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Mayer AB, Amaral HDO, de Oliveira DGR, Campos GAA, Ribeiro PG, Fernandes SCR, de Souza ACB, de Castro RJA, Bocca AL, Mortari MR. New fraternine analogues: Evaluation of the antiparkinsonian effect in the model of Parkinson's disease. Neuropeptides 2024; 103:102390. [PMID: 37984248 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2023.102390] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Venom-derived peptides are important sources for the development of new therapeutic molecules, especially due to their broad pharmacological activity. Previously, our research group identified a novel natural peptide, named fraternine, with promising effects for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. In the present paper, we synthesized three peptides bioinspired in fraternine: fra-10, fra-14, and fra-24. They were tested in the 6-OHDA-induced model of parkinsonism, quantifying motor coordination, levels of TH+ neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SN), and inflammation mediators TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in the cortex. Peptides fra-14 and fra-10 improved the motor coordination in relation to 6-OHDA lesioned animals. However, most of the peptides were toxic in the doses applied. All three peptides reduced the intensity of the lesion induced rotations in the apomorphine test. Fra-24 higher dose increased the number of TH+ neurons in SN and reduced the concentration of TNF-α in the cortex of 6-OHDA lesioned mice. Overall, only the peptide fra-24 presented a neuroprotection effect on dopaminergic neurons of SN and a reduction of cytokine TNF-α levels, making it worthy of consideration for the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréia Biolchi Mayer
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Henrique de Oliveira Amaral
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Danilo Gustavo R de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Avohay Alves Campos
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Galante Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Solange Cristina Rego Fernandes
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Adolfo Carlos Barros de Souza
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Raffael Júnio Araújo de Castro
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Anamélia Lorenzetti Bocca
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Márcia Renata Mortari
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil.
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Guo Q, Huang M, Li M, Chen J, Cheng S, Ma L, Gao B. Diversity and Evolutionary Analysis of Venom Insulin Derived from Cone Snails. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:34. [PMID: 38251250 PMCID: PMC10819828 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010034] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cone snails possess a diverse array of novel peptide toxins, which selectively target ion channels and receptors in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. These numerous novel peptide toxins are a valuable resource for future marine drug development. In this review, we compared and analyzed the sequence diversity, three-dimensional structural variations, and evolutionary aspects of venom insulin derived from different cone snail species. The comparative analysis reveals that there are significant variations in the sequences and three-dimensional structures of venom insulins from cone snails with different feeding habits. Notably, the venom insulin of some piscivorous cone snails exhibits a greater similarity to humans and zebrafish insulins. It is important to emphasize that these venom insulins play a crucial role in the predatory strategies of these cone snails. Furthermore, a phylogenetic tree was constructed to trace the lineage of venom insulin sequences, shedding light on the evolutionary interconnections among cone snails with diverse diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Meiling Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Jiao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Shuanghuai Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Linlin Ma
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD), School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (Q.G.); (M.H.); (M.L.); (J.C.); (S.C.)
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Galante P, Campos GAA, Moser JCG, Martins DB, Dos Santos Cabrera MP, Rangel M, Coelho LC, Simon KS, Amado VM, de A I Muller J, Koehbach J, Lohman RJ, Cabot PJ, Vetter I, Craik DJ, Toffoli-Kadri MC, Monge-Fuentes V, Goulart JT, Schwartz EF, Silva LP, Bocca AL, Mortari MR. Exploring the therapeutic potential of an antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory peptide from wasp venom. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12491. [PMID: 37528129 PMCID: PMC10393941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38828-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are rich sources of neuroactive compounds, including anti-inflammatory, antiepileptic, and antinociceptive molecules. Our study identified a protonectin peptide from the wasp Parachartergus fraternus' venom using mass spectrometry and cDNA library construction. Using this peptide as a template, we designed a new peptide, protonectin-F, which exhibited higher antinociceptive activity and less motor impairment compared to protonectin. In drug interaction experiments with naloxone and AM251, Protonectin-F's activity was decreased by opioid and cannabinoid antagonism, two critical antinociception pathways. Further experiments revealed that this effect is most likely not induced by direct action on receptors but by activation of the descending pain control pathway. We noted that protonectin-F induced less tolerance in mice after repeated administration than morphine. Protonectin-F was also able to decrease TNF-α production in vitro and modulate the inflammatory response, which can further contribute to its antinociceptive activity. These findings suggest that protonectin-F may be a potential molecule for developing drugs to treat pain disorders with fewer adverse effects. Our results reinforce the biotechnological importance of animal venom for developing new molecules of clinical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Galante
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel A A Campos
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline C G Moser
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Danubia B Martins
- Department of Physics, IBILCE, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15054-000, Brazil
| | | | - Marisa Rangel
- Immunopathology Laboratory, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo, SP, 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Luiza C Coelho
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Karina S Simon
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Veronica M Amado
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Brasília, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, 79910-900, Brazil
| | - Jessica de A I Muller
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Inflammation FACFAN, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Johannes Koehbach
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Rink-Jan Lohman
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Peter J Cabot
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Monica C Toffoli-Kadri
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Inflammation FACFAN, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Victoria Monge-Fuentes
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Jair T Goulart
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Elisabeth F Schwartz
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano P Silva
- Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, 70770917, Brazil
| | - Anamelia L Bocca
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Márcia R Mortari
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil.
