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Sangiorgio G, Calvo M, Migliorisi G, Campanile F, Stefani S. The Impact of Enterococcus spp. in the Immunocompromised Host: A Comprehensive Review. Pathogens 2024; 13:409. [PMID: 38787261 PMCID: PMC11124283 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050409] [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: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The immunocompromised host is usually vulnerable to infectious diseases due to broad-spectrum treatments and immunological dysregulation. The Enterococcus genus consists of normal gut commensals, which acquire a leading role in infective processes among individuals with compromised immune systems. These microorganisms may express a potential virulence and resistance spectrum, enabling their function as severe pathogens. The Enterococcus spp. infections in immunocompromised hosts appear to be difficult to resolve due to the immunological response impairment and the possibility of facing antimicrobial-resistant strains. As regards the related risk factors, several data demonstrated that prior antibiotic exposure, medical device insertion, prolonged hospitalization and surgical interventions may lead to Enterococcus overgrowth, antibiotic resistance and spread among critical healthcare settings. Herein, we present a comprehensive review of Enterococcus spp. in the immunocompromised host, summarizing the available knowledge about virulence factors, antimicrobial-resistance mechanisms and host-pathogen interaction. The review ultimately yearns for more substantial support to further investigations about enterococcal infections and immunocompromised host response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Sangiorgio
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.C.); (S.S.)
| | - Maddalena Calvo
- U.O.C. Laboratory Analysis Unit, University Hospital Policlinico-San Marco, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Migliorisi
- U.O.C. Laboratory Analysis Unit, University Hospital Policlinico-San Marco, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Floriana Campanile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.C.); (S.S.)
| | - Stefania Stefani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.C.); (S.S.)
- U.O.C. Laboratory Analysis Unit, University Hospital Policlinico-San Marco, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.); (G.M.)
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Zhuang Y, Quirk S, Stover ER, Bureau HR, Allen CR, Hernandez R. Tertiary Plasticity Drives the Efficiency of Enterocin 7B Interactions with Lipid Membranes. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2100-2113. [PMID: 38412510 PMCID: PMC10926100 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The ability of antimicrobial peptides to efficiently kill their bacterial targets depends on the efficiency of their binding to the microbial membrane. In the case of enterocins, there is a three-part interaction: initial binding, unpacking of helices on the membrane surface, and permeation of the lipid bilayer. Helical unpacking is driven by disruption of the peptide hydrophobic core when in contact with membranes. Enterocin 7B is a leaderless enterocin antimicrobial peptide produced from Enterococcus faecalis that functions alone, or with its cognate partner enterocin 7A, to efficiently kill a wide variety of Gram-stain positive bacteria. To better characterize the role that tertiary structural plasticity plays in the ability of enterocin 7B to interact with the membranes, a series of arginine single-site mutants were constructed that destabilize the hydrophobic core to varying degrees. A series of experimental measures of structure, stability, and function, including CD spectra, far UV CD melting profiles, minimal inhibitory concentrations analysis, and release kinetics of calcein, show that decreased stabilization of the hydrophobic core is correlated with increased efficiency of a peptide to permeate membranes and in killing bacteria. Finally, using the computational technique of adaptive steered molecular dynamics, we found that the atomistic/energetic landscape of peptide mechanical unfolding leads to free energy differences between the wild type and its mutants, whose trends correlate well with our experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Stephen Quirk
- Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia 30076-2199, United States
| | - Erica R Stover
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Hailey R Bureau
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Caley R Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Rigoberto Hernandez
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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3
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Reinseth I, Diep DB, Kjos M, Tønnesen HH, Carlsen H. Exploring the feasibility of bacteriocins EntK1 and EntEJ97s in treatment of systemic vancomycin resistant enterococci infections in mice. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae054. [PMID: 38439668 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Enterocins K1 and EJ97 have specific antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of these enterocins for in vivo treatment of systemic enterococcal infections. METHODS AND RESULTS The antimicrobial effect in blood was analysed and compared against the effect in saline. Colony forming unit counts revealed that the enterocins killed all the bacteria within 1 hour. Additionally, the bactericidal effect against E. faecalis was more rapid in blood, indicating a possible synergy between EntEJ97 and blood. Importantly, no enterocin resistant mutants emerged in these experiments. Injecting the enterocins intraperitoneally in an in vivo mouse model and using fluorescence and minimum inhibitory concentration determination to estimate concentrations of the peptides in plasma, indicate that the enterocins exist in circulation in therapeutic concentrations. Alanine aminotransferase detection, and haemolysis analysis indicates that there is no detectable liver damage or haemolytic effect after injection. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed that EntK1 and EntEJ97 are able to kill all bacteria ex vivo in the presence of blood. In vivo experiments determine that the enterocins exist in circulation in therapeutic concentrations without causing liver damage or haemolysis. Future experiments should test these peptides for treatment of infection in a relevant in vivo model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingvild Reinseth
