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Oladipo EK, Ojo TO, Elegbeleye OE, Bolaji OQ, Oyewole MP, Ogunlana AT, Olalekan EO, Abiodun B, Adediran DA, Obideyi OA, Olufemi SE, Salamatullah AM, Bourhia M, Younous YA, Adelusi TI. Exploring the nuclear proteins, viral capsid protein, and early antigen protein using immunoinformatic and molecular modeling approaches to design a vaccine candidate against Epstein Barr virus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16798. [PMID: 39039173 PMCID: PMC11263613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66828-x] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The available Epstein Barr virus vaccine has tirelessly harnessed the gp350 glycoprotein as its target epitope, but the result has not been preventive. Right here, we designed a global multi-epitope vaccine for EBV; with special attention to making sure all strains and preventive antigens are covered. Using a robust computational vaccine design approach, our proposed vaccine is armed with 6-16 mers linear B-cell epitopes, 4-9 mer CTL epitopes, and 8-15 mer HTL epitopes which are verified to induce interleukin 4, 10 & IFN-gamma. We employed deep computational mining coupled with expert intelligence in designing the vaccine, using human Beta defensin-3-which has been reported to induce the same TLRs as EBV-as the adjuvant. The tendency of the vaccine to cause autoimmune disorder is quenched by the assurance that the construct contains no EBNA-1 homolog. The protein vaccine construct exhibited excellent physicochemical attributes such as Aliphatic index 59.55 and GRAVY - 0.710; and a ProsaWeb Z score of - 3.04. Further computational analysis revealed the vaccine docked favorably with EBV indicted TLR 1, 2, 4 & 9 with satisfactory interaction patterns. With global coverage of 85.75% and the stable molecular dynamics result obtained for the best two interactions, we are optimistic that our nontoxic, non-allergenic multi-epitope vaccine will help to ameliorate the EBV-associated diseases-which include various malignancies, tumors, and cancers-preventively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elijah Kolawole Oladipo
- Division of Vaccine Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Immunology and Bioinformatics, Adeleke University, Ede, 232104, Nigeria
| | - Taiwo Ooreoluwa Ojo
- Division of Vaccine Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Oluwabamise Emmanuel Elegbeleye
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Olawale Quadri Bolaji
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Moyosoluwa Precious Oyewole
- Division of Vaccine Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Bowen University, Iwo, 232101, Nigeria
| | - Abdeen Tunde Ogunlana
- Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT), College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 200005, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel Obanijesu Olalekan
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Bamidele Abiodun
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Daniel Adewole Adediran
- Division of Vaccine Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | | | - Seun Elijah Olufemi
- Division of Vaccine Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria
| | - Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, 11, P.O. Box 2460, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Laboratory of Therapeutic and Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34000, France
| | | | - Temitope Isaac Adelusi
- Computational Biology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, 210214, Nigeria.
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA.
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Saha S, Barik D, Biswas D. AMPs as Host-Directed Immunomodulatory Agents against Skin Infections Caused by Opportunistic Bacterial Pathogens. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:439. [PMID: 38786167 PMCID: PMC11117387 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050439] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Skin is the primary and largest protective organ of the human body. It produces a number of highly evolved arsenal of factors to counter the continuous assault of foreign materials and pathogens from the environment. One such potent factor is the repertoire of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) that not only directly destroys invading pathogens, but also optimally modulate the immune functions of the body to counter the establishment and spread of infections. The canonical direct antimicrobial functions of these AMPs have been in focus for a long time to design principles for enhanced therapeutics, especially against the multi-drug resistant pathogens. However, in recent times the immunomodulatory functions performed by these peptides at sub-microbicidal concentrations have been a point of major focus in the field of host-directed therapeutics. Such strategies have the added benefit of not having the pathogens develop resistance against the immunomodulatory pathways, since the pathogens exploit these signaling pathways to obtain and survive within the host. Thus, this review summarizes the potent immunomodulatory effect of these AMPs on, specifically, the different host immune cells with the view of providing a platform of information that might help in designing studies to exploit and formulate effective host-directed adjunct therapeutic strategies that would synergies with drug regimens to counter the current diversity of drug-resistant skin opportunistic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Debabrata Biswas
- Institute of Life Sciences, NALCO Square, Bhubaneswar 751023, Odisha, India; (S.S.); (D.B.)
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3
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Mortazavi B, Molaei A, Fard NA. Multi-epitopevaccines, from design to expression; an in silico approach. Hum Immunol 2024; 85:110804. [PMID: 38658216 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110804] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The development of vaccines against a wide range of infectious diseases and pathogens often relies on multi-epitope strategies that can effectively stimulate both humoral and cellular immunity. Immunoinformatics tools play a pivotal role in designing such vaccines, enhancing immune response potential, and minimizing the risk of failure. This review presents a comprehensive overview of practical tools for epitope prediction and the associated immune responses. These immunoinformatics tools facilitate the selection of epitopes based on parameters such as antigenicity, absence of toxic and allergenic sequences, secondary and tertiary structures, sequence conservation, and population coverage. The chosen epitopes can be tailored for B-cells or T-cells, both of which require further assessments covered in this study. We offer a range of suitable linkers that effectively separate cytotoxic T lymphocyte and helper T lymphocyte epitopes while preserving their functionality. Additionally, we identify various adjuvants for specific purposes. We delve into the evaluation of MHC-epitope interactions, MHC clusters, and the simulation of final constructs through molecular docking techniques. We provide diverse linkers and adjuvants optimized for epitope functions to bolster immune responses through epitope attachment. By leveraging these comprehensive tools, the development of multi-epitope vaccines holds the promise of robust immunity and a significant reduction in experimental costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Mortazavi
- Department of systems Biotechnology, Faculty of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Molaei
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Najaf Allahyari Fard
- Department of systems Biotechnology, Faculty of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.
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Mehraj I, Hamid A, Gani U, Iralu N, Manzoor T, Saleem Bhat S. Combating Antimicrobial Resistance by Employing Antimicrobial Peptides: Immunomodulators and Therapeutic Agents against Infectious Diseases. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:2023-2035. [PMID: 38533844 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c01104] [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] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The rising prevalence of multiple-drug-resistant pathogens poses a formidable challenge to conventional antimicrobial treatments. The inability of potent antibiotics to combat these "superbugs" underscores the pressing need for alternative therapeutic agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an alternative class of antibiotics. AMPs are essential immunomodulatory molecules that are found in various organisms. They play a pivotal role in managing microbial ecosystems and bolstering innate immunity by targeting and eliminating invading microorganisms. AMPs also have applications in the agriculture sector by combating animal as well as plant pathogens. AMPs can be exploited for the targeted therapy of various diseases and can also be used in drug-delivery systems. They can be used in synergy with current treatments like antibiotics and can potentially lead to a lower required dosage. AMPs also have huge potential in wound healing and regenerative medicine. Developing AMP-based strategies with improved safety, specificity, and efficacy is crucial in the battle against alarming global microbial resistance. This review will explore AMPs' increasing applicability, their mode of antimicrobial activity, and various delivery systems enhancing their stability and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insha Mehraj
- Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
| | - Aflaq Hamid
- Department of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
| | - Ubaid Gani
- Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
| | - Nulevino Iralu
- Department of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
| | - Tasaduq Manzoor
- Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
| | - Sahar Saleem Bhat
- Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 05466, India
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Suleman M, Khan TA, Ejaz H, Maroof S, Alshammari A, Albekairi NA, Khan H, Waheed Y, Khan A, Wei DQ, Crovella S. Structural vaccinology, molecular simulation and immune simulation approaches to design multi-epitopes vaccine against John Cunningham virus. Microb Pathog 2024; 189:106572. [PMID: 38354987 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The JCV (John Cunningham Virus) is known to cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a condition that results in the formation of tumors. Symptoms of this condition such as sensory defects, cognitive dysfunction, muscle weakness, homonosapobia, difficulties with coordination, and aphasia. To date, there is no specific and effective treatment to completely cure or prevent John Cunningham polyomavirus infections. Since the best way to control the disease is vaccination. In this study, the immunoinformatic tools were used to predict the high immunogenic and non-allergenic B cells, helper T cells (HTL), and cytotoxic T cells (CTL) epitopes from capsid, major capsid, and T antigen proteins of JC virus to design the highly efficient subunit vaccines. The specific immunogenic linkers were used to link together the predicted epitopes and subjected to 3D modeling by using the Robetta server. MD simulation was used to confirm that the newly constructed vaccines are stable and properly fold. Additionally, the molecular docking approach revealed that the vaccines have a strong binding affinity with human TLR-7. The codon adaptation index (CAI) and GC content values verified that the constructed vaccines would be highly expressed in E. coli pET28a (+) plasmid. The immune simulation analysis indicated that the human immune system would have a strong response to the vaccines, with a high titer of IgM and IgG antibodies being produced. In conclusion, this study will provide a pre-clinical concept to construct an effective, highly antigenic, non-allergenic, and thermostable vaccine to combat the infection of the John Cunningham virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Suleman
- Laboratory of Animal Research Center (LARC), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Pakistan.
