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Sample records for chromogranin a-derived peptide

  1. Presence of chromogranin-derived antimicrobial peptides in plasma during coronary artery bypass surgery and evidence of an immune origin of these peptides.

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    Tasiemski, Aurélie; Hammad, Hamida; Vandenbulcke, Franck; Breton, Christophe; Bilfinger, Thomas J; Pestel, Joel; Salzet, Michel

    2002-07-15

    Chromogranin A (CGA) and chromogranin B (CGB) are acidic proteins stored in secretory organelles of endocrine cells and neurons. In addition to their roles as helper proteins in the packaging of peptides, they may serve as prohormones to generate biologically active peptides such as vasostatin-1 and secretolytin. These molecules derived from CGA and CGB, respectively, possess antimicrobial properties. The present study demonstrates that plasmatic levels of both vasostatin-1 and secretolytin increase during surgery in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Vasostatin-1 and secretolytin, initially present in plasma at low levels, are released just after skin incision. Consequently, they can be added to enkelytin, an antibacterial peptide derived from proenkephalin A, for the panoply of components acting as a first protective barrier against hypothetical invasion of pathogens, which may occur during surgery. CGA and CGB, more commonly viewed as markers for endocrine and neuronal cells, were also found to have an immune origin. RNA messengers coding for CGB were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in human monocytes, and immunocytochemical analysis by confocal microscopy revealed the presence of CGA or CGB or both in monocytes and neutrophils. A combination of techniques including confocal microscopic analysis, mass spectrometry measurement, and antibacterial tests allowed for the identification of the positive role of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the secretolytin release from monocytes in vitro. Because IL-6 release is known to be strongly enhanced during CPB, we suggest a possible relationship between IL-6 and the increased level of secretolytin in patients undergoing CPB.

  2. CHROMOGRANIN A DETECTION IN SALIVA OF TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS

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    Martine Soell

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Chromogranin A is present in secretion granules of nerve, endocrine and immune cells and is a precursor of several peptides with antibacterial and antifungal properties at micromolar concentrations.Our aim in this prospective, double blind study, was to determine the expression of chromogranin A and its peptides at protein level in saliva of type 2 diabetic patients and thereby to obtain a new non-invasive diagnostic means for the future.Saliva was taken from 30 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 healthy individuals at the same time interval in the morning without any oral stimuli. Circadianic periodics in protein productions have been avoided. The presence of chromogranin A and its derived peptides was determined in whole saliva, after centrifugation at 40C for 12 min at 14 000 rpm, by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and Immunoblotting (Western Blot. To ensure same protein concentrations Bradford protein quantification assay has been performed before.For the first time, we have determined an overexpression of chromogranin A in saliva of diabetic patients in 100% of the individuals.Chromogranin A, a circulating biomarker for epithelial tumours, is also overexpressed in saliva of type 2 diabetic patients. To confirm our results, more studies with a large amount of patients is necessary.

  3. Chromogranin A Detection in Saliva of Type 2 Diabetes Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martine Soell

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Chromogranin A is present in secretion granules of nerve, endocrine and immune cells and is a precursor of several peptides with antibacterial and antifungal properties at micromolar concentrations.Our aim in this prospective, double blind study, was to determine the expression of chromogranin A and its peptides at protein level in saliva of type 2 diabetic patients and thereby to obtain a new non-invasive diagnostic means for the future.Saliva was taken from 30 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 healthy individuals at the same time interval in the morning without any oral stimuli. Circadianic periodics in protein productions have been avoided. The presence of chromogranin A and its derived peptides was determined in whole saliva, after centrifugation at 4°C for 12 min at 14 000 rpm, by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and Immunoblotting (Western Blot. To ensure same protein concentrations Bradford protein quantification assay has been performed before.For the first time, we have determined an overexpression of chromogranin A in saliva of diabetic patients in 100% of the individuals.Chromogranin A, a circulating biomarker for epithelial tumours, is also overexpressed in saliva of type 2 diabetic patients. To confirm our results, more studies with a large amount of patients is necessary.

  4. Glycosylated Chromogranin A: Potential Role in the Pathogenesis of Heart Failure.

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    Ottesen, Anett H; Christensen, Geir; Omland, Torbjørn; Røsjø, Helge

    2017-12-01

    Endocrine and paracrine factors influence the cardiovascular system and the heart by a number of different mechanisms. The chromogranin-secretogranin (granin) proteins seem to represent a new family of proteins that exerts both direct and indirect effects on cardiac and vascular functions. The granin proteins are produced in multiple tissues, including cardiac cells, and circulating granin protein concentrations provide incremental prognostic information to established risk indices in patients with myocardial dysfunction. In this review, we provide recent data for the granin proteins in relation with cardiovascular disease, and with a special focus on chromogranin A and heart failure. Chromogranin A is the most studied member of the granin protein family, and shorter, functionally active peptide fragments of chromogranin A exert protective effects on myocardial cell death, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and cardiomyocyte Ca 2+ handling. Granin peptides have also been found to induce angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Protein glycosylation is an important post-translational regulatory mechanism, and we recently found chromogranin A molecules to be hyperglycosylated in the failing myocardium. Chromogranin A hyperglycosylation impaired processing of full-length chromogranin A molecules into physiologically active chromogranin A peptides, and patients with acute heart failure and low rate of chromogranin A processing had increased mortality compared to other acute heart failure patients. Other studies have also demonstrated that circulating granin protein concentrations increase in parallel with heart failure disease stage. The granin protein family seems to influence heart failure pathophysiology, and chromogranin A hyperglycosylation could directly be implicated in heart failure disease progression.

  5. Chromogranins - new sensitive markers for neuroendocrine tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eriksson, B.; Arnberg, H.; Oeberg, K.; Hellman, U.; Lundqvist, G.; Wernstedt, C.; Wilander, E.; Uppsala Hospital; Uppsala Hospital

    1989-01-01

    Chromogranins A, B and C, proteins that are costored and coreleased with peptides and amines, have been identified in a variety of endocrine and nervous tissues, both normal and neoplastic. We examined the secretion of chromogranin A and chromogranin A+B by hormone-producing tumors in patients with endocrine pancreatic tumors (EPT), carcinoid tumors, pheochromocytomas and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Radioimmunoassay (RIA) of the plasma/serum concentrations of chromogranin A+B showed a greater sensitivity than RIA of chromogranin A alone. All patients with EPT, carcinoids and pheochromocytomas had increased levels of chromogranin A+B, whereas a small number of the patients (5/18 with EPT and 1/3 with pheochromocytomas) had normal levels of chromogranin A. Also in immunocytochemical stainings, our polyclonal antiserum detecting both chromogranin A and B showed a greater sensitivity than other available antisera against chromogranin A, B and C. (orig.)

  6. The surging role of Chromogranin A in cardiovascular homeostasis

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    Tota, Bruno; Angelone, Tommaso; Cerra, Maria

    2014-08-01

    Together with Chromogranin B and Secretogranins, Chromogranin A (CGA) is stored in secretory (chromaffin) granules of the diffuse neuroendocrine system and released with noradrenalin and adrenalin. Co-stored within the granule together with neuropeptideY, cardiac natriuretic peptide hormones, several prohormones and their proteolytic enzymes, CGA is a multifunctional protein and a major marker of the sympatho-adrenal neuroendocrine activity. Due to its partial processing to several biologically active peptides, CGA appears an important pro-hormone implicated in relevant modulatory actions on endocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems through both direct and indirect sympatho-adrenergic interactions. As a part of this scenario, we here illustrate the emerging role exerted by the full-length CGA and its three derived fragments, i.e. Vasostatin 1, catestatin and serpinin, in the control of circulatory homeostasis with particular emphasis on their cardio-vascular actions under both physiological and physio-pathological conditions. The Vasostatin 1- and catestatin-induced cardiodepressive influences are achieved through anti-beta-adrenergic-NO-cGMP signalling, while serpinin acts like beta1-adrenergic agonist through AD-cAMP-independent NO signalling. On the whole, these actions contribute to wide our knowledge regarding the sympatho-chromaffin control of the cardiovascular system and its highly integrated “whip-brake” networks.

  7. A chromogranin A ELISA absent of an apparent high-dose hook effect observed in other chromogranin A ELISAs.

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    Erickson, J Alan; Grenache, David G

    2016-01-15

    Routine testing for chromogranin A (CgA) using an established commercial ELISA revealed an apparent high-dose hook effect in approximately 15% of specimens. Investigations found the same effect in two additional ELISAs. We hypothesized that a CgA derived peptide(s) at high concentrations was responsible but experiments were inconclusive. Here we describe the analytical performance characteristics of the Chromoa™ CgA ELISA that did not display the apparent high-dose hook effect. Performance characteristics of the Chromoa ELISA were assessed. The reference interval was established utilizing healthy volunteers. Specimens producing the apparent high-dose hook effect in other assays were evaluated using the Chromoa ELISA. The limit of detection was 8ng/ml. Linearity was acceptable (slope=1.04, intercept=18.1 and r(2)=0.997). CVs were ≤4.6 and ≤9.3% for repeatability and within-laboratory imprecision, respectively. CgA was stable at ambient and refrigerated temperatures for a minimum of two and 14days, respectively. An upper reference interval limit of 95ng/ml was established. Specimens demonstrating the apparent high-dose hook effect in other ELISAs did not exhibit the phenomenon using the Chromoa ELISA. The Chromoa ELISA demonstrates acceptable performance for quantifying serum CgA. The apparent high-dose hook effect exhibited in other ELISAs was absent using the Chromoa assay. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. [Chromogranin A derived peptide CGA47-66 inhibits hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in mice with sepsis].

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    Zeng, Yan; Zhang, Dan; Jiang, Liping; Wei, Fu; Xu, Shan

    2016-02-01

    To explore the effect of chromofungin (CHR), a chromogranin A (CGA) derived peptide CGA47-66, on hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in septic mice. 120 healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into groups, with 12 mice in each group. Seventy-two mice were used for dynamic observation of the contents of water and Evan blue (EB) in brain tissue after being treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Another 48 mice were divided into normal saline control group (NS group), LPS induced sepsis model group (LPS group), low-dose CHR pretreatment group (CL+LPS group), and high-dose CHR pretreatment group (CH+LPS group). The septic model was reproduced by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg LPS 0.1 mL, and the mice in NS group was given equal volume of normal saline. The mice in CL+LPS group and CH+LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with 15.5 μg/kg and 77.5 μg/kg CHR 10 minutes before LPS injection. Six hours after LPS injection, 4 mL/kg of 2% EB was injected via caudal vein, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were determined, and EB immune fluorescence in brain tissue was determined to assess the changes in permeability of blood brain barrier. Brain pathology was observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. With the extension of time after LPS injection, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were gradually increased, and the time of difference with statistical significance appeared earlier when compared with that of control group in the contents of water than that in EB contents (3 hours and 6 hours, respectively). The contents of water and EB in brain tissue in LPS group were significantly increased as compared with NS group [water content: (79.77±0.62)% vs. (78.28±0.44)%, P water and EB contents in brain tissue induced by LPS, and the effect was more significant in CH+LPS group [water content: (78.15±0.73)% vs. (79.77±0.62)%, EB (μg/g): 7.09±2.59 vs. 13.87±4.50, both P leakage in LPS group was more marked than that of NS

  9. Chromogranin B and Secretogranin II in transgenic mice overexpressing human APP751 with the London (V717I) and Swedish (K670M/N671L) mutations and in Alzheimer patients.

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    Willis, Michael; Prokesch, Manuela; Hutter-Paier, Birgit; Windisch, Manfred; Stridsberg, Mats; Mahata, Sushil K; Kirchmair, Rudolf; Wietzorrek, Georg; Knaus, Hans-Günther; Jellinger, Kurt; Humpel, Christian; Marksteiner, Josef

    2008-03-01

    Chromogranin B and secretogranin II are major soluble constituents of large dense core vesicles of presynaptic structures and have been found in neuritic plaques of Alzheimer patients. We examined the distribution and expression of these peptides in both transgenic mice over expressing human amyloid-beta protein precursor APP751 with the London (V717I) and Swedish (K670M/N671L) mutations and in human post-mortem brain. In transgenic mice, the number of amyloid-beta plaques and chromogranin immunopositive plaques increased from 6 to 12 months. About 60% of amyloid-beta plaques were associated with chromogranin B and about 40% with secretogranin II. Chromogranin immunoreactivity appeared mainly as swollen dystrophic neurites. Neither synaptophysin- nor glial fibrillary acidic protein- immunoreactivity was expressed in chromogranin immunoreactive structures at any timepoint. Density of chromogranin peptides in hippocampal structures did not change in transgenic animals at any timepoint, even though animals had a poorer performance in the Morris water maze task. In conclusion, our findings in transgenic animals partly resembled findings in Alzheimer patients. Chromogranin peptides were associated with amyloid-beta plaques, but were not reduced in specific brain areas as previously reported by our group. Therefore specific changes of chromogranin peptides observed in Alzheimer patients can be related to amyloid-beta pathology only.

  10. Making sense of chromogranin A in heart disease

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    Gøtze, Jens Peter; Alehagen, Urban; Flyvbjerg, Allan

    2013-01-01

    Chromogranin A is an acidic protein present in secretory granules of neuroendocrine cells. In plasma, chromogranin A is an important marker of neuroendocrine tumours. Chromogranin A measurement has gained interest in cardiovascular disease, because increased plasma concentrations are associated...... with risk of clinical deterioration and death in patients with acute coronary syndromes or chronic heart failure. Cardiac chromogranin A is stored in atrial granules with cardiac natriuretic peptides—the principal cardiac hormones associated with systemic homoeostasis of water and blood pressure. Expression...

  11. Chromogranin A as a biomarker in cardiovascular disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goetze, Jens P; Alehagen, Urban; Flyvbjerg, Allan

    2014-01-01

    with acute coronary syndromes or chronic heart failure. In this article, we summarize the current clinical data on chromogranin A as a biomarker in cardiovascular disease from high-risk conditions; for example, obesity, hypertension and diabetes, to overt heart failure. Biological activity of the various......Chromogranin A is known as an important marker of neuroendocrine tumors. In cardiovascular medicine, however, chromogranin A measurement has only recently gained interest, since increased concentrations in the circulation are associated with risk of clinical worsening and death in patients...

  12. Chromogranin A in the mammalian heart

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    Hansen, Lasse H.; Darkner, Stine; Svendsen, Jesper H.

    2017-01-01

    Aim: To investigate whether chromogranin A (CgA) is secreted from the heart into circulation.  Materials & methods: Porcine cardiac tissue was analyzed for the presence of CgA-derived glycopeptides using a global O-glycoproteomic strategy. Blood was sampled from the femoral vein, right atrium...... from the heart (coronary sinus [795 pmol/l] vs left atrium [678 pmol/l]; p heart could be established (p = 0.6366).  Conclusion: The cardiac atria express but do not secrete CgA into circulation in patients with atrial disease....

  13. Catecholamines, cardiac natriuretic peptides and chromogranin A: evolution and physiopathology of a 'whip-brake' system of the endocrine heart.

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    Tota, Bruno; Cerra, Maria Carmela; Gattuso, Alfonsina

    2010-09-15

    In the past 50 years, extensive evidence has shown the ability of vertebrate cardiac non-neuronal cells to synthesize and release catecholamines (CA). This formed the mindset behind the search for the intrinsic endocrine heart properties, culminating in 1981 with the discovery of the natriuretic peptides (NP). CA and NP, co-existing in the endocrine secretion granules and acting as major cardiovascular regulators in health and disease, have become of great biomedical relevance for their potent diagnostic and therapeutic use. The concept of the endocrine heart was later enriched by the identification of a growing number of cardiac hormonal substances involved in organ modulation under normal and stress-induced conditions. Recently, chromogranin A (CgA), a major constituent of the secretory granules, and its derived cardio-suppressive and antiadrenergic peptides, vasostatin-1 and catestatin, were shown as new players in this framework, functioning as cardiac counter-regulators in 'zero steady-state error' homeostasis, particularly under intense excitatory stimuli, e.g. CA-induced myocardial stress. Here, we present evidence for the hypothesis that is gaining support, particularly among human cardiologists. The actions of CA, NP and CgA, we argue, may be viewed as a hallmark of the cardiac capacity to organize 'whip-brake' connection-integration processes in spatio-temporal networks. The involvement of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/nitric oxide (NO) system in this configuration is discussed. The use of fish and amphibian paradigms will illustrate the ways that incipient endocrine-humoral agents have evolved as components of cardiac molecular loops and important intermediates during evolutionary transitions, or in a distinct phylogenetic lineage, or under stress challenges. This may help to grasp the old evolutionary roots of these intracardiac endocrine/paracrine networks and how they have evolved from relatively less complicated designs. The latter can also be used

  14. An evaluation of chromogranin A versus gastrin and progastrin in gastrinoma diagnosis and control

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    Rehfeld, Jens F; Bardram, Linda; Hilsted, Linda

    2014-01-01

    AIM: The value of chromogranin A (CgA) versus gastrin and progastrin in diagnosis and control of gastrinoma patients is not settled because the peptides circulate as variable mixtures. We have addressed this complexity using defined sequence-specific assays. PATIENTS & METHODS: Six assays were......-amidated gastrins have high diagnostic value except for singular patients in whom only progastrin was elevated. By contrast, CgA measurements are not valid in diagnosis or control of gastrinomas....

  15. Detection of chromogranins A and B in endocrine tissues with radioactive and biotinylated oligonucleotide probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lloyd, R.V.; Jin, L.; Fields, K.

    1990-01-01

    We analyzed the distribution of chromogranins A and B in normal and neoplastic endocrine tissues with secretory granules using 35 S-labeled and biotin-labeled oligonucleotide probes by in situ hybridization (ISH). Both radioactive and nonradioactive probes detected messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in frozen and paraffin tissue sections. Endocrine tissues with variable immunoreactivities for chromogranin A protein, such as small-cell lung carcinomas, neuroblastomas, insulinomas, and parathyroid adenomas, expressed the mRNA for chromogranins A and B in most cells. Some technical problems with the biotinylated probes included nonspecific nuclear staining and endogenous alkaline phosphatase, which was not completely abolished by levamisole pretreatment. A differential distribution of chromogranins A and B was seen in pituitary prolactinomas, which expressed abundant chromogranin B but not chromogranin A mRNAs, and in parathyroid adenomas, which expressed abundant chromogranin A but only small amounts of chromogranin B mRNAs. These results indicate that ISH can be used to detect chromogranins A and B in endocrine tissues with radioactive and biotinylated oligonucleotide probes and that the mRNAs for chromogranin A and B are demonstrable in some tumors even when the chromogranin proteins cannot be detected by immunohistochemistry

  16. Detection of chromogranins A and B in endocrine tissues with radioactive and biotinylated oligonucleotide probes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lloyd, R.V.; Jin, L.; Fields, K. (Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA))

    1990-01-01

    We analyzed the distribution of chromogranins A and B in normal and neoplastic endocrine tissues with secretory granules using {sup 35}S-labeled and biotin-labeled oligonucleotide probes by in situ hybridization (ISH). Both radioactive and nonradioactive probes detected messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in frozen and paraffin tissue sections. Endocrine tissues with variable immunoreactivities for chromogranin A protein, such as small-cell lung carcinomas, neuroblastomas, insulinomas, and parathyroid adenomas, expressed the mRNA for chromogranins A and B in most cells. Some technical problems with the biotinylated probes included nonspecific nuclear staining and endogenous alkaline phosphatase, which was not completely abolished by levamisole pretreatment. A differential distribution of chromogranins A and B was seen in pituitary prolactinomas, which expressed abundant chromogranin B but not chromogranin A mRNAs, and in parathyroid adenomas, which expressed abundant chromogranin A but only small amounts of chromogranin B mRNAs. These results indicate that ISH can be used to detect chromogranins A and B in endocrine tissues with radioactive and biotinylated oligonucleotide probes and that the mRNAs for chromogranin A and B are demonstrable in some tumors even when the chromogranin proteins cannot be detected by immunohistochemistry.

  17. Elevated serum levels of Chromogranin A in hepatocellular carcinoma.

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    Biondi, Antonio; Malaguarnera, Giulia; Vacante, Marco; Berretta, Massimiliano; D'Agata, Velia; Malaguarnera, Michele; Basile, Francesco; Drago, Filippo; Bertino, Gaetano

    2012-01-01

    During the past three decades, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States has tripled. The neuroendocrine character has been observed in some tumor cells within some hepatocellular carcinoma nodules and elevated serum chromogranin A also been reported in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of serum concentration of chromogranin A in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma at different stages. The study population consisted of 96 patients (63 males and 33 females age range 52-84) at their first hospital admission for hepatocellular carcinoma. The control group consisted of 35 volunteers (20 males and 15 females age range 50-80). The hepatocellular carcinoma patients were stratified according the Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer classification. Venous blood samples were collected before treatment from each patients before surgery, centrifuged to obtain serum samples and stored at -80° C until assayed. The chromogranin A serum levels were elevated (> 100 ng/ml) in 72/96 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The serum levels of chromogranin A were significantly correlated (p<0.05) with alpha-fetoprotein. In comparison with controls, the hepatocellular carcinoma patients showed a significant increase (p<0.001) vs controls. The chromogranin A levels in the Barcelona staging of hepatocellular carcinoma was higher in stage D compared to stage C (p<0.01), to stage B (p<0.001), and to stage A (p<0.001). Molecular markers, such as chromogranin A, could be very useful tools for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis. However the molecular classification should be incorporated into a staging scheme, which effectively separated patients into groups with homogeneous prognosis and response to treatment, and thus serves to aid in the selection of appropriate therapy.

  18. Factors associated with elevated serum chromogranin A levels in patients with autoimmune gastritis.

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    Kalkan, Çağdaş; Karakaya, Fatih; Soykan, İrfan

    2016-11-01

    Chromogranin A is an important tool in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors. Autoimmune gastritis is an autoimmune disorder marked by hypergastrinemia, which stimulates enterochromaffin-like cell proliferation. Chromogranin A is also elevated in autoimmune gastritis patients with a different level of increase in each patient. The goal of this study is to explore constituents that influence serum chromogranin A levels in autoimmune gastritis patients. One hundred and eighty-eight autoimmune gastritis patients and 20 patients with type I gastric carcinoid tumors were analyzed retrospectively and compared to 110 functional dyspepsia patients in terms of factors that might affect serum chromogranin A levels. The mean serum chromogranin A level was 171.17±67.3 ng/mL in autoimmune gastritis patients (n=62) without enterochromaffin-like cell hyperplasia, and 303.3±102.82 ng/mL in patients (n=126) with enterochromaffin-like cell hyperplasia (pgastritis were the presence of ECL cell hyperplasia and serum gastrin levels. Serum chromogranin A levels maybe helpful in distinguishing autoimmune gastritis patients and gastric carcinoid type I from the control group, but not useful in the differentiation of individuals with autoimmune gastritis from patients with gastric carcinoids.

  19. Albumin-derived peptides efficiently reduce renal uptake of radiolabelled peptides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vegt, Erik; Eek, Annemarie; Oyen, Wim J.G.; Gotthardt, Martin; Boerman, Otto C.; Jong, Marion de

    2010-01-01

    In peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), the maximum activity dose that can safely be administered is limited by high renal uptake and retention of radiolabelled peptides. The kidney radiation dose can be reduced by coinfusion of agents that competitively inhibit the reabsorption of radiolabelled peptides, such as positively charged amino acids, Gelofusine, or trypsinised albumin. The aim of this study was to identify more specific and potent inhibitors of the kidney reabsorption of radiolabelled peptides, based on albumin. Albumin was fragmented using cyanogen bromide and six albumin-derived peptides with different numbers of electric charges were selected and synthesised. The effect of albumin fragments (FRALB-C) and selected albumin-derived peptides on the internalisation of 111 In-albumin, 111 In-minigastrin, 111 In-exendin and 111 In-octreotide by megalin-expressing cells was assessed. In rats, the effect of Gelofusine and albumin-derived peptides on the renal uptake and biodistribution of 111 In-minigastrin, 111 In-exendin and 111 In-octreotide was determined. FRALB-C significantly reduced the uptake of all radiolabelled peptides in vitro. The albumin-derived peptides showed different potencies in reducing the uptake of 111 In-albumin, 111 In-exendin and 111 In-minigastrin in vitro. The most efficient albumin-derived peptide (peptide 6), was selected for in vivo testing. In rats, 5 mg of peptide 6 very efficiently inhibited the renal uptake of 111 In-minigastrin, by 88%. Uptake of 111 In-exendin and 111 In-octreotide was reduced by 26 and 33%, respectively. The albumin-derived peptide 6 efficiently inhibited the renal reabsorption of 111 In-minigastrin, 111 In-exendin and 111 In-octreotide and is a promising candidate for kidney protection in PRRT. (orig.)

  20. The human VGF-derived bioactive peptide TLQP-21 binds heat shock 71 kDa protein 8 (HSPA8on the surface of SH-SY5Y cells.

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    Shamim Akhter

    Full Text Available VGF (non-acronymicis a secreted chromogranin/secretogranin that gives rise to a number of bioactive peptides by a complex proteolysis mechanism. VGF-derived peptides exert an extensive array of biological effects in energy metabolism, mood regulation, pain, gastric secretion function, reproduction and, perhaps, cancer. It is therefore surprising that very little is known about receptors and binding partners of VGF-derived peptides and their downstream molecular mechanisms of action. Here, using affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry-based protein identification, we have identified the heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein A8 (HSPA8as a binding partner of human TLQP-21 on the surface of human neuroblastomaSH-SY5Y cells. Binding of TLQP-21 to membrane associated HSPA8 in live SH-SY5Y cells was further supported by cross-linking to live cells. Interaction between HSPA8 and TLQP-21 was confirmed in vitro by label-free Dynamic Mass Redistribution (DMR studies. Furthermore, molecular modeling studies show that TLQP-21 can be docked into the HSPA8 peptide binding pocket. Identification of HSPA8 as a cell surface binding partner of TLQP-21 opens new avenues to explore the molecular mechanisms of its physiological actions, and of pharmacological modulation thereof.

  1. Primary structure of bovine pituitary secretory protein I (chromogranin A) deduced from the cDNA sequence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, T.G.; Cohn, D.V.; Gorr, S.U.; Ornstein, D.L.; Kashdan, M.A.; Levine, M.A.

    1987-01-01

    Secretory protein I (SP-I), also referred to as chromogranin A, is an acidic glycoprotein that has been found in every tissue of endocrine and neuroendocrine origin examined but never in exocrine or epithelial cells. Its co-storage and co-secretion with peptide hormones and neurotransmitters suggest that it has an important endocrine or secretory function. The authors have isolated cDNA clones from a bovine pituitary λgt11 expression library using an antiserum to parathyroid SP-I. The largest clone (SP4B) hybridized to a transcript of 2.1 kilobases in RNA from parathyroid, pituitary, and adrenal medulla. Immunoblots of bacterial lysates derived from SP4B lysognes demonstrated specific antibody binding to an SP4B/β-galactosidase fusion protein (160 kDa) with a cDNA-derived component of 46 kDa. Radioimmunoassay of the bacterial lystates with SP-I antiserum yielded parallel displacement curves of 125 I-labeled SP-I by the SP4B lysate and authentic SP-I. SP4B contains a cDNA of 1614 nucleotides that encodes a 449-amino acid protein (calculated mass, 50 kDa). The nucleotide sequences of the pituitary SP-I cDNA and adrenal medullary SP-I cDNAs are nearly identical. Analysis of genomic DNA suggests that pituitary, adrenal, and parathyroid SP-I are products of the same gene

  2. Primary structure of bovine pituitary secretory protein I (chromogranin A) deduced from the cDNA sequence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahn, T.G.; Cohn, D.V.; Gorr, S.U.; Ornstein, D.L.; Kashdan, M.A.; Levine, M.A.

    1987-07-01

    Secretory protein I (SP-I), also referred to as chromogranin A, is an acidic glycoprotein that has been found in every tissue of endocrine and neuroendocrine origin examined but never in exocrine or epithelial cells. Its co-storage and co-secretion with peptide hormones and neurotransmitters suggest that it has an important endocrine or secretory function. The authors have isolated cDNA clones from a bovine pituitary lambdagt11 expression library using an antiserum to parathyroid SP-I. The largest clone (SP4B) hybridized to a transcript of 2.1 kilobases in RNA from parathyroid, pituitary, and adrenal medulla. Immunoblots of bacterial lysates derived from SP4B lysognes demonstrated specific antibody binding to an SP4B/..beta..-galactosidase fusion protein (160 kDa) with a cDNA-derived component of 46 kDa. Radioimmunoassay of the bacterial lystates with SP-I antiserum yielded parallel displacement curves of /sup 125/I-labeled SP-I by the SP4B lysate and authentic SP-I. SP4B contains a cDNA of 1614 nucleotides that encodes a 449-amino acid protein (calculated mass, 50 kDa). The nucleotide sequences of the pituitary SP-I cDNA and adrenal medullary SP-I cDNAs are nearly identical. Analysis of genomic DNA suggests that pituitary, adrenal, and parathyroid SP-I are products of the same gene.

  3. A microbially derived tyrosine-sulfated peptide mimics a plant peptide hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruitt, Rory N; Joe, Anna; Zhang, Weiguo; Feng, Wei; Stewart, Valley; Schwessinger, Benjamin; Dinneny, José R; Ronald, Pamela C

    2017-07-01

    The biotrophic pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) produces a sulfated peptide named RaxX, which shares similarity to peptides in the PSY (plant peptide containing sulfated tyrosine) family. We hypothesize that RaxX mimics the growth-stimulating activity of PSY peptides. Root length was measured in Arabidopsis and rice treated with synthetic RaxX peptides. We also used comparative genomic analyses and reactive oxygen species burst assays to evaluate the activity of RaxX and PSY peptides. Here we found that a synthetic sulfated RaxX derivative comprising 13 residues (RaxX13-sY), highly conserved between RaxX and PSY, induces root growth in Arabidopsis and rice in a manner similar to that triggered by PSY. We identified residues that are required for activation of immunity mediated by the rice XA21 receptor but that are not essential for root growth induced by PSY. Finally, we showed that a Xanthomonas strain lacking raxX is impaired in virulence. These findings suggest that RaxX serves as a molecular mimic of PSY peptides to facilitate Xoo infection and that XA21 has evolved the ability to recognize and respond specifically to the microbial form of the peptide. © 2017 UT-Battelle LLC. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  4. Treating autoimmune disorders with venom-derived peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Bingzheng; Cao, Zhijian; Li, Wenxin; Sabatier, Jean-Marc; Wu, Yingliang

    2017-09-01

    The effective treatment of autoimmune diseases remains a challenge. Voltage-gated potassium Kv1.3 channels, which are expressed in lymphocytes, are a new therapeutic target for treating autoimmune disease. Consequently, Kv1.3 channel-inhibiting venom-derived peptides are a prospective resource for new drug discovery and clinical application. Area covered: Preclinical and clinical studies have produced a wealth of information on Kv1.3 channel-inhibiting venom-derived peptides, especially from venomous scorpions and sea anemones. This review highlights the advances in screening and design of these peptides with diverse structures and potencies. It focuses on representative strategies for improving peptide selectivity and discusses the preclinical research on those venom-derived peptides as well as their clinical developmental status. Expert opinion: Encouraging results indicate that peptides isolated from the venom of venomous animals are a large resource for discovering immunomodulators that act on Kv1.3 channels. Since the structural diversity of venom-derived peptides determines the variety of their pharmacological activities, the design and optimization of venom-peptides for improved Kv1.3 channel-specificity has been advanced through some representative strategies, such as peptide chemical modification, amino acid residue truncation and binding interface modulation. These advances should further accelerate research, development and the future clinical application of venom-derived peptides selectively targeting Kv1.3 channels.

  5. Anticancer activities of bovine and human lactoferricin-derived peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, Mauricio; Hilchie, Ashley L; Haney, Evan F; Bolscher, Jan G M; Hyndman, M Eric; Hancock, Robert E W; Vogel, Hans J

    2017-02-01

    Lactoferrin (LF) is a mammalian host defense glycoprotein with diverse biological activities. Peptides derived from the cationic region of LF possess cytotoxic activity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Bovine lactoferricin (LFcinB), a peptide derived from bovine LF (bLF), exhibits broad-spectrum anticancer activity, while a similar peptide derived from human LF (hLF) is not as active. In this work, several peptides derived from the N-terminal regions of bLF and hLF were studied for their anticancer activities against leukemia and breast-cancer cells, as well as normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The cyclized LFcinB-CLICK peptide, which possesses a stable triazole linkage, showed improved anticancer activity, while short peptides hLF11 and bLF10 were not cytotoxic to cancer cells. Interestingly, hLF11 can act as a cell-penetrating peptide; when combined with the antimicrobial core sequence of LFcinB (RRWQWR) through either a Pro or Gly-Gly linker, toxicity to Jurkat cells increased. Together, our work extends the library of LF-derived peptides tested for anticancer activity, and identified new chimeric peptides with high cytotoxicity towards cancerous cells. Additionally, these results support the notion that short cell-penetrating peptides and antimicrobial peptides can be combined to create new adducts with increased potency.

  6. Antihypertensive properties of lactoferricin B-derived peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Giménez, Pedro; Ibáñez, Aida; Salom, Juan B; Marcos, Jose F; López-Díez, Jose Javier; Vallés, Salvador; Torregrosa, Germán; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma

    2010-06-09

    A set of eight lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-derived peptides was examined for inhibitory effects on angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and ACE-dependent vasoconstriction, and their hypotensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Peptides were derived from different elongations both at the C-terminal and N-terminal ends of the representative peptide LfcinB(20-25), which is known as the LfcinB antimicrobial core. All of the eight LfcinB-derived peptides showed in vitro inhibitory effects on ACE activity with different IC(50) values. Moreover, seven of them showed ex vivo inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction. No clear correlation between in vitro and ex vivo inhibitory effects was found. Only LfcinB(20-25) and one of its fragments, F1, generated after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion, showed significant antihypertensive effects in SHR after oral administration. Remarkably, F1 did not show any effect on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction in contrast to the inhibitory effect showed by LfcinB(20-25). In conclusion, two LfcinB-derived peptides lower blood pressure and exhibit potential as orally effective antihypertensive compounds, yet a complete elucidation of the mechanism(s) involved deserves further ongoing research.

  7. Marine-Derived Bioactive Peptides with Pharmacological Activities- A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sana Rabiei

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Some nutritional factors are related to chronic disease. In response to increased concern regarding nutrition and health, the functional and nutraceuticals food markets have been developed. During food digestion, proteins are hydrolyzed and a wide range of peptides are formed. Some of these peptides have special structures which permit them to confer particular biological functions. Marine animals which involve more than half of the world biological varieties are a wide source of bioactive proteins and peptides. Marine derived peptides show various physiologic functions such as anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, Angiotensin1-Converting Enzyme (ACE glucosidase and a-amylase inhibitory effects in vitro. Before application of marine bioactive peptides as nutraceuticals or functional food ingredients, their efficacy should be approved through pre-clinical animal and then clinical studies. The aim of this study was to review the studies conducted on the pharmacological effect of marine bioactive peptides in animal models and humans.

  8. Anticancer activities of bovine and human lactoferricin-derived peptides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arias, M.; Hilchie, A.L.; Haney, E.F.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Hyndman, M.E.; Hancock, R.E.W.; Vogel, H.J.

    2017-01-01

    Lactoferrin (LF) is a mammalian host defense glycoprotein with diverse biological activities. Peptides derived from the cationic region of LF possess cytotoxic activity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Bovine lactoferricin (LFcinB), a peptide derived from bovine LF (bLF), exhibits

  9. Milk derived bioactive peptides and their impact on human health – A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.P. Mohanty

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Milk-derived bioactive peptides have been identified as potential ingredients of health-promoting functional foods. These bioactive peptides are targeted at diet-related chronic diseases especially the non-communicable diseases viz., obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Peptides derived from the milk of cow, goat, sheep, buffalo and camel exert multifunctional properties, including anti-microbial, immune modulatory, anti-oxidant, inhibitory effect on enzymes, anti-thrombotic, and antagonistic activities against various toxic agents. Majority of those regulate immunological, gastrointestinal, hormonal and neurological responses, thereby playing a vital role in the prevention of cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension and other disorders as discussed in this review. For the commercial production of such novel bioactive peptides large scale technologies based on membrane separation and ion exchange chromatography methods have been developed. Separation and identification of those peptides and their pharmacodynamic parameters are necessary to transfer their potent functional properties into food applications. The present review summarizes the preliminary classes of bioactive milk-derived peptides along with their physiological functions, general characteristics and potential applications in health-care.

  10. Immunogenicity of HLA Class I and II Double Restricted Influenza A-Derived Peptides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Sara Ram; Christensen, Jan Pravsgaard; Buus, Søren

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to identify influenza A-derived peptides which bind to both HLA class I and -II molecules and by immunization lead to both HLA class I and class II restricted immune responses. Eight influenza A-derived 9-11mer peptides with simultaneous binding to both HLA-A*02...... four of the double binding peptides did result in HLA-A*02:01 restricted responses only. According to their cytokine profile, the CD4 T cell responses were of the Th2 type. In influenza infected mice, we were unable to detect natural processing in vivo of the double restricted peptides and in line...... with this, peptide vaccination did not decrease virus titres in the lungs of intranasally influenza challenged mice. Our data show that HLA class I and class II double binding peptides can be identified by bioinformatics and biochemical technology. By immunization, double binding peptides can give rise...

  11. Food Derived Bioactive Peptides and Intestinal Barrier Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Martínez-Augustin

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A wide range of food-derived bioactive peptides have been shown to exert health-promoting actions and are therefore considered functional foods or nutraceuticals. Some of these actions are related to the maintenance, reinforcement or repairment of the intestinal barrier function (IBF whose role is to selectively allow the absorption of water, nutrients and ions while preventing the influx of microorganisms from the intestinal lumen. Alterations in the IBF have been related to many disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease or metabolic syndrome. Components of IBF are the intestinal epithelium, the mucus layer, secretory immunoglobulin A and cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Here we review the effects of food derived bioactive peptides on these IBF components. In vitro and in vivo effects, both in healthy and disease states, have been reviewed. Although limited, the available information indicates a potential for food-derived peptides to modify IBF and to contribute to disease treatment, but further research is needed to better isolate responsible peptides, and to help define their mode of action.

  12. Lactoferricin B-derived peptides with inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Musoles, Ricardo; López-Díez, José Javier; Torregrosa, Germán; Vallés, Salvador; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma; Salom, Juan B

    2010-10-01

    Endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE), a key peptidase in the endothelin (ET) system, cleaves inactive big ET-1 to produce active ET-1, which binds to ET(A) receptors to exert its vasoconstrictor and pressor effects. ECE inhibition could be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension. In this study, a set of eight lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-derived peptides, previously characterized in our laboratory as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides, was examined for their inhibitory effects on ECE. In vitro inhibitory effects on ECE activity were assessed using both the synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrate V (FPS V) and the natural substrate big ET-1. To study vasoactive effects, an ex vivo functional assay was developed using isolated rabbit carotid artery segments. With FPS V, only four LfcinB-derived peptides induced inhibition of ECE activity, whereas the eight peptides showed ECE inhibitory effects with big ET-1 as substrate. Regarding the ex vivo assays, six LfcinB-derived peptides showed inhibition of big ET-1-induced, ECE-dependent vasoconstriction. A positive correlation between the inhibitory effects of LfcinB-derived peptides on ECE activity when using big ET-1 and the inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction was shown. ECE-independent vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 was not affected, thus discarding effects of LfcinB-derived peptides on ET(A) receptors or intracellular signal transduction mechanisms. In conclusion, a combined in vitro and ex vivo method to assess the effects of potentially antihypertensive peptides on the ET system has been developed and applied to show the inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction of six LfcinB-derived peptides, five of which were dual vasopeptidase (ACE/ECE) inhibitors. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Limitations of Chromogranin A in clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marotta, Vincenzo; Nuzzo, Vincenzo; Ferrara, Teresa; Zuccoli, Alfonso; Masone, Milena; Nocerino, Lorenzo; Del Prete, Michela; Marciello, Francesca; Ramundo, Valeria; Lombardi, Gaetano; Vitale, Mario; Colao, Annamaria; Faggiano, Antongiulio

    2012-03-01

    Usefulness of circulating Chromogranin A (CgA) for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors (NEN) is controversial. The aim of the present study was to assess the actual role of this marker as diagnostic tool. Serum blood samples were obtained from 42 subjects affected with NEN, 120 subjects affected with non-endocrine neoplasias (non-NEN) and 100 non-neoplastic subjects affected with benign nodular goitre (NNG). Determination of CgA was performed by means of immunoradiometric assay. The CgA levels among NEN-patients were not significantly different from NNG and non-NEN subjects. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis failed to identify a feasible cut-off value for the differential diagnosis between NEN and the other conditions. Serum CgA is not helpful for the first-line diagnosis of NEN.

  14. Structure, Content, and Bioactivity of Food-Derived Peptides in the Body.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Kenji

    2018-03-28

    Orally administered peptides are assumed to be degraded into amino acids in the body. However, our recent studies revealed some food-derived prolyl and pyroglutamyl peptides with 2-3 amino acid residues in the blood of humans and animals, while most of the peptides in the endoproteinase digest of food protein are degraded by exopeptidase. Some food-derived dipeptides in the body display in vitro and in vivo biological activities. These facts indicate that the biological activities of food-derived peptides in the body rather than those in food are crucial to understanding the mechanism of the beneficial effects of orally administered peptides.

  15. Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities of PR-39 derived peptides.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin J A Veldhuizen

    Full Text Available The porcine cathelicidin PR-39 is a host defence peptide that plays a pivotal role in the innate immune defence of the pig against infections. Besides direct antimicrobial activity, it is involved in immunomodulation, wound healing and several other biological processes. In this study, the antimicrobial- and immunomodulatory activity of PR-39, and N- and C-terminal derivatives of PR-39 were tested. PR-39 exhibited an unexpected broad antimicrobial spectrum including several Gram positive strains such as Bacillus globigii and Enterococcus faecalis. Of organisms tested, only Staphylococcus aureus was insensitive to PR-39. Truncation of PR-39 down to 15 (N-terminal amino acids did not lead to major loss of activity, while peptides corresponding to the C-terminal part of PR-39 were hampered in their antimicrobial activity. However, shorter peptides were all much more sensitive to inhibition by salt. Active peptides induced ATP leakage and loss of membrane potential in Bacillus globigii and Escherichia coli, indicating a lytic mechanism of action for these peptides. Finally, only the mature peptide was able to induce IL-8 production in porcine macrophages, but some shorter peptides also had an effect on TNF-α production showing differential regulation of cytokine induction by PR-39 derived peptides. None of the active peptides showed high cytotoxicity highlighting the potential of these peptides for use as an alternative to antibiotics.

  16. Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Activities of PR-39 Derived Peptides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veldhuizen, Edwin J. A.; Schneider, Viktoria A. F.; Agustiandari, Herfita; van Dijk, Albert; Tjeerdsma-van Bokhoven, Johanna L. M.; Bikker, Floris J.; Haagsman, Henk P.

    2014-01-01

    The porcine cathelicidin PR-39 is a host defence peptide that plays a pivotal role in the innate immune defence of the pig against infections. Besides direct antimicrobial activity, it is involved in immunomodulation, wound healing and several other biological processes. In this study, the antimicrobial- and immunomodulatory activity of PR-39, and N- and C-terminal derivatives of PR-39 were tested. PR-39 exhibited an unexpected broad antimicrobial spectrum including several Gram positive strains such as Bacillus globigii and Enterococcus faecalis. Of organisms tested, only Staphylococcus aureus was insensitive to PR-39. Truncation of PR-39 down to 15 (N-terminal) amino acids did not lead to major loss of activity, while peptides corresponding to the C-terminal part of PR-39 were hampered in their antimicrobial activity. However, shorter peptides were all much more sensitive to inhibition by salt. Active peptides induced ATP leakage and loss of membrane potential in Bacillus globigii and Escherichia coli, indicating a lytic mechanism of action for these peptides. Finally, only the mature peptide was able to induce IL-8 production in porcine macrophages, but some shorter peptides also had an effect on TNF-α production showing differential regulation of cytokine induction by PR-39 derived peptides. None of the active peptides showed high cytotoxicity highlighting the potential of these peptides for use as an alternative to antibiotics. PMID:24755622

  17. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of progastrin-derived peptides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Carsten Palnaes

    2003-01-01

    The elimination of progastrin-derived peptides was a first-order process, also at supraphysiological concentrations in plasma. The site of extraction was dependent on the molecular size of the peptides and not on their bioactivity. Apart from the kidneys and brain, where the extraction...

  18. Formation of taste-active amino acids, amino acid derivatives and peptides in food fermentations - A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Cindy J; Schieber, Andreas; Gänzle, Michael G

    2016-11-01

    Fermented foods are valued for their rich and complex odour and taste. The metabolic activity of food-fermenting microorganisms determines food quality and generates odour and taste compounds. This communication reviews the formation of taste-active amino acids, amino acid derivatives and peptides in food fermentations. Pathways of the generation of taste compounds are presented for soy sauce, cheese, fermented meats, and bread. Proteolysis or autolysis during food fermentations generates taste-active amino acids and peptides; peptides derived from proteolysis particularly impart umami taste (e.g. α-glutamyl peptides) or bitter taste (e.g. hydrophobic peptides containing proline). Taste active peptide derivatives include pyroglutamyl peptides, γ-glutamyl peptides, and succinyl- or lactoyl amino acids. The influence of fermentation microbiota on proteolysis, and peptide hydrolysis, and the metabolism of glutamate and arginine is well understood, however, the understanding of microbial metabolic activities related to the formation of taste-active peptide derivatives is incomplete. Improved knowledge of the interactions between taste-active compounds will enable the development of novel fermentation strategies to develop tastier, less bitter, and low-salt food products, and may provide novel and "clean label" ingredients to improve the taste of other food products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Immunomodulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Chicken Cathelicidin-2 Derived Peptides

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Dijk, Albert; van Eldik, Mandy; Veldhuizen, Edwin J. A.; Tjeerdsma-van Bokhoven, Hanne L. M.; de Zoete, Marcel R.; Bikker, Floris J.; Haagsman, Henk P.

    2016-01-01

    Host Defence Peptides and derived peptides are promising classes of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory lead compounds. For this purpose we examined whether chicken cathelicidin-2 (CATH-2)-derived peptides modulate the function and inflammatory response of avian immune cells. Using a chicken macrophage cell line (HD11) we found that full-length CATH-2 dose-dependently induced transcription of chemokines CXCLi2/IL-8, MCP-3 and CCLi4/RANTES, but not of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. In addition, CATH-2 efficiently inhibited IL-1β and nitric oxide production by HD11 cells induced by different sources of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). N-terminal truncated CATH-2 derived peptides maintained the capacity to selectively induce chemokine transcription, but despite their high LPS affinity several analogs lacked LPS-neutralizing capacity. Substitution of phenylalanine residues by tryptophan introduced endotoxin neutralization capacity in inactive truncated CATH-2 derived peptides. In contrast, amino acid substitution of phenylalanine by tyrosine abrogated endotoxin neutralization activity of CATH-2 analogs. These findings support a pivotal role for aromatic residues in peptide-mediated endotoxin neutralization by CATH-2 analogs and were shown to be independent of LPS affinity. The capacity to modulate chemokine production and dampen endotoxin-induced pro-inflammatory responses in chicken immune cells implicates that small CATH-2 based peptides could serve as leads for the design of CATH-2 based immunomodulatory anti-infectives. PMID:26848845

  20. Immunomodulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Chicken Cathelicidin-2 Derived Peptides.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albert van Dijk

    Full Text Available Host Defence Peptides and derived peptides are promising classes of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory lead compounds. For this purpose we examined whether chicken cathelicidin-2 (CATH-2-derived peptides modulate the function and inflammatory response of avian immune cells. Using a chicken macrophage cell line (HD11 we found that full-length CATH-2 dose-dependently induced transcription of chemokines CXCLi2/IL-8, MCP-3 and CCLi4/RANTES, but not of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. In addition, CATH-2 efficiently inhibited IL-1β and nitric oxide production by HD11 cells induced by different sources of lipopolysaccharides (LPS. N-terminal truncated CATH-2 derived peptides maintained the capacity to selectively induce chemokine transcription, but despite their high LPS affinity several analogs lacked LPS-neutralizing capacity. Substitution of phenylalanine residues by tryptophan introduced endotoxin neutralization capacity in inactive truncated CATH-2 derived peptides. In contrast, amino acid substitution of phenylalanine by tyrosine abrogated endotoxin neutralization activity of CATH-2 analogs. These findings support a pivotal role for aromatic residues in peptide-mediated endotoxin neutralization by CATH-2 analogs and were shown to be independent of LPS affinity. The capacity to modulate chemokine production and dampen endotoxin-induced pro-inflammatory responses in chicken immune cells implicates that small CATH-2 based peptides could serve as leads for the design of CATH-2 based immunomodulatory anti-infectives.

  1. Bioactive Properties of Maillard Reaction Products Generated From Food Protein-derived Peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arihara, K; Zhou, L; Ohata, M

    Food protein-derived peptides are promising food ingredients for developing functional foods, since various bioactive peptides are released from food proteins. The Maillard reaction, which plays an important role in most processed foods, generates various chemical components during processing. Although changes of amino acids or proteins and reduced sugars by the Maillard reaction have been studied extensively, such changes of peptides by the Maillard reaction are still not resolved enough. Since food protein-derived peptides are widely utilized in many processed foods, it deserves concern and research on the changes of peptides by the Maillard reaction in foods during processing or storage. This chapter initially overviewed food protein-derived bioactive peptides. Then, Maillard reaction products generated from peptides are discussed. We focused particularly on their bioactivities. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. CLINICAL VALUE OF CHROMOGRANIN A IN GASTROENTEROPANCREATIC NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. V. Lyubimova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neuroendocrine tumors (NET is a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by hypersecretion of biologically active sub- stances that manifests by specific syndromes and determines the clinical course of the disease. The most common NET types are those of gastrointestinal tract. The obligatory biochemical marker used in the examination of NET patients is chromogranin A (CgA.Aim: Evaluation of the CgA value for diagnostics and monitoring of gastrointestinal NETs.Materials and methods: A comparative study of plasma CgA levels was performed in 146 patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tu- mors and 66 healthy individuals using the enzyme immunoassay “Chromogranin A ELISA kit” (Dako A/S, Denmark.Results: CgA levels were significantly higher in patients with NETs of all localizations, such as pancreas, stomach, gut, small and large bowel, than in the healthy subjects (р < 0.000001. In NET patients, CgA secretion was highly variable, with the highest value in the group of patients with gastric NETs (102000 U/l. The highest CgA medians were detected in patients with small intestinal (183.9 U/l, colon (148.4 U/l and pancreatic (135.9 U/l NETs. There was an association between CgA secretion and extension or activity of NETs, with the highest median values in patients with hepatic metastases (395 U/l and those with carcinoid syndrome (352 U/l. The clinical significance of CgA as a NET marker was assessed using the cut-off value of 33 U/l, calculated according to the results in the control group. Overall diagnostic sensitivity of CgA in NET patients was high (85.8% with a specificity of 98.5%. Conclusion: The results obtained confirm a high sensitivity of CgA as a NET marker whose determination helps to improve accuracy of diagnostics and to assess NET prevalence.

  3. Photoperiod Regulates vgf-Derived Peptide Processing in Siberian Hamsters.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Noli

    Full Text Available VGF mRNA is induced in specific hypothalamic areas of the Siberian hamster upon exposure to short photoperiods, which is associated with a seasonal decrease in appetite and weight loss. Processing of VGF generates multiple bioactive peptides, so the objective of this study was to determine the profile of the VGF-derived peptides in the brain, pituitary and plasma from Siberian hamsters, and to establish whether differential processing might occur in the short day lean state versus long day fat. Antisera against short sequences at the C- or N- termini of proVGF, as well as against NERP-1, TPGH and TLQP peptides, were used for analyses of tissues, and both immunohistochemistry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA coupled with high-performance liquid (HPLC or gel chromatography were carried out. VGF peptide immunoreactivity was found within cortex cholinergic perikarya, in multiple hypothalamic nuclei, including those containing vasopressin, and in pituitary gonadotrophs. ELISA revealed that exposure to short day photoperiod led to a down-regulation of VGF immunoreactivity in the cortex, and a less pronounced decrease in the hypothalamus and pituitary, while the plasma VGF levels were not affected by the photoperiod. HPLC and gel chromatography both confirmed the presence of multiple VGF-derived peptides in these tissues, while gel chromatography showed the presence of the VGF precursor in all tissues tested except for the cortex. These observations are consistent with the view that VGF-derived peptides have pleiotropic actions related to changing photoperiod, possibly by regulating cholinergic systems in the cortex, vasopressin hypothalamic pathways, and the reproductive axis.

  4. Dimerization effects on coacervation property of an elastin-derived synthetic peptide (FPGVG)5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suyama, Keitaro; Taniguchi, Suguru; Tatsubo, Daiki; Maeda, Iori; Nose, Takeru

    2016-04-01

    Elastin, a core protein of the elastic fibers, exhibits the coacervation (temperature-dependent reversible association/dissociation) under physiological conditions. Because of this characteristic, elastin and elastin-derived peptides have been considered to be useful as base materials for developing various biomedical products, skin substitutes, synthetic vascular grafts, and drug delivery systems. Although elastin-derived polypeptide (Val-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n also has been known to demonstrate coacervation property, a sufficiently high (VPGVG)n repetition number (n>40) is required for coacervation. In the present study, a series of elastin-derived peptide (Phe-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)5 dimers possessing high coacervation potential were newly developed. These novel dimeric peptides exhibited coacervation at significantly lower concentrations and temperatures than the commonly used elastin-derived peptide analogs; this result suggests that the coacervation ability of the peptides is enhanced by dimerization. Circular dichroism (CD) measurements indicate that the dimers undergo similar temperature-dependent and reversible conformational changes when coacervation occurs. The molecular dynamics calculation results reveal that the sheet-turn-sheet motif involving a type II β-turn-like structure commonly observed among the dimers and caused formation of globular conformation of them. These synthesized peptide dimers may be useful not only as model peptides for structural analysis of elastin and elastin-derived peptides, but also as base materials for developing various temperature-sensitive biomedical and industrial products. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Multimerized CHR-derived peptides as HIV-1 fusion inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Wataru; Hashimoto, Chie; Suzuki, Takaharu; Ohashi, Nami; Fujino, Masayuki; Murakami, Tsutomu; Yamamoto, Naoki; Tamamura, Hirokazu

    2013-08-01

    To date, several HIV-1 fusion inhibitors based on the carboxy-terminal leucine/isoleucine heptad repeat (CHR) region of an HIV-1 envelope protein gp41 have been discovered. We have shown that a synthetic peptide mimetic of a trimer form of the CHR-derived peptide C34 has potent inhibitory activity against the HIV-1 fusion mechanism, compared to a monomer C34 peptide. The present study revealed that a dimeric form of C34 is evidently structurally critical for fusion inhibitors, and that the activity of multimerized CHR-derived peptides in fusion inhibition is affected by the properties of the unit peptides C34, SC34EK, and T20. The fluorescence-based study suggested that the N36-interactive sites of the C34 trimer, including hydrophobic residues, are exposed outside the trimer and that trimerization of C34 caused a remarkable increase in fusion inhibitory activity. The present results could be useful in the design of fusion inhibitors against viral infections which proceed via membrane fusion with host cells. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. BioPepDB: an integrated data platform for food-derived bioactive peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qilin; Zhang, Chao; Chen, Hongjun; Xue, Jitong; Guo, Xiaolei; Liang, Ming; Chen, Ming

    2018-03-12

    Food-derived bioactive peptides play critical roles in regulating most biological processes and have considerable biological, medical and industrial importance. However, a large number of active peptides data, including sequence, function, source, commercial product information, references and other information are poorly integrated. BioPepDB is a searchable database of food-derived bioactive peptides and their related articles, including more than four thousand bioactive peptide entries. Moreover, BioPepDB provides modules of prediction and hydrolysis-simulation for discovering novel peptides. It can serve as a reference database to investigate the function of different bioactive peptides. BioPepDB is available at http://bis.zju.edu.cn/biopepdbr/ . The web page utilises Apache, PHP5 and MySQL to provide the user interface for accessing the database and predict novel peptides. The database itself is operated on a specialised server.

  7. Glycotriazole-peptides derived from the peptide HSP1: synergistic effect of triazole and saccharide rings on the antifungal activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junior, Eduardo F C; Guimarães, Carlos F R C; Franco, Lucas L; Alves, Ricardo J; Kato, Kelly C; Martins, Helen R; de Souza Filho, José D; Bemquerer, Marcelo P; Munhoz, Victor H O; Resende, Jarbas M; Verly, Rodrigo M

    2017-08-01

    This work proposes a strategy that uses solid-phase peptide synthesis associated with copper(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition reaction to promote the glycosylation of an antimicrobial peptide (HSP1) containing a carboxyamidated C-terminus (HSP1-NH 2 ). Two glycotriazole-peptides, namely [p-Glc-trz-G 1 ]HSP1-NH 2 and [p-GlcNAc-trz-G 1 ]HSP1-NH 2 , were prepared using per-O-acetylated azide derivatives of glucose and N-acetylglucosamine in the presence of copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO 4 ·5H 2 O) and sodium ascorbate as a reducing agent. In order to investigate the synergistic action of the carbohydrate motif linked to the triazole-peptide structure, a triazole derivative [trz-G 1 ]HSP1-NH 2 was also prepared. A set of biophysical approaches such as DLS, Zeta Potential, SPR and carboxyfluorescein leakage from phospholipid vesicles confirmed higher membrane disruption and lytic activities as well as stronger peptide-LUVs interactions for the glycotriazole-peptides when compared to HSP1-NH 2 and to its triazole derivative, which is in accordance with the performed biological assays: whereas HSP1-NH 2 presents relatively low and [trz-G 1 ]HSP1-NH 2 just moderate fungicidal activity, the glycotriazole-peptides are significantly more effective antifungal agents. In addition, the glycotriazole-peptides and the triazole derivative present strong inhibition effects on ergosterol biosynthesis in Candida albicans, when compared to HSP1-NH 2 alone. In conclusion, the increased fungicidal activity of the glycotriazole-peptides seems to be the result of (A) more pronounced membrane-disruptive properties, which is related to the presence of a saccharide ring, together with (B) the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis, which seems to be related to the presence of both the monosaccharide and the triazole rings.

  8. Food-derived bioactive peptides on inflammation and oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakrabarti, Subhadeep; Jahandideh, Forough; Wu, Jianping

    2014-01-01

    Chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer are now the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Inflammatory processes and oxidative stress underlie the pathogenesis of these pathological conditions. Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins have been evaluated for various beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this review, we summarize the roles of various food-derived bioactive peptides in inflammation and oxidative stress and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of using these compounds against the burden of chronic diseases.

  9. Chromogranin A is present in and released by fish endocrine tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deftos, L.J.; Bjoernsson, B.T.; Burton, D.W.; O'Connor, D.T.; Copp, D.H.

    1987-01-01

    Chromogranin A (CgA) is a protein that is present in many mammalian endocrine cells and co-secreted with their resident hormones. The authors have demonstrated the presence of CgA by immunohistology in the ultimobranchial glands and corpuscles of Stannius of rainbow trout. CgA was also detected by radioimmunoassay in the medium of incubated coho salmon ultimobranchial glands. Their observations demonstrate the presence of CgA in endocrine glands of evolutionarily divergent species. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that CgA participates in the secretory process of a wide variety of hormones. 18 references, 1 figure, 1 table

  10. A Review of Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Meat Muscle and By-Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui Liu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Antioxidant peptides are gradually being accepted as food ingredients, supplemented in functional food and nutraceuticals, to positively regulate oxidative stress in the human body against lipid and protein oxidation. Meat muscle and meat by-products are rich sources of proteins and can be regarded as good materials for the production of bioactive peptides by use of enzymatic hydrolysis or direct solvent extraction. In recent years, there has been a growing number of studies conducted to characterize antioxidant peptides or hydrolysates derived from meat muscle and by-products as well as processed meat products, including dry-cured hams. Antioxidant peptides obtained from animal sources could exert not only nutritional value but also bioavailability to benefit human health. This paper reviews the antioxidant peptides or protein hydrolysates identified in muscle protein and by-products. We focus on the procedure for the generation of peptides with antioxidant capacity including the acquisition of crude peptides, the assessment of antioxidant activity, and the purification and identification of the active fraction. It remains critical to perform validation experiments with a cell model, animal model or clinical trial to eliminate safety concerns before final application in the food system. In addition, some of the common characteristics on structure-activity relationship are also reviewed based on the identified antioxidant peptides.

