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Rooney J, Rivera-de-Torre E, Li R, Mclean K, Price DR, Nisbet AJ, Laustsen AH, Jenkins TP, Hofmann A, Bakshi S, Zarkan A, Cantacessi C. Structural and functional analyses of nematode-derived antimicrobial peptides support the occurrence of direct mechanisms of worm-microbiota interactions. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1522-1533. [PMID: 38633385 PMCID: PMC11021794 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.019] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The complex relationships between gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes and the host gut microbiota have been implicated in key aspects of helminth disease and infection outcomes. Nevertheless, the direct and indirect mechanisms governing these interactions are, thus far, largely unknown. In this proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate that the excretory-secretory products (ESPs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) of key GI nematodes contain peptides that, when recombinantly expressed, exert antimicrobial activity in vitro against Bacillus subtilis. In particular, using time-lapse microfluidics microscopy, we demonstrate that exposure of B. subtilis to a recombinant saposin-domain containing peptide from the 'brown stomach worm', Teladorsagia circumcincta, and a metridin-like ShK toxin from the 'barber's pole worm', Haemonchus contortus, results in cell lysis and significantly reduced growth rates. Data from this study support the hypothesis that GI nematodes may modulate the composition of the vertebrate gut microbiota directly via the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, and pave the way for future investigations aimed at deciphering the impact of such changes on the pathophysiology of GI helminth infection and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Rooney
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ruizhe Li
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Mclean
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Andreas H. Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Max Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, Kulmbach, Germany
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Somenath Bakshi
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ashraf Zarkan
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Cinzia Cantacessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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Conde-Torres D, Calvelo M, Rovira C, Piñeiro Á, Garcia-Fandino R. Unlocking the specificity of antimicrobial peptide interactions for membrane-targeted therapies. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 25:61-74. [PMID: 38695015 PMCID: PMC11061258 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.022] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly recognized as potent therapeutic agents, with their selective affinity for pathological membranes, low toxicity profile, and minimal resistance development making them particularly attractive in the pharmaceutical landscape. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between specific AMPs, including magainin-2, pleurocidin, CM15, LL37, and clavanin, with lipid bilayer models of very different compositions that have been ordinarily used as biological membrane models of healthy mammal, cancerous, and bacterial cells. Employing unbiased molecular dynamics simulations and metadynamics techniques, we have deciphered the intricate mechanisms by which these peptides recognize pathogenic and pathologic lipid patterns and integrate into lipid assemblies. Our findings reveal that the transverse component of the peptide's hydrophobic dipole moment is critical for membrane interaction, decisively influencing the molecule's orientation and expected therapeutic efficacy. Our approach also provides insight on the kinetic and dynamic dependence on the peptide orientation in the axial and azimuthal angles when coming close to the membrane. The aim is to establish a robust framework for the rational design of peptide-based, membrane-targeted therapies, as well as effective quantitative descriptors that can facilitate the automated design of novel AMPs for these therapies using machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Conde-Torres
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Martín Calvelo
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Rovira
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rebeca Garcia-Fandino
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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3
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Adak A, Castelletto V, Mendes B, Barrett G, Seitsonen J, Hamley IW. Chirality and pH Influence the Self-Assembly of Antimicrobial Lipopeptides with Diverse Nanostructures. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:5553-5565. [PMID: 39042039 PMCID: PMC11337160 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00664] [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: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Chirality plays a crucial role in the self-assembly of biomolecules in nature. Peptides show chirality-dependent conformation and self-assembly. Lipidation of peptides occurs in vivo and has recently been exploited in designed conjugates to drive self-assembly and enhance bioactivity. Here, a library of pH-responsive homochiral and heterochiral lipidated tripeptides has been designed. The designed lipopeptides comprise homochiral C16-YKK or C16-WKK (where all the amino acids are l-isomers), and two heterochiral conjugates C16-Ykk and C16-Wkk (where the two lysines are d-isomers). The self-assembly of all the synthesized lipopeptides in aqueous solution was examined using a combination of spectroscopic methods along with cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Interestingly, it was observed that at acidic pH all the lipopeptides self-assemble into micelles, whereas at basic pH the homochiral lipopeptides self-assemble into nanofibers, whereas the heterochiral lipopeptides self-assemble into nanotapes and nanotubes. A pH switch was demonstrated using a thioflavin T fluorescence probe of β-sheet structure present in the extended structures at pH 8. We demonstrate that both chirality and pH in lipopeptides influence the self-assembly behavior of the model tripeptides, which also show promising bioactivity. Good cytocompatibility is observed in hemolytic assays and antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria is shown through the determination of minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values and live/dead bacteria staining assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindyasundar Adak
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, U.K.
| | - Valeria Castelletto
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, U.K.
| | - Bruno Mendes
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Glyn Barrett
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Jani Seitsonen
- Nanomicroscopy
Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FIN-02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Ian W. Hamley
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, U.K.
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4
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John CM, Otala SA, Jarvis GA. Cyclization increases bactericidal activity of arginine-rich cationic cell-penetrating peptide for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0099724. [PMID: 39105587 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00997-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that a linear cationic 12-amino acid cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) was bactericidal for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In this study, our objectives were to determine the effect of cyclization of the linear CPP on its antibacterial activity for N. gonorrhoeae and cytotoxicity for human cells. We compared the bactericidal effect of 4-hour treatment with the linear CPP to that of CPPs cyclized by a thioether or a disulfide bond on human challenge and multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of N. gonorrhoeae grown in cell culture media with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The effect of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) sialylation on bactericidal activity was analyzed. We determined the ability of the CPPs to treat human cells infected in vitro with N. gonorrhoeae, to reduce the inflammatory response of human monocytic cells to gonococci, to kill strains of three commensal Neisseria species, and to inhibit gonococcal biofilms. The cyclized CPPs killed 100% of gonococci from all strains at 100 µM and >90% at 20 µM and were more potent than the linear form. The thioether-linked but not the disulfide-linked CPP was less cytotoxic for human cervical cells compared to the linear CPP. LOS sialylation had minimal effect on bactericidal activity. In treating infected human cells, the thioether-linked CPP at 20 µM killed >60% of extra- and intracellular bacteria and reduced TNF-α expression by THP-1 cells. The potency of the CPPs for the pathogenic and the commensal Neisseria was similar. The thioether-linked CPP partially eradicated gonococcal biofilms. Future studies will focus on determining efficacy in the female mouse model of gonorrhea.IMPORTANCENeisseria gonorrhoeae remains a major cause of sexually transmitted infections with 82 million cases worldwide in 2020, and 710,151 confirmed cases in the US in 2021, up 25% from 2017. N. gonorrhoeae can infect multiple tissues including the urethra, cervix, rectum, pharynx, and conjunctiva. The most serious sequelae are suffered by infected women as gonococci ascend to the upper reproductive tract and cause pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility in 10%-20% of women. Control of gonococcal infection is widely recognized as increasingly challenging due to the lack of any vaccine. N. gonorrhoeae has quickly developed resistance to all but one class of antibiotics and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains could result in untreatable infections. As such, gonorrhea is classified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as an urgent public health threat. The research presented herein on new therapeutics for gonorrhea has identified a cyclic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) as a potent molecule targeting N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance M John
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Suzanne A Otala
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gary A Jarvis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
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5
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Sarkar T, Vignesh SR, Sehgal T, Ronima KR, Thummer RP, Satpati P, Chatterjee S. Development of protease resistant and non-cytotoxic Jelleine analogs with enhanced broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184336. [PMID: 38763273 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Short systemic half- life of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMP) is one of the major bottlenecks that limits their successful commercialization as therapeutics. In this work, we have designed analogs of the natural AMP Jelleine, obtained from royal jelly of apis mellifera. Among the designed peptides, J3 and J4 were the most potent with broad spectrum activities against a varied class of ESKAPE pathogens and fungus C. albicans. All the developed peptides were more effective against Gram-negative bacteria in comparison to the Gram-positive pathogens, and were especially effective against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans.J3 and J4 were completely trypsin resistant and serum stable, while retaining the non-cytotoxicity of the parent Jelleine, Jc. The designed peptides were membranolytic in their mode of action. CD and MD simulations in the presence of bilayers, established that J3 and J4 were non-structured even upon membrane binding and suggested that biological properties of the AMPs were innocent of any specific secondary structural requirements. Enhancement of charge to increase the antimicrobial potency, controlling the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance to maintain non-cytotoxicity and induction of unnatural amino acid residues to impart protease resistance, remains some of the fundamental principles in the design of more effective antimicrobial therapeutics of the future, which may help combat the quickly rising menace of antimicrobial resistance in the microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanumoy Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - S R Vignesh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Tanya Sehgal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - K R Ronima
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Rajkumar P Thummer
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
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6
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Pontejo SM, Martinez S, Zhao A, Barnes K, de Anda J, Alimohamadi H, Lee EY, Dishman AF, Volkman BF, Wong GCL, Garboczi DN, Ballesteros A, Murphy PM. Chemokines Kill Bacteria by Binding Anionic Phospholipids without Triggering Antimicrobial Resistance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.25.604863. [PMID: 39091850 PMCID: PMC11291121 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.25.604863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Classically, chemokines coordinate leukocyte trafficking during immune responses; however, many chemokines have also been reported to possess direct antibacterial activity in vitro. Yet, the bacterial killing mechanism of chemokines and the biochemical properties that define which members of the chemokine superfamily are antimicrobial remain poorly understood. Here we report that the antimicrobial activity of chemokines is defined by their ability to bind phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, two anionic phospholipids commonly found in the bacterial plasma membrane. We show that only chemokines able to bind these two phospholipids kill Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and that they exert rapid bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against E. coli with a higher potency than the antimicrobial peptide beta-defensin 3. Furthermore, our data support that bacterial membrane cardiolipin facilitates the antimicrobial action of chemokines. Both biochemical and genetic interference with the chemokine-cardiolipin interaction impaired microbial growth arrest, bacterial killing, and membrane disruption by chemokines. Moreover, unlike conventional antibiotics, E. coli failed to develop resistance when placed under increasing antimicrobial chemokine pressure in vitro. Thus, we have identified cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol as novel binding partners for chemokines responsible for chemokine antimicrobial action. Our results provide proof of principle for developing chemokines as novel antibiotics resistant to bacterial antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
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7
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Sankaran SV, Saiba R, Sikdar S, Vemparala S. Correlation Between Antimicrobial Structural Classes and Membrane Partitioning: Role of Emerging Lipid Packing Defects. J Membr Biol 2024:10.1007/s00232-024-00318-z. [PMID: 39037449 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-024-00318-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a combination of bioinformatics and molecular dynamics simulations is employed to investigate the partitioning behavior of different classes of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) into model membranes. The main objective is to identify any correlations between the structural characteristics of AMPs and their membrane identification and early-stage partitioning mechanisms. The simulation results reveal distinct membrane interactions among the various structural classes of AMPs, particularly in relation to the generation and subsequent interaction with lipid packing defects. Notably, AMPs with a structure-less coil conformation generate a higher number of deep and shallow defects, which are larger in size compared to other classes of AMPs. AMPs with helical component demonstrated the deepest insertion into the membrane. On the other hand, AMPs with a significant percentage of beta sheets tend to adsorb onto the membrane surface, suggesting a potentially distinct partitioning mechanism attributed to their structural rigidity. These findings highlight the diverse membrane interactions and partitioning mechanisms exhibited by different structural classes of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Sankaran
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600113, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India
| | - Roni Saiba
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600113, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India
| | - Samapan Sikdar
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600113, India.
