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Zhou L, Meng G, Zhu L, Ma L, Chen K. Insect Antimicrobial Peptides as Guardians of Immunity and Beyond: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3835. [PMID: 38612644 PMCID: PMC11011964 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073835] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as immune effectors synthesized by a variety of organisms, not only constitute a robust defense mechanism against a broad spectrum of pathogens in the host but also show promising applications as effective antimicrobial agents. Notably, insects are significant reservoirs of natural AMPs. However, the complex array of variations in types, quantities, antimicrobial activities, and production pathways of AMPs, as well as evolution of AMPs across insect species, presents a significant challenge for immunity system understanding and AMP applications. This review covers insect AMP discoveries, classification, common properties, and mechanisms of action. Additionally, the types, quantities, and activities of immune-related AMPs in each model insect are also summarized. We conducted the first comprehensive investigation into the diversity, distribution, and evolution of 20 types of AMPs in model insects, employing phylogenetic analysis to describe their evolutionary relationships and shed light on conserved and distinctive AMP families. Furthermore, we summarize the regulatory pathways of AMP production through classical signaling pathways and additional pathways associated with Nitric Oxide, insulin-like signaling, and hormones. This review advances our understanding of AMPs as guardians in insect immunity systems and unlocks a gateway to insect AMP resources, facilitating the use of AMPs to address food safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhou
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Guanliang Meng
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, 53113 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Ling Zhu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China;
| | - Li Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030810, China
| | - Kangkang Chen
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
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Sinha B, Choudhury Y. Revisiting edible insects as sources of therapeutics and drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1345281. [PMID: 38370484 PMCID: PMC10869617 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1345281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer has been medicine's most formidable foe for long, and the rising incidence of the disease globally has made effective cancer therapy a significant challenge. Drug discovery is targeted at identifying efficacious compounds with minimal side effects and developments in nanotechnology and immunotherapy have shown promise in the fight against this complicated illness. Since ancient times, insects and insect-derived products have played a significant role in traditional medicine across several communities worldwide. The aim of this study was to inspect the traditional use of edible insects in various cultures and to explore their modern use in cancer therapy. Edible insects are sources of nutrients and a variety of beneficial substances with anticancer and immunomodulatory potential. Recently, insect derived bioactive-components have also been used as nanoparticles either in combination with chemotherapeutics or as a nano-cargo for the enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs due to their high biocompatibility, low bio-toxicity, and their antioxidant and anticancer effects. The crude extracts of different edible insects and their active components such as sericin, cecropin, solenopsin, melittin, antimicrobial peptides and fibroin produce anti-cancer and immunomodulatory effects by various mechanisms which have been discussed in this review.
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Liu Q, Wang L, He D, Wu Y, Liu X, Yang Y, Chen Z, Dong Z, Luo Y, Song Y. Application Value of Antimicrobial Peptides in Gastrointestinal Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16718. [PMID: 38069041 PMCID: PMC10706433 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancer is a common clinical malignant tumor disease that seriously endangers human health and lacks effective treatment methods. As part of the innate immune defense of many organisms, antimicrobial peptides not only have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity but also can specifically kill tumor cells. The positive charge of antimicrobial peptides under neutral conditions determines their high selectivity to tumor cells. In addition, antimicrobial peptides also have unique anticancer mechanisms, such as inducing apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle arrest, membrane destruction, and inhibition of metastasis, which highlights the low drug resistance and high specificity of antimicrobial peptides. In this review, we summarize the related studies on antimicrobial peptides in the treatment of digestive tract tumors, mainly oral cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. This paper describes the therapeutic advantages of antimicrobial peptides due to their unique anticancer mechanisms. The length, net charge, and secondary structure of antimicrobial peptides can be modified by design or modification to further enhance their anticancer effects. In summary, as an emerging cancer treatment drug, antimicrobial peptides need to be further studied to realize their application in gastrointestinal cancer diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Dongxia He
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yuewei Wu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xian Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yahan Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhizhi Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhan Dong
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Ying Luo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yuzhu Song
- College of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Medical College, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
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Ramos-Martín F, Herrera-León C, D'Amelio N. Bombyx mori Cecropin D could trigger cancer cell apoptosis by interacting with mitochondrial cardiolipin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184003. [PMID: 35850261 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cecropin D is an antimicrobial peptide from Bombyx mori displaying anticancer and pro-apoptotic activities and, together with Cecropin XJ and Cecropin A, one of the very few peptides targeting esophageal cancer. Cecropin D displays poor similarity to other cecropins but a remarkable similarity in the structure and activity spectrum with Cecropin A and Cecropin XJ, offering the possibility to highlight key motifs at the base of the biological activity. In this work we show by NMR and MD simulations that Cecropin D is partially structured in solution and stabilizes its two-helix folding upon interaction with biomimetic membranes. Simulations show that Cecropin D strongly interacts with the surface of cancer cell biomimetic bilayers where it recognises the phosphatidylserine headgroup often exposed in the outer leaflet of cancerous cells by means of specific salt bridges. Cecropin D is also able to penetrate deeply in bilayers containing cardiolipin, a phospholipid found in mitochondria, causing significant destabilization in the lipid packing which might account for its pro-apoptotic activity. In bacterial membranes, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine act synergically by electrostatically attracting cecropin D and providing access to the membrane core, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ramos-Martín
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire UMR 7025 CNRS, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens 80039, France.
| | - Claudia Herrera-León
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire UMR 7025 CNRS, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens 80039, France
| | - Nicola D'Amelio
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire UMR 7025 CNRS, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens 80039, France.
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Park SJ, Kim KY, Baik MY, Koh YH. Sericulture and the edible-insect industry can help humanity survive: insects are more than just bugs, food, or feed. Food Sci Biotechnol 2022; 31:657-668. [PMID: 35646418 PMCID: PMC9133288 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-022-01090-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The most serious threat which humans face is rapid global climate change, as the Earth shifts rapidly into a regime less hospitable to humans. To address the crisis caused by severe global climate change, it will be necessary to modify humankind's way of life. Because livestock production accounts for more than 14.5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is critical to reduce the dependence of humans on protein nutrients and calories obtained from livestock. One way to do so is to use insects as food. Compared with typical livestock, farming edible insects (or "mini-livestock") produce fewer GHG emissions, require less space and water, involve shorter life cycles, and have higher feed conversion rates. It has been recently reported that consumption of certain insects can prevent or treat human diseases. This review goes beyond entomophagy to entomotherapy and their application to the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kee-Young Kim
- National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-do Republic of Korea
| | - Moo-Yeol Baik
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Institute of Life Science and Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Innovation and Health, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ho Koh
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Hallym University Graduate School, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Republic of Korea
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Mahmoud S, Hassab El-Nabi S, Hawash A, El-Seedi HR, Khalifa SAM, Ullah S, Al-Sehemi AG, El-Garawani IM. Curcumin-Injected Musca domestica Larval Hemolymph: Cecropin Upregulation and Potential Anticancer Effect. Molecules 2022; 27:1570. [PMID: 35268671 PMCID: PMC8911634 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27051570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, much attention has been given to imply the natural products in cancer therapy alone or in combination with other established procedures. Insects have a rich history in traditional medicine across the globe, which holds promise for the future of natural product drug discovery. Cecropins, peptides produced by insects, are components of a defense system against infections and are well known to exert antimicrobial and antitumor capabilities. The present study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the role of curcumin in enhancing the anticancer effect of Musca domestica larval hemolymph. Third larval instars of M. domestica were injected with curcumin and the hemolymph was picked at 4, 8, and 24 h post-curcumin injection. M. domestica cecropin A (MdCecA) was evaluated in control and injected larval hemolymphs. The cytotoxicity on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and normal Vero cells was assessed to be comparable to control larval hemolymph. Curcumin-injected larval hemolymphs exhibited significant cytotoxicity with respect to the uninjected ones against MCF-7; however, Vero cells showed no cytotoxicity. The IC50 was 106 ± 2.9 and 388 ± 9.2 μg/mL for the hemolymphs of injected larvae at 4 and 8 h, respectively, while the control larval hemolymph revealed the IC50 of >500 μg/mL. For mechanistic anticancer evaluation, concentrations of 30, 60, and 100 μg/mL of curcumin-injected larval hemolymphs were examined. A significant G2/M cell cycle arrest was observed, confirming the anti-proliferative properties of hemolymphs over the tested concentrations. The MdCecA transcripts were significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated at 4 and 8 h post-injection, while a significant downregulation was observed after 24 h. Cecropin quantification by LC−MS revealed that MdCecA peptides have the highest expression in the hemolymph of the treated larvae at 8 h relative to the control group. The upregulation of cecropin expression at mRNA and protein levels may be attributed to the curcumin stimulation and linked to the increased cytotoxicity toward the cancer cell line. In conclusion, the results suggest that the apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects of M. domestica hemolymph on MCF-7 cells following the curcumin injection can be used as a natural candidate in future pharmaceutical industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaymaa Mahmoud
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt; (S.M.); (S.H.E.-N.); (A.H.)
