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Zhao F, Huang Z, He B, Liu K, Li J, Liu Z, Lin G. Comparative genomics of two Asian medicinal leeches Hirudo nipponia and Hirudo tianjinensis: With emphasis on antithrombotic genes and their corresponding proteins. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132278. [PMID: 38750856 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Leeches secrete various biologically active substances which have important medical and pharmaceutical values in antithrombotic treatments. Here, we provide a high quality genome of two Asian medicinal leeches Hirudo nipponia and Hirudo tianjinensis, based on which, we identified 22 antithrombotic gene families, including fourteen coagulation inhibitors, four platelet aggregation inhibitors, three fibrinolysis enhancers, and one tissue penetration enhancer. The total numbers of antithrombotic genes were similar between H. nipponia (N = 86) and H. tianjinensis (N = 83). Molecular evolution analysis showed that no significant differences were detected between the two species in any of the three selection indices (dN, dS, and dN/dS), nor in the number of sites under positive/purifying selection. RNA-Seq based gene expression analysis showed that the overall expression patterns of the antithrombotic gene families were not significantly deviated between the two species. Our results indicated that there were rather close similarities between the two leeches on genomic characteristics, especially for the molecular evolution and expression of antithrombotic genes. Our study provides the most comprehensive collection of antithrombotic biomacromolecules from the two Asian medicinal leeches to date. These results will greatly facilitate the research and application of leech derivatives for medical and pharmaceutical purposes of thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Zuhao Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Bo He
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Kaiqing Liu
- Engineering Research Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Leech Resources in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | - Junyu Li
- Department of Ultrasonography, People's Hospital of Fengdu County, Chongqing City, Fengdu 408200, China
| | - Zichao Liu
- Engineering Research Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Leech Resources in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Information, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
| | - Gonghua Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China.
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Kui H, Lei Y, Jia C, Xin Q, Tursun R, Zhong M, Liu C, Yuan R. Antithrombotic pharmacodynamics and metabolomics study in raw and processed products of Whitmania pigra Whitman. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27828. [PMID: 38596067 PMCID: PMC11002550 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective As a traditional Chinese medicine, leech has obvious pharmacological activities in anticoagulantion and antithrombosis. Whitmania pigra Whitman (WP) is the most commonly used leech in the Chinese market. It is often used in clinical applications after high-temperature processing by talcum powder to remove the fishy taste and facilitate crushing. The anticoagulant and thrombolytic active ingredients are protein and polypeptide, which may denaturate and lose activity after high-temperature processing. The rationality of its processing has been questioned in recent years. This study aims to investigate the effect of talcum powder scalding on the antithrombotic activity of WP in vivo and to discuss its pharmacodynamic mechanism in vivo. Methods Raw and talcum-powdered processed WP were administered intragastrically for 14 days, and carrageenan was injected intraperitoneally to prepare a mouse model of tail vein thrombosis. The incidence rate of tail vein thrombosis and the thrombus area under pathological tissue sections were calculated to evaluate the antithrombotic effect between raw and processed WP. Non-targeted metabolomics was conducted using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology to analyze the changes of small molecule metabolites in the body after administration of WP. Results After intragastric administration, both the raw product and the processed product of WP could inhibit the thrombosis induced by carrageenan, and the processed product had a more apparent antithrombotic effect than the raw product. The administration of WP could regulate the changes of some small molecular metabolites, such as amino acids, lipids, and steroids, in Sphingolipid metabolism and Glycerophospholipid metabolism. Conclusions Based on the results of pharmacodynamics and metabolomics, processed WP will not reduce the antithrombotic activity of WP. This study provided a scientific basis for the rational use of leeches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqian Kui
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Yan Lei
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Chunxue Jia
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Quancheng Xin
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Rustam Tursun
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Miao Zhong
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Chuanxin Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
- Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Endocrine, and Metabolic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan, University of Science and Technology, Medical Key Laboratory of Hereditary Rare Diseases of Henan, Luoyang Sub-center of National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Luoyang, China
| | - Ruijuan Yuan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
