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Li Q, Chao W, Qiu L. Therapeutic peptides: chemical strategies fortify peptides for enhanced disease treatment efficacy. Amino Acids 2025; 57:25. [PMID: 40338379 PMCID: PMC12062087 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-025-03454-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2025] [Indexed: 05/09/2025]
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides, as a unique form of medication composed of orderly arranged sequences of amino acids, are valued for their high affinity, specificity, low immunogenicity, and economical production costs. Currently, more than 100 peptides have already secured market approval. Over 150 are actively undergoing clinical trials, while an additional 400-600 are in the preclinical research stage. Despite this, their clinical application is limited by factors such as salt sensitivity, brief residence in the bloodstream, inadequate cellular uptake, and high structural flexibility. By employing suitable chemical methods to modify peptides, it is possible to regulate important physicochemical factors such as charge, hydrophobicity, conformation, amphiphilicity, and sequence that affect the physicochemical properties and biological activity of peptides. This can overcome the inherent deficiencies of peptides, enhance their pharmacokinetic properties and biological activity, and promote continuous progress in the field of research. A diverse array of modified peptides is currently being developed and investigated across numerous therapeutic fields. Drawing on the latest research, this review encapsulates the essential physicochemical factors and significant chemical modification strategies that influence the properties and biological activity of peptides as pharmaceuticals. It also assesses how physicochemical factors affect the application of peptide drugs in disease treatment and the effectiveness of chemical strategies in disease therapy. Concurrently, this review discusses the prospective advancements in therapeutic peptide development, with the goal of offering guidance for designing and optimizing therapeutic peptides and to delve deeper into the therapeutic potential of peptides for disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmei Li
- Hezhou University, Hezhou, 542800, Guangxi, China
- Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Wen Chao
- Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Lijuan Qiu
- Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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2
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Beck K, Nandy J, Hoernke M. Strong Membrane Permeabilization Activity Can Reduce Selectivity of Cyclic Antimicrobial Peptides. J Phys Chem B 2025; 129:2446-2460. [PMID: 39969852 PMCID: PMC11891913 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c05019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2025]
Abstract
Selectivity is a key requirement for membrane-active antimicrobials to be viable in therapeutic contexts. Therefore, the rational design or suitable selection of new compounds requires adequate mechanistic understanding of peptide selectivity. In this study, we compare two similar cyclic peptides that differ only in the arrangement of their three hydrophobic tryptophan (W) and three positively charged arginine (R) residues, yet exhibit different selectivities. This family of peptides has previously been shown to target the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria, but not to act directly by membrane permeabilization. We have systematically studied and compared the interactions of the two peptides with zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) and negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol/phosphatidylethanolamine (PG/PE) model membranes using various biophysical methods to elucidate the mechanism of the selectivity. Like many antimicrobial peptides, the cyclic, cationic hexapeptides investigated here bind more efficiently to negatively charged membranes than to zwitterionic ones. Consequently, the two peptides induce vesicle leakage, changes in lipid packing, vesicle aggregation, and vesicle fusion predominantly in binary, negatively charged PG/PE membranes. The peptide with the larger hydrophobic molecular surface (three adjacent W residues) causes all these investigated effects more efficiently. In particular, it induces leakage by asymmetry stress and/or leaky fusion in zwitterionic and charged membranes, which may contribute to high activity but reduces selectivity. The unselective type of leakage appears to be driven by the more pronounced insertion into the lipid layer, facilitated by the larger hydrophobic surface of the peptide. Therefore, avoiding local accumulation of hydrophobic residues might improve the selectivity of future membrane-active compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Beck
- Pharmaceutical
Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Physiology,
Institute of Theoretical Medicine, University
of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
- Experimental
Physics I, Institute of Physics, University
of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Janina Nandy
- Pharmaceutical
Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Pharmaceutical
Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Physical
Chemistry, Martin-Luther-Universität, 06120 Halle (S.), Germany
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3
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Mitra S, Chandersekhar B, Li Y, Coopershlyak M, Mahoney ME, Evans B, Koenig R, Hall SCL, Klösgen B, Heinrich F, Deslouches B, Tristram-Nagle S. Novel non-helical antimicrobial peptides insert into and fuse lipid model membranes. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:4088-4101. [PMID: 38712559 PMCID: PMC11109824 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00220b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
This research addresses the growing menace of antibiotic resistance by exploring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Specifically, we investigate two linear amphipathic AMPs, LE-53 (12-mer) and LE-55 (16-mer), finding that the shorter LE-53 exhibits greater bactericidal activity against both Gram-negative (G(-)) and Gram-positive (G(+)) bacteria. Remarkably, both AMPs are non-toxic to eukaryotic cells. The heightened effectiveness of LE-53 is attributed to its increased hydrophobicity (H) compared to LE-55. Circular dichroism (CD) reveals that LE-53 and LE-55 both adopt β-sheet and random coil structures in lipid model membranes (LMMs) mimicking G(-) and G(+) bacteria, so secondary structure is not the cause of the potency difference. X-ray diffuse scattering (XDS) reveals increased lipid chain order in LE-53, a potential key distinction. Additionally, XDS study uncovers a significant link between LE-53's upper hydrocarbon location in G(-) and G(+) LMMs and its efficacy. Neutron reflectometry (NR) confirms the AMP locations determined using XDS. Solution small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) demonstrates LE-53's ability to induce vesicle fusion in bacterial LMMs without affecting eukaryotic LMMs, offering a promising strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant strains while preserving human cell integrity, whereas LE-55 has a smaller ability to induce fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saheli Mitra
