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Bello-Madruga R, Torrent Burgas M. The limits of prediction: Why intrinsically disordered regions challenge our understanding of antimicrobial peptides. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:972-981. [PMID: 38404711 PMCID: PMC10884422 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.02.008] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules found in most organisms, playing a vital role in innate immune defense against pathogens. Their mechanism of action involves the disruption of bacterial cell membranes, causing leakage of cellular contents and ultimately leading to cell death. While AMPs typically lack a defined structure in solution, they often assume a defined conformation when interacting with bacterial membranes. Given this structural flexibility, we investigated whether intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) with AMP-like properties could exhibit antimicrobial activity. We tested 14 peptides from different IDRs predicted to have antimicrobial activity and found that nearly all of them did not display the anticipated effects. These peptides failed to adopt a defined secondary structure and had compromised membrane interactions, resulting in a lack of antimicrobial activity. We hypothesize that evolutionary constraints may prevent IDRs from folding, even in membrane-like environments, limiting their antimicrobial potential. Moreover, our research reveals that current antimicrobial predictors fail to accurately capture the structural features of peptides when dealing with intrinsically unstructured sequences. Hence, the results presented here may have far-reaching implications for designing and improving antimicrobial strategies and therapies against infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bello-Madruga
- The Systems Biology of Infection Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Marc Torrent Burgas
- The Systems Biology of Infection Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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2
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Huang J, Kang W, Yi D, Zhu S, Xiang Y, Liu C, Li H, Dai D, Su J, He J, Liang Z. Intranasal B5 promotes mucosal defence against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae via ameliorating early immunosuppression. Virulence 2024; 15:2316459. [PMID: 38378464 PMCID: PMC10880497 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2316459] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) is an important pathogen of the porcine respiratory disease complex, which leads to huge economic losses worldwide. We previously demonstrated that Pichia pastoris-producing bovine neutrophil β-defensin-5 (B5) could resist the infection by the bovine intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium bovis. In this study, the roles of synthetic B5 in regulating mucosal innate immune response and protecting against extracellular APP infection were further investigated using a mouse model. Results showed that B5 promoted the production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and interferon (IFN)-β in macrophages as well as dendritic cells (DC) and enhanced DC maturation in vitro. Importantly, intranasal B5 was safe and conferred effective protection against APP via reducing the bacterial load in lungs and alleviating pulmonary inflammatory damage. Furthermore, in the early stage of APP infection, we found that intranasal B5 up-regulated the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17, and IL-22; enhanced the rapid recruitment of macrophages, neutrophils, and DC; and facilitated the generation of group 3 innate lymphoid cells in lungs. In addition, B5 activated signalling pathways associated with cellular response to IFN-β and activation of innate immune response in APP-challenged lungs. Collectively, B5 via the intranasal route can effectively ameliorate the immune suppression caused by early APP infection and provide protection against APP. The immunization strategy may be applied to animals or human respiratory bacterial infectious diseases. Our findings highlight the potential importance of B5, enhancing mucosal defence against intracellular bacteria like APP which causes early-phase immune suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsheng Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Weichao Kang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Dandan Yi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Shuxin Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yifei Xiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chengzhi Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Han Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Dejia Dai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jieyu Su
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiakang He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhengmin Liang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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3
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Wang J, Zhang M, Li C, Liu M, Qi Y, Xie X, Zhou C, Ma L. A novel cathelicidin TS-CATH derived from Thamnophis sirtalis combats drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2388-2406. [PMID: 38882682 PMCID: PMC11176561 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are promising therapeutic agents for treating drug-resistant bacterial disease due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and decreased susceptibility to evolutionary resistance. In this study, three novel cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides were identified from Thamnophis sirtalis, Balaenoptera musculus, and Lipotes vexillifer by protein database mining and sequence alignment and were subsequently named TS-CATH, BM-CATH, and LV-CATH, respectively. All three peptides exhibited satisfactory antibacterial activity and broad antibacterial spectra against clinically isolated E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and A. baumannii in vitro. Among them, TS-CATH displayed the best antimicrobial/bactericidal activity, with a rapid elimination efficiency against the tested drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria within 20 min, and exhibited the lowest cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells. Furthermore, TS-CATH effectively enhanced the survival rate of mice with ceftazidime-resistant E. coli bacteremia and promoted wound healing in meropenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection. These results were achieved through the eradication of bacterial growth in target organs and wounds, further inhibiting the systemic dissemination of bacteria and the inflammatory response. TS-CATH exhibited direct antimicrobial activity by damaging the inner and outer membranes, resulting in leakage of the bacterial contents at super-MICs. Moreover, TS-CATH disrupted the bacterial respiratory chain, which inhibited ATP synthesis and induced ROS formation, significantly contributing to its antibacterial efficacy at sub-MICs. Overall, TS-CATH has potential for use as an antibacterial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Meina Zhang
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Chao Li
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Yixin Qi
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Xiaolin Xie
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Changlin Zhou
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Lingman Ma
- Institution of all authors: College of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
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4
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Yacoub HA, Mahmoud MM, Al-Hejin AM, Abujamel TS, Tabrez S, Abd-Elmaksoud S. Effect of Nk-lysin peptides on bacterial growth, MIC, antimicrobial resistance, and viral activities. Anim Biotechnol 2024; 35:2290520. [PMID: 38100547 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2290520] [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: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
NK-lysins from chicken, bovine and human are used as antiviral and antibacterial agents. Gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms, including Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus mutans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella oxytoca, Shigella sonnei, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium, are susceptible to NK-lysin treatment. The presence of dominant TEM-1 gene was noted in all untreated and treated bacteria, while TOHO-1 gene was absent in all bacteria. Importantly, β-lactamase genes CTX-M-1, CTX-M-8, and CTX-M-9 genes were detected in untreated bacterial strains; however, none of these were found in any bacterial strains following treatment with NK-lysin peptides. NK-lysin peptides are also used to test for inhibition of infectivity, which ranged from 50 to 90% depending on NK-lysin species. Chicken, bo vine and human NK-lysin peptides are demonstrated herein to have antibacterial activity and antiviral activity against Rotavirus (strain SA-11). On the basis of the comparison between these peptides, potent antiviral activity of bovine NK-lysin against Rotavirus (strain SA-11) is particularly evident, inhibiting infection by up to 90%. However, growth was also significantly inhibited by chicken and human NK-lysin peptides, restricted by 80 and 50%, respectively. This study provided a novel treatment using NK-lysin peptides to inhibit expression of β-lactamase genes in β-lactam antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitham A Yacoub
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Maged Mostafa Mahmoud
- Regerenative Medicine Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA)
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA)
| | - Ahmed M Al-Hejin
- Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Turki S Abujamel
- Regerenative Medicine Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA)
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shams Tabrez
- Regerenative Medicine Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA)
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA)
| | - Sherif Abd-Elmaksoud
- Environmental Virology Laboratory, Water Pollution Research Department, Environmental Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
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Liu CH, Wen ZH, Huo YN, Lin CY, Yang HY, Tsai CS. Piscidin-1 regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced intracellular calcium, sodium dysregulation, and oxidative stress in atrial cardiomyocytes. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 976:176695. [PMID: 38821161 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers an inflammatory response, causing impairment of cardiomyocyte Ca2+ and Na + regulation. This study aimed to determine whether piscidin-1 (PCD-1), an antimicrobial peptide, improves intracellular Ca2+ and Na + regulation in LPS-challenged atrial cardiomyocytes. Rabbit atrial cardiomyocytes were enzymatically isolated from the left atria. Patch-clamp ionic current recording, intracellular Ca2+ monitoring using Fluo-3, and detection of cytosolic reactive oxygen species production were conducted in control, LPS-challenged, and LPS + PCD-1-treated atrial cardiomyocytes. LPS-challenged cardiomyocytes showed shortened durations of action potential at their 50% and 90% repolarizations, which was reversed by PCD-1 treatment. LPS-challenged cardiomyocytes showed decreased L-type Ca2+ channel currents and larger Na+/Ca2+ exchange currents compared to controls. While LPS did not affect the sodium current, an enhanced late sodium current with increased cytosolic Na+ levels was observed in LPS-challenged cardiomyocytes. These LPS-induced alterations in the ionic current were ameliorated by PCD-1 treatment. LPS-challenged cardiomyocytes displayed lowered Ca2+ transient amplitudes and decreased Ca2+ stores and greater Ca2+ leakage in the sarcoplasmic reticulum compared to the control. Exposure to PCD-1 attenuated LPS-induced alterations in Ca2+ regulation. The elevated reactive oxygen species levels observed in LPS-challenged myocytes were suppressed after PCD-1 treatment. The protein levels of NF-κB and IL-6 increased following LPS treatment. Decreased sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 2a protein levels were observed in LPS-challenged cardiomyocytes. PCD-1 modulates LPS-induced alterations in inflammatory and Ca2+ regulatory protein levels. Our results suggest that PCD-1 modulates LPS-induced alterations in intracellular Ca2+ and Na + homeostasis, reactive oxygen species production, and the NF-κB inflammatory pathway in atrial cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Han Liu
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804201, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, 80284, Taiwan
| | - Zhi-Hong Wen
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804201, Taiwan; Institute of BioPharmaceutical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804201, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Nien Huo
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yuan Lin
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yu Yang
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chien-Sung Tsai
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
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6
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Zhen B, Geng C, Yang Y, Liang H, Jiang Y, Li X, Ye G. Systematic alanine and stapling mutational analysis of antimicrobial peptide Chem-KVL. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 107:129794. [PMID: 38735344 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129794] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Chem-KVL is a tandem repeating peptide, with 14 amino acids that was modified based on a short peptide from a fragment of the human host defense protein chemerin. Chem-KVL increases cationicity and hydrophobicity and shows broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. To determine the molecular determinants of Chem-KVL and whether staple-modified Chem-KVL would improve antibacterial activity and protease stability or decrease cytotoxicity, we combined alanine and stapling scanning, and designed a series of alanine and staple-derived Chem-KVL peptides, termed Chem-A1 to Chem-A14 and SCL-1 to SCL-7. We next examined their antibacterial activity against several gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, their proteolytic stability, and their cytotoxicity. Ala scanning of Chem-KVL suggested that both the positively charged residues (Lys and Arg) and the hydrophobic residues (Lue and Val) were critical for the antibacterial activities of Chem-KVL peptide. Of note, Chem-A4 was able to remarkably inhibit the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when compared to the original peptide. And the antibacterial activities of stapled SCL-4 and SCL-7 were several times higher than those of the linear peptide against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Stapling modification of peptides resulted in increased helicity and protein stability when compared with the linear peptide. These stapled peptides, especially SCL-4 and SCL-7, may serve as the leading compounds for further optimization and antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borui Zhen
- School of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Chenchen Geng
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yi Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Haiyan Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | | | - Xiang Li
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Guangming Ye
- Wuxi Branch of Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Wuxi 214000, China.
