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Gao C, Yu R, Zhang X, Song X, Che L, Tang Y, Yang J, Hu J, Xiong J, Zhao X, Zhang H. Unraveling novel umami peptides from yeast extract (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) using peptidomics and molecular interaction modeling. Food Chem 2024; 453:139691. [PMID: 38781904 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139691] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Yeast extract is increasingly becoming an attractive source for unraveling novel umami peptides that are healthier and more nutritious than traditional seasonings. In the present study, a strategy for screening novel umami peptides was established using mass spectrometry-based peptidomics combined with molecular interaction modeling, emphasizing on smaller peptides than previously reported. Four representative novel umami peptides of FE, YDQ, FQEY, and SPFSQ from yeast extract (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were identified and validated by sensory evaluation, with thresholds determined as 0.234 ± 0.045, 0.576 ± 0.175, 0.327 ± 0.057 and 0.456 ± 0.070 mmol/L, respectively. Hydrogen and ionic bonds were the main characteristic interactions between the umami peptides and the well-recognized receptor T1R1/T1R3, in which Asp 110, Thr 112, Arg 114, Arg 240, Lys 342, and Glu 264 were the key sites in ligand-receptor recognition. Our study provides accurate sequences of umami peptides and molecular interaction mechanism for the umami effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Gao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No. 1299 Sansha Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266003, PR China
| | - Rilei Yu
- College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, No. 23 East Hong Kong Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266003, PR China
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- Technology Center of Qingdao Customs District, No. 83 Xinyue Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, PR China
| | - Xue Song
- Technology Center of Qingdao Customs District, No. 83 Xinyue Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, PR China
| | - Lizhi Che
- Technology Center of Qingdao Customs District, No. 83 Xinyue Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, PR China
| | - Yuying Tang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No. 1299 Sansha Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266003, PR China
| | - Jinyue Yang
- Technology Center of Qingdao Customs District, No. 83 Xinyue Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, PR China
| | - Jing Hu
- The Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Yeast Function, Angel Yeast Co. Ltd., Yichang, Hubei Province 443003, PR China
| | - Jian Xiong
- The Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Yeast Function, Angel Yeast Co. Ltd., Yichang, Hubei Province 443003, PR China
| | - Xue Zhao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No. 1299 Sansha Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266003, PR China.
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Technology Center of Qingdao Customs District, No. 83 Xinyue Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, PR China.
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2
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Quintal Bojórquez NDC, Morales Mendoza LF, Hidalgo-Figueroa S, Hernández Álvarez AJ, Segura Campos MR. In silico analysis of the interaction of de novo peptides derived from Salvia hispanica with anticancer targetsEvaluation of the anticancer potential of de novo peptides derived from Salvia hispanica through molecular docking. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:6119-6135. [PMID: 37453078 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2232045] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Conventional cancer therapies are not selective to cancer cells resulting in serious side effects on patients. Thus, the need for complementary treatments that improve the patient's response to cancer therapy is highly important. To predict and evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and potential anticancer activity of the peptides identified from S. hispanica protein fraction <1 kDa through the use of in silico tools. Peptides derived from Salvia hispanica's protein fraction <1 kDa were identified and analyzed for the prediction of their physicochemical properties. The characterized peptide sequences were then submitted to a multi-criteria decision analysis to identify the peptides that possess the characteristics to potentially exert anticancer activity. Through molecular docking analysis, the potential anticancer activity of the Potentially Anticancer Peptide (PAP)-1, PAP-2, PAP-3, PAP-4, and PAP-5 was estimated by their binding interactions with cancer and apoptosis-related molecules. All five evaluated PAPs exhibited strong binding interactions (< -100 kcal/mol). However, PAP-3 showed the lowest binding free energies with several of the targets. Thus, PAP-3 shows potential to be used as a nutraceutical or ingredient for functional foods that adjuvate in cancer treatment. Conclusions: Through the molecular docking studies, the binding of the PAPs to target molecules of interest for cancer treatment was successfully simulated, from which PAP-3 exhibited the lowest binding free energies. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to validate the predictions obtained by the in silico analysis.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sergio Hidalgo-Figueroa
- CONAHCYT, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
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3
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Wu X, Tian Y, Ran K, Yao J, Wang Y, Ouyang X, Mao W, Zhang J, Li B, Yang P, Ba Z, Liu H, Gou S, Zhong C, Zhang Y, Ni J. Rational design of a new short anticancer peptide with good potential for cancer treatment. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 273:116519. [PMID: 38795519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116519] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Anticancer peptides (ACPs) have regarded as a new generation of promising antitumor drugs due to the unique mode of action. The main challenge is to develop potential anticancer peptides with satisfied antitumor activity and low toxicity. Here, a series of new α-helical anticancer peptides were designed and synthesized based on the regular repeat motif KLLK. The optimal peptides 14E and 14Aad were successfully derived from the new short α-helical peptide KL-8. Our results demonstrated that 14E and 14Aad had good antitumor activity and low toxicity, exhibiting excellent selectivity index. This result highlighted that the desirable modification position and appropriate hydrophobic side-chain structure of acidic amino acids played critical roles in regulating the antitumor activity/toxicity of new peptides. Further studies indicated that they could induce tumor cell death via the multiple actions of efficient membrane disruption and intracellular mechanisms, displaying apparent superiority in combination with PTX. In addition, the new peptides 14E and 14Aad showed excellent antitumor efficacy in vivo and low toxicity in mice compared to KL-8 and PTX. Particularly, 14Aad with the longer side chain at the 14th site exhibited the best therapeutic performance. In conclusion, our work provided a new avenue to develop promising anticancer peptides with good selectivity for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yali Tian
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Kaixin Ran
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yuxia Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Wenbo Mao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Beibei Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Ping Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Zufang Ba
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
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4
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Milewska S, Sadowska A, Stefaniuk N, Misztalewska-Turkowicz I, Wilczewska AZ, Car H, Niemirowicz-Laskowska K. Tumor-Homing Peptides as Crucial Component of Magnetic-Based Delivery Systems: Recent Developments and Pharmacoeconomical Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6219. [PMID: 38892406 PMCID: PMC11172452 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116219] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is considered to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and new therapeutic approaches, especially improved novel cancer treatment regimens, are in high demand. Considering that many chemotherapeutic drugs tend to have poor pharmacokinetic profiles, including rapid clearance and limited on-site accumulation, a combined approach with tumor-homing peptide (THP)-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles could lead to remarkable improvements. This is confirmed by an increasing number of papers in this field, showing that the on-target peptide functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles improves their penetration properties and ensures tumor-specific binding, which results in an increased clinical response. This review aims to highlight the potential applications of THPs in combination with magnetic carriers across various fields, including a pharmacoeconomic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Milewska
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland; (S.M.); (A.S.); (N.S.); (H.C.)
| | - Anna Sadowska
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland; (S.M.); (A.S.); (N.S.); (H.C.)
| | - Natalia Stefaniuk
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland; (S.M.); (A.S.); (N.S.); (H.C.)
| | | | - Agnieszka Z. Wilczewska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland; (I.M.-T.); (A.Z.W.)
| | - Halina Car
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland; (S.M.); (A.S.); (N.S.); (H.C.)
| | - Katarzyna Niemirowicz-Laskowska
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland; (S.M.); (A.S.); (N.S.); (H.C.)
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5
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Decker-Farrell AR, Sastra SA, Harimoto T, Hasselluhn MC, Palermo CF, Ballister ER, Badgley MA, Danino T, Olive KP. "Tumor-selective treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer with an engineered, probiotic living drug". BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.02.592216. [PMID: 38746175 PMCID: PMC11092568 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) poses significant challenges for effective treatment, with systemic chemotherapy often proving inadequate due to poor drug delivery and the tumor's immunosuppressive microenvironment. Engineered bacteria present a novel approach to target PDAC, leveraging their ability to colonize tumors and deliver therapeutic payloads. Here, we engineered probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to produce the pore-forming Theta toxin (Nis-Theta) and evaluated its efficacy in a preclinical model of PDAC. Probiotic administration resulted in selective colonization of tumor tissue, leading to improved overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy. Moreover, this strain exhibited cytotoxic effects on both primary and distant tumor lesions while sparing normal tissues. Importantly, treatment also modulated the tumor microenvironment by increasing anti-tumor immune cell populations and reducing immunosuppressive markers. These findings demonstrate the potential of engineered probiotic bacteria as a safe and effective therapeutic approach for PDAC, offering promise for improved patient outcomes.
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6
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Čakić Semenčić M, Kovačević M, Barišić L. Recent Advances in the Field of Amino Acid-Conjugated Aminoferrocenes-A Personal Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4810. [PMID: 38732028 PMCID: PMC11084972 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094810] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of turn-based inhibitors of protein-protein interactions has attracted considerable attention in medicinal chemistry. Our group has synthesized a series of peptides derived from an amino-functionalized ferrocene to investigate their potential to mimic protein turn structures. Detailed DFT and spectroscopic studies (IR, NMR, CD) have shown that, for peptides, the backbone chirality and bulkiness of the amino acid side chains determine the hydrogen-bond pattern, allowing tuning of the size of the preferred hydrogen-bonded ring in turn-folded structures. However, their biological potential is more dependent on their lipophilicity. In addition, our pioneering work on the chiroptical properties of aminoferrocene-containing peptides enables the correlation of their geometry with the sign of the CD signal in the absorption region of the ferrocene chromophore. These studies have opened up the possibility of using aminoferrocene and its derivatives as chirooptical probes for the determination of various chirality elements, such as the central chirality of amino acids and the helicity of peptide sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lidija Barišić
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.Č.S.); (M.K.)
