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Ji S, An F, Zhang T, Lou M, Guo J, Liu K, Zhu Y, Wu J, Wu R. Antimicrobial peptides: An alternative to traditional antibiotics. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116072. [PMID: 38147812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116072] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
As antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes continue to emerge, the identification of effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics has become a pressing issue. Antimicrobial peptides are favored for their safety, low residue, and low resistance properties, and their unique antimicrobial mechanisms show significant potential in combating antibiotic resistance. However, the high production cost and weak activity of antimicrobial peptides limit their application. Moreover, traditional laboratory methods for identifying and designing new antimicrobial peptides are time-consuming and labor-intensive, hindering their development. Currently, novel technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) are being employed to develop and design new antimicrobial peptide resources, offering new opportunities for the advancement of antimicrobial peptides. This article summarizes the basic characteristics and antimicrobial mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides, as well as their advantages and limitations, and explores the application of AI in antimicrobial peptides prediction amd design. This highlights the crucial role of AI in enhancing the efficiency of antimicrobial peptide research and provides a reference for antimicrobial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiqi Ji
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Feiyu An
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Taowei Zhang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Mengxue Lou
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Jiawei Guo
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Kexin Liu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Yi Zhu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Junrui Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China.
| | - Rina Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China.
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Thanasak J, Roytrakul S, Toniti W, Jaresitthikunchai J, Phaonakrop N, Thaisakun S, Charoenlappanit S, Surarit R, Sirimanapong W. The investigation of antibacterial properties of peptides and protein hydrolysates derived from serum of Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292947. [PMID: 37851665 PMCID: PMC10584125 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292947] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that the Asian water monitors or Varanus salvator are both scavengers and predators. They can live and survive in the place that exposed to harmful microorganisms. Most people believe that they have some protected mechanisms to confront those infections. The aim of this study is to determine the antibacterial activities of crude peptides and protein hydrolysates extracted from serum of the Varanus salvator. Ten types of bacteria were cultured with crude peptides and protein hydrolysates which were isolated from 21 Varanus salvator's serum. The crude peptides showed some interested inhibition percentages against Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC13048 = 25.6%, Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC19606 = 33.4%, Burkholderia cepacia ATCC25416 = 35.3% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853 = 25.8%, whereas the protein hydrolysates had some inhibition potential on Burkholderia cepacia ATCC25416 = 24.3%. For the rest results of other tests were below 20% of inhibition. In addition, the evidences show that crude peptides have better antibacterial performances significantly than protein hydrolysates on most tested bacteria. Furthermore, antimicrobial peptides prediction shows about 10 percent hit (41/432 sequences). The interpretation shows that the best hit sequence is highly hydrophobic. It may destroy outer membrane of Gram-negative hence prevents the invasion of those bacteria. Altogether, bioinformatics and experiments show similar trends of antimicrobial peptide efficacy from Varanus salvator. Further studies need to be conducted on peptide purification and antimicrobial peptide candidate should be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitkamol Thanasak
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Waraphan Toniti
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Pre-clinic and Applied Animal Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Janthima Jaresitthikunchai
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Narumon Phaonakrop
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Siriwan Thaisakun
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Sawanya Charoenlappanit
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Rudee Surarit
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wanna Sirimanapong
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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Rollins-Smith LA. The importance of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in amphibian skin defense. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 142:104657. [PMID: 36754220 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced for defense in nearly all taxa from simple bacteria to complex mammalian species. Some amphibian families have developed this defensive strategy to a high level of sophistication by loading the AMPs into specialized granular glands within the dermis. Enervated by the sympathetic nervous system, the granular glands are poised to deliver an array of AMPs to cleanse the wound and facilitate healing. There have been a number of excellent review publications in recent years that describe amphibian AMPs with an emphasis on their possible uses for human medicine. Instead, my aim here is to review what is known about the nature of amphibian AMPs, the diversity of amphibian AMPs, regulation of their production, and to provide the accumulated evidence that they do, indeed, play an important role in the protection of amphibian skin, vital for survival. While much has been learned about amphibian AMPs, there are still important gaps in our understanding of peptide synthesis, storage, and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Rollins-Smith
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Zhang X, Hao K, Li S, Meng L, Chen H, Wei F, Yu F, Xu J, Zhao Z. Channel catfish virus ORF25 and ORF63 genes are essential for viral replication in vitro. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2022; 45:655-666. [PMID: 35176182 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The channel catfish virus (CCV) is a lethal pathogen to aquatic animals that can provoke severe haemorrhagic disease in juvenile channel catfish. Although the CCV genome has been fully sequenced, the molecular mechanisms of CCV infection and pathogenesis are less well known. Genomic DNA replication is a necessary and key event for the CCV life cycle. In this study, the impacts of the putative helicase and primase encoded by viral ORF25 and ORF63 on CCV genome replication and infection were evaluated in channel catfish ovary (CCO) cells. The results showed that the number of CCV genome copies was decreased significantly in virus-infected CCO cells after knockdown of ORF25 and ORF63 using RNA interference. In contrast, the overexpression of ORF25 and ORF63 led to slight increase in the number of virus genome copies. Consistent with the above results, the present results also showed that the expressions of CCV true-late genes which strictly depend on viral DNA replication, were significantly increased or repressed by overexpression or RNA interference targeting viral ORF25 and ORF63 genes in virus-infected CCO cells. In addition, knockdown of ORF25 and ORF63 remarkably inhibited CCV-induced cytopathic effects and decreased progeny virus titres in CCO cells. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy observation of CCO cells infected with CCV accompanied by siRNA targeting the viral ORF25 and ORF63 genes showed that the number of virus particles was remarkably reduced. Taken together, these results indicated that ORF25 and ORF63 are essential for regulating CCV genome replication and CCV-induced infection. Our findings will provide an understanding of the replication mechanisms of CCV and contribute to the development of antiviral strategies for controlling CCV infection in channel catfish culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhang
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Hao
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuxin Li
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lihui Meng
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongxun Chen
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fucheng Wei
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Jiangsu Cangdong Agricultural Development Co., Ltd, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhe Zhao
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
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Jiang N, Fan Y, Zhou Y, Meng Y, Liu W, Li Y, Xue M, Robert J, Zeng L. The Immune System and the Antiviral Responses in Chinese Giant Salamander, Andrias davidianus. Front Immunol 2021; 12:718627. [PMID: 34675918 PMCID: PMC8524050 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.718627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chinese giant salamander, belonging to an ancient amphibian lineage, is the largest amphibian existing in the world, and is also an important animal for artificial cultivation in China. However, some aspects of the innate and adaptive immune system of the Chinese giant salamander are still unknown. The Chinese giant salamander iridovirus (GSIV), a member of the Ranavirus genus (family Iridoviridae), is a prominent pathogen causing high mortality and severe economic losses in Chinese giant salamander aquaculture. As a serious threat to amphibians worldwide, the etiology of ranaviruses has been mainly studied in model organisms, such as the Ambystoma tigrinum and Xenopus. Nevertheless, the immunity to ranavirus in Chinese giant salamander is distinct from other amphibians and less known. We review the unique immune system and antiviral responses of the Chinese giant salamander, in order to establish effective management of virus disease in Chinese giant salamander artificial cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jiang
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yuding Fan
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Meng
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenzhi Liu
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiqun Li
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingyang Xue
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jacques Robert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lingbing Zeng
- Division of Fish Disease, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Ujszegi J, Ludányi K, Móricz ÁM, Krüzselyi D, Drahos L, Drexler T, Németh MZ, Vörös J, Garner TWJ, Hettyey A. Exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis affects chemical defences in two anuran amphibians, Rana dalmatina and Bufo bufo. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:135. [PMID: 34217227 PMCID: PMC8254444 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01867-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, one of the major causes of worldwide amphibian biodiversity loss. Many amphibians exhibit skin-based chemical defences, which may play an important role against invading pathogens, but whether the synthesis of these chemical compounds is enhanced or suppressed in the presence of pathogens is largely unknown. Here we investigated direct and indirect effects of larval exposure to the globally distributed and highly virulent Bd-GPL strain on skin secreted chemical defences and life history traits during early ontogeny of agile frogs (Rana dalmatina) and common toads (Bufo bufo). Results Exposure to Bd during the larval stage did not result in enhanced synthesis of the antimicrobial peptide Brevinin-1 Da in R. dalmatina tadpoles or in increased production of bufadienolides in B. bufo tadpoles. However, exposure to Bd during the larval stage had a carry-over effect reaching beyond metamorphosis: both R. dalmatina and B. bufo froglets contained smaller quantities of defensive chemicals than their Bd-naïve conspecifics in the control treatment. Prevalence of Bd and infection intensities were very low in both larvae and metamorphs of R. dalmatina, while in B. bufo we observed high Bd prevalence and infection intensities, especially in metamorphs. At the same time, we did not find a significant effect of Bd-exposure on body mass or development rate in larvae or metamorphs in either species. Conclusions The lack of detrimental effect of Bd-exposure on life history traits, even parallel with high infection intensities in the case of B. bufo individuals, is surprising and suggests high tolerance of local populations of these two species against Bd. However, the lowered quantity of defensive chemicals may compromise antimicrobial and antipredatory defences of froglets, which may ultimately contribute to population declines also in the absence of conspicuous mass-mortality events.