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Dong W, Li H, Li Y, Wang Y, Dai L, Wang S. Characterization of active peptides derived from three leeches and comparison of their anti-thrombotic mechanisms using the tail vein thrombosis model in mice and metabonomics. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1324418. [PMID: 38333223 PMCID: PMC10851270 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1324418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: The increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases has created an urgent need for safe and effective anti-thrombotic agents. Leech, as a traditional Chinese medicine, has the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, but its real material basis and mechanism of action for the treatment of diseases such as blood stasis and thrombosis have not been reported. Methods: In this study, Whitmania Pigra Whitman (WPW), Hirudo nipponica Whitman (HNW) and Whitmania acranutata Whitman (WAW) were hydrolyzed by biomimetic enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain the active peptides of WPW (APP), the active peptides of HNW (APH) and the active peptides of WAW (APA), respectively. Then their structures were characterized by sykam amino acid analyzer, fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), circular dichroism (CD) spectrometer and LC-MS. Next, the anti-thrombotic activities of APP, APH and APA were determined by carrageenan-induced tail vein thrombosis model in mice, and the anti-thrombotic mechanisms of high-dose APP group (HAPP), high-dose APH group (HAPH) and high-dose APA group (HAPA) were explored based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Results: The results showed that the amino acid composition of APP, APH and APA was consistent, and the proportion of each amino acid was few different. The results of FT-IR and CD showed that there were no significant differences in the proportion of secondary structures (such as β-sheet and random coil) and infrared absorption peaks between APP, APH and APA. Mass spectrometry data showed that there were 43 common peptides in APP, APH and APA, indicating that the three have common material basis. APP, APH and APA could significantly inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce black-tail length, whole blood viscosity (WBV), plasma viscosity (PV), and Fibrinogen (FIB), and prolong coagulation time, including activated partial thrombin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT). In addition, 24 metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers associated with thrombosis development. Among these, 19, 23, and 20 metabolites were significantly normalized after administration of HAPP, HAPH, and HAPA in the mice, respectively. Furthermore, the intervention mechanism of HAPP, HAPH and HAPA on tail vein thrombosis mainly involved in linoleic acid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis and ether lipid metabolism. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that APP, APH and APA can exert their anti-blood stasis and anti-thrombotic activities by interfering with disordered metabolic pathways in vivo, and there is no significant difference in their efficacies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Huajian Li
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
- School of Pharmacy, ZheJiang Chinese Medicial University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanan Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Long Dai
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Shaoping Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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Liu Z, Zhao F, Huang Z, Hu Q, Meng R, Lin Y, Qi J, Lin G. Revisiting the Asian Buffalo Leech ( Hirudinaria manillensis) Genome: Focus on Antithrombotic Genes and Their Corresponding Proteins. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2068. [PMID: 38003011 PMCID: PMC10671345 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112068] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Leeches are well-known annelids due to their obligate blood-feeding habits. Some leech species secrete various biologically active substances which have important medical and pharmaceutical value in antithrombotic treatments. In this study, we provided a high-quality genome of the Asian buffalo leech (Hirudinaria manillensis), based on which we performed a systematic identification of potential antithrombotic genes and their corresponding proteins. Combining automatic and manual prediction, we identified 21 antithrombotic gene families including fourteen coagulation inhibitors, three platelet aggregation inhibitors, three fibrinolysis enhancers, and one tissue penetration enhancer. A total of 72 antithrombotic genes, including two pseudogenes, were identified, including most of their corresponding proteins forming three or more disulfide bonds. Three protein families (LDTI, antistasin, and granulin) had internal tandem repeats containing 6, 10, and 12 conserved cysteines, respectively. We also measured the anticoagulant activities of the five identified hirudins (hirudin_Hman1 ~ hirudin_Hman5). The results showed that three (hirudin_Hman1, hirudin_Hman2, and hirudin_Hman5), but not the remaining two, exhibited anticoagulant activities. Our study provides the most comprehensive collection of antithrombotic biomacromolecules from a leech to date. These results will greatly facilitate the research and application of leech derivatives for medical and pharmaceutical purposes in the treatment of thrombotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichao Liu
- Engineering Research Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Leech Resources in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China; (Z.L.); (Q.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Fang Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an 343009, China; (F.Z.); (Z.H.); (Y.L.)
