocin J1132β, has the potential to be a bio-preservative to control S. Typhimurium contamination in the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siriwan Sengkhui
- grid.412434.40000 0004 1937 1127Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Natthaporn Klubthawee
- grid.444093.e0000 0004 0398 9950Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Pathumthani University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Ratchaneewan Aunpad
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
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21
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Lu H, Cheng Z, Hu Y, Tang LV. What Can De Novo Protein Design Bring to the Treatment of Hematological Disorders? BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020166. [PMID: 36829445 PMCID: PMC9952452 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics have been widely used to treat hematological disorders. With the advent of de novo protein design, protein therapeutics are not limited to ameliorating natural proteins but also produce novel protein sequences, folds, and functions with shapes and functions customized to bind to the therapeutic targets. De novo protein techniques have been widely used biomedically to design novel diagnostic and therapeutic drugs, novel vaccines, and novel biological materials. In addition, de novo protein design has provided new options for treating hematological disorders. Scientists have designed protein switches called Colocalization-dependent Latching Orthogonal Cage-Key pRoteins (Co-LOCKR) that perform computations on the surface of cells. De novo designed molecules exhibit a better capacity than the currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia therapy. De novo designed protein neoleukin-2/15 enhances chimeric antigen receptor T-cell activity. This new technique has great biomedical potential, especially in exploring new treatment methods for hematological disorders. This review discusses the development of de novo protein design and its biological applications, with emphasis on the treatment of hematological disorders.
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22
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Yu W, Sun Y, Li W, Guo X, Liu X, Wu W, Yu W, Wang J, Shan A. Self-Assembly of Antimicrobial Peptide-Based Micelles Breaks the Limitation of Trypsin. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:494-510. [PMID: 36577517 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c17941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the limitation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) application in vivo, self-assembled AMPs library with specific nanostructures is expected to gradually overtake monomer AMPs libraries in the future. Peptide polymers are fascinating self-assembling nanoscale structures that have great advantage in biomedical applications because of their satisfactory biocompatibility and versatile properties. Herein, we describe a strategy for inducing the self-assembly of T9W into nanostructured antimicrobial micelles with evidently improved pharmacological properties, that is, PEGylation at the C-terminal of T9W (CT9W1000), an antibacterial biomaterial that self-assembles in aqueous media without exogenous excipients, has been developed. Compared with parental molecular, the CT9W1000 is more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and its antibacterial spectrum had also been broadened. Additionally, CT9W1000 micelles had higher stability under salt ion, serum, and acid-base environments. Importantly, the self-assembled structure is highly resistant to trypsin degradation, probably allowing T9W to be applied in clinical settings in the future. Mechanistically, by acting on membranes and through supplementary bactericidal mechanisms, CT9W1000 micelles contribute to the antibacterial process. Collectively, CT9W1000 micelles exhibited good biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, resulting in highly effective treatment in a mouse acute lung injury model induced by P. aeruginosa PAO1 without drug resistance. These advances may profoundly accelerate the clinical transformation of T9W and promote the development of a combination of peptide-based antibiotics and PEGylated nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Yu Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Wenyu Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xu Guo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xuesheng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Wanpeng Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Wanqi Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
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23
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Liao M, Gong H, Quan X, Wang Z, Hu X, Chen Z, Li Z, Liu H, Zhang L, McBain AJ, Waigh TA, Zhou J, Lu JR. Intramembrane Nanoaggregates of Antimicrobial Peptides Play a Vital Role in Bacterial Killing. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2204428. [PMID: 36417574 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have focused on the rational design of short sequences with less than 20 amino acids due to their relatively low synthesis costs and ease of correlation of the structure-function relationship. However, gaps remain in the understanding of how short cationic AMPs interact with the bacterial outer and inner membranes to affect their antimicrobial efficacy and dynamic killing. The membrane-lytic actions of two designed AMPs, G(IIKK)3 I-NH2 (G3 ) and G(IIKK)4 I-NH2 (G4 ), and previously-studied controls GLLDLLKLLLKAAG-NH2 (LDKA, biomimetic) and GIGAVLKVLTTGLPALISWIKRKR-NH2 (Melittin, natural) are examined. The mechanistic processes of membrane damage and the disruption strength of the four AMPs are characterized by molecular dynamics simulations and experimental measurements including neutron reflection and scattering. The results from the combined studies are characterized with distinctly different intramembrane nanoaggregates formed upon AMP-specific binding, reflecting clear influences of AMP sequence, charge and the chemistry of the inner and outer membranes. G3 and G4 display different nanoaggregation with the outer and inner membranes, and the smaller sizes and further extent of insertion of the intramembrane nanoaggregates into bacterial membranes correlate well with their greater antimicrobial efficacy and faster dynamic killing. This work demonstrates the crucial roles of intramembrane nanoaggregates in optimizing antimicrobial efficacy and dynamic killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Liao
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Haoning Gong
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Xuebo Quan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Product Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Ziwei Wang
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Xuzhi Hu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Zheng Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Product Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Zongyi Li
