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Fong-Coronado PA, Ramirez V, Quintero-Hernández V, Balleza D. A Critical Review of Short Antimicrobial Peptides from Scorpion Venoms, Their Physicochemical Attributes, and Potential for the Development of New Drugs. J Membr Biol 2024:10.1007/s00232-024-00315-2. [PMID: 38990274 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-024-00315-2] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Scorpion venoms have proven to be excellent sources of antimicrobial agents. However, although many of them have been functionally characterized, they remain underutilized as pharmacological agents, despite their evident therapeutic potential. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical properties of short scorpion venom antimicrobial peptides (ssAMPs). Being generally short (13-25 aa) and amidated, their proven antimicrobial activity is generally explained by parameters such as their net charge, the hydrophobic moment, or the degree of helicity. However, for a complete understanding of their biological activities, also considering the properties of the target membranes is of great relevance. Here, with an extensive analysis of the physicochemical, structural, and thermodynamic parameters associated with these biomolecules, we propose a theoretical framework for the rational design of new antimicrobial drugs. Through a comparison of these physicochemical properties with the bioactivity of ssAMPs in pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Acinetobacter baumannii, it is evident that in addition to the net charge, the hydrophobic moment, electrostatic energy, or intrinsic flexibility are determining parameters to understand their performance. Although the correlation between these parameters is very complex, the consensus of our analysis suggests that there is a delicate balance between them and that modifying one affects the rest. Understanding the contribution of lipid composition to their bioactivities is also underestimated, which suggests that for each peptide, there is a physiological context to consider for the rational design of new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Alejandro Fong-Coronado
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, México
| | - Verónica Ramirez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (FCQ-BUAP), Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, México
| | | | - Daniel Balleza
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Alimentos, Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Veracruz, México.
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2
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van der Walt M, Möller DS, van Wyk RJ, Ferguson PM, Hind CK, Clifford M, Do Carmo Silva P, Sutton JM, Mason AJ, Bester MJ, Gaspar ARM. QSAR Reveals Decreased Lipophilicity of Polar Residues Determines the Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptide Activity. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:26030-26049. [PMID: 38911757 PMCID: PMC11191095 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has increased rapidly, causing daunting morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional antibiotics due to their broad range of targets and low tendency to elicit resistance. However, potent antimicrobial activity is often accompanied by excessive cytotoxicity toward host cells, leading to a halt in AMP therapeutic development. Here, we present multivariate analyses that correlate 28 peptide properties to the activity and toxicity of 46 diverse African-derived AMPs and identify the negative lipophilicity of polar residues as an essential physiochemical property for selective antimicrobial activity. Twenty-seven active AMPs are identified, of which the majority are of scorpion or frog origin. Of these, thirteen are novel with no previously reported activities. Principal component analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) reveal that overall hydrophobicity, lipophilicity, and residue side chain surface area affect the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of an AMP. This has been well documented previously, but the present QSAR analysis additionally reveals that a decrease in the lipophilicity, contributed by those amino acids classified as polar, confers selectivity for a peptide to pathogen over mammalian cells. Furthermore, an increase in overall peptide charge aids selectivity toward Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, while selectivity toward Gram-positive bacteria is obtained through an increased number of small lipophilic residues. Finally, a conservative increase in peptide size in terms of sequence length and molecular weight also contributes to improved activity without affecting toxicity. Our findings suggest a novel approach for the rational design or modification of existing AMPs to increase pathogen selectivity and enhance therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandelie van der Walt
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Dalton S. Möller
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Rosalind J. van Wyk
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Philip M. Ferguson
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte K. Hind
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Clifford
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebe Do Carmo Silva
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - J. Mark Sutton
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - A. James Mason
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Megan J. Bester
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Anabella R. M. Gaspar
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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Pashmforoosh N, Baradaran M. Peptides with Diverse Functions from Scorpion Venom: A Great Opportunity for the Treatment of a Wide Variety of Diseases. IRANIAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL 2023; 27:84-99. [PMID: 37070616 PMCID: PMC10314758 DOI: 10.61186/ibj.3863] [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: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Toxicology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran The venom glands are a rich source of biologically important peptides with pharmaceutical properties. Scorpion venoms have been identified as a reservoir for components that might be considered as great candidates for drug development. Pharmacological properties of the venom compounds have been confirmed in the treatment of different disorders. Ion channel blockers and AMPs are the main groups of scorpion venom components. Despite the existence of several studies about scorpion peptides, there are still valuable components to be discovered. Additionally, owing to the improvement of proteomics and transcriptomics, the number of peptide drugs is steadily increasing, which reflects the importance of these medications. This review evaluates available literatures on some important scorpion venom peptides with pharmaceutical activities. Given that the last three years have been dominated by the COVID-19 from the medical/pharmaceutical perspective, scorpion compounds with the potential against the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masoumeh Baradaran
