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Zhang ZQ, Ren XR, Geng J, Chen SC, Wang QL, Liu CQ, Xiao JH, Huang DW. Identification, characterization and hypolipidemic effect of novel peptides in protein hydrolysate from Protaetia brevitarsis larvae. Food Res Int 2024; 176:113813. [PMID: 38163717 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113813] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The proteins were mainly derived from Protaetia brevitarsis larval extracts obtained using two empty intestine methods (traditional static method: TSM or salt immersion stress method: SISM) and extraction solvents (water: W or 50 % water-ethanol: W:E), and the proteins were used as objects to investigate the effect of emptying intestine methods on hypolipidemic peptides. The results revealed that the F-2 fractions of protein hydrolysate had stronger in vitro hypolipidemic activity, with the peptides obtained by SISM possessing a stronger cholesterol micelle solubility inhibition rate, especially in SISM-W:E-P. Moreover, a total of 106 peptides were tentatively identified, among which SISM identified more peptides with an amino acid number < 8. Meanwhile, five novel peptides (YPPFH, YPGFGK, KYPF, SPLPGPR and VPPP) exhibited good hypolipidemic activity in vitro and in vivo, among which YPPFH, VPPP and KYPF had strong inhibitory activities on pancreatic lipase (PL) and cholesteryl esterase (CE), and KYPF, SPLPGPR and VPPP could significantly reduce the TG content in Caenorhabditis elegans. Thus, P. brevitarsis can be developed as a naturally derived hypolipidemic component for the development and application in functional foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zong-Qi Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Rui Ren
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Geng
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Si-Cong Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing-Lei Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Entomology, Cangzhou Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Qin Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Entomology, Cangzhou Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Hua Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China.
| | - Da-Wei Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Gong Q, Liu B, Yuan F, Tao R, Huang Y, Zeng X, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Yang M, Wang J, Liu T, Zhang G. Controllably Self-Assembled Antibacterial Nanofibrils Based on Insect Cuticle Protein for Infectious Wound Healing. ACS Nano 2023; 17:23679-23691. [PMID: 37983051 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07131] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Developing self-assembled biomedical materials based on insect proteins is highly desirable due to their advantages of green, rich, and sustainable characters as well as excellent biocompatibility, which has been rarely explored. Herein, salt-induced controllable self-assembly, antibacterial performance, and infectious wound healing performance of an insect cuticle protein (OfCPH-2) originating from the Ostrinia furnacalis larva head capsule are investigated. Interestingly, the addition of salts could trigger the formation of beaded nanofibrils with uniform diameter, whose length highly depends on the salt concentration. Surprisingly, the OfCPH-2 nanofibrils not only could form functional films with broad-spectrum antibacterial abilities but also could promote infectious wound healing. More importantly, a possible wound healing mechanism was proposed, and it is the strong abilities of OfCPH-2 nanofibrils in promoting vascular formation and antibacterial activity that facilitate the process of infectious wound healing. Our exciting findings put forward instructive thoughts for developing innovative bioinspired materials based on insect proteins for wound healing and related biomedical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Gong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optic-Electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, P. R. China
| | - Bohao Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Fenghou Yuan
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Runyi Tao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Yinjuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Zeng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Xingzhuo Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Yilong Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Yanpeng Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Jizhao Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
| | - Tian Liu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Guangjian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, P. R. China
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Lee KS, Kim BY, Kim YH, Choi YS, Jin BR. Identification of waprin and its microbicidal activity: A novel protein component of honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 266:109561. [PMID: 36738900 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109561] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Bee venom is a rich source of biologically and pharmacologically active proteins. Waprin is a protein component of venoms; however, waprin has yet to be identified in bee venom. Moreover, the biological functions of waprin in venoms remain poorly characterized. Thus, in this study, we have identified and characterized waprin: a novel protein component from the venom of honeybees (Apis mellifera). The waprin in A. mellifera venom (Amwaprin) was found to consist of an 80-amino acid mature peptide, in which the whey acidic protein domain contains four conserved disulfide bonds. We discovered the presence of the Amwaprin protein in secreted venom by using an antibody against recombinant Amwaprin produced in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Recombinant Amwaprin exhibited inhibitory activity against microbial serine proteases and elastases but not thrombin or plasmin. It recognized carbohydrates in the microbial cell wall molecules and bound to the live microbial surfaces. The binding action of Amwaprin produced its microbicidal activity by inducing structural damage to bacterial and fungal cell walls. In addition, recombinant Amwaprin is heat-stable and contains no hemolytic activity. These findings demonstrate that Amwaprin acts as a microbicidal and anti-elastolytic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Sik Lee
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Yeon Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hui Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Rae Jin
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea.
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Chen L, Gu T, Wu T, Ding L, Ge Q, Zhang Y, Ma S. Proteotranscriptomic Integration analyses reveals new mechanistic insights regarding Bombyx mori fluorosis. Food Chem Toxicol 2022; 169:113414. [PMID: 36174832 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2022.113414] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The commercial value of silkworms has been widely explored and the effects of fluoride exposure on silkworms' breeding and silk production cannot be ignored. Bombyx mori is a commonly used model to explore the mechanisms of fluorosis. In the present study, we analyzed the differences in physiological and biochemical indicators after exposing larva to NaF, then evaluated differential genes and proteins. Compared to control, larvae exposed to 600 mg L-1 NaF presented decreased bodyweight, damaged midgut tissue, and were accompanied by oxidative stress. The RNA-seq showed 1493 differentially expressed genes (574 upregulated and 919 downregulated). Meanwhile, the TMT detected 189 differentially expressed proteins (133 upregulated and 56 downregulated). The integrative analysis led to 4 upregulated and 9 downregulated genes and proteins. Finally, we hypothesized that fluoride exposure might affect the intestinal digestion of silkworms, inhibit the gene expression of detoxification enzymes and stimulate cellular immune responses. Our current findings provided new insights into insect fluorosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Tongyu Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Tong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Lei Ding
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Qi Ge
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shangshang Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
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Jevtić P, Elliott KW, Watkins SE, Sreter JA, Jovic K, Lehner IB, Baures PW, Tsavalas JG, Levy DL, Varga K. An insect antifreeze protein from Anatolica polita enhances the cryoprotection of Xenopus laevis eggs and embryos. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:jeb243662. [PMID: 35014670 PMCID: PMC8920033 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243662] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cryoprotection is of interest in many fields of research, necessitating a greater understanding of different cryoprotective agents. Antifreeze proteins have been identified that have the ability to confer cryoprotection in certain organisms. Antifreeze proteins are an evolutionary adaptation that contributes to the freeze resistance of certain fish, insects, bacteria and plants. These proteins adsorb to an ice crystal's surface and restrict its growth within a certain temperature range. We investigated the ability of an antifreeze protein from the desert beetle Anatolica polita, ApAFP752, to confer cryoprotection in the frog Xenopus laevis. Xenopus laevis eggs and embryos microinjected with ApAFP752 exhibited reduced damage and increased survival after a freeze-thaw cycle in a concentration-dependent manner. We also demonstrate that ApAFP752 localizes to the plasma membrane in eggs and embryonic blastomeres and is not toxic for early development. These studies show the potential of an insect antifreeze protein to confer cryoprotection in amphibian eggs and embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Predrag Jevtić
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - K. Wade Elliott
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Shelby E. Watkins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Sreter
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Katarina Jovic
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Ian B. Lehner
- Department of Chemistry, Keene State College, Keene, NH 03435, USA
| | - Paul W. Baures
- Department of Chemistry, Keene State College, Keene, NH 03435, USA
| | - John G. Tsavalas
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Daniel L. Levy
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Krisztina Varga
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
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6
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Wu YH, Zhang Y, Fang DQ, Chen J, Wang JA, Jiang L, Lv ZF. Characterization of the Composition and Biological Activity of the Venom from Vespa bicolor Fabricius, a Wasp from South China. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14010059. [PMID: 35051036 PMCID: PMC8777732 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14010059] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed, for the first time, the major components and biological properties of the venom of Vespa bicolor, a wasp from South China. Using HPLC and SDS-PAGE, combined with LC–MS/MS, MALDI-TOF-MS, and NMR data to analyze V. bicolor venom (VBV), we found that VBV contains three proteins (hyaluronidase A, phospholipase A1 (two isoforms), and antigen 5 protein) with allergenic activity, two unreported proteins (proteins 5 and 6), and two active substances with large quantities (mastoparan-like peptide 12a (Vb-MLP 12a), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)). In addition, the antimicrobial activity of VBV was determined, and results showed that it had a significant effect against anaerobic bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration for Propionibacterium acnes were 12.5 µg/mL. Unsurprisingly, VBV had strong antioxidant activity because of the abundance of 5-HT. Contrary to other Vespa venom, VBV showed significant anti-inflammatory activity, even at low concentrations (1 µg/mL), and we found that Vb-MLP 12a showed pro-inflammatory activity by promoting the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells. Cytotoxicity studies showed that VBV had similar antiproliferative effects against all tested tumor cell lines (HepG2, Hela, MCF-7, A549, and SASJ-1), with HepG2 being the most susceptible. Overall, this study on VBV has high clinical importance and promotes the development of Vespa bicolor resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Hua Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.-H.W.); (D.-Q.F.)
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Advanced Chinese Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.); (J.C.)
- Production and Research Base for Wasp Deinsectization, Guangdong Huxin Biotech Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangmen 529245, China;
| | - Yu Zhang
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Advanced Chinese Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.); (J.C.)
| | - Dan-Qiao Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.-H.W.); (D.-Q.F.)
| | - Jing Chen
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Advanced Chinese Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.); (J.C.)
| | - Jing-An Wang
- Production and Research Base for Wasp Deinsectization, Guangdong Huxin Biotech Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangmen 529245, China;
| | - Lin Jiang
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Advanced Chinese Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.); (J.C.)
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (Z.-F.L.)
| | - Zhu-Fen Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.-H.W.); (D.-Q.F.)
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (Z.-F.L.)
