1
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Bui Thi Phuong H, Doan Ngan H, Le Huy B, Vu Dinh H, Luong Xuan H. The amphipathic design in helical antimicrobial peptides. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300480. [PMID: 38408263 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Amphipathicity is a critical characteristic of helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The hydrophilic region, primarily composed of cationic residues, plays a pivotal role in the initial binding to negatively charged components on bacterial membranes through electrostatic interactions. Subsequently, the hydrophobic region interacts with hydrophobic components, inducing membrane perturbation, ultimately leading to cell death, or inhibiting intracellular function. Due to the extensive diversity of natural and synthetic AMPs with regard to the design of amphipathicity, it is complicated to study the structure-activity relationships. Therefore, this work aims to categorize the common amphipathic design and investigate their impact on the biological properties of AMPs. Besides, the connection between current structural modification approaches and amphipathic styles was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hoa Doan Ngan
- Faculty of Medical Technology, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
| | - Binh Le Huy
- Center for High Technology Development, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, 11307, Vietnam
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Hoang Vu Dinh
- School of Chemical Engineering -, Hanọi University of Science and Technology, 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, 11615, Vietnam
| | - Huy Luong Xuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
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2
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Choi Y, Choe HW, Kook M, Choo S, Park TW, Bae S, Kim H, Yang J, Jeong WS, Yu J, Lee KR, Kim YS, Yu J. Proline-Hinged α-Helical Peptides Sensitize Gram-Positive Antibiotics, Expanding Their Physicochemical Properties to Be Used as Gram-Negative Antibiotics. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1825-1842. [PMID: 38124427 PMCID: PMC10860147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria is the most difficult obstacle for small-molecule antibiotics to reach their targets in the cytosol. The molecular features of Gram-negative antibiotics required for passing through the OM are that they should be positively charged rather than neutral, flat rather than globular, less flexible, or more increased amphiphilic moment. Because of these specific molecular characteristics, developing Gram-negative antibiotics is difficult. We focused on sensitizer peptides to facilitate the passage of hydrophobic Gram-positive antibiotics through the OM. We explored ways of improving the sensitizing ability of proline-hinged α-helical peptides by adjusting their length, hydrophobicity, and N-terminal groups. A novel peptide, 1403, improves the potentiation of rifampicin in vitro and in vivo and potentiates most Gram-positive antibiotics. The "sensitizer" approach is more plausible than those that rely on conventional drug discovery methods concerning drug development costs and the development of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonhwa Choi
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
- CAMP
Therapeutics, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeong Woon Choe
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
| | - Minsoo Kook
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Seolah Choo
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
| | - Tae Woo Park
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
| | - Soeun Bae
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
| | - Heeseung Kim
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Yang
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Seong Jeong
- Laboratory
Animal Resource Center, Korea Research Institute
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju 28116, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyoung Yu
- Asan
Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic
of Korea
| | - Kyeong-Ryoon Lee
- Laboratory
Animal Resource Center, Korea Research Institute
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju 28116, Republic of Korea
| | - Yang Soo Kim
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehoon Yu
- Department
of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National
University, Seoul 08826, Republic
of Korea
- CAMP
Therapeutics, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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3
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Wickline SA, Hou KK, Pan H. Peptide-Based Nanoparticles for Systemic Extrahepatic Delivery of Therapeutic Nucleotides. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119455. [PMID: 37298407 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based nanoparticles (PBN) for nucleotide complexation and targeting of extrahepatic diseases are gaining recognition as potent pharmaceutical vehicles for fine-tuned control of protein production (up- and/or down-regulation) and for gene delivery. Herein, we review the principles and mechanisms underpinning self-assembled formation of PBN, cellular uptake, endosomal release, and delivery to extrahepatic disease sites after systemic administration. Selected examples of PBN that have demonstrated recent proof of concept in disease models in vivo are summarized to offer the reader a comparative view of the field and the possibilities for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Wickline
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Kirk K Hou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein and Doheny Eye Institutes, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Hua Pan
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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4
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You Y, Liu H, Zhu Y, Zheng H. Rational design of stapled antimicrobial peptides. Amino Acids 2023; 55:421-442. [PMID: 36781451 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-023-03245-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The global increase in antimicrobial drug resistance has dramatically reduced the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics. Structurally diverse antibiotics are urgently needed to combat multiple-resistant bacterial infections. As part of innate immunity, antimicrobial peptides have been recognized as the most promising candidates because they comprise diverse sequences and mechanisms of action and have a relatively low induction rate of resistance. However, because of their low chemical stability, susceptibility to proteases, and high hemolytic effect, their usage is subject to many restrictions. Chemical modifications such as D-amino acid substitution, cyclization, and unnatural amino acid modification have been used to improve the stability of antimicrobial peptides for decades. Among them, a side-chain covalent bridge modification, the so-called stapled peptide, has attracted much attention. The stapled side-chain bridge stabilizes the secondary structure, induces protease resistance, and increases cell penetration and biological activity. Recent progress in computer-aided drug design and artificial intelligence methods has also been used in the design of stapled antimicrobial peptides and has led to the successful discovery of many prospective peptides. This article reviews the possible structure-activity relationships of stapled antimicrobial peptides, the physicochemical properties that influence their activity (such as net charge, hydrophobicity, helicity, and dipole moment), and computer-aided methods of stapled peptide design. Antimicrobial peptides under clinical trial: Pexiganan (NCT01594762, 2012-05-07). Omiganan (NCT02576847, 2015-10-13).
