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Tereshchenkov AG, Khairullina ZZ, Volynkina IA, Lukianov DA, Nazarov PA, Pavlova JA, Tashlitsky VN, Razumova EA, Ipatova DA, Timchenko YV, Senko DA, Efremenkova OV, Paleskava A, Konevega AL, Osterman IA, Rodin IA, Sergiev PV, Dontsova OA, Bogdanov AA, Sumbatyan NV. Triphenylphosphonium Analogs of Short Peptide Related to Bactenecin 7 and Oncocin 112 as Antimicrobial Agents. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:148. [PMID: 38276518 PMCID: PMC10818380 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently attracted attention as promising antibacterial agents capable of acting against resistant bacterial strains. In this work, an approach was applied, consisting of the conjugation of a peptide related to the sequences of bactenecin 7 (Bac7) and oncocin (Onc112) with the alkyl(triphenyl)phosphonium (alkyl-TPP) fragment in order to improve the properties of the AMP and introduce new ones, expand the spectrum of antimicrobial activity, and reduce the inhibitory effect on the eukaryotic translation process. Triphenylphosphonium (TPP) derivatives of a decapeptide RRIRPRPPYL were synthesized. It was comprehensively studied how the modification of the AMP affected the properties of the new compounds. It was shown that while the reduction in the Bac7 length to 10 a.a. residues dramatically decreased the affinity to bacterial ribosomes, the modification of the peptide with alkyl-TPP moieties led to an increase in the affinity. New analogs with structures that combined a decapeptide related to Bac7 and Onc112-Bac(1-10, R/Y)-and TPP attached to the C-terminal amino acid residue via alkylamide linkers, inhibited translation in vitro and were found to be more selective inhibitors of bacterial translation compared with eukaryotic translation than Onc112 and Bac7. The TPP analogs of the decapeptide related to Bac7 and Onc112 suppressed the growth of both Gram-negative bacteria, similar to Onc112 and Bac7, and Gram-positive ones, similar to alkyl-TPP derivatives, and also acted against some resistant laboratory strains. Bac(1-10, R/Y)-C2-TPP, containing a short alkylamide linker between the decapeptide and TPP, was transferred into the E. coli cells via the SbmA transporter protein. TPP derivatives of the decapeptide Bac(1-10, R/Y) containing either a decylamide or ethylamide linker caused B. subtilis membrane depolarization, similar to alkyl-TPP. The Bac(1-10, R/Y)-C2-TPP analog was proven to be non-toxic for mammalian cells using the MTT test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey G. Tereshchenkov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Zimfira Z. Khairullina
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Inna A. Volynkina
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Dmitrii A. Lukianov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Pavel A. Nazarov
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Julia A. Pavlova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim N. Tashlitsky
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Elizaveta A. Razumova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Daria A. Ipatova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Yury V. Timchenko
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Dmitry A. Senko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga V. Efremenkova
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, 11 B. Pirogovskaya Street, 119021 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alena Paleskava
- Molecular and Radiation Biophysics Division, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 188300 Gatchina, Russia (A.L.K.)
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey L. Konevega
- Molecular and Radiation Biophysics Division, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 188300 Gatchina, Russia (A.L.K.)
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
- NBICS Center, NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya A. Osterman
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Igor A. Rodin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
| | - Petr V. Sergiev
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga A. Dontsova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Bogdanov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia V. Sumbatyan
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/3 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia (Z.Z.K.); (I.A.V.); (D.A.L.); (E.A.R.); (I.A.O.); (P.V.S.); (O.A.D.)
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2
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Bonvin E, Personne H, Paschoud T, Reusser J, Gan BH, Luscher A, Köhler T, van Delden C, Reymond JL. Antimicrobial Peptide-Peptoid Hybrids with and without Membrane Disruption. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2593-2606. [PMID: 38062792 PMCID: PMC10714400 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Among synthetic analogues of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) under investigation to address antimicrobial resistance, peptoids (N-alkylated oligoglycines) have been reported to act both by membrane disruption and on intracellular targets. Here we gradually introduced peptoid units into the membrane-disruptive undecapeptide KKLLKLLKLLL to test a possible transition toward intracellular targeting. We found that selected hybrids containing up to five peptoid units retained the parent AMP's α-helical folding, membrane disruption, and antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative bacteria including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae while showing reduced hemolysis and cell toxicities. Furthermore, some hybrids containing as few as three peptoid units as well as the full peptoid lost folding, membrane disruption, hemolysis, and cytotoxicity but displayed strong antibacterial activity under dilute medium conditions typical for proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs), pointing to intracellular targeting. These findings parallel previous reports that partially helical amphiphilic peptoids are privileged oligomers for antibiotic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Bonvin
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hippolyte Personne
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thierry Paschoud
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jérémie Reusser
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bee-Ha Gan
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Luscher
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Köhler
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christian van Delden
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Shaikh AY, Björkling F, Zabicka D, Tomczak M, Urbas M, Domraceva I, Kreicberga A, Franzyk H. Structure-activity study of oncocin: On-resin guanidinylation and incorporation of homoarginine, 4-hydroxyproline or 4,4-difluoroproline residues. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106876. [PMID: 37797458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) often display guanidinium functionalities, and hence robust synthetic procedures are needed to facilitate access to analogues with unnatural homologues of arginine (Arg = R). Initially, a resin-bound Arg/Pro-rich fluoren-9-yl-methyloxycarbonyl-protected fragment (Fmoc-RPRPPR) of the AMP oncocin (i.e., VDKPPYLPRPRPPRRIYNR-NH2) was employed in a comparative on-resin assessment of commercial guanidinylation reagents head-to-head with the recently studied bis-Boc-protected triazole-based reagent, 1H-triazole-1-[N,N'-bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)]-carboxamidine, which was synthesized by a chromatography-free procedure. This reagent was found to enable quantitative conversion in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) of peptides displaying homoarginine (Har) residues and/or an N-terminal guanidinium group. SPPS was used to obtain analogues of the 18-mer oncocin with single as well as multiple Arg → Har modifications. In addition, the effect of replacement of proline (Pro) residues in oncocin was explored by incorporating single or multiple trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline (Hyp) or 4,4-difluoro-l-proline (Dfp) residues, which both affected hydrophobicity. The resulting peptide library was tested against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Analysis of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) showed that analogues, displaying modifications at positions 4, 5 and 12 (originally Pro residues), had retained or slightly improved antimicrobial activity. Next, an oncocin analogue with two stabilizing l-Arg → d-Arg replacements in the C-terminal part was further modified by triple-replacement of Pro by either Dfp or Hyp in positions 4, 5, and 12. The resulting analogue displaying three Pro → Dfp modifications proved to possess the best activity profile: MICs of 1-2 µg/mL against E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, less than 1% hemolysis at 800 µg/mL, and an IC50 above 1280 µg/mL in HepG2 cells. Thus, incorporation of bis-fluorinated Pro residues appears to constitute a novel tool in structure-activity studies aimed at optimization of Pro-rich AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashif Y Shaikh
- Center for Peptide-Based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fredrik Björkling
- Center for Peptide-Based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Dorota Zabicka
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Tomczak
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Urbas
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ilona Domraceva
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, 1006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Agrita Kreicberga
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, 1006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Center for Peptide-Based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark.