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Zhu Q, Wang J, Gao M, Lu L, Liu X. Neuropeptide F from endocrine cells in Plutella xylostella midgut modulates feeding and synergizes Cry1Ac action. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2021; 108:e21845. [PMID: 34605064 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21845] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With the wide cultivation of transgenic plants throughout the world and the rising risk of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis crystal (Cry) toxins, it is essential to design an adaptive resistance management strategy for continued use. Neuropeptide F (NPF) of insects has proven to be valuable for the production of novel-type transgenic plants via its important role in the control of feeding behavior. In this study, the gene encoding NPF was cloned from the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, an important agricultural pest. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization showed a relatively high expression of P. xylostella-npf (P. x-npf) in endocrine cells of the midgut of fourth instar larvae, and it was found to participate in P. xylostella feeding behavior and Cry1Ac-induced feeding inhibition. Prokaryotic expression and purification provided structure unfolded P. x-npf from inclusion bodies for diet surface overlay bioassays and the results demonstrated a significant synergistic effect of P. x-npf on Cry1Ac toxicity by increasing intake of noxious food which contains Cry toxins, especially quick death at an early stage of feeding. Our findings provided a potential new way to efficiently control pests by increasing intake of lower dose Cry toxins and a novel hint for the complex Cry toxin mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhu
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Key Laboratory of Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingxuan Wang
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Key Laboratory of Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meijing Gao
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Key Laboratory of Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Lina Lu
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Key Laboratory of Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianjin Liu
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Key Laboratory of Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
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Manniello MD, Moretta A, Salvia R, Scieuzo C, Lucchetti D, Vogel H, Sgambato A, Falabella P. Insect antimicrobial peptides: potential weapons to counteract the antibiotic resistance. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4259-4282. [PMID: 33595669 PMCID: PMC8164593 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03784-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [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: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Misuse and overuse of antibiotics have contributed in the last decades to a phenomenon known as antibiotic resistance which is currently considered one of the principal threats to global public health by the World Health Organization. The aim to find alternative drugs has been demonstrated as a real challenge. Thanks to their biodiversity, insects represent the largest class of organisms in the animal kingdom. The humoral immune response includes the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are released into the insect hemolymph after microbial infection. In this review, we have focused on insect immune responses, particularly on AMP characteristics, their mechanism of action and applications, especially in the biomedical field. Furthermore, we discuss the Toll, Imd, and JAK-STAT pathways that activate genes encoding for the expression of AMPs. Moreover, we focused on strategies to improve insect peptides stability against proteolytic susceptibility such as D-amino acid substitutions, N-terminus modification, cyclization and dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Manniello
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - A Moretta
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - R Salvia
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - C Scieuzo
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - D Lucchetti
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - H Vogel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - A Sgambato
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Centro di Riferimento Oncologico Della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
| | - P Falabella
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
- Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
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D’Hulst G, Masschelein E, De Bock K. Dampened Muscle mTORC1 Response Following Ingestion of High-Quality Plant-Based Protein and Insect Protein Compared to Whey. Nutrients 2021; 13:1396. [PMID: 33919313 PMCID: PMC8143359 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051396] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased amino acid availability acutely stimulates protein synthesis partially via activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Plant-and insect-based protein sources matched for total protein and/or leucine to animal proteins induce a lower postprandial rise in amino acids, but their effects on mTOR activation in muscle are unknown. C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with different protein solutions: whey, a pea-rice protein mix matched for total protein or leucine content to whey, worm protein matched for total protein, or saline. Blood was drawn 30, 60, 105 and 150 min after gavage and muscle samples were harvested 60 min and 150 min after gavage to measure key components of the mTORC1 pathway. Ingestion of plant-based proteins induced a lower rise in blood leucine compared to whey, which coincided with a dampened mTORC1 activation, both acutely and 150 min after administration. Matching total leucine content to whey did not rescue the reduced rise in plasma amino acids, nor the lower increase in mTORC1 compared to whey. Insect protein elicits a similar activation of downstream mTORC1 kinases as plant-based proteins, despite lower postprandial aminoacidemia. The mTORC1 response following ingestion of high-quality plant-based and insect proteins is dampened compared to whey in mouse skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gommaar D’Hulst
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8603 Zurich, Switzerland; (E.M.); (K.D.B.)
- Laboratory of Regenerative and Movement Biology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Evi Masschelein
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8603 Zurich, Switzerland; (E.M.); (K.D.B.)
| | - Katrien De Bock
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8603 Zurich, Switzerland; (E.M.); (K.D.B.)
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10
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Foo ACY, Thompson PM, Chen SH, Jadi R, Lupo B, DeRose EF, Arora S, Placentra VC, Premkumar L, Perera L, Pedersen LC, Martin N, Mueller GA. The mosquito protein AEG12 displays both cytolytic and antiviral properties via a common lipid transfer mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2019251118. [PMID: 33688047 PMCID: PMC7980415 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2019251118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito protein AEG12 is up-regulated in response to blood meals and flavivirus infection though its function remained elusive. Here, we determine the three-dimensional structure of AEG12 and describe the binding specificity of acyl-chain ligands within its large central hydrophobic cavity. We show that AEG12 displays hemolytic and cytolytic activity by selectively delivering unsaturated fatty acid cargoes into phosphatidylcholine-rich lipid bilayers. This property of AEG12 also enables it to inhibit replication of enveloped viruses such as Dengue and Zika viruses at low micromolar concentrations. Weaker inhibition was observed against more distantly related coronaviruses and lentivirus, while no inhibition was observed against the nonenveloped virus adeno-associated virus. Together, our results uncover the mechanistic understanding of AEG12 function and provide the necessary implications for its use as a broad-spectrum therapeutic against cellular and viral targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Y Foo
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Peter M Thompson
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Shih-Heng Chen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Ramesh Jadi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Brianna Lupo
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Eugene F DeRose
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Simrat Arora
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Victoria C Placentra
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Lakshmanane Premkumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Lalith Perera
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Lars C Pedersen
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Negin Martin
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Geoffrey A Mueller
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709;
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11
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Chlastáková A, Kotál J, Beránková Z, Kaščáková B, Martins LA, Langhansová H, Prudnikova T, Ederová M, Kutá Smatanová I, Kotsyfakis M, Chmelař J. Iripin-3, a New Salivary Protein Isolated From Ixodes ricinus Ticks, Displays Immunomodulatory and Anti-Hemostatic Properties In Vitro. Front Immunol 2021; 12:626200. [PMID: 33732248 PMCID: PMC7957079 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.626200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva is a rich source of pharmacologically and immunologically active molecules. These salivary components are indispensable for successful blood feeding on vertebrate hosts and are believed to facilitate the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Here we present the functional and structural characterization of Iripin-3, a protein expressed in the salivary glands of the tick Ixodes ricinus, a European vector of tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Belonging to the serpin superfamily of protease inhibitors, Iripin-3 strongly inhibited the proteolytic activity of serine proteases kallikrein and matriptase. In an in vitro setup, Iripin-3 was capable of modulating the adaptive immune response as evidenced by reduced survival of mouse splenocytes, impaired proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes, suppression of the T helper type 1 immune response, and induction of regulatory T cell differentiation. Apart from altering acquired immunity, Iripin-3 also inhibited the extrinsic blood coagulation pathway and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages. In addition to its functional characterization, we present the crystal structure of cleaved Iripin-3 at 1.95 Å resolution. Iripin-3 proved to be a pluripotent salivary serpin with immunomodulatory and anti-hemostatic properties that could facilitate tick feeding via the suppression of host anti-tick defenses. Physiological relevance of Iripin-3 activities observed in vitro needs to be supported by appropriate in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Kotál
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Barbora Kaščáková
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Larissa Almeida Martins
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Tatyana Prudnikova
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Monika Ederová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Ivana Kutá Smatanová
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
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12
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Chowdhury T, Mandal SM, Dutta S, Ghosh AK. Identification of a novel proline-rich antimicrobial protein from the hemolymph of Antheraea mylitta. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2021; 106:e21771. [PMID: 33644898 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21771] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) are small, cationic proteins that exhibit activity against bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi as well as boost host-specific innate immune responses. Insects produce these AMPs in the fat body and hemocytes, and release them into the hemolymph upon microbial infection. Hemolymph was collected from the bacterially immunized fifth instar larvae of tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, and an AMP was purified by organic solvent extraction followed by size exclusion and reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. The purity of AMP was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The molecular mass was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry as 14 kDa, and hence designated as AmAMP14. Peptide mass fingerprinting of trypsin-digested AmAMP14 followed by de novo sequencing of one peptide fragment by tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed the amino acid sequences as CTSPKQCLPPCK. No homology was found in the database search and indicates it as a novel AMP. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the purified AmAMP14 was determined against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans as 30, 60, and 30 µg/ml, respectively. Electron microscopic examination of the AmAMP14-treated cells revealed membrane damage and release of cytoplasmic contents. All these results suggest the production of a novel 14 kDa AMP in the hemolymph of A. mylitta to provide defense against microbial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trinath Chowdhury
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Santi M Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Soumita Dutta
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Ananta K Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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13
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Liu FF, Ding C, Yang LL, Li H, Rao XJ. Identification and analysis of two lebocins in the oriental armyworm Mythimna separata. Dev Comp Immunol 2021; 116:103962. [PMID: 33301794 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103962] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The insect immune system can produce defensive molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to eliminate invading pathogens. Here, we report the identification of two cDNAs (MseLeb1, MseLeb2) that encode lepidopteral lebocin preproproteins in the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata. Their open reading frames are 483/492 bp that encode 161/164 aa peptides. MseLeb1 is mainly expressed in the fat body and epidermis, while MseLeb2 is mainly expressed in the fat body, Malpighian tube, and epidermis. They were significantly induced by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Beauveria bassiana in hemocytes. The preproproteins can be processed after RXXR motifs into mature peptides. Multiple sequence alignment indicates that MseLeb1 (18-42, 121-161) are potentially active peptides. Five peptides were synthesized for analyses: 18-42, 121-161, 121-154, 121-151, 121-146. Synthetic peptides showed agglutinating activity, but no hemolytic activity. Bacterial growth assay, colony formation assay, and electron microscopy revealed that synthetic peptides can inhibit bacterial growth and disrupt bacterial cell wall. B. bassiana conidia and blastospores were lysed by synthetic peptides. These results indicate that MseLeb1 and MseLeb2 are immune responsive lebocins, and the mature peptides have antibacterial and antifungal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fang Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Chen Ding
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Li-Ling Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Hao Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Rao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.