| | - Sobhy Hassab El-Nabi
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt; (S.M.); (S.H.E.-N.); (A.H.)
| | - Asmaa Hawash
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt; (S.M.); (S.H.E.-N.); (A.H.)
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Dentistry, Sinai University, Ismailia 41632, Egypt
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Intelligent Agriculture and Agri-Products Processing, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Shaden A. M. Khalifa
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Sami Ullah
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia; (S.U.); (A.G.A.-S.)
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia; (S.U.); (A.G.A.-S.)
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Islam M. El-Garawani
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt; (S.M.); (S.H.E.-N.); (A.H.)
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Rezakhani L, Rahmati S, Ghasemi S, Alizadeh M, Alizadeh A. A comparative study of the effects of crab derived exosomes and doxorubicin in 2 & 3-dimensional in vivo models of breast cancer. Chem Phys Lipids 2022; 243:105179. [PMID: 35150707 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2022.105179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Using tissue engineering and modifying the tumor microenvironment, three-dimensional (3D) in vitro and in vivo cancer modeling can be performed with appropriate similarity to native. Exosomes derived from different sources have recently been used in cancer studies due to their anticancer effects. In this study, the effect of crab derived exosomes in 2 & 3-dimensional (2& 3D) in vivo models of breast cancer (BC) were investigated and compared with the doxorubicin (DOX). METHODS 2D and 3D models of BC were induced using the chitosan/β-glycerol phosphate hydrogel (Ch/β-GP) and 1 × 106 4T1 cells in the female mice aged 6-8 weeks. 1 mg/ml exosome and 5 mg/kg DOX were injected by intratumoral (IT), intravenous (IV), and intraperitoneal (IP) methods into mice on day 9, 13, and 17 with and without hydrogel as a drug delivery system. After 21 days, the mice were sacrificed, and the tissues (lung, liver, and tumor) were removed. The weight and size of the tumor were measured. Real-time PCR assessed changes of VEGF, Bcl2, and P53 genes expression levels. Nitric oxide (NO) secretion from the cancer 3D model was evaluated by Griess assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Based on the results, the size and weight of tumors in treated groups with exosomes and DOX were reduced significantly (P ≤ 0.001, P ≤ 0.002, P ≤ 0.02) in 2D and 3D models. Changes in VEGF, Bcl2 and P53 gene expression levels were less in the 3D model than in the 2D model. Drug delivery with hydrogel increased tumor inhibition compared to drug injection without hydrogel. Decreased NO secretion was observed in all treatment groups compared to the control group (untreated). Crab exosomes showed anti cancer effects on 2&3D models of BC. 3D model of BC showed greater drug resistance than the 2D model after treating with crab derived exosomes and DOX. 3D model of BC mimics native tumor better than 2D and can be used in cancer studies and for drug screening with greater confidence than 2D model. Also, the use of slow release drug delivery system reduced drug resistance in both models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Rezakhani
- Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Department of tissue engineering, school of medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Shima Rahmati
- Cancer Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Sorayya Ghasemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Morteza Alizadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Akram Alizadeh
- Nervous system stem cells research center, Semnan university of medical sciences, Semnan, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Okasha H, Nasr SM, Samir S. Recombinant Expression of Cec-B Peptide in Escherichia coli with a Significant Anticancer Effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2021; 22:1235-1245. [PMID: 33397234 DOI: 10.2174/1389201022666210104121709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cecropin-B (Cec-B) is an Antimicrobial Peptide (AMP) found in insects. OBJECTIVES Recombinant production of Cec-B peptide in Escherichia coli (Rosetta™ DE3), and studying its anticancer effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell line (HCC). METHODS The Cec-B gene of Drosophila melanogaster was synthesized by PCR assembly using the Simplified Gene Synthesis (SGS) method. To express the recombinant peptide in E. coli (Rosetta™ DE3); the synthesized gene was cloned into pET-15b expression vector. The recombinant peptide was expressed as insoluble aggregates called Inclusion Bodies (IBs) using 2mM lactose inducer. IBs were solubilized in a denatured form using 8 M urea followed by in-vitro protein refolding using rapid dilution method. The refolded Cec-B was purified using cation-exchange SP-FF column. Cytotoxicity of recombinant Cec-B (rCec-B) was reported on normal human lung cell line (WI-38), and Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2). RESULTS The Cec-B gene was expressed and purified at concentration 1.212±0.1 mg/ml which represents 48.49±4% of the total proteins injected to the column (2.5±0.2 mg/ml). The safe dose of purified rCec-B on normal WI-38 cells was calculated to be 1.57 mg/ml. The half-maximal Inhibitory Concentration (IC50) of rCec-B on HepG2 cell line was calculated to be 25 μg/ml. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed that untreated and treated HepG2 cells had cell diameters from 11-12.92 μm and 14.18-21.58 μm, respectively. CONCLUSION The results of this study revealed a successful expression of the rCec-B peptide using a pET-based expression system with a simple purification step. The purified peptide could be considered as a hopeful anticancer drug against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend Okasha
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Sami Mohamed Nasr
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Safia Samir
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
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Maaroufi H, Potvin M, Cusson M, Levesque RC. Novel antimicrobial anionic cecropins from the spruce budworm feature a poly-L-aspartic acid C-terminus. Proteins 2021; 89:1205-1215. [PMID: 33973678 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cecropins form a family of amphipathic α-helical cationic peptides with broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and potent anticancer activity. The emergence of bacteria and cancer cells showing resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) has fostered a search for new, more selective and more effective alternatives to CAMPs. With this goal in mind, we looked for cecropin homologs in the genome and transcriptome of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana. Not only did we find paralogs of the conventional cationic cecropins (Cfcec+ ), our screening also led to the identification of previously uncharacterized anionic cecropins (Cfcec- ), featuring a poly-l-aspartic acid C-terminus. Comparative peptide analysis indicated that the C-terminal helix of Cfcec- is amphipathic, unlike that of Cfcec+ , which is hydrophobic. Interestingly, molecular dynamics simulations pointed to the lower conformational flexibility of Cfcec- peptides, relative to that of Cfcec+ . Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the evolution of distinct Cfcec+ and Cfcec- peptides may have resulted from an ancient duplication event within the Lepidoptera. Finally, we found that both anionic and cationic cecropins contain a BH3-like motif (G-[KQR]-[HKQNR]-[IV]-[KQR]) that could interact with Bcl-2, a protein involved in apoptosis; this observation is congruent with previous reports indicating that cecropins induce apoptosis. Altogether, our observations suggest that cecropins may provide templates for the development of new anticancer drugs. We also estimated the antibacterial activity of Cfcec-2 and a ∆Cfce-2 peptide as AMPs by testing directly their ability in inhibiting bacterial growth in a disk diffusion assay and their potential for development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halim Maaroufi
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Marianne Potvin
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Michel Cusson
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS) and Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
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Bolaamphiphile-based supramolecular gels with drugs eliciting membrane effects. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 594:857-863. [PMID: 33794407 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular chemistry has garnered important interest in recent years toward improving therapeutic efficacy via drug delivery approaches. Although self-assemblies have been deeply investigated, the design of novel drugs leveraging supramolecular chemistry is less known. In this contribution, we show that a Low Molecular Weight Gel (LMWG) can elicit cancer cell apoptosis. This biological effect results from the unique supramolecular properties of a bolaamphiphile-based gelator, which allow for strong interaction with the lipid membrane. This novel supramolecular-drug paradigm opens up new possibilities for therapeutic applications targeting membrane lipids.