  11. A Review of Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Meat Muscle and By-Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Rui; Xing, Lujuan; Fu, Qingquan; Zhou, Guang-Hong; Zhang, Wan-Gang

    2016-09-20

    Antioxidant peptides are gradually being accepted as food ingredients, supplemented in functional food and nutraceuticals, to positively regulate oxidative stress in the human body against lipid and protein oxidation. Meat muscle and meat by-products are rich sources of proteins and can be regarded as good materials for the production of bioactive peptides by use of enzymatic hydrolysis or direct solvent extraction. In recent years, there has been a growing number of studies conducted to characterize antioxidant peptides or hydrolysates derived from meat muscle and by-products as well as processed meat products, including dry-cured hams. Antioxidant peptides obtained from animal sources could exert not only nutritional value but also bioavailability to benefit human health. This paper reviews the antioxidant peptides or protein hydrolysates identified in muscle protein and by-products. We focus on the procedure for the generation of peptides with antioxidant capacity including the acquisition of crude peptides, the assessment of antioxidant activity, and the purification and identification of the active fraction. It remains critical to perform validation experiments with a cell model, animal model or clinical trial to eliminate safety concerns before final application in the food system. In addition, some of the common characteristics on structure-activity relationship are also reviewed based on the identified antioxidant peptides.

  12. I-Ad-binding peptides derived from unrelated protein antigens share a common structural motif

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sette, A; Buus, S; Colon, S

    1988-01-01

    on the I-Ad binding of the immunogenic peptide OVA 323-339. The results obtained demonstrated the very permissive nature of Ag-Ia interaction. We also showed that unrelated peptides that are good I-Ad binders share a common structural motif and speculated that recognition of such motifs could represent...... that I-Ad molecules recognize a large library of Ag by virtue of common structural motifs present in peptides derived from phylogenetically unrelated proteins....

  13. Plasma chromogranin A levels are increased in a small portion of patients with hereditary head and neck paragangliomas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Duinen, Nicolette; Kema, Ido P.; Romijn, Johannes A.; Corssmit, Eleonora P. M.

    2011-01-01

    The majority of patients with head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGL) have biochemically silent tumours. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a tumour marker for neuroendocrine tumours. To assess the role of CgA as a tumour marker in patients with hereditary HNPGL. We included 95 consecutive patients with

  14. Identification of MHC class I H-2 Kb/Db-restricted immunogenic peptides derived from retinal proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Mingjun; Bai, Fang; Pries, Mette

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE: To identify H-2 Kb/Db-binding immunogenic peptides derived from retinal proteins. METHODS: Computer-based prediction was used to identify potentially H-2 Kb/Db-binding peptides derived from the interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein (IRBP), soluble retinal antigen (S...... on day 21 after immunization with IRBP or IRBP and the immunogenic peptides. RESULTS: All the 21 predicted peptides were found to upregulate expression of H-2 Kb/Db on RMA-S cells. Five peptides, the two IRBP-derived peptides IRBP89-96 and IRBP(101-108), and the three PEDF-derived peptides, PEDF389....... The immunogenic peptides alone did not induce inflammation in the eyes, but they could enhance severity of uveitis induced by IRBP. CONCLUSIONS: Five of 21 H-2 Kb/Db-binding retinal protein-derived peptides were found to be immunogenic, suggesting that these peptides could function as autoantigenic epitopes...

  15. In vivo imaging of chromogranin A-positive endocrine tumours by three-step monoclonal antibody targeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siccardi, A.G.; Paganelli, G.; Pontiroli, A.E.; Pelagi, M.; Magnani, P.; Viale, G.; Faglia, G.; Fazio, F.

    1996-01-01

    The detection of chromogranins (Cg) by immunohistochemistry and serology represents a new in vitro diagnostic tool for endocrine tumours. We have recently reported on the feasibility of targeting chromogranin A (CgA) for in vivo detection of pituitary adenomas by immunoscintigraphy (ISG). The scintigraphic procedure, based on an anti-CgA monoclonal antibody and on the avidin-biotin three-step method (Cg-3S-ISG), was evaluated on a group of 29 consecutive patients with known or suspected endocrine tumours other than pituitary adenomas, i.e. medullary thyroid carcinoma, carcinoid, insulinoma and parathormone- or ACTH-producing tumours. Primary tumours (10) and recurrences (16) were visualised in 26 patients, whereas conventional imaging techniques (planar radiography, computerised tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography) failed to detect the tumour sites in ten of the same (Cg-3S-ISG-positive) patients. Therefore, these preliminary results indicate that Cg-3S-ISG, the first immunological method able to detect endocrine tumours in vivo, has a higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional imaging techniques (93.1% compared with 65.5%). (orig.). With 3 figs., 1 tab

  16. Plasma chromogranin A levels are increased in a small portion of patients with hereditary head and neck paragangliomas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Duinen, Nicolette; Kema, Ido P.; Romijn, Johannes A.; Corssmit, Eleonora P. M.

    P>Context The majority of patients with head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGL) have biochemically silent tumours. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a tumour marker for neuroendocrine tumours. Objective To assess the role of CgA as a tumour marker in patients with hereditary HNPGL. Patients and Methods We

  17. Antimicrobial Peptides Derived from Fusion Peptides of Influenza A Viruses, a Promising Approach to Designing Potent Antimicrobial Agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingyu; Zhong, Wenjing; Lin, Dongguo; Xia, Fan; Wu, Wenjiao; Zhang, Heyuan; Lv, Lin; Liu, Shuwen; He, Jian

    2015-10-01

    The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens have spurred the urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial agents with different mode of action. In this respect, we turned several fusogenic peptides (FPs) derived from the hemagglutinin glycoproteins (HAs) of IAV into potent antibacterials by replacing the negatively or neutrally charged residues of FPs with positively charged lysines. Their antibacterial activities were evaluated by testing the MICs against a panel of bacterial strains including S. aureus, S. mutans, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. The results showed that peptides HA-FP-1, HA-FP-2-1, and HA-FP-3-1 were effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with MICs ranging from 1.9 to 16.0 μm, while the toxicities toward mammalian cells were low. In addition, the mode of action and the secondary structure of these peptides were also discussed. These data not only provide several potent peptides displaying promising potential in development as broad antimicrobial agents, but also present a useful strategy in designing new antimicrobial agents. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  18. Novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides derived from boneless chicken leg meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terashima, Masaaki; Baba, Takako; Ikemoto, Narumi; Katayama, Midori; Morimoto, Tomoko; Matsumura, Saki

    2010-06-23

    Four peptides that inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were separated from the hydorlysate of boneless chicken leg meat digested with artificial gastric juice (pepsin). Two peptides were identified as the peptides encrypted in myosin heavy chain. The peptide P1 (MNVKHWPWMK) corresponds to the amino acid sequence from amino acids 825 to 834 of myosin heavy chain, and the peptide P4 (VTVNPYKWLP) corresponds to the amino acid sequence from amino acids 125 to 135 of myosin heavy chain. They are novel ACE inhibitory peptides derived from chicken, and IC(50) values of P1 and P4 were determined as 228 and 5.5 microM, respectively. Although these values were much larger than 0.022 microM for captopril, a typical synthetic ACE inhibitor, they are comparable to IC(50) values reported for various ACE inhibitory peptides derived from foods. Because the peptide P4 has a relatively low IC(50) value, it is a good starting substance for designing food supplements for hypertensive patients.

  19. Efficient generation of dopamine neuron-like cells from skin-derived precursors with a synthetic peptide derived from von Hippel-Lindau protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubo, Atsuhiko; Yoshida, Tetsuhiko; Kobayashi, Nahoko; Yokoyama, Takaakira; Mimura, Toshiro; Nishiguchi, Takao; Higashida, Tetsuhiro; Yamamoto, Isao; Kanno, Hiroshi

    2009-12-01

    Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) from mammalian dermis represent neural crest-related stem cells capable of differentiating into both neural and mesodermal progency. SKPs are of clinical interest because they serve as accessible autologous donor cells for neuronal repair for neuronal intractable diseases. However, little is known about the efficient generation of neurons from SKPs, and phenotypes of neurons generated from SKPs have been restricted. In addition, the neuronal repair using their generated neurons as donor cells has not been achieved. The von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL) is one of the proteins that play an important role during neuronal differentiation, and recently neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells by intracellular delivery of a synthetic VHL peptide derived from elongin BC-binding site has been demonstrated. In the present study, a synthetic VHL peptide derived from elongin BC-binding site was conjugated to the protein transduction domain (PTD) of HIV-TAT protein (TATVHL peptide) to facilitate entry into cells, and we demonstrate the efficient generation of cells with dopaminergic phenotype from SKPs with the intracellular delivery of TATVHL peptide, and characterized the generated cells. The TATVHL peptide-treated SKPs expressed neuronal marker proteins, particularly dopamine neuron markers, and also up-regulated mRNA levels of proneural basic helix-loop-helix factors. After the TATVHL peptide treatment, transplanted SKPs into Parkinson's disease (PD) model rats sufficiently differentiated into dopamine neuron-like cells in PD model rats, and partially but significantly corrected behavior of PD model rats. The generated dopamine neuron-like cells are expected to serve as donor cells for neuronal repair for PD.

  20. Dissecting the Structure-Function Relationship of a Fungicidal Peptide Derived from the Constant Region of Human Immunoglobulins

    OpenAIRE

    Ciociola, Tecla; Pertinhez, Thelma A.; Giovati, Laura; Sperindè, Martina; Magliani, Walter; Ferrari, Elena; Gatti, Rita; D'Adda, Tiziana; Spisni, Alberto; Conti, Stefania; Polonelli, Luciano

    2016-01-01

    Synthetic peptides encompassing sequences related to the complementarity-determining regions of antibodies or derived from their constant region (Fc peptides) were proven to exert differential antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, and/or immunomodulatory activities in vitro and/or in vivo, regardless of the specificity and isotype of the parental antibody. Alanine substitution derivatives of these peptides exhibited unaltered, increased, or decreased candidacidal activities in vitro. The bioac...

  1. A general strategy to endow natural fusion-protein-derived peptides with potent antiviral activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonello Pessi

    Full Text Available Fusion between the viral and target cell membranes is an obligatory step for the infectivity of all enveloped virus, and blocking this process is a clinically validated therapeutic strategy.Viral fusion is driven by specialized proteins which, although specific to each virus, act through a common mechanism, the formation of a complex between two heptad repeat (HR regions. The HR regions are initially separated in an intermediate termed "prehairpin", which bridges the viral and cell membranes, and then fold onto each other to form a 6-helical bundle (6HB, driving the two membranes to fuse. HR-derived peptides can inhibit viral infectivity by binding to the prehairpin intermediate and preventing its transition to the 6HB.The antiviral activity of HR-derived peptides differs considerably among enveloped viruses. For weak inhibitors, potency can be increased by peptide engineering strategies, but sequence-specific optimization is time-consuming. In seeking ways to increase potency without changing the native sequence, we previously reported that attachment to the HR peptide of a cholesterol group ("cholesterol-tagging" dramatically increases its antiviral potency, and simultaneously increases its half-life in vivo. We show here that antiviral potency may be increased by combining cholesterol-tagging with dimerization of the HR-derived sequence, using as examples human parainfluenza virus, Nipah virus, and HIV-1. Together, cholesterol-tagging and dimerization may represent strategies to boost HR peptide potency to levels that in some cases may be compatible with in vivo use, possibly contributing to emergency responses to outbreaks of existing or novel viruses.

  2. Structure-function characterization and optimization of a plant-derived antibacterial peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suarez, Mougli; Haenni, Marisa; Canarelli, Stéphane; Fisch, Florian; Chodanowski, Pierre; Servis, Catherine; Michielin, Olivier; Freitag, Ruth; Moreillon, Philippe; Mermod, Nicolas

    2005-09-01

    Crushed seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree have been used traditionally as natural flocculants to clarify drinking water. We previously showed that one of the seed peptides mediates both the sedimentation of suspended particles such as bacterial cells and a direct bactericidal activity, raising the possibility that the two activities might be related. In this study, the conformational modeling of the peptide was coupled to a functional analysis of synthetic derivatives. This indicated that partly overlapping structural determinants mediate the sedimentation and antibacterial activities. Sedimentation requires a positively charged, glutamine-rich portion of the peptide that aggregates bacterial cells. The bactericidal activity was localized to a sequence prone to form a helix-loop-helix structural motif. Amino acid substitution showed that the bactericidal activity requires hydrophobic proline residues within the protruding loop. Vital dye staining indicated that treatment with peptides containing this motif results in bacterial membrane damage. Assembly of multiple copies of this structural motif into a branched peptide enhanced antibacterial activity, since low concentrations effectively kill bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pyogenes without displaying a toxic effect on human red blood cells. This study thus identifies a synthetic peptide with potent antibacterial activity against specific human pathogens. It also suggests partly distinct molecular mechanisms for each activity. Sedimentation may result from coupled flocculation and coagulation effects, while the bactericidal activity would require bacterial membrane destabilization by a hydrophobic loop.

  3. Antiinflammatory properties of a peptide derived from interleukin-4

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klementiev, Boris; Enevoldsen, Maj N; Li, Shizhong

    2013-01-01

    Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a potent antiinflammatory cytokine. However its use in the clinic is hampered by side effects. We here describe the identification of a novel synthetic peptide, termed Ph8, derived from α-helix C of IL-4, which interacts with IL-4 receptor α (IL-4Rα). Employing various...... and reduced acute inflammation in carrageenan-induced edema. Our findings indicate that Ph8 is a promising potential drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases....

  4. Antimicrobial properties of two novel peptides derived from Theobroma cacao osmotin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falcao, Loeni L; Silva-Werneck, Joseilde O; Ramos, Alessandra de R; Martins, Natalia F; Bresso, Emmanuel; Rodrigues, Magali A; Bemquerer, Marcelo P; Marcellino, Lucilia H

    2016-05-01

    The osmotin proteins of several plants display antifungal activity, which can play an important role in plant defense against diseases. Thus, this protein can be useful as a source for biotechnological strategies aiming to combat fungal diseases. In this work, we analyzed the antifungal activity of a cacao osmotin-like protein (TcOsm1) and of two osmotin-derived synthetic peptides with antimicrobial features, differing by five amino acids residues at the N-terminus. Antimicrobial tests showed that TcOsm1 expressed in Escherichia coli inhibits the growth of Moniliophthora perniciosa mycelium and Pichia pastoris X-33 in vitro. The TcOsm1-derived peptides, named Osm-pepA (H-RRLDRGGVWNLNVNPGTTGARVWARTK-NH2), located at R23-K49, and Osm-pepB (H-GGVWNLNVNPGTTGARVWARTK-NH2), located at G28-K49, inhibited growth of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C and Pichia pastoris X-33) and spore germination of the phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium f. sp. glycines and Colletotrichum gossypi. Osm-pepA was more efficient than Osm-pepB for S. cerevisiae (MIC=40μM and MIC=127μM, respectively), as well as for P. pastoris (MIC=20μM and MIC=127μM, respectively). Furthermore, the peptides presented a biphasic performance, promoting S. cerevisiae growth in doses around 5μM and inhibiting it at higher doses. The structural model for these peptides showed that the five amino acids residues, RRLDR at Osm-pepA N-terminus, significantly affect the tertiary structure, indicating that this structure is important for the peptide antimicrobial potency. This is the first report of development of antimicrobial peptides from T. cacao. Taken together, the results indicate that the cacao osmotin and its derived peptides, herein studied, are good candidates for developing biotechnological tools aiming to control phytopathogenic fungi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Enhancement of endotoxin neutralization by coupling of a C12-alkyl chain to a lactoferricin-derived peptide

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    Antibacterial peptide acylation, which mimics the structure of the natural lipopeptide polymyxin B, increases antimicrobial and endotoxin-neutralizing activities. The interaction of the lactoferricin-derived peptide LF11 and its N-terminally acylated analogue, lauryl-LF11, with different chemotypes of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS Re, Ra and smooth S form) was investigated by biophysical means and was related to the peptides' biological activities. Both peptides exhibit high antibacterial activity against the three strains of Salmonella enterica differing in the LPS chemotype. Lauryl-LF11 has one order of magnitude higher activity against Re-type, but activity against Ra- and S-type bacteria is comparable with that of LF11. The alkyl derivative peptide lauryl-LF11 shows a much stronger inhibition of the LPS-induced cytokine induction in human mononuclear cells than LF11. Although peptide–LPS interaction is essentially of electrostatic nature, the lauryl-modified peptide displays a strong hydrophobic component. Such a feature might then explain the fact that saturation of the peptide binding takes place at a much lower peptide/LPS ratio for LF11 than for lauryl-LF11, and that an overcompensation of the negative LPS backbone charges is observed for lauryl-LF11. The influence of LF11 on the gel-to-liquid-crystalline phase-transition of LPS is negligible for LPS Re, but clearly fluidizing for LPS Ra. In contrast, lauryl-LF11 causes a cholesterol-like effect in the two chemotypes, fluidizing in the gel and rigidifying of the hydrocarbon chains in the liquid-crystalline phase. Both peptides convert the mixed unilamellar/non-lamellar aggregate structure of lipid A, the ‘endotoxic principle’ of LPS, into a multilamellar one. These data contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of the peptide-mediated neutralization of endotoxin and effect of lipid modification of peptides. PMID:15344905

  6. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on Mycoplasma bovis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a diverse group of molecules which play an important role in the innate immune response. Bovine NK-lysins, a type of AMP, have been predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides demonstrate antimicrobia...

  7. Lactoferrin-derived Peptides Active towards Influenza: Identification of Three Potent Tetrapeptide Inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scala, Maria Carmina; Sala, Marina; Pietrantoni, Agostina; Spensiero, Antonia; Di Micco, Simone; Agamennone, Mariangela; Bertamino, Alessia; Novellino, Ettore; Bifulco, Giuseppe; Gomez-Monterrey, Isabel M; Superti, Fabiana; Campiglia, Pietro

    2017-09-06

    Bovine lactoferrin is a biglobular multifunctional iron binding glycoprotein that plays an important role in innate immunity against infections. We have previously demonstrated that selected peptides from bovine lactoferrin C-lobe are able to prevent both Influenza virus hemagglutination and cell infection. To deeper investigate the ability of lactoferrin derived peptides to inhibit Influenza virus infection, in this study we identified new bovine lactoferrin C-lobe derived sequences and corresponding synthetic peptides were synthesized and assayed to check their ability to prevent viral hemagglutination and infection. We identified three tetrapeptides endowed with broad anti-Influenza activity and able to inhibit viral infection in a concentration range femto- to picomolar. Our data indicate that these peptides may constitute a non-toxic tool for potential applications as anti-Influenza therapeutics.

  8. Structural properties of a peptide derived from H+-V-ATPase subunit a

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeer, L.S.; Reat, V.; Hemminga, M.A.; Milon, A.

    2009-01-01

    The 3D structure of a peptide derived from the putative transmembrane segment 7 (TM7) of subunit a from H+-V-ATPase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been determined by solution state NMR in SDS. A stable helix is formed from L736 up to and including Q745, the lumenal half of the putative TM7. The

  9. The P413L chromogranin B variation in French patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blasco, Hélène; Corcia, Philippe; Veyrat-Durebex, Charlotte; Coutadeur, Cathleen; Fournier, Clémentine; Camu, William; Gordon, Paul; Praline, Julien; Andres, Christian R; Vourc'h, Patrick

    2011-05-01

    Chromogranins interact with mutant forms of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) responsible for a portion of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A particular variation (P413L) in the chromogranin B gene, CHGB, has been recently associated with an earlier age at onset in both familial and sporadic ALS. The aim of our study was to evaluate the P413L chromogranin variation in French patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We developed a High Resolution DNA Melting (HRM) protocol to analyse the P413L variation in the CHGB gene in 540 French patients with sporadic ALS and 504 controls. The clinical characteristics of patients were analysed in relation to their genotype. Results showed that our study on a large cohort of French-Caucasian patients with SALS and controls failed to confirm an increased frequency of the 413L variant in SALS patients. This frequency was 5.3% in the SALS population and 5.5% in the control group. Moreover, we did not observe a previous observation of a difference of age at onset between T-allele carriers and non-carriers (median age of onset 60.4 vs. 62.0 years of age, respectively). Thus, our findings do not support the 413L variant of rs742710 as a risk factor for sporadic ALS in the French population.

  10. Lacto-ghrestatin, a novel bovine milk-derived peptide, suppresses ghrelin secretion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aoki, Hayato; Nakato, Junya; Mizushige, Takafumi; Iwakura, Hiroshi; Sato, Masaru; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Kanamoto, Ryuhei; Ohinata, Kousaku

    2017-07-01

    Ghrelin, an endogenous peptide isolated from the stomach, is known to stimulate food intake after peripheral administration. We found that the enzymatic digest of β-lactoglobulin decreases ghrelin secretion from the ghrelin-producing cell line MGN3-1. The peptides present in the digest were comprehensively analyzed using the nanoLC-OrbitrapMS. Among them, we identified that the nonapeptide LIVTQTMKG, corresponding to β-lactoglobulin(1-9), suppresses ghrelin secretion from MGN3-1 cells. We named LIVTQTMKG 'lacto-ghrestatin'. We found that lacto-ghrestatin decreases intracellular cAMP levels and mRNA expression levels of ghrelin production-related genes in MGN3-1 cells. Orally administered lacto-ghrestatin decreases plasma ghrelin levels and food intake in fasted mice. Lacto-ghrestatin is the first food-derived peptide to suppress ghrelin secretion in vitro and in vivo. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  11. Secretion of pancreastatins from the porcine digestive tract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boerglum Jensen, T.D.; Holst, J.J.; Fahrenkrug, J.

    1994-01-01

    Pancreastatin, a 49-amino acid peptide with a COOH-terminal glycine amide, was originally isolated from porcine pancreas, but pancreastatin immunoreactivity has been found in several neuroendocrine tissues. There are strong indications that pancreastatin is derived from chromogranin A, since the amino acid sequence 240-288 in porcine chromogranin A corresponds to pancreastatin flanked by typical signals for proteolytic processing. The authors studied the effect of electric stimulation of the nervous supply to perfused porcine pancreas, antrum, nonantral stomach, and small intestine on the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin, and they have characterized the molecular nature of the secreted immunoreactivity by using a radioimmunoassay specific for the COOH-terminal glycine amide of porcine pancreastatin in combination with chromatography. In all tissues nerve stimulation significantly increased the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin. The secreted immunoreactive pancreastatin was heterogeneous, consisting of pancreastatin itself, a COOH-terminal pancreastatin fragment, and NH 2 -terminally extended pancreastatin forms. Pancreastatin predominated in the perfusate from pancreas and antrum, whereas mainly NH 2 -terminally extended molecular forms were secreted from the antrectomized stomach and small intestine. The different molecular forms of pancreastatin were secreted from the perfused organs in the same molar ratio as they occur in extracts of the corresponding tissues. Thus, pancreastatin and other chromogranin A-derived peptides in organ-specific proportions regularly accompany the secretion of the peptide hormones from the gastrointestinal tissues on appropriate stimulation. 40 refs., 5 figs

  12. Discovery of a novel target for the dysglycemic chromogranin A fragment pancreastatin: interaction with the chaperone GRP78 to influence metabolism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilima Biswas

    Full Text Available RATIONALE: The chromogranin A-derived peptide pancreastatin (PST is a dysglycemic, counter-regulatory peptide for insulin action, especially in liver. Although previous evidence for a PST binding protein has been reported, such a receptor has not been identified or sequenced. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used ligand affinity to purify the PST target, with biotinylated human PST (hCHGA273-301-amide as "bait" and mouse liver homogenate as "prey", and identified GRP78 (a.k.a. "78 kDa Glucose Regulated Protein", HSPA5, BIP as a major interacting partner of PST. GRP78 belongs to the family of heat shock proteins (chaperones, involved in several cellular processes including protein folding and glucose metabolism. We analyzed expression of GRP78 in the absence of PST in a mouse knockout model lacking its precursor CHGA: hepatic transcriptome data revealed global over-expression of not only GRP78 but also other heat shock transcripts (of the "adaptive UPR" in CHGA(-/- mice compared to wild-type (+/+. By contrast, we found a global decline in expression of hepatic pro-apoptotic transcripts in CHGA(-/- mice. GRP78's ATPase enzymatic activity was dose-dependently inhibited by PST (IC50∼5.2 µM. PST also inhibited the up-regulation of GRP78 expression during UPR activation (by tunicamycin in hepatocytes. PST inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes, and increased hepatic expression of G6Pase (the final step in gluconeogenesis/glycogenolysis. In hepatocytes not only PST but also other GRP78-ATPase inhibitors (VER-155008 or ADP increased G6Pase expression. GRP78 over-expression inhibited G6Pase expression in hepatocytes, with partial restoration by GRP78-ATPase inhibitors PST, VER-155008, or ADP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that an unexpected major hepatic target of PST is the adaptive UPR chaperone GRP78. PST not only binds to GRP78 (in pH-dependent fashion, but also inhibits GRP78's ATPase enzymatic activity, and impairs its biosynthetic

  13. Antimicrobial Effects of Helix D-derived Peptides of Human Antithrombin III*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Bhongir, Ravi K. V.; Mörgelin, Matthias; Malmsten, Martin; Schmidtchen, Artur

    2014-01-01

    Antithrombin III (ATIII) is a key antiproteinase involved in blood coagulation. Previous investigations have shown that ATIII is degraded by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, leading to release of heparin binding fragments derived from its D helix. As heparin binding and antimicrobial activity of peptides frequently overlap, we here set out to explore possible antibacterial effects of intact and degraded ATIII. In contrast to intact ATIII, the results showed that extensive degradation of the molecule yielded fragments with antimicrobial activity. Correspondingly, the heparin-binding, helix d-derived, peptide FFFAKLNCRLYRKANKSSKLV (FFF21) of human ATIII, was found to be antimicrobial against particularly the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy studies demonstrated that FFF21 binds to and permeabilizes bacterial membranes. Analogously, FFF21 was found to induce membrane leakage of model anionic liposomes. In vivo, FFF21 significantly reduced P. aeruginosa infection in mice. Additionally, FFF21 displayed anti-endotoxic effects in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest novel roles for ATIII-derived peptide fragments in host defense. PMID:25202017

  14. A Chimeric Peptide Composed of a Dermaseptin Derivative and an RNA III-Inhibiting Peptide Prevents Graft-Associated Infections by Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococci

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balaban, Naomi; Gov, Yael; Giacometti, Andrea; Cirioni, Oscar; Ghiselli, Roberto; Mocchegiani, Federico; Orlando, Fiorenza; D'Amato, Giuseppina; Saba, Vittorio; Scalise, Giorgio; Bernes, Sabina; Mor, Amram

    2004-01-01

    Staphylococcal bacteria are a prevalent cause of infections associated with foreign bodies and indwelling medical devices. Bacteria are capable of escaping antibiotic treatment through encapsulation into biofilms. RNA III-inhibiting peptide (RIP) is a heptapeptide that inhibits staphylococcal biofilm formation by obstructing quorum-sensing mechanisms. K4-S4(1-13)a is a 13-residue dermaseptin derivative (DD13) believed to kill bacteria via membrane disruption. We tested each of these peptides as well as a hybrid construct, DD13-RIP, for their ability to inhibit bacterial proliferation and suppress quorum sensing in vitro and for their efficacy in preventing staphylococcal infection in a rat graft infection model with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or S. epidermidis (MRSE). In vitro, proliferation assays demonstrated that RIP had no inhibitory effect, while DD13-RIP and DD13 were equally effective, and that the chimeric peptide but not DD13 was slightly more effective than RIP in inhibiting RNA III synthesis, a regulatory RNA molecule important for staphylococcal pathogenesis. In vivo, the three peptides reduced graft-associated bacterial load in a dose-dependent manner, but the hybrid peptide was most potent in totally preventing staphylococcal infections at the lowest dose. In addition, each of the peptides acted synergistically with antibiotics. The data indicate that RIP and DD13 act in synergy by attacking bacteria simultaneously by two different mechanisms. Such a chimeric peptide may be useful for coating medical devices to prevent drug-resistant staphylococcal infections. PMID:15215107

  15. Interaction of MreB-derived antimicrobial peptides with membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saikia, Karabi; Chaudhary, Nitin

    2018-03-25

    Antimicrobial peptides are critical components of defense systems in living forms. The activity is conferred largely by the selective membrane-permeabilizing ability. In our earlier work, we derived potent antimicrobial peptides from the 9-residue long, N-terminal amphipathic helix of E. coli MreB protein. The peptides display broad-spectrum activity, killing not only Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but opportunistic fungus, Candida albicans as well. These results proved that membrane-binding stretches of bacterial proteins could turn out to be self-harming when applied from outside. Here, we studied the membrane-binding and membrane-perturbing potential of these peptides. Steady-state tryptophan fluorescence studies with tryptophan extended peptides, WMreB 1-9 and its N-terminal acetylated analog, Ac-WMreB 1-9 show preferential binding to negatively-charged liposomes. Both the peptides cause permeabilization of E. coli inner and outer-membranes. Tryptophan-lacking peptides, though permeabilize the outer-membrane efficiently, little permeabilization of the inner-membrane is observed. These data attest membrane-destabilization as the mechanism of rapid bacterial killing. This study is expected to motivate the research in identifying microbes' self-sequences to combat them. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Spontaneous human squamous cell carcinomas are killed by a human cytotoxic T lymphocyte clone recognizing a wild-type p53-derived peptide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Röpke, M; Hald, J; Guldberg, Per

    1996-01-01

    p53 genes, in a L9V/HLA-A2 specific and restricted fashion. Thus, the normal tolerance against endogenously processed p53 protein-derived self-epitopes can be broken by peptide-specific in vitro priming. p53 protein-derived wild-type peptides might thus represent tumor associated target molecules...

  17. Antimicrobial effects of helix D-derived peptides of human antithrombin III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Bhongir, Ravi K V; Mörgelin, Matthias; Malmsten, Martin; Schmidtchen, Artur

    2014-10-24

    Antithrombin III (ATIII) is a key antiproteinase involved in blood coagulation. Previous investigations have shown that ATIII is degraded by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, leading to release of heparin binding fragments derived from its D helix. As heparin binding and antimicrobial activity of peptides frequently overlap, we here set out to explore possible antibacterial effects of intact and degraded ATIII. In contrast to intact ATIII, the results showed that extensive degradation of the molecule yielded fragments with antimicrobial activity. Correspondingly, the heparin-binding, helix D-derived, peptide FFFAKLNCRLYRKANKSSKLV (FFF21) of human ATIII, was found to be antimicrobial against particularly the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy studies demonstrated that FFF21 binds to and permeabilizes bacterial membranes. Analogously, FFF21 was found to induce membrane leakage of model anionic liposomes. In vivo, FFF21 significantly reduced P. aeruginosa infection in mice. Additionally, FFF21 displayed anti-endotoxic effects in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest novel roles for ATIII-derived peptide fragments in host defense. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Transferrin-derived synthetic peptide induces highly conserved pro-inflammatory responses of macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haddad, George; Belosevic, Miodrag

    2009-02-01

    We examined the induction of macrophage pro-inflammatory responses by transferrin-derived synthetic peptide originally identified following digestion of transferrin from different species (murine, bovine, human N-lobe and goldfish) using elastase. The mass spectrometry analysis of elastase-digested murine transferrin identified a 31 amino acid peptide located in the N2 sub-domain of the transferrin N-lobe, that we named TMAP. TMAP was synthetically produced and shown to induce a number of pro-inflammatory genes by quantitative PCR. TMAP induced chemotaxis, a potent nitric oxide response, and TNF-alpha secretion in different macrophage populations; P338D1 macrophage-like cells, mouse peritoneal macrophages, mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and goldfish macrophages. The treatment of BMDM cultures with TMAP stimulated the production of nine cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, MCP-5, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 gamma, MIP-2, GCSF, KC, VEGF, and RANTES) that was measured using cytokine antibody array and confirmed by Western blot. Our results indicate that transferrin-derived peptide, TMAP, is an immunomodulating molecule capable of inducing pro-inflammatory responses in lower and higher vertebrates.

  19. Human lactoferricin derived di-peptides deploying loop structures induce apoptosis specifically in cancer cells through targeting membranous phosphatidylserine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedl, Sabrina; Leber, Regina; Rinner, Beate; Schaider, Helmut; Lohner, Karl; Zweytick, Dagmar

    2015-11-01

    Host defense-derived peptides have emerged as a novel strategy for the development of alternative anticancer therapies. In this study we report on characteristic features of human lactoferricin (hLFcin) derivatives which facilitate specific killing of cancer cells of melanoma, glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma compared with non-specific derivatives and the synthetic peptide RW-AH. Changes in amino acid sequence of hLFcin providing 9-11 amino acids stretched derivatives LF11-316, -318 and -322 only yielded low antitumor activity. However, the addition of the repeat (di-peptide) and the retro-repeat (di-retro-peptide) sequences highly improved cancer cell toxicity up to 100% at 20 μM peptide concentration. Compared to the complete parent sequence hLFcin the derivatives showed toxicity on the melanoma cell line A375 increased by 10-fold and on the glioblastoma cell line U-87mg by 2-3-fold. Reduced killing velocity, apoptotic blebbing, activation of caspase 3/7 and formation of apoptotic DNA fragments proved that the active and cancer selective peptides, e.g. R-DIM-P-LF11-322, trigger apoptosis, whereas highly active, though non-selective peptides, such as DIM-LF11-318 and RW-AH seem to kill rapidly via necrosis inducing membrane lyses. Structural studies revealed specific toxicity on cancer cells by peptide derivatives with loop structures, whereas non-specific peptides comprised α-helical structures without loop. Model studies with the cancer membrane mimic phosphatidylserine (PS) gave strong evidence that PS only exposed by cancer cells is an important target for specific hLFcin derivatives. Other negatively charged membrane exposed molecules as sialic acid, heparan and chondroitin sulfate were shown to have minor impact on peptide activity. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Five year remission of GHRH secreting bronchial neuroendocrine tumor with symptoms of acromegaly. Utility of chromogranin A in the monitoring of the disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolanowski, M.; Zatonska, K.; Kos-Kudla, B.; Rzeszutko, M.; Marciniak, M.

    2006-01-01

    Acromegaly is usually caused by excess GH (growth hormone) secretion by pituitary adenoma. Extremely rare (< 1% of cases) acromegaly can be a result of ectopic GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone) secretion by bronchial tubes, lung, pancreatic or intestinal tumor. The aim of this description is to present the case of successfully treated acromegaly caused by ectopic GHRH secretion by bronchial neuroendocrine tumor and the usefulness of chromogranin A assay in the disease monitoring. The diagnosis of acromegaly in 61-year old woman was based on typical clinical picture and elevated GH and IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1) levels. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) images revealed no tumor in the pituitary but only the pituitary enlargement. Moreover, the right lung tumor (10 cm size) and elevated GHRH level were documented. The secretion of GH, IGF-1 and GHRH were normalized and progression of acromegaly was stopped after the carcinoid tumor surgery. Currently, 5 year after surgery, acromegaly is still in the remission, as the normal levels of GH, IGF-1, chromogranin A and normal chest and pituitary images confirm. The authors emphasize usefulness of measurement of chromogranin A concentration for the evaluation of the tumor remission in case the routine GHRH assay is not accessible. (authors)

  1. Characterization of trypsin-derived peptides acrylamide-adducted hemoglobin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Springer, D.L.; Goheen, S.C.; Edmonds, C.G.; McCulloch, M.; Sylvester, D.M.; Sander, C.; Bull, R.J.

    1991-01-01

    Even though there are a number of sources for human exposure to acrylamide, reliable biomarkers of exposure are not available. In an effort to develop such a biomarker, the authors are characterizing peptides derived from trypsin digests of acrylamide-adducted hemoglobin. For this, radiolabeled acrylamide was incubated with this, radiolabeled acrylamide was incubated with purified human hemoglobin (Ao) and decomposition products removed by dialysis. When the adducted hemoglobin was separated by reverse-phase HPLC, radioactivity eluted with the α and β subunits, suggesting covalent binding. Digestion of individual subunits with trypsin followed by reverse phase HPLC, indicated that most of the radioactivity associated with the α subunit co-eluted with a single peptide. Similar results were observed for the β subunit except that significant amounts of radioactivity eluted with the solvent front, suggesting that radioactivity was released by trypsin digestion. Currently, these preparation are under further characterization by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This approach will aid in the identification of the adducted will aid in the identification of the adducted peptide and subsequent preparation of an acrylamide-specific antibody

  2. Laminin-111-derived peptide conjugated fibrin hydrogel restores salivary gland function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kihoon Nam

    Full Text Available Hyposalivation reduces the patient quality of life, as saliva is important for maintaining oral health. Current treatments for hyposalivation are limited to medications such as the muscarinic receptor agonists, pilocarpine and cevimeline. However, these therapies only provide temporary relief. Therefore, alternative therapies are essential to restore salivary gland function. An option is to use bioengineered scaffolds to promote functional salivary gland regeneration. Previous studies demonstrated that the laminin-111 protein is critical for intact salivary gland cell cluster formation and organization. However, laminin-111 protein as a whole is not suitable for clinical applications as some protein domains may contribute to unwanted side effects such as degradation, tumorigenesis and immune responses. Conversely, the use of synthetic laminin-111 peptides makes it possible to minimize the immune reactivity or pathogen transfer. In addition, it is relatively simple and inexpensive as compared to animal-derived proteins. Therefore, the goal of this study was to demonstrate whether a 20 day treatment with laminin-111-derived peptide conjugated fibrin hydrogel promotes tissue regeneration in submandibular glands of a wound healing mouse model. In this study, laminin-111-derived peptide conjugated fibrin hydrogel significantly accelerated formation of salivary gland tissue. The regenerated gland tissues displayed not only structural but also functional restoration.

  3. Antibacterial activity of lactoferrin and a pepsin-derived lactoferrin peptide fragment.

    OpenAIRE

    Yamauchi, K; Tomita, M; Giehl, T J; Ellison, R T

    1993-01-01

    Although the antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin has been well described, its mechanism of action has been poorly characterized. Recent work has indicated that in addition to binding iron, human lactoferrin damages the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we determined whether bovine lactoferrin and a pepsin-derived bovine lactoferrin peptide (lactoferricin) fragment have similar activities. We found that both 20 microM bovine lactoferrin and 20 microM lactoferricin rele...

  4. Competition between bound and free peptides in an ELISA-based procedure that assays peptides derived from protein digests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pace Umberto

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We describe an ELISA-based method that can be used to identify and quantitate proteins in biological samples. In this method, peptides in solution, derived from proteolytic digests of the sample, compete with substrate-attached synthetic peptides for antibodies, also in solution, generated against the chosen peptides. The peptides used for the ELISA are chosen on the basis of their being (i products of the proteolytic (e.g. tryptic digestion of the protein to be identified and (ii unique to the target protein, as far as one can know from the published sequences. Results In this paper we describe the competition assay and we define the optimal conditions for the most effective assay. We have performed an analysis of the kinetics of interaction between the four components of the assay: the plastic substratum to which the peptide is bound, the bound peptide itself, the competing added peptide, and the antibody that is specific for the peptide and we compare the results of theoretical simulations to the actual data in some model systems. Conclusion The data suggest that the peptides bind to the plastic substratum in more than one conformation and that, once bound, the peptide displays different affinities for the antibody, depending on how it has bound to the plate

  5. Hemopressins and other hemoglobin-derived peptides in mouse brain: Comparison between brain, blood, and heart peptidome and regulation in Cpefat/fat mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelman, Julia S.; Sironi, Juan; Castro, Leandro M.; Ferro, Emer S.; Fricker, Lloyd D.

    2010-01-01

    Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are present in mouse brain, and several of these have bioactive properties including the hemopressins, a related series of peptides that bind to cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Although hemoglobin is a major component of red blood cells, it is also present in neurons and glia. To examine whether the hemoglobin-derived peptides in brain are similar to those present in blood and heart, we used a peptidomics approach involving mass spectrometry. Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are found only in brain and not in blood, whereas all hemoglobin-derived peptides found in heart were also seen in blood. Thus, it is likely that the majority of the hemoglobin-derived peptides detected in brain are produced from brain hemoglobin and not erythrocytes. We also examined if the hemopressins and other major hemoglobin-derived peptides were regulated in the Cpefat/fat mouse; previously these mice were reported to have elevated levels of several hemoglobin-derived peptides. Many, but not all of the hemoglobin-derived peptides were elevated in several brain regions of the Cpefat/fat mouse. Taken together, these findings suggest that the post-translational processing of alpha and beta hemoglobin into the hemopressins, as well as other peptides, is upregulated in some but not all Cpefat/fat mouse brain regions. PMID:20202081

  6. Anti-Hemagglutinin Antibody Derived Lead Peptides for Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Binding.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henry Memczak

    Full Text Available Antibodies against spike proteins of influenza are used as a tool for characterization of viruses and therapeutic approaches. However, development, production and quality control of antibodies is expensive and time consuming. To circumvent these difficulties, three peptides were derived from complementarity determining regions of an antibody heavy chain against influenza A spike glycoprotein. Their binding properties were studied experimentally, and by molecular dynamics simulations. Two peptide candidates showed binding to influenza A/Aichi/2/68 H3N2. One of them, termed PeB, with the highest affinity prevented binding to and infection of target cells in the micromolar region without any cytotoxic effect. PeB matches best the conserved receptor binding site of hemagglutinin. PeB bound also to other medical relevant influenza strains, such as human-pathogenic A/California/7/2009 H1N1, and avian-pathogenic A/Mute Swan/Rostock/R901/2006 H7N1. Strategies to improve the affinity and to adapt specificity are discussed and exemplified by a double amino acid substituted peptide, obtained by substitutional analysis. The peptides and their derivatives are of great potential for drug development as well as biosensing.

  7. Site-selective modification of peptides: From "customizable units" to novel α-aryl and α-alkyl glycine derivatives, and components of branched peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero-Estudillo, Iván; Saavedra, Carlos; Boto, Alicia; Álvarez, Eleuterio

    2015-09-01

    The creation of peptide libraries by site-selective modification of a few peptide substrates would increase the efficiency of discovery processes, but still is a real synthetic challenge. The site-selective modification of small peptides at serine or threonine residues, by using a short scission-addition procedure, allows the preparation of peptides with unnatural α-aryl glycines. In a similar way, the scission of hydroxyproline residues is the key step in the production of optically pure α-alkyl glycines which are precursors or components of branched peptides. With these versatile processes, a single peptide can be transformed into a variety of peptide derivatives. The process takes place under mild conditions, and good global yields are obtained. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 104: 650-662, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Lumazine Peptides from the Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus terreus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minjung You

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Terrelumamides A (1 and B (2, two new lumazine-containing peptides, were isolated from the culture broth of the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus. From the results of combined spectroscopic and chemical analyses, the structures of these compounds were determined to be linear assemblies of 1-methyllumazine-6-carboxylic acid, an amino acid residue and anthranilic acid methyl ester connected by peptide bonds. These new compounds exhibited pharmacological activity by improving insulin sensitivity, which was evaluated in an adipogenesis model using human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, the compounds exhibited fluorescence changes upon binding to DNA, demonstrating their potential applications to DNA sequence recognition.

  9. Conformation of an Shc-derived phosphotyrosine-containing peptide complexed with the Grb2 SH2 domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogura, Kenji; Tsuchiya, Shigeo; Terasawa, Hiroaki; Yuzawa, Satoru; Hatanaka, Hideki; Mandiyan, Valsan; Schlessinger, Joseph; Inagaki, Fuyuhiko

    1997-01-01

    We have determined the structure of an Shc-derived phosphotyrosine-containing peptide complexed with Grb2 SH2 based on intra-and intermolecular NOE correlations observed by a series of isotope-filtered NMR experiments using a PFG z-filter. In contrast to an extended conformation of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides bound to Src, Syp and PLC γ SH2s, the Shc-derived peptide formed a turn at the +1 and +2 positions next to the phosphotyrosine residue. Trp 121 , located at the EF1 site of Grb2 SH2, blocked the peptide binding in an extended conformation. The present study confirms that each phosphotyrosine-containing peptide binds to the cognate SH2 with a specific conformation, which gives the structural basis for the binding specificity between SH2s and target proteins

  10. Ghrelin-derived peptides: a link between appetite/reward, GH axis and psychiatric disorders ?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra eLabarthe

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Psychiatric disorders are often associated with metabolic and hormonal alterations, including obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome as well as modifications in several biological rhythms including appetite, stress, sleep-wake cycles and secretion of their corresponding endocrine regulators.Among the gastrointestinal hormones that regulate appetite and adapt the metabolism in response to nutritional, hedonic and emotional dysfunctions, at the interface between endocrine, metabolic and psychiatric disorders, ghrelin plays a unique role as the only one increasing appetite. The secretion of ghrelin is altered in several psychiatric disorders (anorexia, schizophrenia as well as in metabolic disorders (obesity and in animal models in response to emotional triggers (psychological stress, …. but the relationship between these modifications and the physiopathology of psychiatric disorders remains unclear. Recently, a large literature showed that this key metabolic/endocrine regulator is involved in stress and reward-oriented behaviors and regulates anxiety and mood. In addition, preproghrelin is a complex prohormone but the roles of the other ghrelin-derived peptides, thought to act as functional ghrelin antagonists, are largely unknown. Altered ghrelin secretion and/or signaling in psychiatric diseases are thought to participate in altered appetite, hedonic response and reward. Whether this can contribute to the mechanism responsible for the development of the disease or can help to minimize some symptoms associated with these psychiatric disorders is discussed in the present review. We will thus describe 1 the biological actions of ghrelin and ghrelin-derived peptides on food and drugs reward, anxiety and depression, and the physiological consequences of ghrelin invalidation on these parameters, 2 how ghrelin and ghrelin-derived peptides are regulated in animal models of psychiatric diseases and in human psychiatric disorders in relation with the GH

  11. The remarkable stability of chimeric, sialic acid-derived alpha/delta-peptides in human blood plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saludes, Jonel P; Natarajan, Arutselvan; DeNardo, Sally J; Gervay-Hague, Jacquelyn

    2010-05-01

    Peptides are labile toward proteolytic enzymes, and structural modifications are often required to prolong their metabolic half-life and increase resistance. One modification is the incorporation of non-alpha-amino acids into the peptide to deter recognition by hydrolytic enzymes. We previously reported the synthesis of chimeric alpha/delta-peptides from glutamic acids (Glu) and the sialic acid derivative Neu2en. Conformational analyses revealed these constructs adopt secondary structures in water and may serve as conformational surrogates of polysialic acid. Polysialic acid is a tumor-associated polysaccharide and is correlated with cancer metastasis. Soluble polysialic acid is rapidly cleared from the blood limiting its potential for vaccine development. One motivation in developing structural surrogates of polysialic acid was to create constructs with increased bioavailability. Here, we report plasma stability profiles of Glu/Neu2en alpha/delta-peptides. DOTA was conjugated at the peptide N-termini by solid phase peptide synthesis, radiolabeled with (111)In, incubated in human blood plasma at 37 degrees C, and their degradation patterns monitored by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and radioactivity counting. Results indicate that these peptides exhibit a long half-life that is two- to three-orders of magnitude higher than natural alpha-peptides. These findings provide a viable platform for the synthesis of plasma stable, sialic acid-derived peptides that may find pharmaceutical application.

  12. Apoptotic death of Listeria monocytogenes-infected human macrophages induced by lactoferricin B, a bovine lactoferrin-derived peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhi, C; Conte, M P; Ranaldi, S; Penta, M; Valenti, P; Tinari, A; Superti, F; Seganti, L

    2005-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes, an intracellular facultative food-borne pathogen, was reported to induce apoptosis in vitro and in vivo in a variety of cell types with the exception of murine macrophages. These cells represent the predominant compartment of bacterial multiplication and die as a result of necrosis. In this study we showed that human non-activated and IFN-gamma-activated macrophagic-like (THP-1) cells infected with L. monocytogenes, mainly die by necrosis rather than by an apoptotic process. Two natural products derived from bovine milk, lactoferrin and its derivative peptide lactoferricin B, are capable of regulating the fate of infected human macrophages. Bovine lactoferrin treatment of macrophages protects them from L. monocytogenes-induced death whereas lactoferricin B, its derivative peptide, determines a shifting of the equilibrium from necrosis to apoptosis.

  13. Pentastatin-1, a collagen IV derived 20-mer peptide, suppresses tumor growth in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koskimaki, Jacob E; Karagiannis, Emmanouil D; Tang, Benjamin C; Hammers, Hans; Watkins, D Neil; Pili, Roberto; Popel, Aleksander S

    2010-02-01

    Angiogenesis is the formation of neovasculature from a pre-existing vascular network. Progression of solid tumors including lung cancer is angiogenesis-dependent. We previously introduced a bioinformatics-based methodology to identify endogenous anti-angiogenic peptide sequences, and validated these predictions in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration assays. One family of peptides with high activity is derived from the alpha-fibrils of type IV collagen. Based on the results from the in vitro screening, we have evaluated the ability of a 20 amino acid peptide derived from the alpha5 fibril of type IV collagen, pentastatin-1, to suppress vessel growth in an angioreactor-based directed in vivo angiogenesis assay (DIVAA). In addition, pentastatin-1 suppressed tumor growth with intraperitoneal peptide administration in a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) xenograft model in nude mice using the NCI-H82 human cancer cell line. Pentastatin-1 decreased the invasion of vessels into angioreactors in vivo in a dose dependent manner. The peptide also decreased the rate of tumor growth and microvascular density in vivo in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model. The peptide treatment significantly decreased the invasion of microvessels in angioreactors and the rate of tumor growth in the xenograft model, indicating potential treatment for angiogenesis-dependent disease, and for translational development as a therapeutic agent for lung cancer.

  14. Pentastatin-1, a collagen IV derived 20-mer peptide, suppresses tumor growth in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koskimaki, Jacob E; Karagiannis, Emmanouil D; Tang, Benjamin C; Hammers, Hans; Watkins, D Neil; Pili, Roberto; Popel, Aleksander S

    2010-01-01

    Angiogenesis is the formation of neovasculature from a pre-existing vascular network. Progression of solid tumors including lung cancer is angiogenesis-dependent. We previously introduced a bioinformatics-based methodology to identify endogenous anti-angiogenic peptide sequences, and validated these predictions in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration assays. One family of peptides with high activity is derived from the α-fibrils of type IV collagen. Based on the results from the in vitro screening, we have evaluated the ability of a 20 amino acid peptide derived from the α5 fibril of type IV collagen, pentastatin-1, to suppress vessel growth in an angioreactor-based directed in vivo angiogenesis assay (DIVAA). In addition, pentastatin-1 suppressed tumor growth with intraperitoneal peptide administration in a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) xenograft model in nude mice using the NCI-H82 human cancer cell line. Pentastatin-1 decreased the invasion of vessels into angioreactors in vivo in a dose dependent manner. The peptide also decreased the rate of tumor growth and microvascular density in vivo in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model. The peptide treatment significantly decreased the invasion of microvessels in angioreactors and the rate of tumor growth in the xenograft model, indicating potential treatment for angiogenesis-dependent disease, and for translational development as a therapeutic agent for lung cancer

  15. MHC class II-derived peptides can bind to class II molecules, including self molecules, and prevent antigen presentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosloniec, E F; Vitez, L J; Buus, S

    1990-01-01

    the alpha k-3 peptide binds slightly less well. These combined data, suggesting that class II-derived peptides can bind to MHC class II molecules, including the autologous molecule from which they are derived, have important implications for the molecular basis of alloreactivity and autoreactivity. Further...... found in the first and third polymorphic regions (PMR) of the A alpha k chain (alpha k-1 and alpha k-3) were capable of inhibiting the presentation of three different HEL-derived peptide antigens to their appropriate T cells. In addition, the alpha k-1 peptide inhibited the presentation of the OVA(323......-339) immunodominant peptide to the I-Ad-restricted T cell hybridomas specific for it. Prepulsing experiments demonstrated that the PMR peptides were interacting with the APC and not with the T cell hybridomas. These observations were confirmed and extended by the demonstration that the alpha k-1 and alpha k-3...

  16. A biomimetic collagen derived peptide exhibits anti-angiogenic activity in triple negative breast cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena V Rosca

    Full Text Available We investigated the application of a mimetic 20 amino acid peptide derived from type IV collagen for treatment of breast cancer. We showed that the peptide induced a decrease of proliferation, adhesion, and migration of endothelial and tumor cells in vitro. We also observed an inhibition of triple negative MDA-MB-231 xenograft growth by 75% relative to control when administered intraperitoneally for 27 days at 10 mg/kg. We monitored in vivo the changes in vascular properties throughout the treatment using MRI and found that the vascular volume and permeability surface area product decreased significantly. The treatment also resulted in an increase of caspase-3 activity and in a reduction of microvascular density. The multiple mode of action of this peptide, i.e., anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumorigenic, makes it a viable candidate as a therapeutic agent as a monotherapy or in combination with other compounds.

  17. Antimicrobial activity of the indolicidin-derived novel synthetic peptide In-58.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilchenko, A S; Vasilchenko, A V; Pashkova, T M; Smirnova, M P; Kolodkin, N I; Manukhov, I V; Zavilgelsky, G B; Sizova, E A; Kartashova, O L; Simbirtsev, A S; Rogozhin, E A; Duskaev, G K; Sycheva, M V

    2017-12-01

    Natural peptides with antimicrobial activity are extremely diverse, and peptide synthesis technologies make it possible to significantly improve their properties for specific tasks. Here, we investigate the biological properties of the natural peptide indolicidin and the indolicidin-derived novel synthetic peptide In-58. In-58 was generated by replacing all tryptophan residues on phenylalanine in D-configuration; the α-amino group in the main chain also was modified by unsaturated fatty acid. Compared with indolicidin, In-58 is more bactericidal, more resistant to proteinase K, and less toxic to mammalian cells. Using molecular physics approaches, we characterized the action of In-58 on bacterial cells at the cellular level. Also, we have found that studied peptides damage bacterial membranes. Using the Escherichia coli luminescent biosensor strain MG1655 (pcolD'::lux), we investigated the action of indolicidin and In-58 at the subcellular level. At subinhibitory concentrations, indolicidin and In-58 induced an SOS response. Our data suggest that indolicidin damages the DNA, but bacterial membrane perturbation is its principal mode of action. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. A Tetrameric Peptide Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibits Specific Cytotoxic Effects against Oral Squamous-Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solarte, Víctor A; Rosas, Jaiver E; Rivera, Zuly J; Arango-Rodríguez, Martha L; García, Javier E; Vernot, Jean-Paul

    2015-01-01

    Several short linear peptides derived from cyclic bovine lactoferricin were synthesized and tested for their cytotoxic effect against the oral cavity squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines CAL27 and SCC15. As a control, an immortalized and nontumorigenic cell line, Het-1A, was used. Linear peptides based on the RRWQWR core sequence showed a moderate cytotoxic effect and specificity towards tumorigenic cells. A tetrameric peptide, LfcinB(20-25)4, containing the RRWQWR motif, exhibited greater cytotoxic activity (>90%) in both OSCC cell lines compared to the linear lactoferricin peptide or the lactoferrin protein. Additionally, this tetrameric peptide showed the highest specificity towards tumorigenic cells among the tested peptides. Interestingly, this effect was very fast, with cell shrinkage, severe damage to cell membrane permeability, and lysis within one hour of treatment. Our results are consistent with a necrotic effect rather than an apoptotic one and suggest that this tetrameric peptide could be considered as a new candidate for the therapeutic treatment of OSCC.

  19. PreproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract: expression and biological function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bredkjoer, H E; Palle, C; Ekblad, E

    1997-01-01

    The aim of the study was to elucidate the localization, distribution, colocalization and biological effect of preproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract. Radioimmunoassays applying antisera against the five functional domains of the VIP precursor in combination with immunohistoc......The aim of the study was to elucidate the localization, distribution, colocalization and biological effect of preproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract. Radioimmunoassays applying antisera against the five functional domains of the VIP precursor in combination...... with immunohistochemistry were used. The effect of preproVIP 22-79, preproVIP 111-122 and preproVIP 156-170 on genital smooth muscle activity in the Fallopian tube was investigated in vitro and compared to that of VIP. All the preproVIP-derived peptides were expressed throughout the genital tract in neuronal elements...

  20. δ-Peptides from RuAAC-Derived 1,5-Disubstituted Triazole Units

    KAUST Repository

    Johansson, Johan R.

    2014-02-14

    Non-natural peptides with structures and functions similar to natural peptides have emerged lately in biomedical as well as nanotechnological contexts. They are interesting for pharmaceutical applications since they can adopt structures with new targeting potentials and because they are generally not prone to degradation by proteases. We report here a new set of peptidomimetics derived from δ-peptides, consisting of n units of a 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole amino acid (5Tzl). The monomer was prepared using ruthenium-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (RuAAC) chemistry using [RuCl2Cp]x as the catalyst, allowing for simpler purification and resulting in excellent yields. This achiral monomer was used to prepare peptide oligomers that are water soluble independent of peptide chain length. Conformational analysis and structural investigations of the oligomers were performed by 2D NOESY NMR experiments, and by quantum chemical calculations using the ωB97X-D functional. These data indicate that several conformations may co-exist with slight energetic differences. Together with their increased hydrophilicity, this feature of homo-5Tzl may prove essential for mimicking natural peptides composed of α-amino acids, where the various secondary structures are achieved by side chain effects and not by the rigidity of the peptide backbone. The improved synthetic method allows for facile variation of the 5Tzl amino acid side chains, further increasing the versatility of these compounds. A new set of non-natural peptides composed of 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole amino acids is presented. These peptides benefit from: a) modular synthesis of the monomers, allowing variation of the side chains; b) increased solubility of the oligomers in water, irrespective of peptide length; c) flexibility of the backbone allowing these foldamers to adopt several conformations. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Alpha-amidated peptides derived from pro-opiomelanocortin in human pituitary tumours

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, M; Johnsen, A H

    1988-01-01

    Human pituitary tumours, obtained at surgery for Cushing's disease and Nelson's syndrome, were extracted and the content and molecular forms of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides determined by radioimmunoassay, gel chromatography, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography....... In conclusion, all the molecular forms of the amidated peptides detected in tumours from patients with Cushing's disease and Nelson's syndrome were similar to the molecular forms found in the normal human pituitary. The main difference between the tumours and the normal pituitary was the greater amount...... (HPLC) and sequence analysis. In the tumours from patients with Cushing's disease the mean concentrations of amidated peptides relative to the total amount of POMC were as follows: alpha-MSH, 1.7%; amidated gamma-MSH (gamma 1-MSH), 8.5% and the peptide linking gamma-MSH and ACTH in the precursor (hinge...

  2. Treatment of Experimental Brain Tumors with Trombospondin-1 Derived Peptides: an In Vivo Imaging Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Bogdanov, Jr.

    1999-11-01

    Full Text Available Antiangiogenic and antiproliferative effects of synthetic D-reverse peptides derived from the type 1 repeats of thrombospondin (TSP1 [1,2] were studied in rodent C6 glioma and 9L gliosarcomas. To directly measure tumor size and vascular parameters, we employed in vivo magnetic resonance (MR imaging and corroborated results by traditional morphometric tissue analysis. Rats bearing either C6 or 9L tumors were treated with TSP1-derived peptide (D-reverse amKRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSSac, n=13 or a control peptide (D-reverse am KRAKQAGGASHASPASSac, n=12 at 10 mg/kg, administered either intravenously or through subcutaneous miniosmotic pumps starting 10 days after tumor implantation. Eleven days later, the effect of peptide treatment was evaluated. TSP1 peptide-treated 9L tumors (50.7±44.2 mm3, n=7 and C6 tumors (41.3±34.2 mm3, n=6 were significantly smaller than tumors treated with control peptide (9L: 215.7±67.8 mm3, n=6; C6:184.2±105.2 mm3, n=6. In contrast, the in vivo vascular volume fraction, the mean vascular area (determined by microscopy, and the microvascular density of tumors were not significantly different in any of the experimental groups. In cell culture, TSP1, and the amKRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSSac peptide showed antiproliferative effects against C6 with an IC of 45 nM for TSP1. These results indicate that TSP1derived peptides retard brain tumor growth presumably as a result of slower de novo blood vessel formation and synergistic direct antiproliferative effects on tumor cells. We also show that in vivo MR imaging can be used to assess treatment efficacy of novel antiangiogenic drugs non-invasively, which has obvious implications for clinical trials.