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Hilpert K, Munshi T, López-Pérez PM, Sequeira-Garcia J, Hofmann S, Bull TJ. Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides That Can Accelerate Culture Diagnostics of Slow-Growing Mycobacteria Including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2225. [PMID: 37764069 PMCID: PMC10536189 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can directly kill Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, enveloped viruses, and parasites. At sublethal concentrations, some AMPs and also conventional antibiotics can stimulate bacterial response increasing their resilience, also called the hormetic response. This includes stimulation of growth, mobility, and biofilm production. Here, we describe the discovery of AMPs that stimulate the growth of certain mycobacteria. Peptide 14 showed a growth stimulating effect on Mycobacteria tuberculosis (MTB), M. bovis, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), M. marinum, M. avium-intracellulare, M. celatum, and M. abscessus. The effect was more pronounced at low bacterial inocula. The peptides induce a faster transition from the lag phase to the log phase and keep the bacteria longer in the log phase before entering stationary phase when compared to nontreated controls. In some cases, an increase in the division rate was observed. An initial screen using MAP and a collection of 75 peptides revealed 13 peptides with a hormetic effect. For MTB, a collection of 25 artificial peptides were screened and 13 were found to reduce the time to positivity (TTP) by at least 5%, improving growth. A screen of 43 naturally occurring peptides, 11 fragments of naturally occurring peptides and 5 designed peptides, all taken from the database APD3, identified a further 44 peptides that also lowered TTP by at least 5%. Lasioglossin LL-III (Bee) and Ranacyclin E (Frog) were the most active natural peptides, and the human cathelicidin LL37 fragment GF-17 and a porcine cathelicidin protegrin-1 fragment were the most active fragments of naturally occurring peptides. Peptide 14 showed growth-stimulating activity between 10 ng/mL and 10 µg/mL, whereas the stability-optimised Peptide 14D had a narrow activity range of 0.1-1 µg/mL. Peptides identified in this study are currently in commercial use to improve recovery and culture for the diagnostics of mycobacteria in humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Hilpert
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | - Tulika Munshi
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | | | | | - Sven Hofmann
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
| | - Tim J. Bull
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK (T.J.B.)
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5
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Mohammed GK, Böttger R, Krizsan A, Volke D, Mötzing M, Li SD, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. In Vitro Properties and Pharmacokinetics of Temporarily PEGylated Onc72 Prodrugs. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202368. [PMID: 36631971 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The favorable properties of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to rapidly kill pathogens are often limited by unfavorable pharmacokinetics due to fast degradation and renal clearance rates. Here, a prodrug strategy linking proline-rich AMP Onc72 to polyethylene glycol (PEGs) with average molecular weights of 5 and 20 kDa via a peptide linker containing a protease cleavage site is tested for the first time in vivo. Onc72 is released from these 5k- and 20k-prodrugs in mouse serum with half-life times (t1/2 ) of 8 and 14 h, respectively. Importantly, PEGylation protects Onc72 from proteolytic degradation providing a prolonged release of Onc72, balancing the degradation of free Onc72, and leading to relatively stable Onc72 concentrations and high antibacterial activities. The prodrugs are not hemolytic on human erythrocytes and show only slight cytotoxic effects on human cell lines indicating promising safety margins. When administered subcutaneously to female CD-1 mice, the prodrugs elimination t1/2 are 66 min and ≈5.5 h, respectively, compared to 43 min of free Onc72. The maximal Onc72 plasma levels are obtained ≈1 and ≈8 h postadministration, respectively. In conclusion, the prodrugs provide extended elimination t1/2 and a constant release of Onc72 in mice, potentially limiting adverse effects and increasing efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gubran Khalil Mohammed
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roland Böttger
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Andor Krizsan
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marina Mötzing
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shyh-Dar Li
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,EnBiotix GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Ludwig T, Krizsan A, Mohammed GK, Hoffmann R. Antimicrobial Activity and 70S Ribosome Binding of Apidaecin-Derived Api805 with Increased Bacterial Uptake Rate. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11040430. [PMID: 35453182 PMCID: PMC9025336 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11040430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In view of the global spread of multiresistant bacteria and the occurrence of panresistant bacteria, there is an urgent need for antimicrobials with novel modes of action. A promising class is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including them proline-rich AMPs (PrAMPs), which target the 70S ribosome to inhibit protein translation. Here, we present a new designer peptide, Api805, combining the N- and C-terminal sequences of PrAMPs Api137 and drosocin, respectively. Api805 was similarly active against two Escherichia coli B strains but was inactive against E. coli K12 strain BW25113. These different activities could not be explained by the dissociation constants measured for 70S ribosome preparations from E. coli K12 and B strains. Mutations in the SbmA transporter that PrAMPs use to pass the inner membrane or proteolytic degradation of Api805 by lysate proteases could not explain this either. Interestingly, Api805 seems not to bind to the known binding sites of PrAMPs at the 70S ribosome and inhibited in vitro protein translation, independent of release factors, most likely using a “multimodal effect”. Interestingly, Api805 entered the E. coli B strain Rosetta faster and at larger quantities than the E. coli K-12 strain BW25113, which may be related to the different LPS core structure. In conclusion, slight structural changes in PrAMPs significantly altered their binding sites and mechanisms of action, allowing for the design of different antibiotic classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Ludwig
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (T.L.); (A.K.); (G.K.M.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andor Krizsan
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (T.L.); (A.K.); (G.K.M.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gubran Khalil Mohammed
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (T.L.); (A.K.); (G.K.M.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (T.L.); (A.K.); (G.K.M.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Correspondence:
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7
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Kolano L, Knappe D, Berg A, Berg T, Hoffmann R. Effect of amino acid substitutions on 70S ribosomal binding, cellular uptake, and antimicrobial activity of oncocin Onc112. Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100609. [PMID: 34902208 PMCID: PMC9306569 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Proline‐rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are promising candidates for the treatment of infections caused by high‐priority human pathogens. Their mode of action consists of (I) passive diffusion across the outer membrane, (II) active transport through the inner membrane, and (III) inhibition of protein biosynthesis by blocking the exit tunnel of the 70S ribosome. We tested whether in vitro data on ribosomal binding and bacterial uptake could predict the antibacterial activity of PrAMPs against Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. Ribosomal binding and bacterial uptake rates were measured for 47 derivatives of PrAMP Onc112 and compared to the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of each peptide. Ribosomal binding was evaluated for ribosome extracts from four Gram‐negative bacteria. Bacterial uptake was assessed by quantifying each peptide in the supernatants of bacterial cultures. Oncocin analogues with a higher net positive charge appeared to be more active, although their ribosome binding and uptake rates were not necessarily better than for Onc112. The data suggest a complex mode of action influenced by further factors improving or reducing the antibacterial activity, including diffusion through membranes, transport mechanism, secondary targets, off‐target binding, intracellular distribution, and membrane effects. Relying only on in vitro binding and uptake data may not be sufficient for the rational development of more active analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Kolano
- Universität Leipzig Fakultät für Chemie und Mineralogie: Universitat Leipzig Fakultat fur Chemie und Mineralogie, Chemie und Mineralogie, GERMANY
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Universität Leipzig Fakultät für Chemie und Mineralogie: Universitat Leipzig Fakultat fur Chemie und Mineralogie, Chemie und Mineralogie, GERMANY
| | - Angela Berg
- Universität Leipzig Fakultät für Chemie und Mineralogie: Universitat Leipzig Fakultat fur Chemie und Mineralogie, Chemie und Mineralogie, GERMANY
| | - Thorsten Berg
- Universität Leipzig Fakultät für Chemie und Mineralogie: Universitat Leipzig Fakultat fur Chemie und Mineralogie, Chemie und Mineralogie, GERMANY
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institut für Bioanalytische Chemie, Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, GERMANY
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8
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Muthunayake NS, Islam R, Inutan ED, Colangelo W, Trimpin S, Cunningham PR, Chow CS. Expression and In Vivo Characterization of the Antimicrobial Peptide Oncocin and Variants Binding to Ribosomes. Biochemistry 2020; 59:3380-3391. [PMID: 32840100 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Peptides have important biomedical applications, but poor correlation between in vitro and in vivo activities can limit their development for clinical use. The ability to generate peptides and monitor their expression with new mass spectrometric methods and biological activities in vivo would be an advantage for the discovery and improvement of peptide-based drugs. In this study, a plasmid-based system was used to express the ribosome-targeting peptide oncocin (19 amino acids, VDKPPYLPRPRPPRRIYNR) and to determine its direct antibacterial effects on Escherichia coli. Previous biochemical and structure studies showed that oncocin targets the bacterial ribosome. The oncocin peptide generated in vivo strongly inhibits bacterial growth. In vivo dimethyl sulfate footprinting of oncocin on the rRNA gives results that are consistent with those of in vitro studies but reveals additional binding interactions with E. coli ribosomes. Furthermore, expression of truncated or mutated peptides reveals which amino acids are important for antimicrobial activity. Overall, the in vivo peptide expression system can be used to investigate biological activities and interactions of peptides with their targets within the cellular environment and to separate contributions of the sequence to cellular transport. This strategy has future applications for improving the effectiveness of existing peptides and developing new peptide-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisansala S Muthunayake
