1
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Wang Z, Ding W, Shi D, Chen X, Ma C, Jiang Y, Wang T, Chen T, Shaw C, Wang L, Zhou M. Functional characterisation and modification of a novel Kunitzin peptide for use as an anti-trypsin antimicrobial peptide against drug-resistant Escherichia coli. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 229:116508. [PMID: 39186954 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as highly promising candidates for the next generation of antibiotic agents, garnering significant attention. Although their potent antimicrobial activities and ability to combat drug resistance make them stand out among alternative agents, their poor stability has presented a great challenge for further development. In this work, we report a novel Kunitzin AMP, Kunitzin-OL, from the frog Odorrana lividia, exhibiting dual antimicrobial and anti-trypsin activities. Through functional screening and comparison with previously reported Kunitzin peptides, we serendipitously discovered a unique motif (-KVKF-) and unveiled its crucial role in the antibacterial functions of Kunitzin-OL by modifying it through motif removal and duplication. Among the designed derivatives, peptides 4 and 8 demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial activities and low cytotoxicity, with high therapeutic index (TI) values (TI4 = 20.8, TI8 = 20.8). Furthermore, they showed potent antibacterial efficacy against drug-resistant Escherichia coli strains and exhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-neutralising activity, effectively alleviating LPS-induced inflammatory responses. Overall, our findings provide a new short motif for designing effective AMP drugs and highlight the potential of the Kunitztin trypsin inhibitory loop as a valuable motif for the design of AMPs with enhancing proteolytic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhong Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Wenjing Ding
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Daning Shi
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, PR China.
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Chengbang Ma
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Yangyang Jiang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Tao Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Tianbao Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Chris Shaw
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Lei Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Mei Zhou
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
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2
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Bellavita R, Braccia S, Imbò LE, Grieco P, Galdiero S, D'Auria G, Falanga A, Falcigno L. Exploring Fe(III) coordination and membrane interaction of a siderophore-peptide conjugate: Enhancing synergistically the antimicrobial activity. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 259:112658. [PMID: 38964199 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Many microbes produce siderophores, which are extremely potent weapons capable of stealing iron ions from human tissues, fluids and cells and transferring them into bacteria through their appropriate porins. We have recently designed a multi-block molecule, each block having a dedicated role. The first component is an antimicrobial peptide, whose good effectiveness against some bacterial strains was gradually improved through interactive sequence modifications. Connected to this block is a flexible bio-band, also optimized in length, which terminates in a hydroxyamide unit, a strong metal binder. Thus, the whole molecule brings together two pieces that work synergistically to fight infection. To understand if the peptide unit, although modified with a long tail, preserves the structure and therefore the antimicrobial activity, and to characterize the mechanism of interaction with bio-membrane models mimicking Gram-negative membranes, we performed a set of fluorescence-based experiments and circular dichroism studies, which further supported our design of a combination of two different entities working synergistically. The chelating activity and iron(III) binding of the peptide was confirmed by iron(III) paramagnetic NMR analyses, and through a competitive assay with ethylenediamine-tetra acetic acid by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The complexation parameters, the Michaelis constant K, and the number of sites n, evaluated with spectrophotometric techniques are confirmed by Fe(III) paramagnetic NMR analyses here reported. In conclusion, we showed that the coupling of antimicrobial capabilities with iron-trapping capabilities works well in the treatment of infectious diseases caused by Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Simone Braccia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Emiliano Imbò
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Università 100, Portici, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella D'Auria
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Università 100, Portici, 80055 Portici, Italy.
| | - Lucia Falcigno
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
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3
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Nazeer N, Kooner N, Ghimire A, Rainey JK, Lubell WD, Meneksedag-Erol D, Ahmed M. Secondary Structure Stabilization of Macrocyclic Antimicrobial Peptides via Cross-Link Swapping. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8693-8707. [PMID: 38771638 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Lactam cross-links have been employed to stabilize the helical secondary structure and enhance the activity and physiological stability of antimicrobial peptides; however, stabilization of β-sheets via lactamization has not been observed. In the present study, lactams between the side chains of C- and N-terminal residues have been used to stabilize the β-sheet conformation in a short ten-residue analogue of chicken angiogenin-4. Designed using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and Markov state models, the lactam cross-linked peptides are shown to adopt stabilized β-sheet conformations consistent with simulated structures. Replacement of the peptide side-chain Cys-Cys disulfide by a lactam cross-link enhanced the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity compared to the parent peptide and exhibited greater propensity to induce proinflammatory activity in macrophages. The combination of molecular simulations and conformational and biological analyses of the synthetic peptides provides a useful paradigm for the rational design of therapeutically active peptides with constrained β-sheet structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nauman Nazeer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown C1A 4P3, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| | - Navjote Kooner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montreal H4B 1R6, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anupama Ghimire
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jan K Rainey
