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Makowska M, Wardowska A, Bauer M, Wyrzykowski D, Małuch I, Sikorska E. Impact of lipidation site on the activity of α-helical antimicrobial peptides. Bioorg Chem 2024; 153:107821. [PMID: 39293303 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107821] [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: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) display advantages over traditional antibiotics due to their broad spectrum of activity against various pathogens, and may even overcome bacterial drug resistance. However, despite their potential therapeutic benefits, widespread application of AMPs is limited by their instability, sensitivity to high salt concentrations, toxicity, and immunogenicity. Lipidation is a promising strategy in overcoming these drawbacks and potential problems for drug candidates. While N-terminal lipidation is a well-studied form of acylation of biologically active peptides, fatty acylation of the lysine side chain has still been poorly explored. In this study, we examined systematic introduction of octanoic (C8) or decanoic (C10) acid into the sequences of three antimicrobial α-helical peptides, namely LL-I, LK6, and ATRA-1, by acylation of subsequent lysine residues, resulting in 17 lipopeptides. Fatty acid lengths optimal for antimicrobial activity were selected based on a previous study on the N-terminal lipidated counterparts of these peptides. Shuffling the position of the fatty acid tails in the sequences of the peptides preserved high activity against Gram-positive bacteria, increased activity against Gram-negative strains and reduced cytotoxicity, compared to the N-terminal acylated counterparts. In the case of the LL-I and LK6 conjugates, the interactions with artificial negatively charged membranes induced formation of an α-helical structure but without a direct correlation between helicity and amphipathicity. Unexpectedly, the ATRA-1 derivatives showed only a small tendency, if any, to adopt a helical structure upon binding to POPG vesicles, which may indicate a non-helical active conformation. A more detailed study of the selected analogues, namely LL-I-4C8, LK6-7C8, and ATRA-1-11C10, provided evidence of a tendency to self-assemble into clumped and/or isolated fibrils, micelles or clusters of micelles, and proved that the lipid bilayer is the main target of action of the tested lipopeptides. In summary, the results of the present study highlight that alternative conjugation sites for lipid modification of AMPs, rather than the commonly applied N-terminal conjugation site, may improve the selectivity of action and be feasible in testing for the development of new lipid-peptide conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Makowska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Department of Physiopathology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marta Bauer
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wyrzykowski
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Izabela Małuch
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland.
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Panjla A, Kaul G, Shukla M, Akhir A, Tripathi S, Arora A, Chopra S, Verma S. Membrane-targeting, ultrashort lipopeptide acts as an antibiotic adjuvant and sensitizes MDR gram-negative pathogens toward narrow-spectrum antibiotics. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116810. [PMID: 38823276 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116810] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Globally, infections due to multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) pathogens are on the rise, negatively impacting morbidity and mortality, necessitating urgent treatment alternatives. Herein, we report a detailed bio-evaluation of an ultrashort, cationic lipopeptide 'SVAP9I' that demonstrated potent antibiotic activity and acted as an adjuvant to potentiate existing antibiotic classes towards GNBs. Newly synthesized lipopeptides were screened against ESKAPE pathogens and cytotoxicity assays were performed to evaluate the selectivity index (SI). SVAP9I exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against critical MDR-GNB pathogens including members of Enterobacteriaceae (MIC 4-8 mg/L), with a favorable CC50 value of ≥100 mg/L and no detectable resistance even after 50th serial passage. It demonstrated fast concentration-dependent bactericidal action as determined via time-kill analysis and also retained full potency against polymyxin B-resistant E. coli, indicating distinct mode of action. SVAP9I targeted E. coli's outer and inner membranes by binding to LPS and phospholipids such as cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol. Membrane damage resulted in ROS generation, depleted intracellular ATP concentration and a concomitant increase in extracellular ATP. Checkerboard assays showed SVAP9I's synergism with narrow-spectrum antibiotics like vancomycin, fusidic acid and rifampicin, potentiating their efficacy against MDR-GNB pathogens, including carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), a WHO critical priority pathogen. In a murine neutropenic thigh infection model, SVAP9I and rifampicin synergized to express excellent antibacterial efficacy against MDR-CRAB outcompeting polymyxin B. Taken together, SVAP9I's distinct membrane-targeting broad-spectrum action, lack of resistance and strong in vitro andin vivopotency in synergism with narrow spectrum antibiotics like rifampicin suggests its potential as a novel antibiotic adjuvant for the treatment of serious MDR-GNB infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Panjla
- Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Grace Kaul
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Manjulika Shukla
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India
| | - Abdul Akhir
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India
| | - Sarita Tripathi
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India
| | - Ashish Arora
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sidharth Chopra
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Janakipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Sandeep Verma
- Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India; Mehta Family Center for Engineering in Medicine, Center for Nanoscience Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India.