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Kong X, Vishwanath V, Neelakantan P, Ye Z. Harnessing antimicrobial peptides in endodontics. Int Endod J 2024; 57:815-840. [PMID: 38441321 DOI: 10.1111/iej.14043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Endodontic therapy includes various procedures such as vital pulp therapy, root canal treatment and retreatment, surgical endodontic treatment and regenerative endodontic procedures. Disinfection and tissue repair are crucial for the success of these therapies, necessitating the development of therapeutics that can effectively target microbiota, eliminate biofilms, modulate inflammation and promote tissue repair. However, no current endodontic agents can achieve these goals. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are sequences of amino acids, have gained attention due to their unique advantages, including reduced susceptibility to drug resistance, broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and the ability to modulate the immune response of the organism effectively. This review systematically discusses the structure, mechanisms of action, novel designs and limitations of AMPs. Additionally, it highlights the efforts made by researchers to overcome peptide shortcomings and emphasizes the potential applications of AMPs in endodontic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzi Kong
- Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Vijetha Vishwanath
- Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Prasanna Neelakantan
- Department of Endodontics, University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zhou Ye
- Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
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8
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An Y, Guo X, Yan T, Jia Y, Jiao R, Cai X, Deng B, Bao G, Li Y, Yang W, Wang R, Sun W, Xie J. Enhancing the stability and therapeutic potential of the antimicrobial peptide Feleucin-K3 against Multidrug-Resistant a. Baumannii through rational utilization of a D-amino acid substitution strategy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 225:116269. [PMID: 38723723 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116269] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which have a low probability of developing resistance, are considered the most promising antimicrobial agents for combating antibiotic resistance. Feleucin-K3 is an amphiphilic cationic AMP that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In our previous research, the first phenylalanine residue was identified as the critical position affecting its biological activity. Here, a series of Feleucin-K3 analogs containing hydrophobic D-amino acids were developed, leveraging the low sensitivity of proteases to unnatural amino acids and the regulatory effect of hydrophobicity on antimicrobial activity. Among them, K-1dF, which replaced the phenylalanine of Feleucin-K3 with its enantiomer (D-phenylalanine), exhibited potent antimicrobial activity with a therapeutic index of 46.97 and MICs between 4 to 8 μg/ml against both sensitive and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. The introduction of D-phenylalanine increased the salt tolerance and serum stability of Feleucin-K3. Moreover, K-1dF displayed a rapid bactericidal effect, a low propensity to develop resistance, and a synergistic effect when combined with antibiotics. More importantly, it exhibited considerable or superior efficacy to imipenem against pneumonia and skin abscess infection. In brief, the K-1dF obtained by simple and effective modification strategy has emerged as a promising candidate antimicrobial agent for tackling multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying An
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaomin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tiantian Yan
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yue Jia
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruoyan Jiao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinyu Cai
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Bochuan Deng
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guangjun Bao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yiping Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wenle Yang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Wangsheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Junqiu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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9
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Zeng P, Wang H, Zhang P, Leung SSY. Unearthing naturally-occurring cyclic antibacterial peptides and their structural optimization strategies. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108371. [PMID: 38704105 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108371] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Natural products with antibacterial activity are highly desired globally to combat against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Antibacterial peptide (ABP), especially cyclic ABP (CABP), is one of the abundant classes. Most of them were isolated from microbes, demonstrating excellent bactericidal effects. With the improved proteolytic stability, CABPs are normally considered to have better druggability than linear peptides. However, most clinically-used CABP-based antibiotics, such as colistin, also face the challenges of drug resistance soon after they reached the market, urgently requiring the development of next-generation succedaneums. We present here a detail review on the novel naturally-occurring CABPs discovered in the past decade and some of them are under clinical trials, exhibiting anticipated application potential. According to their chemical structures, they were broadly classified into five groups, including (i) lactam/lactone-based CABPs, (ii) cyclic lipopeptides, (iii) glycopeptides, (iv) cyclic sulfur-rich peptides and (v) multiple-modified CABPs. Their chemical structures, antibacterial spectrums and proposed mechanisms are discussed. Moreover, engineered analogs of these novel CABPs are also summarized to preliminarily analyze their structure-activity relationship. This review aims to provide a global perspective on research and development of novel CABPs to highlight the effectiveness of derivatives design in identifying promising antibacterial agents. Further research efforts in this area are believed to play important roles in fighting against the multidrug-resistance crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zeng
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Honglan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Sharon Shui Yee Leung
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
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10
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Wang W, Cui Y, Wei X, Zang Y, Chen X, Cheng L, Wang X. CuCo 2O 4 Nanoflowers with Multiple Enzyme Activities for Treating Bacterium-Infected Wounds via Cuproptosis-like Death. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15845-15863. [PMID: 38832685 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c02825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Nanozyme-driven catalytic therapy provides a promising treatment strategy for bacterial biofilm-infected wounds. However, the single functionality and limited catalytic efficiency of nanozyme-based materials often restrict the effectiveness of wound infection treatment. In this study, CuCo2O4 nanoflowers with multiple enzymatic activities were prepared for antibacterial/antibiofilm treatment by cuproptosis-like death. CuCo2O4 exhibited peroxidase-like (POD-like) and oxidase-like (OXD-like) dual enzyme activities that generated large amounts of •OH and O2•-. Moreover, the glutathione peroxidase-like (GSH-Px-like) activity of CuCo2O4 was able to reduce the overexpression of GSH in the wound microenvironment, enhancing the therapeutic effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The morphology of CuCo2O4 was modified using a hydrothermal method with PEG4000 as the solvent, resulting in the exposure of more active center sites and a significant improvement in enzyme catalytic activity. The in vitro results demonstrated the pronounced disruption effect of CuCo2O4 on biofilms formed by bacteria. In vivo, CuCo2O4 significantly promoted angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and cell proliferation. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that elevated ROS levels in bacteria led to cell membrane damage and metabolic disruption. In addition, Cu2+ overload in bacteria induces lipid peroxidation accumulation and disrupts the respiratory chain and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, ultimately leading to bacterial cuproptosis-like death. This therapeutic strategy, which combines the synergistic effects of multiple enzyme-like activities with cuproptosis-like death, provides an approach for treating biofilm infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Yuyu Cui
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Xiaolong Wei
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Research and Engineering Center of Biomedical Materials, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Ying Zang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Research and Engineering Center of Biomedical Materials, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Xulin Chen
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Liang Cheng
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xianwen Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Research and Engineering Center of Biomedical Materials, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
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11
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Smetanin RV, Sukhareva MS, Vladimirova EV, Zharkova MS, Mikushina AD, Komlev AS, Khaydukova MM, Filatenkova TA, Kalganova AI, Pipiya SO, Terekhov SS, Orlov DS, Shamova OV, Eliseev IE. First vertebrate BRICHOS antimicrobial peptides: β-hairpin host defense peptides in limbless amphibia lung resemble those of marine worms. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 712-713:149913. [PMID: 38640738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149913] [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: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Innate immunity of invertebrates offers potent antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against drug-resistant infections. To identify new worm β-hairpin AMPs, we explored the sequence diversity of proteins with a BRICHOS domain, which comprises worm AMP precursors. Strikingly, we discovered new BRICHOS AMPs not in worms, but in caecilians, the least studied clade of vertebrates. Two precursor proteins from Microcaecilia unicolor and Rhinatrema bivittatum resemble SP-C lung surfactants and bear worm AMP-like peptides at C-termini. The analysis of M. unicolor tissue transcriptomes shows that the AMP precursor is highly expressed in the lung along with regular SP-C, suggesting a different, protective function. The peptides form right-twisted β-hairpins, change conformation upon lipid binding, and rapidly disrupt bacterial membranes. Both peptides exhibit broad-spectrum activity against multidrug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens with 1-4 μM MICs and remarkably low toxicity, giving 40-70-fold selectivity towards bacteria. These BRICHOS AMPs, previously unseen in vertebrates, reveal a novel lung innate immunity mechanism and offer a promising antibiotics template.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruslan V Smetanin
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia; Alferov University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria S Sukhareva
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elizaveta V Vladimirova
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria S Zharkova
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna D Mikushina
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia; Alferov University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleksey S Komlev
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria M Khaydukova
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Tatiana A Filatenkova
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasia I Kalganova
- Alferov University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Dmitriy S Orlov
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Olga V Shamova
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia; St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Igor E Eliseev
- WCRC "Center for Personalized Medicine", Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia; Alferov University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia.