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - William D Lubell
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, 1375 Ave. Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal H2 V 0B3, Québec, Canada
| | - Deniz Meneksedag-Erol
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montreal H4B 1R6, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal H4B 1R6, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marya Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown C1A 4P3, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown C1A 4P3, Prince Edward Island, Canada
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4
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Falanga A, Bellavita R, Braccia S, Galdiero S. Hydrophobicity: The door to drug delivery. J Pept Sci 2024; 30:e3558. [PMID: 38115215 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The engineering of intracellular delivery systems with the goal of achieving personalized medicine has been encouraged by advances in nanomaterial science as well as a greater understanding of diseases and of the biochemical pathways implicated in many disorders. The development of vectors able to transport the drug to a target location and release it only on demand is undoubtedly the primary issue. From a molecular perspective, the topography of drug carrier surfaces is directly related to the design of an effective drug carrier because it provides a physical hint to modifying its interactions with biological systems. For instance, the initial ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic surfaces and the changes brought about by external factors enable the release or encapsulation of a therapeutic molecule and the ability of the nanosystem to cross biological barriers and reach its target without causing systemic toxicity. The first step in creating new materials with enhanced functionality is to comprehend and characterize the interplay between hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules at the molecular level. Therefore, the focus of this review is on the function of hydrophobicity, which is essential for matching the complexity of biological environments with the intended functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
- CiRPEB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides "Carlo Pedone", University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Simone Braccia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- CiRPEB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides "Carlo Pedone", University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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5
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Bui Thi Phuong H, Doan Ngan H, Le Huy B, Vu Dinh H, Luong Xuan H. The amphipathic design in helical antimicrobial peptides. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300480. [PMID: 38408263 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Amphipathicity is a critical characteristic of helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The hydrophilic region, primarily composed of cationic residues, plays a pivotal role in the initial binding to negatively charged components on bacterial membranes through electrostatic interactions. Subsequently, the hydrophobic region interacts with hydrophobic components, inducing membrane perturbation, ultimately leading to cell death, or inhibiting intracellular function. Due to the extensive diversity of natural and synthetic AMPs with regard to the design of amphipathicity, it is complicated to study the structure-activity relationships. Therefore, this work aims to categorize the common amphipathic design and investigate their impact on the biological properties of AMPs. Besides, the connection between current structural modification approaches and amphipathic styles was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hoa Doan Ngan
- Faculty of Medical Technology, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
| | - Binh Le Huy
- Center for High Technology Development, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, 11307, Vietnam
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Hoang Vu Dinh
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Huy Luong Xuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
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6
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Mahto AK, Kanupriya, Kumari S, Yar MS, Dewangan RP. Hydrocarbon stapled temporin-L analogue as potential antibacterial and antiendotoxin agents with enhanced protease stability. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107239. [PMID: 38428282 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious global concern and a huge burden on the healthcare system. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as a solution of AMR due to their membrane-lytic and intracellular mode of action and therefore resistance development against AMPs is less frequent. One such AMPs, temporin-L (TL) is a 13-mer peptide reported as a potent and broad-spectrum antibacterial agent with significant immunomodulatory activity. However, TL is toxic to human erythrocytes at their antibacterial concentrations and therefore various analogues were synthesized with potent antimicrobial activity and lower hemolytic activity. In this work, we have selected a non-toxic engineered analogue of TL (eTL) and performed hydrocarbon stapling of amino acid residues at i to i + 4 positions at different part of sequence. The synthesized peptides were investigated against both the gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as methicillin resistant S. aureus, its MIC was measured in the concentrations range of 0.9-15.2 µM. All analogues were found equal or better antibacterial as compared to parent peptide. Interestingly one analogue eTL [5-9] was found to be non-cytotoxic and stable in presence of the human serum. Mode of action studies revealed membrane depolarizing and disruptive mode of action with live MRSA. Further in vivo studies of antimicrobial against MRSA infection and anti-endotoxin activities in mice model revealed potential activity of the stapled peptide analogue. Overall, this reports on stapled analogue of the AMPs highlights an important strategy for the development of new antibacterial therapeutics against AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Kumar Mahto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (SPER), Jamia Hamdard (Deemed to be University), New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Kanupriya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (SPER), Jamia Hamdard (Deemed to be University), New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Shalini Kumari
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Sukhdev Vihar, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Mohammad Shahar Yar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (SPER), Jamia Hamdard (Deemed to be University), New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Rikeshwer Prasad Dewangan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (SPER), Jamia Hamdard (Deemed to be University), New Delhi 110062, India.
