1
|
Sowers A, Wang G, Xing M, Li B. Advances in Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery via Machine Learning and Delivery via Nanotechnology. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1129. [PMID: 37317103 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been investigated for their potential use as an alternative to antibiotics due to the increased demand for new antimicrobial agents. AMPs, widely found in nature and obtained from microorganisms, have a broad range of antimicrobial protection, allowing them to be applied in the treatment of infections caused by various pathogenic microorganisms. Since these peptides are primarily cationic, they prefer anionic bacterial membranes due to electrostatic interactions. However, the applications of AMPs are currently limited owing to their hemolytic activity, poor bioavailability, degradation from proteolytic enzymes, and high-cost production. To overcome these limitations, nanotechnology has been used to improve AMP bioavailability, permeation across barriers, and/or protection against degradation. In addition, machine learning has been investigated due to its time-saving and cost-effective algorithms to predict AMPs. There are numerous databases available to train machine learning models. In this review, we focus on nanotechnology approaches for AMP delivery and advances in AMP design via machine learning. The AMP sources, classification, structures, antimicrobial mechanisms, their role in diseases, peptide engineering technologies, currently available databases, and machine learning techniques used to predict AMPs with minimal toxicity are discussed in detail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Sowers
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Malcolm Xing
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Bingyun Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yang D, Zhu L, Lin X, Zhu J, Qian Y, Liu W, Chen J, Zhou C, He J. Therapeutic Effects of Synthetic Triblock Amphiphilic Short Antimicrobial Peptides on Human Lung Adenocarcinoma. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050929. [PMID: 35631515 PMCID: PMC9143638 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of their unique properties, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a potential reservoir of novel anticancer therapeutic agents. However, only a few AMPs can kill tumors with high efficiency, and obtaining inexpensive anticancer AMPs with strong activity is still a challenge. In our previous work, a series of original short amphiphilic triblock AMP (KnFmKn) analogues were developed which were demonstrated to exert excellent effects on bacterial infection, both in vitro and in vivo. Herein, the overall objectives were to assess the potent tumoricidal capacities of these analogues against human lung cancer cell line A549 and the underlying mechanism. The results of the CCK-8 assay revealed that the precise modification of the peptides’ primary sequences could modulate their tumoricidal potency. In the tumoricidal progress, positive charge and hydrophobicity were the key driving forces. Among these peptides, K4F6K4 displayed the most remarkable tumoricidal activity. Furthermore, the excellent anticancer capacity of K4F6K4 was proven by the live/dead cell staining, colony formation assay, and tumor growth observations on xenografted mice, which indicated that K4F6K4 might be a promising drug candidate for lung cancer, with no significant adverse effects in vitro or in vivo. In addition, the cell apoptosis assay using flow cytometry, the morphology observations using the optical microscope, confocal microscopy using CellMask™ Deep Red staining, and scanning electron microscope suggested that membrane disruption was the primary mechanism of its antitumor action. Through analyzing the structure–activity relationship, it was found that the amount of positive charge required for KnFmKn to exert its optimal tumoricidal effect was more than that needed for the antimicrobial activity, while the optimal proportion of hydrophobicity was less. Our findings suggest that further analysis of the structure–activity relationship of AMPs’ primary sequence variations will be beneficial. Hopefully, this work can provide guiding principles in designing peptide-based therapeutics for lung cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danjing Yang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Liang Zhu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Xiangyu Lin
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Jiaming Zhu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Yusheng Qian
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China;
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Chuncai Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China;
- Correspondence: (C.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Jing He
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; (D.Y.); (L.Z.); (X.L.); (J.Z.); (W.L.); (J.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.Z.); (J.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen C, Yuan J, Ji G, Zhang S, Gao Z. Amphioxus ribosomal proteins RPS15, RPS18, RPS19 and RPS30-precursor act as immune effectors via killing or agglutinating bacteria. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 118:147-154. [PMID: 34487827 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies show that some ribosomal proteins perform immune effector functions via killing bacteria directly. However, it remains largely unknown about other effector functions of ribosomal proteins during a bacterial infection. In this study, we expressed and purified four ribosomal proteins of the amphioxus Branchiostoma japonicum, termed rBjRPS15, rBjRPS18, rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30-precursor (rBjRPS30P). They all exhibited bactericidal activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, and with the exception of rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30P, were capable of killing Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Importantly, rBjRPS15, rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30P were able to agglutinate S. aureus in the presence of Mg2+, but none of them could agglutinate E. coli even in the presence of Mg2+ or Ca2+. Moreover, the S. aureus agglutination was achieved by the binding of these three proteins to the peptidoglycan component of the bacterial cell wall. This is the first report showing that some ribosomal proteins possess bacterial agglutinating activity, and these data provide a new angle to the roles of ribosomal proteins in immune defense.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyi Chen
