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Zhang M, Yang B, Shi J, Wang Z, Liu Y. Host defense peptides mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in physiologically relevant condition. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0126123. [PMID: 38415983 PMCID: PMC10994823 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01261-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance represents a significant challenge to public health and human safety. The primary driver behind the dissemination of antibiotic resistance is the horizontal transfer of plasmids. Current conjugative transfer assay is generally performed in a standardized manner, ignoring the effect of the host environment. Host defense peptides (HDPs) possess a wide range of biological targets and play an essential role in the innate immune system. Herein, we reveal that sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations of HDPs facilitate the conjugative transfer of RP4-7 plasmid in the Luria Broth medium, and this observation is reversed in the RPMI medium, designed to simulate the host environment. Out of these HDPs, indolicidin (Ind), a cationic tridecapeptide from bovine neutrophils, significantly inhibits the conjugation of multidrug resistance plasmids in a dose-dependent manner, including blaNDM- and tet(X4)-bearing plasmids. We demonstrate that the addition of Ind to RPMI medium as the incubation substrate downregulates the expression of conjugation-related genes. In addition, Ind weakens the tricarboxylic acid cycle, impedes the electron transport chain, and disrupts the proton motive force, consequently diminishing the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate and limiting the energy supply. Our findings highlight the importance of the host-like environments for the development of horizontal transfer inhibitors and demonstrate the potential of HDPs in preventing the spread of resistance plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Zhang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Bingqing Yang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingru Shi
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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2
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Cont D, Harm S, Schildböck C, Kolm C, Kirschner AKT, Farnleitner AH, Pilecky M, Zottl J, Hartmann J, Weber V. The neutralizing effect of heparin on blood-derived antimicrobial compounds: impact on antibacterial activity and inflammatory response. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1373255. [PMID: 38585266 PMCID: PMC10995223 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1373255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Acting through a combination of direct and indirect pathogen clearance mechanisms, blood-derived antimicrobial compounds (AMCs) play a pivotal role in innate immunity, safeguarding the host against invading microorganisms. Besides their antimicrobial activity, some AMCs can neutralize endotoxins, preventing their interaction with immune cells and avoiding an excessive inflammatory response. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of unfractionated heparin, a polyanionic drug clinically used as anticoagulant, on the endotoxin-neutralizing and antibacterial activity of blood-derived AMCs. Serum samples from healthy donors were pre-incubated with increasing concentrations of heparin for different time periods and tested against pathogenic bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus) and endotoxins from E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa. Heparin dose-dependently decreased the activity of blood-derived AMCs. Consequently, pre-incubation with heparin led to increased activity of LPS and higher values of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Accordingly, higher concentrations of A. baumannii, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa were observed as well. These findings underscore the neutralizing effect of unfractionated heparin on blood-derived AMCs in vitro and may lead to alternative affinity techniques for isolating and characterizing novel AMCs with the potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denisa Cont
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology, Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Stephan Harm
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Claudia Schildböck
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Claudia Kolm
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology, Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander K. T. Kirschner
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology, Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Water Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas H. Farnleitner
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology, Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Pilecky
- Research Lab Aquatic Ecosystem Research and Health, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- Water Cluster Lunz Biological Station, Lunz, Austria
| | - Jennifer Zottl
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Jens Hartmann
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Viktoria Weber
- Department for Biomedical Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
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3
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Puthia M, Petrlova J, Petruk G, Butrym M, Samsudin F, Andersson MÅ, Strömdahl AC, Wasserstrom S, Hartman E, Kjellström S, Caselli L, Klementieva O, Bond PJ, Malmsten M, Raina DB, Schmidtchen A. Bioactive Suture with Added Innate Defense Functionality for the Reduction of Bacterial Infection and Inflammation. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2300987. [PMID: 37689972 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202300987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Surgical site infections (SSI) are a clinical and economic burden. Suture-associated SSI may develop when bacteria colonize the suture surface and form biofilms that are resistant to antibiotics. Thrombin-derived C-terminal peptide (TCP)-25 is a host defense peptide with a unique dual mode of action that can target both bacteria and the excessive inflammation induced by bacterial products. The peptide demonstrates therapeutic potential in preclinical in vivo wound infection models. In this study, the authors set out to explore whether TCP-25 can provide a new bioactive innate immune feature to hydrophilic polyglactin sutures (Vicryl). Using a combination of biochemical, biophysical, antibacterial, biofilm, and anti-inflammatory assays in vitro, in silico molecular modeling studies, along with experimental infection and inflammation models in mice, a proof-of-concept that TCP-25 can provide Vicryl sutures with a previously undisclosed host defense capacity, that enables targeting of bacteria, biofilms, and the accompanying inflammatory response, is shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Puthia
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Jitka Petrlova
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Ganna Petruk
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Marta Butrym
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
| | - Madelene Å Andersson
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Ann-Charlotte Strömdahl
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | | | - Erik Hartman
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | - Sven Kjellström
- Division of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
| | | | - Oxana Klementieva
- Medical Microspectroscopy Lab, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 84, Sweden
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Martin Malmsten
- Physical Chemistry 1, Lund University, Lund, S-221 00, Sweden
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Deepak Bushan Raina
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 84, Sweden
| | - Artur Schmidtchen
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-22184, Sweden
- Dermatology, Skane University Hospital, Lund, SE-22185, Sweden
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4
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Shao WB, Luo RS, Meng J, Lv XK, Xiang HM, Xiao WL, Zhou X, Liu LW, Wu ZB, Yang S. Engineering Phenothiazine-Based Functional Mimics of Host Defense Peptides as New Agrochemical Candidates: Design, Synthesis, and Antibacterial Evaluation. J Agric Food Chem 2023. [PMID: 37906428 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c03952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
In the protracted "arms race" between host and plant pathogenic bacteria, host organisms have evolved powerful weapons known as host defense peptides (HDPs). However, natural HDPs are not suitable for large-scale applications; therefore, researchers have chosen to develop bespoke small-molecule functional mimics. Phenothiazine derivatives were developed as functional HDPs mimics, owing to their broad biological activity and high lipophilicity. The phenothiazine analogues designed in this study exhibited excellent in vitro bioactivity against the three Gram-negative bacteria Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv citri, and Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae, with optimal EC50 values of 0.80, 0.31, and 1.91 μg/mL, respectively. Preliminary evidence suggests that compound C2 may act on bacterial cell membranes and interact with bacterial Deoxyribonucleic acid in the groove binding mode. In vivo trials showed that compound C2 was highly effective against rice leaf blight (51.97-56.69%), with activity superior to those of bismerthiazol (40.7-43.4%) and thiodiazole copper (30.2-37.1%). Our study provides strong evidence to support the development of phenothiazine derivatives into pesticide candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Bin Shao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Rong-Shuang Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jiao Meng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiao-Kang Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Hong-Mei Xiang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Wan-Lin Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Li-Wei Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhi-Bing Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Song Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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Javed A, Balhuizen MD, Pannekoek A, Bikker FJ, Heesterbeek DAC, Haagsman HP, Broere F, Weingarth M, Veldhuizen EJA. Effects of Escherichia coli LPS Structure on Antibacterial and Anti-Endotoxin Activities of Host Defense Peptides. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1485. [PMID: 37895956 PMCID: PMC10609994 DOI: 10.3390/ph16101485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The binding of Host Defense Peptides (HDPs) to the endotoxin of Gram-negative bacteria has important unsolved aspects. For most HDPs, it is unclear if binding is part of the antibacterial mechanism or whether LPS actually provides a protective layer against HDP killing. In addition, HDP binding to LPS can block the subsequent TLR4-mediated activation of the immune system. This dual activity is important, considering that HDPs are thought of as an alternative to conventional antibiotics, which do not provide this dual activity. In this study, we systematically determine, for the first time, the influence of the O-antigen and Lipid A composition on both the antibacterial and anti-endotoxin activity of four HDPs (CATH-2, PR-39, PMAP-23, and PMAP36). The presence of the O-antigen did not affect the antibacterial activity of any of the tested HDPs. Similarly, modification of the lipid A phosphate (MCR-1 phenotype) also did not affect the activity of the HDPs. Furthermore, assessment of inner and outer membrane damage revealed that CATH-2 and PMAP-36 are profoundly membrane-active and disrupt the inner and outer membrane of Escherichia coli simultaneously, suggesting that crossing the outer membrane is the rate-limiting step in the bactericidal activity of these HDPs but is independent of the presence of an O-antigen. In contrast to killing, larger differences were observed for the anti-endotoxin properties of HDPs. CATH-2 and PMAP-36 were much stronger at suppressing LPS-induced activation of macrophages compared to PR-39 and PMAP-23. In addition, the presence of only one phosphate group in the lipid A moiety reduced the immunomodulating activity of these HDPs. Overall, the data strongly suggest that LPS composition has little effect on bacterial killing but that Lipid A modification can affect the immunomodulatory role of HDPs. This dual activity should be considered when HDPs are considered for application purposes in the treatment of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Javed
- Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (A.J.); (A.P.); (F.B.)
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Melanie D. Balhuizen
- Section of Molecular Host Defense, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (M.D.B.); (H.P.H.)
| | - Arianne Pannekoek
- Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (A.J.); (A.P.); (F.B.)
| | - Floris J. Bikker
- Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Dani A. C. Heesterbeek
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Henk P. Haagsman
- Section of Molecular Host Defense, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (M.D.B.); (H.P.H.)
| | - Femke Broere
- Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (A.J.); (A.P.); (F.B.)
| | - Markus Weingarth
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Edwin J. A. Veldhuizen
- Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; (A.J.); (A.P.); (F.B.)
