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Orozco RMQ, Oshiro KGN, Pinto IB, Buccini DF, Almeida CV, Marin VN, de Souza CM, Macedo MLR, Cardoso MH, Franco OL. Employment of mastoparan-like peptides to prevent Staphylococcus aureus associated with bovine mastitis. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0007124. [PMID: 38629875 PMCID: PMC11112992 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00071-24] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bovine mastitis is a frequent infection in lactating cattle, causing great economic losses. Staphylococcus aureus represents the main etiological agent, which causes recurrent and persistent intramammary infections because conventional antibiotics are ineffective against it. Mastoparan-like peptides are multifunctional molecules with broad antimicrobial potential, constituting an attractive alternative. Nevertheless, their toxicity to host cells has hindered their therapeutic application. Previously, our group engineered three mastoparan-L analogs, namely mastoparan-MO, mastoparan-R1, and [I5, R8] MP, to improve cell selectivity and potential. Here, we were interested in comparing the antibacterial efficacy of mastoparan-L and its analogs against bovine mastitis isolates of S. aureus strains, making a correlation with the physicochemical properties and structural arrangement changes promoted by the sequence modifications. As a result, the analog's hemolytic and/or antimicrobial activity was balanced. All the peptides displayed α-helical folding in hydrophobic and membrane-mimetic environments, as determined by circular dichroism. The peptide [I5, R8] MP stood out for its enhanced selectivity and antibacterial features related to mastoparan-L and the other derivatives. Biophysical approaches revealed that [I5, R8] MP rapidly depolarizes the bacterial membrane of S. aureus, causing cell death by subsequent membrane disruption. Our results demonstrated that the [I5, R8] MP peptide could be a starting point for the development of peptide-based drugs for the treatment of bovine mastitis, with the advantage of no residue in milk, which would help reduce the use of classical antibiotics.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of mastitis, the world's most important dairy cattle disease. The multidrug resistance and zoonotic potential of S. aureus, besides the likelihood of antibiotic residues in milk, are of critical concern to public and animal health. Antimicrobial peptides offer a novel antimicrobial strategy. Here, we demonstrate that [I5, R8] MP is a potent and selective peptide, which acts on S. aureus by targeting the bacterial membrane. Therefore, understanding the physicochemical determinants and the modes of action of this class of antimicrobials opens novel prospects for peptide development with enhanced activities in the bovine mastitis context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel M. Q. Orozco
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Karen G. N. Oshiro
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Ingrid B. Pinto
- Laboratório de Síntese e Transformações de Moléculas Orgânicas, Instituo de Química, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Danieli F. Buccini
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Claudiane V. Almeida
- Laboratório de Purificação de Proteínas e suas Funções Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Valentina Nieto Marin
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Camila Maurmann de Souza
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Maria L. R. Macedo
- Laboratório de Purificação de Proteínas e suas Funções Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Marlon H. Cardoso
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Laboratório de Purificação de Proteínas e suas Funções Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Octávio L. Franco
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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Su Y, Shahriar SSM, Andrabi SM, Wang C, Sharma NS, Xiao Y, Wong SL, Wang G, Xie J. It Takes Two to Tangle: Microneedle Patches Co-delivering Monoclonal Antibodies and Engineered Antimicrobial Peptides Effectively Eradicate Wound Biofilms. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300519. [PMID: 38217528 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300519] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Wound biofilms pose a great clinical challenge. Herein, this work reports a dissolvable microneedle patch for dual delivery of monoclonal antibodies anti-PBP2a and engineers antimicrobial peptides W379. In vitro antibacterial efficacy testing with microneedle patches containing a combination of 250 ng mL-1 W379 and 250 ng mL-1 anti-BPB2a decreases the bacterial count from ≈3.31 × 107 CFU mL-1 to 1.28 × 102 CFU mL-1 within 2 h without eliciting evident cytotoxicity. Ex vivo testing indicates W379 and anti-PBP2a co-loaded microneedle patch displayed a remarkable reduction of bacterial load by ≈7.18 log CFU after administered only once within 48 h. The bacterial count is significantly diminished compared to the treatment by either W379 or anti-PBP2a-loaded alone microneedle patches. When administered twice within 48 h, no bacteria are identified. Further in vivo study also reveals that after two treatments of W379 and anti-PBP2a co-loaded PVP microneedle patches within 48 h, the bacterial colonies are undetectable in a type II diabetic mouse wound biofilm model. Taken together, W379 and anti-PBP2a co-loaded PVP microneedle patches hold great promise in treating wound biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Shatil S M Shahriar
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Syed Muntazir Andrabi
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Chenlong Wang
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Navatha Shree Sharma
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Yizhu Xiao
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Shannon L Wong
- Department of Surgery-Plastic Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
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Chen X, Yang J, Qu C, Zhang Q, Sun S, Liu L. Anti- Staphylococcus aureus effects of natural antimicrobial peptides and the underlying mechanisms. Future Microbiol 2024; 19:355-372. [PMID: 38440873 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0168] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus can cause localized infections such as abscesses and pneumonia, as well as systemic infections such as bacteremia and sepsis. Especially, methicillin-resistant S. aureus often presents multidrug resistance, which becomes a major clinical challenge. One of the most common reasons for methicillin-resistant S. aureus antibiotic resistance is the presence of biofilms. Natural antimicrobial peptides derived from different species have shown effectiveness in combating S. aureus biofilms. In this review, we summarize the inhibitory activity of antimicrobial peptides against S. aureus planktonic cells and biofilms. We also summarize the possible inhibitory mechanisms, involving cell adhesion inhibition, membrane fracture, biofilm disruption and DNA disruption. We believe this can provide the basis for further research against S. aureus biofilm-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiuli Yang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Shandong Medicine & Health Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Chang Qu
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Daxing District Hospital of Integrated Chinese & Western Medicine. Beijing, 102600, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujuan Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital. Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China
| | - Lihong Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
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Xu B, Wang L, Yang C, Yan R, Zhang P, Jin M, Du H, Wang Y. Specifically targeted antimicrobial peptides synergize with bacterial-entrapping peptide against systemic MRSA infections. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00036-5. [PMID: 38266820 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.023] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The design of precision antimicrobials aims to personalize the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections and avoid host microbiota dysbiosis. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to propose an efficient de novo design strategy to obtain specifically targeted antimicrobial peptides (STAMPs) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). METHODS We evaluated three strategies designed to increase the selectivity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) for MRSA and mainly adopted an advanced hybrid peptide strategy. First, we proposed a traversal design to generate sequences, and constructed machine learning models to predict the anti-S. aureus activity levels of unknown peptides. Subsequently, six peptides were predicted to have high activity, among which, a broad-spectrum AMP (P18) was selected. Finally, the two targeting peptides from phage display libraries or lysostaphin were used to confer specific anti-S. aureus activity to P18. STAMPs were further screened out from hybrid peptides based on their in vitro and in vivo activities. RESULTS An advanced hybrid peptide strategy can enhance the specific and targeted properties of broad-spectrum AMPs. Among 25 assessed peptides, 10 passed in vitro tests, and two peptides containing one bacterial-entrapping peptide (BEP) and one STAMP passed an in vivo test. The lead STAMP (P18E6) disrupted MRSA cell walls and membranes, eliminated established biofilms, and exhibited desirable biocompatibility, systemic distribution and efficacy, and immunomodulatory activity in vivo. Furthermore, a bacterial-entrapping peptide (BEP, SP5) modified from P18, self-assembled into nanonetworks and rapidly entrapped MRSA. SP5 synergized with P18E6 to enhance antibacterial activity in vitro and reduced systemic MRSA infections. CONCLUSIONS This strategy may aid in the design of STAMPs against drug-resistant strains, and BEPs can serve as powerful STAMP adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bocheng Xu
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lin Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Rong Yan
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Pan Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingliang Jin
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huahua Du
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yizhen Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Green Feed and Healthy Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science (Eastern of China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Jiang W, Zhou M, Chen S, Xie J, Chen M, Zhang H, Wu Y, Chen X, Liu R. Peptide-Mimicking Poly(2-oxazoline)s Possessing Potent Antifungal Activity and BBB Penetrating Property to Treat Invasive Infections and Meningitis. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:25753-25765. [PMID: 37966432 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections, including meningitis, cause a high mortality rate due to few available antifungal drugs and frequently associated side effects and quick emergence of drug-resistant fungi. The restrictive permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) further limits the efficacy of antifungal agents substantially in treating meningitis. Hereby, we design and synthesize guanidinium-functionalized poly(2-oxazoline)s by mimicking cell-penetrating peptides. The optimal polymer, PGMeOx10 bearing a methylene spacer arm, displays potent activities against the drug-resistant fungi and biofilm, negligible toxicity, and insusceptibility to antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, PGMeOx10 can break BBB retractions to exert promising antifungal functions in the brain. PGMeOx10 demonstrates potent in vivo antifungal therapeutic efficacy in mouse models including skin infection, systemic infections, and meningitis. PGMeOx10 effectively rescues infected mice and reduces fungal burden and inflammation in the brain. These results and the excellent biosafety of poly(2-oxazoline)s indicate the effectiveness and potential of our strategy to design promising antifungal agents in treating systemic infections and meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weinan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiayang Xie
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Minzhang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Haodong Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yueming Wu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine 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, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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Mechesso AF, Su Y, Xie J, Wang G. Enhanced Antimicrobial Screening Sensitivity Enabled the Identification of an Ultrashort Peptide KR-8 for Engineering of LL-37mini to Combat Drug-Resistant Pathogens. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2215-2225. [PMID: 37812567 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00293] [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: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Identification of novel antibiotics is of top importance because of the threat of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial screening in Mueller-Hinton broth is frequently the first step in antimicrobial discovery. Although widely utilized, this medium is not ideal as it could mask activity of candidates such as human cathelicidin LL-37 against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study identified a sensitive medium where LL-37 displayed excellent activity against numerous pathogens, including MRSA. Our screen of ultrashort overlapping LL-37 peptides in this medium led to the identification of KR-8, four residues shorter than KR-12. Hence, our screen condition may increase positive compound hits during antimicrobial screening. KR-8 provided an appealing template for us to design LL-37mini, which was potent against MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but not toxic to mammalian cells. LL-37mini also inhibited bacterial attachment and biofilm formation and disrupted preformed biofilms in vitro and killed MRSA in murine wound biofilms in vivo. Consistent with membrane targeting, MRSA failed to develop resistance to LL-37mini in a multiple-passage experiment. Because LL-37mini can be made cost effectively, it can be developed into new antibiofilm and antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Fikru Mechesso
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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Balakrishnan N, Katkar R, Pham PV, Downey T, Kashyap P, Anastasiu DC, Ramasubramanian AK. Prospection of Peptide Inhibitors of Thrombin from Diverse Origins Using a Machine Learning Pipeline. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1300. [PMID: 38002424 PMCID: PMC10669389 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10111300] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Thrombin is a key enzyme involved in the development and progression of many cardiovascular diseases. Direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), with their minimum off-target effects and immediacy of action, have greatly improved the treatment of these diseases. However, the risk of bleeding, pharmacokinetic issues, and thrombotic complications remain major concerns. In an effort to increase the effectiveness of the DTI discovery pipeline, we developed a two-stage machine learning pipeline to identify and rank peptide sequences based on their effective thrombin inhibitory potential. The positive dataset for our model consisted of thrombin inhibitor peptides and their binding affinities (KI) curated from published literature, and the negative dataset consisted of peptides with no known thrombin inhibitory or related activity. The first stage of the model identified thrombin inhibitory sequences with Matthew's Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 83.6%. The second stage of the model, which covers an eight-order of magnitude range in KI values, predicted the binding affinity of new sequences with a log room mean square error (RMSE) of 1.114. These models also revealed physicochemical and structural characteristics that are hidden but unique to thrombin inhibitor peptides. Using the model, we classified more than 10 million peptides from diverse sources and identified unique short peptide sequences (<15 aa) of interest, based on their predicted KI. Based on the binding energies of the interaction of the peptide with thrombin, we identified a promising set of putative DTI candidates. The prediction pipeline is available on a web server.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivedha Balakrishnan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA (P.K.)