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Affiliation(s)
- János Ujszegi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary.
| | - Krisztina Ludányi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Hőgyes Endre utca 7, Budapest, 1092, Hungary
| | - Ágnes M Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary
| | - Dániel Krüzselyi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary
| | - László Drahos
- MS Proteomics Research Group, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Tamás Drexler
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary.,Department of Ecology, Institute for Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller utca 50, Budapest, 1077, Hungary
| | - Márk Z Németh
- Department of Plant Pathology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary
| | - Judit Vörös
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Baross street 13, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
| | - Trenton W J Garner
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.,Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary.,Department of Ecology, Institute for Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller utca 50, Budapest, 1077, Hungary
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7
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Cusaac JPW, Carter ED, Woodhams DC, Robert J, Spatz JA, Howard JL, Lillard C, Graham AW, Hill RD, Reinsch S, McGinnity D, Reeves B, Bemis D, Wilkes RP, Sutton WB, Waltzek TB, Hardman RH, Miller DL, Gray MJ. Emerging Pathogens and a Current-Use Pesticide: Potential Impacts on Eastern Hellbenders. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2021; 33:24-32. [PMID: 33590581 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Populations of the eastern hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis have been declining for decades, and emerging pathogens and pesticides are hypothesized to be contributing factors. However, few empirical studies have attempted to test the potential effects of these factors on hellbenders. We simultaneously exposed subadult hellbenders to environmentally relevant concentrations of either Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) or a frog virus 3-like ranavirus (RV), a combination of the pathogens, or each pathogen following exposure to a glyphosate herbicide (Roundup). Additionally, we measured the ability of the skin mucosome to inactivate Bd and RV in growth assays. We found that mucosome significantly inactivated RV by an average of 40% but had no negative effects on Bd growth. All treatments that included RV exposure experienced reduced survival compared to controls, and the combination of RV and herbicide resulted in 100% mortality. Histopathology verified RV as the cause of mortality in all RV-exposed treatments. No animals were infected with Bd or died in the Bd-only treatment. Our results suggest that RV exposure may be a significant threat to the survival of subadult hellbenders and that Roundup exposure may potentially exacerbate this threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Patrick W Cusaac
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Edward Davis Carter
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Douglas C Woodhams
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, 02125, USA
| | - Jacques Robert
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, 14642, USA
| | - Jennifer A Spatz
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Jennifer L Howard
- Center for Wildlife Health and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Carson Lillard
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Allison W Graham
- Center for Wildlife Health and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Rachel D Hill
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | | | | | - Bill Reeves
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Nashville, Tennessee, 37220, USA
| | - David Bemis
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Rebecca P Wilkes
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA
| | - William B Sutton
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37209, USA
| | - Thomas B Waltzek
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Rebecca H Hardman
- Center for Wildlife Health and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Debra L Miller
- Center for Wildlife Health and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Matthew J Gray
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
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Pereira KE, Woodley SK. Skin defenses of North American salamanders against a deadly salamander fungus. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. E. Pereira
- Department of Biological Sciences Duquesne University Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - S. K. Woodley
- Department of Biological Sciences Duquesne University Pittsburgh PA USA
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Rissmann M, Kley N, Ulrich R, Stoek F, Balkema-Buschmann A, Eiden M, Groschup MH. Competency of Amphibians and Reptiles and Their Potential Role as Reservoir Hosts for Rift Valley Fever Virus. Viruses 2020; 12:v12111206. [PMID: 33114178 PMCID: PMC7690770 DOI: 10.3390/v12111206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) is an arthropod-borne zoonotic pathogen, which is endemic in Africa, causing large epidemics, characterized by severe diseases in ruminants but also in humans. As in vitro and field investigations proposed amphibians and reptiles to potentially play a role in the enzootic amplification of the virus, we experimentally infected African common toads and common agamas with two RVFV strains. Lymph or sera, as well as oral, cutaneous and anal swabs were collected from the challenged animals to investigate seroconversion, viremia and virus shedding. Furthermore, groups of animals were euthanized 3, 10 and 21 days post-infection (dpi) to examine viral loads in different tissues during the infection. Our data show for the first time that toads are refractory to RVFV infection, showing neither seroconversion, viremia, shedding nor tissue manifestation. In contrast, all agamas challenged with the RVFV strain ZH501 carried virus genomes in the spleens at 3 dpi, but the animals displayed neither viremia nor virus shedding. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that amphibians are not susceptible and reptiles are only susceptible to a low extent to RVFV, indicating that both species play, if at all, rather a subordinate role in the RVF virus ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Rissmann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
| | - Nils Kley
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
| | - Reiner Ulrich
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Franziska Stoek
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
| | - Martin Eiden
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.R.); (N.K.); (F.S.); (A.B.-B.); (M.E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-38351-7-1163
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10
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Patocka J, Nepovimova E, Klimova B, Wu Q, Kuca K. Antimicrobial Peptides: Amphibian Host Defense Peptides. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:5924-5946. [PMID: 30009702 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180713125314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are one of the most common components of the innate immune system that protect multicellular organisms against microbial invasion. The vast majority of AMPs are isolated from the frog skin. Anuran (frogs and toads) skin contains abundant AMPs that can be developed therapeutically. Such peptides are a unique but diverse group of molecules. In general, more than 50% of the amino acid residues form the hydrophobic part of the molecule. Normally, there are no conserved structural motifs responsible for activity, although the vast majority of the AMPs are cationic due to the presence of multiple lysine residues; this cationicity has a close relationship with antibacterial activity. Notably, recent evidence suggests that synthesis of AMPs in frog skin may confer an advantage on a particular species, although they are not essential for survival. Frog skin AMPs exert potent activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, and fungi by permeating and destroying the plasma membrane and inactivating intracellular targets. Importantly, since they do not bind to a specific receptor, AMPs are less likely to induce resistance mechanisms. Currently, the best known amphibian AMPs are esculentins, brevinins, ranacyclins, ranatuerins, nigrocin-2, magainins, dermaseptins, bombinins, temporins, and japonicins-1 and -2, and palustrin-2. This review focuses on these frog skin AMPs and the mechanisms underlying their antimicrobial activity. We hope that this review will provide further information that will facilitate further study of AMPs and cast new light on novel and safer microbicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Patocka
- Department of Radiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Blanka Klimova
- Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Qinghua Wu
- College of Life Science, Institute of Biomedicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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11
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Hu H, Guo N, Chen S, Guo X, Liu X, Ye S, Chai Q, Wang Y, Liu B, He Q. Antiviral activity of Piscidin 1 against pseudorabies virus both in vitro and in vivo. Virol J 2019; 16:95. [PMID: 31366370 PMCID: PMC6670175 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-019-1199-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Swine-origin virus infection spreading widely could cause significant economic loss to porcine industry. Novel antiviral agents need to be developed to control this situation. Methods In this study, we evaluated the activities of five broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against several important swine-origin pathogenic viruses by TCID50 assay. Plaque reduction assay and cell apoptosis assay were also used to test the activity of the peptides. Protection effect of piscidin against pseudorabies virus (PRV) was also examined in mouse model. Results Piscidin (piscidin 1), caerin (caerin 1.1) and maculatin (maculatin 1.1) could inhibit PRV by direct interaction with the virus particles in a dose-dependent manner and they could also protect the cells from PRV-induced apoptosis. Among the peptides tested, piscidin showed the strongest activity against PRV. Moreover, in vivo assay showed that piscidin can reduce the mortality of mice infected with PRV. Conclusion In vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that piscidin has antiviral activity against PRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Nan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuhua Chen