  3. Studies on lactoferricin-derived Escherichia coli membrane-active peptides reveal differences in the mechanism of N-acylated versus nonacylated peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zweytick, Dagmar; Deutsch, Günter; Andrä, Jörg; Blondelle, Sylvie E; Vollmer, Ekkehard; Jerala, Roman; Lohner, Karl

    2011-06-17

    To improve the low antimicrobial activity of LF11, an 11-mer peptide derived from human lactoferricin, mutant sequences were designed based on the defined structure of LF11 in the lipidic environment. Thus, deletion of noncharged polar residues and strengthening of the hydrophobic N-terminal part upon adding a bulky hydrophobic amino acid or N-acylation resulted in enhanced antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, which correlated with the peptides' degree of perturbation of bacterial membrane mimics. Nonacylated and N-acylated peptides exhibited different effects at a molecular level. Nonacylated peptides induced segregation of peptide-enriched and peptide-poor lipid domains in negatively charged bilayers, although N-acylated peptides formed small heterogeneous domains resulting in a higher degree of packing defects. Additionally, only N-acylated peptides perturbed the lateral packing of neutral lipids and exhibited increased permeability of E. coli lipid vesicles. The latter did not correlate with the extent of improvement of the antimicrobial activity, which could be explained by the fact that elevated binding of N-acylated peptides to lipopolysaccharides of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria seems to counteract the elevated membrane permeabilization, reflected in the respective minimal inhibitory concentration for E. coli. The antimicrobial activity of the peptides correlated with an increase of membrane curvature stress and hence bilayer instability. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that only the N-acylated peptides induced tubular protrusions from the outer membrane, whereas all peptides caused detachment of the outer and inner membrane of E. coli bacteria. Viability tests demonstrated that these bacteria were dead before onset of visible cell lysis.

  4. Studies on Lactoferricin-derived Escherichia coli Membrane-active Peptides Reveal Differences in the Mechanism of N-Acylated Versus Nonacylated Peptides*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zweytick, Dagmar; Deutsch, Günter; Andrä, Jörg; Blondelle, Sylvie E.; Vollmer, Ekkehard; Jerala, Roman; Lohner, Karl

    2011-01-01

    To improve the low antimicrobial activity of LF11, an 11-mer peptide derived from human lactoferricin, mutant sequences were designed based on the defined structure of LF11 in the lipidic environment. Thus, deletion of noncharged polar residues and strengthening of the hydrophobic N-terminal part upon adding a bulky hydrophobic amino acid or N-acylation resulted in enhanced antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, which correlated with the peptides' degree of perturbation of bacterial membrane mimics. Nonacylated and N-acylated peptides exhibited different effects at a molecular level. Nonacylated peptides induced segregation of peptide-enriched and peptide-poor lipid domains in negatively charged bilayers, although N-acylated peptides formed small heterogeneous domains resulting in a higher degree of packing defects. Additionally, only N-acylated peptides perturbed the lateral packing of neutral lipids and exhibited increased permeability of E. coli lipid vesicles. The latter did not correlate with the extent of improvement of the antimicrobial activity, which could be explained by the fact that elevated binding of N-acylated peptides to lipopolysaccharides of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria seems to counteract the elevated membrane permeabilization, reflected in the respective minimal inhibitory concentration for E. coli. The antimicrobial activity of the peptides correlated with an increase of membrane curvature stress and hence bilayer instability. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that only the N-acylated peptides induced tubular protrusions from the outer membrane, whereas all peptides caused detachment of the outer and inner membrane of E. coli bacteria. Viability tests demonstrated that these bacteria were dead before onset of visible cell lysis. PMID:21515687

  5. High cleavage efficiency of a 2A peptide derived from porcine teschovirus-1 in human cell lines, zebrafish and mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Hee Kim

    Full Text Available When expression of more than one gene is required in cells, bicistronic or multicistronic expression vectors have been used. Among various strategies employed to construct bicistronic or multicistronic vectors, an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES has been widely used. Due to the large size and difference in expression levels between genes before and after IRES, however, a new strategy was required to replace IRES. A self-cleaving 2A peptide could be a good candidate to replace IRES because of its small size and high cleavage efficiency between genes upstream and downstream of the 2A peptide. Despite the advantages of the 2A peptides, its use is not widespread because (i there are no publicly available cloning vectors harboring a 2A peptide gene and (ii comprehensive comparison of cleavage efficiency among various 2A peptides reported to date has not been performed in different contexts. Here, we generated four expression plasmids each harboring different 2A peptides derived from the foot-and-mouth disease virus, equine rhinitis A virus, Thosea asigna virus and porcine teschovirus-1, respectively, and evaluated their cleavage efficiency in three commonly used human cell lines, zebrafish embryos and adult mice. Western blotting and confocal microscopic analyses revealed that among the four 2As, the one derived from porcine teschovirus-1 (P2A has the highest cleavage efficiency in all the contexts examined. We anticipate that the 2A-harboring cloning vectors we generated and the highest efficiency of the P2A peptide we demonstrated would help biomedical researchers easily adopt the 2A technology when bicistronic or multicistronic expression is required.

  6. Thiol-disulfide exchange in peptides derived from human growth hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekhar, Saradha; Epling, Daniel E; Sophocleous, Andreas M; Topp, Elizabeth M

    2014-04-01

    Disulfide bonds stabilize proteins by cross-linking distant regions into a compact three-dimensional structure. They can also participate in hydrolytic and oxidative pathways to form nonnative disulfide bonds and other reactive species. Such covalent modifications can contribute to protein aggregation. Here, we present experimental data for the mechanism of thiol-disulfide exchange in tryptic peptides derived from human growth hormone in aqueous solution. Reaction kinetics was monitored to investigate the effect of pH (6.0-10.0), temperature (4-50°C), oxidation suppressants [ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and N2 sparging], and peptide secondary structure (amide cyclized vs. open form). The concentrations of free thiol containing peptides, scrambled disulfides, and native disulfide-linked peptides generated via thiol-disulfide exchange and oxidation reactions were determined using reverse-phase HPLC and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Concentration versus time data were fitted to a mathematical model using nonlinear least squares regression analysis. At all pH values, the model was able to fit the data with R(2) ≥ 0.95. Excluding oxidation suppressants (EDTA and N2 sparging) resulted in an increase in the formation of scrambled disulfides via oxidative pathways but did not influence the intrinsic rate of thiol-disulfide exchange. In addition, peptide secondary structure was found to influence the rate of thiol-disulfide exchange. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  7. Intracellular protein delivery activity of peptides derived from insulin-like growth factor binding proteins 3 and 5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goda, Natsuko; Tenno, Takeshi; Inomata, Kosuke; Shirakawa, Masahiro; Tanaka, Toshiki; Hiroaki, Hidekazu

    2008-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) have various IGF-independent cellular activities, including receptor-independent cellular uptake followed by transcriptional regulation, although mechanisms of cellular entry remain unclear. Herein, we focused on their receptor-independent cellular entry mechanism in terms of protein transduction domain (PTD) activity, which is an emerging technique useful for clinical applications. The peptides of 18 amino acid residues derived from IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, which involve heparin-binding regions, mediated cellular delivery of an exogenous protein into NIH3T3 and HeLa cells. Relative protein delivery activities of IGFBP-3/5-derived peptides were approximately 20-150% compared to that of the HIV-Tat peptide, a potent PTD. Heparin inhibited the uptake of the fusion proteins with IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, indicating that the delivery pathway is heparin-dependent endocytosis, similar to that of HIV-Tat. The delivery of GST fused to HIV-Tat was competed by either IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-5-derived synthetic peptides. Therefore, the entry pathways of the three PTDs are shared. Our data has shown a new approach for designing protein delivery systems using IGFBP-3/5 derived peptides based on the molecular mechanisms of IGF-independent activities of IGFBPs

  8. A Tetrameric Peptide Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibits Specific Cytotoxic Effects against Oral Squamous-Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Víctor A. Solarte

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Several short linear peptides derived from cyclic bovine lactoferricin were synthesized and tested for their cytotoxic effect against the oral cavity squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC cell lines CAL27 and SCC15. As a control, an immortalized and nontumorigenic cell line, Het-1A, was used. Linear peptides based on the RRWQWR core sequence showed a moderate cytotoxic effect and specificity towards tumorigenic cells. A tetrameric peptide, LfcinB(20–254, containing the RRWQWR motif, exhibited greater cytotoxic activity (>90% in both OSCC cell lines compared to the linear lactoferricin peptide or the lactoferrin protein. Additionally, this tetrameric peptide showed the highest specificity towards tumorigenic cells among the tested peptides. Interestingly, this effect was very fast, with cell shrinkage, severe damage to cell membrane permeability, and lysis within one hour of treatment. Our results are consistent with a necrotic effect rather than an apoptotic one and suggest that this tetrameric peptide could be considered as a new candidate for the therapeutic treatment of OSCC.

  9. N-Acylated and d Enantiomer Derivatives of a Nonamer Core Peptide of Lactoferricin B Showing Improved Antimicrobial Activity

    OpenAIRE

    Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Hashimoto, Koichi; Teraguchi, Susumu; Takase, Mitsunori; Hayasawa, Hirotoshi

    1999-01-01

    N-acylated or d enantiomer peptide derivatives based on the sequence RRWQWRMKK in lactoferricin B demonstrated antimicrobial activities greater than those of lactoferricin B against bacteria and fungi. The most potent peptide, conjugated with an 11-carbon-chain acyl group, showed two to eight times lower MIC than lactoferricin B.

  10. N-Acylated and D enantiomer derivatives of a nonamer core peptide of lactoferricin B showing improved antimicrobial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakabayashi, H; Matsumoto, H; Hashimoto, K; Teraguchi, S; Takase, M; Hayasawa, H

    1999-05-01

    N-acylated or D enantiomer peptide derivatives based on the sequence RRWQWRMKK in lactoferricin B demonstrated antimicrobial activities greater than those of lactoferricin B against bacteria and fungi. The most potent peptide, conjugated with an 11-carbon-chain acyl group, showed two to eight times lower MIC than lactoferricin B.

  11. PURIFICATION OF ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITORY PEPTIDE DERIVED FROM KACANG GOAT MEAT PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Jamhari

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to identify the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE inhibitorypeptide derived from Kacang goat meat protein hydrolysate. Kacang goat meat loin section washydrolyzed with pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Protein hydrolysate of Kacang goat meat was thentested the protein concentration and ACE inhibitory activity. ACE inhibitory peptide of the proteinhydrolysate was purified through several steps of purification by column SEP-PAK Plus C18 Cartridgeand RP-HPLC using a Cosmosil column 5PE-SM, 4.6 x 250 mm. The sequence of amino acid of ACEinhibitory peptide was identified by amino acid sequencer. The results showed that amino acidssequence of ACE inhibitory peptide derived from protein hydrolysate of Kacang goat meat was leu-thrglu-ala-pro-leu-asn-pro-lys-ala-arg- asn-glu-lys. It had a molecular weight (MW of 1581 and occurredat the position of 20th to 33rd residues of b-actin of goat meat protein (Capra hircus. The ACE inhibitoryactivity (IC50 of the peptide was 190 mg/mL or 120 mM.

  12. AWRK6, A Synthetic Cationic Peptide Derived from Antimicrobial Peptide Dybowskin-2CDYa, Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiuyu Wang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Lipopolysaccharides (LPS are major outer membrane components of Gram-negative bacteria and produce strong inflammatory responses in animals. Most antibiotics have shown little clinical anti-endotoxin activity while some antimicrobial peptides have proved to be effective in blocking LPS. Here, the anti-LPS activity of the synthetic peptide AWRK6, which is derived from antimicrobial peptide dybowskin-2CDYa, has been investigated in vitro and in vivo. The positively charged α-helical AWRK6 was found to be effective in blocking the binding of LBP (LPS binding protein with LPS in vitro using ELISA. In a murine endotoxemia model, AWRK6 offered satisfactory protection efficiency against endotoxemia death, and the serum levels of LPS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were found to be attenuated using ELISA. Further, histopathological analysis suggested that AWRK6 could improve the healing of liver and lung injury in endotoxemia mice. The results of real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that AWRK6 significantly reversed LPS-induced TLR4 overexpression and IκB depression, as well as the enhanced IκB phosphorylation. Additionally, AWRK6 did not produce any significant toxicity in vivo and in vitro. In summary, AWRK6 showed efficacious protection from LPS challenges in vivo and in vitro, by blocking LPS binding to LBP, without obvious toxicity, providing a promising strategy against LPS-induced inflammatory responses.

  13. Selective detection of carbohydrates and their peptide conjugates by ESI-MS using synthetic quaternary ammonium salt derivatives of phenylboronic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kijewska, Monika; Kuc, Adam; Kluczyk, Alicja; Waliczek, Mateusz; Man-Kupisinska, Aleksandra; Lukasiewicz, Jolanta; Stefanowicz, Piotr; Szewczuk, Zbigniew

    2014-06-01

    We present new tags based on the derivatives of phenylboronic acid and apply them for the selective detection of sugars and peptide-sugar conjugates in mass spectrometry. We investigated the binding of phenylboronic acid and its quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) derivatives to carbohydrates and peptide-derived Amadori products by HR-MS and MS/MS experiments. The formation of complexes between sugar or sugar-peptide conjugates and synthetic tags was confirmed on the basis of the unique isotopic distribution resulting from the presence of boron atom. Moreover, incorporation of a quaternary ammonium salt dramatically improved the efficiency of ionization in mass spectrometry. It was found that the formation of a complex with phenylboronic acid stabilizes the sugar moiety in glycated peptides, resulting in simplification of the fragmentation pattern of peptide-derived Amadori products. The obtained results suggest that derivatization of phenylboronic acid as QAS is a promising method for sensitive ESI-MS detection of carbohydrates and their conjugates formed by non-enzymatic glycation or glycosylation.

  14. Human DMBT1-Derived Cell-Penetrating Peptides for Intracellular siRNA Delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tuttolomondo, Martina; Casella, Cinzia; Hansen, Pernille Lund

    2017-01-01

    tumor 1) is a pattern recognition molecule that interacts with polyanions and recognizes and aggregates bacteria. Taking advantage of these properties, we investigated whether specific synthetic DMBT1-derived peptides could be used to formulate nanoparticles for siRNA administration. Using......-potential, circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy revealed negatively charged nanoparticles with an average diameter of 10-800 nm, depending on the reaction conditions, and a spherical or rice-shaped morphology, depending on the peptide and β-helix conformation. We...

  15. A cyclic peptide derived from alpha-fetoprotein inhibits the proliferative effects of the epidermal growth factor and estradiol in MCF7 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Cristian; Antileo, Elmer; Epuñán, Maráa José; Pino, Ana María; Valladares, Luis Emilio; Sierralta, Walter Daniel

    2008-06-01

    A cyclic peptide derived from the active domain of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 cells stimulated with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) or estradiol (E2). The action of these three agents on cell growth was independent of the presence of calf serum in the culture medium. Our results demonstrated that the cyclic peptide interfered markedly with the regulation of MAPK by activated c-erbB2. The cyclic peptide showed no effect on the E2-stimulated release of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 nor on the shedding of heparin-binding EGF into the culture medium. We propose that the AFP-derived cyclic peptide represents a valuable novel antiproliferative agent for treating breast cancer.

  16. Inhibition of HIV-1 infection by synthetic peptides derived CCR5 fragments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imai, Masaki; Baranyi, Lajos; Okada, Noriko; Okada, Hidechika

    2007-01-01

    HIV-1 infection requires interaction of viral envelope protein gp160 with CD4 and a chemokine receptor, CCR5 or CXCR4 as entry coreceptor. We designed HIV-inhibitory peptides targeted to CCR5 using a novel computer program (ANTIS), which searched all possible sense-antisense amino acid pairs between proteins. Seven AHBs were found in CCR5 receptor. All AHB peptides were synthesized and tested for their ability to prevent HIV-1 infection to human T cells. A peptide fragment (LC5) which is a part of the CCR5 receptor corresponding to the loop between the fifth and sixth transmembrane regions (amino acids 222-240) proved to inhibit HIV-1 IIIB infection of MT-4 cells. Interaction of these antisense peptides could be involved in sustaining HIV-1 infectivity. LC5 effectively indicated dose-dependent manner, and the suppression was enhanced additively by T20 peptide, which inhibits infection in vitro by disrupting the gp41 conformational changes necessary for membrane fusion. Thus, these results indicate that CCR5-derived AHB peptides could provide a useful tool to define the mechanism(s) of HIV infection, and may provide insight which will contribute to the development of an anti-HIV-1 reagent

  17. Penilumamide, a novel lumazine peptide isolated from the marine-derived fungus, Penicillium sp. CNL-338.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Sven W; Mordhorst, Thorsten F; Lee, Choonghwan; Jensen, Paul R; Fenical, William; Köck, Matthias

    2010-05-07

    A novel lumazine peptide, penilumamide (1), was isolated from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived fungal strain, identified as Penicillium sp. (strain CNL-338) and the structure of the new metabolite was determined by analysis of ESI-TOF MS data combined with 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

  18. Structural and pharmacological characteristics of chimeric peptides derived from peptide E and beta-endorphin reveal the crucial role of the C-terminal YGGFL and YKKGE motifs in their analgesic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condamine, Eric; Courchay, Karine; Rego, Jean-Claude Do; Leprince, Jérôme; Mayer, Catherine; Davoust, Daniel; Costentin, Jean; Vaudry, Hubert

    2010-05-01

    Peptide E (a 25-amino acid peptide derived from proenkephalin A) and beta-endorphin (a 31-amino acid peptide derived from proopiomelanocortin) bind with high affinity to opioid receptors and share structural similarities but induce analgesic effects of very different intensity. Indeed, whereas they possess the same N-terminus Met-enkephalin message sequence linked to a helix by a flexible spacer and a C-terminal part in random coil conformation, in contrast with peptide E, beta-endorphin produces a profound analgesia. To determine the key structural elements explaining this very divergent opioid activity, we have compared the structural and pharmacological characteristics of several chimeric peptides derived from peptide E and beta-endorphin. Structures were obtained under the same experimental conditions using circular dichroism, computational estimation of helical content and/or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and NMR-restrained molecular modeling. The hot-plate and writhing tests were used in mice to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of the peptides. Our results indicate that neither the length nor the physicochemical profile of the spacer plays a fundamental role in analgesia. On the other hand, while the functional importance of the helix cannot be excluded, the last 5 residues in the C-terminal part seem to be crucial for the expression or absence of the analgesic activity of these peptides. These data raise the question of the true function of peptides E in opioidergic systems. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. [The Qualitative Analysis of the Amide Derivative of HLDF-6 Peptide and Its Metabolites with the Use of Tritium- and Deuterium-Labeled Derivatives].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zolotarev, A; Dadayan, A K; Kost, N V; Voevodina, M E; Sokolov, O Y; Kozik, V S; Shram, S I; Azev, V N; Bocharov, E V; Bogachouk, A P; Lipkin, V M; Myasoedov, N F

    2015-01-01

    The goal of the study was to elaborate the pharmacokinetics methods of the amide derivative of peptide HLDF-6 (TGENHR-NH2) and its range of nootropic and neuroprotective activity is wide. The hexapeptide 41TGENHR46 is a fragment of the HDLF differentiation factor. It forms the basis for the development of preventive and therapeutic preparations for treating cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative conditions. Pharmacokinetic and molecular mechanisms of the action of the HLDF-6 peptide were studied using tritium- and deuterium-labeled derivatives of this peptide, produced with the use of the high-temperature solid-state catalytic isotope exchange reaction (HSCIE). This reaction was employed to produce the tritium-labeled peptide [3H]TGENHR-NH2 with a molar radioactivity of 230 Ci/mmol and the deuterium-labeled peptide [2H]TGENHR-NH2 with an average deuterium incorporation equal to 10.5 atoms. It was shown by the NMR spectroscopy that the isotope label distribution over the labeled peptide's molecule was uniform, which allowed qualitative analysis ofboth the peptide itself and its fragments in the organism's tissues to be conducted. The newly developed pharmacokinetics method makes it possible to avoid almost completely losses of the peptides under study due to biodegradation during the analysis of tissues. These labeled peptides were used in mice, rats and rabbits to study the pharmacokinetics of the peptide and to calculate the values of its principal pharmacokinetic parameters. Characteristics of its pharmacokinetic profile in the blood were obtained, the hypothesis of pharmacokinetics linearity tested, its metabolism analyzed and its bioavailability value, 34%, calculated. It has been shown that the studied TGENHR-NH2 peptide shows high resistance to hydrolysis in the blood plasma, with dipeptidyl aminopeptidases making the largest contribution to its hydrolysis.

  20. Role of αA-crystallin-derived αA66-80 peptide in guinea pig lens crystallin aggregation and insolubilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raju, Murugesan; Mooney, Brian P; Thakkar, Kavi M; Giblin, Frank J; Schey, Kevin L; Sharma, K Krishna

    2015-03-01

    Earlier we reported that low molecular weight (LMW) peptides accumulate in aging human lens tissue and that among the LMW peptides, the chaperone inhibitor peptide αA66-80, derived from α-crystallin protein, is one of the predominant peptides. We showed that in vitro αA66-80 induces protein aggregation. The current study was undertaken to determine whether LMW peptides are also present in guinea pig lens tissue subjected to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in vivo. The nuclear opacity induced by HBO in guinea pig lens is the closest animal model for studying age-related cataract formation in humans. A LMW peptide profile by mass spectrometry showed the presence of an increased amount of LMW peptides in HBO-treated guinea pig lenses compared to age-matched controls. Interestingly, the mass spectrometric data also showed that the chaperone inhibitor peptide αA66-80 accumulates in HBO-treated guinea pig lens. Following incubation of synthetic chaperone inhibitor peptide αA66-80 with α-crystallin from guinea pig lens extracts, we observed a decreased ability of α-crystallin to inhibit the amorphous aggregation of the target protein alcohol dehydrogenase and the formation of large light scattering aggregates, similar to those we have observed with human α-crystallin and αA66-80 peptide. Further, time-lapse recordings showed that a preformed complex of α-crystallin and αA66-80 attracted additional crystallin molecules to form even larger aggregates. These results demonstrate that LMW peptide-mediated cataract development in aged human lens and in HBO-induced lens opacity in the guinea pig may have common molecular pathways. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Analysis of the antimicrobial activities of a chemokine-derived peptide (CDAP-4) on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez-Becerra, Francisco; Silva, Daniel-Adriano; Dominguez-Ramirez, Lenin; Mendoza-Hernandez, Guillermo; Lopez-Vidal, Yolanda; Soldevila, Gloria; Garcia-Zepeda, Eduardo A.

    2007-01-01

    Chemokines are key molecules involved in the control of leukocyte trafficking. Recently, a novel function as antimicrobial proteins has been described. CCL13 is the only member of the MCP chemokine subfamily displaying antimicrobial activity. To determine Key residues involved in its antimicrobial activity, CCL13 derived peptides were synthesized and tested against several bacterial strains, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. One of these peptides, corresponding to the C-terminal region of CCL13 (CDAP-4) displayed good antimicrobial activity. Electron microscopy studies revealed remarkable morphological changes after CDAP-4 treatment. By computer modeling, CDAP-4 in α helical configuration generated a positive electrostatic potential that extended beyond the surface of the molecule. This feature is similar to other antimicrobial peptides. Altogether, these findings indicate that the antimicrobial activity was displayed by CCL13 resides to some extent at the C-terminal region. Furthermore, CDAP-4 could be considered a good antimicrobial candidate with a potential use against pathogens including P. aeruginosa

  2. Monitoring multiple myeloma by idiotype-specific peptide binders of tumor-derived exosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iaccino, Enrico; Mimmi, Selena; Dattilo, Vincenzo; Marino, Fabiola; Candeloro, Patrizio; Di Loria, Antonio; Marimpietri, Danilo; Pisano, Antonio; Albano, Francesco; Vecchio, Eleonora; Ceglia, Simona; Golino, Gaetanina; Lupia, Antonio; Fiume, Giuseppe; Quinto, Ileana; Scala, Giuseppe

    2017-10-13

    Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) play a pivotal role in tumor establishment and progression, and are emerging biomarkers for tumor diagnosis in personalized medicine. To date, there is a lack of efficient technology platforms for exosome isolation and characterization. Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable B-cell malignancy due to the rapid development of drug-resistance. MM-released exosomes express the immunoglobulin B-cell receptor (Ig-BCR) of the tumor B-cells, which can be targeted by Idiotype-binding peptides (Id-peptides). In this study, we analyzed the production of MM-released exosomes in the murine 5T33MM multiple myeloma model as biomarkers of tumor growth. To this end, we selected Id-peptides by screening a phage display library using as bait the Ig-BCR expressed by 5T33MM cells. By FACS, the FITC-conjugated Id-peptides detected the MM-released exosomes in the serum of 5T33MM-engrafted mice, levels of which are correlated with tumor progression at an earlier time point compared to serum paraprotein. These results indicate that Id-peptide-based recognition of MM-released exosomes may represent a very sensitive diagnostic approach for clinical evaluation of disease progression.

  3. Structure of a SARS coronavirus-derived peptide bound to the human major histocompatibility complex class I molecule HLA-B*1501

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røder, Gustav; Kristensen, Ole; Kastrup, Jette S

    2008-01-01

    , the crystal structure of HLA-B*1501 in complex with a SARS coronavirus-derived nonapeptide (VQQESSFVM) has been determined at high resolution (1.87 A). The peptide is deeply anchored in the B and F pockets, but with the Glu4 residue pointing away from the floor in the peptide-binding groove, making...

  4. Processing of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived amidated joining peptide and glycine-extended precursor in monkey pituitary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, M

    1991-01-01

    The molecular forms of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) derived amidated and C-terminal glycine-extended joining peptide from monkey (Macaca mulatta) pituitary were determined. The predominant forms of joining peptide found were the low molecular peptides POMC(76-105) and POMC(76-106), respectively...... sequence of monkey and human POMC extremely conserved, but also the processing patterns are similar. The monkey therefore serves as a suitable model for studying regulation of the processing of POMC and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in man....

  5. Increased chromogranin A cell density in the large intestine of patients with irritable bowel syndrome after receiving dietary guidance

    OpenAIRE

    Mazzawi, Tarek; Gundersen, Doris Irene; Hausken, Trygve; El-Salhy, Magdy

    2015-01-01

    The large intestine contains five types of endocrine cells that regulate its functions by sensing its luminal contents and releasing specific hormones. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a common marker for the gastrointestinal endocrine cells, and it is abnormal in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Most IBS patients relate their symptoms to certain food elements. The present study investigated the effect of dietary guidance on the total endocrine cells of the large intestine as detected by CgA i...

  6. NMR spectroscopic studies of a TAT-derived model peptide in imidazolium-based ILs: influence on chemical shifts and the cis/trans equilibrium state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiedemann, Christoph; Ohlenschläger, Oliver; Mrestani-Klaus, Carmen; Bordusa, Frank

    2017-09-13

    NMR spectroscopy was used to study systematically the impact of imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL) solutions on a TAT-derived model peptide containing Xaa-Pro peptide bonds. The selected IL anions cover a wide range of the Hofmeister series of ions. Based on highly resolved one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra individual 1 H and 13 C peptide chemical shift differences were analysed and a classification of IL anions according to the Hofmeister series was derived. The observed chemical shift changes indicate significant interactions between the peptide and the ILs. In addition, we examined the impact of different ILs towards the cis/trans equilibrium state of the Xaa-Pro peptide bonds. In this context, the IL cations appear to be of exceptional importance for inducing an alteration of the native cis/trans equilibrium state of Xaa-Pro bonds in favour of the trans-isomers.

  7. Antimicrobial efficacy of granulysin-derived synthetic peptides in acne vulgaris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hee-Sun; Chun, Seung-Min; Soung, Min-Gyu; Kim, Jenny; Kim, Seong-Jin

    2015-07-01

    Antimicrobial peptides are considered as a potential alternative to antibiotic treatment in acne vulgaris because the development of a resistant strain of Propionibacterium acnes is problematic. Granulysin can be regarded as an ideal substance with which to treat acne because it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. This study was performed to explore the effectiveness of granulysin-derived peptides (GDPs) in killing P. acnes in vitro under a standard microbiologic assay and to evaluate their potential use in a topical agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Twenty different peptides based on the known sequence of a GDP were synthesized and tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity. Thirty patients with facial acne vulgaris were instructed to apply a topical formulation containing synthetic GDP to acne lesions twice per day for 12 weeks. A newly synthesized peptide in which aspartic acid was substituted with arginine, and methionine was substituted with cysteine, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against P. acnes. Moreover, it was effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in vitro. After treatment with the topical formulation containing 50 ppm of synthetic peptide for 12 weeks, a significant reduction in the number of pustules was observed, regardless of the increase in the number of comedones. In addition, a significant reduction in the clinical grade of acne based on the Korean Acne Grading System (KAGS) was evident. Synthesized GDP shows strong antimicrobial activity against P. acnes in vitro. The clinical improvement observed suggests a topical formulation containing the GDP has therapeutic potential for the improvement of inflammatory-type acne vulgaris by its antimicrobial activity. © 2015 The International Society of Dermatology.

  8. Analysis and Evaluation of the Inhibitory Mechanism of a Novel Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptide Derived from Casein Hydrolysate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Maolin; Liu, Hanxiong; Zhang, Ruyi; Chen, Hui; Mao, Fengjiao; Cheng, Shuzhen; Lu, Weihong; Du, Ming

    2018-04-25

    Casein hydrolysates exert various biological activities, and the responsible functional peptides are being identified from them continuously. In this study, the tryptic casein hydrolysate was fractionated by an ultrafiltration membrane (3 kDa), and the peptides were identified by capillary electrophoresis-quadrupole-time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, in silico methods were used to analyze the toxicity, solubility, stability, and affinity between the peptides and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE). Finally, a new angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACEI) peptide, EKVNELSK, derived from α s1 -casein (fragment 35-42) was screened. The half maximal inhibitory concentration value of the peptide is 5.998 mM, which was determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography method. The Lineweaver-Burk plot indicated that this peptide is a mixed-type inhibitor against ACE. Moreover, Discovery Studio 2017 R2 software was adopted to perform molecular docking to propose the potential mechanisms underlying the ACEI activity of the peptide. These results indicated that EKVNELSK is a new ACEI peptide identified from casein hydrolysate.

  9. A Two-Piece Derivative of a Group I Intron RNA as a Platform for Designing Self-Assembling RNA Templates to Promote Peptide Ligation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takahiro Tanaka

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Multicomponent RNA-peptide complexes are attractive from the viewpoint of artificial design of functional biomacromolecular systems. We have developed self-folding and self-assembling RNAs that serve as templates to assist chemical ligation between two reactive peptides with RNA-binding capabilities. The design principle of previous templates, however, can be applied only to limited classes of RNA-binding peptides. In this study, we employed a two-piece derivative of a group I intron RNA from the Tetrahymena large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA as a platform for new template RNAs. In this group I intron-based self-assembling platform, modules for the recognition of substrate peptides can be installed independently from modules holding the platform structure. The new self-assembling platform allows us to expand the repertoire of substrate peptides in template RNA design.

  10. Penilumamide, a novel lumazine peptide isolated from the marine-derived fungus, Penicillium sp. CNL-338†

    OpenAIRE

    Meyer, Sven W.; Mordhorst, Thorsten F.; Lee, Choonghwan; Jensen, Paul R.; Fenical, William; Köck, Matthias

    2010-01-01

    A novel lumazine peptide, penilumamide (1), was isolated from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived fungal strain, identified as Penicillium sp. (strain CNL-338) and the structure of the new metabolite was determined by analysis of ESI-TOF MS data combined with 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

  11. Venom-derived peptides inhibiting Kir channels: Past, present, and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doupnik, Craig A

    2017-12-01

    Inwardly rectifying K + (Kir) channels play a significant role in vertebrate and invertebrate biology by regulating the movement of K + ions involved in membrane transport and excitability. Yet unlike other ion channels including their ancestral K + -selective homologs, there are very few venom toxins known to target and inhibit Kir channels with the potency and selectivity found for the Ca 2+ -activated and voltage-gated K + channel families. It is unclear whether this is simply due to a lack of discovery, or instead a consequence of the evolutionary processes that drive the development of venom components towards their targets based on a collective efficacy to 1) elicit pain for defensive purposes, 2) promote paralysis for prey capture, or 3) facilitate delivery of venom components into the circulation. The past two decades of venom screening has yielded three venom peptides with inhibitory activity towards mammalian Kir channels, including the discovery of tertiapin, a high-affinity pore blocker from the venom of the European honey bee Apis mellifera. Venomics and structure-based computational approaches represent exciting new frontiers for venom peptide development, where re-engineering peptide 'scaffolds' such as tertiapin may aid in the quest to expand the palette of potent and selective Kir channel blockers for future research and potentially new therapeutics. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Venom-derived Peptides as Pharmacological Tools.' Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The TFPI-2 derived peptide EDC34 improves outcome of gram-negative sepsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praveen Papareddy

    Full Text Available Sepsis is characterized by a dysregulated host-pathogen response, leading to high cytokine levels, excessive coagulation and failure to eradicate invasive bacteria. Novel therapeutic strategies that address crucial pathogenetic steps during infection are urgently needed. Here, we describe novel bioactive roles and therapeutic anti-infective potential of the peptide EDC34, derived from the C-terminus of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2. This peptide exerted direct bactericidal effects and boosted activation of the classical complement pathway including formation of antimicrobial C3a, but inhibited bacteria-induced activation of the contact system. Correspondingly, in mouse models of severe Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, treatment with EDC34 reduced bacterial levels and lung damage. In combination with the antibiotic ceftazidime, the peptide significantly prolonged survival and reduced mortality in mice. The peptide's boosting effect on bacterial clearance paired with its inhibiting effect on excessive coagulation makes it a promising therapeutic candidate for invasive Gram-negative infections.

  13. The TFPI-2 derived peptide EDC34 improves outcome of gram-negative sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Sørensen, Ole E; Malmsten, Martin; Mörgelin, Matthias; Schmidtchen, Artur

    2013-01-01

    Sepsis is characterized by a dysregulated host-pathogen response, leading to high cytokine levels, excessive coagulation and failure to eradicate invasive bacteria. Novel therapeutic strategies that address crucial pathogenetic steps during infection are urgently needed. Here, we describe novel bioactive roles and therapeutic anti-infective potential of the peptide EDC34, derived from the C-terminus of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2). This peptide exerted direct bactericidal effects and boosted activation of the classical complement pathway including formation of antimicrobial C3a, but inhibited bacteria-induced activation of the contact system. Correspondingly, in mouse models of severe Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, treatment with EDC34 reduced bacterial levels and lung damage. In combination with the antibiotic ceftazidime, the peptide significantly prolonged survival and reduced mortality in mice. The peptide's boosting effect on bacterial clearance paired with its inhibiting effect on excessive coagulation makes it a promising therapeutic candidate for invasive Gram-negative infections.

  14. Suppression of gastric cancer dissemination by ephrin-B1-derived peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Masamitsu; Kamata, Reiko; Yanagihara, Kazuyoshi; Sakai, Ryuichi

    2010-01-01

    Interaction of the Eph family of receptor protein tyrosine kinases and their ligands, ephrin family members, induces bidirectional signaling through cell-cell contacts. High expression of B-type ephrin is associated with high invasion potential of tumors, and we previously observed that signaling through the C-terminus of ephrin-B1 mediates the migration and invasion of cells, and is involved in the promotion of carcinomatous peritonitis in vivo. Here we show that the intracellular introduction of a synthetic peptide derived from ephrin-B1 C-terminus blocks ephrin-B1 mediated signaling in scirrhous gastric cancer cells. Treatment of cancer cells with a fusion peptide consisting of HIV-TAT and amino acids 331-346 of ephrin-B1 (PTD-EFNB1-C) suppressed the activation of RhoA, mediated by the association of ephrin-B1 with an adaptor protein Dishevelled, and also inhibited extracellular secretion of metalloproteinase. Moreover, injection of PTD-EFNB1-C peptide into the peritoneal cavity of nude mice suppressed carcinomatous peritonitis of intraperitoneally transplanted scirrhous gastric cancer cells. These results indicate the possible application of ephrin-B1 C-terminal peptide to develop novel protein therapy for scirrhous gastric carcinoma, especially in the stage of tumor progression, including peritoneal dissemination.

  15. Effects of lactoferrin derived peptides on simulants of biological warfare agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sijbrandij, Tjitske; Ligtenberg, Antoon J; Nazmi, Kamran; Veerman, Enno C I; Bolscher, Jan G M; Bikker, Floris J

    2017-01-01

    Lactoferrin (LF) is an important immune protein in neutrophils and secretory fluids of mammals. Bovine LF (bLF) harbours two antimicrobial stretches, lactoferricin and lactoferampin, situated in close proximity in the N1 domain. To mimic these antimicrobial domain parts a chimeric peptide (LFchimera) has been constructed comprising parts of both stretches (LFcin17-30 and LFampin265-284). To investigate the potency of this construct to combat a set of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria which are regarded as simulants for biological warfare agents, the effect on bacterial killing, membrane permeability and membrane polarity were determined in comparison to the constituent peptides and the native bLF. Furthermore we aimed to increase the antimicrobial potency of the bLF derived peptides by cationic amino acid substitutions. Overall, the bactericidal activity of the peptides could be related to membrane disturbing effects, i.e. membrane permeabilization and depolarization. Those effects were most prominent for the LFchimera. Arginine residues were found to be crucial for displaying antimicrobial activity, as lysine to arginine substitutions resulted in an increased antimicrobial activity, affecting mostly LFampin265-284 whereas arginine to lysine substitutions resulted in a decreased bactericidal activity, predominantly in case of LFcin17-30.

  16. Solid-Phase Reactions of Iminium Ions: Cyclized Peptide Derivatives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Yuanyuan

    formation of N,N’-aminals by nucleophilic attack of the peptide backbone is reversible under strongly acidic conditions and the N,N’-aminal is likely to be the kinetic product of many INCIC reactions. In addition, the N,N’-aminals are stable in the absence of acid but could be converted to the THIQ...... derivatives in solution phase under acid conditions in the presence of an active C-nucleophile in the side chain. The high yielding nature of the aminal formation is confirmed by solution phase synthesis. The introduced azide and alkyne residues in the side chain of N,N’-aminal products were further......BB may undergo auto-oxidation to quinazoline-2,4-diones in the absence of a suitable nucleophile on the side chain or backbone of the peptide (Chapter 4). The structure is confirmed by comparison with products obtained from solution-phase synthesis under the same conditions, one of which was confirmed...

  17. Penilumamide, a novel lumazine peptide isolated from the marine-derived fungus, Penicillium sp. CNL-338†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Sven W.; Mordhorst, Thorsten F.; Lee, Choonghwan; Jensen, Paul R.; Fenical, William; Köck, Matthias

    2013-01-01

    A novel lumazine peptide, penilumamide (1), was isolated from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived fungal strain, identified as Penicillium sp. (strain CNL-338) and the structure of the new metabolite was determined by analysis of ESI-TOF MS data combined with 1D and 2D NMR experiments. PMID:20401392

  18. Acute ingestion of a novel whey-derived peptide improves vascular endothelial responses in healthy individuals: a randomized, placebo controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kupchak Brian R

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Whey protein is a potential source of bioactive peptides. Based on findings from in vitro experiments indicating a novel whey derived peptide (NOP-47 increased endothelial nitric oxide synthesis, we tested its effects on vascular function in humans. Methods A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study design was used. Healthy men (n = 10 and women (n = 10 (25 ± 5 y, BMI = 24.3 ± 2.3 kg/m2 participated in two vascular testing days each preceded by 2 wk of supplementation with a single dose of 5 g/day of a novel whey-derived peptide (NOP-47 or placebo. There was a 2 wk washout period between trials. After 2 wk of supplementation, vascular function in the forearm and circulating oxidative stress and inflammatory related biomarkers were measured serially for 2 h after ingestion of 5 g of NOP-47 or placebo. Macrovascular and microvascular function were assessed using brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD and venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography. Results Baseline peak FMD was not different for Placebo (7.7% and NOP-47 (7.8%. Placebo had no effect on FMD at 30, 60, and 90 min post-ingestion (7.5%, 7.2%, and 7.6%, respectively whereas NOP-47 significantly improved FMD responses at these respective postprandial time points compared to baseline (8.9%, 9.9%, and 9.0%; P P = 0.008 for time × trial interaction. Plasma myeloperoxidase was increased transiently by both NOP-47 and placebo, but there were no changes in markers inflammation. Plasma total nitrites/nitrates significantly decreased over the 2 hr post-ingestion period and were lower at 120 min after placebo (-25% compared to NOP-47 (-18%. Conclusion These findings indicate that supplementation with a novel whey-derived peptide in healthy individuals improves vascular function.

  19. Peptides derived from human galectin-3 N-terminal tail interact with its carbohydrate recognition domain in a phosphorylation-dependent manner

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berbís, M. Álvaro [Chemical and Physical Biology Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, 28040 Madrid (Spain); André, Sabine [Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 80539 Munich (Germany); Cañada, F. Javier [Chemical and Physical Biology Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Pipkorn, Rüdiger [Central Peptide Synthesis Unit, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Ippel, Hans [Department of Biochemistry, CARIM, University of Maastricht, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Mayo, Kevin H. [Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Kübler, Dieter [Biomolecular Interactions, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Gabius, Hans-Joachim [Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 80539 Munich (Germany); Jiménez-Barbero, Jesús, E-mail: jjbarbero@cib.csic.es [Chemical and Physical Biology Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2014-01-03

    Highlights: •Galectin-3 is composed of a carbohydrate recognition domain and an N-terminal tail. •Synthetic peptides derived from the tail are shown to interact with the CRD. •This interaction is modulated by Ser- and Tyr-phosphorylation of the peptides. -- Abstract: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a multi-functional effector protein that functions in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, as well as extracellularly following non-classical secretion. Structurally, Gal-3 is unique among galectins with its carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) attached to a rather long N-terminal tail composed mostly of collagen-like repeats (nine in the human protein) and terminating in a short non-collagenous terminal peptide sequence unique in this lectin family and not yet fully explored. Although several Ser and Tyr sites within the N-terminal tail can be phosphorylated, the physiological significance of this post-translational modification remains unclear. Here, we used a series of synthetic (phospho)peptides derived from the tail to assess phosphorylation-mediated interactions with {sup 15}N-labeled Gal-3 CRD. HSQC-derived chemical shift perturbations revealed selective interactions at the backface of the CRD that were attenuated by phosphorylation of Tyr 107 and Tyr 118, while phosphorylation of Ser 6 and Ser 12 was essential. Controls with sequence scrambling underscored inherent specificity. Our studies shed light on how phosphorylation of the N-terminal tail may impact on Gal-3 function and prompt further studies using phosphorylated full-length protein.

  20. Peptides derived from human galectin-3 N-terminal tail interact with its carbohydrate recognition domain in a phosphorylation-dependent manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berbís, M. Álvaro; André, Sabine; Cañada, F. Javier; Pipkorn, Rüdiger; Ippel, Hans; Mayo, Kevin H.; Kübler, Dieter; Gabius, Hans-Joachim; Jiménez-Barbero, Jesús

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •Galectin-3 is composed of a carbohydrate recognition domain and an N-terminal tail. •Synthetic peptides derived from the tail are shown to interact with the CRD. •This interaction is modulated by Ser- and Tyr-phosphorylation of the peptides. -- Abstract: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a multi-functional effector protein that functions in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, as well as extracellularly following non-classical secretion. Structurally, Gal-3 is unique among galectins with its carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) attached to a rather long N-terminal tail composed mostly of collagen-like repeats (nine in the human protein) and terminating in a short non-collagenous terminal peptide sequence unique in this lectin family and not yet fully explored. Although several Ser and Tyr sites within the N-terminal tail can be phosphorylated, the physiological significance of this post-translational modification remains unclear. Here, we used a series of synthetic (phospho)peptides derived from the tail to assess phosphorylation-mediated interactions with 15 N-labeled Gal-3 CRD. HSQC-derived chemical shift perturbations revealed selective interactions at the backface of the CRD that were attenuated by phosphorylation of Tyr 107 and Tyr 118, while phosphorylation of Ser 6 and Ser 12 was essential. Controls with sequence scrambling underscored inherent specificity. Our studies shed light on how phosphorylation of the N-terminal tail may impact on Gal-3 function and prompt further studies using phosphorylated full-length protein

  1. Proteolytic signatures define unique thrombin-derived peptides present in human wound fluid in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saravanan, Rathi; Adav, Sunil S; Choong, Yeu Khai; van der Plas, Mariena J A; Petrlova, Jitka; Kjellström, Sven; Sze, Siu Kwan; Schmidtchen, Artur

    2017-10-13

    The disease burden of failing skin repair and non-healing ulcers is extensive. There is an unmet need for new diagnostic approaches to better predict healing activity and wound infection. Uncontrolled and excessive protease activity, of endogenous or bacterial origin, has been described as a major contributor to wound healing impairments. Proteolytic peptide patterns could therefore correlate and "report" healing activity and infection. This work describes a proof of principle delineating a strategy by which peptides from a selected protein, human thrombin, are detected and attributed to proteolytic actions. With a particular focus on thrombin-derived C-terminal peptides (TCP), we show that distinct peptide patterns are generated in vitro by the human S1 peptidases human neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G, and the bacterial M4 peptidases Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase and Staphylococcus aureus aureolysin, respectively. Corresponding peptide sequences were identified in wound fluids from acute and non-healing ulcers, and notably, one peptide, FYT21 (FYTHVFRLKKWIQKVIDQFGE), was only present in wound fluid from non-healing ulcers colonized by P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Our result is a proof of principle pointing at the possibility of defining peptide biomarkers reporting distinct proteolytic activities, of potential implication for improved diagnosis of wound healing and infection.

  2. Chromogranin A levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verde, Federico; Steinacker, Petra; Oeckl, Patrick; Weishaupt, Jochen H; Rosenbohm, Angela; Silani, Vincenzo; Ludolph, Albert C; Otto, Markus

    2018-07-01

    Chromogranin A (CgA) is a protein found in large dense-core vesicles of neuroendocrine cells and neurons and regulating secretion. A relevance to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was suggested as its overexpression accelerates disease onset in model systems and it interacts with mutant forms of SOD1. Recently, increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CgA levels have been reported in ALS patients relative to controls. With the aim of confirming this finding, we measured CgA and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH), an established ALS biomarker, in the CSF of 32 ALS patients and 32 disease controls. ALS patients had clearly increased pNFH levels (p < 0.0001), while CgA levels were only modestly lower relative to controls (p = 0.0265), with wide value overlap and consequently poor discriminative performance. CgA did not correlate with any disease parameters among ALS patients. Our findings suggest that CgA is not a promising clinical biomarker for ALS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Black tea aroma inhibited increase of salivary chromogranin-A after arithmetic tasks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoto, Ai; Fukui, Natsuki; Kaneda, Chisa; Torita, Shoko; Goto, Keiichi; Nanjo, Fumio; Yokogoshi, Hidehiko

    2018-01-24

    Growing attention has been paid to the effects of food flavor components on alleviating negative brain functions caused by stressful lifestyles. In this study, we investigated the alleviating effect of two kinds of black tea aromas on physical and psychological stress induced by the Uchida-Kraepelin test, based on salivary chromogranin-A (CgA) levels as a stress marker and subjective evaluations (Profile of Mood States). Compared with the water exposure control, inhaling black tea aroma (Darjeeling and Assam in this study) induced lower salivary CgA concentration levels after 30 min of mental stress load tasks. This anti-stress effect of black tea aroma did not differ between the two tea types even though the concentration of the anti-stress components in the Darjeeling tea aroma was higher than that in the Assam aroma. However, Darjeeling tea aroma tended to decrease the tension and/or anxiety score immediately after the first exposure. Inhaling black tea aroma may diminish stress levels caused by arithmetic mental stress tasks, and Darjeeling tea aroma tended to improve mood before mental stress load.

  4. Lack of association between the P413L variant of chromogranin B and ALS risk or age at onset: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xinglong; Li, Shimei; Xing, Dongmei; Li, Peiyun; Li, Ci; Qi, Ling; Xu, Yanming; Ren, Hui

    2018-02-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common motor neuron disease, is thought to result from interaction of genetic and environmental risk factors. Whether the potentially functional exonic P413L variant in the chromogranin B gene influences ALS risk and age at onset is controversial. We meta-analysed or other studies assessing the association between the P413L variant and ALS risk or age at ALS onset indexed in Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases. Five case-control studies were analysed, involving 2639 patients with sporadic ALS, 201 with familial ALS and 3381 controls. No association was detected between risk of either ALS type and the CT + TT genotype or T-allele of the P413L variant. Age at ALS onset was similar between carriers and non-carriers of the T-allele. The available evidence suggests that the P413L variant of chromogranin B is not associated with ALS risk or age at ALS onset. These results should be validated in large, well-designed studies.

  5. Antibacterial activity of synthetic peptides derived from lactoferricin against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212.

    Science.gov (United States)

    León-Calvijo, María A; Leal-Castro, Aura L; Almanzar-Reina, Giovanni A; Rosas-Pérez, Jaiver E; García-Castañeda, Javier E; Rivera-Monroy, Zuly J

    2015-01-01

    Peptides derived from human and bovine lactoferricin were designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC and MALDI-TOF-MS. Specific changes in the sequences were designed as (i) the incorporation of unnatural amino acids in the sequence, the (ii) reduction or (iii) elongation of the peptide chain length, and (iv) synthesis of molecules with different number of branches containing the same sequence. For each peptide, the antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 was evaluated. Our results showed that Peptides I.2 (RWQWRWQWR) and I.4 ((RRWQWR)4K2Ahx2C2) exhibit bigger or similar activity against E. coli (MIC 4-33 μM) and E. faecalis (MIC 10-33 μM) when they were compared with lactoferricin protein (LF) and some of its derivate peptides as II.1 (FKCRRWQWRMKKLGA) and IV.1 (FKCRRWQWRMKKLGAPSITCVRRAE). It should be pointed out that Peptides I.2 and I.4, containing the RWQWR motif, are short and easy to synthesize; our results demonstrate that it is possible to design and obtain synthetic peptides that exhibit enhanced antibacterial activity using a methodology that is fast and low-cost and that allows obtaining products with a high degree of purity and high yield.

  6. Antibacterial Activity of Synthetic Peptides Derived from Lactoferricin against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María A. León-Calvijo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Peptides derived from human and bovine lactoferricin were designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC and MALDI-TOF-MS. Specific changes in the sequences were designed as (i the incorporation of unnatural amino acids in the sequence, the (ii reduction or (iii elongation of the peptide chain length, and (iv synthesis of molecules with different number of branches containing the same sequence. For each peptide, the antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 was evaluated. Our results showed that Peptides I.2 (RWQWRWQWR and I.4 ((RRWQWR4K2Ahx2C2 exhibit bigger or similar activity against E. coli (MIC 4–33 μM and E. faecalis (MIC 10–33 μM when they were compared with lactoferricin protein (LF and some of its derivate peptides as II.1 (FKCRRWQWRMKKLGA and IV.1 (FKCRRWQWRMKKLGAPSITCVRRAE. It should be pointed out that Peptides I.2 and I.4, containing the RWQWR motif, are short and easy to synthesize; our results demonstrate that it is possible to design and obtain synthetic peptides that exhibit enhanced antibacterial activity using a methodology that is fast and low-cost and that allows obtaining products with a high degree of purity and high yield.

  7. Malignant Range Elevation of Serum Chromogranin A due to Inadvertent Use of Proton Pump Inhibitor in a Subject with Pancreatic Incidentaloma

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    Usman Hammawa Malabu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a case of highly elevated tenfold rise of serum chromogranin A in a young, morbidly obese, hypertensive female being investigated for pancreatic mass, weight loss, and elevated ESR. Following extensive noninvasive investigations, an ultrasound-guided pancreatic biopsy confirmed benign haemorrhagic cyst. A clue to the etiology of the hyperchromogranin A was the elevated serum gastrin level leading to suspicion of proton pump inhibitor administration confirmed by admittance to its use. Withdrawal of the medication led to dramatic resolution of the neuroendocrine tumor marker.

  8. Three-Dimensional Graphene–RGD Peptide Nanoisland Composites That Enhance the Osteogenesis of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

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    Ee-Seul Kang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Graphene derivatives have immense potential in stem cell research. Here, we report a three-dimensional graphene/arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD peptide nanoisland composite effective in guiding the osteogenesis of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs. Amine-modified silica nanoparticles (SiNPs were uniformly coated onto an indium tin oxide electrode (ITO, followed by graphene oxide (GO encapsulation and electrochemical deposition of gold nanoparticles. A RGD–MAP–C peptide, with a triple-branched repeating RGD sequence and a terminal cysteine, was self-assembled onto the gold nanoparticles, generating the final three-dimensional graphene–RGD peptide nanoisland composite. We generated substrates with various gold nanoparticle–RGD peptide cluster densities, and found that the platform with the maximal number of clusters was most suitable for ADSC adhesion and spreading. Remarkably, the same platform was also highly efficient at guiding ADSC osteogenesis compared with other substrates, based on gene expression (alkaline phosphatase (ALP, runt-related transcription factor 2, enzyme activity (ALP, and calcium deposition. ADSCs induced to differentiate into osteoblasts showed higher calcium accumulations after 14–21 days than when grown on typical GO-SiNP complexes, suggesting that the platform can accelerate ADSC osteoblastic differentiation. The results demonstrate that a three-dimensional graphene–RGD peptide nanoisland composite can efficiently derive osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells.

  9. Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding derivatives of the synthetic antimicrobial peptide BP100: impact on rice host plant fitness

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    Nadal Anna

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Biopeptide BP100 is a synthetic and strongly cationic α-helical undecapeptide with high, specific antibacterial activity against economically important plant-pathogenic bacteria, and very low toxicity. It was selected from a library of synthetic peptides, along with other peptides with activities against relevant bacterial and fungal species. Expression of the BP100 series of peptides in plants is of major interest to establish disease-resistant plants and facilitate molecular farming. Specific challenges were the small length, peptide degradation by plant proteases and toxicity to the host plant. Here we approached the expression of the BP100 peptide series in plants using BP100 as a proof-of-concept. Results Our design considered up to three tandemly arranged BP100 units and peptide accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER, analyzing five BP100 derivatives. The ER retention sequence did not reduce the antimicrobial activity of chemically synthesized BP100 derivatives, making this strategy possible. Transformation with sequences encoding BP100 derivatives (bp100der was over ten-fold less efficient than that of the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII transgene. The BP100 direct tandems did not show higher antimicrobial activity than BP100, and genetically modified (GM plants constitutively expressing them were not viable. In contrast, inverted repeats of BP100, whether or not elongated with a portion of a natural antimicrobial peptide (AMP, had higher antimicrobial activity, and fertile GM rice lines constitutively expressing bp100der were produced. These GM lines had increased resistance to the pathogens Dickeya chrysanthemi and Fusarium verticillioides, and tolerance to oxidative stress, with agronomic performance comparable to untransformed lines. Conclusions Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding short cationic α-helical synthetic peptides can have a strong negative impact on rice fitness. However, GM

  10. Iodinated derivatives of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), PHI and PHM: purification, chemical characterization and biological activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMaster, D.; Suzuki, Y.; Rorstad, O.; Lederis, K.

    1987-01-01

    The iodination of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was studied, using a variety of enzymatic and chemical iodination methods. Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to purify the reaction products. The lactoperoxidase-glucose oxidase method gave excellent results in terms of reproducibility, iodine incorporation, and yield of the non-oxidized products [Tyr(I)10]VIP and [Tyr(I)22]VIP, and was used to prepare both 125 I and 127 I labelled derivatives. In both cases, direct application to HPLC and a single column system were used. Although the oxidized peptides [Tyr(I)10,Met(O)17]VIP and [Tyr(I)22,Met(O)17]VIP could be generated to varying degrees directly by iodination of VIP, these were most conveniently prepared by iodination of [Met(O)17]VIP. Iodinated derivatives of the homologous peptides PHI and PHM were likewise prepared by rapid, one-step HPLC procedures. The site and degree of iodination were determined by HPLC peptide mapping of tryptic digests and amino acid analyses, and in the case of [Tyr(I)10]VIP also by sequencing. The vasorelaxant activities of the iodinated peptides in bovine cerebral artery preparations did not differ significantly from those of the corresponding noniodinated peptides, with the exception of [Tyr(I)10,Met(O)17]VIP and [Tyr(I)22,Met(O)17]VIP which, unlike [Met(O)17]VIP itself, had slightly lower potency than VIP

  11. Antimicrobial activity of synthetic cationic peptides and lipopeptides derived from human lactoferricin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa planktonic cultures and biofilms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Gómez, Susana; Ferrer-Espada, Raquel; Stewart, Philip S; Pitts, Betsey; Lohner, Karl; Martínez de Tejada, Guillermo

    2015-07-07

    Infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa constitute a serious health threat because this pathogen -particularly when it forms biofilms - can acquire resistance to the majority of conventional antibiotics. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of synthetic peptides based on LF11, an 11-mer peptide derived from human lactoferricin against P. aeruginosa planktonic and biofilm-forming cells. We included in this analysis selected N-acylated derivatives of the peptides to analyze the effect of acylation in antimicrobial activity. To assess the efficacy of compounds against planktonic bacteria, microdilution assays to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill studies were conducted. The anti-biofilm activity of the agents was assessed on biofilms grown under static (on microplates) and dynamic (in a CDC-reactor) flow regimes. The antimicrobial activity of lipopeptides differed from that of non-acylated peptides in their killing mechanisms on planktonic and biofilm-forming cells. Thus, acylation enhanced the bactericidal activity of the parental peptides and resulted in lipopeptides that were uniformly bactericidal at their MIC. In contrast, acylation of the most potent anti-biofilm peptides resulted in compounds with lower anti-biofilm activity. Both peptides and lipopeptides displayed very rapid killing kinetics and all of them required less than 21 min to reduce 1,000 times the viability of planktonic cells when tested at 2 times their MBC. The peptides, LF11-215 (FWRIRIRR) and LF11-227 (FWRRFWRR), displayed the most potent anti-biofilm activity causing a 10,000 fold reduction in cell viability after 1 h of treatment at 10 times their MIC. At that concentration, these two compounds exhibited low citotoxicity on human cells. In addition to its bactericidal activity, LF11-227 removed more that 50 % of the biofilm mass in independent assays. Peptide LF11-215 and two of the shortest and least

  12. Screening of soy protein-derived hypotriglyceridemic di-peptides in vitro and in vivo

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    Matsui Toshiro

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Soy protein and soy peptides have attracted considerable attention because of their potentially beneficial biological properties, including antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, and hypolipidemic effects. Although soy protein isolate contains several bioactive peptides that have distinct physiological activities in lipid metabolism, it is not clear which peptide sequences are responsible for the triglyceride (TG-lowering effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of soy protein-derived peptides on lipid metabolism, especially TG metabolism, in HepG2 cells and obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF rats. Results In the first experiment, we found that soy crude peptide (SCP-LD3, which was prepared by hydrolyze of soy protein isolate with endo-type protease, showed hypolipidemic effects in HepG2 cells and OLETF rats. In the second experiment, we found that hydrophilic fraction, separated from SCP-LD3 with hydrophobic synthetic absorbent, revealed lipid-lowering effects in HepG2 cells and OLETF rats. In the third experiment, we found that Fraction-C (Frc-C peptides, fractionated from hydrophilic peptides by gel permeation chromatography-high performance liquid chromatography, significantly reduced TG synthesis and apolipoprotein B (apoB secretion in HepG2 cells. In the fourth experiment, we found that the fraction with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid, isolated from Frc-C peptides by octadecylsilyl column chromatography, showed hypolipidemic effects in HepG2 cells. In the final experiment, we found that 3 di-peptides, Lys-Ala, Val-Lys, and Ser-Tyr, reduced TG synthesis, and Ser-Tyr additionally reduced apoB secretion in HepG2 cells. Conclusion Novel active peptides with TG-lowering effects from soy protein have been isolated.

  13. Multi-species sequence comparison reveals conservation of ghrelin gene-derived splice variants encoding a truncated ghrelin peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seim, Inge; Jeffery, Penny L; Thomas, Patrick B; Walpole, Carina M; Maugham, Michelle; Fung, Jenny N T; Yap, Pei-Yi; O'Keeffe, Angela J; Lai, John; Whiteside, Eliza J; Herington, Adrian C; Chopin, Lisa K

    2016-06-01

    The peptide hormone ghrelin is a potent orexigen produced predominantly in the stomach. It has a number of other biological actions, including roles in appetite stimulation, energy balance, the stimulation of growth hormone release and the regulation of cell proliferation. Recently, several ghrelin gene splice variants have been described. Here, we attempted to identify conserved alternative splicing of the ghrelin gene by cross-species sequence comparisons. We identified a novel human exon 2-deleted variant and provide preliminary evidence that this splice variant and in1-ghrelin encode a C-terminally truncated form of the ghrelin peptide, termed minighrelin. These variants are expressed in humans and mice, demonstrating conservation of alternative splicing spanning 90 million years. Minighrelin appears to have similar actions to full-length ghrelin, as treatment with exogenous minighrelin peptide stimulates appetite and feeding in mice. Forced expression of the exon 2-deleted preproghrelin variant mirrors the effect of the canonical preproghrelin, stimulating cell proliferation and migration in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line. This is the first study to characterise an exon 2-deleted preproghrelin variant and to demonstrate sequence conservation of ghrelin gene-derived splice variants that encode a truncated ghrelin peptide. This adds further impetus for studies into the alternative splicing of the ghrelin gene and the function of novel ghrelin peptides in vertebrates.