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Affiliation(s)
- YuHao You
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - HongYu Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - YouZhuo Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Li G, Yuan X, Chen H, Li B, Shao C, Zhu Y, Lai Z, Shan A. Optimization of Antibacterial Activity in Tibetan Swine α-Helix Peptide TP by Site-Directed Mutagenesis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864374. [PMID: 35859740 PMCID: PMC9289672 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted extensive attention because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low level of induced bacterial resistance. However, the development of some natural AMPs does not consider the perfect balance of structural characteristics, resulting in some empirical and controversial practices still existing. To further explore and complete the relationship between parameters and function of α-helix peptide, in this study, the natural antimicrobial peptide TP secreted from Bacillus strain of Tibetan pigs was selected as a template to investigate the effect of systematic mutations in the hydrogen bond formation site of the α-helical antimicrobial peptide on the activity and cell selectivity of the antimicrobial peptide. The target peptide TP(i+4) 1&2&5 with modification of two pairs of positively charged amino acids and a pair of hydrophobic amino acids showed excellent antibacterial ability and the best selectivity index (SI = 64) in vitro. At the same time, TP(i+4) 1&2&5 remained active in the presence of physiological salts and serum. The results of fluorescence, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy showed that the optimized sequences showed good antibacterial activity by membrane infiltration and membrane destruction. The potential of TP(i+4) 1&2&5 in vivo was tested in a mouse peritonitis model. Organ bacterial loads in the liver, kidney, spleen, and lungs of mice treated with TP(i+4) 1&2&5 were significantly lower compared to the infected group (p < 0.05). Overall, these findings contribute to the design and optimization of antimicrobial peptides with high activity and low toxicity and may accelerate the clinical application of antimicrobial peptides.
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6
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Ajish C, Yang S, Kumar SD, Kim EY, Min HJ, Lee CW, Shin SH, Shin SY. A novel hybrid peptide composed of LfcinB6 and KR-12-a4 with enhanced antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-biofilm activities. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4365. [PMID: 35288606 PMCID: PMC8921290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08247-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridizing two known antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is a simple and effective strategy for designing antimicrobial agents with enhanced cell selectivity against bacterial cells. Here, we generated a hybrid peptide Lf-KR in which LfcinB6 and KR-12-a4 were linked with a Pro hinge to obtain a novel AMP with potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm activities. Lf-KR exerted superior cell selectivity for bacterial cells over sheep red blood cells. Lf-KR showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities (MIC: 4–8 μM) against tested 12 bacterial strains and retained its antimicrobial activity in the presence of salts at physiological concentrations. Membrane depolarization and dye leakage assays showed that the enhanced antimicrobial activity of Lf-KR was due to increased permeabilization and depolarization of microbial membranes. Lf-KR significantly inhibited the expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor‐α) in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. In addition, Lf-KR showed a powerful eradication effect on preformed multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA) biofilms. We confirmed using confocal laser scanning microscopy that a large portion of the preformed MDRPA biofilm structure was perturbed by the addition of Lf-KR. Collectively, our results suggest that Lf-KR can be an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm candidate as a pharmaceutical agent.
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7
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In Vitro & In Vivo Studies on Identifying and Designing Temporin-1CEh from the Skin Secretion of Rana chensinensis as the Optimised Antibacterial Prototype Drug. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030604. [PMID: 35335979 PMCID: PMC8949600 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibian skin secretion is an ideal source of antimicrobial peptides that are difficult to induce drug resistance to due to their membrane-targeting mechanism as a new treatment scheme. In this study, a natural antimicrobial peptide Temporin-1CEh was identified by molecular cloning and mass spectrometry from the skin secretions of the Chinese forest frog (Rana chensinensis). Through the study of the structure and biological activity, it was found that Temporin-1CEh was a helical peptide from the Temporin family, and possessed good anti-Gram-positive bacteria activity through the mechanism of membrane destruction. Seven analogues were further designed to obtain broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and higher stability in different physiological conditions. The results showed that T1CEh-KKPWW showed potent antibacterial activity with significantly increasing the activity against Gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo with low haemolysis. In addition, T1CEh-KKPWW2 showed high sensitivity to the pH, serum or salts conditions, which applied a branched structure to allow the active units of the peptide to accumulate. Even though the haemolytic activity was increased, the stable antibacterial activity made this novel analogue meet the conditions to become a potential candidate in future antimicrobial and antibiofilm applications.
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8
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Luong HX, Bui HTP, Tung TT. Application of the All-Hydrocarbon Stapling Technique in the Design of Membrane-Active Peptides. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3026-3045. [PMID: 35112864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The threats of drug resistance and new emerging pathogens have led to an urgent need to develop alternative treatment therapies. Recently, considerable research efforts have focused on membrane-active peptides (MAPs), a category of peptides in drug discovery with antimicrobial, anticancer, and cell penetration activities that have demonstrated their potential to be multifunctional agents. Nonetheless, natural MAPs have encountered various disadvantages, which mainly include poor bioavailability, the lack of a secondary structure in short peptides, and high production costs for long peptide sequences. Hence, an "all-hydrocarbon stapling system" has been applied to these peptides and proven to effectively stabilize the helical conformations, improving proteolytic resistance and increasing both the potency and the cell permeability. In this review, we summarized and categorized the advances made using this powerful technique in the development of stapled MAPs. Furthermore, outstanding issues and suggestions for future design within each subcategory were thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Xuan Luong
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | | | - Truong Thanh Tung
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
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9
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Xuan HL, Duc TD, Thuy AM, Chau PM, Tung TT. Chemical approaches in the development of natural nontoxic peptide Polybia-MP1 as a potential dual antimicrobial and antitumor agent. Amino Acids 2021; 53:843-852. [PMID: 33948731 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-021-02995-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Polybia-MP1 is a well-known natural antimicrobial peptide that has been intensively studied recently due to its therapeutic potential. MP1 exhibited not only potent antibacterial activity but also antifungal and anticancer properties. More importantly, MP1 shows relatively low hemolytic activity compared to other antimicrobial peptides having a similar origin. Thus, besides investigating possible mechanisms of action, great efforts have been invested to develop this peptide to become more "druggable". In this review, we summarized all the chemical approaches, both success and failure, that using MP1 as a lead compound to create modified analogs with better pharmacological properties. As there have been thousands of natural AMPs found and deposited in numerous databases, such useful information in both the success and failure will provide insight into the research and development of antimicrobial peptides and guiding for the next steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy L Xuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam.,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam
| | - Tam D Duc
- Lam Son School for the Gifted, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
| | - Anh M Thuy
- Lam Son School for the Gifted, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
| | | | - Truong T Tung
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam. .,PHENIKAA Institute for Advanced Study (PIAS), PHENIKAA University, Hanoi, 12116, Vietnam.