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6
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Guryanova SV, Balandin SV, Belogurova-Ovchinnikova OY, Ovchinnikova TV. Marine Invertebrate Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Potential as Novel Peptide Antibiotics. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:503. [PMID: 37888438 PMCID: PMC10608444 DOI: 10.3390/md21100503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine invertebrates constantly interact with a wide range of microorganisms in their aquatic environment and possess an effective defense system that has enabled their existence for millions of years. Their lack of acquired immunity sets marine invertebrates apart from other marine animals. Invertebrates could rely on their innate immunity, providing the first line of defense, survival, and thriving. The innate immune system of marine invertebrates includes various biologically active compounds, and specifically, antimicrobial peptides. Nowadays, there is a revive of interest in these peptides due to the urgent need to discover novel drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, a pressing global concern in modern healthcare. Modern technologies offer extensive possibilities for the development of innovative drugs based on these compounds, which can act against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. This review focuses on structural peculiarities, biological functions, gene expression, biosynthesis, mechanisms of antimicrobial action, regulatory activities, and prospects for the therapeutic use of antimicrobial peptides derived from marine invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana V. Guryanova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
- Medical Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Balandin
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
| | | | - Tatiana V. Ovchinnikova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
- Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia;
- Department of Biotechnology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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7
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Filipe Rosa L, Rings A, Stolzer I, Koeninger L, Wehkamp J, Beisner J, Günther C, Nordkild P, Jensen BAH, Bischoff SC. Human α-Defensin 5 1-9 and Human β-Defensin 2 Improve Metabolic Parameters and Gut Barrier Function in Mice Fed a Western-Style Diet. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13878. [PMID: 37762180 PMCID: PMC10531064 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity and metabolic comorbidities are associated with gut permeability. While high-fructose and Western-style diet (WSD) disrupt intestinal barrier function, oral administration of human α-defensin 5 (HD5) and β-defensin 2 (hBD2) is believed to improve intestinal integrity and metabolic disorders. Eighty-four male C57BL/6J mice were fed a WSD or a control diet (CD) ± fructose (F) for 18 weeks. In week 13, mice were randomly divided into three intervention groups, receiving defensin fragment HD51-9, full-length hBD2, or bovine serum albumin (BSA)-control for six weeks. Subsequently, parameters of hepatic steatosis, glucose metabolism, and gut barrier function were assessed. WSDF increased body weight and hepatic steatosis (p < 0.01) compared to CD-fed mice, whereas peptide intervention decreased liver fat (p < 0.05) and number of hepatic lipid droplets (p < 0.01) compared to BSA-control. In addition, both peptides attenuated glucose intolerance by reducing blood glucose curves in WSDF-fed mice. Evaluation of gut barrier function revealed that HD51-9 and hBD2 improve intestinal integrity by upregulating tight junction and mucin expression. Moreover, peptide treatment restored ileal host defense peptides (HDP) expression, likely by modulating the Wnt, Myd88, p38, and Jak/STAT pathways. These findings strongly suggest that α- and β-defensin treatment improve hepatic steatosis, glucose metabolism, and gut barrier function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa Filipe Rosa
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 12, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Andreas Rings
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 12, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Iris Stolzer
- Department of Medicine 1, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Louis Koeninger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, 72016 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jan Wehkamp
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, 72016 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Beisner
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 12, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Claudia Günther
- Department of Medicine 1, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Benjamin A. H. Jensen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stephan C. Bischoff
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 12, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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8
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Tobin I, Zhang G. Regulation of Host Defense Peptide Synthesis by Polyphenols. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:660. [PMID: 37107022 PMCID: PMC10135163 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of antimicrobial resistance has created an urgent need for antibiotic-alternative strategies for disease control and prevention. Host defense peptides (HDPs), which have both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, are an important component of the innate immune system. A host-directed approach to stimulate the synthesis of endogenous HDPs has emerged as a promising solution to treat infections with a minimum risk for developing antimicrobial resistance. Among a diverse group of compounds that have been identified as inducers of HDP synthesis are polyphenols, which are naturally occurring secondary metabolites of plants characterized by the presence of multiple phenol units. In addition to their well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, a variety of polyphenols have been shown to stimulate HDP synthesis across animal species. This review summarizes both the in vitro and in vivo evidence of polyphenols regulating HDP synthesis. The mechanisms by which polyphenols induce HDP gene expression are also discussed. Natural polyphenols warrant further investigation as potential antibiotic alternatives for the control and prevention of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;
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9
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Mladineo I, Rončević T, Gerdol M, Tossi A. Helminthic host defense peptides: using the parasite to defend the host. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:345-357. [PMID: 36890022 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic helminths are destined to share niches with a variety of microbiota that inevitably influence their interaction with the host. To modulate the microbiome for their benefit and defend against pathogenic isolates, helminths have developed host defense peptides (HDPs) and proteins as integral elements of their immunity. These often exert a relatively nonspecific membranolytic activity toward bacteria, sometimes with limited or no toxicity toward host cells. With a few exceptions, such as nematode cecropin-like peptides and antibacterial factors (ABFs), helminthic HDPs are largely underexplored. This review scrutinizes current knowledge on the repertoire of such peptides in helminths and promotes their research as potential leads for an anti-infective solution to the burgeoning problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivona Mladineo
- Laboratory of Functional Helminthology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology BC CAS, Branišovska 31, Česke Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomislav Rončević
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
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10
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Donaghy C, Javellana JG, Hong YJ, Djoko K, Angeles-Boza AM. The Synergy between Zinc and Antimicrobial Peptides: An Insight into Unique Bioinorganic Interactions. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052156. [PMID: 36903402 PMCID: PMC10004757 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of innate immunity across all species. AMPs have become the focus of attention in recent years, as scientists are addressing antibiotic resistance, a public health crisis that has reached epidemic proportions. This family of peptides represents a promising alternative to current antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and tendency to avoid resistance development. A subfamily of AMPs interacts with metal ions to potentiate antimicrobial effectiveness, and, as such, they have been termed metalloAMPs. In this work, we review the scientific literature on metalloAMPs that enhance their antimicrobial efficacy when combined with the essential metal ion zinc(II). Beyond the role played by Zn(II) as a cofactor in different systems, it is well-known that this metal ion plays an important role in innate immunity. Here, we classify the different types of synergistic interactions between AMPs and Zn(II) into three distinct classes. By better understanding how each class of metalloAMPs uses Zn(II) to potentiate its activity, researchers can begin to exploit these interactions in the development of new antimicrobial agents and accelerate their use as therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Donaghy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | | | - Young-Jin Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Karrera Djoko
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
- Correspondence: (K.D.); (A.M.A.-B.)
| | - Alfredo M. Angeles-Boza
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
- Institute of Materials Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
- Correspondence: (K.D.); (A.M.A.-B.)
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11
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Cloft SE, Miska KB, Jenkins M, Proszkowiec-Weglarz M, Kahl S, Wong EA. Temporal changes of genes associated with intestinal homeostasis in broiler chickens following a single infection with Eimeria acervulina. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102537. [PMID: 36867919 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the protozoan parasite Eimeria can cause the economically devastating disease coccidiosis, which is characterized by gross tissue damage and inflammation resulting in blunted villi and altered intestinal homeostasis. Male broiler chickens at 21 d of age were given a single challenge with Eimeria acervulina. Temporal changes in intestinal morphology and gene expression were investigated at 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 d postinfection (dpi). There were increased crypt depths for chickens infected with E. acervulina starting at 3 dpi and continuing to 14 dpi. At 5 and 7 dpi, infected chickens had decreased Mucin2 (Muc2), and Avian beta defensin (AvBD) 6 mRNA at 5 and 7 dpi and decreased AvBD10 mRNA at 7 dpi compared to uninfected chickens. Liver-enriched antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) mRNA was decreased at 3, 5, 7, and 14 dpi compared to uninfected chickens. After 7 dpi, there was increased Collagen 3a1 and Notch 1 mRNA compared to uninfected chickens. Marker of proliferation Ki67 mRNA was increased in infected chickens from 3 to 10 dpi. In addition, the presence of E. acervulina was visualized by in situ hybridization (ISH) with an E. acervulina sporozoite surface antigen (Ea-SAG) probe. In E. acervulina infected chickens, Ea-SAG mRNA was only detectable on 5 and 7 dpi by both ISH and qPCR. To further investigate the site of E. acervulina infection, Ea-SAG and Muc2 probes were examined on serial sections. The Muc2 ISH signal was decreased in regions where the Ea-SAG ISH signal was present, suggesting that the decrease in Muc2 by qPCR may be caused by the loss of Muc2 in the localized regions where the E. acervulina had invaded the tissue. Eimeria acervulina appears to manipulate host cells by decreasing their defensive capabilities and thereby allows the infection to propagate freely. Following infection, the intestinal cells upregulate genes that may support regeneration of damaged intestinal tissue.
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12
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Wang Q, Yang Y, Luo G, Zhou Y, Tolbert WD, Pazgier M, Liao C, Lu W. Mouse α-Defensins: Structural and Functional Analysis of the 17 Cryptdin Isoforms Identified from a Single Jejunal Crypt. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0036122. [PMID: 36472443 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00361-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse α-defensins, better known as cryptdins, are host protective antimicrobial peptides produced in the intestinal crypt by Paneth cells. To date, more than 20 cryptdin mRNAs have been identified from mouse small intestine, of which the first six cryptdins (Crp1 to Crp6) have been isolated and characterized at the peptide level. We quantified bactericidal activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus of the 17 cryptdin isoforms identified by Ouellette and colleagues from a single jejunal crypt (A. J. Ouellette et al., Infect Immun 62:5040-5047, 1994), along with linearized analogs of Crp1, Crp4, and Crp14. In addition, we analyzed the most potent and weakest cryptdins in the panel with respect to their ability to self-associate in solution. Finally, we solved, for the first time, the high-resolution crystal structure of a cryptdin, Crp14, and performed molecular dynamics simulation on Crp14 and a hypothetical mutant, T14K-Crp14. Our results indicate that mutational effects are highly dependent on cryptdin sequence, residue position, and bacterial strain. Crp14 adopts a disulfide-stabilized, three-stranded β-sheet core structure and forms a noncanonical dimer stabilized by asymmetrical interactions between the two β1 strands in parallel. The killing of E. coli by cryptdins is generally independent of their tertiary and quaternary structures that are important for the killing of S. aureus, which is indicative of two distinct mechanisms of action. Importantly, sequence variations impact the bactericidal activity of cryptdins by influencing their ability to self-associate in solution. This study expands our current understanding of how cryptdins function at the molecular level.
