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Zhang F, Yang P, Mao W, Zhong C, Zhang J, Chang L, Wu X, Liu H, Zhang Y, Gou S, Ni J. Short, mirror-symmetric antimicrobial peptides centered on "RRR" have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with low drug resistance and toxicity. Acta Biomater 2022; 154:145-167. [PMID: 36241015 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The increasingly severe bacterial resistance worldwide pushes people to discover and design potential antibacterial drugs unavoidably. In this work, a series of short, mirror-symmetric peptides were designed and successfully synthesized, centered on "RRR" and labeled with hydrophobic amino acids at both ends. Based on the structure-activity relationship analysis, LWWR (LWWRRRWWL-NH2) was screened as a desirable mirror-symmetric peptide for further study. As expected, LWWR displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against the standard bacteria and antibiotic-resistant strains. Undoubtedly, the high stability of LWWR in a complex physiological environment was an essential guarantee to maximizing its antibacterial activity. Indeed, LWWR also exhibited a rapid bactericidal speed and a low tendency to develop bacterial resistance, based on the multiple actions of non-receptor-mediated membrane actions and intra-cellular mechanisms. Surprisingly, although LWWR showed similar in vivo antibacterial activity compared with Polymyxin B and Melittin, the in vivo safety of LWWR was far higher than that of them, so LWWR had better therapeutic potential. In summary, the desirable mirror-symmetric peptide LWWR was promised as a potential antibacterial agent to confront the antibiotics resistance crisis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Witnessing the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, a series of short, mirror-symmetric peptides based on the symmetric center "RRR" and hydrophobic terminals were designed and synthesized in this study. Among, LWWR (LWWRRRWWL-NH2) presented broad-spectrum antibacterial activity both in vitro and in vivo due to its multiple mechanisms and good stability. Meanwhile, the low drug resistance and toxicity of LWWR also suggested its potential for clinical application. The findings of this study will provide some inspiration for the design and development of potential antibacterial agents, and contribute to the elimination of bacterial infections worldwide as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyan Zhang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Ping Yang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Wenbo Mao
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Linlin Chang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, 2019RU066, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China.
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Zhong C, Zhang F, Yao J, Zhu Y, Zhu N, Zhang Y, Liu H, Gou S, Ni J. Antimicrobial peptides with symmetric structures against multidrug-resistant bacteria while alleviating antimicrobial resistance. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 186:114470. [PMID: 33610592 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In response to the dramatically increasing antimicrobial resistance, a series of new symmetric peptides were designed and synthesized in this study by a "WWW" motif as the symmetric center, arginine as the positive charge amino acid and the terminus symmetrically tagged with hydrophobic amino acids. Amongst the new symmetric peptide FRRW (FRRWWWRRF-NH2) presented the highest cell selectivity for bacteria over mammalian cell and exerted excellent antimicrobial potential against a broad of bacteria, especially difficult-to-kill multidrug-resistant strains clinical isolates. FRRW also displayed perfect stability in physiological salt ions and rapid killing speed as well as acted on multiple mechanisms including non-receptor mediated membrane and intra-molecular mechanisms. Importantly, FRRW emerged a low tendency of resistance in contrast to traditional antibiotics ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. What's more, FRRW could resist or alleviate or even reverse the ciprofloxacin- and gentamicin-resistance by changing the permeability of bacterial membrane and inhibiting the efflux pumps of bacteria. Furthermore, FRRW exhibited remarkable effectiveness and higher safety in vivo than polymyxin B. In summary, the new symmetric peptide FRRW was promised to be as a new antimicrobial candidate for overcoming the increasing bacterial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fangyan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuewen Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ningyi Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macao 999078, China.