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India.
| | - Satyavani Vemparala
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600113, India.
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India.
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8
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Mardiana M. The Efficacy of Antimicrobial Peptides Against Gentamicin-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae [Letter]. Infect Drug Resist 2024; 17:2815-2816. [PMID: 39005856 PMCID: PMC11244629 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s484430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Meity Mardiana
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia
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9
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Lohan S, Konshina AG, Tiwari RK, Efremov RG, Maslennikov I, Parang K. Broad-spectrum activity of membranolytic cationic macrocyclic peptides against multi-drug resistant bacteria and fungi. Eur J Pharm Sci 2024; 197:106776. [PMID: 38663759 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2024.106776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains causes severe problems in the treatment of microbial infections owing to limited treatment options. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are drawing considerable attention as promising antibiotic alternative candidates to combat MDR bacterial and fungal infections. Herein, we present a series of small amphiphilic membrane-active cyclic peptides composed, in part, of various nongenetically encoded hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids. Notably, lead cyclic peptides 3b and 4b showed broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive (MIC = 1.5-6.2 µg/mL) and Gram-negative (MIC = 12.5-25 µg/mL) bacteria, and fungi (MIC = 3.1-12.5 µg/mL). Furthermore, lead peptides displayed substantial antibiofilm action comparable to standard antibiotics. Hemolysis (HC50 = 230 µg/mL) and cytotoxicity (>70 % cell viability against four different mammalian cells at 100 µg/mL) assay results demonstrated the selective lethal action of 3b against microbes over mammalian cells. A calcein dye leakage experiment substantiated the membranolytic effect of 3b and 4b, which was further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The behavior of 3b and 4b in aqueous solution and interaction with phospholipid bilayers were assessed by employing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in conjunction with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, providing a solid structural basis for understanding their membranolytic action. Moreover, 3b exhibited stability in human blood plasma (t1/2 = 13 h) and demonstrated no signs of resistance development against antibiotic-resistant S. aureus and E. coli. These findings underscore the potential of these newly designed amphiphilic cyclic peptides as promising anti-infective agents, especially against Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Lohan
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, 9401 Jeronimo Rd, Irvine, CA 92618, United States; AJK Biopharmaceutical, 5270 California Ave, Irvine, CA 92617, United States
| | - Anastasia G Konshina
- M.M. Shemyakin & Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Rakesh K Tiwari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, Western University of Health Sciences, Lebanon, OR 97355, United States
| | - Roman G Efremov
- M.M. Shemyakin & Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia; National Research University Higher School of Economics, Myasnitskaya ul. 20, Moscow, 101000, Russia
| | - Innokentiy Maslennikov
- Structural Biology Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, 9401 Jeronimo Rd., Irvine, CA 92618, United States
| | - Keykavous Parang
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, 9401 Jeronimo Rd, Irvine, CA 92618, United States.
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10
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Alves PM, Barrias CC, Gomes P, Martins MCL. How can biomaterial-conjugated antimicrobial peptides fight bacteria and be protected from degradation? Acta Biomater 2024; 181:98-116. [PMID: 38697382 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious threat to public health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are a powerful alternative to antibiotics due to their low propensity to induce bacterial resistance. However, cytotoxicity and short half-lives have limited their clinical translation. To overcome these problems, AMP conjugation has gained relevance in the biomaterials field. Nevertheless, few studies describe the influence of conjugation on enzymatic protection, mechanism of action and antimicrobial efficacy. This review addresses this gap by providing a detailed comparison between conjugated and soluble AMP. Additionally, commonly employed chemical reactions and factors to consider when promoting AMP conjugation are reviewed. The overall results suggested that AMP conjugated onto biomaterials are specifically protected from degradation by trypsin and/or pepsin. However, sometimes, their antimicrobial efficacy was reduced. Due to limited conformational freedom in conjugated AMP, compared to their soluble forms, they appear to act initially by creating small protuberances on bacterial membranes that may lead to the alteration of membrane potential and/or formation of holes, triggering cell death. Overall, AMP conjugation onto biomaterials is a promising strategy to fight infection, particularly associated to the use of medical devices. Nonetheless, some details need to be addressed before conjugated AMP reach clinical practice. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Covalent conjugation of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) has been one of the most widely used strategies by bioengineers, in an attempt to not only protect AMP from proteolytic degradation, but also to prolong their residence time at the target tissue. However, an explanation for the mode of action of conjugated AMP is still lacking. This review extensively gathers works on AMP conjugation and puts forward a mechanism of action for AMP when conjugated onto biomaterials. The implications of AMP conjugation on antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity and resistance to proteases are all discussed. A thorough review of commonly employed chemical reactions for this conjugation is also provided. Finally, details that need to be addressed for conjugated AMP to reach clinical practice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro M Alves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Cristina C Barrias
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - M Cristina L Martins
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
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11
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Ji R, Guan L, Hu Z, Cheng Y, Cai M, Zhao G, Zang J. A comprehensive review on hemocyanin from marine products: Structure, functions, its implications for the food industry and beyond. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:132041. [PMID: 38705315 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Hemocyanin, an oxygen-transport protein, is widely distributed in the hemolymph of marine arthropods and mollusks, playing an important role in their physiological processes. Recently, hemocyanin has been recognized as a multifunctional glycoprotein involved in the immunological responses of aquatic invertebrates. Consequently, the link between hemocyanin functions and their potential applications has garnered increased attention. This review offers an integrated overview of hemocyanin's structure, physicochemical characteristics, and bioactivities to further promote the utilization of hemocyanin derived from marine products. Specifically, we review its implication in two aspects of food and aquaculture industries: quality and health. Hemocyanin's inducible phenoloxidase activity is thought to be an inducer of melanosis in crustaceans. New anti-melanosis agents targeted to hemocyanin need to be explored. The red-color change observed in shrimp shells is related to hemocyanin, affecting consumer preferences. Hemocyanin's adaptive modification in response to the aquatic environment is available as a biomarker. Additionally, hemocyanin is endowed with bioactivities encompassing anti-microbial, antiviral, and therapeutic activities. Hemocyanin is also a novel allergen and its allergenic features remain incompletely characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyang Ji
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Leying Guan
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ziyan Hu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yishen Cheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Meng Cai
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jiachen Zang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
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12
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Liang Q, Liu Z, Liang Z, Zhu C, Li D, Kong Q, Mou H. Development strategies and application of antimicrobial peptides as future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172150. [PMID: 38580107 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The use of in-feed antibiotics has been widely restricted due to the significant environmental pollution and food safety concerns they have caused. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted widespread attention as potential future alternatives to in-feed antibiotics owing to their demonstrated antimicrobial activity and environment friendly characteristics. However, the challenges of weak bioactivity, immature stability, and low production yields of natural AMPs impede practical application in the feed industry. To address these problems, efforts have been made to develop strategies for approaching the AMPs with enhanced properties. Herein, we summarize approaches to improving the properties of AMPs as potential alternatives to in-feed antibiotics, mainly including optimization of structural parameters, sequence modification, selection of microbial hosts, fusion expression, and industrially fermentation control. Additionally, the potential for application of AMPs in animal husbandry is discussed. This comprehensive review lays a strong theoretical foundation for the development of in-feed AMPs to achieve the public health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingping Liang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Zhemin Liu
- Fundamental Science R&D Center of Vazyme Biotech Co. Ltd., Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Ziyu Liang
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Changliang Zhu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Dongyu Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Qing Kong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Haijin Mou
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China.