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12
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Grabeck J, Mayer J, Miltz A, Casoria M, Quagliata M, Meinberger D, Klatt AR, Wielert I, Maier B, Papini AM, Neundorf I. Triazole-Bridged Peptides with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity and Potency against Pathogenic Bacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 38885643 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
There are still no linear antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) available as a treatment option against bacterial infections. This is caused by several drawbacks that come with AMPs such as limited proteolytic stability and low selectivity against human cells. In this work, we screened a small library of rationally designed new peptides based on the cell-penetrating peptide sC18* toward their antimicrobial activity. We identified several effective novel AMPs and chose one out of this group to further increase its potency. Therefore, we introduced a triazole bridge at different positions to provide a preformed helical structure, assuming that this modification would improve (i) proteolytic stability and (ii) membrane activity. Indeed, placing the triazole bridge within the hydrophilic part of the linear analogue highly increased membrane activity as well as stability against enzymatic digestion. The new peptides, 8A and 8B, demonstrated high activity against several bacterial species tested including pathogenic N. gonorrhoeae and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Since they exhibited significantly good tolerability against human fibroblast and blood cells, these novel peptides offer true alternatives for future clinical applications and are worth studying in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Grabeck
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jacob Mayer
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Axel Miltz
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Michele Casoria
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Michael Quagliata
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Denise Meinberger
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas R Klatt
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabelle Wielert
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Institute for Biological Physics, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Berenike Maier
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Institute for Biological Physics, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna Maria Papini
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Ines Neundorf
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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13
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Sintoris S, Binkowska JM, Gillan JL, Zuurbier RP, Twynam-Perkins J, Kristensen M, Melrose L, Parga PL, Rodriguez AR, Chu ML, van Boeckel SR, Wildenbeest JG, Bowdish DME, Currie AJ, Thwaites RS, Schwarze J, van Houten MA, Boardman JP, Cunningham S, Bogaert D, Davidson DJ. Nasal cathelicidin is expressed in early life and is increased during mild, but not severe respiratory syncytial virus infection. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13928. [PMID: 38886476 PMCID: PMC11182768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64446-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus is the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in young children, causing extensive mortality and morbidity globally, with limited therapeutic or preventative options. Cathelicidins are innate immune antimicrobial host defence peptides and have antiviral activity against RSV. However, upper respiratory tract cathelicidin expression and the relationship with host and environment factors in early life, are unknown. Infant cohorts were analysed to characterise early life nasal cathelicidin levels, revealing low expression levels in the first week of life, with increased levels at 9 months which are comparable to 2-year-olds and healthy adults. No impact of prematurity on nasal cathelicidin expression was observed, nor were there effects of sex or birth mode, however, nasal cathelicidin expression was lower in the first week-of-life in winter births. Nasal cathelicidin levels were positively associated with specific inflammatory markers and demonstrated to be associated with microbial community composition. Importantly, levels of nasal cathelicidin expression were elevated in infants with mild RSV infection, but, in contrast, were not upregulated in infants hospitalised with severe RSV infection. These data suggest important relationships between nasal cathelicidin, upper airway microbiota, inflammation, and immunity against RSV infection, with interventional potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Sintoris
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Justyna M Binkowska
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Jonathan L Gillan
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Roy P Zuurbier
- Spaarne Gasthuis Academy, Spaarne Gasthuis, 2134 TM, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatrics, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jonathan Twynam-Perkins
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Maartje Kristensen
- Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lauren Melrose
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Paula Lusaretta Parga
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Alicia Ruiz Rodriguez
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Mei Ling Chu
- Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sara R van Boeckel
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Joanne G Wildenbeest
- Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dawn M E Bowdish
- Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph's Healthcare, 50 Charlton Avenue East, T2128, Hamilton, ON, L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Andrew J Currie
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ryan S Thwaites
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jurgen Schwarze
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | | | - James P Boardman
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Steve Cunningham
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
| | - Debby Bogaert
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK
- Department of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Donald J Davidson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 4 - 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Scotland, UK.
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.
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14
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van Teijlingen A, Edwards DC, Hu L, Lilienkampf A, Cockroft SL, Tuttle T. An active machine learning discovery platform for membrane-disrupting and pore-forming peptides. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024. [PMID: 38873737 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01404a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Membrane-disrupting and pore-forming peptides (PFPs) play a substantial role in bionanotechnology and can determine the life and death of cells. The control of chemical and ion transport through cell membranes is essential to maintaining concentration gradients. Likewise, the delivery of drugs and intracellular proteins aided by pore-forming agents is of interest in treating malfunctioning cells. Known PFPs tend to be up to 50 residues in length, which is commensurate with the thickness of a lipid bilayer. Accordingly, few short PFPs are known. Here we show that the discovery of PFPs can be accelerated via an active machine learning approach. The approach identified 71 potential PFPs from the 25.6 billion octapeptide sequence space; 13 sequences were tested experimentally, and all were found to have the predicted membrane-disrupting ability, with 1 forming highly stable pores. Experimental verification of the predicted pore-forming ability demonstrated that a range of short peptides can form pores in membranes, while the positioning and characteristics of residues that favour pore-forming behaviour were identified. This approach identified more ultrashort (8-residues, unmodified, non-cyclic) PFPs than previously known. We anticipate our findings and methodology will be useful in discovering new pore-forming and membrane-disrupting peptides for a range of applications from nanoreactors to therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander van Teijlingen
- 1Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G1 1XL, UK.
| | - Daniel C Edwards
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Liao Hu
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Annamaria Lilienkampf
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Scott L Cockroft
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Tell Tuttle
- 1Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G1 1XL, UK.
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15
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Xu T, Yan X, Kang A, Yang L, Li X, Tian Y, Yang R, Qin S, Guo Y. Development of Membrane-Targeting Fluorescent 2-Phenyl-1 H-phenanthro[9,10- d]imidazole-Antimicrobial Peptide Mimic Conjugates against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9302-9317. [PMID: 38491982 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The escalation of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, especially infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), underscores the urgent need for novel antimicrobial drugs. Here, we synthesized a series of amphiphilic 2-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mimic conjugates (III1-30). Among them, compound III13 exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against G+ bacteria and clinical MRSA isolates (MIC = 0.5-2 μg/mL), high membrane selectivity, and low toxicity. Additionally, compared with traditional clinical antibiotics, III13 demonstrated rapid bactericidal efficacy and was less susceptible to causing bacterial resistance. Mechanistic studies revealed that III13 targets phosphatidylglycerol (PG) on bacterial membranes to disrupt membrane integrity, leading to an increase in intracellular ROS and leakage of proteins and DNA, ultimately causing bacterial cell death. Furthermore, III13 possessed good fluorescence properties with potential for further dynamic monitoring of the antimicrobial process. Notably, III13 showed better in vivo efficacy against MRSA compared to vancomycin, suggesting its potential as a promising candidate for anti-MRSA medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Xiaoting Yan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Ayue Kang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Longhua Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Xinhui Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Yue Tian
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Ruige Yang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Shangshang Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
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16
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Yan D, Wei G, Ai Z, Song S, Zhang L, Dong N, Dou X, Shan A. CXCR2, as a key regulatory gene of HDP-PG-1, maintains intestinal mucosal homeostasis. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:132025. [PMID: 38704076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132025] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The intestine defends against pathogenic microbial invasion via the secretion of host defense peptides (HDPs). Nutritional immunomodulation can stimulate the expression of endogenous HDPs and enhance the body's immune defense, representing a novel non-antibiotic strategy for disease prevention. The project aims to explore the regulatory mechanism of protegrin-1 (PG-1) expression using sodium phenylbutyrate (PBA) by omics sequencing technology and further investigate the role of key regulatory genes on intestinal health. The results showed that PBA promoted PG-1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells based on cell density through epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and G protein-coupled receptor (GPR43). Transcriptome sequencing and microRNA sequencing revealed that C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) exhibited interactions with PG-1. Pre-treatment cells with a CXCR2 inhibitor (SB225002) effectively suppressed the induction of PG-1 by PBA. Furthermore, SB225002 significantly suppressed the gene expression of HDPs in the jejunum of mice without influencing on the morphology, number of goblet cells, and proliferation of the intestine. CXCR2 inhibition significantly reduced the expression of HDPs during E. coli infection, and resulted in the edema of jejunal epithelial cells. The 16S rDNA analysis of cecal contents showed that the E. coli and SB225002 treatments changed gut microbiota diversity and composition at different taxonomic levels. Correlation analysis suggested a potential regulatory relationship between gut microbiota and HDPs. To that end, a gene involved in the HDP expression, CXCR2, has been identified in the study, which contributes to improving intestinal immune function. PBA may be used as a functional additive to regulate intestinal mucosal function, thereby enhancing the health of the intestinal and host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Guoyang Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Zichun Ai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Shuang Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Licong Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Na Dong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xiujing Dou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Anshan Shan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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17
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Parseh S, Shakerian S, Reza Tabandeh M, Habibi A. An 8-Week study on the effects of high and Moderate-Intensity interval exercises on mitochondrial MOTS-C changes and their relation to metabolic markers in male diabetic sand rats. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2024; 212:111656. [PMID: 38636847 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2024.111656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a significant feature of type 2 diabetes. MOTS-C, a peptide derived from mitochondria, has positive effects on metabolism and exercise capacity. This study explored the impact of high and moderate-intensity interval exercises on mitochondrial MOTS-C alterations and their correlation with metabolic markers in male diabetic sand rats. Thirty male sand rats were divided into six groups: control, MIIT, DM + HIIT, DM + MIIT, DM, and HIIT (5 rats each). Diabetes was induced using a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ). The Wistar sand rats in exercise groups underwent 8 weeks of interval training of varying intensities. Post sample collection, protein expressions of PCG-1a, AMPK, and GLUT4 were assessed through Western blot analysis, while MOTS-C protein expression was determined using ELISA. Both exercise intensity and diabetes significantly affected the levels of PCG-1a, MOTS-C, GLUT4 proteins, and insulin resistance (p < 0.001). The combined effect of diabetes status and exercise intensity on these levels was also significant (p < 0.001). However, the diabetes effect varied when comparing high-intensity to moderate-intensity exercise. The moderate-intensity exercise group with diabetes showed higher levels of PCG-1a, MOTS-C, and GLUT4 proteins and reduced insulin resistance levels (p < 0.001). Exercise intensity (p = 0.022) and diabetes (p = 0.008) significantly influenced AMPK protein levels. The interplay between diabetes status and exercise intensity on AMPK protein levels was noteworthy, with the moderate-intensity diabetes group exhibiting higher AMPK levels than the high-intensity diabetes group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, exercise elevates the levels of PCG-1a, MOTS-C, GLUT4, and AMPK proteins, regulating insulin resistance in diabetic sand rats. Given the AMPK-MOTS-C mitochondrial pathway's mechanisms, interval exercises might enhance the metabolic rates and general health of diabetic rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Parseh
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Saeid Shakerian
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Tabandeh
- Department of Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Abdolhamid Habibi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
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18
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Liang Q, Liu Z, Liang Z, Zhu C, Li D, Kong Q, Mou H. Development strategies and application of antimicrobial peptides as future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172150. [PMID: 38580107 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The use of in-feed antibiotics has been widely restricted due to the significant environmental pollution and food safety concerns they have caused. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted widespread attention as potential future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics owing to their demonstrated antimicrobial activity and environment friendly characteristics. However, the challenges of weak bioactivity, immature stability, and low production yields of natural AMPs impede practical application in the feed industry. To address these problems, efforts have been made to develop strategies for approaching the AMPs with enhanced properties. Herein, we summarize approaches to improving the properties of AMPs as potential alternatives to in-feed antibiotics, mainly including optimization of structural parameters, sequence modification, selection of microbial hosts, fusion expression, and industrially fermentation control. Additionally, the potential for application of AMPs in animal husbandry is discussed. This comprehensive review lays a strong theoretical foundation for the development of in-feed AMPs to achieve the public health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingping Liang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Zhemin Liu
- Fundamental Science R&D Center of Vazyme Biotech Co. Ltd., Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Ziyu Liang
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Changliang Zhu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Dongyu Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Qing Kong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Haijin Mou
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China.