| | - Tariq Aziz Khan
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Pakistan.
| | - Hadiqa Ejaz
- King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Sabahat Maroof
- Sharif Medical and Dental Colllege, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Abdulrahman Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Norah A Albekairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Haji Khan
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Pakistan.
| | - Yasir Waheed
- Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan; Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, 1401, Lebanon
| | - Abbas Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Sunway Microbiome Centre, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, 47500, Sunway City, Malaysia.
| | - Dong-Qing Wei
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Laboratory of Animal Research Center (LARC), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
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Dikhit MR, Sen A. Elucidation of conserved multi-epitope vaccine against Leishmania donovani using reverse vaccinology. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:1293-1306. [PMID: 37054523 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2201630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a tropical disease that causes severe public health problems in humans when untreated. As no licensed vaccine exists against VL, we aimed to formulate a potential MHC-restricted chimeric vaccine construct against this dreadful parasitic disease. Amastin-like protein derived from L. donovani is considered to be stable, immunogenic and non-allergic. A comprehensive established framework was used to explore the set of immunogenic epitopes with estimated population coverage of 96.08% worldwide. The rigorous assessment revealed 6 promiscuous T-epitopes which can plausibly be presented by more than 66 diverse HLA alleles. Further docking and simulation study of peptide receptor complexes identified a strong and stable binding interaction with better structural compactness. The predicted epitopes were combined with appropriate linkers and adjuvant molecules and their translation efficiency was evaluated in pET28+(a), an bacterial expression vector using in-silico cloning. Molecular docking followed by MD simulation study revealed a stable interaction between chimeric vaccine construct with TLRs. Immune simulation of the chimeric vaccine constructs showed an elevated Th1 immune response against both B and T epitopes. With this, the detailed computational analysis suggested that the chimeric vaccine construct can evoke a robust immune response against Leishmania donovani infection. Future studies are required to validate the role of amastin as a promising vaccine target.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manas Ranjan Dikhit
- Department of Molecular Biology, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Abhik Sen
- Department of Molecular Biology, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
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Gao X, Feng J, Wei L, Dong P, Chen J, Zhang L, Yang Y, Xu L, Wang H, Luo J, Qin M. Defensins: A novel weapon against Mycobacterium tuberculosis? Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 127:111383. [PMID: 38118315 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious airborne communicable disease caused by organisms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) complex. Although the standard treatment antimicrobials, including isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, have made great progress in the treatment of TB, problems including the rising incidence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), the severe toxicity and side effects of antimicrobials, and the low immunity of TB patients have become the bottlenecks of the current TB treatments. Therefore, both safe and effective new strategies to prevent and treat TB have become a top priority. As a subfamily of cationic antimicrobial peptides, defensins are rich in cysteine and play a vital role in resisting the invasion of microorganisms and regulating the immune response. Inspired by studies on the roles of defensins in host defence, we describe their research history and then review their structural features and antimicrobial mechanisms, specifically for fighting Mtb in detail. Finally, we discuss the clinical relevance, therapeutic potential, and potential challenges of defensins in anti-TB therapy. We further debate the possible solutions of the current application of defensins to provide new insights for eliminating Mtb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehan Gao
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Jihong Feng
- Department of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui People's Hospital, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Linna Wei
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Pinzhi Dong
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Jin Chen
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Langlang Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Junmin Luo
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China.
| | - Ming Qin
- Department of Immunology, Center of Immunomolecular Engineering, Innovation & Practice Base for Graduate Students Education, Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection & Therapy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China; Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China.
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Li H, Niu J, Wang X, Niu M, Liao C. The Contribution of Antimicrobial Peptides to Immune Cell Function: A Review of Recent Advances. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2278. [PMID: 37765247 PMCID: PMC10535326 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of novel antimicrobial agents to replace antibiotics has become urgent due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), widely distributed in all kingdoms of life, present strong antimicrobial activity against a variety of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. The potential of AMPs as new alternatives to antibiotics has gradually attracted considerable interest. In addition, AMPs exhibit strong anticancer potential as well as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity. Many studies have provided evidence that AMPs can recruit and activate immune cells, controlling inflammation. This review highlights the scientific literature focusing on evidence for the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of different AMPs in immune cells, including macrophages, monocytes, lymphocytes, mast cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils. A variety of immunomodulatory characteristics, including the abilities to activate and differentiate immune cells, change the content and expression of inflammatory mediators, and regulate specific cellular functions and inflammation-related signaling pathways, are summarized and discussed in detail. This comprehensive review contributes to a better understanding of the role of AMPs in the regulation of the immune system and provides a reference for the use of AMPs as novel anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Li
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Anmal Disease Prevention and Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (J.N.)
| | - Junhui Niu
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Anmal Disease Prevention and Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (J.N.)
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- College of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China;
| | - Mingfu Niu
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China;
| | - Chengshui Liao
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Anmal Disease Prevention and Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (J.N.)
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Yaseen AR, Suleman M, Qadri AS, Asghar A, Arshad I, Khan DM. Development of conserved multi-epitopes based hybrid vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants: an immunoinformatic approach. In Silico Pharmacol 2023; 11:18. [PMID: 37519944 PMCID: PMC10374517 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-023-00156-2] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The world has faced unprecedented disruptions like global quarantine and the COVID-19 pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2. To combat these unsettling situations, several effective vaccines have been developed and are currently being used. However, the emergence of new variants due to the high mutation rate of SARS-CoV-2 challenges the efficacy of existing vaccines and has highlighted the need for novel vaccines that will be effective against various SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this study, we exploited the four structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 to execute a potential multi-epitope vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. The vaccine was designed by utilizing the antigenic, non-toxic, and non-allergenic B-cell and T-cell epitopes, which were selected from conserved regions of viral proteins. To build a vaccine construct, epitopes were connected through different linkers and an adjuvant was also attached at the start of the construct to enhance the immunogenicity and specificity of the epitopes. The vaccine construct was then screened through the aforementioned filters and it scored 0.6019 against the threshold of 0.4 on VexiJen 2.0 which validates its antigenicity. Toll-like receptors (i.e., TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR8) and vaccine construct were docked by Cluspro 2.0, and TLR8 showed strong interaction with construct having a maximum negative binding energy of - 1577.1 kCal/mole. C-IMMSIM's immune simulations over three doses of the vaccine and iMODS' molecular dynamic simulations were executed to assess the reliability of the docked complexes. The stability of the vaccine construct was evaluated through the physicochemical analyses and the findings suggested that the manufactured vaccine is stable under a wide range of circumstances and can trigger immune responses against various SARS-CoV-2 variants (due to conserved epitopes). However, to strengthen the formulation of the vaccine and assess its safety and effectiveness, additional investigations and studies are required to support the computational data of this research at in-vitro and in-vivo levels. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00156-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allah Rakha Yaseen
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Suleman
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan
| | - Abdul Salam Qadri
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54000 Pakistan
| | - Ali Asghar
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54000 Pakistan
| | - Iram Arshad
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000 Pakistan
| | - Daulat Munaza Khan
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Lahore, Lahore, 54000 Pakistan
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10
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Deņisova A, Pilmane M, Kažoka D. Antimicrobial Peptides and Interleukins in Cleft Soft Palate. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1162. [PMID: 37508659 PMCID: PMC10378461 DOI: 10.3390/children10071162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Cleft palate is one of the most common and well-studied congenital anomalies; however, the role of protective tissue factors in its pathophysiology is still debated. The aim of our study was to evaluate interleukin and antimicrobial peptide appearance and distribution in cleft palate. Eight soft palate samples were obtained during veloplasty procedures. Immunohistochemical staining was applied to detect HBD-2-, HBD-3-, HBD-4-, LL-37-, IL-10-, and CD-163-positive cells via light microscopy. For statistical evaluation, the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used. A significant difference between study groups was observed for HBD-2 and IL-10 in epithelial and connective tissue as well as HBD-4 in connective tissue. The number of HBD-3-positive cells was moderate in the patients, and few were observed in the controls. The number of LL-37-positive cells varied from a moderate amount to a numerous amount in both study groups, whilst CD-163 marked a moderate number of positive cells in patients, and a few-to-moderate amount was observed in the controls. Numerous correlations between studied factors were revealed in cleft tissues. The increase in antimicrobial peptides HBD-2 and HBD-4 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 suggested a wide compensatory elevation of the local immune system against cleft-raised tissue changes. The correlations between the studied factors (HBD-2, HBD-3, HBD-4, LL-37, and IL-10) proved the synergistic involvement of common local defense factors in postnatal cleft palate morphopathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arina Deņisova
- Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Riga Stradins University, Kronvalda Boulevard 9, LV-1010 Riga, Latvia
| | - Māra Pilmane
- Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Riga Stradins University, Kronvalda Boulevard 9, LV-1010 Riga, Latvia
| | - Dzintra Kažoka
- Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Riga Stradins University, Kronvalda Boulevard 9, LV-1010 Riga, Latvia
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11
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Duarte-Mata DI, Salinas-Carmona MC. Antimicrobial peptides´ immune modulation role in intracellular bacterial infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1119574. [PMID: 37056758 PMCID: PMC10086130 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1119574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular bacteria cause a wide range of diseases, and their intracellular lifestyle makes infections difficult to resolve. Furthermore, standard therapy antibiotics are often unable to eliminate the infection because they have poor cellular uptake and do not reach the concentrations needed to kill bacteria. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising therapeutic approach. AMPs are short cationic peptides. They are essential components of the innate immune response and important candidates for therapy due to their bactericidal properties and ability to modulate host immune responses. AMPs control infections through their diverse immunomodulatory effects stimulating and/or boosting immune responses. This review focuses on AMPs described to treat intracellular bacterial infections and the known immune mechanisms they influence.
