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Zielke C, Nielsen JE, Lin JS, Barron AE. Between good and evil: Complexation of the human cathelicidin LL-37 with nucleic acids. Biophys J 2024; 123:1316-1328. [PMID: 37919905 PMCID: PMC11163296 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system provides a crucial first line of defense against invading pathogens attacking the body. As the only member of the human cathelicidin family, the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 has been shown to have antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. In complexation with nucleic acids, LL-37 is suggested to maintain its beneficial health effects while also acting as a condensation agent for the nucleic acid. Complexes formed by LL-37 and nucleic acids have been shown to be immunostimulatory with a positive impact on the human innate immune system. However, some studies also suggest that in some circumstances, LL-37/nucleic acid complexes may be a contributing factor to autoimmune disorders such as psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of research highlighting the beneficial health effects of LL-37/nucleic acid complexes, as well as discussing observed detrimental effects. We will emphasize why it is important to investigate and elucidate structural characteristics, such as condensation patterns of nucleic acids within complexation, and their mechanisms of action, to shed light on the intricate physiological effects of LL-37 and the seemingly contradictory role of LL-37/nucleic acid complexes in the innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Zielke
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Schools of Medicine and of Engineering, Stanford, California
| | - Josefine Eilsø Nielsen
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Schools of Medicine and of Engineering, Stanford, California; Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jennifer S Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Schools of Medicine and of Engineering, Stanford, California
| | - Annelise E Barron
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Schools of Medicine and of Engineering, Stanford, California.
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2
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Corneillie L, Lemmens I, Weening K, De Meyer A, Van Houtte F, Tavernier J, Meuleman P. Virus-Host Protein Interaction Network of the Hepatitis E Virus ORF2-4 by Mammalian Two-Hybrid Assays. Viruses 2023; 15:2412. [PMID: 38140653 PMCID: PMC10748205 DOI: 10.3390/v15122412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout their life cycle, viruses interact with cellular host factors, thereby influencing propagation, host range, cell tropism and pathogenesis. The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an underestimated RNA virus in which knowledge of the virus-host interaction network to date is limited. Here, two related high-throughput mammalian two-hybrid approaches (MAPPIT and KISS) were used to screen for HEV-interacting host proteins. Promising hits were examined on protein function, involved pathway(s), and their relation to other viruses. We identified 37 ORF2 hits, 187 for ORF3 and 91 for ORF4. Several hits had functions in the life cycle of distinct viruses. We focused on SHARPIN and RNF5 as candidate hits for ORF3, as they are involved in the RLR-MAVS pathway and interferon (IFN) induction during viral infections. Knocking out (KO) SHARPIN and RNF5 resulted in a different IFN response upon ORF3 transfection, compared to wild-type cells. Moreover, infection was increased in SHARPIN KO cells and decreased in RNF5 KO cells. In conclusion, MAPPIT and KISS are valuable tools to study virus-host interactions, providing insights into the poorly understood HEV life cycle. We further provide evidence for two identified hits as new host factors in the HEV life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Corneillie
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Irma Lemmens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karin Weening
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amse De Meyer
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freya Van Houtte
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Tavernier
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Philip Meuleman
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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3
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Mechesso AF, Su Y, Xie J, Wang G. Enhanced Antimicrobial Screening Sensitivity Enabled the Identification of an Ultrashort Peptide KR-8 for Engineering of LL-37mini to Combat Drug-Resistant Pathogens. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2215-2225. [PMID: 37812567 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Identification of novel antibiotics is of top importance because of the threat of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial screening in Mueller-Hinton broth is frequently the first step in antimicrobial discovery. Although widely utilized, this medium is not ideal as it could mask activity of candidates such as human cathelicidin LL-37 against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study identified a sensitive medium where LL-37 displayed excellent activity against numerous pathogens, including MRSA. Our screen of ultrashort overlapping LL-37 peptides in this medium led to the identification of KR-8, four residues shorter than KR-12. Hence, our screen condition may increase positive compound hits during antimicrobial screening. KR-8 provided an appealing template for us to design LL-37mini, which was potent against MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but not toxic to mammalian cells. LL-37mini also inhibited bacterial attachment and biofilm formation and disrupted preformed biofilms in vitro and killed MRSA in murine wound biofilms in vivo. Consistent with membrane targeting, MRSA failed to develop resistance to LL-37mini in a multiple-passage experiment. Because LL-37mini can be made cost effectively, it can be developed into new antibiofilm and antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Fikru Mechesso
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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4
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Urmi UL, Vijay AK, Kuppusamy R, Islam S, Willcox MDP. A Review of the Antiviral Activity of Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides. Peptides 2023; 166:171024. [PMID: 37172781 PMCID: PMC10170872 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Viral epidemics are occurring frequently, and the COVID-19 viral pandemic has resulted in at least 6.5 million deaths worldwide. Although antiviral therapeutics are available, these may not have sufficient effect. The emergence of resistant or novel viruses requires new therapies. Cationic antimicrobial peptides are agents of the innate immune system that may offer a promising solution to viral infections. These peptides are gaining attention as possible therapies for viral infections or for use as prophylactic agents to prevent viral spread. This narrative review examines antiviral peptides, their structural features, and mechanism of activity. A total of 156 cationic antiviral peptides were examined for information of their mechanism of action against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. Antiviral peptides can be isolated from various natural sources or can be generated synthetically. The latter tend to be more specific and effective and can be made to have a broad spectrum of activity with minimal side effects. Their unique properties of being positively charges and amphipathic enable their main mode of action which is to target and disrupt viral lipid envelopes, thereby inhibiting viral entry and replication. This review offers a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of antiviral peptides, which could potentially aid in the design and creation of novel antiviral medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umme Laila Urmi
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Ajay Kumar Vijay
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Rajesh Kuppusamy
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Salequl Islam
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh.