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Rabiul Islam
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Ellen D Inutan
- Department of Chemistry, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan 9200, Philippines
| | - Wesley Colangelo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Sarah Trimpin
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Philip R Cunningham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Christine S Chow
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
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9
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Kolano L, Knappe D, Volke D, Sträter N, Hoffmann R. Ribosomal Target-Binding Sites of Antimicrobial Peptides Api137 and Onc112 Are Conserved among Pathogens Indicating New Lead Structures To Develop Novel Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics. Chembiochem 2020; 21:2628-2634. [PMID: 32293093 PMCID: PMC7540576 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides expressed in insects are primarily active against Enterobacteriaceae. Mechanistically, they target the bacterial (70S) ribosome after partially transporter-based cellular uptake, as revealed for Api137 and Onc112 on Escherichia coli. Following molecular modeling indicating that the Onc112 contact site is conserved among the ribosomes of high-priority pathogens, the ribosome binding of Api137 and Onc112 was studied. The dissociation constants (Kd ) of Onc112 were ∼75 nmol/L for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii, 36 nmol/L for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 102 nmol/L for Staphylococcus aureus, thus indicating a very promising lead structure for developing broad-spectrum antibiotics. Api137 bound weaker with Kd values ranging from 155 nmol/L to 13 μmol/L. For most bacteria, the antibacterial activities were lower than predicted from the Kd values, which was only partially explained by their ability to enter bacterial cells. Other factors limiting the activity expected from the ribosome binding might be off-target binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Kolano
- Faculty of Chemistry and MineralogyInstitute of Bioanalytical ChemistryDeutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ)Deutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Faculty of Chemistry and MineralogyInstitute of Bioanalytical ChemistryDeutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ)Deutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- EnBiotix GmbHLeipzigDeutscher Platz 5E04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Faculty of Chemistry and MineralogyInstitute of Bioanalytical ChemistryDeutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ)Deutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
| | - Norbert Sträter
- Faculty of Chemistry and MineralogyInstitute of Bioanalytical ChemistryDeutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ)Deutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Faculty of Chemistry and MineralogyInstitute of Bioanalytical ChemistryDeutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ)Deutscher Platz 504103LeipzigGermany
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10
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André C, Veillard F, Wolff P, Lobstein AM, Compain G, Monsarrat C, Reichhart JM, Noûs C, Burnouf DY, Guichard G, Wagner JE. Antibacterial activity of a dual peptide targeting the Escherichia coli sliding clamp and the ribosome. RSC Chem Biol 2020; 1:137-147. [PMID: 34458754 PMCID: PMC8341878 DOI: 10.1039/d0cb00060d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial processivity factor, or sliding clamp (SC), is a target of choice for new antibacterial drugs development. We have previously developed peptides that target Escherichia coli SC and block its interaction with DNA polymerases in vitro. Here, one such SC binding peptide was fused to a Proline-rich AntiMicrobial Peptide (PrAMP) to allow its internalization into E. coli cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assays with a N-terminally modified bifunctional peptide that still enters the bacteria but fails to interact with the bacterial ribosome, the major target of PrAMPs, demonstrate that it actually interacts with the bacterial SC. Moreover, when compared to SC non-binding controls, this peptide induces a ten-fold higher antibacterial activity against E. coli, showing that the observed antimicrobial activity is linked to SC binding. Finally, an unmodified bifunctional compound significantly increases the survival of Drosophila melanogaster flies challenged by an E. coli infection. Our study demonstrates the potential of PrAMPs to transport antibiotics into the bacterial cytoplasm and validates the development of drugs targeting the bacterial processivity factor of Gram-negative bacteria as a promising new class of antibiotics. Bifunctional peptides targeting both the translation and the replication machineries have been developed and shown to act as new antimicrobials.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe André
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie 2 rue Robert Escarpit F-33607 Pessac France
| | - Florian Veillard
- Insect Models of Innate Immunity, UPR 9022-CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire 67000 Strasbourg France
| | - Philippe Wolff
- CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire 67000 Strasbourg France
| | - Anne-Marie Lobstein
- CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire 67000 Strasbourg France
| | - Guillaume Compain
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie 2 rue Robert Escarpit F-33607 Pessac France
| | - Clément Monsarrat
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie 2 rue Robert Escarpit F-33607 Pessac France
| | - Jean-Marc Reichhart
- Insect Models of Innate Immunity, UPR 9022-CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire 67000 Strasbourg France
| | - Camille Noûs
- Laboratoire Cogitamus 1 3/4 rue Descartes 75005 Paris France
| | - Dominique Y Burnouf
- CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire 67000 Strasbourg France
| | - Gilles Guichard
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie 2 rue Robert Escarpit F-33607 Pessac France
| | - Jérôme E Wagner
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, UMR 7242, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie de Strasbourg 67400 Illkirch France
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11
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Zhu Y, Weisshaar JC, Mustafi M. Long-term effects of the proline-rich antimicrobial peptide Oncocin112 on the Escherichia coli translation machinery. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13314-13325. [PMID: 32727850 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are cationic antimicrobial peptides unusual for their ability to penetrate bacterial membranes and kill cells without causing membrane permeabilization. Structural studies show that many such PrAMPs bind deep in the peptide exit channel of the ribosome, near the peptidyl transfer center. Biochemical studies of the particular synthetic PrAMP oncocin112 (Onc112) suggest that on reaching the cytoplasm, the peptide occupies its binding site prior to the transition from initiation to the elongation phase of translation, thus blocking further initiation events. We present a superresolution fluorescence microscopy study of the long-term effects of Onc112 on ribosome, elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu), and DNA spatial distributions and diffusive properties in intact Escherichia coli cells. The new data corroborate earlier mechanistic inferences from studies in vitro Comparisons with the diffusive behavior induced by the ribosome-binding antibiotics chloramphenicol and kasugamycin show how the specific location of each agent's ribosomal binding site affects the long-term distribution of ribosomal species between 30S and 50S subunits versus 70S polysomes. Analysis of the single-step displacements from ribosome and EF-Tu diffusive trajectories before and after Onc112 treatment suggests that the act of codon testing of noncognate ternary complexes (TCs) at the ribosomal A-site enhances the dissociation rate of such TCs from their L7/L12 tethers. Testing and rejection of noncognate TCs on a sub-ms timescale is essential to enable incorporation of the rare cognate amino acids into the growing peptide chain at a rate of ∼20 aa/s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - James C Weisshaar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mainak Mustafi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
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12
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Cytryńska M, Rahnamaeian M, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Dobslaff K, Züchner T, Sacheau G, Innis CA, Vilcinskas A. Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides in Medicinal Maggots of Lucilia sericata Interact With Bacterial DnaK But Do Not Inhibit Protein Synthesis. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:532. [PMID: 32390853 PMCID: PMC7194015 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the search for new antibiotics to combat multidrug-resistant microbes, insects offer a rich source of novel anti-infectives, including a remarkably diverse array of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad activity against a wide range of species. Larvae of the common green bottle fly Lucilia sericata are used for maggot debridement therapy, and their effectiveness in part reflects the large panel of AMPs they secrete into the wound. To investigate the activity of these peptides in more detail, we selected two structurally different proline rich peptides (Lser-PRP2 and Lser-PRP3) in addition to the α-helical peptide Lser-stomoxyn. We investigated the mechanism of anti-Escherichia coli action of the PRPs in vitro and found that neither of them interfered with protein synthesis but both were able to bind the bacterial chaperone DnaK and are therefore likely to inhibit protein folding. However, unlike Lser-stomoxyn that permeabilized the bacterial membrane by 1% at the low concentration (0.25 µM) neither of the PRPs alone was able to permeabilize E. coli membrane. In the presence of this Lser-stomoxyn concentration significant increase in anti-E. coli activity of Lser-PRP2 was observed, indicating that this peptide needs specific membrane permeabilizing agents to exert its antibacterial activity. We then examined the AMPs-treated bacterial surface and observed detrimental structural changes in the bacterial cell envelope in response to combined AMPs. The functional analysis of insect AMPs will help select optimal combinations for targeted antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kristin Dobslaff