- Corresponding Author: Masoumeh Baradaran Toxicology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; E-mail:
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Incorporation of Non-Canonical Amino Acids into Antimicrobial Peptides: Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0161722. [PMID: 36416555 PMCID: PMC9746297 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01617-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern and calls for the development of novel antibiotic agents. Antimicrobial peptides seem to be promising candidates due to their diverse sources, mechanisms of action, and physicochemical characteristics, as well as the relatively low emergence of resistance. The incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into antimicrobial peptides could effectively improve their physicochemical and pharmacological diversity. Recently, various antimicrobial peptides variants with improved or novel properties have been produced by the incorporation of single and multiple distinct noncanonical amino acids. In this review, we summarize strategies for the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into antimicrobial peptides, as well as their features and suitabilities. Recent applications of noncanonical amino acid incorporation into antimicrobial peptides are also presented. Finally, we discuss the related challenges and prospects.
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Elmaidomy AH, Shady NH, Abdeljawad KM, Elzamkan MB, Helmy HH, Tarshan EA, Adly AN, Hussien YH, Sayed NG, Zayed A, Abdelmohsen UR. Antimicrobial potentials of natural products against multidrug resistance pathogens: a comprehensive review. RSC Adv 2022; 12:29078-29102. [PMID: 36320761 PMCID: PMC9558262 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra04884a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is one of the critical issues, describing a significant social health complication globally. Hence, the discovery of novel antibiotics has acquired an increased attention particularly against drug-resistant pathogens. Natural products have served as potent therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria since the glorious age of antibiotics of the mid 20th century. This review outlines the various mechanistic candidates for dealing with multi-drug resistant pathogens and explores the terrestrial phytochemicals isolated from plants, lichens, insects, animals, fungi, bacteria, mushrooms, and minerals with reported antimicrobial activity, either alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. Moreover, newly established tools are presented, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, bacteriophages, nanoparticles, and bacteriocins, supporting the progress of effective antibiotics to address the emergence of antibiotic-resistant infectious bacteria. Therefore, the current article may uncover promising drug candidates that can be used in drug discovery in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer H Elmaidomy
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University Beni-Suef 62511 Egypt
| | - Nourhan Hisham Shady
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
| | | | | | - Hussein Hykel Helmy
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
| | - Emad Ashour Tarshan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
| | - Abanoub Nabil Adly
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
| | | | - Nesma Gamal Sayed
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
| | - Ahmed Zayed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Elguish Street (Medical Campus) Tanta 31527 Egypt
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering, Technical University of Kaiserslautern Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 49 Kaiserslautern 67663 Germany
| | - Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Universities Zone New Minia 61111 Egypt
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University Minia 61519 Egypt
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Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide GK-19 and Its Application in Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Induced by MRSA or Candida albicans. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091937. [PMID: 36145681 PMCID: PMC9503518 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing resistance of human pathogens promotes the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Due to the physical bactericidal mechanism of membrane disruption, antimicrobial peptides are considered as potential therapeutic candidates without inducing microbial resistance. Scorpion venom-derived peptide, Androctonus amoreuxi Antimicrobial Peptide 1 (AamAP1), has been proved to have broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. However, AamAP1 can induce hemolysis and shows strong toxicity against mammalian cells. Herein, the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of a novel synthetic antimicrobial peptide, GK-19, derived from AamAP1 and its derivatives, was evaluated. Five bacteria and three fungi were used to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of GK-19 in vitro. Scalded mice models combined with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) were used to evaluate its applicability. The results indicated that GK-19 could not only inhibit Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial growth, but also kill fungi by disrupting the microbial cell membrane. Meanwhile, GK-19 showed negligible toxicity to mammalian cells, low hemolytic activity and high stability in plasma. Furthermore, in scalded mice models combined with SSTIs induced by either Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Candida albicans, GK-19 showed significant antimicrobial and healing effects. Overall, it was demonstrated that GK-19 might be a promising drug candidate in the battle against drug-resistant bacterial and fungal infections.
