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Fathi F, Alizadeh B, Tabarzad MV, Tabarzad M. Important structural features of antimicrobial peptides towards specific activity: Trends in the development of efficient therapeutics. Bioorg Chem 2024; 149:107524. [PMID: 38850782 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107524] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Proteins and peptides, as polypeptide chains, have usually got unique conformational structures for effective biological activity. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a group of bioactive peptides, which have been increasingly studied during recent years for their promising antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as, other esteemed bioactivities. Numerous AMPs have been separated from a wide range of natural resources, or produced in vitro through chemical synthesis and recombinant protein expression. Natural AMPs have had limited clinical application due to several drawbacks, such as their short half-life due to protease degradation, lack of activity at physiological salt concentrations, toxicity to mammalian cells, and the absence of suitable methods of delivery for the AMPs that are targeted and sustained. The creation of synthetic analogs of AMPs would both avoid the drawbacks of the natural analogs and maintain or even increase the antimicrobial effectiveness. The structure-activity relationship of discovered AMPs or their derivatives facilitates the development of synthetic AMPs. This review discovered that the relationship between the activity of AMPs and their positive net charge, hydrophobicity, and amino acid sequence and the relationship between AMPs' function and other features like their topology, glycosylation, and halogenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Fathi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Alizadeh
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Vahid Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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2
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Bai Y, Zhang W, Zheng W, Meng XZ, Duan Y, Zhang C, Chen F, Wang KJ. A 14-amino acid cationic peptide Bolespleenin 334-347 from the marine fish mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris exhibiting potent antimicrobial activity and therapeutic potential. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116344. [PMID: 38852647 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important component of innate immunity in both vertebrates and invertebrates, and some of the unique characteristics of AMPs are usually associated with their living environment. The marine fish, mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris, usually live amphibiously in intertidal environments that are quite different from other fish species, which would be an exceptional source of new AMPs. In the study, an AMP named Bolespleenin334-347 was identified, which was a truncated peptide derived from a new functional gene found in B. pectinirostris, that was up-regulated in response to bacterial challenge. Bolespleenin334-347 had only 14 amino acid residues, including five consecutive arginine residues. It was found that the peptide had broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, good thermal stability and sodium ion tolerance. Bolespleenin334-347 killed Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus by disrupting the structural integrity of the bacterial membrane, leading to leakage of the cellular contents, and inducing accumulation of bacterial endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, Bolespleenin334-347 effectively inhibited biofilm formation of A. baumannii and S. aureus and long-term treatment did not lead to the development of resistance. Importantly, Bolespleenin334-347 maintained stable activity against clinically multi-drug resistant bacterial strains. In addition, it was noteworthy that Bolespleenin334-347 showed superior efficacy to LL-37 and vancomycin in a constructed mouse model of MRSA-induced superficial skin infections, as evidenced by a significant reduction in bacterial load and more favorable wound healing. This study provides an effective antimicrobial agent for topical skin infections with potential therapeutic efficacy for infections with drug-resistant bacteria, including MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Weibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wenbin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xin-Zhan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yingyi Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Chang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Fangyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China; State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China; Fujian Innovation Research Institute for Marine Biological Antimicrobial Peptide Industrial Technology, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Ke-Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China; State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China; Fujian Innovation Research Institute for Marine Biological Antimicrobial Peptide Industrial Technology, College of Ocean & Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
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Liang Q, Liu Z, Liang Z, Zhu C, Li D, Kong Q, Mou H. Development strategies and application of antimicrobial peptides as future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172150. [PMID: 38580107 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The use of in-feed antibiotics has been widely restricted due to the significant environmental pollution and food safety concerns they have caused. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted widespread attention as potential future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics owing to their demonstrated antimicrobial activity and environment friendly characteristics. However, the challenges of weak bioactivity, immature stability, and low production yields of natural AMPs impede practical application in the feed industry. To address these problems, efforts have been made to develop strategies for approaching the AMPs with enhanced properties. Herein, we summarize approaches to improving the properties of AMPs as potential alternatives to in-feed antibiotics, mainly including optimization of structural parameters, sequence modification, selection of microbial hosts, fusion expression, and industrially fermentation control. Additionally, the potential for application of AMPs in animal husbandry is discussed. This comprehensive review lays a strong theoretical foundation for the development of in-feed AMPs to achieve the public health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingping Liang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Zhemin Liu
- Fundamental Science R&D Center of Vazyme Biotech Co. Ltd., Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Ziyu Liang
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Changliang Zhu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Dongyu Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Qing Kong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Haijin Mou
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China.
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Yang Y, Yu Z, Ba Z, Ouyang X, Li B, Yang P, Zhang J, Wang Y, Liu Y, Yang T, Zhao Y, Wu X, Zhong C, Liu H, Zhang Y, Gou S, Ni J. Arginine and tryptophan-rich dendritic antimicrobial peptides that disrupt membranes for bacterial infection in vivo. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 271:116451. [PMID: 38691892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116451] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The potent antibacterial activity and low resistance of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) render them potential candidates for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Herein, a minimalist design strategy was proposed employing the "golden partner" combination of arginine (R) and tryptophan (W), along with a dendritic structure to design AMPs. By extension, the α/ε-amino group and the carboxyl group of lysine (K) were utilized to link R and W, forming dendritic peptide templates αRn(εRn)KWm-NH2 and αWn(εWn)KRm-NH2, respectively. The corresponding linear peptide templates R2nKWm-NH2 and W2nKRm-NH2 were used as controls. Their physicochemical properties, activity, toxicity, and stability were compared. Among these new peptides, the dendritic peptide R2(R2)KW4 was screened as a prospective candidate owing to its preferable antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and stability. Additionally, R2(R2)KW4 not only effectively restrained the progression of antibiotic resistance, but also demonstrated synergistic utility when combined with conventional antibiotics due to its unique membrane-disruptive mechanism. Furthermore, R2(R2)KW4 possessed low toxicity (LD50 = 109.31 mg/kg) in vivo, while efficiently clearing E. coli in pulmonary-infected mice. In conclusion, R2(R2)KW4 has the potential to become an antimicrobial regent or adjuvant, and the minimalist design strategy of dendritic peptides provides innovative and encouraging thoughts in designing AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Zhongwei Yu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Zufang Ba
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Beibei Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Ping Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yao Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yuhuan Zhao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China.
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China.