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13
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Madni H, Mohamed HA, Abdelrahman HAM, Dos Santos-Silva CA, Benko-Iseppon AM, Khatir Z, Eltai NO, Mohamed NA, Crovella S. In silico-designed antimicrobial peptide targeting MRSA and E. coli with antibacterial and antibiofilm actions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12127. [PMID: 38802469 PMCID: PMC11130184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58039-1] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a paramount global health issue, with numerous bacterial strains continually fortifying their resistance against diverse antibiotics. This surge in resistance levels primarily stems from the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human, animal, and environmental contexts. In this study, we advocate for exploring alternative molecules exhibiting antibacterial properties to counteract the escalating antibiotic resistance. We identified a synthetic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) by using computational search in AMP public databases and further engineering through molecular docking and dynamics. Microbiological evaluation, cytotoxicity, genotoycity, and hemolysis experiments were then performed. The designed AMP underwent rigorous testing for antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), representing gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Subsequently, the safety profile of the AMP was assessed in vitro using human fibroblast cells and a human blood sample. The selected AMP demonstrated robust antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy against MRSA and E. coli, with an added assurance of non-cytotoxicity and non-genotoxicity towards human fibroblasts. Also, the AMP did not demonstrate any hemolytic activity. Our findings emphasize the considerable promise of the AMP as a viable alternative antibacterial agent, showcasing its potential to combat antibiotic resistance effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafsa Madni
- Biological and Environmental Sciences Department, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hana A Mohamed
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Ana Maria Benko-Iseppon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Center Cesamc, PO Box 57051-160, Naceio-AL, Brazil
| | - Zenaba Khatir
- Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nahla O Eltai
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nura A Mohamed
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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14
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Ma X, Aminov R, Franco OL, de la Fuente-Nunez C, Wang G, Wang J. Editorial: Antimicrobial peptides and their druggability, bio-safety, stability, and resistance. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1425952. [PMID: 38846567 PMCID: PMC11154904 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1425952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xuanxuan Ma
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Rustam Aminov
- The School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Octavio Luiz Franco
- S-Inova Biotech, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
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15
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Cresti L, Cappello G, Pini A. Antimicrobial Peptides towards Clinical Application-A Long History to Be Concluded. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4870. [PMID: 38732089 PMCID: PMC11084544 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094870] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules with an amphipathic structure that enables them to interact with bacterial membranes. This interaction can lead to membrane crossing and disruption with pore formation, culminating in cell death. They are produced naturally in various organisms, including humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. In higher animals, they are part of the innate immune system, where they counteract infection by bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. AMPs can also be designed de novo by bioinformatic approaches or selected from combinatorial libraries, and then produced by chemical or recombinant procedures. Since their discovery, AMPs have aroused interest as potential antibiotics, although few have reached the market due to stability limits or toxicity. Here, we describe the development phase and a number of clinical trials of antimicrobial peptides. We also provide an update on AMPs in the pharmaceutical industry and an overall view of their therapeutic market. Modifications to peptide structures to improve stability in vivo and bioavailability are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cresti
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Giovanni Cappello
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Alessandro Pini
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
- SetLance srl, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, 53100 Siena, Italy
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16
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Shanthappa PM, Suravajhala R, Kumar G, Melethadathil N. Computational exploration of novel antimicrobial modalities targeting fucose-binding lectins and ribosomes in Mycobacterium smegmatis using tRNA-encoded peptides. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38676533 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2335555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
tRNA-Encoded Peptides (tREPs), encoded by small open reading frames (smORFs) within tRNA genes, have recently emerged as a new class of functional peptides exhibiting antiparasitic activity. The discovery of tREPs has led to a re-evaluation of the role of tRNAs in biology and has expanded our understanding of the genetic code. This presents an immense, unexplored potential in the realm of tRNA-peptide interactions, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and innovative applications in various biological functions. This study explores the antimicrobial potential of tREPs against protein targets by employing a computational method that uses verified data sources and highly recognized predictive algorithms to provide a sorted list of likely antimicrobial peptides, which were then filtered for toxicity, cell permeability, allergenicity and half-life. These peptides were then docked with screened protein targets and computationally validated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 150 ns and the binding free energy was estimated. The peptides Pep2 (VVLWRKPRVRKTG) and Pep6 (HRLRLRRRKPWW) exhibited good binding affinities of -110.5 +/- 2.5 and -129.0 +/- 3.9, respectively, with RMSD values of 0.4 and 0.25 nm against the fucose-binding lectin (7NEF) and the 30S ribosome of Mycobacterium smegmatis (5O5J) protein targets. The 7NEF-Pep2 and 5O5J-Pep6 complexes indicated higher negative binding free energies of -52.55 kcal/mol and -55.52 kcal/mol respectively, as calculated by Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA). Thus, the tREPs derived peptides designed as a part of this study, provide novel approaches for potential anti-bacterial therapeutic modalities.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi M Shanthappa
- Department of Computer Science, School of Computing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru, India
| | | | - Geetha Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
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17
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Thomas AM, Antony SP. Marine Antimicrobial Peptides: An Emerging Nightmare to the Life-Threatening Pathogens. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024; 16:552-578. [PMID: 37022565 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-023-10061-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens due to improper usage of conventional antibiotics has created a global health crisis. Alternatives to antibiotics being an urgent need, the scientific community is forced to search for new antimicrobials. This exploration has led to the discovery of antimicrobial peptides, a group of small peptides occurring in different phyla such as Porifera, Cnidaria, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata, and Chordata, as a component of their innate immune system. The marine environment, possessing immense diversity of organisms, is undoubtedly one of the richest sources of unique potential antimicrobial peptides. The distinctiveness of marine antimicrobial peptides lies in their broad-spectrum activity, mechanism of action, less cytotoxicity, and high stability, which form the benchmark for developing a potential therapeutic. This review aims to (1) synthesise the available information on the distinctive antimicrobial peptides discovered from marine organisms, particularly over the last decade, and (2) discuss the distinctiveness of marine antimicrobial peptides and their prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Maria Thomas
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, Kerala, 682016, India
| | - Swapna P Antony
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, Kerala, 682016, India.
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18
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Zhou L, Meng G, Zhu L, Ma L, Chen K. Insect Antimicrobial Peptides as Guardians of Immunity and Beyond: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3835. [PMID: 38612644 PMCID: PMC11011964 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as immune effectors synthesized by a variety of organisms, not only constitute a robust defense mechanism against a broad spectrum of pathogens in the host but also show promising applications as effective antimicrobial agents. Notably, insects are significant reservoirs of natural AMPs. However, the complex array of variations in types, quantities, antimicrobial activities, and production pathways of AMPs, as well as evolution of AMPs across insect species, presents a significant challenge for immunity system understanding and AMP applications. This review covers insect AMP discoveries, classification, common properties, and mechanisms of action. Additionally, the types, quantities, and activities of immune-related AMPs in each model insect are also summarized. We conducted the first comprehensive investigation into the diversity, distribution, and evolution of 20 types of AMPs in model insects, employing phylogenetic analysis to describe their evolutionary relationships and shed light on conserved and distinctive AMP families. Furthermore, we summarize the regulatory pathways of AMP production through classical signaling pathways and additional pathways associated with Nitric Oxide, insulin-like signaling, and hormones. This review advances our understanding of AMPs as guardians in insect immunity systems and unlocks a gateway to insect AMP resources, facilitating the use of AMPs to address food safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhou
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Guanliang Meng
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, 53113 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Ling Zhu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China;
| | - Li Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030810, China
| | - Kangkang Chen
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
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19
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Maan M, Goyal H, Joshi S, Barman P, Sharma S, Kumar R, Saini A. DP1, a multifaceted synthetic peptide: Mechanism of action, activity and clinical potential. Life Sci 2024; 340:122458. [PMID: 38266815 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Microbial infections remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) being a prominent etiological agent, responsible for causing persistent bacterial infections in humans. It is a nosocomial, opportunistic pathogen, capable to propagate within the bloodstream and withstand therapeutic interventions. In the current study, a novel, indigenously designed synthetic antimicrobial peptide (sAMP) has been evaluated for its antimicrobial potential to inhibit the growth and proliferation of S. aureus. MAIN METHODS The sAMP, designed peptide (DP1) was evaluated for its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) against a panel of pathogenic bacterial strains. Membrane mechanistic studies were performed by measuring membrane conductivity via dielectric spectroscopy and visualizing changes in bacterial membrane structure through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Further, DP1 was tested for its in vivo antimicrobial potential in an S. aureus-induced systemic infection model. KEY FINDINGS The results indicated that DP1 has the potential to inhibit the growth and proliferation of a broad spectrum of Gram-positive, Gram-negative and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Strong bactericidal effect attributed to change in electrical conductivity of the bacterial cells leading to membrane disruption was observed through dielectric spectroscopy and FE-SEM micrographs. Further, in the in vivo murine systemic infection study, 50 % reduction in S. aureus bioburden was observed within 1 day of the administration of DP1. SIGNIFICANCE The results indicate that DP1 is a multifaceted peptide with potent bactericidal, antioxidant and therapeutic properties. It holds significance as a novel drug candidate to effectively combat S. aureus-mediated systemic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayank Maan
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Hemant Goyal
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Shubhi Joshi
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Panchali Barman
- Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology (UIEAST), Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Sheetal Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar
- Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India
| | - Avneet Saini
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, U.T. 160014, India.