  14. Neutrophil elastase and elastin-derived peptides in BAL fluid and emphysematous changes on CT scans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Betsuyaku, Tomoko; Nishimura, Masaharu; Yoshioka, Aya; Takeyabu, Kimihiro; Miyamoto, Kenji; Kawakami, Yoshikazu

    1996-01-01

    We examined the relationship between neutrophil elastase, elastin-derived peptides in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and the development of pulmonary emphysema. The level of neutrophil elastase was higher in asymptomatic current smokers with emphysematous changes on computed tomographic scans than in current smokers without emphysematous changes, and was found to be correlated with the level of elastin-derived peptides in BAL fluid. Subjects with high levels of neutrophil elastase in BAL fluid had faster annual declines in FEV 1 . We conclude that the level of neutrophil elastase in BAL fluid can be used to differentiate asymptomatic cigarette smokers who are at risk for pulmonary emphysema from those who are not. (author)

  15. Penetration of Milk-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides into Phospholipid Monolayers as Model Biomembranes

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    Wanda Barzyk

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Three antimicrobial peptides derived from bovine milk proteins were examined with regard to penetration into insoluble monolayers formed with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC or 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol sodium salt (DPPG. Effects on surface pressure (Π and electric surface potential (ΔV were measured, Π with a platinum Wilhelmy plate and ΔV with a vibrating plate. The penetration measurements were performed under stationary diffusion conditions and upon the compression of the monolayers. The two type measurements showed greatly different effects of the peptide-lipid interactions. Results of the stationary penetration show that the peptide interactions with DPPC monolayer are weak, repulsive, and nonspecific while the interactions with DPPG monolayer are significant, attractive, and specific. These results are in accord with the fact that antimicrobial peptides disrupt bacteria membranes (negative while no significant effect on the host membranes (neutral is observed. No such discrimination was revealed from the compression isotherms. The latter indicate that squeezing the penetrant out of the monolayer upon compression does not allow for establishing the penetration equilibrium, so the monolayer remains supersaturated with the penetrant and shows an under-equilibrium orientation within the entire compression range, practically.

  16. Zein nanoparticle as a novel BMP6 derived peptide carrier for enhanced osteogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadavi, Mahvash; Hasannia, Sadegh; Faghihi, Shahab; Mashayekhi, Farhad; Homazadeh, Homayoun; Mostofi, Seyed Behrooz

    2018-01-26

    Zein nanoparticles as a carrier system for BMP6-derived peptide were prepared by liquid-liquid phase separation procedure and characterized with SEM, DLS, FTIR and thermogravimetric methods. After peptide encapsulation, nanoparticle size increased from 236.3 ± 92.2 nm to 379.4 ± 116.8 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of peptide was 72.6% and the release of peptide from Zein nanoparticles was partly sustained in trypsin containing phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) for up to 14 days. Peptide-loaded nanoparticles showed similar cell viability compared with blank ones. ALP activity of C2C12 cells treated with peptide-loaded nanoparticles (500 µg/mL) was evaluated 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after culture. In peptide-loaded nanoparticles, ALP activity was significantly higher (p < .05) compared with other groups at day 14. Alizarin Red S staining showed, C2C12 cells behind peptide-loaded nanoparticles had significantly (p < .05) higher calcium deposition at day 21. The results of RT-qPCR show that the BMP-6 peptide activated expression of RUNX2 as a transcription factor. In turn, RUNX2 regulates SPP1 and BGLAP gene expression, as osteogenic marker genes. The results confirm that the peptide-loaded Zein nanoparticles, as osteoinductive material, may be used to repair small area of bone defects, with low load bearing.

  17. A PEDF-Derived Peptide Inhibits Retinal Neovascularization and Blocks Mobilization of Bone Marrow-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Longeras

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is characterized by pathological retinal neovascularization, mediated by both angiogenesis (involving mature endothelial cells and vasculogenesis (involving bone marrow-derived circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF contains an N-terminal 34-amino acid peptide (PEDF-34 that has antiangiogenic properties. Herein, we present a novel finding that PEDF-34 also possesses antivasculogenic activity. In the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR model using transgenic mice that have Tie2 promoter-driven GFP expression, we quantified Tie2GFP+ cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS. OIR significantly increased the number of circulating Tie2-GFP+ at P16, correlating with the peak progression of neovascularization. Daily intraperitoneal injections of PEDF-34 into OIR mice decreased the number of Tie2-GFP+ cells in the circulation at P16 by 65% but did not affect the number of Tie2-GFP+ cells in the bone marrow. These studies suggest that PEDF-34 attenuates EPC mobilization from the bone marrow into the blood circulation during retinal neovascularization.

  18. Quantification of VGF- and pro-SAAS-derived peptides in endocrine tissues and the brain, and their regulation by diet and cold stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Tandra R; Tkalych, Oleg; Nanno, Daniela; Garcia, Angelo L; Devi, Lakshmi A; Salton, Stephen R J

    2006-05-17

    Two novel granin-like polypeptides, VGF and pro-SAAS, which are stored in and released from secretory vesicles and are expressed widely in nervous, endocrine, and neuroendocrine tissues, play roles in the regulation of body weight, feeding, and energy expenditure. Both VGF and pro-SAAS are cleaved into peptide fragments, several of which are biologically active. We utilized a highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) to immunoreactive, pro-SAAS-derived PEN peptides, developed another against immunoreactive, VGF-derived AQEE30 peptides, and quantified these peptides in various mouse tissues and brain regions. Immunoreactive AQEE30 was most abundant in the pituitary, while brain levels were highest in hypothalamus, striatum, and frontal cortex. Immunoreactive PEN levels were highest in the pancreas and spinal cord, and in brain, PEN was most abundant in striatum, hippocampus, pons and medulla, and cortex. Since both peptides were expressed in hypothalamus, a region of the brain that controls feeding and energy expenditure, double label immunofluorescence studies were employed. These demonstrated that 42% of hypothalamic arcuate neurons coexpress VGF and SAAS peptides, and that the intracellular distributions of these peptides in arcuate neurons differed. By RIA, cold stress increased immunoreactive AQEE30 and PEN peptide levels in female but not male hypothalamus, while a high fat diet increased AQEE30 and PEN peptide levels in female but not male hippocampus. VGF and SAAS-derived peptides are therefore widely expressed in endocrine, neuroendocrine, and neural tissues, can be accurately quantified by RIA, and are differentially regulated in the brain by diet and cold stress.

  19. Improving surface functional properties of tofu whey-derived peptides by chemical modification with fatty acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matemu, Athanasia Oswald; Katayama, Shigeru; Kayahara, Hisataka; Murasawa, Hisashi; Nakamura, Soichiro

    2012-04-01

    Effect of acylation with saturated fatty acids on surface functional properties of tofu whey-derived peptides was investigated. Tofu whey (TW) and soy proteins (7S, 11S, and acid-precipitated soy protein [APP]) were hydrolyzed by Protease M 'Amano' G, and resulting peptide mixtures were acylated with esterified fatty acids of different chain length (6C to 18C) to form a covalent linkage between the carboxyl group of fatty acid and the free amino groups of peptide. Acylation significantly (P properties of 7S, 11S, and APP peptides independent of fatty acid chain length. Acylation decreased water binding capacity although oil binding capacity of acylated tofu whey ultra filtered fraction (UFTW acids had shown significant higher surface hydrophobicity as in contrast with acylated UFTW acids can further affect functional properties of soy proteins. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  20. Biosynthesis of 2-aminooctanoic acid and its use to terminally modify a lactoferricin B peptide derivative for improved antimicrobial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almahboub, Sarah A; Narancic, Tanja; Devocelle, Marc; Kenny, Shane T; Palmer-Brown, William; Murphy, Cormac; Nikodinovic-Runic, Jasmina; O'Connor, Kevin E

    2018-01-01

    Terminal modification of peptides is frequently used to improve their hydrophobicity. While N-terminal modification with fatty acids (lipidation) has been reported previously, C-terminal lipidation is limited as it requires the use of linkers. Here we report the use of a biocatalyst for the production of an unnatural fatty amino acid, (S)-2-aminooctanoic acid (2-AOA) with enantiomeric excess > 98% ee and the subsequent use of 2-AOA to modify and improve the activity of an antimicrobial peptide. A transaminase originating from Chromobacterium violaceum was employed with a conversion efficiency 52-80% depending on the ratio of amino group donor to acceptor. 2-AOA is a fatty acid with amino functionality, which allowed direct C- and N-terminal conjugation respectively to an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) derived from lactoferricin B. The antibacterial activity of the modified peptides was improved by up to 16-fold. Furthermore, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of C-terminally modified peptide were always lower than N-terminally conjugated peptides. The C-terminally modified peptide exhibited MIC values of 25 μg/ml for Escherichia coli, 50 μg/ml for Bacillus subtilis, 100 μg/ml for Salmonella typhimurium, 200 μg/ml for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 400 μg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus. The C-terminally modified peptide was the only peptide tested that showed complete inhibition of growth of S. aureus.

  1. Comparative antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of bovine lactoferricin-derived synthetic peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yifan; Han, Feifei; Xie, Yonggang; Wang, Yizhen

    2011-12-01

    Lactoferricin B (LfcinB), a 25 residue peptide derived from the N-terminal of bovine lactoferrin (bLF), causes depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane in susceptible bacteria. Its mechanism of action, however, still needs to be elucidated. In the present study, synthetic LfcinB (without a disulfide bridge) and LfcinB (C-C; with a disulfide bridge) as well as three derivatives with 15-, 11- and 9-residue peptides were prepared to investigate their antimicrobial nature and mechanisms. The antimicrobial properties were measured via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations, killing kinetics assays and synergy testing, and hemolytic activities were assessed by hemoglobin release. Finally, the morphology of peptide-treated bacteria was determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found that there was no difference in MICs between LfcinB and LfcinB (C-C). Among the derivatives, only LfcinB15 maintained nearly the same level as LfcinB, in the MIC range of 16-128 μg/ml, and the MICs of LfcinB11 (64-256 μg/ml) were 4 times more than LfcinB, while LfcinB9 exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity. When treated at MIC for 1 h, many blebs were formed and holes of various sizes appeared on the cell surface, but the cell still maintained its integrity. This suggested that LfcinB had a major permeability effect on the cytoplasmic membrane of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which also indicated it may be a possible intracellular target. Among the tested antibiotics, aureomycin increased the bactericidal activity of LfcinB against E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, but neomycin did not have such an effect. We also found that the combination of cecropin A and LfcinB had synergistic effects against E. coli.

  2. Serum chromogranin A concentration in hyperthyroidism before and after medical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shoumer, Kamal A S; Vasanthy, Bagavathy A

    2009-07-01

    The aim was to evaluate changes in chromogranin A (CgA) concentration in hyperthyroidism and to assess its metabolic correlations. We studied CgA levels in hyperthyroidism. First, 38 hyperthyroid patients matched with 86 normal controls were studied after an overnight fast. Second, 30 if the 38 patients were followed up for 6 months with medical antithyroid drug therapy (carbimazole). In the first study, after 10-12 h overnight fasting, blood was collected for measurement of CgA, glucose, insulin, intact proinsulin, and thyroid function. These variables were remeasured in the second study for the patients after attainment of euthyroidism with the antithyroid drug carbimazole for 6 months. Pretreatment CgA level was significantly higher in patients compared with controls. CgA levels dropped significantly to levels similar to those of controls after antithyroid therapy. Although baseline and follow-up fasting glucose, insulin, and intact proinsulin demonstrated similar pattern of CgA changes before and after medical treatment, CgA did not correlate with any of them. However, CgA levels demonstrated a significant positive correlation with free T(3) and free T(4) only. These studies demonstrate that untreated hyperthyroidism is associated with elevated CgA level that changes in parallel to thyroid status. It is therefore possible to use CgA concentration as a potential marker of disease activity in hyperthyroidism.

  3. Stimulation of Interleukin-10 Production by Acidic β-Lactoglobulin-Derived Peptides Hydrolyzed with Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 Peptidases

    OpenAIRE

    Prioult, Guénolée; Pecquet, Sophie; Fliss, Ismail

    2004-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated that Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 may help to prevent cow's milk allergy in mice by inducing oral tolerance to β-lactoglobulin (BLG). To investigate the mechanisms involved in this beneficial effect, we examined the possibility that L. paracasei induces tolerance by hydrolyzing BLG-derived peptides and liberating peptides that stimulate interleukin-10 (IL-10) production. L. paracasei peptidases have been shown to hydrolyze tryptic-chymotryptic peptides from ...

  4. Amyloid fibril formation of peptides derived from the C-terminus of CETP modulated by lipids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-González, Victor [Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, DF (Mexico); Mas-Oliva, Jaime, E-mail: jmas@ifc.unam.mx [Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, DF (Mexico); División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, DF (Mexico)

    2013-04-26

    Highlights: •The secondary structure of a C-terminal peptide derived from CETP was studied. •Lipids modulate secondary structure changes of a C-terminal peptide derived from CETP. •Lysophosphatidic acid maintains a functional α-helix and prevents fibril formation. •Transfer of lipids by CETP is related to the presence of an α-helix at its C-end. -- Abstract: Cholesteryl-ester transfer protein (CETP) is a plasmatic protein involved in neutral lipid transfer between lipoproteins. Focusing on the last 12 C-terminus residues we have previously shown that mutation D{sub 470}N promotes a conformational change towards a β-secondary structure. In turn, this modification leads to the formation of oligomers and fibrillar structures, which cause cytotoxic effects similar to the ones provoked by amyloid peptides. In this study, we evaluated the role of specific lipid arrangements on the structure of peptide helix-Z (D{sub 470}N) through the use of thioflavin T fluorescence, peptide bond absorbance, circular dichroism and electron microscopy. The results indicate that the use of micelles formed with lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) under neutral pH induce a conformational transition of peptide helix-Z containing a β-sheet conformation to a native α-helix structure, therefore avoiding the formation of amyloid fibrils. In contrast, incubation with phosphatidic acid does not change the profile for the β-sheet conformation. When the electrostatic charge at the surface of micelles or vesicles is regulated through the use of lipids such as phospholipid and LPA, minimal changes and the presence of β-structures were recorded. Mixtures with a positive net charge diminished the percentage of β-structure and the amount of amyloid fibrils. Our results suggest that the degree of solvation determined by the presence of a free hydroxyl group on lipids such as LPA is a key condition that can modulate the secondary structure and the consequent formation of

  5. Amyloid fibril formation of peptides derived from the C-terminus of CETP modulated by lipids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    García-González, Victor; Mas-Oliva, Jaime

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •The secondary structure of a C-terminal peptide derived from CETP was studied. •Lipids modulate secondary structure changes of a C-terminal peptide derived from CETP. •Lysophosphatidic acid maintains a functional α-helix and prevents fibril formation. •Transfer of lipids by CETP is related to the presence of an α-helix at its C-end. -- Abstract: Cholesteryl-ester transfer protein (CETP) is a plasmatic protein involved in neutral lipid transfer between lipoproteins. Focusing on the last 12 C-terminus residues we have previously shown that mutation D 470 N promotes a conformational change towards a β-secondary structure. In turn, this modification leads to the formation of oligomers and fibrillar structures, which cause cytotoxic effects similar to the ones provoked by amyloid peptides. In this study, we evaluated the role of specific lipid arrangements on the structure of peptide helix-Z (D 470 N) through the use of thioflavin T fluorescence, peptide bond absorbance, circular dichroism and electron microscopy. The results indicate that the use of micelles formed with lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) under neutral pH induce a conformational transition of peptide helix-Z containing a β-sheet conformation to a native α-helix structure, therefore avoiding the formation of amyloid fibrils. In contrast, incubation with phosphatidic acid does not change the profile for the β-sheet conformation. When the electrostatic charge at the surface of micelles or vesicles is regulated through the use of lipids such as phospholipid and LPA, minimal changes and the presence of β-structures were recorded. Mixtures with a positive net charge diminished the percentage of β-structure and the amount of amyloid fibrils. Our results suggest that the degree of solvation determined by the presence of a free hydroxyl group on lipids such as LPA is a key condition that can modulate the secondary structure and the consequent formation of amyloid

  6. Synthesis of two tritium-labeled derivatives of a vasopressin antagonist peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landvatter, S.W.; Heys, J.R.

    1986-01-01

    SK and F 101926, a potent vasopressin antagonist, has been tritium labeled in the tyrosine residue via exchange followed by solid phase coupling to a hexapeptide. The peptide thus obtained was subsequently coupled with a PMP residue, cleaved from the resin with HF, oxidized by ferricyanide and purified by HPLC giving the desired cyclic peptide. Alternatively, a labeled PMP residue can be prepared via reduction starting from phenol. Conversion of the labeled cyclohexanone to PMP followed by solid phase coupling to a heptapeptide can then afford PMP labeled peptide. 3 refs

  7. Antibacterial activity in bovine lactoferrin-derived peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoek, K S; Milne, J M; Grieve, P A; Dionysius, D A; Smith, R

    1997-01-01

    Several peptides sharing high sequence homology with lactoferricin B (Lf-cin B) were generated from bovine lactoferrin (Lf) with recombinant chymosin. Two peptides were copurified, one identical to Lf-cin B and another differing from Lf-cin B by the inclusion of a C-terminal alanine (lactoferricin). Two other peptides were copurified from chymosin-hydrolyzed Lf, one differing from Lf-cin B by the inclusion of C-terminal alanyl-leucine and the other being a heterodimer linked by a disulfide bond. These peptides were isolated in a single step from chymosin-hydrolyzed Lf by membrane ion-exchange chromatography and were purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). They were characterized by N-terminal Edman sequencing, mass spectrometry, and antibacterial activity determination. Pure lactoferricin, prepared from pepsin-hydrolyzed Lf, was purified by standard chromatography techniques. This peptide was analyzed against a number of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria before and after reduction of its disulfide bond or cleavage after its single methionine residue and was found to inhibit the growth of all the test bacteria at a concentration of 8 microM or less. Subfragments of lactoferricin were isolated from reduced and cleaved peptide by reverse-phase HPLC. Subfragment 1 (residues 1 to 10) was active against most of the test microorganisms at concentrations of 10 to 50 microM. Subfragment 2 (residues 11 to 26) was active against only a few microorganisms at concentrations up to 100 microM. These antibacterial studies indicate that the activity of lactoferricin is mainly, but not wholly, due to its N-terminal region. PMID:8980754

  8. γ-Preprotachykinin-(72-92)-peptide amide: An endogenous preprotachykinin I gene-derived peptide that preferentially binds to neurokinin-2 receptors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dam, T.V.; Takeda, Y.; Krause, J.E.; Escher, E.; Quirion, R.

    1990-01-01

    The presence of N-terminally extended forms of neurokinin A has recently been reported in the mammalian brain. Among them, gamma-preprotachykinin-(72-92)-peptide amide [gamma-PPT-(72-92)-NH2], a peptide derived by posttranslational processing of gamma-preprotachykinin, is most prominent. We report here that this peptide most likely acts on neurokinin-2 receptor sites since neurokinin A (a putative neurokinin-2 agonist) and gamma-PPT-(72-92)-NH2 are potent competitors of 125I-labeled gamma-PPT-(72-92)-NH2 binding whereas selective neurokinin-1 and -3 agonists are not. Moreover, the distribution of 125I-labeled gamma-PPT-(72-92)-NH2 and 125I-labeled neurokinin A binding sites are very similar in rat brain. On the other hand, 125I-labeled Bolton-Hunter-substance P (a neurokinin-1 ligand) and 125I-labeled Bolton-Hunter-eledoisin (a neurokinin-3 ligand) binding sites are differentially located in this tissue. Thus, it appears that gamma-PPT-(72-92)-NH2 binds to neurokinin-2 receptors and should be considered as a putative endogenous ligand for this receptor class

  9. Evaluation of single amino acid chelate derivatives and regioselective radiolabelling of a cyclic peptide for the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armstrong, Andrea F.; Lemon, Jennifer A. [McMaster Institute for Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada); Czorny, Shannon K. [McMaster Institute for Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada); Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, ON, L8V 5C2 (Canada); Singh, Gurmit [Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, ON, L8V 5C2 (Canada); Valliant, John F. [Department of Chemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada); Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada)], E-mail: valliant@mcmaster.ca

    2009-11-15

    Introduction: The aim of this work was to investigate the relative radiolabelling kinetics and affinity of a series of ligands for the [{sup 99m}Tc(CO){sub 3}]{sup +} core, both in the absence and in the presence of competing donors. This information was used to select a suitable ligand for radiolabelling complex peptide-based targeting vectors in high yield under mild conditions. Methods: A series of {alpha}-N-Fmoc-protected lysine derivatives bearing two heterocyclic donor groups at the {epsilon}-amine (, 2-pyridyl; , quinolyl; , 6-methoxy-2-pyridyl; 1d, 2-thiazolyl; 1e, N-methylimidazolyl; , 3-pyridyl) were synthesized and labelled with {sup 99m}Tc. A resin-capture purification strategy for the separation of residual ligand from the radiolabelled product was also developed. The binding affinities of targeted peptides 4, 5a and 5b for uPAR were determined using flow cytometry. Results: Variable temperature radiolabelling reactions using - and [{sup 99m}Tc(CO){sub 3}]{sup +} revealed optimal kinetics and good selectivity for compounds and 1d; in the case of , 1d, and 1e, the labelling can be conducted at ambient temperature. The utility of this class of ligands was further demonstrated by the radiolabelling of a cyclic peptide that is known to target the serine protease receptor uPAR; essentially quantitative incorporation of {sup 99m}Tc occurred exclusively at the SAAC site, despite the presence of a His residue, and without disruption of the disulfide bond. Conclusion: A series of single amino acid chelate (SAAC) ligands have been evaluated for their ability to incorporate {sup 99m}Tc into peptides. The lead agent to emerge from this work is the thiazole SAAC derivative 1d which has demonstrated the ability to regioselectively label the widest range of peptides.

  10. A neural cell adhesion molecule-derived peptide reduces neuropathological signs and cognitive impairment induced by Abeta25-35

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klementiev, B; Novikova, T; Novitskaya, V

    2007-01-01

    death and brain atrophy in response to Abeta25-35. Finally, the Abeta25-35-administration led to a reduced short-term memory as determined by the social recognition test. A synthetic peptide termed FGL derived from the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was able to prevent or, if already manifest......, strongly reduce all investigated signs of Abeta25-35-induced neuropathology and cognitive impairment. The FGL peptide was recently demonstrated to be able to cross the blood-brain-barrier. Accordingly, we found that the beneficial effects of FGL were achieved not only by intracisternal, but also...... and cognitive impairment involves the modulation of intracellular signal-transduction mediated through GSK3beta....

  11. Early fetal acquisition of the chromaffin and neuronal immunophenotype by human adrenal medullary cells. An immunohistological study using monoclonal antibodies to chromogranin A, synaptophysin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and neuronal cytoskeletal proteins.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molenaar, W M; Lee, V M; Trojanowski, J Q

    1990-01-01

    The development of chromaffin and neuronal features in the adrenal medulla was studied in normal human fetuses with gestational ages (GAs) of 6-34 weeks. Monoclonal antibodies specific for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and tyrosine hydroxylase; for different subunits and phosphoisoforms of

  12. Experimental myositis inducible with transfer of dendritic cells presenting a skeletal muscle C protein-derived CD8 epitope peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okiyama, Naoko; Hasegawa, Hisanori; Oida, Takatoku; Hirata, Shinya; Yokozeki, Hiroo; Fujimoto, Manabu; Miyasaka, Nobuyuki; Kohsaka, Hitoshi

    2015-07-01

    It is suggested that polymyositis, an autoimmune inflammatory myopathy, is mediated by autoaggressive CD8 T cells. Skeletal muscle C protein is a self-antigen that induces C protein-induced myositis, a murine model of polymyositis. To establish a new murine model of myositis inducible with a single CD8 T-cell epitope peptide that derives from the C protein, three internet-based prediction systems were employed to identify 24 candidate peptides of the immunogenic fragment of the C protein and bind theoretically to major histocompatibility complex class I molecules of C57BL/6 (B6) mice. RMA-S cell assay revealed that a HILIYSDV peptide, amino acid position 399-406 of the C protein, had the highest affinity to the H2-K(b) molecules. Transfer of mature bone marrow-derived dendritic cells pulsed with HILIYSDV induced myositis in naive B6 mice. This myositis was suppressed by anti-CD8-depleting antibodies but not by anti-CD4-depleting antibodies. Because this myositis model is mediated by CD8 T cells independently of CD4 T cells, it should be a useful tool to investigate pathology of polymyositis and develop therapies targeting CD8 T cells. © The Japanese Society for Immunology. 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Human Platelet-Rich Plasma- and Extracellular Matrix-Derived Peptides Promote Impaired Cutaneous Wound Healing In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demidova-Rice, Tatiana N.; Wolf, Lindsey; Deckenback, Jeffry; Hamblin, Michael R.; Herman, Ira M.

    2012-01-01

    Previous work in our laboratory has described several pro-angiogenic short peptides derived from endothelial extracellular matrices degraded by bacterial collagenase. Here we tested whether these peptides could stimulate wound healing in vivo. Our experiments demonstrated that a peptide created as combination of fragments of tenascin X and fibrillin 1 (comb1) applied into cranial dermal wounds created in mice treated with cyclophosphamide to impair wound healing, can improve the rate of wound closure. Furthermore, we identify and characterize a novel peptide (UN3) created and modified from two naturally-occurring peptides, which are present in human platelet-rich plasma. In vitro testing of UN3 demonstrates that it causes a 50% increase in endothelial proliferation, 250% increase in angiogenic response and a tripling of epithelial cell migration in response to injury. Results of in vivo experiments where comb1 and UN3 peptides were added together to cranial wounds in cyclophosphamide-treated mice leads to improvement of wound vascularization as shown by an increase of the number of blood vessels present in the wound beds. Application of the peptides markedly promotes cellular responses to injury and essentially restores wound healing dynamics to those of normal, acute wounds in the absence of cyclophosphamide impairment. Our current work is aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying the stimulatory effects of these peptides as well as identification of the cellular receptors mediating these effects. PMID:22384158

  14. Antimelanoma CTL recognizes peptides derived from an ORF transcribed from the antisense strand of the 3′ untranslated region of TRIT1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rolf K Swoboda

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Noncoding regions of the genome play an important role in tumorigenesis of cancer. Using expression cloning, we have identified a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL–defined antigen that recognizes a protein sequence derived from an open reading frame transcribed from the reverse strand in the 3′ untranslated region of tRNA isopentenyltransferase 1 (TRIT1. A peptide derived from this open reading frame (ORF sequence and predicted to bind to HLA-B57, sensitized HLA-B57+ tumor cells to lysis by CTL793. The peptide also induced a CTL response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC of patient 793 and in two other melanoma patients. The CTL lysed peptide-pulsed HLA-B57+ target cells and melanoma cells with endogenous antigen expression. The recognition of this antigen is not limited to HLA-B57-restricted CTLs. An HLA-A2 peptide derived from the ORF was able to induce CTLs in PBMC of 2 HLA-A2+ patients. This study describes for the first time a CTL-defined melanoma antigen that is derived from an ORF on the reverse strand of the putative tumor suppressor gene TRIT1. This antigen has potential use as a vaccine or its ability to induce CTLs in vitro could be used as a predictive biomarker.

  15. Ligand-regulated peptides: a general approach for modulating protein-peptide interactions with small molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binkowski, Brock F; Miller, Russell A; Belshaw, Peter J

    2005-07-01

    We engineered a novel ligand-regulated peptide (LiRP) system where the binding activity of intracellular peptides is controlled by a cell-permeable small molecule. In the absence of ligand, peptides expressed as fusions in an FKBP-peptide-FRB-GST LiRP scaffold protein are free to interact with target proteins. In the presence of the ligand rapamycin, or the nonimmunosuppressive rapamycin derivative AP23102, the scaffold protein undergoes a conformational change that prevents the interaction of the peptide with the target protein. The modular design of the scaffold enables the creation of LiRPs through rational design or selection from combinatorial peptide libraries. Using these methods, we identified LiRPs that interact with three independent targets: retinoblastoma protein, c-Src, and the AMP-activated protein kinase. The LiRP system should provide a general method to temporally and spatially regulate protein function in cells and organisms.

  16. Hydroxamic acid derivatives as potent peptide deformylase inhibitors and antibacterial agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apfel, C; Banner, D W; Bur, D; Dietz, M; Hirata, T; Hubschwerlen, C; Locher, H; Page, M G; Pirson, W; Rossé, G; Specklin, J L

    2000-06-15

    Low-molecular-weight beta-sulfonyl- and beta-sulfinylhydroxamic acid derivatives have been synthesized and found to be potent inhibitors of Escherichia coli peptide deformylase (PDF). Most of the compounds synthesized and tested displayed antibacterial activities that cover several pathogens found in respiratory tract infections, including Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The potential of these compounds as antibacterial agents is discussed with respect to selectivity, intracellular concentrations in bacteria, and potential for resistance development.

  17. Milk-derived proteins and peptides in clinical trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jolanta Artym

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Clinical trials are reviewed, involving proteins and peptides derived from milk (predominantly bovine, with the exception of lactoferrin, which will be the subject of another article. The most explored milk fraction is α-lactalbumin (LA, which is often applied with glycomacropeptide (GMP – a casein degradation product. These milk constituents are used in health-promoting infant and adult formulae as well as in a modified form (HAMLET to treat cancer. Lactoperoxidase (LCP is used as an additive to mouth hygiene products and as a salivary substitute. Casein derivatives are applied, in addition, in the dry mouth syndrome. On the other hand, casein hydrolysates, containing active tripeptides, found application in hypertension and in type 2 diabetes. Lysozyme is routinely used for food conservation and in pharmaceutical products. It was successfully used in premature infants with concomitant diseases to improve health parameters. When used as prophylaxis in patients with scheduled surgery, it significantly reduced the incidence of hepatitis resulting from blood transfusion. Lysozyme was also used in infected children as an antimicrobial agent showing synergistic effects in combination with different antibiotics. Proline-rich polypeptide (PRP was introduced to therapy of Alzheimer’s disease patients. The therapeutic value of PRP was proved in several clinical trials and supported by studies on its mechanism of action. Concentrated immunoglobulin preparations from colostrum and milk of hyperimmunized cows showed efficacy in prevention of infections by bacteria, viruses and protozoa. A nutrition formula with milk-derived TGF-β2 (Modulen IBD® found application in treatment of pediatric Crohn’s disease. In conclusion, the preparations containing milk-derived products are safe and effective measures in prevention and treatment of infections as well as autoimmune and neoplastic diseases.

  18. Polyclonal cell activity of a repeat peptide derived from the sequence of an 85-kilodalton surface protein of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pestel, J; Defoort, J P; Gras-Masse, H; Afchain, D; Capron, A; Tartar, A; Ouaissi, A

    1992-01-01

    Some in vitro and in vivo biological activities of an octadecapeptide derived from an 85-kDa surface protein of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote were studied. The peptide coupled to a carrier protein induced the proliferative response of lymph node cells from mice immunized with various antigens. Moreover, sera from mice immunized with the coupled peptide were found to contain antibodies against a number of self and nonself antigens: fibronectin, bovine serum albumin, myosin, tetanus toxoid, ovalbumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, and DNA. These results are discussed in the context of Chagas' disease immunopathology. PMID:1730508

  19. Destabilization of Human Insulin Fibrils by Peptides of Fruit Bromelain Derived From Ananas comosus (Pineapple).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Sromona; Bhattacharyya, Debasish

    2017-12-01

    Deposition of insulin aggregates in human body leads to dysfunctioning of several organs. Effectiveness of fruit bromelain from pineapple in prevention of insulin aggregate was investigated. Proteolyses of bromelain was done as par human digestive system and the pool of small peptides was separated from larger peptides and proteins. Under conditions of growth of insulin aggregates from its monomers, this pool of peptides restricted the reaction upto formation of oligomers of limited size. These peptides also destabilized preformed insulin aggregates to oligomers. These processes were followed fluorimetrically using Thioflavin T and 1-ANS, size-exclusion HPLC, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Sequences of insulin (A and B chains) and bromelain were aligned using Clustal W software to predict most probable sites of interactions. Synthetic tripeptides corresponding to the hydrophobic interactive sites of bromelain showed disaggregation of insulin suggesting specificity of interactions. The peptides GG and AAA serving as negative controls showed no potency in destabilization of aggregates. Disaggregation potency of the peptides was also observed when insulin was deposited on HepG2 liver cells where no formation of toxic oligomers occurred. Amyloidogenic des-octapeptide (B23-B30 of insulin) incapable of cell signaling showed cytotoxicity similar to insulin. This toxicity could be neutralized by bromelain derived peptides. FT-IR and far-UV circular dichroism analysis indicated that disaggregated insulin had structure distinctly different from that of its hexameric (native) or monomeric states. Based on the stoichiometry of interaction and irreversibility of disaggregation, the mechanism/s of the peptides and insulin interactions has been proposed. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4881-4896, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. In Vivo Efficacy of Measles Virus Fusion Protein-Derived Peptides Is Modulated by the Properties of Self-Assembly and Membrane Residence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueira, T. N.; Palermo, L. M.; Veiga, A. S.; Huey, D.; Alabi, C. A.; Santos, N. C.; Welsch, J. C.; Mathieu, C.; Niewiesk, S.; Moscona, A.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Measles virus (MV) infection is undergoing resurgence and remains one of the leading causes of death among young children worldwide despite the availability of an effective measles vaccine. MV infects its target cells by coordinated action of the MV hemagglutinin (H) and fusion (F) envelope glycoproteins; upon receptor engagement by H, the prefusion F undergoes a structural transition, extending and inserting into the target cell membrane and then refolding into a postfusion structure that fuses the viral and cell membranes. By interfering with this structural transition of F, peptides derived from the heptad repeat (HR) regions of F can inhibit MV infection at the entry stage. In previous work, we have generated potent MV fusion inhibitors by dimerizing the F-derived peptides and conjugating them to cholesterol. We have shown that prophylactic intranasal administration of our lead fusion inhibitor efficiently protects from MV infection in vivo. We show here that peptides tagged with lipophilic moieties self-assemble into nanoparticles until they reach the target cells, where they are integrated into cell membranes. The self-assembly feature enhances biodistribution and the half-life of the peptides, while integration into the target cell membrane increases fusion inhibitor potency. These factors together modulate in vivo efficacy. The results suggest a new framework for developing effective fusion inhibitory peptides. IMPORTANCE Measles virus (MV) infection causes an acute illness that may be associated with infection of the central nervous system (CNS) and severe neurological disease. No specific treatment is available. We have shown that fusion-inhibitory peptides delivered intranasally provide effective prophylaxis against MV infection. We show here that specific biophysical properties regulate the in vivo efficacy of MV F-derived peptides. PMID:27733647

  1. Molecular basis for endotoxin neutralization by amphipathic peptides derived from the alpha-helical cationic core-region of NK-lysin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandenburg, Klaus; Garidel, Patrick; Fukuoka, Satoshi; Howe, Jörg; Koch, Michel H J; Gutsmann, Thomas; Andrä, Jörg

    2010-08-01

    An analysis of the interaction of the NK-lysin derived peptide NK-2 and of analogs thereof with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) was performed to determine the most important biophysical parameters for an effective LPS neutralization. We used microcalorimetry, FTIR spectroscopy, Zeta potential measurements, and small-angle X-ray scattering to analyze the peptide:LPS binding enthalpy, the accessible LPS surface charge, the fluidity of the LPS hydrocarbon chains, their phase transition enthalpy change, the aggregate structure of LPS, and how these parameters are modulated by the peptides. We conclude that (i) a high peptide:LPS binding affinity, which is facilitated by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and which leads to a positive Zeta potential, (ii) the formation of peptide-enriched domains, which destabilize the lipid packing, demonstrated by a drastic decrease of phase transition enthalpy change of LPS, and (iii) the multilamellarization of the LPS aggregate structure are crucial for an effective endotoxin neutralization by cationic peptides.

  2. ProSAAS-derived peptides are regulated by cocaine and are required for sensitization to the locomotor effects of cocaine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berezniuk, Iryna; Rodriguiz, Ramona M; Zee, Michael L; Marcus, David J; Pintar, John; Morgan, Daniel J; Wetsel, William C; Fricker, Lloyd D

    2017-11-01

    To identify neuropeptides that are regulated by cocaine, we used a quantitative peptidomic technique to examine the relative levels of neuropeptides in several regions of mouse brain following daily intraperitoneal administration of 10 mg/kg cocaine or saline for 7 days. A total of 102 distinct peptides were identified in one or more of the following brain regions: nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen, frontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area. None of the peptides detected in the caudate putamen or frontal cortex were altered by cocaine administration. Three peptides in the nucleus accumbens and seven peptides in the ventral tegmental area were significantly decreased in cocaine-treated mice. Five of these ten peptides are derived from proSAAS, a secretory pathway protein and neuropeptide precursor. To investigate whether proSAAS peptides contribute to the physiological effects of psychostimulants, we examined acute responses to cocaine and amphetamine in the open field with wild-type (WT) and proSAAS knockout (KO) mice. Locomotion was stimulated more robustly in the WT compared to mutant mice for both psychostimulants. Behavioral sensitization to amphetamine was not maintained in proSAAS KO mice and these mutants failed to sensitize to cocaine. To determine whether the rewarding effects of cocaine were altered, mice were tested in conditioned place preference (CPP). Both WT and proSAAS KO mice showed dose-dependent CPP to cocaine that was not distinguished by genotype. Taken together, these results suggest that proSAAS-derived peptides contribute differentially to the behavioral sensitization to psychostimulants, while the rewarding effects of cocaine appear intact in mice lacking proSAAS. © 2017 International Society for Neurochemistry.

  3. Synthesis, Characterization, and Initial Biological Evaluation of [99m Tc]Tc-Tricarbonyl-labeled DPA-α-MSH Peptide Derivatives for Potential Melanoma Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Feng; Sihver, Wiebke; Bergmann, Ralf; Belter, Birgit; Bolzati, Cristina; Salvarese, Nicola; Steinbach, Jörg; Pietzsch, Jens; Pietzsch, Hans-Jürgen

    2018-06-06

    α-Melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) derivatives target the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) specifically and selectively. In this study, the α-MSH-derived peptide NAP-NS1 (Nle-Asp-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-NH 2 ) with and without linkers was conjugated with 5-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)pentanoic acid (DPA-COOH) and labeled with [ 99m Tc]Tc-tricarbonyl by two methods. With the one-pot method the labeling was faster than with the two-pot method, while obtaining similarly high yields. Negligible trans-chelation and high stability in physiological solutions was determined for the [ 99m Tc]Tc-tricarbonyl-peptide conjugates. Coupling an ethylene glycol (EG)-based linker increased the hydrophilicity. The peptide derivatives displayed high binding affinity in murine B16F10 melanoma cells as well as in human MeWo and TXM13 melanoma cell homogenates. Preliminary in vivo studies with one of the [ 99m Tc]Tc-tricarbonyl-peptide conjugates showed good stability in blood and both renal and hepatobiliary excretion. Biodistribution was performed on healthy rats to gain initial insight into the potential relevance of the 99m Tc-labeled peptides for in vivo imaging. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Connecting peptide (c-peptide) and the duration of diabetes mellitus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: C-peptide is derived from proinsulin and it is secreted in equimolar concentration with insulin. Plasma C-peptide is more stable than insulin and it provides an indirect measure of insulin secretory reserve and beta cell function. To determine relationship between C-peptide and duration of diabetes mellitus, age, ...

  5. Peptide array-based screening of human mesenchymal stem cell-adhesive peptides derived from fibronectin type III domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okochi, Mina; Nomura, Shigeyuki; Kaga, Chiaki; Honda, Hiroyuki

    2008-01-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cell-adhesive peptides were screened based on the amino acid sequence of fibronectin type III domain 8-11 (FN-III 8-11 ) using a peptide array synthesized by the Fmoc-chemistry. Using hexameric peptide library of FN-III 8-11 scan, we identified the ALNGR (Ala-Leu-Asn-Gly-Arg) peptide that induced cell adhesion as well as RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) peptide. After incubation for 2 h, approximately 68% of inoculated cells adhere to the ALNGR peptide disk. Adhesion inhibition assay with integrin antibodies showed that the ALNGR peptide interacts with integrin β1 but not with αvβ3, indicating that the receptors for ALNGR are different from RGDS. Additionally, the ALNGR peptide expressed cell specificities for adhesion: cell adhesion was promoted for fibroblasts but not for keratinocytes or endotherial cells. The ALNGR peptide induced cell adhesion and promoted cell proliferation without changing its property. It is therefore useful for the construction of functional biomaterials

  6. Cleavage specificity analysis of six type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs using PICS with proteome-derived peptide libraries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Barré

    Full Text Available Type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs are a family of cell membrane tethered serine proteases with unclear roles as their cleavage site specificities and substrate degradomes have not been fully elucidated. Indeed just 52 cleavage sites are annotated in MEROPS, the database of proteases, their substrates and inhibitors.To profile the active site specificities of the TTSPs, we applied Proteomic Identification of protease Cleavage Sites (PICS. Human proteome-derived database searchable peptide libraries were assayed with six human TTSPs (matriptase, matriptase-2, matriptase-3, HAT, DESC and hepsin to simultaneously determine sequence preferences on the N-terminal non-prime (P and C-terminal prime (P' sides of the scissile bond. Prime-side cleavage products were isolated following biotinylation and identified by tandem mass spectrometry. The corresponding non-prime side sequences were derived from human proteome databases using bioinformatics. Sequencing of 2,405 individual cleaved peptides allowed for the development of the family consensus protease cleavage site specificity revealing a strong specificity for arginine in the P1 position and surprisingly a lysine in P1' position. TTSP cleavage between R↓K was confirmed using synthetic peptides. By parsing through known substrates and known structures of TTSP catalytic domains, and by modeling the remainder, structural explanations for this strong specificity were derived.Degradomics analysis of 2,405 cleavage sites revealed a similar and characteristic TTSP family specificity at the P1 and P1' positions for arginine and lysine in unfolded peptides. The prime side is important for cleavage specificity, thus making these proteases unusual within the tryptic-enzyme class that generally has overriding non-prime side specificity.

  7. Peptide vaccination against multiple myeloma using peptides derived from anti-apoptotic protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Nicolai Grønne Dahlager; Ahmad, Shamaila Munir; Abildgaard, N.

    2016-01-01

    The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins play a crucial role in multiple myeloma (MM), contributing to lacking apoptosis which is a hallmark of the disease. This makes the Bcl-2 proteins interesting targets for therapeutic peptide vaccination. We report a phase I trial of therapeutic vacc...... vaccination. Vaccination against Bcl-2 was well tolerated and was able to induce immune responses in patients with relapsed MM. © Stem Cell Investigation. All rights reserved.......The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins play a crucial role in multiple myeloma (MM), contributing to lacking apoptosis which is a hallmark of the disease. This makes the Bcl-2 proteins interesting targets for therapeutic peptide vaccination. We report a phase I trial of therapeutic...... vaccination with peptides from the proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Mcl-1 in patients with relapsed MM. Vaccines were given concomitant with bortezomib. Out of 7 enrolled patients, 4 received the full course of 8 vaccinations. The remaining 3 patients received fewer vaccinations due to progression, clinical...

  8. Novel haemoglobin-derived antimicrobial peptides from chicken (Gallus gallus) blood: purification, structural aspects and biological activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilchenko, A S; Rogozhin, E A; Vasilchenko, A V; Kartashova, O L; Sycheva, M V

    2016-12-01

    To purify and characterize antimicrobial peptides derived from the acid extract of Gallus gallus blood cells. Two polypeptides (i.e. CHb-1 and CHb-2) with antibacterial activity were detected in the acidic extract of blood cells from chicken (G. gallus). The isolated peptides that possessed a potent antibacterial activity were purified using a two-step chromatography procedure that involved solid-phase extraction of a total protein/peptide extract followed by thin fractionation by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The molecular masses of the purified peptides were similar and were 4824·4 and 4825·2 Da, which have been measured by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS). Their amino acid sequences were determined by Edman degradation and showed that the peptides were fully identical to the two fragments of G. gallus α-haemoglobin localized into different subunits (A and D respectively). The peptides were active in micromolar concentrations against Gram-negative Escherichia coli K12 TG1. Using the 1-N-phenylnaphthylamine, the FITC-dextran labelled probes and the live/dead staining allowed to show the hemocidin mode of action and estimate the pore size. In this study, for the first time, α-haemoglobin from chicken (G. gallus) has been investigated as a donor of the two high homologous native peptide fragments that possess potent antibacterial activity in vitro. These are membrane-active peptides and their mechanism of action against E. coli involves a toroidal pore formation. The obtained results expand the perception of the role of haemoglobin in a living system, describing it as a source of multifunction substances. Additionally, the data presented in this paper may contribute to the development of new, cost-effective, antimicrobial agents. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  9. Ultrafast Screening of a Novel, Moderately Hydrophilic Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme-Inhibitory Peptide, RYL, from Silkworm Pupa Using an Fe-Doped-Silkworm-Excrement-Derived Biocarbon: Waste Conversion by Waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Long; Wei, Yanan; Chang, Qing; Sun, Huaju; Chai, Kungang; Huang, Zuqiang; Zhao, Zhenxia; Zhao, Zhongxing

    2017-12-27

    A novel, moderately hydrophilic peptide (RYL) with high ACE-inhibitory activity was screened ultrafast via a concept of waste conversion using waste. This novel peptide was screened from silkworm pupa using an Fe-doped porous biocarbon (FL/Z-SE) derived from silkworm excrement. FL/Z-SE possessed magnetic properties and specific selection for peptides due to Fe's dual functions. The selected RYL, which has moderate hydrophilicity (LogP = -0.22), exhibited a comparatively high ACE-inhibitory activity (IC 50 = 3.31 ± 0.11 μM). The inhibitory kinetics and docking-simulation results show that, as a competitive ACE inhibitor, RYL formed five hydrogen bonds with the ACE residues in the S1 and S2 pockets. In this work, both the screening carbon material and the selected ACE-inhibitory peptide were derived from agricultural waste (silkworm excrement and pupa), which offers a new way of thinking about the development of advanced uses of the silkworm byproducts and wastes.

  10. Automated two-site immunofluorescent assay for the measurement of serum chromogranin A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popovici, Théodora; Moreira, Baptiste; Schlageter, Marie-Hélène; Bories, Phuong-Nhi

    2014-01-01

    Chromogranin A (CgA) is the best-characterized biological marker common to neuroendocrine tumours and is therefore recommended for their diagnosis. The measurement of serum CgA is of great importance for reaching an early diagnosis and thus reducing the delay before treatment is instigated. The Kryptor CgA assay is the first fully automated assay available. The aim of this study was to evaluate its analytical performance. The imprecision and linearity of the Kryptor CgA assay were evaluated. This assay was compared with the Cis Bio CgA RIA assay in 78 serum samples. Its clinical utility was assessed in serum from 229 patients. The study performed on imprecision of Kryptor measurements showed intra- and inter-run CVs ≤ 5%. The study of linearity showed a satisfactory recovery rate for CgA concentrations up to 1200 μg/L. The Kryptor and RIA assays agreed well on the basis of the cut-off values provided by the two manufacturers. The Bland and Altman plot of the values obtained (range: 20-5560 μg/L) provided a mean difference of -10.1 μg/L (SD: 116). The clinical sensitivities of Kryptor CgA for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (n 20) and gastroenteropancreatic NETs (n 17) were respectively 100 and 94%. The Kryptor assay for CgA shows reliable analytical and clinical characteristics and allows a fast delivery of results. © 2013.

  11. Controlled Retention of BMP-2-Derived Peptide on Nanofibers Based on Mussel-Inspired Adhesion for Bone Formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jinkyu; Perikamana, Sajeesh Kumar Madhurakkat; Ahmad, Taufiq; Lee, Min Suk; Yang, Hee Seok; Kim, Do-Gyoon; Kim, Kyobum; Kwon, Bosun; Shin, Heungsoo

    2017-04-01

    Although bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has been frequently used to stimulate bone formation, it has several side effects to be addressed, including the difficulty in optimization of clinically relevant doses and unwanted induction of cancerous signaling processes. In this study, an osteogenic peptide (OP) derived from BMP-2 was investigated as a substitute for BMP-2. In vitro studies showed that OP was able to enhance the osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The peptides were then conjugated onto biocompatible poly-ι-lactide electrospun nanofibers through polydopamine chemistry. Surface chemical analysis proved that more than 80% of the peptides were stably retained on the nanofiber surface after 8 h of polydopamine coating during at least 28 days, and the amount of peptides that was retained increased depending on the polydopamine coating time. For instance, about 65% of the peptides were retained on nanofibers after 4 h of polydopamine coating. Also, a relatively small dose of peptides could effectively induce bone formation in in vivo critical-sized defects on the calvarial bones of mice. More than 50.4% ± 16.9% of newly formed bone was filled within the defect after treatment with only 10.5 ± 0.6 μg of peptides. Moreover, these groups had similar elastic moduli and contact hardnesses with host bone. Taken together, our results suggest that polydopamine-mediated OP immobilized on nanofibers can modulate the retention of relatively short lengths of peptides, which might make this an effective therapeutic remedy to guide bone regeneration using a relatively small amount of peptides.

  12. ProSAAS-derived peptides are differentially processed and sorted in mouse brain and AtT-20 cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan H Wardman

    Full Text Available ProSAAS is the precursor for some of the most abundant peptides found in mouse brain and other tissues, including peptides named SAAS, PEN, and LEN. Both SAAS and LEN are found in big and little forms due to differential processing. Initial processing of proSAAS is mediated by furin (and/or furin-like enzymes and carboxypeptidase D, while the smaller forms are generated by secretory granule prohormone convertases and carboxypeptidase E. In mouse hypothalamus, PEN and big LEN colocalize with neuropeptide Y. In the present study, little LEN and SAAS were detected in mouse hypothalamus but not in cell bodies of neuropeptide Y-expressing neurons. PEN and big LEN show substantial colocalization in hypothalamus, but big LEN and little LEN do not. An antiserum to SAAS that detects both big and little forms of this peptide did not show substantial colocalization with PEN or big LEN. To further study this, the AtT-20 cells mouse pituitary corticotrophic cell line was transfected with rat proSAAS and the distribution of peptides examined. As found in mouse hypothalamus, only some of the proSAAS-derived peptides colocalized with each other in AtT-20 cells. The two sites within proSAAS that are known to be efficiently cleaved by furin were altered by site-directed mutagenesis to convert the P4 Arg into Lys; this change converts the sequences from furin consensus sites into prohormone convertase consensus sites. Upon expression of the mutated form of proSAAS in AtT-20 cells, there was significantly more colocalization of proSAAS-derived peptides PEN and SAAS. Taken together, these results indicate that proSAAS is initially cleaved in the Golgi or trans-Golgi network by furin and/or furin-like enzymes and the resulting fragments are sorted into distinct vesicles and further processed by additional enzymes into the mature peptides.

  13. A cyclic peptidic serine protease inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhao, Baoyu; Xu, Peng; Jiang, Longguang

    2014-01-01

    Peptides are attracting increasing interest as protease inhibitors. Here, we demonstrate a new inhibitory mechanism and a new type of exosite interactions for a phage-displayed peptide library-derived competitive inhibitor, mupain-1 (CPAYSRYLDC), of the serine protease murine urokinase...... pocket, its carbonyl group aligning improperly relative to Ser195 and the oxyanion hole, explaining why the peptide is an inhibitor rather than a substrate. Substitution of the P1 Arg with novel unnatural Arg analogues with aliphatic or aromatic ring structures led to an increased affinity, depending......, in spite of a less favorable binding entropy and loss of a polar interaction. We conclude that increased flexibility of the peptide allows more favorable exosite interactions, which, in combination with the use of novel Arg analogues as P1 residues, can be used to manipulate the affinity and specificity...

  14. Synthetic Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibit Antimicrobial Activity against E. coli ATCC 11775, S. maltophilia ATCC 13636 and S. enteritidis ATCC 13076.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huertas Méndez, Nataly De Jesús; Vargas Casanova, Yerly; Gómez Chimbi, Anyelith Katherine; Hernández, Edith; Leal Castro, Aura Lucia; Melo Diaz, Javier Mauricio; Rivera Monroy, Zuly Jenny; García Castañeda, Javier Eduardo

    2017-03-12

    Linear, dimeric, tetrameric, and cyclic peptides derived from lactoferricin B-containing non-natural amino acids and the RWQWR motif were synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and circular dichroism. The antibacterial activity of peptides against Escherichia coli ATCC 11775, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ATCC 13636, and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 was evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. The synthetic bovine lactoferricin exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli ATCC 11775 and S. enteritidis ATCC 13076. The dimeric peptide (RRWQWR)₂K-Ahx exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strain. The monomeric, cyclic, tetrameric, and palindromic peptides containing the RWQWR motif exhibited high and specific activity against E. coli ATCC 11775. The results suggest that short peptides derived from lactoferricin B could be considered as potential candidates for the development of antibacterial agents against infections caused by E. coli .

  15. TRAM-Derived Decoy Peptides inhibits the inflammatory response in mouse mammary epithelial cells and a mastitis model in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiaoyu; Tian, Yuan; Wang, Tiancheng; Zhang, Wenlong; Wang, Wei; Gao, Xuejiao; Qu, Shihui; Cao, Yongguo; Zhang, Naisheng

    2015-10-05

    It has been proved that TRAM-Derived Decoy peptides have anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we synthesized a TRAM-Derived decoy peptide (TM6), belongs to TRAM TIR domain, of which sequence is "N"-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWK, KENFLRDTWCNFQFY-"C" and evaluated the effects of TM6 on lipopolysaccharide-induced mastitis in mice. In vivo, LPS-induced mice mastitis model was established by injection of LPS through the duct of mammary gland. TM6 was injected 1h before or after LPS treatment. In vitro, primary mouse mammary epithelial cells were used to investigate the effects of TM6 on LPS-induced inflammatory responses. The results showed that TM6 inhibited LPS-induced mammary gland histopathologic changes, MPO activity, and TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 production in mice. In vitro, TM6 significantly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-6 production, as well as NF-κB and MAPKs activation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that TM6 had protective effects on LPS-mastitis and may be a promising therapeutic reagent for mastitis treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Conformational analysis of Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV derived cell penetrating peptide (CPP analogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinay G. Joshi

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study was designed to develop peptide analogs of Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD virus VP5 protein segment having cell penetrating ability to improve their interaction with cargo molecule (Nucleic acid without affecting the backbone conformation. Materials and Methods: IBDV VP5 protein segment designated as RATH peptide were synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis and their solution conformation was elucidated using CD spectroscopy in polar (water and apolar (TFE solvents. Cell penetrating ability of RATH-CONH2 was observed using FITC labeled peptide internalization in to HeLa cells under fluorescent microscopy. The efficacy of RATH analog interactions with nucleic acids was evaluated using FITC labeled oligonucleotides by fluorescence spectroscopy and plasmid constructs in gel retardation assay. Results: CD spectra of RATH analogs in water and apolar trifluroethanol (TFE helped to compare their secondary structures which were almost similar with dominant beta conformations suggesting successful induction of positive charge in the analogs without affecting back bone conformation of CPP designed. Cell penetrating ability of RATH CONH2 in HeLa cell was more than 90%. The fluorescence spectroscopy and plasmid constructs in gel retardation assay demonstrated successful interaction of amide analogs with nucleic acid. Conclusion: Intentional changes made in IBDV derived peptide RATH COOH to RATH CONH2 did not showed major changes in backbone conformation and such modifications may help to improve the cationic charge in most CPPs to interact with nucleic acid. [Vet World 2013; 6(6.000: 307-312

  17. Proposal for novel curcumin derivatives as potent inhibitors against Alzheimer's disease: Ab initio molecular simulations on the specific interactions between amyloid-beta peptide and curcumin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ota, Shintaro; Fujimori, Mitsuki; Ishimura, Hiromi; Shulga, Sergiy; Kurita, Noriyuki

    2017-10-01

    Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in a brain is closely related with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. To suppress the production of Aβ peptides, we propose novel curcumin derivatives and investigate their binding properties with the amyloid precursor protein (APP), using protein-ligand docking as well as ab initio molecular simulations. Our proposed derivative (curcumin XIV) is found to have a large binding energy with APP and interacts strongly with the cleavage site Ala19 by secretase. It is thus expected that curcumin XIV can protect APP from the secretase attack and be a potent inhibitor against the production of Aβ peptides.

  18. A Photolabile Linker for the Solid-Phase Synthesis of Peptide Hydrazides and Heterocycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qvortrup, Katrine; Komnatnyy, Vitaly V.; Nielsen, Thomas Eiland

    2014-01-01

    A photolabile hydrazine linker for the solid-phase synthesis of peptide hydrazides and hydrazine-derived heterocycles is presented. The developed protocols enable the efficient synthesis of structurally diverse peptide hydrazides derived from the standard amino adds, including those with side......-chain protected residues at the C-terminal of the resulting peptide hydrazide, and are useful for the synthesis of dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles. The linker is compatible with most commonly used coupling reagents and protecting groups for solid-phase peptide synthesis....

  19. B7H6-derived peptides trigger TNF-α-dependent immunostimulatory activity of lymphocytic NK92-MI cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Mariana; Romeo, Francesca; Bitsaktsis, Constantine; Sabatino, David

    2016-09-01

    The rise of biologics that can stimulate immune responses towards the eradication of tumors has led to the evolution of cancer-based immunotherapy. Representatively, B7H6 has been recently identified as a protein ligand on tumor cells that binds specifically to the NKp30 receptor and triggers NK cell-derived cytokine production, which ultimately leads to tumor cell lysis and death. In an effort to develop effective immunotherapy approaches, the rational design of a novel class of immunostimulatory peptides (IPs) derived from the binding interface of B7H6:NKp30 is described in this study. The IPs comprised the B7H6 active site sequence for NKp30 binding and immunostimulatory activity. An aminohexanoic acid linker was also introduced at the N-terminus of the peptides for FITC-labeling by Fmoc-solid phase peptide synthesis. The peptides were characterized by LCMS to confirm identities and purities >95%. The secondary structures of the peptides were examined by CD spectroscopy in H2 O, PBS and a H2 O:TFE mixture which demonstrated versatile peptide structures which transitioned from random coil (H2 O) to α-helical (PBS) and turn-type (H2 O:TFE) conformations. Their biological properties were then evaluated by flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and cell death assays. The occupancy of the synthetic peptides to a human NK cell line demonstrated comparable binding relative to the natural NKp30 ligand, B7H6, and the human anti-NKp30 monoclonal antibody (mAb), in a concentration dependent manner. A competitive binding assay between the human anti-NKp30 mAb or B7H6, and the synthetic peptides, demonstrated partial displacement of the ligands upon anti-NKp30 mAb treatment, suggesting NKp30 receptor specificities by the synthetic peptides. Moreover, the immunostimulatory activity of B7H6 was demonstrated by the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by the human NK cell line. The

  20. Synthetic Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibit Antimicrobial Activity against E. coli ATCC 11775, S. maltophilia ATCC 13636 and S. enteritidis ATCC 13076

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataly De Jesús Huertas Méndez

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Linear, dimeric, tetrameric, and cyclic peptides derived from lactoferricin B–containing non-natural amino acids and the RWQWR motif were synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and circular dichroism. The antibacterial activity of peptides against Escherichia coli ATCC 11775, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ATCC 13636, and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 was evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC were determined. The synthetic bovine lactoferricin exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli ATCC 11775 and S. enteritidis ATCC 13076. The dimeric peptide (RRWQWR2K-Ahx exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strain. The monomeric, cyclic, tetrameric, and palindromic peptides containing the RWQWR motif exhibited high and specific activity against E. coli ATCC 11775. The results suggest that short peptides derived from lactoferricin B could be considered as potential candidates for the development of antibacterial agents against infections caused by E. coli.