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Peng J, Li L, Wan Y, Yang Y, An X, Yuan K, Qiu Z, Jiang Y, Guo G, Shen F, Liang G. Molecular characterization and antimicrobial activity of cecropin family in Hermetia illucens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 152:105111. [PMID: 38081402 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.105111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are potential alternatives to traditional antibiotics in the face of increasing bacterial resistance. Insects possess many antimicrobial peptides and have become a valuable source of novel and highly effective antimicrobial peptides. Hermetia illucens as a resource insect, for example, has the highest number of antimicrobial peptides of any dipteran. However, most antimicrobial peptides, especially cecropin, have not been comprehensively identified and have not been evaluated for their antimicrobial ability. In this study, we analyzed the localization and gene structure of 33 cecropin molecules in the H. illucens genome and evaluated their activity against common human pathogens. The results showed that 32 cecropin molecules were concentrated on 1 chromosome, most with 2 exons. More importantly, most of the cecropins had a good antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria, and were not hemolytic. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cecropin designated H3 against E. coli was 4 μg/mL. The toxicity, killing time kinetics, and anti-biofilm activity of H3 were further investigated and confirmed its antimicrobial ability. Overall, H3 is a potential candidate for the development of new antimicrobials to treat severe infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens such as E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Peng
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Li
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqin An
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhilang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinhui Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Guo
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Shen
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guiyou Liang
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Cardiac Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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Kharga K, Jha S, Vishwakarma T, Kumar L. Current developments and prospects of the antibiotic delivery systems. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-40. [PMID: 38425122 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2321480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotics have remained the cornerstone for the treatment of bacterial infections ever since their discovery in the twentieth century. The uproar over antibiotic resistance among bacteria arising from genome plasticity and biofilm development has rendered current antibiotic therapies ineffective, urging the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. The development of antibiotic resistance among bacteria has further heightened the clinical failure of antibiotic therapy, which is often linked to its low bioavailability, side effects, and poor penetration and accumulation at the site of infection. In this review, we highlight the potential use of siderophores, antibodies, cell-penetrating peptides, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages, and nanoparticles to smuggle antibiotics across impermeable biological membranes to achieve therapeutically relevant concentrations of antibiotics and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We will discuss the general mechanisms via which each delivery system functions and how it can be tailored to deliver antibiotics against the paradigm of mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusum Kharga
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Shubhang Jha
- School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Tanvi Vishwakarma
- School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Lokender Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Dong Z, Zhang X, Zhang Q, Tangthianchaichana J, Guo M, Du S, Lu Y. Anticancer Mechanisms and Potential Anticancer Applications of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Nano Agents. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:1017-1039. [PMID: 38317847 PMCID: PMC10840538 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s445333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional chemotherapy is one of the main methods of cancer treatment, which is largely limited by severe side effects and frequent development of multi-drug resistance by cancer cells. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with high efficiency and low toxicity, as one of the most promising new drugs to replace chemoradiotherapy, have become a current research hotspot, attracting the attention of worldwide researchers. AMPs are natural-source small peptides from the innate immune system, and certain AMPs can selectively kill a broad spectrum of cancer cells while exhibiting less damage to normal cells. Although it involves intracellular mechanisms, AMPs exert their anti-cancer effects mainly through membrane destruction effect; thus, AMPs also hold unique advantages in fighting drug-resistant cancer cells. However, the poor stability and hemolytic toxicity of peptides limit their clinical application. Fortunately, functionalized nanoparticles have many possibilities in overcoming the shortcomings of AMPs, which provides a huge prospect for better application of AMPs. In this paper, we briefly introduce the characteristics and different sources of AMPs, review and summarize the mechanisms of action and the research status of AMPs used as an anticancer therapy, and finally focus on the further use of AMPs nano agents in the anti-cancer direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Dong
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Research and Development Centre in Beijing, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jakkree Tangthianchaichana
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Mingxue Guo
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shouying Du
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Lu
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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8
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He S, Deber CM. Interaction of designed cationic antimicrobial peptides with the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1894. [PMID: 38253659 PMCID: PMC10803810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51716-1] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is a hallmark feature of gram-negative bacteria that provides the species with heightened resistance against antibiotic threats while cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) are natural antibiotics broadly recognized for their ability to disrupt bacterial membranes. It has been well-established that lipopolysaccharides present on the OM are among major targets of CAP activity against gram-negative species. Here we investigate how the relative distribution of charged residues along the primary peptide sequence, in conjunction with its overall hydrophobicity, affects such peptide-OM interactions in the natural CAP Ponericin W1. Using a designed peptide library derived from Ponericin W1, we determined that the consecutive placement of Lys residues at the peptide N- or C-terminus (ex. "PonN": KKKKKKWLGSALIGALLPSVVGLFQ) enhances peptide binding affinity to OM lipopolysaccharides compared to constructs where Lys residues are interspersed throughout the primary sequence (ex. "PonAmp": WLKKALKIGAKLLPSVVKLFKGSGQ). Antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was similarly found to be highest among Lys-clustered sequences. Our findings suggest that while native Ponericin W1 exerts its initial activity at the OM, Lys-clustering may be a promising means to enhance potency towards this interface, thereby augmenting peptide entry and activity at the IM, with apparent advantage against multidrug-resistant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley He
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Charles M Deber
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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9
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Li X, Hao Y, Yang N, Mao R, Teng D, Wang J. Plectasin: from evolution to truncation, expression, and better druggability. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1304825. [PMID: 38188573 PMCID: PMC10771296 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1304825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-computational classical evolution analysis of plectasin and its functional relatives can especially contribute tool value during access to meet requirements for their better druggability in clinical use. Staphylococcus aureus is a zoonotic pathogen that can infect the skin, blood, and other tissues of humans and animals. The impact of pathogens on humans is exacerbated by the crisis of drug resistance caused by the misuse of antibiotics. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of anti-Staphylococcus target functional sequences, designed a series of plectasin derivatives by truncation, and recombinantly expressed them in Pichia pastoris X-33, from which the best recombinant Ple-AB was selected for the druggability study. The amount of total protein reached 2.9 g/L following 120 h of high-density expression in a 5-L fermenter. Ple-AB was found to have good bactericidal activity against gram-positive bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging between 2 and 16 μg/mL. It showed good stability and maintained its bactericidal activity during high temperatures, strong acid and alkali environments. Notably, Ple-AB exhibited better druggability, including excellent trypsin resistance, and still possessed approximately 50% of its initial activity following exposure to simulated intestinal fluids for 1 h. In vitro safety testing of Ple-AB revealed low hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes and cytotoxicity against murine-derived macrophages. This study successfully realized the high expression of a new antimicrobial peptide (AMP), Ple-AB, in P. pastoris and the establishment of its oral administration as an additive form with high trypsin resistance; the study also revealed its antibacterial properties, indicating that truncation design is a valuable tool for improving druggability and that the candidate Ple-AB may be a novel promising antimicrobial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Li
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Hao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Na Yang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Ruoyu Mao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Da Teng
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
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10
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Yu Q, Cai Q, Liang W, Zhong K, Liu J, Li H, Chen Y, Li H, Fang S, Zhong R, Liu S, Lin S. Design of phenothiazine-based cationic amphiphilic derivatives incorporating arginine residues: Potential membrane-active broad-spectrum antimicrobials combating pathogenic bacteria in vitro and in vivo. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115733. [PMID: 37643545 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115733] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacteria infections pose an increasingly serious threat to human health, and the development of antimicrobials is far from meeting the clinical demand. It is urgent to discover and develop novel antibiotics to combat bacterial resistance. Currently, the development of membrane active antimicrobial agents is an attractive strategy to cope with antimicrobial resistance issues. In this study, the synthesis and biological evaluation of cationic amphiphilic phenothiazine-based derivatives were reported. Among them, the most promising compound 30 bearing a n-heptyl group and two arginine residues displayed potent bactericidal activity against both Gram-positive (MICs = 1.56 μg/mL) and Gram-negative bacteria (MICs = 3.125-6.25 μg/mL). Compound 30 showed low hemolysis activity (HC50 = 281.4 ± 1.6 μg/mL) and low cytotoxicity (CC50 > 50 μg/mL) toward mammalian cells, as well as excellent salt resistance. Compound 30 rapidly killed bacteria by acting on the bacterial cell membrane and appeared less prone to resistance. Importantly, compound 30 showed potent in vivo efficacy in a murine model of bacterial keratitis. Hence, the results suggested compound 30 has a promising prospect as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Qiongna Cai
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Wanxin Liang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Kewen Zhong
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Jiayong Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Haizhou Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Yongzhi Chen
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Shanfang Fang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Rongcui Zhong
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Shouping Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
| | - Shuimu Lin
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
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11
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Lee H, Shin SH, Yang S. Rationally designed PMAP-23 derivatives with enhanced bactericidal and anticancer activity based on the molecular mechanism of peptide-membrane interactions. Amino Acids 2023; 55:1013-1022. [PMID: 37310533 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-023-03290-5] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a crucial component of the natural defense system that the host employs to protect itself against invading pathogens. PMAP-23, a cathelicidin-derived AMP, has potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Our earlier studies led us to hypothesize that PMAP-23 adopts a dynamic helix-hinge-helix structure, initially attaching to membrane surfaces through the N-helix and subsequently inserting the C-helix into the lipid bilayer. Here, we rationally designed PMAP-NC with increased amphipathicity and hydrophobicity in the N- and C-helix, respectively, based on the hypothesis of the interaction of PMAP-23 with membranes. Compared to the parental PMAP-23, PMAP-NC showed two-eightfold improved bactericidal activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains with fast killing kinetics. Fluorescence studies demonstrated that PMAP-NC largely disrupted membrane integrity, indicating that efficiency and kinetics of bacterial killing are associated with the membrane permeabilization. Interestingly, PMAP-NC exhibited much better anticancer activity against tumor cells than PMAP-23 but displayed low hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. Collectively, our findings suggest that PMAP-NC, with the structural arrangement of an amphipathic helix-hinge-hydrophobic helix that plays a critical role in rapid and efficient membrane permeabilization, can be an attractive candidate for novel antimicrobial and/or anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunhee Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea
| | - Sung-Heui Shin
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea
| | - Sungtae Yang
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea.
