1
|
Pereira D, Ferreira S, Ramírez-Rodríguez GB, Alves N, Sousa Â, Valente JFA. Silver and Antimicrobial Polymer Nanocomplexes to Enhance Biocidal Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1256. [PMID: 38279254 PMCID: PMC10815966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021256] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has become a major problem over the years and threatens to remain in the future, at least until a solution is found. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and antimicrobial polymers (APs) are known for their antimicrobial properties and can be considered an alternative approach to fighting resistant microorganisms. Hence, the main goal of this research is to shed some light on the antimicrobial properties of Ag-NPs and APs (chitosan (CH), poly-L-lysine (PLL), ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PLL), and dopamine (DA)) when used alone and complexed to explore the potential enhancement of the antimicrobial effect of the combination Ag-NPs + Aps. The resultant nanocomplexes were chemically and morphologically characterized by UV-visible spectra, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the Ag-NPs, APs, and Ag-NPs + APs nanocomplexes were tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, as well as the fungi Candida albicans (C. albicans). Overall, the antimicrobial results showed potentiation of the activity of the nanocomplexes with a focus on C. albicans. For the biofilm eradication ability, Ag-NPs and Ag-NPs + DA were able to significantly remove S. aureus preformed biofilm, and Ag-NPs + CH were able to significantly destroy C. albicans biofilm, with both performing better than Ag-NPs alone. Overall, we have proven the successful conjugation of Ag-NPs and APs, with some of these formulations showing potential to be further investigated for the treatment of microbial infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Pereira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (D.P.); (S.F.)
| | - Susana Ferreira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (D.P.); (S.F.)
| | - Gloria Belén Ramírez-Rodríguez
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry (BioNanoMetals Group), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avenida Fuente Nueva, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Nuno Alves
- CDRSP-PL-Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic of Leiria, Marinha Grande, 2430-028 Leiria, Portugal;
| | - Ângela Sousa
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (D.P.); (S.F.)
| | - Joana F. A. Valente
- CDRSP-PL-Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic of Leiria, Marinha Grande, 2430-028 Leiria, Portugal;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang T, Tang C, Xiao M, Cao Z, He M, Qi J, Li Y, Li X. Effect of Air Drying on the Metabolic Profile of Fresh Wild and Artificial Cordyceps sinensis. Foods 2023; 13:48. [PMID: 38201076 PMCID: PMC10778509 DOI: 10.3390/foods13010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fresh and dried Cordyceps sinensis are widely used by the public for medicinal and health purposes. However, the differences between them have not been examined. In this study, fresh wild and artificial C. sinensis (WFC and AFC) were dried to obtain dried wild and artificial C. sinensis (WDC and ADC). Non-targeted GC-MS was used to analyze the metabolic profile characteristics of the four groups of samples. The results showed that air drying significantly altered the composition and content of C. sinensis, mainly in the form of higher abundance of organic acids and derivatives and lower abundance of lipids and lipid-like molecules in fresh C. sinensis. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and quantitative analyses showed that air drying increased the abundance of Valine, Zinniol, Urocanate, Vulpinic acid, and Uridine 5'-diphosphate, and decreased Xanthotoxol, Vitexin-4-o-glucoside, Val-trp, and Wogonin. These differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were also shown to be potential biomarkers for C. sinensis. KEGG enrichment analysis identified lysine biosynthesis as the most significantly enriched pathway. Annotation of these DAMs to lysine biosynthesis revealed that citrate cycle and pyruvate metabolism entered lysine biosynthesis via 2-oxohlutarate and Homocitrate, respectively, resulting in significant enrichment of L-saccharopine and L-lysine content was significantly higher. Alanine, aspartate, and Glutamate metabolism synthesized more L-aspartate to promote L-lysine synthesis. Thus, high levels of L-lysine result in lysine degradation and pymolysine, which are the most active metabolic pathways during the drying of fresh C. sinensis and indirectly lead to differences in metabolic profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Chuyu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Mengjun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Zhengfei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Min He
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Jianzhao Qi
- College of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China;
| | - Yuling Li
- Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Science, Xining 810016, China