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Bhairavi Chandersekhar
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Yunshu Li
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Mark Coopershlyak
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Margot E Mahoney
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Brandt Evans
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Rachel Koenig
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Stephen C L Hall
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Beate Klösgen
- University of Southern Denmark, Dept. Physics, Chemistry & Pharmacy, PhyLife, Campusvej 55, Odense M5230, Denmark
| | - Frank Heinrich
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
- Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Berthony Deslouches
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Stephanie Tristram-Nagle
- Biological Physics Group, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Wu Y, Liu P, Mehrjou B, Chu PK. Interdisciplinary-Inspired Smart Antibacterial Materials and Their Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305940. [PMID: 37469232 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of antibiotics has saved millions of lives, but the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become another problem in modern medicine. To avoid or reduce the overuse of antibiotics in antibacterial treatments, stimuli-responsive materials, pathogen-targeting nanoparticles, immunogenic nano-toxoids, and biomimetic materials are being developed to make sterilization better and smarter than conventional therapies. The common goal of smart antibacterial materials (SAMs) is to increase the antibiotic efficacy or function via an antibacterial mechanism different from that of antibiotics in order to increase the antibacterial and biological properties while reducing the risk of drug resistance. The research and development of SAMs are increasingly interdisciplinary because new designs require the knowledge of different fields and input/collaboration from scientists in different fields. A good understanding of energy conversion in materials, physiological characteristics in cells and bacteria, and bactericidal structures and components in nature are expected to promote the development of SAMs. In this review, the importance of multidisciplinary insights for SAMs is emphasized, and the latest advances in SAMs are categorized and discussed according to the pertinent disciplines including materials science, physiology, and biomimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzheng Wu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Babak Mehrjou
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Paul K Chu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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Goki NH, Tehranizadeh ZA, Saberi MR, Khameneh B, Bazzaz BSF. Structure, Function, and Physicochemical Properties of Pore-forming Antimicrobial Peptides. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2024; 25:1041-1057. [PMID: 37921126 DOI: 10.2174/0113892010194428231017051836] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a class of antimicrobial agents, possess considerable potential to treat various microbial ailments. The broad range of activity and rare complete bacterial resistance to AMPs make them ideal candidates for commercial development. These peptides with widely varying compositions and sources share recurrent structural and functional features in mechanisms of action. Studying the mechanisms of AMP activity against bacteria may lead to the development of new antimicrobial agents that are more potent. Generally, AMPs are effective against bacteria by forming pores or disrupting membrane barriers. The important structural aspects of cytoplasmic membranes of pathogens and host cells will also be outlined to understand the selective antimicrobial actions. The antimicrobial activities of AMPs are related to multiple physicochemical properties, such as length, sequence, helicity, charge, hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, polar angle, and also self-association. These parameters are interrelated and need to be considered in combination. So, gathering the most relevant available information will help to design and choose the most effective AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narjes Hosseini Goki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zeinab Amiri Tehranizadeh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Saberi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Bahman Khameneh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Bibi Sedigheh Fazly Bazzaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Peng J, Liu X, Lu Q, Yuan L, Xu W, Zhang H, Zang H. Ultrashort lipo-tetrapeptide with potent antibacterial activity and local therapeutic effect against Staphylococcus aureus. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023; 62:106916. [PMID: 37423581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mastitis in dairy cows is a common infectious disease on dairy farms and a major danger to the dairy industry. The harmful bacteria with the greatest clinical isolation rate are Staphylococcus aureus. As a result, bacterial mastitis in dairy cows can lead to decreased milk output, quality, and costs. Traditional antibiotics are currently used to treat mastitis in dairy cows. Nonetheless, long-term usage of high doses of antibiotics increases the risk of the establishment of drug-resistant strains, and the problem of drug residues is becoming more prevalent. We investigated the antibacterial effects of varying molecular side chain length lipopeptides on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and GS1311 using five tetrapeptide ultrashort lipopeptides developed and synthesised in this study. METHODS To evaluate the application value of the synthesized lipopeptides in the prevention and treatment of mastitis, the lipopeptides with the best antibacterial action were chosen for safety testing and a mouse mastitis model treatment test. RESULTS Three of the lipopeptides produced have strong antibacterial properties. Within the drug's safe concentration range, C16KGGK has an excellent antibacterial action and can have a therapeutic influence on mastitis induced by Staphylococcus aureus infection in mice. CONCLUSION The findings of this study can be used to develop new antibacterial medications and their therapeutic application in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
| | - Xuming Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
| | - Qiangsheng Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
| | - Lvfeng Yuan
- Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Wanyou Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
| | - Hecheng Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
| | - Haoyue Zang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, China.