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12
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Role of Defensins in Tumor Biology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065268. [PMID: 36982340 PMCID: PMC10049535 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Defensins have long been considered as merely antimicrobial peptides. Throughout the years, more immune-related functions have been discovered for both the α-defensin and β-defensin subfamily. This review provides insights into the role of defensins in tumor immunity. Since defensins are present and differentially expressed in certain cancer types, researchers started to unravel their role in the tumor microenvironment. The human neutrophil peptides have been demonstrated to be directly oncolytic by permealizing the cell membrane. Further, defensins can inflict DNA damage and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. In the tumor microenvironment, defensins can act as chemoattractants for subsets of immune cells, such as T cells, immature dendritic cells, monocytes and mast cells. Additionally, by activating the targeted leukocytes, defensins generate pro-inflammatory signals. Moreover, immuno-adjuvant effects have been reported in a variety of models. Therefore, the action of defensins reaches beyond their direct antimicrobial effect, i.e., the lysis of microbes invading the mucosal surfaces. By causing an increase in pro-inflammatory signaling events, cell lysis (generating antigens) and attraction and activation of antigen presenting cells, defensins could have a relevant role in activating the adaptive immune system and generating anti-tumor immunity, and could thus contribute to the success of immune therapy.
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13
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Bayani F, Safaei Hashkavaei N, Karamian MR, Uskoković V, Sefidbakht Y. In silico design of a multi-epitope vaccine against the spike and the nucleocapsid proteins of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:11748-11762. [PMID: 36703619 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2170470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Computational studies can comprise an effective approach to treating and preventing viral infections. Since 2019, the world has been dealing with the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The most important achievement in this short period of time in the effort to reduce morbidity and mortality was the production of vaccines and effective antiviral drugs. Although the virus has been significantly suppressed, it continues to evolve, spread, and evade the host's immune system. Recently, researchers have turned to immunoinformatics tools to reduce side effects and save the time and cost of traditional vaccine production methods. In the present study, an attempt has been made to design a multi-epitope vaccine with humoral and cellular immune response stimulation against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 by investigating new mutations in spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. The population coverage of the vaccine was evaluated as appropriate compared to other studies. The results of molecular dynamics simulation and molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) calculations predict the stability and proper interaction of the vaccine with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) as an innate immune receptor. The results of the immune simulation show a significant increase in the coordinated response of IgM and IgG after the third injection of the vaccine. Also, in the continuation of the research, spike proteins from BA.4 and BA.5 lineages were screened by immunoinformatics filters and effective epitopes were suggested for vaccine design. Despite the high precision of computational studies, in-vivo and in-vitro research is needed for final confirmation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Bayani
- Protein Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Reza Karamian
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vuk Uskoković
- TardigradeNano LLC, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yahya Sefidbakht
- Protein Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a lymphotropic virus responsible for numerous epithelial and lymphoid cell malignancies, including gastric carcinoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and Burkitt lymphoma. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide get infected with this virus, and in most cases, this viral infection leads to cancer. Although researchers are trying to develop potential vaccines and drug therapeutics, there is still no effective vaccine to combat this virus. In this study, the immunoinformatics approach was utilized to develop a potential multiepitope subunit vaccine against the two most common subtypes of EBV, targeting three of their virulent envelope glycoproteins. Eleven cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, 11 helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, and 10 B-cell lymphocyte (BCL) epitopes were predicted to be antigenic, nonallergenic, nontoxic, and fully conserved among the two subtypes, and nonhuman homologs were used for constructing the vaccine after much analysis. Later, further validation experiments, including molecular docking with different immune receptors (e.g., Toll-like receptors [TLRs]), molecular dynamics simulation analyses (including root means square deviation [RMSD], root mean square fluctuation [RMSF], radius of gyration [Rg], principal-component analysis [PCA], dynamic cross-correlation [DCC], definition of the secondary structure of proteins [DSSP], and Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area [MM-PBSA]), and immune simulation analyses generated promising results, ensuring the safe and stable response of the vaccine with specific immune receptors after potential administration within the human body. The vaccine's high binding affinity with TLRs was revealed in the docking study, and a very stable interaction throughout the simulation proved the potential high efficacy of the proposed vaccine. Further, in silico cloning was also conducted to design an efficient mass production strategy for future bulk industrial vaccine production. IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccines have been developing for over 30 years, but polyphyletic and therapeutic vaccines have failed to get licensed. Our vaccine surpasses the limitations of many such vaccines and remains very promising, which is crucial because the infection rate is higher than most viral infections, affecting a whopping 90% of the adult population. One of the major identifications covers a holistic analysis of populations worldwide, giving us crucial information about its effectiveness for everyone's unique immunological system. We targeted three glycoproteins that enhance the virulence of the virus to design an epitope-based polyvalent vaccine against two different strains of EBV, type 1 and 2. Our methodology in this study is nonconventional yet swift to show effective results while designing vaccines.
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15
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Glycosaminoglycan, Antimicrobial Defence Molecule and Cytokine Appearance in Tracheal Hyaline Cartilage of Healthy Humans. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2022; 7:jfmk7030055. [PMID: 35893329 PMCID: PMC9326615 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk7030055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyaline cartilage is an important tracheal structure, yet little is known about its molecular composition, complicating investigation of pathologies and replacement options. Our aim was to research tracheal hyaline cartilage structure, protective tissue factors and variations in healthy humans. The tissue material was obtained from 10 cadavers obtained from the Riga Stradins University Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology archive. Tissues were stained with Bismarck brown and PAS for glycosaminoglycans, and immunohistochemistry was performed for HBD-2, HBD-3, HBD-4, IL-10 and LL-37. The slides were inspected by light microscopy and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated. The extracellular matrix was positive across hyaline cartilage for PAS, yet Bismarck brown marked positive proliferation and growth zones. Numerous positive cells for both factors were found in all zones. All of the antimicrobial defence molecules and cytokines were found in a moderate number of cells, except in the mature cell zone with few positive cells. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient revealed strong and moderate correlations between studied factors. Hyaline cartilage is a tracheal defence structure with a moderate number of antimicrobial defence protein and cytokine immunoreactive cells as well as numerous glycosaminoglycan positive cells. The extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans provide structural scaffolding and intercellular signalling. The correlations between the studied factors confirm the synergistic activity of them.
