1
|
Bello-Madruga R, Torrent Burgas M. The limits of prediction: Why intrinsically disordered regions challenge our understanding of antimicrobial peptides. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:972-981. [PMID: 38404711 PMCID: PMC10884422 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.02.008] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules found in most organisms, playing a vital role in innate immune defense against pathogens. Their mechanism of action involves the disruption of bacterial cell membranes, causing leakage of cellular contents and ultimately leading to cell death. While AMPs typically lack a defined structure in solution, they often assume a defined conformation when interacting with bacterial membranes. Given this structural flexibility, we investigated whether intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) with AMP-like properties could exhibit antimicrobial activity. We tested 14 peptides from different IDRs predicted to have antimicrobial activity and found that nearly all of them did not display the anticipated effects. These peptides failed to adopt a defined secondary structure and had compromised membrane interactions, resulting in a lack of antimicrobial activity. We hypothesize that evolutionary constraints may prevent IDRs from folding, even in membrane-like environments, limiting their antimicrobial potential. Moreover, our research reveals that current antimicrobial predictors fail to accurately capture the structural features of peptides when dealing with intrinsically unstructured sequences. Hence, the results presented here may have far-reaching implications for designing and improving antimicrobial strategies and therapies against infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bello-Madruga
- The Systems Biology of Infection Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Marc Torrent Burgas
- The Systems Biology of Infection Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hejníková M, Tomčala A, Černý J, Kodrík D. Melittin-The principal toxin of honeybee venom-Is also produced in the honeybee fat body. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 281:109928. [PMID: 38649084 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Melittin is a powerful toxin present in honeybee venom that is active in a wide range of animals, from insects to humans. Melittin exerts numerous biological, toxicological, and pharmacological effects, the most important of which is destruction of the cell membrane. The phospholipase activity of melittin and its ability to activate phospholipases in the venom contribute to these actions. Using analytical methods, we discovered that the honeybee Apis mellifera produces melittin not only in the venom gland but also in its fat body cells, which remain resistant to this toxin's effects. We suggest that melittin acts as an anti-bacterial agent, since its gene expression is significantly upregulated when honeybees are infected with Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria; additionally, melittin effectively kills these bacteria in the disc diffusion test. We hypothesize that the chemical and physicochemical properties of the melittin molecule (hydrophilicity, lipophilicity, and capacity to form tetramers) in combination with reactive conditions (melittin concentration, salt concentration, pH, and temperature) are responsible for the targeted destruction of bacterial cells and apparent tolerance towards own tissue cells. Considering that melittin is an important current and, importantly, potential broad-spectrum medication, a thorough understanding of the observed phenomena may significantly increase its use in clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markéta Hejníková
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Tomčala
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Water, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, Na Sádkách 1780, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Černý
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Kodrík
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Alobaid AA, Skoda MWA, Harris LK, Campbell RA. Translational use of homing peptides: Tumor and placental targeting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:1033-1043. [PMID: 38387365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Tissue-specific homing peptides have been shown to improve chemotherapeutic efficacy due to their trophism for tumor cells. Other sequences that selectively home to the placenta are providing new and safer therapeutics to treat complications in pregnancy. Our hypothesis is that the placental homing peptide RSGVAKS (RSG) may have binding affinity to cancer cells, and that insight can be gained into the binding mechanisms of RSG and the tumor homing peptide CGKRK to model membranes that mimic the primary lipid compositions of the respective cells. EXPERIMENTS Following cell culture studies on the binding efficacy of the peptides on a breast cancer cell line, a systematic translational characterization is delivered using ellipsometry, Brewster angle microscopy and neutron reflectometry of the extents, structures, and dynamics of the interactions of the peptides with the model membranes on a Langmuir trough. FINDINGS We start by revealing that RSG does indeed have binding affinity to breast cancer cells. The peptide is then shown to exhibit stronger interactions and greater penetration than CGKRK into both model membranes, combined with greater disruption to the lipid component. RSG also forms aggregates bound to the model membranes, yet both peptides bind to a greater extent to the placental than cancer model membranes. The results demonstrate the potential for varying local reservoirs of peptide within cell membranes that may influence receptor binding. The innovative nature of our findings motivates the urgent need for more studies involving multifaceted experimental platforms to explore the use of specific peptide sequences to home to different cellular targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdulaziz A Alobaid
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait
| | - Maximilian W A Skoda
- ISIS Neutron & Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lynda K Harris
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom; St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom; Olson Center for Women's Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States.