  1. A fluorescent glycolipid-binding peptide probe traces cholesterol dependent microdomain-derived trafficking pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen Steinert

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The uptake and intracellular trafficking of sphingolipids, which self-associate into plasma membrane microdomains, is associated with many pathological conditions, including viral and toxin infection, lipid storage disease, and neurodegenerative disease. However, the means available to label the trafficking pathways of sphingolipids in live cells are extremely limited. In order to address this problem, we have developed an exogenous, non-toxic probe consisting of a 25-amino acid sphingolipid binding domain, the SBD, derived from the amyloid peptide Abeta, and conjugated by a neutral linker with an organic fluorophore. The current work presents the characterization of the sphingolipid binding and live cell trafficking of this novel probe, the SBD peptide. SBD was the name given to a motif originally recognized by Fantini et al in a number of glycolipid-associated proteins, and was proposed to interact with sphingolipids in membrane microdomains. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In accordance with Fantini's model, optimal SBD binding to membranes depends on the presence of sphingolipids and cholesterol. In synthetic membrane binding assays, SBD interacts preferentially with raft-like lipid mixtures containing sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and complex gangliosides in a pH-dependent manner, but is less glycolipid-specific than Cholera toxin B (CtxB. Using quantitative time-course colocalization in live cells, we show that the uptake and intracellular trafficking route of SBD is unlike that of either the non-raft marker Transferrin or the raft markers CtxB and Flotillin2-GFP. However, SBD traverses an endolysosomal route that partially intersects with raft-associated pathways, with a major portion being diverted at a late time point to rab11-positive recycling endosomes. Trafficking of SBD to acidified compartments is strongly disrupted by cholesterol perturbations, consistent with the regulation of sphingolipid trafficking by cholesterol

  2. Mesobuthus Venom-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Possess Intrinsic Multifunctionality and Differential Potential as Drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Gao

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Animal venoms are a mixture of peptides and proteins that serve two basic biological functions: predation and defense against both predators and microbes. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs are a common component extensively present in various scorpion venoms (herein abbreviated as svAMPs. However, their roles in predation and defense against predators and potential as drugs are poorly understood. Here, we report five new venom peptides with antimicrobial activity from two Mesobuthus scorpion species. These α-helical linear peptides displayed highly bactericidal activity toward all the Gram-positive bacteria used here but differential activity against Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. In addition to the antibiotic activity, these AMPs displayed lethality to houseflies and hemotoxin-like toxicity on mice by causing hemolysis, tissue damage and inducing inflammatory pain. Unlike AMPs from other origins, these venom-derived AMPs seem to be unsuitable as anti-infective drugs due to their high hemolysis and low serum stability. However, MeuTXKβ1, a known two-domain Mesobuthus AMP, is an exception since it exhibits high activity toward antibiotic resistant Staphylococci clinical isolates with low hemolysis and high serum stability. The findings that the classical AMPs play predatory and defensive roles indicate that the multifunctionality of scorpion venom components is an intrinsic feature likely evolved by natural selection from microbes, prey and predators of scorpions. This definitely provides an excellent system in which one can study how a protein adaptively evolves novel functions in a new environment. Meantimes, new strategies are needed to remove the toxicity of svAMPs on eukaryotic cells when they are used as leads for anti-infective drugs.

  3. Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor Attachment Protein Receptor-Derived Peptides for Regulation of Mast Cell Degranulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yoosoo; Kong, Byoungjae; Jung, Younghoon; Park, Joon-Bum; Oh, Jung-Mi; Hwang, Jaesung; Cho, Jae Youl; Kweon, Dae-Hyuk

    2018-01-01

    Vesicle-associated V-soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins and target membrane-associated T-SNAREs (syntaxin 4 and SNAP-23) assemble into a core trans -SNARE complex that mediates membrane fusion during mast cell degranulation. This complex plays pivotal roles at various stages of exocytosis from the initial priming step to fusion pore opening and expansion, finally resulting in the release of the vesicle contents. In this study, peptides with the sequences of various SNARE motifs were investigated for their potential inhibitory effects against SNARE complex formation and mast cell degranulation. The peptides with the sequences of the N-terminal regions of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) and VAMP8 were found to reduce mast cell degranulation by inhibiting SNARE complex formation. The fusion of protein transduction domains to the N-terminal of each peptide enabled the internalization of the fusion peptides into the cells equally as efficiently as cell permeabilization by streptolysin-O without any loss of their inhibitory activities. Distinct subsets of mast cell granules could be selectively regulated by the N-terminal-mimicking peptides derived from VAMP2 and VAMP8, and they effectively decreased the symptoms of atopic dermatitis in mouse models. These results suggest that the cell membrane fusion machinery may represent a therapeutic target for atopic dermatitis.

  4. A novel peptide derived from human apolipoprotein E is an inhibitor of tumor growth and ocular angiogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Partha S Bhattacharjee

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis is a hallmark of tumor development and metastasis and now a validated target for cancer treatment. We previously reported that a novel dimer peptide (apoEdp derived from the receptor binding region of human apolipoprotein E (apoE inhibits virus-induced angiogenesis. However, its role in tumor anti-angiogenesis is unknown. This study demonstrates that apoEdp has anti-angiogenic property in vivo through reduction of tumor growth in a mouse model and ocular angiogenesis in a rabbit eye model. Our in vitro studies show that apoEdp inhibits human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation, migration, invasion and capillary tube formation. We document that apoEdp inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor-induced Flk-1 activation as well as downstream signaling pathways that involve c-Src, Akt, eNOS, FAK, and ERK1/2. These in vitro data suggest potential sites of the apoE dipeptide inhibition that could occur in vivo.This is the first evidence that a synthetic dimer peptide mimicking human apoE has anti-angiogenesis functions and could be an anti-tumor drug candidate.

  5. Structure–activity relationships of the human prothrombin kringle-2 peptide derivative NSA9: anti-proliferative activity and cellular internalization

    OpenAIRE

    Hwang, Hyun Sook; Kim, Dong Won; Kim, Soung Soo

    2006-01-01

    The human prothrombin kringle-2 protein inhibits angiogenesis and LLC (Lewis lung carcinoma) growth and metastasis in mice. Additionally, the NSA9 peptide (NSAVQLVEN) derived from human prothrombin kringle-2 has been reported to inhibit the proliferation of BCE (bovine capillary endothelial) cells and CAM (chorioallantoic membrane) angiogenesis. In the present study, we examined the structure–activity relationships of the NSA9 peptide in inhibiting the proliferation of endothelial cells lines...

  6. Peptide p5 binds both heparinase-sensitive glycosaminoglycans and fibrils in patient-derived AL amyloid extracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, Emily B.; Williams, Angela [Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Heidel, Eric [Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Macy, Sallie [Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Kennel, Stephen J. [Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Department of Radiology, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Wall, Jonathan S., E-mail: jwall@utmck.edu [Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States); Department of Radiology, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States)

    2013-06-21

    Highlights: •Polybasic peptide p5 binds human light chain amyloid extracts. •The binding of p5 with amyloid involves both glycosaminoglycans and fibrils. •Heparinase treatment led to a correlation between p5 binding and fibril content. •p5 binding to AL amyloid requires electrostatic interactions. -- Abstract: In previously published work, we have described heparin-binding synthetic peptides that preferentially recognize amyloid deposits in a mouse model of reactive systemic (AA) amyloidosis and can be imaged by using positron and single photon emission tomographic imaging. We wanted to extend these findings to the most common form of visceral amyloidosis, namely light chain (AL); however, there are no robust experimental animal models of AL amyloidosis. To further define the binding of the lead peptide, p5, to AL amyloid, we characterized the reactivity in vitro of p5 with in situ and patient-derived AL amyloid extracts which contain both hypersulfated heparan sulfate proteoglycans as well as amyloid fibrils. Histochemical staining demonstrated that the peptide specifically localized with tissue-associated AL amyloid deposits. Although we anticipated that p5 would undergo electrostatic interactions with the amyloid-associated glycosaminoglycans expressing heparin-like side chains, no significant correlation between peptide binding and glycosaminoglycan content within amyloid extracts was observed. In contrast, following heparinase I treatment, although overall binding was reduced, a positive correlation between peptide binding and amyloid fibril content became evident. This interaction was further confirmed using synthetic light chain fibrils that contain no carbohydrates. These data suggest that p5 can bind to both the sulfated glycosaminoglycans and protein fibril components of AL amyloid. Understanding these complex electrostatic interactions will aid in the optimization of synthetic peptides for use as amyloid imaging agents and potentially as

  7. Peptides, polypeptides and peptide-polymer hybrids as nucleic acid carriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Marya

    2017-10-24

    Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), and protein transduction domains (PTDs) of viruses and other natural proteins serve as a template for the development of efficient peptide based gene delivery vectors. PTDs are sequences of acidic or basic amphipathic amino acids, with superior membrane trespassing efficacies. Gene delivery vectors derived from these natural, cationic and cationic amphipathic peptides, however, offer little flexibility in tailoring the physicochemical properties of single chain peptide based systems. Owing to significant advances in the field of peptide chemistry, synthetic mimics of natural peptides are often prepared and have been evaluated for their gene expression, as a function of amino acid functionalities, architecture and net cationic content of peptide chains. Moreover, chimeric single polypeptide chains are prepared by a combination of multiple small natural or synthetic peptides, which imparts distinct physiological properties to peptide based gene delivery therapeutics. In order to obtain multivalency and improve the gene delivery efficacies of low molecular weight cationic peptides, bioactive peptides are often incorporated into a polymeric architecture to obtain novel 'polymer-peptide hybrids' with improved gene delivery efficacies. Peptide modified polymers prepared by physical or chemical modifications exhibit enhanced endosomal escape, stimuli responsive degradation and targeting efficacies, as a function of physicochemical and biological activities of peptides attached onto a polymeric scaffold. The focus of this review is to provide comprehensive and step-wise progress in major natural and synthetic peptides, chimeric polypeptides, and peptide-polymer hybrids for nucleic acid delivery applications.

  8. The antibacterial activity of peptides derived from human beta-2 glycoprotein I is inhibited by protein H and M1 protein from Streptococcus pyogenes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nilsson, Maria; Wasylik, Sylwia; Mörgelin, Matthias; Olin, Anders I.; Meijers, Joost C. M.; Derksen, Ronald H. W. M.; de Groot, Philip G.; Herwald, Heiko

    2008-01-01

    During the last years, the importance of antibacterial peptides has attracted considerable attention. We report here that peptides derived from the fifth domain of beta-2 glycoprotein I (beta(2)GPI), a human heparin binding plasma protein, have antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and

  9. Design and evaluation of antimalarial peptides derived from prediction of short linear motifs in proteins related to erythrocyte invasion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Bianchin

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the blood stage of the malaria causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to predict potential protein interactions between the parasite merozoite and the host erythrocyte and design peptides that could interrupt these predicted interactions. We screened the P. falciparum and human proteomes for computationally predicted short linear motifs (SLiMs in cytoplasmic portions of transmembrane proteins that could play roles in the invasion of the erythrocyte by the merozoite, an essential step in malarial pathogenesis. We tested thirteen peptides predicted to contain SLiMs, twelve of them palmitoylated to enhance membrane targeting, and found three that blocked parasite growth in culture by inhibiting the initiation of new infections in erythrocytes. Scrambled peptides for two of the most promising peptides suggested that their activity may be reflective of amino acid properties, in particular, positive charge. However, one peptide showed effects which were stronger than those of scrambled peptides. This was derived from human red blood cell glycophorin-B. We concluded that proteome-wide computational screening of the intracellular regions of both host and pathogen adhesion proteins provides potential lead peptides for the development of anti-malarial compounds.

  10. Antibacterial Synthetic Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibit Cytotoxic Effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yerly Vargas Casanova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Linear, dimeric, tetrameric, and cyclic peptides derived from lactoferricin B, containing the RRWQWR motif, were designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of the designed peptides against E. coli (ATCC 11775 and 25922 and their cytotoxic effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were evaluated. Dimeric and tetrameric peptides showed higher antibacterial activity in both bacteria strains than linear peptides. The dimeric peptide (RRWQWR2K-Ahx exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains. Furthermore, the peptides with high antibacterial activity exhibited significant cytotoxic effect against the tested breast cancer cell lines. This cytotoxic effect was fast and dependent on the peptide concentration. The tetrameric molecule containing RRWQWR motif has an optimal cytotoxic effect at a concentration of 22 µM. The evaluated dimeric and tetrameric peptides could be considered as candidates for developing new therapeutic agents against breast cancer. Polyvalence of linear sequences could be considered as a novel and versatile strategy for obtaining molecules with high anticancer activity.

  11. Antibacterial Synthetic Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibit Cytotoxic Effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas Casanova, Yerly; Rodríguez Guerra, Jorge Antonio; Umaña Pérez, Yadi Adriana; Leal Castro, Aura Lucía; Almanzar Reina, Giovanni; García Castañeda, Javier Eduardo; Rivera Monroy, Zuly Jenny

    2017-09-29

    Linear, dimeric, tetrameric, and cyclic peptides derived from lactoferricin B, containing the RRWQWR motif, were designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of the designed peptides against E. coli (ATCC 11775 and 25922) and their cytotoxic effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were evaluated. Dimeric and tetrameric peptides showed higher antibacterial activity in both bacteria strains than linear peptides. The dimeric peptide (RRWQWR)₂K-Ahx exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains. Furthermore, the peptides with high antibacterial activity exhibited significant cytotoxic effect against the tested breast cancer cell lines. This cytotoxic effect was fast and dependent on the peptide concentration. The tetrameric molecule containing RRWQWR motif has an optimal cytotoxic effect at a concentration of 22 µM. The evaluated dimeric and tetrameric peptides could be considered as candidates for developing new therapeutic agents against breast cancer. Polyvalence of linear sequences could be considered as a novel and versatile strategy for obtaining molecules with high anticancer activity.

  12. Development of protective autoimmunity by immunization with a neural-derived peptide is ineffective in severe spinal cord injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana Martiñón

    Full Text Available Protective autoimmunity (PA is a physiological response to central nervous system trauma that has demonstrated to promote neuroprotection after spinal cord injury (SCI. To reach its beneficial effect, PA should be boosted by immunizing with neural constituents or neural-derived peptides such as A91. Immunizing with A91 has shown to promote neuroprotection after SCI and its use has proven to be feasible in a clinical setting. The broad applications of neural-derived peptides make it important to determine the main features of this anti-A91 response. For this purpose, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a spinal cord contusion (SCC; moderate or severe or a spinal cord transection (SCT; complete or incomplete. Immediately after injury, animals were immunized with PBS or A91. Motor recovery, T cell-specific response against A91 and the levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF released by A91-specific T (T(A91 cells were evaluated. Rats with moderate SCC, presented a better motor recovery after A91 immunization. Animals with moderate SCC or incomplete SCT showed significant T cell proliferation against A91 that was characterized chiefly by the predominant production of IL-4 and the release of BDNF. In contrast, immunization with A91 did not promote a better motor recovery in animals with severe SCC or complete SCT. In fact, T cell proliferation against A91 was diminished in these animals. The present results suggest that the effective development of PA and, consequently, the beneficial effects of immunizing with A91 significantly depend on the severity of SCI. This could mainly be attributed to the lack of T(A91 cells which predominantly showed to have a Th2 phenotype capable of producing BDNF, further promoting neuroprotection.

  13. Delayed Treatment with a Small Pigment Epithelium Derived Factor (PEDF Peptide Prevents the Progression of Diabetic Renal Injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaa S Awad

    Full Text Available Our recent publication showed that a small bioactive pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF peptide (P78-PEDF prevents the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN. However, its effects on the progression of established DN were not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of P78-PEDF in the progression of DN and to compare the effects of P78-PEDF and an ACE inhibitor (ACEi, a standard of care in DN. Experiments were conducted in Ins2(Akita mice treated with P78-PEDF or captopril starting at 6 wks of age for 12 wks (early treatment or starting at 12 wks of age for 6 wks (late treatment. We first established the optimal dose of the P78-PEDF peptide to ameliorate DN in Ins2(Akita mouse for a 6 wk study period and found that the peptide was effective at 0.1- 0.5 µg/g/day. We next showed that early or late treatment with P78-PEDF resulted in protection from DN as indicated by reduced albuminuria, kidney macrophage recruitment, histological changes, inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic markers (kidney TNF-α, fibronectin, VEGFA and EGFR, and restored nephrin expression compared with vehicle-treated Ins2(Akita mice. Interestingly, only early but not late treatment with captopril was as effective as P78-PEDF in reducing most DN complications, despite its lack of effect on nephrin, VEGFA and EGFR expression. These findings highlight the importance of P78-PEDF peptide as a potential therapeutic modality in both the development and progression of diabetic renal injury.

  14. Release Pattern of Salivary Chromogranin A in Pediatric Subjects with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heung-Ku Lee

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB is associated with activation of the stress response, including the autonomic nervous system. Salivary chromogranin A (sCgA is considered a valuable indicator of sympathoadrenal activity. We examined the relationship between sCgA and polysomnography (PSG parameters. Methods In this prospective study, we enrolled 103 children who underwent a physical examination and fully attended in-lab PSG. Saliva was collected at night before PSG and in the early morning after PSG. Results The subjects (n = 103 were divided into control [n = 41, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI ≤ 1] and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS; n = 62, AHI > 1 groups. The OSAS group was subdivided into mild (1 < AHI ≤ 5, moderate (5 < AHI ≤ 10, and severe (10 < AHI groups. There was no significant difference in the sCgA parameters between the control and OSAS groups. No significant difference was observed in sCgA parameters between the control group and OSAS subgroups (mild, moderate, and severe. No circadian rhythm was detected in sCgA secretion, and no difference in sCgA concentrations was measured at the two time points. Conclusions Our findings suggest that sCgA secretion was not influenced by OSAS severity and no definitive circadian rhythm was detected in pediatric subjects. Further study is needed to establish whether there is a circadian rhythm in pediatric subjects.

  15. A prawn core histone 4: derivation of N- and C-terminal peptides and their antimicrobial properties, molecular characterization and mRNA transcription.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaurasia, Mukesh Kumar; Palanisamy, Rajesh; Bhatt, Prasanth; Kumaresan, Venkatesh; Gnanam, Annie J; Pasupuleti, Mukesh; Kasi, Marimuthu; Harikrishnan, Ramaswamy; Arockiaraj, Jesu

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the complete molecular characterization including bioinformatics characterization, gene expression, synthesis of N and C terminal peptides and their antimicrobial activity of the core histone 4 (H4) from freshwater giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Mr). A cDNA encoding MrH4 was identified from the constructed cDNA library of M. rosenbergii during screening and the sequence was obtained using internal sequencing primers. The MrH4 coding region possesses a polypeptide of 103 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 11kDa and an isoelectric point of 11.5. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the MrH4 polypeptide contains a H4 signature at (15)GAKRH(19). Multiple sequence alignment of MrH4 showed that the N-terminal (21-42) and C-terminal (87-101) antimicrobial peptide regions and the pentapeptide or H4 signature (15-19) are highly conserved including in humans. The phylogenetic tree formed two separate clades of vertebrate and invertebrate H4, wherein MrH4 was located within the arthropod monophyletic clade of invertebrate H4 groups. Three-dimensional model of MrH4 was established using I-TASSER program and the model was validated using Ramachandran plot analysis. Schiffer-Edmundson helical wheel modeling was used to predict the helix propensity of N (21-42) and C (87-101) terminal derived Mr peptides. The highest gene expression was observed in gills and is induced by viral [white spot syndrome baculovirus (WSBV) and M. rosenbergii nodovirus (MrNV)] and bacterial (Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio harveyi) infections. The N and C terminal peptides were synthesized and their antimicrobial and hemolytic properties were examined. Both peptides showed activity against the tested Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria; however, the highest activity was noticed against Gram negative bacteria. Among the two peptides used in this study, C-terminal peptide yielded better results than the N-terminal peptide. Therefore, C terminal

  16. Purification of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptide Derived From Kacang Goat Meat Protein Hydrolysate

    OpenAIRE

    Jamhari, J; Yusiati, L.M; Suryanto, E; Cahyanto, M.N; Erwanto, Y; Muguruma, M

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to identify the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitorypeptide derived from Kacang goat meat protein hydrolysate. Kacang goat meat loin section washydrolyzed with pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Protein hydrolysate of Kacang goat meat was thentested the protein concentration and ACE inhibitory activity. ACE inhibitory peptide of the proteinhydrolysate was purified through several steps of purification by column SEP-PAK Plus C18 Cartridgeand RP-HPLC usi...

  17. Functional characterization of a synthetic hydrophilic antifungal peptide derived from the marine snail Cenchritis muricatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Abarrategui, Carlos; Alba, Annia; Silva, Osmar N; Reyes-Acosta, Osvaldo; Vasconcelos, Ilka M; Oliveira, Jose T A; Migliolo, Ludovico; Costa, Maysa P; Costa, Carolina R; Silva, Maria R R; Garay, Hilda E; Dias, Simoni C; Franco, Octávio L; Otero-González, Anselmo J

    2012-04-01

    Antimicrobial peptides have been found in mollusks and other sea animals. In this report, a crude extract of the marine snail Cenchritis muricatus was evaluated against human pathogens responsible for multiple deleterious effects and diseases. A peptide of 1485.26 Da was purified by reversed-phase HPLC and functionally characterized. This trypsinized peptide was sequenced by MS/MS technology, and a sequence (SRSELIVHQR), named Cm-p1 was recovered, chemically synthesized and functionally characterized. This peptide demonstrated the capacity to prevent the development of yeasts and filamentous fungi. Otherwise, Cm-p1 displayed no toxic effects against mammalian cells. Molecular modeling analyses showed that this peptide possible forms a single hydrophilic α-helix and the probable cationic residue involved in antifungal activity action is proposed. The data reported here demonstrate the importance of sea animals peptide discovery for biotechnological tools development that could be useful in solving human health and agribusiness problems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Intrinsic Toxin-Derived Peptides Destabilize and Inactivate Clostridium difficile TcdB

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason L. Larabee

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium difficile infection (CDI is a major cause of hospital-associated, antibiotic-induced diarrhea, which is largely mediated by the production of two large multidomain clostridial toxins, TcdA and TcdB. Both toxins coordinate the action of specific domains to bind receptors, enter cells, and deliver a catalytic fragment into the cytosol. This results in GTPase inactivation, actin disassembly, and cytotoxicity. TcdB in particular has been shown to encode a region covering amino acids 1753 to 1851 that affects epitope exposure and cytotoxicity. Surprisingly, studies here show that several peptides derived from this region, which share the consensus sequence 1769NVFKGNTISDK1779, protect cells from the action of TcdB. One peptide, PepB2, forms multiple interactions with the carboxy-terminal region of TcdB, destabilizes TcdB structure, and disrupts cell binding. We further show that these effects require PepB2 to form a higher-order polymeric complex, a process that requires the central GN amino acid pair. These data suggest that TcdB1769–1779 interacts with repeat sequences in the proximal carboxy-terminal domain of TcdB (i.e., the CROP domain to alter the conformation of TcdB. Furthermore, these studies provide insights into TcdB structure and functions that can be exploited to inactivate this critical virulence factor and ameliorate the course of CDI.

  19. Immunization of rabbits with synthetic peptides derived from a highly conserved β-sheet epitope region underneath the receptor binding site of influenza A virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ideno S

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Shoji Ideno,1,3 Kaoru Sakai,1 Mikihiro Yunoki,2–4 Ritsuko Kubota-Koketsu,3,5 Yuji Inoue,3 Shota Nakamura,6 Teruo Yasunaga,6 Yoshinobu Okuno,5 Kazuyoshi Ikuta3 1Infectious Pathogen Research Section, Central Research Laboratory, Research and Development Division, Japan Blood Products Organization, Kobe, Japan; 2Research and Development Promotion Section, Research and Development Division, Japan Blood Products Organization, Tokyo, Japan; 3Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; 4Department of Veterinary Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan; 5Kanonji Institute, The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University, Kanonji, Kagawa, Japan; 6Department of Genome Informatics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan Background: There is increasing concern about the speed with which health care providers can administer prophylaxis and treatment in an influenza pandemic. Generally, it takes several months to manufacture an influenza vaccine by propagation of the virus in chicken eggs or cultured cells. Newer, faster protocols for the production of vaccines that induce broad-spectrum immunity are therefore highly desirable. We previously developed human monoclonal antibody B-1 that shows broadly neutralizing activity against influenza A virus H3N2. B-1 recognizes an epitope region that includes an antiparallel β-sheet structure underneath the receptor binding site of influenza hemagglutinin (HA. In this study, the efficacy of a synthetic peptide vaccine derived from this epitope region against influenza A was evaluated. Materials and methods: Two peptides were synthesized, the upper and lower peptides. These peptides comprise amino acid residues 167–187 and 225–241, respectively, of the B-1 epitope region of HA, which is involved in

  20. Annexin A1 N-terminal derived peptide Ac2-26 stimulates fibroblast migration in high glucose conditions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Bizzarro

    Full Text Available Deficient wound healing in diabetic patients is very frequent, but the cellular and molecular causes are poorly defined. In this study, we have evaluated whether Annexin A1 derived peptide Ac2-26 stimulates fibroblast migration in high glucose conditions. Using normal human skin fibroblasts WS1 in low glucose (LG or high glucose (HG we observed the enrichment of Annexin A1 protein at cell movement structures like lamellipodial extrusions and interestingly, a significant decrease in levels of the protein in HG conditions. The analysis of the translocation of Annexin A1 to cell membrane showed lower levels of Annexin A1 in both membrane pool and supernatants of WS1 cells treated with HG. Wound-healing assays using cell line transfected with Annexin A1 siRNAs indicated a slowing down in migration speed of cells suggesting that Annexin A1 has a role in the migration of WS1 cells. In order to analyze the role of extracellular Annexin A1 in cell migration, we have performed wound-healing assays using Ac2-26 showing that peptide was able to increase fibroblast cell migration in HG conditions. Experiments on the mobilization of intracellular calcium and analysis of p-ERK expression confirmed the activity of the FPR1 following stimulation with the peptide Ac2-26. A wound-healing assay on WS1 cells in the presence of the FPR agonist fMLP, of the FPR antagonist CsH and in the presence of Ac2-26 indicated that Annexin A1 influences fibroblast cell migration under HG conditions acting through FPR receptors whose expression was slightly increased in HG. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that (i Annexin A1 is involved in migration of WS1 cells, through interaction with FPRs; (ii N- terminal peptide of Annexin A1 Ac2-26 is able to stimulate direct migration of WS1 cells in high glucose treatment possibly due to the increased receptor expression observed in hyperglycemia conditions.

  1. Synthesis of peptide thioacids at neutral pH using bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amido peptide precursors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pira, Silvain L; Boll, Emmanuelle; Melnyk, Oleg

    2013-10-18

    Reaction of bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amido (SEA) peptides with triisopropylsilylthiol in water at neutral pH yields peptide thiocarboxylates. An alkylthioester derived from β-alanine was used to trap the released bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amine and displace the equilibrium toward the peptide thiocarboxylate.

  2. Deglycosylation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and derived peptides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, S.C.; Krueger, R.C.; Schwartz, N.B.

    1990-01-01

    In order to define the domain structure of proteoglycans as well as identify primary amino acid sequences specific for attachment of the various carbohydrate substituents, reliable techniques for deglycosylating proteoglycans are required. In this study, deglycosylation of cartilage chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) with minimal core protein cleavage was accomplished by digestion with chondroitinase ABC and keratanase, followed by treatment with anhydrous HF in pyridine. Nearly complete deglycosylation of secreted proteoglycan was verified within 45 min of HF treatment by loss of incorporated [ 3 H]glucosamine label from the proteoglycan as a function of time of treatment, as well as by direct analysis of carbohydrate content and xylosyltransferase acceptor activity of unlabeled core protein preparations. The deglycosylated CSPG preparations were homogeneous and of high molecular weight. Comparison of the intact deglycosylated core protein preparations with newly synthesized unprocessed precursors suggested that extensive proteolytic cleavage of the core protein did not occur during normal intracellular processing. Furthermore, peptide patterns generated after clostripain digestion of core protein precursor and of deglycosylated secreted proteoglycan were comparable. With the use of the clostripain digestion procedure, peptides were produced from unlabeled proteoglycan, and two predominant peptides from the most highly glycosylated regions were isolated, characterized, and deglycosylated. These peptides were found to follow similar kinetics of deglycosylation and to acquire xylose activity comparable to the intact core protein

  3. Anxiety, Depression, and the Microbiome: A Role for Gut Peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lach, Gilliard; Schellekens, Harriet; Dinan, Timothy G; Cryan, John F

    2018-01-01

    The complex bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain is finely orchestrated by different systems, including the endocrine, immune, autonomic, and enteric nervous systems. Moreover, increasing evidence supports the role of the microbiome and microbiota-derived molecules in regulating such interactions; however, the mechanisms underpinning such effects are only beginning to be resolved. Microbiota-gut peptide interactions are poised to be of great significance in the regulation of gut-brain signaling. Given the emerging role of the gut-brain axis in a variety of brain disorders, such as anxiety and depression, it is important to understand the contribution of bidirectional interactions between peptide hormones released from the gut and intestinal bacteria in the context of this axis. Indeed, the gastrointestinal tract is the largest endocrine organ in mammals, secreting dozens of different signaling molecules, including peptides. Gut peptides in the systemic circulation can bind cognate receptors on immune cells and vagus nerve terminals thereby enabling indirect gut-brain communication. Gut peptide concentrations are not only modulated by enteric microbiota signals, but also vary according to the composition of the intestinal microbiota. In this review, we will discuss the gut microbiota as a regulator of anxiety and depression, and explore the role of gut-derived peptides as signaling molecules in microbiome-gut-brain communication. Here, we summarize the potential interactions of the microbiota with gut hormones and endocrine peptides, including neuropeptide Y, peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor, oxytocin, and ghrelin in microbiome-to-brain signaling. Together, gut peptides are important regulators of microbiota-gut-brain signaling in health and stress-related psychiatric illnesses.

  4. Phosphopeptidomics Reveals Differential Phosphorylation States and Novel SxE Phosphosite Motifs of Neuropeptides in Dense Core Secretory Vesicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lietz, Christopher B.; Toneff, Thomas; Mosier, Charles; Podvin, Sonia; O'Donoghue, Anthony J.; Hook, Vivian

    2018-03-01

    Neuropeptides are vital for cell-cell communication and function in the regulation of the nervous and endocrine systems. They are generated by post-translational modification (PTM) steps resulting in small active peptides generated from prohormone precursors. Phosphorylation is a significant PTM for the bioactivity of neuropeptides. From the known diversity of distinct neuropeptide functions, it is hypothesized that the extent of phosphorylation varies among different neuropeptides. To assess this hypothesis, neuropeptide-containing dense core secretory vesicles from bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were subjected to global phosphopeptidomics analyses by liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Phosphopeptides were identified directly by LC-MS/MS and indirectly by phosphatase treatment followed by LC-MS/MS. The data identified numerous phosphorylated peptides derived from neuropeptide precursors such as chromogranins, secretogranins, proenkephalin and pro-NPY. Phosphosite occupancies were observed at high and low levels among identified peptides and many of the high occupancy phosphopeptides represent prohormone-derived peptides with currently unknown bioactivities. Peptide sequence analyses demonstrated SxE as the most prevalent phosphorylation site motif, corresponding to phosphorylation sites of the Fam20C protein kinase known to be present in the secretory pathway. The range of high to low phosphosite occupancies for neuropeptides demonstrates cellular regulation of neuropeptide phosphorylation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  5. Phosphopeptidomics Reveals Differential Phosphorylation States and Novel SxE Phosphosite Motifs of Neuropeptides in Dense Core Secretory Vesicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lietz, Christopher B.; Toneff, Thomas; Mosier, Charles; Podvin, Sonia; O'Donoghue, Anthony J.; Hook, Vivian

    2018-05-01

    Neuropeptides are vital for cell-cell communication and function in the regulation of the nervous and endocrine systems. They are generated by post-translational modification (PTM) steps resulting in small active peptides generated from prohormone precursors. Phosphorylation is a significant PTM for the bioactivity of neuropeptides. From the known diversity of distinct neuropeptide functions, it is hypothesized that the extent of phosphorylation varies among different neuropeptides. To assess this hypothesis, neuropeptide-containing dense core secretory vesicles from bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were subjected to global phosphopeptidomics analyses by liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Phosphopeptides were identified directly by LC-MS/MS and indirectly by phosphatase treatment followed by LC-MS/MS. The data identified numerous phosphorylated peptides derived from neuropeptide precursors such as chromogranins, secretogranins, proenkephalin and pro-NPY. Phosphosite occupancies were observed at high and low levels among identified peptides and many of the high occupancy phosphopeptides represent prohormone-derived peptides with currently unknown bioactivities. Peptide sequence analyses demonstrated SxE as the most prevalent phosphorylation site motif, corresponding to phosphorylation sites of the Fam20C protein kinase known to be present in the secretory pathway. The range of high to low phosphosite occupancies for neuropeptides demonstrates cellular regulation of neuropeptide phosphorylation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  6. Elastin-derived peptides are new regulators of insulin resistance development in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaise, Sébastien; Romier, Béatrice; Kawecki, Charlotte

    2013-01-01

    . In the current study, we show that elastin-derived peptides (EDPs) may be involved in the development of insulin resistance (IRES) in mice. In chow-fed mice, acute or chronic intravenous injections of EDPs induced hyperglycemic effects associated with glucose uptake reduction and IRES in skeletal muscle, liver......, and adipose tissue. Based on in vivo, in vitro, and in silico approaches, we propose that this IRES is due to interaction between the insulin receptor (IR) and the neuraminidase-1 subunit of the elastin receptor complex triggered by EDPs. This interplay was correlated with decreased sialic acid levels...

  7. Biophysical analysis of the interaction of granulysin-derived peptides with enterobacterial endotoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xi; Howe, Jörg; Andrä, Jörg; Rössle, Manfred; Richter, Walter; da Silva, Ana Paula Galvão; Krensky, Alan M; Clayberger, Carol; Brandenburg, Klaus

    2007-10-01

    To combat infections by Gram-negative bacteria, it is not only necessary to kill the bacteria but also to neutralize pathogenicity factors such as endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). The development of antimicrobial peptides based on mammalian endotoxin-binding proteins is a promising tool in the fight against bacterial infections, and septic shock syndrome. Here, synthetic peptides derived from granulysin (Gra-pep) were investigated in microbiological and biophysical assays to understand their interaction with LPS. We analyzed the influence of the binding of Gra-pep on (1) the acyl chain melting of the hydrophobic moiety of LPS, lipid A, by Fourier-transform spectroscopy, (2) the aggregate structure of LPS by small-angle X-ray scattering and cryo-transmission electron microscopy, and 3) the enthalpy change by isothermal titration calorimetry. In addition, the influence of Gra-pep on the incorporation of LPS and LPS-LBP (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein) complexes into negatively charged liposomes was monitored. Our findings demonstrate a characteristic change in the aggregate structure of LPS into multilamellar stacks in the presence of Gra-pep, but little or no change of acyl chain fluidity. Neutralization of LPS by Gra-pep is not due to a scavenging effect in solution, but rather proceeds after incorporation into target membranes, suggesting a requisite membrane-bound step.

  8. NMR structures of anti-HIV D-peptides derived from the N-terminus of viral chemokine vMIP-II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, Mayuko; Liu Dongxiang; Kumar, Santosh; Huang Ziwei

    2005-01-01

    The viral macrophage inflammatory protein-II (vMIP-II) encoded by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus has unique biological activities in that it blocks the cell entry by several different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains via chemokine receptors including CXCR4 and CCR5. In this paper, we report the solution structure of all-D-amino acid peptides derived from the N-terminus of vMIP-II, which have been shown to have strong CXCR4 binding activity and potently inhibit HIV-1 entry via CXCR4, by using long mixing time two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy experiments. Both of all-D-peptides vMIP-II (1-10) and vMIP-II (1-21), which are designated as DV3 and DV1, respectively, have higher CXCR4 binding ability than their L-peptide counterparts. They are partially structured in aqueous solution, displaying a turn-like structure over residues 5-8. The small temperature coefficients of His-6 amide proton for both peptides also suggest the formation of a small hydrophobic pocket centered on His-6. The structural features of DV3 are very similar to the reported solution structure of all-L-peptide vMIP-II (1-10) [M.P. Crump, E. Elisseeva, J. Gong, I. Clark-Lewis, B.D. Sykes, Structure/function of human herpesvirus-8 MIP-II (1-71) and the antagonist N-terminal segment (1-10), FEBS Lett. 489 (2001) 171], which is consistent with the notion that D- and L-enantiomeric peptides can adopt mirror image conformations. The NMR structures of the D-peptides provide a structural basis to understand their mechanism of action and design new peptidomimetic analogs to further explore the structure-activity relationship of D-peptide ligand binding to CXCR4

  9. The synthetic parasite-derived peptide GK1 increases survival in a preclinical mouse melanoma model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Torres, Armando; Vera-Aguilera, Jesús; Hernaiz-Leonardo, Juan Carlos; Moreno-Aguilera, Eduardo; Monteverde-Suarez, Diego; Vera-Aguilera, Carlos; Estrada-Bárcenas, Daniel

    2013-11-01

    The therapeutic efficacy of a synthetic parasite-derived peptide GK1, an immune response booster, was evaluated in a mouse melanoma model. This melanoma model correlates with human stage IIb melanoma, which is treated with wide surgical excision; a parallel study employing a surgical treatment was carried out as an instructive goal. C57BL/6 mice were injected subcutaneously in the flank with 2×10(5) B16-F10 murine melanoma cells. When the tumors reached 20 mm3, mice were separated into two different groups; the GK1 group, treated weekly with peritumoral injections of GK1 (10 μg/100 μL of sterile saline solution) and the control group, treated weekly with an antiseptic peritumoral injection of 100 μL of sterile saline solution without further intervention. All mice were monitored daily for clinical appearance, tumor size, and survival. Surgical treatment was performed in parallel when the tumor size was 20 mm3 (group A), 500 mm3 (group B), and >500 mm3 (group C). The GK1 peptide effectively increased the mean survival time by 9.05 days, corresponding to an increase of 42.58%, and significantly delayed tumor growth from day 3 to 12 of treatment. In addition, tumor necrosis was significantly increased (pcancers remains to be determined, and surgical removal remains a challenge for any new experimental treatment of melanoma in mouse models.

  10. Synthesis and functional evaluation of a peptide derivative of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balajthy, Z; Aradi, J; Kiss, I T; Elödi, P

    1992-09-04

    We have synthesized a peptidyl prodrug derivative of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (1) designed to be a selective substrate of plasmin. D-Val-Leu-Lys-ara-C (2) was obtained by coupling the protected peptide Cbz-D-Val-Leu-(N6-Cbz)Lys-OH and ara-C (1) by a water-soluble carbodiimide (EDCI), followed by the removal of the Cbz groups by using catalytic hydrogenolysis over Pd/C. The kinetic constant of hydrolysis of 2 in the presence of plasmin demonstrated effective release of 1. The amino group of 1, which is sensitive to the removal by cytidine deaminase, is protected in 2 by the formation of the amide bond resulting in a prolonged half-life of 2 in biological milieu. The antiproliferative efficiency of 2 against L1210 leukemic cells was significantly higher than that of 1. The activity of 2 was abolished in the presence of serine proteinase inhibitor, (4-amidinopheny)methanesulfonyl fluoride. These data indicate that 2 is a prodrug form of 1 in systems generating plasmin.

  11. Antimicrobial Activity of Truncated and Polyvalent Peptides Derived from the FKCRRQWQWRMKKGLA Sequence against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataly de Jesús Huertas

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Peptides derived from LfcinB were designed and synthesized, and their antibacterial activity was tested against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. Specifically, a peptide library was constructed by systemically removing the flanking residues (N or C-terminal of Lfcin 17–31 (17FKCRRWQWRMKKLGA31, maintaining in all peptides the 20RRWQWR25 sequence that corresponds to the minimal antimicrobial motif. For this research, also included were (i a peptide containing an Ala instead of Cys ([Ala19]-LfcinB 17–31 and (ii polyvalent peptides containing the RRWQWR sequence and a non-natural amino acid (aminocaproic acid. We established that the lineal peptides LfcinB 17–25 and LfcinB 17–26 exhibited the greatest activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923, respectively. On the other hand, polyvalent peptides, a dimer and a tetramer, exhibited the greatest antibacterial activity, indicating that multiple copies of the sequence increase the activity. Our results suggest that the dimeric and tetrameric sequence forms potentiate the antibacterial activity of lineal sequences that have exhibited moderate antibacterial activity.

  12. Meat and fermented meat products as a source of bioactive peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stadnik, Joanna; Kęska, Paulina

    2015-01-01

    Bioactive peptides are short amino acid sequences, that upon release from the parent protein may play different physiological roles, including antioxidant, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, and other bioactivities. They have been identified from a range of foods, including those of animal origin, e.g., milk and muscle sources (with pork, beef, or chicken and various species of fish and marine organism). Bioactive peptides are encrypted within the sequence of the parent protein molecule and latent until released and activated by enzymatic proteolysis, e.g. during gastrointestinal digestion or food processing. Bioactive peptides derived from food sources have the potential for incorporation into functional foods and nutraceuticals. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the muscle-derived bioactive peptides, especially those of fermented meats and the potential benefits of these bioactive compounds to human health.

  13. Morphofunctional reaction of bacteria treated with antimicrobial peptides derived from farm animal platelets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Dymova, Veronica V; Kartashova, Olga L; Sycheva, Maria V

    2015-03-01

    Classical microbiological approach and atomic force microscopy were used to evaluate the mechanisms of biological activity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from platelets of farm animals. It is established that AMPs inhibit both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) microorganisms. Differences revealed in the biological activity of AMP preparations obtained from the organisms of various species can be reduced to quantitative differences. While qualitative changes of bacterial cells were substantially similar, changes in the integrity of cell walls resulted in disintegration of the bacterial outer and/or cytoplasmic membranes.

  14. Peptides in headlock--a novel high-affinity and versatile peptide-binding nanobody for proteomics and microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Michael B; Traenkle, Bjoern; Koch, Philipp A; Emele, Felix; Weiss, Frederik; Poetz, Oliver; Stehle, Thilo; Rothbauer, Ulrich

    2016-01-21

    Nanobodies are highly valuable tools for numerous bioanalytical and biotechnical applications. Here, we report the characterization of a nanobody that binds a short peptide epitope with extraordinary affinity. Structural analysis reveals an unusual binding mode where the extended peptide becomes part of a β-sheet structure in the nanobody. This interaction relies on sequence-independent backbone interactions augmented by a small number of specificity-determining side chain contacts. Once bound, the peptide is fastened by two nanobody side chains that clamp it in a headlock fashion. Exploiting this unusual binding mode, we generated a novel nanobody-derived capture and detection system. Matrix-coupled nanobody enables the fast and efficient isolation of epitope-tagged proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Additionally, the fluorescently labeled nanobody visualizes subcellular structures in different cellular compartments. The high-affinity-binding and modifiable peptide tag of this system renders it a versatile and robust tool to combine biochemical analysis with microscopic studies.

  15. Peptides in melanoma therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mocellin, Simone

    2012-01-01

    Peptides derived from tumor associated antigens can be utilized to elicit a therapeutically effective immune response against melanoma in experimental models. However, patient vaccination with peptides - although it is often followed by the induction of melanoma- specific T lymphocytes - is rarely associated with tumor response of clinical relevance. In this review I summarize the principles of peptide design as well as the results so far obtained in the clinical setting while treating cutaneous melanoma by means of this active immunotherapy strategy. I also discuss some immunological and methodological issues that might be helpful for the successful development of peptide-based vaccines.

  16. Comparative analysis of biological activities of Der p I-derived peptides on Fc epsilon receptor-bearing cells from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-sensitive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeannin, P; Pestel, J; Bossus, M; Lassalle, P; Tartar, A; Tonnel, A B

    1993-01-01

    The ability of four uncoupled synthetic peptides (p52-71, p117-133, p176-187, p188-199) derived from Der p I, a major allergen from the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt) to stimulate Fc epsilon R+ cells from Dpt-sensitive patients was comparatively analysed. Each free peptide may specifically stimulate basophils (Fc epsilon RI+ cells) and platelets (Fc epsilon RII+ cells) from patients with significant levels of anti-Der p I IgE antibodies; p52-71 and p117-133 appear the best cell stimulation inducers. Both concentration-dependent biological activities of Der p I-peptide on Fc epsilon R+ cells are enhanced by coupling peptide to a carrier (as human serum albumin). Interestingly each Der p I-sensitive patient tested presents an individual pattern of response to peptide. Thus, from our results it appears that different Der p I sequences could be involved in the immune response to Der p I. PMID:7682161

  17. Comparative analysis of biological activities of Der p I-derived peptides on Fc epsilon receptor-bearing cells from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-sensitive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeannin, P; Pestel, J; Bossus, M; Lassalle, P; Tartar, A; Tonnel, A B

    1993-04-01

    The ability of four uncoupled synthetic peptides (p52-71, p117-133, p176-187, p188-199) derived from Der p I, a major allergen from the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt) to stimulate Fc epsilon R+ cells from Dpt-sensitive patients was comparatively analysed. Each free peptide may specifically stimulate basophils (Fc epsilon RI+ cells) and platelets (Fc epsilon RII+ cells) from patients with significant levels of anti-Der p I IgE antibodies; p52-71 and p117-133 appear the best cell stimulation inducers. Both concentration-dependent biological activities of Der p I-peptide on Fc epsilon R+ cells are enhanced by coupling peptide to a carrier (as human serum albumin). Interestingly each Der p I-sensitive patient tested presents an individual pattern of response to peptide. Thus, from our results it appears that different Der p I sequences could be involved in the immune response to Der p I.

  18. Production and characterization of peptide antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trier, Nicole Hartwig; Hansen, Paul Robert; Houen, Gunnar

    2012-01-01

    Proteins are effective immunogens for generation of antibodies. However, occasionally the native protein is known but not available for antibody production. In such cases synthetic peptides derived from the native protein are good alternatives for antibody production. These peptide antibodies...... are powerful tools in experimental biology and are easily produced to any peptide of choice. A widely used approach for production of peptide antibodies is to immunize animals with a synthetic peptide coupled to a carrier protein. Very important is the selection of the synthetic peptide, where factors......, including solid-phase peptide-carrier conjugation and peptide-carrier conjugation in solution. Upon immunization, adjuvants such as Al(OH)(3) are added together with the immunogenic peptide-carrier conjugate, which usually leads to high-titred antisera. Following immunization and peptide antibody...

  19. High-affinity human leucocyte antigen class I binding variola-derived peptides induce CD4(+) T cell responses more than 30 years post-vaccinia virus vaccination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, M.; Tang, Sheila Tuyet; Lund, Ole

    2009-01-01

    Interferon-gamma secreting T lymphocytes against pox virus-derived synthetic 9-mer peptides were tested by enzyme-linked immunospot in peripheral blood of individuals vaccinated with vaccinia virus more than 30 years ago. The peptides were characterized biochemically as high-affinity human leucoc...

  20. The lactoferricin B-derived peptide, LfB17-34, induces melanogenesis in B16F10 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hsiu-Chin; Lin, Hsuan; Huang, Min-Chuan

    2017-03-01

    Lactoferricin B (LfcinB), a peptide of bovine lactoferrin (LfB), exhibits multiple biological functions, including antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities. However, the role of LfcinB-related peptides in melanogenesis remains unclear. In this study, a set of five LfcinB-related peptides was examined. We found that LfB17‑34, an 18-mer LfcinB-derived peptide, increased melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells without significantly affecting cell viability. LfB17‑34 increased in vitro tyrosinase activity and melanin content in a dose-dependent manner. The results of RT-qPCR and western blot analyses showed that LfB17‑34 increased the mRNA and protein expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (Trp1). Moreover, LfB17‑34 inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPK/Erk, but not p38 and Akt, and constitutively active MEK was able to reverse the LfB17-34-enhanced pigmentation, melanin content, and tyrosinase activity, suggesting a role of Erk signaling in the process of LfB17‑34-mediated pigmentation. Taken together, these results suggest that LfB17‑34 induces melanogenesis in B16F10 cells primarily through increased tyrosinase expression and activity and that LfB17‑34 could be further developed for the treatment of hypopigmentation disorders.

  1. Generation of functional HLA-DR*1101 tetramers receptive for loading with pathogen or tumour derived synthetic peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Protti Maria

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background MHC class I-peptide tetramers are currently utilised to characterize CD8+ T cell responses at single cell level. The generation and use of MHC class II tetramers to study antigen-specific CD4+ T cells appears less straightforward. Most MHC class II tetramers are produced with a homogeneously built-in peptide, reducing greatly their flexibility of use. We attempted the generation of "empty" functional HLA-DR*1101 tetramers, receptive for loading with synthetic peptides by incubation. No such reagent is in fact available for this HLA-DR allele, one of the most frequent in the Caucasian population. Results We compared soluble MHC class II-immunoglobulin fusion proteins (HLA-DR*1101-Ig with soluble MHC class II protein fused with an optimised Bir site for enzymatic biotynilation (HLA-DR*1101-Bir, both produced in insect cells. The molecules were multimerised by binding fluorochrome-protein A or fluorochrome-streptavidin, respectively. We find that HLA-DR*1101-Bir molecules are superior to the HLA-DR*1101-Ig ones both in biochemical and functional terms. HLA-DR*1101-Bir molecules can be pulsed with at least three different promiscuous peptide epitopes, derived from Tetanus Toxoid, influenza HA and the tumour associated antigen MAGE-3 respectively, to stain specific CD4+ T cells. Both staining temperature and activation state of CD4+ T cells are critical for the binding of peptide-pulsed HLA-DR*1101-Bir to the cognate TCR. Conclusion It is therefore possible to generate a soluble recombinant HLA-DR*1101 backbone that is receptive for loading with different peptides to stain specific CD4+ T cells. As shown for other HLA-DR alleles, we confirm that not all the strategies to produce soluble HLA-DR*1101 multimers are equivalent.

  2. Application of synthetic peptides for detection of anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trier, Nicole Hartwig; Holm, Bettina Eide; Slot, Ole

    2016-01-01

    Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and represent an important tool for the serological diagnosis of RA. In this study, we describe ACPA reactivity to overlapping citrullinated Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1)-derived peptides...... (n=40), systemic lupus erythematosus (n=20), Sjögren's syndrome (n=40)) were screened for antibody reactivity. Antibodies to a panel of five citrullinated EBNA-1 peptides were found in 67% of RA sera, exclusively of the IgG isotype, while 53% of the patient sera reacted with a single peptide......, ARGGSRERARGRGRG-Cit-GEKR, accounting for more than half of the ACPA reactivity alone. Moreover, these antibodies were detected in 10% of CCP2-negative RA sera. In addition, 47% of the RA sera reacted with two or three citrullinated EBNA-1 peptides from the selected peptide panel. Furthermore, a negative...

  3. Computationally assisted screening and design of cell-interactive peptides by a cell-based assay using peptide arrays and a fuzzy neural network algorithm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaga, Chiaki; Okochi, Mina; Tomita, Yasuyuki; Kato, Ryuji; Honda, Hiroyuki

    2008-03-01

    We developed a method of effective peptide screening that combines experiments and computational analysis. The method is based on the concept that screening efficiency can be enhanced from even limited data by use of a model derived from computational analysis that serves as a guide to screening and combining the model with subsequent repeated experiments. Here we focus on cell-adhesion peptides as a model application of this peptide-screening strategy. Cell-adhesion peptides were screened by use of a cell-based assay of a peptide array. Starting with the screening data obtained from a limited, random 5-mer library (643 sequences), a rule regarding structural characteristics of cell-adhesion peptides was extracted by fuzzy neural network (FNN) analysis. According to this rule, peptides with unfavored residues in certain positions that led to inefficient binding were eliminated from the random sequences. In the restricted, second random library (273 sequences), the yield of cell-adhesion peptides having an adhesion rate more than 1.5-fold to that of the basal array support was significantly high (31%) compared with the unrestricted random library (20%). In the restricted third library (50 sequences), the yield of cell-adhesion peptides increased to 84%. We conclude that a repeated cycle of experiments screening limited numbers of peptides can be assisted by the rule-extracting feature of FNN.

  4. Human gut endogenous proteins as a potential source of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE-I)-, renin inhibitory and antioxidant peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Lakshmi A; Hayes, Maria; Montoya, Carlos A; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Moughan, Paul J

    2016-02-01

    It is well known that endogenous bioactive proteins and peptides play a substantial role in the body's first line of immunological defence, immune-regulation and normal body functioning. Further, the peptides derived from the luminal digestion of proteins are also important for body function. For example, within the peptide database BIOPEP (http://www.uwm.edu.pl/biochemia/index.php/en/biopep) 12 endogenous antimicrobial and 64 angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE-I) inhibitory peptides derived from human milk and plasma proteins are listed. The antimicrobial peptide database (http://aps.unmc.edu/AP/main.php) lists over 111 human host-defence peptides. Several endogenous proteins are secreted in the gut and are subject to the same gastrointestinal digestion processes as food proteins derived from the diet. The human gut endogenous proteins (GEP) include mucins, serum albumin, digestive enzymes, hormones, and proteins from sloughed off epithelial cells and gut microbiota, and numerous other secreted proteins. To date, much work has been carried out regarding the health altering effects of food-derived bioactive peptides but little attention has been paid to the possibility that GEP may also be a source of bioactive peptides. In this review, we discuss the potential of GEP to constitute a gut cryptome from which bioactive peptides such as ACE-I inhibitory, renin inhibitory and antioxidant peptides may be derived. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Bactericidal and antibiofilm activity of bactenecin-derivative peptides against the food-pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: New perspectives for food processing industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmieri, Gianna; Balestrieri, Marco; Capuano, Federico; Proroga, Yolande T R; Pomilio, Francesco; Centorame, Patrizia; Riccio, Alessia; Marrone, Raffaele; Anastasio, Aniello

    2018-08-20

    Antimicrobial peptides have received great attention for their potential benefits to extend the shelf-life of food-products. Innate defense regulator peptide-1018 (IDR-1018) represents a promising candidate for such applications, due to its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, although food-isolated pathogens have been poorly investigated. Herein, we describe the design and the structural-functional characterization of a new 1018-derivative peptide named 1018-K6, in which the alanine in position 6 was replaced with a lysine. Spectroscopic analysis revealed a noticeable switch from β-sheet to helical conformations of 1018-K6 respect to IDR-1018, with a faster folding kinetic and increased structural stability. Moreover, 1018-K6 evidenced a significant antibiofilm/bactericidal efficiency specifically against Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food-products and food-processing environments, belonging to serotype 4b involved in the majority of human-listeriosis cases, with EC 50 values two- five-fold lower than those measured for IDR-1018. Therefore, a single amino-acid substitution in IDR-1018 sequence produced severe changes in peptide conformation and antimicrobial performances. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Factors affecting antimicrobial activity of MUC7 12-mer, a human salivary mucin-derived peptide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bobek Libuse A

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background MUC7 12-mer (RKSYKCLHKRCR, a cationic antimicrobial peptide derived from the human low-molecular-weight salivary mucin MUC7, possesses potent antimicrobial activity in vitro. In order to evaluate the potential therapeutic application of the MUC7 12-mer, we examined the effects of mono- and divalent cations, EDTA, pH, and temperature on its antimicrobial activity. Methods Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs were determined using a liquid growth inhibition assay in 96-well microtiter plates. MUC7 12-mer was added at concentrations of 1.56–50 μM. MICs were determined at three endpoints: MIC-0, MIC-1, and MIC-2 (the lowest drug concentration showing 10%, 25% and 50% of growth, respectively. To examine the effect of salts or EDTA, a checkerboard microdilution technique was used. Fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi was calculated on the basis of MIC-0. The viability of microbial cells treated with MUC7 12-mer in the presence of sodium or potassium was also determined by killing assay or flow cytometry. Results The MICs of MUC7 12-mer against organisms tested ranged from 6.25–50 μM. For C. albicans, antagonism (FICi 4.5 was observed for the combination of MUC7 12-mer and calcium; however, there was synergism (FICi 0.22 between MUC7 12-mer and EDTA, and the synergism was retained in the presence of calcium at its physiological concentration (1–2 mM. No antagonism but additivity or indifference (FICi 0.55–2.5 was observed for the combination of MUC7 12-mer and each K+, Na+, Mg2+, or Zn2+. MUC7 12-mer peptide (at 25 μM also exerted killing activity in the presence of NaCl, (up to 25 mM for C. albicans and up to 150 mM for E. coli, a physiological concentration of sodium in the oral cavity and serum, respectively and retained candidacidal activity in the presence of KCl (up to 40 mM. The peptide exhibited higher inhibitory activity against C. albicans at pH 7, 8, and 9 than at pH 5 and 6, and temperature up to

  7. Cardioprotective peptides from marine sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnedy, Padraigín A; FitzGerald, Richard J

    2013-05-01

    Elevated blood pressure or hypertension is one of the fastest growing health problems worldwide. Although the etiology of essential hypertension has a genetic component, dietary factors play an important role. With the high costs and adverse side-effects associated with synthetic antihypertensive drugs and the awareness of the link between diet and health there has been increased focus on identification of food components that may contribute to cardiovascular health. In recent years special interest has been paid to the cardioprotective activity of peptides derived from food proteins including marine proteins. These peptides are latent within the sequence of the parent protein and only become active when released by proteolytic digestion during gastrointestinal digestion or through food processing. Current data on antihypertensive activity of marine-derived protein hydrolysates/peptides in animal and human studies is reviewed herein. Furthermore, products containing protein hydrolysates/peptides from marine origin with antihypertensive effects are discussed.

  8. In vitro and in vivo cytotoxic activity of human lactoferricin derived antitumor peptide R-DIM-P-LF11-334 on human malignant melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedl, Sabrina; Rinner, Beate; Schaider, Helmut; Liegl-Atzwanger, Bernadette; Meditz, Katharina; Preishuber-Pflügl, Julia; Grissenberger, Sarah; Lohner, Karl; Zweytick, Dagmar

    2017-09-22

    Di-peptides derived from the human host defense peptide lactoferricin were previously described to specifically interact with the negatively charged lipid phosphatidylserine exposed by cancer cells. In this study one further derivative, namely R-DIM-P-LF11-334 is shown to exhibit even increased cancer toxicity in vitro and in vivo while non-neoplastic cells are not harmed. In liposomal model systems composed of phosphatidylserine mimicking cancerous and phosphatidylcholine mimicking non-cancerous membranes the specific interaction with the cancer marker PS was confirmed by specific induction of membrane perturbation and permeabilization in presence of the peptide. In vitro studies with cell lines of human malignant melanoma, such as A375, or primary cells of human melanoma metastases to the brain, as MUG Mel1, and non-neoplastic human dermal fibroblasts NHDF revealed high cytotoxic effect of R-DIM-P-LF11-334 on melanoma cells of A375 and MUG Mel1, whereas only minor effect on the dermal fibroblasts NHDF was observed, yielding an about 20-fold killing-specificity for A375 and MUG-Mel1. The LC 50 values for melanoma A375 and MUG Mel1 were about 10 μM. Analysis of secondary structure of the peptide revealed an increase in the proportion of β-sheets exclusively in presence of the cancer mimic. Stability studies further indicated a potential adequate stability in blood or under stringent conditions. Importantly the cytotoxic effect on cancer cells was also proven in vivo in mouse xenografts of human melanoma, where peptide treatment induced strong tumor regression and in average a tumor area reduction of 85% compared to tumors of control mice without peptide treatment.

  9. Optimization of hydrolysis conditions, isolation, and identification of neuroprotective peptides derived from seahorse Hippocampus trimaculatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pangestuti, Ratih; Ryu, Bomi; Himaya, Swa; Kim, Se-Kwon

    2013-08-01

    Hippocampus trimaculatus is one of the most heavily traded seahorse species for traditional medicine purposes in many countries. In the present study, we showed neuroprotective effects of peptide derived from H. trimaculatus against amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) toxicity which are central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's diseases (AD). Firstly, H. trimaculatus was separately hydrolyzed by four different enzymes and tested for their protective effect on Aβ42-induced neurotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells. Pronase E hydrolysate exerted highest protection with cell viability value of 88.33 ± 3.33 %. Furthermore, we used response surface methodology to optimize pronase E hydrolysis conditions and found that temperature at 36.69 °C with the hydrolysis time 20.01 h, enzyme to substrate (E/S) ratio of 2.02 % and pH 7.34 were the most optimum conditions. Following several purification steps, H. trimaculatus-derived neuroprotective peptides (HTP-1) sequence was identified as Gly-Thr-Glu-Asp-Glu-Leu-Asp-Lys (906.4 Da). HTP-1 protected PC12 cells from Aβ42-induced neuronal death with the cell viability value of 85.52 ± 2.22 % and up-regulated pro-survival gene (Bcl-2) expressions. These results suggest that HTP-1 has the potential to be used in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly AD. Identification, characterization, and synthesis of bioactive components derived from H. trimaculatus have the potential to replace or at least complement the use of seahorse as traditional medicine, which further may become an approach to minimize seahorse exploitation in traditional medicine.