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, South Korea.
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12
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He S, Yang Z, Li X, Wu H, Zhang L, Shan A, Wang J. Boosting stability and therapeutic potential of proteolysis-resistant antimicrobial peptides by end-tagging β-naphthylalanine. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:175-194. [PMID: 37100185 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Recently, much emphasis has been placed on solving the intrinsic defects of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), especially their susceptibility to protease digestion for the systemic application of antibacterial biomaterials. Although many strategies have increased the protease stability of AMPs, antimicrobial activity was severely compromised, thereby substantially weakening their therapeutic effect. To address this issue, we introduced hydrophobic group modifications at the N-terminus of proteolysis-resistant AMPs D1 (AArIIlrWrFR) through end-tagging with stretches of natural amino acids (W and I), unnatural amino acid (Nal) and fatty acids. Of these peptides, N1 tagged with a Nal at N-terminus showed the highest selectivity index (GMSI = 19.59), with a 6.73-fold improvement over D1. In addition to potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, N1 also exhibited high antimicrobial stability toward salts, serum and proteases in vitro and ideal biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Furthermore, N1 killed bacteria through multiple mechanisms, involving disruption of bacterial membranes and inhibition of bacterial energy metabolism. Indeed, appropriate terminal hydrophobicity modification opens up new avenues for developing and applying high-stability peptide-based antibacterial biomaterials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: To improve the potency and stability of proteolysis-resistant antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) without increasing toxicity, we constructed a convenient and tunable platform based on different compositions and lengths of hydrophobic end modifications. By tagging an Nal at the N-terminal, the obtained target compound N1 exhibited strong antimicrobial activity and desirable stability under multifarious environments in vitro (protease, salts and serum), and also showed favorable biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Notably, N1exerted its bactericidal effect by damaging bacterial cell membranes and inhibiting bacterial energy metabolism in a dual mode. The findings provide a potential method for designing or optimizing proteolysis-resistant AMPs thus promoting the development and application of peptide-based antibacterial biomaterial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi He
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhanyi Yang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Hua Wu
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Licong Zhang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
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13
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Lyu Y, Tan M, Xue M, Hou W, Yang C, Shan A, Xiang W, Cheng B. Broad-spectrum hybrid antimicrobial peptides derived from PMAP-23 with potential LPS binding ability. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115500. [PMID: 36921633 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides, as an integral part of the innate immune system, kill bacteria through a special mechanism of action, making them less susceptible to drug resistance. However, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as the permeation barrier on the bacterial membrane, inhibits the antibacterial activity of antimicrobial peptides and triggers the inflammatory response. GWKRKRFG is an LPS binding sequence with a β-boomerang motif that can be linked to antimicrobial peptides to enhance their LPS affinity and reduce the possibility of LPS-induced inflammatory responses. In this study, a series of hybrid peptides were designed by conjugating the reported LPS binding sequence to the C-/N-terminal sequences of the natural porcine antimicrobial peptide PMAP-23 to increase the LPS affinity of peptides. Among all the designed hybrid peptides, 4R-PP-G8 showed the best antibacterial activity, nonhemolytic activity, and excellent cell selectivity. The presence of LPS not only induced the secondary structure transformation of 4R-PP-G8 from a random structure to an α-helical structure but also reduced the antibacterial activity of 4R-PP-G8 in a dose-dependent manner, indicating the excellent binding ability of 4R-PP-G8 to LPS. The LPS/LTA binding assay further verified the interaction between the peptide and LPS. The membrane permeability test verified that 4R-PP-G8 possessed a strong capability to penetrate the bacterial membrane after interacting with LPS. More direct membrane disruption was observed under FE-SEM and TEM. In conclusion, we provided a simple and efficient method to improve the LPS binding ability of antimicrobial peptides and enhance their antimicrobial activity, resulting in the peptide 4R-PP-G8 with clinical application potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinfeng Lyu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Meishu Tan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Meng Xue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Hou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Chengyi Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China.
| | - Wensheng Xiang
- School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| | - Baojing Cheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
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14
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Mao C, Wang Y, Yang Y, Li L, Yuan K, Cao H, Qiu Z, Guo G, Wu J, Peng J. Cec4-Derived Peptide Inhibits Planktonic and Biofilm-Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0240922. [PMID: 36453944 PMCID: PMC9769716 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02409-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is part of the normal microbiota that colonizes the skin and mucosal surfaces of human beings. Previous studies suggested that S. epidermidis possessed low virulence, but recent studies confirmed that it can acquire high virulence from Staphylococcus aureus and with the increasing detection of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis. It has become a major pathogen of graft-associated and hospital-acquired infections. In previous studies, we modified the antimicrobial peptide Cec4 (41 amino acids) and obtained the derived peptide C9 (16 amino acids) showing better antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis with an MIC value of 8 μg/mL. The peptide has rapid bactericidal activity without detectable high-level resistance, showing certain inhibition and eradication ability on S. epidermidis biofilms. The damage of cell membrane structures by C9 was observed by scanning emission microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, C9 altered the S. epidermidis cell membrane permeability, depolarization levels, fluidity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and possessed the ability to bind genomic DNA. Analysis of the transcriptional profiles of C9-treated cells revealed changes in genes involved in cell wall and ribosome biosynthesis, membrane protein transport, oxidative stress, and DNA transcription regulation. At the same time, the median lethal dose of C9 in mice was more than 128 mg/kg, and the intraperitoneal administration of 64 mg/kg was less toxic to the liver and kidneys of mice. Furthermore, C9 also showed a certain therapeutic effect on the mouse bacteremia model. In conclusion, C9 may be a candidate drug against S. epidermidis, which has the potential to be further developed as an antibacterial therapeutic agent. IMPORTANCE S. epidermidis is one of the most important pathogens of graft-related infection and hospital-acquired infection. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance, as well as the emergence of bacterial pathogenicity, highlights the need for antimicrobials with new modes of action. Antimicrobial peptides have been extensively studied over the past 30 years as ideal alternatives to antibiotics, and we report here that the derived peptide C9 is characterized by rapid bactericidal and antibiofilm activity, avoiding the development of resistance by acting on multiple nonspecific targets of the cell membrane or cell components. In addition, it has therapeutic potential against S. epidermidis infection in vivo. This study provides a rationale for the further development and application of C9 as an effective candidate antibiotic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengju Mao
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lu Li
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huijun Cao
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhilang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guo Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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15