| | - Rahul Katkar
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA (P.K.)
| | - Peter V. Pham
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA (P.K.)
| | - Taylor Downey
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA (D.C.A.)
| | - Prarthna Kashyap
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA (P.K.)
| | - David C. Anastasiu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA (D.C.A.)
| | - Anand K. Ramasubramanian
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95192, USA (P.K.)
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8
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Wang G. The antimicrobial peptide database is 20 years old: Recent developments and future directions. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4778. [PMID: 37695921 PMCID: PMC10535814 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4778] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
In 2023, the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (currently available at https://aps.unmc.edu) is 20-years-old. The timeline for the APD expansion in peptide entries, classification methods, search functions, post-translational modifications, binding targets, and mechanisms of action of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been summarized in our previous Protein Science paper. This article highlights new database additions and findings. To facilitate antimicrobial development to combat drug-resistant pathogens, the APD has been re-annotating the data for antibacterial activity (active, inactive, and uncertain), toxicity (hemolytic and nonhemolytic AMPs), and salt tolerance (salt sensitive and insensitive). Comparison of the respective desired and undesired AMP groups produces new knowledge for peptide design. Our unification of AMPs from the six life kingdoms into "natural AMPs" enabled the first comparison with globular or transmembrane proteins. Due to the dominance of amphipathic helical and disulfide-linked peptides, cysteine, glycine, and lysine in natural AMPs are much more abundant than those in globular proteins. To include peptides predicted by machine learning, a new "predicted" group has been created. Remarkably, the averaged amino acid composition of predicted peptides is located between the lower bound of natural AMPs and the upper bound of synthetic peptides. Synthetic peptides in the current APD, with the highest cationic and hydrophobic amino acid percentages, are mostly designed with varying degrees of optimization. Hence, natural AMPs accumulated in the APD over 20 years have laid the foundation for machine learning prediction. We discuss future directions for peptide discovery. It is anticipated that the APD will continue to play a role in research and education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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9
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Hao Y, Teng D, Mao R, Yang N, Wang J. Site Mutation Improves the Expression and Antimicrobial Properties of Fungal Defense. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1283. [PMID: 37627703 PMCID: PMC10451632 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12081283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have highly desirable intrinsic characteristics in their commercial product development as new antimicrobials, the limitations of AMPs from experimental to scale development include the low oral bioavailability, and high production costs due to inadequate in vitro/in vivo gene expression- and low scale. Plectasin has good bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, and the selective bactericidal activity greatly reduces the damage to the micro-ecosystem when applied in vivo. However, its expression level was relatively low (748.63 mg/L). In view of these situations, this study will optimize and modify the structure of Plectasin, hoping to obtain candidates with high expression, no/low toxicity, and maintain desirable antibacterial activity. Through sequence alignment, Plectasin was used as a template to introduce the degenerate bases, and the screening library was constructed. After three different levels of screening, the candidate sequence PN7 was obtained, and its total protein yield in the supernatant was 5.53 g/L, with the highest value so far for the variants or constructs from the same ancestor source. PN7 had strong activity against several species of Gram-positive bacteria (MIC value range 1~16 μg/mL). It was relatively stable in various conditions in vitro; in addition, the peptide showed no toxicity to mice for 1 week after intraperitoneal injection. Meanwhile, PN7 kills Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 with a mode of a quicker (>99% S. aureus was killed within 2 h, whereas vancomycin at 2× MIC was 8 h.) and longer PAE period. The findings indicate that PN7 may be a novel promising antimicrobial agent, and this study also provides a model or an example for the design, modification, or reconstruction of novel AMPs and their derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Hao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Da Teng
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ruoyu Mao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Na Yang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Innovative Team of Antimicrobial Peptides and Alternatives to Antibiotics, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
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10
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Ganesan N, Mishra B, Felix L, Mylonakis E. Antimicrobial Peptides and Small Molecules Targeting the Cell Membrane of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0003722. [PMID: 37129495 PMCID: PMC10304793 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00037-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical management of Staphylococcus aureus infections presents a challenge due to the high incidence, considerable virulence, and emergence of drug resistance mechanisms. The treatment of drug-resistant strains, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is further complicated by the development of tolerance and persistence to antimicrobial agents in clinical use. To address these challenges, membrane disruptors, that are not generally considered during drug discovery for agents against S. aureus, should be explored. The cell membrane protects S. aureus from external stresses and antimicrobial agents, but membrane-targeting antimicrobial agents are probably less likely to promote bacterial resistance. Nontypical linear cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), highly modified AMPs such as daptomycin (lipopeptide), bacitracin (cyclic peptide), and gramicidin S (cyclic peptide), are currently in clinical use. Recent studies have demonstrated that AMPs and small molecules can penetrate the cell membrane of S. aureus, inhibit phospholipid biosynthesis, or block the passage of solutes between the periplasm and the exterior of the cell. In addition to their primary mechanism of action (MOA) that targets the bacterial membrane, AMPs and small molecules may also impact bacteria through secondary mechanisms such as targeting the biofilm, and downregulating virulence genes of S. aureus. In this review, we discuss the current state of research into cell membrane-targeting AMPs and small molecules and their potential mechanisms of action against drug-resistant physiological forms of S. aureus, including persister cells and biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narchonai Ganesan
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - LewisOscar Felix
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
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11
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Niu M, Gu X, Yang J, Cui H, Hou X, Ma Y, Wang C, Wei G. Dual-Mechanism Glycolipidpeptide with High Antimicrobial Activity, Immunomodulatory Activity, and Potential Application for Combined Antibacterial Therapy. ACS NANO 2023; 17:6292-6316. [PMID: 36951612 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c10249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial drug resistance is becoming increasingly serious, and it is urgent to develop effective antibacterial drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as potential candidates against bacteria, have a broad prospect for development. Herein, a series of AMPs with biological characteristics (net positive charge, amphiphilicity, and α-helix), an AXA motif recognized by membrane bound serine protease type I signal peptidases (SPase I), an FLPII motif to reduce hemolysis, and a monosaccharide motif to improve the stability and activity were designed and synthesized, and among which, the glycolipidpeptide GLP6 (glycosylated LP6 lipopeptide) had excellent antibacterial and immunomodulatory activity, good stability and biocompatibility, and excellent biofilm eradication and membrane penetrating activity. The positively charged spherical aggregates formed by self-assembly of GLP6 could encapsulate tetracycline (TC) to form GLP6@TC with a sustained-release effect, which could enhance the sensitivity of bacteria to the antibiotic and realize combined sterilization. The results of acute peritonitis and bacterial keratitis showed that GLP6@TC had a good combined antibacterial effect and the ability to inhibit interleukin-2 (IL-2), which could significantly reduce the inflammatory response while treating bacterial infection, and it had great potential for application. The results of computer molecular docking showed the AXA motif could effectively bind to SPase I, which was consistent with the results of biological experiments. In general, the study could provide a perspective for the design of AMPs and combined antibacterial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingcong Niu
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Xiulian Gu
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jingyi Yang
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Haoyu Cui
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Xinyi Hou
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Chunhua Wang
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Guangcheng Wei
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
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12
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Li G, Lai Z, Shan A. Advances of Antimicrobial Peptide-Based Biomaterials for the Treatment of Bacterial Infections. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206602. [PMID: 36722732 PMCID: PMC10104676 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the increase in multidrug-resistant bacterial isolates in hospitals globally and the lack of truly effective antimicrobial agents, antibiotic resistant bacterial infections have increased substantially. There is thus an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial drugs and their related formulations. In recent years, natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), AMP optimization, self-assembled AMPs, AMP hydrogels, and biomaterial-assisted delivery of AMPs have shown great potential in the treatment of bacterial infections. In this review, it is focused on the development prospects and shortcomings of various AMP-based biomaterials for treating animal model infections, such as abdominal, skin, and eye infections. It is hoped that this review will inspire further innovations in the design of AMP-based biomaterials for the treatment of bacterial infections and accelerate their commercialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyu Li
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
| | - Zhenheng Lai
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- The Institute of Animal NutritionNortheast Agricultural UniversityHarbin150030P. R. China
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13
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Su Y, Andrabi SM, Shahriar SMS, Wong SL, Wang G, Xie J. Triggered release of antimicrobial peptide from microneedle patches for treatment of wound biofilms. J Control Release 2023; 356:131-141. [PMID: 36858263 PMCID: PMC10073311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms pose a great challenge for wound management. Herein, this study describes a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive microneedle patch for on-demand release of antimicrobial peptide for treatment of wound biofilms. IR780 iodide as a photothermal conversion agent and molecularly engineered peptide W379 as an antimicrobial agent are loaded in dissolvable poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) microneedle patches followed by coating with a phase change material 1-tetradecanol (TD). After placing in an aqueous solution or biofilm containing wounds ex vivo and in vivo, upon exposure to NIR light, the incorporated IR780 induces light-to-heat conversion, causing the melting of TD. This leads to the dissolution of PVP microneedles, enabling the release of loaded W379 peptide from the microneedles into surrounding regions (e.g., solution, biofilm, wound bed). Compared with traditional microneedle patches, NIR light responsive microneedle patches can program the release of antimicrobial peptide and show high antibacterial efficacy in vitro. Meanwhile, this work indicates that NIR light responsive TD-coated, W379-loaded PVP microneedle patches show excellent antibiofilm activities ex vivo and in vivo. Additionally, this microneedle system could be a promising platform for delivering other antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States
| | - Syed Muntazir Andrabi
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States
| | - S M Shatil Shahriar
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States
| | - Shannon L Wong
- Department of Surgery-Plastic Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States; Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, United States.