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19
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Zhang J, Sun X, Zhao H, Zhou X, Zhang Y, Xie F, Li B, Guo G. In Silico Design and Synthesis of Antifungal Peptides Guided by Quantitative Antifungal Activity. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4277-4285. [PMID: 38743449 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Antifungal peptides (AFPs) are emerging as promising candidates for advanced antifungal therapies because of their broad-spectrum efficacy and reduced resistance development. In silico design of AFPs, however, remains challenging, due to the lack of an efficient and well-validated quantitative assessment of antifungal activity. This study introduced an AFP design approach that leverages an innovative quantitative metric, named the antifungal index (AFI), through a three-step process, i.e., segmentation, single-point mutation, and global multipoint optimization. An exhaustive search of 100 putative AFP sequences indicated that random modifications without guidance only have a 5.97-20.24% chance of enhancing antifungal activity. Analysis of the search results revealed that (1) N-terminus truncation is more effective in enhancing antifungal activity than the modifications at the C-terminus or both ends, (2) introducing the amino acids within the 10-60% sequence region that enhance aromaticity and hydrophobicity are more effective in increasing antifungal efficacy, and (3) incorporating alanine, cysteine, and phenylalanine during multiple point mutations has a synergistic effect on enhancing antifungal activity. Subsequently, 28 designed peptides were synthesized and tested against four typical fungal strains. The success rate for developing promising AFPs, with a minimal inhibitory concentration of ≤5.00 μM, was an impressive 82.14%. The predictive and design tool is accessible at https://antifungipept.chemoinfolab.com.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Xinhao Sun
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Yiling Zhang
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Feng Xie
- Moutai Institute, Renhuai 564507, China
| | - Boyan Li
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
| | - Guo Guo
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
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20
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Aguilera-Puga MDC, Plisson F. Structure-aware machine learning strategies for antimicrobial peptide discovery. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11995. [PMID: 38796582 PMCID: PMC11127937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62419-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Machine learning models are revolutionizing our approaches to discovering and designing bioactive peptides. These models often need protein structure awareness, as they heavily rely on sequential data. The models excel at identifying sequences of a particular biological nature or activity, but they frequently fail to comprehend their intricate mechanism(s) of action. To solve two problems at once, we studied the mechanisms of action and structural landscape of antimicrobial peptides as (i) membrane-disrupting peptides, (ii) membrane-penetrating peptides, and (iii) protein-binding peptides. By analyzing critical features such as dipeptides and physicochemical descriptors, we developed models with high accuracy (86-88%) in predicting these categories. However, our initial models (1.0 and 2.0) exhibited a bias towards α-helical and coiled structures, influencing predictions. To address this structural bias, we implemented subset selection and data reduction strategies. The former gave three structure-specific models for peptides likely to fold into α-helices (models 1.1 and 2.1), coils (1.3 and 2.3), or mixed structures (1.4 and 2.4). The latter depleted over-represented structures, leading to structure-agnostic predictors 1.5 and 2.5. Additionally, our research highlights the sensitivity of important features to different structure classes across models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana D C Aguilera-Puga
- Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), Irapuato Unit, 36824, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Fabien Plisson
- Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), Irapuato Unit, 36824, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
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21
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Su M, Su Y. Recent Advances in Amphipathic Peptidomimetics as Antimicrobial Agents to Combat Drug Resistance. Molecules 2024; 29:2492. [PMID: 38893366 PMCID: PMC11173824 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of antimicrobial drugs with novel structures and clear mechanisms of action that are active against drug-resistant bacteria has become an urgent need of safeguarding human health due to the rise of bacterial drug resistance. The discovery of AMPs and the development of amphipathic peptidomimetics have lay the foundation for novel antimicrobial agents to combat drug resistance due to their overall strong antimicrobial activities and unique membrane-active mechanisms. To break the limitation of AMPs, researchers have invested in great endeavors through various approaches in the past years. This review summarized the recent advances including the development of antibacterial small molecule peptidomimetics and peptide-mimic cationic oligomers/polymers, as well as mechanism-of-action studies. As this exciting interdisciplinary field is continuously expanding and growing, we hope this review will benefit researchers in the rational design of novel antimicrobial peptidomimetics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ma Su
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yongxiang Su
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiaozuo University, Ren-Min Road, Jiaozuo 454000, China;
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22
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Zhang F, Fang H, Zhao Y, Zhao B, Qin S, Wang Y, Guo Y, Liu J, Xu T. A membrane-targeting magnolol derivative for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1385585. [PMID: 38827157 PMCID: PMC11140843 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1385585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are a major global health challenge, especially the emergence and rapid spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) urgently require alternative treatment options. Our study has identified that a magnolol derivative 6i as a promising agent with significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus and clinical MRSA isolates (MIC = 2-8 μg/mL), showing high membrane selectivity. Unlike traditional antibiotics, 6i demonstrated rapid bactericidal efficiency and a lower propensity for inducing bacterial resistance. Compound 6i also could inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate bacteria within biofilms. Mechanistic studies further revealed that 6i could target bacterial cell membranes, disrupting the integrity of the cell membrane and leading to increased DNA leakage, resulting in potent antibacterial effects. Meanwhile, 6i also showed good plasma stability and excellent biosafety. Notably, 6i displayed good in vivo antibacterial activity in a mouse skin abscess model of MRSA-16 infection, which was comparable to the positive control vancomycin. These findings indicated that the magnolol derivative 6i possessed the potential to be a novel anti-MRSA infection agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fushan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Fang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yuxin Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Buhui Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Shangshang Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yong Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Jifeng Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
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23
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Li S, Wang Z, Song S, Tang Y, Zhou J, Liu X, Zhang X, Chang M, Wang K, Peng Y. Membrane-Active All-Hydrocarbon-Stapled α-Helical Amphiphilic Tat Peptides: Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Activity and Low Incidence of Drug Resistance. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1839-1855. [PMID: 38725407 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00173] [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: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Multidrug resistance against conventional antibiotics has dramatically increased the difficulty of treatment and accelerated the need for novel antibacterial agents. The peptide Tat (47-57) is derived from the transactivating transcriptional activator of human immunodeficiency virus 1, which is well-known as a cell-penetrating peptide in mammalian cells. However, it is also reported that the Tat peptide (47-57) has antifungal activity. In this study, a series of membrane-active hydrocarbon-stapled α-helical amphiphilic peptides were synthesized and evaluated as antibacterial agents against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains. The impact of hydrocarbon staple, the position of aromatic amino acid residue in the hydrophobic face, the various types of aromatic amino acids, and the hydrophobicity on bioactivity were also investigated and discussed in this study. Among those synthesized peptides, analogues P3 and P10 bearing a l-2-naphthylalanine (Φ) residue at the first position and a Tyr residue at the eighth position demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity and negligible hemolytic toxicity. Notably, P3 and P10 showed obviously enhanced antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, low drug resistance, high cell selectivity, extended half-life in plasma, and excellent performance against biofilm. The antibacterial mechanisms of P3 and P10 were also preliminarily investigated in this effort. In conclusion, P3 and P10 are promising antimicrobial alternatives for the treatment of the antimicrobial-resistance crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Li
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic Phytomedicine Resources Ministry of Education, Shihezi University College of Pharmacy, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, P. R. China
| | - Zhaopeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Shibo Song
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Tang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingjing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xingjiao Zhang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Min Chang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kairong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yali Peng
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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24
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Yang Y, Yu Z, Ba Z, Ouyang X, Li B, Yang P, Zhang J, Wang Y, Liu Y, Yang T, Zhao Y, Wu X, Zhong C, Liu H, Zhang Y, Gou S, Ni J. Arginine and tryptophan-rich dendritic antimicrobial peptides that disrupt membranes for bacterial infection in vivo. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 271:116451. [PMID: 38691892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The potent antibacterial activity and low resistance of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) render them potential candidates for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Herein, a minimalist design strategy was proposed employing the "golden partner" combination of arginine (R) and tryptophan (W), along with a dendritic structure to design AMPs. By extension, the α/ε-amino group and the carboxyl group of lysine (K) were utilized to link R and W, forming dendritic peptide templates αRn(εRn)KWm-NH2 and αWn(εWn)KRm-NH2, respectively. The corresponding linear peptide templates R2nKWm-NH2 and W2nKRm-NH2 were used as controls. Their physicochemical properties, activity, toxicity, and stability were compared. Among these new peptides, the dendritic peptide R2(R2)KW4 was screened as a prospective candidate owing to its preferable antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and stability. Additionally, R2(R2)KW4 not only effectively restrained the progression of antibiotic resistance, but also demonstrated synergistic utility when combined with conventional antibiotics due to its unique membrane-disruptive mechanism. Furthermore, R2(R2)KW4 possessed low toxicity (LD50 = 109.31 mg/kg) in vivo, while efficiently clearing E. coli in pulmonary-infected mice. In conclusion, R2(R2)KW4 has the potential to become an antimicrobial regent or adjuvant, and the minimalist design strategy of dendritic peptides provides innovative and encouraging thoughts in designing AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Zhongwei Yu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Zufang Ba
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Beibei Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Ping Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yao Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Yuhuan Zhao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China.