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3
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Lee H, Yang S, Shin SY. Improved Cell Selectivity of Symmetric α‐Helical Peptides Derived From Trp‐Rich Antimicrobial Peptides. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.12091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hyunhee Lee
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
| | - Sungtae Yang
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
| | - Song Yub Shin
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine School of Medicine, Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
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Fluorine-19 NMR spectroscopy of fluorinated analogs of tritrpticin highlights a distinct role for Tyr residues in antimicrobial peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Arias M, Haney EF, Hilchie AL, Corcoran JA, Hyndman ME, Hancock REW, Vogel HJ. Selective anticancer activity of synthetic peptides derived from the host defence peptide tritrpticin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183228. [PMID: 32126228 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a diverse family of peptides with the ability to protect their host against microbial infections. In addition to their ability to kill microorganisms, several AMPs also exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells and are collectively referred to as anticancer peptides (ACPs). Here a large library of AMPs, mainly derived from the porcine cathelicidin peptide, tritrpticin (VRRFPWWWPFLRR), were assessed for their anticancer activity against the Jurkat T cell leukemia line. These anticancer potencies were compared to the cytotoxicity of the peptides towards normal cells isolated from healthy donors, namely peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and red blood cells (RBCs; where hemolytic activity was assessed). Among the active tritrpticin derivatives, substitution of Arg by Lys enhanced the selectivity of the peptides towards Jurkat cells when compared to PBMCs. Additionally, the side chain length of the Lys residues was also optimized to further enhance the tritrpticin ACP selectivity at low concentrations. The mechanism of action of the peptides with high selectivity involved the permeabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane of Jurkat cells, without formation of apoptotic bodies. The incorporation of non-natural Lys-based cationic amino acids could provide a new strategy to improve the selectivity of other synthetic ACPs to enhance their potential for therapeutic use against leukemia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Arias
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Biophysics Group, School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín, Calle 65 No 59A-110, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Evan F Haney
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ashley L Hilchie
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Corcoran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease Department, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - M Eric Hyndman
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Southern Alberta Institute of Urology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2V 1P9, Canada
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hans J Vogel
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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Cote CK, Blanco II, Hunter M, Shoe JL, Klimko CP, Panchal RG, Welkos SL. Combinations of early generation antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides are effective against a broad spectrum of bacterial biothreat agents. Microb Pathog 2020; 142:104050. [PMID: 32050093 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The misuse of infectious disease pathogens as agents of deliberate attack on civilians and military personnel is a serious national security concern, which is exacerbated by the emergence of natural or genetically engineered multidrug resistant strains. In this study, the therapeutic potential of combinations of an antibiotic and a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide (AMP) was evaluated against five bacterial biothreats, the etiologic agents of glanders (Burkholderia mallei), melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei), plague (Yersinia pestis), tularemia (Francisella tularensis), and anthrax (Bacillus anthracis). The therapeutics included licensed early generation antibiotics which are now rarely used. Three antibiotics and one 24- amino acid AMP were selected based on MIC assay data. Combinations of the AMP and tigecycline, minocycline, or novobiocin were screened for synergistic activity by checkerboard MIC assay. The combinations each enhanced the susceptibility of several strains. The tetracycline-peptide combinations increased the sensitivities of Y. pestis, F. tularensis, B. anthracis and B. pseudomallei, and the novobiocin-AMP combination augmented the sensitivity of all five. In time-kill assays, down-selected combinations of the peptide and minocycline or tigecycline enhanced killing of B. anthracis, Y. pestis, F. tularensis, and Burkholderia mallei but not B. pseudomallei. The novobiocin-AMP pair significantly reduced viability of all strains except B. mallei, which was very sensitive to the antibiotic alone. The results suggested that antibiotic-AMP combinations are useful tools for combating diverse pathogens. Future studies employing cell culture and animal models will utilize virulent strains of the agents to investigate the in vivo availability, host cytotoxicity, and protective efficacy of these therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Cote
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA.
| | - Irma I Blanco
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA
| | - Melissa Hunter
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA
| | - Jennifer L Shoe
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA
| | - Christopher P Klimko
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA
| | | | - Susan L Welkos
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702-5011, USA.
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7
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Shao C, Li W, Tan P, Shan A, Dou X, Ma D, Liu C. Symmetrical Modification of Minimized Dermaseptins to Extend the Spectrum of Antimicrobials with Endotoxin Neutralization Potency. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061417. [PMID: 30897850 PMCID: PMC6470953 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a promising class of antimicrobial agents that could potentially address the global antibiotic resistance. Generating mirror-like peptides by minimizing dermaseptin family sequences is an effective strategy for designing AMPs. However, the previous research still had some limitations such as lower effectiveness and a narrow spectrum of antibacterial activity. To further expand and hone this strategy, we designed a series of AMPs consisting of the WXMXW-NH2 motif (X represents V, I, F, and W; M represents KAAAKAAAK). The peptides formed α-helices and displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against eleven types of clinical bacteria including both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The optimized peptide WW exhibited high physical rupture by inducing membrane shrinkage, disruption, and lysis. Moreover, WW effectively neutralized endotoxins and inhibited the inflammatory response while having the highest therapeutic index. In conclusion, these results indicated that the peptide WW has potential as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent or preservative for overcoming the risk of multidrug resistance in localized or external therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changxuan Shao
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Weizhong Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Weifang University, Weifang 261061, China.