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Reyes Parrado AE, Arrivillaga-Henríquez J, Oviedo Araújo MJ, Scorza Dagert JV, Ron Garrido L. Terapia Larval con Musca Domestica en el Tratamiento de la úlcera Leishmánicaen un Modelo Murino. ACTA BIOLÓGICA COLOMBIANA 2020. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v25n1.77177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
La leishmaniosis es una enfermedad con gran impacto en salud pública dado a las características de las lesiones tegumentarias. El tratamiento experimental con terapia larval (TL) ha mostrado su uso potencial para la cura de la leishmaniosis, sin embargo, se han utilizado especies de moscas para TL en heridas causadas por Leishmania que no son de fácil colecta y cultivo bajo condiciones de laboratorio como Lucilia sericata o Calliphora vicina. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue usar una especie de mosca de fácil colecta, y de alta fecundidad como la Musca domestica para aplicarlas en TL de úlceras leishmánicas. Se realizó un estudio cuali-cuantitativo, de tipo descriptivo, mediante un diseño experimental empleado un modelo animal (Mesocricetus auratus), infectado con Leishmania amazonensis para evaluar el efecto terapéutico de la TL y comparar los resultados con el tratamiento químico antimonial de la droga experimental “Ulamina”. Se evidencia cicatrización y cura de la úlcera leishmánica en el 66,66 % de los animales tratados con TL en aplicación simple y del 100 % en TL combinada con Ulamina. El uso combinado de TL+Ulamina, muestra un efecto potenciador de la cura clínica de las úlceras, pero con persistente inflamación. Se observó una efectividad óptima de la TL con M. domestica, sobre las úlceras, aunque no se evidenció un efecto sobre L. amazonensis dado a la presencia de amastigotes en los frotis y a los amplicones obtenidos de 480 bp desde las improntas de los animales.
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Brady D, Grapputo A, Romoli O, Sandrelli F. Insect Cecropins, Antimicrobial Peptides with Potential Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5862. [PMID: 31766730 PMCID: PMC6929098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The alarming escalation of infectious diseases resistant to conventional antibiotics requires urgent global actions, including the development of new therapeutics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent potential alternatives in the treatment of multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections. Here, we focus on Cecropins (Cecs), a group of naturally occurring AMPs in insects, and on synthetic Cec-analogs. We describe their action mechanisms and antimicrobial activity against MDR bacteria and other pathogens. We report several data suggesting that Cec and Cec-analog peptides are promising antibacterial therapeutic candidates, including their low toxicity against mammalian cells, and anti-inflammatory activity. We highlight limitations linked to the use of peptides as therapeutics and discuss methods overcoming these constraints, particularly regarding the introduction of nanotechnologies. New formulations based on natural Cecs would allow the development of drugs active against Gram-negative bacteria, and those based on Cec-analogs would give rise to therapeutics effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Cecs and Cec-analogs might be also employed to coat biomaterials for medical devices as an approach to prevent biomaterial-associated infections. The cost of large-scale production is discussed in comparison with the economic and social burden resulting from the progressive diffusion of MDR infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Brady
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (A.G.); (O.R.)
| | - Alessandro Grapputo
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (A.G.); (O.R.)
| | - Ottavia Romoli
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (A.G.); (O.R.)
- Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, 23 Avenue Pasteur, 97306 Cayenne, French Guiana, France
| | - Federica Sandrelli
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (A.G.); (O.R.)
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Yu X, Yin H, Peng H, Lu G, Dang Z. Oxidation degradation of tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate by ultraviolet driven sulfate radical: Mechanisms and toxicology assessment of degradation intermediates using flow cytometry analyses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 687:732-740. [PMID: 31412476 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were frequently detected in biotic and abiotic matrix owing to their persistence and recalcitrant degradation. Some specific OPFRs, such as tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP), pose a significant potential risk to human health due to their high water solubility. Therefore, an environmentally sound and high efficient technique is in urgent need of controlling TCPP. This research is focused on degrading TCPP using ultraviolet-persulfate (UV/PS) technique. The degradation reaction of TCPP followed a pseudo-first order kinetics with an apparent rate constant (kobs) at 0.1653 min-1. As the photocatalytic reaction proceeded, TCPP was transformed to twelve degradation intermediates via the selective electron-transfer reactions induced by activated sulfate radical. Anions existence and pH value significantly inhibited the degradation efficiency, implying that it was hard for TCPP to reach up to complete mineralization in actual water treatment process. Additionally, toxicological assessment of degradation intermediate mixture was conducted using Flow cytometry (FCM) analyses, and the result showed that the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell apoptotic rates significantly declined, and membrane potential (MP) increased in comparison with original TCPP. On the other hand, the negative impacts of these degradation products on DNA biosynthesis in Escherichia coli were weakened based on cell cycle analysis, all of which indicated that toxicity of these degradation intermediates was obviously reduced via UV/PS treatment. To summarize, an appropriate mineralization is effective for TCPP detoxification, suggesting the feasibility of TCPP control using UV/PS treatment in water matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Hua Yin
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Guining Lu
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi Dang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
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15
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Peng J, Long H, Liu W, Wu Z, Wang T, Zeng Z, Guo G, Wu J. Antibacterial mechanism of peptide Cec4 against Acinetobacter baumannii. Infect Drug Resist 2019; 12:2417-2428. [PMID: 31496754 PMCID: PMC6689099 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s214057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A case of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), known as gram-negative bacteria, causes a range of nosocomial infections. Due to the continuous detection of multi-drug resistant A. baumannii in the clinic, there is an urgent need to find alternative therapies, including broad-spectrum antibacterial peptides (AMP). Recently it has been found that the peptide Cec4 has good antibacterial activity against A. baumannii, but the antibacterial mechanism remains elusive. Materials and methods The basic structure of Cec4 was analyzed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and the potential antibacterial mechanism of Cec4 was detected by flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence and confocal microscopy. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial peptides against various A. baumannii was determinated with broth microdilution techniques. The biofilm formation and the sensitivity detection of biofilms to antimicrobial peptides were detected by crystal violet staining. Results In this study, the main secondary structure of the antibacterial peptide Cec4 is α-helix (99.7%) in the hydrophobic environment. Furthermore, after the treatment with Cec4, an amount of leakage of A. baumannii and the destruction of its cell membrane were detected. Moreover, it was observed that FITC-Cec4 can enter the cell, and more cells were held in the G1 phase with peptide Cec4. However, the DNA binding assay of the peptide Cec4 indicates that the peptide does not target DNA. In addition, peptide Cec4 was superior in reducing adherent biofilms of A. baumannii compared to conventional antibiotics and has no cytotoxicity. Conclusion It is apparent that the antibacterial peptide Cec4 may achieve rapid sterilization by multi-target interaction and presents an attractive therapeutic option for the prevention and control of A. baumannii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Peng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, Department of Biotechnology, School of Biology & Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiling Long
- Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoying Wu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, Department of Biotechnology, School of Biology & Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Wang
- Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhu Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, Department of Biotechnology, School of Biology & Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China.,Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, People's Republic of China
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Su BC, Pan CY, Chen JY. Antimicrobial Peptide TP4 Induces ROS-Mediated Necrosis by Triggering Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Wild-Type and Mutant p53 Glioblastoma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11020171. [PMID: 30717309 PMCID: PMC6406555 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptide tilapia piscidin 4 (TP4) from Oreochromis niloticus exhibits potent bactericidal and anti-tumorigenic effects. In a variety of cancers, the mutation status of p53 is a decisive factor for therapeutic sensitivity. Therefore, we investigated the impact of p53 status on TP4-induced cytotoxicity in glioblastoma cell lines and the molecular mechanisms that govern cytotoxic effects. Both U87MG (wild-type/WT p53) and U251 (mutant p53) glioblastoma cell lines were sensitive to TP4-induced cytotoxicity. The necrosis inhibitors Necrostatin-1 and GSK’872 attenuated TP4-induced cytotoxicity, and TP4 treatment induced the release of cyclophilin A, a biomarker of necrosis. Moreover, TP4 induced mitochondrial hyperpolarization and dysfunction, which preceded the elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and necrotic cell death in both U87MG and U251 glioblastoma cells. p38 was also activated by TP4, but did not contribute to cytotoxicity. SB202190, a specific p38 inhibitor, enhanced TP4-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cytotoxicity, suggesting a protective role of p38. Furthermore, TP4-induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, phosphorylation of p38, and DNA damage were all attenuated by the mitochondrial-targeted reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger MitoTEMPO, or the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Based on these data, we conclude that TP4 induces necrosis in both WT and mutant p53 glioblastoma cells through a mitochondrial ROS-dependent pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bor-Chyuan Su
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Road, Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan.
