1
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Sharma S, Anand A, Singh R, Singh RK, Verma S. Peptide-triggered IL-12 and IFN-γ mediated immune response in CD4 + T-cells against Leishmania donovani infection. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:4092-4095. [PMID: 38511970 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05946d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Leishmania donovani are intracellular, human blood parasites that cause visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been shown to modulate intracellular processes and cargo delivery, whereas host defense peptides (HDPs) promote proliferation of both naïve and antigen activated CD4+ T-cells. We report newly designed tripeptides that were able to trigger proinflammatory cytokine (IL-12 and IFN-γ) secretion by CD4+CD44+ T-cells in response to Leishmania donovani infection. These peptides can be used to induce antigen specific TH1 responses to combat obstacles of cytotoxicity and drug resistance associated with current anti-leishmanial drugs. Furthermore, these peptides can also be used as adjuvants to develop an effective immunoprophylactic approach for immunity restoration against visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India.
| | - Anshul Anand
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
| | - Rajan Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
| | - Sandeep Verma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India.
- Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
- Mehta Family Center for Engineering in Medicine, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
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2
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Conlon JM, Hunter L, Attoub S, Casciaro B, Mechkarska M, Abdel-Wahab YHA. Antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and insulin-releasing activities of the amphibian host-defense peptide ocellatin-3N and its L-lysine-substituted analogs. J Pept Sci 2023; 29:e3463. [PMID: 36426386 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The host-defense peptide ocellatin-3N (GIFDVLKNLAKGVITSLAS.NH2 ), first isolated from the Caribbean frog Leptodactylus nesiotus, inhibited growth of clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as a strain of the major emerging yeast pathogen Candida parapsilosis. Increasing cationicity while maintaining amphipathicity by the substitution Asp4 →Lys increased potency against the microorganisms by between 4- and 16-fold (MIC ≤3 μM) compared with the naturally occurring peptide. The substitution Ala18 →Lys and the double substitution Asp4 →Lys and Ala18 →Lys had less effects on potency. The [D4K] analog also showed 2.5- to 4-fold greater cytotoxic potency against non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells, breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells, and colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells (LC50 values in the range of 12-20 μM) compared with ocellatin-3N but was less hemolytic to mouse erythrocytes. However, the peptide showed no selectivity for tumor-derived cells [LC50 = 20 μM for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs)]. Ocellatin-3N and [D4K]ocellatin-3N stimulated the release of insulin from BRIN-BD11 clonal β-cells at concentrations ≥1 nM, and [A18K]ocellatin-3N, at concentrations ≥0.1 nM. No peptide stimulated the release of lactate dehydrogenase at concentrations up to 3 μM, indicating that plasma membrane integrity had been preserved. The three peptides produced an increase in intracellular [Ca2+ ] in BRIN-BD11 cells when incubated at a concentration of 1 μM. In view of its high insulinotropic potency and relatively low hemolytic activity, the [A18K] ocellatin analog may represent a template for the design of agents with therapeutic potential for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Conlon
- Diabetes Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - Lauren Hunter
- Diabetes Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - Samir Attoub
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Milena Mechkarska
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Yasser H A Abdel-Wahab
- Diabetes Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
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3
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Temporins: Multifunctional Peptides from Frog Skin. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065426. [PMID: 36982501 PMCID: PMC10049141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporins are short peptides secreted by frogs from all over the world. They exert antimicrobial activity, mainly against Gram-positive bacteria, including resistant pathogens; recent studies highlight other possible applications of these peptides as anticancer or antiviral agents. This review is meant to describe the main features of temporins produced by different ranid genera. Due to the abundance of published papers, we focus on the most widely investigated peptides. We report studies on their mechanism of action and three-dimensional structure in model systems mimicking bacterial membranes or in the presence of cells. The design and the antimicrobial activity of peptide analogues is also described, with the aim of highlighting elements that are crucial to improve the bioactivity of peptides while reducing their toxicity. Finally, a short section is dedicated to the studies aimed at applying these peptides as drugs, to produce new antimicrobial materials or in other technological uses.
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4
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Peptides Isolated from Amphibian Skin Secretions with Emphasis on Antimicrobial Peptides. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14100722. [PMID: 36287990 PMCID: PMC9607450 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14100722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The skin of amphibians is a tissue with biological functions, such as defense, respiration, and excretion. In recent years, researchers have discovered a large number of peptides in the skin secretions of amphibians, including antimicrobial peptides, antioxidant peptides, bradykinins, insulin-releasing peptides, and other peptides. This review focuses on the origin, primary structure, secondary structure, length, and functions of peptides secreted from amphibians' skin. We hope that this review will provide further information and promote the further study of amphibian skin secretions, in order to provide reference for expanding the research and application of amphibian bioactive peptides.
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5
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D’Auria FD, Casciaro B, De Angelis M, Marcocci ME, Palamara AT, Nencioni L, Mangoni ML. Antifungal Activity of the Frog Skin Peptide Temporin G and Its Effect on Candida albicans Virulence Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116345. [PMID: 35683025 PMCID: PMC9181532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing resistance to conventional antifungal drugs is a widespread concern, and a search for new compounds, active against different species of fungi, is demanded. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promises in this context. Here we investigated the activity of the frog skin AMP Temporin G (TG) against a panel of fungal strains, by following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocols. TG resulted to be active against (i) Candida species and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC50 between 4 µM and 64 µM after 24 h of incubation; (ii) dermatophytes with MIC80 ranging from 4 to 32 µM, and (iii) Aspergillus strains with MIC80 of 128 µM. In addition, our tests revealed that TG reduced the metabolic activity of Candida albicans cells, with moderate membrane perturbation, as proven by XTT and Sytox Green assays, respectively. Furthermore, TG was found to be effective against some C. albicans virulence factors; indeed, at 64 µM it was able to inhibit ~90% of yeast-mycelial switching, strongly prevented biofilm formation, and led to a 50% reduction of metabolic activity in mature biofilm cells, and ~30-35% eradication of mature biofilm biomass. Even though further studies are needed to deepen our knowledge of the mechanisms of TG antifungal activity, our results suggest this AMP as an attractive lead compound for treatment of fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Diodata D’Auria
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marta De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Maria Elena Marcocci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0649914608 (L.N.); +39-0649910838 (M.L.M.)
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0649914608 (L.N.); +39-0649910838 (M.L.M.)
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6
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Lin Y, Jiang Y, Zhao Z, Lu Y, Xi X, Ma C, Chen X, Zhou M, Chen T, Shaw C, Wang L. Discovery of a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide, Temporin-PKE, from the Skin Secretion of Pelophylax kl. esculentus, and Evaluation of Its Structure-Activity Relationships. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12060759. [PMID: 35740884 PMCID: PMC9221509 DOI: 10.3390/biom12060759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial resistance against antibiotics has led to increasing numbers of treatment failures, and AMPs are widely accepted as becoming potential alternatives due to their advantages. Temporin-PKE is a novel peptide extracted from the skin secretion of Pelophylax kl. esculentus and it displays a strong activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with an extreme cytotoxicity. Incorporating positively charged residues and introducing D-amino acids were the two main strategies adopted for the modifications. The transformation of the chirality of Ile could reduce haemolytic activity, and an analogue with appropriate D-isoforms could maintain antimicrobial activity and stability. The substitution of hydrophobic residues could bring about more potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. The analogues with Lys were less harmful to the normal cells and their stabilities remained at similarly high levels compared to temporin-PKE. The optimal number of charges was three, and the replacement on the polar face was a better choice. Temporin-PKE-3K exerted dually efficient functions includingstrong antimicrobial and anticancer activity. This analogue showed a reduced possibility for inducing resistance in MRSA and Klebsiella pneumoniae, a rather strong antimicrobial activity in vivo, and it exhibited the highest therapeutic index such that temporin-PKE-3K has the potential to be developed as a clinical drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxian Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Yangyang Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Ziwei Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yueyang Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Xinping Xi
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: (X.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Tianbao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Chris Shaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.L.); (Y.J.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.X.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (T.C.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: (X.C.); (L.W.)