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jianrui Yuan
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Guangdong Ji
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Shicui Zhang
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhan Gao
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bin Hafeez A, Jiang X, Bergen PJ, Zhu Y. Antimicrobial Peptides: An Update on Classifications and Databases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11691. [PMID: 34769122 PMCID: PMC8583803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are distributed across all kingdoms of life and are an indispensable component of host defenses. They consist of predominantly short cationic peptides with a wide variety of structures and targets. Given the ever-emerging resistance of various pathogens to existing antimicrobial therapies, AMPs have recently attracted extensive interest as potential therapeutic agents. As the discovery of new AMPs has increased, many databases specializing in AMPs have been developed to collect both fundamental and pharmacological information. In this review, we summarize the sources, structures, modes of action, and classifications of AMPs. Additionally, we examine current AMP databases, compare valuable computational tools used to predict antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of action, and highlight new machine learning approaches that can be employed to improve AMP activity to combat global antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmer Bin Hafeez
- Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan;
| | - Xukai Jiang
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Phillip J. Bergen
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
| | - Yan Zhu
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Melo MCR, Maasch JRMA, de la Fuente-Nunez C. Accelerating antibiotic discovery through artificial intelligence. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1050. [PMID: 34504303 PMCID: PMC8429579 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
By targeting invasive organisms, antibiotics insert themselves into the ancient struggle of the host-pathogen evolutionary arms race. As pathogens evolve tactics for evading antibiotics, therapies decline in efficacy and must be replaced, distinguishing antibiotics from most other forms of drug development. Together with a slow and expensive antibiotic development pipeline, the proliferation of drug-resistant pathogens drives urgent interest in computational methods that promise to expedite candidate discovery. Strides in artificial intelligence (AI) have encouraged its application to multiple dimensions of computer-aided drug design, with increasing application to antibiotic discovery. This review describes AI-facilitated advances in the discovery of both small molecule antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides. Beyond the essential prediction of antimicrobial activity, emphasis is also given to antimicrobial compound representation, determination of drug-likeness traits, antimicrobial resistance, and de novo molecular design. Given the urgency of the antimicrobial resistance crisis, we analyze uptake of open science best practices in AI-driven antibiotic discovery and argue for openness and reproducibility as a means of accelerating preclinical research. Finally, trends in the literature and areas for future inquiry are discussed, as artificially intelligent enhancements to drug discovery at large offer many opportunities for future applications in antibiotic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo C R Melo
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jacqueline R M A Maasch
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Computer and Information Science, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Torres MDT, Cao J, Franco OL, Lu TK, de la Fuente-Nunez C. Synthetic Biology and Computer-Based Frameworks for Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery. ACS NANO 2021; 15:2143-2164. [PMID: 33538585 PMCID: PMC8734659 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c09509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest challenges of our time. This global health problem originated from a paucity of truly effective antibiotic classes and an increased incidence of multi-drug-resistant bacterial isolates in hospitals worldwide. Indeed, it has been recently estimated that 10 million people will die annually from drug-resistant infections by the year 2050. Therefore, the need to develop out-of-the-box strategies to combat antibiotic resistance is urgent. The biological world has provided natural templates, called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which exhibit multiple intrinsic medical properties including the targeting of bacteria. AMPs can be used as scaffolds and, via engineering, can be reconfigured for optimized potency and targetability toward drug-resistant pathogens. Here, we review the recent development of tools for the discovery, design, and production of AMPs and propose that the future of peptide drug discovery will involve the convergence of computational and synthetic biology principles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo D T Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jicong Cao
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Octavio L Franco
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70790160, Brazil
- S-inova Biotech, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS 79117010, Brazil
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cardoso P, Glossop H, Meikle TG, Aburto-Medina A, Conn CE, Sarojini V, Valery C. Molecular engineering of antimicrobial peptides: microbial targets, peptide motifs and translation opportunities. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:35-69. [PMID: 33495702 PMCID: PMC7817352 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00784-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance has led the scientific community to highly engage into research on alternative strategies to the traditional small molecule therapeutics. Here, we review one of the most popular alternatives amongst basic and applied research scientists, synthetic antimicrobial peptides. The ease of peptide chemical synthesis combined with emerging engineering principles and potent broad-spectrum activity, including against multidrug-resistant strains, has motivated intense scientific focus on these compounds for the past decade. This global effort has resulted in significant advances in our understanding of peptide antimicrobial activity at the molecular scale. Recent evidence of molecular targets other than the microbial lipid membrane, and efforts towards consensus antimicrobial peptide motifs, have supported the rise of molecular engineering approaches and design tools, including machine learning. Beyond molecular concepts, supramolecular chemistry has been lately added to the debate; and helped unravel the impact of peptide self-assembly on activity, including on biofilms and secondary targets, while providing new directions in pharmaceutical formulation through taking advantage of peptide self-assembled nanostructures. We argue that these basic research advances constitute a solid basis for promising industry translation of rationally designed synthetic peptide antimicrobials, not only as novel drugs against multidrug-resistant strains but also as components of emerging antimicrobial biomaterials. This perspective is supported by recent developments of innovative peptide-based and peptide-carrier nanobiomaterials that we also review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Cardoso
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Hugh Glossop
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Celine Valery
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lee EY, Chan LC, Wang H, Lieng J, Hung M, Srinivasan Y, Wang J, Waschek JA, Ferguson AL, Lee KF, Yount NY, Yeaman MR, Wong GCL. PACAP is a pathogen-inducible resident antimicrobial neuropeptide affording rapid and contextual molecular host defense of the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e1917623117. [PMID: 33372152 PMCID: PMC7817161 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917623117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Defense of the central nervous system (CNS) against infection must be accomplished without generation of potentially injurious immune cell-mediated or off-target inflammation which could impair key functions. As the CNS is an immune-privileged compartment, inducible innate defense mechanisms endogenous to the CNS likely play an essential role in this regard. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide known to regulate neurodevelopment, emotion, and certain stress responses. While PACAP is known to interact with the immune system, its significance in direct defense of brain or other tissues is not established. Here, we show that our machine-learning classifier can screen for immune activity in neuropeptides, and correctly identified PACAP as an antimicrobial neuropeptide in agreement with previous experimental work. Furthermore, synchrotron X-ray scattering, antimicrobial assays, and mechanistic fingerprinting provided precise insights into how PACAP exerts antimicrobial activities vs. pathogens via multiple and synergistic mechanisms, including dysregulation of membrane integrity and energetics and activation of cell death pathways. Importantly, resident PACAP is selectively induced up to 50-fold in the brain in mouse models of Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans infection in vivo, without inducing immune cell infiltration. We show differential PACAP induction even in various tissues outside the CNS, and how these observed patterns of induction are consistent with the antimicrobial efficacy of PACAP measured in conditions simulating specific physiologic contexts of those tissues. Phylogenetic analysis of PACAP revealed close conservation of predicted antimicrobial properties spanning primitive invertebrates to modern mammals. Together, these findings substantiate our hypothesis that PACAP is an ancient neuro-endocrine-immune effector that defends the CNS against infection while minimizing potentially injurious neuroinflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Y Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Liana C Chan
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
| | - Huiyuan Wang
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
| | - Juelline Lieng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Mandy Hung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Yashes Srinivasan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Jennifer Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - James A Waschek
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Intellectual Development and Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Andrew L Ferguson
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Kuo-Fen Lee
- Peptide Biology Laboratories, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Nannette Y Yount
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
| | - Michael R Yeaman
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509;
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles County, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Intellectual Development and Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095;
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Scapin S, Formaggio F, Glisenti A, Biondi B, Scocchi M, Benincasa M, Peggion C. Sustainable, Site-Specific Linkage of Antimicrobial Peptides to Cotton Textiles. Macromol Biosci 2020; 20:e2000199. [PMID: 32852141 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202000199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A new general method to covalently link a peptide to cotton via thiazolidine ring formation is developed. Three different analogues of an ultrashort antibacterial peptide are synthesized to create an antibacterial fabric. The chemical ligation approach to the heterogeneous phase made up of insoluble cellulose fibers and a peptide solution in water is adapted. The selective click reaction occurs between an N-terminal cysteine on the peptide and an aldehyde on the cotton matrix. The aldehyde is generated on the primary alcohol of glucose by means of the enzyme laccase and the cocatalyst 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl. This keeps the pyranose rings intact and may bring a benefit to the mechanical properties of the fabric. The presence of the peptide on cotton is demonstrated through instant colorimetric tests, UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The antibacterial activity of the peptides is maintained even after their covalent attachment to cotton fibers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Scapin
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Fernando Formaggio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Antonella Glisenti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Barbara Biondi