| | - Chieh-Yu Pan
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan.
| | - Jyh-Yih Chen
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Road, Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan.
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17
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Roudi R, Syn NL, Roudbary M. Antimicrobial Peptides As Biologic and Immunotherapeutic Agents against Cancer: A Comprehensive Overview. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1320. [PMID: 29081781 PMCID: PMC5645638 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a pervasive and evolutionarily ancient component of innate host defense which is present in virtually all classes of life. In recent years, evidence has accumulated that parallel or de novo mechanisms by which AMPs curb infectious pathologies are also effective at restraining cancer cell proliferation and dissemination, and have consequently stimulated significant interest in their deployment as novel biologic and immunotherapeutic agents against human malignancies. In this review, we explicate the biochemical underpinnings of their tumor-selectivity, and discuss results of recent clinical trials (outside of oncologic indications) which substantiate their safety and tolerability profiles. Next, we present evidence for their preclinical antitumor activity, systematically organized by the major and minor classes of natural AMPs. Finally, we discuss the barriers to their clinical implementation and envision directions for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheleh Roudi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nicholas L Syn
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, Singapore.,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Maryam Roudbary
- Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Xia LJ, Wu YL, Zhang FC. Combination of cecropinXJ and LY294002 induces synergistic cytotoxicity, and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:7522-7528. [PMID: 29344198 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of cecropinXJ against human gastric cancer BGC823 cells, either alone, or in combination with a specific phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002. Cell viability and the apoptosis rate were measured using flow cytometry with Annexin-V staining. Additionally, the expression levels of several RAC-α serine/threonine kinase (Akt) phosphorylation-associated proteins and apoptosis-regulating proteins were evaluated by western blot analysis. It was observed that the combination of cecropinXJ and LY294002 resulted in significant synergistic cytotoxic and apoptosis effects, as compared with any single agent alone, in a dose-dependent manner. Corresponding to enhanced apoptosis, the expression levels of certain apoptosis-regulating proteins were changed, the most notable being the upregulation of caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated death promotor, Bcl-2 homologous antagonist killer, Bcl-2 interacting killer, Bcl-2-like protein 11, Bcl-2-like protein 4 and cytochrome c, and the downregulation of phosphorylated-Bad and Bcl-2 proteins. The present study provided a novel therapeutic regimen for the use of the cecropinXJ in combination with LY294002 for the treatment of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jie Xia
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Ling Wu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
| | - Fu-Chun Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
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19
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Baxter AA, Lay FT, Poon IKH, Kvansakul M, Hulett MD. Tumor cell membrane-targeting cationic antimicrobial peptides: novel insights into mechanisms of action and therapeutic prospects. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:3809-3825. [PMID: 28770291 PMCID: PMC11107634 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2604-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There is an ongoing need for effective and targeted cancer treatments that can overcome the detrimental side effects presented by current treatment options. One class of novel anticancer molecules with therapeutic potential currently under investigation are cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs). CAPs are small innate immunity peptides found ubiquitously throughout nature that are typically membrane-active against a wide range of pathogenic microbes. A number of CAPs can also target mammalian cells and often display selective activity towards tumor cells, making them attractive candidates as novel anticancer agents warranting further investigation. This current and comprehensive review describes key examples of naturally occurring membrane-targeting CAPs and their modified derivatives that have demonstrated anticancer activity, across multiple species of origin and structural subfamilies. In addition, we address recent advances made in the field and the ongoing challenges faced in translating experimental findings into clinically relevant treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A Baxter
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Fung T Lay
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Ivan K H Poon
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Marc Kvansakul
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Mark D Hulett
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
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20
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The plant defensin NaD1 induces tumor cell death via a non-apoptotic, membranolytic process. Cell Death Discov 2017; 3:16102. [PMID: 28179997 PMCID: PMC5253418 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2016.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cationic anti-microbial peptides (CAPs) have an important role in host innate defense against pathogens such as bacteria and fungi. Many CAPs including defensins also exhibit selective cytotoxic activity towards mammalian cells via both apoptotic and non-apoptotic processes, and are being investigated as potential anticancer agents. The anti-fungal plant defensin from ornamental tobacco, Nicotiana alata Defensin 1 (NaD1), was recently shown to induce necrotic-like cell death in a number of tumor cell types within 30 min of treatment, at a concentration of 10 μM. NaD1-mediated cell killing within these experimental parameters has been shown to occur via binding to the plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in target cells to facilitate membrane destabilization and subsequent lysis. Whether NaD1 is also capable of inducing apoptosis in tumor cells has not been reported previously. In this study, treatment of MM170 (melanoma) and Jurkat T (leukemia) cells with subacute (<10 μM) concentrations of NaD1 over 6-24 h was investigated to determine whether NaD1 could induce cell death via apoptosis. At subacute concentrations, NaD1 did not efficiently induce membrane permeabilization within 30 min, but markedly reduced cell viability over 24 h. In contrast to other CAPs that have been shown to induce apoptosis through caspase activation, dying cells were not sensitive to a pancaspase inhibitor nor did they display caspase activity or DNA fragmentation over the 24 h treatment time. Furthermore, over the 24 h period, cells exhibited necrotic phenotypes and succumbed to membrane permeabilization. These results indicate that the cytotoxic mechanism of NaD1 at subacute concentrations is membranolytic rather than apoptotic and is also likely to be mediated through a PIP2-targeting cell lytic pathway.
