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Casal D, Iria I, Ramalho JS, Alves S, Mota-Silva E, Mascarenhas-Lemos L, Pontinha C, Guadalupe-Cabral M, Ferreira-Silva J, Ferraz-Oliveira M, Vassilenko V, Goyri-O'Neill J, Pais D, Videira PA. BD-2 and BD-3 increase skin flap survival in a model of ischemia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7854. [PMID: 31133641 PMCID: PMC6536547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44153-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The main aim of this work was to study the usefulness of human β-defensins 2 (BD-2) and 3 (BD-3), which are part of the innate immune system, in the treatment of infected ischemic skin flaps. We investigated the effect of transducing rat ischemic skin flaps with lentiviral vectors encoding human BD-2, BD-3, or both BD-2 and BD-3, to increase flap survival in the context of a P. aeruginosa infection associated with a foreign body. The secondary endpoints assessed were: bacterial counts, and biofilm formation on the surface of the foreign body. A local ischemic environment was created by producing arterialized venous flaps in the left epigastric region of rats. Flaps were intentionally infected by placing underneath them two catheters with 105 CFU of P. aeruginosa before the surgical wounds were hermetically closed. Flap biopsies were performed 3 and 7 days post-operatively, and the specimens submitted to immunohistochemical analysis for BD-2 and BD-3, as well as to bacterial quantification. Subsequently, the catheter segments were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flaps transduced with BD-2 and BD-3 showed expression of these defensins and presented increased flap survival. Rats transduced with BD-3 presented a net reduction in the number of P. aeruginosa on the surface of the foreign body and lesser biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Casal
- Anatomy Department, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal.
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal.
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Inês Iria
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit, iMed, ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- INESC MN - Microsystems and Nanotechnologies, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José S Ramalho
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Alves
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Mota-Silva
- LIBPhys, Physics Department, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Luís Mascarenhas-Lemos
- Anatomy Department, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos Pontinha
- Anatomy Department, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Guadalupe-Cabral
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Ferreira-Silva
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mário Ferraz-Oliveira
- Pathology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central - Hospital de São José, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Valentina Vassilenko
- LIBPhys, Physics Department, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - João Goyri-O'Neill
- Anatomy Department, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diogo Pais
- Anatomy Department, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paula A Videira
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal.
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
- CDG & Allies- Professional and Patient Association International Network (PPAIN), Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal.
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Pazgier M, Lubkowski J. Expression and purification of recombinant human alpha-defensins in Escherichia coli. Protein Expr Purif 2006; 49:1-8. [PMID: 16839776 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2006.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2005] [Revised: 05/03/2006] [Accepted: 05/09/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Different strategies have been developed to produce small antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) using recombinant techniques. Up to now, all efforts to obtain larger quantities of active recombinant human alpha-defensins have been only moderately successful. Here we report an effective method of biosynthesis of human alpha-defensins (hNP-1 to hNP-3 and hD-5 and hD-6) in the Escherichia coli. All the peptides, expressed as insoluble fusions with the peptide encoded by a portion of E. coli tryptophan operon (trp DeltaLE 1413 polypeptide), were isolated from the inclusion bodies by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and separated from the fusion leader by chemical cleavage. Fully reduced peptides that were purified according to a straightforward protocol were subsequently folded, oxidized, and subjected to functional and structural analyses. With the exception of hD-6, all recombinant alpha-defensins exhibit expected anti-E. coli activity, as measured by the colony counting method. The method described in this report is a low-cost, efficient way of generating alpha-defensins in quantities ranging from milligrams to grams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Pazgier