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20
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Nazarian-Firouzabadi F, Torres MDT, de la Fuente-Nunez C. Recombinant production of antimicrobial peptides in plants. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 71:108296. [PMID: 38042311 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108296] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Classical plant breeding methods are limited in their ability to confer disease resistance on plants. However, in recent years, advancements in molecular breeding and biotechnological have provided new approaches to overcome these limitations and protect plants from disease. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute promising agents that may be able to protect against infectious agents. Recently, peptides have been recombinantly produced in plants at scale and low cost. Because AMPs are less likely than conventional antimicrobials to elicit resistance of pathogenic bacteria, they open up exciting new avenues for agricultural applications. Here, we review recent advances in the design and production of bioactive recombinant AMPs that can effectively protect crop plants from diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhad Nazarian-Firouzabadi
- Production Engineering and Plant Genetics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, P.O. Box, 465, Khorramabad, Iran.
| | - Marcelo Der Torossian Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
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21
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Megaw J, Skvortsov T, Gori G, Dabai AI, Gilmore BF, Allen CCR. A novel bioinformatic method for the identification of antimicrobial peptides in metagenomes. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae045. [PMID: 38383848 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae045] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to develop a new bioinformatic approach for the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which did not depend on sequence similarity to known AMPs held within databases, but on structural mimicry of another antimicrobial compound, in this case an ultrashort, synthetic, cationic lipopeptide (C12-OOWW-NH2). METHODS AND RESULTS When applied to a collection of metagenomic datasets, our outlined bioinformatic method successfully identified several short (8-10aa) functional AMPs, the activity of which was verified via disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assays against a panel of 12 bacterial strains. Some peptides had activity comparable to, or in some cases, greater than, those from published studies that identified AMPs using more conventional methods. We also explored the effects of modifications, including extension of the peptides, observing an activity peak at 9-12aa. Additionally, the inclusion of a C-terminal amide enhanced activity in most cases. Our most promising candidate (named PB2-10aa-NH2) was thermally stable, lipid-soluble, and possessed synergistic activity with ethanol but not with a conventional antibiotic (streptomycin). CONCLUSIONS While several bioinformatic methods exist to predict AMPs, the approach outlined here is much simpler and can be used to quickly scan huge datasets. Searching for peptide sequences bearing structural similarity to other antimicrobial compounds may present a further opportunity to identify novel AMPs with clinical relevance, and provide a meaningful contribution to the pressing global issue of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Gori
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Aliyu I Dabai
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
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22
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Zhu P, You T, Wang Y, Ma M, Ye S, Liu S. A Cysteine-Maleimide-Based Design for Hemostatic, Antibacterial, and Biodegradable Wound Dressing. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:203-213. [PMID: 38343092 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00483] [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: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The field of clinical surgery frequently encounters challenges related to atypical wound tissue healing, resulting in the development of persistent chronic wounds or aesthetically displeasing scar tissue. The use of wound dressings crafted from mussel adhesive proteins and hyaluronic acid has demonstrated the potential in mitigating these undesirable outcomes. However, the synergistic effects of these two biomaterials remain underexplored. In this study, we have engineered a versatile, degradable, and biocompatible dressing that comprises recombinant 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-modified mussel adhesive proteins and maleimide-functionalized hyaluronic acid. We have successfully fabricated this biocompatible dressing and conducted comprehensive experimental assessments to confirm its hemostatic, antibacterial, and biocompatible characteristics. Importantly, this dressing exclusively incorporates biologically derived materials characterized by low toxicity and minimal immunogenicity, thus holding immense promise for clinical applications in the field of wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Tianjie You
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Ying Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Mingxue Ma
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Sheng Ye
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Si Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
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23
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Adak A, Castelletto V, de Sousa A, Karatzas KA, Wilkinson C, Khunti N, Seitsonen J, Hamley IW. Self-Assembly and Antimicrobial Activity of Lipopeptides Containing Lysine-Rich Tripeptides. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:1205-1213. [PMID: 38204421 PMCID: PMC10865344 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01184] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The conformation and self-assembly of two pairs of model lipidated tripeptides in aqueous solution are probed using a combination of spectroscopic methods along with cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The palmitoylated lipopeptides comprise C16-YKK or C16-WKK (with two l-lysine residues) or their respective derivatives containing d-lysine (k), i.e., C16-Ykk and C16-Wkk. All four molecules self-assemble into spherical micelles which show structure factor effects in SAXS profiles due to intermicellar packing in aqueous solution. Consistent with micellar structures, the tripeptides in the coronas have a largely unordered conformation, as probed using spectroscopic methods. The molecules are found to have good cytocompatibility with fibroblasts at sufficiently low concentrations, although some loss of cell viability is noted at the highest concentrations examined (above the critical aggregation concentration of the lipopeptides, determined from fluorescence dye probe measurements). Preliminary tests also showed antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindyasundar Adak
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Valeria Castelletto
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Ana de Sousa
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Kimon-Andreas Karatzas
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Callum Wilkinson
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
| | - Nikul Khunti
- Diamond
Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K.
| | - Jani Seitsonen
- Nanomicroscopy
Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FIN-02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Ian W. Hamley
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, U.K.
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24
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Alhhazmi AA, Alluhibi SS, Alhujaily R, Alenazi ME, Aljohani TL, Al-Jazzar AAT, Aljabri AD, Albaqami R, Almutairi D, Alhelali LK, Albasri HM, Almutawif YA, Alturkostani MA, Almutairi AZ. Novel antimicrobial peptides identified in legume plant, Medicago truncatula. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0182723. [PMID: 38236024 PMCID: PMC10845954 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01827-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the major issues in healthcare today is antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a subclass of host defense peptides, have been suggested as a viable solution for the multidrug resistance problem. Legume plants express more than 700 nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides. Three NCR peptides (NCR094, NCR888, and NCR992) were predicted to have antimicrobial activity using in silico AMP prediction programs. This study focused on investigating the roles of the NCRs in antimicrobial activity and antibiofilm activity, followed by in vitro toxicity profiling. Different variants were synthesized, i.e., mutated and truncated derivatives. The effect on the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was monitored post-treatment, and survived cells were counted using an in vitro and ex vivo killing assay. The antibiofilm assay was conducted using subinhibitory concentrations of the NCRs and monitoring K. pneumoniae biomass, followed by crystal violet staining. The cytotoxicity profile was evaluated using erythrocyte hemolysis and leukemia (K562) cell line toxicity assays. Out of the NCRs, NCR094 and NCR992 displayed mainly in vitro and ex vivo bactericidal activity on K. pneumoniae. NCR094 wild type (WT) and NCR992 eradicated K. pneumoniae at different potency; NCR094 and NCR992 killed K. pneumoniae completely at 25 and 50 µM, respectively. However, both peptides in the wild type showed negligible bactericidal effect on MRSA in vitro and ex vivo. NCR094 and its derivatives relatively retained the antimicrobial activity on K. pneumoniae in vitro and ex vivo. NCR992 WT lost its antimicrobial activity on K. pneumoniae ex vivo, yet the different truncated and mutated variants retained some of the antimicrobial role ex vivo. All the different variants of NCR094 had no effect on MRSA in vitro and ex vivo. Similarly, NCR992's variants had a negligible bactericidal role on MRSA in vitro, yet the truncated variants had a significantly high bactericidal effect on MRSA ex vivo. NCR094.3 (cystine replacement variant) and NCR992.1 displayed significant antibiofilm activity more than 90%. NCR992.3 and NCR992.2 displayed more than 50% of antibiofilm activity. All the NCR094 forms had no toxicity, except NCR094.1 (49.38%, SD ± 3.46) and all NCR992 forms (63%-93%), which were above the cutoff (20%). Only NCR992.2 showed low toxicity on K562 (24.8%, SD ± 3.40), yet above the 20% cutoff. This study provided preliminary antimicrobial and safety data for the potential use of these peptides for therapeutical applications.IMPORTANCEThe discovery of new antibiotics is urgently needed, given the global expansion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the rising mortality rate. One of the initial lines of defense against microbial infections is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Plants can express hundreds of such AMPs as defensins and defensin-like peptides. The nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides are a class of defensin-like peptides that have evolved in rhizobial-legume symbioses. This study screened the antimicrobial activity of a subset of NCR sequences using online computational AMP prediction algorithms. Two novel NCRs, NCR094 and NCR992, with different variants were identified to exhibit antimicrobial activity with various potency on two problematic pathogens, K. pneumoniae and MRSA, using in vitro and ex vivo killing assays. Yet, one variant, NCR094.3, had no toxicity toward human cells and displayed antibiofilm activity, which make it a promising lead for antimicrobial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej A. Alhhazmi
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah S. Alluhibi
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rahaf Alhujaily
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maymona E. Alenazi
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Taif L. Aljohani
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Al-Anoud T. Al-Jazzar
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahaad D. Aljabri
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Razan Albaqami
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dalal Almutairi
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lujain K. Alhelali
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hibah M. Albasri
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yahya A. Almutawif
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
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25
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Berhe H, Kumar Cinthakunta Sridhar M, Zerihun M, Qvit N. The Potential Use of Peptides in the Fight against Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:227. [PMID: 38399281 PMCID: PMC10892537 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020227] [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: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are both neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of people around the world. Leishmaniasis is currently the second most widespread vector-borne parasitic disease after malaria. The World Health Organization records approximately 0.7-1 million newly diagnosed leishmaniasis cases each year, resulting in approximately 20,000-30,000 deaths. Also, 25 million people worldwide are at risk of Chagas disease and an estimated 6 million people are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, miltefosine, paromomycin, and pentamidine are currently used to treat leishmaniasis. Also, nifurtimox and benznidazole are two drugs currently used to treat Chagas disease. These drugs are associated with toxicity problems such as nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, in addition to resistance problems. As a result, the discovery of novel therapeutic agents has emerged as a top priority and a promising alternative. Overall, there is a need for new and effective treatments for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, as the current drugs have significant limitations. Peptide-based drugs are attractive due to their high selectiveness, effectiveness, low toxicity, and ease of production. This paper reviews the potential use of peptides in the treatment of Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. Several studies have demonstrated that peptides are effective against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, suggesting their use in drug therapy for these diseases. Overall, peptides have the potential to be effective therapeutic agents against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, but more research is needed to fully investigate their potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nir Qvit
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel; (H.B.); (M.K.C.S.); (M.Z.)