- Pig health substantial innovation center, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaozhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shiyi Ye
- Pig health substantial innovation center, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qingqing Chai
- Feinberg school of medicine, northwestern university, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Binlei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Qigai He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China. .,Pig health substantial innovation center, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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12
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Campbell LJ, Garner TWJ, Hopkins K, Griffiths AGF, Harrison XA. Outbreaks of an Emerging Viral Disease Covary With Differences in the Composition of the Skin Microbiome of a Wild United Kingdom Amphibian. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1245. [PMID: 31281291 PMCID: PMC6597677 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing appreciation of the important role of commensal microbes in ensuring the normal function and health of their hosts, including determining how hosts respond to pathogens. A range of infectious diseases are threatening amphibians worldwide, and evidence is accumulating that the host-associated bacteria that comprise the microbiome may be key in mediating interactions between amphibian hosts and infectious pathogens. We used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to quantify the skin microbial community structure of over 200 individual wild adult European common frogs (Rana temporaria), from ten populations with contrasting history of the lethal disease ranavirosis, caused by emerging viral pathogens belonging to the genus Ranavirus. All populations had similar species richness irrespective of disease history, but populations that have experienced historical outbreaks of ranavirosis have a distinct skin microbiome structure (beta diversity) when compared to sites where no outbreaks of the disease have occurred. At the individual level, neither age, body length, nor sex of the frog could predict the structure of the skin microbiota. Our data potentially support the hypothesis that variation among individuals in skin microbiome structure drive differences in susceptibility to infection and lethal outbreaks of disease. More generally, our results suggest that population-level processes are more important for driving differences in microbiome structure than variation among individuals within populations in key life history traits such as age and body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis J Campbell
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Trenton W J Garner
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Hopkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Xavier A Harrison
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.,College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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13
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Wirth W, Schwarzkopf L, Skerratt LF, Ariel E. Ranaviruses and reptiles. PeerJ 2018; 6:e6083. [PMID: 30581674 PMCID: PMC6295156 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Ranaviruses can infect many vertebrate classes including fish, amphibians and reptiles, but for the most part, research has been focused on non-reptilian hosts, amphibians in particular. More recently, reports of ranaviral infections of reptiles are increasing with over 12 families of reptiles currently susceptible to ranaviral infection. Reptiles are infected by ranaviruses that are genetically similar to, or the same as, the viruses that infect amphibians and fish; however, physiological and ecological differences result in differences in study designs. Although ranaviral disease in reptiles is often influenced by host species, viral strain and environmental differences, general trends in pathogenesis are emerging. More experimental studies using a variety of reptile species, life stages and routes of transmission are required to unravel the complexity of wild ranavirus transmission. Further, our understanding of the reptilian immune response to ranaviral infection is still lacking, although the considerable amount of work conducted in amphibians will serve as a useful guide for future studies in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wytamma Wirth
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Lee F Skerratt
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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14
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15
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Pereira KE, Crother BI, Sever DM, Fontenot CL, Pojman JA, Wilburn DB, Woodley SK. Skin glands of an aquatic salamander vary in size and distribution and release antimicrobial secretions effective against chytrid fungal pathogens. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.183707. [PMID: 29880633 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.183707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Amphibian skin is unique among vertebrate classes, containing a large number of multicellular exocrine glands that vary among species and have diverse functions. The secretions of skin glands contain a rich array of bioactive compounds including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Such compounds are important for amphibian innate immune responses and may protect some species from chytridiomycosis, a lethal skin disease caused by the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). While the bioactivity of skin secretions against Bd has been assessed for many amphibian taxa, similar studies are lacking for Bsal, a chytrid fungus that is especially pathogenic for salamanders. We studied the skin glands and their potential functions in an aquatic salamander, the three-toed amphiuma (Amphiuma tridactylum). Skin secretions of captive adult salamanders were analyzed by RP-HPLC and tested against the growth of Bd and Bsal using in vitro assays. We found that compounds within collected skin secretions were similar between male and female salamanders and inhibited the growth of Bd and Bsal. Thus, skin secretions that protect against Bd may also provide protection against Bsal. Histological examination of the skin glands of preserved salamanders revealed the presence of enlarged granular glands concentrated within caudal body regions. A site of potential gland specialization was identified at the tail base and may indicate specialized granular glands related to courtship and communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenzie E Pereira
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA .,Department of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402, USA
| | - Brian I Crother
- Department of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402, USA
| | - David M Sever
- Department of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402, USA
| | - Clifford L Fontenot
- Department of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402, USA
| | - John A Pojman
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Damien B Wilburn
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sarah K Woodley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
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16
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Campbell LJ, Hammond SA, Price SJ, Sharma MD, Garner TWJ, Birol I, Helbing CC, Wilfert L, Griffiths AGF. A novel approach to wildlife transcriptomics provides evidence of disease-mediated differential expression and changes to the microbiome of amphibian populations. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:1413-1427. [PMID: 29420865 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ranaviruses are responsible for a lethal, emerging infectious disease in amphibians and threaten their populations throughout the world. Despite this, little is known about how amphibian populations respond to ranaviral infection. In the United Kingdom, ranaviruses impact the common frog (Rana temporaria). Extensive public engagement in the study of ranaviruses in the UK has led to the formation of a unique system of field sites containing frog populations of known ranaviral disease history. Within this unique natural field system, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare the gene expression profiles of R. temporaria populations with a history of ranaviral disease and those without. We have applied a RNA read-filtering protocol that incorporates Bloom filters, previously used in clinical settings, to limit the potential for contamination that comes with the use of RNA-Seq in nonlaboratory systems. We have identified a suite of 407 transcripts that are differentially expressed between populations of different ranaviral disease history. This suite contains genes with functions related to immunity, development, protein transport and olfactory reception among others. A large proportion of potential noncoding RNA transcripts present in our differentially expressed set provide first evidence of a possible role for long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in amphibian response to viruses. Our read-filtering approach also removed significantly more bacterial reads from libraries generated from positive disease history populations. Subsequent analysis revealed these bacterial read sets to represent distinct communities of bacterial species, which is suggestive of an interaction between ranavirus and the host microbiome in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis J Campbell
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Stewart A Hammond
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephen J Price
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Manmohan D Sharma
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | | | - Inanc Birol
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Caren C Helbing