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7
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Influence of amino acid residue on chromatographic behaviour of μ-opioid receptor agonist tetrapeptide analogue on crown ether based chiral stationary phase. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1673:463059. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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8
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Brunet K, Verdon J, Ladram A, Arnault S, Rodier MH, Cateau E. Antifungal activity of [K 3]temporin-SHa against medically relevant yeasts and moulds. Can J Microbiol 2022; 68:427-434. [PMID: 35286812 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2021-0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Few antifungal agents are currently available for the treatment of fungal infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are natural molecules involved in the innate immune response of many organisms, represent a promising research method because of their broad killing activity. The aim of this study was to assess the activity of a frog AMP, [K3]temporin-SHa, against some species of yeasts and moulds, and to further explore its activity against Candida albicans. MIC determinations were performed according to EUCAST guidelines. Next, the activity of [K3]temporin-SHa against C. albicans was explored using time-killing curve experiments, membrane permeabilization assays, and electron microscopy. Finally, chequerboard assays were performed to evaluate the synergy between [K3]temporin-SHa and amphotericin B or fluconazole. [K3]temporin-SHa was found to be active in vitro against several yeasts with MIC between 5.5 and 45 µM. [K3]temporin-SHa displayed rapid fungicidal activity against C. albicans (inoculum was divided into two in less than an hour and no viable colonies were recovered after 5 h) with a mechanism that could be due to membrane permeabilization. [K3]temporin-SHa was synergistic with amphotericin B against C. albicans (FICI = 0.303). [K3]temporin-SHa could represent an additional tool to treat several Candida species and C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Brunet
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, CHU de Poitiers, France.,Université de Poitiers, France
| | - Julien Verdon
- Université de Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Écologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, France
| | - Ali Ladram
- CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, BIOSIPE, Sorbonne Université, F-75252 Paris, France
| | - Simon Arnault
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, CHU de Poitiers, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Rodier
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, CHU de Poitiers, France.,Université de Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Écologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, France
| | - Estelle Cateau
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, CHU de Poitiers, France.,Université de Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire Écologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, France
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9
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Bellavita R, Maione A, Merlino F, Siciliano A, Dardano P, De Stefano L, Galdiero S, Galdiero E, Grieco P, Falanga A. Antifungal and Antibiofilm Activity of Cyclic Temporin L Peptide Analogues against Albicans and Non-Albicans Candida Species. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020454. [PMID: 35214187 PMCID: PMC8877061 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporins are one of the largest families of antimicrobial peptides with both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Herein, for a panel of cyclic temporin L isoform analogues, the antifungal and antibiofilm activities were determined against representative Candida strains, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. auris, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. The outcomes indicated a significant anti-candida activity against planktonic and biofilm growth for four peptides (3, 7, 15 and 16). The absence of toxicity up to high concentrations and survival after infection were assessed in vivo by using Galleria mellonella larvae, and the correlation between conformation and cytotoxicity was investigated by fluorescence assays and circular dichroism (CD). By combining fluorescence spectroscopy, CD, dynamic light scattering, confocal and atomic force microscopy, the mode of action of four analogues was hypothesized. The results pinpointed that peptide 3 emerged as a non-toxic compound showing a potent antibiofilm activity and represents a promising compound for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Antonietta Siciliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Principia Dardano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Luca De Stefano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
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10
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Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activity of the Amphibian Antimicrobial Peptide Temporin L and Its Analogs. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042060. [PMID: 35216177 PMCID: PMC8878748 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has evidenced the urgent need for the discovery of broad-spectrum antiviral therapies that could be deployed in the case of future emergence of novel viral threats, as well as to back up current therapeutic options in the case of drug resistance development. Most current antivirals are directed to inhibit specific viruses since these therapeutic molecules are designed to act on a specific viral target with the objective of interfering with a precise step in the replication cycle. Therefore, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified as promising antiviral agents that could help to overcome this limitation and provide compounds able to act on more than a single viral family. We evaluated the antiviral activity of an amphibian peptide known for its strong antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, namely Temporin L (TL). Previous studies have revealed that TL is endowed with widespread antimicrobial activity and possesses marked haemolytic activity. Therefore, we analyzed TL and a previously identified TL derivative (Pro3, DLeu9 TL, where glutamine at position 3 is replaced with proline, and the D-Leucine enantiomer is present at position 9) as well as its analogs, for their activity against a wide panel of viruses comprising enveloped, naked, DNA and RNA viruses. We report significant inhibition activity against herpesviruses, paramyxoviruses, influenza virus and coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we further modified our best candidate by lipidation and demonstrated a highly reduced cytotoxicity with improved antiviral effect. Our results show a potent and selective antiviral activity of TL peptides, indicating that the novel lipidated temporin-based antiviral agents could prove to be useful additions to current drugs in combatting rising drug resistance and epidemic/pandemic emergencies.
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11
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Bellavita R, Casciaro B, Di Maro S, Brancaccio D, Carotenuto A, Falanga A, Cappiello F, Buommino E, Galdiero S, Novellino E, Grossmann TN, Mangoni ML, Merlino F, Grieco P. First-in-Class Cyclic Temporin L Analogue: Design, Synthesis, and Antimicrobial Assessment. J Med Chem 2021; 64:11675-11694. [PMID: 34296619 PMCID: PMC8389922 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of bioactive peptides can be modulated by introducing conformational constraints such as intramolecular macrocyclizations, which can involve either the backbone and/or side chains. Herein, we aimed at increasing the α-helicity content of temporin L, an isoform of an intriguing class of linear antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), endowed with a wide antimicrobial spectrum, by the employment of diverse side-chain tethering strategies, including lactam, 1,4-substituted [1,2,3]-triazole, hydrocarbon, and disulfide linkers. Our approach resulted in a library of cyclic temporin L analogues that were biologically assessed for their antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antibiofilm activities, leading to the development of the first-in-class cyclic peptide related to this AMP family. Our results allowed us to expand the knowledge regarding the relationship between the α-helical character of temporin derivatives and their biological activity, paving the way for the development of improved antibiotic cyclic AMP analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Center
for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Maro
- DiSTABiF, University of Campania “Luigi
Vanvitelli”, Caserta 81100, Italy
| | - Diego Brancaccio
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Alfonso Carotenuto
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department
of Agricultural Sciences, University of
Naples “Federico II”, Portici 80055, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Department
of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur
Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza
University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Buommino
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Tom N. Grossmann
- Department
of Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department
of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur
Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza
University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico
II”, Naples 80131, Italy
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12
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Effect of L- to D-Amino Acid Substitution on Stability and Activity of Antitumor Peptide RDP215 against Human Melanoma and Glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168469. [PMID: 34445175 PMCID: PMC8395111 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The study investigates the antitumor effect of two cationic peptides, R-DIM-P-LF11-215 (RDP215) and the D-amino acid variant 9D-R-DIM-P-LF11-215 (9D-RDP215), targeting the negatively charged lipid phosphatidylserine (PS) exposed by cancer cells, such as of melanoma and glioblastoma. Model studies mimicking cancer and non-cancer membranes revealed the specificity for the cancer-mimic PS by both peptides with a slightly stronger impact by the D-peptide. Accordingly, membrane effects studied by DSC, leakage and quenching experiments were solely induced by the peptides when the cancer mimic PS was present. Circular dichroism revealed a sole increase in β-sheet conformation in the presence of the cancer mimic for both peptides; only 9D-RDP215 showed increased structure already in the buffer. Ex vitro stability studies by SDS-PAGE as well as in vitro with melanoma A375 revealed a stabilizing effect of D-amino acids in the presence of serum, which was also confirmed in 2D and 3D in vitro experiments on glioblastoma LN-229. 9D-RDP215 was additionally able to pass a BBB model, whereupon it induced significant levels of cell death in LN-229 spheroids. Summarized, the study encourages the introduction of D-amino acids in the design of antitumor peptides for the improvement of their stable antitumor activity.
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13
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Abstract
Like many biological compounds, proteins are found primarily in their homochiral form. However, homochirality is not guaranteed throughout life. Determining their chiral proteinogenic sequence is a complex analytical challenge. This is because certain d-amino acids contained in proteins play a role in human health and disease. This is the case, for example, with d-Asp in elastin, β-amyloid and α-crystallin which, respectively, have an action on arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and cataracts. Sequence-dependent and sequence-independent are the two strategies for detecting the presence and position of d-amino acids in proteins. These methods rely on enzymatic digestion by a site-specific enzyme and acid hydrolysis in a deuterium or tritium environment to limit the natural racemization of amino acids. In this review, chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques, such as LC, SFC, GC and CE, will be recently developed (2018–2020) for the enantioseparation of amino acids and peptides. For future work, the discovery and development of new chiral stationary phases and derivatization reagents could increase the resolution of chiral separations.