- Institute of Bioanalyticappll Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thole Züchner
- Department of Bioanalytics and Laboratory automation, Faculty of Life Sciences, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Sigmaringen, Germany
| | - Guénaël Sacheau
- ARNA Laboratory, Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - C Axel Innis
- ARNA Laboratory, Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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13
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Brakel A, Volke D, Kraus CN, Otvos L, Hoffmann R. Quantitation of a Novel Engineered Anti-infective Host Defense Peptide, ARV-1502: Pharmacokinetic Study of Different Doses in Rats and Dogs. Front Chem 2019; 7:753. [PMID: 31799234 PMCID: PMC6863955 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The designer proline-rich antimicrobial peptide (PrAMP) Chex1-Arg20 amide (ARV-1502) is active against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens in different murine infection models when administered parenterally and possesses a wide therapeutic index. Here we studied the pharmacokinetics of ARV-1502 for the first time when administered intramuscularly or intravenously (IV) in Sprague Dawley rats and Beagle dogs. First, a specific and robust quantitation method relying on parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) using a high-resolution hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer coupled on-line to reversed-phase uHPLC was established and validated. The limit of detection was 2 ng/mL and the limit of quantitation was 4 ng/mL when spiked to pooled rat and dog plasma. When ARV-1502 was administered IV at doses of 75 and 250 μg/kg in dogs and rats, the plasma concentrations were 0.7 and 3.4 μg/mL 2 min post-administration, respectively. ARV-1502 plasma concentrations declined exponentially reaching levels between 2 and 4 ng/mL after 2 h. Intramuscular administration of 0.75 mg/kg in dogs and 2.5 mg/kg in rats resulted in a different pharmacokinetics profile. The plasma concentrations peaked at 15 min post-injection at 1 μg/mL (dogs) and 12 μg/mL (rats) and decreased exponentially within 3 h to 4 and 16 ng/mL, respectively. The initial plasma concentrations of ARV-1502 and the decay timing afterwards indicated that the peptide circulated in the blood stream for several hours, at some point above the minimal inhibitory concentration against multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, with blood concentrations sufficient to suppress bacterial growth and to modulate the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Brakel
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Laszlo Otvos
- Arrevus, Inc., Raleigh, NC, United States.,Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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14
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Peng S, Yang M, Sun RN, Liu Y, Wang W, Xi Q, Gong H, Chen C. Mechanism of actions of Oncocin, a proline-rich antimicrobial peptide, in early elongation revealed by single-molecule FRET. Protein Cell 2019; 9:890-895. [PMID: 29256010 PMCID: PMC6160386 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-017-0495-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Peng
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Mengyi Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Rui Ning Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Technology Center for Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiaoran Xi
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Haipeng Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Chunlai Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China. .,Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China. .,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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15
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Holfeld L, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides show a long-lasting post-antibiotic effect on Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Antimicrob Chemother 2019; 73:933-941. [PMID: 29309652 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkx482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) represent a promising class of potential therapeutics to treat multiresistant infections. They inhibit bacterial protein translation at the 70S ribosome by either blocking the peptide-exit tunnel (oncocin type) or trapping release factors (apidaecin type). Objectives Besides direct concentration-dependent antibacterial effects, the post-antibiotic effect (PAE) is the second most important criterion of antimicrobial pharmacodynamics to be determined in vitro. Here, PAEs of 10 PrAMPs and three antibiotics against three Escherichia coli strains, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 10031 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 were studied after 1 h of exposure. Methods A robust high-throughput screening to determine PAEs was established, i.e. liquid handling by a 96-channel pipetting system and continuous incubation and absorbance measurement in a microplate reader. Results Prolonged PAEs (≥4 h) were detected for all peptides at their MIC values against all strains; PAEs were even >10 h for Api88, Api137, Bac7(1-60) and A3-APO. The PAEs increased further at 4 × MIC. Aminoglycosides gentamicin and kanamycin usually showed lower PAEs (≤4 h) at MIC, but PAEs increased to > 10 h at 4 × MIC. Bacteriostatic chloramphenicol exhibited the shortest PAEs (<4 h). Conclusions The PAEs of PrAMPs studied against Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa for the first time were typically 4-fold stronger than for conventional antibiotics. Together with their fast and irreversible uptake by bacteria, the observed prolonged PAE of PrAMPs helps to explain their high in vivo efficacy despite unfavourable pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luzia Holfeld
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Lai PK, Geldart K, Ritter S, Kaznessis YN, Hackel BJ. Systematic Mutagenesis of Oncocin Reveals Enhanced Activity and Insights into the Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Activity. MOLECULAR SYSTEMS DESIGN & ENGINEERING 2018; 3:930-941. [PMID: 31105969 PMCID: PMC6519479 DOI: 10.1039/c8me00051d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Oncocin is a proline-rich antimicrobial peptide that inhibits protein synthesis by binding to the bacterial ribosome. In this work, the antimicrobial activity of oncocin was improved by systematic peptide mutagenesis and activity evaluation. We found that a pair of cationic substitutions (P4K and L7K/R) improves the activity by 2-4 fold (p<0.05) against multiple Gram-negative bacteria. An in vitro transcription / translation assay indicated that the increased activity was not because of stronger ribosome binding. Rather a cellular internalization assay revealed a higher internalization rate for the optimized analogs thereby suggesting a mechanism to increase potency. In addition, we found that the optimized peptides' benefit is dependent upon nutrient-depleted media conditions. The molecular design and characterization strategies have broad potential for development of antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin-Kuang Lai
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kathryn Geldart
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Seth Ritter
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Yiannis N Kaznessis
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hackel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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17
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Ciociola T, Giovati L, Giovannelli A, Conti S, Castagnola M, Vitali A. The activity of a mammalian proline-rich peptide against Gram-negative bacteria, including drug-resistant strains, relies on a nonmembranolytic mode of action. Infect Drug Resist 2018; 11:969-979. [PMID: 30046246 PMCID: PMC6054295 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s165179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A peptide of 2,733 Da named SP-E, previously isolated from pig saliva and already described for its antifungal activity and absence of toxicity against mammalian cells, is characterized by a high content of proline residues (70% of entire sequence), that confer structural features probably related to peptide activity. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of SP-E against Gram-negative bacteria, including drug-resistant clinical isolates. Methods SP-E and shorter fragments of the same peptide were tested in vitro against the selected bacteria by colony forming unit assays. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy were also applied. SP-E potential therapeutic activity was evaluated in vivo in a Galleria mellonella model of bacterial infection. Results SP-E proved to be active against the tested bacteria with EC50 values in the micro-molar range. Though maintaining antibacterial properties, the shorter peptides showed lower activity in respect to the parental molecule. Kinetics of killing action and nonmembranolytic internalization within Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells strongly suggested a cytosolic mechanism of action involving one or more intracellular molecular targets. A single injection of SP-E exerted a therapeutic effect in G. mellonella larvae infected with P. aeruginosa. Conclusion The biological properties of SP-E strongly back this peptide as a new promising multitasking antimicrobial molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tecla Ciociola
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma,
| | - Laura Giovati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma,
| | - Angela Giovannelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University, Rome
| | - Stefania Conti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma,
| | - Massimo Castagnola
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University, Rome.,Institute for the Chemistry of Molecular Recognition, C.N.R., c/o Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Vitali
- Institute for the Chemistry of Molecular Recognition, C.N.R., c/o Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
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18