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14
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Yang L, Qiu LM, Fang Q, Ye GY. A venom protein, Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor, of ectoparasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae inhibits the hemolymph melanization of host Drosophila melanogaster. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2020; 105:e21736. [PMID: 32918775 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic wasps inject various virulence factors into the host insects while laying eggs, among which the venom proteins, one of the key players in host insect/parasitoid relationships, act in host cellular and humoral immune regulation to ensure successful development of wasp progeny. Although the investigations into actions of venom proteins are relatively ample in larval parasitoids, their regulatory mechanisms have not been thoroughly understood in pupal parasitoids. Here, we identified a venom protein, Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor, in the pupal ectoparasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (PvKazal). Sequence analysis revealed that PvKazal is packed by a signal peptide and a highly conserved "Kazal" domain. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis recorded a higher transcript level of PvKazal in the venom apparatus relative to that in the carcass, and the PvKazal messenger RNA level appeared to reach a peak on day 5 posteclosion. Recombinant PvKazal strongly inhibited the hemolymph melanization of host Drosophila melanogaster. Additionally, the heterologous expression of PvKazal in transgenic Drosophila reduced the crystal cell numbers and blocked the melanization of host pupal hemolymph. Our present work underlying the roles of PvKazal undoubtedly increases the understanding of venom-mediated host-parasitoid crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Ming Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gong-Yin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Kang GH, Lee S, Choi DB, Shin D, Kim J, Yang H, Bae H. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates Atherosclerosis by Modulating Regulatory T Cells. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12100609. [PMID: 32977607 PMCID: PMC7598180 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12100609] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by lipids and calcareous accumulations in the vascular wall due to an inflammatory reaction. Recent reports have demonstrated that regulatory T (Treg) cells have an important role as a new treatment for atherosclerosis. This study suggests that bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) may be a potential therapeutic agent in atherosclerosis by inducing Treg cells. We examined the effects of bvPLA2 on atherosclerosis using ApoE-/- and ApoE-/-/Foxp3DTR mice. In this study, bvPLA2 increased Treg cells, followed by a decrease in lipid accumulation in the aorta and aortic valve and the formation of foam cells. Importantly, the effect of bvPLA2 was found to depend on Treg cells. This study suggests that bvPLA2 can be a potential therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis.
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16
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Fernandes LGR, Perez-Riverol A, Bazon ML, Abram DM, Brochetto-Braga MR, Zollner RDL. Functional Profile of Antigen Specific CD4 + T Cells in the Immune Response to Phospholipase A1 Allergen from Polybia paulista Venom. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12060379. [PMID: 32521656 PMCID: PMC7354480 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12060379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect venom can cause systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Improvements in diagnosis and venom immunotherapy (VIT) are based on a better understanding of an immunological response triggered by venom allergens. Previously, we demonstrated that the recombinant phospholipase A1 (rPoly p 1) from Polybia paulista wasp venom induces specific IgE and IgG antibodies in sensitized mice, which recognized the native allergen. Here, we addressed the T cell immune response of rPoly p 1-sensitized BALB/c mice. Cultures of splenocytes were stimulated with Polybia paulista venom extract and the proliferation of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and the frequency of T regulatory cells (Tregs) populations were assessed by flow cytometry. Cytokines were quantified in cell culture supernatants in ELISA assays. The in vitro stimulation of T cells from sensitized mice induces a significant proliferation of CD4+ T cells, but not of CD8+ T cells. The cytokine pattern showed a high concentration of IFN-γ and IL-6, and no significant differences to IL-4, IL-1β and TGF-β1 production. In addition, the rPoly p 1 group showed a pronounced expansion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ and CD4+CD25-FoxP3+ Tregs. rPoly p 1 sensitization induces a Th1/Treg profile in CD4+ T cell subset, suggesting its potential use in wasp venom immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Gustavo Romani Fernandes
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Medicine School, FCM, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil; (D.M.A.); (R.d.L.Z.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Amilcar Perez-Riverol
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13500, Brazil;
| | - Murilo Luiz Bazon
- Laboratory of Arthropods Molecular Biology - LBMA-IBRC-UNESP (São Paulo State University), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil; (M.L.B.); (M.R.B.-B.)
| | - Débora Moitinho Abram
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Medicine School, FCM, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil; (D.M.A.); (R.d.L.Z.)
| | - Márcia Regina Brochetto-Braga
- Laboratory of Arthropods Molecular Biology - LBMA-IBRC-UNESP (São Paulo State University), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil; (M.L.B.); (M.R.B.-B.)
- Venoms and Venomous Animal Studies Center-CEVAP, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18610-307, Brazil
| | - Ricardo de Lima Zollner
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Medicine School, FCM, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil; (D.M.A.); (R.d.L.Z.)
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17
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Abstract
Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) is an enzyme to breakdown β-1,4-glycosidic bonds in chitin and chitooligosaccharides. The loss of chitinase enzymatic activity in insects results in severe exoskeleton defects and lethality at all developmental stages, indicating that insect chitinases can be promising pesticide targets. However, there are no pesticides known to target chitinases. This perspective will focus on the latest research progress of insect chitinases, paying special attention to crystal structures and chemical biology advances in the field. The physiological importance and unique structural features of insect chitinases may ensure the development of new pesticides through a novel acting mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection and Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection and Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, People's Republic of China
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18
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Yang Y, Wu D, Wang C, Shan A, Bi C, Li Y, Gan W. Hybridization with Insect Cecropin A (1-8) Improve the Stability and Selectivity of Naturally Occurring Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041470. [PMID: 32098142 PMCID: PMC7073140 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer great hope and a promising opportunity to overcome the rapid development of drug-resistant pathogenic microbes. However, AMPs often lack the stability required for a successful systemic drug. Hybridizing different AMPs is a simple and effective strategy to obtain novel peptides. N-terminal fragment of cecropin A (CA (1-8)) is often used to hybridize with other AMPs to reduce cytotoxicity. However, hybridizing with CA (1-8) in improving the stability of AMPs is not clear. Therefore, a series of peptides were designed by combining with CA (1–8) and their antibacterial activity and stability in the presence of salts and human serum were evaluated. The resultant α-helical hybrid peptide CA-FO composed of CA (1-8) and the most potent region of Fowlicidin-2 (FO (1–15)) exhibited excellent antibacterial activity (2-8 μM) and cell selectivity toward bacterial over mammalian cells. Moreover, CA-FO still retained vigorous antimicrobial activity in the presence of human serum and salts at physiological concentrations. CA-FO exhibited effective antibacterial activity by increasing membrane permeability and damaging membrane integrity. In conclusion, these results indicated the success of hybridization in designing and optimizing AMPs with improved stability and selectivity and the peptide CA-FO can be further evaluated as peptide-therapy to treat bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Y.); (D.W.); (C.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Di Wu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Y.); (D.W.); (C.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Chenxi Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Y.); (D.W.); (C.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Y.); (D.W.); (C.W.); (C.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-451-5519-0685
| | - Chongpeng Bi
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Y.); (D.W.); (C.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Yanbing Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China;
| | - Wenping Gan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Academy of Land Reclamation Sciences, Harbin 150038, China;
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19
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Yang LL, Zhan MY, Zhuo YL, Dang XL, Li MY, Xu Y, Zhou XH, Yu XQ, Rao XJ. Characterization of the active fragments of Spodoptera litura Lebocin-1. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2020; 103:e21626. [PMID: 31562754 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Insects can produce various antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) upon immune stimulation. One class of AMPs are characterized by their high proline content in certain fragments. They are generally called proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs). We previously reported the characterization of Spodoptera litura lebocin-1 (SlLeb-1), a PrAMP proprotein. Preliminary studies with synthetic polypeptides showed that among the four deductive active fragments, the C-terminal fragment SlLeb-1 (124-158) showed strong antibacterial activities. Here, we further characterized the antibacterial and antifungal activities of 124-158 and its four subfragments: 124-155, 124-149, 127-158, and 135-158. Only 124-158 and 127-158 could agglutinate bacteria, while 124-158 and four subfragments all could agglutinate Beauveria bassiana spores. Confocal microscopy showed that fluorescent peptides were located on the microbial surface. Fragment 135-158 lost activity completely against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and partially against Bacillus subtilis. Only 124-149 showed low activity against Serratia marcescens. Negative staining, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy of 124-158 treated bacteria showed different morphologies. Flow cytometry analysis of S. aureus showed that 124-158 and four subfragments changed bacterial subpopulations and caused an increase of DNA content. These results indicate that active fragments of SlLeb-1 may have diverse antimicrobial effects against different microbes. This study may provide an insight into the development of novel antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ling Yang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ming-Yue Zhan
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yu-Li Zhuo
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiang-Li Dang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mao-Ye Li
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Biotechnology Center, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiu-Hong Zhou
- Biotechnology Center, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Yu
- Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Rao
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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20
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Zhou X, Peng LY, Wang ZC, Wang W, Zhu Z, Huang XH, Chen LB, Song QS, Bao YY. Identification of novel antimicrobial peptides from rice planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 113:103215. [PMID: 31449847 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, two novel antibacterial peptide genes, termed lugensin A and B were identified and characterized from a rice sap-sucking hemipteran insect pest, the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. Lugensin gene expression was significantly induced by Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial stains under the regulation of a signal receptor, the long peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP-LC) in the IMD pathway. Knockdown of PGRP-LC by RNAi eliminated bacterium induced Lugensin gene expression. Lugensins had the apparent antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli K12, Bacillus subtilis and the rice bacterial brown stripe pathogen Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae (Aaa) strain RS-1. Lugensins inhibited bacterial proliferation by disrupting the integrity of the bacterial membranes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed abnormal membrane morphology of the recombinant Lugensin-treated bacteria. Lugensins induced complete cell disruption of E. coli K12 and B. subtilis strains while formed the holes on the cell surface of Aaa RS-1 strain. Immunofluorescence showed that Lugensins localized in the cell membrane of E. coli K12 while accumulated in the cytosol of B. subtilis. Differently, Lugensins remained in both the cell membrane and the cytosol of Aaa RS-1 strain, suggesting different action modes of Lugensins to different microbes. This is the first report of the novel antibacterial peptides found in the rice sap-sucking hemipteran insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Lu-Yao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhe-Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Li-Bo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qi-Sheng Song
- Division of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, USA.