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China; Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing, 100050, P. R. China.
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25
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Polat T, Soyhan İ, Cebeci S, İldeniz TAÖ, Gök Ö, Elmas MA, Mozioğlu E, Ünübol N. New-generation biofilm effective antimicrobial peptides and a real-time anti-biofilm activity assay: CoMIC. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:316. [PMID: 38700735 PMCID: PMC11068671 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13134-1] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Nowadays, it is very important to produce new-generation drugs with antimicrobial properties that will target biofilm-induced infections. The first target for combating these microorganisms, which are the source itself. Antimicrobial peptides, which are more effective than antibiotics due to their ability to kill microorganisms and use a different metabolic pathway, are among the new options today. The aim of this study is to develop new-generation antibiotics that inhibit both biofilm-producing bacteria and the biofilm itself. For this purpose, we designed four different peptides by combining two amino acid forms (D- and L-) with the same sequence having alpha helix structures. It was found that the combined use of these two forms can increase antimicrobial efficacy more than 30-fold. These results are supported by molecular modeling and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), at the same time cytotoxicity (IC50) and hemotoxicity (HC50) values remained within the safe range. Furthermore, antibiofilm activities of these peptides were investigated. Since the existing biofilm inhibition methods in the literature do not technically simulate the exact situation, in this study, we have developed a real-time observable biofilm model and a new detection method based on it, which we call the CoMIC method. Findings have shown that the NET1 peptide with D-leucine amino acid in its structure and the NET3 peptide with D-arginine amino acid in its structure are effective in inhibiting biofilm. As a conclusion, our peptides can be considered as potential next-generation broad-spectrum antibiotic molecule/drug candidates that might be used in biofilm and clinical important bacteria. KEY POINTS: • Antimicrobial peptides were developed to inhibit both biofilms producing bacteria and the biofilm itself. • CoMIC will fill a very crucial gap in understanding biofilms and conducting the necessary quantitative studies. • Molecular modelling studies, NET1 peptide molecules tends to move towards and adhere to the membrane within nanoseconds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuba Polat
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - İrem Soyhan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sinan Cebeci
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tuğba Arzu Özal İldeniz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Özgül Gök
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Merve Açıkel Elmas
- Department of Histology and Embriology, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Erkan Mozioğlu
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Nihan Ünübol
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Medical Laboratory Techniques, Vocational School of Health Services, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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26
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Huang X, Mao W, Yi Y, Lu Y, Liu F, Deng L. The effects of four paralogous piscidin antimicrobial peptides on the chemotaxis, macrophage respiratory burst, phagocytosis and expression of immune-related genes in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coicodes). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 154:105144. [PMID: 38316232 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an essential part of the vertebrate innate immune system. Piscidins are a family of AMPs specific in fish. In our previous investigation, we identified four paralogous genes of piscidins in the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coicodes), which exhibited distinct activities against bacteria, fungi, and parasitic ciliated protozoa. Piscidins demonstrated their capability to modulate the expression of diverse immune-related genes; however, their precise immunoregulatory functions remain largely unexplored. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory properties of putative mature peptides derived from four E. coicodes piscidins (ecPis1S, ecPis2S, ecPis3S, and ecPis4S) in head kidney leukocytes (HKLs) or monocytes/macrophages (MO/MΦ)-like cells isolated from E. coicodes. Our data demonstrate that E. coicodes piscidins exhibit immunomodulatory activities supported by multiple lines of evidence. Firstly, all four piscidins displayed chemotactic activities towards HKLs, with the most potent chemotactic activity observed in ecPis2S. Secondly, stimulation with E. coicodes piscidins enhanced respiratory burst and phagocytic activity in MO/MФ-like cells, with ecPis3S showing the highest efficacy in increasing phagocytosis of MO/MΦ-like cells. Thirdly, mRNA expression levels of chemokine receptors, Toll-like receptors, T cell receptors, and proinflammatory cytokines were modulated to varying extents by the four piscidins in E. coicodes HKLs. Overall, our findings indicate that the immunological activities of these four paralogous piscidins from E. coicodes are exhibited in a paralog-specific and concentration-dependent manner, highlighting their distinct and versatile immunomodulatory properties. This study makes a significant contribution to the field of fish AMPs immunology by elucidating the novel mechanisms through which members of the piscidin family exert their immunomodulatory effects. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for further exploration of fish immunomodulating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiazi Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wei Mao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yonghao Yi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yubin Lu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Feihong Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Li Deng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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27
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Schaefer S, Melodia D, Corrigan N, Lenardon MD, Boyer C. Effect of Star Topology Versus Linear Polymers on Antifungal Activity and Mammalian Cell Toxicity. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300452. [PMID: 38009827 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The global increase in invasive fungal infections and the emergence of drug-resistant strains demand the urgent development of novel antifungal drugs. In this context, synthetic polymers with diverse compositions, mimicking natural antimicrobial peptides, have shown promising potential for combating fungal infections. This study investigates how altering polymer end-groups and topology from linear to branched star-like structures affects their efficacy against Candida spp., including clinical isolates. Additionally, the polymers' biocompatibility is accessed with murine embryonic fibroblasts and red blood cells in vitro. Notably, a low-molecular weight star polymer outperforms both its linear polymeric counterparts and amphotericin B (AmpB) in terms of an improved therapeutic index and reduced haemolytic activity, despite a higher minimum inhibitory concentration against Candida albicans (C. albicans) SC5314 (16-32 µg mL-1 vs 1 µg mL-1 for AmpB). These findings demonstrate the potential of synthetic polymers with diverse topologies as promising candidates for antifungal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schaefer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Daniele Melodia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Megan Denise Lenardon
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
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Hu J, Li S, Miao M, Li F. Characterization of the antibacterial and opsonic functions of the antimicrobial peptide LvCrustinVI from Litopenaeus vannamei. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 154:105146. [PMID: 38316231 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Microbial drug resistance is becoming increasingly severe due to antibiotic abuse. The development and utilization of antimicrobial peptides is one of the important ways to solve this difficult problem. Crustins are a family of antimicrobial peptides that play important roles in the innate immune system of crustaceans. Several types of crustins exist in shrimp and their activities vary greatly. In the present study, we studied the immune function of one newly identified crustin and found that the type VI crustin encoding gene in Litopenaeus vannamei (LvCrustinVI) was mainly expressed in gills. Its expression was significantly up-regulated after Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection and knockdown of the gene promoted Vibrio proliferation in the hepatopancreas of shrimp, indicating that LvCrustinVI was involved in pathogens infection. The recombinant LvCrustinVI (rLvCrustinVI) showed strong inhibitory activities against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and exhibited binding activities with the bacteria and bacterial polysaccharides including Glu, LPS and PGN. In the presence of Ca2+, rLvCrustinVI showed a strong agglutination effect on V. parahaemolyticus and could significantly enhance the phagocytic ability of shrimp hemocytes against V. parahaemolyticus. In conclusion, LvCrustinVI played important roles as antimicrobial peptide and opsonin in the innate immune defense of L. vannamei. The study enriched our understanding of the functional activity of Crustin and provides an important basis for the development and utilization of antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Shihao Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Miao Miao
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Fuhua Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; The Innovation of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Zhou M, Liu L, Cong Z, Jiang W, Xiao X, Xie J, Luo Z, Chen S, Wu Y, Xue X, Shao N, Liu R. A dual-targeting antifungal is effective against multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogens. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1325-1339. [PMID: 38589468 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01662-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Drug-resistant fungal infections pose a significant threat to human health. Dual-targeting compounds, which have multiple targets on a single pathogen, offer an effective approach to combat drug-resistant pathogens, although ensuring potent activity and high selectivity remains a challenge. Here we propose a dual-targeting strategy for designing antifungal compounds. We incorporate DNA-binding naphthalene groups as the hydrophobic moieties into the host defence peptide-mimicking poly(2-oxazoline)s. This resulted in a compound, (Gly0.8Nap0.2)20, which targets both the fungal membrane and DNA. This compound kills clinical strains of multidrug-resistant fungi including Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii and Aspergillus fumigatus. (Gly0.8Nap0.2)20 shows superior performance compared with amphotericin B by showing not only potent antifungal activities but also high antifungal selectivity. The compound also does not induce antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, (Gly0.8Nap0.2)20 exhibits promising in vivo therapeutic activities against drug-resistant Candida albicans in mouse models of skin abrasion, corneal infection and systemic infection. This study shows that dual-targeting antifungal compounds may be effective in combating drug-resistant fungal pathogens and mitigating fungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Longqiang Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihao Cong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Weinan Jiang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ximian Xiao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayang Xie
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengjie Luo
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueming Wu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinying Xue
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Ning Shao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
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30
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Chen C, Shi J, Wang D, Kong P, Wang Z, Liu Y. Antimicrobial peptides as promising antibiotic adjuvants to combat drug-resistant pathogens. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:267-284. [PMID: 36890767 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2186215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
The widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR) calls for the development of new antimicrobial strategies. Antibiotic adjuvant rescues antibiotic activity and increases the life span of the antibiotics, representing a more productive, timely, and cost-effective strategy in fighting drug-resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from synthetic and natural sources are considered new-generation antibacterial agents. Besides their direct antimicrobial activity, growing evidence shows that some AMPs effectively enhance the activity of conventional antibiotics. The combinations of AMPs and antibiotics display an improved therapeutic effect on antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and minimize the emergence of resistance. In this review, we discuss the value of AMPs in the age of resistance, including modes of action, limiting evolutionary resistance, and their designing strategies. We summarise the recent advances in combining AMPs and antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant pathogens, as well as their synergistic mechanisms. Lastly, we highlight the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of AMPs as potential antibiotic adjuvants. This will shed new light on the deployment of synergistic combinations to address the AMR crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Dejuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Pan Kong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Chaudhary S, Ali Z, Mahfouz M. Molecular farming for sustainable production of clinical-grade antimicrobial peptides. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024. [PMID: 38685599 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as next-generation therapeutics due to their broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant bacterial strains and their ability to eradicate biofilms, modulate immune responses, exert anti-inflammatory effects and improve disease management. They are produced through solid-phase peptide synthesis or in bacterial or yeast cells. Molecular farming, i.e. the production of biologics in plants, offers a low-cost, non-toxic, scalable and simple alternative platform to produce AMPs at a sustainable cost. In this review, we discuss the advantages of molecular farming for producing clinical-grade AMPs, advances in expression and purification systems and the cost advantage for industrial-scale production. We further review how 'green' production is filling the sustainability gap, streamlining patent and regulatory approvals and enabling successful clinical translations that demonstrate the future potential of AMPs produced by molecular farming. Finally, we discuss the regulatory challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of molecular farming-based AMP production for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Chaudhary
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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32
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Cresti L, Cappello G, Pini A. Antimicrobial Peptides towards Clinical Application-A Long History to Be Concluded. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4870. [PMID: 38732089 PMCID: PMC11084544 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules with an amphipathic structure that enables them to interact with bacterial membranes. This interaction can lead to membrane crossing and disruption with pore formation, culminating in cell death. They are produced naturally in various organisms, including humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. In higher animals, they are part of the innate immune system, where they counteract infection by bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. AMPs can also be designed de novo by bioinformatic approaches or selected from combinatorial libraries, and then produced by chemical or recombinant procedures. Since their discovery, AMPs have aroused interest as potential antibiotics, although few have reached the market due to stability limits or toxicity. Here, we describe the development phase and a number of clinical trials of antimicrobial peptides. We also provide an update on AMPs in the pharmaceutical industry and an overall view of their therapeutic market. Modifications to peptide structures to improve stability in vivo and bioavailability are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cresti
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Giovanni Cappello
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Alessandro Pini
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
- SetLance srl, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Larwood DJ, Stevens DA. Antifungal Activity of Brilacidin, a Nonpeptide Host Defense Molecule. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:405. [PMID: 38786134 PMCID: PMC11117233 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural host defensins, also sometimes termed antimicrobial peptides, are evolutionarily conserved. They have been studied as antimicrobials, but some pharmaceutical properties, undesirable for clinical use, have led to the development of synthetic molecules with constructed peptide arrangements and/or peptides not found in nature. The leading development currently is synthetic small-molecule nonpeptide mimetics, whose physical properties capture the characteristics of the natural molecules and share their biological attributes. We studied brilacidin, an arylamide of this type, for its activity in vitro against fungi (40 clinical isolates, 20 species) that the World Health Organization has highlighted as problem human pathogens. We found antifungal activity at low concentrations for many pathogens, which indicates that further screening for activity, particularly in vivo, is justified to evaluate this compound, and other mimetics, as attractive leads for the development of effective antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Larwood
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA;
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
- Valley Fever Solutions, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - David A. Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Feng J, Sun M, Liu C, Zhang W, Xu C, Wang J, Wang G, Wan S. SAMP: Identifying Antimicrobial Peptides by an Ensemble Learning Model Based on Proportionalized Split Amino Acid Composition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.590553. [PMID: 38712184 PMCID: PMC11071531 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.590553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
It is projected that 10 million deaths could be attributed to drug-resistant bacteria infections in 2050. To address this concern, identifying new-generation antibiotics is an effective way. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a class of innate immune effectors, have received significant attention for their capacity to eliminate drug-resistant pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Recent years have witnessed widespread applications of computational methods especially machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) for discovering AMPs. However, existing methods only use features including compositional, physiochemical, and structural properties of peptides, which cannot fully capture sequence information from AMPs. Here, we present SAMP, an ensemble random projection (RP) based computational model that leverages a new type of features called Proportionalized Split Amino Acid Composition (PSAAC) in addition to conventional sequence-based features for AMP prediction. With this new feature set, SAMP captures the residue patterns like sorting signals at around both the N-terminus and the C-terminus, while also retaining the sequence order information from the middle peptide fragments. Benchmarking tests on different balanced and imbalanced datasets demonstrate that SAMP consistently outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods, such as iAMPpred and AMPScanner V2, in terms of accuracy, MCC, G-measure and F1-score. In addition, by leveraging an ensemble RP architecture, SAMP is scalable to processing large-scale AMP identification with further performance improvement, compared to those models without RP. To facilitate the use of SAMP, we have developed a Python package freely available at https://github.com/wan-mlab/SAMP .
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Souza T, Mello E, Taveira G, Moreira F, Seabra S, Carvalho A, Gomes V. Synergistic action of synthetic peptides and amphotericin B causes disruption of the plasma membrane and cell wall in Candida albicans. Biosci Rep 2024; 44:BSR20232075. [PMID: 38563086 PMCID: PMC11016531 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20232075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this work was to evaluate the combination of synthetic peptides based on the γ-core motif of defensin PvD1 with amphotericin B (AmB) at different concentrations against Candida albicans. We applied the checkerboard assay using different concentrations of the commercial drug AmB and the synthetic peptides γ31-45PvD1++ and γ33-41PvD1++ against C. albicans, aiming to find combinations with synergistic interactions. Between these two interactions involving γ31-45PvD1++ and AmB, an additive effect was observed. One such interaction occurred at concentrations of 0.009 µM of peptide γ31-45PvD1++ and 13.23 µM of AmB and another condition of 0.019 µM of peptide γ31-45PvD1++ and 6.61 µM of AmB. The other two concentrations of the interaction showed a synergistic effect in the combination of synthetic peptide γ31-45PvD1++ and AmB, where the concentrations were 1.40 µM peptide γ31-45PvD1++ and 0.004 µM AmB and 0.70 µM γ31-45PvD1++ peptide and 0.002 µM AmB. We proceeded with analysis of the mechanism of action involving synergistic effects. This examination unveiled a range of impactful outcomes, including the impairment of mitochondrial functionality, compromise of cell wall integrity, DNA degradation, and a consequential decline in cell viability. We also observed that both synergistic combinations were capable of causing damage to the plasma membrane and cell wall, causing leakage of intracellular components. This discovery demonstrates for the first time that the synergistic combinations found between the synthetic peptide γ31-45PvD1++ and AmB have an antifungal effect against C. albicans, acting on the integrity of the plasma membrane and cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayna A.M. Souza
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Erica O. Mello
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriel B. Taveira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Felipe F. Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sergio Henrique Seabra
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - André O. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Valdirene M. Gomes
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
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Chen J, Wang W, Hu X, Yue Y, Lu X, Wang C, Wei B, Zhang H, Wang H. Medium-sized peptides from microbial sources with potential for antibacterial drug development. Nat Prod Rep 2024. [PMID: 38651516 DOI: 10.1039/d4np00002a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Covering: 1993 to the end of 2022As the rapid development of antibiotic resistance shrinks the number of clinically available antibiotics, there is an urgent need for novel options to fill the existing antibiotic pipeline. In recent years, antimicrobial peptides have attracted increased interest due to their impressive broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and low probability of antibiotic resistance. However, macromolecular antimicrobial peptides of plant and animal origin face obstacles in antibiotic development because of their extremely short elimination half-life and poor chemical stability. Herein, we focus on medium-sized antibacterial peptides (MAPs) of microbial origin with molecular weights below 2000 Da. The low molecular weight is not sufficient to form complex protein conformations and is also associated to a better chemical stability and easier modifications. Microbially-produced peptides are often composed of a variety of non-protein amino acids and terminal modifications, which contribute to improving the elimination half-life of compounds. Therefore, MAPs have great potential for drug discovery and are likely to become key players in the development of next-generation antibiotics. In this review, we provide a detailed exploration of the modes of action demonstrated by 45 MAPs and offer a concise summary of the structure-activity relationships observed in these MAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xubin Hu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yujie Yue
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xingyue Lu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Chenjie Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Bin Wei
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Huawei Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Hong Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
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Qi C, Sun Q, Xiao D, Zhang M, Gao S, Guo B, Lin Y. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids/hyaluronic acid-methacrylic anhydride hybrid hydrogel with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties for infected wound healing. Int J Oral Sci 2024; 16:30. [PMID: 38622128 PMCID: PMC11018755 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-024-00290-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial resistance and excessive inflammation are common issues that hinder wound healing. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a promising and versatile antibacterial option compared to traditional antibiotics, with additional anti-inflammatory properties. However, the applications of AMPs are limited by their antimicrobial effects and stability against bacterial degradation. TFNAs are regarded as a promising drug delivery platform that could enhance the antibacterial properties and stability of nanodrugs. Therefore, in this study, a composite hydrogel (HAMA/t-GL13K) was prepared via the photocross-linking method, in which tFNAs carry GL13K. The hydrogel was injectable, biocompatible, and could be instantly photocured. It exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors and scavenging ROS. Thereby, the hydrogel inhibited bacterial infection, shortened the wound healing time of skin defects in infected skin full-thickness defect wound models and reduced scarring. The constructed HAMA/tFNA-AMPs hydrogels exhibit the potential for clinical use in treating microbial infections and promoting wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials, Chengdu, China
| | - Dexuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shaojingya Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Guo
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Yunfeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials, Chengdu, China.