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Polikanov YS, Aleksashin NA, Beckert B, Wilson DN. The Mechanisms of Action of Ribosome-Targeting Peptide Antibiotics. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:48. [PMID: 29868608 PMCID: PMC5960728 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The ribosome is one of the major targets in the cell for clinically used antibiotics. However, the increase in multidrug resistant bacteria is rapidly reducing the effectiveness of our current arsenal of ribosome-targeting antibiotics, highlighting the need for the discovery of compounds with new scaffolds that bind to novel sites on the ribosome. One possible avenue for the development of new antimicrobial agents is by characterization and optimization of ribosome-targeting peptide antibiotics. Biochemical and structural data on ribosome-targeting peptide antibiotics illustrates the large diversity of scaffolds, binding interactions with the ribosome as well as mechanism of action to inhibit translation. The availability of high-resolution structures of ribosomes in complex with peptide antibiotics opens the way to structure-based design of these compounds as novel antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yury S Polikanov
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Nikolay A Aleksashin
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Bertrand Beckert
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel N Wilson
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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19
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Wadhwani P, Heidenreich N, Podeyn B, Bürck J, Ulrich AS. Antibiotic gold: tethering of antimicrobial peptides to gold nanoparticles maintains conformational flexibility of peptides and improves trypsin susceptibility. Biomater Sci 2018; 5:817-827. [PMID: 28275774 DOI: 10.1039/c7bm00069c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-coated nanoparticles are valuable tools for diverse biological applications, such as drug delivery, molecular recognition, and antimicrobial action. The functionalization of pre-fabricated nanoparticles with free peptides in solution is inefficient either due to aggregation of the particles or due to the poor ligand exchange reaction. Here, we present a one-pot synthesis for preparing gold nanoparticles with a homogeneous distribution that are covered in situ with cationic peptides in a site-selective manner via Cys-residue at the N-terminus. Five representative peptides were selected, which are known to perturb cellular membranes and exert their antimicrobial and/or cell penetrating activity by folding into amphiphilic α-helical structures. When tethered to the nanoparticles at a single site, all peptides were found to switch their conformation from unordered state (in aqueous buffers) to their functionally relevant α-helical conformation in the presence of model membranes, as shown by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The conjugated peptides also maintained the same antibacterial activity as in the free form. Most importantly, when tethered to the gold nanoparticles the peptides showed an enormous increase in stability against trypsin digestion compared to the free forms, leading to a dramatic improvement of their lifetimes and activities. These findings suggest that site-selective surface tethering of peptides to gold nanoparticles has several advantages: (i) it does not prevent the peptides from folding into their biologically active conformation, (ii) such conjugation protects the peptides against protease digestion, and (iii) this way it is possible to prepare stable, water soluble antimicrobial nanoparticles as promising antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvesh Wadhwani
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 1Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2) P.O.B. 3640, D 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Nico Heidenreich
- KIT, 2Institute of Organic Chemistry & CFN, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Benjamin Podeyn
- KIT, 2Institute of Organic Chemistry & CFN, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jochen Bürck
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 1Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2) P.O.B. 3640, D 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 1Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2) P.O.B. 3640, D 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany. and KIT, 2Institute of Organic Chemistry & CFN, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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20
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Równicki M, Wojciechowska M, Wierzba AJ, Czarnecki J, Bartosik D, Gryko D, Trylska J. Vitamin B 12 as a carrier of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) into bacterial cells. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7644. [PMID: 28794451 PMCID: PMC5550456 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08032-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Short modified oligonucleotides targeted at bacterial DNA or RNA could serve as antibacterial agents provided that they are efficiently taken up by bacterial cells. However, the uptake of such oligonucleotides is hindered by the bacterial cell wall. To overcome this problem, oligomers have been attached to cell-penetrating peptides, but the efficiency of delivery remains poor. Thus, we have investigated the ability of vitamin B12 to transport peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers into cells of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium. Vitamin B12 was covalently linked to a PNA oligomer targeted at the mRNA of a reporter gene expressing Red Fluorescent Protein. Cu-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition was employed for the synthesis of PNA-vitamin B12 conjugates; namely the vitamin B12 azide was reacted with PNA possessing the terminal alkyne group. Different types of linkers and spacers between vitamin B12 and PNA were tested, including a disulfide bond. We found that vitamin B12 transports antisense PNA into E. coli cells more efficiently than the most widely used cell-penetrating peptide (KFF)3K. We also determined that the structure of the linker impacts the antisense effect. The results of this study provide the foundation for developing vitamin B12 as a carrier of PNA oligonucleotides into bacterial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Równicki
- College of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Wojciechowska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra J Wierzba
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Czarnecki
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Bartosik
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Gryko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Joanna Trylska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
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21
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Correlating uptake and activity of proline-rich antimicrobial peptides in Escherichia coli. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:5581-5592. [PMID: 28717895 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0496-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Increasing death tolls accounted for by antimicrobial drug resistance demand novel antibiotic lead compounds. Among different promising candidate classes, proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are very favorable due to their intracellular mechanism, i.e., binding to the 70S ribosome and DnaK, after active uptake relying on bacterial transporters like SbmA and MdtM. Studies on peptide internalization as the first step of their complex mode of action rely typically on fluorophore or radioactive labeling and quantification using microscopy, flow cytometry, or radioactivity. Here, a liquid chromatography based assay was applied to quantify the unlabeled internalized full-length peptides and their proteolytic degradation products (metabolites) using UV absorbance and mass spectrometry. Knockout mutants lacking transporter proteins showed reduced PrAMP uptakes, explaining their reduced susceptibility against PrAMPs. Interestingly, major metabolites produced by bacterial proteases still bound to the 70S ribosome provide evidence that degradation by cytosolic proteases as a possible resistance mechanism is not very efficient. Graphical abstract The uptake of unlabeled proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) is analyzed in Escherichia coli BW25113 wild-type and transporter knockout mutants ΔsbmA and BS2 (ΔsbmA yjiL::Tn10) by reversed-phase chromatography and quantified by UV detection or mass spectrometry with multi-reaction monitoring (scheme right). Internalized peptide amounts correlated to minimal inhibitory concentrations and bacterial transport activities based on the present transporter proteins (scheme left).
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22
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Differential stability of therapeutic peptides with different proteolytic cleavage sites in blood, plasma and serum. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178943. [PMID: 28575099 PMCID: PMC5456363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteolytic degradation of peptide-based drugs is often considered as major weakness limiting systemic therapeutic applications. Therefore, huge efforts are typically devoted to stabilize sequences against proteases present in serum or plasma, obtained as supernatants after complete blood coagulation or centrifugation of blood supplemented with anticoagulants, respectively. Plasma and serum are reproducibly obtained from animals and humans allowing consistent for clinical analyses and research applications. However, the spectrum of active or activated proteases appears to vary depending on the activation of proteases and cofactors during coagulation (serum) or inhibition of such enzymes by anticoagulants (plasma), such as EDTA (metallo- and Ca2+-dependent proteases) and heparin (e.g. thrombin, factor Xa). Here, we studied the presumed effects on peptide degradation by taking blood via cardiac puncture of CD-1 mice using a syringe containing a peptide solution. Due to absence of coagulation activators (e.g. glass surfaces and damaged cells), visible blood clotting was prevented allowing to study peptide degradation for one hour. The remaining peptide was quantified and the degradation products were identified using mass spectrometry. When the degradation rates (half-life times) were compared to serum derived freshly from the same animal and commercial serum and plasma samples, peptides of three different families showed indeed considerably different stabilities. Generally, peptides were faster degraded in serum than in plasma, but surprisingly all peptides were more stable in fresh blood and the order of degradation rates among the peptides varied among the six different incubation experiments. This indicates, that proteolytic degradation of peptide-based therapeutics may often be misleading stimulating efforts to stabilize peptides at degradation sites relevant only in vitro, i.e., for serum or plasma stability assays, but of lower importance in vivo.