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Scocchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica Benincasa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Peggion
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lee EY, Srinivasan Y, de Anda J, Nicastro LK, Tükel Ç, Wong GCL. Functional Reciprocity of Amyloids and Antimicrobial Peptides: Rethinking the Role of Supramolecular Assembly in Host Defense, Immune Activation, and Inflammation. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1629. [PMID: 32849553 PMCID: PMC7412598 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological self-assembly is a concept that is classically associated with amyloids, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease and α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease. In prokaryotic organisms, amyloids are assembled extracellularly in a similar fashion to human amyloids. Pathogenicity of amyloids is attributed to their ability to transform into several distinct structural states that reflect their downstream biological consequences. While the oligomeric forms of amyloids are thought to be responsible for their cytotoxicity via membrane permeation, their fibrillar conformations are known to interact with the innate immune system to induce inflammation. Furthermore, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic amyloids can self-assemble into molecular chaperones to bind nucleic acids, enabling amplification of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. Recent work has shown that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) follow a strikingly similar paradigm. Previously, AMPs were thought of as peptides with the primary function of permeating microbial membranes. Consistent with this, many AMPs are facially amphiphilic and can facilitate membrane remodeling processes such as pore formation and fusion. We show that various AMPs and chemokines can also chaperone and organize immune ligands into amyloid-like ordered supramolecular structures that are geometrically optimized for binding to TLRs, thereby amplifying immune signaling. The ability of amphiphilic AMPs to self-assemble cooperatively into superhelical protofibrils that form structural scaffolds for the ordered presentation of immune ligands like DNA and dsRNA is central to inflammation. It is interesting to explore the notion that the assembly of AMP protofibrils may be analogous to that of amyloid aggregates. Coming full circle, recent work has suggested that Aβ and other amyloids also have AMP-like antimicrobial functions. The emerging perspective is one in which assembly affords a more finely calibrated system of recognition and response: the detection of single immune ligands, immune ligands bound to AMPs, and immune ligands spatially organized to varying degrees by AMPs, result in different immunologic outcomes. In this framework, not all ordered structures generated during multi-stepped AMP (or amyloid) assembly are pathological in origin. Supramolecular structures formed during this process serve as signatures to the innate immune system to orchestrate immune amplification in a proportional, situation-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Y Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yashes Srinivasan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jaime de Anda
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lauren K Nicastro
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Çagla Tükel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,California Nano Systems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Feger G, Angelov B, Angelova A. Prediction of Amphiphilic Cell-Penetrating Peptide Building Blocks from Protein-Derived Amino Acid Sequences for Engineering of Drug Delivery Nanoassemblies. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:4069-4078. [PMID: 32337991 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c01618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amphiphilic molecules, forming self-assembled nanoarchitectures, are typically composed of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. Peptide amphiphiles can be designed from two, three, or four building blocks imparting novel structural and functional properties and affinities for interaction with cellular membranes or intracellular organelles. Here we present a combined numerical approach to design amphiphilic peptide scaffolds that are derived from the human nuclear Ki-67 protein. Ki-67 acts, like a biosurfactant, as a steric and electrostatic charge barrier against the collapse of mitotic chromosomes. The proposed predictive design of new Ki-67 protein-derived amphiphilic amino acid sequences exploits the computational outcomes of a set of web-accessible predictors, which are based on machine learning methods. The ensemble of such artificial intelligence algorithms, involving support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) classifiers, and neural networks (NN), enables the nanoengineering of a broad range of innovative peptide materials for therapeutic delivery in various applications. Amphiphilic cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), derived from natural protein sequences, may spontaneously form self-assembled nanocarriers characterized by enhanced cellular uptake. Thanks to their inherent low immunogenicity, they may enable the safe delivery of therapeutic molecules across the biological barriers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Feger
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay UMR8612, F-92296 Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Borislav Angelov
- Institute of Physics, ELI Beamlines, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Slovance 2, CZ-18221 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Angelina Angelova