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Dzung B Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Hanne H Tønnesen
- Section of Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Harald Carlsen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003 1432 Ås, Norway
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Kristensen SS, Lukassen MV, Siebenhaar S, Diep DB, Morth JP, Mathiesen G. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as a novel platform for production and purification of integral membrane proteins using RseP as the benchmark. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14361. [PMID: 37658186 PMCID: PMC10474122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41559-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study describes a detailed procedure for expressing and purifying the integral membrane protein RseP using the pSIP system and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as an expression host. RseP is a membrane-bound site-2-protease and a known antibacterial target in multiple human pathogens. In the present study, we screened five RseP orthologs from Gram-positive bacteria and found RseP from Enterococcus faecium (EfmRseP) to yield the highest protein levels. The production conditions were optimized and EfmRseP was purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. The purification resulted in an overall yield of approximately 1 mg of pure protein per 3 g of wet-weight cell pellet. The structural integrity of the purified protein was confirmed using circular dichroism. We further assessed the expression and purification of RseP from E. faecium in the Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Detection of soluble protein failed in two of the three E. coli strains tested. Purification of EfmRseP expressed in E. coli C43(DE3) resulted in a protein with lower purity compared to EfmRseP expressed in L. plantarum. To our knowledge, this is the first time L. plantarum and the pSIP expression system have been applied for the production of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie S Kristensen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway.
| | - Marie V Lukassen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Suzana Siebenhaar
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Dzung B Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - J Preben Morth
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Geir Mathiesen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway.
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Ovchinnikov KV, Kranjec C, Thorstensen T, Carlsen H, Diep DB. Bacteriocins Revitalize Non-Effective Penicillin G to Overcome Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11121691. [PMID: 36551348 PMCID: PMC9774949 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11121691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is among the biggest challenges in human and veterinary medicine. One of the major factors that contributes to resistance is use of frontline clinical antibiotics in veterinary practices. To avoid this problem, searching for antimicrobials aimed at veterinary applications is becoming especially important. Thiopeptide micrococcin P1 and leaderless peptide EntEJ97s are two different bacteriocins that are very active against many gram-positive bacteria; however, sensitive bacteria can rapidly develop resistance towards those bacteriocins. To overcome this problem, we searched for synergy between those bacteriocins and conventional antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP): a common pathogen in animal skin infections. The two bacteriocins acted synergistically with each other and with penicillin G against MRSP clinical isolates in both planktonic and biofilm assays; they also prevented resistance development. The therapeutic potential was further validated in a murine skin infection model that showed that a combination of micrococcin P1, EntEJ97s and penicillin G reduced cell-forming units of MRSP by 2-log10 CFU/g. Taken together, our data show that a combination of bacteriocins with conventional antibiotics can not only prevent resistance development but also pave the way to revitalize some old, less useful antibiotics, such as penicillin, which by itself has no effect on methicillin-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill V. Ovchinnikov
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway
| | - Christian Kranjec
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway
| | - Tage Thorstensen
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
- AgriBiotix AS, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Harald Carlsen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway
| | - Dzung B. Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway
- Correspondence:
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The extracellular domain of site-2-metalloprotease RseP is important for sensitivity to bacteriocin EntK1. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102593. [PMID: 36244452 PMCID: PMC9672952 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterocin K1 (EntK1), a bacteriocin that is highly potent against vancomycin-resistant enterococci, depends on binding to an intramembrane protease of the site-2 protease family, RseP, for its antimicrobial activity. RseP is highly conserved in both EntK1-sensitive and EntK1-insensitive bacteria, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between RseP and EntK1 and bacteriocin sensitivity are unknown. Here, we describe a mutational study of RseP from EntK1-sensitive Enterococcus faecium to identify regions of RseP involved in bacteriocin binding and activity. Mutational effects were assessed by studying EntK1 sensitivity and binding with strains of naturally EntK1-insensitive Lactiplantibacillus plantarum–expressing various RseP variants. We determined that site-directed mutations in conserved sequence motifs related to catalysis and substrate binding, and even deletion of two such motifs known to be involved in substrate binding, did not abolish bacteriocin sensitivity, with one exception. A mutation of a highly conserved asparagine, Asn359, in the extended so-called LDG motif abolished both binding of and killing by EntK1. By constructing various hybrids of the RseP proteins from sensitive E. faecium and insensitive L. plantarum, we showed that the extracellular PDZ domain is the key determinant of EntK1 sensitivity. Taken together, these data may provide valuable insight for guided construction of novel bacteriocins and may contribute to establishing RseP as an antibacterial target.