| | - Richard A Campbell
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yang R, Xue Z, Li X, Xu T, Zhong Y, Hu S, Qin S, Guo Y. Novel natural osthole-inspired amphiphiles as membrane targeting antibacterials against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Eur J Med Chem 2024; 271:116449. [PMID: 38691893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a widespread pathogen causing clinical infections and is multi-resistant to many antibiotics, making it urgent need to develop novel antibacterials to combat MRSA. Herein, we designed and prepared a series of novel osthole amphiphiles 6a-6ad by mimicking the structures and function of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Antibacterial assays showed that osthole amphiphile 6aa strongly inhibited S. aureus and 10 clinical MRSA isolates with MIC values of 1-2 μg/mL, comparable to that of the commercial antibiotic vancomycin. Additionally, 6aa had the advantages of rapid bacteria killing without readily developing drug resistance, low toxicity, good membrane selectivity, and good plasma stability. Mechanistic studies indicated that 6aa possesses good membrane-targeting ability to bind to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) on the bacterial cell membranes, thereby disrupting the cell membranes and causing an increase in intracellular ROS as well as leakage of proteins and DNA, and accelerating bacterial death. Notably, in vivo activity results revealed that 6aa exhibits strong anti-MRSA efficacy than vancomycin as well as a substantial reduction in MRSA-induced proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-6. Given the impressive in vitro and in vivo anti-MRSA efficacy of 6aa, which makes it a potential candidate against MRSA infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruige Yang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan Province, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China.
| | - Zihan Xue
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Xinhui Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yan Zhong
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Songlin Hu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Shangshang Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan Province, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liao M, Gong H, Liu H, Shen K, Ge T, King S, Schweins R, McBain AJ, Hu X, Lu JR. Combination of a pH-responsive peptide amphiphile and a conventional antibiotic in treating Gram-negative bacteria. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 659:397-412. [PMID: 38183806 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical treatments ofgastric infections using antibiotics suffer from the undesired killing of commensal bacteria and emergence of antibiotic resistance. It is desirable to develop pH-responsive antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that kill pathogenic bacteria such as H. pyloriand resistant E. coli under acidic environment with minimal impact to commensal bacteria whilst not causing antibiotic resistance. EXPERIMENTS Using a combined approach of cell assays, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and membrane models facilitating biophysical and biochemical measurements including small angle neutron scattering (SANS), we have characterized the pH-responsive physiochemical properties and antimicrobial performance of two amphiphilic AMPs, GIIKDIIKDIIKDI-NH2 and GIIKKIIDDIIKKI-NH2 (denoted as 3D and 2D, respectively), that were designed by selective substitutions of cationic residues of Lys (K) in the extensively studied AMP G(IIKK)3I-NH2 with anionic residue Asp (D). FINDINGS Whilst 2D kept non-ordered coils across the entire pH range studied, 3D displayed a range of secondary structures when pH was shifted from basic to acidic, with distinct self-assembly into nanofibers in aqueous environment. Further experimental and modeling studies revealed that the AMPs interacted differently with the inner and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria in a pH-responsive manner and that the structural features characterized by membrane leakage and intramembrane nanoaggregates revealed from fluorescence spectroscopy and SANS were well linked to antimicrobial actions. Different antimicrobial efficacies of 2D and 3D were underlined by the interplay between their ability to bind to the outer membrane lipid LPS (lipopolysaccharide), outer membrane permeability change and inner membrane depolarization and leakage. Furthermore, AMP's binding with the inner membrane under acidic condition caused both the dissipation of membrane potential (Δψ) and the continuous dissipation of transmembrane ΔpH, with Δψ and ΔpH being the key components of the proton motive force. Combinations of antibiotic (Minocycline) with the pH-responsive AMP generated the synergistic effects against Gram-negative bacteria only under acidic condition. These features are crucial to target applications to gastric infections, anti-acne and wound healing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Liao
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Haoning Gong
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Huayang Liu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kangcheng Shen
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Tianhao Ge
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Stephen King
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - Andrew J McBain
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Xuzhi Hu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Jian R Lu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
He S, Deber CM. Interaction of designed cationic antimicrobial peptides with the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1894. [PMID: 38253659 PMCID: PMC10803810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51716-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is a hallmark feature of gram-negative bacteria that provides the species with heightened resistance against antibiotic threats while cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) are natural antibiotics broadly recognized for their ability to disrupt bacterial membranes. It has been well-established that lipopolysaccharides present on the OM are among major targets of CAP activity against gram-negative species. Here we investigate how the relative distribution of charged residues along the primary peptide sequence, in conjunction with its overall hydrophobicity, affects such peptide-OM interactions in the natural CAP Ponericin W1. Using a designed peptide library derived from Ponericin W1, we determined that the consecutive placement of Lys residues at the peptide N- or C-terminus (ex. "PonN": KKKKKKWLGSALIGALLPSVVGLFQ) enhances peptide binding affinity to OM lipopolysaccharides compared to constructs where Lys residues are interspersed throughout the primary sequence (ex. "PonAmp": WLKKALKIGAKLLPSVVKLFKGSGQ). Antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was similarly found to be highest among Lys-clustered sequences. Our findings suggest that while native Ponericin W1 exerts its initial activity at the OM, Lys-clustering may be a promising means to enhance potency towards this interface, thereby augmenting peptide entry and activity at the IM, with apparent advantage against multidrug-resistant species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shelley He
