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Esposito TVF, Rodríguez-Rodríguez C, Blackadar C, Kłodzińska S, Mørck Nielsen H, Saatchi K, Häfeli UO. Biodistribution of the cationic host defense peptide LL-37 using SPECT/CT. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024:114398. [PMID: 38972467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Human cathelicidin LL-37, a cationic host defense peptide (CHDP), has several important physiological roles, including antimicrobial activity, immune modulation, and wound healing, and is a being investigated as a therapeutic candidate for several indications. While the effects of endogenously produced LL-37 are well studied, the biodistribution of exogenously administered LL-37 are less known. Here we assess the biodistribution of a gallium-67 labeled variant of LL-37 using nuclear imaging techniques over a 48 h period in healthy mice. When administered as an intravenous bolus just over 20 µg, the LL-37-based radiotracer was rapidly cleared from the blood, largely by the liver, while an appreciable fraction of the dose temporarily distributed to the lungs. When administered subcutaneously at the same dose level, the radiotracer was absorbed systemically following a two-phase kinetic model and was predominately cleared renally. Uptake into sites rich in immune cells, such as the lymph nodes and the spleen, was observed for both routes of administration. Scans of free gallium-67 were also performed as controls. Important preclinical insights into the biodistribution of exogenously administered LL-37 were gained from this study, which can aid in the understanding of this and related cationic host-defense peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tullio V F Esposito
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Cristina Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Colin Blackadar
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sylvia Kłodzińska
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanne Mørck Nielsen
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katayoun Saatchi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Urs O Häfeli
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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2
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Wang Y, Zeng H, Qiu S, Han H, Wang B. Identification of key aroma compounds and core functional microorganisms associated with aroma formation for Monascus-fermented cheese. Food Chem 2024; 434:137401. [PMID: 37696158 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the key aroma compounds and core functional microorganisms of Monascus-fermented cheese (MC). 36 key aroma compounds were identified according to gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), and odor activity values (OAV) analysis. And internal standard curves were used to clarify the changes in their concentration of them during cheese ripening. Furthermore, High-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the composition and dynamic changes of bacteria and fungi in MC, respectively. Lactococcus lactis was found to be the dominant bacterium while Monascus was confirmed to be the dominant fungus. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis showed that Lactococcus lactis, Staphylococcus, Trichococcus, and Monascus were strongly associated with the 36 key aroma compounds (r > 0.80, p < 0.05). Finally, a metabolic network containing biosynthetic pathways of the key aroma compounds was constructed. This study provides deeper insights into the unique aroma of MC and the contribution of cheese microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Wang
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Hong Zeng
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Sizhe Qiu
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, OX1 3PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Haoying Han
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Bei Wang
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
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3
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Guru A, Murugan R, Arockiaraj J. Histone acetyltransferases derived RW20 protects and promotes rapid clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in zebrafish larvae. Int Microbiol 2024; 27:25-35. [PMID: 37335389 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas is a group of bacteria that can cause a wide range of infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems, such as those with cystic fibrosis or who are hospitalized. It can also cause infections in the skin and soft tissue, including cellulitis, abscesses and wound infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPS) are the alternative strategy due to their broad spectrum of activity and act as effective treatment against multi-drug resistance pathogens. In this study, we have used an AMP, RW20 (1RPVKRKKGWPKGVKRGPPKW20). RW20 peptide is derived from the histone acetyltransferases (HATs) of the freshwater teleost, Channa striatus. The antimicrobial prediction tool has been utilized to identify the RW20 sequence from the HATs sequence. We synthesized the peptide to explore its mechanism of action. In an in vitro assay, RW20 was challenged against P. aeruginosa and we showed that RW20 displayed antibacterial properties and damaged the cell membrane. The mechanism of action of RW20 against P. aeruginosa has been established via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) as well as fluorescence assisted cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Both these experiments established that RW20 caused bacterial membrane disruption and cell death. Moreover, the impact of RW20, in-vivo, was tested against P. aeruginosa-infected zebrafish larvae. In the infected larvae, RW20 showed protective effect against P. aeruginosa by increasing the larval antioxidant enzymes, reducing the excess oxidative stress and apoptosis. Thus, it is possible that HATs-derived RW20 can be an efficient antimicrobial molecule against P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Guru
- Department of Cariology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 077, India
| | - Raghul Murugan
- Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603 203, India
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603 203, India.