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14
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De Angelis M, Casciaro B, Genovese A, Brancaccio D, Marcocci ME, Novellino E, Carotenuto A, Palamara AT, Mangoni ML, Nencioni L. Temporin G, an amphibian antimicrobial peptide against influenza and parainfluenza respiratory viruses: Insights into biological activity and mechanism of action. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21358. [PMID: 33538061 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001885rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of respiratory viral infections remains a global health concern, mainly due to the inefficacy of available drugs. Therefore, the discovery of novel antiviral compounds is needed; in this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) like temporins hold great promise. Here, we discovered that the harmless temporin G (TG) significantly inhibited the early life-cycle phases of influenza virus. The in vitro hemagglutinating test revealed the existence of TG interaction with the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein. Furthermore, the hemolysis inhibition assay and the molecular docking studies confirmed a TG/HA complex formation at the level of the conserved hydrophobic stem groove of HA. Remarkably, these findings highlight the ability of TG to block the conformational rearrangements of HA2 subunit, which are essential for the viral envelope fusion with intracellular endocytic vesicles, thereby neutralizing the virus entry into the host cell. In comparison, in the case of parainfluenza virus, which penetrates host cells upon a membrane-fusion process, addition of TG to infected cells provoked ~1.2 log reduction of viral titer released in the supernatant. Nevertheless, at the same condition, an immunofluorescent assay showed that the expression of viral hemagglutinin/neuraminidase protein was not significantly reduced. This suggested a peptide-mediated block of some late steps of viral replication and therefore the impairment of the extracellular release of viral particles. Overall, our results are the first demonstration of the ability of an AMP to interfere with the replication of respiratory viruses with a different mechanism of cell entry and will open a new avenue for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against a large variety of respiratory viruses, including the recent SARS-CoV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- M De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - B Casciaro
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - A Genovese
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - D Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - M E Marcocci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - E Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A T Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - M L Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - L Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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15
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Kakar A, Holzknecht J, Dubrac S, Gelmi ML, Romanelli A, Marx F. New Perspectives in the Antimicrobial Activity of the Amphibian Temporin B: Peptide Analogs Are Effective Inhibitors of Candida albicans Growth. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:457. [PMID: 34200504 PMCID: PMC8226839 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporin B (TB) is a short, positively charged peptide secreted by the granular glands of the European frog Rana temporaria. While the antibacterial and antiviral efficacy of TB and some of its improved analogs are well documented, nothing is known about their antifungal potency so far. We dedicated this study to characterize the antifungal potential of the TB analog TB_KKG6K and the newly designed D-Lys_TB_KKG6K, the latter having the L-lysines replaced by the chiral counterpart D-lysines to improve its proteolytic stability. Both peptides inhibited the growth of opportunistic human pathogenic yeasts and killed planktonic and sessile cells of the most prevalent human pathogen, Candida albicans. The anti-yeast efficacy of the peptides coincided with the induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Their thermal, cation, pH and serum tolerance were similar, while the proteolytic stability of D-Lys_TB_KKG6K was superior to that of its template peptide. Importantly, both peptides lacked hemolytic activity and showed minimal in vitro cytotoxicity in primary human keratinocytes. The tolerance of both peptides in a reconstructed human epidermis model further supports their potential for topical application. Our results open up an exciting field of research for new anti-Candida therapeutic options based on amphibian TB analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anant Kakar
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.)
| | - Jeanett Holzknecht
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.)
| | - Sandrine Dubrac
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, Medical University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Maria Luisa Gelmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, I-20133 Milano, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, I-20133 Milano, Italy;
| | - Florentine Marx
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.)
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16
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Bellavita R, Falanga A, Buommino E, Merlino F, Casciaro B, Cappiello F, Mangoni ML, Novellino E, Catania MR, Paolillo R, Grieco P, Galdieroa S. Novel temporin L antimicrobial peptides: promoting self-assembling by lipidic tags to tackle superbugs. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2021; 35:1751-1764. [PMID: 32957844 PMCID: PMC7534258 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1819258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of antimicrobial resistance is pushing the search in the discovering of novel antimicrobial molecules to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Self-assembling antimicrobial peptides, as the lipidated peptides, are a novel and promising class of molecules capable of meeting this need. Based on previous work on Temporin L analogs, several new molecules lipidated at the N- or and the C-terminus were synthesised. Our goal is to improve membrane interactions through finely tuning self-assembly to reduce oligomerisation in aqueous solution and enhance self-assembly in bacterial membranes while reducing toxicity against human cells. The results here reported show that the length of the aliphatic moiety is a key factor to control target cell specificity and the oligomeric state of peptides either in aqueous solution or in a membrane-mimicking environment. The results of this study pave the way for the design of novel molecules with enhanced activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Catania
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rossella Paolillo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdieroa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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17
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d-Leucine Modified CM11 Peptide has Admissible Antibacterial Activity with Low Cytotoxic Properties Against Vero Cell Line. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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18
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Yap PG, Gan CY. In vivo challenges of anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics: Gastrointestinal stability, toxicity and allergenicity. Trends Food Sci Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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19
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Novel Antimicrobial Peptide from Temporin L in The Treatment of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis in Polymicrobial Inter-Kingdom Infection. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9090530. [PMID: 32842593 PMCID: PMC7560154 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9090530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Interkingdom polymicrobial diseases are caused by different microorganisms that colonize the same niche, as in the case of yeast-bacteria coinfections. The latter are difficult to treat due the absence of any common therapeutic target for their elimination, both in animals and humans. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis belong to distinct kingdoms. They can colonize the same skin district or apparatus being the causative agents of fastidious pet animals’ pathologies. Here we analysed the antimicrobial properties of a panel of 11 peptides, derived from temporin L, against Malassezia pachydermatis. Only peptide 8 showed the best mycocidal activity at 6.25 μM. Prolonged application of peptide 8 did not cause M. pachydermatis drug-resistance. Peptide 8 was also able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, regardless of methicillin resistance, at 1.56 μM for methicillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) and 6.25 μM for methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP). Of interest, peptide 8 increased the susceptibility of MRSP to oxacillin. Oxacillin MIC value reduction was of about eight times when used in combination with peptide 8. Finally, the compound affected the vitality of bacteria embedded in S. pseudintermedius biofilm. In conclusion, peptide 8 might represent a valid therapeutic alternative in the treatment of interkingdom polymicrobial infections, also in the presence of methicillin-resistant bacteria.
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20
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Kapil S, Sharma V. d-Amino acids in antimicrobial peptides: a potential approach to treat and combat antimicrobial resistance. Can J Microbiol 2020; 67:119-137. [PMID: 32783775 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the leading challenges in the human healthcare segment. Advances in antimicrobial resistance have triggered exploration of natural alternatives to stabilize its seriousness. Antimicrobial peptides are small, positively charged oligopeptides that are as potent as commercially available antibiotics against a wide spectrum of organisms, such as Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, and fungal strains. In addition to their antibiotic capabilities, these peptides possess anticancer activity, activate the immune response, and regulate inflammation. Peptides have distinct modes of action and fall into various categories due to their amino acid composition. Although antimicrobial peptides specifically target the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, they can also target the cell nucleus and protein synthesis. Owing to the increasing demand for novel treatments against the threat of antimicrobial resistance, naturally synthesized peptides are a beneficial development concept. Antimicrobial peptides are pervasive and can easily be modified using de-novo synthesis technology. Antimicrobial peptides can be isolated from natural resources such as humans, plants, bacteria, and fungi. This review gives a brief overview of antimicrobial peptides and their diastereomeric composition. Other current trends, the future scope of antimicrobial peptides, and the role of d-amino acids are also discussed, with a specific emphasis on the design and development of new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Kapil
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan Mohali, Punjab 140413, India.,University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan Mohali, Punjab 140413, India
| | - Vipasha Sharma
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan Mohali, Punjab 140413, India.,University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan Mohali, Punjab 140413, India
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21
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Bhattacharjya S, Straus SK. Design, Engineering and Discovery of Novel α-Helical and β-Boomerang Antimicrobial Peptides against Drug Resistant Bacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165773. [PMID: 32796755 PMCID: PMC7460851 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In an era where the pipeline of new antibiotic development is drying up, the continuous rise of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) bacteria are genuine threats to human health. Although antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may serve as promising leads against drug resistant bacteria, only a few AMPs are in advanced clinical trials. The limitations of AMPs, namely their low in vivo activity, toxicity, and poor bioavailability, need to be addressed. Here, we review engineering of frog derived short α-helical AMPs (aurein, temporins) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding designed β-boomerang AMPs for further development. The discovery of novel cell selective AMPs from the human proprotein convertase furin is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surajit Bhattacharjya
- School of Biological Sciences, 60 Nanyang Drive, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (S.K.S.)
| | - Suzana K. Straus
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (S.K.S.)