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13
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Lyu W, Deng Z, Zhang G. High-Throughput Screening for Epigenetic Compounds That Induce Human β-Defensin 1 Synthesis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12. [PMID: 36830097 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial host defense peptides (HDPs) are critically important for innate immunity. Small-molecule compounds with the ability to induce HDP synthesis are being actively explored for antimicrobial therapy. To facilitate the discovery of the compounds that specifically activate human β-defensin 1 (DEFB1) gene transcription, we established a cell-based high-throughput screening assay that employs HT-29/DEFB1-luc, a stable reporter cell line expressing the luciferase gene driven by a 3-Kb DEFB1 gene promoter. A screening of a library of 148 small-molecule epigenetic compounds led to the identification of 28 hits, with a minimum strictly standardized mean difference of 3.0. Fourteen compounds were further selected and confirmed to be capable of inducing DEFB1 mRNA expression in human HT-29 colonic epithelial cells. Desirably, the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene was also induced by these epigenetic compounds. Benzamide-containing histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) were among the most potent HDP inducers identified in this study. Additionally, several major genes involved in intestinal barrier function, such as claudin-1, claudin-2, tight junction protein 1, and mucin 2, were differentially regulated by HDP inducers. These findings suggest the potential for the development of benzamide-based HDACi as host-directed antimicrobials for infectious disease control and prevention.
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14
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Shi J, Wu J, Feng G, Yang H, Mu L. Natural Amphibian-Derived Host Defense Peptides: Peptide Immunomodulators with Potential Therapeutic Value. Protein Pept Lett 2023; 30:562-573. [PMID: 37231717 DOI: 10.2174/0929866530666230525163307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Due to the rapid evolution of bacterial drug resistance, anti-infective treatment has become a global problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop alternative treatment strategies. Host defense peptides (HDPs) are important components of the natural immune system and are widely distributed in the animal and plant kingdoms. Amphibians, especially their skin, provide a rich source of natural HDPs encoded by genes. These HDPs exhibit not only broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity but also a wide range of immunoregulatory characteristics, including modulation of antiinflammatory and proinflammatory reactions, regulation of specific cellular functions, enhancement of immune chemotaxis, regulation of adaptive immunity, and promotion of wound healing. They also show potent therapeutic effects on infectious and inflammatory diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, in the current review, we summarize the extensive immunomodulatory functions of natural amphibian HDPs, as well as the challenges of clinical development and potential solutions, which have important implications for the development of new anti-infective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shi
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Guizhu Feng
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Hailong Yang
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Lixian Mu
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
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15
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Yang Q, Burkardt AC, Sunkara LT, Xiao K, Zhang G. Natural Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors Synergize With Butyrate to Augment Chicken Host Defense Peptide Gene Expression. Front Immunol 2022; 13:819222. [PMID: 35273602 PMCID: PMC8902166 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.819222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancing the synthesis of microbicidal and immunomodulatory host defense peptides (HDP) is a promising host-directed antimicrobial strategy to combat a growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Here we investigated the effect of several natural cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors on chicken HDP gene regulation. Our results indicated that phenolic COX-2 inhibitors such as quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, anacardic acid, and garcinol enhanced HDP gene expression in chicken HTC macrophage cell line and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, these natural COX-2 inhibitors showed a strong synergy with butyrate in augmenting the expressions of multiple HDP genes in HTC cells and PBMCs. Additionally, quercetin and butyrate synergistically promoted the expressions of mucin-2 and claudin-1, two major genes involved in barrier function, while suppressing lipopolysaccharide-triggered interleukin-1β expression in HTC macrophages. Mechanistically, we revealed that NF-κB, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathways were all involved in the avian β-defensin 9 gene induction, but histone H4 was not hyperacetylated in response to a combination of butyrate and quercetin. Because of their HDP-inducing, barrier-protective, and antiinflammatory activities, these natural COX-2 inhibitors, when combined with butyrate, may be developed as novel host-directed antimicrobial therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Amanda C Burkardt
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Lakshimi T Sunkara
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Kan Xiao
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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16
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Kumari S, Booth V. Antimicrobial Peptide Mechanisms Studied by Whole-Cell Deuterium NMR. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052740. [PMID: 35269882 PMCID: PMC8910884 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Much of the work probing antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mechanisms has focussed on how these molecules permeabilize lipid bilayers. However, AMPs must also traverse a variety of non-lipid cell envelope components before they reach the lipid bilayer. Additionally, there is a growing list of AMPs with non-lipid targets inside the cell. It is thus useful to extend the biophysical methods that have been traditionally applied to study AMP mechanisms in liposomes to the full bacteria, where the lipids are present along with the full complexity of the rest of the bacterium. This review focusses on what can be learned about AMP mechanisms from solid-state NMR of AMP-treated intact bacteria. It also touches on flow cytometry as a complementary method for measuring permeabilization of bacterial lipid membranes in whole bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarika Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada;
| | - Valerie Booth
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada;
- Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-709-864-4523
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17
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Yang Q, Fong LA, Lyu W, Sunkara LT, Xiao K, Zhang G. Synergistic Induction of Chicken Antimicrobial Host Defense Peptide Gene Expression by Butyrate and Sugars. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:781649. [PMID: 34956146 PMCID: PMC8696121 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.781649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a major concern to public health demanding effective alternative strategies to disease control and prevention. Modulation of endogenous host defense peptide (HDP) synthesis has emerged as a promising antibiotic alternative approach. This study investigated a potential synergy between sugars and butyrate in inducing HDP gene expression in chickens. Our results revealed that sugars differentially regulated HDP expression in both gene- and sugar-specific manners in chicken HD11 macrophage cells. Among eight mono- and disaccharides tested, all were potent inducers of avian β-defensin 9 (AvBD9) gene (p<0.05), but only galactose, trehalose, and lactose obviously upregulated cathelicidin-B1 (CATHB1) gene expression. The expression of AvBD14 gene, on the other hand, was minimally influenced by sugars. Moreover, all sugars exhibited a strong synergy with butyrate in enhancing AvBD9 expression, while only galactose, trehalose, and lactose were synergistic with butyrate in CATHB1 induction. No synergy in AvBD14 induction was observed between sugars and butyrate. Although lactose augmented the expression of nearly all HDP genes, its synergy with butyrate was only seen with several, but not all, HDP genes. Mucin-2 gene was also synergistically induced by a combination of lactose and butyrate. Furthermore, lactose synergized with butyrate to induce AvBD9 expression in chicken jejunal explants (p<0.05). Mechanistically, hyper-acetylation of histones was observed in response to both butyrate and lactose, relative to individual compounds. Mitogen-activated protein kinase, NF-κB, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathways were also found to be involved in butyrate- and lactose-mediated synergy in AvBD9 induction. Collectively, a combination of butyrate and a sugar with both HDP-inducing and barrier protective activities holds the promise to be developed as an alternative to antibiotics for disease control and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Li-An Fong
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Wentao Lyu
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Agro-Product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lakshmi T Sunkara
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Kan Xiao
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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18
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Gopalakrishnan S, Uma SK, Mohan G, Mohan A, Shanmugam G, Kumar VTV, J S, Chandrika SK, Vasudevan D, Nori SRC, Sathi SN, George S, Maliekal TT. SSTP1, a Host Defense Peptide, Exploits the Immunomodulatory IL6 Pathway to Induce Apoptosis in Cancer Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:740620. [PMID: 34867962 PMCID: PMC8639500 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.740620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
While the immunomodulatory pathways initiated in immune cells contribute to therapeutic response, their activation in cancer cells play a role in cancer progression. Also, many of the aberrantly expressed immunomodulators on cancer cells are considered as therapeutic targets. Here, we introduce host defense peptide (HDP), a known immuomodulator, as a therapeutic agent to target them. The cationic host defense peptides (HDPs), an integral part of the innate immune system, possess membranolytic activity, which imparts antimicrobial and antitumor efficacy to it. They act as immunomodulators by activating the immune cells. Though their antimicrobial function has been recently reassigned to immunoregulation, their antitumor activity is still attributed to its membranolytic activity. This membrane pore formation ability, which is proportional to the concentration of the peptide, also leads to side effects like hemolysis, limiting their therapeutic application. So, despite the identification of a variety of anticancer HDPs, their clinical utility is limited. Though HDPs are shown to exert the immunomodulatory activity through specific membrane targets on immune cells, their targets on cancer cells are unknown. We show that SSTP1, a novel HDP identified by shotgun cloning, binds to the active IL6/IL6Rα/gp130 complex on cancer cells, rearranging the active site residues. In contrast to the IL6 blockers inhibiting JAK/STAT activity, SSTP1 shifts the proliferative IL6/JAK/STAT signaling to the apoptotic IL6/JNK/AP1 pathway. In IL6Rα-overexpressing cancer cells, SSTP1 induces apoptosis at low concentration through JNK pathway, without causing significant membrane disruption. We highlight the importance of immunomodulatory pathways in cancer apoptosis, apart from its established role in immune cell regulation and cancer cell proliferation. Our study suggests that identification of the membrane targets for the promising anticancer HDPs might lead to the identification of new drugs for targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyla Gopalakrishnan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Interdisciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Soumya Krishnan Uma
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Gayathri Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
| | - Amrutha Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Geetha Shanmugam
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Vineeth T. V. Kumar
- Interdisciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Sreekumar J
- Statistics, Section of Extension and Social Science, The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Sivakumar K. Chandrika
- Genomics Core Facility, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | | | - Sai Ravi Chandra Nori
- Interdisciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Shijulal Nelson Sathi
- Interdisciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Sanil George
- Interdisciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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19
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Robinson K, Yang Q, Li H, Zhang L, Aylward B, Arsenault RJ, Zhang G. Butyrate and Forskolin Augment Host Defense, Barrier Function, and Disease Resistance Without Eliciting Inflammation. Front Nutr 2021; 8:778424. [PMID: 34778349 PMCID: PMC8579826 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.778424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides (HDPs) are an integral part of the innate immune system with both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Induction of endogenous HDP synthesis is being actively explored as an antibiotic-alternative approach to disease control and prevention. Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, and forskolin, a phytochemical, have been shown separately to induce HDP gene expression in human cells. Here, we investigated the ability of butyrate and forskolin to induce the expressions of chicken HDP genes and the genes involved in barrier function such as mucin 2 and claudin 1 both in vitro and in vivo. We further evaluated their efficacy in protecting chickens from Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis. Additionally, we profiled the transcriptome and global phosphorylation of chicken HD11 macrophage cells in response to butyrate and forskolin using RNA sequencing and a kinome peptide array, respectively. Our results showed a strong synergy between butyrate and forskolin in inducing the expressions of several, but not all, HDP genes. Importantly, dietary supplementation of butyrate and a forskolin-containing plant extract resulted in significant alleviation of intestinal lesions and the C. perfringens colonization in a synergistic manner in a chicken model of necrotic enteritis. RNA sequencing revealed a preferential increase in HDP and barrier function genes with no induction of proinflammatory cytokines in response to butyrate and forskolin. The antiinflammatory and barrier protective properties of butyrate and forskolin were further confirmed by the kinome peptide array. Moreover, we demonstrated an involvement of inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER)-mediated negative feedback in HDP induction by butyrate and forskolin. Overall, these results highlight a potential for developing butyrate and forskolin, two natural products, as novel antibiotic alternatives to enhance intestinal health and disease resistance in poultry and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy Robinson