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Amorim-Carmo B, Parente AMS, Souza ES, Silva-Junior AA, Araújo RM, Fernandes-Pedrosa MF. Antimicrobial Peptide Analogs From Scorpions: Modifications and Structure-Activity. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:887763. [PMID: 35712354 PMCID: PMC9197468 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.887763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of multidrug-resistant pathogens against conventional antibiotics is a global public health problem. The irrational use of antibiotics has promoted therapeutic limitations against different infections, making research of new molecules that can be applied to treat infections necessary. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of promising antibiotic molecules as they present broad action spectrum, potent activity, and do not easily induce resistance. Several AMPs from scorpion venoms have been described as a potential source for the development of new drugs; however, some limitations to their application are also observed. Here, we describe strategies used in several approaches to optimize scorpion AMPs, addressing their primary sequence, biotechnological potential, and characteristics that should be considered when developing an AMP derived from scorpion venoms. In addition, this review may contribute towards improving the understanding of rationally designing new molecules, targeting functional AMPs that may have a therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Amorim-Carmo
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do North, Natal, Brazil
| | - Adriana M. S. Parente
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do North, Natal, Brazil
| | - Eden S. Souza
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arnóbio A. Silva-Junior
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do North, Natal, Brazil
| | - Renata M. Araújo
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do North, Natal, Brazil
| | - Matheus F. Fernandes-Pedrosa
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do North, Natal, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Matheus F. Fernandes-Pedrosa,
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8
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Furtado AA, Daniele-Silva A, Resende de Oliveira IR, Mendes RFV, Gomes dos Santos EC, de Carvalho E, Damasceno IZ, e Silva Parente AM, da Fonseca Ribeiro de Sena KX, da Silva-Júnior AA, Ximenes RM, Vieira DS, de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa M. In silico and in vitro structure-stability-function relationship of analog peptides of Stigmurin and its antibacterial and antibiofilm activities. Pharmacol Res 2022; 181:106245. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Zhang Y, Yu J, Zhang H, Li Y, Wang L. Nanofibrous dressing: Potential alternative for fighting against antibiotic‐resistance wound infections. J Appl Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/app.52178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Juan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Huiru Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
| | - Lu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles Donghua University Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Textile Industry for Biomedical Textile Materials and Technology Donghua University Shanghai China
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10
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Current strategies in inhibiting biofilm formation for combating urinary tract infections: Special focus on peptides, nano-particles and phytochemicals. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Sahoo A, Swain SS, Behera A, Sahoo G, Mahapatra PK, Panda SK. Antimicrobial Peptides Derived From Insects Offer a Novel Therapeutic Option to Combat Biofilm: A Review. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:661195. [PMID: 34248873 PMCID: PMC8265172 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.661195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms form a complex layer with defined structures, that attach on biotic or abiotic surfaces, are tough to eradicate and tend to cause some resistance against most antibiotics. Several studies confirmed that biofilm-producing bacteria exhibit higher resistance compared to the planktonic form of the same species. Antibiotic resistance factors are well understood in planktonic bacteria which is not so in case of biofilm producing forms. This may be due to the lack of available drugs with known resistance mechanisms for biofilms. Existing antibiotics cannot eradicate most biofilms, especially of ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). Insects produce complex and diverse set of chemicals for survival and defense. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), produced by most insects, generally have a broad spectrum of activity and the potential to bypass the resistance mechanisms of classical antibiotics. Besides, AMPs may well act synergistically with classical antibiotics for a double-pronged attack on infections. Thus, AMPs could be promising alternatives to overcome medically important biofilms, decrease the possibility of acquired resistance and treatment of multidrug-resistant pathogens including ESKAPE. The present review focuses on insect-derived AMPs with special reference to anti-biofilm-based strategies. It covers the AMP composition, pathways and mechanisms of action, the formation of biofilms, impact of biofilms on human diseases, current strategies as well as therapeutic options to combat biofilm with antimicrobial peptides from insects. In addition, the review also illustrates the importance of bioinformatics tools and molecular docking studies to boost the importance of select bioactive peptides those can be developed as drugs, as well as suggestions for further basic and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaka Sahoo