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Fernández-Babiano I, Navarro-Pérez ML, Pérez-Giraldo C, Fernández-Calderón MC. Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Carvacrol against Oral Pathogenic Bacteria. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12121255. [PMID: 36557293 PMCID: PMC9785330 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12121255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Faced with the current situation of high rates of microbial resistance, together with the scarcity of new antibiotics, it is necessary to search for and identify new antimicrobials, preferably natural, to alleviate this situation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of carvacrol (CAR), a phenolic compound of essential oils, against pathogenic microorganisms causing oral infections, such as Streptococcus mutans and S. sanguinis, never evaluated before. The minimum inhibitory and the minimum bactericidal concentration were 93.4 μg/mL and 373.6 μg/mL, respectively, for the two strains. The growth kinetics under different concentrations of CAR, as well as the bactericidal power were determined. The subinhibitory concentrations delayed and decreased bacterial growth. Its efficacy on mature biofilms was also tested. Finally, the possible hemolytic effect of CAR, not observable at the bactericidal concentrations under study, was evaluated. Findings obtained point to CAR as an excellent alternative agent to safely prevent periodontal diseases. In addition, it is important to highlight the use of an experimental methodology that includes dual-species biofilm and subinhibitory concentration models to determine optimal CAR treatment concentrations. Thus, CAR could be used preventively in mouthwashes or biomaterials, or in treatments to avoid existing antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Fernández-Babiano
- Department of Biomedical Science, Area of Microbiology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- University Institute of Extremadura Sanity Research (INUBE), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - María Luisa Navarro-Pérez
- Department of Biomedical Science, Area of Microbiology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- University Institute of Extremadura Sanity Research (INUBE), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Ciro Pérez-Giraldo
- Department of Biomedical Science, Area of Microbiology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- University Institute of Extremadura Sanity Research (INUBE), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - María Coronada Fernández-Calderón
- Department of Biomedical Science, Area of Microbiology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- University Institute of Extremadura Sanity Research (INUBE), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-924-289-812
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16
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Takahashi H, Sovadinova I, Yasuhara K, Vemparala S, Caputo GA, Kuroda K. Biomimetic antimicrobial polymers—Design, characterization, antimicrobial, and novel applications. WIRES NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 15:e1866. [PMID: 36300561 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Biomimetic antimicrobial polymers have been an area of great interest as the need for novel antimicrobial compounds grows due to the development of resistance. These polymers were designed and developed to mimic naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides in both physicochemical composition and mechanism of action. These antimicrobial peptide mimetic polymers have been extensively investigated using chemical, biophysical, microbiological, and computational approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the molecular interactions that drive function. These studies have helped inform SARs, mechanism of action, and general physicochemical factors that influence the activity and properties of antimicrobial polymers. However, there are still lingering questions in this field regarding 3D structural patterning, bioavailability, and applicability to alternative targets. In this review, we present a perspective on the development and characterization of several antimicrobial polymers and discuss novel applications of these molecules emerging in the field. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruko Takahashi
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life Hiroshima University Higashi‐Hiroshima Hiroshima Japan
| | - Iva Sovadinova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Kazuma Yasuhara
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology Nara Institute of Science and Technology Nara Japan
- Center for Digital Green‐Innovation Nara Institute of Science and Technology Nara Japan
| | - Satyavani Vemparala
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences CIT Campus Chennai India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute Training School Complex Mumbai India
| | - Gregory A. Caputo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Rowan University Glassboro New Jersey USA
| | - Kenichi Kuroda
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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17
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Luong AD, Buzid A, Luong JHT. Important Roles and Potential Uses of Natural and Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) in Oral Diseases: Cavity, Periodontal Disease, and Thrush. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13040175. [PMID: 36278644 PMCID: PMC9589978 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13040175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous epithelial cells and sometimes leukocytes release AMPs as their first line of defense. AMPs encompass cationic histatins, defensins, and cathelicidin to encounter oral pathogens with minimal resistance. However, their concentrations are significantly below the effective levels and AMPs are unstable under physiological conditions due to proteolysis, acid hydrolysis, and salt effects. In parallel to a search for more effective AMPs from natural sources, considerable efforts have focused on synthetic stable and low-cytotoxicy AMPs with significant activities against microorganisms. Using natural AMP templates, various attempts have been used to synthesize sAMPs with different charges, hydrophobicity, chain length, amino acid sequence, and amphipathicity. Thus far, sAMPs have been designed to target Streptococcus mutans and other common oral pathogens. Apart from sAMPs with antifungal activities against Candida albicans, future endeavors should focus on sAMPs with capabilities to promote remineralization and antibacterial adhesion. Delivery systems using nanomaterials and biomolecules are promising to stabilize, reduce cytotoxicity, and improve the antimicrobial activities of AMPs against oral pathogens. Nanostructured AMPs will soon become a viable alternative to antibiotics due to their antimicrobial mechanisms, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low drug residue, and ease of synthesis and modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Donald Luong
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14215, USA
| | - Alyah Buzid
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - John H. T. Luong
- School of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, College Road, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence: or
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Masadeh M, Ayyad A, Haddad R, Alsagar M, Alzoubi K, Alrabadi N. Functional and toxicological evaluation of the MAA-41: a novel rationally designed antimicrobial peptide using hybridization and modification methods from LL-37 and BMAP-28. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:2177-2188. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220705150817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Managing bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) and biofilm-forming bacteria is a global health concern. Therefore, enormous efforts were directed toward finding potential alternative antimicrobial agents such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).
Aim:
We aimed to synthesize a novel modified hybrid peptide designed from natural parents’ peptides with enhanced activity and reduced toxicity profile.
Method:
Rational design was used to hybridize the two antimicrobial peptides, in which the alpha-helical parts of BMAP-28 and LL-37 were combined. Then, several amino acid modifications were applied to generate a modified hybrid peptide named MAA-41. The physicochemical properties were checked using in silico methods. The MAA-41 was evaluated for its antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities. Synergistic studies were performed with five conventional antibiotics. Finally, the cytotoxicity on mammalian cells and the hemolytic activity were assessed.
Results:
The MAA-41 revealed a broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including standard and MDR bacterial strains. The concentration against planktonic cells ranged between 10 and 20 μM with higher potency against Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the MAA-41 displayed potent activity in eradicating biofilm-forming cells, and the reported MBECs were equal to the MIC values reported for planktonic cells. This new peptide exhibited reduced toxicity profiles against erythrocyte cells but not against Vero cells. Combining MAA-41 peptides with conventional antibiotics improved the antimicrobial activity of the combined agents. Either synergistic or additive effects were shown as a significant decrease in MIC to 0.25 μM.