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3
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Jörgensen AM, Wibel R, Bernkop-Schnürch A. Biodegradable Cationic and Ionizable Cationic Lipids: A Roadmap for Safer Pharmaceutical Excipients. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206968. [PMID: 36610004 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cationic and ionizable cationic lipids are broadly applied as auxiliary agents, but their use is associated with adverse effects. If these excipients are rapidly degraded to endogenously occurring metabolites such as amino acids and fatty acids, their toxic potential can be minimized. So far, synthesized and evaluated biodegradable cationic and ionizable cationic lipids already showed promising results in terms of functionality and safety. Within this review, an overview about the different types of such biodegradable lipids, the available building blocks, their synthesis and cleavage by endogenous enzymes is provided. Moreover, the relationship between the structure of the lipids and their toxicity is described. Their application in drug delivery systems is critically discussed and placed in context with the lead compounds used in mRNA vaccines. Moreover, their use as preservatives is reviewed, guidance for their design is provided, and an outlook on future developments is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Matteo Jörgensen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Innsbruck, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - Richard Wibel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Innsbruck, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Innsbruck, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
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Makowska M, Kosikowska-Adamus P, Zdrowowicz M, Wyrzykowski D, Prahl A, Sikorska E. Lipidation of Naturally Occurring α-Helical Antimicrobial Peptides as a Promising Strategy for Drug Design. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043951. [PMID: 36835362 PMCID: PMC9959048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the chemical synthesis, preliminary evaluation of antimicrobial properties and mechanisms of action of a novel group of lipidated derivatives of three naturally occurring α-helical antimicrobial peptides, LL-I (VNWKKVLGKIIKVAK-NH2), LK6 (IKKILSKILLKKL-NH2), ATRA-1 (KRFKKFFKKLK-NH2). The obtained results showed that biological properties of the final compounds were defined both by the length of the fatty acid and by the structural and physico-chemical properties of the initial peptide. We consider C8-C12 length of the hydrocarbon chain as the optimal for antimicrobial activity improvement. However, the most active analogues exerted relatively high cytotoxicity toward keratinocytes, with the exception of the ATRA-1 derivatives, which had a higher selectivity for microbial cells. The ATRA-1 derivatives had relatively low cytotoxicity against healthy human keratinocytes but high cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells. Taking into account that ATRA-1 analogues carry the highest positive net charge, it can be assumed that this feature contributes to cell selectivity. As expected, the studied lipopeptides showed a strong tendency to self-assembly into fibrils and/or elongated and spherical micelles, with the least cytotoxic ATRA-1 derivatives forming apparently smaller assemblies. The results of the study also confirmed that the bacterial cell membrane is the target for the studied compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Makowska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Paulina Kosikowska-Adamus
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zdrowowicz
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wyrzykowski
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adam Prahl
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (E.S.)