- Department of Skin & VD, Institute of Medical Sciences, SUM Hospital, Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Shasank Sekhar Swain
- Division of Microbiology & NCDs, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ayusman Behera
- Department of Zoology, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada, India
| | - Gunanidhi Sahoo
- Department of Zoology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | | | - Sujogya Kumar Panda
- Centre of Environment, Climate Change and Public Health, RUSA 2.0, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, India
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Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity and Improved Stability of a D-Amino Acid Enantiomer of DMPC-10A, the Designed Derivative of Dermaseptin Truncates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9090627. [PMID: 32967333 PMCID: PMC7557582 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9090627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DMPC-10A (ALWKKLLKK-Cha-NH2) is a 10-mer peptide derivative from the N-terminal domain of Dermaseptin-PC which has shown broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity as well as a considerable hemolytic effect. In order to reduce hemolytic activity and improve stability to endogenous enzymes, a D-amino acid enantiomer (DMPC-10B) was designed by substituting all L-Lys and L-Leu with their respective D-form amino acid residues, while the Ala1 and Trp3 remained unchanged. The D-amino acid enantiomer exhibited similar antimicrobial potency to the parent peptide but exerted lower cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity. Meanwhile, DMPC-10B exhibited remarkable resistance to hydrolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin. In addition to these advantages, DMPC-10B exhibited an outstanding antibacterial effect against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumoniae using the Galleria mellonella larva model and displayed synergistic activities with gentamicin against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains. This indicates that DMPC-10B would be a promising alternative for treating antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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Li F, Cui H, Jin X, Gong X, Wang W, Wang J. Triptolide inhibits epithelial‑mesenchymal transition and induces apoptosis in gefitinib‑resistant lung cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2020; 43:1569-1579. [PMID: 32323848 PMCID: PMC7107945 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), gefitinib, is used widely to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR-activating mutations. Unfortunately, the acquired drug resistance promoted by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markedly limits the clinical effects and remains a major barrier to a cure. Our previous isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation-based proteomics analysis revealed that the E-cadherin protein level was markedly upregulated by triptolide (TP). The present study aimed to determine whether TP reverses the gefitinib resistance of human lung cancer cells by regulating EMT. It was revealed that TP combined with gefitinib synergistically inhibited the migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549; the combination treatment had a significantly better outcome than that of TP and gefitinib alone. Moreover, TP effectively increased the sensitivity of drug resistant A549 cells to gefitinib by upregulating E-cadherin protein expression and downregulating the MMP9, SNAIL, and vimentin expression levels. The dysregulated E-cadherin expression of gefitinib-sensitive cells induced gefitinib resistance, which could be overcome by TP. Finally, TP combined with gefitinib significantly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors induced using gefitinib-resistant A549 cells, which was associated with EMT reversal and E-cadherin signaling activation in vivo. The present results indicated that the combination of TP and TKIs may be a promising therapeutic strategy to treat patients with NSCLCs harboring EGFR mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangqiong Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Huaizhong Cui
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, XiXi Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310023, P.R. China
| | - Xin Jin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoting Gong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China
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14
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Cesa-Luna C, Muñoz-Rojas J, Saab-Rincon G, Baez A, Morales-García YE, Juárez-González VR, Quintero-Hernández V. Structural characterization of scorpion peptides and their bactericidal activity against clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant bacteria. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222438. [PMID: 31710627 PMCID: PMC6844485 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion venom peptides represent a novel source of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum activity. In this study, we determined the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of three scorpion AMPs, Uy234, Uy17, and Uy192, which are found in the venomous glands of the Urodacus yaschenkoi scorpion, against the clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. In addition, we tested the activity of a consensus AMP designed in our laboratory based on some previously reported IsCT-type (cytotoxic linear peptide) AMPs with the aim of obtaining higher antimicrobial activity. All peptides tested showed high antimicrobial activity against MDR clinical isolates, with the highest activity against β-hemolytic Streptococcus strains. The hemolytic activity was determined against human red blood cells and was significantly lower than that of previously reported AMPs. The α-helical structure of the four AMPs was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD). These results suggest that the four peptides can be valuable tools for the design and development of AMPs for use in the inhibition of MDR pathogenic bacteria. A clear index of synergism and additivity was found for the combination of QnCs-BUAP + Uy234, which makes these peptides the most promising candidates against pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Cesa-Luna