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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17
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Cunha Neto RDS, Vigerelli H, Jared C, Antoniazzi MM, Chaves LB, da Silva ADCR, Melo RLD, Sciani JM, Pimenta DC. Synergic effects between ocellatin-F1 and bufotenine on the inhibition of BHK-21 cellular infection by the rabies virus. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2015; 21:50. [PMID: 26635873 PMCID: PMC4668702 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-015-0048-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rabies is an incurable neglected zoonosis with worldwide distribution characterized as a lethal progressive acute encephalitis caused by a lyssavirus. Animal venoms and secretions have long been studied as new bioactive molecular sources, presenting a wide spectrum of biological effects, including new antiviral agents. Bufotenine, for instance, is an alkaloid isolated from the skin secretion of the anuran Rhinella jimi that inhibits cellular penetration by the rabies virus. Antimicrobial peptides, such as ocellatin-P1 and ocellatin-F1, are present in the skin secretion of anurans from the genus Leptodactylus and provide chemical defense against predators and microorganisms. Methods Skin secretion from captive Leptodactylus labyrinthicus was collected by mechanical stimulation, analyzed by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and assayed for antiviral and cytotoxic activities. Synthetic peptides were obtained using solid phase peptide synthesis, purified by liquid chromatography and structurally characterized by mass spectrometry, and assayed in the same models. Cytotoxicity assays based on changes in cellular morphology were performed using baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells. Fixed Rabies virus (Pasteur Virus – PV) strain was used for virological assays based on rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. Results Herein, we describe a synergic effect between ocellatin-F1 and bufotenine. This synergism was observed when screening the L. labyrinthicus skin secretion for antiviral activities. The active fraction major component was the antimicrobial peptide ocellatin-F1. Nevertheless, when the pure synthetic peptide was assayed, little antiviral activity was detectable. In-depth analyses of the active fraction revealed the presence of residual alkaloids together with ocellatin-F1. By adding sub-effective doses (e.g. < IC50) of pure bufotenine to synthetic ocellatin-F1, the antiviral effect was regained. Moreover, a tetrapetide derived from ocellatin-F1, based on alignment with the virus’s glycoprotein region inferred as a possible cell ligand, was able to maintain the synergic antiviral activity displayed by the full peptide. Conclusions This novel antiviral synergic effect between a peptide and an alkaloid may present an innovative lead for the study of new antiviral drugs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40409-015-0048-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rene Dos Santos Cunha Neto
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, São Paulo, SP 05503-900 Brazil ; Pasteur Institute, Laboratory of Rabies Diagnostic, Serology, Avenida Paulista, 393, São Paulo, 01311-000 SP Brazil
| | - Hugo Vigerelli
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, São Paulo, SP 05503-900 Brazil
| | - Carlos Jared
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Av Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, 05503-900 SP Brazil
| | - Marta Maria Antoniazzi
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Av Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, 05503-900 SP Brazil
| | - Luciana Botelho Chaves
- Pasteur Institute, Laboratory of Rabies Diagnostic, Serology, Avenida Paulista, 393, São Paulo, 01311-000 SP Brazil
| | | | - Robson Lopes de Melo
- Butantan Institute, Special Laboratory of Toxinology, Av Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, 05503-900 SP Brazil
| | - Juliana Mozer Sciani
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, São Paulo, SP 05503-900 Brazil
| | - Daniel C Pimenta
- Butantan Institute, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, São Paulo, SP 05503-900 Brazil
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18
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Price SJ, Garner TWJ, Balloux F, Ruis C, Paszkiewicz KH, Moore K, Griffiths AGF. A de novo Assembly of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) Transcriptome and Comparison of Transcription Following Exposure to Ranavirus and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130500. [PMID: 26111016 PMCID: PMC4481470 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibians are experiencing global declines and extinctions, with infectious diseases representing a major factor. In this study we examined the transcriptional response of metamorphic hosts (common frog, Rana temporaria) to the two most important amphibian pathogens: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Ranavirus. We found strong up-regulation of a gene involved in the adaptive immune response (AP4S1) at four days post-exposure to both pathogens. We detected a significant transcriptional response to Bd, covering the immune response (innate and adaptive immunity, complement activation, and general inflammatory responses), but relatively little transcriptional response to Ranavirus. This may reflect the higher mortality rates found in wild common frogs infected with Ranavirus as opposed to Bd. These data provide a valuable genomic resource for the amphibians, contribute insight into gene expression changes after pathogen exposure, and suggest potential candidate genes for future host-pathogen research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J. Price
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (SJP); (AGFG)
| | | | - Francois Balloux
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Ruis
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Konrad H. Paszkiewicz
- Wellcome Trust Biomedical Informatics Hub, Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Moore
- Wellcome Trust Biomedical Informatics Hub, Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Amber G. F. Griffiths
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (SJP); (AGFG)
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19
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Xu X, Lai R. The chemistry and biological activities of peptides from amphibian skin secretions. Chem Rev 2015; 115:1760-846. [PMID: 25594509 DOI: 10.1021/cr4006704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology , Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China
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20
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Manzo G, Casu M, Rinaldi AC, Montaldo NP, Luganini A, Gribaudo G, Scorciapino MA. Folded structure and insertion depth of the frog-skin antimicrobial Peptide esculentin-1b(1-18) in the presence of differently charged membrane-mimicking micelles. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2014; 77:2410-2417. [PMID: 25337981 DOI: 10.1021/np5004406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effectors of the innate immunity of most organisms. Their role in the defense against pathogen attack and their high selectivity for bacterial cells make them attractive for the development of a new class of antimicrobial drugs. The N-terminal fragment of the frog-skin peptide esculentin-1b (Esc(1-18)) has shown broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Similarly to most cationic AMPs, it is supposed to act by binding to and damaging the negatively charged plasma membrane of bacteria. Differently from many other AMPs, Esc(1-18) activity is preserved in biological fluids such as serum. In this work, a structural investigation was performed through NMR spectroscopy. The 3D structure was obtained in the presence of either zwitterionic or negatively charged micelles as membrane models for eukaryotic and prokaryotic membranes, respectively. Esc(1-18) showed a higher affinity for and deeper insertion into the latter and adopted an amphipathic helical structure characterized by a kink at the residue G8. These findings were confirmed by measuring penetration into lipid monolayers. The presence of negatively charged lipids in the bilayer appears to be necessary for Esc(1-18) to bind, to fold in the right three-dimensional structure, and, ultimately, to exert its biological role as an AMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Manzo
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences and ‡Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria , I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
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21
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Grewal S, Bhagat M, Vakhlu J. Antimicrobial protein produced by pseudomonas aeruginosa JU-Ch 1, with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2014.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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22
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Muñoz F, Caracciolo PC, Daleo G, Abraham GA, Guevara MG. Evaluation of in vitro cytotoxic activity of mono-PEGylated StAP3 ( Solanum tuberosum aspartic protease 3) forms. BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORTS (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2014; 3:1-7. [PMID: 28626641 PMCID: PMC5466107 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
StAP3 is a plant aspartic protease with cytotoxic activity toward a broad spectrum of pathogens, including potato and human pathogen microorganisms, and cancer cells, but not against human T cells, human red blood cells or plant cells. For this reason, StAP3 could be a promising and potential drug candidate for future therapies. In this work, the improvement of the performance of StAP3 was achieved by means of a modification with PEG. The separation of a mono-PEGylated StAP3 fraction was easily performed by gel filtration chromatography. The mono-PEGylated StAP3 fraction was studied in terms of in vitro antimicrobial activity, exhibiting higher antimicrobial activity against Fusarium solani spores and Bacillus cereus, but slightly lower activity against Escherichia coli than native protein. Such increase in antifungal activity has not been reported previously for a PEGylated plant protein. In addition, PEGylation did not affect the selective cytotoxicity of StAP3, since no hemolytic activity was observed.