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Beck K, Nandy J, Hoernke M. Membrane permeabilization can be crucially biased by a fusogenic lipid composition - leaky fusion caused by antimicrobial peptides in model membranes. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2919-2931. [PMID: 37010846 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01691e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Induced membrane permeabilization or leakage is often taken as an indication for activity of membrane-active molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The exact leakage mechanism is often unknown, but important, because certain mechanisms might actually contribute to microbial killing, while others are unselective, or potentially irrelevant in an in vivo situation. Using an antimicrobial example peptide (cR3W3), we illustrate one of the potentially misleading leakage mechanisms: leaky fusion, where leakage is coupled to membrane fusion. Like many others, we examine peptide-induced leakage in model vesicles consisting of binary mixtures of anionic and zwitterionic phospholipids. In fact, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine (PG/PE) are supposed to reflect bacterial membranes, but exhibit a high propensity for vesicle aggregation and fusion. We describe the implications of this vesicle fusion and aggregation for the reliability of model studies. The ambiguous role of the relatively fusogenic PE-lipids becomes clear as leakage decreases significantly when aggregation and fusion are prevented by sterical shielding. Furthermore, the mechanism of leakage changes if PE is exchanged for phosphatidylcholine (PC). We thus point out that the lipid composition of model membranes can be biased towards leaky fusion. This can lead to discrepancies between model studies and activity in true microbes, because leaky fusion is likely prevented by bacterial peptidoglycan layers. In conclusion, choosing the model membrane might implicate the type of effect (here leakage mechanism) that is observed. In the worst case, as with leaky fusion of PG/PE vesicles, this is not directly relevant for the intended antimicrobial application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Beck
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
| | - Janina Nandy
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
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Jin X, Hu X, Jiang S, Zhao T, Zha Y, Wei S, Zhao J, Wang M, Zhang Y. Temporin-GHb-Derived Peptides Exhibit Potent Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities against Staphylococcus aureus In Vitro and Protect Mice from Acute Infectious Pneumonia. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:840-855. [PMID: 36862073 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
With the continuous development of drug resistance in bacteria to traditional antibiotics, the demand for novel antibacterial agents is urgent. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates because of their unique mechanism of action and low tendency to induce drug resistance. Previously, we cloned temporin-GHb (hereafter referred to simply as "GHb") from Hylarana guentheri. In this study, a series of derived peptides were designed, namely, GHbR, GHbK, GHb3K, GHb11K, and GHbK4R. The five derived peptides had stronger antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus than the parent peptide GHb and could effectively inhibit the formation of biofilms and eradicate mature biofilms in vitro. GHbR, GHbK, GHb3K, and GHbK4R exerted bactericidal effects by disrupting membrane integrity. However, GHb11K exhibited bacteriostatic efficacy with toroidal pore formation on the cell membrane. In comparison to GHbK4R, GHb3K showed much lower cytotoxicity against A549 alveolar epithelial cells, with an IC50 > 200 μM, which was much higher than its minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC = 3.1 μM) against S. aureus. The anti-infection potential of GHbK4R and GHb3K was investigated in vivo. Compared with vancomycin, the two peptides displayed significant efficacy in a mouse model of acute pneumonia infected with S. aureus. Both GHbK4R and GHb3K also had no obvious toxicity to normal mice after intraperitoneal administration (15 mg/kg) for 8 days. Our results indicate that GHb3K and GHbK4R might be promising candidates for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia infected with S. aureus.