Conclusion:
This study proposes the validity of a novel peptide (MAA-41) with enhanced antimicrobial activity and reduced toxicity, especially when used as conventional antibiotic combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majed Masadeh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
| | - Afnan Ayyad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
| | - Razan Haddad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
| | - Mohammad Alsagar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
| | - Karem Alzoubi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
| | - Nasr Alrabadi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 22110
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19
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Ajayakumar N, Narayanan P, Anitha AK, R MK, Kumar S. Membrane disruptive action of cationic anti-bacterial peptide B1CTcu3. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200239. [PMID: 35713298 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A twenty-two-residue peptide Brevinin1 Clinotarsus curtipus-3 (B1CTcu3), identified from the skin secretion of frog Clinotarsus curtipes of the Western Ghats, exhibited a broad range of antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It showed anti-biofilm activity even at sub-Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (sub-MIC) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Analysis of the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images, confocal images, flow cytometric data and the effect of salt concentration on antibacterial potency suggests that the killing action of the peptide is through the membranolytic process. Single channel electric recording confirmed that the peptide elicited pores on the bacterial cell membrane as it induces a heterogeneous channel in the lipid bilayer. It also showed cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell with IC50 of 25µM. B1CTcu3 peptide could serve as the template for next-generation antibacterial agents, particularly against antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neethu Ajayakumar
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Chemical Biology Lab, RGCB-BIO innovation centre, Kinfra film and video park, Chandavila, kazhakoottam, 695523, trivandrum, INDIA
| | - Pratibha Narayanan
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Chemical Biology Lab, rgcb-BIC Innovation Centre, Kinfra film and video park, Chandavila, Kazhakoottam, 695523, Trivandrum, INDIA
| | - Anju Krishnan Anitha
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Chemical Biology Lab, RGCB-BIC Innovation Centre, Kinfra film and video park, Chandavila, Kazhakoottam, 695523, Trivandrum, INDIA
| | - Mahendran Kozhinjampara R
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Membrane biology lab, RGCB-BIC Innovation centre, Kinfra film and video park, chandavila, kazhakoottam, 695523, rivandrum, INDIA
| | - Santhosh Kumar
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Chemical Biology, Poojappura, 695014, Thiruvananthapuram, INDIA
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20
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Lai Z, Yuan X, Chen H, Zhu Y, Dong N, Shan A. Strategies employed in the design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced proteolytic stability. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 59:107962. [PMID: 35452776 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to the alarming developing rate of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, the development and modification of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are unprecedentedly active. Despite the fact that considerable efforts have been expended on the discovery and design strategies of AMPs, the clinical translation of peptide antibiotics remains inadequate. A large number of articles and reviews credited the limited success of AMPs to their poor stability in the biological environment, particularly their poor proteolytic stability. In the past forty years, various design strategies have been used to improve the proteolytic stability of AMPs, such as sequence modification, cyclization, peptidomimetics, and nanotechnology. Herein, we focus our discussion on the progress made in improving the proteolytic stability of AMPs and the principle, successes, and limitations of various anti-proteolytic design strategies. It is of prospective significance to extend current insights into the degradation-related inactivation of AMPs and also alleviate/overcome the problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenheng Lai
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xiaojie Yuan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yunhui Zhu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Na Dong
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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21
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Glibowicka M, He S, Deber CM. Enhanced proteolytic resistance of cationic antimicrobial peptides through lysine side chain analogs and cyclization. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 612:105-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.04.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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22
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Stapling of Peptides Potentiates: The Antibiotic Treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii In Vivo. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11020273. [PMID: 35203875 PMCID: PMC8868297 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11020273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The rising incidence of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria underlines the urgency for novel treatment options. One promising new approach is the synergistic combination of antibiotics with antimicrobial peptides. However, the use of such peptides is not straightforward; they are often sensitive to proteolytic degradation, which greatly limits their clinical potential. One approach to increase stability is to apply a hydrocarbon staple to the antimicrobial peptide, thereby fixing them in an α-helical conformation, which renders them less exposed to proteolytic activity. In this work we applied several different hydrocarbon staples to two previously described peptides shown to act on the outer membrane, L6 and L8, and tested their activity in a zebrafish embryo infection model using a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii as a pathogen. We show that the introduction of such a hydrocarbon staple to the peptide L8 improves its in vivo potentiating activity on antibiotic treatment, without increasing its in vivo antimicrobial activity, toxicity or hemolytic activity.
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23
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Zhou C, Jiang M, Ye X, Liu X, Zhao W, Ma L, Zhou C. Antibacterial Activities of Peptide HF-18 Against Helicobacter pylori and its Virulence Protein CagA. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10372-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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Solid-Phase Extraction Approaches for Improving Oligosaccharide and Small Peptide Identification with Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: A Case Study on Proteolyzed Almond Extract. Foods 2022; 11:foods11030340. [PMID: 35159490 PMCID: PMC8834518 DOI: 10.3390/foods11030340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reverse-phase solid-phase extraction (SPE) is regularly used for separating and purifying food-derived oligosaccharides and peptides prior to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. However, the diversity in physicochemical properties of peptides may prevent the complete separation of the two types of analytes. Peptides present in the oligosaccharide fraction not only interfere with glycomics analysis but also escape peptidomics analysis. This work evaluated different SPE approaches for improving LC-MS/MS analysis of both oligosaccharides and peptides through testing on peptide standards and a food sample of commercial interest (proteolyzed almond extract). Compared with conventional reverse-phase SPE, mixed-mode SPE (reverse-phase/strong cation exchange) was more effective in retaining small/hydrophilic peptides and capturing them in the high-organic fraction and thus allowed the identification of more oligosaccharides and dipeptides in the proteolyzed almond extract, with satisfactory MS/MS confirmation. Overall, mixed-mode SPE emerged as the ideal method for simultaneously improving the identification of food-derived oligosaccharides and small peptides using LC-MS/MS analysis.
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25
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Matthyssen T, Li W, Holden JA, Lenzo JC, Hadjigol S, O’Brien-Simpson NM. The Potential of Modified and Multimeric Antimicrobial Peptide Materials as Superbug Killers. Front Chem 2022; 9:795433. [PMID: 35083194 PMCID: PMC8785218 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.795433] [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: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found in nearly all living organisms, show broad spectrum antibacterial activity, and can modulate the immune system. Furthermore, they have a very low level of resistance induction in bacteria, which makes them an ideal target for drug development and for targeting multi-drug resistant bacteria 'Superbugs'. Despite this promise, AMP therapeutic use is hampered as typically they are toxic to mammalian cells, less active under physiological conditions and are susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Research has focused on addressing these limitations by modifying natural AMP sequences by including e.g., d-amino acids and N-terminal and amino acid side chain modifications to alter structure, hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, and charge of the AMP to improve antimicrobial activity and specificity and at the same time reduce mammalian cell toxicity. Recently, multimerisation (dimers, oligomer conjugates, dendrimers, polymers and self-assembly) of natural and modified AMPs has further been used to address these limitations and has created compounds that have improved activity and biocompatibility compared to their linear counterparts. This review investigates how modifying and multimerising AMPs impacts their activity against bacteria in planktonic and biofilm states of growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Matthyssen
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Wenyi Li
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - James A. Holden
- Centre for Oral Health Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jason C. Lenzo
- Centre for Oral Health Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sara Hadjigol
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Neil M. O’Brien-Simpson
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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26
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Cruz VL, Ramos J, Martinez-Salazar J, Montalban-Lopez M, Maqueda M. The Role of Key Amino Acids in the Antimicrobial Mechanism of a Bacteriocin Model Revealed by Molecular Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:6066-6078. [PMID: 34874722 PMCID: PMC9178794 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The AS-48 bacteriocin is a potent
antimicrobial polypeptide with
enhanced stability due to its circular sequence of peptidic bonds.