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14
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Geng Z, Cao Z, Liu J. Recent advances in targeted antibacterial therapy basing on nanomaterials. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2023; 3:20210117. [PMID: 37323620 PMCID: PMC10191045 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial infection has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. Despite the fact that antibiotics have provided successful management in bacterial infections, the long-term overconsumption and abuse of antibiotics has contributed to the emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria. To address this challenge, nanomaterials with intrinsic antibacterial properties or that serve as drug carriers have been substantially developed as an alternative to fight against bacterial infection. Systematically and deeply understanding the antibacterial mechanisms of nanomaterials is extremely important for designing new therapeutics. Recently, nanomaterials-mediated targeted bacteria depletion in either a passive or active manner is one of the most promising approaches for antibacterial treatment by increasing local concentration around bacterial cells to enhance inhibitory activity and reduce side effects. Passive targeting approach is widely explored by searching nanomaterial-based alternatives to antibiotics, while active targeting strategy relies on biomimetic or biomolecular surface feature that can selectively recognize targeted bacteria. In this review article, we summarize the recent developments in the field of targeted antibacterial therapy based on nanomaterials, which will promote more innovative thinking focusing on the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongmin Geng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
- Qingdao Cancer InstituteQingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Zhenping Cao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jinyao Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
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15
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Zhang H, Chen Q, Xie J, Cong Z, Cao C, Zhang W, Zhang D, Chen S, Gu J, Deng S, Qiao Z, Zhang X, Li M, Lu Z, Liu R. Switching from membrane disrupting to membrane crossing, an effective strategy in designing antibacterial polypeptide. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabn0771. [PMID: 36696494 PMCID: PMC9876554 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn0771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Drug-resistant bacterial infections have caused serious threats to human health and call for effective antibacterial agents that have low propensity to induce antimicrobial resistance. Host defense peptide-mimicking peptides are actively explored, among which poly-β-l-lysine displays potent antibacterial activity but high cytotoxicity due to the helical structure and strong membrane disruption effect. Here, we report an effective strategy to optimize antimicrobial peptides by switching membrane disrupting to membrane penetrating and intracellular targeting by breaking the helical structure using racemic residues. Introducing β-homo-glycine into poly-β-lysine effectively reduces the toxicity of resulting poly-β-peptides and affords the optimal poly-β-peptide, βLys50HG50, which shows potent antibacterial activity against clinically isolated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and MRSA persister cells, excellent biosafety, no antimicrobial resistance, and strong therapeutic potential in both local and systemic MRSA infections. The optimal poly-β-peptide demonstrates strong therapeutic potential and implies the success of our approach as a generalizable strategy in designing promising antibacterial polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haodong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qi Chen
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiayang Xie
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zihao Cong
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Chuntao Cao
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Donghui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiawei Gu
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shuai Deng
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhongqian Qiao
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Maoquan Li
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Ziyi Lu
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- 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, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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16
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Synthetic peptides that form nanostructured micelles have potent antibiotic and antibiofilm activity against polymicrobial infections. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219679120. [PMID: 36649429 PMCID: PMC9942841 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219679120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens is a growing threat to global public health. Here, we report the development and characterization of a panel of nine-amino acid residue synthetic peptides that display potent antibacterial activity and the ability to disrupt preestablished microbial biofilms. The lead peptide (Peptide K6) showed bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in culture and in monocultures and mixed biofilms in vitro. Biophysical analysis revealed that Peptide K6 self-assembled into nanostructured micelles that correlated with its strong antibiofilm activity. When surface displayed on the outer membrane protein LamB, two copies of the Peptide K6 were highly bactericidal to Escherichia coli. Peptide K6 rapidly increased the permeability of bacterial cells, and resistance to this toxic peptide occurred less quickly than that to the potent antibiotic gentamicin. Furthermore, we found that Peptide K6 was safe and effective in clearing mixed P. aeruginosa-S. aureus biofilms in a mouse model of persistent infection. Taken together, the properties of Peptide K6 suggest that it is a promising antibiotic candidate and that design of additional short peptides that form micelles represents a worthwhile approach for the development of antimicrobial agents.
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17
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John JV, Sharma NS, Tang G, Luo Z, Su Y, Weihs S, Shahriar SMS, Wang G, McCarthy A, Dyke J, Zhang YS, Khademhosseini A, Xie J. Nanofiber Aerogels with Precision Macrochannels and LL-37-Mimic Peptides Synergistically Promote Diabetic Wound Healing. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2023; 33:2206936. [PMID: 36714167 PMCID: PMC9881731 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202206936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Fast healing of diabetic wounds remains a major clinical challenge. Herein, this work reports a strategy to combine nanofiber aerogels containing precision macrochannels and the LL-37-mimic peptide W379 for rapid diabetic wound healing. Nanofiber aerogels consisting of poly(glycolide-co-lactide) (PGLA 90:10)/gelatin and poly-p-dioxanone (PDO)/gelatin short electrospun fiber segments were prepared by partially anisotropic freeze-drying, crosslinking, and sacrificial templating with three-dimensional (3D)-printed meshes, exhibiting nanofibrous architecture and precision micro-/macrochannels. Like human cathelicidin LL-37, W379 peptide at a concentration of 3 μg/mL enhanced the migration and proliferation of keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in a cell scratch assay and a proliferation assay. In vivo studies show that nanofiber aerogels with precision macrochannels can greatly promote cell penetration compared to aerogels without macrochannels. Relative to control and aerogels with and without macrochannels, adding W379 peptides to aerogels with precision macrochannels shows the best efficacy in healing diabetic wounds in mice in terms of cell infiltration, neovascularization, and re-epithelialization. The fast re-epithelization could be due to upregulation of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p38 MAPK) after treatment with W379. Together, the approach developed in this work could be promising for the treatment of diabetic wounds and other chronic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson V. John
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, United States
| | - Navatha Shree Sharma
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guosheng Tang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Zeyu Luo
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Shelbie Weihs
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - S. M. Shatil Shahriar
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Alec McCarthy
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Justin Dyke
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Ali Khademhosseini
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, United States
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18
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Decker AP, Su Y, Mishra B, Verma A, Lushnikova T, Xie J, Wang G. Peptide Stability Is Important but Not a General Requirement for Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity In Vitro and In Vivo. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:738-749. [PMID: 36485036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00918] [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: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Peptide stability to proteases has been a major requirement for developing peptide therapeutics. This study investigates the effects of peptide stability on antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity under various conditions. For this purpose, two human cathelicidin-derived peptides differing in stability to proteases were utilized. While GF-17, a peptide derived from the major antimicrobial region of human LL-37, can be rapidly cleaved by proteases, the engineered peptide 17BIPHE2 is resistant to multiple proteases. In the standard antimicrobial susceptibility, killing kinetics, and membrane permeabilization assays conducted in vitro using planktonic bacteria, these two peptides displayed similar potency. The two peptides were also similarly active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 prior to biofilm formation. However, 17BIPHE2 was superior to GF-17 in disrupting preformed biofilms probably due to both enhanced stability and slightly higher DNA binding capacity. In a wax moth model, 17BIPHE2 better protected insects from MRSA infection-caused death than GF-17, consistent with the slower degradation of 17BIPHE2 than GF-17. Here, peptide antimicrobial activity was found to be critical for in vivo efficacy. When incorporated in the nanofiber/microneedle delivery device, GF-17 and 17BIPHE2 displayed a similar effect in eliminating MRSA in murine chronic wounds, underscoring the advantage of nanofibers in protecting the peptide from degradation. Since nanoformulation can ease the requirement of peptide stability, it opens the door to a direct use of natural peptides or their cocktails for antimicrobial treatment, accelerating the search of effective antibiofilm peptides to treat chronic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P Decker
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Atul Verma
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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19
