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Zou K, Yin K, Ren S, Zhang R, Zhang L, Zhao Y, Li R. Activity and mechanism of action of antimicrobial peptide ACPs against Candida albicans. Life Sci 2024; 350:122767. [PMID: 38843993 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122767] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Candida albicans is the most prevalent pathogenic fungus, exhibiting escalating multidrug resistance (MDR). Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising candidates for addressing this issue. In this research, five antimicrobial peptides, ACP1 to ACP5 which named ACPs were studied as alternative fungicidal molecules. MAIN METHODS CD assay was used to analyze the 2D structures, Absorbance method was used to test the antimicrobial activity, haemolytic activity, time-kill kinetics, biofilm inhibition and reduction activity, resistance induction activity and assessment against fluconazole-resistant C. albicans. SEM, TEM, CLSM, flow cytometer and FM were carried out to provide insight into the mechanisms of anti-Candida action. KEY FINDINGS ACPs possessed an α-helical structure and strong anti-Candida activities, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) from 3.9 to 15.6 μg/mL. In addition, ACPs did not produce hemolysis at concentrations lower than 10 or 62 × MIC, indicating their low cytotoxicity. Fungicidal kinetics showed that they completely killed C. albicans within 8 h at 2 to 4 × MIC. Notably, ACPs were highly fungicidal against fluconazole-resistant C. albicans and showed low resistance. In addition, they were effective in inhibiting mycelium and biofilm formation. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that while fluconazole had minimal to no inhibitory effect on biofilm-forming cells, ACPs induced apoptosis in all of them. The research on mechanism of action revealed that ACPs disrupted the cell membranes, with ROS increasing and cellular mitochondrial membrane potential decreasing. SIGNIFICANCE ACPs could be promising candidates for combating fluconazole-resistant C. albicans infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuiming Zou
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Kedong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Information Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Shiming Ren
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Ruiling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; School of Economics and Trade, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Yingyuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Ruifang Li
- Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Zhengzhou, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
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Ding L, Tao X, Zhou J. Effect of a comprehensive geriatric assessment-based individualized intervention on postoperative patients with cerebral hemorrhage: A randomized controlled study. Technol Health Care 2024; 32:1555-1567. [PMID: 38073343 DOI: 10.3233/thc-230611] [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] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has been used in inpatient, outpatient, and emergency patients in Western countries and is an important evaluation tool in medicine. In China, the application of CGA to multiple single diseases has achieved satisfactory intervention effects. OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of CGA on postoperative quality of life (QoL), psychological state, neurological recovery, and self-efficacy in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 133 postoperative patients with cerebral hemorrhage who were treated and nursed in our hospital between March 2019 and March 2021 were randomly assigned to a control group (68 patients) and an observation group (65 patients). The control group was given a general comprehensive care intervention. The observation group was evaluated using an electronic medical record-based CGA system that assessed patient prognosis and was given individualized interventions based on the CGA findings. The postoperative QoL, psychological state, neurological recovery, and self-efficacy of the two groups were compared. RESULTS After the intervention, self-decompression, self-decision-making, and positive attitudes of the observation group were higher than those of the control group. However, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, the Self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the social support score was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group. After the intervention, the mental vitality, social interaction, emotional restriction, and mental status scores of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group. CONCLUSION Comprehensive evaluation of patients with cerebral hemorrhage based on a CGA, targeting the individual factors that affect the prognosis of patients, and formulating and implementing individualized nursing intervention programs based on the CGA results can effectively relieve the symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve the QoL of patients with cerebral hemorrhage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ding
- Department of Neurology, Liyuan Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Neurology, Liyuan Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xinyan Tao
- VIP Ward, Hubei Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Neurology, Liyuan Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jingjing Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Liyuan Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Torres R, Barreto-Santamaría A, Arévalo-Pinzón G, Firacative C, Gómez BL, Escandón P, Patarroyo MA, Muñoz JE. In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Three Synthetic Peptides against Candida auris and Other Candida Species of Medical Importance. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1234. [PMID: 37627654 PMCID: PMC10451292 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12081234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Candidiasis is an opportunistic infection affecting immunosuppressed and hospitalized patients, with mortality rates approaching 40% in Colombia. The growing pharmacological resistance of Candida species and the emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida auris are major public health problems. Therefore, different antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being investigated as therapeutic alternatives to control candidiasis effectively and safely. This work aimed to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of three synthetic AMPs, PNR20, PNR20-1, and 35409, against ATCC reference strains of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis, and clinical isolates of C. auris. Antifungal susceptibility testing, determined by broth microdilution, showed that the AMPs have antifungal activity against planktonic cells of all Candida species evaluated. In C. auris and C. albicans, the peptides had an effect on biofilm formation and cell viability, as determined by the XTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Also, morphological alterations in the membrane and at the intracellular level of these species were induced by the peptides, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. In vitro, the AMPs had no cytotoxicity against L929 murine fibroblasts. Our results showed that the evaluated AMPs are potential therapeutic alternatives against the most important Candida species in Colombia and the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richar Torres
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Bogotá 110311, Colombia;
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (C.F.); (B.L.G.)