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agriculture University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.,Institute of Ecology, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Bridget Aylward
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Ryan J Arsenault
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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20
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Etayash H, Hancock REW. Host Defense Peptide-Mimicking Polymers and Polymeric-Brush-Tethered Host Defense Peptides: Recent Developments, Limitations, and Potential Success. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1820. [PMID: 34834239 PMCID: PMC8621177 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphiphilic antimicrobial polymers have attracted considerable interest as structural mimics of host defense peptides (HDPs) that provide a broad spectrum of activity and do not induce bacterial-drug resistance. Likewise, surface engineered polymeric-brush-tethered HDP is considered a promising coating strategy that prevents infections and endows implantable materials and medical devices with antifouling and antibacterial properties. While each strategy takes a different approach, both aim to circumvent limitations of HDPs, enhance physicochemical properties, therapeutic performance, and enable solutions to unmet therapeutic needs. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in each approach, spotlight the fundamental principles, describe current developments with examples, discuss benefits and limitations, and highlight potential success. The review intends to summarize our knowledge in this research area and stimulate further work on antimicrobial polymers and functionalized polymeric biomaterials as strategies to fight infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert E. W. Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
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21
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Zsila F, Ricci M, Szigyártó IC, Singh P, Beke-Somfai T. Quorum Sensing Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal Forms Chiral Supramolecular Assemblies With the Host Defense Peptide LL-37. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:742023. [PMID: 34708076 PMCID: PMC8542694 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.742023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense antimicrobial peptides (HDPs) constitute an integral component of the innate immune system having nonspecific activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. They also have diverse biological functions in wound healing, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation, where it has also been demonstrated that they have a high affinity to interact with human lipid signaling molecules. Within bacterial biofilms, quorum sensing (QS), the vital bacterial cell-to-cell communication system, is maintained by similar diffusible small molecules which control phenotypic traits, virulence factors, biofilm formation, and dispersion. Efficient eradication of bacterial biofilms is of particular importance as these colonies greatly help individual cells to tolerate antibiotics and develop antimicrobial resistance. Regarding the antibacterial function, for several HDPs, including the human cathelicidin LL-37, affinity to eradicate biofilms can exceed their activity to kill individual bacteria. However, related underlying molecular mechanisms have not been explored yet. Here, we employed circular dichroism (CD) and UV/VIS spectroscopic analysis, which revealed that LL-37 exhibits QS signal affinity. This archetypal representative of HDPs interacts with the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) molecules, producing co-assemblies with peculiar optical activity. The binding of PQS onto the asymmetric peptide chains results in chiral supramolecular architectures consisting of helically disposed, J-aggregated molecules. Besides the well-known bacterial membrane disruption activity, our data propose a novel action mechanism of LL-37. As a specific case of the so-called quorum quenching, QS signal molecules captured by the peptide are sequestered inside co-assemblies, which may interfere with the microbial QS network helping to prevent and eradicate bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenc Zsila
- Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | | | - Tamás Beke-Somfai
- Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Budapest, Hungary
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22
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Yang Q, Whitmore MA, Robinson K, Lyu W, Zhang G. Butyrate, Forskolin, and Lactose Synergistically Enhance Disease Resistance by Inducing the Expression of the Genes Involved in Innate Host Defense and Barrier Function. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101175. [PMID: 34680756 PMCID: PMC8532606 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The rising concern of antimicrobial resistance highlights a need for effective alternatives to antibiotics for livestock production. Butyrate, forskolin, and lactose are three natural products known to induce the synthesis of host defense peptides (HDP), which are a critical component of innate immunity. In this study, the synergy among butyrate, forskolin, and lactose in enhancing innate host defense, barrier function, and resistance to necrotic enteritis and coccidiosis was investigated. Our results indicated that the three compounds synergistically augmented the expressions of multiple HDP and barrier function genes in chicken HD11 macrophages. The compounds also showed an obvious synergy in promoting HDP gene expressions in chicken jejunal explants. Dietary supplementation of a combination of 1 g/kg sodium butyrate, 10 mg/kg forskolin-containing plant extract, and 10 g/kg lactose dramatically improved the survival of chickens from 39% to 94% (p < 0.001) in a co-infection model of necrotic enteritis. Furthermore, the three compounds largely reversed growth suppression, significantly alleviated intestinal lesions, and reduced colonization of Clostridium perfringens or Eimeria maxima in chickens with necrotic enteritis and coccidiosis (p < 0.01). Collectively, dietary supplementation of butyrate, forskolin, and lactose is a promising antibiotic alternative approach to disease control and prevention for poultry and possibly other livestock species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (Q.Y.); (M.A.W.); (K.R.); (W.L.)
| | - Melanie A. Whitmore
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (Q.Y.); (M.A.W.); (K.R.); (W.L.)
| | - Kelsy Robinson
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (Q.Y.); (M.A.W.); (K.R.); (W.L.)
- Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, USDA–Agricultural Research Service, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Wentao Lyu
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (Q.Y.); (M.A.W.); (K.R.); (W.L.)
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Agro-Product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (Q.Y.); (M.A.W.); (K.R.); (W.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-405-744-8867
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Dughbaj MA, Jayne JG, Park AYJ, Bensman TJ, Algorri M, Ouellette AJ, Selsted ME, Beringer PM. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of RTD-1 in a Murine Model of Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lung Infection: Inhibition of NF-κB, Inflammasome Gene Expression, and Pro-IL-1β Biosynthesis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1043. [PMID: 34572625 PMCID: PMC8466744 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vicious cycles of chronic airway obstruction, lung infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and neutrophil-dominated inflammation contribute to morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Rhesus theta defensin-1 (RTD-1) is an antimicrobial macrocyclic peptide with immunomodulatory properties. Our objective was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of RTD-1 in a murine model of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. Mice received nebulized RTD-1 daily for 6 days. Bacterial burden, leukocyte counts, and cytokine concentrations were evaluated. Microarray analysis was performed on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells and lung tissue homogenates. In vitro effects of RTD-1 in THP-1 cells were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunoblots, confocal microscopy, enzymatic activity assays, and NF-κB-reporter assays. RTD-1 significantly reduced lung white blood cell counts on days 3 (-54.95%; p = 0.0003) and 7 (-31.71%; p = 0.0097). Microarray analysis of lung tissue homogenates and BALF cells revealed that RTD-1 significantly reduced proinflammatory gene expression, particularly inflammasome-related genes (nod-like receptor protein 3, Mediterranean fever gene, interleukin (IL)-1α, and IL-1β) relative to the control. In vitro studies demonstrated NF-κB activation was reduced two-fold (p ≤ 0.0001) by RTD-1 treatment. Immunoblots revealed that RTD-1 treatment inhibited proIL-1β biosynthesis. Additionally, RTD-1 treatment was associated with a reduction in caspase-1 activation (FC = -1.79; p = 0.0052). RTD-1 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity in chronically infected mice. Importantly, RTD-1 inhibits inflammasome activity, which is possibly a downstream effect of NF-κB modulation. These findings support that this immunomodulatory peptide may be a promising therapeutic for CF-associated lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour A Dughbaj
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jordanna G Jayne
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - A Young J Park
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Timothy J Bensman
- Division of Infectious Disease Pharmacology, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Marquerita Algorri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Andre J Ouellette
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Michael E Selsted
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Paul M Beringer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Balhuizen MD, van Dijk A, Jansen JWA, van de Lest CHA, Veldhuizen EJA, Haagsman HP. Outer Membrane Vesicles Protect Gram-Negative Bacteria against Host Defense Peptides. mSphere 2021; 6:e0052321. [PMID: 34232080 PMCID: PMC8386409 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00523-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides (HDPs) are part of the innate immune system and constitute a first line of defense against invading pathogens. They possess antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens. However, pathogens have been known to adapt to hostile environments. Therefore, the bacterial response to treatment with HDPs was investigated. Previous observations suggested that sublethal concentrations of HDPs increase the release of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in Escherichia coli. First, the effects of sublethal treatment with HDPs CATH-2, PMAP-36, and LL-37 on OMV release of several Gram-negative bacteria were analyzed. Treatment with PMAP-36 and CATH-2 induced release of OMVs, but treatment with LL-37 did not. The OMVs were further characterized with respect to morphological properties. The HDP-induced OMVs often had disc-like shapes. The beneficial effect of bacterial OMV release was studied by determining the susceptibility of E. coli toward HDPs in the presence of OMVs. The minimal bactericidal concentration was increased in the presence of OMVs. It is concluded that OMV release is a means of bacteria to dispose of HDP-affected membrane. Furthermore, OMVs act as a decoy for HDPs and thereby protect the bacterium. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance is a pressing problem and estimated to be a leading cause of mortality by 2050. Antimicrobial peptides, also known as host defense peptides (HDPs), and HDP-derived antimicrobials have potent antimicrobial activity and high potential as alternatives to antibiotics due to low resistance development. Some resistance mechanisms have developed in bacteria, and complete understanding of bacterial defense against HDPs will aid their use in the clinic. This study provides insight into outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as potential defense mechanisms against HDPs, which will allow anticipation of unforeseen resistance to HDPs in clinical use and possibly prevention of bacterial resistance by the means of OMVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D. Balhuizen
- Section of Molecular Host Defence, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert van Dijk
- Section of Molecular Host Defence, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen W. A. Jansen
- Section of Cell Biology, Metabolism and Cancer, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Chris H. A. van de Lest
- Section of Cell Biology, Metabolism and Cancer, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin J. A. Veldhuizen
- Section of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk P. Haagsman
- Section of Molecular Host Defence, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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25
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Sarker P, Mily A, Ara A, Haque F, Maier N, Wierzba TF, Walker RI, Venkatesan MM, Raqib R. Functional antibodies and innate immune responses to WRSS1, a live oral Shigella sonnei vaccine candidate in Bangladeshi adults and children. J Infect Dis 2021; 224:S829-S839. [PMID: 34374425 PMCID: PMC8687094 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We demonstrated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial that WRSS1, a live oral Shigella sonnei vaccine candidate, is safe in Bangladeshi adults and children, and elicits antigen-specific antibodies. Here, we describe functional antibody and innate immune responses to WRSS1. Methods Adults (18–39 years) and children (5–9 years) received 3 doses of 3 × 105 or 3 × 106 colony forming units (CFU) of WRSS1 or placebo, 4 weeks apart; children additionally received 3 × 104 CFU. Blood and stool were collected at baseline and 7 days after each dose. Functional antibodies were measured using serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay. Cytokine/chemokine concentrations were measured in lymphocyte cultures. Host defense peptides LL-37, HBD-1, and HD-5 were analyzed in plasma and stool. Results Children showed increased SBA titers over baseline after the third dose of 3 × 106 CFU (P = .048). Significant increases of Th-17 and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, G-CSF, MIP-1β), and reduction of anti-inflammatory and Th2 cytokines (IL-10, IL-13, GM-CSF) were observed in children. Plasma HBD-1 and LL-37 decreased in children after vaccination but were increased/unchanged in adults. Conclusions Functional antibodies and Th1/Th17 cytokine responses in children may serve as important indicators of immunogenicity and protective potential of WRSS1. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT01813071.