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Li B, Liao Y, Su X, Chen S, Wang X, Shen B, Song H, Yue P. Powering mesoporous silica nanoparticles into bioactive nanoplatforms for antibacterial therapies: strategies and challenges. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:325. [PMID: 37684605 PMCID: PMC10485977 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02093-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial infection has been a major threat to worldwide human health, in particular with the ever-increasing level of antimicrobial resistance. Given the complex microenvironment of bacterial infections, conventional use of antibiotics typically renders a low efficacy in infection control, thus calling for novel strategies for effective antibacterial therapies. As an excellent candidate for antibiotics delivery, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) demonstrate unique physicochemical advantages in antibacterial therapies. Beyond the delivery capability, extensive efforts have been devoted in engineering MSNs to be bioactive to further synergize the therapeutic effect in infection control. In this review, we critically reviewed the essential properties of MSNs that benefit their antibacterial application, followed by a themed summary of strategies in manipulating MSNs into bioactive nanoplatforms for enhanced antibacterial therapies. The chemically functionalized platform, photo-synergized platform, physical antibacterial platform and targeting-directed platform are introduced in details, where the clinical translation challenges of these MSNs-based antibacterial nanoplatforms are briefly discussed afterwards. This review provides critical information of the emerging trend in turning bioinert MSNs into bioactive antibacterial agents, paving the way to inspire and translate novel MSNs-based nanotherapies in combating bacterial infection diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Li
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Yan Liao
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Xiaoyu Su
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Shuiyan Chen
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Xinmin Wang
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Baode Shen
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China
| | - Hao Song
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Pengfei Yue
- Lab of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 1688 MEILING Avenue, Nanchang, 330004, China.
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5
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Kondrashov EV, Belovezhets LA, Shatokhina NS, Shilova AN, Kostyro YA, Markova YA, Borovskaya MK, Borovskii GB. Design of novel water-soluble isoxazole-based antimicrobial agents and evaluation of their cytotoxicity and acute toxicity. Bioorg Chem 2023; 138:106644. [PMID: 37302315 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Based on the readily available 3-organyl-5-(chloromethyl)isoxazoles, a number of previously unknown water-soluble conjugates of isoxazoles with thiourea, amino acids, some secondary and tertiary amines, and thioglycolic acid were synthesized. The bacteriostatic activity of aforementioned compounds has been studied against Enterococcus durans B-603, Bacillus subtilis B-407, Rhodococcus qingshengii Ac-2784D, and Escherichia coli B-1238 microorganisms (provided by All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms, VKM). The influence of the nature of the substituents in positions 3 and 5 of the isoxazole ring on the antimicrobial activity of the obtained compounds has been determined. It is found that the highest bacteriostatic effect is observed for compounds containing 4-methoxyphenyl or 5-nitrofuran-2-yl substituents in position 3 of the isoxazole ring as well as methylene group in position 5 bearing residues of l-proline or N-Ac-l-cysteine (5a-d, MIC 0.06-2.5 µg/ml). The leading compounds showed low cytotoxicity on normal human skin fibroblast cells (NAF1nor) and low acute toxicity on mice in comparison with the well-known isoxazole-containing antibiotic oxacillin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniy V Kondrashov
- A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky St., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia.
| | - Lyudmila A Belovezhets
- A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky St., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Nina S Shatokhina
- A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky St., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Alexandra N Shilova
- A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky St., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Yana A Kostyro
- A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky St., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Yulia A Markova
- Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Brunch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lermontova st., 132, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Marina K Borovskaya
- Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Brunch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lermontova st., 132, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Gennadii B Borovskii
- Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Brunch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lermontova st., 132, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
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6
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Qiao Y, Han Y, Guan R, Liu S, Bi X, Liu S, Cui W, Zhang T, He T. Inorganic hollow mesoporous spheres-based delivery for antimicrobial agents. FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS SCIENCE 2023; 17:230631. [PMID: 36911597 PMCID: PMC9991883 DOI: 10.1007/s11706-023-0631-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms coexist with human beings and have formed a complex relationship with us. However, the abnormal spread of pathogens can cause infectious diseases thus demands antibacterial agents. Currently available antimicrobials, such as silver ions, antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics, have diverse concerns in chemical stability, biocompatibility, or triggering drug resistance. The "encapsulate-and-deliver" strategy can protect antimicrobials against decomposing, so to avoid large dose release induced resistance and achieve the controlled release. Considering loading capacity, engineering feasibility, and economic viability, inorganic hollow mesoporous spheres (iHMSs) represent one kind of promising and suitable candidates for real-life antimicrobial applications. Here we reviewed the recent research progress of iHMSs-based antimicrobial delivery. We summarized the synthesis of iHMSs and the drug loading method of various antimicrobials, and discussed the future applications. To prevent and mitigate the spread of an infective disease, multilateral coordination at the national level is required. Moreover, developing effective and practicable antimicrobials is the key to enhancing our capability to eliminate pathogenic microbes. We believe that our conclusion will be beneficial for researches on the antimicrobial delivery in both lab and mass production phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunping Qiao
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Yanyang Han
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Rengui Guan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- Weifang Branch Company, Shandong HI-speed Transportation Construction Group Co., Ltd., Qingzhou, 262500 China
| | - Xinling Bi