| | - Mark D P Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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5
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Liu Y, Zhu Y, Sun X, Ma T, Lao X, Zheng H. DRAVP: A Comprehensive Database of Antiviral Peptides and Proteins. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040820. [PMID: 37112801 PMCID: PMC10141206 DOI: 10.3390/v15040820] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses with rapid replication and easy mutation can become resistant to antiviral drug treatment. With novel viral infections emerging, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, novel antiviral therapies are urgently needed. Antiviral proteins, such as interferon, have been used for treating chronic hepatitis C infections for decades. Natural-origin antimicrobial peptides, such as defensins, have also been identified as possessing antiviral activities, including direct antiviral effects and the ability to induce indirect immune responses to viruses. To promote the development of antiviral drugs, we constructed a data repository of antiviral peptides and proteins (DRAVP). The database provides general information, antiviral activity, structure information, physicochemical information, and literature information for peptides and proteins. Because most of the proteins and peptides lack experimentally determined structures, AlphaFold was used to predict each antiviral peptide's structure. A free website for users (http://dravp.cpu-bioinfor.org/, accessed on 30 August 2022) was constructed to facilitate data retrieval and sequence analysis. Additionally, all the data can be accessed from the web interface. The DRAVP database aims to be a useful resource for developing antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchao Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Youzhuo Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xin Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tianyue Ma
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
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6
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Epinecidin-1, a marine antifungal peptide, inhibits Botrytis cinerea and delays gray mold in postharvest peaches. Food Chem 2023; 403:134419. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Antiviral Peptides in Antimicrobial Surface Coatings—From Current Techniques to Potential Applications. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030640. [PMID: 36992349 PMCID: PMC10051592 DOI: 10.3390/v15030640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The transmission of pathogens through contact with contaminated surfaces is an important route for the spread of infections. The recent outbreak of COVID-19 highlights the necessity to attenuate surface-mediated transmission. Currently, the disinfection and sanitization of surfaces are commonly performed in this regard. However, there are some disadvantages associated with these practices, including the development of antibiotic resistance, viral mutation, etc.; hence, a better strategy is necessary. In recent years, peptides have been studied to be utilized as a potential alternative. They are part of the host immune defense and have many potential in vivo applications in drug delivery, diagnostics, immunomodulation, etc. Additionally, the ability of peptides to interact with different molecules and membrane surfaces of microorganisms has made it possible to exploit them in ex vivo applications such as antimicrobial (antibacterial and antiviral) coatings. Although antibacterial peptide coatings have been studied extensively and proven to be effective, antiviral coatings are a more recent development. Therefore, this study aims to highlight antiviral coating strategies and the current practices and application of antiviral coating materials in personal protective equipment, healthcare devices, and textiles and surfaces in public settings. Here, we have presented a review on potential techniques to incorporate peptides in current surface coating strategies that will serve as a guide for developing cost-effective, sustainable and coherent antiviral surface coatings. We further our discussion to highlight some challenges of using peptides as a surface coating material and to examine future perspectives.
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Decker AP, Su Y, Mishra B, Verma A, Lushnikova T, Xie J, Wang G. Peptide Stability Is Important but Not a General Requirement for Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity In Vitro and In Vivo. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:738-749. [PMID: 36485036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Peptide stability to proteases has been a major requirement for developing peptide therapeutics. This study investigates the effects of peptide stability on antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity under various conditions. For this purpose, two human cathelicidin-derived peptides differing in stability to proteases were utilized. While GF-17, a peptide derived from the major antimicrobial region of human LL-37, can be rapidly cleaved by proteases, the engineered peptide 17BIPHE2 is resistant to multiple proteases. In the standard antimicrobial susceptibility, killing kinetics, and membrane permeabilization assays conducted in vitro using planktonic bacteria, these two peptides displayed similar potency. The two peptides were also similarly active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 prior to biofilm formation. However, 17BIPHE2 was superior to GF-17 in disrupting preformed biofilms probably due to both enhanced stability and slightly higher DNA binding capacity. In a wax moth model, 17BIPHE2 better protected insects from MRSA infection-caused death than GF-17, consistent with the slower degradation of 17BIPHE2 than GF-17. Here, peptide antimicrobial activity was found to be critical for in vivo efficacy. When incorporated in the nanofiber/microneedle delivery device, GF-17 and 17BIPHE2 displayed a similar effect in eliminating MRSA in murine chronic wounds, underscoring the advantage of nanofibers in protecting the peptide from degradation. Since nanoformulation can ease the requirement of peptide stability, it opens the door to a direct use of natural peptides or their cocktails for antimicrobial treatment, accelerating the search of effective antibiofilm peptides to treat chronic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P Decker
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Atul Verma
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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9
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Decker AP, Mechesso AF, Zhou Y, Xu C, Wang G. Hydrophobic diversification is the key to simultaneously increased antifungal activity and decreased cytotoxicity of two ab initio designed peptides. Peptides 2022; 158:170880. [PMID: 36167253 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The fact that some antimicrobial peptides have been utilized clinically and as food preservatives stimulated the efforts in search of new candidates. In our previous studies, we succeeded in designing potent peptides against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), and Ebola viruses based on the database filtering technology. The designed peptides were proved highly potent. However, this ab initio method has not been utilized to design antifungal peptides. This study report two novel antifungal peptides with 21 and 15 amino acids designed by more effectively extracting the most probable parameters from ∼1200 antifungal peptides in the antimicrobial peptide database (APD). Subsequent hydrophobic diversification led to two peptide variants with enhanced activity against four fungal strains but reduced cytotoxicity to four mammalian cell lines. DFTAFP-1A (KWSGAAAKKLKSLLSGLGKLL) and DFTAFP-2A (KWSGLLLKLGAASKL) retained activity against Zygosaccharomyces bailii at pH 5.6 and 6.3 or after autoclave. The peptides could permeabilize fungal membranes and adopted helical conformations in membrane mimetic micelles. Collectively, this study demonstrated not only the successful design of two novel antifungal peptides based on the APD database but also optimization of desired peptide properties. This improved database approach may be utilized to design useful peptides to combat other drug-resistant pathogens as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P Decker