The mechanism of biological action is still not well understood in
spite of both the elucidation of the molecular structure some years
ago and several experiments performed that yielded valuable information
about the AS-48 bacterial membrane poration activity. In this work,
we present a computational study at an atomistic scale to analyze
the membrane disruption mechanism. The process is based on the two-stage
model: (1) peptide binding to the bilayer surface and (2) membrane
poration due to the surface tension exerted by the peptide. Indeed,
the induced membrane tension mechanism is able to explain stable formation
of pores leading to membrane disruption. The atomistic detail obtained
from the simulations allows one to envisage the contribution of the
different amino acids during the poration process. Clustering of cationic
residues and hydrophobic interactions between peptide and lipids seem
to be essential ingredients in the process. GLU amino acids have shown
to enhance the membrane disrupting ability of the bacteriocin. TRP24–TRP24
interactions make also an important contribution in the initial stages
of the poration mechanism. The detailed atomistic information obtained
from the simulations can serve to better understand bacteriocin structural
characteristics to design more potent antimicrobial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor L Cruz
- BIOPHYM, Department of Macromolecular Physics, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/ Serrano 113 bis, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Javier Ramos
- BIOPHYM, Department of Macromolecular Physics, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/ Serrano 113 bis, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Javier Martinez-Salazar
- BIOPHYM, Department of Macromolecular Physics, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/ Serrano 113 bis, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Manuel Montalban-Lopez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, C/ Fuentenueva s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
| | - Mercedes Maqueda
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, C/ Fuentenueva s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
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27
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The Central PXXP Motif Is Crucial for PMAP-23 Translocation across the Lipid Bilayer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189752. [PMID: 34575916 PMCID: PMC8467763 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PMAP-23, a cathelicidin-derived host defense peptide, does not cause severe membrane permeabilization, but exerts strong and broad-spectrum bactericidal activity. We have previously shown that it forms an amphipathic α-helical structure with a central hinge induced by the PXXP motif, which is implicated in the interaction of PMAP-23 with negatively charged bacterial membranes. Here, we studied the potential roles of the PXXP motif in PMAP-23 translocation across the lipid bilayer by replacing Pro residues with either α-helix former Ala (PMAP-PA) or α-helix breaker Gly (PMAP-PG). Although both PMAP-PA and PMAP-PG led to effective membrane depolarization and permeabilization, they showed less antimicrobial activity than wild-type PMAP-23. Interestingly, we observed that PMAP-23 crossed lipid bilayers much more efficiently than its Pro-substituted derivatives. The fact that the Gly-induced hinge was unable to replace the PXXP motif in PMAP-23 translocation suggests that the PXXP motif has unique structural properties other than the central hinge. Surface plasmon resonance sensorgrams showed that the running buffer almost entirely dissociated PMAP-23 from the membrane surface, while its Pro-substituted derivatives remained significantly bound to the membrane. In addition, kinetic analysis of the sensorgrams revealed that the central PXXP motif allows PMAP-23 to rapidly translocate at the interface between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases. Taken together, we propose that the structural and kinetic understanding of the PXXP motif in peptide translocation could greatly aid the development of novel antimicrobial peptides with intracellular targets by promoting peptide entry into bacterial cells.
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28
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Green RM, Bicker KL. Discovery and Characterization of a Rapidly Fungicidal and Minimally Toxic Peptoid against Cryptococcus neoformans. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1470-1477. [PMID: 34531956 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
A limited number of antifungals are available to treat infections caused by fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. Current clinical antifungals are generally toxic, and increasing resistance to these therapies is being observed, necessitating new, effective, and safe antifungals. Peptoids, or N-substituted glycines, have shown promise as antimicrobial agents against bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Herein we report the discovery and characterization of an antifungal peptoid termed RMG8-8. This compound was originally discovered from a combinatorial peptoid library using the Peptoid Library Agar Diffusion assay to screen against C. albicans. Though the efficacy of RMG8-8 against C. albicans was modest (25 μg/mL), the efficacy against C. neoformans was excellent (1.56 μg/mL). Cytotoxicity against a panel of cell lines proved RMG8-8 to be minimally toxic, with selectivity ratios ranging from 34 to 121. Additional studies were carried out to determine the pharmacological importance of each peptoid monomer in RMG8-8, characterize the killing kinetics of this compound against C. neoformans (t 1/2 = 6.5 min), and evaluate plasma protein binding and proteolytic stability. Finally, a liposomal lysis assay suggested that RMG8-8 likely exerts fungal killing through membrane permeabilization, the generally accepted mechanism of action for most antimicrobial peptides and peptoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Madison Green
- Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132, United States
| | - Kevin L. Bicker
- Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132, United States
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29
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He S, Stone TA, Deber CM. Uncoupling Amphipathicity and Hydrophobicity: Role of Charge Clustering in Membrane Interactions of Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2586-2592. [PMID: 34423969 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Peptides with a combination of high positive charge and high hydrophobicity have high antimicrobial activity, as epitomized by peptide venoms, which are designed by nature as disruptors of host membranes yet also display significant efficacy against pathogens. To investigate this phenomenon systematically, here we focus on ponericin W1, a peptide venom isolated from Pachycondyla goeldii ants (WLGSALKIGAKLLPSVVGLFKKKKQ) to examine whether Lys positioning can be broadly applied to optimize the functional range of existing natural sequences. We prepared sets of ponericin W1 analogues, where Lys residues were either distributed in an amphipathic manner throughout the sequence (PonAmp), clustered at the N-terminus (PonN), or clustered at the C-terminus (PonC), along with their counterparts of reduced hydrophobicity through 2-4 Leu-to-Ala replacements. We found that wild-type ponericin W1 and all three variants displayed toxicity against human erythrocytes, but hemolysis was eliminated by the replacement of two or more Leu residues by Ala residues. As well, peptides containing up to 3 Leu-to-Ala replacements retained antimicrobial activity against E. coli bacteria. Biophysical analyses of peptide-membrane interaction patterns by circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed a novel mode of cluster-dependent peptide positioning vis-à-vis the water-membrane interface, where PonAmp and PonC peptides displayed full or partial helical structures, while PonN peptides were unstructured, likely due, in part, to dynamic interchange between aqueous and membrane surface environments. The overall findings suggest that the lower membrane penetration of N-terminal charge-clustered constructs coupled with moderate sequence hydrophobicity may be advantageous for conferring enhanced target selectivity for bacterial versus mammalian membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley He
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Tracy A Stone
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Charles M Deber
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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30
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Chou S, Li Q, Wu H, Li J, Chang YF, Shang L, Li J, Wang Z, Shan A. Selective Antifungal Activity and Fungal Biofilm Inhibition of Tryptophan Center Symmetrical Short Peptide. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158231. [PMID: 34360998 PMCID: PMC8348200 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungus, causes dental caries and contributes to mucosal bacterial dysbiosis leading to a second infection. Furthermore, C.albicans forms biofilms that are resistant to medicinal treatment. To make matters worse, antifungal resistance has spread (albeit slowly) in this species. Thus, it has been imperative to develop novel, antifungal drug compounds. Herein, a peptide was engineered with the sequence of RRFSFWFSFRR-NH2; this was named P19. This novel peptide has been observed to exert disruptive effects on fungal cell membrane physiology. Our results showed that P19 displayed high binding affinity to lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and the plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), cardiolipin, and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), further indicating that the molecular mechanism of P19 was not associated with the receptor recognition, but rather related to competitive interaction with the plasma membrane. In addition, compared with fluconazole and amphotericin B, P19 has been shown to have a lower potential for resistance selection than established antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Chou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Qiuke Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Hua Wu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Jinze Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Lu Shang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Jiawei Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Zhihua Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (S.C.); (Q.L.); (H.W.); (J.L.); (L.S.); (J.L.); (Z.W.)