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7
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Balaji PD, Selvam S, Sohn H, Madhavan T. MLASM: Machine learning based prediction of anticancer small molecules. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10823-x. [PMID: 38554168 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10823-x] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Cancer, being the second leading cause of death globally. So, the development of effective anticancer treatments is crucial in the field of medicine. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) have shown promising therapeutic potential in cancer treatment compared to traditional methods. However, the process of identifying ACPs through experimental means is often time-intensive and expensive. To overcome this issue, we employed a machine learning-based approach for the first time to develop an anticancer model using small molecules. Anticancer small molecules (ACSMs) are compounds that have been developed to target and inhibit cancer cells. In this study, we used 10,000 compounds to develop the machine learning models using five algorithms such as, Random Forest (RF), Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Decision tree (DT) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB). The developed models were evaluated using the test set and top three models were identified (RF, LightGBM and XGB). Furthermore, to validate the predictive performance of our models, we have performed external validation using an FDA approved anticancer compounds/drugs. Following this analysis, we found that our LightGBM model correctly predicted 9 compounds as active. However, RF and XGB exhibited some limitations by predicting 8 and 7 compounds as active out of 10, respectively. These results demonstrate that, when compared to RF and XGB, the LightGBM model showcase robust prediction capabilities, achieving a superior accuracy of 79% with an AUC of 0.88. These findings provide promising insights into the potential of our approach for predicting anticancer small molecules, highlighting the role of machine learning in advancing cancer treatment research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Dharshini Balaji
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bio-Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Subathra Selvam
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bio-Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Honglae Sohn
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Carbon Materials, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Thirumurthy Madhavan
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bio-Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India.
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8
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Sharma A, Verwilst P, Li M, Ma D, Singh N, Yoo J, Kim Y, Yang Y, Zhu JH, Huang H, Hu XL, He XP, Zeng L, James TD, Peng X, Sessler JL, Kim JS. Theranostic Fluorescent Probes. Chem Rev 2024; 124:2699-2804. [PMID: 38422393 PMCID: PMC11132561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00778] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The ability to gain spatiotemporal information, and in some cases achieve spatiotemporal control, in the context of drug delivery makes theranostic fluorescent probes an attractive and intensely investigated research topic. This interest is reflected in the steep rise in publications on the topic that have appeared over the past decade. Theranostic fluorescent probes, in their various incarnations, generally comprise a fluorophore linked to a masked drug, in which the drug is released as the result of certain stimuli, with both intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli being reported. This release is then signaled by the emergence of a fluorescent signal. Importantly, the use of appropriate fluorophores has enabled not only this emerging fluorescence as a spatiotemporal marker for drug delivery but also has provided modalities useful in photodynamic, photothermal, and sonodynamic therapeutic applications. In this review we highlight recent work on theranostic fluorescent probes with a particular focus on probes that are activated in tumor microenvironments. We also summarize efforts to develop probes for other applications, such as neurodegenerative diseases and antibacterials. This review celebrates the diversity of designs reported to date, from discrete small-molecule systems to nanomaterials. Our aim is to provide insights into the potential clinical impact of this still-emerging research direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Sharma
- Amity
School of Chemical Sciences, Amity University
Punjab, Sector 82A, Mohali 140 306, India
| | - Peter Verwilst
- Rega
Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mingle Li
- College
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Dandan Ma
- College
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- College
of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Nem Singh
- Department
of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Jiyoung Yoo
- Department
of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Yujin Kim
- Department
of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Ying Yang
- School of
Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi
University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Jing-Hui Zhu
- College
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- College
of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Haiqiao Huang
- College
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- College
of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xi-Le Hu
- Key
Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research
Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa
Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and
Molecular Engineering, East China University
of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiao-Peng He
- Key
Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research
Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa
Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and
Molecular Engineering, East China University
of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
- National
Center for Liver Cancer, the International Cooperation Laboratory
on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary
Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Lintao Zeng
- School of
Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi
University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Tony D. James
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan
Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Xiaojun Peng
- College
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State
Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian
University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Jonathan L. Sessler
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Texas at
Austin, Texas 78712-1224, United
States
| | - Jong Seung Kim
- Department
of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
- TheranoChem Incorporation, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea
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de Almeida Gomes I, da Lima AB, da Silva Brito DM, Almeida Lima A, de Oliveira FL, Espino Zelaya EA, Magalhães Rebello Alencar L, Castelo Branco de Souza Collares Maia D, Amaral de Moraes ME, Pantoja Mesquita F, Noronha Souza PF, Montenegro RC. Recalculating the Route: Repositioning Antimicrobial Peptides for Cancer Treatment. Chem Biodivers 2024; 21:e202301840. [PMID: 38088493 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202301840] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Resistance to antimicrobial drugs has been considered a public health problem. Likewise, the increasing resistance of cancer cells to drugs currently used in therapy has also become a problem. Therefore, the research and development of synthetic peptides bring a new perspective on the emergence of new drugs for treating this resistance since bioinformatics provides a means to optimize these molecules and save time and costs in research. Peptides have several mechanisms of action, such as forming pores on the cell membrane and inhibiting protein synthesis. Some studies report the use of antimicrobial peptides with the potential for action against cancer cells, suggesting a repositioning of antimicrobial peptides to fight back cancer resistance. There is an alteration in the microenvironment, making its net charge negative for the survival and growth of cancer cells. The changes in glycoproteins favor the membrane to have a more negative charge, favoring the interaction between the cells and the peptide, thus making possible the repositioning of these antimicrobial peptides against cancer. Here, we will discuss the mechanism of action, targets and effects of peptides, comparison between microbial and cancer cells, and proteomic changes caused by the interaction of peptides and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora de Almeida Gomes
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz da Lima
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Daiane Maria da Silva Brito
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, 60020-181, CE, Brazil
| | - Arlene Almeida Lima
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Francisco Laio de Oliveira
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Elmer Adilson Espino Zelaya
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Elisabete Amaral de Moraes
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Felipe Pantoja Mesquita
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Pedro Filho Noronha Souza
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Raquel C Montenegro
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1000, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
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10
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Ludwig-Müller J. Production of Plant Proteins and Peptides with Pharmacological Potential. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38286902 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
The use of plant proteins or peptides in biotechnology is based on their identification as possessing bioactive potential in plants. This is usually the case for antimicrobial, fungicidal, or insecticidal components of the plant's defense system. They function in addition to a large number of specialized metabolites. Such proteins can be classified according to their sequence, length, and structure, and this has been tried to describe for a few examples here. Even though such proteins or peptides can be induced during plant-pathogen interaction, they are still present in rather small amounts that make the system not suitable for the production in large-scale systems. Therefore, a suitable type of host needs to be identified, such as cell cultures or adult plants. Bioinformatic predictions can also be used to add to the number of bioactive sequences. Some problems that can occur in production by the plant system itself will be discussed, such as choice of promoter for gene expression, posttranslational protein modifications, protein stability, secretion of proteins, or induction by elicitors. Finally, the plant needs to be set up by biotechnological or molecular methods for production, and the product needs to be enriched or purified. In some cases of small peptides, a direct chemical synthesis might be feasible. Altogether, the process needs to be considered marketable.
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11
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Trejos M, Aristizabal Y, Aragón-Muriel A, Oñate-Garzón J, Liscano Y. Characterization and Classification In Silico of Peptides with Dual Activity (Antimicrobial and Wound Healing). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13091. [PMID: 37685896 PMCID: PMC10487549 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713091] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing challenge of chronic wounds and antibiotic resistance has spotlighted the potential of dual-function peptides (antimicrobial and wound healing) as novel therapeutic strategies. The investigation aimed to characterize and correlate in silico the physicochemical attributes of these peptides with their biological activity. We sourced a dataset of 207 such peptides from various peptide databases, followed by a detailed analysis of their physicochemical properties using bioinformatic tools. Utilizing statistical tools like clustering, correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA), patterns and relationships were discerned among these properties. Furthermore, we analyzed the peptides' functional domains for insights into their potential mechanisms of action. Our findings spotlight peptides in Cluster 2 as efficacious in wound healing, whereas Cluster 1 peptides exhibited pronounced antimicrobial potential. In our study, we identified specific amino acid patterns and peptide families associated with their biological activities, such as the cecropin antimicrobial domain. Additionally, we found the presence of polar amino acids like arginine, cysteine, and lysine, as well as apolar amino acids like glycine, isoleucine, and leucine. These characteristics are crucial for interactions with bacterial membranes and receptors involved in migration, proliferation, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation. While this study provides a groundwork for therapeutic development, translating these findings into practical applications necessitates additional experimental and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Trejos
- Grupo de Investigación en Salud Integral (GISI), Departamento Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760035, Colombia;
| | - Yesid Aristizabal
- Grupo de Investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760035, Colombia; (Y.A.); (J.O.-G.)
| | - Alberto Aragón-Muriel
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Catálisis y Procesos (LICAP), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad del Valle, Cali 760001, Colombia;
- Grupo de Investigación e Innovación en Biotecnología (BITI), Tecnoparque Nodo Valle, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), Cali 760044, Colombia
| | - José Oñate-Garzón
- Grupo de Investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760035, Colombia; (Y.A.); (J.O.-G.)