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Ferreira PMP, Sousa LQD, Sousa RWRD, Rodrigues DDJ, Monção Filho EDS, Chaves MH, Vieira Júnior GM, Rizzo MDS, Filgueiras LA, Mendes AN, Lima DJB, Pessoa C, Sousa JMDCE, Rodrigues ACBDC, Soares MBP, Bezerra DP. Toxic profile of marinobufagin from poisonous Amazon toads and antitumoral effects on human colorectal carcinomas. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 310:116406. [PMID: 36965547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE South Americans natives have extensively used the toad "kururu" to reduce/treat skin infections, cutaneous lesions and sores. They release secretions rich in bufadienolides, polyhydroxy steroids with well-documented cardiotonic and antiproliferative actions, but in vivo antitumoral evaluations in mammals are rare, and toxicological safety has been left in second place. AIMS OF THE STUDY This investigation used in silico, in vitro and in vivo tools to evaluate acute and subacute toxic effects of marinobufagin and the anticancer action in tumor-bearing mice models. MATERIALS AND METHODS Initially, in silico toxic predictions were performed, followed by in vitro assays using human and murine normal and tumor lines. Next, acute and subacute studies on mice investigated the behavior, hematological and intestinal transit profile and antitumoral activity of marinobufagin in sarcoma 180- and HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma-transplanted mice for 7 and 15 days, respectively. Ex vivo and in vivo cytogenetic assays in Sarcoma 180 and bone marrow cells and histopathological examinations were also executed. RESULTS In silico studies revealed ecotoxicological effects on crustaceans (Daphnia sp.), fishes (Pimephales promelas and Oryzias latipes), and algae. A 24-h marinobufagin-induced acute toxicity included signals of central activity, mainly (vocal frenzy, absence of body tonus, increased ventilation, ataxia, and equilibrium loss), and convulsions and death at 10 mg/kg. The bufadienolide presented effective in vitro cytotoxic action on human lines of colorectal carcinomas in a similar way to ouabain and tumor reduction in marinobufagin-treated SCID-bearing HCT-116 heterotopic xenografts. Animals under subacute nonlethal doses exhibited a decrease in creatinine clearance with normal levels of blood urea, probably as a result of a marinobufagin-induced renal perfusion fall. Nevertheless, only minor morphological side effects were identified in kidneys, livers, hearts and lungs. CONCLUSIONS Marinobufagin has in vitro and in vivo anticancer action on colorectal carcinoma and mild and reversible alterations in key metabolic organs without direct chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal effects at subacute exposure, but it causes acute ataxia, equilibrium loss, convulsions and death at higher acute exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancerology (LabCancer), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil.
| | - Lívia Queiroz de Sousa
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancerology (LabCancer), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Rayran Walter Ramos de Sousa
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancerology (LabCancer), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues
- Institute of Natural, Humanities and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78550-728, Sinop, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Helena Chaves
- Laboratory of Natural Products, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Gerardo Magela Vieira Júnior
- Laboratory of Natural Products, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | | | - Lívia Alves Filgueiras
- Laboratory of Innovation in Science and Technology (Lacitec), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Anderson Nogueira Mendes
- Laboratory of Innovation in Science and Technology (Lacitec), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Daisy Jereissati Barbosa Lima
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology (LOE), Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, 60430-270, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Pessoa
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology (LOE), Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, 60430-270, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - João Marcelo de Castro E Sousa
- Laboraroty of Toxicological Genetics (Lapgenic), Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Federal University of Piauí, 64049-550, Teresina, Brazil
| | | | | | - Daniel Pereira Bezerra
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 40296-710, Salvador, Brazil
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de Freitas V, Costa TR, Nogueira AR, Polloni L, Alves de Melo Fernandes T, Correia LIV, Borges BC, Teixeira SC, Silva MJB, Amorim FG, Quinton L, Saraiva AL, Espindola FS, Iwai LK, Rodrigues RS, Yoneyama KAG, de Melo Rodrigues Ávila V. Biochemical characterization and assessment of leishmanicidal effects of a new L-amino acid oxidase from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake venom (CollinLA AO-I). Toxicon 2023; 230:107156. [PMID: 37169266 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107156] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
This study reports the isolation of CollinLAAO-I, a new L-amino acid oxidase from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake venom, its biochemical characterization and leishmanicidal potential in Leishmania spp. CollinLAAO-I (63.1 kDa) was successfully isolated with high purity using two chromatographic steps and represents 2.5% of total venom proteins. CollinLAAO-I displayed high enzymatic activity (4262.83 U/mg/min), significantly reducing after 28 days. The enzymatic activity of CollinLAAO-I revealed higher affinity for hydrophobic amino acids such as L-leucine, high enzymatic activity in a wide pH range (6.0-10.0), at temperatures from 0 to 25 °C, and showed complete inhibition in the presence of Na+ and K+. Cytotoxicity assays revealed IC50 of 18.49 and 11.66 μg/mL for Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and Leishmania (L.) infantum, respectively, and the cytotoxicity was completely suppressed by catalase. CollinLAAO-I significantly increased the intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced the mitochondrial potential of both Leishmania species. Furthermore, CollinLAAO-I decreased the parasite capacity to infect macrophages by around 70%, indicating that even subtoxic concentrations of CollinLAAO-I can interfere with Leishmania vital processes. Thus, the results obtained for CollinLAAO-I provide important support for developing therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitor de Freitas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Tássia Rafaella Costa
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Amanda Rodrigues Nogueira
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Lorena Polloni
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Thales Alves de Melo Fernandes
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas Ian Veloso Correia
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Bruna Cristina Borges
- Laboratory of Osteoimmunology and Tumor Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Samuel Cota Teixeira
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcelo José Barbosa Silva
- Laboratory of Osteoimmunology and Tumor Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Gobbi Amorim
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Loïc Quinton
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - André Lopes Saraiva
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Foued Salmen Espindola
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Leo Kei Iwai
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (LETA) and Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata Santos Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Kelly Aparecida Geraldo Yoneyama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Veridiana de Melo Rodrigues Ávila
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