- Shandong Jinhai Titanium Resources Technology Co., Ltd., Binzhou, 256600 China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
| | - Tao He
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Clearspring RD 30th, Laishan, Yantai, 264005 China
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7
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Mohammed GK, Böttger R, Krizsan A, Volke D, Mötzing M, Li SD, Knappe D, Hoffmann R. In Vitro Properties and Pharmacokinetics of Temporarily PEGylated Onc72 Prodrugs. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202368. [PMID: 36631971 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The favorable properties of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to rapidly kill pathogens are often limited by unfavorable pharmacokinetics due to fast degradation and renal clearance rates. Here, a prodrug strategy linking proline-rich AMP Onc72 to polyethylene glycol (PEGs) with average molecular weights of 5 and 20 kDa via a peptide linker containing a protease cleavage site is tested for the first time in vivo. Onc72 is released from these 5k- and 20k-prodrugs in mouse serum with half-life times (t1/2 ) of 8 and 14 h, respectively. Importantly, PEGylation protects Onc72 from proteolytic degradation providing a prolonged release of Onc72, balancing the degradation of free Onc72, and leading to relatively stable Onc72 concentrations and high antibacterial activities. The prodrugs are not hemolytic on human erythrocytes and show only slight cytotoxic effects on human cell lines indicating promising safety margins. When administered subcutaneously to female CD-1 mice, the prodrugs elimination t1/2 are 66 min and ≈5.5 h, respectively, compared to 43 min of free Onc72. The maximal Onc72 plasma levels are obtained ≈1 and ≈8 h postadministration, respectively. In conclusion, the prodrugs provide extended elimination t1/2 and a constant release of Onc72 in mice, potentially limiting adverse effects and increasing efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gubran Khalil Mohammed
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roland Böttger
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Andor Krizsan
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marina Mötzing
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shyh-Dar Li
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Daniel Knappe
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,EnBiotix GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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8
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V F Esposito T, Rodríguez-Rodríguez C, Blackadar C, Haney EF, Pletzer D, E W Hancock R, Saatchi K, Häfeli UO. Biodistribution and Toxicity of Innate Defense Regulator 1018 (IDR-1018). Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 179:11-25. [PMID: 36028151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Innate defense regulators (IDRs) are synthetic host-defense peptides (HDPs) with broad-spectrum anti-infective properties, including immunomodulatory, anti-biofilm and direct antimicrobial activities. A lack of pharmacokinetic data about these peptides hinders their development and makes it challenging to fully understand how they work in vivo since their mechanism of action is dependent on tissue concentrations of the peptide. Here, we set out to define in detail the pharmacokinetics of a well-characterized IDR molecule, IDR-1018. To make the peptide traceable, it was radiolabeled with the long-lived gamma-emitting isotope gallium-67. After a series of bench-top characterizations, the radiotracer was administered to healthy mice intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SQ) at various dose levels (2.5-13 mg/kg). Nuclear imaging and ex-vivo biodistributions were used to quantify organ and tissue uptake of the radiotracer over time. When administered as an IV bolus, the distribution profile of the radiotracer changed as the dose was escalated. At 2.5 mg/kg, the peptide was well-tolerated, poorly circulated in the blood and was cleared predominately by the reticuloendothelial system. Higher doses (7 and 13 mg/kg) as an IV bolus were almost immediately lethal due to respiratory arrest; significant lung uptake of the radiotracer was observed from nuclear scans of these animals, and histological examination found extensive damage to the pulmonary vasculature and alveoli. When administered SQ at a dose of 3 mg/kg, radiolabeled IDR-1018 was rapidly absorbed from the site of injection and predominately cleared renally. Apart from the SQ injection site, no other tissue had a concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration that would enable this peptide to exert direct antimicrobial effects against most pathogenic bacteria. Tissue concentrations were sufficient however to disrupt microbial biofilms and alter the host immune response. Overall, this study demonstrated that the administration of synthetic IDR peptide in vivo is best suited to local administration which avoids some of the issues associated with peptide toxicity that are observed when administered systemically by IV injection, an issue that will have to be addressed through formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tullio V F Esposito
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cristina Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Colin Blackadar
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Evan F Haney
- Centre for Microbial Disease and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Asep Medical Holdings, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel Pletzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Disease and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Katayoun Saatchi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Urs O Häfeli
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Host–Bacterial Interactions: Outcomes of Antimicrobial Peptide Applications. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12070715. [PMID: 35877918 PMCID: PMC9317001 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12070715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial membrane is part of a secretion system which plays an integral role to secrete proteins responsible for cell viability and pathogenicity; pathogenic bacteria, for example, secrete virulence factors and other membrane-associated proteins to invade the host cells through various types of secretion systems (Type I to Type IX). The bacterial membrane can also mediate microbial communities’ communication through quorum sensing (QS), by secreting auto-stimulants to coordinate gene expression. QS plays an important role in regulating various physiological processes, including bacterial biofilm formation while providing increased virulence, subsequently leading to antimicrobial resistance. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria have emerged as a threat to global health, and various strategies targeting QS and biofilm formation have been explored by researchers worldwide. Since the bacterial secretion systems play such a crucial role in host–bacterial interactions, this review intends to outline current understanding of bacterial membrane systems, which may provide new insights for designing approaches aimed at antimicrobials discovery. Various mechanisms pertaining interaction of the bacterial membrane with host cells and antimicrobial agents will be highlighted, as well as the evolution of bacterial membranes in evasion of antimicrobial agents. Finally, the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a cellular device for bacterial secretion systems will be discussed as emerging potential candidates for the treatment of multidrug resistance infections.