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Abraham Fikru Mechesso
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Yuzhen Zhou
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0963, USA
| | - Changmu Xu
- The Food Processing Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
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10
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Antiviral Effect of hBD-3 and LL-37 during Human Primary Keratinocyte Infection with West Nile Virus. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071552. [PMID: 35891533 PMCID: PMC9319560 DOI: 10.3390/v14071552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted through mosquito bites and responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations. Following their inoculation within the skin, flaviviruses replicate in keratinocytes of the epidermis, inducing an innate immune response including the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Among them, the cathelicidin LL-37 and the human beta-defensin (hBD)-3 are known for their antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. We assessed their role during WNV infection of human primary keratinocytes. LL-37 reduced the viral load in the supernatant of infected keratinocytes and of the titer of a viral inoculum incubated in the presence of the peptide, suggesting a direct antiviral effect of this AMP. Conversely, WNV replication was not inhibited by hBD-3. The two peptides then demonstrated immunomodulatory properties whether in the context of keratinocyte stimulation by poly(I:C) or infection by WNV, but not alone. This study demonstrates the immunostimulatory properties of these two skin AMPs at the initial site of WNV replication and the ability of LL-37 to directly inactivate West Nile viral infectious particles. The results provide new information on the multiple functions of these two peptides and underline the potential of AMPs as new antiviral strategies in the fight against flaviviral infections.
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Ting DSJ, Mohammed I, Lakshminarayanan R, Beuerman RW, Dua HS. Host Defense Peptides at the Ocular Surface: Roles in Health and Major Diseases, and Therapeutic Potentials. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:835843. [PMID: 35783647 PMCID: PMC9243558 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.835843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sight is arguably the most important sense in human. Being constantly exposed to the environmental stress, irritants and pathogens, the ocular surface – a specialized functional and anatomical unit composed of tear film, conjunctival and corneal epithelium, lacrimal glands, meibomian glands, and nasolacrimal drainage apparatus – serves as a crucial front-line defense of the eye. Host defense peptides (HDPs), also known as antimicrobial peptides, are evolutionarily conserved molecular components of innate immunity that are found in all classes of life. Since the first discovery of lysozyme in 1922, a wide range of HDPs have been identified at the ocular surface. In addition to their antimicrobial activity, HDPs are increasingly recognized for their wide array of biological functions, including anti-biofilm, immunomodulation, wound healing, and anti-cancer properties. In this review, we provide an updated review on: (1) spectrum and expression of HDPs at the ocular surface; (2) participation of HDPs in ocular surface diseases/conditions such as infectious keratitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, keratoconus, allergic eye disease, rosacea keratitis, and post-ocular surgery; (3) HDPs that are currently in the development pipeline for treatment of ocular diseases and infections; and (4) future potential of HDP-based clinical pharmacotherapy for ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Darren Shu Jeng Ting
| | - Imran Mohammed
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Roger W. Beuerman
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harminder S. Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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12
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Li F, Lin L, Chi J, Wang H, Du M, Feng D, Wang L, Luo R, Chen H, Quan G, Cai J, Pan X, Wu C, Lu C. Guanidinium-rich lipopeptide functionalized bacteria-absorbing sponge as an effective trap-and-kill system for the elimination of focal bacterial infection. Acta Biomater 2022; 148:106-118. [PMID: 35671875 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.05.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Focal bacterial infections are often difficult to treat due to the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, high risk of relapse, and severe inflammation at local lesions. To address multidrug-resistant skin and soft tissue infections, a bacteria-absorbing sponge was prepared to involve a "trap-and-kill" mechanism. The system describes a guanidinium-rich lipopeptide functionalized lyotropic liquid-crystalline hydrogel with bicontinuous cubic networks. Amphiphilic lipopeptides can be spontaneously anchored to the lipid-water interface, exposing their bacterial targeting sequences to enhance antibacterial trapping/killing activity. Computational simulations supported our structural predictions, and the sponge was confirmed to successfully remove ∼98.8% of the bacteria in the medium. Release and degradation behavior studies indicated that the bacteria-absorbing sponge could degrade, mediate enzyme-responsive lipopeptide release, or generate ∼200 nm lipopeptide nanoparticles with environmental erosion. This implies that the sponge can effectively capture and isolate high concentrations of bacteria at the infected site and then sustainably release antimicrobial lipopeptides into deep tissues for the eradication of residual bacteria. In the animal experiment, we found that the antibacterial performance of the bacterial-absorbing sponge was significant, which demonstrated not only a long-term inhibition effect to disinfect and avoid bacterial rebound, but also a unique advantage to protect tissue from bacterial attack. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Host defense peptides/peptidomimetics (HDPs) have shown potential for the elimination of focal bacterial infections, but the application of their topical formulations suffers from time-consuming preparation processes, indistinctive toxicity reduction effects, and inefficient bacterial capture ability. To explore new avenues for the development of easily prepared, low-toxicity and high-efficiency topical antimicrobials, a guanidinium-rich lipopeptide was encapsulated in a lyotropic liquid-crystalline hydrogel (denoted as "bacteria-absorbing sponge") to achieve complementary superiorities. The superior characteristic of the bacteria-absorbing sponge involves a "trap-and-kill" mechanism, which undergoes not only a long-term inhibition effect to disinfect and avoid bacterial rebound, but also effective bacterial capture and isolating action to confine bacterial diffusion and protect tissues from bacterial attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Liming Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiaying Chi
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Minqun Du
- Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou 511400, China
| | - Disang Feng
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Liqing Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Rui Luo
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Hangping Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Guilan Quan
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Xin Pan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chuanbin Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Chao Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China.