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Key Words
- AMPPs, antimicrobial proteins and peptides
- ATCC, American Type Culture Collection
- Antimicrobial protein
- BSA, bovine serum albumin
- DTT, dithiothreitol
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- PDA, potato dextrose agar
- PEG, polyethylene glycol
- PEGylation
- Plant aspartic protease
- SDS, sodium dodecyl sulphate
- SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- Selective cytotoxicity
- StAP3, Solanum tuberosum aspartic protease 3
- StAsp-PSI, plant-specific insert of potato aspartic protease
- hRBC, Fresh human red blood cells
- mPEG-SVA, succinimidyl valerate monomethoxy polyethylene glycol
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Muñoz
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Biological Research Institute, IIB (UNMdP-CONICET), Funes 3250, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Pablo C. Caracciolo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Av. Juan B. Justo 4302, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Daleo
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Biological Research Institute, IIB (UNMdP-CONICET), Funes 3250, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Gustavo A. Abraham
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Av. Juan B. Justo 4302, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - M. Gabriela Guevara
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Biological Research Institute, IIB (UNMdP-CONICET), Funes 3250, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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23
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Zhang J, Yu LP, Li MF, Sun L. Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) hepcidin-1 and hepcidin-2 possess antimicrobial activity and promote resistance against bacterial and viral infection. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 38:127-34. [PMID: 24647314 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2014.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepcidin is an antimicrobial peptide and a regulator of iron homeostasis. In turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), two types of hepcidins have been identified, which share approximately 50% sequence identity. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial potentials of the two hepcidins in the form of synthesized peptides, SmHep1P and SmHep2P. We found that SmHep1P and SmHep2P exhibited apparent bactericidal activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in a dose-dependent manner. The bactericidal effect of SmHep1P was stronger against Gram-positive bacteria, while the bactericidal effect of SmHep2P was stronger against Gram-negative bacteria. Fluorescence and electron microscopy showed that both peptides were able to bind to the target bacterial cells and alter the surface structure of the cells. In vitro studies showed that SmHep1P and SmHep2P reduced bacterial invasion into cultured fish cells. In vivo studies showed that turbot administered with SmHep1P and SmHep2P exhibited significantly enhanced resistance against bacterial and viral infection. In both in vivo and in vitro studies, the antimicrobial activities of SmHep2P were in most cases significantly stronger than those of SmHep1P. Together these results indicate that the two hepcidins of turbot most likely possess antimicrobial properties and play a role in the innate immune defense against bacterial and viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lan-Ping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mo-Fei Li
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Sun
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Küng D, Bigler L, Davis LR, Gratwicke B, Griffith E, Woodhams DC. Stability of microbiota facilitated by host immune regulation: informing probiotic strategies to manage amphibian disease. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87101. [PMID: 24489847 PMCID: PMC3906108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities can augment host immune responses and probiotic therapies are under development to prevent or treat diseases of humans, crops, livestock, and wildlife including an emerging fungal disease of amphibians, chytridiomycosis. However, little is known about the stability of host-associated microbiota, or how the microbiota is structured by innate immune factors including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) abundant in the skin secretions of many amphibians. Thus, conservation medicine including therapies targeting the skin will benefit from investigations of amphibian microbial ecology that provide a model for vertebrate host-symbiont interactions on mucosal surfaces. Here, we tested whether the cutaneous microbiota of Panamanian rocket frogs, Colostethus panamansis, was resistant to colonization or altered by treatment. Under semi-natural outdoor mesocosm conditions in Panama, we exposed frogs to one of three treatments including: (1) probiotic - the potentially beneficial bacterium Lysinibacillus fusiformis, (2) transplant – skin washes from the chytridiomycosis-resistant glass frog Espadarana prosoblepon, and (3) control – sterile water. Microbial assemblages were analyzed by a culture-independent T-RFLP analysis. We found that skin microbiota of C. panamansis was resistant to colonization and did not differ among treatments, but shifted through time in the mesocosms. We describe regulation of host AMPs that may function to maintain microbial community stability. Colonization resistance was metabolically costly and microbe-treated frogs lost 7–12% of body mass. The discovery of strong colonization resistance of skin microbiota suggests a well-regulated, rather than dynamic, host-symbiont relationship, and suggests that probiotic therapies aiming to enhance host immunity may require an approach that circumvents host mechanisms maintaining equilibrium in microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Küng
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Bigler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leyla R. Davis
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Brian Gratwicke
- Center for Species Survival, Conservation and Science, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Edgardo Griffith
- El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, El Valle, República de Panamá
| | - Douglas C. Woodhams
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá, República de Panamá
- * E-mail:
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Robertson LS, Fellers GM, Marranca JM, Kleeman PM. Expression analysis and identification of antimicrobial peptide transcripts from six North American frog species. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2013; 104:225-236. [PMID: 23759560 DOI: 10.3354/dao02601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Frogs secrete antimicrobial peptides onto their skin. We describe an assay to preserve and analyze antimicrobial peptide transcripts from field-collected skin secretions that will complement existing methods for peptide analysis. We collected skin secretions from 4 North American species in the field in California and 2 species in the laboratory. Most frogs appeared healthy after release; however, Rana boylii in the Sierra Nevada foothills, but not the Coast Range, showed signs of morbidity and 2 died after handling. The amount of total RNA extracted from skin secretions was higher in R. boylii and R. sierrae compared to R. draytonii, and much higher compared to Pseudacris regilla. Interspecies variation in amount of RNA extracted was not explained by size, but for P. regilla it depended upon collection site and date. RNA extracted from skin secretions from frogs handled with bare hands had poor quality compared to frogs handled with gloves or plastic bags. Thirty-four putative antimicrobial peptide precursor transcripts were identified. This study demonstrates that RNA extracted from skin secretions collected in the field is of high quality suitable for use in sequencing or quantitative PCR (qPCR). However, some species do not secrete profusely, resulting in very little extracted RNA. The ability to measure transcript abundance of antimicrobial peptides in field-collected skin secretions complements proteomic analyses and may provide insight into transcriptional mechanisms that could affect peptide abundance.
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Iquebal MA, Rai A. Biotic stress resistance in agriculture through antimicrobial peptides. Peptides 2012; 36:322-30. [PMID: 22659413 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2012.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are the hosts' defense molecules against microbial pathogens and gaining extensive research attention worldwide. These have been reported to play vital role of host innate immunity in response to microbial challenges. AMPs can be used as a natural antibiotic as an alternative of their chemical counterpart for protection of plants/animals against diseases. There are a number of sources of AMPs including prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and are present, both in vertebrates and invertebrates. AMPs can be classified as cationic or anionic, based on net charges. Large number of databases and tools are available in the public domain which can be used for development of new genetically modified disease resistant varieties/breeds for agricultural production. The results of the biotechnological research as well as genetic engineering related to AMPs have shown high potential for reduction of economic losses of agricultural produce due to pathogens. In this article, an attempt has been made to introduce the role of AMPs in relation to plants and animals. Their functional and structural characteristics have been described in terms of its role in agriculture. Different sources of AMPs and importance of these sources has been reviewed in terms of its availability. This article also reviews the bioinformatics resources including different database tools and algorithms available in public domain. References of promising biotechnology research in relation to AMPs, prospects of AMPs for further development of genetically modified varieties/breeds are highlighted. AMPs are valuable resource for students, researchers, educators and medical and industrial personnel.