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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Borenstein LA, Selsted ME, Lehrer RI, Miller JN. Antimicrobial activity of rabbit leukocyte defensins against Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. Infect Immun 1991; 59:1359-67. [PMID: 2004816 PMCID: PMC257851 DOI: 10.1128/iai.59.4.1359-1367.1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Defensins, which are peptides with broad antimicrobial activity, are major constituents of rabbit neutrophils and certain macrophages. We tested six rabbit defensins, NP-1, NP-2, NP-3a, NP-3b, NP-4, and NP-5, for activity against Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. Mixtures of T. pallidum and defensin in 10% normal rabbit serum (NRS) or heat-inactivated NRS (HI-NRS) were incubated anaerobically for various time periods ranging between 0 and 16 h and then examined by dark-field microscopy for treponemal motility or inoculated intradermally into rabbits to assess treponemal virulence. Immobilization of T. pallidum by NP-1 (400 micrograms/ml) occurred after 4 and 8 h of coincubation in mixtures containing NRS and HI-NRS, respectively. Similarly, neutralization of T. pallidum by NP-1 occurred more rapidly and was complete when incubations were performed in NRS as compared with that in HI-NRS. Endpoint titration confirmed the augmentation of NP-1 antitreponemal activity by heat-labile serum factors; NP-1 showed neutralizing activity at 4 micrograms/ml (about 1 microM) in NRS and at 40 micrograms/ml in HI-NRS. When NP-1 was tested in serum that was deficient in C6, the T. pallidum neutralizing activity of NP-1 was reduced to levels slightly greater than that observed in HI-NRS. NP-1 that had been reduced and alkylated was inactive against T. pallidum. When NP-2, NP-3a, NP-3b, NP-4, and NP-5 were tested at 400 micrograms/ml, all exerted potent treponemicidal activity, manifested by abrogation or delayed development of cutaneous lesions relative to that of controls. These data suggest that defensins may equip certain macrophages and neutrophils to participate in host defense against T. pallidum, that the direct activity of defensins against T. pallidum is enhanced by heat-labile serum factors (presumably complement), and that conformational factors influence the biological activity of the defensin molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Borenstein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90024
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Abstract
Defensins are a family of small, variably cationic proteins which are highly abundant in the granules of mammalian phagocytes. Three defensins, HNP-1, 2, and 3, comprise 30-50% of total protein in azurophil granules of human neutrophils. Some defensins are broadly antimicrobial, antiviral and cytotoxic, while others are chemotactic, opsonic, or may modulate hormonal responses. The defensin molecule typically consists of 29-34 amino acids with a conserved pattern of disulfide linkage among its 6 cysteines. The three-dimensional fold of defensins forms a highly amphiphilic molecule. Microbicidal and cytotoxic properties of defensins are most likely a consequence of their ability to insert into biological membranes and to generate pores. Defensins are synthesized by phagocytes or their precursors as a 94-95 amino acid charge-neutralized preprodefensin, an arrangement which may avoid cytotoxic injury to the phagocyte. Although defensins were recognized only recently, the existence of homologs in certain invertebrates suggests that they are ancestral components of the host defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Ganz
- Will Rogers Pulmonary Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1736
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Troxler RF, Offner GD, Xu T, Vanderspek JC, Oppenheim FG. Structural relationship between human salivary histatins. J Dent Res 1990; 69:2-6. [PMID: 2303595 DOI: 10.1177/00220345900690010101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Histatins are a group of electrophoretically distinct histidine-rich polypeptides with microbicidal activity found in human parotid and submandibular gland secretions. Recently, we have shown that histatins 1, 3, and 5 are homologous proteins that consist of 38, 32, and 24 amino acid residues, respectively, and that these polypeptides kill the pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans. We now describe the isolation and structural characterization of histatins 2, 4, 6, and 7-12, the remaining members of this group of polypeptides. Histatin 2 was found to be identical to the carboxyl terminal 26 residues of histatin 1; histatin 4 was found to be identical to the carboxyl terminal 20 residues of histatin 3; and histatin 6 was found to be identical to histatin 5, but contained an additional carboxyl terminal arginine residue. The amino acid sequences of histatins 7-12 formally correspond to residues 12-24, 13-24, 12-25, 13-25, 5-11, and 5-12, respectively, of histatin 3, but could also arise proteolytically from histatin 5 or 6. These results establish, for the first time, the complete structural relationships between all members of this group of microbicidal proteins in human parotid saliva. The relationship of histatins to one another is discussed in the context of their genetic origin, biosynthesis and secretion into the oral cavity, and potential as reagents in anti-candidal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Troxler
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts
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