| | - Adriana Barreto-Santamaría
- Receptor-Ligand Department Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia; (A.B.-S.); (G.A.-P.)
| | - Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Receptor-Ligand Department Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia; (A.B.-S.); (G.A.-P.)
| | - Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (C.F.); (B.L.G.)
| | - Beatriz L. Gómez
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (C.F.); (B.L.G.)
| | - Patricia Escandón
- Microbiology Group, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá 111321, Colombia;
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia;
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Julián E. Muñoz
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (C.F.); (B.L.G.)
- Public Health Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia
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Li R, Wang X, Yin K, Xu Q, Ren S, Wang X, Wang Z, Yi Y. Fatty acid modification of antimicrobial peptide CGA-N9 and the combats against Candida albicans infection. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 211:115535. [PMID: 37019190 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
High-efficiency and low-toxic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are supposed to be the future candidates to solve the increasingly prominent problems of Candida albicans infection and drug resistance. Generally, introduction of hydrophobic moieties on AMPs resulted in analogues with remarkably increased activity against pathogens. CGA-N9, an antifungal peptide found in our lab, is a Candida-selective antimicrobial peptide capable of preferentially killing Candida spp. relative to benign microorganisms with low toxicities. We speculate that fatty acid modification could improve the anti-Candida activity of CGA-N9. In the present investigation, a set of CGA-N9 analogues with fatty acid conjugations at N-terminus were obtained. The biological activities of CGA-N9 analogues were determined. The results showed that the n-octanoic acid conjugation of CGA-N9 (CGA-N9-C8) was the optimal CGA-N9 analogue with the highest anti-Candida activity and biosafety; exhibited the strongest biofilm inhibition activity and biofilm eradication ability; and the highest stability against protease hydrolysis in serum. Furthermore, CGA-N9-C8 is less prone to develop resistance for C. albicans in reference with fluconazole; CGA-N9-C8 also exhibited Candidacidal activity to the planktonic cells and the persister cells of C. albicans; reduced C. albicans susceptibility in a systemic candidiasis mouse model. In conclusion, fatty acid modification is an effective method to enhance the antimicrobial activity of CGA-N9, and CGA-N9-C8 is a promising candidate to defend C. albicans infection and resolve C. albicans drug resistance.
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Wu J, Li R, Shen Y, Zhang X, Wang X, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Huang L, Zhang L, Zhang B. Candida tropicalis oligopeptide transporters assist in the transmembrane transport of the antimicrobial peptide CGA-N9. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 649:101-109. [PMID: 36764112 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.083] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Candida tropicalis is often reported as the second or third most common pathogen causing fungal infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted increasing attention for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and low cytotoxicity. Our previous studies have shown that CGA-N9, a non-membrane-rupturing AMP, crosses the cell membrane to exert anticandidal activity. We speculate that there are some related transporters that assist in the transmembrane transport of CGA-N9. In this study, the relationship between CGA-N9 lethality kinetics and its real-time transmembrane amount in C. tropicalis cells was investigated. The results demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between its candicidal activity and transmembrane amount. A total of 12 oligopeptide transporter (OPT) coding sequences (CDSs) were cloned from C. tropicalis by using the conservative OPT gene sequences of Candida spp. to design primers and were named C. tropicalis OPTs (CtOPTs). The results of RT‒qPCR demonstrated that the expression levels of CtOPT1, CtOPT9 and CtOPT12 were correlated with the CGA-N9 transmembrane amount in a time-dependent manner. The results of molecular docking demonstrated that CtOPT1, CtOPT9 and CtOPT12 interact strongly with CGA-N9. Therefore, CtOPT1, CtOPT9 and CtOPT12 were predicted to assist in the transmembrane transport of the AMP CGA-N9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasha Wu
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Ruifang Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
| | - Yunpeng Shen
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Xinhui Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Xueqin Wang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Zichao Wang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Yingyuan Zhao
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Liang Huang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Lan Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Functional Molecules for Biomedical Research, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
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Zheng L, Shen L, Li Z, Zhang X, Wu M, Zhang Y, Liu J. Design, Preparation, and Evaluation of Osthol Poly-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles with Improved In Vitro Anticancer Activity in Neuroblastoma Treatment. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27206908. [PMID: 36296500 PMCID: PMC9609737 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27206908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Osthol (osthole), known as a neuroprotective drug, has shown potent anticancer activity. However, the potential clinical application of osthol is limited due to its low water solubility and low bioavailability. Polybutyl cyanoacrylate (PBCA) has been widely used to improve the solubility of drugs with poor water solubility. In this study, an orthogonal experimental design (OED) was applied to design the preparation process of PBCA nanoparticles (NPs). Then, nanoparticles were prepared and evaluated in terms of physicochemical properties, in vitro release, and cellular uptake, etc. Further, the anti-cancer activity of osthol-PBCA NPs was demonstrated in SH-SY5Y cells. The pharmacokinetics and area under the curve (AUC) were investigated. The obtained osthol-NPs presented a spherical shape with a particle size of 110 ± 6.7 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.126, and a zeta potential of −13 ± 0.32 mV. Compared with the free osthol, the drugs in osthol-NPs presented better stability and sustained release pattern activity. In vitro analysis using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells showed that osthol-loaded nanoparticles displayed a significantly enhanced intracellular absorption process (three times) and cytotoxicity compared with free osthol (p < 0.05, increased 10−20%). The in vivo pharmacokinetic study revealed that the AUC of osthol-NPs was 3.3-fold higher than that of free osthol. In conclusion, osthol-PBCA NPs can enhance the bioactivity of osthol, being proposed as a novel, promising vehicle for drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqing Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (J.L.)
| | - Lixia Shen
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Ze Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Life Science Research Center, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Miaomiao Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (J.L.)
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Li R, Qiao M, Li S, Wei A, Ren S, Tao M, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Huang L, Shen Y. Antifungal Peptide CGA-N9 Protects Against Systemic Candidiasis in Mice. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10368-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Du Y, Chen Z, Yan P, Zhang C, Duan X, Chen X, Liu M, Kang L, Yang X, Fan Y, Zhang J, Wang R. Arginine-Arginine-Leucine Peptide Targeting Heat Shock Protein 70 for Cancer Imaging. Mol Pharm 2021; 18:3750-3762. [PMID: 34491767 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Arg-Arg-Leu (RRL) is a potent tumor-homing tripeptide. However, the binding target is unclear. In this study, we intended to identify the binding target of RRL and evaluate the tumor targeting of 99mTc-MAG3-RRL in vivo. Biotin-RRL, 5-TAMRA-RRL, and 99mTc-MAG3-RRL were designed to trace the binding target and tumor lesion. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry was conducted to identify the candidate proteins and determination of the subcellular localization was also performed. A pull-down assay was performed to demonstrate the immunoprecipitate. Fluorescence colocalization and cell uptake assays were performed to elucidate the correlation between the selected binding protein and RRL, and the internalization mechanism of RRL. Biodistribution and in vivo imaging were performed to evaluate the tumor accumulation and targeting of 99mTc-MAG3-RRL. The target for RRL was screened to be heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). The prominent uptake distribution of RRL was concentrated in the membrane and cytoplasm. A pull-down assay demonstrated the existence of HSP70 in the biotin-RRL captured complex. Regarding fluorescence colocalization and cell uptake assays, RRL may interact with HSP70 at the nucleotide-binding domain (NBD). Clathrin-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis could be a vital internalization mechanism of RRL. In vivo imaging and biodistribution both demonstrated that 99mTc-MAG3-RRL can trace tumors with satisfactory accumulation in hepatoma xenograft mice. The radioactive signals accumulated in tumor lesions can be blocked by VER-155008, which can bind to the NBD of HSP70. Our findings revealed that RRL may interact with HSP70 and that 99mTc-MAG3-RRL could be a prospective probe for visualizing overexpressed HSP70 tumor sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujing Du
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Chunli Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Xiaojiang Duan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Xueqi Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Lei Kang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Xing Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Yan Fan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Rongfu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University International Hospital, Beijing 102206, China
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Huang L, Li R, Wang X, Zhang L, Zhang B. Preparation and Characterization of Nanoliposomes Loaded with the Antimicrobial Peptide CGA-N9. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10286-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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10
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Internalization and membrane activity of the antimicrobial peptide CGA-N12. Biochem J 2021; 478:1907-1919. [PMID: 33955460 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20201006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are conventional antibiotic alternatives due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities and special mechanisms of action against pathogens. The antifungal peptide CGA-N12 was originally derived from human chromogranin A (CGA) and consists of the 65th to 76th amino acids of the CGA N-terminal region. In the present study, we found that CGA-N12 had fungicidal activity and exhibited time-dependent inhibition activity against Candida tropicalis. CGA-N12 entered the cells to exert its antagonist activity. The internalization of CGA-N12 was energy-dependent and accompanied by actin cytoskeleton-, clathrin-, sulfate proteoglycan-, endosome-, and lipid-depleting agent-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the CGA-N12 internalization pathway was related to the peptide concentration. The effects of CGA-N12 on the cell membrane were investigated. CGA-N12 at a low concentration less than 4 × MIC100 did not destroy the cell membrane. While with increasing concentration, the damage to the cell membrane caused by CGA-N12 became more serious. At concentrations greater than 4 × MIC100, CGA-N12 destroyed the cell membrane integrity. Therefore, the membrane activity of CGA-N12 is concentration dependant.
