1
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Fathi F, Alizadeh B, Tabarzad MV, Tabarzad M. Important structural features of antimicrobial peptides towards specific activity: Trends in the development of efficient therapeutics. Bioorg Chem 2024; 149:107524. [PMID: 38850782 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107524] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Proteins and peptides, as polypeptide chains, have usually got unique conformational structures for effective biological activity. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a group of bioactive peptides, which have been increasingly studied during recent years for their promising antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as, other esteemed bioactivities. Numerous AMPs have been separated from a wide range of natural resources, or produced in vitro through chemical synthesis and recombinant protein expression. Natural AMPs have had limited clinical application due to several drawbacks, such as their short half-life due to protease degradation, lack of activity at physiological salt concentrations, toxicity to mammalian cells, and the absence of suitable methods of delivery for the AMPs that are targeted and sustained. The creation of synthetic analogs of AMPs would both avoid the drawbacks of the natural analogs and maintain or even increase the antimicrobial effectiveness. The structure-activity relationship of discovered AMPs or their derivatives facilitates the development of synthetic AMPs. This review discovered that the relationship between the activity of AMPs and their positive net charge, hydrophobicity, and amino acid sequence and the relationship between AMPs' function and other features like their topology, glycosylation, and halogenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Fathi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Alizadeh
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Vahid Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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2
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Hsu PH, Hazam PK, Huang YP, Yeh JC, Chen YR, Li CC, Chang CF, Liou JW, Chen JY. Sequential rearrangement and stereochemical reorganization to design an antimicrobial peptide with enhanced stability. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:116088. [PMID: 38159380 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116088] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are natural molecules that function within the innate immune system to counteract pathogenic invasion and minimize the detrimental consequences of infection. However, utilizing these molecules for medical applications has been challenging. In this study, we selected a model AMP with poor stability, Tilapia Piscidin 4 (TP4), and modified its sequence and chirality (TP4-γ) to improve its potential for clinical application. The strategy of chirality inversion was inspired by the cereulide peptide, which has a DDLL enantiomer pattern and exhibits exceptional stability. Sequential substitution of key residues and selective chirality inversion yielded a less toxic peptide with enhanced stability and notable antimicrobial activity. In addition to its superior stability profile and antimicrobial activity, TP4-γ treatment reduced the level of LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) release in a macrophage cell line. This reduction in NO release may reflect anti-inflammatory properties, as NO is widely known to promote inflammatory processes. Hence, our heterochiral peptide construct shows a more suitable pharmacokinetic profile than its parental compound, and further studies are warranted to develop the molecule for potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsien Hsu
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Road, Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Prakash Kishore Hazam
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Rd., Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Huang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Chao Yeh
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Rd., Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ru Chen
- Academia Sinica Protein Clinic, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang District, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chin Li
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Fon Chang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Je-Wen Liou
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Rd, Hualien 970, Taiwan.
| | - Jyh-Yih Chen
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Rd., Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan; The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center and the Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
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3
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Jiang X, Borkum T, Shprits S, Boen J, Arshavsky-Graham S, Rofman B, Strauss M, Colodner R, Sulam J, Halachmi S, Leonard H, Segal E. Accurate Prediction of Antimicrobial Susceptibility for Point-of-Care Testing of Urine in Less than 90 Minutes via iPRISM Cassettes. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303285. [PMID: 37587020 PMCID: PMC10625094 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The extensive and improper use of antibiotics has led to a dramatic increase in the frequency of antibiotic resistance among human pathogens, complicating infectious disease treatments. In this work, a method for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is presented using microstructured silicon diffraction gratings integrated into prototype devices, which enhance bacteria-surface interactions and promote bacterial colonization. The silicon microstructures act also as optical sensors for monitoring bacterial growth upon exposure to antibiotics in a real-time and label-free manner via intensity-based phase-shift reflectometric interference spectroscopic measurements (iPRISM). Rapid AST using clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from urine is established and the assay is applied directly on unprocessed urine samples from urinary tract infection patients. When coupled with a machine learning algorithm trained on clinical samples, the iPRISM AST is able to predict the resistance or susceptibility of a new clinical sample with an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) of ∼ 0.85 in 1 h, and AUC > 0.9 in 90 min, when compared to state-of-the-art automated AST methods used in the clinic while being an order of magnitude faster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jiang