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10
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Koch P, Schmitt S, Heynisch A, Gumpinger A, Wüthrich I, Gysin M, Shcherbakov D, Hobbie SN, Panke S, Held M. Optimization of the antimicrobial peptide Bac7 by deep mutational scanning. BMC Biol 2022; 20:114. [PMID: 35578204 PMCID: PMC9112550 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01304-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intracellularly active antimicrobial peptides are promising candidates for the development of antibiotics for human applications. However, drug development using peptides is challenging as, owing to their large size, an enormous sequence space is spanned. We built a high-throughput platform that incorporates rapid investigation of the sequence-activity relationship of peptides and enables rational optimization of their antimicrobial activity. The platform is based on deep mutational scanning of DNA-encoded peptides and employs highly parallelized bacterial self-screening coupled to next-generation sequencing as a readout for their antimicrobial activity. As a target, we used Bac71-23, a 23 amino acid residues long variant of bactenecin-7, a potent translational inhibitor and one of the best researched proline-rich antimicrobial peptides. Results Using the platform, we simultaneously determined the antimicrobial activity of >600,000 Bac71-23 variants and explored their sequence-activity relationship. This dataset guided the design of a focused library of ~160,000 variants and the identification of a lead candidate Bac7PS. Bac7PS showed high activity against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of E. coli, and its activity was less dependent on SbmA, a transporter commonly used by proline-rich antimicrobial peptides to reach the cytosol and then inhibit translation. Furthermore, Bac7PS displayed strong ribosomal inhibition and low toxicity against eukaryotic cells and demonstrated good efficacy in a murine septicemia model induced by E. coli. Conclusion We demonstrated that the presented platform can be used to establish the sequence-activity relationship of antimicrobial peptides, and showed its usefulness for hit-to-lead identification and optimization of antimicrobial drug candidates. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01304-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Koch
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Steven Schmitt
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Heynisch
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anja Gumpinger
- Machine Learning and Computational Biology, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Irene Wüthrich
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marina Gysin
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Shcherbakov
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sven N Hobbie
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sven Panke
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Held
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
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11
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Panteleev PV, Safronova VN, Kruglikov RN, Bolosov IA, Bogdanov IV, Ovchinnikova TV. A Novel Proline-Rich Cathelicidin from the Alpaca Vicugna pacos with Potency to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Mechanism of Action and the Functional Role of the C-Terminal Region. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12050515. [PMID: 35629841 PMCID: PMC9146984 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12050515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Over recent years, a growing number of bacterial species have become resistant to clinically relevant antibiotics. Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) having a potent antimicrobial activity and a negligible toxicity toward mammalian cells attract attention as new templates for the development of antibiotic drugs. Here, we mined genomes of all living Camelidae species and found a novel family of Bac7-like proline-rich cathelicidins which inhibited bacterial protein synthesis. The N-terminal region of a novel peptide from the alpaca Vicugna pacos named VicBac is responsible for inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis with an IC50 value of 0.5 µM in the E. coli cell-free system whereas the C-terminal region allows the peptide to penetrate bacterial membranes effectively. We also found that the full-length VicBac did not induce bacterial resistance after a two-week selection experiment, unlike the N-terminal truncated analog, which depended on the SbmA transport system. Both pro- and anti-inflammatory action of VicBac and its N-terminal truncated variant on various human cell types was found by multiplex immunoassay. The presence of the C-terminal tail in the natural VicBac does not provide for specific immune-modulatory effects in vitro but enhances the observed impact compared with the truncated analog. The pronounced antibacterial activity of VicBac, along with its moderate adverse effects on mammalian cells, make this molecule a promising scaffold for the development of peptide antibiotics.