| | - Zuhao Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an 343009, China; (F.Z.); (Z.H.); (Y.L.)
| | - Qingmei Hu
- Engineering Research Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Leech Resources in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China; (Z.L.); (Q.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Renyuan Meng
- Engineering Research Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Leech Resources in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China; (Z.L.); (Q.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Yiquan Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an 343009, China; (F.Z.); (Z.H.); (Y.L.)
| | - Jianxia Qi
- Nujiang Management Bureau of Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve, Nujiang 673199, China;
| | - Gonghua Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an 343009, China; (F.Z.); (Z.H.); (Y.L.)
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Wang C, Chen M, Lu X, Yang S, Yang M, Fang Y, Lai R, Duan Z. Isolation and Characterization of Poeciguamerin, a Peptide with Dual Analgesic and Anti-Thrombotic Activity from the Poecilobdella manillensis Leech. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11097. [PMID: 37446275 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
When Poecilobdella manillensis attacks its prey, the prey bleeds profusely but feels little pain. We and other research teams have identified several anticoagulant molecules in the saliva of P. manillensis, but the substance that produces the paralyzing effect in P. manillensis is not known. In this study, we successfully isolated, purified, and identified a serine protease inhibitor containing an antistasin-like domain from the salivary secretions of P. manillensis. This peptide (named poeciguamerin) significantly inhibited elastase activity and slightly inhibited FXIIa and kallikrein activity, but had no effect on FXa, trypsin, or thrombin activity. Furthermore, poeciguamerin exhibited analgesic activity in the foot-licking and tail-withdrawal mouse models and anticoagulant activity in the FeCl3-induced carotid artery thrombosis mouse model. In this study, poeciguamerin was found to be a promising elastase inhibitor with potent analgesic and antithrombotic activity for the inhibition of pain and thrombosis after surgery or in inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mengrou Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaqun Fang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Ren Lai
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming Primate Research Center/National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650107, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Zilei Duan
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
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Liao J, Gao M, Ding Y, Bi Q, Huang D, Luo X, Yang P, Li Y, Huang Y, Yao C, Zhang J, Wei W, Li Z, Guo DA. Characterization of the natural peptidome of four leeches by integrated proteogenomics and pseudotargeted peptidomics. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:2795-2807. [PMID: 37133542 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04692-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Animal-derived drugs are an indispensable part of folk medicine worldwide. However, their chemical constituents are poorly approached, which leads to the low level of the quality standard system of animal-derived drugs and further causes a chaotic market. Natural peptides are ubiquitous throughout the organism, especially in animal-derived drugs. Thus, in this study, we used multi-source leeches, including Hirudo nipponica (HN), Whitmania pigra (WP), Whitmania acranulata (WA), and Poecilobdella manillensis (PM), as a model. A strategy integrating proteogenomics and novel pseudotargeted peptidomics was developed to characterize the natural peptide phenotype and screen for signature peptides of four leech species. First, natural peptides were sequenced against an in-house annotated protein database of closely related species constructed from RNA-seq data from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) website, which is an open-sourced public archive resource. Second, a novel pseudotargeted peptidomics integrating peptide ion pair extraction and retention time transfer was established to achieve high coverage and quantitative accuracy of the natural peptides and to screen for signature peptides for species authentication. In all, 2323 natural peptides were identified from four leech species whose databases were poorly annotated. The strategy was shown to significantly improve peptide identification. In addition, 36 of 167 differential peptides screened by pseudotargeted proteomics were identified, and about one-third of them came from the leucine-rich repeat domain (LRR) proteins, which are widely distributed in organisms. Furthermore, six signature peptides were screened with good specificity and stability, and four of them were validated by synthetic standards. Finally, a dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM) method based on these signature peptides was established and revealed that one-half of the commercial samples and all of the Tongxinluo capsules were derived from WP. All in all, the strategy developed in this study was effective for natural peptide characterization and signature peptide screening, which could also be applied to other animal-derived drugs, especially for modelless species that are less studied in protein database annotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingmei Liao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Min Gao
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yelin Ding
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qirui Bi
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dongdong Huang
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Luo
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Peilei Yang