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Fathi F, Ghobeh M, H Shirazi F, Tabarzad M. Design and Evaluation of a Novel Anti-microbial Peptide from Cathelicidin-2: Selectively Active Against Acinetobacter baumannii. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH : IJPR 2023; 22:e141920. [PMID: 38435443 PMCID: PMC10909124 DOI: 10.5812/ijpr-141920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Background Infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms have increased the need for hospital care and have thus represented a public health problem and a significant financial burden. Classical treatments consisting of traditional antibiotics face several challenges today. Anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) are a conserved characteristic of the innate immune response among different animal species to defend against pathogenic microorganisms. Objectives In this study, a new peptide sequence (mCHTL131-140) was designed using the in silico approach. Methods Cathelicidin-2 (UniprotID: Q2IAL7) was used as a potential antimicrobial protein, and a novel 10 - 12 amino acids sequence AMP was designed using bioinformatics tools and the AMP databases. Then, the anti-bacterial, anti-biofilm, and anti-fungal properties of the peptide, as well as its hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity towards human fibroblast (HDF) cells, were investigated in vitro. Results Online bioinformatics tools indicated that the peptide sequence could have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-biofilm properties with little hemolytic properties. The experimental tests confirmed that mCHTL131-140 exhibited the best anti-bacterial properties against Acinetobacter baumannii and had fair anti-fungal properties. Besides, it did not cause red blood cell lysis and showed no cytotoxicity towards HDF cells. Conclusions In general, the designed peptide can be considered a promising AMP to control hospital-acquired infections by A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Fathi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Ghobeh
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farshad H Shirazi
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Expanding the Landscape of Amino Acid-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides: Definition, Deployment in Nature, Implications for Peptide Design and Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112874. [PMID: 36361660 PMCID: PMC9658076 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike the α-helical and β-sheet antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), our knowledge on amino acid-rich AMPs is limited. This article conducts a systematic study of rich AMPs (>25%) from different life kingdoms based on the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD) using the program R. Of 3425 peptides, 724 rich AMPs were identified. Rich AMPs are more common in animals and bacteria than in plants. In different animal classes, a unique set of rich AMPs is deployed. While histidine, proline, and arginine-rich AMPs are abundant in mammals, alanine, glycine, and leucine-rich AMPs are common in amphibians. Ten amino acids (Ala, Cys, Gly, His, Ile, Lys, Leu, Pro, Arg, and Val) are frequently observed in rich AMPs, seven (Asp, Glu, Phe, Ser, Thr, Trp, and Tyr) are occasionally observed, and three (Met, Asn, and Gln) were not yet found. Leucine is much more frequent in forming rich AMPs than either valine or isoleucine. To date, no natural AMPs are simultaneously rich in leucine and lysine, while proline, tryptophan, and cysteine-rich peptides can simultaneously be rich in arginine. These findings can be utilized to guide peptide design. Since multiple candidates are potent against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, rich AMPs stand out as promising future antibiotics.
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21
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Salnikov E, Bechinger B. Effect of lipid saturation on the topology and oligomeric state of helical membrane polypeptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184001. [PMID: 35817122 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Natural liquid crystalline membranes are made up of many different lipids carrying a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl chains. Whereas in the past considerable attention has been paid to cholesterol content, the phospholipid head groups and the membrane surface charge the detailed fatty acyl composition was often considered less important. However, recent investigations indicate that the detailed fatty acyl chain composition has pronounced effects on the oligomerization of the transmembrane helical anchoring domains of the MHC II receptor or the membrane alignment of the cationic antimicrobial peptide PGLa. In contrast the antimicrobial peptides magainin 2 and alamethicin are less susceptible to lipid saturation. Using histidine-rich LAH4 designer peptides the high energetic contributions of lipid saturation in stabilizing transmembrane helical alignments are quantitatively evaluated. These observations can have important implications for the biological regulation of membrane proteins and should be taken into considerations during biophysical or structural experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniy Salnikov
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177 Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177 Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, Strasbourg, France; Institut Universitaire de France, France.
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22
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Su Y, Yrastorza JT, Matis M, Cusick J, Zhao S, Wang G, Xie J. Biofilms: Formation, Research Models, Potential Targets, and Methods for Prevention and Treatment. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2203291. [PMID: 36031384 PMCID: PMC9561771 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Due to the continuous rise in biofilm-related infections, biofilms seriously threaten human health. The formation of biofilms makes conventional antibiotics ineffective and dampens immune clearance. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms of biofilm formation and develop novel strategies to treat biofilms more effectively. This review article begins with an introduction to biofilm formation in various clinical scenarios and their corresponding therapy. Established biofilm models used in research are then summarized. The potential targets which may assist in the development of new strategies for combating biofilms are further discussed. The novel technologies developed recently for the prevention and treatment of biofilms including antimicrobial surface coatings, physical removal of biofilms, development of new antimicrobial molecules, and delivery of antimicrobial agents are subsequently presented. Finally, directions for future studies are pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Su
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Jaime T. Yrastorza
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Mitchell Matis
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Jenna Cusick
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Siwei Zhao
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and MicrobiologyCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery‐Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine ProgramCollege of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNE68198USA
- Department of Mechanical and Materials EngineeringCollege of EngineeringUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNE68588USA
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23
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Ghimire J, Guha S, Nelson BJ, Morici LA, Wimley WC. The Remarkable Innate Resistance of Burkholderia bacteria to Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides: Insights into the Mechanism of AMP Resistance. J Membr Biol 2022; 255:503-511. [PMID: 35435452 PMCID: PMC9576820 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-022-00232-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia are remarkably resistant to broad-spectrum, cationic, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). It has been proposed that this innate resistance is related to changes in the outer membrane lipopolysaccharide (OM LPS), including the constitutive, essential modification of outer membrane Lipid A phosphate groups with cationic 4-amino-4-deoxy-arabinose. This modification reduces the overall negative charge on the OM LPS which may change the OM structure and reduce the binding, accumulation, and permeation of cationic AMPs. Similarly, the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can quickly become resistant to many AMPs by multiple mechanisms, frequently, including activation of the arn operon, which leads, transiently, to the same modification of Lipid A. We recently discovered a set of synthetically evolved AMPs that do not invoke any resistance in P. aeruginosa over multiple passages and thus are apparently not inhibited by aminorabinosylation of Lipid A in P. aeruginosa. Here we test these resistance-avoiding peptides, within a set of 18 potent AMPs, against Burkholderia thailandensis. We find that none of the AMPs tested have measurable activity against B. thailandensis. Some were inactive at concentrations as high as 150 μM, despite all having sterilizing activity at ≤ 10 μM against a panel of common, human bacterial pathogens, including P. aeruginosa. We speculate that the constitutive modification of Lipid A in members of the Burkholderia genus is only part of a broader set of modifications that change the architecture of the OM to provide such remarkable levels of resistance to cationic AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenisha Ghimire
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Shantanu Guha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Benjamin J. Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Lisa A. Morici
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112,To whom correspondence should be addressed at
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Shi J, Chen C, Wang D, Wang Z, Liu Y. The antimicrobial peptide LI14 combats multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Commun Biol 2022; 5:926. [PMID: 36071151 PMCID: PMC9452538 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03899-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens raises public fears of untreatable infections and represents a huge health risk. There is an urgent need to exploit novel antimicrobial agents. Due to the unique mechanisms, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with a low probability to achieve resistance are regarded as potential antibiotic alternatives to address this issue. Herein, we develop a panel of synthetic peptide compounds with novel structures based on the database filters technology (DFT), and the lead peptide LI14 shows potent antibacterial activity against all tested drug-resistant bacteria. LI14 exhibits rapid bactericidal activity and excellent anti-biofilm and -persisters activity, simultaneously showing a low propensity to induce resistance. Moreover, LI14 shows tolerance against pH, temperatures, and pepsin treatment, and no detectable toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that LI14 induces membrane damage by targeting bacterial-specific membrane components and dissipates the proton motive force (PMF), thereby resulting in metabolic perturbations and the accumulation of toxic metabolic products. Furthermore, LI14 sensitizes clinically relevant antibiotics against MDR bacteria. In animal models of infection, LI14 or combined with antibiotics are effective against drug-resistant pathogens. These findings suggest that LI14 is a promising antibiotic candidate to tackle MDR bacterial infections. A synthetic peptide LI14 demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against drug-resistant bacteria in vitro and in vivo by inducing membrane damage and disrupting membrane potential leading to metabolic perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Chen Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Dejuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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25