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12
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Koch P, Schmitt S, Cardner M, Beerenwinkel N, Panke S, Held M. Discovery of antimicrobials by massively parallelized growth assays (Me x). Sci Rep 2022; 12:4097. [PMID: 35260685 PMCID: PMC8904554 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07755-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of newly approved antimicrobial compounds has been steadily decreasing over the past 50 years emphasizing the need for novel antimicrobial substances. Here we present Mex, a method for the high-throughput discovery of novel antimicrobials, that relies on E. coli self-screening to determine the bioactivity of more than ten thousand naturally occurring peptides. Analysis of thousands of E. coli growth curves using next-generation sequencing enables the identification of more than 1000 previously unknown antimicrobial peptides. Additionally, by incorporating the kinetics of growth inhibition, a first indication of the mode of action is obtained, which has implications for the ultimate usefulness of the peptides in question. The most promising peptides of the screen are chemically synthesized and their activity is determined in standardized susceptibility assays. Ten out of 15 investigated peptides efficiently eradicate bacteria at a minimal inhibitory concentration in the lower µM or upper nM range. This work represents a step-change in the high-throughput discovery of functionally diverse antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Koch
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Steven Schmitt
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Cardner
- Computational Biology, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Computational Biology, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sven Panke
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Held
- Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
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13
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Vanzolini T, Bruschi M, Rinaldi AC, Magnani M, Fraternale A. Multitalented Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Antibacterial, Antifungal and Antiviral Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:545. [PMID: 35008974 PMCID: PMC8745555 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the great strides in healthcare during the last century, some challenges still remained unanswered. The development of multi-drug resistant bacteria, the alarming growth of fungal infections, the emerging/re-emerging of viral diseases are yet a worldwide threat. Since the discovery of natural antimicrobial peptides able to broadly hit several pathogens, peptide-based therapeutics have been under the lenses of the researchers. This review aims to focus on synthetic peptides and elucidate their multifaceted mechanisms of action as antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agents. Antimicrobial peptides generally affect highly preserved structures, e.g., the phospholipid membrane via pore formation or other constitutive targets like peptidoglycans in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and glucan in the fungal cell wall. Additionally, some peptides are particularly active on biofilm destabilizing the microbial communities. They can also act intracellularly, e.g., on protein biosynthesis or DNA replication. Their intracellular properties are extended upon viral infection since peptides can influence several steps along the virus life cycle starting from viral receptor-cell interaction to the budding. Besides their mode of action, improvements in manufacturing to increase their half-life and performances are also taken into consideration together with advantages and impairments in the clinical usage. Thus far, the progress of new synthetic peptide-based approaches is making them a promising tool to counteract emerging infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Vanzolini
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy; (T.V.); (M.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Michela Bruschi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy; (T.V.); (M.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Andrea C. Rinaldi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy;
| | - Mauro Magnani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy; (T.V.); (M.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Alessandra Fraternale
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy; (T.V.); (M.M.); (A.F.)
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14
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Mao Y, Seravalli J, Smith TG, Morton M, Tanner JJ, Becker DF. Evidence for Proline Catabolic Enzymes in the Metabolism of Thiazolidine Carboxylates. Biochemistry 2021; 60:3610-3620. [PMID: 34752700 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thiazolidine carboxylates such as thiazolidine-4-carboxylate (T4C) and thiazolidine-2-carboxylate (T2C) are naturally occurring sulfur analogues of proline. These compounds have been observed to have both beneficial and toxic effects in cells. Given that proline dehydrogenase has been proposed to be a key enzyme in the oxidative metabolism of thioprolines, we characterized T4C and T2C as substrates of proline catabolic enzymes using proline utilization A (PutA), which is a bifunctional enzyme with proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) and l-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (GSALDH) activities. PutA is shown here to catalyze the FAD-dependent PRODH oxidation of both T4C and T2C with catalytic efficiencies significantly higher than with proline. Stopped-flow experiments also demonstrate that l-T4C and l-T2C reduce PutA-bound FAD at rates faster than proline. Unlike proline, however, oxidation of T4C and T2C does not generate a substrate for NAD+-dependent GSALDH. Instead, PutA/PRODH oxidation of T4C leads to cysteine formation, whereas oxidation of T2C generates an apparently stable Δ4-thiazoline-2-carboxylate species. Our results provide new insights into the metabolism of T2C and T4C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizi Mao
- Department of Biochemistry, Redox Biology Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
| | - Javier Seravalli
- Department of Biochemistry, Redox Biology Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
| | - Thomas G Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
| | - Martha Morton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
| | - John J Tanner
- Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Donald F Becker
- Department of Biochemistry, Redox Biology Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
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15
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HMP-S7 Is a Novel Anti-Leukemic Peptide Discovered from Human Milk. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9080981. [PMID: 34440185 PMCID: PMC8394283 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy in childhood leukemia is associated with late morbidity in leukemic survivors, while certain patient subsets are relatively resistant to standard chemotherapy. It is therefore important to identify new agents with sensitivity and selectivity towards leukemic cells, while having less systemic toxicity. Peptide-based therapeutics has gained a great deal of attention during the last few years. Here, we used an integrative workflow combining mass spectrometric peptide library construction, in silico anticancer peptide screening, and in vitro leukemic cell studies to discover a novel anti-leukemic peptide having 3+ charges and an alpha helical structure, namely HMP-S7, from human breast milk. HMP-S7 showed cytotoxic activity against four distinct leukemic cell lines in a dose-dependent manner but had no effect on solid malignancies or representative normal cells. HMP-S7 induced leukemic cell death by penetrating the plasma membrane to enter the cytoplasm and cause the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, thus acting in a membranolytic manner. Importantly, HMP-S7 exhibited anti-leukemic effects against patient-derived leukemic cells ex vivo. In conclusion, HMP-S7 is a selective anti-leukemic peptide with promise, which requires further validation in preclinical and clinical studies.