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Affiliation(s)
- Protim Sarker
- Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Anjuman Ara
- Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farjana Haque
- Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nicole Maier
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington DC, USA
| | - Thomas F Wierzba
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington DC, USA
| | - Richard I Walker
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington DC, USA
| | - Malabi M Venkatesan
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Maryland, USA
| | - Rubhana Raqib
- Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Roy S, Chompunud Na Ayudhya C, Thapaliya M, Deepak V, Ali H. Multifaceted MRGPRX2: New insight into the role of mast cells in health and disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 148:293-308. [PMID: 33957166 PMCID: PMC8355064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.03.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous mast cells (MCs) express Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2; mouse ortholog MrgprB2), which is activated by an ever-increasing number of cationic ligands. Antimicrobial host defense peptides (HDPs) generated by keratinocytes contribute to host defense likely by 2 mechanisms, one involving direct killing of microbes and the other via MC activation through MRGPRX2. However, its inappropriate activation may cause pseudoallergy and likely contribute to the pathogenesis of rosacea, atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, urticaria, and mastocytosis. Gain- and loss-of-function missense single nucleotide polymorphisms in MRGPRX2 have been identified. The ability of certain ligands to serve as balanced or G protein-biased agonists has been defined. Small-molecule HDP mimetics that display both direct antimicrobial activity and activate MCs via MRGPRX2 have been developed. In addition, antibodies and reagents that modulate MRGPRX2 expression and signaling have been generated. In this article, we provide a comprehensive update on MrgprB2 and MRGPRX2 biology. We propose that harnessing MRGPRX2's host defense function by small-molecule HDP mimetics may provide a novel approach for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant cutaneous infections. In contrast, MRGPRX2-specific antibodies and inhibitors could be used for the modulation of allergic and inflammatory diseases that are mediated via this receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saptarshi Roy
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Chalatip Chompunud Na Ayudhya
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Monica Thapaliya
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Vishwa Deepak
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa.
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27
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Tyagi A, Roy S, Singh S, Semwal M, Shasany AK, Sharma A, Provazník I. PhytoAFP: In Silico Approaches for Designing Plant-Derived Antifungal Peptides. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10070815. [PMID: 34356736 PMCID: PMC8300835 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases (EID) are serious problems caused by fungi in humans and plant species. They are a severe threat to food security worldwide. In our current work, we have developed a support vector machine (SVM)-based model that attempts to design and predict therapeutic plant-derived antifungal peptides (PhytoAFP). The residue composition analysis shows the preference of C, G, K, R, and S amino acids. Position preference analysis shows that residues G, K, R, and A dominate the N-terminal. Similarly, residues N, S, C, and G prefer the C-terminal. Motif analysis reveals the presence of motifs like NYVF, NYVFP, YVFP, NYVFPA, and VFPA. We have developed two models using various input functions such as mono-, di-, and tripeptide composition, as well as binary, hybrid, and physiochemical properties, based on methods that are applied to the main data set. The TPC-based monopeptide composition model achieved more accuracy, 94.4%, with a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.89. Correspondingly, the second-best model based on dipeptides achieved an accuracy of 94.28% under the MCC 0.89 of the training dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Tyagi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (S.R.)
| | - Sudeep Roy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (S.R.)
| | - Sanjay Singh
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR—Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O.—CIMAP, Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow 226 015, Uttar Pradesh, India; (S.S.); (M.S.); (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Manoj Semwal
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR—Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O.—CIMAP, Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow 226 015, Uttar Pradesh, India; (S.S.); (M.S.); (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Ajit K. Shasany
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR—Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O.—CIMAP, Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow 226 015, Uttar Pradesh, India; (S.S.); (M.S.); (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Ashok Sharma
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR—Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O.—CIMAP, Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow 226 015, Uttar Pradesh, India; (S.S.); (M.S.); (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Ivo Provazník
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 12, 61600 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (S.R.)
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
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28
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Amponnawarat A, Chompunud Na Ayudhya C, Ali H. Murepavadin, a Small Molecule Host Defense Peptide Mimetic, Activates Mast Cells via MRGPRX2 and MrgprB2. Front Immunol 2021; 12:689410. [PMID: 34248979 PMCID: PMC8261236 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.689410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent cause of hospital-acquired wound infection and is difficult to treat because it forms biofilms and displays antibiotic resistance. Previous studies in mice demonstrated that mast cells (MCs) not only contribute to P. aeruginosa eradication but also promote wound healing via an unknown mechanism. We recently reported that host defense peptides (HDPs) induce human MC degranulation via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2). Small molecule HDP mimetics have distinct advantages over HDPs because they are inexpensive to synthesize and display high stability, bioavailability, and low toxicity. Murepavadin is a lipidated HDP mimetic, (also known as POL7080), which displays antibacterial activity against a broad panel of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa. We found that murepavadin induces Ca2+ mobilization, degranulation, chemokine IL-8 and CCL3 production in a human MC line (LAD2 cells) endogenously expressing MRGPRX2. Murepavadin also caused degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells expressing MRGPRX2 but this response was significantly reduced in cells expressing missense variants within the receptor's ligand binding (G165E) or G protein coupling (V282M) domains. Compound 48/80 induced β-arrestin recruitment and promoted receptor internalization, which resulted in substantial decrease in the subsequent responsiveness to the MRGPRX2 agonist. By contrast, murepavadin did not cause β-arrestin-mediated MRGPRX2 regulation. Murepavadin induced degranulation in mouse peritoneal MCs via MrgprB2 (ortholog of human MRGPRX2) and caused increased vascular permeability in wild-type mice but not in MrgprB2-/- mice. The data presented herein demonstrate that murepavadin activates human MCs via MRGPRX2 and murine MCs via MrgprB2 and that MRGPRX2 is resistant to β-arrestin-mediated receptor regulation. Thus, besides its direct activity against P. aeruginosa, murepavadin may contribute to bacterial clearance and promote wound healing by harnessing MC's immunomodulatory property via the activation of MRGPRX2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aetas Amponnawarat
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chalatip Chompunud Na Ayudhya
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Faculty of Dentistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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29
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Yeaman MR, Chan LC, Mishra NN, Bayer AS. Mechanistic Fingerprinting Reveals Kinetic Signatures of Resistance to Daptomycin and Host Defense Peptides in Streptococcus mitis-oralis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10040404. [PMID: 33918000 PMCID: PMC8068394 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10040404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus mitis-oralis (S. mitis-oralis) infections are increasingly prevalent in specific populations, including neutropenic cancer and endocarditis patients. S. mitis-oralis strains have a propensity to evolve rapid, high-level and durable resistance to daptomycin (DAP-R) in vitro and in vivo, although the mechanism(s) involved remain incompletely defined. We examined mechanisms of DAP-R versus cross-resistance to cationic host defense peptides (HDPs), using an isogenic S. mitis-oralis strain-pair: (i) DAP-susceptible (DAP-S) parental 351-WT (DAP MIC = 0.5 µg/mL), and its (ii) DAP-R variant 351-D10 (DAP MIC > 256 µg/mL). DAP binding was quantified by flow cytometry, in-parallel with temporal (1–4 h) killing by either DAP or comparative prototypic cationic HDPs (hNP-1; LL-37). Multicolor flow cytometry was used to determine kinetic cell responses associated with resistance or susceptibility to these molecules. While overall DAP binding was similar between strains, a significant subpopulation of 351-D10 cells hyper-accumulated DAP (>2–4-fold vs. 351-WT). Further, both DAP and hNP-1 induced cell membrane (CM) hyper-polarization in 351-WT, corresponding to significantly greater temporal DAP-killing (vs. 351-D10). No strain-specific differences in CM permeabilization, lipid turnover or regulated cell death were observed post-exposure to DAP, hNP-1 or LL-37. Thus, the adaptive energetics of the CM appear coupled to the outcomes of interactions of S. mitis-oralis with DAP and selected HDPs. In contrast, altered CM permeabilization, proposed as a major mechanism of action of both DAP and HDPs, did not differentiate DAP-S vs. DAP-R phenotypes in this S. mitis-oralis strain-pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R. Yeaman
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (M.R.Y.); (L.C.C.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA;
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Liana C. Chan
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (M.R.Y.); (L.C.C.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA;
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Nagendra N. Mishra
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA;
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Arnold S. Bayer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA;
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-310-222-6422; Fax: +1-310-803-5620
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30