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23
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Schmidt R, Knappe D, Wende E, Ostorházi E, Hoffmann R. In vivo Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Optimized Apidaecin Analogs. Front Chem 2017; 5:15. [PMID: 28373972 PMCID: PMC5357639 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2017.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) represent promising alternative therapeutic options for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. PrAMPs are predominantly active against Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting protein expression via at least two different modes of action, i.e., blocking the ribosomal exit tunnel of 70S ribosomes (oncocin-type binding) or inhibiting the assembly of the 50S ribosomal subunit (apidaecin-type binding). The in vivo efficacy and favorable biodistribution of oncocins confirmed the therapeutic potential of short PrAMPs for the first time, whereas the in vivo evaluation of apidaecins is still limited despite the promising efficacy of apidaecin-analog Api88 in an intraperitoneal murine infection model. Here, the in vivo efficacy of apidaecin-analog Api137 was studied, which rescued all NMRI mice from a lethal intraperitoneal infection with E. coli ATCC 25922 when administered three times intraperitoneal at doses of 0.6 mg/kg starting 1 h after infection. When Api88 and Api137 were administered intravenous or intraperitoneal at doses of 5 and 20 mg/kg, their plasma levels were similarly low (<3 μg/mL) and four-fold lower than for oncocin-analog Onc72. This contradicted earlier expectation based on the very low serum stability of Api88 with a half-life time of only ~5 min compared to ~6 and ~3 h for Api137 and Onc72, respectively. Pharmacokinetic data relying on a sensitive mass spectrometry method utilizing multiple reaction monitoring and isotope-labeled peptides revealed that Api88 and Api137 were present in blood, urine, and kidney, and liver homogenates at similar levels accompanied by the same major metabolites comprising residues 1-16 and 1-17. The pretended discrepancy was solved, when all peptides were incubated in peritoneal lavage. Api137 was rapidly degraded at the C-terminus, while Api88 was rather stable despite releasing the same degradation products. Onc72 was very stable explaining its higher plasma levels compared to Api88 and Api137 after intraperitoneal administration illuminating its good in vivo efficacy. The data indicate that the degradation of therapeutic peptides should be studied in serum and further body fluids. Moreover, the high efficacy in murine infection models and the fast clearance of Api88 and Api137 within ~60 min after intravenous and ~90 min after intraperitoneal injections indicate that their in vivo efficacy relates to the maximal peptide concentration achieved in blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rico Schmidt
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Wende
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany
| | - Eszter Ostorházi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität LeipzigLeipzig, Germany
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24
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Graf M, Mardirossian M, Nguyen F, Seefeldt AC, Guichard G, Scocchi M, Innis CA, Wilson DN. Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides targeting protein synthesis. Nat Prod Rep 2017; 34:702-711. [DOI: 10.1039/c7np00020k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) bind within the exit tunnel of the ribosome and inhibit translation elongation. Structures of ribosome-bound PrAMPs reveal the interactions with ribosomal components and could pave the way for the development of novel peptide-based antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Graf
- Gene Center
- Department for Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Sciences Munich (CiPS-M)
- University of Munich
- 81377 Munich
- Germany
| | - Mario Mardirossian
- Gene Center
- Department for Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Sciences Munich (CiPS-M)
- University of Munich
- 81377 Munich
- Germany
| | - Fabian Nguyen
- Gene Center
- Department for Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Sciences Munich (CiPS-M)
- University of Munich
- 81377 Munich
- Germany
| | | | - Gilles Guichard
- Université de Bordeaux
- CNRS
- Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux
- UMR 5248
- Institut de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes et des Nano-objets (CBMN)
| | - Marco Scocchi
- Department of Life Sciences
- University of Trieste
- Trieste
- Italy
| | - C. Axel Innis
- Univ. Bordeaux
- ARNA Laboratory
- Inserm U1212
- CNRS UMR 5320
- IECB
| | - Daniel N. Wilson
- Gene Center
- Department for Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Sciences Munich (CiPS-M)
- University of Munich
- 81377 Munich
- Germany
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25
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Knappe D, Adermann K, Hoffmann R. Oncocin Onc72 is efficacious against antibiotic-susceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 43816 in a murine thigh infection model. Biopolymers 2016; 104:707-11. [PMID: 25968331 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Oncocins and apidaecins are short proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) representing novel antibiotic drug lead compounds that kill bacteria after internalization and inhibition of intracellular targets (e.g. 70S ribosome and DnaK). Oncocin Onc72 is highly active against Gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo protecting mice in systemic infection models with Escherichia coli and KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. Here we studied its efficacy in a murine thigh infection model using meropenem as antibiotic comparator that had a 44-fold higher molar in vitro activity than Onc72. Male CD1 mice were rendered neutropenic using cyclophosphamide for four days before intramuscular infection with K. pneumoniae ATCC 43816. After 75 min oncocin Onc72 or the antibiotic comparator meropenem were administered subcutaneously with 100 mg (43 µmol) and 25 mg (65 µmol) per kg of body weight, respectively, six times every 75 min. Onc72 and meropenem administered subcutaneously reduced the thigh tissue burden of K. pneumoniae ATCC 43816 in neutropenic mice significantly by 4.14 and 4.65 a log10 cfu/g, respectively. The bacterial counts were ∼0.5 and ∼1 log10 below the pre-treatment burden, respectively, indicating bactericidal effects for both compounds. Thus, Onc72 was as efficacious as meropenem in vivo despite its much lower in vitro activity determined according to CLSI standard antimicrobial activity tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,AMP-Therapeutics GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Insect-derived short proline-rich and murine cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptides act synergistically on Gram-negative bacteria in vitro. Future Med Chem 2016; 8:1035-45. [PMID: 27285299 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2016-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Organisms express a set of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) to protect the host against invading microbes by targeting their membranes or intracellular structures. Structurally optimized proline-rich AMPs (PrAMPs) are substantially more efficient in murine infection models than previously assumed from in vitro activities. Thus, we hypothesized that PrAMPs act synergistically with lytic AMPs intrinsically produced in hosts in response to an infection. METHODS & RESULTS Synergistic effects between lytic murine cathelicidin-related AMP (CRAMP) and apidaecin- and oncocin-derivatives were studied in chequerboard assays. Evaluation of fractional inhibitory concentration indices revealed synergies against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSION CRAMP synergistically enhances the activity of proline-rich AMPs, which will allow evaluating their therapeutic potential more precisely in vitro.
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27
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Böttger R, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. Readily adaptable release kinetics of prodrugs using protease-dependent reversible PEGylation. J Control Release 2016; 230:88-94. [PMID: 27067364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein and peptide therapeutics with good in vitro activities often fail due to poor bioavailability, circulation lifetime, and immunogenicity. PEGylation, i.e. conjugation of polyethylene glycol (PEG), significantly improves serum stability and renal clearance besides reducing the immunogenicity and thus enhances pharmacokinetics and tolerance in vivo. Several PEGylated drugs are marketed including several top-selling blockbusters. However, PEGylation can mask the binding site, especially in peptides, and thereby reduce the activity drastically, which is only rarely compensated by the improved bioavailability. Prodrug strategies using temporary PEGylation, i.e. the authentic drug is released from a PEG-linked precursor by hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation, can overcome these weaknesses. Recently, we reported a strategy coupling PEG via a peptide linker cleaved C-terminally by trypsin-like proteases in blood to release the unmasked therapeutic peptide. Here, we designed twelve short peptide linkers (four or five residues) to tune the release-rates of oncocin Onc112, a proline-rich antimicrobial peptide. In 25% aqueous mouse serum, Onc112 was released with half-life times from 0.5 to 12h. When elongated N-terminally with 5kDa ɑ-methoxy-ω-mercapto PEG as thioether, the half-life times of the prodrugs ranged from 7 to 42h in full mouse serum. Conjugation of a 20kDa instead of the 5kDa PEG increased the half-life times more than twofold, whereas longer peptide linkers up to twelve residues increased them only slightly. In all cases, Onc112 was released continuously providing stable peptide levels for at least 16h. The kinetics will allow the specific design of PEG-linker-drug-combinations for optimizing the pharmacokinetics of promising peptide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Böttger
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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28
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Rahnamaeian M, Cytryńska M, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Dobslaff K, Wiesner J, Twyman RM, Zuchner T, Sadd BM, Regoes RR, Schmid-Hempel P, Vilcinskas A. Insect antimicrobial peptides show potentiating functional interactions against Gram-negative bacteria. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150293. [PMID: 25833860 PMCID: PMC4426631 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are important components of innate
immunity against pathogens in insects. The production of AMPs is costly owing to
resource-based trade-offs, and strategies maximizing the efficacy of AMPs at low
concentrations are therefore likely to be advantageous. Here, we show the
potentiating functional interaction of co-occurring insect AMPs (the bumblebee
linear peptides hymenoptaecin and abaecin) resulting in more potent
antimicrobial effects at low concentrations. Abaecin displayed no detectable
activity against Escherichia coli when tested alone at
concentrations of up to 200 μM, whereas hymenoptaecin affected bacterial
cell growth and viability but only at concentrations greater than 2 μM.