| | - Yamil Liscano
- Grupo de Investigación en Salud Integral (GISI), Departamento Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760035, Colombia;
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12
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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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13
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Zhao L, Islam MS, Song P, Zhu L, Dong W. Isolation and Optimization of a Broad-Spectrum Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptide, Ap920-WI, from Arthrobacter sp. H5 for the Biological Control of Plant Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10598. [PMID: 37445776 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310598] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally occurring molecules found in various organisms that can help to defend against invading microorganisms and reduce the likelihood of drug resistance development. This study focused on the isolation of new AMPs from the genome library of a Gram-positive bacterium called Arthrobacter sp. H5. To achieve this, we used the Bacillus subtilis expression system and employed bioinformatics techniques to optimize and modify the peptides, resulting in the development of a new synthetic antimicrobial peptide (SAMP). Ap920 is expected to be a new antimicrobial peptide with a high positive charge (+12.5). Through optimization, a new synthetic antimicrobial peptide, Ap920-WI, containing only 15 amino acids, was created. Thereafter, the antimicrobial and antifungal activities of Ap920-WI were determined using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50). The Ap920-WI peptide was observed to target the outer membrane of fungal hyphae, leading to inhibition of growth in Rhizoctonia Solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Botrytis cinerea. In plants, Ap920-WI showed significant antifungal activity and inhibited the infestation of S. sclerotiorum on rape leaves. Importantly, Ap920-WI was found to be safe for mammalian cells since it did not show any hemolytic activity against sheep red blood cells. Overall, the study found that the new synthetic antimicrobial peptide Ap920-WI exhibits broad-spectrum activity against microorganisms and may offer a new solution for controlling plant diseases, as well as hold potential for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhao
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology and the Key Lab of Crop Disease, Monitoring & Safety Control in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Md Samiul Islam
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology and the Key Lab of Crop Disease, Monitoring & Safety Control in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Pei Song
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology and the Key Lab of Crop Disease, Monitoring & Safety Control in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology and the Key Lab of Crop Disease, Monitoring & Safety Control in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wubei Dong
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology and the Key Lab of Crop Disease, Monitoring & Safety Control in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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14
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Chinnadurai RK, Khan N, Meghwanshi GK, Ponne S, Althobiti M, Kumar R. Current research status of anti-cancer peptides: Mechanism of action, production, and clinical applications. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114996. [PMID: 37311281 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The escalating rate of cancer cases, together with treatment deficiencies and long-term side effects of currently used cancer drugs, has made this disease a global burden of the 21st century. The number of breast and lung cancer patients has sharply increased worldwide in the last few years. Presently, surgical treatment, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy strategies are used to cure cancer, which cause severe side effects, toxicities, and drug resistance. In recent years, anti-cancer peptides have become an eminent therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment due to their high specificity and fewer side effects and toxicity. This review presents an updated overview of different anti-cancer peptides, their mechanisms of action and current production strategies employed for their manufacture. In addition, approved and under clinical trials anti-cancer peptides and their applications have been discussed. This review provides updated information on therapeutic anti-cancer peptides that hold great promise for cancer treatment in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar Chinnadurai
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidhyapeeth (Deemed-to-be-University), Pondicherry 607402, India
| | - Nazam Khan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Saravanaraman Ponne
- Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry 605014, India
| | - Maryam Althobiti
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Rajender Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden.
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15
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Asensio-Calavia P, González-Acosta S, Otazo-Pérez A, López MR, Morales-delaNuez A, Pérez de la Lastra JM. Teleost Piscidins-In Silico Perspective of Natural Peptide Antibiotics from Marine Sources. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12050855. [PMID: 37237758 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12050855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fish, like all other animals, are exposed to constant contact with microbes, both on their skin and on the surfaces of their respiratory and digestive systems. Fish have a system of non-specific immune responses that provides them with initial protection against infection and allows them to survive under normal conditions despite the presence of these potential invaders. However, fish are less protected against invading diseases than other marine vertebrates because their epidermal surface, composed primarily of living cells, lacks the keratinized skin that serves as an efficient natural barrier in other marine vertebrates. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are one type of innate immune protection present in all life forms. AMPs have been shown to have a broader range of biological effects than conventional antibiotics, including antibacterial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, and antifungal effects. Although other AMPs, such as defensins and hepcidins, are found in all vertebrates and are relatively well conserved, piscidins are found exclusively in Teleost fish and are not found in any other animal. Therefore, there is less information on the expression and bioactivity of piscidins than on other AMPs. Piscidins are highly effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that cause disease in fish and humans and have the potential to be used as pharmacological anti-infectives in biomedicine and aquaculture. To better understand the potential benefits and limitations of using these peptides as therapeutic agents, we are conducting a comprehensive study of the Teleost piscidins included in the "reviewed" category of the UniProt database using bioinformatics tools. They all have amphipathic alpha-helical structures. The amphipathic architecture of piscidin peptides and positively charged residues influence their antibacterial activity. These alpha-helices are intriguing antimicrobial drugs due to their stability in high-salt and metal environments. New treatments for multidrug-resistant bacteria, cancer, and inflammation may be inspired by piscidin peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Asensio-Calavia
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- School of Doctoral and Graduate Studies, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo. 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Sergio González-Acosta
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- School of Doctoral and Graduate Studies, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo. 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Andrea Otazo-Pérez
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- School of Doctoral and Graduate Studies, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo. 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Manuel R López
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Antonio Morales-delaNuez
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - José Manuel Pérez de la Lastra
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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16
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Ghaly G, Tallima H, Dabbish E, Badr ElDin N, Abd El-Rahman MK, Ibrahim MAA, Shoeib T. Anti-Cancer Peptides: Status and Future Prospects. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031148. [PMID: 36770815 PMCID: PMC9920184 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The dramatic rise in cancer incidence, alongside treatment deficiencies, has elevated cancer to the second-leading cause of death globally. The increasing morbidity and mortality of this disease can be traced back to a number of causes, including treatment-related side effects, drug resistance, inadequate curative treatment and tumor relapse. Recently, anti-cancer bioactive peptides (ACPs) have emerged as a potential therapeutic choice within the pharmaceutical arsenal due to their high penetration, specificity and fewer side effects. In this contribution, we present a general overview of the literature concerning the conformational structures, modes of action and membrane interaction mechanisms of ACPs, as well as provide recent examples of their successful employment as targeting ligands in cancer treatment. The use of ACPs as a diagnostic tool is summarized, and their advantages in these applications are highlighted. This review expounds on the main approaches for peptide synthesis along with their reconstruction and modification needed to enhance their therapeutic effect. Computational approaches that could predict therapeutic efficacy and suggest ACP candidates for experimental studies are discussed. Future research prospects in this rapidly expanding area are also offered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gehane Ghaly
- Department of Chemistry, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Hatem Tallima
- Department of Chemistry, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Eslam Dabbish
- Department of Chemistry, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Norhan Badr ElDin
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr-El Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Mohamed K. Abd El-Rahman
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr-El Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mahmoud A. A. Ibrahim
- Computational Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt
- School of Health Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal, Westville, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Tamer Shoeib
- Department of Chemistry, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
- Correspondence:
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17
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Sanmukh SG, Dos Santos NJ, Nascimento Barquilha C, De Carvalho M, Pintor Dos Reis P, Delella FK, Carvalho HF, Latek D, Fehér T, Felisbino SL. Bacterial RNA virus MS2 exposure increases the expression of cancer progression genes in the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line. Oncol Lett 2023; 25:86. [PMID: 36760518 PMCID: PMC9878357 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages effectively counteract diverse bacterial infections, and their ability to treat most types of cancer has been explored using phage engineering or phage-virus hybrid platforms. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the bacteriophage MS2 can affect the expression of genes associated with the proliferation and survival of LNCaP prostate epithelial cells. LNCaP cells were exposed to bacteriophage MS2 at a concentration of 1×107 plaque forming units/ml for 24-48 h. After exposure, various cellular parameters, including cell viability, morphology, and changes in gene expression, were examined. MS2 affected cell viability adversely, reducing viability by 25% in the first 4 h of treatment; however, cell viability recovered within 24-48 h. Similarly, the AKT, androgen receptor, integrin α5, integrin β1, MAPK1, MAPK3, STAT3, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α genes, which are involved in various normal cellular processes and tumor progression, were significantly upregulated, whereas the expression levels of HSP90, ITGB5, ITGB3, HSP27, ITGAV, and PI3K genes were unchanged. Therefore, based on viability and gene expression changes, bacteriophage MS2 severely impaired LNCaP cells by reducing anchorage-dependent survival and androgen signaling. A caveolin-mediated endocytosis mechanism for MS2-mediated signaling in prostate cancer cells was proposed based on reports involving bacteriophages T4, M13, and MS2, and their interactions with LNCaP and PC3 cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swapnil Ganesh Sanmukh
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil,Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 6726 Szeged, Hungary,Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Nilton José Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil,Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Caroline Nascimento Barquilha
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil,Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Márcio De Carvalho
- Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Patricia Pintor Dos Reis
- Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Flávia Karina Delella
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil
| | - Hernandes F. Carvalho
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Dorota Latek
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tamás Fehér
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sérgio Luis Felisbino
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil,Correspondence to: Professor Sérgio Luis Felisbino, Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Biology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University, 250 Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-689, Brazil, E-mail:
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18