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Gao Z, Wang J, Yu W, Bai H, Lv F, Huang Y. Bacteria-mediated in situ polymerization of peptide-modified acrylamide for enhancing antimicrobial activity. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:9946-9949. [PMID: 35983768 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc03858g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria-mediated reactions can utilize the natural activities of bacteria to produce bioactive products. Here, bacteria-mediated polymerization of the acrylamide-functionalized peptide Trp-Arg-Lys (Am-WRK) afforded an antibacterial polymer, PAm-WRK, which simulates the cationic and hydrophobic structures of antimicrobial peptides. Facultative anaerobes with strong reductive abilities exhibited better reactivity and achieved selective antibacterial effects through non-covalent interactions with bacterial membranes. This bacteria-mediated synthesis of AMP-mimic polymers provides a new strategy for overcoming bacterial resistance and for the in situ generation of bioactive functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Gao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China. .,College of Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jiahe Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, MA 02453, USA
| | - Wen Yu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China. .,College of Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Haotian Bai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
| | - Fengting Lv
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
| | - Yiming Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
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26
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Wu Q, Mishra B, Wang G. Linearized teixobactin is inactive and after sequence enhancement, kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via a different mechanism. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2022; 114:e24269. [PMID: 36249542 PMCID: PMC9564113 DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a highly adaptable pathogen that can rapidly develop resistance to conventional antibiotics such as penicillin. Recently, teixobactin was discovered from uncultivated soil bacteria by using the i-chip technology. This depsipeptide forms an ester bond between the backbone C-terminal isoleucine carboxylic acid and the hydroxyl group of threonine at position 8. Also, it contains multiple nonstandard amino acids, making it costly to synthesize. This study reports new peptides designed by linearizing teixobactin. After linearization and conversion to normal amino acids, teixobactin lost its antibacterial activity. Using this inactive template, a series of peptides were designed via hydrophobic patching and residue replacements. Three out of the five peptides were active. YZ105, only active against Gram-positive bacteria, however, showed the highest cell selectivity index. Different from teixobactin, which inhibits cell wall synthesis, YZ105 targeted the membranes of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) based on kinetic killing, membrane permeation, depolarization, and scanning electron microscopy studies. Moreover, YZ105 could kill nafcillin-resistant MRSA, Staphylococcal clinical strains, and disrupted preformed biofilms. Taken together, YZ105, with a simpler sequence, is a promising lead for developing novel anti-MRSA agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Wu
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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27
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C-Locked Analogs of the Antimicrobial Peptide BP214. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11081080. [PMID: 36009951 PMCID: PMC9404711 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11081080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BP214 is an all-D antimicrobial peptide amide, kklfkkilryl, which shows an excellent activity against colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and a low hemolytic activity. The aim of the present work was to investigate how C-terminus-to-side chain macrocyclization and fatty acid modification affect the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of this peptide. In total, 18 analogs of BP214 were synthesized using a combination of Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis and the submonomer approach. Cyclization was achieved by reacting the ε-amino group of a C-terminal lysine residue with a bromoacetylgroup attached to the Nα amino group of the N-terminal amino acid, generating a secondary amine at which the exocyclic lipopeptide tail was assembled. Three different ring sizes (i.e., 3–5 amino acid residues) of C-locked analogs combined with fatty acids of different lengths (i.e., C10–C14) were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of the analogs was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The most promising compound was analog 13 (MIC = 4 µg/mL (2.4 µM) against E. coli and 36% hemolysis of red blood cells at 150 µM). In a time-kill assay, this peptide showed a significant, concentration-dependent reduction in viable E. coli cells comparable to that seen for colistin.
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28
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Ripperda T, Yu Y, Verma A, Klug E, Thurman M, Reid SP, Wang G. Improved Database Filtering Technology Enables More Efficient Ab Initio Design of Potent Peptides against Ebola Viruses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050521. [PMID: 35631348 PMCID: PMC9143221 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid mutations of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 require vaccine updates and the development of novel antiviral drugs. This article presents an improved database filtering technology for a more effective design of novel antiviral agents. Different from the previous approach, where the most probable parameters were obtained stepwise from the antimicrobial peptide database, we found it possible to accelerate the design process by deriving multiple parameters in a single step during the peptide amino acid analysis. The resulting peptide DFTavP1 displays the ability to inhibit Ebola virus. A deviation from the most probable peptide parameters reduces antiviral activity. The designed peptides appear to block viral entry. In addition, the amino acid signature provides a clue to peptide engineering to gain cell selectivity. Like human cathelicidin LL-37, our engineered peptide DDIP1 inhibits both Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. These peptides, with broad antiviral activity, may selectively disrupt viral envelopes and offer the lasting efficacy required to treat various RNA viruses, including their emerging mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - St Patrick Reid
- Correspondence: (S.P.R.); (G.W.); Tel.: +1-(402)-559-3644 (S.P.R.); +1-(402)-559-4176 (G.W.)
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Correspondence: (S.P.R.); (G.W.); Tel.: +1-(402)-559-3644 (S.P.R.); +1-(402)-559-4176 (G.W.)
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29
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Salnikov E, Aisenbrey C, Bechinger B. Lipid saturation and head group composition have a pronounced influence on the membrane insertion equilibrium of amphipathic helical polypeptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183844. [PMID: 34954200 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The histidine-rich peptides of the LAH4 family were designed using cationic antimicrobial peptides such as magainin and PGLa as templates. The LAH4 amphipathic helical sequences exhibit a multitude of interesting biological properties such as antimicrobial activity, cell penetration of a large variety of cargo and lentiviral transduction enhancement. The parent peptide associates with lipid bilayers where it changes from an orientation along the membrane interface into a transmembrane configuration in a pH-dependent manner. Here we show that LAH4 adopts a transmembrane configuration in fully saturated DMPC membranes already at pH 3.5, i.e. much below the pKa of the histidines whereas the transition pH in POPC correlates closely with histidine neutralization. In contrast in POPG membranes the in-planar configuration is stabilized by about one pH unit. The differences in pH can be converted into energetic contributions for the in-plane to transmembrane transition equilibrium, where the shift in the transition pH due to lipid saturation corresponds to energies which are otherwise obtained by the exchange of several cationic with hydrophobic residues. A similar dependence on lipid saturation has also been observed when the PGLa and magainin antimicrobial peptides interact within lipid bilayers suggesting that the quantitative evaluation presented in this paper also applies to other membrane polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniy Salnikov
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177 Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christopher Aisenbrey
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177 Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177 Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, Strasbourg, France; Institut Universitaire de France, France.
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Effect of hydrophobic moment on membrane interaction and cell penetration of apolipoprotein E-derived arginine-rich amphipathic α-helical peptides. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4959. [PMID: 35322082 PMCID: PMC8943082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08876-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously developed an amphipathic arginine-rich peptide, A2-17, which has high ability to directly penetrate across cell membranes. To understand the mechanism of the efficient cell-penetrating ability of the A2-17 peptide, we designed three structural isomers of A2-17 having different values of the hydrophobic moment and compared their membrane interaction and direct cell penetration. Confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that cell penetration efficiency of peptides tends to increase with their hydrophobic moment, in which A2-17 L14R/R15L, an A2-17 isomer with the highest hydrophobic moment, predominantly remains on plasma cell membranes. Consistently, Trp fluorescence analysis indicated the deepest insertion of A2-17 L14R/R15L into lipid membranes among all A2-17 isomers. Electrophysiological analysis showed that the duration and charge flux of peptide-induced pores in lipid membranes were prominent for A2-17 L14R/R15L, indicating the formation of stable membrane pores. Indeed, the A2-17 L14R/R15L peptide exhibited the strongest membrane damage to CHO-K1 cells. Atomic force microscopy quantitatively defined the peptide-induced membrane perturbation as the decrease in the stiffness of lipid vesicles, which was correlated with the hydrophobic moment of all A2-17 isomers. These results indicate that optimal membrane perturbation by amphipathic A2-17 peptide is critical for its efficient penetration into cells without inducing stabilized membrane pores.
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PEGylation enhances the antibacterial and therapeutic potential of amphibian host defence peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183806. [PMID: 34656552 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aurein 2.1, aurein 2.6 and aurein 3.1 are amphibian host defence peptides that kill bacteria via the use of lytic amphiphilic α-helical structures. The C-terminal PEGylation of these peptides led to decreased antibacterial activity (Minimum Lethal Concentration (MLCs) ↓ circa one and a half to threefold), reduced levels of amphiphilic α-helical structure in solvents (α-helicity ↓ circa 15.0%) and lower surface activity (Δπ ↓ > 1.5 mN m-1). This PEGylation of aureins also led to decreased levels of amphiphilic α-helical structure in the presence of anionic membranes and zwitterionic membranes (α-helicity↓ > 10.0%) as well as reduced levels of penetration (Δπ ↓ > 3.0 mN m-1) and lysis (lysis ↓ > 10.0%) of these membranes. Based on these data, it was proposed that the antibacterial action of PEGylated aureins involved the adoption of α-helical structures that promote the lysis of bacterial membranes, but with lower efficacy than their native counterparts. However, PEGylation also reduced the haemolytic activity of native aureins to negligible levels (haemolysis ↓ from circa 10% to 3% or less) and improved their relative therapeutic indices (RTIs ↑ circa three to sixfold). Based on these data, it is proposed that PEGylated aureins possess the potential for therapeutic development; for example, to combat infections due to multi-drug resistant strains of S. aureus, designated as high priority by the World Health Organization.