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22
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Savini F, Loffredo M, Troiano C, Bobone S, Malanovic N, Eichmann T, Caprio L, Canale V, Park Y, Mangoni M, Stella L. Binding of an antimicrobial peptide to bacterial cells: Interaction with different species, strains and cellular components. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183291. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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23
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Brancaccio D, Pizzo E, Cafaro V, Notomista E, De Lise F, Bosso A, Gaglione R, Merlino F, Novellino E, Ungaro F, Grieco P, Malanga M, Quaglia F, Miro A, Carotenuto A. Antimicrobial peptide Temporin-L complexed with anionic cyclodextrins results in a potent and safe agent against sessile bacteria. Int J Pharm 2020; 584:119437. [PMID: 32447024 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Concern over antibiotic resistance is growing, and new classes of antibiotics, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria, are needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as a new class of clinically useful antimicrobials. Special attention has been devoted to frog-skin temporins. In particular, temporin L (TL) is strongly active against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and yeast strains. With the aim of overcoming some of the main drawbacks preventing the widespread clinical use of this peptide, i.e. toxicity and unfavorable pharmacokinetics profile, we designed new formulations combining TL with different types of cyclodextrins (CDs). TL was associated to a panel of neutral or negatively charged, monomeric and polymeric CDs. The impact of CDs association on TL solubility, as well as the transport through bacterial alginates was assessed. The biocompatibility on human cells together with the antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of TL/CD systems was explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Elio Pizzo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Cafaro
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Eugenio Notomista
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Federica De Lise
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Bosso
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Gaglione
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Ungaro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Milo Malanga
- Cyclolab Cyclodextrin R&D Laboratory Ltd., H-1097 Illatos St. 7., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fabiana Quaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Agnese Miro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Alfonso Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
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24
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Crépin A, Jégou JF, André S, Ecale F, Croitoru A, Cantereau A, Berjeaud JM, Ladram A, Verdon J. In vitro and intracellular activities of frog skin temporins against Legionella pneumophila and its eukaryotic hosts. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3978. [PMID: 32132569 PMCID: PMC7055270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60829-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporin-SHa (SHa) is a small cationic host defence peptide (HDP) produced in skin secretions of the Sahara frog Pelophylax saharicus. This peptide has a broad-spectrum activity, efficiently targeting bacteria, parasites and viruses. Noticeably, SHa has demonstrated an ability to kill Leishmania infantum parasites (amastigotes) within macrophages. Recently, an analog of SHa with an increased net positive charge, named [K3]SHa, has been designed to improve those activities. SHa and [K3]SHa were both shown to exhibit leishmanicidal activity mainly by permeabilization of cell membranes but could also induce apoptotis-like death. Temporins are usually poorly active against Gram-negative bacteria whereas many of these species are of public health interest. Among them, Legionella pneumophila, the etiological agent of Legionnaire’s disease, is of major concern. Indeed, this bacterium adopts an intracellular lifestyle and replicate inside alveolar macrophages likewise inside its numerous protozoan hosts. Despite several authors have studied the antimicrobial activity of many compounds on L. pneumophila released from host cells, nothing is known about activity on intracellular L. pneumophila within their hosts, and subsequently mechanisms of action that could be involved. Here, we showed for the first time that SHa and [K3]SHa were active towards several species of Legionella. Both peptides displayed bactericidal activity and caused a loss of the bacterial envelope integrity leading to a rapid drop in cell viability. Regarding amoebae and THP-1-derived macrophages, SHa was less toxic than [K3]SHa and exhibited low half maximal lethal concentrations (LC50). When used at non-toxic concentration (6.25 µM), SHa killed more than 90% L. pneumophila within amoebae and around 50% within macrophages. Using SHa labeled with the fluorescent dye Cy5, we showed an evenly diffusion within cells except in vacuoles. Moreover, SHa was able to enter the nucleus of amoebae and accumulate in the nucleolus. This subcellular localization seemed specific as macrophages nucleoli remained unlabeled. Finally, no modifications in the expression of cytokines and HDPs were recorded when macrophages were treated with 6.25 µM SHa. By combining all data, we showed that temporin-SHa decreases the intracellular L. pneumophila load within amoebae and macrophages without being toxic for eukaryotic cells. This peptide was also able to reach the nucleolus of amoebae but was not capable to penetrate inside vacuoles. These data are in favor of an indirect action of SHa towards intracellular Legionella and make this peptide a promising template for further developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Crépin
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-François Jégou
- Laboratoire Inflammation, Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines, UPRES EA4331, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France
| | - Sonia André
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75252, Paris, France
| | - Florine Ecale
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France
| | - Anastasia Croitoru
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, INSERM U1182 - CNRS UMR7645, Ecole polytechnique, 91128, PALAISEAU, Cedex, France
| | - Anne Cantereau
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Marc Berjeaud
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France
| | - Ali Ladram
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75252, Paris, France
| | - Julien Verdon
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073, POITIERS, Cedex 9, France.
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25
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Casciaro B, Calcaterra A, Cappiello F, Mori M, Loffredo MR, Ghirga F, Mangoni ML, Botta B, Quaglio D. Nigritanine as a New Potential Antimicrobial Alkaloid for the Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Infections. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11090511. [PMID: 31480508 PMCID: PMC6783983 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11090511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen causing a wide range of nosocomial infections including pulmonary, urinary, and skin infections. Notably, the emergence of bacterial strains resistant to conventional antibiotics has prompted researchers to find new compounds capable of killing these pathogens. Nature is undoubtedly an invaluable source of bioactive molecules characterized by an ample chemical diversity. They can act as unique platform providing new scaffolds for further chemical modifications in order to obtain compounds with optimized biological activity. A class of natural compounds with a variety of biological activities is represented by alkaloids, important secondary metabolites produced by a large number of organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. In this work, starting from the screening of 39 alkaloids retrieved from a unique in-house library, we identified a heterodimer -carboline alkaloid, nigritanine, with a potent anti-Staphylococcus action. Nigritanine, isolated from Strychnos nigritana, was characterized for its antimicrobial activity against a reference and three clinical isolates of S. aureus. Its potential cytotoxicity was also evaluated at short and long term against mammalian red blood cells and human keratinocytes, respectively. Nigritanine showed a remarkable antimicrobial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration of 128 µM) without being toxic in vitro to both tested cells. The analysis of the antibacterial activity related to the nigritanine scaffold furnished new insights in the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of -carboline, confirming that dimerization improves its antibacterial activity. Taking into account these interesting results, nigritanine can be considered as a promising candidate for the development of new antimicrobial molecules for the treatment of S. aureus-induced infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Andrea Calcaterra
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Mattia Mori
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Francesca Ghirga
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy.