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21
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Balandin SV, Emelianova AA, Kalashnikova MB, Kokryakov VN, Shamova OV, Ovchinnikova TV. Molecular mechanisms of antitumor effect of natural antimicrobial peptides. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162016060029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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22
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Shuona C, Hua Y, Jingjing C, Hui P, Zhi D. Physiology and bioprocess of single cell of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in bioremediation of co-existed benzo[a]pyrene and copper. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2017; 321:9-17. [PMID: 27607928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals are generally present in mixtures in the e-waste dismantling areas, posing serious health risk to the local people. Bioremediation has been considered as a promising approach for PAHs and heavy metals removal. In this study, we applied flow cytometry to obtain a better understanding of membrane potential (MP), apoptosis and cell cycle of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia affected by combined pollutants of benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) and Cu(II). The results showed that BaP was the main factor damaging the cell membrane and influencing the MP. S. maltophilia could even protect against upsetting situation by encouraging early apoptosis, whereby compromised cells committed suicide, as a result, which, in turn, facilitated the metabolism of the bacteria with high-vitality. Furthermore, even if the bacterial cell division was blocked and stopped reproduction, a large number of key enzymes inside cells could still be used for degradation of BaP. The expression of protein related to the transport and metabolism of BaP, regulation of redox reactions and phosphorylation in bacterial cell during bioprocess were evident different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Shuona
- College of Natural Resources and Environment of South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yin Hua
- Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education; School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Chang Jingjing
- College of Natural Resources and Environment of South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Peng Hui
- Department of Chemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Dang Zhi
- Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education; School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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23
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Tonk M, Vilcinskas A, Rahnamaeian M. Insect antimicrobial peptides: potential tools for the prevention of skin cancer. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:7397-405. [PMID: 27418360 PMCID: PMC4980408 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7718-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides/proteins (AMPs) are biologically active molecules with diverse structural properties that are produced by mammals, plants, insects, ticks, and microorganisms. They have a range of antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and even anticancer activities, and their biological properties could therefore be exploited for therapeutic and prophylactic applications. Cancer and cancer drug resistance are significant current health challenges, so the development of innovative cancer drugs with minimal toxicity toward normal cells and novel modes of action that can evade resistance may provide a new direction for anticancer therapy. The skin is the first line of defense against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection, and skin cancer is thus the most common type of cancer. The skin that has been exposed to sunlight is particularly susceptible, but lesions can occur anywhere on the body. Skin cancer awareness and self-efficacy are necessary to improve sun protection behavior, but more effective preventative approaches are also required. AMPs may offer a new prophylactic approach against skin cancer. In this mini review, we draw attention to the potential use of insect AMPs for the prevention and treatment of skin cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miray Tonk
- LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology and Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology and Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse, 35394, Giessen, Germany.,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology and Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse, 35394, Giessen, Germany.
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XIA LIJIE, WU YANLING, MA JI, YANG JIANHUA, ZHANG FUCHUN. The antibacterial peptide from Bombyx mori cecropinXJ induced growth arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Oncol Lett 2016; 12:57-62. [PMID: 27347099 PMCID: PMC4906808 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2016.4601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
CecropinXJ is a cationic antimicrobial peptide originally isolated from the larvae of Bombyx mori. The anticancer effect of cecropinXJ has been reported in various tumor cells, including leukemia, gastric and esophageal cancer cells. However, the activity of cecropinXJ on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its underlying mechanism have not been investigated to date. Therefore, the present study investigated the efficacy and associated mechanism of cecropinXJ in Huh-7 cells. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to determine the presence of cell cycle arrested and apoptotic cells. CecropinXJ significantly inhibited the growth of Huh-7 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CecropinXJ treatment for 24 h induced S cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in addition to loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, in hepatoma cells. CecropinXJ induced HCC cell apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, cecropinXJ downregulated the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), while upregulated the expression of Bcl-2-associated death promoter and Bcl-2-associated X protein. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that cecropinXJ may be an active anti-HCC agent and provide novel insights into the mechanism of cecropinXJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- LIJIE XIA
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
| | - YANLING WU
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
| | - JI MA
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
| | - JIANHUA YANG
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, TX 77030, USA
| | - FUCHUN ZHANG
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, P.R. China
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25
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Yun J, Lee DG. Cecropin A-induced apoptosis is regulated by ion balance and glutathione antioxidant system inCandida albicans. IUBMB Life 2016; 68:652-62. [DOI: 10.1002/iub.1527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- JiEun Yun
- School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group; College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University; 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Gun Lee
- School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group; College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University; 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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Guzmán-Rodríguez JJ, López-Gómez R, Salgado-Garciglia R, Ochoa-Zarzosa A, López-Meza JE. The defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) PaDef induces apoptosis in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Biomed Pharmacother 2016; 82:620-7. [PMID: 27470405 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.05.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are cytotoxic to cancer cells; however, mainly the effects of AMPs from animals have been evaluated. In this work, we assessed the cytotoxicity of PaDef defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) on the MCF-7 cancer cell line (a breast cancer cell line) and evaluated its mechanism of action. PaDef inhibited the viability of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50=141.62μg/ml. The viability of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells was unaffected by this AMP. Additionally, PaDef induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells in a time-dependent manner, but did not affect the membrane potential or calcium flow. In addition, PaDef IC50 induced the expression of cytochrome c, Apaf-1, and the caspase 7 and 9 genes. Likewise, this defensin induced the loss of mitochondrial Δψm and increased the phosphorylation of MAPK p38, which may lead to MCF-7 apoptosis by the intrinsic pathway. This is the first report of an avocado defensin inducing intrinsic apoptosis in cancer cells, which suggests that it could be a potential therapeutic molecule in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaquelina Julia Guzmán-Rodríguez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro. Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Rodolfo López-Gómez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químico Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edif. B1, C.P. 58030, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Rafael Salgado-Garciglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químico Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edif. B1, C.P. 58030, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Ochoa-Zarzosa
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro. Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Joel E López-Meza
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro. Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
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The Central Hinge Link Truncation of the Antimicrobial Peptide Fowlicidin-3 Enhances Its Cell Selectivity without Antibacterial Activity Loss. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:2798-806. [PMID: 26902768 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02351-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been paid considerable attention because of their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and a reduced possibility of the development of bacterial drug resistance. Fowlicidin-3 (Fow-3) is an identified type of chicken cathelicidin AMP that has exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity. To reduce cell toxicity and improve cell selectivity, several truncated peptides of fowlicidin-3, Fow-3(1-15), Fow-3(1-19), Fow-3(1-15-20-27), and Fow-3(20-27), were synthesized. Our results indicated that neither the N- nor C-terminal segment alone [Fow-3(1-15), Fow-3(1-19), Fow-3(20-27)] was sufficient to confer antibacterial activity. However, Fow-3(1-19) with the inclusion of the central hinge link (-AGIN-) retained substantial cell toxicity, which other analogs lost. Fow-3(1-15-20-27) displayed potent antimicrobial activity for a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and no obvious hemolytic activity or cytotoxicity. The central link region was shown to be critically important in the function of cell toxicity but was not relevant to antibacterial activity. Fow-3(1-15-20-27) maintained antibacterial activity in the presence of physiological concentrations of salts. The results from fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microcopy, and transmission electron microcopy showed that Fow-3(1-15-20-27) as well as fowlicidin-3 killed bacterial cells by increasing membrane permeability and damaging the membrane envelope integrity. Fow-3(1-15-20-27) could be a promising antimicrobial agent for clinical application.
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Chen L, Zhang J, Sun H. Immunological adjuvant effect of the peptide fraction from the larvae of Musca domestica. Altern Ther Health Med 2015; 15:427. [PMID: 26630909 PMCID: PMC4668601 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0951-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The larvae of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) have been used traditionally for malnutritional stagnation, decubital necrosis, osteomyelitis, ecthyma and lip scald and also to treat coma and gastric cancer in the traditional Chinese medicine. Its immunomodulatory effects in naïve mice in relation to the traditional uses were also reported. However, the immunological adjuvant potentials of this insect have not yet been studied. METHODS The peptide fraction from the larvae of Musca domestica L. (MDPF) was evaluated for its adjuvant potentials on the immune responses to ovalbumin (OVA) and avian influenza vaccine (rL-H5) by determining antigen-specific antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation, activity of natural killer (NK) cell, the secretion of cytokines from splenocytes in the immunized mice. RESULTS MDPF significantly enhanced not only the concanavalin A (Con A)-, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and antigen-stimulated splenocyte proliferation, but serum antigen-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibody titers in the mice immunized with OVA and rL-H5. MDPF also remarkably promoted the killing activities of NK cells in splenocytes from the mice immunized with rL-H5. Furthermore, MDPF significantly promoted the production of Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and Th2 (IL-10) cytokines from splenocytes in the immunized mice. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that MDPF had a potential to increase both cellular and humoral immune responses and elicit a balanced Th1/Th2 response, and that MDPF may be a safe and efficacious vaccine adjuvant candidate.