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Mansbach R, Patel LA, Watson NA, Kubicek-Sutherland JZ, Gnanakaran S. Inferring Pathways of Oxidative Folding from Prefolding Free Energy Landscapes of Disulfide-Rich Toxins. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:1689-1703. [PMID: 36791259 PMCID: PMC9987446 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Short, cysteine-rich peptides can exist in stable or metastable structural ensembles due to the number of possible patterns of formation of their disulfide bonds. One interesting subset of this peptide group is the conotoxins, which are produced by aquatic snails in the family Conidae. The μ conotoxins, which are antagonists and blockers of the voltage-gated sodium channel, exist in a folding spectrum: on one end of the spectrum are more hirudin-like folders, which form disulfide bonds and then reshuffle them, leading to an ensemble of kinetically trapped isomers, and on the other end are more BPTI-like folders, which form the native disulfide bonds one by one in a particular order, leading to a preponderance of conformations existing in a single stable state. In this Article, we employ the composite diffusion map approach to study the unified free energy surface of prefolding μ-conotoxin equilibrium. We identify the two most important nonlinear collective modes of the unified folding landscape and demonstrate that in the absence of their disulfides, the conotoxins can be thought of as largely disordered polymers. A small increase in the number of hydrophobic residues in the protein shifts the free energy landscape toward hydrophobically collapsed coil conformations responsible for cysteine proximity in hirudin-like folders, compared to semiextended coil conformations with more distal cysteines in BPTI-like folders. Overall, this work sheds important light on the folding processes and free energy landscapes of cysteine-rich peptides and demonstrates the extent to which sequence and length contribute to these landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lara A. Patel
- OpenEye
Scientific Research, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508, United States
| | - Natalya A. Watson
- Physics
Department, University of Concordia, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | | | - S. Gnanakaran
- Physical
Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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Harnessing the Natural Toxic Metabolites in COVID-19. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3954944. [PMID: 35273645 PMCID: PMC8902635 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3954944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus and the cause of the recent pandemic; it is an enveloped β-coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 appear in the Wuhan City of China for the first time and outspread worldwide quickly. Due to its person-to-person fast transmission, COVID-19 is becoming a global problem. SARS-CoV-2 enter into cells by using ACE2 receptors that are numerous in the lungs and finally can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Dry cough, sore throat, fever, body pain, headache, GIT discomfort, diarrhoea, and fatigue are some of the COVID-19 symptoms. There is no definite and certain treatment for disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 till now. Some pharmacological effects of toxins, toxoids, and venoms have been proven, and their effects on some diseases have been evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the role of toxins, toxoids, and venom in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 disease.
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8
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Gorai B, Vashisth H. Structures and interactions of insulin-like peptides from cone snail venom. Proteins 2022; 90:680-690. [PMID: 34661928 PMCID: PMC8816879 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The venomous insulin-like peptides released by certain cone snails stimulate hypoglycemic shock to immobilize fish and catch the prey. Compared to human insulin (hIns), the cone snail insulins (Con-Ins) are typically monomeric and shorter in sequence, yet they exhibit moderate hIns-like biological activity. We have modeled six variants of Con-Ins (G3, K1, K2, T1A, T1B, and T2) and carried out explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of eight types of insulins, two with known structures (hIns and Con-Ins-G1) and six Con-Ins with modeled structures, to characterize key residues of each insulin that interact with the truncated human insulin receptor (μIR). We show that each insulin/μIR complex is stable during explicit-solvent MD simulations and hIns interactions indicate the highest affinity for the "site 1" of IR. The residue contact maps reveal that each insulin preferably interacts with the αCT peptide than the L1 domain of IR. Through analysis of the average nonbonded interaction energy contribution of every residue of each insulin for the μIR, we probe the residues establishing favorable interactions with the receptor. We compared the interaction energy of each residue of every Con-Ins to the μIR and observed that γ-carboxylated glutamate (Gla), His, Thr, Tyr, Tyr/His, and Asn in Con-Ins are favorable substitutions for GluA4, AsnA21, ValB12, LeuB15, GlyB20, and ArgB22 in hIns, respectively. The identified insulin analogs, although lacking the last eight residues of the B-chain of hIns, bind strongly to μIR. Our findings are potentially useful in designing potent fast-acting therapeutic insulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Gorai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Harish Vashisth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
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9
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Colella F, Scillitani G, Pierri CL. Sweet as honey, bitter as bile: Mitochondriotoxic peptides and other therapeutic proteins isolated from animal tissues, for dealing with mitochondrial apoptosis. Toxicology 2020; 447:152612. [PMID: 33171268 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria are subcellular organelles involved in cell metabolism and cell life-cycle. Their role in apoptosis regulation makes them an interesting target of new drugs for dealing with cancer or rare diseases. Several peptides and proteins isolated from animal and plant sources are known for their therapeutic properties and have been tested on cancer cell-lines and xenograft murine models, highlighting their ability in inducing cell-death by triggering mitochondrial apoptosis. Some of those molecules have been even approved as drugs. Conversely, many other bioactive compounds are still under investigation for their proapoptotic properties. In this review we report about a group of peptides, isolated from animal venoms, with potential therapeutic properties related to their ability in triggering mitochondrial apoptosis. This class of compounds is known with different names, such as mitochondriotoxins or mitocans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Colella
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Ciro Leonardo Pierri
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy; BROWSer S.r.l. (https://browser-bioinf.com/) c/o Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University "Aldo Moro" of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70126, Bari, Italy.
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10
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Fraternine, a Novel Wasp Peptide, Protects against Motor Impairments in 6-OHDA Model of Parkinsonism. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12090550. [PMID: 32867207 PMCID: PMC7551070 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12090550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS). Insect venoms show high molecular variability and selectivity in the CNS of mammals and present potential for the development of new drugs for the treatment of PD. In this study, we isolated and identified a component of the venom of the social wasp Parachartergus fraternus and evaluated its neuroprotective activity in the murine model of PD. For this purpose, the venom was filtered and separated through HPLC; fractions were analyzed through mass spectrometry and the active fraction was identified as a novel peptide, called Fraternine. We performed two behavioral tests to evaluate motor discoordination, as well as an apomorphine-induced rotation test. We also conducted an immunohistochemical assay to assess protection in TH+ neurons in the Substantia Nigra (SN) region. Group treated with 10 μg/animal of Fraternine remained longer in the rotarod compared to the lesioned group. In the apomorphine test, Fraternine decreased the number of rotations between treatments. This dose also inhibited dopaminergic neuronal loss, as indicated by immunohistochemical analysis. This study identified a novel peptide able to prevent the death of dopaminergic neurons of the SN and recover motor deficit in a 6-OHDA-induced murine model of PD.