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16
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Almansour NM. Immunoinformatics- and Bioinformatics-Assisted Computational Designing of a Novel Multiepitopes Vaccine Against Cancer-Causing Merkel Cell Polyomavirus. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:929669. [PMID: 35836414 PMCID: PMC9273964 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.929669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) contains double-stranded DNA as its genome and is the fifth polyomavirus that infects humans. The virus causes Merkel cell carcinoma (aggressive skin cancer). Till present, no proper drug or vaccines are available to treat/prevent the virus infection and stop the emergence of Merkel cell carcinoma. In this study, computational vaccine design strategies were applied to design a chimeric-epitopes vaccine against the virus. The complete proteome comprised of four proteins was filtered through various vaccine candidacy parameters and as such two proteins, namely, capsid protein VP1 and capsid protein VP2, were considered as good vaccine targets. Furthermore, they harbor safe and potential B and T cell epitopes, which can be used in a chimeric multiepitopes-based vaccine design. The epitopes of the vaccine have maximum world population coverage of 95.04%. The designed vaccine structure was modeled in 3D that reported maximum residues in favored regions (95.7%) of the Ramachandran plot. The interactions analysis with different human immune receptors like TLR3, MHC-I, and MHC-II illustrated vaccine's good binding affinity and stable dynamics. The structural deviations of the vaccine receptor(s) complexes are within 5 Å, where majority of the receptors residues remain in good equilibrium in the simulation time. Also, the vaccine was found to form between 60 and 100 hydrogen bonds to receptors. The vaccine stimulated strong immune responses in addition to interferon and cytokines. The strength of vaccine-receptor(s) binding was further affirmed by binding energies estimation that concluded <-150.32 kcal/mol of net binding energy. All these findings suggest the vaccine as a promising candidate that needs further experimental testing to disclose its real immune protective efficacy. Furthermore, the designed vaccine might accelerate vaccine development against the MCV and could save time and expenses.
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17
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Bellamkonda N, Lambe UP, Sawant S, Nandi SS, Chakraborty C, Shukla D. Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1464. [PMID: 35884770 PMCID: PMC9312515 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccines have been developed to confer immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prior to the pandemic of COVID-19 which started in March 2020, there was a well-established understanding about the structure and pathogenesis of previously known Coronaviruses from the SARS and MERS outbreaks. In addition to this, vaccines for various Coronaviruses were available for veterinary use. This knowledge supported the creation of various vaccine platforms for SARS-CoV-2. Before COVID-19 there are no reports of a vaccine being developed in under a year and no vaccine for preventing coronavirus infection in humans had ever been developed. Approximately nine different technologies are being researched and developed at various levels in order to design an effective COVID-19 vaccine. As the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for generating substantial adaptive immune response, mostly all the vaccine candidates have been targeting the whole spike protein or epitopes of spike protein as a vaccine candidate. In this review, we have compiled the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and followed by the mechanism of action of various vaccine platforms such as mRNA vaccines, Adenoviral vectored vaccine, inactivated virus vaccines and subunit vaccines in the market. In the end we have also summarized the various adjuvants used in the COVID-19 vaccine formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Bellamkonda
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | | | - Sonali Sawant
- ICMR-NIV, Mumbai Unit, A. D. Road, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India; (U.P.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Shyam Sundar Nandi
- ICMR-NIV, Mumbai Unit, A. D. Road, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India; (U.P.L.); (S.S.)
| | | | - Deepak Shukla
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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18
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Khan T, Suleman M, Ali SS, Sarwar MF, Ali I, Ali L, Khan A, Rokhan B, Wang Y, Zhao R, Wei DQ. Subtractive proteomics assisted therapeutic targets mining and designing ensemble vaccine against Candida auris for immune response induction. Comput Biol Med 2022; 145:105462. [PMID: 35427985 PMCID: PMC8971067 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of variants and the reports of co-infection caused by Candida auris in COVID-19 patients adds a further complication to the global pandemic situation. To date, no effective therapy is available for C. auris infections. Thus, characterization of therapeutic targets and designing effective vaccine candidates using subtractive proteomics and immune-informatics approaches is useful tool in controlling the emerging infections associated with SARS-CoV-2. In the current study, subtractive proteomics-assisted annotation of the vaccine targets was performed, which revealed seven vaccine targets. An immunoinformatic-driven approach was then employed to map protein-specific and proteome-wide immunogenic peptides (CTL, B cell, and HTL) for the design of multi-epitope vaccine candidates (MEVCs). The results demonstrated that the vaccine candidates possess strong antigenic features (>0.4 threshold score) and are classified as non-allergenic. Validation of the designed MEVCs through molecular docking, in-silico cloning, and immune simulation further demonstrated the efficacy of the vaccines by producing immune factor titers (ranging from 2500 to 16000 au/mL) i.e., IgM, IgG, IL-6, and Interferon-α. In conclusion, the current study provides a strong impetus in designing anti-fungal strategies against Candida auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taimoor Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Muhammad Suleman
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Kanju Campus, Swat, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shujait Ali
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Kanju Campus, Swat, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farhan Sarwar
- Knowledge Unite of Science, Department of Biotechnology, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Sialkot Campus, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Imtiaz Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liaqat Ali
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Abbas Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bakht Rokhan
- Department of Radiology, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Saidu Sharif, Swat, Pakistan
| | - Yanjing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China,Corresponding author
| | - Ruili Zhao
- Editorial Department of Journal of Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Dong-Qing Wei
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China,Peng Cheng Laboratory, Vanke Cloud City Phase I Building 8, Xili Street, Nashan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai-Islamabad-Belgrade Joint Innovation Center on Antibacterial Resistances, Joint Laboratory of International Cooperation in Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Ministry of Education and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China,Corresponding author. Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Panigrahi S, Ghosh SK, Ferrari B, Wyrick JM, Podrez EA, Weinberg A, Sieg SF. Human β-Defensin-3 is Associated With Platelet-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and is a Potential Contributor to Endothelial Dysfunction. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:824954. [PMID: 35355507 PMCID: PMC8959671 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.824954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While platelets are the essential mediators of hemostasis, they are being increasingly recognized for their potential of contributing to host defenses. Here, using immunofluorescent microscopy, western blot, and ELISA, we found that human β-defensin 3 (hBD-3), an important antimicrobial peptide produced by epithelial cells, can be detected in human platelets and megakaryocytes. Flow cytometry and immuno-electron microscopy revealed hBD-3 on the surface of thrombin activated platelets. Moreover, hBD-3 was also found in platelet derived extracellular vesicles (p-EVs), isolated from platelet poor plasma and from platelet supernatants following thrombin stimulation. Incubation of platelets with hBD-3 peptide resulted in modest platelet activation and pre-incubation of platelets with synthetic hBD-3 prior to exposure to thrombin appeared to increase hBD-3 content in platelet lysates as well as in p-EVs, suggesting that hBD-3 can be initially taken up by platelets, perhaps via their open canalicular system. Interestingly, in vitro exposure of primary human endothelial cells to either hBD-3 peptide or purified p-EVs, caused significant endothelial dysfunction as documented by diminished levels of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Krüppel like factor-2 (KLF-2), and elevated relative expression of von Willebrand Factor (vWF). Pre-incubation of platelets with hBD-3 appeared to augment endothelial dysfunction caused by p-EVs. Overall, the current study provides evidence that hBD-3 enriched EVs can be released by activated platelets and may play a role in positive feedback of platelet activation as well as in endothelial dysfunction. Theoretically, these effects could contribute to both cellular recruitment to the endothelium creating a pro-thrombotic vascular microenvironment which serve as a bridge between innate immunity and hemostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Panigrahi
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Soumya Panigrahi, ; Scott F. Sieg,
| | - Santosh K. Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Brian Ferrari
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jonathan M. Wyrick
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Eugene A Podrez
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Aaron Weinberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Scott F. Sieg
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Soumya Panigrahi, ; Scott F. Sieg,
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20
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Chen B, Yang J, Song Y, Zhang D, Hao F. Skin Immunosenescence and Type 2 Inflammation: A Mini-Review With an Inflammaging Perspective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:835675. [PMID: 35281103 PMCID: PMC8908007 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.835675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin-resident stromal cells, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts, adipocytes, and immune cells including Langerhans cells, dendritic cells, T cells, and innate lymphoid cells, and their functional products work in concert to ensure the realization of skin barrier immunity. However, aging-induced immunosenescence predisposes the elderly to pruritic dermatoses, including type 2 inflammation-mediated. Inflammaging, characterized by chronic low level of pro-inflammatory cytokines released from senescent cells with the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), may drive immunosenescence and tangle with type 2 inflammatory dermatoses. The present mini-review summarizes current evidence on immunosenescence and type 2 inflammation in the skin and further focuses on future needs from an inflammaging perspective to clarify their complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangtao Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Dermatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yao Song