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Charles M Deber
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chianese A, Zannella C, Monti A, Doti N, Sanna G, Manzin A, De Filippis A, Galdiero M. Hylin-a1: A Pan-Inhibitor against Emerging and Re-Emerging Respiratory Viruses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13888. [PMID: 37762191 PMCID: PMC10531407 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pandemic and epidemic outbreaks of respiratory viruses are a challenge for public health and social care system worldwide, leading to high mortality and morbidity among the human populations. In light of the limited efficacy of current vaccines and antiviral drugs against respiratory viral infections and the emergence and re-emergence of new viruses, novel broad-spectrum antiviral drugs are needed for the prevention and treatment of these infections. Antimicrobial peptides with an antiviral effect, also known as AVPs, have already been reported as potent inhibitors of viral infections by affecting different stages of the virus lifecycle. In the present study, we analyzed the activity of the AVP Hylin-a1, secreted by the frog Hypsiboas albopunctatus, against a wide range of respiratory viruses, including the coronaviruses HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2, measles virus, human parainfluenza virus type 3, and influenza virus H1N1. We report a significant inhibitory effect on infectivity in all the enveloped viruses, whereas there was a lack of activity against the naked coxsackievirus B3. Considering the enormous therapeutic potential of Hylin-a1, further experiments are required to elucidate its mechanism of action and to increase its stability by modifying the native sequence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Chianese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.D.F.)
| | - Carla Zannella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.D.F.)
| | - Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (N.D.)
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (N.D.)
| | - Giuseppina Sanna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Aldo Manzin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Anna De Filippis
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.D.F.)
| | - Massimiliano Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.D.F.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu Y, Song M, Wu J, Xie S, Zhou Y, Liu L, Huang M, Jiang L, Xu P, Li J. Exploring the mechanism of photosensitizer conjugation on membrane perturbation of antimicrobial peptide: A multiscale molecular simulation study. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 247:125698. [PMID: 37414326 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exert their biological functions by perturbation with cellular membrane. Conjugation of AMPs with photosensitizer (PS) is a promising strategy for enhancing the efficacy and reducing systemic toxicity of AMPs. However, it is still elusive how the conjugated PS impacts the perturbation of AMPs on cell membrane from molecular level. Here, we addressed this issue by a multiscale computational strategy on pyropheophorbide-a (PPA) conjugated K6L9 (PPA-K6L9), a PS-AMP conjugate developed by us previously. Our atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the porphyrin moiety of PPA enhanced the stability of the conjugate in a lipid bilayer membrane model. Moreover, such moiety also maintained the amphipathic structure of K6L9, which is crucial for membrane pore formation. Coarse-grained MD simulations further showed that the conjugates aggregated in membrane environment and formed more stable toroidal pores with respect to K6L9 alone, suggesting the conjugation of PPA may enhance the membrane-disruption activity of K6L9. Consistent with this, our cellular experiments confirmed that PPA-K6L9 was more toxic to 4 T1 tumor cells than K6L9. This study provides insights into the mechanism by which PS-AMP conjugates disrupt cellular membranes and could aid in the design of more potent AMP conjugates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yichang Liu
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China; School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Meiru Song
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China; Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Juhong Wu
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Song Xie
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Lin Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Lizhi Jiang
- Strait Institute of Flexible Electronics (SIFE, Future Technologies), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian, China; Strait Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (SLoFE), Fuzhou 350117, Fujian, China.
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China.
| | - Jinyu Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sharma L, Bisht GS. Short Antimicrobial Peptides: Therapeutic Potential and Recent Advancements. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:3005-3017. [PMID: 38018196 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128248959231102114334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
There has been a lot of interest in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as potential next-generation antibiotics. They are components of the innate immune system. AMPs have broad-spectrum action and are less prone to resistance development. They show potential applications in various fields, including medicine, agriculture, and the food industry. However, despite the good activity and safety profiles, AMPs have had difficulty finding success in the clinic due to their various limitations, such as production cost, proteolytic susceptibility, and oral bioavailability. To overcome these flaws, a number of solutions have been devised, one of which is developing short antimicrobial peptides. Short antimicrobial peptides do have an advantage over longer peptides as they are more stable and do not collapse during absorption. They have generated a lot of interest because of their evolutionary success and advantageous properties, such as low molecular weight, selective targets, cell or organelles with minimal toxicity, and enormous therapeutic potential. This article provides an overview of the development of short antimicrobial peptides with an emphasis on those with ≤ 30 amino acid residues as a potential therapeutic agent to fight drug-resistant microorganisms. It also emphasizes their applications in many fields and discusses their current state in clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lalita Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Gopal Singh Bisht
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Himachal Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|