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Du K, Bereswill S, Heimesaat MM. A literature survey on antimicrobial and immune-modulatory effects of butyrate revealing non-antibiotic approaches to tackle bacterial infections. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2021; 11:1-9. [PMID: 33735105 PMCID: PMC8042652 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2021.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The excessive prescription of antibiotics has led to an increasing number of antimicrobial resistances, posing a major public health concern. Therefore, the pharmacological research has shifted its focus to the identification of natural compounds that exhibit anti-pathogenic properties without triggering antibiotic resistance. Butyrate has received increasing attention as a promising candidate for the treatment of bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal tract, particularly when antibiotic treatment is contraindicated. This literature survey summarizes recently investigated antibacterial and immunemodulatory effects of butyrate. This survey revealed that butyrate exerts direct antimicrobial effects against distinct strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus species. In addition, in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed indirect antimicrobial effects of butyrate, which were exhibited via induction of host defensin production as well as by activation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Finally, the synergistic action of butyrate in combination with other antimicrobial compounds results in a striking clearance of bacterial pathogens. In conclusion, butyrate and its derivatives might be considered as promising antibacterial and immune-modulatory agents in order to tackle bacterial infections without antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Du
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Bereswill
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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31
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Phan TK, Bevins CL, Hulett MD. Editorial: Advances in the Immunology of Host Defense Peptide: Mechanisms and Applications of Antimicrobial Functions and Beyond. Front Immunol 2021; 12:637641. [PMID: 33717187 PMCID: PMC7947235 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.637641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Kha Phan
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Charles L Bevins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Mark D Hulett
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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32
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Saravanan R, Choong YK, Lim CH, Lim LM, Petrlova J, Schmidtchen A. Cell-Free DNA Promotes Thrombin Autolysis and Generation of Thrombin-Derived C-Terminal Fragments. Front Immunol 2021; 12:593020. [PMID: 33717072 PMCID: PMC7943729 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.593020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is the major structural component of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), an innate immune response to infection. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides bound to cfDNA play a critical role in the bactericidal property of NETs. Recent studies have shown that NETs have procoagulant activity, wherein cfDNA triggers thrombin generation through activation of the intrinsic pathway of coagulation. We have recently shown that thrombin binds to NETs in vitro and consequently can alter the proteome of NETs. However, the effect of NETs on thrombin is still unknown. In this study, we report that DNA binding leads to thrombin autolysis and generation of multiple thrombin-derived C-terminal peptides (TCPs) in vitro. Employing a 25-residue prototypic TCP, GKY25 (GKYGFYTHVFRLKKWIQKVIDQFGE), we show that TCPs bind NETs, thus conferring mutual protection against nuclease and protease degradation. Together, our results demonstrate the complex interplay between coagulation, NET formation, and thrombin cleavage and identify a previously undisclosed mechanism for formation of TCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathi Saravanan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yeu Khai Choong
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chun Hwee Lim
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Interdisciplinary Graduate School, NTU Institute for Health Technologies, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Li Ming Lim
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jitka Petrlova
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Artur Schmidtchen
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Wound Healing Centre, Bispebjerg Hospital, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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33
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Balhuizen MD, Veldhuizen EJA, Haagsman HP. Outer Membrane Vesicle Induction and Isolation for Vaccine Development. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:629090. [PMID: 33613498 PMCID: PMC7889600 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.629090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria release vesicular structures from their outer membrane, so called outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). OMVs have a variety of functions such as waste disposal, communication, and antigen or toxin delivery. These vesicles are the promising structures for vaccine development since OMVs carry many surface antigens that are identical to the bacterial surface. However, isolation is often difficult and results in low yields. Several methods to enhance OMV yield exist, but these do affect the resulting OMVs. In this review, our current knowledge about OMVs will be presented. Different methods to induce OMVs will be reviewed and their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. The effects of the induction and isolation methods used in several immunological studies on OMVs will be compared. Finally, the challenges for OMV-based vaccine development will be examined and one example of a successful OMV-based vaccine will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edwin J. A. Veldhuizen
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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34
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Luo G, Sun Y, Zhang J, Xu Z, Lu W, Wang H, Zhang Y, Li H, Mao Z, Ye S, Cheng B, Fang X. Nanodefensin-encased hydrogel with dual bactericidal and pro-regenerative functions for advanced wound therapy. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:3642-3660. [PMID: 33664853 PMCID: PMC7914350 DOI: 10.7150/thno.53089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Host defense peptides (HDPs) have emerged as a novel therapeutic paradigm for wound management; however, their clinical applications remain a challenge owing to their poor pharmacological properties and lack of suitable pharmaceutical formulations. Nanodefensin (ND), a nanoengineered human α-defensin 5 (HD5), has shown improved pharmacological properties relative to the parent compound. In this study, we engineered a nanodefensin-encased hydrogel (NDEFgel), investigated the effects of NDEFgel on wound healing, and elucidated underlying mechanisms. Method: ND was chemically synthesized and tested functions by in vitro antimicrobial and scratch assays and western blotting. Different NDEFgels were evaluated by in vitro characterizations including degradation, drug release and antimicrobial activity. In full-thickness excisional murine models, the optimal NDEFgel was directly applied onto wound sites, and the efficacy was assessed. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of pro-regenerative effect developed by NDEFgel were also explored. Results: Apart from bactericidal effects, ND modulated fibroblast behaviors by promoting migration and differentiation. Among the tested hydrogels, the Pluronic F127 (Plu) hydrogel represented the most desirable carrier for ND delivery owing to its favorable controlled release and compatibility with ND. Local treatment of NDEFgel on the wound bed resulted in accelerated wound regeneration and attenuated bacterial burden. We further demonstrated that NDEFgel therapy significantly upregulated genes related to collagen deposition and fibroblasts, and increased the expression of myofibroblasts and Rac1. We therefore found that Rac1 is a critical factor in the ND-induced modulation of fibroblast behaviors in vitro through a Rac1-dependent cytoskeletal rearrangement. Conclusion: Our results indicate that NDEFgel may be a promising dual-action therapeutic option for advanced wound management in the future.
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35
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Gadishaw-Lue C, Banaag A, Birstonas S, Francis AS, Barnett Foster D. Bile Salts Differentially Enhance Resistance of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Host Defense Peptides. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e00719-20. [PMID: 33229368 PMCID: PMC7822141 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00719-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
During passage through the human gastrointestinal tract, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is exposed to membrane-damaging bile in the small intestine. We previously reported that EHEC treatment with a physiological bile salt mixture upregulates basRS, encoding a two-component system, and arnBCADTEF, encoding the aminoarabinose lipid A modification pathway (J. V. Kus, A. Gebremedhin, V. Dang, S. L. Tran, A. Serbanescu, and D. Barnett Foster, J Bacteriol 193: 4509-4515, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00200-11). The present study examined the effect of bile salt mix (BSM) treatment on EHEC resistance to three human gastrointestinal defense peptides-HD-5, HNP-1, and LL-37-as well as the role of basRS and arnT in the respective responses. After BSM treatment, EHEC resistance to HD-5 and HNP-1 was significantly increased in a BSM-, defensin dose-dependent manner. The resistance phenotype was dependent on both basRS and arnT However, the BSM treatment did not alter EHEC resistance to LL-37, even when the ompT gene, encoding an LL-37 cleavage protease, was disrupted. Interestingly, enteropathogenic E. coli, a related pathogen that infects the small intestine, showed a similar BSM-induced resistance phenotype. Using a model of EHEC infection in Galleria mellonella, we found significantly lower survival rates in wax moth larvae infected with BSM-treated wild-type EHEC than in those infected with a BSM-treated basS mutant, suggesting that treatment with a physiological BSM enhances virulence through a basS-mediated pathway. The results of this investigation provide persuasive evidence that bile salts typically encountered during transit through the small intestine can serve as an environmental cue for EHEC, enhancing resistance to several key host defense peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Gadishaw-Lue
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alyssa Banaag
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah Birstonas
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aju-Sue Francis
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Debora Barnett Foster
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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36
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Batoni G, Maisetta G, Esin S. Therapeutic Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides in Polymicrobial Biofilm-Associated Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E482. [PMID: 33418930 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely recognized that many chronic infections of the human body have a polymicrobial etiology. These include diabetic foot ulcer infections, lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, periodontitis, otitis, urinary tract infections and even a proportion of systemic infections. The treatment of mixed infections poses serious challenges in the clinic. First, polymicrobial communities of microorganisms often organize themselves as biofilms that are notoriously recalcitrant to antimicrobial therapy and clearance by the host immune system. Secondly, a plethora of interactions among community members may affect the expression of virulence factors and the susceptibility to antimicrobials of individual species in the community. Therefore, new strategies able to target multiple pathogens in mixed populations need to be urgently developed and evaluated. In this regard, antimicrobial or host defense peptides (AMPs) deserve particular attention as they are endowed with many favorable features that may serve to this end. The aim of the present review is to offer a comprehensive and updated overview of studies addressing the therapeutic potential of AMPs in mixed infections, highlighting the opportunities offered by this class of antimicrobials in the fight against polymicrobial infections, but also the limits that may arise in their use for this type of application.