| | - Yan-Yuan Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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21
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Wang Z, Guo P, Wang Q, Zhang Y, Xu H, Zhao P. Overexpression of Gloverin2 in the Bombyx mori silk gland enhances cocoon/silk antimicrobial activity. Dev Comp Immunol 2019; 98:6-12. [PMID: 30898519 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Bombyx mori cocoon/silk possesses many immune-related components, including protease inhibitors, seroins, and antimicrobial peptides, which likely help to protect the pupating larva from infection. However, the natural antimicrobial activity of the B. mori cocoon/silk is still too weak for biomedical applications. With the goal of enhancing this natural activity, we constructed a transgenic vector to overexpress the B. mori antimicrobial peptide Gloverin2 (BmGlv2) under control of the silk gland-specific Serion1 promoter. Transgenic silkworms were generated via embryo microinjection. A low level of BmGlv2 was expressed in the non-transgenic silk gland, but BmGlv2 was efficiently overexpressed and proteolytically activated in the transgenic line. Overexpressed BmGlv2 was secreted and incorporated into the silk during spanning without affecting cocoon/silk formation. Moreover, the transgenic cocoon/silk had significantly greater inhibitory activity against bacteria and fungi than the non-transgenic cocoon/silk. This strategy could help enhance the antimicrobial performance and biomedical application of silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan Wang
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Pengchao Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yunshi Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Haiyang Xu
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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22
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Sri-In C, Weng SC, Chen WY, Wu-Hsieh BA, Tu WC, Shiao SH. A salivary protein of Aedes aegypti promotes dengue-2 virus replication and transmission. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 111:103181. [PMID: 31265906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Although dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease in humans, no effective medication or vaccine is presently available. Previous studies suggested that mosquito salivary proteins influence infection by the dengue virus (DENV) in the mammalian host. However, the effects of salivary proteins on DENV replication within the Aedes aegypti mosquito remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of a specific salivary protein (named AaSG34) on DENV serotype 2 (DENV2) replication and transmission. We showed that transcripts of AaSG34 were upregulated in the salivary glands of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes after a meal of blood infected with DENV2. Transcripts of the dengue viral genome and envelop protein in the salivary glands were significantly diminished after an infectious blood meal when AaSG34 was silenced. The effect of AaSG34 on DENV2 transmission was investigated in Stat1-deficient mice. The intradermal inoculation of infectious mosquito saliva induced hemorrhaging in the Stat1-deficient mice; however, saliva from the AaSG34-silenced mosquitoes did not induce hemorrhaging, suggesting that AaSG34 enhances DENV2 transmission. This is the first report to demonstrate that the protein AaSG34 promotes DENV2 replication in mosquito salivary glands and enhances the transmission of the virus to the mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chalida Sri-In
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Che Weng
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yu Chen
- Graduate Institute of Immunology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Betty A Wu-Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Immunology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Chun Tu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Shin-Hong Shiao
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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El Shazely B, Urbański A, Johnston PR, Rolff J. In vivo exposure of insect AMP resistant Staphylococcus aureus to an insect immune system. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 110:60-68. [PMID: 31051236 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important immune effectors in insects. Bacteria have a limited number of ways to resist AMPs, and AMP-resistance is often costly. Recently, it has become clear that AMP activities in vitro and in vivo differ. Although some studies have followed the in vivo survival of AMP resistant pathogens, studying a pathogen resistant to the AMPs of that particular host has never been reported. Here, we infected the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor with Staphylococcus aureus strains that were evolved in vitro in the presence of one or two antimicrobial peptides from T. molitor. We found that the Tenebrio immune system could clear mutant Tenecin resistant strains at least as efficiently as sensitive controls. The bacterial load of Tenecin resistant S. aureus segregated by mutation. Strains with mutations in both the pmt and rpo operons showed the highest in vivo survival and therefore showed the lowest fitness cost amongst the evolved resistance mutations. In contrast, Tenecin resistant strains with mutations in the nsa and rpo operons showed much lower survival within the hosts. Our study shows that Tenecin resistant strains are phagocytosed at a lower rate. The nsa/rpo mutants were phagocytosed at a higher rate than other Tenecin resistant S. aureus strains. The differences in resistance against AMPs and phagocytosis did not translate into changes in virulence. AMP resistance, while a prerequisite for an infection in vertebrates, does not provide a survival advantage to S. aureus in a host environment that is dominated by AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baydaa El Shazely
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Arkadiusz Urbański
- Department of Animal Physiology and Development, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
| | - Paul R Johnston
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany; Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany.
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24
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Sterkel M, Ons S, Oliveira PL. DOPA decarboxylase is essential for cuticle tanning in Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), affecting ecdysis, survival and reproduction. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 108:24-31. [PMID: 30885802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cuticle tanning occurs in insects immediately after hatching or molting. During this process, the cuticle becomes dark and rigid due to melanin deposition and protein crosslinking. In insects, different from mammals, melanin is synthesized mainly from dopamine, which is produced from DOPA by the enzyme DOPA decarboxylase. In this work, we report that the silencing of the RpAadc-2 gene, which encodes the putative Rhodnius prolixus DOPA decarboxylase enzyme, resulted in a reduction in nymph survival, with a high percentage of treated insects dying during the ecdysis process or in the expected ecdysis period. Those treated insects that could complete ecdysis presented a decrease in cuticle pigmentation and hardness after molting. In adult females, the knockdown of AADC-2 resulted in a reduction in the hatching of eggs; the nymphs that managed to hatch failed to tan the cuticle and were unable to feed. Despite the failure in cuticle tanning, knockdown of the AADC-2 did not increase the susceptibility to topically applied deltamethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide. Additionally, our results showed that the melanin synthesis pathway did not play a major role in the detoxification of the excess (potentially toxic) tyrosine from the diet, an essential trait for hematophagous arthropod survival after a blood meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Sterkel
- Laboratory of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Regional Center for Genomic Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Bvd 120, 1459, La Plata, 1900, Argentina.
| | - Sheila Ons
- Laboratory of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Regional Center for Genomic Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Bvd 120, 1459, La Plata, 1900, Argentina.
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco D. Prédio do CCS, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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25
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Al Nahas K, Cama J, Schaich M, Hammond K, Deshpande S, Dekker C, Ryadnov MG, Keyser UF. A microfluidic platform for the characterisation of membrane active antimicrobials. Lab Chip 2019; 19:837-844. [PMID: 30698187 PMCID: PMC6404476 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00932e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The spread of bacterial resistance against conventional antibiotics generates a great need for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Polypeptide antibiotics constitute a promising class of antimicrobial agents that favour attack on bacterial membranes. However, efficient measurement platforms for evaluating their mechanisms of action in a systematic manner are lacking. Here we report an integrated lab-on-a-chip multilayer microfluidic platform to quantify the membranolytic efficacy of such antibiotics. The platform is a biomimetic vesicle-based screening assay, which generates giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in physiologically relevant buffers on demand. Hundreds of these GUVs are individually immobilised downstream in physical traps connected to separate perfusion inlets that facilitate controlled antibiotic delivery. Antibiotic efficacy is expressed as a function of the time needed for an encapsulated dye to leak out of the GUVs as a result of antibiotic treatment. This proof-of-principle study probes the dose response of an archetypal polypeptide antibiotic cecropin B on GUVs mimicking bacterial membranes. The results of the study provide a foundation for engineering quantitative, high-throughput microfluidics devices for screening antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Al Nahas
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - J. Cama
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - M. Schaich
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - K. Hammond
- National Physical Laboratory
,
Hampton Road, Teddington
, Middlesex TW11 0LW
, UK
| | - S. Deshpande
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience
, Delft Univ. of Technology
,
van der Maasweg 9
, Delft 2629 HZ
, Netherlands
| | - C. Dekker
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience
, Delft Univ. of Technology
,
van der Maasweg 9
, Delft 2629 HZ
, Netherlands
| | - M. G. Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory
,
Hampton Road, Teddington
, Middlesex TW11 0LW
, UK
| | - U. F. Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
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26
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Tombulturk FK, Soydas T, Sarac EY, Tuncdemir M, Coskunpinar E, Polat E, Sirekbasan S, Kanigur-Sultuybek G. Regulation of MMP 2 and MMP 9 expressions modulated by AP-1 (c-jun) in wound healing: improving role of Lucilia sericata in diabetic rats. Acta Diabetol 2019; 56:177-186. [PMID: 30302545 DOI: 10.1007/s00592-018-1237-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Lucilia sericata larvae have been successfully used on healing of wounds in the diabetics. However, the involvement of the extraction/secretion (ES) products of larvae in the treatment of diabetic wounds is still unknown. Activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription, composed of c-jun and c-Fos proteins, has been shown to be the principal regulator of multiple MMP transcriptions under a variety of conditions, also in diabetic wounds. Specifically, MMP-2 and MMP-9's transcriptions are known to be modulated by AP-1. c-jun has been demonstrated to be a repressor of p53 in immortalized fibroblasts. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of L. sericata ES on the expression of AP-1 (c-jun), p53, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in wound biopsies dissected from streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. METHODS The expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, c-jun and p53 in dermal tissues were determined at days 0, 3, 7 and 14 after wounding, using immunohistochemical analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS The treatment with ES significantly decreased through inflammation-based induction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels in the wounds of diabetic groups, compared to control groups at the third day of wound healing. At the 14th day, there were dramatic decreases in expression of c-jun, MMP-9, and p53 in ES-treated groups, compared to the diabetic group (P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION ES products of L. sericata may enhance the process of wound healing in phases of inflammation, proliferation, and re-epithelization, essentially via regulating c-jun expression and modulating MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Kübra Tombulturk
- Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
- Medical Laboratory Techniques, Vocational School of Health Services, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tugba Soydas
- Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Aydin University, Medical Faculty, Sefakoy-Kucukcekmece, 34295, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Elif Yaprak Sarac
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Matem Tuncdemir
- Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ender Coskunpinar
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical Faculty, Saglik Bilimleri University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Erdal Polat
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Serhat Sirekbasan
- Department of Biotherapy Research and Development Laboratory, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gonul Kanigur-Sultuybek
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Aydin University, Medical Faculty, Sefakoy-Kucukcekmece, 34295, Istanbul, Turkey.