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Grayfer L, Andino FDJ, Chen G, Chinchar GV, Robert J. Immune evasion strategies of ranaviruses and innate immune responses to these emerging pathogens. Viruses 2012; 4:1075-92. [PMID: 22852041 PMCID: PMC3407895 DOI: 10.3390/v4071075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Revised: 06/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ranaviruses (RV, Iridoviridae) are large double-stranded DNA viruses that infect fish, amphibians and reptiles. For ecological and commercial reasons, considerable attention has been drawn to the increasing prevalence of ranaviral infections of wild populations and in aquacultural settings. Importantly, RVs appear to be capable of crossing species barriers of numerous poikilotherms, suggesting that these pathogens possess a broad host range and potent immune evasion mechanisms. Indeed, while some of the 95–100 predicted ranavirus genes encode putative evasion proteins (e.g., vIFα, vCARD), roughly two-thirds of them do not share significant sequence identity with known viral or eukaryotic genes. Accordingly, the investigation of ranaviral virulence and immune evasion strategies is promising for elucidating potential antiviral targets. In this regard, recombination-based technologies are being employed to knock out gene candidates in the best-characterized RV member, Frog Virus (FV3). Concurrently, by using animal infection models with extensively characterized immune systems, such as the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, it is becoming evident that components of innate immunity are at the forefront of virus-host interactions. For example, cells of the macrophage lineage represent important combatants of RV infections while themselves serving as targets for viral infection, maintenance and possibly dissemination. This review focuses on the recent advances in the understanding of the RV immune evasion strategies with emphasis on the roles of the innate immune system in ranaviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Grayfer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (L.G.); (F.D.J.A.); (G.C.)
| | - Francisco De Jesús Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (L.G.); (F.D.J.A.); (G.C.)
| | - Guangchun Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (L.G.); (F.D.J.A.); (G.C.)
| | - Gregory V. Chinchar
- Department of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Jacques Robert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (L.G.); (F.D.J.A.); (G.C.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; ; Tel.: +1-585-275-1722; Fax: +1-585-473-9573
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28
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Antiviral immunity in amphibians. Viruses 2011; 3:2065-2086. [PMID: 22163335 PMCID: PMC3230842 DOI: 10.3390/v3112065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2011] [Revised: 10/20/2011] [Accepted: 10/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although a variety of virus species can infect amphibians, diseases caused by ranaviruses ([RVs]; Iridoviridae) have become prominent, and are a major concern for biodiversity, agriculture and international trade. The relatively recent and rapid increase in prevalence of RV infections, the wide range of host species infected by RVs, the variability in host resistance among population of the same species and among different developmental stages, all suggest an important involvement of the amphibian immune system. Nevertheless, the roles of the immune system in the etiology of viral diseases in amphibians are still poorly investigated. We review here the current knowledge of antiviral immunity in amphibians, focusing on model species such as the frog Xenopus and the salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum), and on recent progress in generating tools to better understand how host immune defenses control RV infections, pathogenicity, and transmission.
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Rollins-Smith LA, Ramsey JP, Pask JD, Reinert LK, Woodhams DC. Amphibian immune defenses against chytridiomycosis: impacts of changing environments. Integr Comp Biol 2011; 51:552-62. [PMID: 21816807 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icr095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Eco-immunology is the field of study that attempts to understand the functions of the immune system in the context of the host's environment. Amphibians are currently suffering devastating declines and extinctions in nearly all parts of the world due to the emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis caused by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Because chytridiomycosis is a skin infection and remains confined to the skin, immune defenses of the skin are critical for survival. Skin defenses include secreted antimicrobial peptides and immunoglobulins as well as antifungal metabolites produced by symbiotic skin bacteria. Low temperatures, toxic chemicals, and stress inhibit the immune system and may impair natural defenses against B. dendrobatidis. Tadpoles' mouth parts can be infected by B. dendrobatidis. Damage to the mouth parts can impair growth, and the affected tadpoles maintain the pathogen in the environment even when adults have dispersed. Newly metamorphosing frogs appear to be especially vulnerable to infection and to the lethal effects of this pathogen because the immune system undergoes a dramatic reorganization at metamorphosis, and postmetamorphic defenses are not yet mature. Here we review our current understanding of amphibian immune defenses against B. dendrobatidis and the ability of the pathogen to resist those defenses. We also briefly review what is known about the impacts of temperature, environmental chemicals, and stress on the host-pathogen interactions and suggest future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Rollins-Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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Waterborne infectivity of the Ranavirus frog virus 3 in Xenopus laevis. Virology 2011; 417:410-7. [PMID: 21783222 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Revised: 06/28/2011] [Accepted: 06/29/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Ranaviruses like frog virus 3 (FV3) are responsible for emerging infectious diseases spreading worldwide to fish, amphibian and reptilian species. We have developed, in Xenopus laevis, an experimental model to investigate viral transmission. We show that FV3 released in water by immunocompromised infected adults can infect adult and larval stages of Xenopus within 3h of exposure. Time course of virus load and viral transcription in different tissues suggests that early waterborne FV3 infection through the digestive tract leads to dissemination in the kidney. Finally, a fraction of adult macrophages becomes infected following exposure to waterborne FV3 as visualized by fluorescence microscopy using macrophage- and FV3-specific antibodies. Little cytopathicity and apoptosis were detected in infected macrophages, which is consistent with our proposition that macrophages are permissive to FV3. These data highlight the efficiency of FV3 infectivity by the water route and the ability of FV3 to adapt to its hosts.
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31
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Dolashka P, Moshtanska V, Borisova V, Dolashki A, Stevanovic S, Dimanov T, Voelter W. Antimicrobial proline-rich peptides from the hemolymph of marine snail Rapana venosa. Peptides 2011; 32:1477-83. [PMID: 21703315 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Revised: 05/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hemolymph of Rapana venosa snails is a complex mixture of biochemically and pharmacologically active components such as peptides and proteins. Antimicrobial peptides are gaining attention as antimicrobial alternatives to chemical food preservatives and commonly used antibiotics. Therefore, for the first time we have explored the isolation, identification and characterisation of 11 novel antimicrobial peptides produced by the hemolymph of molluscs. The isolated peptides from the hemolymph applying ultrafiltration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) have molecular weights between 3000 and 9500 Da, determined by mass spectrometric analysis. The N-terminal sequences of the peptides identified by Edman degradation matched no peptides in the MASCOT search database, indicating novel proline-rich peptides. UV spectra revealed that these substances possessed the characteristics of protein peptides with acidic isoelectric points. However, no Cotton effects were observed between 190 and 280 nm by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Four of the pro-rich peptides also showed strong antimicrobial activities against tested microorganisms including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlina Dolashka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, G. Bonchev 9, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
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32
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Conlon JM. Structural diversity and species distribution of host-defense peptides in frog skin secretions. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:2303-15. [PMID: 21560068 PMCID: PMC11114843 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0720-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Revised: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 04/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Cationic peptides that adopt an amphipathic α-helical conformation in a membrane-mimetic environment are synthesized in the skins of many frog species. These peptides often display cytolytic activities against bacteria and fungi consistent with the idea that they play a role in the host's system of defense against pathogenic microorganisms, but their importance in the survival strategy of the animal is not clearly understood. Despite the common misconception that antimicrobial peptides are synthesized in the skins of all anurans, the species distribution is sporadic, suggesting that their production may confer some evolutionary advantage to the organism but is not necessary for survival. The low potency of many frog skin antimicrobial peptides is consistent with the hypothesis that cutaneous symbiotic bacteria may provide the major system of defense against pathogenic microorganisms in the environment with antimicrobial peptides assuming a supplementary role in some species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Conlon
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
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33
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34
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The contribution of skin antimicrobial peptides to the system of innate immunity in anurans. Cell Tissue Res 2010; 343:201-12. [PMID: 20640445 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-010-1014-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2010] [Accepted: 06/08/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cationic peptides with the propensity to adopt an amphipathic α-helical conformation in a membrane-mimetic environment are synthesized in the skins of many species of anurans (frogs and toads). These peptides frequently display cytolytic activities against a range of pathogenic bacteria and fungi consistent with the idea that they play a role in the host's system of innate immunity. However, the importance of the peptides in the survival strategy of the animal is not clearly understood. It is a common misconception that antimicrobial peptides are synthesized in the skins of all anurans. In fact, the species distribution is sporadic suggesting that their production may confer some evolutionary advantage to the organism but is not necessary for survival. Although growth inhibitory activity against the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for anuran population declines worldwide, has been demonstrated in vitro, the ability of frog skin antimicrobial peptides to protect the animal in the wild appears to be limited and there is no clear correlation between their production by a species and its resistance to fatal chytridiomycosis. The low potency of many frog skin antimicrobial peptides is consistent with the hypothesis that cutaneous symbiotic bacteria may provide the major system of defense against pathogenic microorganisms in the environment with antimicrobial peptides assuming a supplementary role in some species.