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11
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Sharma G, Deuis JR, Jia X, Mueller A, Vetter I, Mobli M. Recombinant production, bioconjugation and membrane binding studies ofPn3a, a selective Na V1.7 inhibitor. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 181:114148. [PMID: 32663452 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a common and often debilitating condition. Existing treatments are either inefficacious or associated with a wide range of side effects. The progress on developing safer and more effective analgesics has been slow, in large part due to our limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying pain in different diseases. Generation and propagation of action potentials is a central component of pain sensation and voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) play a critical role in this process. In particular, the NaV subtype 1.7, has emerged as a promising universal target for the treatment of pain. Recently, a spider venom peptide, μ-TRTX-Pn3a, was found to be a highly selective inhibitor of NaV1.7. Here, we report the first recombinant expression method for Pn3a in a bacterial host, which provides an inexpensive route to production. Furthermore, we have developed a method for bio-conjugation of our recombinantly produced Pn3a via sortase A-mediated ligation, providing avenues for further pre-clinical development. We demonstrate how heterologous expression in bacteria enables facile isotope labelling of Pn3a, which allowed us to study the membrane binding properties of the peptide by high-resolution solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using a recently developed lipid nanodisc system. The heteronuclear NMR data indicate that the C-terminal region of the peptide undergoes a conformational change upon lipid binding. The membrane binding properties of Pn3a are further validated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), which revealed that Pn3a binds to zwitterionic planar lipid bilayers with thermodynamics that are largely driven by enthalpic contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagan Sharma
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Jennifer R Deuis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Xinying Jia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Alexander Mueller
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mehdi Mobli
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Australia.
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12
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Pain modulatory properties of Phoneutria nigriventer crude venom and derived peptides: A double-edged sword. Toxicon 2020; 185:120-128. [PMID: 32668276 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Phoneutria nigriventer venom (PNV) is a complex mixture of toxins exerting multiple pharmacological effects that ultimately result in severe local pain at the site of the bite. It has been proposed that the PNV-induced pain is mediated by both peripheral and central mechanisms. The nociception triggered by PNV is peripherally mediated by the activation of B2, 5-HT4, NMDA, AMPA, NK1, and NK2 receptors, as well as TTXS-Na+, ASIC, and TRPV1 channels. The activation of tachykinin, glutamate and CGRP receptors along with the production of inflammatory mediators are, at least partially, responsible for the central component of pain. Despite its well established pro-nociceptive properties, PNV contains some toxins with antinociceptive activity, which have been studied in the last few years. The toxins ω-CNTX-Pn4a, ω-CNTX-Pn2a, ω-CNTX-Pn3a, κ-CNTX-Pn1a, U7-CNTX-Pn1a, δ-CNTX-Pn1a, and Γ-CNTX-Pn1a from PNV, as well as the semi-synthetic peptide PnPP-19 have been tested in different experimental models of pain showing consistent antinociceptive properties. This review aims to discuss the pro- and antinociceptive actions of PNV and its toxins, highlighting possible mechanisms involved in these apparently dualistic properties.
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de Castro E Silva J, Lopes do Couto L, de Oliveira Amaral H, Maria Medeiros Gomes F, Avohay Alves Campos G, Paulino Silva L, Renata Mortari M. Neuropolybin: A new antiseizure peptide obtained from wasp venom. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 181:114119. [PMID: 32589997 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy accounts for one of the most serious neurological disorders, and its treatment remains a challenge, due to high cost and harmful side effects. Bioactive molecules extracted from arthropod venoms are considered a promising therapy since these compounds are known for their highly selective and potent profiles. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the potential antiseizure effect of the peptide Ppnp7, extracted from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista, and also the effect of the bioinspired peptide, named Neuropolybin, in the same parameters. Additionally, we also evaluated the electroencephalographic (EEG) profile in the PTZ-induced acute seizures in animals treated with Neuropolybin, and potential adverse effects of both peptides in general spontaneous activity (Open Field analysis). Interestingly, Ppnp7 and Neuropolybin showed a noteworthy antiseizure effect in rats and mice, respectively. Curves of protection against the maximum seizure were obtained for both peptides, and EEG records demonstrated that Neuropolybin protected 80% of animals from tonic-clonic seizures when applied with a dose of 3 nmol (an approximate Ppnp7 ED50 found in rats). Neuropolybin and Ppnp7 did not cause changes in the general spontaneous activity of the animals in any of the doses evaluated. Therefore, this study demonstrated how compounds isolated from wasps' venom may be essential resources in the search for new drugs, and can also be considered valuable therapeutic and biotechnological tools for the study and future treatment of epileptic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana de Castro E Silva
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Lucianna Lopes do Couto
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Henrique de Oliveira Amaral
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Flávia Maria Medeiros Gomes
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Avohay Alves Campos
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Luciano Paulino Silva
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, EMBRAPA Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil
| | - Márcia Renata Mortari
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, DF, Brazil.
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Mansbach RA, Chakraborty S, Travers T, Gnanakaran S. Graph-Directed Approach for Downselecting Toxins for Experimental Structure Determination. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E256. [PMID: 32422972 PMCID: PMC7281422 DOI: 10.3390/md18050256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Conotoxins are short, cysteine-rich peptides of great interest as novel therapeutic leads and of great concern as lethal biological agents due to their high affinity and specificity for various receptors involved in neuromuscular transmission. Currently, of the approximately 6000 known conotoxin sequences, only about 3% have associated structural characterization, which leads to a bottleneck in rapid high-throughput screening (HTS) for identification of potential leads or threats. In this work, we combine a graph-based approach with homology modeling to expand the library of conotoxin structures and to identify those conotoxin sequences that are of the greatest value for experimental structural characterization. The latter would allow for the rapid expansion of the known structural space for generating high quality template-based models. Our approach generalizes to other evolutionarily-related, short, cysteine-rich venoms of interest. Overall, we present and validate an approach for venom structure modeling and experimental guidance and employ it to produce a 290%-larger library of approximate conotoxin structures for HTS. We also provide a set of ranked conotoxin sequences for experimental structure determination to further expand this library.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael A. Mansbach
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (R.A.M.); (S.C.); (T.T.)
| | - Srirupa Chakraborty
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (R.A.M.); (S.C.); (T.T.)