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Wang M, Deng Z, Li Y, Xu K, Ma Y, Yang ST, Wang J. Antibiofilm property and multiple action of peptide PEW300 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:963292. [PMID: 35966656 PMCID: PMC9372277 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.963292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), an opportunistic pathogen, is often associated with difficulties in treating hospital-acquired infections. Biofilms formed by P. aeruginosa significantly improve its resistance to antimicrobial agents, thereby, posing a great challenge to the combat of P. aeruginosa infection. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently emerged as promising antibiofilm agents and increasingly attracting the attention of scientists worldwide. However, current knowledge of their antibiofilm behavior is limited and their underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, a novel AMP, named PEW300, with three-point mutations (E9H, D17K, and T33A) from Cecropin A was used to investigate its antibiofilm property and antibiofilm pathway against P. aeruginosa. PEW300 displayed strong antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against P. aeruginosa with no significant hemolysis or cytotoxicity to mouse erythrocyte and human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Besides, the antibiofilm pathway results showed that PEW300 preferentially dispersed the mature biofilm, leading to the biofilm-encapsulated bacteria exposure and death. Meanwhile, we also found that the extracellular DNA was a critical target of PEW300 against the mature biofilm of P. aeruginosa. In addition, multiple actions of PEW300 including destroying the cell membrane integrity, inducing high levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species, and interacting with genomic DNA were adopted to exert its antibacterial activity. Moreover, PEW300 could dramatically reduce the virulence of P. aeruginosa. Taken together, PEW300 might be served as a promising antibiofilm candidate to combat P. aeruginosa biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zifeng Deng
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanmei Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Keyong Xu
- Kaiping Healthwise Health Food Co., Ltd, Kaiping, China
| | - Yi Ma
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shang-Tian Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jufang Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jufang Wang,
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Peng J, Lu Q, Liu X, Deng Y, Shang T, Yuan L, Zhang H, Zeng Q. Antibacterial effect of synthetic ultra-short lipopeptide on Streptococcus agalactiae and its active on bacterial mastitis in mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 601:153-159. [PMID: 35247769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.02.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae mastitis is one of the significant threats to the milk industry. The traditional antibiotic treatment method is easy to cause the emergence of resistant strains, and the problem of drug residue is increasingly severe. In this study, we designed and synthesized five lipopeptides. The antibacterial activity of different molecular structure lipopeptides against Streptococcus agalactiae was detected. Furthermore, the mouse mastitis model was established using Streptococcus agalactiae. The lipopeptides with better antibacterial effect were selected for the treatment experiment to evaluate the application value in the treatment of mastitis. The results showed that 4 of the synthesized lipopeptides had specific antibacterial activity. SLP3 and SLP4 have an excellent antibacterial effect and can treat murine mastitis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae infection within the safe concentration range. The results of this study can provide an excellent experimental basis for new antibiotics and clinical application in the treatment of dairy cow mastitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China.
| | - Qiangsheng Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
| | - Xuming Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
| | - Yuanjie Deng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
| | - Tiantian Shang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
| | - Lvfeng Yuan
- Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu, PR China
| | - Hecheng Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
| | - Qiaoying Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu, PR China
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11
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Shi S, Markl AM, Lu Z, Liu R, Hoernke M. Interplay of Fusion, Leakage, and Electrostatic Lipid Clustering: Membrane Perturbations by a Hydrophobic Antimicrobial Polycation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:2379-2391. [PMID: 35148117 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane active compounds are able to induce various types of membrane perturbations. Natural or biomimetic candidates for antimicrobial treatment or drug delivery scenarios are mostly designed and tested for their ability to induce membrane permeabilization, also termed leakage. Furthermore, the interaction of these usually cationic amphiphiles with negatively charged vesicles often causes colloidal instability leading to vesicle aggregation or/and vesicle fusion. We show the interplay of these modes of membrane perturbation in mixed phosphatidyl glycerol (PG)/phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) by the statistical copolymer MM:CO comprising, both, charged and hydrophobic subunits. MM:CO is a representative of partially hydrophobic, highly active, but less selective antimicrobial polycations. Cryo-electron microscopy indicates vesicle fusion rather than vesicle aggregation upon the addition of MM:CO to negatively charged PG/PE (1:1) vesicles. In a combination of fluorescence-based leakage and fusion assays, there is support for membrane permeabilization and pronounced vesicle fusion activity as distinct effects. To this end, membrane fusion and aggregation were prevented by including lipids with polyethylene glycol attached to their head groups (PEG-lipids). The leakage activity of MM:CO is very similar in the absence and presence of PEG-lipids. Vesicle aggregation and fusion however are largely suppressed. This strongly suggests that MM:CO induces leakage by asymmetric packing stress because of hydrophobically driven interactions which could lead to leakage. As a further membrane perturbation effect, MM:CO causes lipid clustering in model vesicles. We address potential artifacts and misinterpretations of experiments characterizing leakage and fusion. Additional to the leakage activity, the pronounced fusogenic activity of the polymer and potentially of many other similar compounds likely has implications for antimicrobial activity and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Shi