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27
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Pfeil MP, Pyne ALB, Losasso V, Ravi J, Lamarre B, Faruqui N, Alkassem H, Hammond K, Judge PJ, Winn M, Martyna GJ, Crain J, Watts A, Hoogenboom BW, Ryadnov MG. Tuneable poration: host defense peptides as sequence probes for antimicrobial mechanisms. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14926. [PMID: 30297841 PMCID: PMC6175903 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33289-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The spread of antimicrobial resistance stimulates discovery strategies that place emphasis on mechanisms circumventing the drawbacks of traditional antibiotics and on agents that hit multiple targets. Host defense peptides (HDPs) are promising candidates in this regard. Here we demonstrate that a given HDP sequence intrinsically encodes for tuneable mechanisms of membrane disruption. Using an archetypal HDP (cecropin B) we show that subtle structural alterations convert antimicrobial mechanisms from native carpet-like scenarios to poration and non-porating membrane exfoliation. Such distinct mechanisms, studied using low- and high-resolution spectroscopy, nanoscale imaging and molecular dynamics simulations, all maintain strong antimicrobial effects, albeit with diminished activity against pathogens resistant to HDPs. The strategy offers an effective search paradigm for the sequence probing of discrete antimicrobial mechanisms within a single HDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Philipp Pfeil
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alice L B Pyne
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
| | - Valeria Losasso
- STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury, Warrington, WA4 4AD, UK
| | - Jascindra Ravi
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Baptiste Lamarre
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Nilofar Faruqui
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Hasan Alkassem
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Katharine Hammond
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
| | - Peter J Judge
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Martyn Winn
- STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury, Warrington, WA4 4AD, UK
| | | | - Jason Crain
- IBM Research, Yorktown Heights, NY, 10598, USA
| | - Anthony Watts
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Bart W Hoogenboom
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Maxim G Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK.
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28
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Park YJ, Park B, Lee M, Jeong YS, Lee HY, Sohn DH, Song JJ, Lee JH, Hwang JS, Bae YS. A novel antimicrobial peptide acting via formyl peptide receptor 2 shows therapeutic effects against rheumatoid arthritis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14664. [PMID: 30279454 PMCID: PMC6168567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32963-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In oriental medicine, centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans has long been used as a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a well-known chronic autoimmune disorder. However, the molecular identities of its bioactive components have not yet been extensively investigated. We sought to identify bioactive molecules that control RA with a centipede. A novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) (scolopendrasin IX) was identified from Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans. Scolopendrasin IX markedly activated mouse neutrophils, by enhancing cytosolic calcium increase, chemotactic cellular migration, and generation of superoxide anion in neutrophils. As a target receptor for scolopendrasin IX, formyl peptide receptor (FPR)2 mediates neutrophil activation induced by the AMP. Furthermore, scolopendrasin IX administration strongly blocked the clinical phenotype of RA in an autoantibody-injected model. Mechanistically, the novel AMP inhibited inflammatory cytokine synthesis from the joints and neutrophil recruitment into the joint area. Collectively, we suggest that scolopendrasin IX is a novel potential therapeutic agent for the control of RA via FPR2.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/chemical synthesis
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/pharmacology
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/therapeutic use
- Antirheumatic Agents/chemical synthesis
- Antirheumatic Agents/pharmacology
- Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology
- Arthropods
- Autoantibodies/administration & dosage
- Autoantibodies/blood
- Cells, Cultured
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
- Humans
- Injections, Subcutaneous
- Insect Proteins/chemical synthesis
- Insect Proteins/pharmacology
- Insect Proteins/therapeutic use
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neutrophils/drug effects
- Neutrophils/immunology
- Neutrophils/metabolism
- Primary Cell Culture
- Receptors, Formyl Peptide/immunology
- Receptors, Formyl Peptide/metabolism
- Treatment Outcome
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Jung Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Byunghyun Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Mingyu Lee
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 06351, Korea
| | - Yu Sun Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Ha Young Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Sohn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Korea
| | - Jason Jungsik Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Joon Ha Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Wanju, 55365, Korea
| | - Jae Sam Hwang
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Wanju, 55365, Korea
| | - Yoe-Sik Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 06351, Korea.
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Yang LL, Zhan MY, Zhuo YL, Pan YM, Xu Y, Zhou XH, Yang PJ, Liu HL, Liang ZH, Huang XD, Yu XQ, Rao XJ. Antimicrobial activities of a proline-rich proprotein from Spodoptera litura. Dev Comp Immunol 2018; 87:137-146. [PMID: 29935286 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced by the stimulated humoral immune system. Most mature AMPs contain less than 50 amino acid residues. Some of them are generated from proproteins upon microbial challenges. Here, we report the antimicrobial activities of a proline-rich proprotein, named SlLebocin1 (SlLeb1), from the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura. SlLebocin1 cDNA contains a 477-bp open reading frame (ORF). It is mainly expressed in hemocytes and the midgut in naïve larvae. The transcript level was significantly induced in hemocytes but repressed in the midgut and fat body by bacterial challenges. The proprotein contains 158 amino acids with 3 RXXR motifs that are characteristic of some Lepidopteral lebocin proproteins. Four peptides corresponding to the predicted processed fragments were synthesized chemically, and their antimicrobial activities against two Gram-negative and two Gram-positive bacterial strains were analyzed. The peptides showed differential antimicrobial activities. For Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, only the C-terminal fragment (124-158) showed strong inhibitory effects. For Staphylococcus aureus, all peptides showed partial inhibitions. None of them inhibited Serratia marcescens. Bacterial morphologies were examined by the scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The antimicrobial peptides either disrupted cellular membrane or inhibited cell division and caused elongated/enlarged morphologies. The results may provide ideas for designing novel antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ling Yang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Ming-Yue Zhan
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Yu-Li Zhuo
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Yue-Min Pan
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Biotechnology Center, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Xiu-Hong Zhou
- Biotechnology Center, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Pei-Jin Yang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Hong-Li Liu
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Zi-Hao Liang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Huang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Rao
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
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Maistrou S, Paris V, Jensen AB, Rolff J, Meyling NV, Zanchi C. A constitutively expressed antifungal peptide protects Tenebrio molitor during a natural infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Dev Comp Immunol 2018; 86:26-33. [PMID: 29698631 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been well studied in the context of bacterial infections. Antifungal peptides have received comparatively less attention. Fungal pathogens of insects and their hosts represent a unique opportunity to study host-pathogen interactions due to the million of years of co-evolution they share. In this study, we investigated role of a constitutively expressed thaumatin-like peptide with antifungal activity expressed by the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, named Tenecin 3, during a natural infection with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. We monitored the effect of the expression of Tenecin 3 on the survival of infected hosts as well as on the progression of the fungal infection inside the host. Finally, we tested the activity of Tenecin 3 against B. bassiana. These findings could help improving biocontrol strategies and help understanding the evolution of antifungal peptides as a defense mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevasti Maistrou
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Véronique Paris
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette B Jensen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Rolff
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolai V Meyling
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Caroline Zanchi
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Wen S, Mao TX, Yao DM, Li T, Wang FH. Yeast Surface Display of Antheraea pernyi Lysozyme Revealed α-Helical Antibacterial Peptides in Its N-Terminal Domain. J Agric Food Chem 2018; 66:9138-9146. [PMID: 30074396 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b02489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated a novel lysozyme ApLyz from the Chinese oak silkmoth, Antheraea pernyi, for its active expression with N- or C-terminus fused to the yeast cell surface, and the antimicrobial activities of the corresponding expressed lysozymes were evaluated. The bactericidal activity of C-terminal fusion of ApLyz surpassed that of the N-terminal fusion, which revealed the implication of an N-terminal stretch of ApLyz in the bactericidal function based on the structural mobility of this region. Two N-terminal peptides of ApLyz (residues 1-15 and 1-32), which primarily consist of amphiphilic α-helices, exerted similar bactericidal efficacy and had a strong preference for the Gram-negative strains. Further investigation revealed that the N-terminal peptides are membrane-targeting peptides causing cell permeabilization and also possess nonmembrane disturbing bactericidal mechanism. Overall, in addition to the key findings of novel bactericidal peptides from silkmoth lysozyme, this work laid the foundation for future improvement of ApLyz by protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Wen
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Food Additives and Ingredients, School of Food and Chemical Engineering , Beijing Technology and Business University , Beijing 100048 , China
| | - Tong-Xin Mao
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Food Additives and Ingredients, School of Food and Chemical Engineering , Beijing Technology and Business University , Beijing 100048 , China
| | - Dong-Mei Yao
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Food Additives and Ingredients, School of Food and Chemical Engineering , Beijing Technology and Business University , Beijing 100048 , China
| | - Tian Li
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Food Additives and Ingredients, School of Food and Chemical Engineering , Beijing Technology and Business University , Beijing 100048 , China
| | - Feng-Huan Wang
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Food Additives and Ingredients, School of Food and Chemical Engineering , Beijing Technology and Business University , Beijing 100048 , China
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Wang Q, Guo P, Wang Z, Liu H, Zhang Y, Jiang S, Han W, Xia Q, Zhao P. Antibacterial Mechanism of Gloverin2 from Silkworm, Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19082275. [PMID: 30081443 PMCID: PMC6121877 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Gloverin is one of the glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide exclusively found in Lepidoptera insects. It is generally activated through the innate immune system in insects. In this study, recombinant Gloverin2 from Bombyx mori (BmGlv2) was synthesized using a prokaryotic expression system. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the recombinant BmGlv2 has random coil structure, which is relatively stable at the temperatures ranging from 15 to 82.5 °C. Antimicrobial activity analysis revealed that BmGlv2 significantly inhibited the growth of gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli JM109 and Pseudomonas putida, by disrupting cell integrity. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses suggested that BmGlv2 absorbed on the cell surface after incubation, which might be the first step in the antibacterial process. Our results also proved that the cell wall component lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induce a conformational change in BmGlv2 from a random coil to α-helix. Subsequently, α-helical BmGlv2 would recruit more BmGlv2 and form higher aggregation state. Collectively, these findings expand our understanding of antibacterial mechanism of BmGlv2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Pengchao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Zhan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Huawei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Yunshi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Shan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Wenzhe Han
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Marco HG, Katali OKH, Gäde G. Influence of aminergic and peptidergic substances on heart beat frequency in the stick insect Carausius morosus (Insecta, Phasmatodea). Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2018; 98:e21469. [PMID: 29691893 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The dorsal heart of the Indian stick insect, Carausius morosus, is responsible for the anterograde flow of hemolymph to the aorta and into the body cavity. The contraction frequency of the insect heart is known to be influenced by several substances of neural source. Here, a semi-exposed heart assay was employed to study the effect of an aminergic substance (octopamine) and three neuropeptides (C. morosus hypertrehalosemic hormone [Carmo-HrTH], crustacean cardioactive peptide [CCAP], and proctolin) on heart contraction. The contraction frequency was measured as beats per minute in adults ligated between the head and the prothorax. All three investigated neuropeptides had a stimulatory effect on heart contraction that lasted approximately 6 min, after which the normal heart beat rate was restored. Proctolin and CCAP stimulated the rate of heart beat also in unligated stick insects, whereas Carmo-HrTH was active only in ligated insects. The latter could suggest that when the stick insect is not ligated, a competing substance may be released from the head of C. morosus; the competing substance is, apparently, not physiologically active but it binds or blocks access to the receptor of Carmo-HrTH-II, thereby rendering the HrTH peptide "not active." In ligated stick insects, 6.7 × 10-8 M Carmo-HrTH-II significantly increased the heart beat rate; higher doses resulted in no further increase, suggesting the saturation of the HrTH receptor. Octopamine inhibited the rate at which the heart contracted in a dose-dependent manner; inhibition was achieved with 10-4 M of octopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather G Marco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Ottilie K H Katali