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Barragán-Cárdenas A, Insuasty-Cepeda DS, Vargas-Casanova Y, López-Meza JE, Parra-Giraldo CM, Fierro-Medina R, Rivera-Monroy ZJ, García-Castañeda JE. Changes in Length and Positive Charge of Palindromic Sequence RWQWRWQWR Enhance Cytotoxic Activity against Breast Cancer Cell Lines. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:2712-2722. [PMID: 36687035 PMCID: PMC9850729 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the main causes of premature death in women; current treatments have low selectivity, generating strong physical and psychological sequelae. The palindromic peptide R-1-R (RWQWRWQWR) has cytotoxic activity against different cell lines derived from cancer and selectivity against noncancerous cells. To determine if changes in the charge/length of this peptide increase its activity, six peptides were obtained by SPPS, three of them with addition of Arg at the N, C-terminal or both and three with deletion of Arg at the N, C-terminal or both. The cytotoxic and selective activities were evaluated against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-12 cell lines and fibroblast primary cell culture, evidencing that the RR-1-R peptide with the inclusion of Arg in the N-terminal end maintained selectivity and increased cytotoxicity against lines derived from breast cancer. The effect of this addition regarding the type of induced cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry, showing very low rates of necrosis and a significant majority of apoptotic events with activation of both Caspase 8 and Caspase 9. This work allowed us to find a modification that generates a peptide with greater cytotoxic effects and can be considered a promising molecule for other approaches to improve anticancer peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yerly Vargas-Casanova
- Microbiology
Department, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Ak. 7 #40-62, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Joel Edmundo López-Meza
- Multidisciplinary
Centre for Studies in Biotechnology, Universidad
Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia, Zinapécuaro, Morelia 58030, Mexico
| | | | - Ricardo Fierro-Medina
- Chemistry
Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No. 26-85, Building 451, Bogota 111321, Colombia
| | - Zuly Jenny Rivera-Monroy
- Chemistry
Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No. 26-85, Building 451, Bogota 111321, Colombia
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19
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Zeng J, Wang J, Wu J, Deng R, Zhang L, Chen Q, Wang J, Jin X, Gui S, Xu Y, Lu X. A novel antimicrobial peptide M1-8 targets the lysosomal pathway to inhibit autolysosome formation and promote apoptosis in liver cancer cells. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:340-352. [PMID: 36628597 PMCID: PMC9889723 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysosomes, a central regulator of autophagy, play a critical role in tumour growth. Lysosomal protease cathepsin D can initiate apoptosis when released from lysosomes into the cytosol. In this study, we observed that Musca domestica cecropin (Mdc) 1-8 (M1-8), a small anti-tumour peptide derived from Mdc, inhibits hepatoma cell growth by blocking autophagy-lysosome fusion. This effect is likely achieved by targeting lysosomes to activate lysosomal protease D. Additionally, we examined whether lysosomal content and cathepsin D release were involved in M1-8-induced apoptosis. After exposure to M1-8, human hepatoma HepG2 cells rapidly co-localized with lysosomes, disrupted lysosomal integrity, caused leakage of lysosomal protease cathepsin D, caspase activation and mitochondrial membrane potential changes; and promoted cell apoptosis. Interestingly, in M1-8-treated HepG2 cells, autophagic protein content increased and the lysosome-autophagosome fusion was inhibited, suggesting that M1-8 can cause apoptosis through autophagy and lysosomes. This result indicates that a small accumulation of autophagy and autolysosome inhibition in cells can cause cell death. Taken together, these data suggest a novel insight into the regulatory mechanisms of M1-8 in autophagy and lysosomes, which may facilitate the development of M1-8 as a potential cancer therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jian Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jibin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Rui Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Lun Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Qingru Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jie Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaobao Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuiqing Gui
- Intensive Care Unit, Shenzhen Second People's HospitalThe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Yinghua Xu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Health for Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech ProductsNational Institutes for Food and Drug ControlBeijingChina
| | - Xuemei Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Life Science and BiopharmaceuticsGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina,Central Laboratory of Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
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20
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Bermúdez-Puga S, Morán-Marcillo G, Espinosa de Los Monteros-Silva N, Naranjo RE, Toscano F, Vizuete K, Torres Arias M, Almeida JR, Proaño-Bolaños C. Inspiration from cruzioseptin-1: membranolytic analogue with improved antibacterial properties. Amino Acids 2023; 55:113-124. [PMID: 36609571 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-022-03209-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Peptide engineering has gained attraction as a source of new cationicity-enhanced analogues with high potential for the design of next-generation antibiotics. In this context, cruzioseptin-1 (CZS-1), a peptide identified from Cruziohyla calcarifer, is recognized for its antimicrobial potency. However, this amidated-peptide is moderately hemolytic. In order to reduce toxicity and increase antimicrobial potency, 3 peptide analogues based on cruzioseptin-1 were designed and evaluated. [K4K15]CZS-1, an analogue with increased cationicity and reduced hydrophobicity, showed antibacterial, antifungal and antiproliferative properties. In addition, [K4K15]CZS-1 is less hemolytic than CZS-1. The in silico and scanning electron microscopy analysis reveal that [K4K15]CZS-1 induces a membranolytic effect on bacteria. Overall, these results confirm the potential of CZS-1 as source of inspiration for design new selective antimicrobial analogues useful for development of new therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Bermúdez-Puga
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 ½ Vía Muyuna, Tena, Napo, 150150, Ecuador
| | - Giovanna Morán-Marcillo
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 ½ Vía Muyuna, Tena, Napo, 150150, Ecuador
| | - Nina Espinosa de Los Monteros-Silva
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 ½ Vía Muyuna, Tena, Napo, 150150, Ecuador
| | - Renato E Naranjo
- Dirección Nacional de Biodiversidad, Ministerio del Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica, Madrid 1159 y Andalucía, Quito, 170525, Ecuador
| | - Fernanda Toscano
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y Agricultura, Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, CENCINAT, GISAH Av. Gral. Rumiñahui S/N, P.O. Box 171, -5-231B, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - Karla Vizuete
- Center of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, 170501, Ecuador
| | - Marbel Torres Arias
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y Agricultura, Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, CENCINAT, GISAH Av. Gral. Rumiñahui S/N, P.O. Box 171, -5-231B, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - José R Almeida
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 ½ Vía Muyuna, Tena, Napo, 150150, Ecuador
| | - Carolina Proaño-Bolaños
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 ½ Vía Muyuna, Tena, Napo, 150150, Ecuador.
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21
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Kordi M, Borzouyi Z, Chitsaz S, Asmaei MH, Salami R, Tabarzad M. Antimicrobial peptides with anticancer activity: Today status, trends and their computational design. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 733:109484. [PMID: 36473507 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2022.109484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Some antimicrobial peptides have been shown to be able to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cell lines. Various strategies for treating cancers with active peptides have been pursued. According to the reports, anticancer peptides are important therapeutic peptides, which can act through two distinct pathways: they either just create pores in the cell membrane, or they have a vital intracellular target. In this review, publications up to Sep. 2021 had extracted form Scopus and PubMed using "antimicrobial peptide" and "anticancer peptide" as keywords. In second step, "computational design" related publications extracted. Among publications, those have similar scopes were classified and selected based on mechanisms of action and application. In this review, the most recent advances in the field of antimicrobial peptides with anti-cancer activities have been summarized. Freely available webservers such as AntiCP, ACPP, iACP, iACP-GAEnsC, ACPred are discussed here. In conclusion, despite some limitations of ACPs such as production cost and challenges, short half-life and toxicity on normal cells, the beneficial properties of AMPs make some of them good therapeutic agents for cancer therapy. Towards designing novel ACPs, the computational methods have substantial position and have been used progressively, today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Kordi
- Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zeynab Borzouyi
- Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture and Plant Breeding, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Saideh Chitsaz
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
| | | | - Robab Salami
- Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Iran.
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22
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Tripathi AK, Vishwanatha JK. Role of Anti-Cancer Peptides as Immunomodulatory Agents: Potential and Design Strategy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122686. [PMID: 36559179 PMCID: PMC9781574 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The usage of peptide-based drugs to combat cancer is gaining significance in the pharmaceutical industry. The collateral damage caused to normal cells due to the use of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc. has given an impetus to the search for alternative methods of cancer treatment. For a long time, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been shown to display anticancer activity. However, the immunomodulatory activity of anti-cancer peptides has not been researched very extensively. The interconnection of cancer and immune responses is well-known. Hence, a search and design of molecules that can show anti-cancer and immunomodulatory activity can be lead molecules in this field. A large number of anti-cancer peptides show good immunomodulatory activity by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory responses that assist cancer progression. Here, we thoroughly review both the naturally occurring and synthetic anti-cancer peptides that are reported to possess both anti-cancer and immunomodulatory activity. We also assess the structural and biophysical parameters that can be utilized to improve the activity. Both activities are mostly reported by different groups, however, we discuss them together to highlight their interconnection, which can be used in the future to design peptide drugs in the field of cancer therapeutics.
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23
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Medina L, Guzmán F, Álvarez C, Delgado JP, Carbonell-M B. Ramosin: The First Antibacterial Peptide Identified on Bolitoglossa ramosi Colombian Salamander. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122579. [PMID: 36559073 PMCID: PMC9782819 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122579] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery and improvements of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become an alternative to conventional antibiotics. They are usually small and heat-stable peptides, exhibiting inhibitory activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In this way, studies on broad-spectrum AMPs found in amphibians with the remarkable capability to regenerate a wide array of tissues are of particular interest in the search for new strategies to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. In this work, the use of bioinformatic approaches such as sequence alignment with Fasta36 and prediction of antimicrobial activity allowed the identification of the Ramosin peptide from the de novo assembled transcriptome of the plethodontid salamander Bolitoglossa ramosi obtained from post-amputation of the upper limb tissue, heart, and intestine samples. BLAST analysis revealed that the Ramosin peptide sequence is unique in Bolitoglossa ramosi. The peptide was chemically synthesized, and physicochemical properties were characterized. Furthermore, the in vitro antimicrobial activity against relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative human pathogenic bacteria was demonstrated. Finally, no effect against eukaryotic cells or human red blood cells was evidenced. This is the first antibacterial peptide identified from a Colombian endemic salamander with interesting antimicrobial properties and no hemolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Medina
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
- Correspondence:
| | - Fanny Guzmán
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma (NBC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile
| | - Claudio Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética Marina (FIGEMA), Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - Jean Paul Delgado
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
| | - Belfran Carbonell-M
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
- Departamento de Estudios Básicos Integrados, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
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24
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The Role of a Natural Amphibian Skin-Based Peptide, Ranatensin, in Pancreatic Cancers Expressing Dopamine D2 Receptors. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225535. [PMID: 36428628 PMCID: PMC9688159 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the progress in early diagnostic and available treatments, pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel anticancer agents with a good safety profile, particularly in terms of possible side-effects. Recently dopaminergic receptors have been widely studied as they were proven to play an important role in cancer progression. Although various synthetic compounds are known for their interactions with the dopaminergic system, peptides have recently made a great comeback. This is because peptides are relatively safe, easy to correct in terms of the improvement of their physicochemical and biological properties, and easy to predict. This paper aims to evaluate the anticancer activity of a naturally existing peptide-ranatensin, toward three different pancreatic cancer cell lines. Additionally, since there is no sufficient information confirming the exact character of the interaction between ranatensin and dopaminergic receptors, we provide, for the first time, binding properties of the compound to such receptors.