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32
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Zhu Y, Hao W, Wang X, Ouyang J, Deng X, Yu H, Wang Y. Antimicrobial peptides, conventional antibiotics, and their synergistic utility for the treatment of drug-resistant infections. Med Res Rev 2022; 42:1377-1422. [PMID: 34984699 DOI: 10.1002/med.21879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also known as host defense peptides (HDPs), are important effector immune defense molecules in multicellular organisms. AMPs exert their antimicrobial activities through several mechanisms; thus far, induction of drug resistance through AMPs has been regarded as unlikely. Therefore, they have great potential as new generation antimicrobial agents. To date, more than 30 AMP-related drugs are in the clinical trial phase. In recent years, studies show that some AMPs and conventional antibiotics have synergistic effects. The combined use of AMPs and antibiotics can kill drug-resistant pathogens, prevent drug resistance, and significantly improve the therapeutic effects of antibiotics. In this review, we discuss the progress in synergistic studies on AMPs and conventional antibiotics. An overview of the current understanding of the functional scope of AMPs, ongoing clinical trials, and challenges in the development processes are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyun Zhu
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weijing Hao
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xia Wang
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianhong Ouyang
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinyi Deng
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haining Yu
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Yipeng Wang
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Abstract
Natural products offer an important avenue to novel therapeutics against drug-resistant bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and cancer. However, there are numerous hurdles and challenges in discovering such molecules, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). While a thorough characterization of AMPs is limited by the amount of material, existing technology, and researcher's expertise, peptide classification is complicated by incomplete information as well as different methods proposed for AMPs from bacteria, plants, and animals. This article describes unified classification schemes for natural AMPs on a common platform: the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD; https://aps.unmc.edu). The various criteria for these unified classifications include peptide biological source, biosynthesis machinery, biological activity, amino acid sequence, mechanism of action, and three-dimensional structure. To overcome the problem with a limited number of known 3D structures, a universal peptide classification has also been refined and executed in the APD database. This universal method, based on the spatial connection patterns of polypeptide chains, is independent of peptide source, size, activity, 3D structure, or mechanism of action. It facilitates information registration, naming, exchange, decoding, prediction, and design of novel antimicrobial peptides.
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Wang G, Zietz CM, Mudgapalli A, Wang S, Wang Z. The evolution of the antimicrobial peptide database over 18 years: Milestones and new features. Protein Sci 2022; 31:92-106. [PMID: 34529321 PMCID: PMC8740828 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The antimicrobial peptide database (APD) has served the antimicrobial peptide field for 18 years. Because it is widely used in research and education, this article documents database milestones and key events that have transformed it into the current form. A comparison is made for the APD peptide statistics between 2010 and 2020, validating the major database findings to date. We also describe new additions ranging from peptide entries to search functions. Of note, the APD also contains antimicrobial peptides from host microbiota, which are important in shaping immune systems and could be linked to a variety of human diseases. Finally, the database has been re-programmed to the web branding and latest security compliance of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The reprogrammed APD can be accessed at https://aps.unmc.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and MicrobiologyCollege of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - C. Michael Zietz
- Research Information Technology OfficeUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Ashok Mudgapalli
- Research Information Technology OfficeUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Shuona Wang
- Department of Pathology and MicrobiologyCollege of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Pathology and MicrobiologyCollege of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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35
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Abstract
Antibiotic resistance constitutes a global threat and could lead to a future pandemic. One strategy is to develop a new generation of antimicrobials. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are recognized templates and some are already in clinical use. To accelerate the discovery of new antibiotics, it is useful to predict novel AMPs from the sequenced genomes of various organisms. The antimicrobial peptide database (APD) provided the first empirical peptide prediction program. It also facilitated the testing of the first machine-learning algorithms. This chapter provides an overview of machine-learning predictions of AMPs. Most of the predictors, such as AntiBP, CAMP, and iAMPpred, involve a single-label prediction of antimicrobial activity. This type of prediction has been expanded to antifungal, antiviral, antibiofilm, anti-TB, hemolytic, and anti-inflammatory peptides. The multiple functional roles of AMPs annotated in the APD also enabled multi-label predictions (iAMP-2L, MLAMP, and AMAP), which include antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, antibiofilm, anticancer, anti-HIV, antimalarial, insecticidal, antioxidant, chemotactic, spermicidal activities, and protease inhibiting activities. Also considered in predictions are peptide posttranslational modification, 3D structure, and microbial species-specific information. We compare important amino acids of AMPs implied from machine learning with the frequently occurring residues of the major classes of natural peptides. Finally, we discuss advances, limitations, and future directions of machine-learning predictions of antimicrobial peptides. Ultimately, we may assemble a pipeline of such predictions beyond antimicrobial activity to accelerate the discovery of novel AMP-based antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA;,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
| | - Iosif I. Vaisman
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10920 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA.,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
| | - Monique L. van Hoek
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10920 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA.,Corresponding to: Dr. Monique van Hoek: ; Dr. Iosif Vaisman: ; Dr. Guangshun Wang:
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de Souza CM, da Silva ÁP, Júnior NGO, Martínez OF, Franco OL. Peptides as a therapeutic strategy against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:335-348. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Structure and Activity of a Selective Antibiofilm Peptide SK-24 Derived from the NMR Structure of Human Cathelicidin LL-37. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14121245. [PMID: 34959645 PMCID: PMC8703873 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The deployment of the innate immune system in humans is essential to protect us from infection. Human cathelicidin LL-37 is a linear host defense peptide with both antimicrobial and immune modulatory properties. Despite years of studies of numerous peptides, SK-24, corresponding to the long hydrophobic domain (residues 9–32) in the anionic lipid-bound NMR structure of LL-37, has not been investigated. This study reports the structure and activity of SK-24. Interestingly, SK-24 is entirely helical (~100%) in phosphate buffer (PBS), more than LL-37 (84%), GI-20 (75%), and GF-17 (33%), while RI-10 and 17BIPHE2 are essentially randomly coiled (helix%: 7–10%). These results imply an important role for the additional N-terminal amino acids (likely E16) of SK-24 in stabilizing the helical conformation in PBS. It is proposed herein that SK-24 contains the minimal sequence for effective oligomerization of LL-37. Superior to LL-37 and RI-10, SK-24 shows an antimicrobial activity spectrum comparable to the major antimicrobial peptides GF-17 and GI-20 by targeting bacterial membranes and forming a helical conformation. Like the engineered peptide 17BIPHE2, SK-24 has a stronger antibiofilm activity than LL-37, GI-20, and GF-17. Nevertheless, SK-24 is least hemolytic at 200 µM compared with LL-37 and its other peptides investigated herein. Combined, these results enabled us to appreciate the elegance of the long amphipathic helix SK-24 nature deploys within LL-37 for human antimicrobial defense. SK-24 may be a useful template of therapeutic potential.
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Liu Y, Tong Z, Shi J, Jia Y, Deng T, Wang Z. Reversion of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant pathogens using non-antibiotic pharmaceutical benzydamine. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1328. [PMID: 34824393 PMCID: PMC8616900 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02854-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has been a growing concern that gradually undermines our tradition treatment regimens. The fact that few antibacterial drugs with new scaffolds or targets have been approved in the past two decades aggravates this crisis. Repurposing drugs as potent antibiotic adjuvants offers a cost-effective strategy to mitigate the development of resistance and tackle the increasing infections by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Herein, we found that benzydamine, a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in clinic, remarkably potentiated broad-spectrum antibiotic-tetracyclines activity against a panel of clinically important pathogens, including MRSA, VRE, MCRPEC and tet(X)-positive Gram-negative bacteria. Mechanistic studies showed that benzydamine dissipated membrane potential (▵Ψ) in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which in turn upregulated the transmembrane proton gradient (▵pH) and promoted the uptake of tetracyclines. Additionally, benzydamine exacerbated the oxidative stress by triggering the production of ROS and suppressing GAD system-mediated oxidative defensive. This mode of action explains the great bactericidal activity of the doxycycline-benzydamine combination against different metabolic states of bacteria involve persister cells. As a proof-of-concept, the in vivo efficacy of this drug combination was evidenced in multiple animal infection models. These findings indicate that benzydamine is a potential tetracyclines adjuvant to address life-threatening infections by MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Ziwen Tong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Tian Deng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Koutsoumanis K, Allende A, Alvarez‐Ordóñez A, Bolton D, Bover‐Cid S, Chemaly M, Davies R, De Cesare A, Herman L, Hilbert F, Lindqvist R, Nauta M, Ru G, Simmons M, Skandamis P, Suffredini E, Andersson DI, Bampidis V, Bengtsson‐Palme J, Bouchard D, Ferran A, Kouba M, López Puente S, López‐Alonso M, Nielsen SS, Pechová A, Petkova M, Girault S, Broglia A, Guerra B, Innocenti ML, Liébana E, López‐Gálvez G, Manini P, Stella P, Peixe L. Maximum levels of cross-contamination for 24 antimicrobial active substances in non-target feed. Part 1: Methodology, general data gaps and uncertainties. EFSA J 2021; 19:e06852. [PMID: 34729081 PMCID: PMC8547316 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Commission requested EFSA to assess, in collaboration with EMA, the specific concentrations of antimicrobials resulting from cross-contamination in non-target feed for food-producing animals below which there would not be an effect on the emergence of, and/or selection for, resistance in microbial agents relevant for human and animal health, as well as the levels of the antimicrobials which could have a growth promotion/increase yield effect. The assessment was performed for 24 antimicrobial active substances, as specified in the mandate. This scientific opinion describes the methodology used, and the main associated data gaps and uncertainties. To estimate the antimicrobial levels in the non-target feed that would not result in emergence of, and/or selection for, resistance, a model was developed. This 'Feed Antimicrobial Resistance Selection Concentration' (FARSC) model is based on the minimal selective concentration (MSC), or the predicted MSC (PMSC) if MSC for the most susceptible bacterial species is unavailable, the fraction of antimicrobial dose available for exposure to microorganisms in the large intestine or rumen (considering pharmacokinetic parameters), the daily faecal output or rumen volume and the daily feed intake. Currently, lack of data prevents the establishment of PMSC and/or FARSC for several antimicrobials and animal species. To address growth promotion, data from an extensive literature search were used. Specific assessments of the different substances grouped by antimicrobial classes are addressed in separate scientific opinions. General conclusions and recommendations were made.