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Gerd Gäde
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
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Li L, Stiadle JM, Levendoski EE, Lau HK, Thibeault SL, Kiick KL. Biocompatibility of injectable resilin-based hydrogels. J Biomed Mater Res A 2018; 106:2229-2242. [PMID: 29611890 PMCID: PMC6030450 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.36418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Vocal folds are connective tissues housed in the larynx, which can be subjected to various injuries and traumatic stimuli that lead to aberrant tissue structural alterations and fibrotic-induced biomechanical stiffening observed in patients with voice disorders. Much effort has been devoted to generate soft biomaterials that are injectable directly to sites of injury. To date, materials applied toward these applications have been largely focused on natural extracellular matrix-derived materials such as collagen, fibrin or hyaluronic acid; these approaches have suffered from the fact that materials are not sufficiently robust mechanically nor offer sufficient flexibility to modulate material properties for targeted injection. We have recently developed multiple resilin-inspired elastomeric hydrogels that possess similar mechanical properties as those reported for vocal fold tissues, and that also show promising in vitro cytocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility. Here we report studies that test the delivery of resilin-based hydrogels through injection to the subcutaneous tissue in a wild-type mice model; histological and genetic expression outcomes were monitored. The rapid kinetics of crosslinking enabled facile injection and ensured the rapid transition of the viscous resilin precursor solution to a solid-like hydrogel in the subcutaneous space in vivo; the materials exhibited storage shear moduli in the range of 1000-2000 Pa when characterized through oscillatory rheology. Histological staining and gene expression profiles suggested minimal inflammatory profiles three weeks after injection, thereby demonstrating the potential suitability for site-specific in vivo injection of these elastomeric materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 2229-2242, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linqing Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Jeanna M. Stiadle
- Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 5136 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Levendoski
- Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 5136 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - Hang K. Lau
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Susan L. Thibeault
- Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 5136 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - Kristi L. Kiick
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE, 19711, USA
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Lee MF, Chiang CH, Li YL, Wang NM, Song PP, Lin SJ, Chen YH. Oral edible plant vaccine containing hypoallergen of American cockroach major allergen Per a 2 prevents roach-allergic asthma in a murine model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201281. [PMID: 30059516 PMCID: PMC6066233 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) are an important indoor allergen source and a major risk factor for exacerbations and poor control of asthma. We previously reported that allergen components from American cockroaches exhibit varying levels of pathogenicity. Sensitization to major American cockroach allergen, Per a 2, correlated with more severe clinical phenotypes among patients with allergic airway diseases. Materials and methods In this study, we examined whether oral plant vaccine-encoding full-length Per a 2 clone-996 or its hypoallergenic clone-372 could exert a prophylactic role in Per a 2-sensitized mice. The cDNAs coding Per a 2–996 and Per a 2–372 were inserted into TuMV vector and expressed in Chinese cabbage. Adult female BALB/c mice were fed with the cabbage extracts for 21 days and subsequently underwent two-step sensitization with recombinant Per a 2. Results Per a 2-specific IgE measured by in-house ELISA in the sera of Per a 2-372-treated groups were significantly lower than in the control groups after allergen challenge but not the Per a 2-996-treated group. Moreover, Per a 2–372 vaccine markedly decreased airway hyper-responsiveness and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lungs, as well as reduced mRNA expression of IL-4 and IL-13 in comparison with the control mice. Conclusion Our data suggest that oral administration of edible plant vaccine encoding Per a 2 hypo-allergen may be used as a prophylactic strategy against the development of cockroach allergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mey-Fann Lee
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Hui Chiang
- Department of Plant Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Lan Li
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Nancy M. Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Pong Song
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shyh-Jye Lin
- School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsing Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Walkowiak-Nowicka K, Nowicki G, Kuczer M, Rosiński G. New activity of yamamarin, an insect pentapeptide, on immune system of mealworm, Tenebrio molitor. Bull Entomol Res 2018; 108:351-359. [PMID: 28893327 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317000839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In insects, two types of the immune responses, cellular and humoral, constitute a defensive barrier against various parasites and pathogens. In response to pathogens, insects produce a wide range of immune agents that act on pathogens directly, such as cecropins or lysozyme, or indirectly by the stimulation of hemocyte migration or by increasing phenoloxidase (PO) activity. Recently, many new immunologically active substances from insects, such as peptides and polypeptides, have been identified. Nevertheless, in the most cases, their physiological functions are not fully known. One such substance is yamamarin - a pentapeptide isolated from the silk moth Antheraea yamamai. This yamamarin possesses strong antiproliferative properties and is probably involved in diapause regulation. Here, we examined the immunotropic activity of yamamarin by testing its impact on selected functions of the immune system in heterologous bioassays with the beetle Tenebrio molitor, commonly known as a stored grains pest. Our results indicate that the pentapeptide affects the activity of immune processes in the beetle. We show that yamamarin induces changes in both humoral and cellular responses. The yamamarin increases the activity of PO, as well as causes changes in the hemocyte cytoskeleton and stimulates phagocytic activity. We detected an increased number of apoptotic hemocytes, however after the yamamarin injection, no significant variations in the antibacterial activity in the hemolymph were observed. The obtained data suggest that yamamarin could be an important controller of the immune system in T. molitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Walkowiak-Nowicka
- Department of Animal Physiology and Development,Faculty of Biology,Adam Mickiewicz University,Umultowska 89,61-614 Poznań,Poland
| | - G Nowicki
- Department of Molecular Virology,Faculty of Biology,Adam Mickiewicz University,Umultowska 89,61-614 Poznań,Poland
| | - M Kuczer
- Faculty of Chemistry,University of Wroclaw,Joliot-Curie 14,50-383 Wrocław,Poland
| | - G Rosiński
- Department of Animal Physiology and Development,Faculty of Biology,Adam Mickiewicz University,Umultowska 89,61-614 Poznań,Poland
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Li X, Xie H, Chen Y, Lang M, Chen Y, Shi L. Silkworm Pupa Protein Hydrolysate Induces Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptosis and S Phase Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Gastric Cancer SGC-7901 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19041013. [PMID: 29597296 PMCID: PMC5979490 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [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: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Silkworm pupae (Bombyx mori) are a high-protein nutrition source consumed in China since more than 2 thousand years ago. Recent studies revealed that silkworm pupae have therapeutic benefits to treat many diseases. However, the ability of the compounds of silkworm pupae to inhibit tumourigenesis remains to be elucidated. Here, we separated the protein of silkworm pupae and performed alcalase hydrolysis. Silkworm pupa protein hydrolysate (SPPH) can specifically inhibit the proliferation and provoke abnormal morphologic features of human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, flow cytometry indicated that SPPH can induce apoptosis and arrest the cell-cycle in S phase. Furthermore, SPPH was shown to provoke accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blotting analysis indicated that SPPH inhibited Bcl-2 expression and promoted Bax expression, and subsequently induced apoptosis-inducing factor and cytochrome C release, which led to the activation of initiator caspase-9 and executioner caspase-3, cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), eventually caused cell apoptosis. Moreover, SPPH-induced S-phase arrest was mediated by up-regulating the expression of E2F1 and down-regulating those of cyclin E, CDK2 and cyclin A2. Transcriptome sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) also revealed that SPPH treatment could affect gene expression and pathway regulation related to tumourigenesis, apoptosis and cell cycle. In summary, our results suggest that SPPH could specifically suppress cell growth of SGC-7901 through an intrinsic apoptotic pathway, ROS accumulation and cell cycle arrest, and silkworm pupae have a potential to become a source of anticancer agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Hongqing Xie
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yajie Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Mingzi Lang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yuyin Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Liangen Shi
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Laverde-Paz MJ, Echeverry MC, Patarroyo MA, Bello FJ. Evaluating the anti-leishmania activity of Lucilia sericata and Sarconesiopsis magellanica blowfly larval excretions/secretions in an in vitro model. Acta Trop 2018; 177:44-50. [PMID: 28982577 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by infection by parasites from the genus Leishmania. Clinical manifestations can be visceral or cutaneous, the latter mainly being chronic ulcers. This work was aimed at evaluating Calliphoridae Lucilia sericata- and Sarconesiopsis magellanica-derived larval excretions and secretions' (ES) in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania panamensis. Different larval-ES concentrations from both blowfly species were tested against either L. panamensis promastigotes or intracellular amastigotes using U937-macrophages as host cells. The Alamar Blue method was used for assessing parasite half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and macrophage cytotoxicity (LC50). The effect of larval-ES on L. panamensis intracellular parasite forms was evaluated by calculating the percentage of infected macrophages, parasite load and toxicity. L. sericata-derived larval-ES L. panamensis macrophage LC50 was 72.57μg/mL (65.35-80.58μg/mL) and promastigote IC50 was 41.44μg/mL (38.57-44.52μg/mL), compared to 34.93μg/mL (31.65-38.55μg/mL) LC50 and 23.42μg/mL (22.48-24.39μg/mL) IC50 for S. magellanica. Microscope evaluation of intracellular parasite forms showed that treatment with 10μg/mL L. sericata ES and 5μg/mL S. magellanica ES led to a decrease in the percentage of infected macrophages and the amount of intracellular amastigotes. This study produced in vitro evidence of the antileishmanial activity of larval ES from both blowfly species on different parasitic stages and showed that the parasite was more susceptible to the ES than it's host cells. The antileishmanial effect on L. panamensis was more evident from S. magellanica ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Juliana Laverde-Paz
- Medical and Forensic Entomology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Public Health Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - María Clara Echeverry
- Public Health Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá DC, Colombia; Basic Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - Felio Jesús Bello
- Medical and Forensic Entomology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Medicine Faculty, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Faculty of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
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Johnson SR, Rikli HG, Schmidt JO, Evans MS. A reexamination of poneratoxin from the venom of the bullet ant Paraponera clavata. Peptides 2017; 98:51-62. [PMID: 27266841 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2016] [Revised: 05/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In 1991, Piek et al. [45] described a voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) modifier from "bullet ant" (Paraponera clavata) venom they called poneratoxin (PoTx). Using UV chromatography and Edman degradation they showed two "identical peptides" of 25 residues. We reinvestigated PoTx using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-TMS). De novo sequencing showed the two peptides were actually structurally different peptides: the originally described PoTx and a glycyl pro-peptide (glycyl-PoTx) that lacks C-terminus amidation. We examined P. clavata venom from different geographical locations and discovered two additional PoTx analogs: an A23E substitution analog and a D22N; A23V substitutions analog. We tested PoTx and these three natural analogs on the mammalian sensory voltage-gated sodium channel, Nav1.7, using whole cell voltage-clamp. PoTx and each analog induced slowly activating currents in response to small depolarizing steps and sustained currents due to blockade of channel inactivation, similar to that described previously in skeletal muscle [19]. Glycyl-PoTx had the same potency and efficacy as PoTx. A23E PoTx, with a decrease in both C-terminal net positive charge and hydrophobicity, had an eight-fold reduction in potency compared to PoTx. In contrast, the D22N; A23V PoTx, with an increase in both C-terminal net positive charge and hydrophobicity, had a nearly five-fold increase in potency compared to PoTx. We found that changes in PoTx C-terminus caused a significant change in PoTx potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL, United States; Carbon Dynamics Institute, LLC, Sherman, IL, United States.