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Mangoni ML, Loffredo MR, Casciaro B, Ferrera L, Cappiello F. An Overview of Frog Skin-Derived Esc Peptides: Promising Multifunctional Weapons against Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Induced Pulmonary and Ocular Surface Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4400. [PMID: 38673985 PMCID: PMC11049899 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a silent pandemic harming human health, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacterium responsible for chronic pulmonary and eye infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. In this review, the in vitro/in vivo activities of the frog skin-derived AMP Esc(1-21) are shown. Esc(1-21) rapidly kills both the planktonic and sessile forms of P. aeruginosa and stimulates migration of epithelial cells, likely favoring repair of damaged tissue. However, to undertake preclinical studies, some drawbacks of AMPs (cytotoxicity, poor biostability, and limited delivery to the target site) must be overcome. For this purpose, the stereochemistry of two amino acids of Esc(1-21) was changed to obtain the diastereomer Esc(1-21)-1c, which is more stable, less cytotoxic, and more efficient in treating P. aeruginosa-induced lung and cornea infections in mouse models. Incorporation of these peptides (Esc peptides) into nanoparticles or immobilization to a medical device (contact lens) was revealed to be an effective strategy to ameliorate and/or to prolong the peptides' antimicrobial efficacy. Overall, these data make Esc peptides encouraging candidates for novel multifunctional drugs to treat lung pathology especially in patients with cystic fibrosis and eye dysfunctions, characterized by both tissue injury and bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Loretta Ferrera
- UOC Genetica Medica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Fang P, Yu S, Ma X, Hou L, Li T, Gao K, Wang Y, Sun Q, Shang L, Liu Q, Nie M, Yang J. Applications of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in antimicrobial peptides field: Current state and new applications. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28484. [PMID: 38601527 PMCID: PMC11004759 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a group of small molecular peptides that exhibit a wide range of antimicrobial activity. These peptides are abundantly present in the innate immune system of various organisms. Given the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria, microbiological studies have identified AMPs as potential natural antibiotics. In the context of antimicrobial resistance across various human pathogens, AMPs hold considerable promise for clinical applications. However, numerous challenges exist in the detection of AMPs, particularly by immunological and molecular biological methods, especially when studying of newly discovered AMPs in proteomics. This review outlines the current status of AMPs research and the strategies employed in their development, considering resent discoveries and methodologies. Subsequently, we focus on the advanced techniques of mass spectrometry for the quantification of AMPs in diverse samples, and analyzes their application, advantages, and limitations. Additionally, we propose suggestions for the future development of tandem mass spectrometry for the detection of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Fang
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Songlin Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Lian Hou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Tiewei Li
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Kaijie Gao
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Yingyuan Wang
- Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Qianqian Sun
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Lujun Shang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550004, PR China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Manjie Nie
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Junmei Yang
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
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Yang H, Wang J, Wang X, Wang S, Xu J, Shan Q, Wang J, Ma X, Zhu Y. Nanofiber Peptides for Bacterial Trapping: A Novel Approach to Antibiotic Alternatives in Wound Infections. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2304657. [PMID: 38607802 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202304657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The pervasive employment of antibiotics has engendered the advent of drug-resistant bacteria, imperiling the well-being and health of both humans and animals. Infections precipitated by such multi-resistant bacteria, especially those induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), pervade hospital settings, constituting a grave menace to patient vitality. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have garnered considerable attention as a potent countermeasure against multidrug resistant bacteria. In preceding research endeavors, an insect-derived antimicrobial peptide is identified that, while possessing antimicrobial attributes, manifested suboptimal efficacy against drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. To ameliorate this issue, this work enhances the antimicrobial capabilities of the initial β-hairpin AMPs by substituting the structural sequence of the original AMPs with variant lengths of hydrophobic amino acid-hydrophilic amino acid repeat units. Throughout this endeavor, this work has identified a number of peptides that possess highly effective antibacterial characteristics against a wide range of bacteria. Additionally, some of these peptides have the ability to self-assemble into nanofibers, which then build networks in a distinctive manner to capture bacteria. Consequently, they represent prospective antibiotic alternatives for addressing wound infections engendered by drug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiufeng Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, 572025, China
| | - Xue Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jieru Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiang Shan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yaohong Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, 572025, China
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Chiramba C, Möller DS, Lorenz CD, Chirombo RR, Mason AJ, Bester MJ, Gaspar ARM. Tryptophan End-Tagging Confers Antifungal Activity on a Tick-Derived Peptide by Triggering Reactive Oxygen Species Production. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:15556-15572. [PMID: 38585074 PMCID: PMC10993377 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
WHO has identified several Candida species including Candida albicans as critical priority fungal pathogens due to greater infection prevalence and formation of recalcitrant biofilms. Novel antifungal agents are urgently needed, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being considered as potential alternatives, but inactivity in physiological salt environments, serum, and plasma often limits further therapeutic development. Tryptophan end-tagging is a strategy to overcome these limitations and is thought to selectively enhance membrane permeabilization in both fungal and bacterial plasma membranes. Here, we show that C-terminal tryptophan end-tagging of the tick-derived peptide Os-C transforms an inactive peptide into Os-C(W5), an antifungal peptide capable of preventing the formation of C. albicans biofilms. Mechanistic insight is provided by circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, which demonstrate that tryptophan end-tagging alters the secondary structure of Os-C, while the latter reveals that end-tagging reduces interactions with, and insertion into, a model C. albicans membrane but promotes peptide aggregation on its surface. Interestingly, this leads to the induction of reactive oxygen species production rather than membrane permeabilization, and consequently, oxidative stress leads to cell wall damage. Os-C(W5) does not induce the hemolysis of human erythrocytes. Reduced cell adhesion and viability contribute to decreased biofilm extracellular matrix formation which, although reduced, is retained in the serum-containing medium. In this study, tryptophan end-tagging was identified as a promising strategy for enhancing the antifungal activity, including the biofilm inhibitory activity of Os-C against C. albicans in physiological salt environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Court
K. Chiramba
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Dalton S. Möller
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | | | - Rumbidzai R. Chirombo
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - A. James Mason
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
| | - Megan J. Bester
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Anabella R. M. Gaspar
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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42
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Bui Thi Phuong H, Doan Ngan H, Le Huy B, Vu Dinh H, Luong Xuan H. The amphipathic design in helical antimicrobial peptides. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300480. [PMID: 38408263 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Amphipathicity is a critical characteristic of helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The hydrophilic region, primarily composed of cationic residues, plays a pivotal role in the initial binding to negatively charged components on bacterial membranes through electrostatic interactions. Subsequently, the hydrophobic region interacts with hydrophobic components, inducing membrane perturbation, ultimately leading to cell death, or inhibiting intracellular function. Due to the extensive diversity of natural and synthetic AMPs with regard to the design of amphipathicity, it is complicated to study the structure-activity relationships. Therefore, this work aims to categorize the common amphipathic design and investigate their impact on the biological properties of AMPs. Besides, the connection between current structural modification approaches and amphipathic styles was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hoa Doan Ngan
- Faculty of Medical Technology, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
| | - Binh Le Huy
- Center for High Technology Development, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, 11307, Vietnam
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Hoang Vu Dinh
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Huy Luong Xuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
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43
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Mulukutla A, Shreshtha R, Kumar Deb V, Chatterjee P, Jain U, Chauhan N. Recent advances in antimicrobial peptide-based therapy. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107151. [PMID: 38359706 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107151] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a group of polypeptide chains that have the property to target and kill a myriad of microbial organisms including viruses, bacteria, protists, etc. The first discovered AMP was named gramicidin, an extract of aerobic soil bacteria. Further studies discovered that these peptides are present not only in prokaryotes but in eukaryotes as well. They play a vital role in human innate immunity and wound repair. Consequently, they have maintained a high level of intrigue among scientists in the field of immunology, especially so with the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens decreasing the reliability of antibiotics in healthcare. While AMPs have promising potential to substitute for common antibiotics, their use as effective replacements is barred by certain limitations. First, they have the potential to be cytotoxic to human cells. Second, they are unstable in the blood due to action by various proteolytic agents and ions that cause their degradation. This review provides an overview of the mechanism of AMPs, their limitations, and developments in recent years that provide techniques to overcome those limitations. We also discuss the advantages and drawbacks of AMPs as a replacement for antibiotics as compared to other alternatives such as synthetically modified bacteriophages, traditional medicine, and probiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Mulukutla
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Romi Shreshtha
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Vishal Kumar Deb
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Pallabi Chatterjee
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Utkarsh Jain
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Nidhi Chauhan
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India.