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Huayang Liu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Lin Zhang
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Andrew J McBain
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Thomas A Waigh
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Jian Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Product Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Jian Ren Lu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
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24
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Cheng Q, Zeng P. Hydrophobic-hydrophilic Alternation: An effective Pattern to de novo Designed Antimicrobial Peptides. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:3527-3537. [PMID: 36056849 DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220902124856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The antimicrobial peptide (AMP) is a class of molecules that are active against a variety of microorganisms, from bacterial and cancer cells to fungi. Most AMPs are natural products, as part of an organism's own defense system against harmful microbes. However, the growing prevalence of drug resistance has forced researchers to design more promising engineered antimicrobial agents. Inspired by the amphiphilic detergents, the hydrophobic-hydrophilic alternation pattern was considered to be a simple but effective way to de novo design AMPs. In this model, hydrophobic amino acids (leucine, isoleucine etc.) and hydrophilic amino acids (arginine, lysine etc.) were arranged in an alternating way in the peptide sequence. The majority of this type of peptides have a clear hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface, which allows the molecules to have good solubility in both water and organic solvents. When they come into contact with hydrophobic membranes, many peptides undergo a conformational transformation, facilitating themself to insert into the cellular envelope. Moreover, positive-charged peptide amphiphiles tended to have an affinity with negatively-charged membrane interfaces and further led to envelope damage and cell death. Herein, several typical design patterns have been reviewed. Though varying in amino acid sequence, they all basically follow the rule of alternating arrangement of hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues. Based on that, researchers synthesized some lead compounds with favorable antimicrobial activities and preliminarily investigated their possible mode of action. Besides membrane disruption, these AMPs are proven to kill microbes in multiple mechanisms. These results deepened our understanding of AMPs' design and provided a theoretical basis for constructing peptide candidates with better biocompatibility and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qipeng Cheng
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Enzymology and Mechanism of Major Diseases, and Key Laboratory of Biomedicine in Gene Diseases and Health of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China.,State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ping Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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25
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Casciaro B, Loffredo MR, Cappiello F, O’Sullivan N, Tortora C, Manzer R, Karmakar S, Haskell A, Hasan SK, Mangoni ML. KDEON WK-11: A short antipseudomonal peptide with promising potential. Front Chem 2022; 10:1000765. [PMID: 36465859 PMCID: PMC9713011 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1000765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The plight of antimicrobial resistance continues to limit the availability of antibiotic treatment effective in combating resistant bacterial infections. Despite efforts made to rectify this issue and minimise its effects on both patients and the wider community, progress in this area remains minimal. Here, we de-novo designed a peptide named KDEON WK-11, building on previous work establishing effective residues and structures active in distinguished antimicrobial peptides such as lactoferrin. We assessed its antimicrobial activity against an array of bacterial strains and identified its most potent effect, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an MIC value of 3.12 μM, lower than its counterparts developed with similar residues and chain lengths. We then determined its anti-biofilm properties, potential mechanism of action and in vitro cytotoxicity. We identified that KDEON WK-11 had a broad range of antimicrobial activity and specific capabilities to fight Pseudomonas aeruginosa with low in vitro cytotoxicity and promising potential to express anti-lipopolysaccharide qualities, which could be exploited to expand its properties into an anti-sepsis agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Niamh O’Sullivan
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carola Tortora
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, “Department of Excellence 2018–2022”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rizwan Manzer
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Sougata Karmakar
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Alan Haskell
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Syed K. Hasan
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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26
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C-terminal modification of a de novo designed antimicrobial peptide via capping of macrolactam rings. Bioorg Chem 2022; 130:106251. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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27
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Antimicrobial Peptides as an Alternative for the Eradication of Bacterial Biofilms of Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030642. [PMID: 35336016 PMCID: PMC8950055 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial resistance is an emergency public health problem worldwide, compounded by the ability of bacteria to form biofilms, mainly in seriously ill hospitalized patients. The World Health Organization has published a list of priority bacteria that should be studied and, in turn, has encouraged the development of new drugs. Herein, we explain the importance of studying new molecules such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with potential against multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria and focus on the inhibition of biofilm formation. This review describes the main causes of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, as well as the main and potential AMP applications against these bacteria. Our results suggest that the new biomacromolecules to be discovered and studied should focus on this group of dangerous and highly infectious bacteria. Alternative molecules such as AMPs could contribute to eradicating biofilm proliferation by MDR/XDR bacteria; this is a challenging undertaking with promising prospects.