- Correspondence:
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31
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Luo X, Ye X, Ding L, Zhu W, Yi P, Zhao Z, Gao H, Shu Z, Li S, Sang M, Wang J, Zhong W, Chen Z. Fine-Tuning of Alkaline Residues on the Hydrophilic Face Provides a Non-toxic Cationic α-Helical Antimicrobial Peptide Against Antibiotic-Resistant ESKAPE Pathogens. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:684591. [PMID: 34335511 PMCID: PMC8319832 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.684591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) has become a serious threat to public health worldwide. Cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides (CαAMPs) have attracted much attention as promising solutions in post-antibiotic era. However, strong hemolytic activity and in vivo inefficacy have hindered their pharmaceutical development. Here, we attempt to address these obstacles by investigating BmKn2 and BmKn2-7, two scorpion-derived CαAMPs with the same hydrophobic face and a distinct hydrophilic face. Through structural comparison, mutant design and functional analyses, we found that while keeping the hydrophobic face unchanged, increasing the number of alkaline residues (i.e., Lys + Arg residues) on the hydrophilic face of BmKn2 reduces the hemolytic activity and broadens the antimicrobial spectrum. Strikingly, when keeping the total number of alkaline residues constant, increasing the number of Lys residues on the hydrophilic face of BmKn2-7 significantly reduces the hemolytic activity but does not influence the antimicrobial activity. BmKn2-7K, a mutant of BmKn2-7 in which all of the Arg residues on the hydrophilic face were replaced with Lys, showed the lowest hemolytic activity and potent antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens. Moreover, in vivo experiments indicate that BmKn2-7K displays potent antimicrobial efficacy against both the penicillin-resistant S. aureus and the carbapenem- and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, and is non-toxic at the antimicrobial dosages. Taken together, our work highlights the significant functional disparity of Lys vs Arg in the scorpion-derived antimicrobial peptide BmKn2-7, and provides a promising lead molecule for drug development against ESKAPE pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Luo
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xiangdong Ye
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Li Ding
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Wen Zhu
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Pengcheng Yi
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhiwen Zhao
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Huanhuan Gao
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhan Shu
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Shan Li
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ming Sang
- Central Laboratory of Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jue Wang
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Weihua Zhong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zongyun Chen
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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32
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Totsingan F, Liu F, Gross RA. Structure-Activity Relationship Assessment of Sophorolipid Ester Derivatives against Model Bacteria Strains. Molecules 2021; 26:3021. [PMID: 34069408 PMCID: PMC8158775 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26103021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sophorolipids (SLs) are glycolipids that consist of a hydrophilic sophorose head group covalently linked to a hydrophobic fatty acid tail. They are produced by fermentation of non-pathogenic yeasts such as Candida Bombicola. The fermentation products predominantly consist of the diacetylated lactonic form that coexists with the open-chain acidic form. A systematic series of modified SLs were prepared by ring opening of natural lactonic SL with n-alkanols of varying chain length under alkaline conditions and lipase-selective acetylation of sophorose primary hydroxyl groups. The antimicrobial activity of modified SLs against Gram-positive human pathogens was a function of the n-alkanol length, as well as the degree of sophorose acetylation at the primary hydroxyl sites. Modified SLs were identified with promising antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive human pathogens with moderate selectivity (therapeutic index, TI = EC50/MICB. cereus = 6-33). SL-butyl ester exhibited the best antimicrobial activity (MIC = 12 μM) and selectivity (TI = 33) among all SLs tested. Kinetic studies revealed that SL-ester derivatives kill B. cereus in a time-dependent manner resulting in greater than a 3-log reduction in cell number within 1 h at 2×MIC. In contrast, lactonic SL required 3 h to achieve the same efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filbert Totsingan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA;
| | - Richard A. Gross
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA;
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33
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Abstract
AbstractAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that selectively permeabilize bacterial membranes are promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Dimerization of AMP is considered an attractive strategy to enhance antimicrobial and membrane-lytic activity, but it also increases undesired hemolytic and cytotoxic activity. Here, we prepared Lys-linked homodimers of membrane-permeabilizing magainin II and cell-penetrating buforin II. Dimerization did not significantly alter conformational behavior, but it had a substantial impact on antimicrobial properties. We found that while the magainin II dimer showed increased antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects, the buforin II dimer conferred much greater antibacterial potency without exhibiting cytotoxic activity. Interestingly, the buforin II dimer was highly effective against several antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. Membrane permeabilization experiments indicated that the magainin II dimer rapidly disrupted both anionic and zwitterionic membranes, whereas the buforin II dimer selectively disrupted anionic membranes. Like the monomeric form, the buforin II dimer was efficiently translocated across lipid bilayers. Therefore, our results suggest that the dimerization of cell-penetrating buforin II not only disrupts the bacterial membrane, but also translocates it across the membrane to target intracellular components, resulting in effective antimicrobial activity. We propose that dimerization of intracellular targeting AMPs may present a superior strategy for therapeutic control of pathogenic bacteria.
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34
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Nam HY, Choi J, Kumar SD, Nielsen JE, Kyeong M, Wang S, Kang D, Lee Y, Lee J, Yoon MH, Hong S, Lund R, Jenssen H, Shin SY, Seo J. Helicity Modulation Improves the Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptoids. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:2732-2744. [PMID: 32865961 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The modulation of conformational flexibility in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been investigated as a strategy to improve their efficacy against bacterial pathogens while reducing their toxicity. Here, we synthesized a library of helicity-modulated antimicrobial peptoids by the position-specific incorporation of helix-inducing monomers. The peptoids displayed minimal variations in hydrophobicity, which permitted the specific assessment of the effect of conformational differences on antimicrobial activity and selectivity. Among the moderately helical peptoids, the most dramatic increase in selectivity was observed in peptoid 17, providing more than a 20-fold increase compared to fully helical peptoid 1. Peptoid 17 had potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that included clinically isolated multi-drug-resistant pathogens. Compared to pexiganan AMP, 17 showed superior metabolic stability, which could potentially reduce the dosage needed, alleviating toxicity. Dye-uptake assays and high-resolution imaging revealed that the antimicrobial activity of 17 was, as with many AMPs, mainly due to membrane disruption. However, the high selectivity of 17 reflected its unique conformational characteristics, with differential interactions between bacterial and erythrocyte membranes. Our results suggest a way to distinguish different membrane compositions solely by helicity modulation, thereby improving the selectivity toward bacterial cells with the maintenance of potent and broad-spectrum activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - S. Dinesh Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jiyoun Lee
- Department of Global Medical Science, Sungshin University, Seoul 01133, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Reidar Lund
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo 0315, Norway
| | - Håvard Jenssen
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Song Yub Shin
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
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35
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Li JF, Zhang JX, Li G, Xu YY, Lu K, Wang ZG, Liu JP. Antimicrobial activity and mechanism of peptide CM4 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Food Funct 2020; 11:7245-7254. [PMID: 32766662 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo01031f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Antibacterial peptide CM4 (ABP-CM4) is a small cationic peptide with broad-spectrum activities against bacteria, fungi and tumor cells and may possibly be used as an antimicrobial agent. In this study, a C-terminal amidated antibacterial peptide ABP-CM4 (ABP-CM4N) with the strongest antibacterial activity was obtained through screening the antibacterial activities of ABP-CM4 with different modifications. The minimal inhibitory concentration of ABP-CM4N was 8 μM against P. aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) which was lower than that of ABP-CM4 (16 μM). The strengthened antimicrobial activity of ABP-CM4N may be associated with the increased membrane binding capacity, being two times that of ABP-CM4 (p < 0.001). The antibacterial mechanism of ABP-CM4N to Pseudomonas aeruginosa was examined by means of cell membrane integrity analysiss, the intracellular ultrastructure change observation and E. coli genomic DNA binding assay. It was found that ABP-CM4N had the same antimicrobial mechanism as ABP-CM4, and the aim of the antimicrobial mechanism was mainly to destroy the cell membrane which caused nucleic acid or protein leakage, and secondly to interact with E. coli genomic DNA after penetrating the cell membrane. Furthermore, in vitro ABP-CM4N showed a better bacteriostatic activity in meats, with the treated samples showing two to three times less positive colonies than ABP-CM4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Feng Li
- Institute of Aging Research, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311121, China.
| | - Jia-Xin Zhang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Guo Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Sciences, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Yan-Yan Xu
- Institute of Aging Research, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311121, China.
| | - Kai Lu
- School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Wang
- Institute of Aging Research, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311121, China.
| | - Jun-Ping Liu
- Institute of Aging Research, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311121, China.