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25
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Ibrahim UH, Devnarain N, Mohammed M, Omolo CA, Gafar MA, Salih M, Pant A, Shunmugam L, Mocktar C, Khan R, Oh JK, Govender T. Dual acting acid-cleavable self-assembling prodrug from hyaluronic acid and ciprofloxacin: A potential system for simultaneously targeting bacterial infections and cancer. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 222:546-561. [PMID: 36150574 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.173] [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: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The incidence and of bacterial infections, and resulting mortality, among cancer patients is growing dramatically, worldwide. Several therapeutics have been reported to have dual anticancer and antibacterial activity. However, there is still an urgent need to develop new drug delivery strategies to improve their clinical efficacy. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a novel acid cleavable prodrug (HA-Cip) from ciprofloxacin and hyaluronic acid to simultaneously enhance the anticancer and antibacterial properties of Cip as a superior drug delivery system. HA-Cip was synthesised and characterised (FT-IR, HR-MS, and H1 NMR). HA-Cip generated stable micelles with an average particle size, poly dispersion index (PDI) and zeta potential (ZP) of 237.89 ± 25.74 nm, 0.265 ± 0.013, and -17.82 ± 1.53 mV, respectively. HA-Cip showed ≥80 % cell viability against human embryonic kidney 293 cells (non-cancerous cells), ˂0.3 % haemolysis; and a faster pH-responsive ciprofloxacin release at pH 6.0. HA-Cip showed a 5.4-fold improvement in ciprofloxacin in vitro anticancer activity against hepatocellular cancer (HepG2) cells; and enhanced in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at pH 6.0. Our findings show HA-Cip as a promising prodrug for targeted delivery of ciprofloxacin to efficiently treat bacterial infections associated, and/or co-existing, with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usri H Ibrahim
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nikita Devnarain
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Mahir Mohammed
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Calvin A Omolo
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; United States International University-Africa, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics, P. O. Box 14634-00800, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Mohammed A Gafar
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Mohammed Salih
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Amit Pant
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Letitia Shunmugam
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Chunderika Mocktar
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Rene Khan
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Jung Kwon Oh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thirumala Govender
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa.
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26
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Akintayo DC, Manne SR, de la Torre BG, Li Y, Albericio F. A Practical Peptide Synthesis Workflow Using Amino-Li-Resin. Methods Protoc 2022; 5:mps5050072. [PMID: 36287044 PMCID: PMC9610658 DOI: 10.3390/mps5050072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report a practical approach for peptide synthesis using second-generation fibrous polyacrylamide resin (Li-resin, “Li” is coming from the name of its inventor, Yongfu Li). This resin with the corresponding handle was used for solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) using a fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) approach. We reveal that the most appropriate mixing and filtration strategy when using amino-Li-resin in SPPS is via shaking and gravity filtration, instead of mechanical stirring and suction filtration used with other resins. The strategy was demonstrated with the SPPS of H-Tyr-Ile-Ile-Phe-Leu-NH2, which contains the difficult sequence Ile-Ile. The peptide was obtained with excellent purity and yield. We are confident that this strategy will be rapidly implemented by other peptide laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damilola Caleb Akintayo
- Peptide Science Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Srinivasa Rao Manne
- Peptide Science Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Beatriz G. de la Torre
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
- Correspondence: (B.G.d.l.T.); (F.A.)
| | - Yongfu Li
- Biotide Core, LLC, 33815 SE Eastgate Circle, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Fernando Albericio
- Peptide Science Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER-BBN, Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (B.G.d.l.T.); (F.A.)
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27
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Quantum-Dot-Bead-Based Fluorescence-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Sensitive Detection of Cry2A Toxin in Cereals Using Nanobodies. Foods 2022; 11:foods11182780. [PMID: 36140908 PMCID: PMC9497650 DOI: 10.3390/foods11182780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, a quantum-dot-bead (QB)-based fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA) using nanobodies was established for sensitive determination of the Cry2A toxin in cereal. QBs were used as the fluorescent probe and conjugated with a Cry2A polyclonal antibody. An anti-Cry2A nanobody P2 was expressed and used as the capture antibody. The results revealed that the low detection limit of the developed QB-FLISA was 0.41 ng/mL, which had a 19-times higher sensitivity than the traditional colorimetric ELISA. The proposed assay exhibited a high specificity for the Cry2A toxin, and it had no evident cross-reactions with other Cry toxins. The recoveries of Cry2A from the spiked cereal sample ranged from 86.6–117.3%, with a coefficient of variation lower than 9%. Moreover, sample analysis results of the QB-FLISA and commercial ELISA kit correlated well with each other. These results indicated that the developed QB-FLISA provides a potential approach for the sensitive determination of the Cry2A toxin in cereals.
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28
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Juretić D. Designed Multifunctional Peptides for Intracellular Targets. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11091196. [PMID: 36139975 PMCID: PMC9495127 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11091196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature’s way for bioactive peptides is to provide them with several related functions and the ability to cooperate in performing their job. Natural cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), such as penetratins, inspired the design of multifunctional constructs with CPP ability. This review focuses on known and novel peptides that can easily reach intracellular targets with little or no toxicity to mammalian cells. All peptide candidates were evaluated and ranked according to the predictions of low toxicity to mammalian cells and broad-spectrum activity. The final set of the 20 best peptide candidates contains the peptides optimized for cell-penetrating, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity. Their predicted features are intrinsic disorder and the ability to acquire an amphipathic structure upon contact with membranes or nucleic acids. In conclusion, the review argues for exploring wide-spectrum multifunctionality for novel nontoxic hybrids with cell-penetrating peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davor Juretić
- Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences, 21000 Split, Croatia;
- Faculty of Science, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
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29
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Araújo RO, Leite ML, Dutra TTB, Brito da Cunha N, Rezende TMB, Ramada MHS, Dias SC. Evaluation of the biotechnological potential of peptide Cupiennin 1a and analogs. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:850007. [PMID: 36060778 PMCID: PMC9433906 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.850007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are components in the innate immune system of various organisms, and many AMPs can be found in poisons from animals such as spiders, scorpions, and snakes. The peptide Cupiennin-1a is present in the venom of the spider Cupiennius salei and belongs to a group of peptides called cupiennins. The peptide demonstrated high cytotoxic activity against mammalian cells; thus, aiming to solve this problem, seven analogs were designed (R1a, R1b, R2b, R3b, R6b, R8b, and R10b) based on the primary structure of the peptide Cupiennin 1a, reducing its size and substituting some amino acid residues. The antimicrobial results showed that all Cupiennin 1a analogs displayed antimicrobial activity against the tested bacterial and fungal strains. Cytotoxicity tests demonstrated a decrease in the cytotoxic effect of the analogs when compared to the peptide Cupiennin-1a. The antitumor activity against breast adenocarcinoma lines was observed for all the peptides, displaying a better effect against the MCF-7 and MDAMB-231 cell lines. The eight peptides have insecticidal potential, and the original peptide and analogs R6b, R8b, and R10b showed better efficiency even at low concentrations. The rational design of the analogs led to new molecules displaying activities against different cell types and reduced cytotoxicity toward healthy mammalian cells when compared to the original peptide, demonstrating that this was an interesting approach for the development of molecules with biotechnological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayssa Oliveira Araújo
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Michel Lopes Leite
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Thais Tavares Baraviera Dutra
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Nicolau Brito da Cunha
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Brasília - UnB, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Taia Maria Berto Rezende
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Taia Maria Berto Rezende,
| | - Marcelo Henrique Soller Ramada
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Gerontologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Simoni Campos Dias
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação ao em Biologia Animal, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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Scorpion Peptide Smp24 Exhibits a Potent Antitumor Effect on Human Lung Cancer Cells by Damaging the Membrane and Cytoskeleton In Vivo and In Vitro. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14070438. [PMID: 35878176 PMCID: PMC9318729 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Smp24, a cationic antimicrobial peptide identified from the venom gland of the Egyptian scorpion Scorpio maurus palmatus, shows variable cytotoxicity on various tumor (KG1a, CCRF-CEM and HepG2) and non-tumor (CD34+, HRECs, HACAT) cell lines. However, the effects of Smp24 and its mode of action on lung cancer cell lines remain unknown. Herein, the effect of Smp24 on the viability, membrane disruption, cytoskeleton, migration and invasion, and MMP-2/-9 and TIMP-1/-2 expression of human lung cancer cells have been evaluated. In addition, its in vivo antitumor role and acute toxicity were also assessed. In our study, Smp24 was found to suppress the growth of A549, H3122, PC-9, and H460 with IC50 values from about 4.06 to 7.07 µM and show low toxicity to normal cells (MRC-5) with 14.68 µM of IC50. Furthermore, Smp24 could induce necrosis of A549 cells via destroying the integrity of the cell membrane and mitochondrial and nuclear membranes. Additionally, Smp24 suppressed cell motility by damaging the cytoskeleton and altering MMP-2/-9 and TIMP-1/-2 expression. Finally, Smp24 showed effective anticancer protection in a A549 xenograft mice model and low acute toxicity. Overall, these findings indicate that Smp24 significantly exerts an antitumor effect due to its induction of membrane defects and cytoskeleton disruption. Accordingly, our findings will open an avenue for developing scorpion venom peptides into chemotherapeutic agents targeting lung cancer cells.