  10. Spontaneous T-cell responses against peptides derived from the Taxol resistance-associated gene-3 (TRAG-3) protein in cancer patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meier, Anders; Hadrup, Sine Reker; Svane, Inge Marie

    2005-01-01

    for immunotherapy of cancer. To identify HLA-A* 02.01 - restricted epitopes from TRAG-3, we screened cancer patients for spontaneous cytotoxic T-cell responses against TRAG-3 - derived peptides. The TRAG-3 protein sequence was screened for 9mer and 10mer peptides possessing HLA-A* 02.01 - binding motifs. Of 12......Expression of the cancer-testis antigen Taxol resistance - associated gene-3 (TRAG-3) protein is associated with acquired paclitaxel ( Taxol) resistance, and is expressed in various cancer types; e. g., breast cancer, leukemia, and melanoma. Thus, TRAG-3 represents an attractive target...... potential binders, 9 peptides were indeed capable of binding to the HLA-A* 02.01 molecule, with binding affinities ranging from strong to weak binders. Subsequently, lymphocytes from cancer patients ( 9 breast cancer patients, 12 melanoma patients, and 13 patients with hematopoietic malignancies) were...

  11. Peptides in headlock – a novel high-affinity and versatile peptide-binding nanobody for proteomics and microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Michael B.; Traenkle, Bjoern; Koch, Philipp A.; Emele, Felix; Weiss, Frederik; Poetz, Oliver; Stehle, Thilo; Rothbauer, Ulrich

    2016-01-01

    Nanobodies are highly valuable tools for numerous bioanalytical and biotechnical applications. Here, we report the characterization of a nanobody that binds a short peptide epitope with extraordinary affinity. Structural analysis reveals an unusual binding mode where the extended peptide becomes part of a β-sheet structure in the nanobody. This interaction relies on sequence-independent backbone interactions augmented by a small number of specificity-determining side chain contacts. Once bound, the peptide is fastened by two nanobody side chains that clamp it in a headlock fashion. Exploiting this unusual binding mode, we generated a novel nanobody-derived capture and detection system. Matrix-coupled nanobody enables the fast and efficient isolation of epitope-tagged proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Additionally, the fluorescently labeled nanobody visualizes subcellular structures in different cellular compartments. The high-affinity-binding and modifiable peptide tag of this system renders it a versatile and robust tool to combine biochemical analysis with microscopic studies. PMID:26791954

  12. Computer-Aided Design of Antimicrobial Peptides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fjell, Christopher D.; Hancock, Robert E.W.; Jenssen, Håvard

    2010-01-01

    in antimicrobial activity. Consequently, the majority of peptides put into clinical trials have failed at some point, underlining the importance of a thorough peptide optimization. An important tool in peptide design and optimization is quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis, correlating...... chemical parameters with biological activities of the peptide, using statistical methods. In this review we will discuss two different in silico strategies of computer-aided antibacterial peptide design, a linear correlation model build as an extension of traditional principal component analysis (PCA......) and a non-linear artificial neural network model. Studies on structurally diverse peptides, have concluded that the PCA derived model are able to guide the antibacterial peptide design in a meaningful way, however requiring rather a high homology between the peptides in the test-set and the in silico...

  13. Marine Peptides and Their Anti-Infective Activities

    OpenAIRE

    Kang, Hee Kyoung; Seo, Chang Ho; Park, Yoonkyung

    2015-01-01

    Marine bioresources are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with industrial and nutraceutical potential. Numerous clinical trials evaluating novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from marine sources have revealed novel mechanisms of action. Recently, marine-derived bioactive peptides have attracted attention owing to their numerous beneficial effects. Moreover, several studies have reported that marine peptides exhibit various anti-infective activities, such as antimicrobial, antifungal,...

  14. Radioreceptor assay of opioid peptides in selected canine brain regions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desiderio, D.M.; Takeshita, H.

    1985-01-01

    A radioreceptor assay using the opioid delta receptor-preferring ligand D- 2 ala, D- 5 leu leucine enkephalin ( 3 H-DADL) and the broader-specificity ligand 3 H-etorphine was used to measure five HPLC-purified neuropeptide fractions derived from the peptide-rich fraction of tissue homogenates of nine anatomical regions of the canine brain. The receptoractive peptides studied were methionine enkephalin, alpha-neo-endorphin, dynorphin 1-8, methionine enkephalin-Arg-Phe, and leucine enkephalin. These peptides derive from two larger precursors: proenkephalin A, which contains methionine enkephalin, leucine enkephalin, methionine enkephalin-Arg-Phe; and proenkephalin B, which contains alpha-neo-endorphin and dynorphin 1-8. Receptoractive peptides were measured in the peptide-rich fraction derived from homogenates of canine hypothalamus, pituitary, caudate nucleus, amygdala, hippocampus, mid-brain, thalamus, pons-medulla, and cortex

  15. Bleogens: Cactus-Derived Anti-Candida Cysteine-Rich Peptides with Three Different Precursor Arrangements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shining Loo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs play important host-defense roles in plants. However, information concerning CRPs in the Cactaceae (cactus family is limited, with only a single cactus-derived CRP described to date. Here, we report the identification of 15 novel CRPs with three different precursor architectures, bleogens pB1-15 from Pereskia bleo of the Cactaceae family. By combining proteomic and transcriptomic methods, we showed that the prototype, bleogen pB1, contained 36 amino acid residues, a six-cysteine motif typical of the six-cysteine-hevein-like peptide (6C-HLP family, and a type I two-domain precursor consisting of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER and a mature domain. In contrast, the precursors of the other 14 bleogens contained a type II three-domain architecture with a propeptide domain inserted between the ER and the mature bleogen domain. Four of these 14 bleogens display a third type of architecture with a tandemly repeating bleogen domain. A search of the Onekp database revealed that <1% plant species possess three different precursor architectures for the biosynthesis of 6C-HLPs, including Lophophora williamsii, Pereskia aculeate, Portulaca cryptopetala, Portulaca oleracea, Portulaca suffruticosa, and Talinum sp. NMR analysis confirmed that bleogen pB1 has cystine-knot disulfide connectivity as well as a two-beta-sheet and a four-loop structural fold that is similar to other 6C-HLPs. Sequence analysis, structural studies, and in silico modeling revealed that bleogen pB1 has a cation-polar-cation motif, a signature heparin-binding motif that was confirmed by heparin affinity chromatography. Cell-based assays showed that bleogen pB1 is non-toxic to mammalian cells but functions as an anti-Candida peptide. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the occurrence, functions and precursor architectures of CRPs in the cactus family.

  16. A peptide-binding assay for the disease-associated HLA-DQ8 molecule

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Straumfors, A; Johansen, B H; Vartdal, F

    1998-01-01

    The study of peptide binding to HLA class II molecules has mostly concentrated on DR molecules. Since many autoimmune diseases show a primary association to particular DQ molecules rather than DR molecules, it is also important to study the peptide-binding properties of DQ molecules. Here we repo......-affinity binders, whereas peptides derived from myelin basic protein were among the low-affinity binders. The sequence of the high-affinity peptides conformed with a previously published peptide-binding motif of DQ8.......The study of peptide binding to HLA class II molecules has mostly concentrated on DR molecules. Since many autoimmune diseases show a primary association to particular DQ molecules rather than DR molecules, it is also important to study the peptide-binding properties of DQ molecules. Here we report...

  17. Antioxidant properties of a radical-scavenging peptide purified from enzymatically prepared fish skin gelatin hydrolysate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendis, Eresha; Rajapakse, Niranjan; Kim, Se-Kwon

    2005-02-09

    Hoki (Johnius belengerii) skin gelatin was hydrolyzed with three commercial enzymes to identify radical-scavenging potencies of derived peptides. Peptides derived from tryptic hydrolysate exhibited the highest scavenging activities on superoxide, carbon-centered 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals assessed by ESR spectroscopy. Following consecutive chromatographic separations of tryptic hydroolysate, the peptide sequence His-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-Leu (797 Da) acted as a strong radical scavenger under studied conditions. Further, this peptide could act as an antioxidant against linoleic acid peroxidation and the activity was closer to the highly active synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). In addition, antioxidative enzyme levels in cultured human hepatoma cells were increased in the presence of this peptide and it was presumed to be the peptide involved in maintaining the redox balance in the cell environment. Present data indicate that free-radical-scavenging activities of hoki skin gelatin peptides substantially contribute to their antioxidant properties measured in different oxidative systems.

  18. Sungsanpin, a lasso peptide from a deep-sea streptomycete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Um, Soohyun; Kim, Young-Joo; Kwon, Hyuknam; Wen, He; Kim, Seong-Hwan; Kwon, Hak Cheol; Park, Sunghyouk; Shin, Jongheon; Oh, Dong-Chan

    2013-05-24

    Sungsanpin (1), a new 15-amino-acid peptide, was discovered from a Streptomyces species isolated from deep-sea sediment collected off Jeju Island, Korea. The planar structure of 1 was determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and UV spectroscopy. The absolute configurations of the stereocenters in this compound were assigned by derivatizations of the hydrolysate of 1 with Marfey's reagents and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate, followed by LC-MS analysis. Careful analysis of the ROESY NMR spectrum and three-dimensional structure calculations revealed that sungsanpin possesses the features of a lasso peptide: eight amino acids (-Gly(1)-Phe-Gly-Ser-Lys-Pro-Ile-Asp(8)-) that form a cyclic peptide and seven amino acids (-Ser(9)-Phe-Gly-Leu-Ser-Trp-Leu(15)) that form a tail that loops through the ring. Sungsanpin is thus the first example of a lasso peptide isolated from a marine-derived microorganism. Sungsanpin displayed inhibitory activity in a cell invasion assay with the human lung cancer cell line A549.

  19. Peptide-LNA oligonucleotide conjugates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Astakhova, I Kira; Hansen, Lykke Haastrup; Vester, Birte

    2013-01-01

    properties, peptides were introduced into oligonucleotides via a 2'-alkyne-2'-amino-LNA scaffold. Derivatives of methionine- and leucine-enkephalins were chosen as model peptides of mixed amino acid content, which were singly and doubly incorporated into LNA/DNA strands using highly efficient copper......(i)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) "click" chemistry. DNA/RNA target binding affinity and selectivity of the resulting POCs were improved in comparison to LNA/DNA mixmers and unmodified DNA controls. This clearly demonstrates that internal attachment of peptides to oligonucleotides can significantly...

  20. Impact of the NCAM derived mimetic peptide plannexin on the acute cellular consequences of a status epilepticus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zellinger, Christina; Hadamitzky, Martin; Bock, Elisabeth

    2011-01-01

    Plannexin represents a NCAM-derived peptide mimicking trans-homophilic NCAM interaction, which proved to exert neuroprotective effects in vitro. The effect of plannexin was evaluated in a rat status epilepticus model. As expected, prolonged seizure activity resulted in a pronounced cell loss...... in hippocampal subregions. The comparison between the vehicle- and plannexin-treated animals with status epilepticus did not reveal neuroprotective effects of plannexin on mature neurons. However, treatment with plannexin partially prevented the reduction in the number of doublecortin-labeled neuronal progenitor...... cells, which was evident 48h following status epilepticus. In conclusion, the data might give first evidence that plannexin can protect immature neurons in vivo. Future studies are necessary to evaluate whether disease-modifying or preventive effects are observed in models of epileptogenesis....

  1. Prophylactic effects of elastin peptide derived from the bulbus arteriosus of fish on vascular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemori, Kumiko; Yamamoto, Ei; Ito, Hiroyuki; Kometani, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    To determine the prophylactic effects of an elastin peptide derived from the bulbus arteriosus of bonitos and prolylglycine (PG), a degradation product of elastin peptide, on vascular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Male 15-week-old SHR/Izm rats were fed without (control group) or with elastin peptide (1 g/kg body weight) for 5 weeks (EP group), or were infused via an osmotic mini-pump for 4 weeks with PG (PG group) or saline (control group). Using thoracic aortas, we assessed endothelial changes by scanning electron microscopy. Vascular reactivity (contraction and relaxation) and pressure-induced distension was compared. mRNA production levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were investigated by real-time-polymerase chain reaction. Aortas of the EP group displayed limited endothelial damage compared with that in the control group. Under treatment of SHRs with elastin peptide, the effect of phenylephrine returned closer to the normal level observed in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY/Izm) rats. mRNA production of eNOS (but not ICAM-1) was greater in the EP group than in the control group. Endothelial damage was suppressed and pressure-induced vascular distension was greater in the PG group than in the corresponding control group. These results suggest that elastin peptide from bonitos elicits prophylactic affects hypertension-associated vascular dysfunction by targeting the eNOS signaling pathway. PG may be a key mediator of the beneficial effects of elastin peptide. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Biosynthesis of cardiac natriuretic peptides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goetze, Jens Peter

    2010-01-01

    Cardiac-derived peptide hormones were identified more than 25 years ago. An astonishing amount of clinical studies have established cardiac natriuretic peptides and their molecular precursors as useful markers of heart disease. In contrast to the clinical applications, the biogenesis of cardiac...... peptides has only been elucidated during the last decade. The cellular synthesis including amino acid modifications and proteolytic cleavages has proven considerably more complex than initially perceived. Consequently, the elimination phase of the peptide products in circulation is not yet well....... An inefficient post-translational prohormone maturation will also affect the biology of the cardiac natriuretic peptide system. This review aims at summarizing the myocardial synthesis of natriuretic peptides focusing on B-type natriuretic peptide, where new data has disclosed cardiac myocytes as highly...

  3. Tidbits for the synthesis of bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amido (SEA) polystyrene resin, SEA peptides and peptide thioesters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ollivier, Nathalie; Raibaut, Laurent; Blanpain, Annick; Desmet, Rémi; Dheur, Julien; Mhidia, Reda; Boll, Emmanuelle; Drobecq, Hervé; Pira, Silvain L; Melnyk, Oleg

    2014-02-01

    Protein total chemical synthesis enables the atom-by-atom control of the protein structure and therefore has a great potential for studying protein function. Native chemical ligation of C-terminal peptide thioesters with N-terminal cysteinyl peptides and related methodologies are central to the field of protein total synthesis. Consequently, methods enabling the facile synthesis of peptide thioesters using Fmoc-SPPS are of great value. Herein, we provide a detailed protocol for the preparation of bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amino polystyrene resin as a starting point for the synthesis of C-terminal bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amido peptides and of peptide thioesters derived from 3-mercaptopropionic acid. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Radioreceptor assay of opioid peptides in selected canine brain regions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Desiderio, D.M.; Takeshita, H.

    1985-09-01

    A radioreceptor assay using the opioid delta receptor-preferring ligand D-/sup 2/ala, D-/sup 5/leu leucine enkephalin (/sup 3/H-DADL) and the broader-specificity ligand /sup 3/H-etorphine was used to measure five HPLC-purified neuropeptide fractions derived from the peptide-rich fraction of tissue homogenates of nine anatomical regions of the canine brain. The receptoractive peptides studied were methionine enkephalin, alpha-neo-endorphin, dynorphin 1-8, methionine enkephalin-Arg-Phe, and leucine enkephalin. These peptides derive from two larger precursors: proenkephalin A, which contains methionine enkephalin, leucine enkephalin, methionine enkephalin-Arg-Phe; and proenkephalin B, which contains alpha-neo-endorphin and dynorphin 1-8. Receptoractive peptides were measured in the peptide-rich fraction derived from homogenates of canine hypothalamus, pituitary, caudate nucleus, amygdala, hippocampus, mid-brain, thalamus, pons-medulla, and cortex.

  5. δ-Peptides from RuAAC-Derived 1,5-Disubstituted Triazole Units

    KAUST Repository

    Johansson, Johan R.; Hermansson, Elin; Nordé n, Bengt; Kann, Nina; Beke-Somfai, Tamá s

    2014-01-01

    of non-natural peptides composed of 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole amino acids is presented. These peptides benefit from: a) modular synthesis of the monomers, allowing variation of the side chains; b) increased solubility of the oligomers in water

  6. Alpha-amidated peptides derived from pro-opiomelanocortin in normal human pituitary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, M; Johnsen, A H

    1988-01-01

    Normal human pituitaries were extracted in boiling water and acetic acid, and the alpha-amidated peptide products of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha MSH), gamma-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (gamma 1MSH), and amidated hinge peptide (HP-N), as well...... (ACTH)-(1-39), ACTH-(1-14) and alpha MSH immunoreactivity]. alpha MSH and ACTH-(1-14) were only present in non- or mono-acetylated forms. Only large forms of gamma 1MSH and gamma 2MSH were present in partly glycosylated states. The hinge peptides were amidated to an extent two to three orders...... amidated POMC-related peptides are present in normal human pituitary. It also shows that cleavage in vivo at all dibasic amino acids but one, takes place at the N-terminal POMC region; the exception is at the POMC-(49-50) N-terminal of the gamma MSH sequence. The pattern of peptides produced suggests...

  7. Oxidation of free, peptide and protein tryptophan residues mediated by AAPH-derived free radicals: role of alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuentes-Lemus, E.; Dorta, E.; Escobar, E.

    2016-01-01

    The oxidation of tryptophan (Trp) residues, mediated by peroxyl radicals (ROOc), follows a complex mechanism involving free radical intermediates, and short chain reactions. The reactivity of Trp towards ROOc should be strongly affected by its inclusion in peptides and proteins. To examine...... the latter, we investigated (by fluorescence) the kinetic of the consumption of free, peptide- and protein-Trp residues towards AAPH (2,20 -azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride)-derived free radicals. Interestingly, the initial consumption rates (Ri ) were only slightly influenced by the inclusion of Trp...... concentrations (10–50 mM), the values of Ri were nearly constant; and at high Trp concentrations (50 mM to 1 mM), a slower increase of Ri than expected for chain reactions. Similar behavior was detected for all three systems (free Trp, and Trp in peptides and proteins). For the first time we are showing...

  8. Baseline plasma chromogranin A levels in patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas: A potential predictor of postoperative recurrence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanno, Yoshihide; Toyama, Hirochika; Matsumoto, Ippei; Otani, Kyoko; Asari, Sadaki; Goto, Tadahiro; Ajiki, Tetsuo; Zen, Yoh; Fukumoto, Takumi; Ku, Yonson

    The present study aimed to elucidate prognostic values of baseline plasma chromogranin A (CgA) concentrations in patients with resectable, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). Preoperative CgA levels in 21 patients with PNET were correlated with clinicopathological factors and patients' survival. Plasma CgA levels ranged 2.9-30.8 pmol/mL (median 6.0), and were significantly elevated in patients with post-operative recurrence (P = 0.004). Using the receiver operating characteristic curve, the optimal cutoff value to predict tumor recurrence was determined as 17.0 pmol/mL. This threshold identified patients with recurrence with 60% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 90% overall accuracy. Patients with higher CgA levels showed worse recurrence-free survival than those with low CgA levels, both in total (P < 0.001) and in G2 patients (P = 0.020). Combined plasma CgA concentrations and WHO grading may assist in better stratification of PNET patients in terms of the risk of recurrence. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Liposomes bi-functionalized with phosphatidic acid and an ApoE-derived peptide affect Aβ aggregation features and cross the blood-brain-barrier: implications for therapy of Alzheimer disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bana, Laura; Minniti, Stefania; Salvati, Elisa; Sesana, Silvia; Zambelli, Vanessa; Cagnotto, Alfredo; Orlando, Antonina; Cazzaniga, Emanuela; Zwart, Rob; Scheper, Wiep; Masserini, Massimo; Re, Francesca

    2014-01-01

    Targeting amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) within the brain is a strategy actively sought for therapy of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated the ability of liposomes bi-functionalized with phosphatidic acid and with a modified ApoE-derived peptide (mApoE-PA-LIP) to affect Aβ aggregation/disaggregation

  10. D-Amino acids incorporation in the frog skin-derived peptide esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2 is beneficial for its multiple functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Grazia, Antonio; Cappiello, Floriana; Cohen, Hadar; Casciaro, Bruno; Luca, Vincenzo; Pini, Alessandro; Di, Y Peter; Shai, Yechiel; Mangoni, Maria Luisa

    2015-12-01

    Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising future antibiotics. We have previously isolated esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2, a short peptide derived from the frog skin AMP esculentin-1a, with a potent anti-Pseudomonal activity. Here, we investigated additional functions of the peptide and properties responsible for these activities. For that purpose, we synthesized the peptide, as well as its structurally altered analog containing two D-amino acids. The peptides were then biophysically and biologically investigated for their cytotoxicity and immunomodulating activities. The data revealed that compared to the wild-type, the diastereomer: (1) is significantly less toxic towards mammalian cells, in agreement with its lower α-helical structure, as determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy; (2) is more effective against the biofilm form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (responsible for lung infections in cystic fibrosis sufferers), while maintaining a high activity against the free-living form of this important pathogen; (3) is more stable in serum; (4) has a higher activity in promoting migration of lung epithelial cells, and presumably in healing damaged lung tissue, and (5) disaggregates and detoxifies the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), albeit less than the wild-type. Light scattering studies revealed a correlation between anti-LPS activity and the ability to disaggregate the LPS. Besides shedding light on the multifunction properties of esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2, the D-amino acid containing isomer may serve as an attractive template for the development of new anti-Pseudomonal compounds with additional beneficial properties. Furthermore, together with other studies, incorporation of D-amino acids may serve as a general approach to optimize the future design of new AMPs.

  11. Therapeutic Efficacy with Treatment-related Toxicities of 177Lu-labeled Bombesin Derivative for the Peptide Receptor Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Jae Cheong; Cho, Eun Ha; Lee, So Young

    2015-01-01

    The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) has been shown to be overexpressed in many human tumours, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancers, endometrial cancers, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In particular, GRPR expression is high in 83 % of invasive primary prostatic carcinomas. These results suggest that 177 Lu-labeled bombesin derivative has promising characteristics as a novel nuclear medicine, especially for the treatment of GRPR over-expressing prostate tumors

  12. Biophysical and biological properties of small linear peptides derived from crotamine, a cationic antimicrobial/antitumoral toxin with cell penetrating and cargo delivery abilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dal Mas, C; Pinheiro, D A; Campeiro, J D; Mattei, B; Oliveira, V; Oliveira, E B; Miranda, A; Perez, K R; Hayashi, M A F

    2017-12-01

    Crotamine is a natural polypeptide from snake venom which delivers nucleic acid molecules into cells, besides having pronounced affinity for negatively charged membranes and antifungal activity. We previously demonstrated that crotamine derived short linear peptides were not very effective as antifungal, although the non-structured recombinant crotamine was overridingly more potent compared to the native structured crotamine. Aiming to identify the features necessary for the antifungal activity of crotamine, two linear short peptides, each comprising half of the total positively charged amino acid residues of the full-length crotamine were evaluated here to show that these linear peptides keep the ability to interact with lipid membrane model systems with different phospholipid compositions, even after forming complexes with DNA. Interestingly, the presence of cysteine residues in the structure of these linear peptides highly influenced the antifungal activity, which was not associated to the lipid membrane lytic activity. In addition to the importance of the positive charges, the crucial role of cysteine residues was noticed for these linear analogs of crotamine, although the tridimensional structure and lipid membrane lytic activity observed only for native crotamine was not essential for the antifungal activity. As these peptides still keep the ability to form complexes with DNA molecules with no prejudice to their ability to bind to lipid membranes, they may be potentially advantageous as membrane translocation vector, as they do not show lipid membrane lytic activity and may harbor or not antifungal activity, by keeping or not the semi-essential amino acid cysteine in their sequence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Antioxidant activity of a novel synthetic hexa-peptide derived from an enzymatic hydrolysate of duck skin by-products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Jae; Cheong, Sun Hee; Kim, Yon-Suk; Hwang, Jin-Woo; Kwon, Hyuck-Ju; Kang, Seo-Hee; Moon, Sang-Ho; Jeon, Byong-Tae; Park, Pyo-Jam

    2013-12-01

    A peptide was synthesized on the basis of our previous study from solid phase peptide synthesis using ASP48S (Peptron Inc.) and identified by the reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a Vydac Everest C18 column. The molecular mass of the peptide found to be 693.90 Da, and the amino acid sequences of the peptide was Trp-Tyr-Pro-Ala-Ala-Pro. The purpose of this study was to evaluate antioxidant effects of the peptide by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer, and on t-BHP-induced liver cells damage in Chang cells. The antioxidative activity of the peptide was evaluated by measuring 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, alkyl and superoxide radical scavenging activity using an ESR spectrometer. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of the peptide for hydroxyl, DPPH, alkyl, and superoxide radical scavenging activity were 45.2, 18.5, 31.5, and 33.4 μM, respectively. In addition, the peptide inhibited productions of cell death against t-BHP-induced liver cell damage in Chang cells. It was presumed to be peptide involved in regulating the apoptosis-related gene expression in the cell environment. The present results indicate that the peptide substantially contributes to antioxidative properties in liver cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Soluble elastin peptides in cardiovascular homeostasis: Foe or ally.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Zhenyu

    2015-05-01

    Elastin peptides, also known as elastin-derived peptides or elastokines, are soluble polypeptides in blood and tissue. The blood levels of elastin peptides are usually low but can increase during cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm and diabetes with vascular complications. Generally, elastin peptides are derived from the degradation of insoluble elastic polymers. The biological activities of elastin peptides are bidirectional, e.g., a pro-inflammatory effect on monocyte migration induction vs. a protective effect on vasodilation promotion. However, recent in vivo studies have demonstrated that elastin peptides promote the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in hypercholesterolemic mice and induce hyperglycemia and elevations in plasma lipid levels in fasted mice. More important, the detrimental effects induced by elastin peptides can be largely inhibited by genetic or pharmacological blockade of the elastin receptor complex or by neutralization of an antibody against elastin peptides. These studies indicate new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases by targeting elastin peptide metabolism. Therefore, the goal of this review is to summarize current knowledge about elastin peptides relevant to cardiovascular pathologies to further delineate their potential application in cardiovascular disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The effect of a beta-lactamase inhibitor peptide on bacterial membrane structure and integrity: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaybeyoglu, Begum; Uluocak, Bilge Gedik; Akbulut, Berna Sariyar; Ozkirimli, Elif

    2017-05-01

    Co-administration of beta-lactam antibiotics and beta-lactamase inhibitors has been a favored treatment strategy against beta-lactamase-mediated bacterial antibiotic resistance, but the emergence of beta-lactamases resistant to current inhibitors necessitates the discovery of novel non-beta-lactam inhibitors. Peptides derived from the Ala46-Tyr51 region of the beta-lactamase inhibitor protein are considered as potent inhibitors of beta-lactamase; unfortunately, peptide delivery into the cell limits their potential. The properties of cell-penetrating peptides could guide the design of beta-lactamase inhibitory peptides. Here, our goal is to modify the peptide with the sequence RRGHYY that possesses beta-lactamase inhibitory activity under in vitro conditions. Inspired by the work on the cell-penetrating peptide pVEC, our approach involved the addition of the N-terminal hydrophobic residues, LLIIL, from pVEC to the inhibitor peptide to build a chimera. These residues have been reported to be critical in the uptake of pVEC. We tested the potential of RRGHYY and its chimeric derivative as a beta-lactamase inhibitory peptide on Escherichia coli cells and compared the results with the action of the antimicrobial peptide melittin, the beta-lactam antibiotic ampicillin, and the beta-lactamase inhibitor potassium clavulanate to get mechanistic details on their action. Our results show that the addition of LLIIL to the N-terminus of the beta-lactamase inhibitory peptide RRGHYY increases its membrane permeabilizing potential. Interestingly, the addition of this short stretch of hydrophobic residues also modified the inhibitory peptide such that it acquired antimicrobial property. We propose that addition of the hydrophobic LLIIL residues to the peptide N-terminus offers a promising strategy to design novel antimicrobial peptides in the battle against antibiotic resistance. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 European

  16. Effects of atomic-level nano-structured hydroxyapatite on adsorption of bone morphogenetic protein-7 and its derived peptide by computer simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qun; Wang, Menghao; Lu, Xiong; Wang, Kefeng; Fang, Liming; Ren, Fuzeng; Lu, Guoming

    2017-11-09

    Hydroxyapatite (HA) is the principal inorganic component of bones and teeth and has been widely used as a bone repair material because of its good biocompatibility and bioactivity. Understanding the interactions between proteins and HA is crucial for designing biomaterials for bone regeneration. In this study, we evaluated the effects of atomic-level nano-structured HA (110) surfaces on the adsorption of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) and its derived peptide (KQLNALSVLYFDD) using molecular dynamics and density functional theory methods. The results indicated that the atomic-level morphology of HA significantly affected the interaction strength between proteins and HA substrates. The interactions of BMP-7 and its derived peptide with nano-concave and nano-pillar HA surfaces were stronger than those with flat or nano-groove HA surfaces. The results also revealed that if the groove size of nano-structured HA surfaces matched that of residues in the protein or peptide, these residues were likely to spread into the grooves of the nano-groove, nano-concave, and nano-pillar HA, further strengthening the interactions. These results are helpful in better understanding the adsorption behaviors of proteins onto nano-structured HA surfaces, and provide theoretical guidance for designing novel bioceramic materials for bone regeneration and tissue engineering.

  17. 2D-QSAR in hydroxamic acid derivatives as peptide deformylase inhibitors and antibacterial agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Manish K; Mishra, Pradeep; Prathipati, Philip; Saxena, Anil K

    2002-12-01

    Peptide deformylase catalyzes the removal of N-formyl group from the N-formylmethionine of ribosome synthesized polypeptide in eubacteria. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies have been carried out in a series of beta-sulfonyl and beta-sulfinyl hydroxamic acid derivatives for their PDF enzyme inhibitory and antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli DC2 and Moraxella catarrhalis RA21 which demonstrate that the PDF inhibitory activity in cell free and whole cell system increases with increase in molar refractivity and hydrophobicity. The comparison of the QSARs between the cell free and whole cell system indicate that the active binding sites in PDF isolated from E. coli and in M. catarrhalis RA21 are similar and the whole cell antibacterial activity is mainly due to the inhibition of PDF. Apart from this the QSARs on some matrixmetelloproteins (COL-1, COL-3, MAT and HME) and natural endopeptidase (NEP) indicate the possibilities of introducing selectivity in these hydroxamic acid derivatives for their PDF inhibitory activity.

  18. Komodo dragon-inspired synthetic peptide DRGN-1 promotes wound-healing of a mixed-biofilm infected wound

    OpenAIRE

    M.C. Chung, Ezra; Dean, Scott N.; Propst, Crystal N.; Bishop, Barney M.; van Hoek, Monique L.

    2017-01-01

    Cationic antimicrobial peptides are multifunctional molecules that have a high potential as therapeutic agents. We have identified a histone H1-derived peptide from the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), called VK25. Using this peptide as inspiration, we designed a synthetic peptide called DRGN-1. We evaluated the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of both peptides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. DRGN-1, more than VK25, exhibited potent antimicrobial and anti-...

  19. An antimicrobial helix A-derived peptide of heparin cofactor II blocks endotoxin responses in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Singh, Shalini; Mörgelin, Matthias; Schmidtchen, Artur; Malmsten, Martin

    2014-05-01

    Host defense peptides are key components of the innate immune system, providing multi-facetted responses to invading pathogens. Here, we describe that the peptide GKS26 (GKSRIQRLNILNAKFAFNLYRVLKDQ), corresponding to the A domain of heparin cofactor II (HCII), ameliorates experimental septic shock. The peptide displays antimicrobial effects through direct membrane disruption, also at physiological salt concentration and in the presence of plasma and serum. Biophysical investigations of model lipid membranes showed the antimicrobial action of GKS26 to be mirrored by peptide incorporation into, and disordering of, bacterial lipid membranes. GKS26 furthermore binds extensively to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as its endotoxic lipid A moiety, and displays potent anti-inflammatory effects, both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, for mice challenged with ip injection of LPS, GKS26 suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduces vascular leakage and infiltration in lung tissue, and normalizes coagulation. Together, these findings suggest that GKS26 may be of interest for further investigations as therapeutic against severe infections and septic shock. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Vegetable foods: a cheap source of proteins and peptides with antihypertensive, antioxidant, and other less occurrence bioactivities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, M C; Puchalska, P; Esteve, C; Marina, M L

    2013-03-15

    Despite less explored than foods from animal origin, plant derived foods also contain biologically active proteins and peptides. Bioactive peptides can be present as an independent entity in the food or, more frequently, can be in a latent state as part of the sequence of a protein. Release from that protein requires protein hydrolysis by enzymatic digestion, fermentation or autolysis. Different methodologies have been used to test proteins and peptides bioactivities. Fractionation, separation, and identification techniques have also been employed for the isolation and identification of bioactive proteins or peptides. In this work, proteins and peptides from plant derived foods exerting antihypertensive, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, antithrombotic, and immunostimulating capacities or ability to reduce food intake have been reviewed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Antimicrobial beta-peptides and alpha-peptoids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Godballe, Troels; Nilsson, Line L.; Petersen, Pernille D.

    2011-01-01

    candidates is derived from naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides. However, despite promising results in early-stage clinical trials, these molecules have faced some difficulties securing FDA approval, which can be linked to their poor metabolic stability. Hence, mimetics of these antimicrobial peptides...

  2. Dual function of a bee (Apis cerana) inhibitor cysteine knot peptide that acts as an antifungal peptide and insecticidal venom toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hee Geun; Kyung, Seung Su; Lee, Kwang Sik; Kim, Bo Yeon; Choi, Yong Soo; Yoon, Hyung Joo; Kwon, Hyung Wook; Je, Yeon Ho; Jin, Byung Rae

    2014-12-01

    Inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) peptides exhibit ion channel blocking, insecticidal, and antimicrobial activities, but currently, no functional roles for bee-derived ICK peptides have been identified. In this study, a bee (Apis cerana) ICK peptide (AcICK) that acts as an antifungal peptide and as an insecticidal venom toxin was identified. AcICK contains an ICK fold that is expressed in the epidermis, fat body, or venom gland and is present as a 6.6-kDa peptide in bee venom. Recombinant AcICK peptide (expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells) bound directly to Beauveria bassiana and Fusarium graminearum, but not to Escherichia coli or Bacillus thuringiensis. Consistent with these findings, AcICK showed antifungal activity, indicating that AcICK acts as an antifungal peptide. Furthermore, AcICK expression is induced in the fat body and epidermis after injection with B. bassiana. These results provide insight into the role of AcICK during the innate immune response following fungal infection. Additionally, we show that AcICK has insecticidal activity. Our results demonstrate a functional role for AcICK in bees: AcICK acts as an antifungal peptide in innate immune reactions in the body and as an insecticidal toxin in venom. The finding that the AcICK peptide functions with different mechanisms of action in the body and in venom highlights the two-pronged strategy that is possible with the bee ICK peptide. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Natriuretic peptides and cerebral hemodynamics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Song; Barringer, Filippa; Zois, Nora Elisabeth

    2014-01-01

    Natriuretic peptides have emerged as important diagnostic and prognostic tools for cardiovascular disease. Plasma measurement of the bioactive peptides as well as precursor-derived fragments is a sensitive tool in assessing heart failure. In heart failure, the peptides are used as treatment...... in decompensated disease. In contrast, their biological effects on the cerebral hemodynamics are poorly understood. In this mini-review, we summarize the hemodynamic effects of the natriuretic peptides with a focus on the cerebral hemodynamics. In addition, we will discuss its potential implications in diseases...... where alteration of the cerebral hemodynamics plays a role such as migraine and acute brain injury including stroke. We conclude that a possible role of the peptides is feasible as evaluated from animal and in vitro studies, but more research is needed in humans to determine the precise response...

  4. LyeTxI-b, a Synthetic Peptide Derived From Lycosa erythrognatha Spider Venom, Shows Potent Antibiotic Activity in Vitro and in Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo V. M. Reis

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial peptide LyeTxI isolated from the venom of the spider Lycosa erythrognatha is a potential model to develop new antibiotics against bacteria and fungi. In this work, we studied a peptide derived from LyeTxI, named LyeTxI-b, and characterized its structural profile and its in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities. Compared to LyeTxI, LyeTxI-b has an acetylated N-terminal and a deletion of a His residue, as structural modifications. The secondary structure of LyeTxI-b is a well-defined helical segment, from the second amino acid to the amidated C-terminal, with no clear partition between hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces. Moreover, LyeTxI-b shows a potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative planktonic bacteria, being 10-fold more active than the native peptide against Escherichia coli. LyeTxI-b was also active in an in vivo model of septic arthritis, reducing the number of bacteria load, the migration of immune cells, the level of IL-1β cytokine and CXCL1 chemokine, as well as preventing cartilage damage. Our results show that LyeTxI-b is a potential therapeutic model for the development of new antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

  5. N-acylated peptides derived from human lactoferricin perturb organization of cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine in cell membranes and induce defects in Escherichia coli cell division.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dagmar Zweytick

    Full Text Available Two types of recently described antibacterial peptides derived from human lactoferricin, either nonacylated or N-acylated, were studied for their different interaction with membranes of Escherichia coli in vivo and in model systems. Electron microscopy revealed striking effects on the bacterial membrane as both peptide types induced formation of large membrane blebs. Electron and fluorescence microscopy, however demonstrated that only the N-acylated peptides partially induced the generation of oversized cells, which might reflect defects in cell-division. Further a different distribution of cardiolipin domains on the E. coli membrane was shown only in the presence of the N-acylated peptides. The lipid was distributed over the whole bacterial cell surface, whereas cardiolipin in untreated and nonacylated peptide-treated cells was mainly located at the septum and poles. Studies with bacterial membrane mimics, such as cardiolipin or phosphatidylethanolamine revealed that both types of peptides interacted with the negatively charged lipid cardiolipin. The nonacylated peptides however induced segregation of cardiolipin into peptide-enriched and peptide-poor lipid domains, while the N-acylated peptides promoted formation of many small heterogeneous domains. Only N-acylated peptides caused additional severe effects on the main phase transition of liposomes composed of pure phosphatidylethanolamine, while both peptide types inhibited the lamellar to hexagonal phase transition. Lipid mixtures of phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin revealed anionic clustering by all peptide types. However additional strong perturbation of the neutral lipids was only seen with the N-acylated peptides. Nuclear magnetic resonance demonstrated different conformational arrangement of the N-acylated peptide in anionic and zwitterionic micelles revealing possible mechanistic differences in their action on different membrane lipids. We hypothesized that both peptides kill

  6. Maize Bioactive Peptides against Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz-Gómez, Jorge L.; Castorena-Torres, Fabiola; Preciado-Ortiz, Ricardo E.; García-Lara, Silverio

    2017-06-01

    Cancer is one of the main chronic degenerative diseases worldwide. In recent years, consumption of whole-grain cereals and their derived food products has been associated with reduction risks of various types of cancer. Cereals main biomolecules includes proteins, peptides, and amino acids present in different quantities within the grain. The nutraceutical properties associated with peptides exerts biological functions that promote health and prevent this disease. In this review, we report the current status and advances on maize peptides regarding bioactive properties that have been reported such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, and anti-tumour activities. We also highlighted its biological potential through which maize bioactive peptides exert anti-cancer activity. Finally, we analyse and emphasize the possible areas of application for maize peptides.

  7. [New strategy for RNA vectorization in mammalian cells. Use of a peptide vector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, P; Morris, M C; Chaloin, L; Heitz, F; Divita, G

    1997-04-01

    A major barrier for gene delivery is the low permeability of nucleic acids to cellular membranes. The development of antisenses and gene therapy has focused mainly on improving methods of oligonucleotide or gene delivery to the cell. In this report we described a new strategy for RNA cell delivery, based on a short single peptide. This peptide vector is derived from both the fusion domain of the gp41 protein of HIV and the nuclear localization sequence of the SV40 large T antigen. This peptide vector localizes rapidly to the cytoplasm then to the nucleus of human fibroblasts (HS-68) within a few minutes and exhibits a high affinity for a single-stranded mRNA encoding the p66 subunit of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (in a 100 nM range). The peptide/RNA complex formation involves mainly electrostatic interactions between the basic residues of the peptide and the charges on the phosphate group of the RNA. In the presence of the peptide-vector fluorescently-labelled mRNA is delivered into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells (HS68 human fibroblasts) in less than 1 h with a relatively high efficiency (80%). This new concept based on a peptide-derived vector offers several advantages compared to other compounds commonly used in gene delivery. This vector is highly soluble and exhibits no cytotoxicity at the concentrations used for optimal gene delivery. This result clearly supports the fact that this peptide vector is a powerful tool and that it can be used widely, as much for laboratory research as for new applications and development in gene and/or antisense therapy.

  8. BDNF pro-peptide regulates dendritic spines via caspase-3

    OpenAIRE

    Guo, J; Ji, Y; Ding, Y; Jiang, W; Sun, Y; Lu, B; Nagappan, G

    2016-01-01

    The precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (proBDNF) is enzymatically cleaved, by either intracellular (furin/PC1) or extracellular proteases (tPA/plasmin/MMP), to generate mature BDNF (mBDNF) and its pro-peptide (BDNF pro-peptide). Little is known about the function of BDNF pro-peptide. We have developed an antibody that specifically detects cleaved BDNF pro-peptide, but not proBDNF or mBDNF. Neuronal depolarization elicited a marked increase in extracellular BDNF pro-peptide,...

  9. Regional differences in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, proBDNF and preproBDNF in the brain confer stress resilience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bangkun; Yang, Chun; Ren, Qian; Zhang, Ji-Chun; Chen, Qian-Xue; Shirayama, Yukihiko; Hashimoto, Kenji

    2016-12-01

    Using learned helplessness (LH) model of depression, we measured protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, BDNF precursors (proBDNF and preproBDNF) in the brain regions of LH (susceptible) and non-LH rats (resilience). Expression of preproBDNF, proBDNF and BDNF pro-peptide in the medial prefrontal cortex of LH rats, but not non-LH rats, was significantly higher than control rats, although expression of these proteins in the nucleus accumbens of LH rats was significantly lower than control rats. This study suggests that regional differences in conversion of BDNF precursors into BDNF and BDNF pro-peptide by proteolytic cleavage may contribute to stress resilience.

  10. Matrix- and plasma-derived peptides promote tissue-specific injury responses and wound healing in diabetic swine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheets, Anthony R; Massey, Conner J; Cronk, Stephen M; Iafrati, Mark D; Herman, Ira M

    2016-07-02

    Non-healing wounds are a major global health concern and account for the majority of non-traumatic limb amputations worldwide. However, compared to standard care practices, few advanced therapeutics effectively resolve these injuries stemming from cardiovascular disease, aging, and diabetes-related vasculopathies. While matrix turnover is disrupted in these injuries, debriding enzymes may promote healing by releasing matrix fragments that induce cell migration, proliferation, and morphogenesis, and plasma products may also stimulate these processes. Thus, we created matrix- and plasma-derived peptides, Comb1 and UN3, which induce cellular injury responses in vitro, and accelerate healing in rodent models of non-healing wounds. However, the effects of these peptides in non-healing wounds in diabetes are not known. Here, we interrogated whether these peptides stimulate healing in a diabetic porcine model highly reminiscent of human healing impairments in type 1 and type 2-diabetes. After 3-6 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, full-thickness wounds were surgically created on the backs of adult female Yorkshire swine under general anesthesia. Comb1 and UN3 peptides or sterile saline (negative control) were administered to wounds daily for 3-7 days. Following sacrifice, wound tissues were harvested, and quantitative histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed for wound closure, angiogenesis and granulation tissue deposition, along with quantitative molecular analyses of factors critical for angiogenesis, epithelialization, and dermal matrix remodeling. Comb1 and UN3 significantly increase re-epithelialization and angiogenesis in diabetic porcine wounds, compared to saline-treated controls. Additionally, fluorescein-conjugated Comb1 labels keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular endothelial cells in porcine wounds, and Far western blotting reveals these cell populations express multiple fluorescein-Comb1-interacting proteins in vitro. Further

  11. Identification of human embryonic progenitor cell targeting peptides using phage display.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paola A Bignone

    Full Text Available Human pluripotent stem (hPS cells are capable of differentiation into derivatives of all three primary embryonic germ layers and can self-renew indefinitely. They therefore offer a potentially scalable source of replacement cells to treat a variety of degenerative diseases. The ability to reprogram adult cells to induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells has now enabled the possibility of patient-specific hPS cells as a source of cells for disease modeling, drug discovery, and potentially, cell replacement therapies. While reprogramming technology has dramatically increased the availability of normal and diseased hPS cell lines for basic research, a major bottleneck is the critical unmet need for more efficient methods of deriving well-defined cell populations from hPS cells. Phage display is a powerful method for selecting affinity ligands that could be used for identifying and potentially purifying a variety of cell types derived from hPS cells. However, identification of specific progenitor cell-binding peptides using phage display may be hindered by the large cellular heterogeneity present in differentiating hPS cell populations. We therefore tested the hypothesis that peptides selected for their ability to bind a clonal cell line derived from hPS cells would bind early progenitor cell types emerging from differentiating hPS cells. The human embryonic stem (hES cell-derived embryonic progenitor cell line, W10, was used and cell-targeting peptides were identified. Competition studies demonstrated specificity of peptide binding to the target cell surface. Efficient peptide targeted cell labeling was accomplished using multivalent peptide-quantum dot complexes as detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The cell-binding peptides were selective for differentiated hPS cells, had little or no binding on pluripotent cells, but preferential binding to certain embryonic progenitor cell lines and early endodermal hPS cell derivatives. Taken

  12. Towards a rational approach for heavy-atom derivative screening in protein crystallography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agniswamy, Johnson; Joyce, M. Gordon; Hammer, Carl H.; Sun, Peter D.

    2008-01-01

    Heavy-atom derivatization is routinely used in protein structure determination and is thus of critical importance in structural biology. In order to replace the current trial-and-error heavy-atom derivative screening with a knowledge-based rational derivative-selection method, the reactivity of more than 40 heavy-atom compounds over a wide range of buffer and pH values was systematically examined using peptides which contained a single reactive amino-acid residue. Heavy-atom derivatization is routinely used in protein structure determination and is thus of critical importance in structural biology. In order to replace the current trial-and-error heavy-atom derivative screening with a knowledge-based rational derivative-selection method, the reactivity of more than 40 heavy-atom compounds over a wide range of buffer and pH values was systematically examined using peptides which contained a single reactive amino-acid residue. Met-, Cys- and His-containing peptides were derivatized against Hg, Au and Pt compounds, while Tyr-, Glu-, Asp-, Asn- and Gln-containing peptides were assessed against Pb compounds. A total of 1668 reactive conditions were examined using mass spectrometry and were compiled into heavy-atom reactivity tables. The results showed that heavy-atom derivatization reactions are highly linked to buffer and pH, with the most accommodating buffer being MES at pH 6. A group of 21 compounds were identified as most successful irrespective of ligand or buffer/pH conditions. To assess the applicability of the peptide heavy-atom reactivity to proteins, lysozyme crystals were derivatized with a list of peptide-reactive compounds that included both known and new compounds for lysozyme derivatization. The results showed highly consistent heavy-atom reactivities between the peptides and lysozyme

  13. MALDI-based identification of stable hazelnut protein derived tryptic marker peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cucu, T; De Meulenaer, B; Devreese, B

    2012-01-01

    Food allergy is an important health problem especially in industrialised countries. Tree nuts, among which are hazelnuts (Corylus avellana), are typically causing serious and life-threatening symptoms in sensitive subjects. Hazelnut is used as a food ingredient in pastry, confectionary products, ice cream and meat products, therefore undeclared hazelnut can be often present as a cross-contaminant representing a threat for allergic consumers. Mass spectrometric techniques are used for the detection of food allergens in processed foods, but limited information regarding stable tryptic peptide markers for hazelnut is available. The aim of this study was to detect stable peptide markers from modified hazelnut protein through the Maillard reaction and oxidation in a buffered solution. Peptides ³⁹⁵Gly-Arg⁴⁰³ from Cor a 11 and ²⁰⁹Gln-Arg²¹⁷, ³⁵¹Ile-Arg³⁶³, ⁴⁶⁴Ala-Arg⁴⁷⁸ and ⁴⁰¹Val-Arg⁴¹⁷ from Cor a 9 hazelnut allergens proved to be the most stable and could be detected and confirmed with high scores in most of the modified samples. The identified peptides can be further used as analytical targets for the development of more robust quantitative methods for hazelnut detection in processed foods.

  14. Identification of the peptide derived from S1 domain that inhibits type I and type II feline infectious peritonitis virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doki, Tomoyoshi; Takano, Tomomi; Koyama, Yusuke; Hohdatsu, Tsutomu

    2015-06-02

    Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) can cause a lethal disease in cats, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). A therapeutic drug that is effective against FIP has not yet been developed. Peptides based on viral protein amino acid sequences have recently been attracting attention as new antiviral drugs. In the present study, we synthesized 30 overlapping peptides based on the amino acid sequence of the S1 domain of the type I FIPV strain KU-2 S protein, and investigated their inhibitory effects on FIPV infection. To evaluate the inhibitory effects on type I FIPV infection of these peptides, we investigated a method to increase the infection efficiency of poorly replicative type I FIPV. The efficiency of type I FIPV infection was increased by diluting the virus with medium containing a polycation. Of the 30 peptides, I-S1-8 (S461-S480), I-S1-9 (S471-S490), I-S1-10 (S481-S500), I-S1-16 (S541-S560), and I-S1-22 (S601-S620) significantly decreased the infectivity of FIPV strain KU-2 while I-S1-9 and I-S1-16 exhibited marked inhibitory effects on FIPV infection. The inhibitory effects on FIPV infection of these 2 peptides on other type I and type II FIPV strains, feline herpesvirus (FHV), and feline calicivirus (FCV) were also examined. These 2 peptides specifically inhibited type I and type II FIPV, but did FHV or FCV infection. In conclusion, the possibility of peptides derived from the S protein of type I FIPV strain KU-2 as anti-FIPV agents effective not only for type I, but also type II FIPV was demonstrated in vitro. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Anti-infective efficacy of the lactoferrin-derived antimicrobial peptide HLR1r.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björn, Camilla; Mahlapuu, Margit; Mattsby-Baltzer, Inger; Håkansson, Joakim

    2016-07-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a new class of drug candidates for the treatment of infectious diseases. Here we describe a novel AMP, HLR1r, which is structurally derived from the human milk protein lactoferrin and demonstrates a broad spectrum microbicidal action in vitro. The minimum concentration of HLR1r needed for killing ≥99% of microorganisms in vitro, was in the range of 3-50μg/ml for common Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and for the yeast Candida albicans, when assessed in diluted brain-heart infusion medium. We found that HLR1r also possesses anti-inflammatory properties as evidenced by inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) secretion from human monocyte-derived macrophages and by repression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) secretion from human mesothelial cells, without any cytotoxic effect observed at the concentration range tested (up to 400μg/ml). HLR1r demonstrated pronounced anti-infectious effect in in vivo experimental models of cutaneous candidiasis in mice and of excision wounds infected with MRSA in rats as well as in an ex vivo model of pig skin infected with S. aureus. In conclusion, HLR1r may constitute a new therapeutic alternative for local treatment of skin infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Cyclic peptide therapeutics: past, present and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorzi, Alessandro; Deyle, Kaycie; Heinis, Christian

    2017-06-01

    Cyclic peptides combine several favorable properties such as good binding affinity, target selectivity and low toxicity that make them an attractive modality for the development of therapeutics. Over 40 cyclic peptide drugs are currently in clinical use and around one new cyclic peptide drug enters the market every year on average. The vast majority of clinically approved cyclic peptides are derived from natural products, such as antimicrobials or human peptide hormones. New powerful techniques based on rational design and in vitro evolution have enabled the de novo development of cyclic peptide ligands to targets for which nature does not offer solutions. A look at the cyclic peptides currently under clinical evaluation shows that several have been developed using such techniques. This new source for cyclic peptide ligands introduces a freshness to the field, and it is likely that de novo developed cyclic peptides will be in clinical use in the near future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Evaluation of peptide designing strategy against subunit reassociation in mucin 1: A steered molecular dynamics approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Lesitha Jeeva Kumari

    Full Text Available Subunit reassociation in mucin 1, a breast cancer tumor marker, is reported as one of the critical factors for its cytoplasmic activation. Inhibition of its heterodimeric association would therefore result in loss of its function and alter disease progression. The present study aimed at evaluating peptide inhibitor designing strategies that may serve as antagonist against this receptor-ligand alliance. Several peptides and their derivatives were designed based on native residues, subunit interface, hydrogen bonding and secondary structure. Docking studies with the peptides were carried on the receptor subunit and their binding affinities were evaluated using steered molecular dynamics simulation and umbrella sampling. Our results showed that among all the different classes of peptides evaluated, the receptor based peptide showed the highest binding affinity. This result was concurrent with the experimental observation that the receptor-ligand alliance in mucin 1 is highly specific. Our results also show that peptide ligand against this subunit association is only stabilized through native residue inter-protein interaction irrespective of the peptide structure, peptide length and number of hydrogen bonds. Consistency in binding affinity, pull force and free energy barrier was observed with only the receptor derived peptides which resulted in favorable interprotein interactions at the interface. Several observations were made and discussed which will eventually lead to designing efficient peptide inhibitors against mucin 1 heterodimeric subunit reassociation.

  18. Peptide pool immunization and CD8+ T cell reactivity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Susanne B; Harndahl, Mikkel N; Buus, Anette Stryhn

    2013-01-01

    Mice were immunized twice with a pool of five peptides selected among twenty 8-9-mer peptides for their ability to form stable complexes at 37°C with recombinant H-2K(b) (half-lives 10-15h). Vaccine-induced immunity of splenic CD8(+) T cells was studied in a 24h IFNγ Elispot assay. Surprisingly...... peptides induced normal peptide immunity i.e. the specific T cell reactivity in the Elispot culture was strictly dependent on exposure to the immunizing peptide ex vivo. However, immunization with two of the peptides, a VSV- and a Mycobacterium-derived peptide, resulted in IFNγ spot formation without...... peptide in the Elispot culture. Immunization with a mixture of the VSV-peptide and a "normal" peptide also resulted in IFNγ spot formation without addition of peptide to the assay culture. Peptide-tetramer staining of CD8(+) T cells from mice immunized with a mixture of VSV-peptide and "normal" peptide...

  19. Marine Peptides and Their Anti-Infective Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hee Kyoung Kang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Marine bioresources are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with industrial and nutraceutical potential. Numerous clinical trials evaluating novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from marine sources have revealed novel mechanisms of action. Recently, marine-derived bioactive peptides have attracted attention owing to their numerous beneficial effects. Moreover, several studies have reported that marine peptides exhibit various anti-infective activities, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, anti-tuberculosis, and antiviral activities. In the last several decades, studies of marine plants, animals, and microbes have revealed tremendous number of structurally diverse and bioactive secondary metabolites. However, the treatments available for many infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses are limited. Thus, the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides should be continued, and all possible strategies should be explored. In this review, we will present the structures and anti-infective activity of peptides isolated from marine sources (sponges, algae, bacteria, fungi and fish from 2006 to the present.

  20. Cooperative effects in differentiation and proliferation between PDGF-BB and matrix derived synthetic peptides in human osteoblasts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vordemvenne Thomas

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Enhancing osteogenic capabilities of bone matrix for the treatment of fractures and segmental defects using growth factors is an active area of research. Recently, synthetic peptides like AC- 100, TP508 or p-15 corresponding to biologically active sequences of matrix proteins have been proven to stimulate bone formation. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF BB has been identified as an important paracrine factor in early bone healing. We hypothesized that the combined use of PDGF-BB with synthetic peptides could result in an increase in proliferation and calcification of osteoblast-like cells. Methods Osteoblast-like cell cultures were treated with PDGF and synthetic peptides, singly and as combinations, and compared to non-treated control cell cultures. The cultures were evaluated at days 2, 5, and 10 in terms of cell proliferation, calcification and gene expression of alkaline phosphate, collagen I and osteocalcin. Results Experimental findings revealed that the addition of PDGF, p-15 and TP508 and combinations of PDGF/AC-100, PDGF/p-15 and PDGF/TP508 resulted in an increase in proliferating osteoblasts, especially in the first 5 days of cultivation. Proliferation did not significantly differ between single factors and factor combinations (p > 0.05. The onset of calcification in osteoblasts occurred earlier and was more distinct compared to the corresponding control or PDGF stimulation alone. Significant difference was found for the combined use of PDGF/p-15 and PDGF/AC-100 (p Conclusions Our findings indicate that PDGF exhibits cooperative effects with synthetic peptides in differentiation and proliferation. These cooperative effects cause a significant early calcification of osteoblast-like cells (p

  1. Identification of a new hTERT-derived HLA-A*0201 restricted, naturally processed CTL epitope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorn, Mette; Wang, Mingjun; Kloverpris, Henrik

    2007-01-01

    By the use of a neural network capable of performing quantitative predictions of peptides binding to HLA-A*0201 molecules, we identified a number of nonamer peptides derived from the catalytic subunit of telomerase, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Five nonimmunogenic peptides with...... in an ongoing phase 2 vaccine trial of patients with disseminated cancer....

  2. High-capacitance supercapacitors using nitrogen-decorated porous carbon derived from novolac resin containing peptide linkage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yong Jung [Institute of Carbon Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan); Jang, In Young; Park, Ki Chul; Jung, Yong Chae; Oka, Takuyuki [Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan); Iinou, Satoshi [MEFS, Co. Ltd. Choei Nagano, Higasiguchi Bldg, 2F, 1000-1 Gentakubo, Kurita, Nagano 380-0921 (Japan); Komori, Yasuhiro; Kozutsumi, Toshihiko; Hashiba, Takashi [SHOWA HIGHPOLYMER, Co., Ltd. 1021 Tomizuka-cho, Isesaki-City, Gunma 372-0833 (Japan); Kim, Yoong Ahm, E-mail: yak@endomoribu.shinshu-u.ac.j [Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan); Endo, Morinobu [Institute of Carbon Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan)] [Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan)

    2010-08-01

    We fabricated nitrogen-decorated porous carbon exhibiting high capacitance per unit volume and unit weight via chemical activation of novolac resin containing peptide linkage. The porosity and the amount of nitrogen atoms were controlled by changing the molecular weight of novolac resin, the added amount of potassium hydroxide, or both. After chemical activation, positively charged nitrogen atoms (i.e., pyridine/pyrrole) at 400.3 eV in photoemission spectra contributed to both a shift in the point of zero charge toward negative potential and the generation of pseudocapacitance. Suitably developed pores and the positively charged nitrogen atoms make nitrogen-decorated novolac resin-derived porous carbon a promising material for electrodes in high-performance supercapacitors.

  3. Antioxidant Activity of Purified Active Peptide Derived from Spirulina platensis Enzymatic Hydrolysates

    OpenAIRE

    Nur Maulida Safitri; Endang Yuli Herawati; Jue Liang Hsu

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to isolate the antioxidative peptide from Spirulina platensis. Peptide was obtained by proteolytic digestion, ultrafiltration, fractionation by RP-HPLC, identified by LC-MS/MS—MASCOT Distiller and measured its antioxidant activity by DPPH (2.2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Results showed that thermolysin was the most effective enzyme to digest this algae. The active peptide Phe-Ser-Glu-Ser-Ser-Ala-Pro-Glu-Gln-His-Tyr (m/z 1281.51) was identified and synthetized, w...

  4. Tumor imaging and targeting potential of an Hsp70-derived 14-mer peptide.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathias Gehrmann

    Full Text Available We have previously used a unique mouse monoclonal antibody cmHsp70.1 to demonstrate the selective presence of a membrane-bound form of Hsp70 (memHsp70 on a variety of leukemia cells and on single cell suspensions derived from solid tumors of different entities, but not on non-transformed cells or cells from corresponding 'healthy' tissue. This antibody can be used to image tumors in vivo and target them for antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Tumor-specific expression of memHsp70 therefore has the potential to be exploited for theranostic purposes. Given the advantages of peptides as imaging and targeting agents, this study assessed whether a 14-mer tumor penetrating peptide (TPP; TKDNNLLGRFELSG, the sequence of which is derived from the oligomerization domain of Hsp70 which is expressed on the cell surface of tumor cells, can also be used for targeting membrane Hsp70 positive (memHsp70+ tumor cells, in vitro.The specificity of carboxy-fluorescein (CF- labeled TPP (TPP to Hsp70 was proven in an Hsp70 knockout mammary tumor cell system. TPP specifically binds to different memHsp70+ mouse and human tumor cell lines and is rapidly taken up via endosomes. Two to four-fold higher levels of CF-labeled TPP were detected in MCF7 (82% memHsp70+ and MDA-MB-231 (75% memHsp70+ cells compared to T47D cells (29% memHsp70+ that exhibit a lower Hsp70 membrane positivity. After 90 min incubation, TPP co-localized with mitochondrial membranes in memHsp70+ tumors. Although there was no evidence that any given vesicle population was specifically localized, fluorophore-labeled cmHsp70.1 antibody and TPP preferentially accumulated in the proximity of the adherent surface of cultured cells. These findings suggest a potential association between membrane Hsp70 expression and cytoskeletal elements that are involved in adherence, the establishment of intercellular synapses and/or membrane reorganization.This study demonstrates the specific binding and rapid

  5. Antioxidant Activity of Purified Active Peptide Derived from Spirulina platensis Enzymatic Hydrolysates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Maulida Safitri

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to isolate the antioxidative peptide from Spirulina platensis. Peptide was obtained by proteolytic digestion, ultrafiltration, fractionation by RP-HPLC, identified by LC-MS/MS—MASCOT Distiller and measured its antioxidant activity by DPPH (2.2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. Results showed that thermolysin was the most effective enzyme to digest this algae. The active peptide Phe-Ser-Glu-Ser-Ser-Ala-Pro-Glu-Gln-His-Tyr (m/z 1281.51 was identified and synthetized, which exhibited 45.98 ± 1.7% at concentration 128.15 µg/mL. Therefore, S. platensis is indicated as a potential therapeutic source for combating oxidative stress.