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yun Li
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yong Huang
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Changliang Yao
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jianqing Zhang
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wenlong Wei
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhenwei Li
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - De-An Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Ding Z, Chen K, Chen Y. Research on ACEI of Low-Molecular-Weight Peptides from Hirudo Nipponia Whitman. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175421. [PMID: 36080189 PMCID: PMC9457961 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is the primary pathway for regulating blood pressure in the body, and angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACEs) play a crucial role in it. Hirudo nipponia is an invertebrate that contains a variety of active peptides; however, there are no studies on the ACE inhibitory activity of hirudo. In the present study, our aim was to identify the active peptides in hirudo based on active peptide database analysis, unexpectedly filling the gap in hirudo ACE inhibitory activity research. Prep-HPLC was used to separate the part below 3 kD from hirudo. The peptide composition of the isolates was obtained based on Orbitrap LC-MS. The activity of each group of peptides was predicted by the database and the activity was determined by bioassay. Peptides with validation activity were screened through the database. In total, 337 peptides and 18 peptides matching the NCBI leech protein database were identified. All four fractions showed ACE inhibitory activity, and the IC50 was 0.8266, 0.2708, 0.4432, and 0.1764 mg/mL, respectively. Six screened peptides showed good affinity for ACE. This work reveals for the first time that low-molecular-weight peptides from H. nipponia have ACE inhibitory activity, which can provide a new explanation for leech treatment of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Ding
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Keli Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Yunzhong Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430065, China
- Hubei Provincial Chinese Medicine-Derived Health Food Engineering Research Center, Wuhan 430065, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-15927199719
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Zhang Y, Yang R, Wang L, Li Y, Han J, Yang Y, Zheng H, Lu M, Shen Y, Yang H. Purification and characterization of a novel thermostable anticoagulant protein from medicinal leech Whitmania pigra Whitman. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 288:114990. [PMID: 35032585 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.114990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing worldwide. Despite significant improvements in novel targeted treatment agents, natural products purified from medicinal animals with minimal side effects have attracted much attention. Several native proteins explored from suck-blood leeches, such as non-thermostable hirudin and its variants, revealed potent anticoagulant activity. Traditional Chinese medicine clinics have proved that non-suck-blood leech Whitmania pigra Whitman (W. pigra) also played notable roles in CVD treatments even after decoction. However, only a few natural proteins and peptides have been identified from the fresh material of this medicinal species. AIM OF THE STUDY We aimed to purify and characterize thermostable anticoagulant proteins from W. pigra for further development of a therapeutic agent for thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS W. pigra crude extract was prepared by decoction in water. Anticoagulant proteins were purified by DEAE cellulose DE-52, Sephadex G-75, and reversed-phase liquid chromatography sequentially and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS for structural information. In addition, we conducted in vitro anticoagulant experiments, including plasma recalcification time (PRT) assay, fibrinolytic assay, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (Fib) assay, and cell viability assays. Furthermore, a carrageenan-induced chronic thromboembolism model was employed in ICR mice, and four coagulation factors (APTT, PT, TT, and Fib) activities were determined after intragastric administration. RESULTS The anticoagulant protein WP-77 has a relative molecular weight of ca. 20.8 kDa. It was effective over a broad temperature range from 20 °C to 100 °C and a pH 2-8 condition. The anticoagulant activity of WP-77 was retained after incubation with pepsin but was greatly inhibited by trypsin (P < 0.01). It significantly prolonged APTT and TT (P < 0.05) but had little effect on PT and Fib in vitro. Furthermore, WP-77 of a low concentration resulted in the recovery of injured EA.hy926 by thrombin. The protein also significantly prolonged APTT and TT (P < 0.01) and inhibited thrombus formation in carrageenan-induced thrombosis mice, demonstrating its antithrombotic effect in vivo. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that WP-77 from W. pigra plays a distinct role in treating thrombotic diseases, and it is an essential substance of anticoagulant activity of non-suck-blood medicinal leeches. This thermostable anticoagulant protein could be a promising candidate for the development of clinical antithrombosis medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Zhang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Liwei Wang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Jing Han
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Yaya Yang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Hanxue Zheng
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Mengyao Lu
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Yuping Shen
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China.