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13
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Liu R, Liu Z, Peng H, Lv Y, Feng Y, Kang J, Lu N, Ma R, Hou S, Sun W, Ying Q, Wang F, Gao Q, Zhao P, Zhu C, Wang Y, Wu X. Bomidin: An Optimized Antimicrobial Peptide With Broad Antiviral Activity Against Enveloped Viruses. Front Immunol 2022; 13:851642. [PMID: 35663971 PMCID: PMC9160972 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.851642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of highly infectious pathogens is a major threat to global public health. In the front line of defense against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally produced by all living organisms and offer new possibilities for next-generation antibiotic development. However, the low yields and difficulties in the extraction and purification of AMPs have hindered their industry and scientific research applications. To overcome these barriers, we enabled high expression of bomidin, a commercial recombinant AMP based upon bovine myeloid antimicrobial peptide-27. This novel AMP, which can be expressed in Escherichia coli by adding methionine to the bomidin sequence, can be produced in bulk and is more biologically active than chemically synthesized AMPs. We verified the function of bomidin against a variety of bacteria and enveloped viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), herpes simplex virus (HSV), dengue virus (DENV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Furthermore, based on the molecular modeling of bomidin and membrane lipids, we elucidated the possible mechanism by which bomidin disrupts bacterial and viral membranes. Thus, we obtained a novel AMP with an optimized, efficient heterologous expression system for potential therapeutic application against a wide range of life-threatening pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Haoran Peng
- Department of Microbiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunhua Lv
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yunan Feng
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Junjun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Naining Lu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ruixue Ma
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Shiyuan Hou
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qikang Ying
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qikang Gao
- Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yixing Wang
- Jiangsu Genloci Biotech Inc., Nanjing, China
| | - Xingan Wu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
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14
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Ripperda T, Yu Y, Verma A, Klug E, Thurman M, Reid SP, Wang G. Improved Database Filtering Technology Enables More Efficient Ab Initio Design of Potent Peptides against Ebola Viruses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050521. [PMID: 35631348 PMCID: PMC9143221 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid mutations of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 require vaccine updates and the development of novel antiviral drugs. This article presents an improved database filtering technology for a more effective design of novel antiviral agents. Different from the previous approach, where the most probable parameters were obtained stepwise from the antimicrobial peptide database, we found it possible to accelerate the design process by deriving multiple parameters in a single step during the peptide amino acid analysis. The resulting peptide DFTavP1 displays the ability to inhibit Ebola virus. A deviation from the most probable peptide parameters reduces antiviral activity. The designed peptides appear to block viral entry. In addition, the amino acid signature provides a clue to peptide engineering to gain cell selectivity. Like human cathelicidin LL-37, our engineered peptide DDIP1 inhibits both Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. These peptides, with broad antiviral activity, may selectively disrupt viral envelopes and offer the lasting efficacy required to treat various RNA viruses, including their emerging mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - St Patrick Reid
- Correspondence: (S.P.R.); (G.W.); Tel.: +1-(402)-559-3644 (S.P.R.); +1-(402)-559-4176 (G.W.)
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Correspondence: (S.P.R.); (G.W.); Tel.: +1-(402)-559-3644 (S.P.R.); +1-(402)-559-4176 (G.W.)
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15
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Li X, Zuo S, Wang B, Zhang K, Wang Y. Antimicrobial Mechanisms and Clinical Application Prospects of Antimicrobial Peptides. Molecules 2022; 27:2675. [PMID: 35566025 PMCID: PMC9104849 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are a type of small-molecule peptide that widely exist in nature and are components of the innate immunity of almost all living things. They play an important role in resisting foreign invading microorganisms. Antimicrobial peptides have a wide range of antibacterial activities against bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms. They are active against traditional antibiotic-resistant strains and do not easily induce the development of drug resistance. Therefore, they have become a hot spot of medical research and are expected to become a new substitute for fighting microbial infection and represent a new method for treating drug-resistant bacteria. This review briefly introduces the source and structural characteristics of antimicrobial peptides and describes those that have been used against common clinical microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and especially coronaviruses), focusing on their antimicrobial mechanism of action and clinical application prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (X.L.); (B.W.)
| | - Siyao Zuo
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China;
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (X.L.); (B.W.)
| | - Kaiyu Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (X.L.); (B.W.)