| | - Hillary G Rikli
- Department of Biology, University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL, United States
| | | | - M Steven Evans
- Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
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Francischetti IMB, Mather TN, Ribeiro JMC. Penthalaris, a novel recombinant five-Kunitz tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) from the salivary gland of the tick vector of Lyme disease, Ixodes scapularis. Thromb Haemost 2017; 91:886-98. [PMID: 15116248 DOI: 10.1160/th03-11-0715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
SummaryTick saliva is a rich source of molecules with antiinflammatory, antihemostatic and immunosupressive properties. In this paper, a novel tick salivary gland cDNA with sequence homology to tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and coding for a protein called Penthalaris has been characterized from the Lyme disease vector, Ixodes scapularis. Penthalaris is structurally unique and distinct from TFPI or TFPI-like molecules described so far, including Ixolaris, NAPc2, TFPI-1 and TFPI-2. Penthalaris is a 308-amino-acid protein (35 kDa, pI 8.58) with 12 cysteine bridges and 5 tandem Kunitz domains. Recombinant Penthalaris was expressed in insect cells and shown to inhibit factor VIIa (FVIIa)/tissue factor(TF)-induced factor X (FX) activation with an IC50 of ∼ 100 pM. Penthalaris tightly binds both zymogen FX and enzyme FXa (exosite), but not FVIIa, as demonstrated by column gel-filtration chromatography. At high concentrations, Penthalaris attenuates FVIIa/TF-induced chromogenic substrate (S2288) hydrolysis and FIX activation. In the presence of DEGR-FX or DEGR-FXa, but not des-Gla-DEGR-FXa as scaffolds, tight and stoichiometric inhibition of FVIIa/TF was achieved. In addition, Penthalaris blocks cell surface-mediated FXa generation by monomer (de-encrypted), but not dimer (encrypted) TF in HL-60 cells. Penthalaris may act in concert with Ixolaris and other salivary anti-hemostatics in order to help ticks to successfully feed on blood. Penthalaris is a novel anticoagulant and a tool to study FVIIa/TF-initiated biologic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo M B Francischetti
- Medical Entomology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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Hayes DG, Ye R, Dunlap RN, Anunciado DB, Pingali SV, O'Neill HM, Urban VS. Bicontinuous microemulsions as a biomembrane mimetic system for melittin. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2017; 1860:624-632. [PMID: 29138064 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides effectively kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria by forming pores in prokaryotes' biomembranes via penetration into the biomembranes' interior. Bicontinuous microemulsions, consisting of interdispersed oil and water nanodomains separated by flexible surfactant monolayers, are potentially valuable for hosting membrane-associated peptides and proteins due to their thermodynamic stability, optical transparency, low viscosity, and high interfacial area. Here, we show that bicontinuous microemulsions formed by negatively-charged surfactants are a robust biomembrane mimetic system for the antimicrobial peptide melittin. When encapsulated in bicontinuous microemulsions formed using three-phase (Winsor-III) systems, melittin's helicity increases greatly due to penetration into the surfactant monolayers, mimicking its behavior in biomembranes. But, the threshold melittin concentration required to achieve these trends is lower for the microemulsions. The extent of penetration was decreased when the interfacial fluidity of the microemulsions was increased. These results suggest the utility of bicontinuous microemulsions for isolation, purification, delivery, and host systems for antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas G Hayes
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-4531, USA.
| | - Ran Ye
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-4531, USA
| | - Rachel N Dunlap
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA
| | - Divina B Anunciado
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA
| | - Sai Venkatesh Pingali
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA
| | - Hugh M O'Neill
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA
| | - Volker S Urban
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA.
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Breijo M, Rocha S, Ures X, Pastro L, Alonzo P, Fernández C, Meikle A. Evaluation of Hematobin as a Vaccine Candidate to Control Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae) Loads in Cattle. J Econ Entomol 2017; 110:1390-1393. [PMID: 28387808 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tox104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), is a blood-sucking livestock ectoparasite responsible for substantial livestock losses. In the present work, the potential use of recombinant hematobin (HTB), a horn fly salivary protein, as an antigen for cattle vaccination was investigated. In this trial, horn fly loads and H. irritans's blood intake were assessed in vaccinated (n = 4) and control (n = 4) crossbred dark-coated steers, which were naturally infected. The vaccinated group received a 1 ml subcutaneous injection of 100 µg of HTB protein emulsified in 500 µl of Incomplete Freund Adjuvant (AIF) on days 0 and 30. The control group received on the same days 1 ml of distilled water emulsified in 500 µl of AIF. The vaccinated group had significantly more HTB-specific IgG antibodies after the HTB booster and had a lower fly load than the control group (206 ± 23 vs. 285 ± 23 flies per animal, respectively). Blood intake by H. irritans did not differ between groups. In summary, these results suggest that vaccinating cattle with HTB could reduce cattle H. irritans load.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Breijo
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo, Uruguay ( ; ; ; )
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
| | - S Rocha
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo, Uruguay (; ; ; )
| | - X Ures
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo, Uruguay (; ; ; )
| | - L Pastro
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - P Alonzo
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo, Uruguay (; ; ; )
| | - C Fernández
- Instituto de Higiene, Cátedra de Inmunología, Av. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - A Meikle
- Laboratorio de Técnicas Nucleares, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Lasplaces 1550, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Abstract
Trehalose is a major blood sugar in insects with a range of physiological functions, including an energy source and a cryoprotectant. Hemolymph trehalose concentrations are tightly regulated according to physiological conditions. An insulin-like peptide, SeILP1, downregulates hemolymph trehalose concentrations in Spodoptera exigua. Here, we identified a factor that upregulates hemolymph trehalose concentration in S. exigua. Hemolymph trehalose concentrations were significantly increased after immune challenge or under starvation in a time-dependent manner. To determine endocrine factors responsible for the upregulation, stress-associated mediators, such as octopamine, serotonin, or eicosanoids were injected, but they did not upregulate hemolymph trehalose. On the other hand, injection with Schistocerca gregaria adipokinetic hormone (AKH) significantly increased hemolymph trehalose concentration in S. exigua. During upregulation of hemolymph trehalose by AKH injection, trehalose degradation appeared to be inhibited because expression of trehalase and SeILP1 were significantly suppressed while that of trehalose phosphate synthase was not significantly changed. Interrogation of a Spodoptera genome database identified an S. exigua AKH-like gene and its expression was confirmed. During starvation, its expression concentrations were increased, although RNA interference specific to the AKH-like hypertrehalosemic factor (SeHTF) gene significantly prevented the upregulation of hemolymph trehalose concentrations during starvation. A synthetic peptide of SeHTF was prepared and injected into S. exigua larvae. At nanomolar concentration, the synthetic SeHTF peptide effectively upregulated hemolymph trehalose concentrations. Here we report a novel hypertrehalosemic factor in S. exigua (SeHTF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngjin Park
- Department of Bio-Sciences, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Bio-Sciences, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
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Bhagavathula N, Meedidoddi V, Bourque S, Vimaladevi R, Kesavakurup S, Selvadurai D, Shrivastava S, Krishnappa C. Characterization of two novel antimicrobial peptides from the cuticular extracts of the ant Trichomyrmex criniceps (Mayr), (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2017; 94:e21381. [PMID: 28346717 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [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: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from cuticular extracts of worker ants of Trichomyrmex criniceps (Mayr, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were isolated and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. Eight peptides ranging in mass from 804.42 to 1541.04 Da were characterized using a combination of analytical and bioinformatics approach. All the eight peptides were novel with no similarity to any of the AMPs archived in the Antimicrobial Peptide Database. Two of the eight novel peptides, the smallest and the largest by mass were named Crinicepsin-1 and Crinicepsin-2 and were chemically synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis. The two synthetic peptides had antibacterial and weak hemolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagachaitanya Bhagavathula
- Department of Applied Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology and School of Ecology & Conservation, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Venkateshwarlu Meedidoddi
- Department of Applied Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
| | - Simon Bourque
- Department of Biology and Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Reshmy Vimaladevi
- Department of Chemical Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Santoshkumar Kesavakurup
- Department of Chemical Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Dayanandan Selvadurai
- Department of Biology and Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sameer Shrivastava
- Veterinary Biotechnology Division, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Chandrashekara Krishnappa
- Department of Agricultural Entomology and School of Ecology & Conservation, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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45