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10
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Yaghoubi A, Khazaei M, Ghazvini K, Movaqar A, Avan A, Hasanian SM, Soleimanpour S. Peptides with Dual Antimicrobial-Anticancer Activity Derived from the N-terminal Region of H. pylori Ribosomal Protein L1 (RpL1). Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-020-10150-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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11
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Joodaki F, Martin LM, Greenfield ML. Computational Study of Helical and Helix-Hinge-Helix Conformations of an Anti-Microbial Peptide in Solution by Molecular Dynamics and Vibrational Analysis. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:703-721. [PMID: 33464100 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many classical antimicrobial peptides adopt an amphipathic helical structure at a water-membrane interface. Prior studies led to the hypothesis that a hinge near the middle of a helical peptide plays an important role in facilitating peptide-membrane interactions. Here, dynamics and vibrations of a designed hybrid antimicrobial peptide LM7-2 in solution were simulated to investigate its hinge formation. Molecular dynamics simulation results on the basis of the CHARMM36 force field showed that the α-helix LM7-2 bent around two or three residues near the middle of the peptide, stayed in a helix-hinge-helix conformation for a short period of time, and then returned to a helical conformation. High-resolution computational vibrational techniques were applied on the LM7-2 system when it has α-helical and helix-hinge-helix conformations to understand how this structural change affects its inherent vibrations. These studies concentrated on the calculation of frequencies that correspond to backbone amide bands I, II, and III: vibrational modes that are sensitive to changes in the secondary structure of peptides and proteins. To that end, Fourier transforms were applied to thermal fluctuations in C-N-H angles, C-N bond lengths, and C═O bond lengths of each amide group. In addition, instantaneous all-atom normal mode analysis was applied to monitor and detect the characteristic amide bands of each amide group within LM7-2 during the MD simulation. Computational vibrational results indicate that shapes and frequencies of amide bands II and especially III were altered only for amide groups near the hinge. These methods provide high-resolution vibrational information that can complement spectroscopic vibrational studies. They assist in interpreting spectra of similar systems and suggest a marker for the presence of the helix-hinge-helix motif. Moreover, radial distribution functions indicated an increase in the probability of hydrogen bonding between water and a hydrogen atom connected to nitrogen (HN) in such a hinge. The probability of intramolecular hydrogen bond formation between HN and an amide group oxygen atom within LM7-2 was lower around the hinge. No correlation has been found between the presence of a hinge and hydrogen bonds between amide group oxygen atoms and the hydrogen atoms of water molecules. This result suggests a mechanism for hinge formation wherein hydrogen bonds to oxygen atoms of water replace intramolecular hydrogen bonds as the peptide backbone folds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faramarz Joodaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, United States
| | - Lenore M Martin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, United States
| | - Michael L Greenfield
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, United States
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12
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Hyun S, Choi Y, Jo D, Choo S, Park TW, Park SJ, Kim S, Lee S, Park S, Jin SM, Cheon DH, Yoo W, Arya R, Chong YP, Kim KK, Kim YS, Lee Y, Yu J. Proline Hinged Amphipathic α-Helical Peptide Sensitizes Gram-Negative Bacteria to Various Gram-Positive Antibiotics. J Med Chem 2020; 63:14937-14950. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Soonsil Hyun
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Yoonhwa Choi
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Doyeon Jo
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Seolah Choo
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Tae Woo Park
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Su-Jin Park
- Department of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Seoyeon Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Seonju Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Sohyun Park
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Sun Mi Jin
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Dae Hee Cheon
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Wanki Yoo
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Rekha Arya
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Yong Pil Chong
- Department of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Yang Soo Kim
- Department of Infectious Disease, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Yan Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jaehoon Yu
- Department of Chemistry & Education, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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13
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Pei X, Gong Z, Wu Q, Chen X, Wang L, Ma C, Xi X, Chen T, Shaw C, Zhou M. Characterisation of a novel peptide, Brevinin-1H, from the skin secretion of Amolops hainanensis and rational design of several analogues. Chem Biol Drug Des 2020; 97:273-282. [PMID: 32812694 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
As drug-resistant bacteria have become a serious health problem and have caused thousands of deaths, finding new antibiotics has become an urgent research priority. A novel antimicrobial peptide, named Brevinin-1H, was identified in the skin secretion of Amolops hainanensis through 'shotgun' cloning. It has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against tested micro-organisms and has anticancer cell activity. To improve its bioactivity and decrease its cytotoxicity, two structural analogues-Brevinin-1Ha and Brevinin-1HY-were designed based on the secondary structure of the natural peptide. Brevinin-1HY, in which tyrosine substituted Pro11 , had similar activity to the natural peptide against Gram-negative bacteria and cancer cells, but showed a dramatic increase in haemolytic activity and cytotoxicity at its minimum inhibitory concentration. Brevinin-1Ha, which transferred the Rana-box from the C-terminal to a central position, had significantly decreased haemolytic activity, but also in antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The present data suggest that increasing the proportion of α-helix structure in an AMP can increase its target micro-organism bioactivity to some extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Pei
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zijian Gong
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Qing Wu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Lei Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Chengbang Ma
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Xinping Xi
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Tianbao Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Chris Shaw
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Mei Zhou
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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14
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Zhu Y, Shao C, Li G, Lai Z, Tan P, Jian Q, Cheng B, Shan A. Rational Avoidance of Protease Cleavage Sites and Symmetrical End-Tagging Significantly Enhances the Stability and Therapeutic Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9421-9435. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Changxuan Shao
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Guoyu Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhenheng Lai
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Peng Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Qiao Jian
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Baojing Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
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15
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Brožek R, Kabelka I, Vácha R. Effect of Helical Kink on Peptide Translocation across Phospholipid Membranes. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:5940-5947. [PMID: 32603116 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c03291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes present a major obstacle for the delivery of therapeutic agents into cells. Some peptides have been shown to translocate across the membrane spontaneously, and they could be thus used as drug-carriers. However, the advantageous peptide properties for the translocation remain unclear. Of particular interest is the effect of a proline-induced kink in α-helical peptides, because the kink was previously reported to both increase and decrease the antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity of peptides could be related to their translocation across the membrane as is the case of the buforin 2 peptide investigated here. Using computer simulations with two independent models, we consistently showed that the presence of the kink has (1) no effect on the translocation barrier, (2) reduces the peptide affinity to the membrane, and (3) disfavors the transmembrane state. Moreover, we were able to determine that these effects are mainly caused by the peptide increased polarity, not the increased flexibility of the kink. The provided molecular understanding can be utilized for the design of cell-penetrating and drug-carrying peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radim Brožek
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Kabelka
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Vácha
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 267/2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
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16