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28
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Zhang Y, Yu J, Zhang H, Li Y, Wang L. Nanofibrous dressing: Potential alternative for fighting against antibiotic‐resistance wound infections. J Appl Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/app.52178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Juan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Huiru Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Lu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
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29
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Isolation and Chemical Characterization of an Alpha-Helical Peptide, Dendrocin-ZM1, Derived from Zataria multiflora Boiss with Potent Antibacterial Activity. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2022; 14:326-336. [PMID: 35050481 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-09907-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Today, resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics has become a major challenge. To overcome this problem, development of new drugs, besides research on their antibacterial activity, is essential. Among chemical components, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit antibacterial activity and can be selected as suitable antimicrobial candidates. In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide, called dendrocin-ZM1, with a molecular weight of ~3716.48 Da, was isolated from Zataria multiflora Boiss (ZM) and purified via precipitation with ammonium sulfate and reverse-phase HPLC chromatography; it was then sequenced via Edman degradation. The in silico method was used to examine the physicochemical properties of dendrocin-ZM1. In this study, four reference strains (gram-positive and gram-negative) and one clinical vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain were used to survey the antimicrobial activities. Moreover, to examine cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity, a HEK-293 cell line and human red blood cells (RBCs) were used, respectively. Evaluation of the physicochemical properties of dendrocin-ZM1, as an AMP, indicated a net charge of + 7 and a hydrophobicity percentage of 54%. This peptide had an amphipathic alpha-helical conformation. It exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activities against the tested strains at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4-16 μg/mL. Besides, this peptide showed negligible hemolysis and cytotoxicity in the MIC range. It also exhibited heat stability at temperatures of 20 to 80 °C and was active in a broad pH range (from 6.0 to 10.0). Overall, the present results suggested dendrocin-ZM1 as a remarkable antimicrobial candidate.
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30
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Cui X, Lü Y, Yue C. Development and Research Progress of Anti-Drug Resistant Bacteria Drugs. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 14:5575-5593. [PMID: 34992385 PMCID: PMC8711564 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s338987] [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: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial resistance has become increasingly serious because of the widespread use and abuse of antibiotics. In particular, the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has posed a serious threat to human public health and attracted the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the governments of various countries. Therefore, the establishment of measures against bacterial resistance and the discovery of new antibacterial drugs are increasingly urgent to better contain the emergence of bacterial resistance and provide a reference for the development of new antibacterial drugs. In this review, we discuss some antibiotic drugs that have been approved for clinical use and a partial summary of the meaningful research results of anti-drug resistant bacterial drugs in different fields, including the antibiotic drugs approved by the FDA from 2015 to 2020, the potential drugs against drug-resistant bacteria, the new molecules synthesized by chemical modification, combination therapy, drug repurposing, immunotherapy and other therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyi Cui
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Drugs Innovation and Transformation of Yan'an, School of Basic Medicine, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhong Lü
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Drugs Innovation and Transformation of Yan'an, School of Basic Medicine, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Shaanxi Engineering & Technological Research Center for Conversation & Utilization of Regional Biological Resources, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Changwu Yue
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Drugs Innovation and Transformation of Yan'an, School of Basic Medicine, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Shaanxi Engineering & Technological Research Center for Conversation & Utilization of Regional Biological Resources, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
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31
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Wang L, Sun L, Zhang X, Wang H, Song L, Luan S. A Self-defense Hierarchical Antibacterial Surface with Inherent Antifouling and Bacteria-activated Bactericidal Properties for Infection Resistance. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1968-1980. [DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01952j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Biomedical device-associated infection (BAI) is one of the main reasons for the function failure of implants in clinic practices. Development of high-efficiency antibacterial materials is of great significance to reduce...
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32
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Posada V, Espejo BF, Orduz S. De novo design of short antimicrobial lipopeptides. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20210362. [PMID: 34817038 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120210362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics available leads to the search for new compounds with antimicrobial potential, such as peptides and lipopeptides. In this work, eight short lipopeptides with the structural pattern Cn-X1 X2 X3-NH2 were de novo designed, synthesized by Fmoc solid phase and characterized by instrumental techniques. The results of the in vitro tests indicated that two of them, LIP 4 and LIP 12 display antibacterial activity against 4 pathogenic bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between 9.50 and 100 μM and between 8.50 and 10.0 μM, respectively; they did not displayed toxicity to human erythrocytes at concentrations between 3.13 and 50.0 μM. The antibacterial mechanism of action observed by scanning electron microscopy indicate that the cell membrane was the target, causing the formation of blisters and vesicles, with size ranging from 100 to 120 nm. The lipopeptide LIP 12, with higher activity, was stable to proteases of human blood serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Posada
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellin, Escuela de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Carrera 65, No. 59A - 110, 050034, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Blanca Fabiola Espejo
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellin, Escuela de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Carrera 65, No. 59A - 110, 050034, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Sergio Orduz