| | - Xiuzhang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (T.W.); (C.T.); (M.X.); (Z.C.); (M.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sivakumar R, Floyd K, Jessey E, Kim JK, Bayguinov PO, Fitzpatrick JA, Goldfrab D, Jovanovic M, Tripathi A, Djuranovic S, Pavlovic-Djuranovic S. Poly-basic peptides and polymers as new drug candidate against Plasmodium falciparum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.16.558069. [PMID: 37745508 PMCID: PMC10516022 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.16.558069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite, is a leading cause of infection-induced deaths worldwide. The preferred treatment approach is artemisinin-combination therapy, which couples fast-acting artemisinin derivatives with longer-acting drugs like lumefantrine, mefloquine, and amodiaquine. However, the urgency for new treatments has risen due to the parasite's growing resistance to existing therapies. Our study shows that a common characteristic of the P. falciparum proteome - stretches of poly-lysine residues such as those found in proteins related to adhesion and pathogenicity - can serve as an effective peptide treatment for infected erythrocytes. A single dose of these poly-basic peptides can successfully diminish parasitemia in human erythrocytes in vitro with minimal toxicity. The effectiveness of the treatment correlates with the length of the poly-lysine peptide, with 30 lysine peptides supporting the eradication of erythrocytic parasites within 72 hours. PEG-ylation of the poly-lysine peptides or utilizing poly-lysine dendrimers and polymers further increases parasite clearance efficiency and bolsters the stability of these potential new therapeutics. Lastly, our affinity pull-downs and mass-spectrometry identify P. falciparum's outer membrane proteins as likely targets for polybasic peptide medications. Since poly-lysine dendrimers are already FDA-approved for drug delivery, their adaptation as antimalarial drugs presents a promising new therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Sivakumar
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - Katherine Floyd
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - Erath Jessey
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - Jenny Kim Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University; New York, New York, USA
| | - Peter O. Bayguinov
- Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - James A.J. Fitzpatrick
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
- Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - Dennis Goldfrab
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | - Marko Jovanovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University; New York, New York, USA
| | - Abhai Tripathi
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sergej Djuranovic
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Missouri, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Redshaw J, Ting DSJ, Brown A, Hirst JD, Gärtner T. Krein support vector machine classification of antimicrobial peptides. DIGITAL DISCOVERY 2023; 2:502-511. [PMID: 37065679 PMCID: PMC10087059 DOI: 10.1039/d3dd00004d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a potential solution to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, yet their identification through wet-lab experiments is a costly and time-consuming process. Accurate computational predictions would allow rapid in silico screening of candidate AMPs, thereby accelerating the discovery process. Kernel methods are a class of machine learning algorithms that utilise a kernel function to transform input data into a new representation. When appropriately normalised, the kernel function can be regarded as a notion of similarity between instances. However, many expressive notions of similarity are not valid kernel functions, meaning they cannot be used with standard kernel methods such as the support-vector machine (SVM). The Kreĭn-SVM represents generalisation of the standard SVM that admits a much larger class of similarity functions. In this study, we propose and develop Kreĭn-SVM models for AMP classification and prediction by employing the Levenshtein distance and local alignment score as sequence similarity functions. Utilising two datasets from the literature, each containing more than 3000 peptides, we train models to predict general antimicrobial activity. Our best models achieve an AUC of 0.967 and 0.863 on the test sets of each respective dataset, outperforming the in-house and literature baselines in both cases. We also curate a dataset of experimentally validated peptides, measured against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in order to evaluate the applicability of our methodology in predicting microbe-specific activity. In this case, our best models achieve an AUC of 0.982 and 0.891, respectively. Models to predict both general and microbe-specific activities are made available as web applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Redshaw
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Darren S J Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2UH UK
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
- Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre Birmingham UK
| | - Alex Brown
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, GSK Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Jonathan D Hirst
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Thomas Gärtner
- Machine Learning Group, TU Wien Informatics Vienna Austria
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li G, Lai Z, Shan A. Advances of Antimicrobial Peptide-Based Biomaterials for the Treatment of Bacterial Infections. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206602. [PMID: 36722732 PMCID: PMC10104676 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the increase in multidrug-resistant bacterial isolates in hospitals globally and the lack of truly effective antimicrobial agents, antibiotic resistant bacterial infections have increased substantially. There is thus an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial drugs and their related formulations. In recent years, natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), AMP optimization, self-assembled AMPs, AMP hydrogels, and biomaterial-assisted delivery of AMPs have shown great potential in the treatment of bacterial infections. In this review, it is focused on the development prospects and shortcomings of various AMP-based biomaterials for treating animal model infections, such as abdominal, skin, and eye infections. It is hoped that this review will inspire further innovations in the design of AMP-based biomaterials for the treatment of bacterial infections and accelerate their commercialization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guoyu Li
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