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Gao W, Xing L, Qu P, Tan T, Yang N, Li D, Chen H, Feng X. Identification of a novel cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide from ducks and determination of its functional activity and antibacterial mechanism. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17260. [PMID: 26608073 PMCID: PMC4660463 DOI: 10.1038/srep17260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The family of antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidins, which plays important roles against infections in animals, has been identified from many species. Here, we identified a novel avian cathelicidin ortholog from ducks and named dCATH. The cDNA sequence of dCATH encodes a predicted 146-amino-acid polypeptide composed of a 17-residue signal peptide, a 109-residue conserved cathelin domain and a 20-residue mature peptide. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that dCATH is highly divergent from other avian peptides. The α-helical structure of the peptide exerted strong antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacteria in vitro, with most minimum inhibitory concentrations in the range of 2 to 4 μM. Moreover, dCATH also showed cytotoxicity, lysing 50% of mammalian erythrocytes in the presence or absence of 10% fetal calf serum at concentrations of 32 μM or 20 μM and killing 50% HaCaT cells at a concentration of 10 μM. The effects on bacterial outer and inner membranes, as examined by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy, indicate that dCATH kills microbial cells by increasing permeability, causing a loss of membrane integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Liwei Xing
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Pei Qu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Tan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Na Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Dan Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Huixian Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
| | - Xingjun Feng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P.R. China
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Jin XB, Wang YJ, Liang LL, Pu QH, Shen J, Lu XM, Chu FJ, Zhu JY. Cecropin suppresses human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL- 7402 cell growth and survival in vivo without side-toxicity. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2015; 15:5433-6. [PMID: 25041014 DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.13.5433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional chemotherapy against hepatocellular carcinoma typically causes various side effects. Our previous study showed that cecropin of Musca domestica can induce apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells in vitro. However, whether cecropin inhibits BEL-7402 cell in vivo and the question of possible side effects remained undentified. The present study confirmed tumor-inhibitory effects of cecropin in vivo, and furthermore strongly suggested that cecropin cytotoxicity in BEL-7402 cells in vivo may be mainly derived from its pro-apoptotic action. Specifically, we found that cecropin exerted no obvious side effects in tumor-bearing mice as it had no significant hematoxicity as well as visceral toxicity. Therefore, cecropin may be a potential candidate for further investigation as an antitumor agent against hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Bao Jin
- School of Basic Courses, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China E-mail :
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CecropinXJ inhibits the proliferation of human gastric cancer BGC823 cells and induces cell death in vitro and in vivo. Int J Oncol 2015; 46:2181-93. [PMID: 25826779 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2015.2933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
We have shown that an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) cecropinXJ isolated from the larvae of Bombyx mori selectively inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the mechanism remains to be determined. In the present study, we examined the antitumor activity of cecropinXJ against human gastric cancer BGC823 cells and explored the mechanism. The results showed that cecropinXJ inhibited the growth of gastric cancer BGC823 cells in vitro and in vivo. MTT and colony formation assays indicated that cecropinXJ suppressed cell proliferation and reduced colony formation of BGC823 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but without inhibitory effect on normal gastric epithelia GES-1 cells. S-phase arrest in BGC823 cells was observed after treatment with cecropinXJ. Annexin V/PI staining suggested that cecropinXJ induced both early and late phases of apoptosis through activation of mitochondrial-mediated caspase pathway, upregulation of Bax expression and downregulation of Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, cecropinXJ treatment increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and led to release of cytochrome c. Importantly, in vivo study showed that cecropinXJ significantly prevented the growth of xenograft tumor in the BGC823-bearing mice, possibly mediated by the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis. These results suggest that cecropinXJ may be a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of gastric cancer.
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Xia L, Wu Y, Kang S, Ma J, Yang J, Zhang F. CecropinXJ, a silkworm antimicrobial peptide, induces cytoskeleton disruption in esophageal carcinoma cells. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2014; 46:867-76. [PMID: 25122621 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmu070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides exist in the non-specific immune system of organism and participate in the innate host defense of each species. CecropinXJ, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, possesses potent anticancer activity and acts preferentially on cancer cells instead of normal cells, but the mechanism of cancer cell death induced by cecropinXJ remains largely unknown. This study was performed to investigate the cytoskeleton-disrupting effects of cecropinXJ on human esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109 using scanning electron microscopy observation, fluorescence imaging, cell migration and invasion assays, western blotting, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The electronic microscope and fluorescence imaging observation suggested that cecropinXJ could result in morphological changes and induce damage to microtubules and actin of Eca109 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The cell migration and invasion assays demonstrated that cecropinXJ could inhibit migration and invasion of tumor cells. Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis showed that there was obvious correlation between microtubule depolymerization and actin polymerization induced by cecropinXJ. Moreover, cecropinXJ might also cause decreased expression of α-actin, β-actin, γ-actin, α-tubulin, and β-tubulin genes in concentration- and time-dependent manners. In summary, this study indicates that cecropinXJ triggers cytotoxicity in Eca109 cells through inducing the cytoskeleton destruction and regulating the expression of cytoskeleton proteins. This cecropinXJ-mediated cytoskeleton-destruction effect is instrumental in our understanding of the detailed action of antimicrobial peptides in human cancer cells and cecropinXJ might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Xia
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Su Kang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Ji Ma
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Jianhua Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fuchun Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
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Pei Z, Sun X, Tang Y, Wang K, Gao Y, Ma H. Cloning, expression, and purification of a new antimicrobial peptide gene from Musca domestica larva. Gene 2014; 549:41-5. [PMID: 25020259 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae), the housefly, exhibits unique immune defences and can produce antimicrobial peptides upon stimulation with bacteria. Based on the cDNA library constructed using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method, a 198-bp antimicrobial peptide gene, which we named MDAP-2, was amplified by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) from M. domestica larvae stimulated with Salmonella pullorum (Enterobacteriaceae: Salmonella). In the present study, the full-length MDAP-2 gene was cloned and inserted into a His-tagged Escherichia coli prokaryotic expression system to enable production of the recombinant peptide. The recombinant MDAP-2 peptide was purified using Ni-NTA HisTrap FF crude column chromatography. The bacteriostatic activity of the recombinant purified MDAP-2 protein was assessed. The results indicated that MDAP-2 had in vitro antibacterial activity against all of the tested Gram- bacteria from clinical isolates, including E. coli (Enterobacteriaceae: Escherichia), one strain of S. pullorum (Enterobacteriaceae: Salmonella), and one strain of Pasteurella multocida. DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis showed that the MDAP-2 antimicrobial peptide gene was not homologous to any other antimicrobial peptide genes in GenBank. The antibacterial mechanisms of the newly discovered MDAP-2 peptide warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Pei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China
| | - Xiaoning Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China
| | - Yan Tang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China
| | - Kai Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China
| | - Yunhang Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China
| | - Hongxia Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street No. 2888, Changchun 130118, PR China.