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellin, Escuela de Biociencias, Facultad de Ciencias, Carrera 65, No. 59A - 110, 050034, Medellin, Colombia
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Chen X, Liu H, Li A, Ji S, Fei H. Hydrophobicity-tuned anion responsiveness underlies endosomolytic cargo delivery mediated by amphipathic vehicle peptides. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101364. [PMID: 34736897 PMCID: PMC8639468 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide conformation can change subject to environment cues. This concept also applies to many cationic amphipathic peptides (CAPs) known to have cell membrane lytic or penetrative activities. Well-conditioned CAPs can match the properties of the target membrane to support their intended biological functions, e.g., intracellular cargo delivery; however, the intricacy in such conditioning surpasses our current understanding. Here we focused on hydrophobicity, a key biophysical property that dictates the membrane activity of CAPs, and applied a structure–function strategy to evolve a template peptide for endosomolytic cargo delivery. The template was subjected to iterative adjustment to balance hydrophobicity between its N-terminal linear and C-terminal helical domains. We demonstrate that the obtained peptide, LP6, could dramatically promote cargo cell entry and facilitate cytosolic delivery of biomacromolecules such as FITC-dextran, saporin, and human IgG. Among the evolved peptide series, LP6 has low cytotoxicity and moderate hydrophobicity, exhibits maximum change in helical conformation in response to negatively charged phospholipids, and also shows an apparent aggregational behavior in response to sialic acid enrichment. These attributes of LP6 collectively indicate that its anion-responsive conformational change is a critical underlining of its endosomolytic cargo delivery capability. Our results also suggest that modulation of hydrophobicity serves as a key to the precise tuning of CAP's membrane activity for future biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hanjie Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shuangshuang Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hao Fei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China; School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
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Tram NDT, Selvarajan V, Boags A, Mukherjee D, Marzinek JK, Cheng B, Jiang ZC, Goh P, Koh JJ, Teo JWP, Bond PJ, Ee PLR. Manipulating turn residues on de novo designed β-hairpin peptides for selectivity against drug-resistant bacteria. Acta Biomater 2021; 135:214-224. [PMID: 34506975 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a useful source for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. β-hairpin peptides generally consist of two side strands bridged by a reverse turn. In literature, most studies focused on the modifications of the side strands to manipulate the stability and activity of β-hairpin peptides, and much less is known about the impact of the turn region. By designing a series of de novo β-hairpin peptides with identical side strands but varied turns, we demonstrated that mutations of only 2 to 4 amino acids at the turn region could impart a wide range of antimicrobial profiles among synthetic β-hairpin AMPs. BTT2-4 and BTT6 displayed selective potency against Gram-negative bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4-8 µM. In contrast, BTT1 exhibited broad-spectrum activity, with MICs of 4-8 µM against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Additionally, BTT1 was potent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and colistin-resistant Enterobacterales. The antimicrobial potency of BTT1 persisted after 14 days of serial passage. Mechanistic studies revealed that interactions between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the peptides were critical to their membranolytic activity against the bacterial inner membrane. Aside from folding stability, we observed that a degree of conformational flexibility was required for disruptive membrane interactions. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: By examining the significance of the turn region of β-hairpin peptides, we present valuable knowledge to the design toolkit of novel antimicrobial peptides as alternative therapeutics to overcome antibiotic resistance. Our de novo designed synthetic peptides displayed selective activity against Gram-negative bacteria and potent activity against clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant strains (e.g. colistin-resistant Enterobacterales and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The bactericidal activity of our peptides was shown to be robust in the presence of proteolytic trypsin and saline, conditions that could suppress peptide activity. Our peptides were also determined to be non-cytotoxic against a human cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhan D T Tram
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vanitha Selvarajan
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alister Boags
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore; School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Devika Mukherjee
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bernadette Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore , Singapore
| | - Zi-Chen Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, M5S 1A1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pascal Goh
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jun-Jie Koh
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeanette W P Teo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore , Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore; National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, 117558, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pui Lai Rachel Ee
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, 119077, Singapore, Singapore.
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Novel Antimicrobial Peptides from a Cecropin-Like Region of Heteroscorpine-1 from Heterometrus laoticus Venom with Membrane Disruption Activity. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26195872. [PMID: 34641415 PMCID: PMC8512776 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26195872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing antimicrobial-resistant prevalence has become a severe health problem. It has led to the invention of a new antimicrobial agent such as antimicrobial peptides. Heteroscorpine-1 is an antimicrobial peptide that has the ability to kill many bacterial strains. It consists of 76 amino acid residues with a cecropin-like region in N-terminal and a defensin-like region in the C-terminal. The cecropin-like region from heteroscorpine-1 (CeHS-1) is similar to cecropin B, but it lost its glycine-proline hinge region. The bioinformatics prediction was used to help the designing of mutant peptides. The addition of glycine-proline hinge and positively charged amino acids, the deletion of negatively charged amino acids, and the optimization of the hydrophobicity of the peptide resulted in two mutant peptides, namely, CeHS-1 GP and CeHS-1 GPK. The new mutant peptide showed higher antimicrobial activity than the native peptide without increasing toxicity. The interaction of the peptides with the membrane showed that the peptides were capable of disrupting both the inner and outer bacterial cell membrane. Furthermore, the SEM analysis showed that the peptides created the pore in the bacterial cell membrane resulted in cell membrane disruption. In conclusion, the mutants of CeHS-1 had the potential to develop as novel antimicrobial peptides.