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 79104 Freiburg i.Br., Germany
| | - Anja Madleine Markl
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 79104 Freiburg i.Br., Germany
| | - Ziyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 79104 Freiburg i.Br., Germany
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12
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Lin C, Wang Y, Le M, Chen KF, Jia YG. Recent Progress in Bile Acid-Based Antimicrobials. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:395-410. [PMID: 33683873 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
With the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and the formation of biofilms by bacteria and fungi, microbial infections gradually threaten global health. Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have low susceptibility for developing resistance due to the membrane targeted mechanism, but instability and high manufacturing cost limit their applications in clinic. Bile acids, a group of steroids in the human body, with high stability, biocompatibility, and inherent facial amphiphilic structure similar to the characteristics of AMPs, have been applied to the biological field, such as drug delivery systems, self-healing hydrogels, antimicrobials, and so on. In this review, we mainly focus on the different classes of bile acid-based antimicrobials in recent years. Various designs and methods for the preparation of unimolecular antimicrobials with bile acid skeletons are first introduced, including coupling of primary amine, quaternary ammonium, and amino acid units with bile acid skeletons. Some representative oligomeric antimicrobials, including dimers of bile acids, are summarized. Finally, macromolecular antimicrobials bearing some positive charges at the main chain or side chain and interaction mechanisms of these bile acid-based antimicrobials are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihong Lin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.,National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yushi Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Mengqi Le
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Feng Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.,National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yong-Guang Jia
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.,National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Innovation Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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13
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Colella F, Scillitani G, Pierri CL. Sweet as honey, bitter as bile: Mitochondriotoxic peptides and other therapeutic proteins isolated from animal tissues, for dealing with mitochondrial apoptosis. Toxicology 2020; 447:152612. [PMID: 33171268 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria are subcellular organelles involved in cell metabolism and cell life-cycle. Their role in apoptosis regulation makes them an interesting target of new drugs for dealing with cancer or rare diseases. Several peptides and proteins isolated from animal and plant sources are known for their therapeutic properties and have been tested on cancer cell-lines and xenograft murine models, highlighting their ability in inducing cell-death by triggering mitochondrial apoptosis. Some of those molecules have been even approved as drugs. Conversely, many other bioactive compounds are still under investigation for their proapoptotic properties. In this review we report about a group of peptides, isolated from animal venoms, with potential therapeutic properties related to their ability in triggering mitochondrial apoptosis. This class of compounds is known with different names, such as mitochondriotoxins or mitocans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Colella
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Ciro Leonardo Pierri
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy; BROWSer S.r.l. (https://browser-bioinf.com/) c/o Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University "Aldo Moro" of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70126, Bari, Italy.
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14
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Guo W, Xu S, Reichart TM, Xiao M, Lu T, Mello C, Chen Z. Probing Molecular Interactions between Surface-Immobilized Antimicrobial Peptides and Lipopolysaccharides In Situ. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:12383-12393. [PMID: 33034460 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Recently, a label-free immobilized antimicrobial peptide (AMP) surface plasmon resonance platform was developed to successfully distinguish LPS from multiple bacterial strains. Among the tested AMPs, SMAP29 exhibited excellent affinity with LPS and has two independent LPS-binding sites located at two termini of the peptide. In this study, sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy was applied to investigate molecular interactions between three LPS samples and surface-immobilized SMAP29 via the N-terminus, the C-terminus, and a middle site at the solid/liquid interface in situ in real-time, supplemented by circular dichroism spectroscopy. It was found that the conformations and orientations of surface-immobilized SMAP29 via different sites are different when interacting with the same LPS, with different interaction kinetics. The same SMAP29 sample also has different structures and interaction kinetics while interacting with different LPS samples with different charge densities and hydrophobicities. The observed results on molecular interactions between surface-immobilized peptides and LPS can well interpret the different adsorption amounts of various LPSs on different surface-immobilized peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Shan Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Timothy M Reichart
- Office of the Chief Scientist, Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, 15 Kansas Street, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943, United States
| | - Minyu Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Tieyi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Charlene Mello
- Office of the Chief Scientist, Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, 15 Kansas Street, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
| | - Zhan Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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