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7
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Stewart J, Shawon J, Ali MA, Williams B, Shahinuzzaman ADA, Rupa SA, Al-Adhami T, Jia R, Bourque C, Faddis R, Stone K, Sufian MA, Islam R, McShan AC, Rahman KM, Halim MA. Antiviral peptides inhibiting the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 investigated by computational screening and in vitro protease assay. J Pept Sci 2024; 30:e3553. [PMID: 38031661 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3553] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) plays an important role in viral replication and transcription and received great attention as a vital target for drug/peptide development. Therapeutic agents such as small-molecule drugs or peptides that interact with the Cys-His present in the catalytic site of Mpro are an efficient way to inhibit the protease. Although several emergency-approved vaccines showed good efficacy and drastically dropped the infection rate, evolving variants are still infecting and killing millions of people globally. While a small-molecule drug (Paxlovid) received emergency approval, small-molecule drugs have low target specificity and higher toxicity. Besides small-molecule drugs, peptide therapeutics are thus gaining increasing popularity as they are easy to synthesize and highly selective and have limited side effects. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic value of 67 peptides targeting Mpro using molecular docking. Subsequently, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were implemented on eight protein-peptide complexes to obtain molecular-level information on the interaction between these peptides and the Mpro active site, which revealed that temporin L, indolicidin, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) GP1 are the best candidates in terms of stability, interaction, and structural compactness. These peptides were synthesized using the solid-phase peptide synthesis protocol, purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and authenticated by mass spectrometry (MS). The in vitro fluorometric Mpro activity assay was used to validate the computational results, where temporin L and indolicidin were observed to be very active against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with IC50 values of 38.80 and 87.23 μM, respectively. A liquid chromatography-MS (LC-MS) assay was developed, and the IC50 value of temporin L was measured at 23.8 μM. The solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of temporin L was determined in the absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles and was compared to previous temporin structures. This combined investigation provides critical insights and assists us to further develop peptide inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro through structural guided investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Stewart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Jakaria Shawon
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Ackas Ali
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Blaise Williams
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - A D A Shahinuzzaman
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Taha Al-Adhami
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ruoqing Jia
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cole Bourque
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Ryan Faddis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Kaylee Stone
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Md Abu Sufian
- School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rajib Islam
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Andrew C McShan
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khondaker Miraz Rahman
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mohammad A Halim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
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8
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Merlino F, Pecoraro A, Longobardi G, Donati G, Di Leva FS, Brignola C, Piccarducci R, Daniele S, Martini C, Marinelli L, Russo G, Quaglia F, Conte C, Russo A, La Pietra V. Development and Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Novel MDM2/MDM4 Heterodimer Peptide Inhibitors to Enhance 5-Fluorouracil Nucleolar Stress in Colorectal Cancer Cells. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1812-1824. [PMID: 38285632 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) often involves wild-type p53 inactivation by MDM2 and MDM4 overexpression, promoting tumor progression and resistance to 5-fluoruracil (5-FU). Disrupting the MDM2/4 heterodimer can proficiently reactivate p53, sensitizing cancer cells to 5-FU. Herein, we developed 16 peptides based on Pep3 (1), the only known peptide acting through this mechanism. The new peptides, notably 3 and 9, showed lower IC50 values than 1. When incorporated into tumor-targeted biodegradable nanoparticles, these exhibited cytotoxicity against three different CRC cell lines. Notably, NPs/9 caused a significant increase in p53 levels associated with a strong increment of its main downstream target p21 inducing apoptosis. Also, the combined treatment of 9 with 5-FU caused the activation of nucleolar stress and a synergic apoptotic effect. Hence, the co-delivery of MDM2/4 heterodimer disruptors with 5-FU through nanoparticles might be a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Annalisa Pecoraro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Longobardi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Greta Donati
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Brignola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Rebecca Piccarducci
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno, 6, 56126 Pisa, PI, Italy
| | - Simona Daniele
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno, 6, 56126 Pisa, PI, Italy
| | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno, 6, 56126 Pisa, PI, Italy
| | - Luciana Marinelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Giulia Russo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Fabiana Quaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Claudia Conte
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Annapina Russo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
| | - Valeria La Pietra
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy
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9
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Bellavita R, Falanga A, Merlino F, D'Auria G, Molfetta N, Saviano A, Maione F, Galdiero U, Catania MR, Galdiero S, Grieco P, Roscetto E, Falcigno L, Buommino E. Unveiling the mechanism of action of acylated temporin L analogues against multidrug-resistant Candida albicans. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:36-50. [PMID: 36305289 PMCID: PMC9621209 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2134359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing resistance of fungi to conventional antifungal drugs has prompted worldwide the search for new compounds. In this work, we investigated the antifungal properties of acylated Temporin L derivatives, Pent-1B and Dec-1B, against Candida albicans, including the multidrug-resistant strains. Acylated peptides resulted to be active both on reference and clinical strains with MIC values ranging from 6.5 to 26 µM, and they did not show cytotoxicity on human keratinocytes. In addition, we also observed a synergistic or additive effect with voriconazole for peptides Dec-1B and Pent-1B through the checkerboard assay on voriconazole-resistant Candida strains. Moreover, fluorescence-based assays, NMR spectroscopy, and confocal microscopy elucidated a potential membrane-active mechanism, consisting of an initial electrostatic interaction of acylated peptides with fungal membrane, followed by aggregation and insertion into the lipid bilayer and causing membrane perturbation probably through a carpeting effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella D'Auria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Molfetta
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Anella Saviano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Maione
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Umberto Galdiero
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Catania
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Emanuela Roscetto
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Falcigno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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10