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Chou S, Li Q, Wu H, Li J, Chang YF, Shang L, Li J, Wang Z, Shan A. Selective Antifungal Activity and Fungal Biofilm Inhibition of Tryptophan Center Symmetrical Short Peptide. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158231. [PMID: 34360998 PMCID: PMC8348200 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungus, causes dental caries and contributes to mucosal bacterial dysbiosis leading to a second infection. Furthermore, C.albicans forms biofilms that are resistant to medicinal treatment. To make matters worse, antifungal resistance has spread (albeit slowly) in this species. Thus, it has been imperative to develop novel, antifungal drug compounds. Herein, a peptide was engineered with the sequence of RRFSFWFSFRR-NH2; this was named P19. This novel peptide has been observed to exert disruptive effects on fungal cell membrane physiology. Our results showed that P19 displayed high binding affinity to lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and the plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), cardiolipin, and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), further indicating that the molecular mechanism of P19 was not associated with the receptor recognition, but rather related to competitive interaction with the plasma membrane. In addition, compared with fluconazole and amphotericin B, P19 has been shown to have a lower potential for resistance selection than established antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Chou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Qiuke Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Hua Wu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Jinze Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Lu Shang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Jiawei Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Zhihua Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
- Correspondence:
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Pattem J, Swift T, Rimmer S, Holmes T, MacNeil S, Shepherd J. Development of a novel micro-bead force spectroscopy approach to measure the ability of a thermo-active polymer to remove bacteria from a corneal model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13697. [PMID: 34211063 PMCID: PMC8249514 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial keratitis occurs from the infection of the cornea by fungi and or bacteria. It remains one of the most common global causes of irreversible blindness accounting for 3.5% (36 million) of blind people as of 2015. This paper looks at the use of a bacteria binding polymer designed to bind Staphylococcus aureus and remove it from the corneal surface. Mechanical unbinding measurements were used to probe the interactions of a thermo-active bacteria-binding polymer, highly-branched poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide), functionalised with modified vancomycin end groups (HB-PNIPAM-Van) to bacteria placed on rabbit corneal surfaces studied ex-vivo. This was conducted during sequential temperature phase transitions of HB-PNIPAM-Van-S. aureus below, above and below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in 3 stages, in-vitro, using a novel micro-bead force spectroscopy (MBFS) approach via atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effect of temperature on the functionality of HB-PNIPAM-Van-S. aureus showed that the polymer-bacteria complex reduced the work done in removing bacterial aggregates at T > LCST (p < 0.05), exhibiting reversibility at T < LCST (p < 0.05). At T < LCST, the breaking force, number of unbinding events, percentage fitted segments in the short and long range, and the percentage of unbinding events occurring in the long range (> 2.5 µm) increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the LCST phase transition temperature showed 100 × more unbinding events in the long-range z-length (> 2.5 µm) compared to S. aureus aggregates only. Here, we present the first study using AFM to assess the reversible mechanical impact of a thermo-active polymer-binding bacteria on a natural corneal surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Pattem
- School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. .,National Centre for Molecular Hydrodynamics, and, Soft Matter Biomaterials and Bio-Interfaces, University of Nottingham, The Limes Building, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
| | - T Swift
- Polymer and Biomaterials Chemistry Laboratories, School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - S Rimmer
- Polymer and Biomaterials Chemistry Laboratories, School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - T Holmes
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - S MacNeil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J Shepherd
- School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Zhong C, Zhang F, Yao J, Zhu Y, Zhu N, Zhang J, Ouyang X, Zhang T, Li B, Xie J, Ni J. New Antimicrobial Peptides with Repeating Unit against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1619-1637. [PMID: 33829758 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the aim of tackling the increasingly serious antimicrobial resistance and improving the clinical potential of AMPs, a facile de novo strategy was adopted in this study, and a series of new peptides comprising repeating unit (WRX)n (X represents I, L, F, W, and K; n = 2, 3, 4, or 5) and amidation at C-terminus were designed. Most of the newly designed peptides exhibited a broad range of excellent antimicrobial activities against various bacteria, especially difficult-to-kill multidrug-resistant bacteria clinical isolates. Among (WRK)4 and (WRK)5, with n = 4 and n = 5 of repeating unit WRK, the highest selectivity for anionic bacterial membranes over a zwitterionic mammalian cell membrane is presented with strong antimicrobial potential and low toxicity. Additionally, both (WRK)4 and (WRK)5 emerged with fast killing speed and low tendency of resistance in sharp contrast to the conventional antibiotics ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and imipenem, as well as having antimicrobial activity through multiple mechanisms including a membrane-disruptive mechanism and an intramolecular mechanism (nucleic acid leakage, DNA binding and ROS generation) characterized by a series of assays. Furthermore, (WRK)4 exerted impressive therapeutic effects in vivo similarly to polymyxin B but displayed much lower toxicity in vivo than polymyxin B. Taken together, the newly designed peptides (WRK)4 and (WRK)5 presented tremendous potential as novel antimicrobial candidates in response to the growing antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fangyan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuewen Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ningyi Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianyue Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Beibei Li
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junqiu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macao 999078, China
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Wang C, Shao C, Fang Y, Wang J, Dong N, Shan A. Binding loop of sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 serves as a design motif for proteolysis-resistant antimicrobial peptides. Acta Biomater 2021; 124:254-269. [PMID: 33508505 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Although antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become powerful drug candidates in the post-antibiotic era, but their low protease stability hinders their clinical application. In the present study, the natural sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 (SFTI-1) binding loop (CTKSIPPIC) was used to design and synthesize a specific anti-proteolytic sequence template ((RX)n W (RX)n CTKSIPPIC (n = 2, 3; X represents A, I, L, V, F, and W)). After several antibacterial, bactericidal, and toxicity tests, RV3 stood out from the variants and had the highest average selectivity index (SI all = 156.03). It is highly stable in serum, varying pH, temperature, and salt ions as well as under high trypsin, pepsin, or papain concentrations. In a mouse skin inflammation model, established by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, RV3 could effectively kill the pathogen, promote wound healing, inhibit inflammatory cell infiltration, and inhibit mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β inflammatory factors. The antibacterial mechanisms of RV3 include combining with lipopolysaccharides and increasing cell membrane permeability, leading to cell membrane rupture and death. These findings indicate that RV3 has great potential for the treatment of bacterial infections.