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Ting DSJ, Beuerman RW, Dua HS, Lakshminarayanan R, Mohammed I. Strategies in Translating the Therapeutic Potentials of Host Defense Peptides. Front Immunol 2020; 11:983. [PMID: 32528474 PMCID: PMC7256188 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The golden era of antibiotics, heralded by the discovery of penicillin, has long been challenged by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Host defense peptides (HDPs), previously known as antimicrobial peptides, are emerging as a group of promising antimicrobial candidates for combatting AMR due to their rapid and unique antimicrobial action. Decades of research have advanced our understanding of the relationship between the physicochemical properties of HDPs and their underlying antimicrobial and non-antimicrobial functions, including immunomodulatory, anti-biofilm, and wound healing properties. However, the mission of translating novel HDP-derived molecules from bench to bedside has yet to be fully accomplished, primarily attributed to their intricate structure-activity relationship, toxicity, instability in host and microbial environment, lack of correlation between in vitro and in vivo efficacies, and dwindling interest from large pharmaceutical companies. Based on our previous experience and the expanding knowledge gleaned from the literature, this review aims to summarize the novel strategies that have been employed to enhance the antimicrobial efficacy, proteolytic stability, and cell selectivity, which are all crucial factors for bench-to-bedside translation of HDP-based treatment. Strategies such as residues substitution with natural and/or unnatural amino acids, hybridization, L-to-D heterochiral isomerization, C- and N-terminal modification, cyclization, incorporation with nanoparticles, and "smart design" using artificial intelligence technology, will be discussed. We also provide an overview of HDP-based treatment that are currently in the development pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Shu Jeng Ting
- Larry A. Donoso Laboratory for Eye Research, Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Anti-infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, The Academia, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Roger W Beuerman
- Anti-infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, The Academia, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harminder S Dua
- Larry A. Donoso Laboratory for Eye Research, Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rajamani Lakshminarayanan
- Anti-infectives Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, The Academia, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Imran Mohammed
- Larry A. Donoso Laboratory for Eye Research, Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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17
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Tuerkova A, Kabelka I, Králová T, Sukeník L, Pokorná Š, Hof M, Vácha R. Effect of helical kink in antimicrobial peptides on membrane pore formation. eLife 2020; 9:47946. [PMID: 32167466 PMCID: PMC7069690 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Every cell is protected by a semipermeable membrane. Peptides with the right properties, for example Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), can disrupt this protective barrier by formation of leaky pores. Unfortunately, matching peptide properties with their ability to selectively form pores in bacterial membranes remains elusive. In particular, the proline/glycine kink in helical peptides was reported to both increase and decrease antimicrobial activity. We used computer simulations and fluorescence experiments to show that a kink in helices affects the formation of membrane pores by stabilizing toroidal pores but disrupting barrel-stave pores. The position of the proline/glycine kink in the sequence further controls the specific structure of toroidal pore. Moreover, we demonstrate that two helical peptides can form a kink-like connection with similar behavior as one long helical peptide with a kink. The provided molecular-level insight can be utilized for design and modification of pore-forming antibacterial peptides or toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzbeta Tuerkova
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic.,National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Kabelka
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic.,National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Králová
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Sukeník
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic.,Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Czech Republic
| | - Šárka Pokorná
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Hof
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Vácha
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic.,National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice, Czech Republic.,Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Czech Republic
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18
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Chen G, Miao Y, Ma C, Zhou M, Shi Z, Chen X, Burrows JF, Xi X, Chen T, Wang L. Brevinin-2GHk from Sylvirana guentheri and the Design of Truncated Analogs Exhibiting the Enhancement of Antimicrobial Activity. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9020085. [PMID: 32075067 PMCID: PMC7168151 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9020085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brevinins are an important antimicrobial peptide (AMP) family discovered in the skin secretions of Ranidae frogs. The members demonstrate a typical C-terminal ranabox, as well as a diverse range of other structural characteristics. In this study, we identified a novel brevinin-2 peptide from the skin secretion of Sylvirana guentheri, via cloning transcripts, and identifying the expressed mature peptide, in the skin secretion. The confirmed amino acid sequence of the mature peptide was designated brevinin-2GHk (BR2GK). Moreover, as a previous study had demonstrated that the N-terminus of brevinin-2 is responsible for exerting antimicrobial activity, we also designed a series of truncated derivatives of BR2GK. The results show that the truncated derivatives exhibit significantly improved antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity compared to the parent peptide, except a Pro14 substituted analog. The circular dichroism (CD) analysis of this analog revealed that it did not fold into a helical conformation in the presence of either lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or TFE, indicating that position 14 is involved in the formation of the α-helix. Furthermore, three more analogs with the substitutions of Ala, Lys and Arg at the position 14, respectively, revealed the influence on the membrane disruption potency on bacteria and mammalian cells by the structural changes at this position. Overall, the N-terminal 25-mer truncates demonstrated the potent antimicrobial activity with low cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanzhu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Yuxi Miao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Zhanzhong Shi
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK;
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - James F. Burrows
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Xinping Xi
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-28-9097-1673
| | - Tianbao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK; (G.C.); (Y.M.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (J.F.B.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
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19
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Thery T, Lynch KM, Arendt EK. Natural Antifungal Peptides/Proteins as Model for Novel Food Preservatives. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2019; 18:1327-1360. [DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Thery
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
| | - Kieran M. Lynch
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
| | - Elke K. Arendt
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
- Microbiome IrelandUniv. College Cork Ireland
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20
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Wang J, Song J, Yang Z, He S, Yang Y, Feng X, Dou X, Shan A. Antimicrobial Peptides with High Proteolytic Resistance for Combating Gram-Negative Bacteria. J Med Chem 2019; 62:2286-2304. [PMID: 30742437 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Poor proteolytic resistance is an urgent problem to be solved in the clinical application of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), yet common solutions, such as complicated chemical modifications and utilization of d-amino acids, greatly increase the difficulty and cost of producing AMPs. In this work, a set of novel peptides was synthesized based on an antitrypsin/antichymotrypsin hydrolytic peptide structure unit (XYPX) n (X represents I, L, and V; Y represents R and K), which was designed using a systematic natural amino acid arrangement. Of these peptides, 16 with seven repeat units had the highest average selectivity index (GMSI = 99.07) for all of the Gram-negative bacteria tested and remained highly effective in combating Escherichia coli infection in vivo. Importantly, 16 also had dramatic resistance to a high concentration of trypsin/chymotrypsin hydrolysis and exerted bactericidal activity through a membrane-disruptive mechanism. Overall, these findings provide new approaches for the development of antiprotease hydrolytic peptides that target Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Jing Song
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Zhanyi Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Shiqi He
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Yi Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Xingjun Feng
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Xiujing Dou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , P. R. China
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21
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Influence of Proline Substitution on the Bioactivity of Mammalian-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide NK-2. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2018; 10:118-127. [PMID: 29043494 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-017-9335-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacteria are emerging as a global threat, making the search for alternative compounds urgent. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) became a promising hotspot due to their distinct action mechanism and possibility to be used as an alternative or complement to traditional antibiotics. However, gaining a better understanding about the relationship between antimicrobial peptides structure and its bioactivity is crucial for the development of next generation of antimicrobial agents. NK-2, derived from mammalian protein NK-lysin, has potent antitumor and bactericidal abilities. As proline was considered to be an effective α-helix breaker due to its restricted conformation, to better comprehend the effects of proline in the structure-activity relationship of NK-2, we constructed two NK-2 analogs. We examined the biological activities of NK-2 and its proline substitution analogs and analyzed the resulting conformational changes. Our results showed that introducing proline into the primary sequence of NK-2 significantly decreased the antitumor, antibacterial, and cytotoxic effects, as well as DNA binding activity by changing the α-helix content. However, α-helical content was not the only determining factor, the position of proline inserted was also critical. This study will allow for clearer insight into the role of proline in structure and bioactivity of NK-2 and provide a foundation for future studies.