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Zhang J, Ouyang X, Zhang F, Li B, Chang L, Yang P, Mao W, Gou S, Zhang Y, Liu H, Yao J, Ni J. Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Antimicrobial Peptide PE2 Delivered Novel Linear Derivatives with Potential of Eradicating Biofilms and Low Incidence of Drug Resistance. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37368962 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens had been dramatically stimulating and accelerating the need for new drugs. PE2 is a kind of cyclic lipopeptide with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Herein, its structure-activity relationship was systematically investigated by employing 4 cyclic analogues and 23 linear analogues for the first time. The screened linear analogues 26 and 27 bearing different fatty acyls at N-termini and a Tyr residue at the 9th position had superior potency compared to the cyclic analogues and showed equivalent antimicrobial activity compared with PE2. Notably, 26 and 27 exhibited significant ability against multidrug-resistant bacteria, favorable resistance to protease, excellent performance against biofilm, low drug resistance, and high effectiveness against the mice pneumonia model. The antibacterial mechanisms of PE2 and linear derivatives 26 and 27 were also preliminarily explored in this study. As described above, 26 and 27 are promising antimicrobial candidates for the treatment of infections associated with drug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Fangyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Beibei Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Linlin Chang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Ping Yang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Wenbo Mao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Materia Medica, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China
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11
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Glycosylation and Lipidation Strategies: Approaches for Improving Antimicrobial Peptide Efficacy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030439. [PMID: 36986538 PMCID: PMC10059750 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently gained attention as a viable solution for combatting antibiotic resistance due to their numerous advantages, including their broad-spectrum activity, low propensity for inducing resistance, and low cytotoxicity. Unfortunately, their clinical application is limited due to their short half-life and susceptibility to proteolytic cleavage by serum proteases. Indeed, several chemical strategies, such as peptide cyclization, N-methylation, PEGylation, glycosylation, and lipidation, are widely used for overcoming these issues. This review describes how lipidation and glycosylation are commonly used to increase AMPs’ efficacy and engineer novel AMP-based delivery systems. The glycosylation of AMPs, which involves the conjugation of sugar moieties such as glucose and N-acetyl galactosamine, modulates their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, improves their antimicrobial activity, and reduces their interaction with mammalian cells, thereby increasing selectivity toward bacterial membranes. In the same way, lipidation of AMPs, which involves the covalent addition of fatty acids, has a significant impact on their therapeutic index by influencing their physicochemical properties and interaction with bacterial and mammalian membranes. This review highlights the possibility of using glycosylation and lipidation strategies to increase the efficacy and activity of conventional AMPs.
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12
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Verma NK, Dewangan RP, Harioudh MK, Ghosh JK. Introduction of a β-leucine residue instead of leucine 9 and glycine 10 residues in Temporin L for improved cell selectivity, stability and activity against planktonic and biofilm of methicillin resistant S. aureus. Bioorg Chem 2023; 134:106440. [PMID: 36870201 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Leucine and glycine residues, at the 9th and 10th positions of helical domain of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide (AMP), Temporin L were substituted with an unnatural amino acid, β-leucine (homovaline) to improve its serum protease stability, haemolytic/cytotoxic properties and reduce the size to some extent. The designed analogue, L9βl-TL showed either equal or improved antimicrobial activity to TL against different microorganisms including the resistant strains. Interestingly, L9βl-TL also exhibited lower haemolytic and cytotoxic activities against human red blood cells and 3T3 cells, respectively. Moreover, L9βl-TL showed antibacterial activity in presence of 25% (v/v) human serum and showed resistance against proteolytic cleavage in presence of it that suggested the serum protease stability of the TL-analogue. L9βl-TL exhibited un-ordered secondary structures in both bacterial and mammalian membrane mimetic lipid vesicles as compared to the helical structures of TL in these environments. However, tryptophan fluorescence studies demonstrated more selective interaction of L9βl-TL with bacterial membrane mimetic lipid vesicles in comparison to non-selective interactions of TL with both kinds of lipid vesicles. Membrane depolarization studies with live MRSA and bacterial membrane-mimetic lipid vesicles suggested a membrane-disrupting mode of action of L9βl-TL. L9βl-TL showed faster bactericidal mechanism compared to TL against MRSA. Interestingly, L9βl-TL was found as more potent than TL either in inhibiting biofilm formation or in eradicating the mature biofilm formed by MRSA. Overall, the present work demonstrates a simple and useful strategy to design of an analogue of TL, with minimal modifications while maintaining its antimicrobial activity with lesser toxicity and higher stability which could be attempted for other AMPs as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Kumar Verma
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Rikeshwer Prasad Dewangan
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
| | - Munesh Kumar Harioudh
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Jimut Kanti Ghosh
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
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13
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Bellavita R, Leone L, Maione A, Falcigno L, D'Auria G, Merlino F, Grieco P, Nastri F, Galdiero E, Lombardi A, Galdiero S, Falanga A. Synthesis of temporin L hydroxamate-based peptides and evaluation of their coordination properties with iron(III ). Dalton Trans 2023; 52:3954-3963. [PMID: 36744636 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt04099a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Ferric iron is an essential nutrient for bacterial growth. Pathogenic bacteria synthesize iron-chelating entities known as siderophores to sequestrate ferric iron from host organisms in order to colonize and replicate. The development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) conjugated to iron chelators represents a promising strategy for reducing the iron availability, inducing bacterial death, and enhancing simultaneously the efficacy of AMPs. Here we designed, synthesized, and characterized three hydroxamate-based peptides Pep-cyc1, Pep-cyc2, and Pep-cyc3, derived from a cyclic temporin L peptide (Pep-cyc) developed previously by some of us. The Fe3+ complex formation of each ligand was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and IR and NMR spectroscopies. In addition, the effect of Fe3+ on the stabilization of the α-helix conformation of hydroxamate-based peptides and the cotton effect were examined by CD spectroscopy. Moreover, the antimicrobial results obtained in vitro on some Gram-negative strains (K. pneumoniae and E. coli) showed the ability of each peptide to chelate efficaciously Fe3+ obtaining a reduction of MIC values in comparison to their parent peptide Pep-cyc. Our results demonstrated that siderophore conjugation could increase the efficacy and selectivity of AMPs used for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Linda Leone
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Falcigno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Gabriella D'Auria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Flavia Nastri
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Lombardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy.