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26
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Verma H, Mihooliya KN, Nandal J, Sahoo DK. Studies on a new antimicrobial peptide from Vibrio proteolyticus MT110. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 54:193-206. [PMID: 37184469 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2023.2209892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The marine environment is known for its vast diversity of the microbial population; however, less explored for bioactive compounds. In this study, an AMP produced by a new marine isolate, Vibrio proteolyticus MT110, showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The AMP was purified to homogeneity using ethyl acetate extraction followed by RP-HPLC, and LC-MS analysis showed its molecular weight as 980 Da. The MIC of AMP (peptide-MT110) was obtained in the 7.81-31.25 µg/mL range against different indicator strains. Peptide-MT110 showed stability of its antimicrobial activity at 15-121 °C and pH 4-10 and in the presence of various hydrolytic enzymes. The peaks at 1536 cm-1 and 1712 cm-1 wavenumbers in FTIR spectra confirmed the peptidic nature of AMP, and its amino acid analysis confirmed the presence of tyrosine and isoleucine. The antibacterial activity of peptide-MT110 is confirmed by PI assay and TEM. The optimization of peptide-MT110 production using statistical methods resulted in a 2.64-fold higher production. The physicochemical properties and stability in wide pH and temperature ranges showed the potential of peptide-MT110 for its development as a drug candidate. This is believed to be the first report on an AMP from Vibrio proteolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Verma
- Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kanti N Mihooliya
- Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jitender Nandal
- Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Debendra K Sahoo
- Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
- Accademy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
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27
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Elkhalifa ME, Ashraf M, Ahmed A, Usman A, Hamdoon AA, Elawad MA, Almalki MG, Mosa OF, Niyazov LN, Ayaz M. Polyphenols and their nanoformulations as potential antibiofilm agents against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Future Microbiol 2024; 19:255-279. [PMID: 38305223 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens is a major problem in the therapeutic management of infectious diseases. Among the bacterial resistance mechanisms is the development of an enveloped protein and polysaccharide-hydrated matrix called a biofilm. Polyphenolics have demonstrated beneficial antibacterial effects. Phenolic compounds mediate their antibiofilm effects via disruption of the bacterial membrane, deprivation of substrate, protein binding, binding to adhesion complex, viral fusion blockage and interactions with eukaryotic DNA. However, these compounds have limitations of chemical instability, low bioavailability, poor water solubility and short half-lives. Nanoformulations offer a promising solution to overcome these challenges by enhancing their antibacterial potential. This review summarizes the antibiofilm role of polyphenolics, their underlying mechanisms and their potential role as resistance-modifying agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Modawy Em Elkhalifa
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
- Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Muhammad Ashraf
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir (L), KP, 18800, Pakistan
| | - Alshebli Ahmed
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
- Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Assad Usman
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir (L), KP, 18800, Pakistan
| | - Alashary Ae Hamdoon
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
- Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Mohammed A Elawad
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
- Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Meshari G Almalki
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
| | - Osama F Mosa
- Public Health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Al leith, KSA
| | - Laziz N Niyazov
- Medical Chemistry Department, Bukhara State Medical Institute Named After Abu Ali Ibn Sino, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
| | - Muhammad Ayaz
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir (L), KP, 18800, Pakistan
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28
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Keeratikunakorn K, Aunpad R, Ngamwongsatit N, Kaeoket K. The Effect of Antimicrobial Peptide (PA-13) on Escherichia coli Carrying Antibiotic-Resistant Genes Isolated from Boar Semen. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:138. [PMID: 38391525 PMCID: PMC10886091 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13020138] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
A major global public health concern is antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a potentially appropriate replacement for conventional antibiotics. The purpose of this research was to investigate the potential of the antimicrobial peptide PA-13, a synthetic AMP with 13 amino acids, to inhibit E. coli isolated from boar semen expressing antibiotic-resistant genes, as well as to determine the mechanism of action of this antimicrobial peptide on the bacterial membrane. The effectiveness of the bacterial inhibitory activity of PA-13 was tested at different concentrations by two fold serial dilutions in the range 0.488-500 µg/mL using the MIC and MBC methods. The impact of PA-13 on the bacterial membrane was examined at different concentrations of 0×, 0.5×, 1×, 2× and 4× of MIC using DNA leakage assay and electron microscopy. The PA-13 antibacterial activity result exhibited the same MIC and MBC values at a concentration of 15.625 µg/mL. When comparing DNA leakage at different MIC values, the results revealed that the maximum amount of DNA concentration was found two and three hours after incubation. For the results of SEM and TEM, the bacterial membrane disruption of this E. coli was found in the PA-13-treated group when compared with the negative control. In conclusion, synthetic PA-13 with its antibacterial properties is an alternative antimicrobial peptide to antibiotics in the pig industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krittika Keeratikunakorn
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd., Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Ratchaneewan Aunpad
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Klongluang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Natharin Ngamwongsatit
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd., Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
- Laboratory of Bacteria, Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd., Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Kampon Kaeoket
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd., Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
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29
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Ahmadi Y, Savini F, Mutter N, Barišić I. Application of Antimicrobial Peptides as Diagnostic Biosensors. Anal Chem 2024; 96:256-264. [PMID: 38115687 PMCID: PMC10783173 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03854] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how emerging infectious diseases could quickly affect the global health and economy. New pathogens with pandemic potential are also expected to appear soon. Moreover, the large use of antibiotics has led to the development of different so-called "superbugs" capable of escaping all of the current antibiotics. In this context, the early and cost-effective detection of pathogens is crucial to avoid the spreading of new pathogens. Here, we present molecular sensors for the recognition of a broad panel of different bacterial species. The detection is based on the use of bacteria-binding peptides (BBPs) in combination with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). We developed a reliable ELISA-like assay that permits us to study the affinity of different BBPs toward some of the most important bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Ahmadi
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Filippo Savini
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Natalie Mutter
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivan Barišić
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Eko
Refugium, Crno Vrelo
2, 47240 Slunj, Croatia
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30
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Nazli A, Tao W, You H, He X, He Y. Treatment of MRSA Infection: Where are We? Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:4425-4460. [PMID: 38310393 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673249381231130111352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of septicemia, endocarditis, pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, and hospital-acquired infections. In particular, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and continues to be a major public health problem. The emergence of multidrug-resistant MRSA strains along with the wide consumption of antibiotics has made anti-MRSA treatment a huge challenge. Novel treatment strategies (e.g., novel antimicrobials and new administrations) against MRSA are urgently needed. In the past decade, pharmaceutical companies have invested more in the research and development (R&D) of new antimicrobials and strategies, spurred by favorable policies. All research articles were collected from authentic online databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, by using different combinations of keywords, including 'anti-MRSA', 'antibiotic', 'antimicrobial', 'clinical trial', 'clinical phase', clinical studies', and 'pipeline'. The information extracted from articles was compared to information provided on the drug manufacturer's website and Clinical Trials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/) to confirm the latest development phase of anti-MRSA agents. The present review focuses on the current development status of new anti-MRSA strategies concerning chemistry, pharmacological target(s), indications, route of administration, efficacy and safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, and aims to discuss the challenges and opportunities in developing drugs for anti-MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adila Nazli
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Wenlan Tao
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS Chongqing), Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Hengyao You
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xiaoli He
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS Chongqing), Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Yun He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
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31
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Goki NH, Tehranizadeh ZA, Saberi MR, Khameneh B, Bazzaz BSF. Structure, Function, and Physicochemical Properties of Pore-forming Antimicrobial Peptides. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2024; 25:1041-1057. [PMID: 37921126 DOI: 10.2174/0113892010194428231017051836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a class of antimicrobial agents, possess considerable potential to treat various microbial ailments. The broad range of activity and rare complete bacterial resistance to AMPs make them ideal candidates for commercial development. These peptides with widely varying compositions and sources share recurrent structural and functional features in mechanisms of action. Studying the mechanisms of AMP activity against bacteria may lead to the development of new antimicrobial agents that are more potent. Generally, AMPs are effective against bacteria by forming pores or disrupting membrane barriers. The important structural aspects of cytoplasmic membranes of pathogens and host cells will also be outlined to understand the selective antimicrobial actions. The antimicrobial activities of AMPs are related to multiple physicochemical properties, such as length, sequence, helicity, charge, hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, polar angle, and also self-association. These parameters are interrelated and need to be considered in combination. So, gathering the most relevant available information will help to design and choose the most effective AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narjes Hosseini Goki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zeinab Amiri Tehranizadeh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Saberi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Bahman Khameneh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Bibi Sedigheh Fazly Bazzaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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32
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Li C, Jin K. Chemical Strategies towards the Development of Effective Anticancer Peptides. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:1839-1873. [PMID: 37170992 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230426111157] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is increasingly recognized as one of the primary causes of death and has become a multifaceted global health issue. Modern medical science has made significant advancements in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer over the past decade. The detrimental side effects, lack of efficacy, and multidrug resistance of conventional cancer therapies have created an urgent need for novel anticancer therapeutics or treatments with low cytotoxicity and drug resistance. The pharmaceutical groups have recognized the crucial role that peptide therapeutic agents can play in addressing unsatisfied healthcare demands and how these become great supplements or even preferable alternatives to biological therapies and small molecules. Anticancer peptides, as a vibrant therapeutic strategy against various cancer cells, have demonstrated incredible anticancer potential due to high specificity and selectivity, low toxicity, and the ability to target the surface of traditional "undruggable" proteins. This review will provide the research progression of anticancer peptides, mainly focusing on the discovery and modifications along with the optimization and application of these peptides in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Li