  6. The homeodomain derived peptide Penetratin induces curvature of fluid membrane domains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonin Lamazière

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Protein membrane transduction domains that are able to cross the plasma membrane are present in several transcription factors, such as the homeodomain proteins and the viral proteins such as Tat of HIV-1. Their discovery resulted in both new concepts on the cell communication during development, and the conception of cell penetrating peptide vectors for internalisation of active molecules into cells. A promising cell penetrating peptide is Penetratin, which crosses the cell membranes by a receptor and metabolic energy-independent mechanism. Recent works have claimed that Penetratin and similar peptides are internalized by endocytosis, but other endocytosis-independent mechanisms have been proposed. Endosomes or plasma membranes crossing mechanisms are not well understood. Previously, we have shown that basic peptides induce membrane invaginations suggesting a new mechanism for uptake, "physical endocytosis". METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Herein, we investigate the role of membrane lipid phases on Penetratin induced membrane deformations (liquid ordered such as in "raft" microdomains versus disordered fluid "non-raft" domains in membrane models. Experimental data show that zwitterionic lipid headgroups take part in the interaction with Penetratin suggesting that the external leaflet lipids of cells plasma membrane are competent for peptide interaction in the absence of net negative charges. NMR and X-ray diffraction data show that the membrane perturbations (tubulation and vesiculation are associated with an increase in membrane negative curvature. These effects on curvature were observed in the liquid disordered but not in the liquid ordered (raft-like membrane domains. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The better understanding of the internalisation mechanisms of protein transduction domains will help both the understanding of the mechanisms of cell communication and the development of potential therapeutic molecular vectors. Here we

  7. PEDF-derived peptide promotes skeletal muscle regeneration through its mitogenic effect on muscle progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Tsung-Chuan; Chiang, Yi-Pin; Chuang, Chih-Kuang; Chen, Show-Li; Hsieh, Jui-Wen; Lan, Yu-Wen; Tsao, Yeou-Ping

    2015-08-01

    In response injury, intrinsic repair mechanisms are activated in skeletal muscle to replace the damaged muscle fibers with new muscle fibers. The regeneration process starts with the proliferation of satellite cells to give rise to myoblasts, which subsequently differentiate terminally into myofibers. Here, we investigated the promotion effect of pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) on muscle regeneration. We report that PEDF and a synthetic PEDF-derived short peptide (PSP; residues Ser(93)-Leu(112)) induce satellite cell proliferation in vitro and promote muscle regeneration in vivo. Extensively, soleus muscle necrosis was induced in rats by bupivacaine, and an injectable alginate gel was used to release the PSP in the injured muscle. PSP delivery was found to stimulate satellite cell proliferation in damaged muscle and enhance the growth of regenerating myofibers, with complete regeneration of normal muscle mass by 2 wk. In cell culture, PEDF/PSP stimulated C2C12 myoblast proliferation, together with a rise in cyclin D1 expression. PEDF induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, Akt, and STAT3 in C2C12 myoblasts. Blocking the activity of ERK, Akt, or STAT3 with pharmacological inhibitors attenuated the effects of PEDF/PSP on the induction of C2C12 cell proliferation and cyclin D1 expression. Moreover, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine pulse-labeling demonstrated that PEDF/PSP stimulated primary rat satellite cell proliferation in myofibers in vitro. In summary, we report for the first time that PSP is capable of promoting the regeneration of skeletal muscle. The signaling mechanism involves the ERK, AKT, and STAT3 pathways. These results show the potential utility of this PEDF peptide for muscle regeneration. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  8. Chiral thiazoline and thiazole building blocks for the synthesis of peptide-derived natural products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Just-Baringo, Xavier; Albericio, Fernando; Alvarez, Mercedes

    2014-01-01

    Thiazoline and thiazole heterocycles are privileged motifs found in numerous peptide-derived natural products of biological interest. During the last decades, the synthesis of optically pure building blocks has been addressed by numerous groups, which have developed a plethora of strategies to that end. Efficient and reliable methodologies that are compatible with the intricate and capricious architectures of natural products are a must to further develop their science. Structure confirmation, structure-activity relationship studies and industrial production are fields of paramount importance that require these robust methodologies in order to successfully bring natural products into the clinic. Today's chemist toolbox is assorted with many powerful methods for chiral thiazoline and thiazole synthesis. Ranging from biomimetic approaches to stereoselective alkylations, one is likely to find a suitable method for their needs.

  9. Chemical Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of a Phage Display-Derived Peptide Active against Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojeda, Nicolás; Cárdenas, Constanza; Guzmán, Fanny; Marshall, Sergio H

    2016-04-01

    Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) is the etiological agent of the disease by the same name and causes major losses in the salmon industry worldwide. Epizootic ISAV outbreaks have occurred in Norway and, to a lesser degree, in Canada. In 2007, an ISAV outbreak in Chile destroyed most of the seasonal production and endangered the entire Chilean salmon industry. None of the existing prophylactic approaches have demonstrated efficacy in providing absolute protection from or even a palliative effect on ISAV proliferation. Sanitary control measures for ISAV, based on molecular epidemiology data, have proven insufficient, mainly due to high salmon culture densities and a constant presence of a nonpathogenic strain of the virus. This report describes an alternative treatment approach based on interfering peptides selected from a phage display library. The screening of a phage display heptapeptide library resulted in the selection of a novel peptide with significant in vitro antiviral activity against ISAV. This peptide specifically interacted with the viral hemagglutinin-esterase protein, thereby impairing virus binding, with plaque reduction assays showing a significant reduction in viral yields. The identified peptide acts at micromolar concentrations against at least two different pathogenic strains of the virus, without detectable cytotoxic effects on the tested fish cells. Therefore, antiviral peptides represent a novel alternative for controlling ISAV and, potentially, other fish pathogens. Identifying novel methods for the efficient control of infectious diseases is imperative for the future of global aquaculture. The present study used a phage display heptapeptide library to identify a peptide with interfering activity against a key protein of the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV). A piscine orthomyxovirus, ISAV is a continuous threat to the commercial sustainability of cultured salmon production worldwide. The complex epidemiological strategy of this

  10. A Peptide Derived from the HIV-1 gp120 Coreceptor-Binding Region Promotes Formation of PAP248-286 Amyloid Fibrils to Enhance HIV-1 Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinquan Chen

    Full Text Available Semen is a major vehicle for HIV transmission. Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP fragments, such as PAP248-286, in human semen can form amyloid fibrils to enhance HIV infection. Other endogenous or exogenous factors present during sexual intercourse have also been reported to promote the formation of seminal amyloid fibrils.Here, we demonstrated that a synthetic 15-residue peptide derived from the HIV-1 gp120 coreceptor-binding region, designated enhancing peptide 2 (EP2, can rapidly self-assemble into nanofibers. These EP2-derivated nanofibers promptly accelerated the formation of semen amyloid fibrils by PAP248-286, as shown by Thioflavin T (ThT and Congo red assays. The amyloid fibrils presented similar morphology, assessed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM, in the presence or absence of EP2. Circular dichroism (CD spectroscopy revealed that EP2 accelerates PAP248-286 amyloid fibril formation by promoting the structural transition of PAP248-286 from a random coil into a cross-β-sheet. Newly formed semen amyloid fibrils effectively enhanced HIV-1 infection in TZM-bl cells and U87 cells by promoting the binding of HIV-1 virions to target cells.Nanofibers composed of EP2 promote the formation of PAP248-286 amyloid fibrils and enhance HIV-1 infection.

  11. Structure-activity relationships of an antimicrobial peptide plantaricin s from two-peptide class IIb bacteriocins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soliman, Wael; Wang, Liru; Bhattacharjee, Subir; Kaur, Kamaljit

    2011-04-14

    Class IIb bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides comprising two different peptides synergistically acting in equal amounts for optimal potency. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time potent (nanomolar) antimicrobial activity of a representative class IIb bacteriocin, plantaricin S (Pls), against four pathogenic gram-positive bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. The structure-activity relationships for Pls were studied using activity assays, circular dichroism (CD), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The two Pls peptides and five Pls derived fragments were synthesized. The CD spectra of the Pls and selected fragments revealed helical conformations in aqueous 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. The MD simulations showed that when the two Pls peptides are in antiparallel orientation, the helical regions interact and align, mediated by strong attraction between conserved GxxxG/AxxxA motifs. The results strongly correlate with the antimicrobial activity suggesting that helix-helix alignment of the two Pls peptides and interaction between the conserved motifs are crucial for interaction with the target cell membrane.

  12. Peptides derived from the solvent-exposed loops 3 and 4 of BDNF bind TrkB and p75(NTR) receptors and stimulate neurite outgrowth and survival

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fobian, Kristina; Owczarek, Sylwia; Budtz, Christian

    2010-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critically involved in modeling the developing nervous system and is an important regulator of a variety of crucial functions in the mature CNS. BDNF exerts its action through interactions with two transmembrane receptors, either separately or in concert....... BDNF has been implicated in several neurological disorders, and irregularities in BDNF function may have severe consequences. Administration of BDNF as a drug has thus far yielded few practicable results, and the potential side effects when using a multifunctional protein are substantial. In an effort...... to produce more specific compounds without side effects, small peptides mimicking protein function have been developed. The present study characterized two mimetic peptides, Betrofin 3 and Betrofin 4, derived from the BDNF sequence. Both Betrofins bound the cognate BDNF receptors, TrkB and p75(NTR...

  13. Buwchitin: a ruminal peptide with antimicrobial potential against Enterococcus faecalis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyama, Linda B.; Crochet, Jean-Adrien; Edwards, Joan E.; Girdwood, Susan E.; Cookson, Alan R.; Fernandez-Fuentes, Narcis; Hilpert, Kai; Golyshin, Peter N.; Golyshina, Olga V.; Privé, Florence; Hess, Matthias; Mantovani, Hilario C.; Creevey, Christopher J.; Huws, Sharon A.

    2017-07-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gaining popularity as alternatives for treatment of bacterial infections and recent advances in omics technologies provide new platforms for AMP discovery. We sought to determine the antibacterial activity of a novel antimicrobial peptide, buwchitin, against Enterococcus faecalis. Buwchitin was identified from a rumen bacterial metagenome library, cloned, expressed and purified. The antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptide was assessed using a broth microdilution susceptibility assay to determine the peptide's killing kinetics against selected bacterial strains. The killing mechanism of buwchitin was investigated further by monitoring its ability to cause membrane depolarization (diSC3(5) method) and morphological changes in E. faecalis cells. Transmission electron micrographs of buwchitin treated E. faecalis cells showed intact outer membranes with blebbing, but no major damaging effects and cell morphology changes. Buwchitin had negligible cytotoxicity against defibrinated sheep erythrocytes. Although no significant membrane leakage and depolarization was observed, buwchitin at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was bacteriostatic against E. faecalis cells and inhibited growth in vitro by 70% when compared to untreated cells. These findings suggest that buwchitin, a rumen derived peptide, has potential for antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis.

  14. Buwchitin: A Ruminal Peptide with Antimicrobial Potential against Enterococcus faecalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda B. Oyama

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs are gaining popularity as alternatives for treatment of bacterial infections and recent advances in omics technologies provide new platforms for AMP discovery. We sought to determine the antibacterial activity of a novel antimicrobial peptide, buwchitin, against Enterococcus faecalis. Buwchitin was identified from a rumen bacterial metagenome library, cloned, expressed and purified. The antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptide was assessed using a broth microdilution susceptibility assay to determine the peptide's killing kinetics against selected bacterial strains. The killing mechanism of buwchitin was investigated further by monitoring its ability to cause membrane depolarization (diSC3(5 method and morphological changes in E. faecalis cells. Transmission electron micrographs of buwchitin treated E. faecalis cells showed intact outer membranes with blebbing, but no major damaging effects and cell morphology changes. Buwchitin had negligible cytotoxicity against defibrinated sheep erythrocytes. Although no significant membrane leakage and depolarization was observed, buwchitin at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC was bacteriostatic against E. faecalis cells and inhibited growth in vitro by 70% when compared to untreated cells. These findings suggest that buwchitin, a rumen derived peptide, has potential for antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis.

  15. Interaction of 18-residue peptides derived from amphipathic helical ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Madhsudhan

    interaction of proteins and peptides with membranes (Segrest ... favour surface activity have been described by Eisenberg et ... amphipathicity and propensity for α-helical conformation ..... Membrane destabilisation occurs due to electrostatic.

  16. Effect of a Fusion Peptide by Covalent Conjugation of a Mitochondrial Cell-Penetrating Peptide and a Glutathione Analog Peptide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmine Pasquale Cerrato

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Previously, we designed and synthesized a library of mitochondrial antioxidative cell-penetrating peptides (mtCPPs superior to the parent peptide, SS31, to protect mitochondria from oxidative damage. A library of antioxidative glutathione analogs called glutathione peptides (UPFs, exceptional in hydroxyl radical elimination compared with glutathione, were also designed and synthesized. Here, a follow-up study is described, investigating the effects of the most promising members from both libraries on reactive oxidative species scavenging ability. None of the peptides influenced cell viability at the concentrations used. Fluorescence microscopy studies showed that the fluorescein-mtCPP1-UPF25 (mtgCPP internalized into cells, and spectrofluorometric analysis determined the presence and extent of peptide into different cell compartments. mtgCPP has superior antioxidative activity compared with mtCPP1 and UPF25 against H2O2 insult, preventing ROS formation by 2- and 3-fold, respectively. Moreover, we neither observed effects on mitochondrial membrane potential nor production of ATP. These data indicate that mtgCPP is targeting mitochondria, protecting them from oxidative damage, while also being present in the cytosol. Our hypothesis is based on a synergistic effect resulting from the fused peptide. The mitochondrial peptide segment is targeting mitochondria, whereas the glutathione analog peptide segment is active in the cytosol, resulting in increased scavenging ability.

  17. New Milk Protein-Derived Peptides with Potential Antimicrobial Activity: An Approach Based on Bioinformatic Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bartłomiej Dziuba

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available New peptides with potential antimicrobial activity, encrypted in milk protein sequences, were searched for with the use of bioinformatic tools. The major milk proteins were hydrolyzed in silico by 28 enzymes. The obtained peptides were characterized by the following parameters: molecular weight, isoelectric point, composition and number of amino acid residues, net charge at pH 7.0, aliphatic index, instability index, Boman index, and GRAVY index, and compared with those calculated for known 416 antimicrobial peptides including 59 antimicrobial peptides (AMPs from milk proteins listed in the BIOPEP database. A simple analysis of physico-chemical properties and the values of biological activity indicators were insufficient to select potentially antimicrobial peptides released in silico from milk proteins by proteolytic enzymes. The final selection was made based on the results of multidimensional statistical analysis such as support vector machines (SVM, random forest (RF, artificial neural networks (ANN and discriminant analysis (DA available in the Collection of Anti-Microbial Peptides (CAMP database. Eleven new peptides with potential antimicrobial activity were selected from all peptides released during in silico proteolysis of milk proteins.

  18. [Transduction peptides, the useful face of a new signaling mechanism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joliot, Alain; Prochiantz, Alain

    2005-03-01

    Transduction peptides that cross the plasma membrane of live cells are commonly used for the in vitro and in vivo targeting of hydrophilic drugs into the cell interior. Although this family of peptides has recently increased and will probably continue to do so, the two mainly used peptides are derived from transcription factors. Indeed, TAT is a 12 amino acid long arginine-rich peptide present in the HIV transcription factor, and penetratin - or its variants - corresponds to 16 amino acids that define the highly conserved third helix of the DNA-binding domain (homeodomain) of homeoprotein transcription factors. In this review, we shall recall the different steps that have led to the discovery of transduction peptides and present the most likely hypotheses concerning the mechanisms involved in their internalization. At the risk of being incomplete or, even, biased, we shall concentrate on penetratins and TAT. The reason is that these peptides have been studied for over ten years leading to the edification of robust knowledge regarding their properties. This attitude will not preclude comparisons with other peptides, if necessary. Our goal is to describe the mode of action of these transduction peptides, their range of activity in term of cell types that accept them and cargoes that they can transport, and, also, some of the limitations that one can encounter in their use. Finally, based on the idea that peptide transduction is the technological face of a physiological property of some transcription factors, we shall discuss the putative physiological function of homeoprotein transduction, and, as a consequence, the possibility to use these factors as therapeutic proteins.

  19. Synthesis of Mikto-Arm Star Peptide Conjugates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Jin Mo; Su, Hao; Lin, Yi-An; Cui, Honggang

    2018-01-01

    Mikto-arm star peptide conjugates are an emerging class of self-assembling peptide-based structural units that contain three or more auxiliary segments of different chemical compositions and/or functionalities. This group of molecules exhibit interesting self-assembly behavior in solution due to their chemically asymmetric topology. Here we describe the detailed procedure for synthesis of an ABC Mikto-arm star peptide conjugate in which two immiscible entities (a saturated hydrocarbon and a hydrophobic and lipophobic fluorocarbon) are conjugated onto a short β-sheet forming peptide sequence, GNNQQNY, derived from the Sup35 prion, through a lysine junction. Automated and manual Fmoc-solid phase synthesis techniques are used to synthesize the Mikto-arm star peptide conjugates, followed by HPLC purification. We envision that this set of protocols can afford a versatile platform to synthesize a new class of peptidic building units for diverse applications.

  20. Lactoferricin-related peptides with inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Centeno, José M; Burguete, María C; Castelló-Ruiz, María; Enrique, María; Vallés, Salvador; Salom, Juan B; Torregrosa, Germán; Marcos, José F; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma

    2006-07-26

    A selection of lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-related peptides with an angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effect have been examined using in vitro and ex vivo functional assays. Peptides that were analyzed included a set of sequence-related antimicrobial hexapeptides previously reported and two representative LfcinB-derived peptides. In vitro assays using hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine (HHL) and angiotensin I as substrates allowed us to select two hexapeptides, PACEI32 (Ac-RKWHFW-NH2) and PACEI34 (Ac-RKWLFW-NH2), and also a LfcinB-derived peptide, LfcinB17-31 (Ac-FKCRRWQWRMKKLGA-NH2). Ex vivo functional assays using rabbit carotid arterial segments showed PACEI32 (both D- and L-enantiomers) and LfcinB17-31 have inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent angiotensin I-induced contraction. None of the peptides exhibited in vitro ACE inhibitory activity using bradykinin as the substrate. In conclusion, three bioactive lactoferricin-related peptides exhibit inhibitory effects on both ACE activity and ACE-dependent vasoconstriction with potential to modulate hypertension that deserves further investigation.

  1. Effect of laughter on salivary flow rates and levels of chromogranin A in young adults and elderly people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toda, Masahiro; Ichikawa, Hiroe

    2012-11-01

    Salivary chromogranin A (CgA) levels and salivary flow rates were measured to evaluate the stress relief effect of laughter on the young and the elderly. Thirty healthy volunteers (15 aged 20-25 years; 15 aged 62-83 years) performed a serial arithmetic task for 15 min and then watched a comedy video for 30 min. On a different day, as a control, they watched a non-humorous video after performing a task similar to the first one. Saliva samples were collected immediately before and after the arithmetic task, 30 min after completing the task (immediately after watching the film), and 30 min after watching the film (60 min after completing mental task). Salivary CgA levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In the elderly group, salivary flow rates, which had declined by the end of the arithmetic task, were statistically significantly higher after watching the comedy video. In the young group, salivary CgA levels, which had increased by the end of the task, had statistically significantly declined after watching the comedy video. No such post-task changes were apparent in control results; in the young group, there was a statistically significant interprotocol difference in salivary CgA levels. These findings suggest that laughter may relieve stress, particularly in the young people.

  2. Halogenation dictates the architecture of amyloid peptide nanostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizzi, Andrea; Pigliacelli, Claudia; Gori, Alessandro; Nonappa; Ikkala, Olli; Demitri, Nicola; Terraneo, Giancarlo; Castelletto, Valeria; Hamley, Ian W; Baldelli Bombelli, Francesca; Metrangolo, Pierangelo

    2017-07-20

    Amyloid peptides yield a plethora of interesting nanostructures though difficult to control. Here we report that depending on the number, position, and nature of the halogen atoms introduced into either one or both phenylalanine benzene rings of the amyloid β peptide-derived core-sequence KLVFF, four different architectures were obtained in a controlled manner. Our findings demonstrate that halogenation may develop as a general strategy to engineer amyloidal peptide self-assembly and obtain new amyloidal nanostructures.

  3. Seahorse-derived peptide suppresses invasive migration of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells by competing with intracellular α-enolase for plasminogen binding and inhibiting uPA-mediated activation of plasminogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yong-Tae; Kim, Se-kwon; Jeon, You-Jin; Park, Sun Joo

    2014-12-01

    α-Enolase is a glycolytic enzyme and a surface receptor for plasminogen. α-Enolase-bound plasminogen promotes tumor cell invasion and cancer metastasis by activating plasmin and consequently degrading the extracellular matrix degradation. Therefore, α-enolase and plasminogen are novel targets for cancer therapy. We found that the amino acid sequence of a peptide purified from enzymatic hydrolysates of seahorse has striking similarities to that of α-enolase. In this study, we report that this peptide competes with cellular α-enolase for plasminogen binding and suppresses urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)-mediated activation of plasminogen, which results in decreased invasive migration of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. In addition, the peptide treatment decreased the expression levels of uPA compared to that of untreated controls. These results provide new insight into the mechanism by which the seahorse-derived peptide suppresses invasive properties of human cancer cells. Our findings suggest that this peptide could emerge as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer.

  4. Effect of N-Terminal Acylation on the Activity of Myostatin Inhibitory Peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takayama, Kentaro; Nakamura, Akari; Rentier, Cédric; Mino, Yusaku; Asari, Tomo; Saga, Yusuke; Taguchi, Akihiro; Yakushiji, Fumika; Hayashi, Yoshio

    2016-04-19

    Inhibition of myostatin, which negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth, is a promising strategy for the treatment of muscle atrophic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, cachexia and sarcopenia. Recently, we identified peptide A (H-WRQNTRYSRIEAIKIQILSKLRL-NH2 ), the 23-amino-acid minimum myostatin inhibitory peptide derived from mouse myostatin prodomain, and highlighted the importance of its N-terminal tryptophan residue for the effective inhibition. In this study, we synthesized a series of acylated peptide derivatives focused on the tryptophan residue to develop potent myostatin inhibitors. As a result of the investigation, a more potent derivative of peptide A was successfully identified in which the N-terminal tryptophan residue is replaced with a 2-naphthyloxyacetyl moiety to give an inhibitory peptide three times (1.19±0.11 μm) more potent than parent peptide A (3.53±0.25 μm). This peptide could prove useful as a new starting point for the development of improved inhibitory peptides. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Induction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 envelope specific cell-mediated immunity by a non-homologous synthetic peptide.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ammar Achour

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Cell mediated immunity, including efficient CTL response, is required to prevent HIV-1 from cell-to-cell transmission. In previous investigations, we have shown that B1 peptide derived by Fourier transformation of HIV-1 primary structures and sharing no sequence homology with the parent proteins was able to generate antiserum which recognizes envelope and Tat proteins. Here we have investigated cellular immune response towards a novel non-homologous peptide, referred to as cA1 peptide.The 20 amino acid sequence of cA1 peptide was predicted using the notion of peptide hydropathic properties; the peptide is encoded by the complementary anti-sense DNA strand to the sense strand of previously described non-homologous A1 peptide. In this report we demonstrate that the cA1 peptide can be a target for major histocompatibility complex (MHC class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HIV-1-infected or envelope-immunized individuals. The cA1 peptide is recognized in association with different MHC class I allotypes and could prime in vitro CTLs, derived from gp160-immunized individuals capable to recognize virus variants.For the first time a theoretically designed immunogen involved in broad-based cell-immune memory activation is described. Our findings may thus contribute to the advance in vaccine research by describing a novel strategy to develop a synthetic AIDS vaccine.

  6. Bioelectronic Nose Using Odorant Binding Protein-Derived Peptide and Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistor for the Assessment of Salmonella Contamination in Food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Manki; Kim, Daesan; Kang, Jinkyung; Lim, Jong Hyun; Lee, Seung Hwan; Ko, Hwi Jin; Hong, Seunghun; Park, Tai Hyun

    2016-12-06

    Salmonella infection is the one of the major causes of food borne illnesses including fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. Thus, early detection of Salmonella contamination is important for our healthy life. Conventional detection methods for the food contamination have limitations in sensitivity and rapidity; thus, the early detection has been difficult. Herein, we developed a bioelectronic nose using a carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor (FET) functionalized with Drosophila odorant binding protein (OBP)-derived peptide for easy and rapid detection of Salmonella contamination in ham. 3-Methyl-1-butanol is known as a specific volatile organic compound, generated from the ham contaminated with Salmonella. We designed and synthesized the peptide based on the sequence of the Drosophila OBP, LUSH, which specifically binds to alcohols. The C-terminus of the synthetic peptide was modified with three phenylalanine residues and directly immobilized onto CNT channels using the π-π interaction. The p-type properties of FET were clearly maintained after the functionalization using the peptide. The biosensor detected 1 fM of 3-methyl-1-butanol with high selectivity and successfully assessed Salmonella contamination in ham. These results indicate that the bioelectronic nose can be used for the rapid detection of Salmonella contamination in food.

  7. Marine Peptides: Bioactivities and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randy Chi Fai Cheung

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Peptides are important bioactive natural products which are present in many marine species. These marine peptides have high potential nutraceutical and medicinal values because of their broad spectra of bioactivities. Their antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidative, cardioprotective (antihypertensive, antiatherosclerotic and anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, analgesic, anxiolytic anti-diabetic, appetite suppressing and neuroprotective activities have attracted the attention of the pharmaceutical industry, which attempts to design them for use in the treatment or prevention of various diseases. Some marine peptides or their derivatives have high commercial values and had reached the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. A large number of them are already in different phases of the clinical and preclinical pipeline. This review highlights the recent research in marine peptides and the trends and prospects for the future, with special emphasis on nutraceutical and pharmaceutical development into marketed products.

  8. Towards generation of bioactive peptides from meat industry waste proteins: Generation of peptides using commercial microbial proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryder, Kate; Bekhit, Alaa El-Din; McConnell, Michelle; Carne, Alan

    2016-10-01

    Five commercially available food-grade microbial protease preparations were evaluated for their ability to hydrolyse meat myofibrillar and connective tissue protein extracts to produce bioactive peptides. A bacterial-derived protease (HT) extensively hydrolysed both meat protein extracts, producing peptide hydrolysates with significant in vitro antioxidant and ACE inhibitor activities. The hydrolysates retained bioactivity after simulated gastrointestinal hydrolysis challenge. Gel permeation chromatography sub-fractionation of the crude protein hydrolysates showed that the smaller peptide fractions exhibited the highest antioxidant and ACE inhibitor activities. OFFGEL electrophoresis of the small peptides of both hydrolysates showed that low isoelectric point peptides had antioxidant activity; however, no consistent relationship was observed between isoelectric point and ACE inhibition. Cell-based assays indicated that the hydrolysates present no significant cytotoxicity towards Vero cells. The results indicate that HT protease hydrolysis of meat myofibrillar and connective tissue protein extracts produces bioactive peptides that are non-cytotoxic, should be stable in the gastrointestinal tract and may contain novel bioactive peptide sequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Investigation of the antimicrobial activities of Snakin-Z, a new cationic peptide derived from Zizyphus jujuba fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daneshmand, Fatemeh; Zare-Zardini, Hadi; Ebrahimi, Leila

    2013-01-01

    Snakin-Z is a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) that is identified from the fruit of Zizyphus jujuba. This peptide is composed of 31 amino acids which is determined with the sequence of CARLNCVPKGTSGNTETCPCYASLHSCRKYG and molecular weight of 3318.82 Da. Snakin-Z is not identical to any AMP in the peptide database. According to this study, Snakin-Z potentially has antimicrobial property against bacteria and fungi. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of this peptide is suitable for antimicrobial activity. We assessed that Snakin-Z could affect Phomopsis azadirachtae with the MIC value of 7.65 μg/mL and vice versa Staphylococcus aureus with the MIC value of 28.8 μg/mL. Interestingly, human red blood cells also showed good tolerance to the Snakin-Z. On the basis of this study, Snakin-Z can be an appropriate candidate for therapeutic applications in the future due to its antimicrobial property.

  10. A distributive peptide cyclase processes multiple microviridin core peptides within a single polypeptide substrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi; Li, Kunhua; Yang, Guang; McBride, Joshua L; Bruner, Steven D; Ding, Yousong

    2018-05-03

    Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are an important family of natural products. Their biosynthesis follows a common scheme in which the leader peptide of a precursor peptide guides the modifications of a single core peptide. Here we describe biochemical studies of the processing of multiple core peptides within a precursor peptide, rare in RiPP biosynthesis. In a cyanobacterial microviridin pathway, an ATP-grasp ligase, AMdnC, installs up to two macrolactones on each of the three core peptides within AMdnA. The enzyme catalysis occurs in a distributive fashion and follows an unstrict N-to-C overall directionality, but a strict order in macrolactonizing each core peptide. Furthermore, AMdnC is catalytically versatile to process unnatural substrates carrying one to four core peptides, and kinetic studies provide insights into its catalytic properties. Collectively, our results reveal a distinct biosynthetic logic of RiPPs, opening up the possibility of modular production via synthetic biology approaches.

  11. Food matrix interaction and bioavailability of bioactive peptides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Udenigwe, Chibuike C.; Fogliano, Vincenzo

    2017-01-01

    Several peptides derived from food protein digestion possess regulatory functions that can lead to health promotion. Such peptides can be used as nutraceuticals and their inclusion as active components of functional food products is increasingly gaining attention. However, physiological evidence to

  12. Antibacterial activity of novel peptide derived from Cry1Ab16 toxin and development of LbL films for foodborne pathogens control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plácido, Alexandra; Bragança, Idalina; Marani, Mariela; Rodrigues de Araujo, Alyne; Vasconcelos, Andreanne Gomes; Batziou, Krystallenia; Domingues, Valentina F.

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli is one of the most common etiological agents of diarrhea in developing countries. The appearance of resistant E. coli prevents treatment of these infections. Biotechnological products incorporating antimicrobial peptides are currently being considered in applications to prevent intestinal infections by these bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the peptide PcL342-354C, which is derived from the toxin Cry1Ab16 from Bacillus thuringiensis, against E. coli strains. We also report the preparation, characterization and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of LbL films containing PcL342-354C. The results showed that the PcL342-354C peptide inhibited the growth of different strains of E. coli with minimal inhibitory concentration ranging from 15.62–31.25 μg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration was 250 μg/mL, indicating a potential antibacterial activity. The morphology of an ITO/Cashew gum/PcL342-354C film was analysed using atomic force microscopy which showed an increase of roughness due to the increase in the number of layers. The LbL films showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli NCTC 9001 in both conditions tested (10 and 20 bilayers). Our results indicate that the peptide exhibits an antibacterial potential that can be tapped to develop biomaterials with antibacterial activity for use against foodborne pathogens. - Highlights: • The PcL342–354C peptide inhibited the growth of E. coli. • The peptide can be simply incorporated into edible films combined with cashew gum. • LbL films incorporating the peptide have antibacterial activity against E. coli. • The PcL342–354C exhibits an antibacterial potential that can be tapped to develop biomaterials.

  13. Antibacterial activity of novel peptide derived from Cry1Ab16 toxin and development of LbL films for foodborne pathogens control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Plácido, Alexandra, E-mail: alexandra.placido@gmail.com [REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, ISEP, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto (Portugal); Bragança, Idalina, E-mail: linab_20@hotmail.com [REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, ISEP, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto (Portugal); Marani, Mariela, E-mail: mmarani@cenpat-conicet.gob.ar [IPEEC-CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Madryn, Chubut (Argentina); Rodrigues de Araujo, Alyne, E-mail: alyne_biomed@hotmail.com [Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, BIOTEC, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, CMRV, Universidade Federal do Piauí, UFPI, Parnaíba, PI (Brazil); Vasconcelos, Andreanne Gomes, E-mail: andreannegv@gmail.com [Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, BIOTEC, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, CMRV, Universidade Federal do Piauí, UFPI, Parnaíba, PI (Brazil); Batziou, Krystallenia, E-mail: batkrysta@gmail.com [REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto (Portugal); Domingues, Valentina F., E-mail: vfd@isep.ipp.pt [REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, ISEP, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto (Portugal); and others

    2017-06-01

    Escherichia coli is one of the most common etiological agents of diarrhea in developing countries. The appearance of resistant E. coli prevents treatment of these infections. Biotechnological products incorporating antimicrobial peptides are currently being considered in applications to prevent intestinal infections by these bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the peptide PcL342-354C, which is derived from the toxin Cry1Ab16 from Bacillus thuringiensis, against E. coli strains. We also report the preparation, characterization and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of LbL films containing PcL342-354C. The results showed that the PcL342-354C peptide inhibited the growth of different strains of E. coli with minimal inhibitory concentration ranging from 15.62–31.25 μg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration was 250 μg/mL, indicating a potential antibacterial activity. The morphology of an ITO/Cashew gum/PcL342-354C film was analysed using atomic force microscopy which showed an increase of roughness due to the increase in the number of layers. The LbL films showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli NCTC 9001 in both conditions tested (10 and 20 bilayers). Our results indicate that the peptide exhibits an antibacterial potential that can be tapped to develop biomaterials with antibacterial activity for use against foodborne pathogens. - Highlights: • The PcL342–354C peptide inhibited the growth of E. coli. • The peptide can be simply incorporated into edible films combined with cashew gum. • LbL films incorporating the peptide have antibacterial activity against E. coli. • The PcL342–354C exhibits an antibacterial potential that can be tapped to develop biomaterials.

  14. Experimental Peptide Identification Repository (EPIR): an integrated peptide-centric platform for validation and mining of tandem mass spectrometry data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Dan Bach; Brønd, Jan Christian; Nielsen, Peter Aagaard

    2004-01-01

    LC MS/MS has become an established technology in proteomic studies, and with the maturation of the technology the bottleneck has shifted from data generation to data validation and mining. To address this bottleneck we developed Experimental Peptide Identification Repository (EPIR), which...... is an integrated software platform for storage, validation, and mining of LC MS/MS-derived peptide evidence. EPIR is a cumulative data repository where precursor ions are linked to peptide assignments and protein associations returned by a search engine (e.g. Mascot, Sequest, or PepSea). Any number of datasets can...

  15. Comparative syntheses of peptides and peptide thioesters derived from mouse and human prion proteins

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šebestík, Jaroslav; Zawada, Zbigniew; Šafařík, Martin; Hlaváček, Jan

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 43, č. 3 (2012), s. 1297-1309 ISSN 0939-4451 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/07/1517 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : prion protein segments * classical synthesis * chemical ligation synthesis * peptide thioesters Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 3.914, year: 2012

  16. Neuromedin and FN-38 Peptides for Treating Psychiatric Diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Methods and compositions for treating psychiatric diseases and disorders are disclosed. The methods provided generally involve the administration of an NMX peptide, an FNX peptide, or an NMX receptor agonist, or analogs or derivatives thereof, to a subject in order to treat psychiatric diseases and ...

  17. Peptides derived from tryptic hydrolysate of Bacillus subtilis culture suppress fungal spoilage of table grapes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bo; Wang, Jingnan; Ning, Shuqing; Yuan, Quan; Chen, Xiangning; Zhang, Yanyan; Fan, Junfeng

    2018-01-15

    This study confirmed the anti-fungal effect of trypsin-treated Bacillus subtilis culture (BC) (tryptic hydrolysate, TH) on mold growth on Kyoho grapes. We examined the anti-fungal activity of TH by identifying TH peptides and performing a computational docking analysis. TH was more potent than untreated BC in suppressing fungal growth on grapes. Specifically, TH maintained grape freshness by inhibiting respiration and rachis browning, maintaining firmness, and preventing weight loss. Thirty-six inhibitory peptides against β-1,3-glucan synthase (GS) were screened from 126 TH peptides identified through proteomic analysis. Among them, 13 peptides bound tightly to GS active pockets with lower binding energies than that of GppNHp. The most potent peptides, LFEIDEELNEK and FATSDLNDLYR, were synthesized, and further experiments showed that these peptides had a highly suppressive effect on GS activity and Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum growth. Our results confirm that tryptic treatment is effective for improving the anti-fungal activity of BC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Anti-endotoxic and antibacterial effects of a dermal substitute coated with host defense peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasetty, Gopinath; Kalle, Martina; Mörgelin, Matthias; Brune, Jan C; Schmidtchen, Artur

    2015-01-01

    Biomaterials used during surgery and wound treatment are of increasing importance in modern medical care. In the present study we set out to evaluate the addition of thrombin-derived host defense peptides to human acellular dermis (hAD, i.e. epiflex(®)). Antimicrobial activity of the functionalized hAD was demonstrated using radial diffusion and viable count assays against Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Electron microscopy analyses showed that peptide-mediated bacterial killing led to reduced hAD degradation. Furthermore, peptide-functionalized hAD displayed endotoxin-binding activity in vitro, as evidenced by inhibition of NF-κB activation in human monocytic cells (THP-1 cells) and a reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine production in whole blood in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation. The dermal substitute retained its anti-endotoxic activity after washing, compatible with results showing that the hAD bound a significant amount of peptide. Furthermore, bacteria-induced contact activation was inhibited by peptide addition to the hAD. E. coli infected hAD, alone, or after treatment with the antiseptic substance polyhexamethylenebiguanide (PHMB), yielded NF-κB activation in THP-1 cells. The activation was abrogated by peptide addition. Thus, thrombin-derived HDPs should be of interest in the further development of new biomaterials with combined antimicrobial and anti-endotoxic functions for use in surgery and wound treatment. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Conformational Ensembles of α-Synuclein Derived Peptide with Different Osmolytes from Temperature Replica Exchange Sampling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salma Jamal

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP are a class of proteins that do not have a stable three-dimensional structure and can adopt a range of conformations playing various vital functional role. Alpha-synuclein is one such IDP which can aggregate into toxic protofibrils and has been associated largely with Parkinson's disease (PD along with other neurodegenerative diseases. Osmolytes are small organic compounds that can alter the environment around the proteins by acting as denaturants or protectants for the proteins. In the present study, we have conducted a series of replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations to explore the role of osmolytes, urea which is a denaturant and TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide, a protecting osmolyte, in aggregation and conformations of the synuclein peptide. We observed that both the osmolytes have significantly distinct impacts on the peptide and led to transitions of the conformations of the peptide from one state to other. Our findings highlighted that urea attenuated peptide aggregation and resulted in the formation of extended peptide structures whereas TMAO led to compact and folded forms of the peptide.

  20. Antimicrobial Peptides of Meat Origin - An In silico and In vitro Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keska, Paulina; Stadnik, Joanna

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of meat protein-derived peptides against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The in silico and in vitro approach was combined to determine the potency of antimicrobial peptides derived from pig (Sus scrofa) and cow (Bos taurus) proteins. The in silico studies consisted of an analysis of the amino acid composition of peptides obtained from the CAMPR database, their molecular weight and other physicochemical properties (isoelectric point, molar extinction coefficient, instability index, aliphatic index, hydropathy index and net charge). The degree of similarity was estimated between the antimicrobial peptide sequences derived from the slaughtered animals and the main meat proteins. Antimicrobial activity of peptides isolated from dry-cured meat products was analysed (in vitro) against two strains of pathogenic bacteria using the disc diffusion method. There was no evidence of growthinhibitory properties of peptides isolated from dry-cured meat products against Escherichia coli K12 ATCC 10798 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  1. Recent studies on the antimicrobial peptides lactoferricin and lactoferrampin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, C; Wong, J H; Ng, T B

    2014-01-01

    Lactoferricin and lactoferrampin, peptides derived from the whey protein lactoferrin, are antimicrobial agents with a promising prospect and are currently one of the research focuses. In this review, a basic introduction including location and solution structures of these two peptides is given. Their biological activities encompassing antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities with possible mechanisms are mentioned. In terms of modification studies, research about identification of their active derivatives and crucial amino acid residues is also discussed. Various attempts at modification of lactoferricin and lactoferrampin such as introducing big hydrophobic side-chains; employing special amino acids for synthesis; N-acetylization, amidation, cyclization and peptide chimera are summarized. The studies on lactoferricin-lactoferrampin chimera are discussed in detail. Future prospects of lactoferricin and lactoferrampin are covered.

  2. Chromogranin A as circulating marker for diagnosis and management of neuroendocrine neoplasms: more flaws than fame.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marotta, Vincenzo; Zatelli, Maria Chiara; Sciammarella, Concetta; Ambrosio, Maria Rosaria; Bondanelli, Marta; Colao, Annamaria; Faggiano, Antongiulio

    2018-01-01

    Owing to the heterogeneity of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), the availability of reliable circulating markers is critical for improving diagnostics, prognostic stratification, follow-up and definition of treatment strategy. This review is focused on chromogranin A (CgA), a hydrophilic glycoprotein present in large dense core vesicles of neuroendocrine cells. Despite being long identified as the most useful NEN-related circulating marker, clinical application of CgA is controversial. CgA assays still lack standardization, thus hampering not only clinical management but also the comparison between different analyses. In the diagnostic setting, clinical utility of CgA is limited as hampered by (a) the variety of oncological and non-oncological conditions affecting marker levels, which impairs specificity; (b) the fact that 30-50% of NENs show normal CgA, which impairs sensitivity. Regarding the prognostic phase, there is prospective evidence which demonstrates that advanced NENs secreting CgA have poorer outcome, as compared with those showing non-elevated marker levels. Although the identification of cut-offs allowing a proper risk stratification of CgA-secreting patients has not been performed, this represents the most important clinical application of the marker. By contrast, based on prospective studies, the trend of elevated circulating CgA does not represent a valid indicator of morphological evolution and has therefore no utility for the follow-up phase. Ultimately, current knowledge about the role of the marker for the definition of treatment strategy is poor and is limited by the small number of available studies, their prevalent retrospective nature and the absence of control groups of untreated subjects. © 2018 Society for Endocrinology.

  3. Mycobacteria attenuate nociceptive responses by formyl peptide receptor triggered opioid peptide release from neutrophils.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heike L Rittner

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available In inflammation, pain is regulated by a balance of pro- and analgesic mediators. Analgesic mediators include opioid peptides which are secreted by neutrophils at the site of inflammation, leading to activation of opioid receptors on peripheral sensory neurons. In humans, local opioids and opioid peptides significantly downregulate postoperative as well as arthritic pain. In rats, inflammatory pain is induced by intraplantar injection of heat inactivated Mycobacterium butyricum, a component of complete Freund's adjuvant. We hypothesized that mycobacterially derived formyl peptide receptor (FPR and/or toll like receptor (TLR agonists could activate neutrophils, leading to opioid peptide release and inhibition of inflammatory pain. In complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammation, thermal and mechanical nociceptive thresholds of the paw were quantified (Hargreaves and Randall-Selitto methods, respectively. Withdrawal time to heat was decreased following systemic neutrophil depletion as well as local injection of opioid receptor antagonists or anti-opioid peptide (i.e. Met-enkephalin, beta-endorphin antibodies indicating an increase in pain. In vitro, opioid peptide release from human and rat neutrophils was measured by radioimmunoassay. Met-enkephalin release was triggered by Mycobacterium butyricum and formyl peptides but not by TLR-2 or TLR-4 agonists. Mycobacterium butyricum induced a rise in intracellular calcium as determined by FURA loading and calcium imaging. Opioid peptide release was blocked by intracellular calcium chelation as well as phosphoinositol-3-kinase inhibition. The FPR antagonists Boc-FLFLF and cyclosporine H reduced opioid peptide release in vitro and increased inflammatory pain in vivo while TLR 2/4 did not appear to be involved. In summary, mycobacteria activate FPR on neutrophils, resulting in tonic secretion of opioid peptides from neutrophils and in a decrease in inflammatory pain. Future therapeutic strategies may aim

  4. Membrane-Active Epithelial Keratin 6A Fragments (KAMPs) Are Unique Human Antimicrobial Peptides with a Non-αβ Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Judy T. Y.; Wang, Guangshun; Tam, Yu Tong; Tam, Connie

    2016-01-01

    Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global health problem that threatens millions of lives each year. Natural antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic derivatives, including peptoids and peptidomimetics, are promising candidates as novel antibiotics. Recently, the C-terminal glycine-rich fragments of human epithelial keratin 6A were found to have bactericidal and cytoprotective activities. Here, we used an improved 2-dimensional NMR method coupled with a new protocol for structural refinement by low temperature simulated annealing to characterize the solution structure of these kerain-derived antimicrobial peptides (KAMPs). Two specific KAMPs in complex with membrane mimicking sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles displayed amphipathic conformations with only local bends and turns, and a central 10-residue glycine-rich hydrophobic strip that is central to bactericidal activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of non-αβ structure for human antimicrobial peptides. Direct observation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that KAMPs deformed bacterial cell envelopes and induced pore formation. Notably, in competitive binding experiments, KAMPs demonstrated binding affinities to LPS and LTA that did not correlate with their bactericidal activities, suggesting peptide-LPS and peptide-LTA interactions are less important in their mechanisms of action. Moreover, immunoprecipitation of KAMPs-bacterial factor complexes indicated that membrane surface lipoprotein SlyB and intracellular machineries NQR sodium pump and ribosomes are potential molecular targets for the peptides. Results of this study improve our understanding of the bactericidal function of epithelial cytokeratin fragments, and highlight an unexplored class of human antimicrobial peptides, which may serve as non-αβ peptide scaffolds for the design of novel peptide-based antibiotics. PMID:27891122

  5. Membrane-Active Epithelial Keratin 6A Fragments (KAMPs Are Unique Human Antimicrobial Peptides with a Non-αβ Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judy Tsz Ying Lee

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global health problem that threatens millions of lives each year. Natural antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic derivatives, including peptoids and peptidomimetics, are promising candidates as novel antibiotics. Recently, the C-terminal glycine-rich fragments of human epithelial keratin 6A were found to have bactericidal and cytoprotective activities. Here, we used an improved 2-dimensional NMR method coupled with a new protocol for structural refinement by low temperature simulated annealing to characterize the solution structure of these kerain-derived antimicrobial peptides (KAMPs. Two specific KAMPs in complex with membrane mimicking sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS micelles displayed amphipathic conformations with only local bends and turns, and a central 10-residue glycine-rich hydrophobic strip that is central to bactericidal activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of non-αβ structure for human antimicrobial peptides. Direct observation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that KAMPs deformed bacterial cell envelopes and induced pore formation. Notably, in competitive binding experiments, KAMPs demonstrated binding affinities to LPS and LTA that did not correlate with their bactericidal activities, suggesting peptide-LPS and peptide-LTA interactions are less important in their mechanisms of action. Moreover, immunoprecipitation of KAMPs-bacterial factor complexes indicated that membrane surface lipoprotein SlyB and intracellular machineries NQR sodium pump and ribosomes are potential molecular targets for the peptides. Results of this study improve our understanding of the bactericidal function of epithelial cytokeratin fragments, and highlight an unexplored class of human antimicrobial peptides, which may serve as non-αβ peptide scaffolds for the design of novel peptide-based antibiotics.

  6. C- and N-truncated antimicrobial peptides from LFampin 265 - 284: Biophysical versus microbiology results

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adão, R.; Nazmi, K.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Bastos, M.

    2011-01-01

    Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with two globular lobes, each having two domains. Since the discovery of its antimicrobial properties, efforts have been made to find peptides derived from this protein showing antimicrobial properties. Most peptides initially studied were derived from Lactoferricin B,

  7. Peptide chemistry toolbox - Transforming natural peptides into peptide therapeutics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erak, Miloš; Bellmann-Sickert, Kathrin; Els-Heindl, Sylvia; Beck-Sickinger, Annette G

    2018-06-01

    The development of solid phase peptide synthesis has released tremendous opportunities for using synthetic peptides in medicinal applications. In the last decades, peptide therapeutics became an emerging market in pharmaceutical industry. The need for synthetic strategies in order to improve peptidic properties, such as longer half-life, higher bioavailability, increased potency and efficiency is accordingly rising. In this mini-review, we present a toolbox of modifications in peptide chemistry for overcoming the main drawbacks during the transition from natural peptides to peptide therapeutics. Modifications at the level of the peptide backbone, amino acid side chains and higher orders of structures are described. Furthermore, we are discussing the future of peptide therapeutics development and their impact on the pharmaceutical market. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Enhancing bioactive peptide release and identification using targeted enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nongonierma, Alice B; FitzGerald, Richard J

    2018-06-01

    Milk proteins have been extensively studied for their ability to yield a range of bioactive peptides following enzymatic hydrolysis/digestion. However, many hurdles still exist regarding the widespread utilization of milk protein-derived bioactive peptides as health enhancing agents for humans. These mostly arise from the fact that most milk protein-derived bioactive peptides are not highly potent. In addition, they may be degraded during gastrointestinal digestion and/or have a low intestinal permeability. The targeted release of bioactive peptides during the enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins may allow the generation of particularly potent bioactive hydrolysates and peptides. Therefore, the development of milk protein hydrolysates capable of improving human health requires, in the first instance, optimized targeted release of specific bioactive peptides. The targeted hydrolysis of milk proteins has been aided by a range of in silico tools. These include peptide cutters and predictive modeling linking bioactivity to peptide structure [i.e., molecular docking, quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR)], or hydrolysis parameters [design of experiments (DOE)]. Different targeted enzymatic release strategies employed during the generation of milk protein hydrolysates are reviewed herein and their limitations are outlined. In addition, specific examples are provided to demonstrate how in silico tools may help in the identification and discovery of potent milk protein-derived peptides. It is anticipated that the development of novel strategies employing a range of in silico tools may help in the generation of milk protein hydrolysates containing potent and bioavailable peptides, which in turn may be used to validate their health promoting effects in humans. Graphical abstract The targeted enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins may allow the generation of highly potent and bioavailable bioactive peptides.

  9. Rapid purification of radioiodinated peptides with Sep-Pak reversed phase cartridges and HPLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, J.J.; Schultz, G.S.; Levy, R.S.

    1984-01-01

    A simple, rapid method is described for the purification of radioiodinated peptides for use in radioimmuno- and in radioreceptor assays. Iodinated reaction mixtures are applied directly onto Sep-Pak disposable, reversed phase cartridges equilibrated with phosphate buffer. Unreacted 125-iodide and other non-peptide reaction components are eluted with buffer. The peptide fraction is then eluted with 70% buffer:30% acetonitrile. The peptide fraction is further purified by reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography to separate the native peptide and the mono- and diiodo-derivatives. In this study the method is used to prepare 125-iodide-labeled monoiodo-leucine enkephalin and monoiodo-angiotensin II, which are free of the parent peptides and diiodo-derivatives and are of maximum obtainable specific radioactivity. The usefulness of these labeled peptides in radioimmuno- and radioreceptor assays is demonstrated by their binding to specific antibodies and receptors, respectively. (author)

  10. Expression of multiple transgenes from a single construct using viral 2A peptides in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard W Daniels

    Full Text Available Expression of multiple reporter or effector transgenes in the same cell from a single construct is increasingly necessary in various experimental paradigms. The discovery of short, virus-derived peptide sequences that mediate a ribosome-skipping event enables generation of multiple separate peptide products from one mRNA. Here we describe methods and vectors to facilitate easy production of polycistronic-like sequences utilizing these 2A peptides tailored for expression in Drosophila both in vitro and in vivo. We tested the separation efficiency of different viral 2A peptides in cultured Drosophila cells and in vivo and found that the 2A peptides from porcine teschovirus-1 (P2A and Thosea asigna virus (T2A worked best. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we used the P2A peptide to co-express the red fluorescent protein tdTomato and the genetically-encoded calcium indicator GCaMP5G in larval motorneurons. This technique enabled ratiometric calcium imaging with motion correction allowing us to record synaptic activity at the neuromuscular junction in an intact larval preparation through the cuticle. The tools presented here should greatly facilitate the generation of 2A peptide-mediated expression of multiple transgenes in Drosophila.

  11. Structural features governing the activity of lactoferricin-derived peptides that act in synergy with antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Gómez, Susana; Japelj, Bostjan; Jerala, Roman; Moriyón, Ignacio; Fernández Alonso, Mirian; Leiva, José; Blondelle, Sylvie E; Andrä, Jörg; Brandenburg, Klaus; Lohner, Karl; Martínez de Tejada, Guillermo

    2011-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is naturally resistant to many antibiotics, and infections caused by this organism are a serious threat, especially to hospitalized patients. The intrinsic low permeability of P. aeruginosa to antibiotics results from the coordinated action of several mechanisms, such as the presence of restrictive porins and the expression of multidrug efflux pump systems. Our goal was to develop antimicrobial peptides with an improved bacterial membrane-permeabilizing ability, so that they enhance the antibacterial activity of antibiotics. We carried out a structure activity relationship analysis to investigate the parameters that govern the permeabilizing activity of short (8- to 12-amino-acid) lactoferricin-derived peptides. We used a new class of constitutional and sequence-dependent descriptors called PEDES (peptide descriptors from sequence) that allowed us to predict (Spearman's ρ = 0.74; P < 0.001) the permeabilizing activity of a new peptide generation. To study if peptide-mediated permeabilization could neutralize antibiotic resistance mechanisms, the most potent peptides were combined with antibiotics, and the antimicrobial activities of the combinations were determined on P. aeruginosa strains whose mechanisms of resistance to those antibiotics had been previously characterized. A subinhibitory concentration of compound P2-15 or P2-27 sensitized P. aeruginosa to most classes of antibiotics tested and counteracted several mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, including loss of the OprD porin and overexpression of several multidrug efflux pump systems. Using a mouse model of lethal infection, we demonstrated that whereas P2-15 and erythromycin were unable to protect mice when administered separately, concomitant administration of the compounds afforded long-lasting protection to one-third of the animals.

  12. Secretoneurin and PE-11 immunoreactivity in the human dental pulp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steiner, René; Fischer-Colbrie, Reiner; Bletsa, Athanasia; Laimer, Johannes; Troger, Josef

    2018-02-01

    To explore whether there are differences in the concentration of the secretogranin II-derived peptide secretoneurin and the chromogranin B-derived peptide PE-11 between the healthy and inflamed human dental pulps. Furthermore, colocalization studies with calcitonin gene-related peptide were performed to confirm the sensory origin of the peptidergic nerves in the dental pulp. The concentrations of secretoneurin and PE-11 were determined by highly sensitive radioimmunoassays in extracts of dental pulps, the molecular form of secretoneurin immunoreactivities by RP-HPLC with subsequent radioimmunoassay and colocalization studies with calcitonin gene-related peptide were performed by double immunofluorescence. Only secretoneurin but not PE-11 was detectable by radioimmunoassays whereas nerve fibers could be made visible for both secretoneurin and PE-11. Furthermore, there was a full colocalization of secretoneurin and PE-11 with calcitonin gene-related peptide in immunohistochemical experiments. There were no differences in the concentration of secretoneurin between the healthy and inflamed human dental pulp and moreover, the characterization of the secretoneurin immunoreactivities revealed that only authentic secretoneurin was detected with the secretoneurin antibody. There is unequivocal evidence that secretoneurin and PE-11 are constituents of the sensory innervation of the human dental pulp and although not exclusively but are yet present in unmyelinated C-fibers which transmit predominantly nociceptive impulses. Secretoneurin might be involved in local effector functions as well, particularly in neurogenic inflammation, given that this is the case despite of unaltered levels in inflamed tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparative syntheses of peptide thioesters derived from mouse and human prion proteins

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šebestík, Jaroslav; Zawada, Zbigniew; Šafařík, Martin; Hlaváček, Jan

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 41, Suppl. 1 (2011), S78-S79 ISSN 0939-4451. [International Congress on Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins /12./. 01.08.2011-05.08.2011, Beijing] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/07/1517 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : peptide thioesters * ligation * prions * C-domain Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

  14. Preparation and characterization of different liposomal formulations containing P5 HER2/neu-derived peptide and evaluation of their immunological responses and antitumor effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheida Shariat

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s:Tumor-associated antigen (TAA subunit-based vaccines constitute promising tools for anticancer immunotherapy. However, a major limitation in the development of such vaccines is the poor immunogenicity of peptides when used alone.The aim of this study was to develop an efficient vaccine delivery system and adjuvant to enhance anti-tumor activity of a synthetic HER2/neu derived peptide (P5. Materials and Methods: P5 peptide was encapsulated with different liposomal formulations composed of DMPC:DMPG:Chol:DOPE and loaded with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL. All formulations were characterized for their physicochemical properties. To evaluate vaccine efficacy, BALB/c mice were first immunized with free peptide or liposomal formulations, then, inoculated with a subcutaneous injection of TUBO tumor cells. Enzyme-linked immunospot, cytotoxicity and intracellular cytokine assays, as well as tumor size and animal survival analysis, were performed to evaluate the immune responses. Results: The results demonstrated that P5 encapsulated into liposomal formulations was not able to induce CD8 and CD4 T cells to produce IFN-γ. That is why, a potent CTL response and antitumor immunity was not induced. Conclusion: The Lip-DOPE-P5-MPL formulation in spite of using pH-sensitive lipid to direct intracellular trafficking of peptide to MHC I presentation pathway and MPL to enhance peptide adjuvanticity was interesting. The failure in inducing anti-tumor immunity may be attributed to low uptake of anionic conventional liposomes by dendritic cells (DCs that have negative surface charge.

  15. Chromogranin A cell density in the large intestine of Asian and European patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Salhy, Magdy; Patcharatrakul, Tanisa; Hatlebakk, Jan Gunnar; Hausken, Trygve; Gilja, Odd Helge; Gonlachanvit, Sutep

    Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Asia show distinctive differences from those in the western world. The gastrointestinal endocrine cells appear to play an important role in the pathophysiology of IBS. The present study aimed at studying the density of chromogranin A (CgA) cells in the large intestine of Thai and Norwegian IBS patients. Thirty Thai IBS patients and 20 control subjects, and 47 Norwegian IBS patients and 20 control subjects were included. A standard colonoscopy was performed in both the patients and controls, and biopsy samples were taken from the colon and the rectum. The biopsy samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunostained for CgA. The density of CgA cells was determined by computerized image analysis. In the colon and rectum, the CgA cell densities were far higher in both IBS and healthy Thai subjects than in Norwegians. The colonic CgA cell density was lower in Norwegian IBS patients than in controls, but did not differ between Thai IBS patients and controls. In the rectum, the CgA cell densities in both Thai and Norwegian patients did not differ from those of controls. The higher densities of CgA cells in Thai subjects than Norwegians may be explained by a higher exposure to infections at childhood and the development of a broad immune tolerance, by differences in the intestinal microbiota, and/or differing diet habits. The normal CgA cell density in Thai IBS patients in contrast to that of Norwegians may be due to differences in pathophysiology.

  16. Milk-derived angiotensin-I-converting enzymeinhibitory peptides generated by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Villegas Josefina M.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Several strains of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis were evaluated for their ability to release angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitory peptides from α-casein (α-CN and β-casein (β-CN. Casein peptides resulting from L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581-mediated hydrolysis exhibited the highest ACE-inhibitory (ACEI activities, with values of 53 and 40% for α-CN and β-CN, respectively. The casein hydrolysates were fractionated by reversedphase high pressure liquid chromatography and some of the active peptides were identified by mass spectrometry. The fraction with the highest ACEI activity arose from β-CN and contained a mixture of the β-CN f194-206 (QEPVLGPVRGPFP and f198-206 (LGPVRGPFP peptides. Furthermore, the ACEI tripeptide IPP was identified in all β-CN hydrolysates; L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581 produced the highest amount of this peptide. The bioactive peptides released by CRL 581 strain may be used in the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals, representing a healthier and natural alternative for regulating blood pressure.