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14
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Bellavita R, Maione A, Braccia S, Sinoca M, Galdiero S, Galdiero E, Falanga A. Myxinidin-Derived Peptide against Biofilms Caused by Cystic Fibrosis Emerging Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043092. [PMID: 36834512 PMCID: PMC9964602 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are triggered by multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The CF airways are considered ideal sites for the colonization and growth of bacteria and fungi that favor the formation of mixed biofilms that are difficult to treat. The inefficacy of traditional antibiotics reinforces the need to find novel molecules able to fight these chronic infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising alternative for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. We developed a more serum-stable version of the peptide WMR (WMR-4) and investigated its ability to inhibit and eradicate C. albicans, S. maltophilia, and A. xylosoxidans biofilms in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Our results suggest that the peptide is able better to inhibit than to eradicate both mono and dual-species biofilms, which is further confirmed by the downregulation of some genes involved in biofilm formation or in quorum-sensing signaling. Biophysical data help to elucidate its mode of action, showing a strong interaction of WMR-4 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and its insertion in liposomes mimicking Gram-negative and Candida membranes. Our results support the promising therapeutic application of AMPs in the treatment of mono- and dual-species biofilms during chronic infections in CF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Simone Braccia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Marica Sinoca
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via dell’ Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-253-4525
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15
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Zeng Z, Zhu J, Deng X, Chen H, Jin Y, Miclet E, Alezra V, Wan Y. Customized Reversible Stapling for Selective Delivery of Bioactive Peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:23614-23621. [PMID: 36530144 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a new concept for reversible peptide stapling that involves macrocyclization between two amino groups and decyclization promoted via dual 1,4-elimination. Depending on the trigger moiety, this strategy could be employed to selectively deliver peptides to either intracellular or extracellular targets. As a proof of concept, a peptide inhibitor targeting a lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) was temporarily cyclized to enhance its stability and ability to cross the cell membrane. Once inside the cells, the biologically active linear peptide was released under reducing environment. Moreover, we have developed reversibly stapled peptides using antimicrobial peptides (RStAMPs) whose bioactive helical conformation can be temporarily destabilized by stapling the peptide backbone. The resulting helix-distorted RStAMPs are nontoxic and highly resistant to protease hydrolysis, while at the infection site, RStAMPs can be rapidly activated by the overproduced H2O2 through the dual 1,4-elimination. The latter restored the helical structure of the native peptide and its antimicrobial activity. This work illustrates a highly valuable macrocyclization strategy for the peptide community and should greatly benefit the field of peptide delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhen Zeng
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Jibao Zhu
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Deng
- Minist Educ, Key Lab Modern Preparat TCM, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Huanwen Chen
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Yi Jin
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Emeric Miclet
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, 4 Place Jussieu, Cedex 05, Paris 75252, France
| | - Valérie Alezra
- Laboratoire de Méthodologie, Synthèse et Molécules Thérapeutiques, ICMMO, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Yang Wan
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
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16
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Casciaro B, Loffredo MR, Cappiello F, O’Sullivan N, Tortora C, Manzer R, Karmakar S, Haskell A, Hasan SK, Mangoni ML. KDEON WK-11: A short antipseudomonal peptide with promising potential. Front Chem 2022; 10:1000765. [PMID: 36465859 PMCID: PMC9713011 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1000765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The plight of antimicrobial resistance continues to limit the availability of antibiotic treatment effective in combating resistant bacterial infections. Despite efforts made to rectify this issue and minimise its effects on both patients and the wider community, progress in this area remains minimal. Here, we de-novo designed a peptide named KDEON WK-11, building on previous work establishing effective residues and structures active in distinguished antimicrobial peptides such as lactoferrin. We assessed its antimicrobial activity against an array of bacterial strains and identified its most potent effect, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an MIC value of 3.12 μM, lower than its counterparts developed with similar residues and chain lengths. We then determined its anti-biofilm properties, potential mechanism of action and in vitro cytotoxicity. We identified that KDEON WK-11 had a broad range of antimicrobial activity and specific capabilities to fight Pseudomonas aeruginosa with low in vitro cytotoxicity and promising potential to express anti-lipopolysaccharide qualities, which could be exploited to expand its properties into an anti-sepsis agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Niamh O’Sullivan
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carola Tortora
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, “Department of Excellence 2018–2022”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rizwan Manzer
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Sougata Karmakar
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Alan Haskell
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Syed K. Hasan
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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17
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Peptides Isolated from Amphibian Skin Secretions with Emphasis on Antimicrobial Peptides. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14100722. [PMID: 36287990 PMCID: PMC9607450 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14100722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The skin of amphibians is a tissue with biological functions, such as defense, respiration, and excretion. In recent years, researchers have discovered a large number of peptides in the skin secretions of amphibians, including antimicrobial peptides, antioxidant peptides, bradykinins, insulin-releasing peptides, and other peptides. This review focuses on the origin, primary structure, secondary structure, length, and functions of peptides secreted from amphibians' skin. We hope that this review will provide further information and promote the further study of amphibian skin secretions, in order to provide reference for expanding the research and application of amphibian bioactive peptides.