In combination, as little as 1.25 μM abaecin enhanced the bactericidal
effects of hymenoptaecin. To understand these potentiating functional
interactions, we investigated their mechanisms of action using atomic force
microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based quenching assays.
Abaecin was found to reduce the minimal inhibitory concentration of
hymenoptaecin and to interact with the bacterial chaperone DnaK (an
evolutionarily conserved central organizer of the bacterial chaperone network)
when the membrane was compromised by hymenoptaecin. These naturally occurring
potentiating interactions suggest that combinations of AMPs could be used
therapeutically against Gram-negative bacterial pathogens that have acquired
resistance to common antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka Street 19, Lublin 20-033, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka Street 19, Lublin 20-033, Poland
| | - Kristin Dobslaff
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jochen Wiesner
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany
| | - Richard M Twyman
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany TRM Ltd, PO Box 93, York YO43 3WE, UK
| | - Thole Zuchner
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Roland R Regoes
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zentrum CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Paul Schmid-Hempel
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zentrum CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, Giessen 35392, Germany
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29
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Hansen AM, Bonke G, Larsen CJ, Yavari N, Nielsen PE, Franzyk H. Antibacterial Peptide Nucleic Acid-Antimicrobial Peptide (PNA-AMP) Conjugates: Antisense Targeting of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis. Bioconjug Chem 2016; 27:863-7. [PMID: 26938833 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers constitute a novel class of potential antibiotics that inhibit bacterial growth via specific knockdown of essential gene expression. However, discovery of efficient, nontoxic delivery vehicles for such PNA oligomers has remained a challenge. In the present study we show that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with an intracellular mode of action can be efficient vehicles for bacterial delivery of an antibacterial PNA targeting the essential acpP gene. The results demonstrate that buforin 2-A (BF2-A), drosocin, oncocin 10, Pep-1-K, KLW-9,13-a, (P59→W59)-Tat48-60, BF-2A-RXR, and drosocin-RXR are capable of transporting PNA effectively into E. coli (MICs of 1-4 μM). Importantly, presence of the inner-membrane peptide transporter SbmA was not required for antibacterial activity of PNA-AMP conjugates containing Pep-1-K, KLW-9,13-a, or drosocin-RXR (MICs of 2-4 μM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mette Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte Bonke
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Camilla Josephine Larsen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niloofar Yavari
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen , Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter E Nielsen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen , Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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30
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Schmidt R, Ostorházi E, Wende E, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. Pharmacokinetics and in vivo efficacy of optimized oncocin derivatives. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 71:1003-11. [PMID: 26832757 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkv454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial peptide Onc112 in a lethal Escherichia coli infection model and the pharmacokinetics of Onc72 and Onc112 administered intravenously or intraperitoneally in mice. METHODS Onc72, Onc112 and their major metabolites in blood, kidneys, liver, brain and urine were quantified by MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and isotope-labelled peptides. RESULTS Onc112 rescued all animals when administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg and was thus slightly more efficient than Onc72. The MRM method provided limits of quantification in plasma, urine and kidney, liver and brain homogenates of 7-80 μg/L, well below the MICs of 2-4 mg/L. Onc72 and Onc112 reached all organs within 10 min when administered intraperitoneally (5 mg/kg). Their initial concentrations in plasma were 11.9 and 22.6 mg/L, respectively, with elimination t1/2 values of ∼14 and 21 min. The peptide concentrations in blood remained above their MICs for 20 min for Onc72 and 80 min for Onc112. The highest peptide concentrations were detected in kidney homogenates, which also contained the highest content of metabolites, indicating, together with the results from analysis of urine samples, that both peptides are cleared through the kidneys. CONCLUSIONS Onc72 and Onc112 reach organs, including the brain, within 10 min after intravenous and intraperitoneal administration. Onc112 remained in blood at concentrations above its MIC for 80 min. The pharmacokinetic profiles explain the high in vivo efficacies in models of systemic infection and indicate the potential use of these agents for the treatment of urinary tract infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rico Schmidt
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eszter Ostorházi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Elisabeth Wende
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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31
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Krizsan A, Prahl C, Goldbach T, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. Short Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides Inhibit Either the Bacterial 70S Ribosome or the Assembly of its Large 50S Subunit. Chembiochem 2015; 16:2304-8. [PMID: 26448548 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201500375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Short proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are a promising class of antibiotics that use novel mechanisms, thus offering the potential to overcome the health threat of multiresistant pathogens. The peptides bind to the bacterial 70S ribosome and can inhibit protein translation. We report that PrAMPs can be divided into two classes, with each class binding to a different site, and thus use different lethal mechanisms. Oncocin-type peptides inhibit protein translation in Escherichia coli by binding to the exit tunnel of the 70S ribosome with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50 values) of around 2 to 6 μmol L(-1), whereas apidaecin-type peptides block the assembly of the large (50S) subunit of the ribosome, resulting in similar IC50 values. The revealed mechanisms should allow the design of new antibiotics to overcome current bacterial resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andor Krizsan
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Caroline Prahl
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tina Goldbach
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BBZ), Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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Optimization of oncocin for antibacterial activity using a SPOT synthesis approach: extending the pathogen spectrum to Staphylococcus aureus. Amino Acids 2015; 48:269-80. [PMID: 26334348 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-015-2082-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The identification of lead molecules against multidrug-resistant bacteria ensuing the development of novel antimicrobial drugs is an urgent task. Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides are highly active in vitro and in vivo, but only against a few Gram-negative human pathogens, with rather weak activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. This reduced level of efficacy could be related to inadequate uptake mechanisms or structural differences of the intracellular target proteins, i.e., the 70S ribosome or chaperone DnaK. Here we synthesized peptide arrays on cellulose membranes using cleavable linkers to release the free individual peptides for further antimicrobial tests. Thus, a library of singly substituted oncocin analogs was produced by replacing each residue by all other 19 canonical amino acids yielding a set of 361 individual peptides to be evaluated against a luminescent P. aeruginosa strain. Thirteen substitutions appeared promising and their improved antibacterial activities were confirmed for different bacteria after larger scale synthesis of these analogs. By combining two favorable substitutions into one peptide, we finally obtained an oncocin analog that was ten times more active against P. aeruginosa and even 100-fold more active against S. aureus than the original oncocin, providing minimal inhibitory concentrations of 4-8 and 0.5 µg/mL, respectively.