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5
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Stachurski O, Neubauer D, Walewska A, Iłowska E, Bauer M, Bartoszewska S, Sikora K, Hać A, Wyrzykowski D, Prahl A, Kamysz W, Sikorska E. Understanding the Role of Self-Assembly and Interaction with Biological Membranes of Short Cationic Lipopeptides in the Effective Design of New Antibiotics. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:1491. [PMID: 36358146 PMCID: PMC9686977 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates short cationic antimicrobial lipopeptides composed of 2-4 amino acid residues and C12-C18 fatty acids attached to the N-terminal part of the peptides. The findings were discussed in the context of the relationship among biological activity, self-assembly, stability, and membrane interactions. All the lipopeptides showed the ability to self-assemble in PBS solution. In most cases, the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) much surpassed the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, suggesting that monomers are the main active form of lipopeptides. The introduction of β-alanine into the peptide sequence resulted in a compound with a high propensity to fibrillate, which increased the peptide stability and activity against S. epidermidis and C. albicans and reduced the cytotoxicity against human keratinocytes. The results of our study indicated that the target of action of lipopeptides is the bacterial membrane. Interestingly, the type of peptide counterion may affect the degree of penetration of the lipid bilayer. In addition, the binding of the lipopeptide to the membrane of Gram-negative bacteria may lead to the release of calcium ions necessary for stabilization of the lipopolysaccharide layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oktawian Stachurski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Damian Neubauer
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medicinal University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Walewska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Emilia Iłowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marta Bauer
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medicinal University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sylwia Bartoszewska
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medicinal University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Karol Sikora
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medicinal University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Hać
- Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wyrzykowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adam Prahl
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Wojciech Kamysz
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medicinal University of Gdansk, Al. Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
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6
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Váradi G, Galgóczy L, Tóth GK. Rationally Designed Antimicrobial Peptides Are Potential Tools to Combat Devastating Bacteria and Fungi. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116244. [PMID: 35682921 PMCID: PMC9181708 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Györgyi Váradi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, 6720 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - László Galgóczy
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, 6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Temesvári krt. 62, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor K. Tóth
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, 6720 Szeged, Hungary;
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
- Correspondence:
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Label-Free Electrochemical Test of Protease Interaction with a Peptide Substrate Modified Gold Electrode. CHEMOSENSORS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors9080199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Efficient deposition of biomolecules on the surface, maintaining their full activity and stability, is a most significant factor in biosensor construction. For this reason, more and more research is focused on the development of electrochemical biosensors that have the ability to electrically detect adsorbed molecules on electrode surface with high selectivity and sensitivity. The presented research aims to develop an efficient methodology that allows quantification of processes related to the evaluation of enzyme activity (proprotein convertase) using electrochemical methods. In this study we used impedance spectroscopy to investigate the immobilization of peptide substrate (Arg-Val-Arg-Arg) modified with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid on the surface of gold electrode. Both the synthesis of the peptide substrate as well as the full electrochemical characteristics of the obtained electrode materials have been described. Experimental conditions, including concentration of peptide substrate immobilization, modification time, linker, and the presence of additional blocking groups have been optimized. The main advantages of the described method is that it makes it possible to observe the peptide substrate–enzyme interaction without the need to use fluorescent labels. This also allows observation of this interaction at a very low concentration. Both of these factors make this new technique competitive with the standard spectrofluorimetric method.
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Dash R, Bhattacharjya S. Thanatin: An Emerging Host Defense Antimicrobial Peptide with Multiple Modes of Action. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041522. [PMID: 33546369 PMCID: PMC7913509 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess great potential for combating drug-resistant bacteria. Thanatin is a pathogen-inducible single-disulfide-bond-containing β-hairpin AMP which was first isolated from the insect Podisus maculiventris. The 21-residue-long thanatin displays broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as against various species of fungi. Remarkably, thanatin was found to be highly potent in inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi at considerably low concentrations. Although thanatin was isolated around 25 years ago, only recently has there been a pronounced interest in understanding its mode of action and activity against drug-resistant bacteria. In this review, multiple modes of action of thanatin in killing bacteria and in vivo activity, therapeutic potential are discussed. This promising AMP requires further research for the development of novel molecules for the treatment of infections caused by drug resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachita Dash
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Surajit Bhattacharjya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
- Correspondence:
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