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Li D, Yang Y, Li R, Huang L, Wang Z, Deng Q, Dong S. N-terminal acetylation of antimicrobial peptide L163 improves its stability against protease degradation. J Pept Sci 2021; 27:e3337. [PMID: 33987904 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptide L163 was computationally designed by our laboratory; L163 is active against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria but is easily degraded in the plasma and by trypsin. Amino acid substitution, cyclization, and amino-terminal (N-terminal) acetylation were performed to obtain L163 analogs with high stability in the plasma and in trypsin solutions. The stability, antimicrobial activity, and biosafety of L163 and its analogs were investigated. Comparison with unmodified L163 indicated that N-terminal acetylation enhanced the stability against pH, plasma, and trypsin degradation, and phenylalanine (Phe) substitution for leucine (Leu) and cysteine bridge (S-S) cyclization decreased the stability. N-terminal acetylation also enhanced antimicrobial activity against MDR Streptococcus Sc181, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus E1478F; did not change the activity against MDR Staphylococcus aureus 9, Staphylococcus sciuri P254, and Staphylococcus aureus RN4220; and decreased the activity against Candida tropicalis, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis Fbc35. Phe substitution for Leu and S-S cyclization decreased the antimicrobial activity. The negative effect of these modifications was detected against biofilm formation by the tested microbial strains. Comparison of Phe substitution for Leu and S-S cyclization indicated that N-terminally acetylated L163 (L163-Ac) is the best candidate. L163-Ac peptide had the highest antibacterial activity and enhanced tolerance to temperature, pH, plasma, and trypsin and low toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanhui Yang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruifang Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Liang Huang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zichao Wang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiwu Deng
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuaibo Dong
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
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Cheng R, Xu Q, Hu F, Li H, Yang B, Duan Z, Zhang K, Wu J, Li W, Luo Z. Antifungal activity of MAF-1A peptide against Candida albicans. Int Microbiol 2021; 24:233-242. [PMID: 33452940 PMCID: PMC8046747 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-021-00159-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Invasive candidiasis is a major threat to human health, and Candida albicans is the most common pathogenic species responsible for this condition. The incidence of drug-resistant strains of C. albicans is rising, necessitating the development of new antifungal drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently attracted attention due to their unique ability to evade the drug resistance of microorganisms. However, the mechanism of their activity has not yet been identified. The current study analyzed the mode of action of MAF-1A by confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescent staining, flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR. The results indicate that MAF-1A disrupts the cell membrane of C. albicans and enters the cell where it binds and interacts with nucleic acids. qRT-PCR demonstrated that the expression of several sterol biosynthesis–related genes in C. albicans was increased after MAF-1A treatment. Together, these findings suggest that MAF-1A exerts antifungal action by affecting both the cell membrane and intracellular components. The antifungal mechanism of MAF-1A is unique, and its identification has great research and clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Cheng
- Department of Central Lab, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Central Lab, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Fangfang Hu
- Department of Laboratory, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Hongling Li
- Department of Laboratory, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Central Lab, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Zonggang Duan
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Department of Human Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China.
| | - Zhenhua Luo
- Department of Central Lab, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China.