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35
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Teacher AGF, Cunningham AA, Garner TWJ. Assessing the long-term impact of Ranavirus infection in wild common frog populations. Anim Conserv 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00373.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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36
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37
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Tennessen JA, Blouin MS. A revised leopard frog phylogeny allows a more detailed examination of adaptive evolution at ranatuerin-2 antimicrobial peptide loci. Immunogenetics 2010; 62:333-43. [PMID: 20179920 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-010-0430-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2009] [Accepted: 02/03/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Ranatuerins are antimicrobial peptides of the innate immune system found in ranid frogs. We previously presented evidence that a positive selective sweep had fixed a single allele at the Ranatuerin2 locus in the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens). In this paper, we further investigate the evolutionary history of ranatuerins as follows. First, we sequenced Ranatuerin2 in additional individuals of R. pipiens and related frog species and compared diversity and divergence at these sequences with that at four putatively neutrally evolving loci. Second, we asked whether the evolutionary patterns observed at Ranatuerin2 were typical for ranatuerin loci by sequencing our samples at a paralogous locus, Ranatuerin2b, and performing the same neutrality tests. Ranatuerin2b also showed strong and significant evidence of at least one selective sweep. Third, we used the neutral loci to independently resolve conflicting hypotheses about phylogenetic relationships among our study species. Both the neutral loci and the ranatuerin loci supported an older phylogeny inferred from allozyme data and strongly rejected a more recent phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial DNA. Finally, in order to test whether the sweep was driven by the evolution of substantially new peptide function, we used the phylogeny to reconstruct the hypothetical Ranatuerin2 peptide that existed before the sweep. We synthesized this peptide and tested its activity and that of the extant peptide against six bacterial pathogens of frogs. We observed antibacterial activity but found no significant functional differences between the two peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Tennessen
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
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38
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AL-Haj NA, Mashan NI, Shamsudin MN, Mohamad H, Vairappan CS, Sekawi Z. Antibacterial Activity of Marine Source Extracts Against Multidrug Resistance Organisms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.3844/ajptsp.2010.95.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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39
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Buckheit RW, Watson KM, Morrow KM, Ham AS. Development of topical microbicides to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. Antiviral Res 2010; 85:142-58. [PMID: 19874851 PMCID: PMC2815091 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2009.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2009] [Revised: 10/12/2009] [Accepted: 10/16/2009] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Women comprise almost 50% of the population of people living with HIV and the majority of these women contracted the virus through sexual transmission in monogamous relationships in the developing world. In these environments, where women are not empowered to protect themselves through the negotiation of condom use, effective means of preventing HIV transmission are urgently needed. In the absence of an approved and effective vaccine, microbicides have become the strategy of choice to provide women with the ability to prevent HIV transmission from their infected partners. Topical microbicides are agents specifically developed and formulated for use in either the vaginal or rectal environment that prevent infection by sexually transmitted infectious organisms, including pathogenic viruses, bacteria and fungi. Although a microbicidal product will have many of the same properties as other anti-infective agents and would be similarly developed through human clinical trials, microbicide development bears its own challenges related to formulation and delivery and the unique environment in which the product must act, as well as the requirement to develop a product that is acceptable to the user. Herein, perspectives based on preclinical and clinical microbicide development experience, which have led to an evolving microbicide development algorithm, will be discussed. This article forms part of a special issue of Antiviral Research marking the 25th anniversary of anti-retroviral drug discovery and development, Vol 85, issue 1, 2010.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Buckheit
- ImQuest BioSciences, Inc., 7340 Executive Way, Suite R, Frederick, MD 21704, USA.
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40
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Mendieta JR, Fimognari C, Daleo GR, Hrelia P, Guevara MG. Cytotoxic effect of potato aspartic proteases (StAPs) on Jurkat T cells. Fitoterapia 2009; 81:329-35. [PMID: 19825400 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2009.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2009] [Revised: 09/21/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
StAPs are potato aspartic proteases with cytotoxic activity against plant pathogens and spermatozoa. StAPs cytotoxic activity is selective, since these proteins do not exert toxic effect on plant cells and erythrocytes. In this work, we investigated the capacity of StAPs to exert cytotoxicity on human leukaemia cells. Obtained results show that StAPs induce apoptosis on Jurkat T cells after a short time of incubation in a dose-dependent manner. However, no significative effect on the T lymphocytes viability was observed at all StAPs incubation times and concentrations tested. These results suggest that StAPs can be conceptually promising leads for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta R Mendieta
- Institute of Biological Research, University of Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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41
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Rollins-Smith LA. The role of amphibian antimicrobial peptides in protection of amphibians from pathogens linked to global amphibian declines. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2009; 1788:1593-9. [PMID: 19327341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2009.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2008] [Revised: 02/26/2009] [Accepted: 03/11/2009] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Amphibian species have experienced population declines and extinctions worldwide that are unprecedented in recent history. Many of these recent declines have been linked to a pathogenic skin fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or to iridoviruses of the genus Ranavirus. One of the first lines of defense against pathogens that enter by way of the skin are antimicrobial peptides synthesized and stored in dermal granular glands and secreted into the mucus following alarm or injury. Here, I review what is known about the capacity of amphibian antimicrobial peptides from diverse amphibians to inhibit B. dendrobatidis or ranavirus infections. When multiple species were compared for the effectiveness of their in vitro antimicrobial peptides defenses against B. dendrobatidis, non-declining species of rainforest amphibians had more effective antimicrobial peptides than species in the same habitat that had recently experienced population declines. Further, there was a significant correlation between the effectiveness of the antimicrobial peptides and resistance of the species to experimental infection. These studies support the hypothesis that antimicrobial peptides are an important component of innate defenses against B. dendrobatidis. Some amphibian antimicrobial peptides inhibit ranavirus infections and infection of human T lymphocytes by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An effective antimicrobial peptide defense against skin pathogens appears to depend on a diverse array of genes expressing antimicrobial peptides. The production of antimicrobial peptides may be regulated by signals from the pathogens. However, this defense must also accommodate potentially beneficial microbes on the skin that compete or inhibit growth of the pathogens. How this delicate balancing act is accomplished is an important area of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Rollins-Smith
- Department of Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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42
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Wang G, Watson KM, Buckheit RW. Anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activities of antimicrobial peptides derived from human and bovine cathelicidins. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008; 52:3438-40. [PMID: 18591279 PMCID: PMC2533476 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00452-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2008] [Revised: 05/23/2008] [Accepted: 06/20/2008] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
From among 15 human cathelicidin LL-37-derived peptides, FK-13 was identified as the smallest peptide active against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and GI-20 had the highest therapeutic index, which was twice that of LL-37. BMAP-18, which is derived from bovine cathelicidin BMAP-27, possessed a therapeutic index similar to that of GI-20. Peptide sequence order, helical structures, and aromatic residues are important in HIV inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Wang
- The Structure-Fun Laboratory, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986805 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6805, USA.