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Talya Borkum
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Sagi Shprits
- Department of Urology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, 3104800, Israel
| | - Joseph Boen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Clark 320B, 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sofia Arshavsky-Graham
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Baruch Rofman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Merav Strauss
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, 1834111, Israel
| | - Raul Colodner
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, 1834111, Israel
| | - Jeremias Sulam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Clark 320B, 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sarel Halachmi
- Department of Urology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, 3104800, Israel
- The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Heidi Leonard
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Ester Segal
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
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4
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Prakash V, Christian Y, Redkar AS, Roy A, Anandalakshmi R, Ramakrishnan V. Antibacterial hydrogels of aromatic tripeptides. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6360-6371. [PMID: 35971808 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00606e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled peptide hydrogels have emerged as alternatives to the conventional approaches employed in controlled drug release, wound-healing, and drug delivery, and as anti-infective agents. However, peptide hydrogels possessing antibacterial properties are less explored. In this work, we have designed three ultrashort antibacterial peptide hydrogels: Fmoc-FFH-CONH2, Fmoc-FHF-CONH2, and Fmoc-HFF-CONH2. The rheological study showed the higher storage modulus of Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 (30.43 kPa) compared to Fmoc-FHF-CONH2 and Fmoc-HFF-CONH2, which may be attributed to the enhanced aromatic interaction in Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 compared to the other two variants, resulting in more mechanical rigidity. Further, the prepared hydrogels were evaluated for their inherent antibacterial potency against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, strain MTCC 96) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, strain PA01) bacteria. Antibacterial experiments demonstrated the potency of the hydrogels in the order of Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 > Fmoc-FHF-CONH2 > Fmoc-HFF-CONH2. The antibacterial effect of the hydrogels was predominantly due to the osmotic stress and membrane disruption, which was verified by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and outer membrane permeabilization assays. Our findings point to the scope of using the synthesized peptide hydrogels as agents for topical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Prakash
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Amay Sanjay Redkar
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Abhishek Roy
- Advanced Energy & Materials Systems Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - R Anandalakshmi
- Advanced Energy & Materials Systems Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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5
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Jerath G, Darvin P, Christian Y, Trivedi V, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Delivery of Small Molecules by Syndiotactic Peptides for Breast Cancer Therapy. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:2877-2887. [PMID: 35839086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The utilization of peptide-based drug delivery systems has been suboptimal due to their poor proteolytic susceptibility, poor cell permeability, and limited tumor homing capabilities. Earlier attempts in using d-enantiomers in peptide sequences increased proteolytic stability but have compromised the overall penetration capability. We designed a series of peptides (STRAPs) with a syndiotactic polypeptide backbone that can potentially form a spatial array of cationic groups, an important feature that facilitates cellular uptake. The peptides penetrate cell membranes through a combination of active and passive modes. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of the peptides was unaffected by the presence of or treatment with bovine serum and human plasma. The designed peptides successfully delivered methotrexate, an anticancer drug, to the in vitro and in vivo models of breast cancer, with the best performing peptide STRAP-4-MTX conjugate having an EC50 value of 1.34 μM. Peptide drug delivery in mouse xenograft models showed a greater reduction of primary tumor and metastasis of breast cancer, in comparison to methotrexate of the same dose. The in vivo biodistribution assay of the STRAP-4 peptide suggests that the peptide accumulates at the tumor site after 2 h of treatment, and in the absence of tumors, the peptide gets metabolized and excreted from the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Jerath
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Pramod Darvin
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Vishal Trivedi
- Malaria Research Group, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
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6