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33
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Immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of short, proline-rich antimicrobial peptides. Future Med Chem 2015; 7:1581-96. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc.15.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The potential of proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens has been intensively investigated. They are efficacious at low doses in infection models and well tolerated in healthy mice at high doses. Methods & results: PrAMPs Onc72 and Api88 were nonimmunogenic in mice unless conjugated to a carrier protein. Monoclonal IgG1/IgG2b antibodies produced by hybridoma cells were mapped to different Onc72 regions and combined in a sandwich-ELISA in a pharmacokinetic study. Onc72 was detected at concentrations up to 32 µg/ml in murine blood after administering 20 mg/kg and reached several organs within 10 min. Conclusion: Both PrAMPs were not immunogenic and Onc72 concentrations in blood were well above the minimal inhibitory concentrations for Enterobacteriaceae further confirming their potential as novel antibiotics.
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Guida F, Benincasa M, Zahariev S, Scocchi M, Berti F, Gennaro R, Tossi A. Effect of Size and N-Terminal Residue Characteristics on Bacterial Cell Penetration and Antibacterial Activity of the Proline-Rich Peptide Bac7. J Med Chem 2015; 58:1195-204. [DOI: 10.1021/jm501367p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sotir Zahariev
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), AREA Science Park, Trieste I-34149, Italy
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Novel apidaecin 1b analogs with superior serum stabilities for treatment of infections by gram-negative pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2012; 57:402-9. [PMID: 23114765 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01923-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) from insects and mammals have recently been evaluated for their pharmaceutical potential in treating systemic bacterial infections. Besides the native peptides, several shortened, modified, or even artificial sequences were highly effective in different murine infection models. Most recently, we showed that the 18-residue-long peptide Api88, an optimized version of apidaecin 1b, was efficient in two different animal infection models using the pathogenic Escherichia coli strains ATCC 25922 and Neumann, with a promising safety margin. Here, we show that Api88 is degraded relatively fast upon incubation with mouse serum, by cleavage of the C-terminal leucine residue. To improve its in vitro characteristics, we aimed to improve its serum stability. Replacing the C-terminal amide by the free acid or substituting Arg-17 with l-ornithine or l-homoarginine increased the serum stabilities by more than 20-fold (half-life, ∼4 to 6 h). These analogs were nontoxic to human embryonic kidney (HEK 293), human hepatoma (HepG2), SH-SY5Y, and HeLa cells and nonhemolytic to human erythrocytes. The binding constants of all three analogs with the chaperone DnaK, which is proposed as the bacterial target of PrAMPs, were very similar to that of Api88. Of all the analogs tested, Api137 (Gu-ONNRPVYIPRPRPPHPRL; Gu is N,N,N',N'-tetramethylguanidino) appeared most promising due to its high antibacterial activity, which was very similar to Api88. Positional alanine and d-amino acid scans of Api137 indicated that substitutions of residues 1 to 13 had only minor effects on the activity against an E. coli strain, whereas substitutions of residues 14 to 18 decreased the activity dramatically. Based on the significantly improved resistance to proteolysis, Api137 appears to be a very promising lead compound that should be even more efficient in vivo than Api88.
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36
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Fritsche S, Knappe D, Berthold N, von Buttlar H, Hoffmann R, Alber G. Absence ofin vitroinnate immunomodulation by insect-derived short proline-rich antimicrobial peptides points to direct antibacterial actionin vivo. J Pept Sci 2012; 18:599-608. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.2440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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37
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Czihal P, Knappe D, Fritsche S, Zahn M, Berthold N, Piantavigna S, Müller U, Van Dorpe S, Herth N, Binas A, Köhler G, De Spiegeleer B, Martin LL, Nolte O, Sträter N, Alber G, Hoffmann R. Api88 is a novel antibacterial designer peptide to treat systemic infections with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. ACS Chem Biol 2012; 7:1281-91. [PMID: 22594381 DOI: 10.1021/cb300063v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of multiple-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens in hospitals (nosocomial infections) presents a global threat of growing importance, especially for Gram-negative bacteria with extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) or the novel New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 (NDM-1) resistance. Starting from the antibacterial peptide apidaecin 1b, we have optimized the sequence to treat systemic infections with the most threatening human pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The lead compound Api88 enters bacteria without lytic effects at the membrane and inhibits chaperone DnaK at the substrate binding domain with a K(D) of 5 μmol/L. The Api88-DnaK crystal structure revealed that Api88 binds with a seven residue long sequence (PVYIPRP), in two different modes. Mice did not show any sign of toxicity when Api88 was injected four times intraperitoneally at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight (BW) within 24 h, whereas three injections of 1.25 mg/kg BW and 5 mg/kg BW were sufficient to rescue all animals in lethal sepsis models using pathogenic E. coli strains ATCC 25922 and Neumann, respectively. Radioactive labeling showed that Api88 enters all organs investigated including the brain and is cleared through both the liver and kidneys at similar rates. In conclusion, Api88 is a novel, highly promising, 18-residue peptide lead compound with favorable in vitro and in vivo properties including a promising safety margin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sylvia Van Dorpe
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Gabriele Köhler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bart De Spiegeleer
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Oliver Nolte
- AiCuris GmbH & Co KG, Building 302, Wuppertal, Germany
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Baldassarre L, Pinnen F, Cornacchia C, Fornasari E, Cellini L, Baffoni M, Cacciatore I. Synthesis of short cationic antimicrobial peptidomimetics containing arginine analogues. J Pept Sci 2012; 18:567-78. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.2435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Revised: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Baldassarre
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Francesco Pinnen
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Catia Cornacchia
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Erika Fornasari
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Luigina Cellini
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Marina Baffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
| | - Ivana Cacciatore
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco; Università G. d'Annunzio; Via dei Vestini 31 66100 Chieti Italy
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Knappe D, Fritsche S, Alber G, Köhler G, Hoffmann R, Müller U. Oncocin derivative Onc72 is highly active against Escherichia coli in a systemic septicaemia infection mouse model. J Antimicrob Chemother 2012; 67:2445-51. [PMID: 22729924 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dks241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The antimicrobial oncocin derivative Onc72 is highly active against a number of Gram-negative bacteria, including resistant strains. Here we study its toxicity and efficacy in a lethal mouse infection model. METHODS In an acute toxicity study, purified Onc72 was administered to NMRI mice in four consecutive injections within a period of 24 h as an intraperitoneal bolus. The animals' behaviour was monitored for 5 days, before several organs were examined by histopathology. A lethal Escherichia coli infection model was established and the efficacy of Onc72 was evaluated for different peptide doses considering the survival rates of each dose group and the bacterial counts in blood, lavage and organs. RESULTS Intraperitoneal bolus injections with single doses of 20 or 40 mg of Onc72 per kg of body weight did not result in any abnormal animal behaviour. No mouse became moribund or died within the studied period. Histopathological examinations revealed no toxic effects. When infected with E. coli at a lethal dose, none of the untreated animals survived the next 24 h, whereas all animals treated three times with Onc72 at doses of ≥5 mg/kg survived the observation period of 5 days. No bacteria were detected in the blood of treated animals after day 5 post-infection. The effective dose (ED(50)) was ∼2 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS No toxic effects were observed for Onc72 within the studied dose range up to 40 mg/kg, indicating a safety margin of >20.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Dobslaff K, Kreisig T, Berthold N, Hoffmann R, Zuchner T. Novel peptide-protein assay for identification of antimicrobial peptides by fluorescence quenching. Anal Bioanal Chem 2012; 403:2725-31. [PMID: 22569846 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-012-6050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/15/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The specific interaction of peptides with proteins is often a key factor which determines biological activities. The determination of K(d) values of such interactions is commonly performed with fluorescence polarization. However, fluorescence polarization assays are prone to false-positive results due to the potential for non-specific interactions and only afford very low signal-to-background ratios. Here, we present as an alternative a fluorescence resonance energy transfer based quenching assay to measure peptide-protein interactions in solution. In a test setup where antimicrobial peptides were tested for their affinity towards the protein DnaK, the assay provided high specificity and good reproducibility and correlated with the results obtained by fluorescence polarization methods. Furthermore, we established a fast prescreening method which will allow a highly efficient screening of peptide libraries by reducing the amount of sample by 98% compared to conventional fluorescence polarization assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Dobslaff
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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