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37
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Larsen IS, Jensen BAH, Bonazzi E, Choi BSY, Kristensen NN, Schmidt EGW, Süenderhauf A, Morin L, Olsen PB, Hansen LBS, Schröder T, Sina C, Chassaing B, Marette A. Fungal lysozyme leverages the gut microbiota to curb DSS-induced colitis. Gut Microbes 2021; 13:1988836. [PMID: 34693864 PMCID: PMC8547870 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1988836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Colitis is characterized by colonic inflammation and impaired gut health. Both features aggravate obesity and insulin resistance. Host defense peptides (HDPs) are key regulators of gut homeostasis and generally malfunctioning in above-mentioned conditions. We aimed here to improve bowel function in diet-induced obesity and chemically induced colitis through daily oral administration of lysozyme, a well-characterized HDP, derived from Acremonium alcalophilum.C57BL6/J mice were fed either low-fat reference diet or HFD ± daily gavage of lysozyme for 12 weeks, followed by metabolic assessment and evaluation of colonic microbiota encroachment. To further evaluate the efficacy of intestinal inflammation, we next supplemented chow-fed BALB/c mice with lysozyme during Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in either conventional or microbiota-depleted mice. We assessed longitudinal microbiome alterations by 16S amplicon sequencing in both models.Lysozyme dose-dependently alleviated intestinal inflammation in DSS-challenged mice and further protected against HFD-induced microbiota encroachment and fasting hyperinsulinemia. Observed improvements of intestinal health relied on a complex gut flora, with the observation that microbiota depletion abrogated lysozyme's capacity to mitigate DSS-induced colitis.Akkermansia muciniphila associated with impaired gut health in both models, a trajectory that was mitigated by lysozyme administration. In agreement with this notion, PICRUSt2 analysis revealed specific pathways consistently affected by lysozyme administration, independent of vivarium, disease model and mouse strain.Taking together, lysozyme leveraged the gut microbiota to curb DSS-induced inflammation, alleviated HFD-induced gastrointestinal disturbances and lowered fasting insulin levels in obese mice. Collectively, these data present A. alcalophilum-derived lysozyme as a promising candidate to enhance gut health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Søgaard Larsen
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Iucpq), Faculty of Medicine, and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Benjamin A. H. Jensen
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Iucpq), Faculty of Medicine, and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Laval University, Québec, Canada
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erica Bonazzi
- Inserm U1016, Team “Mucosal Microbiota in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases”, Université De Paris, Paris, France
| | - Béatrice S. Y. Choi
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Iucpq), Faculty of Medicine, and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Annika Süenderhauf
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Laurence Morin
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Iucpq), Faculty of Medicine, and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Torsten Schröder
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Sina
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Benoît Chassaing
- Inserm U1016, Team “Mucosal Microbiota in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases”, Université De Paris, Paris, France
| | - André Marette
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Iucpq), Faculty of Medicine, and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), Laval University, Québec, Canada
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38
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Welch NG, Li W, Hossain MA, Separovic F, O'Brien-Simpson NM, Wade JD. (Re)Defining the Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptide Family and the Identification of Putative New Members. Front Chem 2020; 8:607769. [PMID: 33335890 PMCID: PMC7736402 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.607769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
As we rapidly approach a post-antibiotic era in which multi-drug resistant bacteria are ever-pervasive, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising class of compounds to help address this global issue. AMPs are best-known for their membrane-disruptive mode of action leading to bacteria cell lysis and death. However, many AMPs are also known to be non-lytic and have intracellular modes of action. Proline-rich AMPs (PrAMPs) are one such class, that are generally membrane permeable and inhibit protein synthesis leading to a bactericidal outcome. PrAMPs are highly effective against Gram-negative bacteria and yet show very low toxicity against eukaryotic cells. Here, we review both the PrAMP family and the past and current definitions for this class of peptides. Computational analysis of known AMPs within the DRAMP database (http://dramp.cpu-bioinfor.org/) and assessment of their PrAMP-like properties have led us to develop a revised definition of the PrAMP class. As a result, we subsequently identified a number of unknown and unclassified peptides containing motifs of striking similarity to known PrAMP-based DnaK inhibitors and propose a series of new sequences for experimental evaluation and subsequent addition to the PrAMP family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas G Welch
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Wenyi Li
- Centre for Oral Health Research, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Frances Separovic
- School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Neil M O'Brien-Simpson
- Centre for Oral Health Research, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John D Wade
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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39
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Burdukiewicz M, Sidorczuk K, Rafacz D, Pietluch F, Bąkała M, Słowik J, Gagat P. CancerGram: An Effective Classifier for Differentiating Anticancer from Antimicrobial Peptides. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12111045. [PMID: 33142753 PMCID: PMC7692641 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12111045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a diverse group of bioactive molecules that provide multicellular organisms with protection against microorganisms, and microorganisms with weaponry for competition. Some AMPs can target cancer cells; thus, they are called anticancer peptides (ACPs). Due to their small size, positive charge, hydrophobicity and amphipathicity, AMPs and ACPs interact with negatively charged components of biological membranes. AMPs preferentially permeabilize microbial membranes, but ACPs additionally target mitochondrial and plasma membranes of cancer cells. The preference towards mitochondrial membranes is explained by their membrane potential, membrane composition resulting from α-proteobacterial origin and the fact that mitochondrial targeting signals could have evolved from AMPs. Taking into account the therapeutic potential of ACPs and millions of deaths due to cancer annually, it is of vital importance to find new cationic peptides that selectively destroy cancer cells. Therefore, to reduce the costs of experimental research, we have created a robust computational tool, CancerGram, that uses n-grams and random forests for predicting ACPs. Compared to other ACP classifiers, CancerGram is the first three-class model that effectively classifies peptides into: ACPs, AMPs and non-ACPs/non-AMPs, with AU1U amounting to 0.89 and a Kappa statistic of 0.65. CancerGram is available as a web server and R package on GitHub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Burdukiewicz
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, 01968 Senftenberg, Germany;
- Why R? Foundation, 03-214 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Sidorczuk
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (K.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Dominik Rafacz
- Why R? Foundation, 03-214 Warsaw, Poland;
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland; (M.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Filip Pietluch
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (K.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Mateusz Bąkała
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland; (M.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Jadwiga Słowik
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland; (M.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Przemysław Gagat
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; (K.S.); (F.P.)
- Correspondence:
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40
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Basso V, Tran DQ, Ouellette AJ, Selsted ME. Host Defense Peptides as Templates for Antifungal Drug Development. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040241. [PMID: 33113935 PMCID: PMC7711597 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatment for invasive fungal diseases is limited to three classes of antifungal drugs: azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. The most recently introduced antifungal class, the echinocandins, was first approved nearly 30 years ago. The limited antifungal drug portfolio is rapidly losing its clinical utility due to the inexorable rise in the incidence of invasive fungal infections and the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) fungal pathogens. New antifungal therapeutic agents and novel approaches are desperately needed. Here, we detail attempts to exploit the antifungal and immunoregulatory properties of host defense peptides (HDPs) in the design and evaluation of new antifungal therapeutics and discuss historical limitations and recent advances in this quest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Basso
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (V.B.); (D.Q.T.); (A.J.O.)
| | - Dat Q. Tran
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (V.B.); (D.Q.T.); (A.J.O.)
- Oryn Therapeutics, Vacaville, CA 95688, USA
| | - André J. Ouellette
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (V.B.); (D.Q.T.); (A.J.O.)
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Michael E. Selsted
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (V.B.); (D.Q.T.); (A.J.O.)
- Oryn Therapeutics, Vacaville, CA 95688, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence:
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41
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Jang HJ, Monson M, Kaiser M, Lamont SJ. Induction of Chicken Host Defense Peptides within Disease-Resistant and -Susceptible Lines. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1195. [PMID: 33066561 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides (HDPs) are multifunctional immune molecules that respond to bacterial and viral pathogens. In the present study, bone marrow-derived cells (BMCs) and chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEFs) were cultured from a Leghorn line (Ghs6) and Fayoumi line (M15.2), which are inbred chicken lines relatively susceptible and resistant to various diseases, respectively. The cells were treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) and, subsequently, mRNA expression of 20 chicken HDPs was analyzed before and after the stimulation. At homeostasis, many genes differed between the chicken lines, with the Fayoumi line having significantly higher expression (p < 0.05) than the Leghorn line: AvBD1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 in BMCs; CATH1, CATH3, and GNLY in CEFs; and AvDB5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 in both BMCs and CEFs. After LPS treatment, the expression of AvBD1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, CATH1, and CATHB1 was significantly upregulated in BMCs, but no genes changed expression in CEFs. After poly(I:C) treatment, AvBD2, 11, 12, 13, CATHB1 and LEAP2 increased in both cell types; CATH2 only increased in BMCs; and AvBD3, 6, 9, 14, CATH1, CATH3, and GNLY only increased in CEFs. In addition, AvBD7, AvBD14, CATH1, CATH2, GNLY, and LEAP2 showed line-specific expression dependent upon cell type (BMC and CEF) and stimulant (LPS and poly(I:C)). The characterization of mRNA expression patterns of chicken HDPs in the present study suggests that their functions may be associated with multiple types of disease resistance in chickens.
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Woodburn KW, Jaynes JM, Clemens LE. Designed Antimicrobial Peptides Against Trauma-Related Cutaneous Invasive Fungal Wound Infections. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E184. [PMID: 32971819 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous invasive fungal wound infections after life-threatening dismounted complex blast injury (DCBI) and natural disasters complicate clinical care. These wounds often require aggressive repeated surgical debridement, can result in amputations and hemipelvectomies and have a 38% mortality rate. Given the substantial morbidity associated with cutaneous fungal wound infections, patients at risk need immediate empiric treatment mandating the use of rapidly acting broad-spectrum antimicrobials, acting on both fungi and bacteria, that are also effective against biofilm and can be administered topically. Designed antimicrobial peptides (dAMPs) are engineered analogues of innate antimicrobial peptides which provide the first line of defense against invading pathogens. The antifungal and antibacterial effect and mammalian cytotoxicity of seven innovative dAMPs, created by iterative structural analog revisions and physicochemical and functional testing were investigated. The dAMPs possess broad-spectrum antifungal activity, in addition to being effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, which is crucial as many wounds are polymicrobial and require immediate empiric treatment. Three of the most potent dAMPs—RP504, RP556 and RP557—possess limited mammalian cytotoxicity following 8 h incubation. If these encouraging broad-spectrum antimicrobial and rapid acting results are translated clinically, these novel dAMPs may become a first line empiric topical treatment for traumatic wound injuries.