| | - Bruno Botta
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Deborah Quaglio
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
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26
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Casciaro B, Lin Q, Afonin S, Loffredo MR, de Turris V, Middel V, Ulrich AS, Di YP, Mangoni ML. Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and expression of virulence genes by selective epimerization in the peptide Esculentin-1a(1-21)NH 2. FEBS J 2019; 286:3874-3891. [PMID: 31144441 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium known to cause serious human infections, especially in immune-compromised patients. This is due to its unique ability to transform from a drug-tolerant planktonic to a more dangerous and treatment-resistant sessile life form, called biofilm. Recently, two derivatives of the frog skin antimicrobial peptide esculentin-1a, i.e. Esc(1-21) and its D-amino acids containing diastereomer Esc(1-21)-1c, were characterized for their powerful anti-Pseudomonal activity against both forms. Prevention of biofilm formation already in its early stages could be even more advantageous for counteracting infections induced by this bacterium. In this work, we studied how the diastereomer Esc(1-21)-1c can inhibit Pseudomonas biofilm formation in comparison to the parent peptide and two clinically-used conventional antibiotics, i.e. colistin and aztreonam, when applied at dosages below the minimal growth inhibitory concentration. Biofilm prevention was correlated to the peptides' ability to inhibit Pseudomonas motility and to reduce the production of virulent metabolites, for example, pyoverdine and rhamnolipids. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism underlying these activities was evaluated by studying the peptides' effect on the expression of key genes involved in the virulence and motility of bacteria, as well as by monitoring the peptides' binding to the bacterial signaling nucleotide ppGpp. Our results demonstrate that the presence of only two D-amino acids in Esc(1-21)-1c is sufficient to downregulate ppGpp-mediated expression of biofilm-associated genes, presumably as a result of higher peptide stability and therefore prolonged interaction with the nucleotide. Overall, these studies should assist efficient design and optimization of new anti-infective agents with multiple pharmacologically beneficial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.,Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Qiao Lin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sergii Afonin
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria de Turris
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Volker Middel
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute of Organic Chemistry, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - YuanPu Peter Di
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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Buommino E, Carotenuto A, Antignano I, Bellavita R, Casciaro B, Loffredo MR, Merlino F, Novellino E, Mangoni ML, Nocera FP, Brancaccio D, Punzi P, Roversi D, Ingenito R, Bianchi E, Grieco P. The Outcomes of Decorated Prolines in the Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides from Temporin-L. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:1283-1290. [PMID: 31087626 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we identified a potent antimicrobial analogue of temporin L (TL), [Pro3 ]TL, in which glutamine at position 3 was substituted with proline. In this study, a series of analogues in which position 3 is substituted with non-natural proline derivatives, was investigated for correlations between the conformational properties of the compounds and their antibacterial, cytotoxic, and hemolytic activities. Non-natural proline analogues with substituents at position 4 of the pyrrolidine ring were considered. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of these analogues were performed by means of antimicrobial and cytotoxicity assays along with circular dichroism (CD) and NMR spectroscopic analyses for selected compounds. The most promising peptides were additionally evaluated for their activity against some representative veterinary microbial strains to compare with those from human strains. We identified novel analogues with interesting properties that make them attractive lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Buommino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Alfonso Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Ignazio Antignano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy.,Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Francesca Paola Nocera
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80137, Italy
| | - Diego Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Pasqualina Punzi
- Peptide Chemistry Unit, IRBM S.p.A., via Pontina km 30 600, Pomezia, 00071, Italy
| | - Daniela Roversi
- Peptide Chemistry Unit, IRBM S.p.A., via Pontina km 30 600, Pomezia, 00071, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ingenito
- Peptide Chemistry Unit, IRBM S.p.A., via Pontina km 30 600, Pomezia, 00071, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bianchi
- Peptide Chemistry Unit, IRBM S.p.A., via Pontina km 30 600, Pomezia, 00071, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80131, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi (CIRPEB), University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, 80134, Italy
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Greco I, Emborg AP, Jana B, Molchanova N, Oddo A, Damborg P, Guardabassi L, Hansen PR. Characterization, mechanism of action and optimization of activity of a novel peptide-peptoid hybrid against bacterial pathogens involved in canine skin infections. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3679. [PMID: 30842436 PMCID: PMC6403271 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Integumentary infections like pyoderma represent the main reason for antimicrobial prescription in dogs. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are frequently identified in these infections, and both bacteria are challenging to combat due to resistance. To avoid use of important human antibiotics for treatment of animal infections there is a pressing need for novel narrow-spectrum antimicrobial agents in veterinary medicine. Herein, we characterize the in vitro activity of the novel peptide-peptoid hybrid B1 against canine isolates of S. pseudintermedius and P. aeruginosa. B1 showed potent minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against canine S. pseudintermedius and P. aeruginosa isolates as well rapid killing kinetics. B1 was found to disrupt the membrane integrity and affect cell-wall synthesis in methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP). We generated 28 analogues of B1, showing comparable haemolysis and MICs against MRSP and P. aeruginosa. The most active analogues (23, 26) and B1 were tested against a collection of clinical isolates from canine, of which only B1 showed potent activity. Our best compound 26, displayed activity against P. aeruginosa and S. pseudintermedius, but not the closely related S. aureus. This work shows that design of target-specific veterinary antimicrobial agents is possible, even species within a genus, and deserves further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Greco
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 26, 1958, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Agnete Plahn Emborg
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Novo Nordisk, Brennum Park 1, 3400, Hilleroed, Denmark
| | - Bimal Jana
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Natalia Molchanova
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Roskilde University, Department of Science and Environment, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Alberto Oddo
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Novo Nordisk A/S, Krogshøjvej 44, 2820, Bagsværd, Denmark
| | - Peter Damborg
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Luca Guardabassi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.,Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, Hatfield, Herts, United Kingdom
| | - Paul R Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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29
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Mechkarska M, Coquet L, Leprince J, Auguste RJ, Jouenne T, Mangoni ML, Conlon JM. Peptidomic analysis of the host-defense peptides in skin secretions of the Trinidadian leaf frog Phyllomedusa trinitatis (Phyllomedusidae). COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2018; 28:72-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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30
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Dong N, Chou S, Li J, Xue C, Li X, Cheng B, Shan A, Xu L. Short Symmetric-End Antimicrobial Peptides Centered on β-Turn Amino Acids Unit Improve Selectivity and Stability. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2832. [PMID: 30538681 PMCID: PMC6277555 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are excellent candidates to combat the increasing number of multi- or pan-resistant pathogens worldwide based on their mechanism of action, which is different from that of antibiotics. In this study, we designed short peptides by fusing an α-helix and β-turn sequence-motif in a symmetric-end template to promote the higher cell selectivity, antibacterial activity and salt-resistance of these structures. The results showed that the designed peptides PQ and PP tended to form an α-helical structure upon interacting with a membrane-mimicking environment. They displayed high cell selectivity toward bacterial cells over eukaryotic cells. Their activities were mostly maintained in the presence of different conditions (salts, serum, heat, and pH), which indicated their stability in vivo. Fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses indicated that PP and PQ killed bacterial cells through membrane pore formation, thereby damaging membrane integrity. This study revealed the potential application of these designed peptides as new candidate antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Dong
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Shuli Chou
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chenyu Xue
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Xinran Li
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Baojing Cheng
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Li Xu
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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31
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Recent Advances in Antibacterial and Antiendotoxic Peptides or Proteins from Marine Resources. Mar Drugs 2018; 16:md16020057. [PMID: 29439417 PMCID: PMC5852485 DOI: 10.3390/md16020057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by Gram-negative bacteria and sepsis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pose a major threat to humans and animals and cause millions of deaths each year. Marine organisms are a valuable resource library of bioactive products with huge medicinal potential. Among them, antibacterial and antiendotoxic peptides or proteins, which are composed of metabolically tolerable residues, are present in many marine species, including marine vertebrates, invertebrates and microorganisms. A lot of studies have reported that these marine peptides and proteins or their derivatives exhibit potent antibacterial activity and antiendotoxic activity in vitro and in vivo. However, their categories, heterologous expression in microorganisms, physicochemical factors affecting peptide or protein interactions with bacterial LPS and LPS-neutralizing mechanism are not well known. In this review, we highlight the characteristics and anti-infective activity of bifunctional peptides or proteins from marine resources as well as the challenges and strategies for further study.
