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Cotabarren J, Ozón B, Claver S, Geier F, Rossotti M, Garcia-Pardo J, Obregón WD. A Multifunctional Trypsin Protease Inhibitor from Yellow Bell Pepper Seeds: Uncovering Its Dual Antifungal and Hypoglycemic Properties. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030781. [PMID: 36986642 PMCID: PMC10054557 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections are a growing public health concern worldwide and the emergence of antifungal resistance has limited the number of therapeutic options. Therefore, developing novel strategies for identifying and developing new antifungal compounds is an active area of research in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, we purified and characterized a trypsin protease inhibitor obtained from Yellow Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds. The inhibitor not only showed potent and specific activity against the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, but was also found to be non-toxic against human cells. Furthermore, this inhibitor is unique in that it also inhibits α-1,4-glucosidase, positioning it as one of the first plant-derived protease inhibitors with dual biological activity. This exciting discovery opens new avenues for the development of this inhibitor as a promising antifungal agent and highlights the potential of plant-derived protease inhibitors as a rich source for the discovery of novel multifunctional bioactive molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Cotabarren
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (J.C.); (J.G.-P.); (W.D.O.); Tel.: +54-221-423-5333 (ext. 57) (J.C. & W.D.O.); +34-93-586-8936 (J.G.-P.)
| | - Brenda Ozón
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago Claver
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Geier
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martina Rossotti
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier Garcia-Pardo
- Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.C.); (J.G.-P.); (W.D.O.); Tel.: +54-221-423-5333 (ext. 57) (J.C. & W.D.O.); +34-93-586-8936 (J.G.-P.)
| | - Walter David Obregón
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (J.C.); (J.G.-P.); (W.D.O.); Tel.: +54-221-423-5333 (ext. 57) (J.C. & W.D.O.); +34-93-586-8936 (J.G.-P.)
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Purification and Characterization of a Novel Thermostable Papain Inhibitor from Moringa oleifera with Antimicrobial and Anticoagulant Properties. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13040512. [PMID: 33917878 PMCID: PMC8068210 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant cystatins (or phytocystatins) comprise a large superfamily of natural bioactive small proteins that typically act as protein inhibitors of papain-like cysteine proteases. In this report, we present the purification and characterization of the first phytocystatin isolated from Moringa oleifera (MoPI). MoPI has a molecular mass of 19 kDa and showed an extraordinary physicochemical stability against acidic pHs and high temperatures. Our findings also revealed that MoPI is one of the most potent cysteine protease inhibitors reported to date, with Ki and IC50 values of 2.1 nM and 5.7 nM, respectively. More interestingly, MoPI presents a strong antimicrobial activity against human pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, MoPI also showed important anticoagulant activity, which is an unprecedented property for this family of protease inhibitors. These results highlight the pharmaceutical potential of this plant and its derived bioactive molecules.
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Cotabarren J, Tellechea ME, Avilés FX, Lorenzo Rivera J, Obregón WD. Biochemical characterization of the YBPCI miniprotein, the first carboxypeptidase inhibitor isolated from Yellow Bell Pepper ( Capsicum annuum L). A novel contribution to the knowledge of miniproteins stability. Protein Expr Purif 2018; 144:55-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Cotabarren J, Tellechea ME, Tanco SM, Lorenzo J, Garcia-Pardo J, Avilés FX, Obregón WD. Biochemical and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometric Characterization of a Novel Native and Recombinant Cystine Knot Miniprotein from Solanum tuberosum subsp. andigenum cv. Churqueña. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19030678. [PMID: 29495576 PMCID: PMC5877539 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystine-knot miniproteins (CKMPs) are an intriguing group of cysteine-rich molecules that combine the characteristics of proteins and peptides. Typically, CKMPs are fewer than 50 residues in length and share a characteristic knotted scaffold characterized by the presence of three intramolecular disulfide bonds that form the singular knotted structure. The knot scaffold confers on these proteins remarkable chemical, thermal, and proteolytic stability. Recently, CKMPs have emerged as a novel class of natural molecules with interesting pharmacological properties. In the present work, a novel cystine-knot metallocarboxypeptidase inhibitor (chuPCI) was isolated from tubers of Solanum tuberosum, subsp. andigenum cv. Churqueña. Our results demonstrated that chuPCI is a member of the A/B-type family of metallocarboxypeptidases inhibitors. chuPCI was expressed and characterized by a combination of biochemical and mass spectrometric techniques. Direct comparison of the MALDI-TOF mass spectra for the native and recombinant molecules allowed us to confirm the presence of four different forms of chuPCI in the tubers. The majority of such forms have a molecular weight of 4309 Da and contain a cyclized Gln in the N-terminus. The other three forms are derived from N-terminal and/or C-terminal proteolytic cleavages. Taken together, our results contribute to increase the current repertoire of natural CKMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Cotabarren
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Argentina.
| | - Mariana Edith Tellechea
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Argentina.
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus Universitari, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sebastián Martín Tanco
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus Universitari, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Julia Lorenzo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus Universitari, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Javier Garcia-Pardo
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Francesc Xavier Avilés
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus Universitari, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Walter David Obregón
- Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetales (CIPROVE), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 47 y 115 s/N, La Plata B1900AVW, Argentina.
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