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Saikia J, Bhat VT, Potnuru LR, Redkar AS, Agarwal V, Ramakrishnan V. Minimalist De Novo Design of an Artificial Enzyme. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:19131-19140. [PMID: 35721939 PMCID: PMC9202009 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We employed a reductionist approach in designing the first heterochiral tripeptide that forms a robust heterogeneous short peptide catalyst similar to the "histidine brace" active site of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases. The histidine brace is a conserved divalent copper ion-binding motif that comprises two histidine side chains and an amino group to create the T-shaped 3N geometry at the reaction center. The geometry parameters, including a large twist angle (73°) between the two imidazole rings of the model complex, are identical to those of native lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (72.61°). The complex was synthesized and characterized as a structural and functional mimic of the histidine brace. UV-vis, vis-circular dichroism, Raman, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses suggest a distorted square-pyramidal geometry with a 3N coordination at pH 7. Solution- and solid-state NMR results further confirm the 3N coordination in the copper center of the complex. The complex is pH-dependent and could catalyze the oxidation of benzyl alcohol in water to benzaldehyde with yields up to 82% in 3 h at pH 7 and above at 40 °C. The catalyst achieved 100% selectivity for benzaldehyde compared to conventional copper catalysis. The design of such a minimalist building block for functional soft materials with a pH switch can be a stepping stone in addressing needs for a cleaner and sustainable future catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahnu Saikia
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Venugopal T. Bhat
- Organic
Synthesis and Catalysis Laboratory SRM Research Institute and Department
of Chemistry SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Lokeswara Rao Potnuru
- TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500107, India
| | - Amay S. Redkar
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Vipin Agarwal
- TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500107, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
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7
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Sasidharan S, Ramakrishnan V. Aromatic interactions directing peptide nano-assembly. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 130:119-160. [PMID: 35534106 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembly is a process of spontaneous organization of molecules as a result of non-covalent interactions. Organized self-assembly at the nano level is emerging as a powerful tool in the bottom-up fabrication of functional nanostructures for targeted applications. Aromatic π-π stacking plays a significant role by facilitating the persistent supramolecular association of individual subunits to the self-assembled structures of high stability. Understanding, the supramolecular chemistry of the materials interacting through aromatic interactions, is of tremendous interest in not only constructing functional materials but also in revealing the mechanism of molecular assembly in living organisms. This chapter aims to focus on understanding the potential role of π-π interactions in directing and regulating the self-assembly of peptide nanostructures. The scope of the chapter starts with an outline of the history and mechanism of the aromatic π-π interactions. It progresses through the design strategy for the assembly of peptides containing aromatic rings, the conditions affecting the aromatic stacking interactions, their resulting nanoassemblies, properties, and applications. The properties and applications of the supramolecular materials formed through the aromatic stacking interactions are highlighted to provide an increased understanding of the role of weak interactions in the design and construction of novel functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajitha Sasidharan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India.
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8
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Chandrasekharan A, Christian Y, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Molecular hybridization combining tumor homing and penetrating peptide domains for cellular targeting. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2021; 12:1285-1292. [PMID: 34333729 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-01035-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A complete peptide-based drug delivery unit has been designed with a tumor homing domain chemically linked to a syndiotactic cell-penetrating domain. The designed peptides were synthesized, characterized, and tested in vitro for cellular uptake and cytotoxicity evaluation. The differential uptake, cellular internalization, negligible hemotoxicity, selective toxicity to MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and the superior penetration in three-dimensional MDA-MB-231 tumorospheres confirm their utility as a promising delivery vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Cancer Research Program-1, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Cancer Research Program-1, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
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9
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The Present and Future Role of Microfluidics for Protein and Peptide-Based Therapeutics and Diagnostics. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11094109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The implementation of peptide-based molecules within the medical field has vast potential, owing to their unique nature and predictable physicochemical profiles. However, peptide therapeutic usage is hindered by delivery-related challenges, meaning that their formulations must be altered to overcome these limitations. This process could be propelled by applying microfluidics (MFs) due to its highly controllable and adaptable attributes; however, therapeutic research within this field is extremely limited. Peptides possess multifunctional roles within therapeutic formulations, ranging from enhancing target specificity to acting as the active component of the medicine. Diagnostically, MFs are well explored in the field of peptides, as MFs provide an unsullied platform to provide fast yet accurate examinations. The capacity to add attributes, such as integrated sensors and microwells, to the MF chip, only enhances the attractiveness of MFs as a diagnostic platform. The structural individuality of peptides makes them prime candidates for diagnostic purposes, for example, antigen detection and isolation. Therefore, this review provides a useful insight into the current applications of MFs for peptide-based therapy and diagnostics and highlights potential gaps in the field that are yet to be explored or optimized.