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13
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Zhang H, Qin G, Yu H, Han X, Zhu S. Comprehensive genomic and immunophenotypic analysis of CD4 T cell infiltrating human triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 70:1649-1665. [PMID: 33301062 PMCID: PMC8139937 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02807-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the gene expression module of tumor-infiltrating CD4+T cells and its potential roles in modulating immune cell functions in triple-negative breast cancer. Differentially expressed genes were identified by comparison of the expression profile in CD4+T cells isolated from tumor tissues and peripheral blood of TNBC patients respectively. The differential expression analysis was conducted using R, and then the functional and pathway enrichment of the DEGs were analyzed using GSEA, followed by integrated regulatory network construction and genetic analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells based on a scientific deconvolution algorithm. As a result, abundant Treg and exhausted lymphocytes were detected, accompanied by largely decreased of effector/memory and cytotoxic T cells. Immune-related gene correlation analysis showed that the extent of follicular helper T cells gene expression signatures were inversely associated with those of CD4+ naive T cells and CD4+ memory resting T cells, but positively correlated with that of CD4+ memory activated T cells. In addition, we found five core genes including IFNG, CTLA4, FAS, CXCR6, and JUN were significantly over expressed in CD4+ TILs which may contribute to exhaustion of lymphocytes and participate in biological processes associated with regulation of chemotaxis. Study provides a comprehensive understanding of the roles of DEGs associated with the chemotactic and exhausted immunophenotypes of CD4+ TILs that are a valuable resource from which future investigation may be carried out to better understand the mechanisms that promote TNBC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Zhang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunity, Center of Infection and Immunization, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cancer Hospital Affiliated To Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 People’s Republic of China
| | - Guohui Qin
- grid.412633.1Biotherapy Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui Yu
- Henan Animal Health Supervision Institute, Zhengzhou, 450008 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu Han
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunity, Center of Infection and Immunization, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cancer Hospital Affiliated To Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 People’s Republic of China
| | - Sha Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunity, Center of Infection and Immunization, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cancer Hospital Affiliated To Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Changes in the Ultrastructure of Candida albicans Treated with Cationic Peptides. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8040582. [PMID: 32316565 PMCID: PMC7232200 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8040582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is becoming increasingly harmful for humans, which determines the need for new effective antifungal preparations. Currently, when testing antifungals, various morphological methods are used, among which transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is not the leading one. In this work, we used TEM to study the submicroscopic changes in C. albicans cells induced by cationic peptides R9F2 and (KFF)3K. Studies were performed on C. albicans-34 strain from the Collection of EMTC of ICBFM SB RAS in logarithmic phase. R9F2 and (KFF)3K showed an antifungal effect (MIC 10 and 20 μM) and suppressed fungal hyphal growth. Semithin and ultrathin sections of fungal suspensions incubated with 10 μM of peptides were studied at regular intervals from 15 min to 24 h. The first target of both peptides was plasmalemma, and its “alignment” was the only common morphological manifestation of their effect. Other changes in the plasmalemma and alteration of the vacuole and cell wall ultrastructure distinctly differed in cells treated with R9F2 and (KFF)3K peptides. In general, our work has shown pronounced differences of the temporal and morphologic characteristics of the effect of peptides, evidently related to their physicochemical properties. The benefit of TEM studies of ultrathin sections for understanding the mechanisms of action of antifungal drugs is shown.
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Li R, Chen C, Zhang B, Jing H, Wang Z, Wu C, Hao P, Kuang Y, Yang M. The chromogranin A-derived antifungal peptide CGA-N9 induces apoptosis in Candida tropicalis. Biochem J 2019; 476:3069-3080. [PMID: 31652303 PMCID: PMC6824672 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
CGA-N9, a peptide derived from human chromogranin A (CGA), was found to have antimicrobial activity in our previous investigation, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. Herein, the mechanism of action of CGA-N9 was investigated. We found that CGA-N9 induced the depolarization of the cell membrane and uptake of calcium ions into the cytosol and mitochondria. With the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential, the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased. Accordingly, we assessed apoptotic processes in Candida tropicalis cells post-treatment with CGA-N9 and found cytochrome c leakage, chromatin condensation and DNA degradation. The interaction of CGA-N9 with DNA in vitro showed that CGA-N9 did not degrade DNA but bound to DNA via an electrostatic interaction. In conclusion, CGA-N9 exhibits antifungal activity by inducing apoptosis in C. tropicalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifang Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Chen Chen
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Hongjuan Jing
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zichao Wang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Chunling Wu
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Pu Hao
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yong Kuang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Minghang Yang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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