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32
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Kodedová M, Sychrová H. Synthetic antimicrobial peptides of the halictines family disturb the membrane integrity of Candida cells. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:1851-1858. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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33
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Merlino F, Carotenuto A, Casciaro B, Martora F, Loffredo MR, Di Grazia A, Yousif AM, Brancaccio D, Palomba L, Novellino E, Galdiero M, Iovene MR, Mangoni ML, Grieco P. Glycine-replaced derivatives of [Pro 3 ,DLeu 9 ]TL, a temporin L analogue: Evaluation of antimicrobial, cytotoxic and hemolytic activities. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 139:750-761. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.08.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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34
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Lima SMF, Freire MS, Gomes ALO, Cantuária APC, Dutra FRP, Magalhães BS, Sousa MGC, Migliolo L, Almeida JA, Franco OL, Rezende TMB. Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activity of host defense peptides, clavanins and LL-37, in vitro: An endodontic perspective. Peptides 2017; 95:16-24. [PMID: 28712894 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Endodontic treatment is mainly based on root canal disinfection and its failure may be motivated by microbial resistance. Endodontic therapy can be benefitted by host defense peptides (HDPs), which are multifunctional molecules that act against persistent infection and inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activity of several HDPs, namely clavanin A, clavanin A modified (MO) and LL-37, compared to intracanal medication Ca(OH)2. HDPs and Ca(OH)2 were evaluated by: (1) antimicrobial assays against Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis, (2) cytotoxicity assays and (3) cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 and nitric oxide (NO) production by RAW 264.7 cells incubated with or without heat-killed (HK) C. albicans or E. faecalis combined or not with interferon-γ. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was established only for E. faecalis (LL-37, 57μM). Considering cytotoxicity, clavanin MO was able to reduce cell viability in many groups and demonstrated lowest LC50. The Ca(OH)2 up-regulated the production of MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-12 and IL-6 and down-regulated IL-1α, IL-10 and NO. Clavanins up-regulated the TNF-α and NO and down-regulated IL-10 production. LL-37 demonstrated up-regulation of IL-6 and TNF-α production and down-regulation in IL-10 and NO production. In conclusion, LL-37 demonstrated better antibacterial potential. In addition, Ca(OH)2 demonstrated a proinflammatory response, while the HDPs modulated the inflammatory response from non-interference with the active cytokines in the osteoclastogenesis process, probably promoting the health of periradicular tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Maris F Lima
- Curso de Odontologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus I, QS 07 Lote 01 EPCT, 71966-700, Águas Claras, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Mirna S Freire
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Programa de Doutorado da Rede Centro-Oeste, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Ana Luisa O Gomes
- Curso de Odontologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus I, QS 07 Lote 01 EPCT, 71966-700, Águas Claras, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula C Cantuária
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Flávia Rodrigues P Dutra
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Beatriz S Magalhães
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Grupo de Engenharia Metabólica Aplicada a Bioprocessos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Maurício Gonçalves C Sousa
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Ludovico Migliolo
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; S-Inova Biotech, Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Jardim Seminário, 79117-900, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jeeser A Almeida
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Saúde e Desenvolvimento na Região Centro-Oeste, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Costa e Silva, Cidade Universitária, 79070-900, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Octávio L Franco
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Programa de Doutorado da Rede Centro-Oeste, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil; S-Inova Biotech, Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Jardim Seminário, 79117-900, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Taia Maria B Rezende
- Curso de Odontologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus I, QS 07 Lote 01 EPCT, 71966-700, Águas Claras, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Módulo B Avenida W5, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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35
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Farrotti A, Conflitti P, Srivastava S, Ghosh JK, Palleschi A, Stella L, Bocchinfuso G. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Host Defense Peptide Temporin L and Its Q3K Derivative: An Atomic Level View from Aggregation in Water to Bilayer Perturbation. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22071235. [PMID: 28737669 PMCID: PMC6152314 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22071235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporin L (TempL) is a 13 residue Host Defense Peptide (HDP) isolated from the skin of frogs. It has a strong affinity for lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is related to its high activity against Gram-negative bacteria and also to its strong tendency to neutralize the pro-inflammatory response caused by LPS release from inactivated bacteria. A designed analog with the Q3K substitution shows an enhancement in both these activities. In the present paper, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to investigate the origin of these improved properties. To this end, we have studied the behavior of the peptides both in water solution and in the presence of LPS lipid-A bilayers, demonstrating that the main effect through which the Q3K substitution improves the peptide activities is the destabilization of peptide aggregates in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Farrotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Paolo Conflitti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Saurabh Srivastava
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
| | - Jimut Kanti Ghosh
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
| | - Antonio Palleschi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Gianfranco Bocchinfuso
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
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36
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Casciaro B, Cappiello F, Cacciafesta M, Mangoni ML. Promising Approaches to Optimize the Biological Properties of the Antimicrobial Peptide Esculentin-1a(1-21)NH 2: Amino Acids Substitution and Conjugation to Nanoparticles. Front Chem 2017; 5:26. [PMID: 28487853 PMCID: PMC5404639 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2017.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an interesting class of molecules with expanding biological properties which make them a viable alternative for the development of future antibiotic drugs. However, for this purpose, some limitations must be overcome: (i) the poor biostability due to enzymatic degradation; (ii) the cytotoxicity at concentrations slightly higher than the therapeutic dosages; and (iii) the inefficient delivery to the target site at effective concentrations. Recently, a derivative of the frog skin AMP esculentin-1a, named esculentin-1a(1–21)NH2, [Esc(1–21): GIFSKLAGKKIKNLLISGLKG-NH2] has been found to have a potent activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa; a slightly weaker activity against Gram-positive bacteria and interesting immunomodulatory properties. With the aim to optimize the antimicrobial features of Esc(1–21) and to circumvent the limitations described above, two different approaches were followed: (i) substitutions by non-coded amino acids, i.e., α-aminoisobutyric acid or d-amino acids; and (ii) peptide conjugation to gold nanoparticles. In this mini-review, we summarized the structural and functional properties of the resulting Esc(1–21)-derived compounds. Overall, our data may assist researchers in the rational design and optimization of AMPs for the development of future drugs to fight the worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeRome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeRome, Italy
| | - Mauro Cacciafesta
- Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Nephrological, Anesthesiological and Geriatric Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeRome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeRome, Italy
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37
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Setty SC, Horam S, Pasupuleti M, Haq W. Modulating the Antimicrobial Activity of Temporin L Through Introduction of Fluorinated Phenylalanine. Int J Pept Res Ther 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-016-9553-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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38
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Souza ALA, Faria RX, Calabrese KS, Hardoim DJ, Taniwaki N, Alves LA, De Simone SG. Temporizin and Temporizin-1 Peptides as Novel Candidates for Eliminating Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157673. [PMID: 27384541 PMCID: PMC4934777 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical diseases caused by parasitic infections continue to cause socioeconomic distress worldwide. Among these, Chagas disease has become a great concern because of globalization. Caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, there is an increasing need to discover new, more effective methods to manage infections that minimize disease onset. Antimicrobial peptides represent a possible solution to this challenge. As effector molecules of the innate immune response against pathogens, they are the first line of defense found in all multi-cellular organisms. In amphibians, temporins are a large family of antimicrobial peptides found in skin secretions. Their functional roles and modes of action present unique properties that indicate possible candidates for therapeutic applications. Here, we investigated the trypanocide activity of temporizin and temporizin-1. Temporizin is an artificial, hybrid peptide containing the N-terminal region of temporin A, the pore-forming region of gramicidin and a C-terminus consisting of alternating leucine and lysine. Temporizin-1 is a modification of temporizin with a reduction in the region responsible for insertion into membranes. Their activities were evaluated in a cell permeabilization assay by flow cytometry, an LDH release assay, electron microscopy, an MTT assay and patch clamp experiments. Both temporizin and temporizin-1 demonstrated toxicity against T. cruzi with temporizin displaying slightly more potency. At concentrations up to 100 μg/ ml, both peptides exhibited low toxicity in J774 cells, a macrophage lineage cell line, and no toxicity was observed in mouse primary peritoneal macrophages. In contrast, the peptides showed some toxicity in rat adenoma GH3 cells and Jurkat human lymphoma cells with temporizin-1 displaying lower toxicity. In summary, a shortened form of the hybrid temporizin peptide, temporizin-1, was efficient at killing T. cruzi and it has low toxicity in wild-type mammalian cells. These data suggest that temporizin-1 might be a candidate for Chagas disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- André L. A. Souza
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS)/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Experimental and Computational Biochemistry of Pharmaceuticals, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Robson X. Faria
- FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Toxoplasmosis and other Protozoosis, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Kátia S. Calabrese
- FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Imunomodulation and Protozoology, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daiane J. Hardoim
- FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Imunomodulation and Protozoology, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Noemi Taniwaki
- FIOCRUZ, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Electronic Microscopy section, Araçatuba, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz A. Alves
- FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Salvatore G. De Simone
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS)/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Federal Fluminense University, Biology Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
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39
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André S, Washington SK, Darby E, Vega MM, Filip AD, Ash NS, Muzikar KA, Piesse C, Foulon T, O’Leary DJ, Ladram A. Structure-Activity Relationship-based Optimization of Small Temporin-SHf Analogs with Potent Antibacterial Activity. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:2257-66. [PMID: 26181487 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.5b00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Short antimicrobial peptides represent attractive compounds for the development of new antibiotic agents. Previously, we identified an ultrashort hydrophobic and phenylalanine-rich peptide, called temporin-SHf, representing the smallest natural amphibian antimicrobial peptide known to date. Here, we report on the first structure-activity relationship study of this peptide. A series of temporin-SHf derivatives containing insertion of a basic arginine residue as well as residues containing neutral hydrophilic (serine and α-hydroxymethylserine) and hydrophobic (α-methyl phenylalanine and p-(t)butyl phenylalanine) groups were designed to improve the antimicrobial activity, and their α-helical structure was investigated by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Three compounds were found to display higher antimicrobial activity with the ability to disrupt (permeabilization/depolarization) the bacterial membrane while retaining the nontoxic character of the parent peptide toward rat erythrocytes and human cells (THP-1 derived macrophages and HEK-293). Antimicrobial assays were carried out to explore the influence of serum and physiological salt concentration on peptide activity. Analogs containing d-amino acid residues were also tested. Our study revealed that [p-(t)BuF(2), R(5)]SHf is an attractive ultrashort candidate that is highly potent (bactericidal) against Gram-positive bacteria (including multidrug resistant S. aureus) and against a wider range of clinically interesting Gram-negative bacteria than temporin-SHf, and also active at physiological salt concentrations and in 30% serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia André
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Shannon K. Washington
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Emily Darby
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Marvin M. Vega
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Ari D. Filip
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Nathaniel S. Ash
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Katy A. Muzikar
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Christophe Piesse
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Thierry Foulon
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Daniel J. O’Leary
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Ali Ladram
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques (BIOSIPE), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, FR
3631,
IBPS, BIOSIPE, F-75005, Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry, Pomona College, 645 N College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, United States
- Sorbonne Universités,
UPMC Univ Paris 06, FR 3631, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS),
Plate-forme Ingénierie des Protéines et Synthèse
Peptidique, F-75005 Paris, France
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40
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Kwok PCL, Grabarek A, Chow MYT, Lan Y, Li JCW, Casettari L, Mason AJ, Lam JKW. Inhalable spray-dried formulation of D-LAK antimicrobial peptides targeting tuberculosis. Int J Pharm 2015; 491:367-74. [PMID: 26151107 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Revised: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global disease that is becoming more difficult to treat due to the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Inhalable antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potentially useful alternative anti-TB agents because they can overcome resistance against classical antibiotics, reduce systemic adverse effects, and achieve local targeting. The aims of the current study were to produce inhalable dry powders containing d-enantiomeric AMPs (D-LAK120-HP13 and D-LAK120-A) and evaluate their solid state properties, aerosol performance, and structural conformation. These two peptides were spray dried with mannitol as a bulking agent at three mass ratios (peptide:mannitol 1:99, 1:49, and 1:24) from aqueous solutions. The resultant particles were spherical, with those containing D-LAK120-HP13 being more corrugated than those with D-LAK120-A. The median volumetric diameter of the particles was approximately 3μm. The residual water content of all powders were <3% w/w and crystalline, due to the low hygroscopicity and crystallinity of mannitol, respectively. The mannitol changed from a mixture of alpha- and beta-forms to delta form with an increasing proportion of AMP in the formulation. The emitted fraction and fine particle fraction of the powders when dispersed from an Osmohaler(®) at 90L/min were about 80% and 50-60% of the loaded dose, respectively, indicating good aerosol performance. Circular dichroism data showed that D-LAK120-HP13 dissolved in Tris buffer at pH 7.15 was of a disordered conformation. In contrast, D-LAK120-A showed greater α-helical conformation. Since the conformations of the AMPs were comparable to the controls (unprocessed peptides), the spray drying process did not substantially affect their secondary structures. In conclusion, spray dried powders containing d-enantiomeric AMPs with preserved secondary molecular structures and good aerosol performance could be successfully produced. They may potentially be used for treating MDR-TB when delivered by inhalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Chi Lip Kwok
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
| | - Adam Grabarek
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N A1X, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Y T Chow
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
| | - Yun Lan
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
| | - Johnny C W Li
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
| | - Luca Casettari
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Piazza Rinascimento, 6, Urbino 61029, Italy
| | - A James Mason
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny K W Lam
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong.
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41
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Tabbene O, Di Grazia A, Azaiez S, Ben Slimene I, Elkahoui S, Alfeddy MN, Casciaro B, Luca V, Limam F, Mangoni ML. Synergistic fungicidal activity of the lipopeptide bacillomycin D with amphotericin B against pathogenic Candida species. FEMS Yeast Res 2015; 15:fov022. [PMID: 25956541 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fov022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, the synergism of the lipopeptide bacillomycin D in combination with the polyene amphotericin B against pathogenic Candida species is described along with their potential cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. Bacillomycin D inhibited the growth of various Candida species at minimal concentrations from 12.5 to 25 μg ml(-1). Furthermore, it showed a synergistic effect with the antifungal drug amphotericin B in inhibiting the growth of Candida strains, with fractional inhibitory concentration indices ranging from 0.28 to 0.5. Time killing studies revealed a >2-log reduction in the viability of Candida albicans ATCC 10231 cells after 3 h incubation with the combination amphotericin B plus bacillomycin D, at their subinhibitory concentration. Interestingly, when the two drugs were used together at those dosages displaying a synergism in the anti-Candida activity, no cytotoxic effect was observed against mammalian cells. Therefore, the combination bacillomycin D/amphotericin B may represent a valid alternative to conventional antifungals for topical treatment of C. albicans infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the in vitro interaction between the antifungal drug amphotericin B and bacillomycin D against pathogenic Candida species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olfa Tabbene
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Center of Biotechnology, Ecopark of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Antonio Di Grazia
- Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Sana Azaiez
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Center of Biotechnology, Ecopark of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Imen Ben Slimene
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Center of Biotechnology, Ecopark of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Salem Elkahoui
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Center of Biotechnology, Ecopark of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Najib Alfeddy
- Laboratory of Phytobacteriology, National Institute for Agricultural Research, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Luca
- Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Ferid Limam
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Center of Biotechnology, Ecopark of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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42
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Cationic amphipathic D-enantiomeric antimicrobial peptides with in vitro and ex vivo activity against drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2014; 94:678-89. [PMID: 25154927 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of bacterial death worldwide. Due to the emergence of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), and the persistence of latent infections, a safe and effective TB therapy is highly sought after. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have therapeutic potential against infectious diseases and have the ability to target microbial pathogens within eukaryotic cells. In the present study, we investigated the activity of a family of six AMPs containing all-D amino acids (D-LAK peptides) against MDR and XDR clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) both in vitro and, using THP-1 cells as a macrophage model, cultured ex vivo. All the D-LAK peptides successfully inhibited the growth of Mtb in vitro and were similarly effective against MDR and XDR strains. D-LAK peptides effectively broke down the heavy clumping of mycobacteria in broth culture, consistent with a 'detergent-like effect' that could reduce the hydrophobic interactions between the highly lipidic cell walls of the mycobacteria, preventing bacteria cell aggregation. Furthermore, though not able to eradicate the intracellular mycobacteria, D-LAK peptides substantially inhibited the intracellular growth of drug-resistant Mtb clinical isolates at concentrations that were well tolerated by THP-1 cells. Finally, combining D-LAK peptide with isoniazid could enhance the anti-TB efficacy. D-LAK peptide, particularly D-LAK120-A, was effective as an adjunct agent at non-toxic concentration to potentiate the efficacy of isoniazid against drug-resistant Mtb in vitro, possibly by facilitating the access of isoniazid into the mycobacteria by increasing the surface permeability of the pathogen.