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Kang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
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33
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Pimchan T, Tian F, Thumanu K, Rodtong S, Yongsawatdigul J. Anti-Salmonella Activity of a Novel Peptide, KGGDLGLFEPTL, Derived from Egg Yolk Hydrolysate. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 13:19. [PMID: 38247578 PMCID: PMC10812675 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010019] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to characterize the mode of action of a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from egg yolk hydrolysate. The EYHp6, KGGDLGLFEPTL, exhibited inhibition against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium TISTR 292 and S. enterica serovar Enteritidis DMST 15679 with a MIC value of 2 mM. In contrast, S. enterica serovar Newport ATCC 6962 and other strains of Typhimurium and Enteritidis were inhibited at 4 mM. EYHp6 increased the cell membrane permeability of S. Typhimurium TISTR 292, leading to DNA leakage. Membrane integrity determined by propidium iodide and SYTO9 staining visualized by confocal microscopy demonstrated that EYHp6 at 1 × MIC induced disruption of cell membranes. Electron microscopy revealed that treatment of S. Typhimurium with EYHp6 led to damage to the cell membrane, causing the leakage of intracellular contents. Synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that EYHp6 killed S. Typhimurium by targeting fatty acids and nucleic acids in the cell membrane. The peptide did not show hemolytic activity up to 4 mM. These findings suggest that EYHp6 could be a promising antibacterial agent for controlling the growth of S. enterica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thippawan Pimchan
- School of Food Technology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Fu Tian
- College of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang 550003, China;
| | - Kanjana Thumanu
- Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization), Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Sureelak Rodtong
- School of Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Jirawat Yongsawatdigul
- School of Food Technology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
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34
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Anurag Anand A, Amod A, Anwar S, Sahoo AK, Sethi G, Samanta SK. A comprehensive guide on screening and selection of a suitable AMP against biofilm-forming bacteria. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-20. [PMID: 38102871 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2293019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Lately, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing at an exponential rate making it important to search alternatives to antibiotics in order to combat multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Out of the several antibacterial and antibiofilm strategies being tested, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown to give better hopes in terms of a long-lasting solution to the problem. To select a desired AMP, it is important to make right use of available tools and databases that aid in identification, classification, and analysis of the physiochemical properties of AMPs. To identify the targets of these AMPs, it becomes crucial to understand their mode-of-action. AMPs can also be used in combination with other antibacterial and antibiofilm agents so as to achieve enhanced efficacy against bacteria and their biofilms. Due to concerns regarding toxicity, stability, and bioavailability, strategizing drug formulation at an early-stage becomes crucial. Although there are few concerns regarding development of bacterial resistance to AMPs, the evolution of resistance to AMPs occurs extremely slowly. This comprehensive review gives a deep insight into the selection of the right AMP, deciding the right target and combination strategy along with the type of formulation needed, and the possible resistance that bacteria can develop to these AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Anurag Anand
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Ayush Amod
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Sarfraz Anwar
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Amaresh Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sintu Kumar Samanta
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
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35
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R PA, Anbarasu A. Antimicrobial Peptides as Immunomodulators and Antimycobacterial Agents to Combat Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a Critical Review. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2023; 15:1539-1566. [PMID: 36576687 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-10018-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a devastating disease foisting a significantly high morbidity, prepotent in low- and middle-income developing countries. Evolution of drug resistance among Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis, has made the TB treatment more complicated. The protracted nature of present TB treatment, persistent and tolerant Mtb populations, interaction with antiretroviral therapy and existing toxicity concerned with conventional anti-TB drugs are the four major challenges inflicted with emergence of drug-resistant mycobacterial strains, and the standard medications are unable to combat these strains. These factors emphasize an exigency to develop new drugs to overcome these barriers in current TB therapy. With this regard, antimycobacterial peptides derived from various sources such as human cells, bacterial sources, mycobacteriophages, fungal, plant and animal sources could be considered as antituberculosis leads as most of these peptides are associated with dual advantages of having both bactericidal activity towards Mtb as well as immuno-regulatory property. Some of the peptides possess the additional advantage of interacting synergistically with antituberculosis medications too, thereby increasing their efficiency, underscoring the vigour of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as best possible alternative therapeutic candidates or adjuvants in TB treatment. Albeit the beneficiary features of these peptides, few obstacles allied with them like cytotoxicity and proteolytic degradation are matter of concerns too. In this review, we have focused on structural hallmarks, targeting mechanisms and specific structural aspects contributing to antimycobacterial activity and discovered natural and synthetic antimycobacterial peptides along with their sources, anti-TB, immuno-regulatory properties, merits and demerits and possible delivery methods of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preethi A R
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632014, India
- Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore-632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Bio-Sciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632014, India.
- Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore-632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
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36
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Tang Z, Jiang W, Li S, Huang X, Yang Y, Chen X, Qiu J, Xiao C, Xie Y, Zhang X, Li J, Verma CS, He Y, Yang A. Design and evaluation of tadpole-like conformational antimicrobial peptides. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1177. [PMID: 37980400 PMCID: PMC10657444 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05560-0] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Herein, we report a class of "tadpole-like" peptides consisting of an amphipathic α-helical head and an aromatic tail. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of "tadpole-like" temporin-SHf and its analogs revealed that increasing the number of aromatic residues in the tail, introducing Arg to the α-helical head and rearranging the peptide topology dramatically increased antimicrobial activity. Through progressive structural optimization, we obtained two peptides, HT2 and RI-HT2, which exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, no hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity, and no propensity to induce resistance. NMR and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that both peptides indeed adopted "tadpole-like" conformations. Fluorescence experiments and electron microscopy confirmed the membrane targeting mechanisms of the peptides. Our studies not only lead to the discovery of a series of ultrashort peptides with potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, but also provide a new strategy for rational design of novel "tadpole-like" antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Tang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Wuqiao Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Shuangli Li
- National Centre for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xue Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Yi Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xiaorong Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Jingyi Qiu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Chuyu Xiao
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Ying Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- National Centre for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jianguo Li
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, 169856, Singapore
| | - Chandra Shekhar Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Yun He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
- BayRay Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
| | - Aimin Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
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37
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Putri RA, Rohman MS, Swasono RT, Raharjo TJ. A novel synthetic peptide analog enhanced antibacterial activity of the frog-derived skin peptide wuchuanin-A1. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37968993 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2281633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the development of novel antibacterial compounds for clinical applications, such as antimicrobial peptide (AMP). Among the developed AMP, wuchuanin-A1, a coil-shaped bioactive peptide derived from Odorrana wuchuanensis frog skin, has been reported to exhibit antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activity, but there are limited studies on its potential as an antibacterial agent. Therefore, this study aims to molecularly modify the sequence of wuchuanin-A1 to enhance its antibacterial properties. The interaction of both the native and analog peptide with bacterial inner membranes was initially assessed using computational methods. Specific amino acid substitutions were then used to enhance the modified peptide's antibacterial efficacy, followed by several preliminary tests to evaluate its activity. This study bridges the gap in exploring the potential of wuchuanin-A1 for antibacterial purposes, providing insights into the design of effective antimicrobial agents.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tri Joko Raharjo
- Department of Chemistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Indonesia
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38
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Jenull S, Bauer T, Silbermayr K, Dreer M, Stark TD, Ehling-Schulz M. The toxicological spectrum of the Bacillus cereus toxin cereulide points towards niche-specific specialisation. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2231-2249. [PMID: 37354053 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Most microbes share their environmental niches with very different forms of life thereby engaging in specialised relationships to enable their persistence. The bacterium Bacillus cereus occurs ubiquitously in the environment with certain strain backgrounds causing foodborne and opportunistic infections in humans. The emetic lineage of B. cereus is capable of producing the toxin cereulide, which evokes emetic illnesses. Although food products favouring the accumulation of cereulide are known, the ecological role of cereulide and the environmental niche of emetic B. cereus remain elusive. To better understand the ecology of cereulide-producing B. cereus, we systematically assayed the toxicological spectrum of cereulide on a variety of organisms belonging to different kingdoms. As cereulide is a potassium ionophore, we further tested the effect of environmental potassium levels on the action of cereulide. We found that adverse effects of cereulide exposure are species-specific, which can be exacerbated with increased environmental potassium. Additionally, we demonstrate that cereulide is produced within an insect cadaver indicating its potential ecological function for a saprophytic lifestyle. Collectively, distinct cereulide susceptibilities of other organisms may reflect its role in enabling competitive niche specialization of emetic B. cereus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Jenull
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tobias Bauer
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Silbermayr
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maximilian Dreer
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Timo D Stark
- Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Monika Ehling-Schulz
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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39