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22
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Dissection of the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of Cap18: Generation of Cap18 derivatives with enhanced specificity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197742. [PMID: 29852015 PMCID: PMC5978884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the rapid emergence of resistance to classical antibiotics, novel antimicrobial compounds are needed. It is desirable to selectively kill pathogenic bacteria without targeting other beneficial bacteria in order to prevent the negative clinical consequences caused by many broad-spectrum antibiotics as well as reducing the development of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an alternative to classical antibiotics and it has been previously demonstrated that Cap18 has high antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacterial species. In this study we report the design of a positional scanning library consisting of 696 Cap18 derivatives and the subsequent screening for antimicrobial activity against Y. ruckeri, A. salmonicida, S. Typhimurium and L. lactis as well as for hemolytic activity measuring the hemoglobin release of horse erythrocytes. We show that the hydrophobic face of Cap18, in particular I13, L17 and I24, is essential for its antimicrobial activity against S. Typhimurium, Y. ruckeri, A. salmonicida, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, L. lactis, L. monocytogenes and E. faecalis. In particular, Cap18 derivatives harboring a I13D, L17D, L17P, I24D or I24N substitution lost their antimicrobial activity against any of the tested bacterial strains. In addition, we were able to generate species-specific Cap18 derivatives by particular amino acid substitutions either in the hydrophobic face at positions L6, L17, I20, and I27, or in the hydrophilic face at positions K16 and K18. Finally, our data showed the proline residue at position 29 to be essential for the inherent low hemolytic activity of Cap18 and that substitution of the residues K16, K23, or G21 by any hydrophobic residues enhances the hemolytic activity. This study demonstrates the potential of generating species-specific AMPs for the selective elimination of bacterial pathogens.
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23
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Hsiao YW, Hedström M, Losasso V, Metz S, Crain J, Winn M. Cooperative Modes of Action of Antimicrobial Peptides Characterized with Atomistic Simulations: A Study on Cecropin B. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:5908-5921. [PMID: 29737852 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b01957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widely occurring host defense agents of interest as one route for addressing the growing problem of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Understanding the mechanisms behind their antipathogen activity is instrumental in designing new AMPs. Herein, we present an all-atom molecular dynamics and free energy study on cecropin B (CB) and its constituent domains. We find a cooperative mechanism in which CB inserts into an anionic model membrane with its amphipathic N-terminal segment, supported by the hydrophobic C-terminal segment of a second peptide. The two peptides interact via a Glu···Lys salt bridge and together sustain a pore in the membrane. Using a modified membrane composition, we demonstrate that when the lower leaflet is overall neutral, insertion of the cationic segment is retarded and thus this mode of action is membrane specific. The observed mode of action utilizes a flexible hinge, a common structural motif among AMPs, which allows CB to insert into the membrane using either or both termini. Data from both unbiased trajectories and enhanced sampling simulations indicate that a requirement for CB to be an effective AMP is the interaction of its hydrophobic C-terminal segment with the membrane. Simulations of these segments in isolation reveal their aggregation in the membrane and a different mechanism of supporting pore formation. Together, our results show the complex interaction of different structural motifs of AMPs and, in particular, a potential role for electronegative side chains in an overall cationic AMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Wen Hsiao
- Scientific Computing Department , STFC Daresbury Laboratory , Keckwick Lane, Daresbury , Warrington WA4 4AD , U.K
| | - Magnus Hedström
- Clay Technology AB , Ideon Science Park , SE-223 70 Lund , Sweden
| | - Valeria Losasso
- Scientific Computing Department , STFC Daresbury Laboratory , Keckwick Lane, Daresbury , Warrington WA4 4AD , U.K
| | - Sebastian Metz
- Scientific Computing Department , STFC Daresbury Laboratory , Keckwick Lane, Daresbury , Warrington WA4 4AD , U.K
| | - Jason Crain
- IBM Research , Hartree Centre , Daresbury WA4 4AD , U.K
| | - Martyn Winn
- Scientific Computing Department , STFC Daresbury Laboratory , Keckwick Lane, Daresbury , Warrington WA4 4AD , U.K
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24
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Kim MK, Kang HK, Ko SJ, Hong MJ, Bang JK, Seo CH, Park Y. Mechanisms driving the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of Hp1404 and its analogue peptides against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1763. [PMID: 29379033 PMCID: PMC5789083 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19434-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hp1404, identified from the venom of the scorpion Heterometrus petersii, displays antimicrobial activity with cytotoxicity. Several synthetic peptides were designed based on the parent peptide Hp1404 to reduce cytotoxicity and improve activity (deletion of glycine and phenylalanine, substitution with leucine and lysine). The analogue peptides generated comprised 12 amino acids and displayed amphipathic α-helical structures, with higher hydrophobic moments and net positive charge than those of the Hp1404. The analogues showed less hemolytic and toxic effects toward mammalian cells than the Hp1404, especially Hp1404-T1e, which exhibited particularly potent antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA) strains. The analogue peptide Hp1404-T1e was more stable against salt and trypsin than the Hp1404. Hp1404's mechanism of action involves binding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), thereby killing bacteria through membrane disruption. Hp1404-T1e kills bacteria more rapidly than Hp1404 and not only seems to bind more strongly to LPS but may also be able to enter bacterial cells and interact with their DNA. Additionally, Hp1404-T1e can effectively kill bacteria in vivo. The results of this study indicate that Hp1404-T1e not only displays antimicrobial activity, but is also functional in physiological conditions, confirming its potential use as an effective therapeutic agent against MRPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyung Kim
- Research Center for proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology and BK21-Plus Research Team for Bioactive Control Technology, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Kyoung Kang
- Department of Biotechnology and BK21-Plus Research Team for Bioactive Control Technology, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Jin Ko
- Research Center for proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology and BK21-Plus Research Team for Bioactive Control Technology, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Ji Hong
- Research Center for proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology and BK21-Plus Research Team for Bioactive Control Technology, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Kyu Bang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, 363-883, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Ho Seo
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kongju National University, Kongju, 314-701, South Korea