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43
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Todd B. Parasites Lost? An Overlooked Hypothesis for the Evolution of Alternative Reproductive Strategies in Amphibians. Am Nat 2007; 170:793-9. [DOI: 10.1086/521958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2006] [Accepted: 06/08/2007] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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44
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Huang YH, Huang XH, Gui JF, Zhang QY. Mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis induced by Rana grylio virus infection in fish cells. Apoptosis 2007; 12:1569-77. [PMID: 17551838 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-007-0089-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A fish cell line, fathead minnow (FHM) cell, was used to investigate the alteration of mitochondrial dynamics and the mechanism of apoptosis under Rana grylio virus (RGV) infection. Microscopy observations, flow-cytometry analysis and molecular marker detection revealed the apoptotic fate of the RGV-infected cells. Some typical apoptotic characteristics, such as chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial fragmentation, were observed, and significantly morphological changes of mitochondria, including size, shape, internal structure and distribution, were revealed. The mitochondria in RGV-infected cells were aggregated around the viromatrix, and the aggregation could be blocked by colchicine. Moreover, the Deltapsim collapse was induced, and caspase-9 and caspase-3 were activated in the RGV-infected cells. In addition, NF-kappaB activation and intracellular Ca(2+) increase were also detected at different times after infection. The data revealed the detailed dynamics of mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis induced by an iridovirus, and provided the first report on mitochondrial fragmentation during virus-induced apoptosis in fish cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Hua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
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Cesari A, Falcinelli AL, Mendieta JR, Pagano MR, Mucci N, Daleo GR, Guevara MG. Potato aspartic proteases (StAPs) exert cytotoxic activity on bovine and human spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 2007; 88:1248-55. [PMID: 17509582 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2006] [Revised: 02/06/2007] [Accepted: 02/06/2007] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the in vitro spermicidal activity of Solanum tuberosum aspartic proteinases (StAPs) on bovine and human sperm. DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. SETTING Three research laboratories at a university of biologic science. ANIMAL(S) AND DONOR(S): Frozen semen from five Aberdeen Angus bulls and six proven fertile men volunteers. INTERVENTION(S) The effect of StAPs on sperm motility was studied in vitro by incubation of different concentrations of StAPs with sperm suspensions, and motility was assessed by direct microscopic observation. Membrane integrity was analyzed by SYTOX Green uptake after incubation with different StAP concentrations. The effect of StAPs was evaluated by human erythrocyte lysis, as a control in somatic cells. The StAPs binding was monitored by fluorescence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Total and progressive sperm motility; hypoosmotic swelling test and SYTOX Green uptake as a measure of membrane damage; fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled StAP binding by an optical microscopy. RESULT(S) The StAPs reduced sperm motility in a dose-dependent manner, and 25 microM of StAP1 and 35 microM of StAP3 completely abolished the progressive motility. The StAPs were able to bind in the postacrosomal and midpiece region only in bovine sperm. Also, StAPs caused spermatozoa agglutination. In vitro cell toxicity was observed by a dose-dependent increase in hypoosmotic swelling negative sperm and SYTOX Green uptake in both human and bovine spermatozoa; however, no toxic effect was observed on erythrocytes. CONCLUSION(S) The spermicidal effect of StAPs involves plasma membrane permeabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreina Cesari
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Microorganism and Spermatozoa, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Cohen N. Norman Cousins Lecture. The uses and abuses of psychoneuroimmunology: a global overview. Brain Behav Immun 2006; 20:99-112. [PMID: 16307866 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2005.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2005] [Revised: 09/30/2005] [Accepted: 09/30/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of interactions between the nervous and immune systems that effect immunological and behavioral changes are relevant to our understanding biological issues pertinent to evolution, ethology, ecology, and aging, in addition to our understanding the immune and nervous systems per se. Psychoneuroimmunology also relates to homeland security, science education, and the practice of conventional as well as complementary and alternative medicine. This paper will highlight just some of these global implications of psychoneuroimmunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cohen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Williams
- Departmento de Producción Agraria, Universidad Pública de Navarra 31006 Pamplona, Spain
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48
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Rollins-Smith LA, Woodhams DC, Reinert LK, Vredenburg VT, Briggs CJ, Nielsen PF, Conlon JM. Antimicrobial peptide defenses of the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2006; 30:831-42. [PMID: 16330099 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2005.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2005] [Accepted: 10/07/2005] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) inhabits high elevation lakes in California that are largely undisturbed by human activities. In spite of this habitation in remote sites, populations continue to decline. Although predation by non-native fish is one cause for declines, some isolated populations in fishless lakes are suffering new declines. One possible cause of the current wave of declines is the introduction of the pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) which invades the adult skin to cause chytridiomycosis. In many amphibian species, the skin is protected by antimicrobial peptides secreted into the mucous. Here we show that R. muscosa produces three previously unknown antimicrobial peptides belonging to the ranatuerin-2 and temporin-1 families of antimicrobial peptides. These three peptides, along with bradykinin, are the most abundant peptides in the skin secretions detected by mass spectrometry. Natural mixtures of peptides and individual purified peptides strongly inhibit chytrid growth. The concentration of total peptides recovered from the skin of frogs following a mild norepinephrine induction is sufficient to inhibit chytrid growth in vitro. A comparison of the species susceptibility to chytridiomycosis and the antichytrid activity of peptides between R. muscosa and R. pipiens suggest that although R. muscosa produces more total skin peptides, it appears to be more vulnerable to B. dendrobatidis in nature. Possible differences in the antimicrobial peptide repertoires and life history traits of the two species that may account for differences in susceptibility are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Rollins-Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, A-5301 Medical Center North, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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VanCompernolle SE, Taylor RJ, Oswald-Richter K, Jiang J, Youree BE, Bowie JH, Tyler MJ, Conlon JM, Wade D, Aiken C, Dermody TS, KewalRamani VN, Rollins-Smith LA, Unutmaz D. Antimicrobial peptides from amphibian skin potently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus infection and transfer of virus from dendritic cells to T cells. J Virol 2005; 79:11598-606. [PMID: 16140737 PMCID: PMC1212620 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.18.11598-11606.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Topical antimicrobicides hold great promise in reducing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Amphibian skin provides a rich source of broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides including some that have antiviral activity. We tested 14 peptides derived from diverse amphibian species for the capacity to inhibit HIV infection. Three peptides (caerin 1.1, caerin 1.9, and maculatin 1.1) completely inhibited HIV infection of T cells within minutes of exposure to virus at concentrations that were not toxic to target cells. These peptides also suppressed infection by murine leukemia virus but not by reovirus, a structurally unrelated nonenveloped virus. Preincubation with peptides prevented viral fusion to target cells and disrupted the HIV envelope. Remarkably, these amphibian peptides also were highly effective in inhibiting the transfer of HIV by dendritic cells (DCs) to T cells, even when DCs were transiently exposed to peptides 8 h after virus capture. These data suggest that amphibian-derived peptides can access DC-sequestered HIV and destroy the virus before it can be transferred to T cells. Thus, amphibian-derived antimicrobial peptides show promise as topical inhibitors of mucosal HIV transmission and provide novel tools to understand the complex biology of HIV capture by DCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott E VanCompernolle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 21st Ave. South, Medical Center North, Room AA5206, Nashville, TN 37232-2363, USA
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Abstract
Amphibians are a diverse group of species; much work remains to be done to elucidate the viruses of amphibians. Viral diseases may play an important role in wild and captive amphibian populations. Iridoviruses are a leading cause of wild amphibian mortality events in the United States and are a common cause of amphibian mortality events worldwide. In addition to frank viral diseases, viral infections may play a role in the establishment of bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases and are an underlying cause of neoplasia. It is important for the amphibian clinician to recognize disease syndromes and pathology that are consistent with viral etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- April J Johnson
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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