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16
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Fouillen A, Mary C, Ponce KJ, Moffatt P, Nanci A. A proline rich protein from the gingival seal around teeth exhibits antimicrobial properties against Porphyromonas gingivalis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2353. [PMID: 33504866 PMCID: PMC7840901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81791-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The gingival seal around teeth prevents bacteria from destroying the tooth-supporting tissues and disseminating throughout the body. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontopathogen, degrades components of the specialized extracellular matrix that mediates attachment of the gingiva to the tooth. Of these, secretory calcium-binding phosphoprotein proline-glutamine rich 1 (SCPPPQ1) protein has a distinctive resistance to degradation, suggesting that it may offer resistance to bacterial attack. In silico analysis of its amino acid sequence was used to explore its molecular characteristics and to predict its two- and three-dimensional structure. SCPPPQ1 exhibits similarities with both proline-rich and cationic antimicrobial proteins, suggesting a putative antimicrobial potential. A combination of imaging approaches showed that incubation with 20 μM of purified SCPPPQ1 decrease bacterial number (p < 0.01). Fluorescence intensity decreased by 70% following a 2 h incubation of Porphyromonas gingivalis with the protein. Electron microscopy analyses revealed that SCPPPQ1 induced bacterial membrane disruption and breaches. While SCPPPQ1 has no effect on mammalian cells, our results suggest that it is bactericidal to Porphyromonas gingivalis, and that this protein, normally present in the gingival seal, may be exploited to maintain a healthy seal and prevent systemic dissemination of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Fouillen
- Laboratory for the Study of Calcified Tissues and Biomaterials, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charline Mary
- Laboratory for the Study of Calcified Tissues and Biomaterials, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katia Julissa Ponce
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Moffatt
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Shriners Hospitals for Children - Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Antonio Nanci
- Laboratory for the Study of Calcified Tissues and Biomaterials, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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17
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Kopeikin PM, Zharkova MS, Kolobov AA, Smirnova MP, Sukhareva MS, Umnyakova ES, Kokryakov VN, Orlov DS, Milman BL, Balandin SV, Panteleev PV, Ovchinnikova TV, Komlev AS, Tossi A, Shamova OV. Caprine Bactenecins as Promising Tools for Developing New Antimicrobial and Antitumor Drugs. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:552905. [PMID: 33194795 PMCID: PMC7604311 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.552905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PR-AMPs) having a potent antimicrobial activity predominantly toward Gram-negative bacteria and negligible toxicity toward host cells, are attracting attention as new templates for developing antibiotic drugs. We have previously isolated and characterized several bactenecins that are promising in this respect, from the leukocytes of the domestic goat Capra hircus: ChBac5, miniChBac7.5N-α, and -β, as well as ChBac3.4. Unlike the others, ChBac3.4 shows a somewhat unusual pattern of activities for a mammalian PR-AMP: it is more active against bacterial membranes as well as tumor and, to the lesser extent, normal cells. Here we describe a SAR study of ChBac3.4 (RFRLPFRRPPIRIHPPPFYPPFRRFL-NH2) which elucidates its peculiarities and evaluates its potential as a lead for antimicrobial or anticancer drugs based on this peptide. A set of designed structural analogues of ChBac3.4 was explored for antibacterial activity toward drug-resistant clinical isolates and antitumor properties. The N-terminal region was found to be important for the antimicrobial action, but not responsible for the toxicity toward mammalian cells. A shortened variant with the best selectivity index toward bacteria demonstrated a pronounced synergy in combination with antibiotics against Gram-negative strains, albeit with a somewhat reduced ability to inhibit biofilm formation compared to native peptide. C-terminal amidation was examined for some analogues, which did not affect antimicrobial activity, but somewhat altered the cytotoxicity toward host cells. Interestingly, non-amidated peptides showed a slight delay in their impact on bacterial membrane integrity. Peptides with enhanced hydrophobicity showed increased toxicity, but in most cases their selectivity toward tumor cells also improved. While most analogues lacked hemolytic properties, a ChBac3.4 variant with two additional tryptophan residues demonstrated an appreciable activity toward human erythrocytes. The variant demonstrating the best tumor/nontumor cell selectivity was found to more actively initiate apoptosis in target cells, though its action was slower than that of the native ChBac3.4. Its antitumor effectiveness was successfully verified in vivo in a murine Ehrlich ascites carcinoma model. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of structural modification to manage caprine bactenecins’ selectivity and activity spectrum and confirm that they are promising prototypes for antimicrobial and anticancer drugs design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel M Kopeikin
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria S Zharkova
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander A Kolobov
- Laboratory of Peptide Chemistry, State Research Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria P Smirnova
- Laboratory of Peptide Chemistry, State Research Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria S Sukhareva
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina S Umnyakova
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vladimir N Kokryakov
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Dmitriy S Orlov
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Boris L Milman
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergey V Balandin
- Science-Educational Center, M.M. Shemyakin & Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel V Panteleev
- Science-Educational Center, M.M. Shemyakin & Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana V Ovchinnikova
- Science-Educational Center, M.M. Shemyakin & Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Biotechnology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksey S Komlev