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18
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Synthetic Amphipathic β-Sheet Temporin-Derived Peptide with Dual Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11101285. [PMID: 36289944 PMCID: PMC9598925 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11101285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporin family is one of the largest among antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which act mainly by penetrating and disrupting the bacterial membranes. To further understand the relationship between the physical-chemical properties and their antimicrobial activity and selectivity, an analogue of Temporin L, [Nle1, dLeu9, dLys10]TL (Nle-Phe-Val-Pro-Trp-Phe-Lys-Phe-dLeu-dLys-Arg-Ile-Leu-CONH2) has been developed in the present work. The design strategy consisted of the addition of a norleucine residue at the N-terminus of the lead peptide sequence, [dLeu9, dLys10]TL, previously developed by our group. This modification promoted an increase of peptide hydrophobicity and, interestingly, more efficient activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, without affecting human keratinocytes and red blood cells survival compared to the lead peptide. Thus, this novel compound was subjected to biophysical studies, which showed that the peptide [Nle1, dLeu9, dLys10]TL is unstructured in water, while it adopts β-type conformation in liposomes mimicking bacterial membranes, in contrast to its lead peptide forming α-helical aggregates. After its aggregation in the bacterial membrane, [Nle1, dLeu9, dLys10]TL induced membrane destabilization and deformation. In addition, the increase of peptide hydrophobicity did not cause a loss of anti-inflammatory activity of the peptide [Nle1, dLeu9, dLys10]TL in comparison with its lead peptide. In this study, our results demonstrated that positive net charge, optimum hydrophobic−hydrophilic balance, and chain length remain the most important parameters to be addressed while designing small cationic AMPs.
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19
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Hunting for Novel Routes in Anticancer Drug Discovery: Peptides against Sam-Sam Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810397. [PMID: 36142306 PMCID: PMC9499636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the diverse protein binding modules, Sam (Sterile alpha motif) domains attract attention due to their versatility. They are present in different organisms and play many functions in physiological and pathological processes by binding multiple partners. The EphA2 receptor contains a Sam domain at the C-terminus (EphA2-Sam) that is able to engage protein regulators of receptor stability (including the lipid phosphatase Ship2 and the adaptor Odin). Ship2 and Odin are recruited by EphA2-Sam through heterotypic Sam-Sam interactions. Ship2 decreases EphA2 endocytosis and consequent degradation, producing chiefly pro-oncogenic outcomes in a cellular milieu. Odin, through its Sam domains, contributes to receptor stability by possibly interfering with ubiquitination. As EphA2 is upregulated in many types of tumors, peptide inhibitors of Sam-Sam interactions by hindering receptor stability could function as anticancer therapeutics. This review describes EphA2-Sam and its interactome from a structural and functional perspective. The diverse design strategies that have thus far been employed to obtain peptides targeting EphA2-mediated Sam-Sam interactions are summarized as well. The generated peptides represent good initial lead compounds, but surely many efforts need to be devoted in the close future to improve interaction affinities towards Sam domains and consequently validate their anticancer properties.
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Structure-Activity Relationship of New Chimeric Analogs of Mastoparan from the Wasp Venom Paravespula lewisii. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158269. [PMID: 35897844 PMCID: PMC9332802 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mastoparan (MP) is an antimicrobial cationic tetradecapeptide with the primary structure INLKALAALAKKIL-NH2. This amphiphilic α-helical peptide was originally isolated from the venom of the wasp Paravespula lewisii. MP shows a variety of biological activities, such as inhibition of the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as hemolytic activity and activation of mast cell degranulation. Although MP appears to be toxic, studies have shown that its analogs have a potential therapeutic application as antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor agents. In the present study we have designed and synthesized several new chimeric mastoparan analogs composed of MP and other biologically active peptides such as galanin, RNA III inhibiting peptide (RIP) or carrying benzimidazole derivatives attached to the ε-amino side group of Lys residue. Next, we compared their antimicrobial activity against three reference bacterial strains and conformational changes induced by membrane-mimic environments using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. A comparative analysis of the relationship between the activity of peptides and the structure, as well as the calculated physicochemical parameters was also carried out. As a result of our structure-activity study, we have found two analogs of MP, MP-RIP and RIP-MP, with interesting properties. These two analogs exhibited a relatively high antibacterial activity against S. aureus compared to the other MP analogs, making them a potentially attractive target for further studies. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the relationship between peptide activity and structure, as well as the calculated physicochemical parameters, may provide information that may be useful in the design of new MP analogs.