| | - Zhenheng Lai
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Selective Induction of Intrinsic Apoptosis in Retinoblastoma Cells by Novel Cationic Antimicrobial Dodecapeptides. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14112507. [PMID: 36432697 PMCID: PMC9694048 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112507] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides represent an important component of innate immunity. In this work, we report the anticancer properties of a panel of hyper-charged wholly cationic antimicrobial dodecapeptides (CAPs) containing multiple canonical forms of lysine and arginine residues. These CAPs displayed excellent bactericidal activities against a broad range of pathogenic bacteria by dissipating the cytoplasmic membrane potential. Specifically, we identified two CAPs, named HC3 and HC5, that effectively killed a significant number of retinoblastoma (WERI-Rb1) cells (p ≤ 0.01). These two CAPs caused the shrinkage of WERI-Rb1 tumor spheroids (p ≤ 0.01), induced intrinsic apoptosis in WERI-Rb1 cells via activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3, cleaved the PARP protein, and triggered off the phosphorylation of p53 and γH2A.X. Combining HC3 or HC5 with the standard chemotherapeutic drug topotecan showed synergistic anti-cancer activities. Overall, these results suggest that HC3 and HC5 can be exploited as potential therapeutic agents in retinoblastoma as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy to enhance the effectiveness of currently used treatment modalities.
Collapse
|
7
|
Engineering Antibacterial Activities and Biocompatibility of Hyperbranched Lysine-based Random Copolymers. CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10118-022-2859-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
8
|
Ting DSJ, Mohammed I, Lakshminarayanan R, Beuerman RW, Dua HS. Host Defense Peptides at the Ocular Surface: Roles in Health and Major Diseases, and Therapeutic Potentials. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:835843. [PMID: 35783647 PMCID: PMC9243558 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.835843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sight is arguably the most important sense in human. Being constantly exposed to the environmental stress, irritants and pathogens, the ocular surface – a specialized functional and anatomical unit composed of tear film, conjunctival and corneal epithelium, lacrimal glands, meibomian glands, and nasolacrimal drainage apparatus – serves as a crucial front-line defense of the eye. Host defense peptides (HDPs), also known as antimicrobial peptides, are evolutionarily conserved molecular components of innate immunity that are found in all classes of life. Since the first discovery of lysozyme in 1922, a wide range of HDPs have been identified at the ocular surface. In addition to their antimicrobial activity, HDPs are increasingly recognized for their wide array of biological functions, including anti-biofilm, immunomodulation, wound healing, and anti-cancer properties. In this review, we provide an updated review on: (1) spectrum and expression of HDPs at the ocular surface; (2) participation of HDPs in ocular surface diseases/conditions such as infectious keratitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, keratoconus, allergic eye disease, rosacea keratitis, and post-ocular surgery; (3) HDPs that are currently in the development pipeline for treatment of ocular diseases and infections; and (4) future potential of HDP-based clinical pharmacotherapy for ocular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Darren Shu Jeng Ting
| | - Imran Mohammed
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Roger W. Beuerman
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harminder S. Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Fungal Keratitis in the United Kingdom 2011-2020: A 10-Year Study. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7110966. [PMID: 34829253 PMCID: PMC8624743 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal keratitis (FK) is a serious ocular infection that often poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. This study aimed to examine the causes, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors of FK in the UK. All culture-positive and culture-negative presumed FK (with complete data) that presented to Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, and the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, between 2011 and 2020 were included. We included 117 patients (n = 117 eyes) with FK in this study. The mean age was 59.0 ± 19.6 years (range, 4–92 years) and 51.3% of patients were female. Fifty-three fungal isolates were identified from 52 (44.4%) culture-positive cases, with Candida spp. (33, 62.3%), Fusarium spp. (9, 17.0%), and Aspergillus spp. (5, 9.4%) being the most common organisms. Ocular surface disease (60, 51.3%), prior corneal surgery (44, 37.6%), and systemic immunosuppression (42, 35.9%) were the three most common risk factors. Hospitalisation for intensive treatment was required for 95 (81.2%) patients, with a duration of 18.9 ± 16.3 days. Sixty-six (56.4%) patients required additional surgical interventions for eradicating the infection. Emergency therapeutic/tectonic keratoplasty was performed in 29 (24.8%) cases, though 13 (44.8%) of them failed at final follow-up. The final corrected-distance-visual-acuity (CDVA) was 1.67 ± 1.08 logMAR. Multivariable logistic regression analyses demonstrated increased age, large infiltrate size (>3 mm), and poor presenting CDVA (<1.0 logMAR) as significant negative predictive factors for poor visual outcome (CDVA of <1.0 logMAR) and poor corneal healing (>60 days of healing time or occurrence of corneal perforation requiring emergency keratoplasty; all p < 0.05). In conclusion, FK represents a difficult-to-treat ocular infection that often results in poor visual outcomes, with a high need for surgical interventions. Innovative treatment strategies are urgently required to tackle this unmet need.