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Traditional and Computational Screening of Non-Toxic Peptides and Approaches to Improving Selectivity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15030323. [PMID: 35337121 PMCID: PMC8953747 DOI: 10.3390/ph15030323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides have positively impacted the pharmaceutical industry as drugs, biomarkers, or diagnostic tools of high therapeutic value. However, only a handful have progressed to the market. Toxicity is one of the main obstacles to translating peptides into clinics. Hemolysis or hemotoxicity, the principal source of toxicity, is a natural or disease-induced event leading to the death of vital red blood cells. Initial screenings for toxicity have been widely evaluated using erythrocytes as the gold standard. More recently, many online databases filled with peptide sequences and their biological meta-data have paved the way toward hemolysis prediction using user-friendly, fast-access machine learning-driven programs. This review details the growing contributions of in silico approaches developed in the last decade for the large-scale prediction of erythrocyte lysis induced by peptides. After an overview of the pharmaceutical landscape of peptide therapeutics, we highlighted the relevance of early hemolysis studies in drug development. We emphasized the computational models and algorithms used to this end in light of historical and recent findings in this promising field. We benchmarked seven predictors using peptides from different data sets, having 7–35 amino acids in length. According to our predictions, the models have scored an accuracy over 50.42% and a minimal Matthew’s correlation coefficient over 0.11. The maximum values for these statistical parameters achieved 100.0% and 1.00, respectively. Finally, strategies for optimizing peptide selectivity were described, as well as prospects for future investigations. The development of in silico predictive approaches to peptide toxicity has just started, but their important contributions clearly demonstrate their potential for peptide science and computer-aided drug design. Methodology refinement and increasing use will motivate the timely and accurate in silico identification of selective, non-toxic peptide therapeutics.
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Daba GM, Elnahas MO, Elkhateeb WA. Beyond biopreservatives, bacteriocins biotechnological applications: History, current status, and promising potentials. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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9
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Almeida-Santos AC, Novais C, Peixe L, Freitas AR. Enterococcus spp. as a Producer and Target of Bacteriocins: A Double-Edged Sword in the Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis Context. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101215. [PMID: 34680796 PMCID: PMC8532689 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus spp. are one of the most frequent producers of bacteriocins (enterocins), which provides them with an advantage to compete in their natural environment, which is the gut of humans and many animals. The enterocins’ activity against microorganisms from different phylogenetic groups has raised interest in Enterococcus spp. in different contexts throughout the last decades, especially in the food industry. Nevertheless, some species can also cause opportunistic life-threatening infections and are frequently multidrug-resistant (MDR). Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), in particular, are an ongoing global challenge given the lack of therapeutic options. In this scenario, bacteriocins can offer a potential solution to this persistent threat, either alone or in combination with other antimicrobials. There are a handful of studies that demonstrate the advantages and applications of bacteriocins, especially against VRE. The purpose of this review is to present a current standpoint about the dual role of Enterococcus spp., from important producers to targets needed to be controlled, and the crucial role that enterocins may have in the expansion of enterococcal populations. Classification and distribution of enterocins, the current knowledge about the bacteriocinome of clinical enterococci, and the challenges of bacteriocin use in the fight against VRE infections are particularly detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Almeida-Santos
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal or (A.C.A.-S.); (C.N.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla Novais
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal or (A.C.A.-S.); (C.N.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luísa Peixe
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal or (A.C.A.-S.); (C.N.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.P.); or (A.R.F.); Tel.: +351-220428580 (L.P. & A.R.F.)
| | - Ana R. Freitas
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal or (A.C.A.-S.); (C.N.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- TOXRUN–Toxicology Research Unit, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.P.); or (A.R.F.); Tel.: +351-220428580 (L.P. & A.R.F.)