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21
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Design and Validation of Nanofibers Made of Self-Assembled Peptides to Become Multifunctional Stimuli-Sensitive Nanovectors of Anticancer Drug Doxorubicin. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14081544. [PMID: 35893800 PMCID: PMC9331957 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembled peptides possess remarkable potential as targeted drug delivery systems and key applications dwell anti-cancer therapy. Peptides can self-assemble into nanostructures of diverse sizes and shapes in response to changing environmental conditions (pH, temperature, ionic strength). Herein, we investigated the development of self-assembled peptide-based nanofibers (NFs) with the inclusion of a cell-penetrating peptide (namely gH625) and a matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) responsive sequence, which proved to enhance respectively the penetration and tumor-triggered cleavage to release Doxorubicin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer cells where MMP-9 levels are elevated. The NFs formulation has been optimized via critical micelle concentration measurements, fluorescence, and circular dichroism. The final nanovectors were characterized for morphology (TEM), size (hydrodynamic diameter), and surface charge (zeta potential). The Doxo loading and release kinetics were studied in situ, by optical microspectroscopy (fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering–SERS). Confocal spectral imaging of the Doxo fluorescence was used to study the TNBC models in vitro, in cells with various MMP-9 levels, the drug delivery to cells as well as the resulting cytotoxicity profiles. The results confirm that these NFs are a promising platform to develop novel nanovectors of Doxo, namely in the framework of TNBC treatment.
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Barashkova AS, Ryazantsev DY, Rogozhin EA. Rational Design of Plant Hairpin-like Peptide EcAMP1: Structural-Functional Correlations to Reveal Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27113554. [PMID: 35684491 PMCID: PMC9182383 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27113554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant antimicrobial peptides from the α-hairpinins family (hairpin-like peptides) are known to possess a wide range of biological activities. However, less is known about the structural determinants of their antimicrobial activity. Here, we suggest that spatial structure as well as surface charge and hydrophobicity level contribute to the antimicrobial properties of α-hairpinin EcAMP1 from barnyard grass (Echinochloa cruss-galli) seeds. To examine the role of the peptide spatial structure, two truncated forms of EcAMP1 restricted by inner and outer cysteine pairs were synthesized. It was shown that both truncated forms of EcAMP1 lost their antibacterial activity. In addition, their antifungal activity became weaker. To review the contribution of surface charge and hydrophobicity, another two peptides were designed. One of them carried single amino acid substitution from tryptophan to alanine residue at the 20th position. The second one represented a truncated form of the native EcAMP1 lacking six C-terminal residues. But the α-helix was kept intact. It was shown that the antifungal activity of both modified peptides weakened. Thereby we can conclude that the secondary structural integrity, hydrophobic properties, and surface charge all play roles in the antimicrobial properties of α-hairpinins. In addition, the antibacterial activity of cereal α-hairpinins against Gram-positive bacteria was described for the first time. This study expands on the knowledge of structure–function interactions in antimicrobial α-hairpinins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Barashkova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAS), ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
| | - Dmitry Y. Ryazantsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAS), ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
| | - Eugene A. Rogozhin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAS), ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
- Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, ul. Bolshaya Pirogovskaya, 11, 119021 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence:
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23
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Bellavita R, Maione A, Merlino F, Siciliano A, Dardano P, De Stefano L, Galdiero S, Galdiero E, Grieco P, Falanga A. Antifungal and Antibiofilm Activity of Cyclic Temporin L Peptide Analogues against Albicans and Non-Albicans Candida Species. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020454. [PMID: 35214187 PMCID: PMC8877061 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporins are one of the largest families of antimicrobial peptides with both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Herein, for a panel of cyclic temporin L isoform analogues, the antifungal and antibiofilm activities were determined against representative Candida strains, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. auris, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. The outcomes indicated a significant anti-candida activity against planktonic and biofilm growth for four peptides (3, 7, 15 and 16). The absence of toxicity up to high concentrations and survival after infection were assessed in vivo by using Galleria mellonella larvae, and the correlation between conformation and cytotoxicity was investigated by fluorescence assays and circular dichroism (CD). By combining fluorescence spectroscopy, CD, dynamic light scattering, confocal and atomic force microscopy, the mode of action of four analogues was hypothesized. The results pinpointed that peptide 3 emerged as a non-toxic compound showing a potent antibiofilm activity and represents a promising compound for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Antonietta Siciliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Principia Dardano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Luca De Stefano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
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24
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WMR Peptide as Antifungal and Antibiofilm against Albicans and Non-Albicans Candida Species: Shreds of Evidence on the Mechanism of Action. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042151. [PMID: 35216270 PMCID: PMC8879636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida species are the most common fungal pathogens infecting humans and can cause severe illnesses in immunocompromised individuals. The increased resistance of Candida to traditional antifungal drugs represents a great challenge in clinical settings. Therefore, novel approaches to overcome antifungal resistance are desired. Here, we investigated the use of an antimicrobial peptide WMR against Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida species in vitro and in vivo. Results showed a WMR antifungal activity on all Candida planktonic cells at concentrations between 25 μM to >50 μM and exhibited activity at sub-MIC concentrations to inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate mature biofilm. Furthermore, in vitro antifungal effects of WMR were confirmed in vivo as demonstrated by a prolonged survival rate of larvae infected by Candida species when the peptide was administered before or after infection. Additional experiments to unravel the antifungal mechanism were performed on C. albicans and C. parapsilosis. The time-killing curves showed their antifungal activity, which was further confirmed by the induced intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species accumulation; WMR significantly suppressed drug efflux, down-regulating the drug transporter encoding genes CDR1. Moreover, the ability of WMR to penetrate within the cells was demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. These findings provide novel insights for the antifungal mechanism of WMR against Candida albicans and non-albicans, providing fascinating scenarios for the identification of new potential antifungal targets.