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Burdukiewicz M, Sidorczuk K, Rafacz D, Pietluch F, Chilimoniuk J, Rödiger S, Gagat P. Proteomic Screening for Prediction and Design of Antimicrobial Peptides with AmpGram. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4310. [PMID: 32560350 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules widespread in all branches of the tree of life that participate in host defense and/or microbial competition. Due to their positive charge, hydrophobicity and amphipathicity, they preferentially disrupt negatively charged bacterial membranes. AMPs are considered an important alternative to traditional antibiotics, especially at the time when multidrug-resistant bacteria being on the rise. Therefore, to reduce the costs of experimental research, robust computational tools for AMP prediction and identification of the best AMP candidates are essential. AmpGram is our novel tool for AMP prediction; it outperforms top-ranking AMP classifiers, including AMPScanner, CAMPR3R and iAMPpred. It is the first AMP prediction tool created for longer AMPs and for high-throughput proteomic screening. AmpGram prediction reliability was confirmed on the example of lactoferrin and thrombin. The former is a well known antimicrobial protein and the latter a cryptic one. Both proteins produce (after protease treatment) functional AMPs that have been experimentally validated at molecular level. The lactoferrin and thrombin AMPs were located in the antimicrobial regions clearly detected by AmpGram. Moreover, AmpGram also provides a list of shot 10 amino acid fragments in the antimicrobial regions, along with their probability predictions; these can be used for further studies and the rational design of new AMPs. AmpGram is available as a web-server, and an easy-to-use R package for proteomic analysis at CRAN repository.
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Huff RD, Carlsten C, Hirota JA. An update on immunologic mechanisms in the respiratory mucosa in response to air pollutants. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020; 143:1989-2001. [PMID: 31176381 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Every day, we breathe in more than 10,000 L of air that contains a variety of air pollutants that can pose negative consequences to lung health. The respiratory mucosa formed by the airway epithelium is the first point of contact for air pollution in the lung, functioning as a mechanical and immunologic barrier. Under normal circumstances, airway epithelial cells connected by tight junctions secrete mucus, airway surface lining fluid, host defense peptides, and antioxidants and express innate immune pattern recognition receptors to respond to inhaled foreign substances and pathogens. Under conditions of air pollution exposure, the defenses of the airway epithelium are compromised by reductions in barrier function, impaired host defense to pathogens, and exaggerated inflammatory responses. Central to the mechanical and immunologic changes induced by air pollution are activation of redox-sensitive pathways and a role for antioxidants in normalizing these negative effects. Genetic variants in genes important in epithelial cell function and phenotype contribute to a diversity of responses to air pollution in the population at the individual and group levels and suggest a need for personalized approaches to attenuate the respiratory mucosal immune responses to air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D Huff
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Carlsten
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jeremy A Hirota
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
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Ehmann D, Koeninger L, Wendler J, Malek NP, Stange EF, Wehkamp J, Jensen BAH. Fragmentation of Human Neutrophil α-Defensin 4 to Combat Multidrug Resistant Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1147. [PMID: 32582092 PMCID: PMC7286198 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The occurrence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria is a prominent health concern. To curb this urgent threat, new innovative strategies pursuing novel antimicrobial agents are of the utmost importance. Here, we unleashed the antimicrobial activity of human neutrophil peptide-4 (HNP-4) by tryptic digestion. We identified a single 11 amino acid long fragment (HNP-41 - 11) with remarkable antimicrobial potential, exceeding that of the full length peptide on both mass and molar levels. Importantly, HNP-41 - 11 was equally bactericidal against multidrug-resistant and non-resistant strains; a potency that was further enhanced by N- and C-terminus modifications (acetylation and amidation, respectively). These observations, combined with negligible cytotoxicity not exceeding that of the full length peptide, presents proteolytic digestion of innate host-defense-peptides as a novel strategy to overcome the current health crisis related to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Ehmann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Louis Koeninger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Judith Wendler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nisar P Malek
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Eduard F Stange
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jan Wehkamp
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin A H Jensen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Human Genomics and Metagenomics in Metabolism, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Deslouches B, Montelaro RC, Urish KL, Di YP. Engineered Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides (eCAPs) to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12060501. [PMID: 32486228 PMCID: PMC7357155 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12060501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing rate of antibiotic resistance constitutes a global health crisis. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have the property to selectively kill bacteria regardless of resistance to traditional antibiotics. However, several challenges (e.g., reduced activity in the presence of serum and lack of efficacy in vivo) to clinical development need to be overcome. In the last two decades, we have addressed many of those challenges by engineering cationic AMPs de novo for optimization under test conditions that typically inhibit the activities of natural AMPs, including systemic efficacy. We reviewed some of the most promising data of the last two decades in the context of the advancement of the field of helical AMPs toward clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berthony Deslouches
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-412-624-0103
| | - Ronald C. Montelaro
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Ken L. Urish
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
| | - Yuanpu P. Di
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
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Blyth GAD, Connors L, Fodor C, Cobo ER. The Network of Colonic Host Defense Peptides as an Innate Immune Defense Against Enteropathogenic Bacteria. Front Immunol 2020; 11:965. [PMID: 32508838 PMCID: PMC7251035 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides, abundantly secreted by colonic epithelial cells and leukocytes, are proposed to be critical components of an innate immune response in the colon against enteropathogenic bacteria, including Shigella spp., Salmonella spp., Clostridium difficile, and attaching and effacing Escherichia coli and Citrobacter rodentium. These short cationic peptides are bactericidal against both Gram-positive and -negative enteric pathogens, but may also exert killing effects on intestinal luminal microbiota. Simultaneously, these peptides modulate numerous cellular responses crucial for gut defenses, including leukocyte chemotaxis and migration, wound healing, cytokine production, cell proliferation, and pathogen sensing. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of expression, mechanisms of action and microbicidal and immunomodulatory functions of major colonic host defense peptides, namely cathelicidins, β-defensins, and members of the Regenerating islet-derived protein III (RegIII) and Resistin-like molecule (RELM) families. In a theoretical framework where these peptides work synergistically, aspects of pathogenesis of infectious colitis reviewed herein uncover roles of host defense peptides aimed to promote epithelial defenses and prevent pathogen colonization, mediated through a combination of direct antimicrobial function and fine-tuning of host immune response and inflammation. This interactive host defense peptide network may decode how the intestinal immune system functions to quickly clear infections, restore homeostasis and avoid damaging inflammation associated with pathogen persistence during infectious colitis. This information is of interest in development of host defense peptides (either alone or in combination with reduced doses of antibiotics) as antimicrobial and immunomodulatory therapeutics for controlling infectious colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A D Blyth
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Liam Connors
- Bachelor of Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Cristina Fodor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Eduardo R Cobo
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Wang M, Odom T, Cai J. Challenges in the development of next-generation antibiotics: opportunities of small molecules mimicking mode of action of host-defense peptides. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 30:303-305. [PMID: 32149532 PMCID: PMC10523338 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2020.1740683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Timothy Odom
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Wang S, Zhang C, Yang J, Wang X, Wu K, Zhang B, Zhang J, Yang A, Rajput SA, Qi D. Sodium Butyrate Protects the Intestinal Barrier by Modulating Intestinal Host Defense Peptide Expression and Gut Microbiota after a Challenge with Deoxynivalenol in Weaned Piglets. J Agric Food Chem 2020; 68:4515-4527. [PMID: 32208605 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to determine whether sodium butyrate (SB) could antagonize deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced intestinal epithelial dysfunction. In a four-week feeding trial, twenty-eight barrows were randomly divided into four treatments: (1) uncontaminated basal diet (control); (2) 4 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet (DON); (3) basal diet supplemented with 0.2% SB (SB); and (4) 4 mg/kg DON + 0.2% SB (DON + SB). A decrease in performance was observed in DON-exposed animals, which was prevented by the dietary SB supplementation. DON exposure also depressed the expression of host defense peptides (HDPs) in the intestine, impaired the intestinal barrier integrity, and disturbed the gut microbiota homeostasis. These alterations induced by DON were attenuated by SB supplementation. The supplementation of 0.2% SB ameliorated the adverse effects of DON on the liver in terms of hepatic lesions as well as serum concentrations of alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase. In IPEC-J2 cells, pretreatment with SB alleviated the DON-induced decreased cell viability. Additionally, the NOD2/caspase-12 pathway participated in the alleviation of SB on DON-induced diminished HDP expression. Taken together, these data demonstrated that SB protected piglets from DON-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction potentially through stimulation of intestinal HDP assembly and regulation in gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Jiacheng Yang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Kuntan Wu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Beiyu Zhang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Jiacai Zhang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Ao Yang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Shahid Ali Rajput
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Desheng Qi
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
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50
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Peng L, Du W, Balhuizen MD, Haagsman HP, de Haan CAM, Veldhuizen EJA. Antiviral Activity of Chicken Cathelicidin B1 Against Influenza A Virus. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:426. [PMID: 32265870 PMCID: PMC7096384 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cathelicidins (CATHs) are host defense peptides (HDPs) that play an important role in the innate immune response against infections. Although multiple functions of cathelicidins have been described, including direct antimicrobial activity and several immunomodulatory effects on the host, relatively little is known about their antiviral activity. Therefore, in vitro antiviral activity of chicken cathelicidins and the underlying mechanism was investigated in this study against different influenza A virus (IAV) strains. Our results show that chicken CATH-B1 has broad anti-IAV activity compared to other cathelicidins (CATH-1, -2, -3, LL-37, PMAP-23, and K9CATH) with an inhibition of viral infection up to 80% against three tested IAV strains (H1N1, H3N1, and H5N1). In agreement herewith, CATH-B1 affected virus-induced inflammatory cytokines expression (IFN-β, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8). Incubation of cells with CATH-B1 prior to or after their inoculation with virus did not reduce viral infection indicating that direct interaction of virus with the peptide was required for CATH-B1’s antiviral activity. Experiments using combined size exclusion and affinity-based separation of virus and peptide also indicated that CATH-B1 bound to viral particles. In addition, using electron microscopy, no morphological change of the virus itself was seen upon incubation with CATH-B1 but large aggregates of CATH-B1 and viral particles were observed, indicating that aggregation might be the mechanism of action reducing IAV infectivity. Neuraminidase (NA) activity assays using monovalent or multivalent substrates, indicated that CATH-B1 did not affect NA activity per se, but negatively affected the ability of virus particles to interact with multivalent receptors, presumably by interfering with hemagglutinin activity. In conclusion, our results show CATH-B1 has good antiviral activity against IAV by binding to the viral particle and thereby blocking viral entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianci Peng
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division of Molecular Host Defense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Wenjuan Du
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Melanie D Balhuizen
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division of Molecular Host Defense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Henk P Haagsman
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division of Molecular Host Defense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Cornelis A M de Haan
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Edwin J A Veldhuizen
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division of Molecular Host Defense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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