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10
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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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11
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Prakash V, Ranbhor R, Ramakrishnan V. De Novo Designed Heterochiral Blue Fluorescent Protein. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:26382-26388. [PMID: 33110966 PMCID: PMC7581079 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c02574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Diversification of chain stereochemistry offers a tremendous increase in protein design space. We have designed a minimal fluorescent protein, pregnant with β-(1-azulenyl)-l-alanine in the hydrophobic core of a heterotactic protein scaffold, employing automated design tools such as automated repetitive simulated annealing molecular dynamics and IDeAS. The de novo designed heterochiral protein can be selectively excited at 342 nm, quite distant from the intrinsic fluorophore, and emits in the blue region. The structure and stability of the designed proteins were evaluated by established spectroscopic and calorimetric methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Prakash
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Ranjit Ranbhor
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
- . Phone: +91-361-258-2227
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12
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Chandrasekharan A, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Peptide-based delivery vectors with pre-defined geometrical locks. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:1303-1313. [PMID: 34095842 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00229a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Design of peptide-based targeted delivery vectors with attributes of specificity and selective cellular targeting by fixing their topology and resulting electrostatic fingerprint is the objective of this study. We formulated our peptide design platform by utilizing the possibilities of side-chain induced geometric restrictions in a typical peptide molecule. Conceptually, we locked the conformation of the RGD/NGR motif of tumor homing peptides (THPs) by mutating glycine in these motifs with d-proline and tailed the peptides with a syndiotactic amphipathic segment for cellular penetration. The designed peptides were synthesized, characterized, and tested in vitro on various cell lines, including breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer (HeLa), osteosarcoma (U2-OS) and non-cancer mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A), by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The results showed differential cellular uptake in different cell types, as a result of the distinct electrostatic fingerprint encoded in their design. The uptake of serum pre-treated peptides by cells reveals the retention of peptide activity even after the incubation with serum. In addition, peptide-methotrexate (MTX) conjugates compared to the methotrexate drug showed enhanced apoptotic cell death in MTX-resistant MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating the increase in MTX bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
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13
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Jerath G, Goyal R, Trivedi V, Santhoshkumar TR, Ramakrishnan V. Conformationally constrained peptides for drug delivery. J Pept Sci 2020; 26:e3244. [PMID: 32128940 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Peptides have shown great potential in acting as template for developing versatile carrier platforms in nanomedicine, aimed at selective delivery of drugs to only pathological tissues saving its normal neighbors. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short oligomeric peptides capable of translocating across the cell membrane while simultaneously employing multiple mechanisms of entry. Most CPPs exist as disordered structures in solution and may adopt a helical conformation on interaction with cell membrane, vital to their penetrative capability. Herein, we report a series of cationic helical amphipathic peptides (CHAPs), which are topologically constrained to be helical. The peptides were tested against cervical and breast cancer cells for their cell penetration and drug delivery potential. The cellular uptake of CHAP peptides is independent of temperature and energy availability. The activity of the peptides is biocompatible in bovine serum. CHAPs delivered functional methotrexate (MTX) inside the cell as CHAP-MTX conjugates. CHAP-MTX conjugates were more toxic to cancer cells than MTX alone. However, the CHAP-MTX conjugates were less toxic to HEK-293 cells compared with the cancer cells suggesting higher affinity towards cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Jerath
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Ruchika Goyal
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Vishal Trivedi
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | | | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
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Volejníková A, Melicherčík P, Nešuta O, Vaňková E, Bednárová L, Rybáček J, Čeřovský V. Antimicrobial peptides prevent bacterial biofilm formation on the surface of polymethylmethacrylate bone cement. J Med Microbiol 2019; 68:961-972. [PMID: 31107198 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Antibiotic-loaded polymethylmethacrylate-based bone cement has been implemented in orthopaedics to cope with implant-related infections associated with the formation of bacterial biofilms. In the context of emerging bacterial resistance to current antibiotics, we examined the efficacy of short antimicrobial peptide-loaded bone cement in inhibiting bacterial adhesion and consequent biofilm formation on its surface. METHODOLOGY The ability of α-helical antimicrobial peptides composed of 12 amino acid residues to prevent bacterial biofilm [methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli] formation on the surface of model implants made from polymethylmethacrylate-based bone cement was evaluated by colony-forming unit (c.f.u.) counting of bacteria released by sonication from the biofilms formed on their surfaces. The biofilms on model implant surfaces were also visualized by light microscopy after staining with tetrazolium dye (MTT) and by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS When incorporated in the implants, these peptides caused a mean reduction in the number of bacterial cells attached to implants' surfaces (by five orders of magnitude), and 88 % of these implants showed no bacterial adhesion after being exposed to growth media containing various bacteria. CONCLUSION The results showed that the antibiofilm activity of these peptides was comparable to that of the antibiotics, but the peptides exhibited broader specificity than the antibiotics. Given the rapid development of antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial peptides show promise as a substitute for antibiotics for loading into bone cements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Volejníková