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25
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Luong HX, Bui HTP, Tung TT. Application of the All-Hydrocarbon Stapling Technique in the Design of Membrane-Active Peptides. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3026-3045. [PMID: 35112864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The threats of drug resistance and new emerging pathogens have led to an urgent need to develop alternative treatment therapies. Recently, considerable research efforts have focused on membrane-active peptides (MAPs), a category of peptides in drug discovery with antimicrobial, anticancer, and cell penetration activities that have demonstrated their potential to be multifunctional agents. Nonetheless, natural MAPs have encountered various disadvantages, which mainly include poor bioavailability, the lack of a secondary structure in short peptides, and high production costs for long peptide sequences. Hence, an "all-hydrocarbon stapling system" has been applied to these peptides and proven to effectively stabilize the helical conformations, improving proteolytic resistance and increasing both the potency and the cell permeability. In this review, we summarized and categorized the advances made using this powerful technique in the development of stapled MAPs. Furthermore, outstanding issues and suggestions for future design within each subcategory were thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Xuan Luong
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | | | - Truong Thanh Tung
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
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26
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Luong HX, Ngan HD, Thi Phuong HB, Quoc TN, Tung TT. Multiple roles of ribosomal antimicrobial peptides in tackling global antimicrobial resistance. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211583. [PMID: 35116161 PMCID: PMC8790363 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In the last century, conventional antibiotics have played a significant role in global healthcare. Antibiotics support the body in controlling bacterial infection and simultaneously increase the tendency of drug resistance. Consequently, there is a severe concern regarding the regression of the antibiotic era. Despite the use of antibiotics, host defence systems are vital in fighting infectious diseases. In fact, the expression of ribosomal antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been crucial in the evolution of innate host defences and has been irreplaceable to date. Therefore, this valuable source is considered to have great potential in tackling the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. Furthermore, the possibility of bacterial resistance to AMPs has been intensively investigated. Here, we summarize all aspects related to the multiple applications of ribosomal AMPs and their derivatives in combating AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Xuan Luong
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
- PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Thang Nguyen Quoc
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
| | - Truong Thanh Tung
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
- PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
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27
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Roscetto E, Bellavita R, Paolillo R, Merlino F, Molfetta N, Grieco P, Buommino E, Catania MR. Antimicrobial Activity of a Lipidated Temporin L Analogue against Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10111312. [PMID: 34827250 PMCID: PMC8614721 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10111312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the years, the increasing acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes has led to the emergence of highly resistant bacterial strains and the loss of standard antibiotics' efficacy, including β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and the last line carbapenems. Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered one of the major exponents of a group of multidrug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens responsible for serious healthcare-associated infections. In this study, we proved the antimicrobial activity of two analogues of Temporin L against twenty carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. According to the antibiotic susceptibility assay, all the K. pneumoniae strains were resistant to at least one other class of antibiotics, in addition to beta-lactams. Peptides 1B and C showed activity on all test strains, but the lipidated analogue C expressed the greater antimicrobial properties, with MIC values ranging from 6.25 to 25 µM. Furthermore, the peptide C showed bactericidal activity at MIC values. The results clearly highlight the great potential of antimicrobial peptides both as a new treatment option for difficult-to-treat infections and as a new strategy of drug-resistance control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Roscetto
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (E.R.); (R.P.)
| | - Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (N.M.); (P.G.); (E.B.)
| | - Rossella Paolillo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (E.R.); (R.P.)
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (N.M.); (P.G.); (E.B.)
| | - Nicola Molfetta
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (N.M.); (P.G.); (E.B.)
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (N.M.); (P.G.); (E.B.)
| | - Elisabetta Buommino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (N.M.); (P.G.); (E.B.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Catania
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (E.R.); (R.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-7464577
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