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10
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Kranjec C, Kristensen SS, Bartkiewicz KT, Brønner M, Cavanagh JP, Srikantam A, Mathiesen G, Diep DB. A bacteriocin-based treatment option for Staphylococcus haemolyticus biofilms. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13909. [PMID: 34230527 PMCID: PMC8260761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93158-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriocins are ribosomally-synthesized antimicrobial peptides, showing great potential as novel treatment options for multidrug-resistant pathogens. In this study, we designed a novel hybrid bacteriocin, Hybrid 1 (H1), by combing the N-terminal part and the C-terminal part of the related bacteriocins enterocin K1 (K1) and enterocin EJ97 (EJ97), respectively. Like the parental bacteriocins, H1 used the membrane-bound protease RseP as receptor, however, it differed from the others in the inhibition spectrum. Most notably, H1 showed a superior antimicrobial effect towards Staphylococcus haemolyticus—an important nosocomial pathogen. To avoid strain-dependency, we further evaluated H1 against 27 clinical and commensal S. haemolyticus strains, with H1 indeed showing high activity towards all strains. To curtail the rise of resistant mutants and further explore the potential of H1 as a therapeutic agent, we designed a bacteriocin-based formulation where H1 was used in combination with the broad-spectrum bacteriocins micrococcin P1 and garvicin KS. Unlike the individual bacteriocins, the three-component combination was highly effective against planktonic cells and completely eradicated biofilm-associated S. haemolyticus cells in vitro. Most importantly, the formulation efficiently prevented development of resistant mutants as well. These findings indicate the potential of a bacteriocins-based formulation as a treatment option for S. haemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kranjec
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Sofie S Kristensen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Karolina T Bartkiewicz
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Mikkel Brønner
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Jorunn P Cavanagh
- Pediatric Infections Group, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsö, Norway.,Pediatric Infections Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsö, Norway
| | - Aparna Srikantam
- Blue Peter Public Health and Research Centre, LEPRA Society, Hyderabad, India
| | - Geir Mathiesen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Dzung B Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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11
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Yu W, Ning N, Xue Y, Huang Y, Guo F, Li T, Yang B, Luo D, Sun Y, Li Z, Wang J, He Z, Cheng S, Zhang X, Wang H. A Chimeric Cationic Peptide Composed of Human β-Defensin 3 and Human β-Defensin 4 Exhibits Improved Antibacterial Activity and Salt Resistance. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:663151. [PMID: 34025617 PMCID: PMC8137984 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.663151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human beta-defensins (hBDs) play an important role in the host defense against various microbes, showing different levels of antibacterial activity and salt resistance in vitro. It is of interest to investigate whether can chimeric hBD analogs enhanced antibacterial activity and salt resistance. In this study, we designed a chimeric human defensin, named H4, by combining sequences of human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) and human beta-defensin-4 (hBD-4), then evaluated its antibacterial activity, salt resistance, and cytotoxic effects. The result showed that the antibacterial activity of H4 against most tested strains, including Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyloccocus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Acinetobacter baumannii was significantly improved compared to that of hBD-3 and hBD-4. Notably, H4 exhibited significantly better antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant isolate A. baumannii MDR-ZJ06 than commonly used antibiotics. Chimeric H4 still showed more than 80% antibacterial activity at high salt concentration (150 μM), which proves its good salt tolerance. The cytotoxic effect assay showed that the toxicity of H4 to Hela, Vero, A549 cells and erythrocytes at a low dose (<10 μg/ml) was similar to that of hBD-3 and hBD-4. In conclusion, given its broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and high salt resistance, chimeric H4 could serve as a promising template for new therapeutic antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Nianzhi Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.,College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Yanyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Boning Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Henan University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Deyan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yakun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhili He
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Shiwei Cheng
- College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Xingxiao Zhang
- College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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