Collapse
|
10
|
Ting DSJ, Li J, Verma CS, Goh ETL, Nubile M, Mastropasqua L, Said DG, Beuerman RW, Lakshminarayanan R, Mohammed I, Dua HS. Evaluation of Host Defense Peptide (CaD23)-Antibiotic Interaction and Mechanism of Action: Insights From Experimental and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Studies. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:731499. [PMID: 34690770 PMCID: PMC8528955 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.731499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background/Aim: Host defense peptides (HDPs) have the potential to provide a novel solution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in view of their unique and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. We had recently developed a novel hybrid HDP based on LL-37 and human beta-defensin-2, named CaD23, which was shown to exhibit good in vivo antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus in a bacterial keratitis murine model. This study aimed to examine the potential CaD23-antibiotic synergism and the secondary structure and underlying mechanism of action of CaD23. Methods: Peptide-antibiotic interaction was evaluated against S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using established checkerboard and time-kill assays. Fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was calculated and interpreted as synergistic (FIC<0.5), additive (FIC between 0.5-1.0), indifferent (FIC between >1.0 and ≤4), or antagonistic (FIC>4). SYTOX green uptake assay was performed to determine the membrane-permeabilising action of CaD23. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to evaluate the interaction of CaD23 with bacterial and mammalian mimetic membranes. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was also performed to examine the secondary structures of CaD23. Results: CaD23-amikacin and CaD23-levofloxacin combination treatment exhibited a strong additive effect against S. aureus SH1000 (FICI = 0.60-0.69) and MRSA43300 (FICI = 0.56-0.60) but an indifferent effect against P. aeruginosa (FIC = 1.03-1.15). CaD23 (at 25 μg/ml; 2xMIC) completely killed S. aureus within 30 min. When used at sub-MIC concentration (3.1 μg/ml; 0.25xMIC), it was able to expedite the antimicrobial action of amikacin against S. aureus by 50%. The rapid antimicrobial action of CaD23 was attributed to the underlying membrane-permeabilising mechanism of action, evidenced by the SYTOX green uptake assay and MD simulations studies. MD simulations revealed that cationicity, alpha-helicity, amphiphilicity and hydrophobicity (related to the Trp residue at C-terminal) play important roles in the antimicrobial action of CaD23. The secondary structures of CaD23 observed in MD simulations were validated by CD spectroscopy. Conclusion: CaD23 is a novel alpha-helical, membrane-active synthetic HDP that can enhance and expedite the antimicrobial action of antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria when used in combination. MD simulations serves as a powerful tool in revealing the peptide secondary structure, dissecting the mechanism of action, and guiding the design and optimisation of HDPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianguo Li
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.,Bioinformatics Institute (AStar), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute (AStar), Singapore, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eunice T L Goh
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mario Nubile
- Ophthalmic Clinic, University "G d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Dalia G Said
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Roger W Beuerman
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Imran Mohammed
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Harminder S Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ting DSJ, Goh ETL, Mayandi V, Busoy JMF, Aung TT, Periayah MH, Nubile M, Mastropasqua L, Said DG, Htoon HM, Barathi VA, Beuerman RW, Lakshminarayanan R, Mohammed I, Dua HS. Hybrid derivative of cathelicidin and human beta defensin-2 against Gram-positive bacteria: A novel approach for the treatment of bacterial keratitis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18304. [PMID: 34526600 PMCID: PMC8443647 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97821-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial keratitis (BK) is a major cause of corneal blindness globally. This study aimed to develop a novel class of antimicrobial therapy, based on human-derived hybrid host defense peptides (HyHDPs), for treating BK. HyHDPs were rationally designed through combination of functional amino acids in parent HDPs, including LL-37 and human beta-defensin (HBD)-1 to -3. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and time-kill kinetics assay were performed to determine the concentration- and time-dependent antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity was evaluated against human corneal epithelial cells and erythrocytes. In vivo safety and efficacy of the most promising peptide was examined in the corneal wound healing and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC SA29213) keratitis murine models, respectively. A second-generation HyHDP (CaD23), based on rational hybridization of the middle residues of LL-37 and C-terminal of HBD-2, was developed and was shown to demonstrate good efficacy against methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MIC = 12.5-25.0 μg/ml (5.2-10.4 μM)] and S. epidermidis [MIC = 12.5 μg/ml (5.2 μM)], and moderate efficacy against P. aeruginosa [MIC = 25-50 μg/ml (10.4-20.8 μM)]. CaD23 (at 25 μg/ml or 2× MIC) killed all the bacteria within 30 min, which was 8 times faster than amikacin (25 μg/ml or 20× MIC). After 10 consecutive passages, S. aureus (ATCC SA29213) did not develop any antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against CaD23 whereas it developed significant AMR (i.e. a 32-fold increase in MIC) against amikacin, a commonly used treatment for BK. Pre-clinical murine studies showed that CaD23 (0.5 mg/ml) achieved a median reduction of S. aureus bioburden by 94% (or 1.2 log10 CFU/ml) while not impeding corneal epithelial wound healing. In conclusion, rational hybridization of human-derived HDPs has led to generation of a potentially efficacious and safe topical antimicrobial agent for treating Gram-positive BK, with no/minimal risk of developing AMR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eunice Tze Leng Goh
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Venkatesh Mayandi
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joanna M F Busoy
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thet Tun Aung
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Mario Nubile
- Ophthalmic Clinic, University "G d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Dalia G Said
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Hla M Htoon
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Roger W Beuerman
- Anti-Infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA
| | | | - Imran Mohammed
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Harminder S Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ting DSJ, Cairns J, Gopal BP, Ho CS, Krstic L, Elsahn A, Lister M, Said DG, Dua HS. Risk Factors, Clinical Outcomes, and Prognostic Factors of Bacterial Keratitis: The Nottingham Infectious Keratitis Study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:715118. [PMID: 34458289 PMCID: PMC8385317 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.715118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Aim: To examine the risk factors, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors of bacterial keratitis (BK) in Nottingham, UK. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who presented to the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, with suspected BK during 2015–2019. Relevant data, including the demographic factors, risk factors, clinical outcomes, and potential prognostic factors, were analysed. Results: A total of 283 patients (n = 283 eyes) were included; mean age was 54.4 ± 21.0 years and 50.9% were male. Of 283 cases, 128 (45.2%) cases were culture-positive. Relevant risk factors were identified in 96.5% patients, with ocular surface diseases (47.3%), contact lens wear (35.3%) and systemic immunosuppression (18.4%) being the most common factors. Contact lens wear was most commonly associated with P. aeruginosa whereas Staphylococci spp. were most commonly implicated in non-contact lens-related BK cases (p = 0.017). At presentation, culture-positive cases were associated with older age, worse presenting corrected-distance-visual-acuity (CDVA), use of topical corticosteroids, larger epithelial defect and infiltrate, central location and hypopyon (all p < 0.01), when compared to culture-negative cases. Hospitalisation was required in 57.2% patients, with a mean length of stay of 8.0 ± 8.3 days. Surgical intervention was required in 16.3% patients. Significant complications such as threatened/actual corneal perforation (8.8%), loss of perception of light vision (3.9%), and evisceration/enucleation (1.4%) were noted. Poor visual outcome (final corrected-distance-visual-acuity of <0.6 logMAR) and delayed corneal healing (>30 days from initial presentation) were significantly affected by age >50 years, infiltrate size >3 mm, and reduced presenting vision (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: BK represents a significant ocular morbidity in the UK, with ocular surface diseases, contact lens wear, and systemic immunosuppression being the main risk factors. Older age, large infiltrate, and poor presenting vision were predictive of poor visual outcome and delayed corneal healing, highlighting the importance of prevention and early intervention for BK.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Cairns
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bhavesh P Gopal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Shan Ho
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Lazar Krstic
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmad Elsahn
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle Lister
- Department of Microbiology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Dalia G Said