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Timothy Travers
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (R.A.M.); (S.C.); (T.T.)
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - S. Gnanakaran
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (R.A.M.); (S.C.); (T.T.)
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15
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Conceição K, de Cena GL, da Silva VA, de Oliveira Neto XA, de Andrade VM, Tada DB, Richardson M, de Andrade SA, Dias SA, Castanho MARB, Lopes-Ferreira M. Design of bioactive peptides derived from CART sequence isolated from the toadfish Thalassophryne nattereri. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:162. [PMID: 32206496 PMCID: PMC7060301 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-2151-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of bacterial resistance due to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics warrants the need for developing new bioactive agents. In this context, antimicrobial peptides are highly useful for managing resistant microbial strains. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of peptides obtained from the venom of the toadfish Thalassophryne nattereri. These peptides were active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The primary amino acid sequences showed similarity to Cocaine and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript peptides, and two peptide analogs-Tn CRT2 and Tn CRT3-were designed using the AMPA algorithm based on these sequences. The analogs were subjected to physicochemical analysis and antimicrobial screening and were biologically active at concentrations ranging from 2.1 to 13 µM. Zeta potential analysis showed that the peptide analogs increased the positive charge on the cell surface of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The toxicity of Tn CRT2 and Tn CRT3 were analyzed in vitro using a hemolytic assay and tetrazolium salt reduction in fibroblasts and was found to be significant only at high concentrations (up to 40 µM). These results suggest that this methodological approach is appropriate to design novel antimicrobial peptides to fight bacterial infections and represents a new and promising discovery in fish venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Conceição
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Gabrielle L. de Cena
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Verônica A. da Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Xisto Antonio de Oliveira Neto
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Vitor Martins de Andrade
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Dayane Batista Tada
- Laboratório de Nanomateriais e Nanotoxicologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Michael Richardson
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Prof. Carlos R. Diniz, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro 80, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Sonia A. de Andrade
- Laboratório Especial de Toxicologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, São Paulo, 1500 Brazil
| | - Susana A. Dias
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649‐028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel A. R. B. Castanho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649‐028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mônica Lopes-Ferreira
- Laboratório Especial de Toxicologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, São Paulo, 1500 Brazil
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16
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Sant’Anna MB, Lopes FSR, Kimura LF, Giardini AC, Sant’Anna OA, Picolo G. Crotoxin Conjugated to SBA-15 Nanostructured Mesoporous Silica Induces Long-Last Analgesic Effect in the Neuropathic Pain Model in Mice. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:E679. [PMID: 31757011 PMCID: PMC6949982 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11120679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a disease caused by structural and functional plasticity in central and peripheral sensory pathways that produce alterations in nociceptive processing. Currently, pharmacological treatment for this condition remains a challenge. Crotoxin (CTX), the main neurotoxin of Crotalus durissus terrificus rattlesnake venom, has well described prolonged anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities. In spite of its potential benefits, the toxicity of CTX remains a limiting factor for its use. SBA-15 is an inert nanostructured mesoporous silica that, when used as a vehicle, may reduce toxicity and potentiate the activity of different compounds. Based on this, we propose to conjugate crotoxin with SBA-15 (CTX:SBA-15) in order to investigate if when adsorbed to silica, CTX would have its toxicity reduced and its analgesic effect enhanced in neuropathic pain induced by the partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL) model. SBA-15 enabled an increase of 35% of CTX dosage. Treatment with CTX:SBA-15 induced a long-lasting reduction of mechanical hypernociception, without modifying the previously known pathways involved in antinociception. Moreover, CTX:SBA-15 reduced IL-6 and increased IL-10 levels in the spinal cord. Surprisingly, the antinociceptive effect of CTX:SBA-15 was also observed after oral administration. These data indicate the potential use of the CTX:SBA-15 complex for neuropathic pain control and corroborates the protective potential of SBA-15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morena Brazil Sant’Anna
- Special Laboratory of Pain and Signalling, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil; (M.B.S.); (F.S.R.L.); (L.F.K.); (A.C.G.)
| | - Flavia Souza Ribeiro Lopes
- Special Laboratory of Pain and Signalling, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil; (M.B.S.); (F.S.R.L.); (L.F.K.); (A.C.G.)
| | - Louise Faggionato Kimura
- Special Laboratory of Pain and Signalling, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil; (M.B.S.); (F.S.R.L.); (L.F.K.); (A.C.G.)
| | - Aline Carolina Giardini
- Special Laboratory of Pain and Signalling, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil; (M.B.S.); (F.S.R.L.); (L.F.K.); (A.C.G.)
| | | | - Gisele Picolo
- Special Laboratory of Pain and Signalling, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil; (M.B.S.); (F.S.R.L.); (L.F.K.); (A.C.G.)
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17
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Elnahriry KA, Wai DC, Krishnarjuna B, Badawy NN, Chittoor B, MacRaild CA, Williams-Noonan BJ, Surm JM, Chalmers DK, Zhang AH, Peigneur S, Mobli M, Tytgat J, Prentis P, Norton RS. Structural and functional characterisation of a novel peptide from the Australian sea anemone Actinia tenebrosa. Toxicon 2019; 168:104-112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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18
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de Oliveira Amaral H, Monge-Fuentes V, Biolchi Mayer A, Alves Campos GA, Soares Lopes K, Camargo LC, Ferroni Schwartz M, Galante P, Mortari MR. Animal venoms: therapeutic tools for tackling Parkinson's disease. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:2202-2211. [PMID: 31539640 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative pathology of the central nervous system, mainly involving the selective and progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra, resulting in motor and non-motor symptoms. PD remains an incurable ailment; thus, treatments are limited to symptom alleviation. With long-term use, conventional treatments can become inefficient, often triggering possible side effects. Considering these drawbacks, drug discovery constantly turns to nature as a source of efficient therapeutics. Thus, this review explores animal venoms as a rich source of bioactive compounds with potent neuropharmacological profiles for the development of effective adjuvant treatments with fewer side effects, ultimately aiming for the neuroprotection of dopaminergic neurons and the symptomatic relief of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique de Oliveira Amaral
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Victoria Monge-Fuentes
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.