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Lath A, Santal AR, Kaur N, Kumari P, Singh NP. Anti-cancer peptides: their current trends in the development of peptide-based therapy and anti-tumor drugs. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2022; 39:45-84. [PMID: 35699384 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2022.2082157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Human cancer remains a cause of high mortality throughout the world. The conventional methods and therapies currently employed for treatment are followed by moderate-to-severe side effects. They have not generated curative results due to the ineffectiveness of treatments. Besides, the associated high costs, technical requirements, and cytotoxicity further characterize their limitations. Due to relatively higher presidencies, bioactive peptides with anti-cancer attributes have recently become treatment choices within the therapeutic arsenal. The peptides act as potential anti-cancer agents explicitly targeting tumor cells while being less toxic to normal cells. The anti-cancer peptides are isolated from various natural sources, exhibit high selectivity and high penetration efficiency, and could be quickly restructured. The therapeutic benefits of compatible anti-cancer peptides have contributed to the significant expansion of cancer treatment; albeit, the mechanisms by which bioactive peptides inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells remain unclear. This review will provide a framework for assessing anti-cancer peptides' structural and functional aspects. It shall provide appropriate information on their mode of action to support and strengthen efforts to improve cancer prevention. The article will mention the therapeutic health benefits of anti-cancer peptides. Their importance in clinical studies is elaborated for reducing cancer incidences and developing sustainable treatment models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Lath
- Centre for Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
| | - Anita Rani Santal
- Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
| | - Nameet Kaur
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India
| | - Poonam Kumari
- Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility, CIL and UCIM, Punjab University, Chandigarh, Inida
| | - Nater Pal Singh
- Centre for Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
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32
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New Advances in Short Peptides: Looking Forward. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27113635. [PMID: 35684571 PMCID: PMC9182370 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27113635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
It is beyond doubt that short peptides hold significant promise in bio-medicine, as the most versatile molecules, both structurally and functionally [...]
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33
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Development of Anticancer Peptides Using Artificial Intelligence and Combinational Therapy for Cancer Therapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050997. [PMID: 35631583 PMCID: PMC9147327 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a group of diseases causing abnormal cell growth, altering the genome, and invading or spreading to other parts of the body. Among therapeutic peptide drugs, anticancer peptides (ACPs) have been considered to target and kill cancer cells because cancer cells have unique characteristics such as a high negative charge and abundance of microvilli in the cell membrane when compared to a normal cell. ACPs have several advantages, such as high specificity, cost-effectiveness, low immunogenicity, minimal toxicity, and high tolerance under normal physiological conditions. However, the development and identification of ACPs are time-consuming and expensive in traditional wet-lab-based approaches. Thus, the application of artificial intelligence on the approaches can save time and reduce the cost to identify candidate ACPs. Recently, machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and hybrid learning (ML combined DL) have emerged into the development of ACPs without experimental analysis, owing to advances in computer power and big data from the power system. Additionally, we suggest that combination therapy with classical approaches and ACPs might be one of the impactful approaches to increase the efficiency of cancer therapy.
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Zhang Y, Chang L, Bao H, Wu X, Liu H, Gou S, Zhang J, Ni J. Constructing New Acid-Activated Anticancer Peptide by Attaching a Desirable Anionic Binding Partner Peptide. J Drug Target 2022; 30:973-982. [PMID: 35502656 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2022.2070627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Improving the cell selectivity of anticancer peptides (ACPs) is a major hurdle in their clinical utilization. In this study, a new acid-activated ACP was designed by conjugating a cationic ACP LK to its anionic binding partner peptide (LEH) via a disulfide linker to trigger antitumor activity at acidic pH while masking its killing activity at normal pH. Three anionic binding peptides containing different numbers of glutamic acid (Glu) and histidine were engineered to obtain an efficient acid-activated ACP. The conjugates LK-LEH2 and LK-LEH3 exhibited 6.1 and 8.0-fold higher killing activity at pH 6.0 relative to at pH 7.4, respectively, suggesting their excellent pH-dependent antitumor activity; and their cytotoxicity was 10-fold lower than that of LK. However, LK-LEH4 had no pH-responsive killing effect. Interestingly, increasing the number of Glu from 2 to 4 increased the pH-response of the physical mixture of LK and LEH; conversely, they weakly decreased the cytotoxicity of LK, suggesting that the conjugate connection was required to achieve excellent pH dependence while maintaining minimum toxicity. LK-LEH2 and LK-LEH3 were more enzymatically stable than LK, indicating their potential for in vivo application. Our work provided a basis for designing promising ACPs with good selectivity and low toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Linlin Chang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hexin Bao
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jingman Ni
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, China
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35
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Antibacterial efficacies and time-kill kinetics of indigenous Ghanaian spice extracts against Listeria monocytogenes and some other food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Microbiol Res 2022; 258:126980. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.126980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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36
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Humanizing plant-derived snakins and their encrypted antimicrobial peptides. Biochimie 2022; 199:92-111. [PMID: 35472564 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Due to safety restrictions, plant-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) need optimization to be consumed beyond preservatives. Herein, 175 GASA-domain-containing snakins were analyzed. Factors including charge, hydrophobicity, helicity, hydrophobic moment (μH), folding enthalpy, folding heat capacity, folding free energy, therapeutic index, allergenicity, and bitterness were considered. The most optimal snakins for oral consumption as preservatives were from Cajanus cajan, Cucumis melo, Durio zibethinus, Glycine soja, Herrania umbratica, and Ziziphus jujuba. Virtual digestion of snakins predicted ACE1 and DPPIV inhibitory as dominant effects upon oral use with antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties. To be applied as a therapeutic in parenteral administration, snakins were browsed for short 20-mer encrypted fragments that were non-toxic or with eliminated toxicity using directed mutagenesis yet retaining the AMP property. The most promising 20-mer AMPs were Mr-SNK2-1a in Morella rubra with BBB permeation, Na-SNK2-2a(C18W), and Na-SNK2-2b(C16F) from Nicotiana attenuata. These AMPs were cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), with a charge of +6, a μH of about 0.40, and a Boman-index higher than 2.48 Kcalmol-1. Na-SNK2-2a(C18W) had putative activity against gram-negative bacteria with MIC lower than 25 μgml-1, and Na-SNK2-2b(C16F) was a potential anti-HIV with an IC50 of 3.04 μM. Other 20-mer AMPs, such as Cc-SNK1-2a from Cajanus cajan displayed an anti-HCV property with an IC50 of 13.91 μM. While Si-SNK2-3a(C17P) from Sesamum indicum was a cationic anti-angiogenic CPP targeting the acidic microenvironment of tumors, Cme-SNK2-1a(C11F) from Cucumis melo was an immunomodulator CPP applicable as a vaccine adjuvant. Because of combined mechanisms, investigating cysteine-rich peptides can nominate effective biotherapeutics.
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37
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Bojarska J. Advances in Research of Short Peptides. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27082446. [PMID: 35458644 PMCID: PMC9028298 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27082446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Bojarska
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
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38
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Mueller AL, Brockmueller A, Fahimi N, Ghotbi T, Hashemi S, Sadri S, Khorshidi N, Kunnumakkara AB, Shakibaei M. Bacteria-Mediated Modulatory Strategies for Colorectal Cancer Treatment. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040832. [PMID: 35453581 PMCID: PMC9026499 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040832] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide, with a higher rate of distant metastases than other malignancies and with regular occurrence of drug resistance. Therefore, scientists are forced to further develop novel and innovative therapeutic treatment strategies, whereby it has been discovered microorganisms, albeit linked to CRC pathogenesis, are able to act as highly selective CRC treatment agents. Consequently, researchers are increasingly focusing on bacteriotherapy as a novel therapeutic strategy with less or no side effects compared to standard cancer treatment methods. With multiple successful trials making use of various bacteria-associated mechanisms, bacteriotherapy in cancer treatment is on its way to become a promising tool in CRC targeting therapy. In this study, we describe the anti-cancer effects of bacterial therapy focusing on the treatment of CRC as well as diverse modulatory mechanisms and techniques that bacteriotherapy offers such as bacterial-related biotherapeutics including peptides, toxins, bacteriocins or the use of bacterial carriers and underlying molecular processes to target colorectal tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lena Mueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
| | - Aranka Brockmueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
| | - Niusha Fahimi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Tahere Ghotbi
- Department of Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7134814336, Iran;
| | - Sara Hashemi
- Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1955847881, Iran;
| | - Sadaf Sadri
- Department of Microbiology, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar 4741613534, Iran;
| | - Negar Khorshidi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1913674711, Iran;
| | - Ajaikumar B. Kunnumakkara
- Cancer Biology Laboratory and DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India;
| | - Mehdi Shakibaei
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-98-2180-72624
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39
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Lessons from a Single Amino Acid Substitution: Anticancer and Antibacterial Properties of Two Phospholipase A2-Derived Peptides. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2021; 44:46-62. [PMID: 35723383 PMCID: PMC8929095 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane-active nature of phospholipase A2-derived peptides makes them potential candidates for antineoplastic and antibacterial therapies. Two short 13-mer C-terminal fragments taken from snake venom Lys49-PLA2 toxins (p-AppK and p-Acl), differing by a leucine/phenylalanine substitution, were synthesized and their bioactivity was evaluated. Their capacity to interfere with the survival of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as with solid and liquid tumors was assessed in vitro. Toxicity to red blood cells was investigated via in silico and in vitro techniques. The mode of action was mainly studied by molecular dynamics simulations and membrane permeabilization assays. Briefly, both peptides have dual activity, i.e., they act against both bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains and tumor cells. All tested bacteria were susceptible to both peptides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most affected. RAMOS, K562, NB4, and CEM cells were the main leukemic targets of the peptides. In general, p-Acl showed more significant activity, suggesting that phenylalanine confers advantages to the antibacterial and antitumor mechanism, particularly for osteosarcoma lines (HOS and MG63). Peptide-based treatment increased the uptake of a DNA-intercalating dye by bacteria, suggesting membrane damage. Indeed, p-AppK and p-Acl did not disrupt erythrocyte membranes, in agreement with in silico predictions. The latter revealed that the peptides deform the membrane and increase its permeability by facilitating solvent penetration. This phenomenon is expected to catalyze the permeation of solutes that otherwise could not cross the hydrophobic membrane core. In conclusion, the present study highlights the role of a single amino acid substitution present in natural sequences towards the development of dual-action agents. In other words, dissecting and fine-tuning biomembrane remodeling proteins, such as snake venom phospholipase A2 isoforms, is again demonstrated as a valuable source of therapeutic peptides.