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9
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WPK5, a Novel Kunitz-Type Peptide from the Leech Whitmania pigra Inhibiting Factor XIa, and Its Loop-Replaced Mutant to Improve Potency. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9121745. [PMID: 34944561 PMCID: PMC8698482 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121745] [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: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Kunitz-type proteins or peptides have been found in many blood-sucking animals, but the identity of them in leeches remained elusive. In the present study, five Kunitz-type peptides named WPK1-WPK5 were identified from the leech Whitmania pigra. Recombinant WPK1-WPK5 were expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115, and their inhibitory activity against Factor XIa (FXIa) was tested. WPK5 showed inhibitory activity against FXIa with an IC50 value of 978.20 nM. To improve its potency, the loop replacement strategy was used. The loop 1 (TGPCRSNLER) and loop 2 (QYGGC) in WPK5 were replaced by loop 1 (TGPCRAMISR) and loop 2 (FYGGC) in PN2KPI, respectively, and the resulting peptide named WPK5-Mut showed an IC50 value of 8.34 nM to FXIa, which is about 100-fold the potency of FXIa compared to that of WPK5. WPK5-Mut was further evaluated for its extensive bioactivity in vitro and in vivo. It dose-dependently prolonged APTT on both murine plasma and human plasma, and potently inhibited FeCl3-induced carotid artery thrombosis in mice at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg. Additionally, WPK5-Mut did not show significant bleeding risk at a dose of 6 mg/kg. Together, these results showed that WPK5-Mut is a promising candidate for the development of an antithrombotic drug.
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10
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Huang Q, Tang J, Chai X, Ren W, Wang J, Gan Q, Shi J, Wang M, Yang S, Liu J, Ma L. Affinity ultrafiltration and UPLC-HR-Orbitrap-MS based screening of thrombin-targeted small molecules with anticoagulation activity from Poecilobdella manillensis. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2021; 1178:122822. [PMID: 34147951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2021.122822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to screen potential anticoagulant components from leeches, a representative animal-sourced traditional Chinese medicine using thrombin (THR)-targeted ultrafiltration combined with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-HR-Orbitrap-MS). As a result, five small molecules in leech extract were discovered to interact with THR for the first time. Among them, two new compounds were isolated and their structures were identified by IR, HR-MS and NMR data. Furthermore, their THR inhibitory activity was confirmed with IC50 values of 4.74 and 8.31 μM, respectively. In addition, molecular docking analysis showed that the active (catalytic) site of THR might be the possible binding site of the two hits. Finally, reverse screening analysis indicated that LTA4-H, ACE and ALOX5AP were potential anticoagulant targets of the two new compounds. This study will broaden our understanding of the medicinal substance basis in leeches and further contribute to the discovery and development of clinical anticoagulant drugs from leeches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyang Huang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Jianyuan Tang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Xiaoxin Chai
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Wei Ren
- Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - JiaBo Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Qichao Gan
- Chongqing Duoputai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Chongqing 400800, China
| | - Jingyan Shi
- Chongqing Duoputai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Chongqing 400800, China
| | - Manyuan Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Sijin Yang
- Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jingfang Liu
- Public Technology Service Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Li Ma
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
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11
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A broad-spectrum novel bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum SHY 21–2 from yak yogurt: Purification, antimicrobial characteristics and antibacterial mechanism. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2021.110955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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12