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Sultana A, Luo H, Ramakrishna S. Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Applications in Biomedical Sector. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1094. [PMID: 34572676 PMCID: PMC8465024 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In a report by WHO (2014), it was stated that antimicrobial resistance is an arising challenge that needs to be resolved. This resistance is a critical issue in terms of disease or infection treatment and is usually caused due to mutation, gene transfer, long-term usage or inadequate use of antimicrobials, survival of microbes after consumption of antimicrobials, and the presence of antimicrobials in agricultural feeds. One of the solutions to this problem is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are ubiquitously present in the environment. These peptides are of concern due to their special mode of action against a wide spectrum of infections and health-related problems. The biomedical field has the highest need of AMPs as it possesses prominent desirable activity against HIV-1, skin cancer, breast cancer, in Behcet's disease treatment, as well as in reducing the release of inflammatory cells such as TNFα, IL-8, and IL-1β, enhancing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and GM-CSF, and in wound healing properties. This review has highlighted all the major functions and applications of AMPs in the biomedical field and concludes the future potential of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afreen Sultana
- Center for Nanotechnology & Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117581, Singapore;
| | - Hongrong Luo
- Engineering Research Center in Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
| | - Seeram Ramakrishna
- Center for Nanotechnology & Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117581, Singapore;
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41
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Luo X, Ye X, Ding L, Zhu W, Yi P, Zhao Z, Gao H, Shu Z, Li S, Sang M, Wang J, Zhong W, Chen Z. Fine-Tuning of Alkaline Residues on the Hydrophilic Face Provides a Non-toxic Cationic α-Helical Antimicrobial Peptide Against Antibiotic-Resistant ESKAPE Pathogens. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:684591. [PMID: 34335511 PMCID: PMC8319832 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.684591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) has become a serious threat to public health worldwide. Cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides (CαAMPs) have attracted much attention as promising solutions in post-antibiotic era. However, strong hemolytic activity and in vivo inefficacy have hindered their pharmaceutical development. Here, we attempt to address these obstacles by investigating BmKn2 and BmKn2-7, two scorpion-derived CαAMPs with the same hydrophobic face and a distinct hydrophilic face. Through structural comparison, mutant design and functional analyses, we found that while keeping the hydrophobic face unchanged, increasing the number of alkaline residues (i.e., Lys + Arg residues) on the hydrophilic face of BmKn2 reduces the hemolytic activity and broadens the antimicrobial spectrum. Strikingly, when keeping the total number of alkaline residues constant, increasing the number of Lys residues on the hydrophilic face of BmKn2-7 significantly reduces the hemolytic activity but does not influence the antimicrobial activity. BmKn2-7K, a mutant of BmKn2-7 in which all of the Arg residues on the hydrophilic face were replaced with Lys, showed the lowest hemolytic activity and potent antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens. Moreover, in vivo experiments indicate that BmKn2-7K displays potent antimicrobial efficacy against both the penicillin-resistant S. aureus and the carbapenem- and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, and is non-toxic at the antimicrobial dosages. Taken together, our work highlights the significant functional disparity of Lys vs Arg in the scorpion-derived antimicrobial peptide BmKn2-7, and provides a promising lead molecule for drug development against ESKAPE pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Luo
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xiangdong Ye
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Li Ding
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Wen Zhu
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Pengcheng Yi
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhiwen Zhao
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Huanhuan Gao
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhan Shu
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Shan Li
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ming Sang
- Central Laboratory of Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jue Wang
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Weihua Zhong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zongyun Chen
- Institute of Biomedicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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Dang X, Wang G. Spotlight on the Selected New Antimicrobial Innate Immune Peptides Discovered During 2015-2019. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 20:2984-2998. [PMID: 33092508 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666201022143625] [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: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance is a global issue and new anti-microbials are required. INTRODUCTION Anti-microbial peptides are important players of host innate immune systems that prevent infections. Due to their ability to eliminate drug-resistant pathogens, AMPs are promising candidates for developing the next generation of anti-microbials. METHODS The anti-microbial peptide database provides a useful tool for searching, predicting, and designing new AMPs. In the period from 2015-2019, ~500 new natural peptides have been registered. RESULTS This article highlights a selected set of new AMP members with interesting properties. Teixobactin is a cell wall inhibiting peptide antibiotic, while darobactin inhibits a chaperone and translocator for outer membrane proteins. Remarkably, cOB1, a sex pheromone from commensal enterococci, restricts the growth of multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in the gut at a picomolar concentration. A novel proline-rich AMP has been found in the plant Brassica napus. A shrimp peptide MjPen- II comprises three different sequence domains: serine-rich, proline-rich, and cysteine-rich regions. Surprisingly, an amphibian peptide urumin specifically inhibits H1 hemagglutinin-bearing influenza A virus. Defensins are abundant and typically consist of three pairs of intramolecular disulfide bonds. However, rat rattusin dimerizes via forming five pairs of intermolecular disulfide bonds. While human LL-37 can be induced by vitamin D, vitamin A induces the expression of resistin-like molecule alpha (RELMα) in mice. The isolation and characterization of an alternative human cathelicidin peptide, TLN-58, substantiates the concept of one gene multiple peptides. The involvement of a fly AMP nemuri in sleep induction may promote the research on the relationship between sleep and infection control. CONCLUSION The functional roles of AMPs continue to grow and the general term "innate immune peptides" becomes useful. These discoveries widen our view on the anti-microbial peptides and may open new opportunities for developing novel peptide therapeutics for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangli Dang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, United States
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De Angelis M, Casciaro B, Genovese A, Brancaccio D, Marcocci ME, Novellino E, Carotenuto A, Palamara AT, Mangoni ML, Nencioni L. Temporin G, an amphibian antimicrobial peptide against influenza and parainfluenza respiratory viruses: Insights into biological activity and mechanism of action. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21358. [PMID: 33538061 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001885rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of respiratory viral infections remains a global health concern, mainly due to the inefficacy of available drugs. Therefore, the discovery of novel antiviral compounds is needed; in this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) like temporins hold great promise. Here, we discovered that the harmless temporin G (TG) significantly inhibited the early life-cycle phases of influenza virus. The in vitro hemagglutinating test revealed the existence of TG interaction with the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein. Furthermore, the hemolysis inhibition assay and the molecular docking studies confirmed a TG/HA complex formation at the level of the conserved hydrophobic stem groove of HA. Remarkably, these findings highlight the ability of TG to block the conformational rearrangements of HA2 subunit, which are essential for the viral envelope fusion with intracellular endocytic vesicles, thereby neutralizing the virus entry into the host cell. In comparison, in the case of parainfluenza virus, which penetrates host cells upon a membrane-fusion process, addition of TG to infected cells provoked ~1.2 log reduction of viral titer released in the supernatant. Nevertheless, at the same condition, an immunofluorescent assay showed that the expression of viral hemagglutinin/neuraminidase protein was not significantly reduced. This suggested a peptide-mediated block of some late steps of viral replication and therefore the impairment of the extracellular release of viral particles. Overall, our results are the first demonstration of the ability of an AMP to interfere with the replication of respiratory viruses with a different mechanism of cell entry and will open a new avenue for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against a large variety of respiratory viruses, including the recent SARS-CoV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- M De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - B Casciaro
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - A Genovese
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - D Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - M E Marcocci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - E Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - A T Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - M L Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - L Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Lakshmaiah Narayana J, Golla R, Mishra B, Wang X, Lushnikova T, Zhang Y, Verma A, Kumar V, Xie J, Wang G. Short and Robust Anti-Infective Lipopeptides Engineered Based on the Minimal Antimicrobial Peptide KR12 of Human LL-37. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1795-1808. [PMID: 33890759 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to push the frontier of the engineering of human cathelicidin LL-37, a critical antimicrobial innate immune peptide that wards off invading pathogens. By sequential truncation of the smallest antibacterial peptide (KR12) of LL-37 and conjugation with fatty acids, with varying chain lengths, a library of lipopeptides is generated. These peptides are subjected to antibacterial activity and hemolytic assays. Candidates (including both forms made of l- and d-amino acids) with the optimal cell selectivity are subsequently fed to the second layer of in vitro filters, including salts, pH, serum, and media. These practices lead to the identification of a miniature LL-37 like peptide (d-form) with selectivity, stability, and robust antimicrobial activity in vitro against both Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Proteomic studies reveal far fewer serum proteins that bind to the d-form than the l-form peptide. C10-KR8d targets bacterial membranes to become helical, making it difficult for bacteria to develop resistance in a multiple passage experiment. In vivo, C10-KR8d is able to reduce bacterial burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 LAC in neutropenic mice. In addition, this designer peptide prevents bacterial biofilm formation in a catheter-associated mouse model. Meanwhile, C10-KR8d also recruits cytokines to the vicinity of catheters to clear infection. Thus, based on the antimicrobial region of LL-37, this study succeeds in identifying the smallest anti-infective peptide C10-KR8d with both robust antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and immune modulation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Radha Golla
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Xiuqing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Yingxia Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Atul Verma
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, United States
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5900, United States
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Lointier M, Dussouillez C, Glattard E, Kichler A, Bechinger B. Different Biological Activities of Histidine-Rich Peptides Are Favored by Variations in Their Design. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:363. [PMID: 34065185 PMCID: PMC8160934 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13050363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein transduction and antimicrobial activities of histidine-rich designer peptides were investigated as a function of their sequence and compared to gene transfection, lentivirus transduction and calcein release activities. In membrane environments, the peptides adopt helical conformations where the positioning of the histidine side chains defines a hydrophilic angle when viewed as helical wheel. The transfection of DNA correlates with calcein release in biophysical experiments, being best for small hydrophilic angles supporting a model where lysis of the endosomal membrane is the limiting factor. In contrast, antimicrobial activities show an inverse correlation suggesting that other interactions and mechanisms dominate within the bacterial system. Furthermore, other derivatives control the lentiviral transduction enhancement or the transport of proteins into the cells. Here, we tested the transport into human cell lines of luciferase (63 kDa) and the ribosome-inactivating toxin saporin (30 kDa). Notably, depending on the protein, different peptide sequences are required for the best results, suggesting that the interactions are manifold and complex. As such, designed LAH4 peptides assure a large panel of biological and biophysical activities whereby the optimal result can be tuned by the physico-chemical properties of the sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morane Lointier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France; (M.L.); (E.G.)
| | - Candice Dussouillez
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 67401 Illkirch, France;
| | - Elise Glattard
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France; (M.L.); (E.G.)
| | - Antoine Kichler
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 67401 Illkirch, France;
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France; (M.L.); (E.G.)