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Research Center for proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biotechnology and BK21-Plus Research Team for Bioactive Control Technology, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Antitumor activity of HPA3P through RIPK3-dependent regulated necrotic cell death in colon cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 9:7902-7917. [PMID: 29487701 PMCID: PMC5814268 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The antimicrobial peptide HPA3 shows anticancer activity in gastric cancer and leukaemia. However, how HPA3 exerts its anticancer activity, as well as whether it also exhibits activity in other cancers, remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer activity of HPA3 and its analogues in colon cancer and to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for this activity. HPA3P decreased cell viability, whereas HPA3 and HPA3P2 did not decrease cell viability in colon cancer cells compared with control cells. This reduction in cell viability occurred through necrosis, a conclusion supported by our observation of the release of cellular contents, our intracellular PI staining results, and our observation of the release of HMGB1. Moreover, RIPK3 inhibition blocks the reduction of cell viability by HPA3P. Consistent with this finding, we found that knocking down RIPK3 and MLKL, key necroptosis proteins, attenuates the reductions in cell viability induced by HPA3P. Furthermore, HPA3P can improve the anticancer activity of chemotherapeutic agents and exhibits anticancer activity in other cancer cells. These results suggest that HPA3P may have potential as an anticancer agent in the treatment of colon cancer.
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26
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PSN-PC: A Novel Antimicrobial and Anti-Biofilm Peptide from the Skin Secretion of Phyllomedusa-camba with Cytotoxicity on Human Lung Cancer Cell. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22111896. [PMID: 29112170 PMCID: PMC6150266 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22111896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides derived from amphibian skin secretion are promising drug prototypes for combating widespread infection. In this study, a novel peptide belonging to the phylloseptin family of antimicrobial peptides was isolated from the skin secretion of the Phyllomedusa camba, namely phylloseptin-PC (PSN-PC). The biosynthetic precursor was obtained by molecular cloning and the mature peptide sequence was confirmed through tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) fragmentation sequencing in the skin secretion. The synthetic replicate exhibited a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans at concentrations of 2, 2, 8, 32 and 2 µM, respectively. It also showed the capability of eliminating S. aureus biofilm with a minimal biofilm eradication concentration of 8 µM. The haemolysis of this peptide was not significant at low concentrations but had a considerable increase at high concentrations. Additionally, this peptide showed an anti-proliferation effect on the non-small cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H157), with low cytotoxicity on the human microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1). The discovery of the novel peptide may provide useful clues for new drug discoveries.
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27
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AlMatar M, Makky EA, Yakıcı G, Var I, Kayar B, Köksal F. Antimicrobial peptides as an alternative to anti-tuberculosis drugs. Pharmacol Res 2017; 128:288-305. [PMID: 29079429 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) presently accounts for high global mortality and morbidity rates, despite the introduction four decades ago of the affordable and efficient four-drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol). Thus, a strong need exists for new drugs with special structures and uncommon modes of action to effectively overcome M. tuberculosis. Within this scope, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small, cationic and amphipathic peptides that comprise a section of the innate immune system, are currently the leading potential agents for the treatment of TB. Many studies have recently illustrated the capability of anti-mycobacterial peptides to disrupt the normal mycobacterial cell wall function through various modes, thereby interacting with the intracellular targets, as well as encompassing nucleic acids, enzymes and organelles. This review presents a wide array of antimicrobial activities, alongside the associated properties of the AMPs that could be utilized as potential agents in therapeutic tactics for TB treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manaf AlMatar
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences (Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü) Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
| | - Essam A Makky
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Gambang, 26300 Kuantan, Malaysia
| | - Gülfer Yakıcı
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Işıl Var
- Department of Food Engineering, Agricultural Faculty, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Begüm Kayar
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Fatih Köksal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
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Ma XW, Hou L, Chen B, Fan DQ, Chen YC, Yang Y, Wang KJ. A truncated Sph 12-38 with potent antimicrobial activity showing resistance against bacterial challenge in Oryzias melastigma. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 67:561-570. [PMID: 28600196 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2017.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an efficient part of innate immunity and are found in a variety of life. Among them Histone 2A (H2A), as a promising class of AMPs, attracts great attention, but the in vivo mechanism of H2A derived AMP is still less known. Based on the acquisition of Sphistin, a synthetic 38-amino acid H2A derived peptide from Scylla paramamosain, as reported in our previous study, was truncated into three short fragments (Sph12-38, Sph20-38 and Sph30-38) and further investigated for its possible functional domains. The antimicrobial activities of these analogs against different Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were illustrated. Among the analogs, Sph12-38 showed a stronger activity with a much lower minimum inhibitory concentration (3 μM) against Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Micrococcus lysodeikticus Fleming, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila and A. sobria in comparison with the reported Sphistin. A leakage of intracellular content was described in E. coli treated with Sph12-38. Unlike Sphistin which mainly disrupts the membrane integrity, Sph12-38 could also combine the A. sobria genomic DNA with a minimum concentration of 6 μM and was located intracellularly in cells observed under confocal laser scanning microscope imaging. In comparison with the control group of Oryzias melastigma injected with A. sobria alone, the group treated with a mixture of Sph12-38 and A. sobria showed a higher survival rate 7 days post-injection. Furthermore, in a pretreatment assay at 6 h, a higher survival rate was observed in the group injected with the mixture of Sph12-38 and A. sobria. Taken together, the synthetic peptide of Sph12-38 had a potent antimicrobial activity against bacteria. However, Sph12-38 had no cytotoxicity towards the hemolymph of S. paramamosain. Our study suggested that, as with Sph12-38, the H2A derived peptides were more likely prone to exert their activities in vivo through the truncated fragments while defending against different species of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Lin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Bei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Dan-Qing Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Yan-Chao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
| | - Ke-Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean & Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China; State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, PR China.