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alessandro Tossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Olga V Shamova
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides, Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, FSBSI Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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18
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Rázquin-Olazarán I, Shahrour H, Martínez-de-Tejada G. A synthetic peptide sensitizes multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics for more than two hours and permeabilizes its envelope for twenty hours. J Biomed Sci 2020; 27:85. [PMID: 32762680 PMCID: PMC7412836 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-020-00678-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative pathogen that frequently causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. We previously showed that subinhibitory concentrations of short synthetic peptides permeabilize P. aeruginosa and enhance the lethal action of co-administered antibiotics. METHODS Long-term permeabilization caused by exposure of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains to peptide P4-9 was investigated by measuring the uptake of several antibiotics and fluorescent probes and by using confocal imaging and atomic force microscopy. RESULTS We demonstrated that P4-9, a 13-amino acid peptide, induces a growth delay (i.e. post-antibiotic effect) of 1.3 h on a multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa clinical isolate. Remarkably, when an independently P4-9-treated culture was allowed to grow in the absence of the peptide, cells remained sensitive to subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics such as ceftazidime, fosfomycin and erythromycin for at least 2 h. We designated this persistent sensitization to antibiotics occurring in the absence of the sensitizing agent as Post-Antibiotic Effect associated Permeabilization (PAEP). Using atomic force microscopy, we showed that exposure to P4-9 induces profound alterations on the bacterial surface and that treated cells need at least 2 h of growth to repair those lesions. During PAEP, P. aeruginosa mutants overexpressing either the efflux pump MexAB-OprM system or the AmpC β-lactamase were rendered sensitive to antibiotics that are known substrates of those mechanisms of resistance. Finally, we showed for the first time that the descendants of bacteria surviving exposure to a membrane disturbing peptide retain a significant level of permeability to hydrophobic compounds, including propidium iodide, even after 20 h of growth in the absence of the peptide. CONCLUSIONS The phenomenon of long-term sensitization to antibiotics shown here may have important therapeutic implications for a combined peptide-antibiotic treatment because the peptide would not need to be present to exert its antibiotic enhancing activity as long as the target organism retains sensitization to the antibiotic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iosu Rázquin-Olazarán
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Navarra, E-31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Hawraa Shahrour
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Navarra, E-31008, Pamplona, Spain
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Life & Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadat campus, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Guillermo Martínez-de-Tejada
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Navarra, E-31008, Pamplona, Spain.
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.
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19
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Brakel A, Volke D, Kraus CN, Otvos L, Hoffmann R. Quantitation of a Novel Engineered Anti-infective Host Defense Peptide, ARV-1502: Pharmacokinetic Study of Different Doses in Rats and Dogs. Front Chem 2019; 7:753. [PMID: 31799234 PMCID: PMC6863955 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The designer proline-rich antimicrobial peptide (PrAMP) Chex1-Arg20 amide (ARV-1502) is active against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens in different murine infection models when administered parenterally and possesses a wide therapeutic index. Here we studied the pharmacokinetics of ARV-1502 for the first time when administered intramuscularly or intravenously (IV) in Sprague Dawley rats and Beagle dogs. First, a specific and robust quantitation method relying on parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) using a high-resolution hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer coupled on-line to reversed-phase uHPLC was established and validated. The limit of detection was 2 ng/mL and the limit of quantitation was 4 ng/mL when spiked to pooled rat and dog plasma. When ARV-1502 was administered IV at doses of 75 and 250 μg/kg in dogs and rats, the plasma concentrations were 0.7 and 3.4 μg/mL 2 min post-administration, respectively. ARV-1502 plasma concentrations declined exponentially reaching levels between 2 and 4 ng/mL after 2 h. Intramuscular administration of 0.75 mg/kg in dogs and 2.5 mg/kg in rats resulted in a different pharmacokinetics profile. The plasma concentrations peaked at 15 min post-injection at 1 μg/mL (dogs) and 12 μg/mL (rats) and decreased exponentially within 3 h to 4 and 16 ng/mL, respectively. The initial plasma concentrations of ARV-1502 and the decay timing afterwards indicated that the peptide circulated in the blood stream for several hours, at some point above the minimal inhibitory concentration against multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, with blood concentrations sufficient to suppress bacterial growth and to modulate the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Brakel
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Laszlo Otvos
- Arrevus, Inc., Raleigh, NC, United States.,Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Mishra B, Lakshmaiah Narayana J, Lushnikova T, Wang X, Wang G. Low cationicity is important for systemic in vivo efficacy of database-derived peptides against drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13517-13522. [PMID: 31209048 PMCID: PMC6613076 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1821410116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics continues to emerge, new alternatives are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important candidates. However, how AMPs are designed with in vivo efficacy is poorly understood. Our study was designed to understand structural moieties of cationic peptides that would lead to their successful use as antibacterial agents. In contrast to the common perception, serum binding and peptide stability were not the major reasons for in vivo failure in our studies. Rather, our systematic study of a series of peptides with varying lysines revealed the significance of low cationicity for systemic in vivo efficacy against Gram-positive pathogens. We propose that peptides with biased amino acid compositions are not favored to associate with multiple host factors and are more likely to show in vivo efficacy. Thus, our results uncover a useful design strategy for developing potent peptides against multidrug-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900
| | - Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900
| | - Xiuqing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900
- Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, 750004 Yinchuan, China
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900;
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21
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Ostorhazi E, Hoffmann R, Herth N, Wade JD, Kraus CN, Otvos L. Advantage of a Narrow Spectrum Host Defense (Antimicrobial) Peptide Over a Broad Spectrum Analog in Preclinical Drug Development. Front Chem 2018; 6:359. [PMID: 30186829 PMCID: PMC6111444 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The APO-type proline-arginine-rich host defense peptides exhibit potent in vitro killing parameters against Enterobacteriaceae but not to other bacteria. Because of the excellent in vivo properties against systemic and local infections, attempts are regularly made to further improve the activity spectrum. A C-terminal hydrazide analog of the Chex1-Arg20 amide (ARV-1502) shows somewhat improved minimal inhibitory concentration against Moraxellaceae. Here we compared the activity of the two peptides as well as an inactive dimeric reverse amide analog in a systemic Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Only the narrow spectrum amide derivative reduced the 6-h blood bacterial burden by >2 log10 units reaching statistical significance (p = 0.03 at 5 mg/kg and 0.031 at 2 mg/kg administered intramuscularly). The hydrazide derivative, probably due to stronger activity on cell membranes, lysed erythrocytes at lower concentrations, and caused toxic effects at lower doses (10 mg/kg vs. 25 mg/kg). In a limited study, the amide induced a >5-fold production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 over untreated naïve mice and minor increases in the anti-inflammatory IL-4 and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, in blood. The blood of hydrazide-treated mice exhibited significantly lowered levels of IL-10 and slightly decreased IL-4 and TNF-α. These results suggest that the improved efficacy of the narrow-spectrum amide analog is likely associated with increased anti-inflammatory cytokine production and better stimulation of the immune system. Although blood IL-6 and TNF-α levels are frequently used as markers of potential toxicity in drug development, we did not observe any notable increase in mice receiving the toxic polyamide antibiotic colistin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Ostorhazi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole Herth
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - John D Wade
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Laszlo Otvos
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Arrevus, Inc, Raleigh, NC, United States.,OLPE, LLC, Audubon, PA, United States
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Otvos L, Ostorhazi E, Szabo D, Zumbrun SD, Miller LL, Halasohoris SA, Desai PD, Int Veldt SM, Kraus CN. Synergy Between Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides and Small Molecule Antibiotics Against Selected Gram-Negative Pathogens in vitro and in vivo. Front Chem 2018; 6:309. [PMID: 30155456 PMCID: PMC6102830 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As monotherapy, modified proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) protect animals from experimental bacteremia in a dose-dependent manner. We evaluated the in vitro synergy of a modified PrAMP, A3-APO, a dimer, previously shown to inhibit the 70 kDa bacterial heat shock protein DnaK, with imipenem or colistin against two antibiotic-resistant pathogens; a carbapenemase-expressing Klebsiella pneumoniae strain K97/09 and Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC BAA-1605). Combining antimicrobials resulted in synergy for PrAMP/colistin combination against both K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii (ΣFIC = 0.08 both) and additive activity for the A3-APO/imipenem combination against K. pneumoniae (ΣFIC = 0.53). Chex1-Arg20, (designated as ARV-1502 in preclinical development), the single chain PrAMP monomer of A3-APO, showed synergy with meropenem against a carbapenem-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (ΣFIC = 0.38). In a murine bacteremia model using K97/09, A3-APO at 1 mg/kg demonstrated improved survival when co-administered with standard (10 mg/kg) or subtherapeutic (1 mg/kg) doses of colistin at 36 h (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, the survival benefit of A3-APO was augmented when the A3-APO dose was decreased by 50% to 0.5 mg/kg (p < 0.02) in conjunction with a subtherapeutic colistin dose (1 mg/kg). ARV-1502, as monotherapy demonstrated prolonged (>24 h) activity in a mouse Escherichia coli infection assay. Co-treatment with ARV-1502 and subtherapeutic doses of ceftazidime (150 mg/kg) was studied in a mouse model of melioidosis. ARV-1502 provided a 50% improvement in long-term (62 days) survival, but only at the lowest of 3 administered doses; survival advantage was demonstrated at 2.5 mg/kg but not at 5 or 10 mg/kg. The mortality benefit of combination therapies was not routinely accompanied by a parallel decline in blood or tissue bacterial counts in surviving animals, suggesting that the anti-infective activity of the host defense peptides (HDP) is broader than simply bacterial eradication. In fact, the hormetic effect observed in either animal models suggest that low dose HDP treatment may change the dominant mode of action in experimental bacteremia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo Otvos
- OLPE, LLC, Audubon, PA, United States.,Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Arrevus, Inc., Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Eszter Ostorhazi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dora Szabo
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Steven D Zumbrun
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick, MD, United States
| | - Lynda L Miller
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick, MD, United States
| | - Stephanie A Halasohoris
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick, MD, United States
| | - Puvi D Desai
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick, MD, United States
| | - Sharon M Int Veldt
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick, MD, United States
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