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (X.L.); (B.W.)
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16
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Luong HX, Bui HTP, Tung TT. Application of the All-Hydrocarbon Stapling Technique in the Design of Membrane-Active Peptides. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3026-3045. [PMID: 35112864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The threats of drug resistance and new emerging pathogens have led to an urgent need to develop alternative treatment therapies. Recently, considerable research efforts have focused on membrane-active peptides (MAPs), a category of peptides in drug discovery with antimicrobial, anticancer, and cell penetration activities that have demonstrated their potential to be multifunctional agents. Nonetheless, natural MAPs have encountered various disadvantages, which mainly include poor bioavailability, the lack of a secondary structure in short peptides, and high production costs for long peptide sequences. Hence, an "all-hydrocarbon stapling system" has been applied to these peptides and proven to effectively stabilize the helical conformations, improving proteolytic resistance and increasing both the potency and the cell permeability. In this review, we summarized and categorized the advances made using this powerful technique in the development of stapled MAPs. Furthermore, outstanding issues and suggestions for future design within each subcategory were thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Xuan Luong
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | | | - Truong Thanh Tung
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
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17
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Wang Q, Xu Y, Hu J. Intracellular mechanism of antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 against Salmonella pullorum. RSC Adv 2022; 12:14485-14491. [PMID: 35702236 PMCID: PMC9103801 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra01363k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
To explore the potential intracellular mechanism of the antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 in killing Salmonella, a DNA blocking test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the ability of the peptide to bind bacterial DNA in vitro. Laser confocal analysis and electron microscopy were used to observe the binding of antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 and Salmonella DNA, and flow cytometry was used to analyze the effect of antimicrobial peptides on cell division in vivo. The results showed that HJH-3 can bind to DNA to block the diffusion and migration of DNA in agarose gel. Laser confocal microscopy revealed that antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 penetrated the bacterial cell membrane and bound with bacterial DNA. Transmission electron microscopy showed that antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 aggregated in the nucleoid of Salmonella cells, and through a channel in the membrane destroyed by the antimicrobial peptide, DNA and other intracellular contents were excreted, and polymerized DNA was fragmented. The results of the flow cytometry analysis confirmed that the death rate of Salmonella increased significantly after exposure to antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 and increased with increasing antimicrobial peptide concentration. These results suggest that AMP HJH-3 may be a candidate antimicrobial agent to treat infectious diseases caused by Salmonella pullorum. To explore the potential intracellular mechanism of the antimicrobial peptide HJH-3 in killing Salmonella, a DNA blocking test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the ability of the peptide to bind bacterial DNA in vitro.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Yanzhao Xu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Jianhe Hu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
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18
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Abstract
Antibiotic resistance constitutes a global threat and could lead to a future pandemic. One strategy is to develop a new generation of antimicrobials. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are recognized templates and some are already in clinical use. To accelerate the discovery of new antibiotics, it is useful to predict novel AMPs from the sequenced genomes of various organisms. The antimicrobial peptide database (APD) provided the first empirical peptide prediction program. It also facilitated the testing of the first machine-learning algorithms. This chapter provides an overview of machine-learning predictions of AMPs. Most of the predictors, such as AntiBP, CAMP, and iAMPpred, involve a single-label prediction of antimicrobial activity. This type of prediction has been expanded to antifungal, antiviral, antibiofilm, anti-TB, hemolytic, and anti-inflammatory peptides. The multiple functional roles of AMPs annotated in the APD also enabled multi-label predictions (iAMP-2L, MLAMP, and AMAP), which include antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, antibiofilm, anticancer, anti-HIV, antimalarial, insecticidal, antioxidant, chemotactic, spermicidal activities, and protease inhibiting activities. Also considered in predictions are peptide posttranslational modification, 3D structure, and microbial species-specific information. We compare important amino acids of AMPs implied from machine learning with the frequently occurring residues of the major classes of natural peptides. Finally, we discuss advances, limitations, and future directions of machine-learning predictions of antimicrobial peptides. Ultimately, we may assemble a pipeline of such predictions beyond antimicrobial activity to accelerate the discovery of novel AMP-based antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA;,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
| | - Iosif I. Vaisman
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10920 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA.,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
| | - Monique L. van Hoek
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10920 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA.,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
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19
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Kim J, Yang YL, Jeong Y, Jang YS. Application of Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 as an Adjuvant for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus Antigen Induces an Efficient Protective Immune Response Against Viral Infection After Intranasal Immunization. Immune Netw 2022; 22:e41. [DOI: 10.4110/in.2022.22.e41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ju Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Ye Lin Yang
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Yongsu Jeong
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea
| | - Yong-Suk Jang
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
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20