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Jeon D, Jeong MC, Jacob B, Bang JK, Kim EH, Cheong C, Jung ID, Park Y, Kim Y. Investigation of cationicity and structure of pseudin-2 analogues for enhanced bacterial selectivity and anti-inflammatory activity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1455. [PMID: 28469145 PMCID: PMC5431190 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01474-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudin-2 (Ps), isolated from the frog Pseudis paradoxa, exhibits potent antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. To develop antimicrobial peptides with anti-inflammatory activity and low cytotoxicity, we designed Ps analogues with Lys substitutions, resulting in elevated amphipathic α-helical structure and cationicity. We further substituted Gly11 with Pro (Ps-P analogues) to increase bacterial cell selectivity. Ps analogues retained antimicrobial activity and exhibited reduced cytotoxicity, whereas Ps-P analogues exhibited lower cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity. Tertiary structures revealed that Ps has a linear α-helix from Leu2 to Glu24, whereas Ps-P has a bend at Pro11 between two short α-helixes. Using various biophysical experiments, we found that Ps analogues produced much higher membrane depolarization than Ps-P analogues, whereas Ps-P analogues may penetrate bacterial cell membranes. Ps and its analogue Ps-K18 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 and mouse dendritic cells via a mechanism involving the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway. These activities may arise from their direct inhibition of the formation of TLR4-MD-2_LPS complex, implying that amphipathic α-helical structure with an optimum balance between enhanced cationicity and hydrophobicity may be essential for their anti-inflammatory activity. The bent structure provided by Pro substitution plays an important role in enhancing bacterial cell selectivity and cell penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dasom Jeon
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Min-Cheol Jeong
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Binu Jacob
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Jeong Kyu Bang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, 28119, Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Kim
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, 28119, Korea
| | - Chaejoon Cheong
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, 28119, Korea
| | - In Duk Jung
- Department of Immunology, Lab of Dendritic Cell Differentiation & Regulation, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, 380-701, Korea
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Center for Proteinaceous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Korea
| | - Yangmee Kim
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea.
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Lee KY, Lee BJ. Solution NMR studies on Helicobacter pylori proteins for antibiotic target discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2016; 11:681-93. [PMID: 27216839 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2016.1189411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a well-known widespread pathogenic bacterium that survives in the extremely acidic conditions of the human gastric mucosa. The global prevalence of H. pylori-resistant antibiotics has become an emerging issue in the 21st century and has necessitated the development of novel antibiotic drugs. Many efforts have aimed to discover antibiotic target proteins of H. pylori based on its genome of more than 1600 genes. AREAS COVERED This article highlights NMR spectroscopy as a valuable tool for determining the structure and dynamics of potential antibiotic-targeted proteins of H. pylori and evaluating their modes of interaction with native or synthetic binding partners. The residue-specific information on binding in solution provides a structural basis to identify and optimize lead compounds. EXPERT OPINION NMR spectroscopy is a powerful method for obtaining details of biomolecular interactions with a broad range of binding affinities. This strength facilitates the identification of the binding interface of the encounter complex that plays an integral role in a variety of biological functions. This low-affinity complex is difficult to crystallize, which impedes structure determination using X-ray crystallography. Additionally, the relative binding affinities can be predicted from the type of spectral change upon binding. High-resolution NMR spectroscopy in combination with advanced computer simulation would provide more confidence in complex structures. The application of NMR to studies of the H. pylori protein could contribute to the development of these targeted novel antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Young Lee
- a Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea
| | - Bong-Jin Lee
- a Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea
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Shin A, Lee E, Jeon D, Park YG, Bang JK, Park YS, Shin SY, Kim Y. Peptoid-Substituted Hybrid Antimicrobial Peptide Derived from Papiliocin and Magainin 2 with Enhanced Bacterial Selectivity and Anti-inflammatory Activity. Biochemistry 2015; 54:3921-31. [PMID: 26053120 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important components of the host innate immune system. Papiliocin is a 37-residue AMP purified from larvae of the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus. Magainin 2 is a 23-residue AMP purified from the skin of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. We designed an 18-residue hybrid peptide (PapMA) incorporating N-terminal residues 1-8 of papiliocin and N-terminal residues 4-12 of magainin 2, joined by a proline (Pro) hinge. PapMA showed high antimicrobial activity but was cytotoxic to mammalian cells. To decrease PapMA cytotoxicity, we designed a lysine (Lys) peptoid analogue, PapMA-k, which retained high antimicrobial activity but displayed cytotoxicity lower than that of PapMA. Fluorescent dye leakage experiments and confocal microscopy showed that PapMA targeted bacterial cell membranes whereas PapMA-k penetrated bacterial cell membranes. Nuclear magnetic resonance experiments revealed that PapMA contained an N-terminal α-helix from Lys(3) to Lys(7) and a C-terminal α-helix from Lys(10) to Lys(17), with a Pro(9) hinge between them. PapMA-k also had two α-helical structures in the same region connected with a flexible hinge residue at Nlys(9), which existed in a dynamic equilibrium of cis and trans conformers. Using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, the anti-inflammatory activity of PapMA and PapMA-k was confirmed by inhibition of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokine production. In addition, treatment with PapMA and PapMA-k decreased the level of ultraviolet irradiation-induced expression of genes encoding matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Thus, PapMA and PapMA-k are potent peptide antibiotics with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, with PapMA-k displaying enhanced bacterial selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areum Shin
- †Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
| | - Eunjung Lee
- †Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
| | - Dasom Jeon
- †Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
| | - Young-Guen Park
- †Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
| | - Jeong Kyu Bang
- ‡Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, 804-1 Yangchung-ri, Ochang, Chungbuk 363-883, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Park
- §Department of Chemistry, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
| | - Song Yub Shin
- ∥Department of Bio-Materials, Graduate School, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangmee Kim