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Ibrahim MK, Haria A, Mehta NV, Degani MS. Antimicrobial potential of quaternary phosphonium salt compounds: a review. Future Med Chem 2023; 15:2113-2141. [PMID: 37929337 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Given that mitochondrial dysregulation is a biomarker of many cancers, cationic quaternary phosphonium salt (QPS) conjugation is a widely utilized strategy for anticancer drug design. QPS-conjugated compounds exhibit greater cell permeation and accumulation in negatively charged mitochondria, and thus, show enhanced activity. Phylogenetic similarities between mitochondria and bacteria have provided a rationale for exploring the antibacterial properties of mitochondria-targeted compounds. Additionally, due to the importance of mitochondria in the survival of pathogenic microbes, including fungi and parasites, this strategy can be extended to these organisms as well. This review examines recent literature on the antimicrobial activities of various QPS-conjugated compounds and provides future directions for exploring the medicinal chemistry of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin K Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Mumbai, 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Akash Haria
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Mumbai, 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Namrashee V Mehta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Mumbai, 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mariam S Degani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Mumbai, 400019, Maharashtra, India
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40
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Savitskaya A, Masso-Silva J, Haddaoui I, Enany S. Exploring the arsenal of antimicrobial peptides: Mechanisms, diversity, and applications. Biochimie 2023; 214:216-227. [PMID: 37499896 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential for defence against pathogens in all living organisms and possessed activities against bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites and even cancer cells. AMPs are short peptides containing 12-100 amino acids conferring a net positive charge and an amphiphilic property in most cases. Although, anionic AMPs also exist. AMPs can be classified based on the types of secondary structures, charge, hydrophobicity, amino acid composition, length, etc. Their mechanism of action usually includes a membrane disruption process through pore formation (three different models have been described, barrel-stave, toroidal or carpet model) but AMPs can also penetrate and impair intracellular functions. Besides their activity against pathogens, they have also shown immunomodulatory properties in complex scenarios through many different interactions. The aim of this review to summarize knowledge about AMP's and discuss the potential application of AMPs as therapeutics, the challenges due to their limitations, including their susceptibility to degradation, the potential generation of AMP resistance, cost, etc. We also discuss the current FDA-approved drugs based on AMPs and strategies to circumvent natural AMPs' limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Savitskaya
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Jorge Masso-Silva
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine and Physiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Imen Haddaoui
- National Research Institute of Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry, University of Carthage, LR Valorization of Unconventional Waters, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Shymaa Enany
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt; Biomedical Research Department, Armed Force College of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
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41
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Browne K, Kuppusamy R, Walsh WR, Black DS, Willcox MDP, Kumar N, Chen R. Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics Prevent the Development of Resistance against Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin in Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas Bacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14966. [PMID: 37834415 PMCID: PMC10573972 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914966] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria readily acquire resistance to traditional antibiotics, resulting in pan-resistant strains with no available treatment. Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge and without the development of effective antimicrobials, the foundation of modern medicine is at risk. Combination therapies such as antibiotic-antibiotic and antibiotic-adjuvant combinations are strategies used to combat antibiotic resistance. Current research focuses on antimicrobial peptidomimetics as adjuvant compounds, due to their promising activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Here, for the first time we demonstrate that antibiotic-peptidomimetic combinations mitigate the development of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. When ciprofloxacin and gentamicin were passaged individually at sub-inhibitory concentrations for 10 days, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) increased up to 32-fold and 128-fold for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, respectively. In contrast, when antibiotics were passaged in combination with peptidomimetics (Melimine, Mel4, RK758), the MICs of both antibiotics and peptidomimetics remained constant, indicating these combinations were able to mitigate the development of antibiotic-resistance. Furthermore, antibiotic-peptidomimetic combinations demonstrated synergistic activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, reducing the concentration needed for bactericidal activity. This has significant potential clinical applications-including preventing the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains in hospitals and communities, reviving ineffective antibiotics, and lowering the toxicity of antimicrobial chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Browne
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
- Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories (SORL), Prince of Wales Clinical School, Prince of Wales Hospital, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Randwick 2031, Australia
| | - Rajesh Kuppusamy
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - William R. Walsh
- Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories (SORL), Prince of Wales Clinical School, Prince of Wales Hospital, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Randwick 2031, Australia
| | - David StC Black
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Mark D. P. Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Naresh Kumar
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Renxun Chen
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
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42
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Chen X, Su S, Yan Y, Yin L, Liu L. Anti- Pseudomonas aeruginosa activity of natural antimicrobial peptides when used alone or in combination with antibiotics. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1239540. [PMID: 37731929 PMCID: PMC10508351 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1239540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization has recently published a list of 12 drug-resistant bacteria that posed a significant threat to human health, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) was among them. In China, P. aeruginosa is a common pathogen in hospital acquired pneumonia, accounting for 16.9-22.0%. It is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that can infect individuals with weakened immune systems, leading to hospital-acquired acute and systemic infections. The excessive use of antibiotics has led to the development of various mechanisms in P. aeruginosa to resist conventional drugs. Thus, there is an emergence of multidrug-resistant strains, posing a major challenge to conventional antibiotics and therapeutic approaches. Antimicrobial peptides are an integral component of host defense and have been found in many living organisms. Most antimicrobial peptides are characterized by negligible host toxicity and low resistance rates, making them become promising for use as antimicrobial products. This review particularly focuses on summarizing the inhibitory activity of natural antimicrobial peptides against P. aeruginosa planktonic cells and biofilms, as well as the drug interactions when these peptides used in combination with conventional antibiotics. Moreover, the underlying mechanism of these antimicrobial peptides against P. aeruginosa strains was mainly related to destroy the membrane structure through interacting with LPS or increasing ROS levels, or targeting cellular components, leaded to cell lysis. Hopefully, this analysis will provide valuable experimental data on developing novel compounds to combat P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Su
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Taian, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Limei Yin
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lihong Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
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Jennings J, Ašćerić D, Semeraro EF, Lohner K, Malanovic N, Pabst G. Combinatorial Screening of Cationic Lipidoids Reveals How Molecular Conformation Affects Membrane-Targeting Antimicrobial Activity. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:40178-40190. [PMID: 37602460 PMCID: PMC10472336 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c05481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
The search for next-generation antibacterial compounds that overcome the development of resistance can be facilitated by identifying how to target the cell membrane of bacteria. Understanding the key molecular features that enable interactions with lipids and lead to membrane disruption is therefore crucial. Here, we employ a library of lipid-like compounds (lipidoids) comprising modular structures with tunable hydrophobic and hydrophilic architecture to shed light on how the chemical functionality and molecular shape of synthetic amphiphilic compounds determine their activity against bacterial membranes. Synthesized from combinations of 8 different polyamines as headgroups and 13 acrylates as tails, 104 different lipidoids are tested for activity against a model Gram-positive bacterial strain (Bacillus subtilis). Results from the combinatorial screening assay show that lipidoids with the most potent antimicrobial properties (down to 2 μM) have intermediate tail hydrophobicity (i.e., c log P values between 3 and 4) and lower headgroup charge density (i.e., longer spacers between charged amines). However, the most important factor appeared to be the ability of a lipidoid to self-assemble into an inverse hexagonal liquid crystalline phase, as observed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis. The lipidoids active at lowest concentrations, which induced the most significant membrane damage during propidium iodide (PI) permeabilization assays, were those that aggregated into highly curved inverse hexagonal liquid crystal phases. These observations suggest that the introduction of strong curvature stress into the membrane is one way to maximize membrane disruption and lipidoid antimicrobial activity. Lipidoids that demonstrated the ability to furnish this phase consisted of either (i) branched or linear headgroups with shorter linear tails or (ii) cyclic headgroups with 4 bulky nonlinear tails. On the contrary, lipidoids previously observed to adopt disc-like conformations that pack into bicontinuous cubic phases were significantly less effective against B. subtilis. The discovery of these structure-property relationships demonstrates that it is not simply a balance of hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties that govern membrane-active antibacterial activity, but also their intrinsic curvature and collective behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Jennings
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Dunja Ašćerić
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Enrico Federico Semeraro
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Karl Lohner
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Nermina Malanovic
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Georg Pabst
- Institute
of Molecular Biosciences, University of
Graz, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field
of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
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44
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Zhang OL, Niu JY, Yin IX, Yu OY, Mei ML, Chu CH. Antibacterial Properties of the Antimicrobial Peptide Gallic Acid-Polyphemusin I (GAPI). Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1350. [PMID: 37760647 PMCID: PMC10525608 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091350] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A novel antimicrobial peptide, GAPI, has been developed recently by grafting gallic acid (GA) to polyphemusin I (PI). The objective of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effects of GAPI on common oral pathogens. This laboratory study used minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations to assess the antimicrobial properties of GAPI against common oral pathogens. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the bacterial morphology both before and after GAPI treatment. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration ranged from 20 μM (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) to 320 μM (Porphyromonas gingivalis), whereas the minimum bactericidal concentration ranged from 80 μM (Lactobacillus acidophilus) to 640 μM (Actinomyces naeslundii, Enterococcus faecalis, and Porphyromonas gingivalis). Transmission electron microscopy showed abnormal curvature of cell membranes, irregular cell shapes, leakage of cytoplasmic content, and disruption of cytoplasmic membranes and cell walls. In conclusion, the GAPI antimicrobial peptide is antibacterial to common oral pathogens, with the potential to be used to manage oral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Lili Zhang
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (O.L.Z.); (J.Y.N.); (I.X.Y.); (O.Y.Y.)
| | - John Yun Niu
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (O.L.Z.); (J.Y.N.); (I.X.Y.); (O.Y.Y.)
| | - Iris Xiaoxue Yin
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (O.L.Z.); (J.Y.N.); (I.X.Y.); (O.Y.Y.)
| | - Ollie Yiru Yu
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (O.L.Z.); (J.Y.N.); (I.X.Y.); (O.Y.Y.)
| | - May Lei Mei
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
| | - Chun Hung Chu
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (O.L.Z.); (J.Y.N.); (I.X.Y.); (O.Y.Y.)