| | - Andréia Biolchi Mayer
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Avohay Alves Campos
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Kamila Soares Lopes
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Luana C Camargo
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Matheus Ferroni Schwartz
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Galante
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Márcia R Mortari
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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19
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Liang H, Jiang G, Wang T, Zhang J, Liu W, Xu Z, Zhang J, Xiao L. An integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis reveals toxin arsenal of a novel Antarctic jellyfish Cyanea sp. J Proteomics 2019; 208:103483. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.103483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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20
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Dos Santos AP, de Araújo TG, Rádis-Baptista G. Nanoparticles Functionalized with Venom-Derived Peptides and Toxins for Pharmaceutical Applications. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2019; 21:97-109. [PMID: 31223083 DOI: 10.2174/1389201020666190621104624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Venom-derived peptides display diverse biological and pharmacological activities, making them useful in drug discovery platforms and for a wide range of applications in medicine and pharmaceutical biotechnology. Due to their target specificities, venom peptides have the potential to be developed into biopharmaceuticals to treat various health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic pain. Despite the high potential for drug development, several limitations preclude the direct use of peptides as therapeutics and hamper the process of converting venom peptides into pharmaceuticals. These limitations include, for instance, chemical instability, poor oral absorption, short halflife, and off-target cytotoxicity. One strategy to overcome these disadvantages relies on the formulation of bioactive peptides with nanocarriers. A range of biocompatible materials are now available that can serve as nanocarriers and can improve the bioavailability of therapeutic and venom-derived peptides for clinical and diagnostic application. Examples of isolated venom peptides and crude animal venoms that have been encapsulated and formulated with different types of nanomaterials with promising results are increasingly reported. Based on the current data, a wealth of information can be collected regarding the utilization of nanocarriers to encapsulate venom peptides and render them bioavailable for pharmaceutical use. Overall, nanomaterials arise as essential components in the preparation of biopharmaceuticals that are based on biological and pharmacological active venom-derived peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P Dos Santos
- Program of Post-graduation in Pharmaceutical Sciences (FFEO/UFC), Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Brazil
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21
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Sarmiento BE, Santos Menezes LF, Schwartz EF. Insulin Release Mechanism Modulated by Toxins Isolated from Animal Venoms: From Basic Research to Drug Development Prospects. Molecules 2019; 24:E1846. [PMID: 31091684 PMCID: PMC6571724 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24101846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Venom from mammals, amphibians, snakes, arachnids, sea anemones and insects provides diverse sources of peptides with different potential medical applications. Several of these peptides have already been converted into drugs and some are still in the clinical phase. Diabetes type 2 is one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate worldwide, requiring specific attention. Diverse drugs are available (e.g., Sulfonylureas) for effective treatment, but with several adverse secondary effects, most of them related to the low specificity of these compounds to the target. In this context, the search for specific and high-affinity compounds for the management of this metabolic disease is growing. Toxins isolated from animal venom have high specificity and affinity for different molecular targets, of which the most important are ion channels. This review will present an overview about the electrical activity of the ion channels present in pancreatic β cells that are involved in the insulin secretion process, in addition to the diversity of peptides that can interact and modulate the electrical activity of pancreatic β cells. The importance of prospecting bioactive peptides for therapeutic use is also reinforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Elena Sarmiento
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Luis Felipe Santos Menezes
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Elisabeth F Schwartz
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
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Zhang Y, Luo J, He J, Rong M, Zeng X. JZTX-V Targets the Voltage Sensor in Kv4.2 to Inhibit I to Potassium Channels in Cardiomyocytes. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:357. [PMID: 31040778 PMCID: PMC6476928 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kv4 potassium channels are responsible for transient outward K+ currents in the cardiac action potential (AP). Previous experiments by our group demonstrated that Jingzhaotoxin-V (JZTX-V) selectively inhibits A-type potassium channels. However, the specific effects of JZTX-V on the transient outward (Ito) current of cardiomyocytes and underlying mechanism of action remain unclear. In the current study, 100 nM JZTX-V effectively inhibited the Ito current and extended the action potential duration (APD) of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM). We further analyzed the effects of JZTX-V on Kv4.2, a cloned channel believed to underlie the Ito current in rat cardiomyocytes. JZTX-V inhibited the Kv4.2 current with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 13 ± 1.7 nM. To establish the molecular mechanism underlying the inhibitory action of JZTX-V on Kv4.2, we performed alanine scanning mutagenesis of Kv4.2 and JZTX-V and assessed the effects of the mutations on binding activities of the proteins. Interestingly, the Kv4.2 mutations V285A, F289A, and V290A reduced the affinity for JZTX-V while I275A and L277A increased the affinity for JZTX-V. Moreover, mutation of positively charged residues (R20 and K22) of JZTX-V and the hydrophobic patch (formed by W5, M6, and W7) led to a significant reduction in toxin sensitivity, indicating that the hydrophobic patch and electrostatic interactions played key roles in the binding of JZTX-V with Kv4.2. Data from our study have shed light on the specific roles and molecular mechanisms of JZTX-V in the regulation of Ito potassium channels and supported its utility as a potential novel antiarrhythmic drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiya Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Injury, Aging and Regenerative Medicine of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ji Luo
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Juan He
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingqiang Rong
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiongzhi Zeng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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Mango D, Nisticò R. Role of ASIC1a in Aβ-induced synaptic alterations in the hippocampus. Pharmacol Res 2018; 131:61-65. [PMID: 29574226 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are widely expressed in the mammalian central nervous system where they play a key role in synaptic transmission and in specific forms of memory. On the other hand, ASICs can be persistently active under pathological conditions contributing to neuronal damage in ischemic stroke, brain trauma, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, to date no experimental evidence has linked ASICs to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aim of the present work was to investigate, in CA1 pyramidal neurons, the possible involvement of ASIC1a in the Aβ-mediated effect on metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor dependent transmission. We found that, in slices pretreated with Aβ, the pharmacological blockade of ASIC1a restored the increased intrinsic excitability following group I mGlu receptor activation. This suggests that, under certain conditions, ASIC1a might further contribute to the Aβ-related depolarizing response. We have recently demonstrated that ASIC1a is also involved long-term depression (LTD) induced either by low-frequency stimulation or by application of the group I mGlu receptor agonist DHPG. Here, we have shown that psalmotoxin-1, a selective blocker of ASIC1a, rescued the DHPG-LTD facilitation associated with genetic and non-genetic models of AD. Overall, these results suggest that a functional coupling between ASIC1a and mGlu receptors occurs and might contribute to the synaptic alterations associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Mango
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy.