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40
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Exploration of the Structure-Function Relationships of a Novel Frog Skin Secretion-Derived Bioactive Peptide, t-DPH1, through Use of Rational Design, Cationicity Enhancement and In Vitro Studies. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10121529. [PMID: 34943741 PMCID: PMC8698721 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibian skin-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted increasing attention from scientists because of their excellent bioactivity and low drug resistance. In addition to being the alternative choice of antibiotics or anticancer agents, natural AMPs can also be modified as templates to optimise their bioactivities further. Here, a novel dermaseptin peptide, t-DPH1, with extensive antimicrobial activity and antiproliferative activity, was isolated from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis through 'shotgun' cloning. A series of cationicity-enhanced analogues of t-DPH1 were designed to further improve its bioactivities and explore the charge threshold of enhancing the bioactivity of t-DPH1. The present data suggest that improving the net charge can enhance the bioactivities to some extent. However, when the charge exceeds a specific limit, the bioactivities decrease or remain the same. When the net charge achieves the limit, improving the hydrophobicity makes no sense to enhance bioactivity. For t-DPH1, the upper limit of the net charge was +7. All the designed cationicity-enhanced analogues produced no drug resistance in the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli. These findings provide creative insights into the role of natural drug discovery in providing templates for structural modification for activity enhancement.
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41
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Natural Peptides Inducing Cancer Cell Death: Mechanisms and Properties of Specific Candidates for Cancer Therapeutics. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247453. [PMID: 34946535 PMCID: PMC8708364 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, cancer has become the second highest leading cause of death, and it is expected to continue to affect the population in forthcoming years. Additionally, treatment options will become less accessible to the public as cases continue to grow and disease mechanisms expand. Hence, specific candidates with confirmed anticancer effects are required to develop new drugs. Among the novel therapeutic options, proteins are considered a relevant source, given that they have bioactive peptides encrypted within their sequences. These bioactive peptides, which are molecules consisting of 2–50 amino acids, have specific activities when administered, producing anticancer effects. Current databases report the effects of peptides. However, uncertainty is found when their molecular mechanisms are investigated. Furthermore, analyses addressing their interaction networks or their directly implicated mechanisms are needed to elucidate their effects on cancer cells entirely. Therefore, relevant peptides considered as candidates for cancer therapeutics with specific sequences and known anticancer mechanisms were accurately reviewed. Likewise, those features which turn certain peptides into candidates and the mechanisms by which peptides mediate tumor cell death were highlighted. This information will make robust the knowledge of these candidate peptides with recognized mechanisms and enhance their non-toxic capacity in relation to healthy cells and further avoid cell resistance.
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42
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Trinidad-Calderón PA, Varela-Chinchilla CD, García-Lara S. Natural Peptides Inducing Cancer Cell Death: Mechanisms and Properties of Specific Candidates for Cancer Therapeutics. Molecules 2021. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, cancer has become the second highest leading cause of death, and it is expected to continue to affect the population in forthcoming years. Additionally, treatment options will become less accessible to the public as cases continue to grow and disease mechanisms expand. Hence, specific candidates with confirmed anticancer effects are required to develop new drugs. Among the novel therapeutic options, proteins are considered a relevant source, given that they have bioactive peptides encrypted within their sequences. These bioactive peptides, which are molecules consisting of 2–50 amino acids, have specific activities when administered, producing anticancer effects. Current databases report the effects of peptides. However, uncertainty is found when their molecular mechanisms are investigated. Furthermore, analyses addressing their interaction networks or their directly implicated mechanisms are needed to elucidate their effects on cancer cells entirely. Therefore, relevant peptides considered as candidates for cancer therapeutics with specific sequences and known anticancer mechanisms were accurately reviewed. Likewise, those features which turn certain peptides into candidates and the mechanisms by which peptides mediate tumor cell death were highlighted. This information will make robust the knowledge of these candidate peptides with recognized mechanisms and enhance their non-toxic capacity in relation to healthy cells and further avoid cell resistance.
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43
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Augusto-Jimenez YE, González-Montoya M, Naranjo-Feliciano D, Uribe-Ramírez D, Cristiani-Urbina E, Díaz-Águila C, Yee-Madeira H, Mora-Escobedo R. Antioxidant Activity of Bioactive Peptide Fractions from Germinated Soybeans Conjugated to Fe 3O 4 Nanoparticles by the Ugi Multicomponent Reaction. Molecules 2021; 26:5726. [PMID: 34641270 PMCID: PMC8510160 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26195726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The conjugation of biomolecules to magnetic nanoparticles has emerged as promising approach in biomedicine as the treatment of several diseases, such as cancer. In this study, conjugation of bioactive peptide fractions from germinated soybeans to magnetite nanoparticles was achieved. Different fractions of germinated soybean peptides (>10 kDa and 5-10 kDa) were for the first time conjugated to previously coated magnetite nanoparticles (with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and sodium citrate) by the Ugi four-component reaction. The crystallinity of the nanoparticles was corroborated by X-ray diffraction, while the particle size was determined by scanning transmission electron microscopy. The analyses were carried out using infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and thermogravimetry, which confirmed the coating and functionalization of the magnetite nanoparticles and conjugation of different peptide fractions on their surfaces. The antioxidant activity of the conjugates was determined by the reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The nanoparticles synthesized represent promising materials, as they have found applications in bionanotechnology for enhanced treatment of diseases, such as cancer, due to a higher antioxidant capacity than that of fractions without conjugation. The highest antioxidant capacity was observed for a >10 kDa peptide fraction conjugated to the magnetite nanoparticles coated with APTES.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcela González-Montoya
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional–ENCB, U.P.A.L.M., San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico; (M.G.-M.); (D.U.-R.); (E.C.-U.)
| | | | - Daniel Uribe-Ramírez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional–ENCB, U.P.A.L.M., San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico; (M.G.-M.); (D.U.-R.); (E.C.-U.)
| | - Eliseo Cristiani-Urbina
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional–ENCB, U.P.A.L.M., San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico; (M.G.-M.); (D.U.-R.); (E.C.-U.)
| | - Carlos Díaz-Águila
- Centro de Biomateriales, Universidad de La Habana, Plaza de la Revolucion 10400, La Habana, Cuba;
| | - Hernani Yee-Madeira
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional–ESFM, U.P.A.L.M., San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico;
| | - Rosalva Mora-Escobedo
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional–ENCB, U.P.A.L.M., San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico; (M.G.-M.); (D.U.-R.); (E.C.-U.)