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Daojun Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fei Hao
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Fei Hao,
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21
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Jahangirian E, Jamal GA, Nouroozi M, Mohammadpour A. A Novel Multiepitope Vaccine Against Bladder Cancer Based on CTL and HTL Epitopes for Induction of Strong Immune Using Immunoinformatics Approaches. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022; 28:71. [PMID: 35228842 PMCID: PMC8867689 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10380-7] [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] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Bladder cancer is well-known cancer in two forms of muscle-invasive and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer which is responsible for annual deaths worldwide. Common therapies methods are somewhat successful; however, these methods have the limitations such as the side effects of chemotherapy which necessitate the requirement for new preventive methods against bladder cancer. Hence, we explain a novel designed multi-epitope vaccine against bladder cancer using the immunoinformatics tool. Three well-known BLCAP, PRAM, and BAGE4 antigens were evaluated due to most repetitive CTL and HTL epitopes binding. IFNγ and IL10 inducer potential of selected epitopes were investigated, as well as liner and conformational B-cell epitopes. Human beta-defensin 3 and PADRE sequence were added to construct as adjuvants, along with EAAAK, AAY, and GGGS linkers to fuse CTL and HTL epitopes. Results showed this construct encodes a soluble, non-toxic, and non-allergic protein with 70 kDa molecular weight. Modeled 3D structure of vaccine was docked whit Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) of 7/8. Docking, molecular dynamics simulation and MMBPSA analysis confirmed stability of vaccine-TLR complexes. The immunogenicity showed this construct could elicit humoral and cellular immune responses. In silico and immunoinformatics evaluations suggest that this construct is a recombinant candidate vaccine against bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jahangirian
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghadir A. Jamal
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - MohammadReza Nouroozi
- Department of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agriculture Science and Natural Resources University Khouzestan, Ahwaz, Iran
| | - Alemeh Mohammadpour
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
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22
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Mekonnen D, Mengist HM, Jin T. SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine adjuvants and their signaling pathways. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:69-81. [PMID: 34633259 PMCID: PMC8567292 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1991794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vaccines are the agreed upon weapon against the COVID-19 pandemic. This review discusses about COVID-19 subunit vaccines adjuvants and their signaling pathways, which could provide a glimpse into the selection of appropriate adjuvants for prospective vaccine development studies. AREAS COVERED In the introduction, a brief background about the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the vaccine development race and classes of vaccine adjuvants were provided. . The antigen, trial stage, and types of adjuvants were extracted from the included articles and thun assimilated. Finally, the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), their classes, cognate adjuvants, and potential signaling pathways were comprehended. EXPERT OPINION Adjuvants are unsung heroes of subunit vaccines. The in silico studies are very vital in avoiding several costly trial errors and save much work times. The majority of the (pre)clinical studies are promising. It is encouraging that most of the selected adjuvants are novel. Much emphasis must be paid to the optimal paring of antigen-adjuvant-PRRs for obtaining the desired vaccine effect. A good subunit vaccine/adjuvant is one that has high efficacy, safety, dose sparing, and rapid seroconversion rate and broad spectrum of immune response. In the years to come, COVID-19 adjuvanted subunit vaccines are expected to have superior utility than any other vaccines for various reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mekonnen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Cas Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Cas Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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23
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Cuspoca AF, Díaz LL, Acosta AF, Peñaloza MK, Méndez YR, Clavijo DC, Yosa Reyes J. An Immunoinformatics Approach for SARS-CoV-2 in Latam Populations and Multi-Epitope Vaccine Candidate Directed towards the World's Population. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9060581. [PMID: 34205992 PMCID: PMC8228945 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9060581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic is a major public health crisis affecting global health systems with dire socioeconomic consequences, especially in vulnerable regions such as Latin America (LATAM). There is an urgent need for a vaccine to help control contagion, reduce mortality and alleviate social costs. In this study, we propose a rational multi-epitope candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Using bioinformatics, we constructed a library of potential vaccine peptides, based on the affinity of the most common major human histocompatibility complex (HLA) I and II molecules in the LATAM population to predict immunological complexes among antigenic, non-toxic and non-allergenic peptides extracted from the conserved regions of 92 proteomes. Although HLA-C, had the greatest antigenic peptide capacity from SARS-CoV-2, HLA-B and HLA-A, could be more relevant based on COVID-19 risk of infection in LATAM countries. We also used three-dimensional structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins to identify potential regions for antibody production. The best HLA-I and II predictions (with increased coverage in common alleles and regions evoking B lymphocyte responses) were grouped into an optimized final multi-epitope construct containing the adjuvants Beta defensin-3, TpD, and PADRE, which are recognized for invoking a safe and specific immune response. Finally, we used Molecular Dynamics to identify the multi-epitope construct which may be a stable target for TLR-4/MD-2. This would prove to be safe and provide the physicochemical requirements for conducting experimental tests around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Felipe Cuspoca
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia; (A.F.C.); (L.L.D.); (A.F.A.); (M.K.P.); (Y.R.M.)
| | - Laura Lorena Díaz
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia; (A.F.C.); (L.L.D.); (A.F.A.); (M.K.P.); (Y.R.M.)
| | - Alvaro Fernando Acosta
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia; (A.F.C.); (L.L.D.); (A.F.A.); (M.K.P.); (Y.R.M.)
| | - Marcela Katherine Peñaloza
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia; (A.F.C.); (L.L.D.); (A.F.A.); (M.K.P.); (Y.R.M.)
| | - Yardany Rafael Méndez
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia; (A.F.C.); (L.L.D.); (A.F.A.); (M.K.P.); (Y.R.M.)
| | - Diana Carolina Clavijo
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Santiago de Cali 760031, Colombia;
| | - Juvenal Yosa Reyes
- Laboratorio de Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Biomédicas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
- Correspondence:
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Jain N, Shankar U, Majee P, Kumar A. Scrutinizing the SARS-CoV-2 protein information for designing an effective vaccine encompassing both the T-cell and B-cell epitopes. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 87:104648. [PMID: 33264668 PMCID: PMC7700730 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Novel SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic condition worldwide. It has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern by WHO in a very short span of time. The community transmission of this highly infectious virus has severely affected various parts of China, Italy, Spain, India, and USA, among others. The prophylactic solution against SARS-CoV-2 infection is challenging due to the high mutation rate of its RNA genome. Herein, we exploited a next-generation vaccinology approach to construct a multi-epitope vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 that is predicted to have high antigenicity, safety, and efficacy to combat this deadly infectious agent. The whole proteome was scrutinized for the screening of highly conserved, antigenic, non-allergen, and non-toxic epitopes having high population coverage that can elicit both humoral and cellular mediated immune response against COVID-19 infection. These epitopes along with four different adjuvants, were utilized to construct a multi-epitope-vaccine candidate that can generate strong immunological memory response having high efficacy in humans. Various physiochemical analyses revealed the formation of a stable vaccine product having a high propensity to form a protective solution against the detrimental SARS-CoV-2 strain with high efficacy. The vaccine candidate interacted with immunological receptor TLR3 with a high affinity depicting the generation of innate immunity. Further, the codon optimization and in silico expression show the plausibility of the high expression and easy purification of the vaccine product. Thus, this present study provides an initial platform for the rapid generation of an efficacious protective vaccine for combating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Jain
- Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Uma Shankar
- Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Prativa Majee
- Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India.
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Yazdani Z, Rafiei A, Yazdani M, Valadan R. Design an Efficient Multi-Epitope Peptide Vaccine Candidate Against SARS-CoV-2: An in silico Analysis. Infect Drug Resist 2020; 13:3007-3022. [PMID: 32943888 PMCID: PMC7459237 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s264573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To date, no specific vaccine or drug has been proven to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, we implemented an immunoinformatic approach to design an efficient multi-epitopes vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS The designed-vaccine construct consists of several immunodominant epitopes from structural proteins of spike, nucleocapsid, membrane, and envelope. These peptides promote cellular and humoral immunity and interferon-gamma responses. Also, these epitopes have a high antigenic capacity and are not likely to cause allergies. To enhance the vaccine immunogenicity, we used three potent adjuvants: Flagellin of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Dublin, a driven peptide from high mobility group box 1 as HP-91, and human beta-defensin 3 protein. The physicochemical and immunological properties of the vaccine structure were evaluated. The tertiary structure of the vaccine protein was predicted and refined by Phyre2 and Galaxi refine and validated using RAMPAGE and ERRAT. Results of ElliPro showed 246 sresidues from vaccine might be conformational B-cell epitopes. Docking of the vaccine with toll-like receptors (TLR) 3, 5, 8, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 approved an appropriate interaction between the vaccine and receptors. Prediction of mRNA secondary structure and in silico cloning demonstrated that the vaccine can be efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrated that the multi-epitope vaccine might be potentially antigenic and induce humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine can interact appropriately with the TLR3, 5, and 8. Also, it has a high-quality structure and suitable characteristics such as high stability and potential for expression in Escherichia coli .