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45
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Saini S, Rathore A, Sharma S, Saini A. Exploratory data analysis of physicochemical parameters of natural antimicrobial and anticancer peptides: Unraveling the patterns and trends for the rational design of novel peptides. BIOIMPACTS : BI 2023; 14:26438. [PMID: 38327633 PMCID: PMC10844588 DOI: 10.34172/bi.2023.26438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Peptide-based research has attained new avenues in the antibiotics and cancer drug resistance era. The basis of peptide design research lies in playing with or altering physicochemical parameters. Here in this work, we have done exploratory data analysis (EDA) of physicochemical parameters of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and anticancer peptides (ACPs), two promising therapeutics for microbial and cancer drug resistance to deduce patterns and trends. Methods Briefly, we have captured the natural AMPs and ACPs data from the APD3 database. After cleaning the data manually and by CD-HIT web server, further data analysis has been done using Python-based packages, modlAMP and Pandas. We have extracted the descriptive statistics of 10 physicochemical parameters of AMPs and ACPs to build a comprehensive dataset containing all major parameters. The global analysis of datasets has been done using modlAMP to find the initial patterns in global data. The subsets of AMPs and ACPs were curated based on the length of the peptides and were analyzed by Pandas package to deduce the graphical profile of AMPs and ACPs. Results EDA of AMPs and ACPs shows selectivity in the length and amino acid compositions. The distribution of physicochemical parameters in defined quartile ranges was observed in the descriptive statistical and graphical analysis. The preferred length range of AMPs and ACPs was found to be 21-30 amino acids, whereas few outliers in each parameter were evident after EDA analysis. Conclusion The derived patterns from natural AMPs and ACPs can be used for the rational design of novel peptides. The statistical and graphical data distribution findings will help in combining the different parameters for potent design of novel AMPs and ACPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Saini
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh 160014, India
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32-C, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Aayushi Rathore
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Biotech Park, Bengaluru 560100, India
| | - Sheetal Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Avneet Saini
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh 160014, India
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Haktaniyan M, Sharma R, Bradley M. Size-Controlled Ammonium-Based Homopolymers as Broad-Spectrum Antibacterials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1320. [PMID: 37627740 PMCID: PMC10452032 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12081320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ammonium group containing polymers possess inherent antimicrobial properties, effectively eliminating or preventing infections caused by harmful microorganisms. Here, homopolymers based on monomers containing ammonium groups were synthesized via Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization (RAFT) and evaluated as potential antibacterial agents. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive (M. luteus and B. subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and S. typhimurium). Three polymers, poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride), and poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium chloride), were examined to explore the effect of molecular weight (10 kDa, 20 kDa, and 40 kDa) on their antimicrobial activity and toxicity to mammalian cells. The mechanisms of action of the polymers were investigated with dye-based assays, while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed collapsed and fused bacterial morphologies due to the interactions between the polymers and components of the bacterial cell envelope, with some polymers proving to be bactericidal and others bacteriostatic, while being non-hemolytic. Among all the homopolymers, the most active, non-Gram-specific polymer was poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride), with a molecular weight of 40 kDa, with minimum inhibitory concentrations between 16 and 64 µg/mL, showing a bactericidal mode of action mediated by disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane. This homopolymer could be useful in biomedical applications such as surface dressings and in areas such as eye infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meltem Haktaniyan
- EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK; (M.H.); (R.S.)
| | - Richa Sharma
- EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK; (M.H.); (R.S.)
| | - Mark Bradley
- EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK; (M.H.); (R.S.)
- Precision Healthcare University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Whitechapel, Empire House, London E1 1HH, UK
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Tate P, Mastrodomenico V, Cunha C, McClure J, Barron AE, Diamond G, Mounce BC, Kirshenbaum K. Peptidomimetic Oligomers Targeting Membrane Phosphatidylserine Exhibit Broad Antiviral Activity. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1508-1522. [PMID: 37530426 PMCID: PMC10425984 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
The development of durable new antiviral therapies is challenging, as viruses can evolve rapidly to establish resistance and attenuate therapeutic efficacy. New compounds that selectively target conserved viral features are attractive therapeutic candidates, particularly for combating newly emergent viral threats. The innate immune system features a sustained capability to combat pathogens through production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs); however, these AMPs have shortcomings that can preclude clinical use. The essential functional features of AMPs have been recapitulated by peptidomimetic oligomers, yielding effective antibacterial and antifungal agents. Here, we show that a family of AMP mimetics, called peptoids, exhibit direct antiviral activity against an array of enveloped viruses, including the key human pathogens Zika, Rift Valley fever, and chikungunya viruses. These data suggest that the activities of peptoids include engagement and disruption of viral membrane constituents. To investigate how these peptoids target lipid membranes, we used liposome leakage assays to measure membrane disruption. We found that liposomes containing phosphatidylserine (PS) were markedly sensitive to peptoid treatment; in contrast, liposomes formed exclusively with phosphatidylcholine (PC) showed no sensitivity. In addition, chikungunya virus containing elevated envelope PS was more susceptible to peptoid-mediated inactivation. These results indicate that peptoids mimicking the physicochemical characteristics of AMPs act through a membrane-specific mechanism, most likely through preferential interactions with PS. We provide the first evidence for the engagement of distinct viral envelope lipid constituents, establishing an avenue for specificity that may enable the development of a new family of therapeutics capable of averting the rapid development of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick
M. Tate
- Department
of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Vincent Mastrodomenico
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University
Chicago Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60130, United States
| | - Christina Cunha
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University
Chicago Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60130, United States
| | | | - Annelise E. Barron
- Maxwell
Biosciences, Austin, Texas 78738, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Gill Diamond
- Department
of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, United States
| | - Bryan C. Mounce
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University
Chicago Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60130, United States
| | - Kent Kirshenbaum
- Department
of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
- Maxwell
Biosciences, Austin, Texas 78738, United States
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48
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Gostaviceanu A, Gavrilaş S, Copolovici L, Copolovici DM. Membrane-Active Peptides and Their Potential Biomedical Application. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2091. [PMID: 37631305 PMCID: PMC10459175 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082091] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) possess unique properties that make them valuable tools for studying membrane structure and function and promising candidates for therapeutic applications. This review paper provides an overview of the fundamental aspects of MAPs, focusing on their membrane interaction mechanisms and potential applications. MAPs exhibit various structural features, including amphipathic structures and specific amino acid residues, enabling selective interaction with multiple membranes. Their mechanisms of action involve disrupting lipid bilayers through different pathways, depending on peptide properties and membrane composition. The therapeutic potential of MAPs is significant. They have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, making them promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. MAPs can selectively target cancer cells and induce apoptosis, opening new avenues in cancer therapeutics. Additionally, MAPs serve as drug delivery vectors, facilitating the transport of therapeutic cargoes across cell membranes. They represent a fascinating class of biomolecules with significant potential in basic research and clinical applications. Understanding their mechanisms of action and designing peptides with enhanced selectivity and efficacy will further expand their utility in diverse fields. Exploring MAPs holds promise for developing novel therapeutic strategies against infections, cancer, and drug delivery challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Gostaviceanu
- Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection, and Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Technical and Natural Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University, Elena Drăgoi St., No. 2, 310330 Arad, Romania; (A.G.); (S.G.); (L.C.)
- Biomedical Sciences Doctoral School, University of Oradea, University St., No. 1, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Simona Gavrilaş
- Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection, and Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Technical and Natural Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University, Elena Drăgoi St., No. 2, 310330 Arad, Romania; (A.G.); (S.G.); (L.C.)
| | - Lucian Copolovici
- Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection, and Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Technical and Natural Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University, Elena Drăgoi St., No. 2, 310330 Arad, Romania; (A.G.); (S.G.); (L.C.)
| | - Dana Maria Copolovici
- Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism and Environmental Protection, and Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Technical and Natural Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University, Elena Drăgoi St., No. 2, 310330 Arad, Romania; (A.G.); (S.G.); (L.C.)
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Elgiddawy N, Elnagar N, Korri-Youssoufi H, Yassar A. π-Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles from Design, Synthesis to Biomedical Applications: Sensing, Imaging, and Therapy. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2006. [PMID: 37630566 PMCID: PMC10459335 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, π-conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) have been considered as promising nanomaterials for biomedical applications, and are widely used as probe materials for bioimaging and drug delivery. Due to their distinctive photophysical and physicochemical characteristics, good compatibility, and ease of functionalization, CPNs are gaining popularity and being used in more and more cutting-edge biomedical sectors. Common synthetic techniques can be used to synthesize CPNs with adjustable particle size and dispersion. More importantly, the recent development of CPNs for sensing and imaging applications has rendered them as a promising device for use in healthcare. This review provides a synopsis of the preparation and functionalization of CPNs and summarizes the recent advancements of CPNs for biomedical applications. In particular, we discuss their major role in bioimaging, therapeutics, fluorescence, and electrochemical sensing. As a conclusion, we highlight the challenges and future perspectives of biomedical applications of CPNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Elgiddawy
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay (ICMMO), Université Paris-Saclay, ECBB, 91400 Orsay, France
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences (PSAS), Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62 511, Egypt
| | - Noha Elnagar
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay (ICMMO), Université Paris-Saclay, ECBB, 91400 Orsay, France
- Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences (PSAS), Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62 511, Egypt
| | - Hafsa Korri-Youssoufi
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay (ICMMO), Université Paris-Saclay, ECBB, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Abderrahim Yassar
- LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau, France;
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50
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Ioannou P, Baliou S, Kofteridis DP. Antimicrobial Peptides in Infectious Diseases and Beyond-A Narrative Review. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1651. [PMID: 37629508 PMCID: PMC10455936 DOI: 10.3390/life13081651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent medical research and clinical practice developments, the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) significantly limits therapeutics for infectious diseases. Thus, novel treatments for infectious diseases, especially in this era of increasing AMR, are urgently needed. There is ongoing research on non-classical therapies for infectious diseases utilizing alternative antimicrobial mechanisms to fight pathogens, such as bacteriophages or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AMPs are evolutionarily conserved molecules naturally produced by several organisms, such as plants, insects, marine organisms, and mammals, aiming to protect the host by fighting pathogenic microorganisms. There is ongoing research regarding developing AMPs for clinical use in infectious diseases. Moreover, AMPs have several other non-medical applications in the food industry, such as preservatives, animal husbandry, plant protection, and aquaculture. This review focuses on AMPs, their origins, biology, structure, mechanisms of action, non-medical applications, and clinical applications in infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Ioannou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stella Baliou
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Diamantis P. Kofteridis
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
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