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43
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Lee MR, Raman N, Gellman SH, Lynn DM, Palecek SP. Hydrophobicity and helicity regulate the antifungal activity of 14-helical β-peptides. ACS Chem Biol 2014; 9:1613-21. [PMID: 24837702 PMCID: PMC4105187 DOI: 10.1021/cb500203e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Candida albicans is one of the most prevalent
fungal pathogens, causing both mucosal candidiasis and invasive candidemia.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), part of the human innate immune system,
have been shown to exhibit antifungal activity but have not been effective
as pharmaceuticals because of low activity and selectivity in physiologically
relevant environments. Nevertheless, studies on α-peptide AMPs
have revealed key features that can be designed into more stable structures,
such as the 14-helix of β-peptide-based oligomers. Here, we
report on the ways in which two of those features, hydrophobicity
and helicity, govern the activity and selectivity of 14-helical β-peptides
against C. albicans and human red blood cells. Our
results reveal both antifungal activity and hemolysis to correlate
to hydrophobicity, with intermediate levels of hydrophobicity leading
to high antifungal activity and high selectivity toward C.
albicans. Helical structure-forming propensity further influenced
this window of selective antifungal activity, with more stable helical
structures eliciting specificity for C. albicans over
a broader range of hydrophobicity. Our findings also reveal cooperativity
between hydrophobicity and helicity in regulating antifungal activity
and specificity. The results of this study provide critical insight
into the ways in which hydrophobicity and helicity govern the activity
and specificity of AMPs and identify criteria that may be useful for
the design of potent and selective antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Ryul Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Namrata Raman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Samuel H. Gellman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - David M. Lynn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Sean P. Palecek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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Luca V, Olivi M, Di Grazia A, Palleschi C, Uccelletti D, Mangoni ML. Anti-Candida activity of 1-18 fragment of the frog skin peptide esculentin-1b: in vitro and in vivo studies in a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:2535-46. [PMID: 24221134 PMCID: PMC11113354 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1500-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans represents one of the most prevalent species causing life-threatening fungal infections. Current treatments to defeat Candida albicans have become quite difficult, due to their toxic side effects and the emergence of resistant strains. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are fascinating molecules with a potential role as novel anti-infective agents. However, only a few studies have been performed on their efficacy towards the most virulent hyphal phenotype of this pathogen. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the anti-Candida activity of the N-terminal 1-18 fragment of the frog skin AMP esculentin-1b, Esc(1-18), under both in vitro and in vivo conditions using Caenorhabditis elegans as a simple host model for microbial infections. Our results demonstrate that Esc(1-18) caused a rapid reduction in the number of viable yeast cells and killing of the hyphal population. Esc(1-18) revealed a membrane perturbing effect which is likely the basis of its mode of action. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the ability of a frog skin AMP-derived peptide (1) to kill both growing stages of Candida; (2) to promote survival of Candida-infected living organisms and (3) to inhibit transition of these fungal cells from the roundish yeast shape to the more dangerous hyphal form at sub-inhibitory concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Luca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Olivi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Grazia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Palleschi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Uccelletti
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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45
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Brancaccio D, Limatola A, Campiglia P, Gomez-Monterrey I, Novellino E, Grieco P, Carotenuto A. Urantide Conformation and Interaction with the Urotensin-II Receptor. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2013; 347:185-92. [DOI: 10.1002/ardp.201300269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Revised: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Naples “Federico II”; Naples Italy
| | - Antonio Limatola
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Naples “Federico II”; Naples Italy
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Salerno; Fisciano Salerno Italy
| | | | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Naples “Federico II”; Naples Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Naples “Federico II”; Naples Italy
| | - Alfonso Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy; University of Naples “Federico II”; Naples Italy
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46
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Carotenuto A, Cipolletta E, Gomez-Monterrey I, Sala M, Vernieri E, Limatola A, Bertamino A, Musella S, Sorriento D, Grieco P, Trimarco B, Novellino E, Iaccarino G, Campiglia P. Design, synthesis and efficacy of novel G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2013; 69:384-92. [PMID: 24077529 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Revised: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is a relevant signaling node of the cellular transduction network, playing major roles in the physiology of various organs/tissues including the heart and blood vessels. Emerging evidence suggests that GRK2 is up regulated in pathological situations such as heart failure, hypertrophy and hypertension, and its inhibition offers a potential therapeutic solution to these diseases. We explored the GRK2 inhibitory activity of a library of cyclic peptides derived from the HJ loop of G protein-coupled receptor kinases 2 (GRK2). The design of these cyclic compounds was based on the conformation of the HJ loop within the X-ray structure of GRK2. One of these compounds, the cyclic peptide 7, inhibited potently and selectively the GRK2 activity, being more active than its linear precursor. In a cellular system, this peptide confirms the beneficial signaling properties of a potent GRK2 inhibitor. Preferred conformations of the most potent analog were investigated by NMR spectroscopy.
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47
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Saravanan R, Joshi M, Mohanram H, Bhunia A, Mangoni ML, Bhattacharjya S. NMR structure of temporin-1 ta in lipopolysaccharide micelles: mechanistic insight into inactivation by outer membrane. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72718. [PMID: 24039798 PMCID: PMC3767682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play important roles in the innate defense mechanism. The broad spectrum of activity of AMPs requires an efficient permeabilization of the bacterial outer and inner membranes. The outer leaflet of the outer membrane of Gram negative bacteria is made of a specialized lipid called lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The LPS layer is an efficient permeability barrier against anti-bacterial agents including AMPs. As a mode of protection, LPS can induce self associations of AMPs rendering them inactive. Temporins are a group of short-sized AMPs isolated from frog skin, and many of them are inactive against Gram negative bacteria as a result of their self-association in the LPS-outer membrane. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using NMR spectroscopy, we have determined atomic resolution structure and characterized localization of temporin-1Ta or TA (FLPLIGRVLSGIL-amide) in LPS micelles. In LPS micelles, TA adopts helical conformation for residues L4-I12, while residues F1-L3 are found to be in extended conformations. The aromatic sidechain of residue F1 is involved in extensive packing interactions with the sidechains of residues P3, L4 and I5. Interestingly, a number of long-range NOE contacts have been detected between the N-terminal residues F1, P3 with the C-terminal residues S10, I12, L13 of TA in LPS micelles. Saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR studies demonstrate close proximity of residues including F1, L2, P3, R7, S10 and L13 with the LPS micelles. Notably, the LPS bound structure of TA shows differences with the structures of TA determined in DPC and SDS detergent micelles. SIGNIFICANCE We propose that TA, in LPS lipids, forms helical oligomeric structures employing N- and C-termini residues. Such oligomeric structures may not be translocated across the outer membrane; resulting in the inactivation of the AMP. Importantly, the results of our studies will be useful for the development of antimicrobial agents with a broader spectrum of activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathi Saravanan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mangesh Joshi
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harini Mohanram
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche Università La Sapienza, Roma, Italy
| | - Surajit Bhattacharjya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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48
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Grieco P, Carotenuto A, Auriemma L, Limatola A, Di Maro S, Merlino F, Mangoni ML, Luca V, Di Grazia A, Gatti S, Campiglia P, Gomez-Monterrey I, Novellino E, Catania A. Novel α-MSH peptide analogues with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61614. [PMID: 23626703 PMCID: PMC3634028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous investigations indicate that α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and certain synthetic analogues of it exert antimicrobial effects against bacteria and yeasts. However, these molecules have weak activity in standard microbiology conditions and this hampers a realistic clinical use. The aim in the present study was to identify novel peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in growth medium. To this purpose, the Gly10 residue in the [DNal(2′)-7, Phe-12]-MSH(6–13) sequence was replaced with conventional and unconventional amino acids with different degrees of conformational rigidity. Two derivatives in which Gly10 was replaced by the residues Aic and Cha, respectively, had substantial activity against Candida strains, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. krusei and against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Conformational analysis indicated that the helical structure along residues 8–13 is a key factor in antimicrobial activity. Synthetic analogues of α-MSH can be valuable agents to treat infections in humans. The structural preferences associated with antimicrobial activity identified in this research can help further development of synthetic melanocortins with enhanced biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Luigia Auriemma
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Limatola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Maro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Science, ‘A. Rossi Fanelli’, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Luca
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Science, ‘A. Rossi Fanelli’, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Grazia
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Science, ‘A. Rossi Fanelli’, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Gatti
- Center for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy
| | | | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Catania
- Center for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
- * E-mail:
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49
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Saar-Dover R, Ashkenazi A, Shai Y. Peptide interaction with and insertion into membranes. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 1033:173-83. [PMID: 23996178 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-487-6_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Natural and synthetic membrane active peptides as well as fragments from membrane proteins interact with membranes. In several cases, such interactions cause the insertion of the peptides to the membrane and their assembly within the lipid bilayer. Here we present spectroscopic approaches utilizing NBD and rhodamine fluorescently labeled peptides to measure peptide-membrane interaction and peptide-peptide interaction within the membrane. The usage of the physical properties of NBD and rhodamine in solution and in membranes provides useful information on the interplay between peptides and lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Saar-Dover
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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