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Dong N, Zhu X, Chou S, Shan A, Li W, Jiang J. Antimicrobial potency and selectivity of simplified symmetric-end peptides. Biomaterials 2014; 35:8028-39. [PMID: 24952979 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Because antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potentially useful for the treatment of multidrug-resistant infections, more attention is being paid to the structural modification and structure-function relationship of both naturally occurring and synthetic AMPs. Previous studies indicated that Protegrin-1 (PG-1), isolated from porcine leukocytes, exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity. The β-turn of PG-1 floated on the surface of bacterial membrane, while its β-strand inserted into the bacterial membrane and formed pores that were dedicated to producing cytotoxicity. For reducing cytotoxicity and improving cells selectivity, we designed a series of simplified symmetric-end peptides by combining the β-turn of PG-1 with simple amino acid repeat sequences. The sequence of designed symmetric-end peptides is (XR)nH(RX)n, (n = 1,2; X represents I, F, W and P; H represents CRRRFC). The symmetric-end peptides displayed antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In particular, (XR)2H(RX)2 (X here is I, F and W) showed greater antimicrobial potency than PG-1. Hemolysis activity and cytotoxicity, detected by using human red blood cells (RBCs) and human embryonic lung fibroblasts MRC-5 cells, were observably lower than the native peptide PG-1. (IR)2H(RI)2 (IR2), folded into β-sheet structures, displayed the highest therapeutic index, suggesting its great cell selectivity. The fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy observation indicated that IR2 exhibited great membrane penetration potential by inducing membrane blebbing, disruption and lysis. Collectively, generating symmetric-end β-sheet peptides is a promising strategy for designing effective AMPs with great antimicrobial activities and cell selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Dong
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Shuli Chou
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China.
| | - Weizhong Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Junguang Jiang
- The State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, PR China
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Xu W, Zhu X, Tan T, Li W, Shan A. Design of embedded-hybrid antimicrobial peptides with enhanced cell selectivity and anti-biofilm activity. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98935. [PMID: 24945359 PMCID: PMC4063695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have attracted considerable attention because of their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and their low prognostic to induce antibiotic resistance which is the most common source of failure in bacterial infection treatment along with biofilms. The method to design hybrid peptide integrating different functional domains of peptides has many advantages. In this study, we designed an embedded-hybrid peptide R-FV-I16 by replacing a functional defective sequence RR7 with the anti-biofilm sequence FV7 embedded in the middle position of peptide RI16. The results demonstrated that the synthetic hybrid the peptide R-FV-I16 had potent antimicrobial activity over a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as anti-biofilm activity. More importantly, R-FV-I16 showed lower hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. Fluorescent assays demonstrated that R-FV-I16 depolarized the outer and the inner bacterial membranes, while scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy further indicated that this peptide killed bacterial cells by disrupting the cell membrane, thereby damaging membrane integrity. Results from SEM also provided evidence that R-FV-I16 inherited anti-biofilm activity from the functional peptide sequence FV7. Embedded-hybrid peptides could provide a new pattern for combining different functional domains and showing an effective avenue to screen for novel antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tingting Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Weizhong Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- * E-mail:
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Sun HX, Chen LQ, Zhang J, Chen FY. Anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activity of peptide fraction from the larvae of Musca domestica. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 153:831-839. [PMID: 24690776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The larvae of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) have been used traditionally for malnutritional stagnation, decubital necrosis, osteomyelitis, ecthyma and lip scald and also to treat coma and gastric cancer in the traditional Chinese medicine. Its in vitro antitumor activity and immunomodulatory effect in naïve mice in relation to the traditional uses were also reported. However, the in vivo antitumor effect of this insect and its mechanism of action have not yet been well studied. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the in vivo antitumor potential of the peptide fraction from Musca domestica larvae (MDPF) and to elucidate its immunological mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS The mice inoculated with sarcoma S180 cells were orally administered with MDPF at three doses for 10 days. The effects of MDPF on the growth of mouse S180 sarcoma, splenocyte proliferation, the activity of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), production and mRNA expression of cytokines from splenocytes, and serum antigen-specific antibody levels in tumor-bearing mice were measured. RESULTS MDPF could significantly not only inhibit the growth of mouse transplanted S180 sarcoma, but also promote splenocytes proliferation, NK cell and CTL activity from splenocytes, and enhance serum antigen-specific IgG, IgG2a and IgG2b antibody levels in S180-bearing mice. MDPF also significantly promoted the production of IFN-γ and up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ and Th1 transcription factors T-bet and STAT-4 in splenocytes from the S180-bearing mice. However, Th2 cytokine IL-10 and transcription factors GATA-3 and STAT-6 were not significantly changed both at transcriptional and protein levels following MDPF treatment. CONCLUSIONS MDPF significantly inhibit the growth of transplantable tumor in mice and its in vivo antitumor activity might be achieved by switching-on of Th1-based protective cell-mediated immunity. MDPF could act as antitumor agent with immunomodulatory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xiang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Li-Qing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Feng-Yang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
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Aleinein RA, Schäfer H, Wink M. Secretory ranalexin produced in recombinantPichia pastorisexhibits additive or synergistic bactericidal activity when used in combination with polymyxin B or linezolid against multi-drug resistant bacteria. Biotechnol J 2013; 9:110-9. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Teixeira LD, Silva ON, Migliolo L, Fensterseifer ICM, Franco OL. In vivo antimicrobial evaluation of an alanine-rich peptide derived from Pleuronectes americanus. Peptides 2013; 42:144-8. [PMID: 23416023 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2013.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2013] [Revised: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In several organisms, the first barrier against microbial infections consists of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which are molecules that act as components of the innate immune system. Recent studies have demonstrated that AMPs can perform various functions in different tissues or physiological conditions. In this view, this study was carried out in order to evaluate the multifunctional activity in vivo of an alanine-rich peptide, known as Pa-MAP, derived from the polar fish Pleuronectes americanus. Pa-MAP was evaluated in intraperitoneally infected mice with a sub-lethal concentration of Escherichia coli at standard concentrations of 1 and 5 mg kg(-1). At both concentrations, Pa-MAPs exhibited an ability to prevent E. coli infection and increase mice survival, similar to the result observed in mice treated with ampicillin at 2 mg kg(-1). In addition, mice were monitored for weight loss. The results showed that mice treated with Pa-MAPs at 1 mg kg(-1) gained 0.8% of body weight during the 72 h of experiment. The same was observed with Pa-MAP at 5 mg kg(-1), which had a gain of 0.5% in body weight during the treatment. Mice treated with ampicillin at 2 mg kg(-1) show a significant weight loss of 5.6% of body weight. The untreated group exhibited a 5.5% loss of body weight. The immunomodulatory effects were also evaluated by the quantification of IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, IFN-γ and nitric oxide cytokines in serum, but no immunomodulatory activity was observed. Data presented here suggest that Pa-MAP should be used as a novel antibiotic against infection control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro D Teixeira
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Wang F, Ai H, Lei C. In vitro anti-influenza activity of a protein-enriched fraction from larvae of the housefly (Musca domestica). PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2013; 51:405-410. [PMID: 23134203 DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2012.723724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Insects are a large, unexplored and unexploited source of potentially useful compounds for modern medicine. The larvae of the housefly (Musca domestica) have been used to study immune-induced molecules because they can survive in pathogenic environments. OBJECTIVE The antiviral activity of a protein-enriched fraction (PEF) from the larvae of the housefly was evaluated in vitro and the possible antiviral mechanism was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS PEF was isolated from the larvae of the housefly. The cytotoxicity of PEF was detected by the MTT assay. The in vitro antiviral activity of PEF against influenza virus was investigated. PEF was incubated with the virus and its target cells under various conditions, and its antiviral effects were examined by reduction in virus yield in cell cultures. Experiments with ribavirin were performed in parallel under the same conditions. RESULTS The results indicated that PEF had minimal cytotoxicity against MDCK cells and the CC₅₀ value was calculated to be 284.45 μg/ml. The antiviral results showed the loss of infectious capacity was more than two log (2) units in cell cultures compared with virus control. The effect of PEF was direct virucidal activity and the interference on the adsorption of cell and virus. The antiviral mechanism of PEF is different from ribavirin. CONCLUSION The results indicate that PEF showed strong antiviral activity against influenza virus at a very early stage of the interaction with virus particles or their entry into the cells. PEF has a great potential as a resource of healthy products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemical Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
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Strand length-dependent antimicrobial activity and membrane-active mechanism of arginine- and valine-rich β-hairpin-like antimicrobial peptides. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2012; 56:2994-3003. [PMID: 22391533 DOI: 10.1128/aac.06327-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides with amphipathic β-hairpin-like structures have potent antimicrobial properties and low cytotoxicity. The effect of VR or RV motifs on β-hairpin-like antimicrobial peptides has not been investigated. In this study, a series of β-hairpin-like peptides, Ac-C(VR)(n)(D)PG (RV)(n)C-NH(2) (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5), were synthesized, and the effect of chain length on antimicrobial activity was evaluated. The antimicrobial activity of the peptides initially increased and then decreased with chain length. Longer peptides stimulated the toxicity to mammalian cells. VR3, a 16-mer peptide with seven amino acids in the strand, displayed the highest therapeutic index and represents the optimal chain length. VR3 reduced bacterial counts in the mouse peritoneum and increased the survival rate of mice at 7 days after Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection in vivo. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra demonstrated that the secondary structure of the peptides was a β-hairpin or β-sheet in the presence of an aqueous and membrane-mimicking environment. VR3 had the same degree of penetration into the outer and inner membranes as melittin. Experiments simulating the membrane environment showed that Trp-containing VRW3 (a VR3 analog) tends to interact preferentially with negatively charged vesicles in comparison to zwitterionic vesicles, which supports the biological activity data. Additionally, VR3 resulted in greater membrane damage than melittin as determined using a flow cytometry-based membrane integrity assay. Collectively, the data for synthetic lipid vesicles and whole bacteria demonstrated that the VR3 peptide killed bacteria via targeting the cell membrane. This assay could be an effective pathway to screen novel candidates for antibiotic development.