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Yazdani
- Department of Immunology, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Alireza Rafiei
- Department of Immunology, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Yazdani
- Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan84156-83111, Iran
| | - Reza Valadan
- Department of Immunology, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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Vaccine Design from the Ensemble of Surface Glycoprotein Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2: An Immunoinformatics Approach. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030423. [PMID: 32731461 PMCID: PMC7565012 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to work out a peptide-based multi-epitope vaccine against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We predicted different B-cell and T-cell epitopes by using the Immune Epitopes Database (IEDB). Homology modeling of the construct was done using SWISS-MODEL and then docked with different toll-like-receptors (TLR4, TLR7, and TLR8) using PatchDock, HADDOCK, and FireDock, respectively. From the overlapped epitopes, we designed five vaccine constructs C1–C5. Based on antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, different physiochemical properties, and molecular docking scores, we selected the vaccine construct 1 (C1) for further processing. Docking of C1 with TLR4, TLR7, and TLR8 showed striking interactions with global binding energy of −43.48, −65.88, and −60.24 Kcal/mol, respectively. The docked complex was further simulated, which revealed that both molecules remain stable with minimum RMSF. Activation of TLRs induces downstream pathways to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines against viruses and immune system simulation shows enhanced antibody production after the booster dose. In conclusion, C1 was the best vaccine candidate among all designed constructs to elicit an immune response SARS-CoV-2 and combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
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Chessa C, Bodet C, Jousselin C, Wehbe M, Lévêque N, Garcia M. Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Properties of Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Human Keratinocytes. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1155. [PMID: 32582097 PMCID: PMC7283518 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Keratinocytes, the main cells of the epidermis, are the first site of replication as well as the first line of defense against many viruses such as arboviruses, enteroviruses, herpes viruses, human papillomaviruses, or vaccinia virus. During viral replication, these cells can sense virus associated molecular patterns leading to the initiation of an innate immune response composed of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial peptides. Human keratinocytes produce and secrete at least nine antimicrobial peptides: human cathelicidin LL-37, types 1–4 human β-defensins, S100 peptides such as psoriasin (S100A7), calprotectin (S100A8/9) and koebnerisin (S100A15), and RNase 7. These peptides can exert direct antiviral effects on the viral particle or its replication cycle, and indirect antiviral activity, by modulating the host immune response. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge of antiviral and immunomodulatory properties of human keratinocyte antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Chessa
- Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Charles Bodet
- Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Clément Jousselin
- Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Michel Wehbe
- Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Nicolas Lévêque
- Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Magali Garcia
- Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, LITEC EA 4331, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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28
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Zhao BR, Zheng Y, Gao J, Wang XW. Maturation of an Antimicrobial Peptide Inhibits Aeromonas hydrophila Infection in Crayfish. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 204:487-497. [PMID: 31852752 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Rapid synthesis and release of active antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is an important strategy in innate immune. Processing of the precursor into the active form is a common posttranslational modification of AMPs in mammals. However, in invertebrates, the mechanism of AMP maturation is largely unknown. In the current study, to our knowledge, a novel potential AMP, designated as PcnAMP, was identified because of its significant induction by bacterial infection in the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). PcnAMP was cleaved into a short fragment postinfection. Using the purified native peptide, this cleavage was found to be mediated by trypsin after synthesis. Proteolysis produced an N-terminal peptide that exerted the antibacterial function. Although the N-terminal peptide did not show significant similarity to any other sequences, it was predicted to have an overall helical structure and high amphipathicity, both of which are typical features of many AMPs. The N-terminal active peptide exhibited a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Atomic force microscope imaging and flow cytometry analysis showed that treatment with the active form of PcnAMP led to the collapse of the bacterial cell wall and permeabilization of the bacterial cell membrane. Thus, this study provided a new candidate for therapeutic agent development, and revealed new insights into the maturation of AMPs in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Rui Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; and
| | - Yi Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; and
| | - Jie Gao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; and
| | - Xian-Wei Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; and .,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
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Sun CQ, Arnold RS, Hsieh CL, Dorin JR, Lian F, Li Z, Petros JA. Discovery and mechanisms of host defense to oncogenesis: targeting the β-defensin-1 peptide as a natural tumor inhibitor. Cancer Biol Ther 2019; 20:774-786. [PMID: 30900935 PMCID: PMC6605992 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2018.1564564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1) is one of a number of small cationic host-defense peptides. Besides its well-known broad-spectrum antimicrobial function, hBD-1 has recently been identified as a chromosome 8p tumor-suppressor gene. The role of hBD-1 in modulating the host immune response to oncogenesis, associated with cell signaling and potential therapeutic applications, has become increasingly appreciated over time. In this study, multiple approaches were used to illustrate hBD-1 anti-tumor activities. Results demonstrate that hBD-1 peptide alters human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) signal transduction and represses retroviral-mediated transgene expression in cancer cells. Loss of orthologous murine defense-1 (mBD1) in mice enhances nickel sulfate-induced leiomyosarcoma and causes mouse kidney cells to exhibit increased susceptibility to HPV-16 E6/7-induced neoplastic transformation. Furthermore, for the first time, a novel function of the urine-derived hBD-1 peptide was discovered to suppress bladder cancer growth and this may lead to future applications in the treatment of malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Q. Sun
- Department of Urology and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rebecca S. Arnold
- Department of Urology and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Chia-Ling Hsieh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Julia R. Dorin
- Center for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Fei Lian
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Zhenghong Li
- School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha City, Human Province, P. R. China
| | - John A. Petros
- Department of Urology and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
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Mahmoodi S, Nezafat N. In SilicoDesigning a Novel Multi-epitope DNA Vaccine against Anti-apoptotic Proteins in Tumor Cells. CURR PROTEOMICS 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1570164616666181127142214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:Cancer therapy has been known as one of the most important challenges in the world. Various therapeutic methods such as cancer immunotherapy are used to eradicate tumor cells. Vaccines have an important role among different cancer immunotherapeutic approaches. In the field of vaccine production, bioinformatics approach is considered as a useful tool to design multi-epitope cancer vaccines, mainly for selecting immunodominant Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) and Helper T Lymphocytes (HTL) epitopes.Objective:Generally, to design efficient multi-epitope cancer vaccines, Tumor-Specific Antigens (TSA) are targeted. In the context of DNA-based cancer vaccines, they contain genes that code tumor antigens and are delivered to host by different methods.Methods:In this study, the anti-apoptotic proteins (BCL2, BCL-X, survivin) that are over-expressed in different tumor cells were selected for CTL and HTL epitopes prediction through different servers such as RANKPEP, CTLpred, and BCPREDS.Results:Three regions from BCL2 and one region from BCL-X were selected as CTL epitopes and two segments from survivin were defined as HTL epitopes. In addition, β-defensin was used as a proper adjuvant to enhance vaccine efficacy. The aforesaid segments were joined together by appropriate linkers, and some important properties of designed vaccine such as antigenicity, allergenicity and physicochemical characteristics were determined by various bioinformatics servers.Conclusion:Based on the bioinformatics results, the physicochemical and immunological features showed that the designed vaccine construct can be used as an efficient cancer vaccine after its efficacy was confirmed by in vitro and in vivo immunological assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Mahmoodi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Navid Nezafat
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Abstract
More than a decade has passed since the conceptualization of the "alarmin" hypothesis. The alarmin family has been expanding in terms of both number and the concept. It has recently become clear that alarmins play important roles as initiators and participants in a diverse range of physiological and pathophysiological processes such as host defense, regulation of gene expression, cellular homeostasis, wound healing, inflammation, allergy, autoimmunity, and oncogenesis. Here, we provide a general view on the participation of alarmins in the induction of innate and adaptive immune responses, as well as their contribution to tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- De Yang
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Zhen Han
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Joost J Oppenheim
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
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Kalenik BM, Góra-Sochacka A, Sirko A. Β-defensins - Underestimated peptides in influenza combat. Virus Res 2018; 247:10-14. [PMID: 29421304 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are a family of host defense peptides present in vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. They display broad antimicrobial activity and immunomodulatory functions. Herein, the natural anti-influenzal role of β-defensins, as well as their potential usage as anti-influenza vaccine adjuvants and therapeutic agents, is reviewed. This article summarizes previously published information on β-defensin modes of action, expression changes after influenza infection and vaccination, biotechnological usage and possible boosting of their production by dietary supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Małgorzata Kalenik
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Góra-Sochacka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sirko
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