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Investigation of antibiofilm activity, antibacterial activity, and mechanistic studies of an amphiphilic peptide against Acinetobacter baumannii. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2021; 1863:183600. [PMID: 33675719 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Biofilm-producing pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, have aroused escalating attention. Because these bacteria could secrete mixture with close-knit architecture and complicated components to resist traditional antibiotics. Here, we reported an amphiphilic peptide denoted as zp3 (GIIAGIIIKIKK-NH2), which showed favorable bioactivity against Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 (minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC = 4 μM) and low cytotoxicity to mammalian cells Vero (half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50 > 100 μM). Importantly, zp3 could inhibit the formation of biofilm at micromole level and eliminate around 50% preformed biofilm at 32 μM after 6 h treatment. This peptide was able to bind with biofilm while maintaining a helical structure in a mimic biofilm-rich environment. In vivo test demonstrated that zp3 rescued 33.3% of larvae after 48 h infection and reduced 1 log live bacteria inside the animal body after 6 h treatment. The bactericidal mode for zp3 was attributed to the combination of influencing ions balance at low concentration and inducing permeability alteration and pore formation on the Acinetobacter baumannii membrane at high concentration. Application on medical textiles also proved that zp3 could perform a good antibacterial activity in practice.
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Smith DM, Keller A. DNA Nanostructures in the Fight Against Infectious Diseases. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2021; 1:2000049. [PMID: 33615315 PMCID: PMC7883073 DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202000049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout history, humanity has been threatened by countless epidemic and pandemic outbreaks of infectious diseases, from the Justinianic Plague to the Spanish flu to COVID-19. While numerous antimicrobial and antiviral drugs have been developed over the last 200 years to face these threats, the globalized and highly connected world of the 21st century demands for an ever-increasing efficiency in the detection and treatment of infectious diseases. Consequently, the rapidly evolving field of nanomedicine has taken up the challenge and developed a plethora of strategies to fight infectious diseases with the help of various nanomaterials such as noble metal nanoparticles, liposomes, nanogels, and virus capsids. DNA nanotechnology represents a comparatively recent addition to the nanomedicine arsenal, which, over the past decade, has made great progress in the area of cancer diagnostics and therapy. However, the past few years have seen also an increasing number of DNA nanotechnology-related studies that particularly focus on the detection and inhibition of microbial and viral pathogens. Herein, a brief overview of this rather young research field is provided, successful concepts as well as potential challenges are identified, and promising directions for future research are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Smith
- DNA Nanodevices UnitDepartment DiagnosticsFraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI04103LeipzigGermany
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter PhysicsFaculty of Physics and Earth SciencesUniversity of Leipzig04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute of Clinical ImmunologyUniversity of Leipzig Medical School04103LeipzigGermany
- Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication TechnologyGandhinagar382 007India
| | - Adrian Keller
- Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryPaderborn UniversityWarburger Str. 10033098PaderbornGermany
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Hazam PK, Phukan C, Akhil R, Singh A, Ramakrishnan V. Antimicrobial effects of syndiotactic polypeptides. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1823. [PMID: 33469079 PMCID: PMC7815786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We present design and antibacterial studies of stereochemically diversified antimicrobial peptides against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Syndiotactic polypeptides are polymers of alternating L and D amino acids with LDLD or DLDL backbone stereochemical sequence, which can form stable gramicidin like helical conformations. We designed, synthesized and characterized eight model molecular systems with varied electrostatic fingerprints, modulated through calibrated sequence positioning. Six out of eight model systems showed very impressive antimicrobial activity against three difficult to treat bacterial species, Gentamicin resistant MRSA, E. coli and Mycobacterium. More importantly, the designed LDLD peptides were equally potent in serum, an important drawback of poly L peptide sequences due to enzyme mediated degradation and ion sensitivity. Further, we tested the activity of the designed peptides against drug-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Molecular dynamics simulation studies suggest formation of an assembly of individual peptides, preceding the membrane interaction and deformation. The activity estimates are comparable with the available peptide based antimicrobials, and are also highly specific and less toxic as per standard estimates. Incorporation of D amino-acids can significantly expand the peptide design space, which can in turn manifest in future biomaterial designs, especially antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kishore Hazam
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781125, India
| | - Chimanjita Phukan
- Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Bhangagarh, Guwahati, Assam, 781032, India
| | - R Akhil
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Anjali Singh