| | - Peng Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Xiujing Dou
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Deying Ma
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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8
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Sun C, Li Y, Cao S, Wang H, Jiang C, Pang S, Hussain MA, Hou J. Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Action of Bovine Lactoferricin Derivatives with Symmetrical Amino Acid Sequences. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2951. [PMID: 30262770 PMCID: PMC6213309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19102951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the overuse of antibiotics has become very serious. Many pathogenic bacteria have become resistant to them, with serious potential health consequences. Thus, it is urgent that we develop new antibiotic drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important endogenous antibacterial molecules that contribute to immunity. Most have spectral antibacterial properties and do not confer drug resistance. In this paper, an 11-residue peptide (LFcinB18⁻28) with a sequence of KCRRWQWRMKK was modified by amino acid substitution to form a symmetrical amino acid sequence. The antibacterial activities and mechanisms of action of engineered peptides including KW-WK (KWRRWQWRRWK), FP-PF (FPRRWQWRRPF), FW-WF (FWRRWQWRRWF), and KK-KK (KKRRWQWRRKK) were investigated. The four engineered peptides could more effectively inhibit bacteria than the original peptide, LFcinB18⁻28. This suggested that a symmetrical amino acid sequence might enhance the antibacterial activity of AMPs. However, only peptides KW-WK, FP-PF, and KK-KK were safe; FW-WF displayed hemolytic activity. The engineered peptides shared cationic and amphipathic characteristics that facilitated interactions with the anionic microbial membranes, leading to disruption of membrane integrity and permeabilizing microbial membranes, resulting in cell death. Therefore, a symmetrical amino acid sequence and related structural parameters offer an alternative approach to the design of AMPs. This will provide a scientific basis for the design and synthesis of new AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changbao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Yingying Li
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Songsong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Haimei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Chenggang Jiang
- Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Harbin 150001, China.
| | - Shiyue Pang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Muhammad Altaf Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Juncai Hou
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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Improving the Activity of Trp-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides by Arg/Lys Substitutions and Changing the Length of Cationic Residues. Biomolecules 2018; 8:biom8020019. [PMID: 29671805 PMCID: PMC6023086 DOI: 10.3390/biom8020019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a promising alternative for the development of new antibiotics that could potentially counteract the growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, the AMP structure⁻function relationships remain unclear and detailed studies are still necessary. The positively charged amino acid residues (Arg and Lys) play a crucial role in the activity of most AMPs due to the promotion of electrostatic interactions between the peptides and bacterial membranes. In this work we have analyzed the antimicrobial and structural properties of several Trp-rich AMPs containing exclusively either Arg or Lys as the positively charged residues. Their antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action were investigated, showing that Lys residues give rise to a reduced antimicrobial potency for most peptides, which was correlated, in turn, with a decrease in their ability to permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli. Additionally, the presence of Arg and Lys renders the peptides susceptible to degradation by proteases, such as trypsin, limiting their therapeutic use. Therefore, modifications of the side chain length of Arg and Lys were investigated in an attempt to improve the protease resistance of AMPs. This approach resulted in enhanced stability to trypsin digestion, and in several cases, shorter sidechains conserved or even improved the antimicrobial activity. All together, these results suggest that Arg-to-Lys substitutions, coupled with side chain length modifications, can be extremely useful for improving the activity and stability of AMPs.
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Liu H, Lv Y, Xu J, Guo S. Interaction mode of calcium-binding peptides and Caco-2 cell membrane. Food Res Int 2017; 102:225-233. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.09.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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11
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Wang J, Chou S, Xu L, Zhu X, Dong N, Shan A, Chen Z. High specific selectivity and Membrane-Active Mechanism of the synthetic centrosymmetric α-helical peptides with Gly-Gly pairs. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15963. [PMID: 26530005 PMCID: PMC4632126 DOI: 10.1038/srep15963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We used a template-assisted approach to develop synthetic antimicrobial peptides, which differ from naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides that can compromise host natural defenses. Previous researches have demonstrated that symmetrical distribution patterns of amino acids contribute to the antimicrobial activity of natural peptides. However, there is little research describing such design ideas for synthetic α-helical peptides. Therefore, here, we established a centrosymmetric α-helical sequence template (y + hhh + y)n (h, hydrophobic amino acid; +, cationic amino acid; y, Gly or hydrophobic amino acid), which contributed to amphipathicity, and a series of centrosymmetric peptides was designed with pairs of small amino acids (Ala and Gly), which were utilized to modulate the biological activity. The centrosymmetric peptides with 3 repeat units exhibited strong antimicrobial activity; in particular, the Gly-rich centrosymmetric peptide GG3 showed stronger selectivity for gram-negative bacteria without hemolysis. Furthermore, beyond our expectation, fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses indicated that the GG3, which possessed poor α-helix conformation, dramatically exhibited marked membrane destruction via inducing bacterial membrane permeabilization, pore formation and disruption, even bound DNA to further exert antimicrobial activity. Collectively, the Gly-rich centrosymmetric peptide GG3 was an ideal candidate for commercialization as a clinical therapeutic to treat gram-negative bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Shuli Chou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Lin Xu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Na Dong