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay UMR8612, F-92296 Châtenay-Malabry, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Han X, Kou Z, Jiang F, Sun X, Shang D. Interactions of Designed Trp-Containing Antimicrobial Peptides with DNA of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. DNA Cell Biol 2020; 40:414-424. [PMID: 32023094 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2019.4874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the intracellular mechanisms of seven Trp-containing peptides in clinically isolated multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA0108). The results showed that the Trp-containing peptides had high antibacterial activity against the MRPA0108 strain, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 6.25 to 25 μM. The peptides rapidly and completely killed the MRPA0108 at a concentration of 16 × MIC at 60-90 min. The Trp-containing peptides were found to penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and accumulate in the cells. A DNA gel retardation assay indicated that the peptides were able to bind with the genomic DNA of MRPA0108 cells; L5W exhibited a stronger DNA binding ability than that of the other peptides, and the ratio of peptide to DNA was 0.62/1. Next, the UV absorption spectrum of the DNA indicated that L5W interacted with the MRPA0108 genomic DNA and intercalated into the groove of the DNA molecule, resulting in loosening of the double-helical structure of the originally contracted DNA and leading to the occurrence of a hyperchromic effect. The circular dichroism spectrum suggested that I1W and L5W associated with the DNA via a trench combination mode resulting from the compact structure of the DNA double helix and reduction in ππ accumulation between base pairs. Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR demonstrated that the Trp-containing peptides could downregulate the expression of DNA replication-initiating genes in MRPA0108 cells. MRPA0108 DNA may be a potential active target for the antimicrobial activity of Trp-containing peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Han
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhiru Kou
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Fengquan Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaomi Sun
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Dejing Shang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.,Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hong J, Lu X, Deng Z, Xiao S, Yuan B, Yang K. How Melittin Inserts into Cell Membrane: Conformational Changes, Inter-Peptide Cooperation, and Disturbance on the Membrane. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24091775. [PMID: 31067828 PMCID: PMC6539814 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24091775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as a key component of the immune defense systems of organisms, are a promising solution to the serious threat of drug-resistant bacteria to public health. As one of the most representative and extensively studied AMPs, melittin has exceptional broad-spectrum activities against microorganisms, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Unfortunately, the action mechanism of melittin with bacterial membranes, especially the underlying physics of peptide-induced membrane poration behaviors, is still poorly understood, which hampers efforts to develop melittin-based drugs or agents for clinical applications. In this mini-review, we focus on recent advances with respect to the membrane insertion behavior of melittin mostly from a computational aspect. Membrane insertion is a prerequisite and key step for forming transmembrane pores and bacterial killing by melittin, whose occurrence is based on overcoming a high free-energy barrier during the transition of melittin molecules from a membrane surface-binding state to a transmembrane-inserting state. Here, intriguing simulation results on such transition are highlighted from both kinetic and thermodynamic aspects. The conformational changes and inter-peptide cooperation of melittin molecules, as well as melittin-induced disturbances to membrane structure, such as deformation and lipid extraction, are regarded as key factors influencing the insertion of peptides into membranes. The associated intermediate states in peptide conformations, lipid arrangements, membrane structure, and mechanical properties during this process are specifically discussed. Finally, potential strategies for enhancing the poration ability and improving the antimicrobial performance of AMPs are included as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Hong
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Xuemei Lu
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Zhixiong Deng
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Shufeng Xiao
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Bing Yuan
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Kai Yang
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lee EY, Zhang C, Di Domizio J, Jin F, Connell W, Hung M, Malkoff N, Veksler V, Gilliet M, Ren P, Wong GCL. Helical antimicrobial peptides assemble into protofibril scaffolds that present ordered dsDNA to TLR9. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1012. [PMID: 30833557 PMCID: PMC6399285 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08868-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphiphilicity in ɑ-helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is recognized as a signature of potential membrane activity. Some AMPs are also strongly immunomodulatory: LL37-DNA complexes potently amplify Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) activation in immune cells and exacerbate autoimmune diseases. The rules governing this proinflammatory activity of AMPs are unknown. Here we examine the supramolecular structures formed between DNA and three prototypical AMPs using small angle X-ray scattering and molecular modeling. We correlate these structures to their ability to activate TLR9 and show that a key criterion is the AMP's ability to assemble into superhelical protofibril scaffolds. These structures enforce spatially-periodic DNA organization in nanocrystalline immunocomplexes that trigger strong recognition by TLR9, which is conventionally known to bind single DNA ligands. We demonstrate that we can "knock in" this ability for TLR9 amplification in membrane-active AMP mutants, which suggests the existence of tradeoffs between membrane permeating activity and immunomodulatory activity in AMP sequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Y Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Changsheng Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Jeremy Di Domizio
- Department of Dermatology, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fan Jin
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, PR China
| | - Will Connell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mandy Hung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nicolas Malkoff
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Veronica Veksler
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michel Gilliet
- Department of Dermatology, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pengyu Ren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Malmsten M, Zauscher S. Editorial overview: Colloids and surfaces in biology. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|