- †Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Korea
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Libardo MD, Cervantes JL, Salazar JC, Angeles-Boza AM. Improved bioactivity of antimicrobial peptides by addition of amino-terminal copper and nickel (ATCUN) binding motifs. ChemMedChem 2014; 9:1892-901. [PMID: 24803240 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201402033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates to help circumvent antibiotic resistance, which is an increasing clinical problem. Amino-terminal copper and nickel (ATCUN) binding motifs are known to actively form reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon metal binding. The combination of these two peptidic constructs could lead to a novel class of dual-acting antimicrobial agents. To test this hypothesis, a set of ATCUN binding motifs were screened for their ability to induce ROS formation, and the most potent were then used to modify AMPs with different modes of action. ATCUN binding motif-containing derivatives of anoplin (GLLKRIKTLL-NH2), pro-apoptotic peptide (PAP; KLAKLAKKLAKLAK-NH2), and sh-buforin (RAGLQFPVGRVHRLLRK-NH2) were synthesized and found to be more active than the parent AMPs against a panel of clinically relevant bacteria. The lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for the ATCUN-anoplin peptides are attributed to the higher pore-forming activity along with their ability to cause ROS-induced membrane damage. The addition of the ATCUN motifs to PAP also increases its ability to disrupt membranes. DNA damage is the major contributor to the activity of the ATCUN-sh-buforin peptides. Our findings indicate that the addition of ATCUN motifs to AMPs is a simple strategy that leads to AMPs with higher antibacterial activity and possibly to more potent, usable antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Daben Libardo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Unit 3060, 55 North Eagleville Rd, Storrs, CT 06269 (USA)
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Murugan RN, Jacob B, Ahn M, Hwang E, Sohn H, Park HN, Lee E, Seo JH, Cheong C, Nam KY, Hyun JK, Jeong KW, Kim Y, Shin SY, Bang JK. De novo design and synthesis of ultra-short peptidomimetic antibiotics having dual antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80025. [PMID: 24302996 PMCID: PMC3841161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Much attention has been focused on the design and synthesis of potent, cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that possess both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, their development into therapeutic agents has been limited mainly due to their large size (12 to 50 residues in length) and poor protease stability. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In an attempt to overcome the issues described above, a set of ultra-short, His-derived antimicrobial peptides (HDAMPs) has been developed for the first time. Through systematic tuning of pendant hydrophobic alkyl tails at the N(π)- and N(τ)-positions on His, and the positive charge of Arg, much higher prokaryotic selectivity was achieved, compared to human AMP LL-37. Additionally, the most potent HDAMPs showed promising dual antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity and proteolytic resistance. Our results from transmission electron microscopy, membrane depolarization, confocal laser-scanning microscopy, and calcein-dye leakage experiments propose that HDAMP-1 kills microbial cells via dissipation of the membrane potential by forming pore/ion channels on bacterial cell membranes. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE The combination of the ultra-short size, high-prokaryotic selectivity, potent anti-MRSA activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and proteolytic resistance of the designed HDAMP-1, -3, -5, and -6 makes these molecules promising candidates for future antimicrobial therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravichandran N. Murugan
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Binu Jacob
- Department of Bio-Materials, Graduate School and Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mija Ahn
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunha Hwang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoik Sohn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hyo-Nam Park
- Division of Electron Microscopic Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjung Lee
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of SMART Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyung Seo
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaejoon Cheong
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Ky-Youb Nam
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Design Research Center, Yonsei University Research Complex, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Kyung Hyun
- Division of Electron Microscopic Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Woong Jeong
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of SMART Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangmee Kim
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of SMART Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Song Yub Shin
- Department of Bio-Materials, Graduate School and Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (JKB); (SYS)
| | - Jeong Kyu Bang
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (JKB); (SYS)
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Lee JK, Park SC, Hahm KS, Park Y. A helix-PXXP-helix peptide with antibacterial activity without cytotoxicity against MDRPA-infected mice. Biomaterials 2013; 35:1025-39. [PMID: 24176194 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In response to the growing problem of multidrug-resistant pathogenic microbes, much attention is being paid to naturally occurring and synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and the effects of their structural modification. Among these modifications, amino acid substitution is a simple approach to enhancing biological activity and reducing cytotoxicity. An earlier study indicated that HPA3, an analog of HP (2-20) derived from the N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1, forms large pores and shows considerable cytotoxicity. However, HPA3P, in which a proline (Pro) is substituted for glutamic acid (Glu) at position 9 of HPA3, shows markedly less cytotoxicity. This may be attributable to the presence of a Pro-kink into middle of the HPA3P structure within the membrane environment. Unfortunately, HPA3P is not an effective antibacterial agent in vivo. We therefore designed a helix-PXXP-helix structure (HPA3P2), in which Pro was substituted for the Glu and phenylalanine (Phe) at positions 9 and 12 of HPA3, yielding a molecule with a flexible central hinge. As compared to HPA3P, HPA3P3 exhibited dramatically increased antibacterial activity in vivo. ICR mice infected with clinically isolated multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed 100% survival when administered one 0.5-mg/kg dose of HPA3P2 or three 0.1-mg/kg doses of HPA3P2. Moreover, in a mouse model of septic shock induced by P. aeruginosa LPS, HPA3P2 reduced production of pro-inflammatory mediators and correspondingly reduced lung (alveolar) and liver tissue damage. The changes in HPA3 behavior with the introduction of Pro likely reflects alterations of the mechanism of action: i) HPA3 forms pores in the bacterial cell membranes, ii) HPA3P permeates the cell membranes and binds to intracellular RNA and DNA, and iii) HPA3P2 acts on the outer cellular membrane component LPS. Collectively, these results suggest HPA3P2 has the potential to be an effective antibiotic for use against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Kook Lee
- Research Center for Proteinaceous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759, Republic of Korea
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