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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Ferreira AR, Teixeira C, Sousa CF, Bessa LJ, Gomes P, Gameiro P. How Insertion of a Single Tryptophan in the N-Terminus of a Cecropin A-Melittin Hybrid Peptide Changes Its Antimicrobial and Biophysical Profile. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11010048. [PMID: 33445476 PMCID: PMC7826622 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the era of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for efficient antibiotic therapies to fight bacterial infections. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMP) are promising lead compounds given their membrane-targeted mechanism of action, and high affinity towards the anionic composition of bacterial membranes. We present a new CAMP, W-BP100, derived from the highly active BP100, holding an additional tryptophan at the N-terminus. W-BP100 showed a broader antibacterial activity, demonstrating a potent activity against Gram-positive strains. Revealing a high partition constant towards anionic over zwitterionic large unilamellar vesicles and inducing membrane saturation at a high peptide/lipid ratio, W-BP100 has a preferential location for hydrophobic environments. Contrary to BP100, almost no aggregation of anionic vesicles is observed around saturation conditions and at higher concentrations no aggregation is observed. With these results, it is possible to state that with the incorporation of a single tryptophan to the N-terminus, a highly active peptide was obtained due to the π-electron system of tryptophan, resulting in negatively charged clouds, that participate in cation-π interactions with lysine residues. Furthermore, we propose that W-BP100 action can be achieved by electrostatic interactions followed by peptide translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Ferreira
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Carla F. Sousa
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences Campus E8 1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Lucinda J. Bessa
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Paula Gomes
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Paula Gameiro
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
- Correspondence:
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He S, Yang Z, Yu W, Li J, Li Z, Wang J, Shan A. Systematically Studying the Optimal Amino Acid Distribution Patterns of the Amphiphilic Structure by Using the Ultrashort Amphiphiles. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:569118. [PMID: 33324358 PMCID: PMC7725003 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.569118] [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: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphipathicity has traditionally been considered to be essential for the de novo design or systematic optimization of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). However, the current research methods to study the relationship between amphiphilicity and antimicrobial activity are inappropriate, because the key parameters (hydrophobicity, positive charge, etc.) and secondary structure of AMPs are changed. To systematically and accurately study the effects of amphiphilicity on antimicrobial properties of AMPs, we designed parallel series of AMPs with a different order of amino acids in a sequence composed only of Arg and either Trp (WR series) or Leu (LR series), under conditions in which other vital parameters were fixed. Furthermore, based on the WR and LR peptides that can form stable amphiphilic β-sheet structures in the anionic membrane-mimetic environment, we found that high β-sheet amphipathic was accompanied by strong antimicrobial activity. Of such peptides, W5 ([RW]4W) and L5 ([RL]4L) with a nicely amphipathic β-sheet structure possessed the optimal therapeutic index. W5 and L5 also exhibited high stability in vitro and a potent membrane-disruptive mechanism. These results suggest that the alternate arrangement of hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues to form a stable amphipathic β-sheet structure is an essential factor that significantly affects the antimicrobial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi He
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhanyi Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Weikang Yu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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Huan Y, Kong Q, Mou H, Yi H. Antimicrobial Peptides: Classification, Design, Application and Research Progress in Multiple Fields. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:582779. [PMID: 33178164 PMCID: PMC7596191 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.582779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 588] [Impact Index Per Article: 147.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of small peptides that widely exist in nature and they are an important part of the innate immune system of different organisms. AMPs have a wide range of inhibitory effects against bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and the increasing of concerns about the use of antibiotics resulted in the development of AMPs, which have a good application prospect in medicine, food, animal husbandry, agriculture and aquaculture. This review introduces the progress of research on AMPs comprehensively and systematically, including their classification, mechanism of action, design methods, environmental factors affecting their activity, application status, prospects in various fields and problems to be solved. The research progress on antivirus peptides, especially anti-coronavirus (COVID-19) peptides, has been introduced given the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide in 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qing Kong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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Obuobi S, Mayandi V, Nor NAM, Lee BJ, Lakshminarayanan R, Ee PLR. Nucleic acid peptide nanogels for the treatment of bacterial keratitis. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:17411-17425. [PMID: 32794541 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr03095c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cage-shaped nucleic acid nanocarriers are promising molecular scaffolds for the organization of polypeptides. However, there is an unmet need for facile loading strategies that truly emulate nature's host-guest systems to drive encapsulation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) without loss of biological activity. Herein, we develop DNA nanogels with rapid in situ loading of L12 peptide during the thermal annealing process. By leveraging the binding affinity of L12 to the polyanionic core, we successfully confine the AMPs within the DNA nanogel. We report that the thermostability of L12 in parallel with the high encapsulation efficiency, low toxicity and sustained drug release of the pre-loaded L12 nanogels can be translated into significant antimicrobial activity. Using an S. aureus model of infectious bacterial keratitis, we observe fast resolution of clinical symptoms and significant reduction of bacterial bioburden. Collectively, this study paves the way for the development of DNA nanocarriers for caging AMPs with immense significance to address the rise of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybil Obuobi
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 18 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.