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Zhou J, Zhang Y, Li L, Fu H, Yang W, Yan F. Human β-defensin 3-combined gold nanoparticles for enhancement of osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells in inflammatory microenvironments. Int J Nanomedicine 2018; 13:555-567. [PMID: 29416335 PMCID: PMC5790078 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s150897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective It is a great challenge to absorb and conduct biophysicochemical interactions at the nano-bio interface. Peptides are emerging as versatile materials whose function can be programmed to perform specific tasks. Peptides combined nanoparticles might be utilized as a new approach of treatment. Human β-defensin 3 (hBD3), possesses both antimicrobial and proregeneration properties. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have shown promising applications in the field of tissue engineering. However, the coordinating effects of AuNPs and hBD3 on human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) remain unknown. In this study, we systematically investigated whether AuNPs and hBD3 would be able to coordinate and enhance the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLCs in inflammatory microenvironments, and the underlying mechanisms was explored. Methods hPDLCs were stimulated with E. coli-LPS, hBD3 and AuNPs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alizarin red S staining were used to observe the effects of hBD3 and AuNPs on the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLCs. Real-time PCR and western blot were performed to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related gene and protein expression. Results In the inflammatory microenvironments stimulated by E. coli-LPS, we found that AuNPs and hBD3 increased the proliferation of hPDLCs slightly. In addition, hBD3-combined AuNPs could significantly enhance ALP activities and mineral deposition in vitro. Meanwhile, we observed that the osteogenic differentiation-related gene and protein expressions of ALP, collagenase-I (COL-1) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2) were remarkably upregulated in the presence of hBD3 and AuNPs. Moreover, hBD3-combined AuNPs strongly activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and upregulated the gene and protein expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1. Furthermore, hBD3-combined AuNPs induced osteogenesis, which could be reversed by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitor (ICG-001). Conclusion The present study demonstrated that hBD3 combined AuNPs could significantly promote the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLCs in inflammatory microenvironments via activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhou
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangheng Zhang
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingjun Li
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Huangmei Fu
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Wenrong Yang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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Abstract
Contact sensitization is the initial process involved in the development of an allergic reaction to xenobiotic environmental substances. Here, we briefly describe the differences between irritant and allergic contact dermatitis. Then, we highlight the essential steps involved in the development of an ACD reaction, i.e., the protein binding of haptens, genetic factors influencing the penetration of sensitizers into the skin, the different mechanisms driving the initial development of an inflammatory cytokine micromilieu enabling the full maturation of dendritic cells, the role of pre- and pro-haptens, antigen presentation and T cell activation via MHC and CD1 molecules, dendritic cell (DC) migration, and potential LC contribution as well as the different T cell subsets involved in ACD. In addition, we discuss the latest publications regarding factors that might influence the sensitizing potential such as repeated sensitizer application, penetration enhancers, humidity of the skin, microbiota, Tregs, and phthalates. Last but not least, we briefly touch upon novel targets for drug development that might serve as treatment options for ACD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp R Esser
- Allergy Research Group, Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 7, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
| | - Stefan F Martin
- Allergy Research Group, Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 7, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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35
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The Role of Defensins in HIV Pathogenesis. Mediators Inflamm 2017; 2017:5186904. [PMID: 28839349 PMCID: PMC5559915 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5186904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Profound loss of CD4+ T cells, progressive impairment of the immune system, inflammation, and sustained immune activation are the characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection. Innate immune responses respond immediately from the day of HIV infection, and a thorough understanding of the interaction between several innate immune cells and HIV-1 is essential to determine to what extent those cells play a crucial role in controlling HIV-1 in vivo. Defensins, divided into the three subfamilies α-, β-, and θ-defensins based on structure and disulfide linkages, comprise a critical component of the innate immune response and exhibit anti-HIV-1 activities and immunomodulatory capabilities. In humans, only α- and β-defensins are expressed in various tissues and have broad impacts on HIV-1 transmission, replication, and disease progression. θ-defensins have been identified as functional peptides in Old World monkeys, but not in humans. Instead, θ-defensins exist only as pseudogenes in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. The use of the synthetic θ-defensin peptide “retrocyclin” as an antiviral therapy was shown to be promising, and further research into the development of defensin-based HIV-1 therapeutics is needed. This review focuses on the role of defensins in HIV-1 pathogenesis and highlights future research efforts that warrant investigation.
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Phan TK, Lay FT, Poon IKH, Hinds MG, Kvansakul M, Hulett MD. Human β-defensin 3 contains an oncolytic motif that binds PI(4,5)P2 to mediate tumour cell permeabilisation. Oncotarget 2016; 7:2054-69. [PMID: 26657293 PMCID: PMC4811302 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs), including taxonomically diverse defensins, are innate defense molecules that display potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Specific CAPs have also been shown to possess anticancer activities; however, their mechanisms of action are not well defined. Recently, the plant defensin NaD1 was shown to induce tumour cell lysis by directly binding to the plasma membrane phosphoinositide, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2). The NaD1–lipid interaction was structurally defined by X-ray crystallography, with the defensin forming a dimer that binds PI(4,5)P2 via its cationic β2-β3 loops in a ‘cationic grip’ conformation. In this study, we show that human β-defensin 3 (HBD-3) contains a homologous β2-β3 loop that binds phosphoinositides. The binding of HBD-3 to PI(4,5)P2 was shown to be critical for mediating cytolysis of tumour cells, suggesting a conserved mechanism of action for defensins across diverse species. These data not only identify an evolutionary conservation of CAP structure and function for lipid binding, but also suggest that PIP-binding CAPs could be exploited for novel multifunction therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Kha Phan
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Fung T Lay
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Ivan K H Poon
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Mark G Hinds
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Marc Kvansakul
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Mark D Hulett
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
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Ferraresso S, Bonaldo A, Parma L, Buonocore F, Scapigliati G, Gatta PP, Bargelloni L. Ontogenetic onset of immune-relevant genes in the common sole (Solea solea). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 57:278-292. [PMID: 27554393 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2016.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Fish are free-living organisms since initial stages of development and are exposed to numerous pathogens before their lymphoid organs have matured and adaptive immunity has developed. Susceptibility to diseases and juvenile mortality represent key critical factors for aquaculture. In this context, the characterization of the appearance kinetics of the immune system key members will be useful in understanding the ability of a particular species in generating immune protection against invading pathogens at different developmental stages. The present study characterized, for the first time, the transcriptional onset of un-explored relevant genes of both innate and adaptive immune system during the Solea solea ontogenesis. Gene expression profiles of immune relevant genes was investigated, by means of DNA microarray, in ten developmental stages, from hatching (1 day post-hatching, dph) to accomplishment of the juvenile form (33 dph). The obtained results revealed that transcripts encoding relevant members of innate immune repertoire, such as lysozyme, AMPs (hepcidin, β-defensin), PPRs and complement components are generally characterized by high expression levels at first stages (i.e. hatch and first feeding) indicating protection from environmental pathogens even at early development. Transcription of adaptive immune genes (i.e. Class I and class II MHC, TCRs) differs from that of the innate immune system. Their onset coincides with metamorphosis and larvae-to-juvenile transition, and likely overlaps with the appearance and maturation of the main lymphoid organs. Finally, data collected suggest that at the end of metamorphosis S. solea cell-mediated immune system hasn't still undergone full maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Ferraresso
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
| | - Alessio Bonaldo
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
| | - Luca Parma
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
| | - Francesco Buonocore
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest Systems, Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Scapigliati
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest Systems, Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
| | - Pier Paolo Gatta
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
| | - Luca Bargelloni
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
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Yang M, Zhang C, Zhang X, Zhang MZ, Rottinghaus GE, Zhang S. Structure-function analysis of Avian β-defensin-6 and β-defensin-12: role of charge and disulfide bridges. BMC Microbiol 2016; 16:210. [PMID: 27613063 PMCID: PMC5016922 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0828-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Avian beta-defensins (AvBD) are small, cationic, antimicrobial peptides. The potential application of AvBDs as alternatives to antibiotics has been the subject of interest. However, the mechanisms of action remain to be fully understood. The present study characterized the structure-function relationship of AvBD-6 and AvBD-12, two peptides with different net positive charges, similar hydrophobicity and distinct tissue expression profiles. Results AvBD-6 was more potent than AvBD-12 against E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and S. aureus as well as clinical isolates of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL)-positive E. coli and K. pneumoniae. AvBD-6 was more effective than AvBD-12 in neutralizing LPS and interacting with bacterial genomic DNA. Increasing bacterial concentration from 105 CFU/ml to 109 CFU/ml abolished AvBDs’ antimicrobial activity. Increasing NaCl concentration significantly inhibited AvBDs’ antimicrobial activity, but not the LPS-neutralizing function. Both AvBDs were mildly chemotactic for chicken macrophages and strongly chemotactic for CHO-K1 cells expressing chicken chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). AvBD-12 at higher concentrations also induced chemotactic migration of murine immature dendritic cells (DCs). Disruption of disulfide bridges abolished AvBDs’ chemotactic activity. Neither AvBDs was toxic to CHO-K1, macrophages, or DCs. Conclusions AvBDs are potent antimicrobial peptides under low-salt conditions, effective LPS-neutralizing agents, and broad-spectrum chemoattractant peptides. Their antimicrobial activity is positively correlated with the peptides’ net positive charges, inversely correlated with NaCl concentration and bacterial concentration, and minimally dependent on intramolecular disulfide bridges. In contrast, their chemotactic property requires the presence of intramolecular disulfide bridges. Data from the present study provide a theoretical basis for the design of AvBD-based therapeutic and immunomodulatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Chunye Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Xuehan Zhang
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Michael Z Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - George E Rottinghaus
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Shuping Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. .,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
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The role of antimicrobial peptides in chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Postepy Dermatol Alergol 2016; 33:6-12. [PMID: 26985172 PMCID: PMC4793058 DOI: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effector molecules of the innate immune system of the skin. They present an activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as some fungi, parasites and enveloped viruses. Several inflammatory skin diseases including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, acne vulgaris and rosacea are characterized by a dysregulated expression of AMPs. Antimicrobial peptides are excessively produced in lesional psoriatic scales or rosacea in contrast to the atopic skin that shows lower AMP levels when compared with psoriasis. The importance of the AMPs contribution to host immunity is indisputable as alterations in the antimicrobial peptide expression have been associated with various pathologic processes. This review discusses the biology and clinical relevance of antimicrobial peptides expressed in the skin and their role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases.