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
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Shi J, Chen C, Wang D, Tong Z, Wang Z, Liu Y. Amphipathic Peptide Antibiotics with Potent Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:438. [PMID: 33804947 PMCID: PMC8063935 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have posed a serious threat to public health. Of particular concern are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and blaNDM, mcr-1 and tet(X)-positive Gram-negative pathogens. The fact that few new antibiotics have been approved in recent years exacerbates this global crisis, thus, new alternatives are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) originated from host defense peptides with a wide range of sources and multiple functions, are less prone to achieve resistance. All these characteristics laid the foundation for AMPs to become potential antibiotic candidates. In this study, we revealed that peptide WW307 displayed potent antibacterial and bactericidal activity against MDR bacteria, including MRSA and Gram-negative bacteria carrying blaNDM-5, mcr-1 or tet(X4). In addition, WW307 exhibited great biofilm inhibition and eradication activity. Safety and stability experiments showed that WW307 had a strong resistance against various physiological conditions and displayed relatively low toxicity. Mechanistic experiments showed that WW307 resulted in membrane damage by selectively targeting bacterial membrane-specific components, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL). Moreover, WW307 dissipated membrane potential and triggered the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, these results demonstrated that WW307 represents a promising candidate for combating MDR pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
| | - Chen Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
| | - Dejuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
| | - Ziwen Tong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.S.); (C.C.); (D.W.); (Z.T.)
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
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Bennett RC, Oh MW, Kuo SH, Belo Y, Maron B, Malach E, Lin J, Hayouka Z, Lau GW. Random Peptide Mixtures as Safe and Effective Antimicrobials against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA in Mouse Models of Bacteremia and Pneumonia. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:672-680. [PMID: 33650856 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a daunting challenge in modern medicine, and novel approaches that minimize the emergence of resistant pathogens are desperately needed. Antimicrobial peptides are newer therapeutics that attempt to do this; however, they fall short because of low to moderate antimicrobial activity, low protease stability, susceptibility to resistance development, and high cost of production. The recently developed random peptide mixtures (RPMs) are promising alternatives. RPMs are synthesized by incorporating a defined proportion of two amino acids at each coupling step rather than just one, making them highly variable but still defined in their overall composition, chain length, and stereochemistry. Because RPMs have extreme diversity, it is unlikely that bacteria would be capable of rapidly evolving resistance. However, their efficacy against pathogens in animal models of human infectious diseases remained uncharacterized. Here, we demonstrated that RPMs have strong safety and pharmacokinetic profiles. RPMs rapidly killed both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus efficiently and disrupted preformed biofilms by both pathogens. Importantly, RPMs were efficacious against both pathogens in mouse models of bacteremia and acute pneumonia. Our results demonstrate that RPMs are potent broad-spectrum therapeutics against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C. Bennett
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802, United States
| | - Myung Whan Oh
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802, United States
| | - Shanny Hsuan Kuo
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802, United States
| | - Yael Belo
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Bar Maron
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Einav Malach
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Jingjun Lin
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802, United States
| | - Zvi Hayouka
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Gee W. Lau
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802, United States
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Tuning of a Membrane-Perforating Antimicrobial Peptide to Selectively Target Membranes of Different Lipid Composition. J Membr Biol 2021; 254:75-96. [PMID: 33564914 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-021-00174-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of designed antimicrobial peptides as drugs has been impeded by the absence of simple sequence-structure-function relationships and design rules. The likely cause is that many of these peptides permeabilize membranes via highly disordered, heterogeneous mechanisms, forming aggregates without well-defined tertiary or secondary structure. We suggest that the combination of high-throughput library screening with atomistic computer simulations can successfully address this challenge by tuning a previously developed general pore-forming peptide into a selective pore-former for different lipid types. A library of 2916 peptides was designed based on the LDKA template. The library peptides were synthesized and screened using a high-throughput orthogonal vesicle leakage assay. Dyes of different sizes were entrapped inside vesicles with varying lipid composition to simultaneously screen for both pore size and affinity for negatively charged and neutral lipid membranes. From this screen, nine different LDKA variants that have unique activity were selected, sequenced, synthesized, and characterized. Despite the minor sequence changes, each of these peptides has unique functional properties, forming either small or large pores and being selective for either neutral or anionic lipid bilayers. Long-scale, unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations directly reveal that rather than rigid, well-defined pores, these peptides can form a large repertoire of functional dynamic and heterogeneous aggregates, strongly affected by single mutations. Predicting the propensity to aggregate and assemble in a given environment from sequence alone holds the key to functional prediction of membrane permeabilization.
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Peng J, Mishra B, Khader R, Felix L, Mylonakis E. Novel Cecropin-4 Derived Peptides against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:36. [PMID: 33401476 PMCID: PMC7824259 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing microbial resistance, coupled with a lack of new antimicrobial discovery, has led researchers to refocus on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as novel therapeutic candidates. Significantly, the less toxic cecropins have gained widespread attention for potential antibacterial agent development. However, the narrow activity spectrum and long sequence remain the primary limitations of this approach. In this study, we truncated and modified cecropin 4 (41 amino acids) by varying the charge and hydrophobicity balance to obtain smaller AMPs. The derivative peptide C18 (16 amino acids) demonstrated high antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as yeasts. Moreover, C18 demonstrated a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 µg/mL against the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and showed synergy with daptomycin with a fractional inhibition concentration index (FICI) value of 0.313. Similar to traditional cecropins, C18 altered the membrane potential, increased fluidity, and caused membrane breakage at 32 µg/mL. Importantly, C18 eliminated 99% persisters at 10 × MIC within 20 min and reduced the biofilm adherence by ~40% and 35% at 32 and 16 µg/mL. Besides, C18 possessed a strong binding ability with DNA at 7.8 μM and down-regulated the expression of virulence factor genes like agrA, fnb-A, and clf-1 by more than 5-fold (p < 0.05). Interestingly, in the Galleria mellonella model, C18 rescued more than 80% of larva infected with the MRSA throughout 120-h post-infection at a single dose of 8 mg/kg (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study provides a reference for the transformation of cecropin to derive small peptides and presents C18 as an attractive therapeutic candidate to be developed to treat severe MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Peng
- Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (J.P.); (B.M.); (R.K.); (L.F.)
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (J.P.); (B.M.); (R.K.); (L.F.)
| | - Rajamohammed Khader
- Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (J.P.); (B.M.); (R.K.); (L.F.)
| | - LewisOscar Felix
- Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (J.P.); (B.M.); (R.K.); (L.F.)
| | - Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (J.P.); (B.M.); (R.K.); (L.F.)
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50
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Liu L, Zhao L, Liu L, Yue S, Wang J, Cao Z. Influence of Different Aromatic Hydrophobic Residues on the Antimicrobial Activity and Membrane Selectivity of BRBR-NH 2 Tetrapeptide. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:15331-15342. [PMID: 33295774 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The ultrashort linear antimicrobial tetrapeptide BRBR-NH2 with an unnatural residue biphenylalanine (B) has potent and rapid antimethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity but lacks hemolytic activity. The anti-MRSA activity of BRBR-NH2 is 8-fold more potent than that of WRWR-NH2 and 16-fold more potent than that of FRFR-NH2. However, how to influence their antimicrobial activities and mechanisms through the substitution of different aromatic hydrophobic residues is still unclear. In this work, to study the effects of varying hydrophobic interactions and membrane selectivities of BRBR-NH2, we performed multiple long-time (1000 ns) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the interactions of a red blood cell (RBC) membrane and a Gram-positive bacterial cell membrane with three different tetrapeptides (BRBR-NH2, WRWR-NH2, and FRFR-NH2) under different ratios of peptides and lipids and also explored the changes in the membrane and structural characteristics of peptides. The binding energy results show that BRBR-NH2 interacts weakly with the RBC membrane, while not all BRBR-NH2 can be adsorbed to the RBC membrane surface. The MD simulation results produced significant local membrane thinning of multiBRBR-NH2 peptides in the Gram-positive bacterial cell membrane. An in-depth analysis of structural features and peptide-membrane interactions suggests that the aggregation of BRBR-NH2 on the membrane surface plays a crucial role in the destruction of the cell membrane. Taken together with the observed local membrane thinning, the in-depth analysis demonstrated that the interactions between the lipid bilayer and the BRBR-NH2 aggregation surface result in a local disturbance of the membrane structure. It can be concluded that the high anti-MRSA activity of BRBR-NH2 is attributed to the aggregation of BRBR-NH2 on the membrane surface. On the other hand, WRWR-NH2 and FRFR-NH2 peptides tend to bind with the membrane surface in a monomeric form and cover the membrane surface in a carpet-like manner. Therefore, these results provide an advanced microscopic understanding of how hydrophobic interactions or hydrophobic residues affect the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Liling Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Lixia Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Shizhong Yue
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Jihua Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Zanxia Cao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
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