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44
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Hadianamrei R, Tomeh MA, Brown S, Wang J, Zhao X. Rationally designed short cationic α-helical peptides with selective anticancer activity. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 607:488-501. [PMID: 34509120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.08.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Naturally derived or synthetic anticancer peptides (ACPs) have emerged as a new generation of anticancer agents with higher selectivity for cancer cells and less propensity for drug resistance. Despite the structural diversity of ACPs, α-helix is the most common secondary structure among them. Herein we report the development of a new library of short cationic amphiphilic α-helical ACPs with selective cytotoxicity against colorectal and cervical cancer. EXPERIMENTS The peptides had a general formula C(XXYY)3 with C representing amino acid cysteine (providing a -SH group for molecular conjugation), X representing hydrophobic amino acids (isoleucine (I) or leucine (L)), and Y representing cationic amino acids (arginine (R) or lysine (K)). Two variants of the peptides were synthesized by adding additional Isoleucine residues to the C-terminal and replacing the N-terminal cysteine with LC-propargylglycine (LC-G) to investigate the effect of N-terminal and C-terminal variation on the anticancer activity. The structure and physicochemical properties of the peptides were determined by RP-HPLC, LC-MS and CD spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of the peptides in different cell lines was assessed by MTT test, cell proliferation assay and mitochondrial damage assay. The mechanism of cell selectivity of the peptides was investigated by studying their interfacial behaviour at the air/water and lipid/water interface using Langmuir trough. FINDINGS The peptides consisting of K residues in their hydrophilic domains exhibited more selective anticancer activity whereas the peptides containing R exhibited strong toxicity in normal cells. The anticancer activity of the peptides was a function of their helical content and their hydrophobicity. Therefore, the addition of two I residues at C-terminal enhanced the anticancer activity of the peptides by increasing their hydrophobicity and their helical content. These two variants also exhibited strong anticancer activity against colorectal cancer multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS). The higher toxicity of the peptides in cancer cells compared to normal cells was the result of higher penetration into the negatively charged cancer cell membranes, leading to higher cellular uptake, and their cytotoxic effect was mainly exerted by damaging the mitochondrial membranes leading to apoptosis. The results from this study provide a basis for rational design of new α-helical ACPs with enhanced anticancer activity and selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roja Hadianamrei
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Mhd Anas Tomeh
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Stephen Brown
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jiqian Wang
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266555, China
| | - Xiubo Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK; School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
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Debnath S, Ghosh S, Pandit G, Satpati P, Chatterjee S. Effect of Differential Geminal Substitution of γ Amino Acid Residues at the ( i + 2) Position of αγ Turn Segments on the Conformation of Template β-Hairpin Peptides. J Org Chem 2021; 86:11310-11323. [PMID: 34479402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The effect of insertion of three geminally dimethyl substituted γ amino acid residues [γ2,2 (4-amino-2,2-dimethylbutanoic acid), γ3,3 (4-amino-3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid), and γ4,4 (4-amino-4,4-dimethylbutanoic acid)] at the (i + 2) position of a two-residue αγ C12 turn segment in a model octapeptide sequence Leu-Phe-Val-Aib-Xxx-Leu-Phe-Val (where Xxx = γ amino acid residues) has been investigated in this study. Solution conformational studies (NMR, CD, and IR) and ab initio calculations indicated that γ3,3 and γ4,4 residues were well accommodated in the β-hairpin nucleating αγ C12 turns, which gave rise to well-registered hairpins, in contrast to γ2,2, which was unable to form a tight C12 β-hairpin nucleating turn and promote a well-registered β-hairpin. Geminal disubstitution at the Cα carbon in γ2,2 led to unfavorable steric contacts, disabling its accommodation in the αγ C12 hairpin nucleating turn unlike the γ3,3 and γ4,4 residues. Geminal substitutions at different carbons along the backbone constrained backbone torsion angles for the three γ amino acid residues differently, generating diverse conformational preferences in them. Folded hairpins were energetically more stable (∼8 to 9 kcal/mol) than the unfolded peptides. Conformational preference of the peptides was independent of the N-terminal protecting group. Such fundamental understanding will instrumentalize the future directed design of foldamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swapna Debnath
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Suvankar Ghosh
- Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Gopal Pandit
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
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Bakare OO, Gokul A, Wu R, Niekerk LA, Klein A, Keyster M. Biomedical Relevance of Novel Anticancer Peptides in the Sensitive Treatment of Cancer. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1120. [PMID: 34439786 PMCID: PMC8394746 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The global increase in cancer mortality and economic losses necessitates the cautious quest for therapeutic agents with compensatory advantages over conventional therapies. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are a subset of host defense peptides, also known as antimicrobial peptides, which have emerged as therapeutic and diagnostic candidates due to several compensatory advantages over the non-specificity of the current treatment regimens. This review aimed to highlight the ravaging incidence of cancer, the use of ACPs in cancer treatment with their mechanisms, ACP discovery and delivery methods, and the limitations for their use. This would create awareness for identifying more ACPs with better specificity, accuracy and sensitivity towards the disease. It would also promote their efficacious utilization in biotechnology, medical sciences and molecular biology to ease the severity of the disease and enable the patients living with these conditions to develop an accommodating lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olalekan Olanrewaju Bakare
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (R.W.); (L.-A.N.)
| | - Arun Gokul
- Department of Plant Sciences, Qwaqwa Campus, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa;
| | - Ruomou Wu
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (R.W.); (L.-A.N.)
| | - Lee-Ann Niekerk
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (R.W.); (L.-A.N.)
| | - Ashwil Klein
- Plant Omics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Marshall Keyster
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (R.W.); (L.-A.N.)
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Zhao Y, Wang S, Fei W, Feng Y, Shen L, Yang X, Wang M, Wu M. Prediction of Anticancer Peptides with High Efficacy and Low Toxicity by Hybrid Model Based on 3D Structure of Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5630. [PMID: 34073203 PMCID: PMC8198792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, anticancer peptides (ACPs) have emerged as unique and promising therapeutic agents for cancer treatment compared with antibody and small molecule drugs. In addition to experimental methods of ACPs discovery, it is also necessary to develop accurate machine learning models for ACP prediction. In this study, features were extracted from the three-dimensional (3D) structure of peptides to develop the model, compared to most of the previous computational models, which are based on sequence information. In order to develop ACPs with more potency, more selectivity and less toxicity, the model for predicting ACPs, hemolytic peptides and toxic peptides were established by peptides 3D structure separately. Multiple datasets were collected according to whether the peptide sequence was chemically modified. After feature extraction and screening, diverse algorithms were used to build the model. Twelve models with excellent performance (Acc > 90%) in the ACPs mixed datasets were used to form a hybrid model to predict the candidate ACPs, and then the optimal model of hemolytic peptides (Acc = 73.68%) and toxic peptides (Acc = 85.5%) was used for safety prediction. Novel ACPs were found by using those models, and five peptides were randomly selected to determine their anticancer activity and toxic side effects in vitro experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (Y.Z.); (S.W.); (W.F.); (Y.F.); (L.S.); (X.Y.)
| | - Min Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (Y.Z.); (S.W.); (W.F.); (Y.F.); (L.S.); (X.Y.)
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Fuchigami T, Chiga T, Yoshida S, Oba M, Fukushima Y, Inoue H, Matsuura A, Toriba A, Nakayama M. Synthesis and Characterization of Radiogallium-Labeled Cationic Amphiphilic Peptides as Tumor Imaging Agents. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102388. [PMID: 34069243 PMCID: PMC8155856 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
SVS-1 is a cationic amphiphilic peptide (CAP) that exhibits a preferential cytotoxicity towards cancer cells over normal cells. In this study, we developed radiogallium-labeled SVS-1 (67Ga-NOTA-KV6), as well as two SVS-1 derivatives, with the repeating KV residues replaced by RV or HV (67Ga-NOTA-RV6 and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6). All three peptides showed high accumulation in epidermoid carcinoma KB cells (53-143% uptake/mg protein). Though 67Ga-NOTA-RV6 showed the highest uptake among the three CAPs, its uptake in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts was just as high, indicating a low selectivity. In contrast, the uptake of 67Ga-NOTA-KV6 and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 into 3T3-L1 cells was significantly lower than that in KB cells. An endocytosis inhibition study suggested that the three 67Ga-NOTA-CAPs follow distinct pathways for internalization. In the biodistribution study, the tumor uptakes were found to be 4.46%, 4.76%, and 3.18% injected dose/g of tissue (% ID/g) for 67Ga-NOTA-KV6, 67Ga-NOTA-RV6, and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6, respectively, 30 min after administration. Though the radioactivity of these peptides in tumor tissue decreased gradually, 67Ga-NOTA-KV6, 67Ga-NOTA-RV6, and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 reached high tumor/blood ratios (7.7, 8.0, and 3.8, respectively) and tumor/muscle ratios (5.0, 3.3, and 4.0, respectively) 120 min after administration. 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 showed a lower tumor uptake than the two other tracers, but it exhibited very low levels of uptake into peripheral organs. Overall, the replacement of lysine in SVS-1 with other basic amino acids significantly influenced its binding and internalization into cancer cells, as well as its in vivo pharmacokinetic profile. The high accessibility of these peptides to tumors and their ability to target the surface membranes of cancer cells make radiolabeled CAPs excellent candidates for use in tumor theranostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Fuchigami
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
- Correspondence: (T.F.); (M.N.); Tel.: +81-95-819-2442 (T.F.)
| | - Takeshi Chiga
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Sakura Yoshida
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Makoto Oba
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 1–5 Shimogamohangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0823, Japan;
| | - Yu Fukushima
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Hiromi Inoue
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Akari Matsuura
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Akira Toriba
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Morio Nakayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; (T.C.); (S.Y.); (Y.F.); (H.I.); (A.M.); (A.T.)
- Correspondence: (T.F.); (M.N.); Tel.: +81-95-819-2442 (T.F.)
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Liscano Y, Medina L, Oñate-Garzón J, Gúzman F, Pickholz M, Delgado JP. In Silico Selection and Evaluation of Pugnins with Antibacterial and Anticancer Activity Using Skin Transcriptome of Treefrog ( Boana pugnax). Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:578. [PMID: 33919639 PMCID: PMC8074116 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to combat bacterial and cancer resistance, we identified peptides (pugnins) with dual antibacterial l-anticancer activity from the Boana pugnax (B. pugnax) skin transcriptome through in silico analysis. Pugnins A and B were selected owing to their high similarity to the DS4.3 peptide, which served as a template for their alignment to the B. pugnax transcriptome, as well as their function as part of a voltage-dependent potassium channel protein. The secondary peptide structure stability in aqueous medium was evaluated as well, and after interaction with the Escherichia coli (E. coli) membrane model using molecular dynamics. These pugnins were synthesized via solid-phase synthesis strategy and verified by Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Subsequently, their alpha-helix structure was determined by circular dichroism, after which antibacterial tests were then performed to evaluate their antimicrobial activity. Cytotoxicity tests against cancer cells also showed selectivity of pugnin A toward breast cancer (MFC7) cells, and pugnin B toward prostate cancer (PC3) cells. Alternatively, flow cytometry revealed necrotic cell damage with a major cytotoxic effect on human keratinocytes (HaCaT) control cells. Therefore, the pugnins found in the transcriptome of B. pugnax present dual antibacterial-anticancer activity with reduced selectivity to normal eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamil Liscano
- Grupo de Investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Calle 5 N° 62-00, Cali 760035, Colombia;
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Laura Medina
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Jose Oñate-Garzón
- Grupo de Investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Calle 5 N° 62-00, Cali 760035, Colombia;
| | - Fanny Gúzman
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, 2374631 Av. Universidad, Curauma 330, Chile;
| | - Monica Pickholz
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IFIBA, CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 1, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina;
| | - Jean Paul Delgado
- Grupo Genética, Regeneración y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
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