| | - R Nisticò
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
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24
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Linial M, Rappoport N, Ofer D. Overlooked Short Toxin-Like Proteins: A Shortcut to Drug Design. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E350. [PMID: 29109389 PMCID: PMC5705965 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9110350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Short stable peptides have huge potential for novel therapies and biosimilars. Cysteine-rich short proteins are characterized by multiple disulfide bridges in a compact structure. Many of these metazoan proteins are processed, folded, and secreted as soluble stable folds. These properties are shared by both marine and terrestrial animal toxins. These stable short proteins are promising sources for new drug development. We developed ClanTox (classifier of animal toxins) to identify toxin-like proteins (TOLIPs) using machine learning models trained on a large-scale proteomic database. Insects proteomes provide a rich source for protein innovations. Therefore, we seek overlooked toxin-like proteins from insects (coined iTOLIPs). Out of 4180 short (<75 amino acids) secreted proteins, 379 were predicted as iTOLIPs with high confidence, with as many as 30% of the genes marked as uncharacterized. Based on bioinformatics, structure modeling, and data-mining methods, we found that the most significant group of predicted iTOLIPs carry antimicrobial activity. Among the top predicted sequences were 120 termicin genes from termites with antifungal properties. Structural variations of insect antimicrobial peptides illustrate the similarity to a short version of the defensin fold with antifungal specificity. We also identified 9 proteins that strongly resemble ion channel inhibitors from scorpion and conus toxins. Furthermore, we assigned functional fold to numerous uncharacterized iTOLIPs. We conclude that a systematic approach for finding iTOLIPs provides a rich source of peptides for drug design and innovative therapeutic discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Linial
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Nadav Rappoport
- Institute for Computational Health Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Dan Ofer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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25
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Crotoxin, a rattlesnake toxin, down-modulates functions of bone marrow neutrophils and impairs the Syk-GTPase pathway. Toxicon 2017; 136:44-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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26
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Robinson SD, Safavi-Hemami H. Venom peptides as pharmacological tools and therapeutics for diabetes. Neuropharmacology 2017; 127:79-86. [PMID: 28689026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by a deficiency in production of insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas (type 1 diabetes, T1D), or by partial deficiency of insulin production and the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes, T2D). Animal venoms are a unique source of compounds targeting ion channels and receptors in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. In recent years, several venom peptides have also emerged as pharmacological tools and therapeutics for T1D and T2D. Some of these peptides act directly as mimics of endogenous metabolic hormones while others act on ion channels expressed in pancreatic beta cells. Here, we provide an overview of the discovery of these venom peptides, their mechanisms of action in the context of diabetes, and their therapeutic potential for the treatment of this disease. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Venom-derived Peptides as Pharmacological Tools.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D Robinson
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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27
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28
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Mango D, Braksator E, Battaglia G, Marcelli S, Mercuri NB, Feligioni M, Nicoletti F, Bashir ZI, Nisticò R. Acid-sensing ion channel 1a is required for mGlu receptor dependent long-term depression in the hippocampus. Pharmacol Res 2017; 119:12-19. [PMID: 28137639 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), members of the degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel superfamily, are widely distributed in the mammalian nervous system. ASIC1a is highly permeable to Ca2+ and are thought to be important in a variety of physiological processes, including synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. To further understand the role of ASIC1a in synaptic transmission and plasticity, we investigated metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor-dependent long-term depression (LTD) in the hippocampus. We found that ASIC1a channels mediate a component of LTD in P30-40 animals, since the ASIC1a selective blocker psalmotoxin-1 (PcTx1) reduced the magnitude of LTD induced by application of the group I mGlu receptor agonist (S)-3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) or induced by paired-pulse low frequency stimulation (PP-LFS). Conversely, PcTx1 did not affect LTD in P13-18 animals. We also provide evidence that ASIC1a is involved in group I mGlu receptor-induced increase in action potential firing. However, blockade of ASIC1a did not affect DHPG-induced polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis, suggesting the involvement of some other molecular partners in the functional crosstalk between ASIC1a and group I mGlu receptors. Notably, PcTx1 was able to prevent the increase in GluA1 S845 phosphorylation at the post-synaptic membrane induced by group I mGlu receptor activation. These findings suggest a novel function of ASIC1a channels in the regulation of group I mGlu receptor synaptic plasticity and intrinsic excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Mango
- European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy.
| | - E Braksator
- University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | | | - S Marcelli
- European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy; Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - N B Mercuri
- University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - M Feligioni
- European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy; Casa Cura Policlinico (CCP), Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Milan, Italy
| | - F Nicoletti
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy; Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Z I Bashir
- University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - R Nisticò
- European Brain Research Institute, Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy; University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
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29
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Saez NJ, Cristofori-Armstrong B, Anangi R, King GF. A Strategy for Production of Correctly Folded Disulfide-Rich Peptides in the Periplasm of E. coli. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1586:155-180. [PMID: 28470604 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6887-9_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant expression of disulfide-reticulated peptides and proteins is often challenging. We describe a method that exploits the periplasmic disulfide-bond forming machinery of Escherichia coli and combines this with a cleavable, solubility-enhancing fusion tag to obtain higher yields of correctly folded target protein than is achievable via cytoplasmic expression. The protocols provided herein cover all aspects of this approach, from vector construction and transformation to purification of the cleaved target protein and subsequent quality control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Saez
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia.
| | - Ben Cristofori-Armstrong
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Raveendra Anangi
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia.