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Ratcliffe NA, Mello CB, Garcia ES, Butt TM, Azambuja P. Insect natural products and processes: new treatments for human disease. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2011; 41:747-69. [PMID: 21658450 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2011.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2011] [Revised: 05/16/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In this overview, some of the more significant recent developments in bioengineering natural products from insects with use or potential use in modern medicine are described, as well as in utilisation of insects as models for studying essential mammalian processes such as immune responses to pathogens. To date, insects have been relatively neglected as sources of modern drugs although they have provided valuable natural products, including honey and silk, for at least 4-7000 years, and have featured in folklore medicine for thousands of years. Particular examples of Insect Folk Medicines will briefly be described which have subsequently led through the application of molecular and bioengineering techniques to the development of bioactive compounds with great potential as pharmaceuticals in modern medicine. Insect products reviewed have been derived from honey, venom, silk, cantharidin, whole insect extracts, maggots, and blood-sucking arthropods. Drug activities detected include powerful antimicrobials against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and HIV, as well as anti-cancer, anti-angiogenesis and anti-coagulant factors and wound healing agents. Finally, the many problems in developing these insect products as human therapeutic drugs are considered and the possible solutions emerging to these problems are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman A Ratcliffe
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, RJ, Brazil.
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Harris F, Dennison SR, Singh J, Phoenix DA. On the selectivity and efficacy of defense peptides with respect to cancer cells. Med Res Rev 2011; 33:190-234. [PMID: 21922503 DOI: 10.1002/med.20252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Here, we review potential determinants of the anticancer efficacy of innate immune peptides (ACPs) for cancer cells. These determinants include membrane-based factors, such as receptors, phosphatidylserine, sialic acid residues, and sulfated glycans, and peptide-based factors, such as residue composition, sequence length, net charge, hydrophobic arc size, hydrophobicity, and amphiphilicity. Each of these factors may contribute to the anticancer action of ACPs, but no single factor(s) makes an overriding contribution to their overall selectivity and toxicity. Differences between the anticancer actions of ACPs seem to relate to different levels of interplay between these peptide and membrane-based factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Harris
- School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
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The antimicrobial peptide arenicin-1 promotes generation of reactive oxygen species and induction of apoptosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2011; 1810:1246-51. [PMID: 21875650 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2011.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2011] [Revised: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 08/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arenicin-1, a 21-residue antimicrobial peptide, is known to exert significant broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity without cytotoxicity in mammalian cells except at high concentration. However, the mechanism of fungal cell death by arenicin-1 is weakly understood. METHODS We confirmed an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Candida albicans exposed to arenicin-1 and investigated the apoptotic response to ROS accumulation using apoptosis detecting methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Cells exposed to arenicin-1 showed an increase in the production of ROS and cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals, which are the major factors of apoptosis. The increase in ROS was due to mitochondrial dysfunction caused by arenicin-1. We confirmed that arenicin-1 induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and also triggered release of activated metacaspases. Further, it initiated an apoptotic mechanism acting on the plasma membrane, including plasma membrane depolarization and exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outer surface. Cells finally died, showing morphological changes in the nucleus and DNA structure. Based on these apoptotic phenomena induced by arenicin-1, we concluded that arenicin-1 exerts antifungal activity by inducing apoptosis. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This study suggests that the antimicrobial peptide arenicin-1 induces apoptosis in C. albicans via intracellular ROS accumulation and mitochondrial damage, resulting in fungal cell death.
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Morash MG, Douglas SE, Robotham A, Ridley CM, Gallant JW, Soanes KH. The zebrafish embryo as a tool for screening and characterizing pleurocidin host-defense peptides as anti-cancer agents. Dis Model Mech 2011; 4:622-33. [PMID: 21729875 PMCID: PMC3177944 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.007310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant cancers and the lack of targeted therapies for many cancers underscore an unmet need for new therapeutics with novel modes of action towards cancer cells. Host-defense peptides often exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells and show potential as anti-cancer therapeutics. Here, we screen 26 naturally occurring variants of the peptide pleurocidin for cytotoxic and anti-cancer activities, and investigate the underlying mechanism of action. Cytotoxicities were assessed in vitro using cell-based assays and in vivo using zebrafish embryos. Morphological changes were assessed by both transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and functional assays were performed on zebrafish embryos to investigate the mechanism of cell death. A total of 14 peptides were virtually inactive against HL60 human leukemia cells, whereas 12 caused >50% death at ≤32 μg/ml. Morphological changes characteristic of oncosis were evident by electron microscopy after only 1 minute of treatment with 32 μg/ml of variant NRC-03. Only two peptides were hemolytic. Four peptides showed no toxicity towards zebrafish embryos at the highest concentration tested (25 μM; ∼64 μg/ml) and one peptide was highly toxic, killing 4-hour-post-fertilization (hpf) embryos immediately after exposure to 1 μM peptide. Four other peptides killed embryos after 24 hours of exposure at 1 μM. Most peptides caused mortality at one or more developmental stages only after continuous exposure (24 hours) with higher lethal doses (≥5 μM). Pleurocidin NRC-03 bound to embryos and induced the release of superoxide, caused an increase in the number of TUNEL-positive nuclei, and caused membrane damage and the loss of embryonic epithelial integrity, marked by the exclusion of cells from the outer epithelium and the appearance of F-actin within the circumferential cells of the repair site. Our results indicate that specific pleurocidin variants are attractive cancer-selective agents that selectively induce cell death in target cells but leave non-target cells such as erythrocytes and non-transformed cells unaffected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Morash
- Institute for Marine Biosciences, National Research Council, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1, Canada
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