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Nireeksha N, Gollapalli P, Varma SR, Hegde MN, Kumari NS. Utilizing the Potential of Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 for Combating SARS-COV- 2 Viral Load in Saliva: an In Silico Analysis. Eur J Dent 2021; 16:478-487. [PMID: 34937110 PMCID: PMC9507610 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1739444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Limiting the spread of virus during the recent pandemic outbreak was a major challenge. Viral loads in saliva, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were the major cause for droplet transmission and aerosols. Saliva being the major contributor for the presence of viral load is the major key factor; various mouthwashes and their combination were analyzed and utilized in health care centers to hamper the spread of virus and decrease viral load. The compositions of these mouthwashes to an extent affected the viral load and thereby transmission, but there is always a scope for other protocols which may provide better results. Here we evaluated the potential of antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in decreasing the viral load of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through an in silico work and evidence from other studies. This narrative review highlighted a brief nonsystematic methodology to include the selected articles for discussion. Accessible electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and PubMed) were used to find studies that reported the salivary viral load of SARS-CoV-2 published between December 2019 and June 2021. The following keywords were utilized for brief searching of the databases: "saliva," "viral load," and "SARS-CoV-2." Articles in English language, in vitro cell-line studies, ex vivo studies, and clinical trials explaining the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and strategies to decrease viral load were included in this review. The search was complemented by manual searching of the reference lists of included articles and performing a citation search for any additional reviews. The antiviral potential of cationic host defense peptide LL-37 was evaluated using computational approaches providing in silico evidence. The analysis of docking studies and the display of positive interfacial hydrophobicity of LL-37 resulting in disruption of COVID-19 viral membrane elucidate the fact that LL-37 could be effective against all variants of SARS-CoV-2. Further experimental studies would be needed to confirm the binding of the receptor-binding domain with LL-37. The possibility of using it in many forms further to decrease the viral load by disrupting the viral membrane is seen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nireeksha Nireeksha
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, NITTE (deemed to be) University, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Pavan Gollapalli
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (deemed to be) University, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sudhir Rama Varma
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.,Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mithra N Hegde
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, NITTE (deemed to be) University, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - N Suchetha Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (deemed to be) University, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
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21
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Efficacy of Cathelicidin LL-37 in an MRSA Wound Infection Mouse Model. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101210. [PMID: 34680791 PMCID: PMC8532939 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: LL-37 is the only human antimicrobial peptide that belongs to the cathelicidins. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of LL-37 in the management of MRSA-infected surgical wounds in mice. Methods: A wound on the back of adult male BALB/c mice was made and inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus. Two control groups were formed (uninfected and not treated, C0; infected and not treated, C1) and six contaminated groups were treated, respectively, with: teicoplanin, LL-37, given topically and /or systemically. Histological examination of VEGF expression and micro-vessel density, and bacterial cultures of wound tissues, were performed. Results: Histological examination of wounds in the group treated with topical and intraperitoneal LL-37 showed increased re-epithelialization, formation of the granulation tissue, collagen organization, and angiogenesis. Conclusions: Based on the mode of action, LL-37 has a potential future role in the management of infected wounds.
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22
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Zakaryan H, Chilingaryan G, Arabyan E, Serobian A, Wang G. Natural antimicrobial peptides as a source of new antiviral agents. J Gen Virol 2021; 102. [PMID: 34554085 PMCID: PMC10026734 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Current antiviral drugs are limited because of their adverse side effects and increased rate of resistance. In recent decades, much scientific effort has been invested in the discovery of new synthetic and natural compounds with promising antiviral properties. Among this new generation of compounds, antimicrobial peptides with antiviral activity have been described and are attracting attention due to their mechanism of action and biological properties. To understand the potential of antiviral peptides (AVPs), we analyse the antiviral activity of well-known AVP families isolated from different natural sources, discuss their physical-chemical properties, and demonstrate how AVP databases can guide us to design synthetic AVPs with better therapeutic properties. All considerations in this sphere of antiviral therapy clearly demonstrate the remarkable contribution that AVPs may make in conquering old as well as newly emerging viruses that plague humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hovakim Zakaryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
- Denovo Sciences CJSC, 0033, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Garri Chilingaryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Erik Arabyan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
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23
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Kulkarni NN, O'Neill AM, Dokoshi T, Luo EWC, Wong GCL, Gallo RL. Sequence determinants in the cathelicidin LL-37 that promote inflammation via presentation of RNA to scavenger receptors. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100828. [PMID: 34048712 PMCID: PMC8214221 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cathelicidins such as the human 37-amino acid peptide (LL-37) are peptides that not only potently kill microbes but also trigger inflammation by enabling immune recognition of endogenous nucleic acids. Here, a detailed structure-function analysis of LL-37 was performed to understand the details of this process. Alanine scanning of 34-amino acid peptide (LL-34) showed that some variants displayed increased antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and group A Streptococcus. In contrast, different substitutions clustered on the hydrophobic face of the LL-34 alpha helix inhibited the ability of those variants to promote type 1 interferon expression in response to U1 RNA or to present U1 to the scavenger receptor (SR) B1 on the keratinocyte cell surface. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments of the LL-34 variants LL-34, F5A, I24A, and L31A demonstrated that these peptides form cognate supramolecular structures with U1 characterized by inter-dsRNA spacings of approximately 3.5 nm, a range that has been previously shown to activate toll-like receptor 3 by the parent peptide LL-37. Therefore, while alanine substitutions on the hydrophobic face of LL-34 led to loss of binding to SRs and the complete loss of autoinflammatory responses in epithelial and endothelial cells, they did not inhibit the ability to organize with U1 RNA in solution to associate with toll-like receptor 3. These observations advance our understanding of how cathelicidin mediates the process of innate immune self-recognition to enable inert nucleic acids to trigger inflammation. We introduce the term "innate immune vetting" to describe the capacity of peptides such as LL-37 to enable certain nucleic acids to become an inflammatory stimulus through SR binding prior to cell internalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil N Kulkarni