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Selvarajan V, Obuobi S, Ee PLR. Silica Nanoparticles-A Versatile Tool for the Treatment of Bacterial Infections. Front Chem 2020; 8:602. [PMID: 32760699 PMCID: PMC7374024 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid emergence of drug resistance continues to outpace the development of new antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases. Conventional therapy is currently limited by drug access issues such as low intracellular drug accumulations, drug efflux by efflux pumps and/or enzymatic degradation. To improve access, targeted delivery using nanocarriers could provide the quantum leap in intracellular drug transport and retention. Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) with crucial advantages such as large surface area, ease-of-functionalization, and biocompatibility, are one of the most commonly used nanoparticles in drug delivery applications. A porous variant, called the mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), also confers additional amenities such as tunable pore size and volume, leading to high drug loading capacity. In the context of bacterial infections, SiNPs and its variants can act as a powerful tool for the targeted delivery of antimicrobials, potentially reducing the impact of high drug dosage and its side effects. In this review, we will provide an overview of SiNPs synthesis, its structural proficiency which is critical in loading and conjugation of antimicrobials and its role in different antimicrobial applications with emphasis on intracellular drug targeting in anti-tuberculosis therapy, nitric oxide delivery, and metal nanocomposites. The role of SiNPs in antibiofilm coatings will also be covered in the context of nosocomial infections and surgical implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanitha Selvarajan
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sybil Obuobi
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, UIT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pui Lai Rachel Ee
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, Singapore, Singapore
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Obuobi S, Škalko-Basnet N. Nucleic Acid Hybrids as Advanced Antibacterial Nanocarriers. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:E643. [PMID: 32650506 PMCID: PMC7408145 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12070643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional antibiotic therapy is often challenged by poor drug penetration/accumulation at infection sites and poses a significant burden to public health. Effective strategies to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of our existing arsenal include the use of nanoparticulate delivery platforms to improve drug targeting and minimize adverse effects. However, these nanocarriers are often challenged by poor loading efficiency, rapid release and inefficient targeting. Nucleic acid hybrid nanocarriers are nucleic acid nanosystems complexed or functionalized with organic or inorganic materials. Despite their immense potential in antimicrobial therapy, they are seldom utilized against pathogenic bacteria. With the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and the associated complex interplay of factors involved in antibiotic resistance, nucleic acid hybrids represent a unique opportunity to deliver antimicrobials against resistant pathogens and to target specific genes that control virulence or resistance. This review provides an unbiased overview on fabricating strategies for nucleic acid hybrids and addresses the challenges of pristine oligonucleotide nanocarriers. We report recent applications to enhance pathogen targeting, binding and control drug release. As multifunctional next-generational antimicrobials, the challenges and prospect of these nanocarriers are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybil Obuobi
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Universitetsveien 57, 9037 Tromsø, Norway;
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Qi P, Wang Y, Zhang D, Sun Y, Zheng L. Multichannel bacterial discrimination based on recognition and disintegration disparity of short antimicrobial peptides. Anal Biochem 2020; 600:113764. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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50
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Di YP, Lin Q, Chen C, Montelaro RC, Doi Y, Deslouches B. Enhanced therapeutic index of an antimicrobial peptide in mice by increasing safety and activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay6817. [PMID: 32426473 PMCID: PMC7195177 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay6817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance underscores the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potentially effective therapeutics that disrupt bacterial membranes regardless of resistance to traditional antibiotics. We have developed engineered cationic AMPs (eCAPs) with broad activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, but stability remains an important concern. Therefore, we sought to enhance the clinical utility of eCAP WLBU2 in biological matrices relevant to respiratory infection. A designed substitution of d-Val for l-Val resulted in increased resistance to protease enzymatic degradation. We observed multiple gains of functions such as higher activity against bacteria in biofilm mode of growth, significantly lower toxicity to erythrocytes and white blood cells compared to WLBU2, with increased safety in mice. Direct airway delivery revealed a therapeutic index of >140 for the selected enantiomer compared to that of <35 for WLBU2. The data warrant clinical exploration by aerosolized delivery to mitigate MDR-related respiratory infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. P. Di
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Q. Lin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - C. Chen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - R. C. Montelaro
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Y. Doi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Departments of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - B. Deslouches
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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