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Yang L, Gao Y, Zhang J, Tian C, Lin F, Song D, Zhou L, Peng J, Guo G. Antimicrobial peptide DvAMP combats carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 63:107106. [PMID: 38325724 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107106] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), an important opportunistic pathogen, is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections. The polymyxins (colistin and polymyxin B) are the last line of defense in the treatment of CRAB infections, and there is an urgent need to develop novel alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we found that the antimicrobial peptide DvAMP exhibited satisfactory antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against CRAB. In addition, DvAMP showed tolerable stability in salt ions and serum and exhibited low toxicity in vivo. Investigation of the underlying mechanism demonstrated that DvAMP disrupts cell membrane structural integrity and specifically binds to exogenous lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and phospholipids (PG/CL), resulting in increased membrane permeability and dissipating proton motive force (PMF), further reducing intracellular ATP levels and inducing ROS accumulation, leading to bacterial death. Furthermore, DvAMP therapy efficiently improved survival rates and decreased the bacterial load in the lungs of mice in a mouse pneumonia model, showing that DvAMP administration reduced CRAB susceptibility to lung infection. These results indicate that the peptide DvAMP is a promising alternative therapeutic agent to combat CRAB infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longbing Yang
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yongfei Gao
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chunren Tian
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Fei Lin
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Dongxu Song
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Luoxiong Zhou
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Guo Guo
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
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Wu Y, Liu P, Mehrjou B, Chu PK. Interdisciplinary-Inspired Smart Antibacterial Materials and Their Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305940. [PMID: 37469232 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of antibiotics has saved millions of lives, but the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become another problem in modern medicine. To avoid or reduce the overuse of antibiotics in antibacterial treatments, stimuli-responsive materials, pathogen-targeting nanoparticles, immunogenic nano-toxoids, and biomimetic materials are being developed to make sterilization better and smarter than conventional therapies. The common goal of smart antibacterial materials (SAMs) is to increase the antibiotic efficacy or function via an antibacterial mechanism different from that of antibiotics in order to increase the antibacterial and biological properties while reducing the risk of drug resistance. The research and development of SAMs are increasingly interdisciplinary because new designs require the knowledge of different fields and input/collaboration from scientists in different fields. A good understanding of energy conversion in materials, physiological characteristics in cells and bacteria, and bactericidal structures and components in nature are expected to promote the development of SAMs. In this review, the importance of multidisciplinary insights for SAMs is emphasized, and the latest advances in SAMs are categorized and discussed according to the pertinent disciplines including materials science, physiology, and biomimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzheng Wu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Babak Mehrjou
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Paul K Chu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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46
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Rochard C, Bigot J, Balloy V, Hennequin C, Guitard J. [Antimicrobial peptides: A new alternative for the treatment of aspergillosis]. Rev Mal Respir 2024; 41:283-288. [PMID: 38458868 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmr.2024.02.011] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the predominant fungal species causing pulmonary aspergillosis. The present-day anti-aspergillosis arsenal is limited, with a number of molecules occasioning severe side effects (amphotericin B) or provoking significant drug interactions (azole derivatives). Moreover, the recent emergence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains is a cause for concern. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach and alternative or complement to conventional antifungals.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Rochard
- Sorbonne université, Inserm, centre de recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
| | - J Bigot
- Service de parasitologie-mycologie, hôpital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, 75012 Paris, France
| | - V Balloy
- Sorbonne université, Inserm, centre de recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
| | - C Hennequin
- Service de parasitologie-mycologie, hôpital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, 75012 Paris, France
| | - J Guitard
- Service de parasitologie-mycologie, hôpital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, 75012 Paris, France.
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47
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Schwaderer AL, Rajadhyaksha E, Canas J, Saxena V, Hains DS. Intercalated cell function, kidney innate immunity, and urinary tract infections. Pflugers Arch 2024; 476:565-578. [PMID: 38227050 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02905-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Intercalated cells (ICs) in the kidney collecting duct have a versatile role in acid-base and electrolyte regulation along with the host immune defense. Located in the terminal kidney tubule segment, ICs are among the first kidney cells to encounter bacteria when bacteria ascend from the bladder into the kidney. ICs have developed several mechanisms to combat bacterial infections of the kidneys. For example, ICs produce antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which have direct bactericidal activity, and in many cases are upregulated in response to infections. Some AMP genes with IC-specific kidney expression are multiallelic, and having more copies of the gene confers increased resistance to bacterial infections of the kidney and urinary tract. Similarly, studies in human children demonstrate that those with history of UTIs are more likely to have single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IC-expressed AMP genes that impair the AMP's bactericidal activity. In murine models, depleted or impaired ICs result in decreased clearance of bacterial load following transurethral challenge with uropathogenic E. coli. A 2021 study demonstrated that ICs even act as phagocytes and acidify bacteria within phagolysosomes. Several immune signaling pathways have been identified in ICs which may represent future therapeutic targets in managing kidney infections or inflammation. This review's objective is to highlight IC structure and function with an emphasis on current knowledge of IC's diverse innate immune capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Schwaderer
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Evan Rajadhyaksha
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Jorge Canas
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Vijay Saxena
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - David S Hains
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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Zhang T, Liu Z, Zhi Y, Zhao X, Du M, Zhang Q, Zhang T, Hu G. Cecropin AD reduces viral load and inflammatory response against H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1369863. [PMID: 38605918 PMCID: PMC11008598 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1369863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study focuses on evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of cecropin AD, an antimicrobial peptide, against H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) in chickens. Given the global impact of H9N2 AIV on poultry health, identifying effective treatments is crucial. Methods To assess the impact of cecropin AD, we conducted in vivo experiments involving 108 5-week-old chickens divided into control, infected, and various treatment groups based on cecropin AD dosage levels (high, medium, and low). The methodologies included hemagglutination (HA) tests for viral titers, histopathological examination and toluidine blue (TB) staining for lung pathology, real-time PCR for viral detection, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for measuring serum levels of inflammatory markers. Results The findings revealed that cecropin AD substantially reduced lung pathology and viral load, especially at higher dosages, comparing favorably with the effects seen from conventional treatments. Moreover, cecropin AD effectively modulated mast cell activity and the levels of inflammatory markers such as IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and 5-HT, indicating its potential to diminish inflammation and viral spread. Discussion Cecropin AD presents a significant potential as an alternative treatment for H9N2 AIV in chickens, as evidenced by its ability to lessen lung damage, decrease viral presence, and adjust immune responses. This positions cecropin AD as a promising candidate for further exploration in the management of H9N2 AIV infections in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ge Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
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Shankar J, Thakur R, Clemons KV, Stevens DA. Interplay of Cytokines and Chemokines in Aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:251. [PMID: 38667922 PMCID: PMC11051073 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by various species of Aspergillus, most notably A. fumigatus. This fungus causes a spectrum of diseases, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and invasive aspergillosis. The clinical manifestations and severity of aspergillosis can vary depending on individual immune status and the specific species of Aspergillus involved. The recognition of Aspergillus involves pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as glucan, galactomannan, mannose, and conidial surface proteins. These are recognized by the pathogen recognition receptors present on immune cells such as Toll-like receptors (TLR-1,2,3,4, etc.) and C-type lectins (Dectin-1 and Dectin-2). We discuss the roles of cytokines and pathogen recognition in aspergillosis from both the perspective of human and experimental infection. Several cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in the immune response to Aspergillus infection, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), CCR4, CCR17, and other interleukins. For example, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by Th2 and Th9 cell-type immunity and involves interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-10. In contrast, it has been observed that invasive aspergillosis involves Th1 and Th17 cell-type immunity via IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17. These cytokines activate various immune cells and stimulate the production of other immune molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species, which aid in the clearance of the fungal pathogen. Moreover, they help to initiate and coordinate the immune response, recruit immune cells to the site of infection, and promote clearance of the fungus. Insight into the host response from both human and animal studies may aid in understanding the immune response in aspergillosis, possibly leading to harnessing the power of cytokines or cytokine (receptor) antagonists and transforming them into precise immunotherapeutic strategies. This could advance personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India;
| | - Karl V. Clemons
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David A. Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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50
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Ding X, Lan W, Li J, Deng M, Li Y, Katayama Y, Gu JD. Metagenomic insight into the pathogenic-related characteristics and resistome profiles within microbiome residing on the Angkor sandstone monuments in Cambodia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170402. [PMID: 38307295 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
To reveal the characteristics of indigenous microbiome including the pathogenic-related ones on Angkor monuments in Cambodia and the distribution pattern of resistome at different locations, several sites, namely Angkor Wat, Bayon of Angkor Thom, and Prasat Preah Vihear with different exposure levels to tourists were selected to conduct the metagenomic analysis in this study. The general characteristics of the microbiome on these monuments were revealed, and the association between the environmental geo-ecological feature and the indigenous microbiome was delineated. The most common microbial groups included 6 phyla, namely Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospirae, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia on the monuments, but Firmicutes and Chlamydiae were the most dominant phyla found in bats droppings. The taxonomic family of Chitinophagaceae could serve as a signature microbial group for Preah Vihear, the less visited site. More importantly, the pathogenic-related characteristics of the microbiome residing on Angkor monuments were uncovered. A set of specific antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) with cross-niches dispersal capacity (between the environmental microbiome and the microbiome within warm blood fauna) was identified to be high by the source tracking analysis based on ARGs profile varies in this study. Among the 10 ARG-types detected in this study, 6 of them are confined to resistance mechanism of antibiotic efflux-pump. The findings of this study provide new a new direction on public health management and implication globally at archaeological sites for tourism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinghua Ding
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China; School of History and Culture, Hunan Normal University, 36 Lushan Road, Changsha 410000, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wensheng Lan
- Shenzhen R&D Key Laboratory of Alien Pest Detection Technology, The Shenzhen Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Food Inspection and Quarantine Center of Shenzhen Custom, 1011 Fuqiang Road, Shenzhen 518045, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Li
- School of Food and Biotechnology, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic, Guangzhou 510300, People's Republic of China
| | - Maocheng Deng
- School of Food and Biotechnology, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic, Guangzhou 510300, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiliang Li
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yoko Katayama
- Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, 13-43 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8713, Japan
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Environmental Science and Engineering Research Group, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, People's Republic of China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials and Technologies for Energy Conversion, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, People's Republic of China.
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