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Alan M O'Neill
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Tatsuya Dokoshi
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth W C Luo
- Department of Bioengineering and Chemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Louisiana, USA
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering and Chemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Louisiana, USA
| | - Richard L Gallo
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
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24
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De Angelis M, Casciaro B, Genovese A, Brancaccio D, Marcocci ME, Novellino E, Carotenuto A, Palamara AT, Mangoni ML, Nencioni L. Temporin G, an amphibian antimicrobial peptide against influenza and parainfluenza respiratory viruses: Insights into biological activity and mechanism of action. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21358. [PMID: 33538061 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001885rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of respiratory viral infections remains a global health concern, mainly due to the inefficacy of available drugs. Therefore, the discovery of novel antiviral compounds is needed; in this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) like temporins hold great promise. Here, we discovered that the harmless temporin G (TG) significantly inhibited the early life-cycle phases of influenza virus. The in vitro hemagglutinating test revealed the existence of TG interaction with the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein. Furthermore, the hemolysis inhibition assay and the molecular docking studies confirmed a TG/HA complex formation at the level of the conserved hydrophobic stem groove of HA. Remarkably, these findings highlight the ability of TG to block the conformational rearrangements of HA2 subunit, which are essential for the viral envelope fusion with intracellular endocytic vesicles, thereby neutralizing the virus entry into the host cell. In comparison, in the case of parainfluenza virus, which penetrates host cells upon a membrane-fusion process, addition of TG to infected cells provoked ~1.2 log reduction of viral titer released in the supernatant. Nevertheless, at the same condition, an immunofluorescent assay showed that the expression of viral hemagglutinin/neuraminidase protein was not significantly reduced. This suggested a peptide-mediated block of some late steps of viral replication and therefore the impairment of the extracellular release of viral particles. Overall, our results are the first demonstration of the ability of an AMP to interfere with the replication of respiratory viruses with a different mechanism of cell entry and will open a new avenue for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against a large variety of respiratory viruses, including the recent SARS-CoV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- M De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - B Casciaro
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - A Genovese
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - D Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - M E Marcocci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - E Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A T Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - M L Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - L Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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25
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Lakshmaiah Narayana J, Golla R, Mishra B, Wang X, Lushnikova T, Zhang Y, Verma A, Kumar V, Xie J, Wang G. Short and Robust Anti-Infective Lipopeptides Engineered Based on the Minimal Antimicrobial Peptide KR12 of Human LL-37. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1795-1808. [PMID: 33890759 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to push the frontier of the engineering of human cathelicidin LL-37, a critical antimicrobial innate immune peptide that wards off invading pathogens. By sequential truncation of the smallest antibacterial peptide (KR12) of LL-37 and conjugation with fatty acids, with varying chain lengths, a library of lipopeptides is generated. These peptides are subjected to antibacterial activity and hemolytic assays. Candidates (including both forms made of l- and d-amino acids) with the optimal cell selectivity are subsequently fed to the second layer of in vitro filters, including salts, pH, serum, and media. These practices lead to the identification of a miniature LL-37 like peptide (d-form) with selectivity, stability, and robust antimicrobial activity in vitro against both Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Proteomic studies reveal far fewer serum proteins that bind to the d-form than the l-form peptide. C10-KR8d targets bacterial membranes to become helical, making it difficult for bacteria to develop resistance in a multiple passage experiment. In vivo, C10-KR8d is able to reduce bacterial burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 LAC in neutropenic mice. In addition, this designer peptide prevents bacterial biofilm formation in a catheter-associated mouse model. Meanwhile, C10-KR8d also recruits cytokines to the vicinity of catheters to clear infection. Thus, based on the antimicrobial region of LL-37, this study succeeds in identifying the smallest anti-infective peptide C10-KR8d with both robust antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and immune modulation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Radha Golla
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Xiuqing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yingxia Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Atul Verma
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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Morris G, Bortolasci CC, Puri BK, Olive L, Marx W, O'Neil A, Athan E, Carvalho A, Maes M, Walder K, Berk M. Preventing the development of severe COVID-19 by modifying immunothrombosis. Life Sci 2021; 264:118617. [PMID: 33096114 PMCID: PMC7574725 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with significant morbidity and high levels of mortality. This paper describes the processes involved in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 from the initial infection and subsequent destruction of type II alveolar epithelial cells by SARS-CoV-2 and culminating in the development of ARDS. MAIN BODY The activation of alveolar cells and alveolar macrophages leads to the release of large quantities of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and their translocation into the pulmonary vasculature. The presence of these inflammatory mediators in the vascular compartment leads to the activation of vascular endothelial cells platelets and neutrophils and the subsequent formation of platelet neutrophil complexes. These complexes in concert with activated endothelial cells interact to create a state of immunothrombosis. The consequence of immunothrombosis include hypercoagulation, accelerating inflammation, fibrin deposition, migration of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) producing neutrophils into the alveolar apace, activation of the NLRP3 inflammazome, increased alveolar macrophage destruction and massive tissue damage by pyroptosis and necroptosis Therapeutic combinations aimed at ameliorating immunothrombosis and preventing the development of severe COVID-19 are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerwyn Morris