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Research Institute of Ophthalmology, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Harminder S Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ting DSJ, Ho CS, Deshmukh R, Said DG, Dua HS. Infectious keratitis: an update on epidemiology, causative microorganisms, risk factors, and antimicrobial resistance. Eye (Lond) 2021; 35:1084-1101. [PMID: 33414529 PMCID: PMC8102486 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-020-01339-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Corneal opacity is the 5th leading cause of blindness and visual impairment globally, affecting ~6 million of the world population. In addition, it is responsible for 1.5-2.0 million new cases of monocular blindness per year, highlighting an ongoing uncurbed burden on human health. Among all aetiologies such as infection, trauma, inflammation, degeneration and nutritional deficiency, infectious keratitis (IK) represents the leading cause of corneal blindness in both developed and developing countries, with an estimated incidence ranging from 2.5 to 799 per 100,000 population-year. IK can be caused by a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, virus, parasites and polymicrobial infection. Subject to the geographical and temporal variations, bacteria and fungi have been shown to be the most common causative microorganisms for corneal infection. Although viral and Acanthamoeba keratitis are less common, they represent important causes for corneal blindness in the developed countries. Contact lens wear, trauma, ocular surface diseases, lid diseases, and post-ocular surgery have been shown to be the major risk factors for IK. Broad-spectrum topical antimicrobial treatment is the current mainstay of treatment for IK, though its effectiveness is being challenged by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, including multidrug resistance, in some parts of the world. In this review, we aim to provide an updated review on IK, encompassing the epidemiology, causative microorganisms, major risk factors and the impact of antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Rashmi Deshmukh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Dalia G Said
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Harminder S Dua
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chen S, Huang S, Li Y, Zhou C. Recent Advances in Epsilon-Poly-L-Lysine and L-Lysine-Based Dendrimer Synthesis, Modification, and Biomedical Applications. Front Chem 2021; 9:659304. [PMID: 33869146 PMCID: PMC8044885 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.659304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advantages in biocompatibility, antimicrobial ability, and comparative facile synthesis technology, poly-L-lysine (PLL) has received considerable attention in recent years. Different arrangement forms and structures of the backbone endow lysine-based polymers with versatile applications, especially for ε-poly-L-lysine (EPL) and lysine-based dendrimer (LBD) compounds. This review summarized the advanced development of the synthesis and modification strategies of EPL and LBD, focus on the modification of bio-synthesis and artificial synthesis, respectively. Meanwhile, biomedical fields, where EPL and LBD are mainly utilized, such as agents, adjuvants, or carriers to anti-pathogen or used in tumor or gene therapies, are also introduced. With the deeper of knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drug system, the design and synthesis of these drugs can be further optimized. Furthermore, the performances of combination with other advanced methodologies and technologies demonstrated that challenges, such as scale production and high expenses, will not hinder the prospective future of lysine-based polymers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Li
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuncai Zhou
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tummanapalli SS, Willcox MD. Antimicrobial resistance of ocular microbes and the role of antimicrobial peptides. Clin Exp Optom 2021; 104:295-307. [PMID: 32924208 DOI: 10.1111/cxo.13125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Isolation of antimicrobial-resistant microbes from ocular infections may be becoming more frequent. Infections caused by these microbes can be difficult to treat and lead to poor outcomes. However, new therapies are being developed which may help improve clinical outcomes. This review examines recent reports on the isolation of antibiotic-resistant microbes from ocular infections. In addition, an overview of the development of some new antibiotic therapies is given. The recent literature regarding antibiotic use and resistance, isolation of antibiotic-resistant microbes from ocular infections and the development of potential new antibiotics that can be used to treat these infections was reviewed. Ocular microbial infections are a global public health issue as they can result in vision loss which compromises quality of life. Approximately 70 per cent of ocular infections are caused by bacteria including Chlamydia trachomatis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungi such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. Resistance to first-line antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones and azoles has increased, with resistance of S. aureus isolates from the USA to fluoroquinolones reaching 32 per cent of isolates and 35 per cent being methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Lower levels of MRSA (seven per cent) were isolated by an Australian study. Antimicrobial peptides, which are broad-spectrum alternatives to antibiotics, have been tested as possible new drugs. Several have shown promise in animal models of keratitis, especially treating P. aeruginosa, S. aureus or C. albicans infections. Reports of increasing resistance of ocular isolates to mainstay antibiotics are a concern, and there is evidence that for ocular surface disease this resistance translates into worse clinical outcomes. New antibiotics are being developed, but not by large pharmaceutical companies and mostly in university research laboratories and smaller biotech companies. Antimicrobial peptides show promise in treating keratitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Dp Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|