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Zhihui Chen
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
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12
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Quantitative assessment of peptide–lipid interactions. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2010; 1798:1999-2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2010.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2010] [Revised: 07/13/2010] [Accepted: 07/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Auvynet C, Joanne P, Bourdais J, Nicolas P, Lacombe C, Rosenstein Y. Dermaseptin DA4, although closely related to dermaseptin B2, presents chemotactic and Gram-negative selective bactericidal activities. FEBS J 2009; 276:6773-86. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2009.07392.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Insertion mode of a novel anionic antimicrobial peptide MDpep5 (Val-Glu-Ser-Trp-Val) from Chinese traditional edible larvae of housefly and its effect on surface potential of bacterial membrane. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2008; 48:1187-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2008.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 09/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Rich RL, Myszka DG. Survey of the year 2007 commercial optical biosensor literature. J Mol Recognit 2008; 21:355-400. [DOI: 10.1002/jmr.928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Matos PM, Gonçalves S, Santos NC. Interaction of peptides with biomembranes assessed by potential-sensitive fluorescent probes. J Pept Sci 2008; 14:407-15. [PMID: 18189333 DOI: 10.1002/psc.1005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-membrane interaction is an important step to be evaluated in a study of the activity and mode of action of several bioactive peptides. A variety of methods are available; however, few of them satisfy the criteria of being sensitive, biocompatible, versatile, easy to perform, and allowing real-time monitoring as the use of potential-sensitive fluorescent probes. Here we review methods for detecting the effects of membrane-active peptides, even those that are not intrinsically fluorescent, on the different types of membrane potentials, with a special emphasis on studies conducted with living cells. FPE is a probe sensitive to surface potential and detects electrostatic interactions at the water-lipid interface. Di-8-ANEPPS is sensitive to dipole potential and detects membrane incorporations. Transmembrane potential changes reveal major membrane destabilizations, such as in pore formation. The combination of the information obtained from the three potential variations can lead to a more elucidative picture of the mechanisms of the interaction of relevant peptides with biomembranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro M Matos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
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Zhu WL, Hahm KS, Shin SY. Cathelicidin-derived Trp/Pro-rich antimicrobial peptides with lysine peptoid residue (Nlys): therapeutic index and plausible mode of action. J Pept Sci 2007; 13:529-35. [PMID: 17604338 DOI: 10.1002/psc.882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recently, we designed a novel cell-selective antimicrobial peptide (TPk) with intracellular mode of action from Pro --> Nlys (Lys peptoid residue) substitution in a noncell-selective cathelicidin-derived Trp/Pro-rich antimicrobial peptide, tritrpticin-amide (TP; VRRFPWWWPFLRR-NH(2)) (Biochemistry 2006; 45: 13007-13017). In this study, to elucidate the effect of Pro --> Nlys substitution on therapeutic index and mode of action of other noncell-selective cathelicidin-derived Trp/Pro-rich antimicrobial peptides and develop novel short antimicrobial peptides with high cell selectivity/therapeutic index, we synthesized Nlys-substituted antimicrobial peptides, TPk, STPk and INk, in which all proline residues of TP, symmetric TP-analogue (STP; KKFPWWWPFKK-NH(2)) and indolicidin (IN; ILPWKWPWWPWRR-NH(2)) were replaced by Nlys, respectively. Compared to parent Pro-containing peptides (TP, STP and IN), Nlys substituted peptides (TPk, STPk and Ink) had 4- to 26-fold higher cell selectivity/therapeutic index. Parent Pro-containing peptides induced a significant depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane of intact Staphylococcus aureus at their MIC, whereas Nlys-substituted antimicrobial peptides did not cause visible membrane depolarization at their MIC. These results suggest that the antibacterial action of Nlys-substituted peptides is probably not due to the disruption of bacterial cytoplasmic membranes but the inhibition of intracellular components. Taken together, our results showed that Pro --> Nlys substitution in other noncell-selective Trp/Pro-rich antimicrobial peptides such as STP and IN as well as TP can improve the cell selectivity/therapeutic index and change the mode of antibacterial action from membrane-disrupting to intracellular targeting. In conclusion, our findings suggested that Pro --> Nlys substitution in noncell-selective Trp/Pro-rich antimicrobial peptides is a promising method to develop cell-selective antimicrobial peptides with intracellular target mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Long Zhu
- Department of Bio-Materials, Graduate School and Research Center for Proteineous Materials, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Korea
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