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Peel E, Hogg C, Belov K. Characterisation of defensins across the marsupial family tree. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 158:105207. [PMID: 38797458 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Defensins are antimicrobial peptides involved in innate immunity, and gene number differs amongst eutherian mammals. Few studies have investigated defensins in marsupials, despite their potential involvement in immunological protection of altricial young. Here we use recently sequenced marsupial genomes and transcriptomes to annotate defensins in nine species across the marsupial family tree. We characterised 35 alpha and 286 beta defensins; gene number differed between species, although Dasyuromorphs had the largest repertoire. Defensins were encoded in three gene clusters within the genome, syntenic to eutherians, and were expressed in the pouch and mammary gland. Marsupial beta defensins were closely related to eutherians, however marsupial alpha defensins were more divergent. We identified marsupial orthologs of human DEFB3 and 6, and several marsupial-specific beta defensin lineages which may have novel functions. Marsupial predicted mature peptides were highly variable in length and sequence composition. We propose candidate peptides for future testing to elucidate the function of marsupial defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Peel
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australia.
| | - Carolyn Hogg
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australia.
| | - Katherine Belov
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australia.
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Xiong W, Chai J, Wu J, Li J, Lu W, Tian M, Jmel MA, Ippel JH, Kotsyfakis M, Dijkgraaf I, Liu S, Xu X. Cathelicidin-HG Alleviates Sepsis-Induced Platelet Dysfunction by Inhibiting GPVI-Mediated Platelet Activation. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0381. [PMID: 38840901 PMCID: PMC11151873 DOI: 10.34133/research.0381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Platelet activation contributes to sepsis development, leading to microthrombosis and increased inflammation, which results in disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ dysfunction. Although Cathelicidin can alleviate sepsis, its role in sepsis regulation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identified Cath-HG, a novel Cathelicidin from Hylarana guentheri skin, and analyzed its structure using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The modulatory effect of Cath-HG on the symptoms of mice with sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture was evaluated in vivo, and the platelet count, degree of organ damage, and microthrombosis were measured. The antiplatelet aggregation activity of Cath-HG was studied in vitro, and its target was verified. Finally, we further investigated whether Cath-HG could regulate thrombosis in vivo in a FeCl3 injury-induced carotid artery model. The results showed that Cath-HG exhibited an α-helical structure in sodium dodecyl sulfate solution and effectively reduced organ inflammation and damage, improving survival in septic mice. It alleviated sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia and microthrombosis. In vitro, Cath-HG specifically inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation and modulated glycoprotein VI (GPVI) signaling pathways. Dot blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and pull-down experiments confirmed GPVI as the target of Cath-HG. Molecular docking and amino acid residue truncations/mutations identified crucial sites of Cath-HG. These findings suggest that GPVI represents a promising therapeutic target for sepsis, and Cath-HG may serve as a potential treatment for sepsis-related thrombocytopenia and thrombotic events. Additionally, identifying Cath-HG as a GPVI inhibitor provides insights for developing novel antithrombotic therapies targeting platelet activation mediated by GPVI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Xiong
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jinwei Chai
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jiena Wu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jiali Li
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Wancheng Lu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Maolin Tian
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Institute of Parasitology,
Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, Budweis (Ceske Budejovice) 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Johannes H. Ippel
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM),
Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology,
Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, Budweis (Ceske Budejovice) 37005, Czech Republic
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology,
Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ingrid Dijkgraaf
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM),
Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Shuwen Liu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xueqing Xu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Andrés CMC, Pérez de la Lastra JM, Juan CA, Plou FJ, Pérez-Lebeña E. The Role of Reactive Species on Innate Immunity. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10101735. [PMID: 36298601 PMCID: PMC9609844 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This review examines the role of reactive species RS (of oxygen ROS, nitrogen RNS and halogen RHS) on innate immunity. The importance of these species in innate immunity was first recognized in phagocytes that underwent a “respiratory burst” after activation. The anion superoxide •O2− and hydrogen peroxide H2O2 are detrimental to the microbial population. NADPH oxidase NOx, as an •O2− producer is essential for microbial destruction, and patients lacking this functional oxidase are more susceptible to microbial infections. Reactive nitrogen species RNS (the most important are nitric oxide radical -•NO, peroxynitrite ONOO— and its derivatives), are also harmful to microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Hypochlorous acid HOCl and hypothiocyanous acid HOSCN synthesized through the enzyme myeloperoxidase MPO, which catalyzes the reaction between H2O2 and Cl− or SCN−, are important inorganic bactericidal molecules, effective against a wide range of microbes. This review also discusses the role of antimicrobial peptides AMPs and their induction of ROS. In summary, reactive species RS are the heart of the innate immune system, and they are necessary for microbial lysis in infections that can affect mammals throughout their lives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Manuel Pérez de la Lastra
- Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Celia Andrés Juan
- Cinquima Institute and Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Valladolid University, Paseo de Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Francisco J. Plou
- Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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