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Melicherčík
- 2 Department of Orthopaedics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Nešuta
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Vaňková
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bednárová
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Rybáček
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Čeřovský
- 1 Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Hazam PK, Akhil R, Jerath G, Saikia J, Ramakrishnan V. Topological effects on the designability and bactericidal potency of antimicrobial peptides. Biophys Chem 2019; 248:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Jerath G, Goyal R, Trivedi V, Santhoshkumar T, Ramakrishnan V. Syndiotactic peptides for targeted delivery. Acta Biomater 2019; 87:130-139. [PMID: 30665017 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Lack of cell-type specificity and proteolytic susceptibility have long been the major bottlenecks for the development of peptide-based biomaterials for targeted drug delivery. Though a poly-l backbone provides the adaptability to re-conform the peptide structure to bind to a receptor, it also makes the peptide more susceptible to proteolytic cleavage. We have attempted to address this issue by designing a set of syndiotactic peptides de novo, with alternating l- and d-amino acids in succession. The designed peptides have higher rates of cellular uptake than the Tat (48-60) peptide in breast and cervical cancer cells. The uptake is independent of concentration, temperature and endocytosis (clathrin mediated). Importantly, the peptides are stable in both human plasma and bovine serum. The peptide-drug conjugates are much less toxic to the non-cancerous cells than cancer cells. The designed peptides are a step forward towards the development of targeted drug delivery vectors on peptide templates. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Present options in chemotherapy have multiple side effects arising from the lack of cell-type specificity, which makes them synonymous with "a Pyrrhic victory". Proteolytic susceptibility and non-specificity towards cancer cells has stunted the development of peptide-based biomaterials for targeted drug delivery. We have designed a set of peptides, addressing the above-mentioned roadblocks at an in vitro level. The peptides were designed on the template of a naturally existing peptide antibiotic from Bacillus brevis. The designed peptides have higher rates of cellular transduction than the model peptide (Tat), and is majorly membrane based. The peptides are stable in serum and selective towards cancer cells. Observations presented in this work can potentially take the discipline of de novo design of biomaterial conjugates forward.
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Antimicrobial peptides from C-terminal amphipathic region of E. coli FtsA. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:2506-2514. [PMID: 30279152 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides constitute an indispensable component of innate immune system in organisms ranging from bacteria to man. Despite this, peptides lag far behind the conventional antibiotics in treating infections. The menace of multidrug-resistant bacteria, however, has revived the antimicrobial peptide research. We reasoned that the membrane-binding regions of bacterial proteins could be purposed to combat them. Here, we identify potent antimicrobial peptides from the C-terminal amphipathic helix of E. coli FtsA protein. The 11 and 13-residue peptides exhibited activity against E. coli, gentamicin-resistant MRSA, and C. albicans. The activity is little affected by the presence of salt and divalent cations. The peptides preferentially bind to the negatively-charged membranes as indicated by tryptophan fluorescence studies. The peptides permeabilize the E. coli outer and inner membranes at very promising concentrations suggesting membrane-disruption as one of the mechanisms of killing.
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Hazam PK, Goyal R, Ramakrishnan V. Peptide based antimicrobials: Design strategies and therapeutic potential. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 142:10-22. [PMID: 30125585 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic activity of antibiotics is noteworthy, as they are used in the treatment of microbial infections. Regardless of their utility, there has been a steep decrease in the number of drug candidates due to antibiotic resistance, an inevitable consequence of noncompliance with the full therapeutic regimen. A variety of resistant species like MDR (Multi-Drug Resistant), XDR (Extensively Drug-Resistant) and PDR (Pan Drug-Resistant) species have evolved, but discovery pipeline has already shown signs of getting dried up. Therefore, the need for newer antibiotics is of utmost priority to combat the microbial infections of future times. Peptides have some interesting features like minimal side effect, high tolerability and selectivity towards specific targets, which would help them successfully comply with the stringent safety standards set for clinical trials. In this review, we attempt to present the state of the art in the discovery of peptide-based antimicrobials from a design perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kishore Hazam
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, 781039, India
| | - Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, 781039, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, 781039, India.
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Ranbhor R, Kumar A, Tendulkar A, Patel K, Ramakrishnan V, Durani S. IDeAS: automated design tool for hetero-chiral protein folds. Phys Biol 2018; 15:066005. [PMID: 29923499 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/aacdc3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Incorporating D amino acids in the protein design alphabet can in principle multiply the design space by many orders of magnitude. All native proteins are polymers composed of L chiral amino acids. Practically limitless in diversity over amino acid sequences, protein structure is limited in folds and thus shapes, principally due to the poly L stereochemistry of their backbone. To diversify shapes, we introduced both L- and D α-amino acids as design alphabets to explore the possibility of generating novel folds, varied in chemical as well as stereo-chemical sequence. Now, to have stereochemically-defined proteins tuned chemically, we present the Inverse Design and Automation Software, IDeAS. Retro-fitting side chains on a backbone with L and D stereochemistry, the software demonstrate functional fits over stereo-chemically diverse folds in a range of applications of interest in protein design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjit Ranbhor
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
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Bactericidal Potency and Extended Serum Life of Stereo-Chemically Engineered Peptides Against Mycobacterium. Int J Pept Res Ther 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-018-9690-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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