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Jesús Muñoz-Rojas
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Gloria Saab-Rincon
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Antonino Baez
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Yolanda Elizabeth Morales-García
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, México
- Licenciatura en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, BUAP, Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Víctor Rivelino Juárez-González
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mor., México
| | - Verónica Quintero-Hernández
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group (ESMG), Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana (LEMM), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas (CICM), Instituto de Ciencias (IC), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, México
- CONACYT-ESMG, LEMM, CICM, IC, BUAP, Puebla, Puebla, México
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15
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Tan F, She P, Zhou L, Liu Y, Chen L, Luo Z, Wu Y. Bactericidal and Anti-biofilm Activity of the Retinoid Compound CD437 Against Enterococcus faecalis. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2301. [PMID: 31649642 PMCID: PMC6794434 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), a biofilm-forming pathogen, causes nosocomial infections. In recent years, drug resistance by enterococci has become increasingly severe due to widespread antibiotic abuse. Therefore, novel antibacterial agents are urgently needed. In this study, the synthetic retinoid compound CD437 was found to have potent bactericidal effect on E. faecalis. In addition, CD437 exhibited synergistic effects when administered in combination with gentamicin and additive effects when combined with ceftriaxone sodium. CD437 also inhibited biofilm formation by E. faecalis and exerted bactericidal effect on mature biofilm. Moreover, CD437 exhibited antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects against Staphylococcus. No bactericidal action of CD437 was observed against the gram-negative bacillus, but Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix formation was reduced. Overall, these findings indicate that CD437 has the potential to be developed as a novel antibacterial drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Tan
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Pengfei She
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Linying Zhou
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yiqing Liu
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lihua Chen
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhen Luo
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
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16
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Almaaytah A, Abualhaijaa A, Alqudah O. The evaluation of the synergistic antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of AamAP1-Lysine with conventional antibiotics against representative resistant strains of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Infect Drug Resist 2019; 12:1371-1380. [PMID: 31213855 PMCID: PMC6537036 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s204626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose: Antimicrobial resistance toward antibiotics is reaching historical unprecedented levels. There is an urgent and imminent need to develop novel antimicrobial alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides could prove to be a successful group of antimicrobials for drug development. Recently, we have designed a novel synthetic peptide named AamAP1-Lysine. The peptide displayed potent wide-spectrum antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of combining AamAP1-Lysine with five different conventional antibiotics each representing a distinct mechanism of action in order to explore the possibility of producing a synergistic mode of action against a resistant strain of Gram-positive and a resistant strain of Gram-negative bacteria. Methodology: The antimicrobial activity of AamAP1-Lysine in combination with five different antibiotics were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity employing standard antimicrobial assays, the synergistic activity of the peptide-antibiotic combinations were evaluated using checkerboard technique in addition to real-time time-kill assays. For the antibiofilm studies, the MBEC values were determined by employing the Calgary device. Results: The combination strategy displayed potent synergistic activities against planktonic bacteria in a significant number of peptide-antibiotic combinations. The synergistic activity managed to reduce the effective minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) concentrations dramatically with some combinations exhibiting a 64-fold decrease in the effective MIC of AamAP1-Lysine individually. Additionally, the combined synergistic activities of the peptide antibiotics were evaluated, and our results have identified two peptide antibiotic combinations with potent synergistic activities against biofilm growing strains of resistant bacteria. Conclusion: Our results clearly indicate that peptide-antibiotic combinations could prove to be a very effective strategy in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria and biofilm caused infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Almaaytah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ahmad Abualhaijaa
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Obadah Alqudah
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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