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36
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Lin S, Liu J, Li H, Liu Y, Chen Y, Luo J, Liu S. Development of Highly Potent Carbazole Amphiphiles as Membrane-Targeting Antimicrobials for Treating Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9284-9299. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuimu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
| | - Jiayong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
| | - Hongxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
| | - Ying Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications, Institute of Photonics Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yongzhi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
| | - Jiachun Luo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
| | - Shouping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P. R. China
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37
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Zhu Y, Shao C, Li G, Lai Z, Tan P, Jian Q, Cheng B, Shan A. Rational Avoidance of Protease Cleavage Sites and Symmetrical End-Tagging Significantly Enhances the Stability and Therapeutic Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9421-9435. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Changxuan Shao
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Guoyu Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhenheng Lai
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Peng Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Qiao Jian
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Baojing Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
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38
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Laselva O, Stone TA, Bear CE, Deber CM. Anti-Infectives Restore ORKAMBI ® Rescue of F508del-CFTR Function in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Infected with Clinical Strains of P. aeruginosa. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10020334. [PMID: 32092967 PMCID: PMC7072183 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection and inflammation are the primary causes of declining lung function in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients. ORKAMBI® (Lumacaftor-Ivacaftor) is an approved combination therapy for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients bearing the most common mutation, F508del, in the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. It has been previously shown that ORKAMBI®-mediated rescue of CFTR is reduced by a pre-existing Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Here, we show that the infection of F508del-CFTR human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells with lab strain and four different clinical strains of P. aeruginosa, isolated from the lung sputum of CF patients, decreases CFTR function in a strain-specific manner by 48 to 88%. The treatment of infected cells with antibiotic tobramycin or cationic antimicrobial peptide 6K-F17 was found to decrease clinical strain bacterial growth on HBE cells and restore ORKAMBI®-mediated rescue of F508del-CFTR function. Further, 6K-F17 was found to downregulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in infected HBE cells. The results provide strong evidence for a combination therapy approach involving CFTR modulators and anti-infectives (i.e., tobramycin and/or 6K-F17) to improve their overall efficacy in CF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onofrio Laselva
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; (O.L.); (T.A.S.); (C.E.B.)
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Tracy A. Stone
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; (O.L.); (T.A.S.); (C.E.B.)
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Christine E. Bear
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; (O.L.); (T.A.S.); (C.E.B.)
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Charles M. Deber
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; (O.L.); (T.A.S.); (C.E.B.)
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-416-813-5924
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39
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Zeng P, Xu C, Liu C, Liu J, Cheng Q, Gao W, Yang X, Chen S, Chan KF, Wong KY. De Novo Designed Hexadecapeptides Synergize Glycopeptide Antibiotics Vancomycin and Teicoplanin against Pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae via Disruption of Cell Permeability and Potential. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:1738-1752. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Chen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Chenyu Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon +852, Hong Kong
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Qipeng Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Wei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Xuemei Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon +852, Hong Kong
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon +852, Hong Kong
| | - Kin-Fai Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Yin Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 852, Hong Kong
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40
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Gunasekaran P, Fan M, Kim EY, Shin JH, Lee JE, Son EJ, Kim J, Hwang E, Yim MS, Kim EH, Choi YJ, Lee YH, Chung YH, Kim HN, Ryu EK, Shin SY, Kim EK, Bang JK. Amphiphilic Triazine Polymer Derivatives as Antibacterial And Anti-atopic Agents in Mice Model. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15161. [PMID: 31641232 PMCID: PMC6805867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51561-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Considering the emergence of bacterial resistance and low proteolytic stability of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), herein we developed a series of ultra-short triazine based amphipathic polymers (TZP) that are connected with ethylene diamine linkers instead of protease sensitive amide bond. The most potent oligomers, TZP3 and TZP5 not only displayed potent antibacterial action on various drug-resistant pathogens but also exhibited a strong synergic antibacterial activity in combination with chloramphenicol against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA). Since most of atopic dermatitis (AD) infections are caused by bacterial colonization, we evaluated the potency of TZP3 and TZP5 on AD in vitro and in vivo. In vitro AD analysis of these two polymers showed significant inhibition against the release of β-hexosaminidase and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) from RBL-2H3 cells. In AD-like skin lesions in BALB/c mice model, these two polymers displayed significant potency in suppressing dermal and epidermal thickness, mast cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression. Moreover, these polymers exhibited remarkable efficacy over the allergies caused by the imbalance of Th1/Th2 by regulating total IgE and IgG2a. Finally, the impact of treatment effects of these polymers was examined through analyzing the weights and sizes of spleen and lymph node of AD-induced mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pethaiah Gunasekaran
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Meiqi Fan
- Division of Food Bioscience, Konkuk University, Chungju, 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Young Kim
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Ho Shin
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Eun Lee
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Ju Son
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehi Kim
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunha Hwang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Su Yim
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Kim
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Jin Choi
- Division of Food Bioscience, Konkuk University, Chungju, 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ho Lee
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ho Chung
- Drug & Disease Target Research Team, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Hak Nam Kim
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Kyoung Ryu
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Song Yub Shin
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eun-Kyung Kim
- Division of Food Bioscience, Konkuk University, Chungju, 27478, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeong Kyu Bang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chung Buk, 28119, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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41
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Lee H, Lim SI, Shin SH, Lim Y, Koh JW, Yang S. Conjugation of Cell-Penetrating Peptides to Antimicrobial Peptides Enhances Antibacterial Activity. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:15694-15701. [PMID: 31572872 PMCID: PMC6761801 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), essential elements in host innate immune defenses against numerous pathogens, have received considerable attention as potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Most AMPs exert broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity through depolarization and permeabilization of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Here, we introduce a new approach for enhancing the antibiotic activity of AMPs by conjugation of a cationic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP). Interestingly, CPP-conjugated AMPs elicited only a 2- to 4-fold increase in antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, but showed a 4- to 16-fold increase in antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Although CPP-AMP conjugates did not significantly increase membrane permeability, they efficiently translocated across a lipid bilayer. Indeed, confocal microscopy showed that, while AMPs were localized mainly in the membrane of Escherichia coli, the conjugates readily penetrated bacterial cells. In addition, the conjugates exhibited a higher affinity for DNA than unconjugated AMPs. Collectively, we demonstrate that CPP-AMP conjugates possess multiple functional properties, including membrane permeabilization, membrane translocation, and DNA binding, which are involved in their enhanced antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. We propose that conjugation of CPPs to AMPs may present an effective approach for the development of novel antimicrobials against Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunhee Lee
- Department
of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
| | - Sung In Lim
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National
University, Busan 48513, South Korea
| | - Sung-Heui Shin
- Department
of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
- Department of Microbiology, Department of Immunology, and Department of
Ophthalmology, Chosun University College
of Medicine, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
| | - Yong Lim
- Department
of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
- Department of Microbiology, Department of Immunology, and Department of
Ophthalmology, Chosun University College
of Medicine, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
| | - Jae Woong Koh
- Department of Microbiology, Department of Immunology, and Department of
Ophthalmology, Chosun University College
of Medicine, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
| | - Sungtae Yang
- Department
of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
- Department of Microbiology, Department of Immunology, and Department of
Ophthalmology, Chosun University College
of Medicine, Gwangju 61452, South Korea
| |
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