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia
| | - Chiara C Bortolasci
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Deakin University, Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
| | | | - Lisa Olive
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Marx
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia
| | - Adrienne O'Neil
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Eugene Athan
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia
| | - Andre Carvalho
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Maes
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, King Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Ken Walder
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Deakin University, Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
| | - Michael Berk
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health and the Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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Wongkaewkhiaw S, Taweechaisupapong S, Thanaviratananich S, Bolscher JGM, Nazmi K, Anutrakunchai C, Chareonsudjai S, Kanthawong S. D-LL-31 enhances biofilm-eradicating effect of currently used antibiotics for chronic rhinosinusitis and its immunomodulatory activity on human lung epithelial cells. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243315. [PMID: 33326455 PMCID: PMC7743948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a chronic disease that involves long-term inflammation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Bacterial biofilms present on the sinus mucosa of certain patients reportedly exhibit resistance against traditional antibiotics, as evidenced by relapse, resulting in severe disease. The aim of this study was to determine the killing activity of human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides (LL-37, LL-31) and their D-enantiomers (D-LL-37, D-LL-31), alone and in combination with conventional antibiotics (amoxicillin; AMX and tobramycin; TOB), against bacteria grown as biofilm, and to investigate the biological activities of the peptides on human lung epithelial cells. D-LL-31 was the most effective peptide against bacteria under biofilm-stimulating conditions based on IC50 values. The synergistic effect of D-LL-31 with AMX and TOB decreased the IC50 values of antibiotics by 16-fold and could eliminate the biofilm matrix in all tested bacterial strains. D-LL-31 did not cause cytotoxic effects in A549 cells at 25 μM after 24 h of incubation. Moreover, a cytokine array indicated that there was no significant induction of the cytokines involving in immunopathogenesis of CRS in the presence of D-LL-31. However, a tissue-remodeling-associated protein was observed that may prevent the progression of nasal polyposis in CRS patients. Therefore, a combination of D-LL-31 with AMX or TOB may improve the efficacy of currently used antibiotics to kill biofilm-embedded bacteria and eliminate the biofilm matrix. This combination might be clinically applicable for treatment of patients with biofilm-associated CRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saharut Wongkaewkhiaw
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | | | | | - Jan G. M. Bolscher
- Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kamran Nazmi
- Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sorujsiri Chareonsudjai
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Biofilm Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sakawrat Kanthawong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Biofilm Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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Kurpe SR, Grishin SY, Surin AK, Panfilov AV, Slizen MV, Chowdhury SD, Galzitskaya OV. Antimicrobial and Amyloidogenic Activity of Peptides. Can Antimicrobial Peptides Be Used against SARS-CoV-2? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9552. [PMID: 33333996 PMCID: PMC7765370 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
At present, much attention is paid to the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of natural and artificial origin to combat pathogens. AMPs have several points that determine their biological activity. We analyzed the structural properties of AMPs, as well as described their mechanism of action and impact on pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Recently published data on the development of new AMP drugs based on a combination of molecular design and genetic engineering approaches are presented. In this article, we have focused on information on the amyloidogenic properties of AMP. This review examines AMP development strategies from the perspective of the current high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the potential prospects and challenges of using AMPs against infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav R. Kurpe
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
| | - Sergei Yu. Grishin
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
| | - Alexey K. Surin
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
- The Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Panfilov
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
| | - Mikhail V. Slizen
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
| | - Saikat D. Chowdhury
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India;
| | - Oxana V. Galzitskaya
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.K.); (S.Y.G.); (A.K.S.); (A.V.P.); (M.V.S.)
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
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Pahar B, Madonna S, Das A, Albanesi C, Girolomoni G. Immunomodulatory Role of the Antimicrobial LL-37 Peptide in Autoimmune Diseases and Viral Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E517. [PMID: 32927756 PMCID: PMC7565865 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced by neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages, as well as epithelial cells, and are an essential component of innate immunity system against infection, including several viral infections. AMPs, in particular the cathelicidin LL-37, also exert numerous immunomodulatory activities by inducing cytokine production and attracting and regulating the activity of immune cells. AMPs are scarcely expressed in normal skin, but their expression increases when skin is injured by external factors, such as trauma, inflammation, or infection. LL-37 complexed to self-DNA acts as autoantigen in psoriasis and lupus erythematosus (LE), where it also induces production of interferon by plasmocytoid dendritic cells and thus initiates a cascade of autocrine and paracrine processes, leading to a disease state. In these disorders, epidermal keratinocytes express high amounts of AMPs, which can lead to uncontrolled inflammation. Similarly, LL-37 had several favorable and unfavorable roles in virus replication and disease pathogenesis. Targeting the antiviral and immunomodulatory functions of LL-37 opens a new approach to limit virus dissemination and the progression of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bapi Pahar
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Stefania Madonna
- IDI-IRCCS, Dermopathic Institute of the Immaculate IDI, 00167 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Arpita Das
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
| | - Cristina Albanesi
- IDI-IRCCS, Dermopathic Institute of the Immaculate IDI, 00167 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Giampiero Girolomoni
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy;
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