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Zhang H, Qiao R, Gong H, Cao J, Zhou Y, Zhou J. Identification and anticoagulant activity of a novel Kunitz-type protein HA11 from the salivary gland of the tick Hyalomma asiaticum. Exp Appl Acarol 2017; 71:71-85. [PMID: 28091958 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0106-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Kunitz/bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor proteins are abundant in the salivary glands of ticks and perform multiple functions in blood feeding, including inhibiting blood coagulation, regulating host blood supply and disrupting host angiogenesis. In this study, we identified a novel gene designated HA11 (Hyalomma asiaticum 11 kDa protein) from the salivary gland of the tick H. asiaticum. HA11 is encoded by a gene with an open reading frame of 306 bp that is translated into a deduced 101 amino acid 11 kDa protein that shares 27% sequence identity with a Kunitz-like protease inhibitor precursor in Amblyomma variegatum. Bioinformatic analysis confirmed HA11 as a member of the Kunitz-type family of inhibitors. Real time-PCR detected HA11 mRNA transcripts in tick larvae and nymphae stages, with levels highest in salivary gland tissue, and transcription was induced by blood feeding. HA11 anticoagulant activity was demonstrated by its ability to delay normal clotting of rabbit plasma in an activated partial thromboplastin time assay. Furthermore, RNA interference confirmed that HA11 influences H. asiaticum development and blood feeding, and the recombinant protein exerted low hemolytic activity. These results suggest HA11 is a novel Kunitz-type anticoagulant protein involved in tick blood feeding that may have potential as an anticoagulant drug or vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houshuang Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Ruiqiong Qiao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 518 Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Tomalty HE, Hamilton EF, Hamilton A, Kukal O, Allen T, Walker VK. Kidney preservation at subzero temperatures using a novel storage solution and insect ice-binding proteins. Cryo Letters 2017; 38:100-107. [PMID: 28534053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contemporary kidney preservation methods involve storing at 4 degree C up to 24 h prior to transplantation. By decreasing the storage temperature to below 0 degree C, we hypothesized that the safe storage time could be significantly lengthened. OBJECTIVE The efficacy of a proprietary CryoStasis (CrS) storage solution for the subzero preservation of kidneys was tested, with or without addition of a hyperactive insect antifreeze protein (TmAFP). MATERIALS AND METHODS Rat kidneys were stored in either University of Wisconsin (UW) solution (4 degree C, 24 h), CrS (-2 degree C, 48 h), or CrS with 61.5 µM TmAFP (-4.4 degree C, 72 h). Following storage, viability was assessed with MTT reduction assays and live vs. dead cell (FDA/PI) staining. Markers of ischemic damage were analyzed using fluormetric substrates for caspase-3 and calpain activity. RESULTS Kidneys stored in CrS for 48 h and CrS with TmAFP for 72 h displayed similar levels of enzymatic activity compared to 24 h UW controls. CONCLUSION This methodology shows promise to prolong the safe storage time of kidneys and offers the potential of increased organ availability for renal transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Tomalty
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - E F Hamilton
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - A Hamilton
- Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; CryoStasis Ltd., Westport, Ontario, Canada
| | - O Kukal
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; CryoStasis Ltd., Westport, Ontario, Canada
| | - T Allen
- CryoStasis Ltd., Westport, Ontario, Canada
| | - V K Walker
- Department of Biology; Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
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Zhou J, Kong L, Fang N, Mao B, Ai H. Synthesis and Functional Characterization of MAF-1A Peptide Derived From the Larvae of Housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). J Med Entomol 2016; 53:1467-1472. [PMID: 27838615 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The Musca domestica antifungal peptide-1A (MAF-1A peptide) from housefly larvae was synthesized by solid-phase synthesis technique, and antiviral, antioxidant, and antifungal properties were evaluated in this study. Present results indicated that it could significantly inhibit the infection of influenza virus H1N1, Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), and Bombyx mori nuclear polyhydrosis virus (BmNPV), which displayed excellent virucidal activities. Antioxidant results demonstrated that the MAF-1A peptide had effective scavenging activity for hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, which were similar to that of ascorbic acid. Besides, antifungal results showed that it can also significantly inhibit the growth of four fungi, and the half inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values were ∼59.3, 84.2, 144.9, and 48.5 μg/ml, respectively, highlighting an important role of MAF-1A peptide in the defense of M domestica against pathogenic microorganisms. These results revealed that the MAF-1A peptide from housefly larvae has great potential as a natural ingredient for the exploitation of antiviral and antifungal therapeutic agents, avoiding abuse of chemical agents and environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China (; ; ; ; )
| | - Lina Kong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China (; ; ; ; )
| | - Nainai Fang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China (; ; ; ; )
| | - Bin Mao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China (; ; ; ; )
| | - Hui Ai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China (; ; ; ; )
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Vezeteu TV, Bobiş O, Moritz RFA, Buttstedt A. Food to some, poison to others - honeybee royal jelly and its growth inhibiting effect on European Foulbrood bacteria. Microbiologyopen 2016; 6. [PMID: 27743422 PMCID: PMC5300887 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [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: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera) serve as attractive hosts for a variety of pathogens providing optimal temperatures, humidity, and an abundance of food. Thus, honeybees have to deal with pathogens throughout their lives and, even as larvae they are affected by severe brood diseases like the European Foulbrood caused by Melissococcus plutonius. Accordingly, it is highly adaptive that larval food jelly contains antibiotic compounds. However, although food jelly is primarily consumed by bee larvae, studies investigating the antibiotic effects of this jelly have largely concentrated on bacterial human diseases. In this study, we show that royal jelly fed to queen larvae and added to the jelly of drone and worker larvae, inhibits not only the growth of European Foulbrood‐associated bacteria but also its causative agent M. plutonius. This effect is shown to be caused by the main protein (major royal jelly protein 1) of royal jelly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V. Vezeteu
- Institut für BiologieZoologie – Molekulare ÖkologieMartin‐Luther‐Universität Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Otilia Bobiş
- Departamentul de Apiculturǎ şi SericiculturǎFacultatea de Zootehnie şi BiotehnologiiUniversitatea de Ştiinţe Agricole şi Medicinǎ VeterinarǎCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Robin F. A. Moritz
- Institut für BiologieZoologie – Molekulare ÖkologieMartin‐Luther‐Universität Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Anja Buttstedt
- Institut für BiologieZoologie – Molekulare ÖkologieMartin‐Luther‐Universität Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
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Conway MJ, Londono-Renteria B, Troupin A, Watson AM, Klimstra WB, Fikrig E, Colpitts TM. Aedes aegypti D7 Saliva Protein Inhibits Dengue Virus Infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004941. [PMID: 27632170 PMCID: PMC5025043 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of several medically relevant arboviruses including dengue virus (DENV) types 1–4. Ae. aegypti transmits DENV by inoculating virus-infected saliva into host skin during probing and feeding. Ae. aegypti saliva contains over one hundred unique proteins and these proteins have diverse functions, including facilitating blood feeding. Previously, we showed that Ae. aegypti salivary gland extracts (SGEs) enhanced dissemination of DENV to draining lymph nodes. In contrast, HPLC-fractionation revealed that some SGE components inhibited infection. Here, we show that D7 proteins are enriched in HPLC fractions that are inhibitory to DENV infection, and that recombinant D7 protein can inhibit DENV infection in vitro and in vivo. Further, binding assays indicate that D7 protein can directly interact with DENV virions and recombinant DENV envelope protein. These data reveal a novel role for D7 proteins, which inhibits arbovirus transmission to vertebrates through a direct interaction with virions. Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti during the blood feeding process. During blood feeding, DENV and saliva proteins are inoculated into human skin. D7 proteins are prevalent and immunogenic proteins present in Ae. aegypti saliva, and assist the blood feeding process by scavenging biogenic amines. Previous data suggests that antibodies against D7 protein from Culex spp. can increase West Nile virus infection. We hypothesized that D7 proteins may also have antiviral activity. Here, we show that recombinant Ae. aegypti D7 protein can inhibit DENV infection in vitro and in vivo, and that D7 can bind to DENV virions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Conway
- Foundational Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Berlin Londono-Renteria
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrea Troupin
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Alan M. Watson
- Center for Vaccine Research and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - William B. Klimstra
- Center for Vaccine Research and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tonya M. Colpitts
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
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50
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Zeng Y, Hu XP, Suh SJ. Characterization of Antibacterial Activities of Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, against Human Pathogens. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162249. [PMID: 27611223 PMCID: PMC5017719 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and dissemination of multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens necessitate research to find new antimicrobials against these organisms. We investigated antimicrobial production by eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes, against a panel of bacteria including three multidrug resistant (MDR) and four non-MDR human pathogens. We determined that the crude extract of naïve termites had a broad-spectrum activity against the non-MDR bacteria but it was ineffective against the three MDR pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Acinetobacter baumannii. Heat or trypsin treatment resulted in a complete loss of activity suggesting that antibacterial activity was proteinaceous in nature. The antimicrobial activity changed dramatically when the termites were fed with either heat-killed P. aeruginosa or MRSA. Heat-killed P. aeruginosa induced activity against P. aeruginosa and MRSA while maintaining or slightly increasing activity against non-MDR bacteria. Heat-killed MRSA induced activity specifically against MRSA, altered the activity against two other Gram-positive bacteria, and inhibited activity against three Gram-negative bacteria. Neither the naïve termites nor the termites challenged with heat-killed pathogens produced antibacterial activity against A. baumannii. Further investigation demonstrated that hemolymph, not the hindgut, was the primary source of antibiotic activity. This suggests that the termite produces these antibacterial activities and not the hindgut microbiota. Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analyses of 493 hemolymph protein spots indicated that a total of 38 and 65 proteins were differentially expressed at least 2.5-fold upon being fed with P. aeruginosa and MRSA, respectively. Our results provide the first evidence of constitutive and inducible activities produced by R. flavipes against human bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zeng
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Xing Ping Hu
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SS); (XPH)
| | - Sang-Jin Suh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SS); (XPH)
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