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30
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Catalani E, Proietti Serafini F, Zecchini S, Picchietti S, Fausto AM, Marcantoni E, Buonanno F, Ortenzi C, Perrotta C, Cervia D. Natural products from aquatic eukaryotic microorganisms for cancer therapy: Perspectives on anti-tumour properties of ciliate bioactive molecules. Pharmacol Res 2016; 113:409-420. [PMID: 27650755 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Several modern drugs, including those for cancer therapy, have been isolated from natural sources, are based on natural products and its derivatives, or mime natural products. Some of them are in clinical use, others in clinical trials. The success of natural products in drug discovery is related to their biochemical characteristics and to the technologic methods used to study their feature. Natural compounds may acts as chemo-preventive agents and as factors that increase therapeutic efficacy of existing drugs, thus overcoming cancer cell drug resistance that is the main factor determining the failure in conventional chemotherapy. Water environment, because of its physical and chemical conditions, shows an extraordinary collection of natural biological substances with an extensive structural and functional diversity. The isolation of bioactive molecules has been reported from a great variety of aquatic organisms; however, the therapeutic application of molecules from eukaryotic microorganisms remains inadequately investigated and underexploited on a systematic basis. Herein we describe the biological activities in mammalian cells of selected substances isolated from ciliates, free-living protozoa common almost everywhere there is water, focusing on their anti-tumour actions and their possible therapeutic activity. In particular, we unveil the cellular and molecular machine mediating the effects of cell type-specific signalling protein pheromone Er-1 and secondary metabolites, i.e. euplotin C and climacostol, in cancer cells. To support the feasibility of climacostol-based approaches, we also present novel findings and report additional mechanisms of action using both in vitro and in vivo models of mouse melanomas, with the scope of highlighting new frontiers that can be explored also in a therapeutic perspective. The high skeletal chemical difference of ciliate compounds, their sustainability and availability, also through the use of new organic synthesis/modifications processes, and the results obtained so far in biological studies provide a rationale to consider some of them a potential resource for the design of new anti-cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Catalani
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Francesca Proietti Serafini
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Silvia Zecchini
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital "Luigi Sacco"-ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Simona Picchietti
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Fausto
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Enrico Marcantoni
- School of Sciences and Technologies, Section of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Italy
| | - Federico Buonanno
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Università degli Studi di Macerata, Italy
| | - Claudio Ortenzi
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Università degli Studi di Macerata, Italy
| | - Cristiana Perrotta
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (DIBIC), Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
| | - Davide Cervia
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (DIBIC), Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
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31
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A minimized human insulin-receptor-binding motif revealed in a Conus geographus venom insulin. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2016; 23:916-920. [PMID: 27617429 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Insulins in the venom of certain fish-hunting cone snails facilitate prey capture by rapidly inducing hypoglycemic shock. One such insulin, Conus geographus G1 (Con-Ins G1), is the smallest known insulin found in nature and lacks the C-terminal segment of the B chain that, in human insulin, mediates engagement of the insulin receptor and assembly of the hormone's hexameric storage form. Removal of this segment (residues B23-B30) in human insulin results in substantial loss of receptor affinity. Here, we found that Con-Ins G1 is monomeric, strongly binds the human insulin receptor and activates receptor signaling. Con-Ins G1 thus is a naturally occurring B-chain-minimized mimetic of human insulin. Our crystal structure of Con-Ins G1 reveals a tertiary structure highly similar to that of human insulin and indicates how Con-Ins G1's lack of an equivalent to the key receptor-engaging residue PheB24 is mitigated. These findings may facilitate efforts to design ultrarapid-acting therapeutic insulins.
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32
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Sim AD, Wheeler D. The venom gland transcriptome of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis highlights the importance of novel genes in venom function. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:571. [PMID: 27503142 PMCID: PMC4977848 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2924-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Prior to egg laying the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis envenomates its pupal host with a complex mixture of venom peptides. This venom induces several dramatic changes in the host, including developmental arrest, immunosuppression, and altered metabolism. The diverse and potent bioactivity of N. vitripennis venom provides opportunities for the development of novel acting pharmaceuticals based on these molecules. However, currently very little is known about the specific functions of individual venom peptides or what mechanisms underlie the hosts response to envenomation. Many of the venom peptides also lack bioinformatically derived annotations because no homologs can be identified in the sequences databases. The RNA interference system of N. vitripennis provides a method for functional characterisation of venom protein encoding genes, however working with the current list of 79 candidates represents a daunting task. For this reason we were interested in determining the expression levels of venom encoding genes in the venom gland, as this information could be used to rank candidates for further study. To do this we carried out deep transcriptome sequencing of the venom gland and ovary tissue and used RNA-seq to rank the venom protein encoding genes by expression level. The generation of a specific venom gland transcriptome dataset also provides further opportunities to investigate novel features of this specialised organ. Results RNA-seq revealed that the highest expressed venom encoding gene in the venom gland was ‘Venom protein Y’. The highest expressed annotated gene in this tissue was serine protease Nasvi2EG007167, which has previously been implicated in the apoptotic activity of N. vitripennis venom. As expected the RNA-seq confirmed that venom encoding genes are almost exclusively expressed in the venom gland relative to the neighbouring ovary tissue. Novel genes appear to perform key roles in N. vitripennis venom function, with over half of the 15 highest expressed venom encoding loci lacking bioinformatic annotations. The high throughput sequencing data also provided evidence for the existence of an additional 472 previously undescribed transcribed regions in the N. vitripennis genome. Finally, metatranscriptomic analysis of the venom gland transcriptome finds little evidence for the role of Wolbachia in the venom system. Conclusions The expression level information provided here for the N. vitripennis venom protein encoding genes represents a valuable dataset that can be used by the research community to rank candidates for further functional characterisation. These candidates represent bioactive peptides valuable in the development of new pharmaceuticals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2924-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre D Sim
- Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - David Wheeler
- Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.
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