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Sweeney CM, Russell SE, Malara A, Kelly G, Hughes R, Tobin AM, Adamzik K, Walsh PT, Kirby B. Human ß-Defensin 3 and Its Mouse Ortholog Murine ß-Defensin 14 Activate Langerhans Cells and Exacerbate Psoriasis-Like Skin Inflammation in Mice. J Invest Dermatol 2015; 136:723-727. [PMID: 27015459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2015.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl M Sweeney
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Shane E Russell
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, National Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anna Malara
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Genevieve Kelly
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rosalind Hughes
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anne-Marie Tobin
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karoline Adamzik
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Patrick T Walsh
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, National Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brian Kirby
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Education and Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Judge CJ, Reyes-Aviles E, Conry SJ, Sieg SS, Feng Z, Weinberg A, Anthony DD. HBD-3 induces NK cell activation, IFN-γ secretion and mDC dependent cytolytic function. Cell Immunol 2015; 297:61-8. [PMID: 26302933 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We previously showed that human beta defensin-3 (hBD-3) activates mDC via TLR1/2. Here we investigated the effects of hBD-3 on NK cell activation state and effector functions. We observed that hBD-3 activates PBMC to secrete IFN-γ and kill K562 and HUH hepatoma target cells in an NK dependent fashion, and both TLR1/2 and CCR2 are involved. TLR1, TLR2 and CCR2 were expressed on NK cells, and in purified NK culture experiments we observed hBD-3 to directly act on NK cells, resulting in CD69 upregulation and IFNγ secretion. We also observed mDC-hBD-3 enhanced NK cytolytic activity and IFNγ production. These results implicate hBD-3 in its ability to directly activate NK cells and increase NK cell effector function, as well as promote mDC-dependent NK activity. HBD-3 may therefore act as a mediator of innate cell interactions that result in bridging of innate and adaptive immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsey J Judge
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States; Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Elane Reyes-Aviles
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Sara J Conry
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Scott S Sieg
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Zhimin Feng
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Aaron Weinberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States
| | - Donald D Anthony
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States; Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleve, OH, United States; Divisions of Infectious and Rheumatic Diseases, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, The Cleveland VA Medical Center, and the Center for AIDS Research, United States.
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Defensins: “Simple” antimicrobial peptides or broad-spectrum molecules? Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2015; 26:361-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Host defense peptides: front-line immunomodulators. Trends Immunol 2014; 35:443-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 349] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Kountouras J, Deretzi G, Gavalas E, Zavos C, Polyzos SA, Kazakos E, Giartza-Taxidou E, Vardaka E, Kountouras C, Katsinelos P, Boziki M, Giouleme O. A proposed role of human defensins in Helicobacter pylori-related neurodegenerative disorders. Med Hypotheses 2014; 82:368-73. [PMID: 24472867 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cationic host defence peptides (CHDPs), also known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are essential components of the innate immunity with antimicrobial and pleiotropic immunomodulatory properties. In mammals the two major families of CHDPs are defensins and cathelicidins that comprise an arsenal of innate regulators of principal importance in the host tissues. Research in the last decade has demonstrated that defensins are crucial effectors of both innate and adaptive immunity. Defensins can modulate immune responses, either by stimulation or suppression, thereby controlling inflammatory processes and infections. Currently only few data, mostly hypothetical, focus on the role of defensins in central nervous system (CNS) physiopathology and neurodegeneration. Defensins may function as an initial line of defense within the CNS either as an antimicrobial, immunomodulator, or both. A dysregulation of brain expression of specific defensins might either exacerbate or ameliorate the inflammatory response within the CNS depending upon which extracellular conditions predominate. It is proposed that reduction or abnormal elevation of AMP expression by cerebral microglia, astrocytes or choroid plexus epithelium might contribute to loss of AMP-induced regulation of immune responses, thereby promoting neuronal cell injury and death observed in Alzheimer's disease and possibly in other neurodegenerative disorders. Nevertheless, whether certain AMPs play a crucial role in the onset or promotion of the neuroinflammatory process and neurodegeneration is currently unknown, thereby emphasizing the necessity of further investigation into the regulatory mechanisms that control innate and adaptive immunity within the brain. Recent data indicate that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) induces defensins' release associated with chronic inflammatory tissue damage. However, it remains unclear whether and how H. pylori evades the attack by defensins. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that H. pylori infection might contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, by releasing several inflammatory mediators that could induce blood-brain barrier breakdown, thereby being involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. However, currently there are no data regarding the potential impact of human defensins on H. pylori-related neurodegenerative disorders. We herein propose that human defensins might contribute to the pathophysiology of H. pylori-related neurodegenerative disorders by modulating variably innate and adaptive immune system responses. Better understanding of the mechanisms regarding human defensins' possible involvement in H. pylori-induced neurodegeneration might help develop novel therapeutic strategies against H. pylori-related neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannis Kountouras
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Georgia Deretzi
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Emmanouel Gavalas
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Zavos
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Stergios A Polyzos
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelos Kazakos
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Giartza-Taxidou
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elisabeth Vardaka
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Constantinos Kountouras
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Katsinelos
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Marina Boziki
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Olga Giouleme
- Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Rothstein SN, Donahue C, Falo LD, Little SR. In silico programming of degradable microparticles to hide and then reveal immunogenic payloads in vivo. J Mater Chem B 2014; 2:6183-6187. [DOI: 10.1039/c4tb01042f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid microparticles, mathematically designed for delayed release in vitro, hide and then reveal ovalbumin-alum in vivo without altering its immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C. Donahue
- Departments of Dermatology
- Bioengineering
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute
- University of Pittsburgh
| | - L. D. Falo
- Departments of Dermatology
- Bioengineering
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute
- University of Pittsburgh
| | - S. R. Little
- Departments of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
- Bioengineering
- Immunology
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- University of Pittsburgh
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Wilson SS, Wiens ME, Smith JG. Antiviral mechanisms of human defensins. J Mol Biol 2013; 425:4965-80. [PMID: 24095897 PMCID: PMC3842434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2013.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2013] [Revised: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Defensins are an effector component of the innate immune system with broad antimicrobial activity. Humans express two types of defensins, α- and β-defensins, which have antiviral activity against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. The diversity of defensin-sensitive viral species reflects a multitude of antiviral mechanisms. These include direct defensin targeting of viral envelopes, glycoproteins, and capsids in addition to inhibition of viral fusion and post-entry neutralization. Binding and modulation of host cell surface receptors and disruption of intracellular signaling by defensins can also inhibit viral replication. In addition, defensins can function as chemokines to augment and alter adaptive immune responses, revealing an indirect antiviral mechanism. Nonetheless, many questions regarding the antiviral activities of defensins remain. Although significant mechanistic data are known for α-defensins, molecular details for β-defensin inhibition are mostly lacking. Importantly, the role of defensin antiviral activity in vivo has not been addressed due to the lack of a complete defensin knockout model. Overall, the antiviral activity of defensins is well established as are the variety of mechanisms by which defensins achieve this inhibition; however, additional research is needed to fully understand the role of defensins in viral pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jason G. Smith
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 357735, 1705 North East Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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