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Iwama RE, Tessler M, Siddall ME, Kvist S. The Origin and Evolution of Antistasin-like Proteins in Leeches (Hirudinida, Clitellata). Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evaa242. [PMID: 33527140 PMCID: PMC7851590 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bloodfeeding is employed by many parasitic animals and requires specific innovations for efficient feeding. Some of these innovations are molecular features that are related to the inhibition of hemostasis. For example, bloodfeeding insects, bats, and leeches release proteins with anticoagulatory activity through their salivary secretions. The antistasin-like protein family, composed of serine protease inhibitors with one or more antistasin-like domains, is tightly linked to inhibition of hemostasis in leeches. However, this protein family has been recorded also in non-bloodfeeding invertebrates, such as cnidarians, mollusks, polychaetes, and oligochaetes. The present study aims to 1) root the antistasin-like gene tree and delimit the major orthologous groups, 2) identify potential independent origins of salivary proteins secreted by leeches, and 3) identify major changes in domain and/or motif structure within each orthologous group. Five clades containing leech antistasin-like proteins are distinguishable through rigorous phylogenetic analyses based on nine new transcriptomes and a diverse set of comparative data: the trypsin + leukocyte elastase inhibitors clade, the antistasin clade, the therostasin clade, and two additional, unnamed clades. The antistasin-like gene tree supports multiple origins of leech antistasin-like proteins due to the presence of both leech and non-leech sequences in one of the unnamed clades, but a single origin of factor Xa and trypsin + leukocyte elastase inhibitors. This is further supported by three sequence motifs that are exclusive to antistasins, the trypsin + leukocyte elastase inhibitor clade, and the therostasin clade, respectively. We discuss the implications of our findings for the evolution of this diverse family of leech anticoagulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Eiji Iwama
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Tessler
- Department of Biology, St. Francis College, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Sebastian Kvist
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Shakouri A, Wollina U. Time to Change Theory; Medical Leech from a Molecular Medicine Perspective Leech Salivary Proteins Playing a Potential Role in Medicine. Adv Pharm Bull 2020; 11:261-266. [PMID: 33880347 PMCID: PMC8046405 DOI: 10.34172/apb.2021.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Followed by developing modern medicine, leeches did not have extensive use as before; however, in the late 19th century, they were still used in most countries all over the world. Thus far, leeches were utilized in treating various diseases like skin disorders, arthritis, and cancer. In Egypt, using leeches for treatment dates back to early 1500 BC. A medical leech’s salivary glands involve over 100 bioactive proteins and the salivary gland secretion contains bacteriostatic, analgesic, and anticoagulation influences; with resolving activity, it causes microcirculation disorders elimination, restoring the hurt vascular permeability of organs and tissues, removing hypoxia, decreasing blood pressure and detoxifying the organism by antioxidant paths. The current work reviews the innovative treatment with medical leech, especially proteins in leech saliva extraction (LSE) with high potential in medicine. The virtue of salivary gland secretions which are proteinaceous enzymes, leech acts on various diseases such as venous congestion in reconstructive and plastic surgery, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases caused by blood coagulation disorders, pain management, priapism, macroglossia, cancer complications, wounds and many other. To confirm the potential therapeutic impacts of leech treatment, more studies are required in more extensive areas with more exact methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Shakouri
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Uwe Wollina
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Academic Teaching Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Dresden, Germany
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14
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Cotabarren J, Broitman DJ, Quiroga E, Obregón WD. GdTI, the first thermostable trypsin inhibitor from Geoffroea decorticans seeds. A novel natural drug with potential application in biomedicine. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 148:869-879. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.01.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Identification and Characterization of ShSPI, a Kazal-Type Elastase Inhibitor from the Venom of Scolopendra Hainanum. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11120708. [PMID: 31817486 PMCID: PMC6950245 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11120708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Elastase is a globular glycoprotein and belongs to the chymotrypsin family. It is involved in several inflammatory cascades on the basis of cleaving the important connective tissue protein elastin, and is strictly regulated to a balance by several endogenous inhibitors. When elastase and its inhibitors are out of balance, severe diseases will develop, especially those involved in the cardiopulmonary system. Much attention has been attracted in seeking innovative elastase inhibitors and various advancements have been taken on clinical trials of these inhibitors. Natural functional peptides from venomous animals have been shown to have anti-protease properties. Here, we identified a kazal-type serine protease inhibitor named ShSPI from the cDNA library of the venom glands of Scolopendra hainanum. ShSPI showed significant inhibitory effects on porcine pancreatic elastase and human neutrophils elastase with Ki values of 225.83 ± 20 nM and 12.61 ± 2 nM, respectively. Together, our results suggest that ShSPI may be an excellent candidate to develop a drug for cardiopulmonary diseases.
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