  17. Sensing lymphoma cells based on a cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptide probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugawara, Kazuharu; Shinohara, Hiroki; Kadoya, Toshihiko; Kuramitz, Hideki

    2016-01-01

    To electrochemically sense lymphoma cells (U937), we fabricated a multifunctional peptide probe that consists of cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptides. Electron-transfer peptides derive from cysteine residue combined with the C-terminals of four tyrosine residues (Y_4). A peptide whereby Y_4C is bound to the C-terminals of protegrin 1 (RGGRLCYCRRRFCVCVGR-NH_2) is known to be an apoptosis-inducing agent against U937 cells, and is referred to as a peptide-1 probe. An oxidation response of the peptide-1 probe has been observed due to a phenolic hydroxyl group, and this response is decreased by the uptake of the peptide probe into the cells. To improve the cell membrane permeability against U937 cells, the RGGR at the N-terminals of the peptide-1 probe was replaced by RRRR (peptide-2 probe). In contrast, RNRCKGTDVQAWY_4C (peptide-3 probe), which recognizes ovalbumin, was constructed as a control. Compared with the other probes, the change in the peak current of the peptide-2 probe was the greatest at low concentrations and occurred in a short amount of time. Therefore, the cell membrane permeability of the peptide-2 probe was increased based on the arginine residues and the apoptosis-inducing peptides. The peak current was linear and ranged from 100 to 1000 cells/ml. The relative standard deviation of 600 cells/ml was 5.0% (n = 5). Furthermore, the membrane permeability of the peptide probes was confirmed using fluorescent dye. - Highlights: • We constructed a multifunctional peptide probe for the electrochemical sensing of lymphoma cells. • The peptide probe consists of cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptides. • The electrode response of the peptide probe changes due to selective uptake into the cells.

  18. Sensing lymphoma cells based on a cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptide probe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugawara, Kazuharu, E-mail: kzsuga@maebashi-it.ac.jp [Maebashi Institute of Technology, Gunma 371-0816 (Japan); Shinohara, Hiroki; Kadoya, Toshihiko [Maebashi Institute of Technology, Gunma 371-0816 (Japan); Kuramitz, Hideki [Department of Environmental Biology and Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering for Research, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan)

    2016-06-14

    To electrochemically sense lymphoma cells (U937), we fabricated a multifunctional peptide probe that consists of cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptides. Electron-transfer peptides derive from cysteine residue combined with the C-terminals of four tyrosine residues (Y{sub 4}). A peptide whereby Y{sub 4}C is bound to the C-terminals of protegrin 1 (RGGRLCYCRRRFCVCVGR-NH{sub 2}) is known to be an apoptosis-inducing agent against U937 cells, and is referred to as a peptide-1 probe. An oxidation response of the peptide-1 probe has been observed due to a phenolic hydroxyl group, and this response is decreased by the uptake of the peptide probe into the cells. To improve the cell membrane permeability against U937 cells, the RGGR at the N-terminals of the peptide-1 probe was replaced by RRRR (peptide-2 probe). In contrast, RNRCKGTDVQAWY{sub 4}C (peptide-3 probe), which recognizes ovalbumin, was constructed as a control. Compared with the other probes, the change in the peak current of the peptide-2 probe was the greatest at low concentrations and occurred in a short amount of time. Therefore, the cell membrane permeability of the peptide-2 probe was increased based on the arginine residues and the apoptosis-inducing peptides. The peak current was linear and ranged from 100 to 1000 cells/ml. The relative standard deviation of 600 cells/ml was 5.0% (n = 5). Furthermore, the membrane permeability of the peptide probes was confirmed using fluorescent dye. - Highlights: • We constructed a multifunctional peptide probe for the electrochemical sensing of lymphoma cells. • The peptide probe consists of cell-penetrating/apoptosis-inducing/electron-transfer peptides. • The electrode response of the peptide probe changes due to selective uptake into the cells.

  19. Therapeutic Potential of a Scorpion Venom-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide and Its Homologs Against Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaomin Liu

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The alarming rise in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria poses a unique challenge for the development of effective therapeutic agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs have attracted a great deal of attention as a possible solution to the increasing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Marcin-18 was identified from the scorpion Mesobuthus martensii at both DNA and protein levels. The genomic sequence revealed that the marcin-18 coding gene contains a phase-I intron with a GT-AG splice junction located in the DNA region encoding the N-terminal part of signal peptide. The peptide marcin-18 was also isolated from scorpion venom. A protein sequence homology search revealed that marcin-18 shares extremely high sequence identity to the AMPs meucin-18 and megicin-18. In vitro, chemically synthetic marcin-18 and its homologs (meucin-18 and megicin-18 showed highly potent inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including some clinical antibiotic-resistant strains. Importantly, in a mouse acute peritonitis model, these peptides significantly decreased the bacterial load in ascites and rescued nearly all mice heavily infected with clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from lethal bacteremia. Peptides exerted antimicrobial activity via a bactericidal mechanism and killed bacteria through membrane disruption. Taken together, marcin-18 and its homologs have potential for development as therapeutic agents for treating antibiotic-resistant, Gram-positive bacterial infections.

  20. Activity of a melimine derived peptide Mel4 against Stenotrophomonas, Delftia, Elizabethkingia, Burkholderia and biocompatibility as a contact lens coating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dutta, Debarun; Zhao, Timothy; Cheah, Kai Bing

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To determine the antimicrobial activity of the melimine derived peptide Mel4 against Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Elizabethkingia, Burkholderia and to investigate biocompatibility of Mel4 as an antimicrobial coating on contact lenses in animals and humans. Methods In vitro antimicrobial...... activity of Mel4 was determined against the four Gram negative bacteria by investigating growth curves for 24 h followed by viable counts to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Contact lenses were coated by covalently binding Mel4, characterized by amino acid analysis, and were...... was active against all the bacteria tested (MIC50 ranged from 31–1000 μg ml−1) and produced an antimicrobial surface on contact lenses. Mel4-coating resulted hydrophilic surface without any significant change in contact lens parameters, and showed no signs of cytotoxicity or ocular irritation during rabbit...

  1. β-Casein(94-123)-derived peptides differently modulate production of mucins in intestinal goblet cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaisancié, Pascale; Boutrou, Rachel; Estienne, Monique; Henry, Gwénaële; Jardin, Julien; Paquet, Armelle; Léonil, Joëlle

    2015-02-01

    We recently reported the identification of a peptide from yoghurts with promising potential for intestinal health: the sequence (94-123) of bovine β-casein. This peptide, composed of 30 amino acid residues, maintains intestinal homoeostasis through production of the secreted mucin MUC2 and of the transmembrane-associated mucin MUC4. Our study aimed to search for the minimal sequence responsible for the biological activity of β-CN(94-123) by using several strategies based on (i) known bioactive peptides encrypted in β-CN(94-123), (ii) in silico prediction of peptides reactivity and (iii) digestion of β-CN(94-123) by enzymes of intestinal brush border membranes. The revealed sequences were tested in vitro on human intestinal mucus-producing HT29-MTX cells. We demonstrated that β-CN(108-113) (an ACE-inhibitory peptide) and β-CN(114-119) (an opioid peptide named neocasomorphin-6) up-regulated MUC4 expression whereas levels of the secreted mucins MUC2 and MUC5AC remained unchanged. The digestion of β-CN(94-123) by intestinal enzymes showed that the peptides β-CN(94-108) and β-CN(117-123) were present throughout 1·5 to 3 h of digestion, respectively. These two peptides raised MUC5AC expression while β-CN(117-123) also induced a decrease in the level of MUC2 mRNA and protein. In addition, this inhibitory effect was reproduced in airway epithelial cells. In conclusion, β-CN(94-123) is a multifunctional molecule but only the sequence of 30 amino acids has a stimulating effect on the production of MUC2, a crucial factor of intestinal protection.

  2. Improving cardiac gap junction communication as a new antiarrhythmic mechanism: the action of antiarrhythmic peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhein, Stefan; Hagen, Anja; Jozwiak, Joanna; Dietze, Anna; Garbade, Jens; Barten, Markus; Kostelka, Martin; Mohr, Friedrich-Wilhelm

    2010-03-01

    Co-ordinated electrical activation of the heart is maintained by intercellular coupling of cardiomyocytes via gap junctional channels located in the intercalated disks. These channels consist of two hexameric hemichannels, docked to each other, provided by either of the adjacent cells. Thus, a complete gap junction channel is made from 12 protein subunits, the connexins. While 21 isoforms of connexins are presently known, cardiomyocytes typically are coupled by Cx43 (most abundant), Cx40 or Cx45. Some years ago, antiarrhythmic peptides were discovered and synthesised, which were shown to increase macroscopic gap junction conductance (electrical coupling) and enhance dye transfer (metabolic coupling). The lead substance of these peptides is AAP10 (H-Gly-Ala-Gly-Hyp-Pro-Tyr-CONH(2)), a peptide with a horseshoe-like spatial structure as became evident from two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance studies. A stable D: -amino-acid derivative of AAP10, rotigaptide, as well as a non-peptide analogue, gap-134, has been developed in recent years. Antiarrhythmic peptides act on Cx43 and Cx45 gap junctions but not on Cx40 channels. AAP10 has been shown to enhance intercellular communication in rat, rabbit and human cardiomyocytes. Antiarrhythmic peptides are effective against ventricular tachyarrhythmias, such as late ischaemic (type IB) ventricular fibrillation, CaCl(2) or aconitine-induced arrhythmia. Interestingly, the effect of antiarrhythmic peptides is higher in partially uncoupled cells and was shown to be related to maintained Cx43 phosphorylation, while arrhythmogenic conditions like ischaemia result in Cx43 dephosphorylation and intercellular decoupling. It is still a matter of debate whether these drugs also act against atrial fibrillation. The present review outlines the development of this group of peptides and derivatives, their mode of action and molecular mechanisms, and discusses their possible therapeutic potential.

  3. Antimicrobial properties of analgesic kyotorphin peptides unraveled through atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ribeiro, Marta M.B.; Franquelim, Henri G.; Torcato, Inês M.; Ramu, Vasanthakumar G.; Heras, Montserrat; Bardaji, Eduard R.; Castanho, Miguel A.R.B.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► New kyotorphin derivatives have antimicrobial properties against S. aureus. ► Atomic force microscopy show membrane disturbing effects of KTP–NH 2 and IbKTP–NH 2 . ► None of the KTP derivatives are hemolytic. ► The minimal peptidic sequence with antimicrobial activity is Tyr-Arg, if amidated. -- Abstract: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates as alternatives to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of resistant pathogens. In the last decades, new AMPs have been found from the cleavage of intact proteins with no antibacterial activity themselves. Bovine hemoglobin hydrolysis, for instance, results in AMPs and the minimal antimicrobial peptide sequence was defined as Tyr-Arg plus a positively charged amino acid residue. The Tyr-Arg dipeptide alone, known as kyotorphin (KTP), is an endogenous analgesic neuropeptide but has no antimicrobial activity itself. In previous studies new KTP derivatives combining C-terminal amidation and Ibuprofen (Ib) – KTP–NH 2 , IbKTP, IbKTP–NH 2 – were designed in order to improve KTP brain targeting. Those modifications succeeded in enhancing peptide-cell membrane affinity towards fluid anionic lipids and higher analgesic activity after systemic injection resulted therefrom. Here, we investigated if this affinity for anionic lipid membranes also translates into antimicrobial activity because bacteria have anionic membranes. Atomic force microscopy revealed that KTP derivatives perturbed Staphylococcus aureus membrane structure by inducing membrane blebbing, disruption and lysis. In addition, these peptides bind to red blood cells but are non-hemolytic. From the KTP derivatives tested, amidated KTP proves to be the most active antibacterial agent. The combination of analgesia and antibacterial activities with absence of toxicity is highly appealing from the clinical point of view and broadens the therapeutic potential and application of kyotorphin peptides.

  4. Antimicrobial properties of analgesic kyotorphin peptides unraveled through atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ribeiro, Marta M.B.; Franquelim, Henri G.; Torcato, Ines M. [Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa (Portugal); Ramu, Vasanthakumar G.; Heras, Montserrat; Bardaji, Eduard R. [Laboratori d' Innovacio en Processos i Productes de Sintesi Organica (LIPPSO), Departament de Quimica, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Castanho, Miguel A.R.B., E-mail: macastanho@fm.ul.pt [Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa (Portugal)

    2012-04-13

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New kyotorphin derivatives have antimicrobial properties against S. aureus. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Atomic force microscopy show membrane disturbing effects of KTP-NH{sub 2} and IbKTP-NH{sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer None of the KTP derivatives are hemolytic. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The minimal peptidic sequence with antimicrobial activity is Tyr-Arg, if amidated. -- Abstract: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates as alternatives to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of resistant pathogens. In the last decades, new AMPs have been found from the cleavage of intact proteins with no antibacterial activity themselves. Bovine hemoglobin hydrolysis, for instance, results in AMPs and the minimal antimicrobial peptide sequence was defined as Tyr-Arg plus a positively charged amino acid residue. The Tyr-Arg dipeptide alone, known as kyotorphin (KTP), is an endogenous analgesic neuropeptide but has no antimicrobial activity itself. In previous studies new KTP derivatives combining C-terminal amidation and Ibuprofen (Ib) - KTP-NH{sub 2}, IbKTP, IbKTP-NH{sub 2} - were designed in order to improve KTP brain targeting. Those modifications succeeded in enhancing peptide-cell membrane affinity towards fluid anionic lipids and higher analgesic activity after systemic injection resulted therefrom. Here, we investigated if this affinity for anionic lipid membranes also translates into antimicrobial activity because bacteria have anionic membranes. Atomic force microscopy revealed that KTP derivatives perturbed Staphylococcus aureus membrane structure by inducing membrane blebbing, disruption and lysis. In addition, these peptides bind to red blood cells but are non-hemolytic. From the KTP derivatives tested, amidated KTP proves to be the most active antibacterial agent. The combination of analgesia and antibacterial activities with absence of toxicity is highly appealing from the clinical point of view

  5. Increased Chromogranin A Cell Density in the Large Intestine of Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome after Receiving Dietary Guidance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarek Mazzawi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The large intestine contains five types of endocrine cells that regulate its functions by sensing its luminal contents and releasing specific hormones. Chromogranin A (CgA is a common marker for the gastrointestinal endocrine cells, and it is abnormal in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS patients. Most IBS patients relate their symptoms to certain food elements. The present study investigated the effect of dietary guidance on the total endocrine cells of the large intestine as detected by CgA in 13 IBS patients. Thirteen control subjects were also included. Each patient received three sessions of dietary guidance. Colonoscopies were performed on controls and patients (at baseline and at 3–9 months after receiving guidance. Biopsy samples from the colon and rectum were immunostained for CgA and quantified by computerized image analysis. The densities of CgA cells in the total colon (mean ± SEM among the controls and the IBS patients before and after receiving dietary guidance were 83.3±10.1, 38.6±3.7, and 64.7±4.2 cells/mm2, respectively (P=0.0004, and were unchanged in the rectum. In conclusion, the increase in CgA cell density after receiving dietary guidance may reflect a change in the densities of the large intestinal endocrine cells causing an improvement in the IBS symptoms.

  6. Insect Peptides - Perspectives in Human Diseases Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowanski, Szymon; Adamski, Zbigniew; Lubawy, Jan; Marciniak, Pawel; Pacholska-Bogalska, Joanna; Slocinska, Malgorzata; Spochacz, Marta; Szymczak, Monika; Urbanski, Arkadiusz; Walkowiak-Nowicka, Karolina; Rosinski, Grzegorz

    2017-01-01

    Insects are the largest and the most widely distributed group of animals in the world. Their diversity is a source of incredible variety of different mechanisms of life processes regulation. There are many agents that regulate immunology, reproduction, growth and development or metabolism. Hence, it seems that insects may be a source of numerous substances useful in human diseases treatment. Especially important in the regulation of insect physiology are peptides, like neuropeptides, peptide hormones or antimicrobial peptides. There are two main aspects where they can be helpful, 1) Peptides isolated from insects may become potential drugs in therapy of different diseases, 2) A lot of insect peptide hormones show structural or functional homology to mammalian peptide hormones and the comparative studies may give a new look on human disorders. In our review we focused on three group of insect derived peptides: 1) immune-active peptides, 2) peptide hormones and 3) peptides present in venoms. In our review we try to show the considerable potential of insect peptides in searching for new solutions for mammalian diseases treatment. We summarise the knowledge about properties of insect peptides against different virulent agents, anti-inflammatory or anti-nociceptive properties as well as compare insect and mammalian/vertebrate peptide endocrine system to indicate usefulness of knowledge about insect peptide hormones in drug design. The field of possible using of insect delivered peptide to therapy of various human diseases is still not sufficiently explored. Undoubtedly, more attention should be paid to insects due to searching new drugs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  7. Identification of a peptide inhibitor for the histone methyltransferase WHSC1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J Morrison

    Full Text Available WHSC1 is a histone methyltransferase that is responsible for mono- and dimethylation of lysine 36 on histone H3 and has been implicated as a driver in a variety of hematological and solid tumors. Currently, there is a complete lack of validated chemical matter for this important drug discovery target. Herein we report on the first fully validated WHSC1 inhibitor, PTD2, a norleucine-containing peptide derived from the histone H4 sequence. This peptide exhibits micromolar affinity towards WHSC1 in biochemical and biophysical assays. Furthermore, a crystal structure was solved with the peptide in complex with SAM and the SET domain of WHSC1L1. This inhibitor is an important first step in creating potent, selective WHSC1 tool compounds for the purposes of understanding the complex biology in relation to human disease.

  8. Identification and screening of potent antimicrobial peptides in arthropod genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duwadi, Deepesh; Shrestha, Anishma; Yilma, Binyam; Kozlovski, Itamar; Sa-Eed, Munaya; Dahal, Nikesh; Jukosky, James

    2018-05-01

    Using tBLASTn and BLASTp searches, we queried recently sequenced arthropod genomes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) using a database of known arthropod cecropins, defensins, and attacins. We identified and synthesized 6 potential AMPs and screened them for antimicrobial activity. Using radial diffusion assays and microtiter antimicrobial assays, we assessed the in vitro antimicrobial effects of these peptides against several human pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. We also conducted hemolysis assays to examine the cytotoxicity of these peptides to mammalian cells. Four of the six peptides identified showed antimicrobial effects in these assays. We also created truncated versions of these four peptides to assay their antimicrobial activity. Two cecropins derived from the monarch butterfly genome (Danaus plexippus), DAN1 and DAN2, showed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the range of 2-16 μg/ml when screened against Gram-negative bacteria. HOLO1 and LOUDEF1, two defensin-like peptides derived from red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and human body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus), respectively, exhibited MICs in the range of 13-25 μg/ml against Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, HOLO1 showed an MIC less than 5 μg/ml against the fungal species Candida albicans. These peptides exhibited no hemolytic activity at concentrations up to 200 μg/ml. The truncated peptides derived from DAN2 and HOLO1 showed very little antimicrobial activity. Our experiments show that the peptides DAN1, DAN2, HOLO1, and LOUDEF1 showed potent antimicrobial activity in vitro against common human pathogens, did not lyse mammalian red blood cells, and indicates their potential as templates for novel therapeutic agents against microbial infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Activity of a melimine derived peptide Mel4 against Stenotrophomonas, Delftia, Elizabethkingia, Burkholderia and biocompatibility as a contact lens coating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Debarun; Zhao, Timothy; Cheah, Kai Bing; Holmlund, Larke; Willcox, Mark D P

    2017-06-01

    To determine the antimicrobial activity of the melimine derived peptide Mel4 against Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Elizabethkingia, Burkholderia and to investigate biocompatibility of Mel4 as an antimicrobial coating on contact lenses in animals and humans. In vitro antimicrobial activity of Mel4 was determined against the four Gram negative bacteria by investigating growth curves for 24h followed by viable counts to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Contact lenses were coated by covalently binding Mel4, characterized by amino acid analysis, and were investigated for changes in lens parameters. Safety of Mel-4 coated lenses were determined in a rabbit model of daily contralateral wear. A prospective, randomised, double-masked, contralateral, 1week daily wear human clinical trial was used to evaluate subjective responses and ocular physiology. Mel4 was active against all the bacteria tested (MIC 50 ranged from 31-1000μgml -1 ) and produced an antimicrobial surface on contact lenses. Mel4-coating resulted hydrophilic surface without any significant change in contact lens parameters, and showed no signs of cytotoxicity or ocular irritation during rabbit wear. During human clinical trial, there were no differences between Mel4 coated and uncoated contact lenses in lens performance indicators and ocular signs such as corneal fluorescein staining. Mel4 and control uncoated lenses had no differences in ocular symptoms during lens wear. Mel4 has achieved antimicrobial activity against variety of Gram negative bacteria that are often resistant to the action of cationic peptides and have been implicated in contact lens related adverse events. Mel4-coated contact lenses were safe to wear. Copyright © 2017 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Electrochemistry of a ferrocene-grafted cell-penetrating peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Messina, Pierluca; Hallais, Géraldine; Labbé, Eric; Béranger, Marie; Chassaing, Gérard; Lavielle, Solange; Mansuy, Christelle; Buriez, Olivier

    2012-01-01

    A cationic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) labeled with both a ferrocenyl (Fc) moiety and a biotin (B) was successfully synthesized and investigated by electrochemistry. This original CPP derivative noted as Fc-CPP-B could be electrochemically detected, at a micromolar concentration, at a naked gold bead electrode. The presence of a biotin tag in the Fc-CPP-B complex allowed its complexation with avidin, which was itself tethered to a thiolated self-assembled monolayer. Such an avidin-modified gold surface, characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), allowed the immobilization of Fc-CPP-B onto the electrode surface, which greatly enhanced its electrochemical detection. Nevertheless, under these conditions the electrogenerated ferrocenium cation could not be reduced during the backward scan, indicating its unexpected reactivity when tethered within the avidin environment. In terms of detection and redox probe regeneration the best results were obtained at a glassy carbon electrode modified with a cation-exchange polymer. Ion-exchange voltammetry, performed under these conditions, allowed the pre-concentration of the peptide at the electrode surface thanks to the net positive charge of the CPP derivative. Interestingly, the anionic character of the polymer contributed to retain the electrogenerated cation Fc + in the film so that it could be reduced back to its original neutral form during the reverse voltammetric scans.

  11. Pharmacological screening technologies for venom peptide discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prashanth, Jutty Rajan; Hasaballah, Nojod; Vetter, Irina

    2017-12-01

    Venomous animals occupy one of the most successful evolutionary niches and occur on nearly every continent. They deliver venoms via biting and stinging apparatuses with the aim to rapidly incapacitate prey and deter predators. This has led to the evolution of venom components that act at a number of biological targets - including ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors, transporters and enzymes - with exquisite selectivity and potency, making venom-derived components attractive pharmacological tool compounds and drug leads. In recent years, plate-based pharmacological screening approaches have been introduced to accelerate venom-derived drug discovery. A range of assays are amenable to this purpose, including high-throughput electrophysiology, fluorescence-based functional and binding assays. However, despite these technological advances, the traditional activity-guided fractionation approach is time-consuming and resource-intensive. The combination of screening techniques suitable for miniaturization with sequence-based discovery approaches - supported by advanced proteomics, mass spectrometry, chromatography as well as synthesis and expression techniques - promises to further improve venom peptide discovery. Here, we discuss practical aspects of establishing a pipeline for venom peptide drug discovery with a particular emphasis on pharmacology and pharmacological screening approaches. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Venom-derived Peptides as Pharmacological Tools.' Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Quinacrine reactivity with prion proteins and prion-derived peptides

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Zawada, Zbigniew; Šafařík, Martin; Dvořáková, E.; Janoušková, O.; Březinová, Anna; Stibor, Ivan; Holada, K.; Bouř, Petr; Hlaváček, Jan; Šebestík, Jaroslav

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 44, č. 5 (2013), s. 1279-1292 ISSN 0939-4451 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/07/1517 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : quinacrine * prion protein and peptide model reactions * solid phase and recombinant synthesis Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.653, year: 2013

  13. Biodegradable copolymers carrying cell-adhesion peptide sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proks, Vladimír; Machová, Lud'ka; Popelka, Stepán; Rypácek, Frantisek

    2003-01-01

    Amphiphilic block copolymers are used to create bioactive surfaces on biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering. Cell-selective biomaterials can be prepared using copolymers containing peptide sequences derived from extracellular-matrix proteins (ECM). Here we discuss alternative ways for preparation of amphiphilic block copolymers composed of hydrophobic polylactide (PLA) and hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks with cell-adhesion peptide sequences. Copolymers PLA-b-PEO were prepared by a living polymerisation of lactide in dioxane with tin(II)2-ethylhexanoate as a catalyst. The following approaches for incorporation of peptides into copolymers were elaborated. (a) First, a side-chain protected Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Gly (GRGDSG) peptide was prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and then coupled with delta-hydroxy-Z-amino-PEO in solution. In the second step, the PLA block was grafted to it via a controlled polymerisation of lactide initiated by the hydroxy end-groups of PEO in the side-chain-protected GRGDSG-PEO. Deprotection of the peptide yielded a GRGDSG-b-PEO-b-PLA copolymer, with the peptide attached through its C-end. (b) A protected GRGDSG peptide was built up on a polymer resin and coupled with Z-carboxy-PEO using a solid-phase approach. After cleavage of the delta-hydroxy-PEO-GRGDSG copolymer from the resin, polymerisation of lactide followed by deprotection of the peptide yielded a PLA-b-PEO-b-GRGDSG block copolymer, in which the peptide is linked through its N-terminus.

  14. Immunization with a Neural-Derived Peptide Protects the Spinal Cord from Apoptosis after Traumatic Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roxana Rodríguez-Barrera

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Apoptosis is one of the most destructive mechanisms that develop after spinal cord (SC injury. Immunization with neural-derived peptides (INDPs such as A91 has shown to reduce the deleterious proinflammatory response and the amount of harmful compounds produced after SC injury. With the notion that the aforementioned elements are apoptotic inducers, we hypothesized that INDPs would reduce apoptosis after SC injury. In order to test this assumption, adult rats were subjected to SC contusion and immunized either with A91 or phosphate buffered saline (PBS; control group. Seven days after injury, animals were euthanized to evaluate the number of apoptotic cells at the injury site. Apoptosis was evaluated using DAPI and TUNEL techniques; caspase-3 activity was also evaluated. To further elucidate the mechanisms through which A91 exerts this antiapoptotic effects we quantified tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α. To also demonstrate that the decrease in apoptotic cells correlated with a functional improvement, locomotor recovery was evaluated. Immunization with A91 significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and decreased caspase-3 activity and TNF-α concentration. Immunization with A91 also improved the functional recovery of injured rats. The present study shows the beneficial effect of INDPs on preventing apoptosis and provides more evidence on the neuroprotective mechanisms exerted by this strategy.

  15. Recognition of Core- and Polymerase-derived immunogenic peptides included in novel therapeutic vaccine by T cells from Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, D; Sansas, B; Jiang, J H; Gong, Q M; Jin, G D; Calais, V; Yu, D M; Zhu, M Y; Wei, D; Zhang, D H; Inchauspé, G; Zhang, X X; Zhu, R

    2017-11-01

    Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is one of the major public health challenges in the world. Due to a strong interplay between specific T-cell immunity and elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV), efforts to develop novel immunotherapeutics are gaining attention. TG1050, a novel immunotherapy, has shown efficacy in an animal study. To support the clinical development of TG1050 in China, specific immunity to the fusion antigens of TG1050 was assessed in Chinese patients. One hundred and thirty subjects were divided into three groups as CHB patients, HBV spontaneous resolvers, and CHB patients with HBsAg loss after antiviral treatment. HBV-specific T-cell responses to pools of HBV Core or Polymerase genotype D peptides included in TG1050 were evaluated. HBV Core- or Polymerase-specific cells were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the different cohorts. The frequencies and intensities of HBV Core-specific immune responses were significantly lower in CHB patients than in HBsAg loss subjects. In CHB patients, a dominant pool derived from Polymerase (Pol1) was the most immunogenic. CHB patients with low viral loads (Core peptide pool. Overall, genotype D-derived peptides included in TG1050 could raise broad and functional T-cell responses in PBMCs from Chinese CHB patients infected with genotype B/C isolates. Core-specific immunogenic domains appeared as "hot spots" with the capacity to differentiate between CHB vs HBsAg loss subjects. These observations support the extended application and associated immune monitoring of TG1050 in China. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Viral Hepatitis Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. A cyclized peptide derived from alpha fetoprotein inhibits the proliferation of ER-positive canine mammary cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Cristian Gabriel; Pino, Ana María; Sierralta, Walter Daniel

    2009-06-01

    The effects of estradiol (E2) and of an AFP-derived cyclized peptide (cP) on the proliferation of primary cultures of cancer cells isolated from spontaneous canine mammary tumors were studied. The cellular response to E2 and cP was related to the expression of estradiol receptor (isoforms alpha and beta). In ER-positive cells, 2 nM estradiol increased cell proliferation and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2; 2 microg/ml cP inhibited all these effects. Estradiol also increased HER2 immunoreactivity in ER-positive cells, an effect that was reverted to its basal values by cP. Estradiol stimulated in these cells the release of MMP2 and MMP9 and the shedding of HB-EGF, effects that the cP did not affect. ER-negative cells were refractory to estradiol or cP. All canine mammary tumor cells in culture responded to treatments analogously to human mammary cancer cells. Our results support the proposal of cP as a new, potentially effective therapeutic agent for the management of mammary cancer.

  17. Peptides Derived from Type IV Collagen, CXC Chemokines, and Thrombospondin-1 Domain-Containing Proteins Inhibit Neovascularization and Suppress Tumor Growth in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Xenografts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob E. Koskimaki

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis or neovascularization, the process of new blood vessel formation from preexisting microvasculature, involves interactions among several cell types including parenchymal, endothelial cells, and immune cells. The formation of new vessels is tightly regulated by a balance between endogenous proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors to maintain homeostasis in tissue; tumor progression and metastasis in breast cancer have been shown to be angiogenesis-dependent. We previously introduced a systematic methodology to identify putative endogenous antiangiogenic peptides and validated these predictions in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation and migration assays. These peptides are derived from several protein families including type IV collagen, CXC chemokines, and thrombospondin-1 domain-containing proteins. On the basis of the results from the in vitro screening, we have evaluated the ability of one peptide selected from each family named pentastatin-1, chemokinostatin-1, and properdistatin, respectively, to suppress angiogenesis in an MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer orthotopic xenograft model in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Peptides were administered intraperitoneally once per day. We have demonstrated significant suppression of tumor growth in vivo and subsequent reductions in microvascular density, indicating the potential of these peptides as therapeutic agents for breast cancer.

  18. Structural Features Governing the Activity of Lactoferricin-Derived Peptides That Act in Synergy with Antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa In Vitro and In Vivo▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Gómez, Susana; Japelj, Bostjan; Jerala, Roman; Moriyón, Ignacio; Fernández Alonso, Mirian; Leiva, José; Blondelle, Sylvie E.; Andrä, Jörg; Brandenburg, Klaus; Lohner, Karl; Martínez de Tejada, Guillermo

    2011-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is naturally resistant to many antibiotics, and infections caused by this organism are a serious threat, especially to hospitalized patients. The intrinsic low permeability of P. aeruginosa to antibiotics results from the coordinated action of several mechanisms, such as the presence of restrictive porins and the expression of multidrug efflux pump systems. Our goal was to develop antimicrobial peptides with an improved bacterial membrane-permeabilizing ability, so that they enhance the antibacterial activity of antibiotics. We carried out a structure activity relationship analysis to investigate the parameters that govern the permeabilizing activity of short (8- to 12-amino-acid) lactoferricin-derived peptides. We used a new class of constitutional and sequence-dependent descriptors called PEDES (peptide descriptors from sequence) that allowed us to predict (Spearman's ρ = 0.74; P < 0.001) the permeabilizing activity of a new peptide generation. To study if peptide-mediated permeabilization could neutralize antibiotic resistance mechanisms, the most potent peptides were combined with antibiotics, and the antimicrobial activities of the combinations were determined on P. aeruginosa strains whose mechanisms of resistance to those antibiotics had been previously characterized. A subinhibitory concentration of compound P2-15 or P2-27 sensitized P. aeruginosa to most classes of antibiotics tested and counteracted several mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, including loss of the OprD porin and overexpression of several multidrug efflux pump systems. Using a mouse model of lethal infection, we demonstrated that whereas P2-15 and erythromycin were unable to protect mice when administered separately, concomitant administration of the compounds afforded long-lasting protection to one-third of the animals. PMID:20956602

  19. Taylor Dispersion Analysis as a promising tool for assessment of peptide-peptide interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Høgstedt, Ulrich B; Schwach, Grégoire; van de Weert, Marco; Østergaard, Jesper

    2016-10-10

    Protein-protein and peptide-peptide (self-)interactions are of key importance in understanding the physiochemical behavior of proteins and peptides in solution. However, due to the small size of peptide molecules, characterization of these interactions is more challenging than for proteins. In this work, we show that protein-protein and peptide-peptide interactions can advantageously be investigated by measurement of the diffusion coefficient using Taylor Dispersion Analysis. Through comparison to Dynamic Light Scattering it was shown that Taylor Dispersion Analysis is well suited for the characterization of protein-protein interactions of solutions of α-lactalbumin and human serum albumin. The peptide-peptide interactions of three selected peptides were then investigated in a concentration range spanning from 0.5mg/ml up to 80mg/ml using Taylor Dispersion Analysis. The peptide-peptide interactions determination indicated that multibody interactions significantly affect the PPIs at concentration levels above 25mg/ml for the two charged peptides. Relative viscosity measurements, performed using the capillary based setup applied for Taylor Dispersion Analysis, showed that the viscosity of the peptide solutions increased with concentration. Our results indicate that a viscosity difference between run buffer and sample in Taylor Dispersion Analysis may result in overestimation of the measured diffusion coefficient. Thus, Taylor Dispersion Analysis provides a practical, but as yet primarily qualitative, approach to assessment of the colloidal stability of both peptide and protein formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Mixed Fibronectin-Derived Peptides Conjugated to a Chitosan Matrix Effectively Promotes Biological Activities through Integrins, α4β1, α5β1, αvβ3, and Syndecan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hozumi Kentaro

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Mimicking the biological function of the extracellular matrix is an approach to developing cell adhesive biomaterials. The RGD peptide, derived from fibronectin (Fn, mainly binds to integrin αvβ3 and has been widely used as a cell adhesive peptide on various biomaterials. However, cell adhesion to Fn is thought to be mediated by several integrin subtypes and syndecans. In this study, we synthesized an RGD-containing peptide (FIB1 and four integrin α4β1-binding-related motif-containing peptides (LDV, IDAPS, KLDAPT, and PRARI and constructed peptide-chitosan matrices. The FIB1-chitosan matrix promoted human dermal fibroblast (HDF attachment, and the C-terminal elongated PRARI (ePRARI-C-conjugated chitosan matrix significantly promoted HDF attachment through integrin α4β1 and syndecan binding. Next, we constructed a mixed ePRARI-C- and FIB1-chitosan matrix to develop a Fn mimetic biomaterial. The mixed ePRARI-C/FIB1-chitosan matrix promoted significantly better cell attachment and neurite outgrowth compared to those of either ePRARI-C- or FIB1-chitosan matrices. HDF adhesion to the ePRARI-C/FIB1-chitosan matrix was mediated by integrin, α4β1, α5β1, and αvβ3, similar to HDF adhesion to Fn. These data suggest that an ePRARI-C/FIB1-chitosan matrix can be used as a tool to analyze the multiple functions of Fn and can serve as a Fn-mimetic biomaterial.

  1. Optimization of antibacterial peptides by genetic algorithms and cheminformatics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fjell, Christopher D.; Jenssen, Håvard; Cheung, Warren A.

    2011-01-01

    Pathogens resistant to available drug therapies are a pressing global health problem. Short, cationic peptides represent a novel class of agents that have lower rates of drug resistance than derivatives of current antibiotics. Previously, we created a software system utilizing artificial neural...... 47 of the top rated 50 peptides chosen from an in silico library of nearly 100 000 sequences. Here, we report a method of generating candidate peptide sequences using the heuristic evolutionary programming method of genetic algorithms (GA), which provided a large (19-fold) improvement...

  2. P5 HER2/neu-derived peptide conjugated to liposomes containing MPL adjuvant as an effective prophylactic vaccine formulation for breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shariat, Sheida; Badiee, Ali; Jalali, Seyed Amir; Mansourian, Mercedeh; Yazdani, Mona; Mortazavi, Seyed Alireza; Jaafari, Mahmoud Reza

    2014-12-01

    Vaccines containing synthetic peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAA) can elicit potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response if they are formulated in an optimal vaccine delivery system. The aim of this study was to develop a simple and effective lipid-based vaccine delivery system using P5 HER2/neu-derived peptide conjugated to Maleimide-PEG2000-DSPE. The conjugated lipid was then incorporated into liposomes composed of DMPC:DMPG:Chol:DOPE containing Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) (Lip-DOPE-P5-MPL). Different liposome formulations were prepared and characterized for their physicochemical properties. To evaluate anti-tumoral efficacy, BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously 3 times in two-week intervals and the generated immune response was studied. The results demonstrated that Lip-DOPE-P5-MPL induced a significantly higher IFN-γ production by CD8+ T cells intracellularly which represents higher CTL response in comparison with other control formulations. CTL response induced by this formulation caused the lowest tumor size and the longest survival time in a mice model of TUBO tumor. The encouraging results achieved by Lip-DOPE-P5-MPL formulation could make it a promising candidate in developing effective vaccines against Her2 positive breast cancers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Why bacteria derived R-M nucleic enzymatic peptides are likely ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-06-17

    Jun 17, 2008 ... (3) Human genome contains several palindromes recognizable by R-M peptides, making ..... mutation and likely has affected genome evolution. .... Microbicide to prevent sexual transmission of HIV among high risk.

  4. Gastrointestinal Endogenous Proteins as a Source of Bioactive Peptides - An In Silico Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Lakshmi A.; Montoya, Carlos A.; Rutherfurd, Shane M.; Moughan, Paul J.

    2014-01-01

    Dietary proteins are known to contain bioactive peptides that are released during digestion. Endogenous proteins secreted into the gastrointestinal tract represent a quantitatively greater supply of protein to the gut lumen than those of dietary origin. Many of these endogenous proteins are digested in the gastrointestinal tract but the possibility that these are also a source of bioactive peptides has not been considered. An in silico prediction method was used to test if bioactive peptides could be derived from the gastrointestinal digestion of gut endogenous proteins. Twenty six gut endogenous proteins and seven dietary proteins were evaluated. The peptides present after gastric and intestinal digestion were predicted based on the amino acid sequence of the proteins and the known specificities of the major gastrointestinal proteases. The predicted resultant peptides possessing amino acid sequences identical to those of known bioactive peptides were identified. After gastrointestinal digestion (based on the in silico simulation), the total number of bioactive peptides predicted to be released ranged from 1 (gliadin) to 55 (myosin) for the selected dietary proteins and from 1 (secretin) to 39 (mucin-5AC) for the selected gut endogenous proteins. Within the intact proteins and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide sequences were the most frequently observed in both the dietary and endogenous proteins. Among the dietary proteins, after in silico simulated gastrointestinal digestion, myosin was found to have the highest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (49 peptides), while for the gut endogenous proteins, mucin-5AC had the greatest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (38 peptides). Gut endogenous proteins may be an important source of bioactive peptides in the gut particularly since gut endogenous proteins represent a quantitatively large and consistent source of protein. PMID:24901416

  5. Gastrointestinal endogenous proteins as a source of bioactive peptides--an in silico study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Lakshmi A; Montoya, Carlos A; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Moughan, Paul J

    2014-01-01

    Dietary proteins are known to contain bioactive peptides that are released during digestion. Endogenous proteins secreted into the gastrointestinal tract represent a quantitatively greater supply of protein to the gut lumen than those of dietary origin. Many of these endogenous proteins are digested in the gastrointestinal tract but the possibility that these are also a source of bioactive peptides has not been considered. An in silico prediction method was used to test if bioactive peptides could be derived from the gastrointestinal digestion of gut endogenous proteins. Twenty six gut endogenous proteins and seven dietary proteins were evaluated. The peptides present after gastric and intestinal digestion were predicted based on the amino acid sequence of the proteins and the known specificities of the major gastrointestinal proteases. The predicted resultant peptides possessing amino acid sequences identical to those of known bioactive peptides were identified. After gastrointestinal digestion (based on the in silico simulation), the total number of bioactive peptides predicted to be released ranged from 1 (gliadin) to 55 (myosin) for the selected dietary proteins and from 1 (secretin) to 39 (mucin-5AC) for the selected gut endogenous proteins. Within the intact proteins and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide sequences were the most frequently observed in both the dietary and endogenous proteins. Among the dietary proteins, after in silico simulated gastrointestinal digestion, myosin was found to have the highest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (49 peptides), while for the gut endogenous proteins, mucin-5AC had the greatest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (38 peptides). Gut endogenous proteins may be an important source of bioactive peptides in the gut particularly since gut endogenous proteins represent a quantitatively large and consistent source of protein.

  6. Lipopolysaccharide interactions of C-terminal peptides from human thrombin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Shalini; Kalle, Martina; Papareddy, Praveen; Schmidtchen, Artur; Malmsten, Martin

    2013-05-13

    Interactions with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), both in aqueous solution and in lipid membranes, were investigated for a series of amphiphilic peptides derived from the C-terminal region of human thrombin, using ellipsometry, dual polarization interferometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering, and z-potential measurements. The ability of these peptides to block endotoxic effects caused by LPS, monitored through NO production in macrophages, was compared to peptide binding to LPS and its endotoxic component lipid A, and to size, charge, and secondary structure of peptide/LPS complexes. While the antiendotoxic peptide GKY25 (GKYGFYTHVFRLKKWIQKVIDQFGE) displayed significant binding to both LPS and lipid A, so did two control peptides with either selected D-amino acid substitutions or with maintained composition but scrambled sequence, both displaying strongly attenuated antiendotoxic effects. Hence, the extent of LPS or lipid A binding is not the sole discriminant for the antiendotoxic effect of these peptides. In contrast, helix formation in peptide/LPS complexes correlates to the antiendotoxic effect of these peptides and is potentially linked to this functionality. Preferential binding to LPS over lipid membrane was furthermore demonstrated for these peptides and preferential binding to the lipid A moiety within LPS inferred.

  7. Radiopharmaceutical development of radiolabelled peptides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fani, Melpomeni; Maecke, Helmut R. [University Hospital Freiburg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Freiburg (Germany)

    2012-02-15

    Receptor targeting with radiolabelled peptides has become very important in nuclear medicine and oncology in the past few years. The overexpression of many peptide receptors in numerous cancers, compared to their relatively low density in physiological organs, represents the molecular basis for in vivo imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy with radiolabelled peptide-based probes. The prototypes are analogs of somatostatin which are routinely used in the clinic. More recent developments include somatostatin analogs with a broader receptor subtype profile or with antagonistic properties. Many other peptide families such as bombesin, cholecystokinin/gastrin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/exendin, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) etc. have been explored during the last few years and quite a number of potential radiolabelled probes have been derived from them. On the other hand, a variety of strategies and optimized protocols for efficient labelling of peptides with clinically relevant radionuclides such as {sup 99m}Tc, M{sup 3+} radiometals ({sup 111}In, {sup 86/90}Y, {sup 177}Lu, {sup 67/68}Ga), {sup 64/67}Cu, {sup 18}F or radioisotopes of iodine have been developed. The labelling approaches include direct labelling, the use of bifunctional chelators or prosthetic groups. The choice of the labelling approach is driven by the nature and the chemical properties of the radionuclide. Additionally, chemical strategies, including modification of the amino acid sequence and introduction of linkers/spacers with different characteristics, have been explored for the improvement of the overall performance of the radiopeptides, e.g. metabolic stability and pharmacokinetics. Herein, we discuss the development of peptides as radiopharmaceuticals starting from the choice of the labelling method and the conditions to the design and optimization of the peptide probe, as well as some recent developments, focusing on a selected list of peptide families, including somatostatin

  8. Anti-Mycobacterial Peptides: From Human to Phage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tieshan Teng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the major pathogen of tuberculosis (TB. With the growing problem of M. tuberculosis resistant to conventional antibiotics, especially multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB and extensively-drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB, the need for new TB drugs is now more prominent than ever. Among the promising candidates for anti-TB drugs, anti-mycobacterial peptides have a few advantages, such as low immunogenicity, selective affinity to prokaryotic negatively charged cell envelopes, and diverse modes of action. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the anti-mycobacterial peptides, highlighting the sources, effectiveness and bactericidal mechanisms of these antimicrobial peptides. Most of the current anti-mycobacterial peptides are derived either from host immune cells, bacterial extraction, or mycobacteriophages. Besides trans-membrane pore formation, which is considered to be the common bactericidal mechanism, many of the anti-mycobacterial peptides have the second non-membrane targets within mycobacteria. Additionally, some antimicrobial peptides play critical roles in innate immunity. However, a few obstacles, such as short half-life in vivo and resistance to antimicrobial peptides, need overcoming before clinical applications. Nevertheless, the multiple functions of anti-mycobacterial peptides, especially direct killing of pathogens and immune-modulators in infectious and inflammatory conditions, indicate that they are promising candidates for future drug development.

  9. Expression and characterization of preproVIP derived peptides in the human male urogenital tract

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottesen, B; Bredkjaer, H E; Ekblad, E

    1995-01-01

    Expression of the gene sequence encoding vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) leads to the synthesis of a 170 amino acid precursor molecule which can be processed to five fragments: preproVIP 22-79, peptide histidine methionine (PHM), or peptide histidine valine (PHV), preproVIP 111-122, VIP...

  10. Transthyretin protects against A-beta peptide toxicity by proteolytic cleavage of the peptide: a mechanism sensitive to the Kunitz protease inhibitor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Costa

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the deposition of amyloid beta-peptide (A-Beta in the brain. Transthyretin (TTR is a tetrameric protein of about 55 kDa mainly produced in the liver and choroid plexus of the brain. The known physiological functions of TTR are the transport of thyroid hormone T(4 and retinol, through binding to the retinol binding protein. TTR has also been established as a cryptic protease able to cleave ApoA-I in vitro. It has been described that TTR is involved in preventing A-Beta fibrilization, both by inhibiting and disrupting A-Beta fibrils, with consequent abrogation of toxicity. We further characterized the nature of the TTR/A-Beta interaction and found that TTR, both recombinant or isolated from human sera, was able to proteolytically process A-Beta, cleaving the peptide after aminoacid residues 1, 2, 3, 10, 13, 14,16, 19 and 27, as determined by mass spectrometry, and reversed phase chromatography followed by N-terminal sequencing. A-Beta peptides (1-14 and (15-42 showed lower amyloidogenic potential than the full length counterpart, as assessed by thioflavin binding assay and ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy. A-Beta cleavage by TTR was inhibited in the presence of an alphaAPP peptide containing the Kunitz Protease Inhibitor (KPI domain but not in the presence of the secreted alphaAPP derived from the APP isoform 695 without the KPI domain. TTR was also able to degrade aggregated forms of A-Beta peptide. Our results confirmed TTR as a protective molecule in AD, and prompted A-Beta proteolysis by TTR as a protective mechanism in this disease. TTR may prove to be a useful therapeutic agent for preventing or retarding the cerebral amyloid plaque formation implicated in AD pathology.

  11. Dinosaur peptides suggest mechanisms of protein survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    San Antonio, James D; Schweitzer, Mary H; Jensen, Shane T; Kalluri, Raghu; Buckley, Michael; Orgel, Joseph P R O

    2011-01-01

    Eleven collagen peptide sequences recovered from chemical extracts of dinosaur bones were mapped onto molecular models of the vertebrate collagen fibril derived from extant taxa. The dinosaur peptides localized to fibril regions protected by the close packing of collagen molecules, and contained few acidic amino acids. Four peptides mapped to collagen regions crucial for cell-collagen interactions and tissue development. Dinosaur peptides were not represented in more exposed parts of the collagen fibril or regions mediating intermolecular cross-linking. Thus functionally significant regions of collagen fibrils that are physically shielded within the fibril may be preferentially preserved in fossils. These results show empirically that structure-function relationships at the molecular level could contribute to selective preservation in fossilized vertebrate remains across geological time, suggest a 'preservation motif', and bolster current concepts linking collagen structure to biological function. This non-random distribution supports the hypothesis that the peptides are produced by the extinct organisms and suggests a chemical mechanism for survival.

  12. Dinosaur Peptides Suggest Mechanisms of Protein Survival

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    San Antonio, James D.; Schweitzer, Mary H.; Jensen, Shane T.; Kalluri, Raghu; Buckley, Michael; Orgel, Joseph P.R.O. (Harvard-Med); (IIT); (NCSU); (UPENN); (Manchester); (Orthovita)

    2011-09-16

    Eleven collagen peptide sequences recovered from chemical extracts of dinosaur bones were mapped onto molecular models of the vertebrate collagen fibril derived from extant taxa. The dinosaur peptides localized to fibril regions protected by the close packing of collagen molecules, and contained few acidic amino acids. Four peptides mapped to collagen regions crucial for cell-collagen interactions and tissue development. Dinosaur peptides were not represented in more exposed parts of the collagen fibril or regions mediating intermolecular cross-linking. Thus functionally significant regions of collagen fibrils that are physically shielded within the fibril may be preferentially preserved in fossils. These results show empirically that structure-function relationships at the molecular level could contribute to selective preservation in fossilized vertebrate remains across geological time, suggest a 'preservation motif', and bolster current concepts linking collagen structure to biological function. This non-random distribution supports the hypothesis that the peptides are produced by the extinct organisms and suggests a chemical mechanism for survival.

  13. The Neurofilament-Derived Peptide NFL-TBS.40-63 Targets Neural Stem Cells and Affects Their Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lépinoux-Chambaud, Claire; Barreau, Kristell; Eyer, Joël

    2016-07-01

    Targeting neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult brain represents a promising approach for developing new regenerative strategies, because these cells can proliferate, self-renew, and differentiate into new neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Previous work showed that the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide, corresponding to the sequence of a tubulin-binding site on neurofilaments, can target glioblastoma cells, where it disrupts their microtubules and inhibits their proliferation. We show that this peptide targets NSCs in vitro and in vivo when injected into the cerebrospinal fluid. Although neurosphere formation was not altered by the peptide, the NSC self-renewal capacity and proliferation were reduced and were associated with increased adhesion and differentiation. These results indicate that the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide represents a new molecular tool to target NSCs to develop new strategies for regenerative medicine and the treatment of brain tumors. In the present study, the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide targeted neural stem cells in vitro when isolated from the subventricular zone and in vivo when injected into the cerebrospinal fluid present in the lateral ventricle. The in vitro formation of neurospheres was not altered by the peptide; however, at a high concentration of the peptide, the neural stem cell (NSC) self-renewal capacity and proliferation were reduced and associated with increased adhesion and differentiation. These results indicate that the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide represents a new molecular tool to target NSCs to develop new strategies for regenerative medicine and the treatment of brain tumors. ©AlphaMed Press.

  14. Characterization of Protein and Peptide Binding to Nanogels Formed by Differently Charged Chitosan Derivatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasia Zubareva

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan (Chi is a natural biodegradable cationic polymer with remarkable potency as a vehicle for drug or vaccine delivery. Chi possesses multiple groups, which can be used both for Chi derivatization and for particle formation. The aim of this work was to produce stable nanosized range Chi gels (nanogels, NGs with different charge and to study the driving forces of complex formation between Chi NGs and proteins or peptides. Positively charged NGs of 150 nm in diameter were prepared from hexanoyl chitosan (HC by the ionotropic gelation method while negatively charged NGs of 190 nm were obtained from succinoyl Chi (SC by a Ca2+ coacervation approach. NGs were loaded with a panel of proteins or peptides with different weights and charges. We show that NGs preferentially formed complexes with oppositely charged molecules, especially peptides, as was demonstrated by gel-electrophoresis, confocal microscopy and HPLC. Complex formation was accompanied by a change in zeta-potential and decrease in size. We concluded that complex formation between Chi NGs and peptide/proteins is mediated mostly by electrostatic interactions.

  15. The Utility of Ovotransferrin and Ovotransferrin-Derived Peptides as Possible Candidates in the Clinical Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuang Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Several of the most prevalent etiological factors which contribute towards global death rates are associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs, which include a range of conditions such as angina, rheumatic heart disease, and venous thrombosis. Extensive research has been conducted into the role played by oxidative stress and inflammation in the functional transformations associated with the progression of CVDs, while the research findings from these investigations have been both fruitful and informative. In view of the adverse secondary effects that result from the clinical administration of many synthetic medications, research which explored the treatment of severe and long-lasting conditions, including CVDs, has primarily centered on the potential benefits displayed by natural agents, one of which is food protein-based bioactive peptides. Most importantly, previous research has revealed the possible benefits associated with these products’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. In light of these considerations, this paper aims to review the degree to which ovotransferrin (otrf, also referred to as conalbumin and otrf-derived peptides, including IRW, IQW, and KVREGT, are, by virtue of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics, viable treatment agents for endothelial dysfunction and the prevention of CVD.

  16. Comparative analysis of human milk and infant formula derived peptides following in vitro digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, M-Y; Broadhurst, M; Liu, C-P; Gathercole, J; Cheng, W-L; Qi, X-Y; Clerens, S; Dyer, J M; Day, L; Haigh, B

    2017-04-15

    It has long been recognised that there are differences between human milk and infant formulas which lead to differences in health and nutrition for the neonate. In this study we examine and compare the peptide profile of human milk and an exemplar infant formula. The study identifies both similarities and differences in the endogenous and postdigestion peptide profiles of human milk and infant formula. This includes differences in the protein source of these peptides but also with the region within the protein producing the dominant proteins. Clustering of similar peptides around regions of high sequence identity and known bioactivity was also observed. Together the data may explain some of the functional differences between human milk and infant formula, while identifying some aspects of conserved function between bovine and human milks which contribute to the effectiveness of modern infant formula as a substitute for human milk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Folding and activity of hybrid sequence, disulfide-stabilized peptides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pease, J.H.B.; Storrs, R.W.; Wemmer, D.E. (Univ. of California, Berkeley (USA))

    1990-08-01

    Peptides have been synthesized that have hybrid sequences, partially derived from the bee venom peptide apamin and partially from the S peptide of ribonuclease A. The hybrid peptides were demonstrated by NMR spectroscopy to fold, forming the same disulfides and basic three-dimensional structure as native apamin, containing a {beta}-turn and an {alpha}-helix. These hybrids were active in complementing S protein, reactivating nuclease activity. In addition, the hybrid peptide was effective in inducing antibodies that cross-react with the RNase, without conjugation to a carrier protein. The stability of the folded structure of this peptide suggests that it should be possible to elicit antibodies that will react not only with a specific sequence, but also with a specific secondary structure. Hybrid sequence peptides also provide opportunities to study separately nucleation and propagation steps in formation of secondary structure. The authors show that in S peptide the {alpha}-helix does not end abruptly but rather terminates gradually over four or five residues. In general, these hybrid sequence peptides, which fold predictably because of disulfide bond formation, can provide opportunities for examining structure - function relationships for many biologically active sequences.

  18. Folding and activity of hybrid sequence, disulfide-stabilized peptides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pease, J.H.B.; Storrs, R.W.; Wemmer, D.E.

    1990-01-01

    Peptides have been synthesized that have hybrid sequences, partially derived from the bee venom peptide apamin and partially from the S peptide of ribonuclease A. The hybrid peptides were demonstrated by NMR spectroscopy to fold, forming the same disulfides and basic three-dimensional structure as native apamin, containing a β-turn and an α-helix. These hybrids were active in complementing S protein, reactivating nuclease activity. In addition, the hybrid peptide was effective in inducing antibodies that cross-react with the RNase, without conjugation to a carrier protein. The stability of the folded structure of this peptide suggests that it should be possible to elicit antibodies that will react not only with a specific sequence, but also with a specific secondary structure. Hybrid sequence peptides also provide opportunities to study separately nucleation and propagation steps in formation of secondary structure. The authors show that in S peptide the α-helix does not end abruptly but rather terminates gradually over four or five residues. In general, these hybrid sequence peptides, which fold predictably because of disulfide bond formation, can provide opportunities for examining structure - function relationships for many biologically active sequences

  19. Spadin, a sortilin-derived peptide, targeting rodent TREK-1 channels: a new concept in the antidepressant drug design.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Mazella

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Current antidepressant treatments are inadequate for many individuals, and when they are effective, they require several weeks of administration before a therapeutic effect can be observed. Improving the treatment of depression is challenging. Recently, the two-pore domain potassium channel TREK-1 has been identified as a new target in depression, and its antagonists might become effective antidepressants. In mice, deletion of the TREK-1 gene results in a depression-resistant phenotype that mimics antidepressant treatments. Here, we validate in mice the antidepressant effects of spadin, a secreted peptide derived from the propeptide generated by the maturation of the neurotensin receptor 3 (NTSR3/Sortilin and acting through TREK-1 inhibition. NTSR3/Sortilin interacted with the TREK-1 channel, as shown by immunoprecipitation of TREK-1 and NTSR3/Sortilin from COS-7 cells and cortical neurons co-expressing both proteins. TREK-1 and NTSR3/Sortilin were colocalized in mouse cortical neurons. Spadin bound specifically to TREK-1 with an affinity of 10 nM. Electrophysiological studies showed that spadin efficiently blocked the TREK-1 activity in COS-7 cells, cultured hippocampal pyramidal neurons, and CA3 hippocampal neurons in brain slices. Spadin also induced in vivo an increase of the 5-HT neuron firing rate in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus. In five behavioral tests predicting an antidepressant response, spadin-treated mice showed a resistance to depression as found in TREK-1 deficient mice. More importantly, an intravenous 4-d treatment with spadin not only induced a strong antidepressant effect but also enhanced hippocampal phosphorylation of CREB protein and neurogenesis, considered to be key markers of antidepressant action after chronic treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. This work also shows the development of a reliable method for dosing the propeptide in serum of mice by using AlphaScreen technology. These findings point out

  20. Surface force measurements and simulations of mussel-derived peptide adhesives on wet organic surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Zachary A; Rapp, Michael V; Wei, Wei; Mullen, Ryan Gotchy; Wu, Chun; Zerze, Gül H; Mittal, Jeetain; Waite, J Herbert; Israelachvili, Jacob N; Shea, Joan-Emma

    2016-04-19

    Translating sticky biological molecules-such as mussel foot proteins (MFPs)-into synthetic, cost-effective underwater adhesives with adjustable nano- and macroscale characteristics requires an intimate understanding of the glue's molecular interactions. To help facilitate the next generation of aqueous adhesives, we performed a combination of surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurements and replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations on a synthetic, easy to prepare, Dopa-containing peptide (MFP-3s peptide), which adheres to organic surfaces just as effectively as its wild-type protein analog. Experiments and simulations both show significant differences in peptide adsorption on CH3-terminated (hydrophobic) and OH-terminated (hydrophilic) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), where adsorption is strongest on hydrophobic SAMs because of orientationally specific interactions with Dopa. Additional umbrella-sampling simulations yield free-energy profiles that quantitatively agree with SFA measurements and are used to extract the adhesive properties of individual amino acids within the context of MFP-3s peptide adhesion, revealing a delicate balance between van der Waals, hydrophobic, and electrostatic forces.

  1. Changes in salivary chromogranin A levels in adults with atopic dermatitis are correlated with changes in their condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Liang; Kaneko, Sakae; Morita, Eishin

    2018-05-01

    Stress-induced scratching is an issue in patients with adult atopic dermatitis (AD). Symptoms of stress-induced AD are common in clinical practise. Salivary chromogranin A (CgA) level has research value as a possible index related to a patient's psychological stress. Using saliva, which is easily collectable, we compared two assessments of the severities of AD and stress with the levels of stress proteins in the saliva of 30 patients with AD in the Department of Dermatology of Shimane University between April 2015 and May 2017. The severities of AD and stress were assessed using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score, respectively. Additionally, the assessments included those of personality using the Tokyo University Egogram (TEG)-II score and quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index score. Simultaneously, we measured their salivary CgA levels. The change in salivary CgA per protein in patients with AD was correlated with their changes in SCORAD score (correlation coefficient, r = 0.596, P = 0.001) and objective SCORAD (r = 0.608, P < 0.001). The changes in CgA per protein correlated with those in TEG-II A (r = 0.370, P = 0.022), while the changes in SCORAD score correlated with those in DLQI (r = 0.309, P = 0.048). Our results suggest that changes in a patient's condition are reflective of the changes in the patient's stress. The changes in salivary CgA level in patients with AD correlated with the changes in their condition. © 2018 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  2. Characterization of a novel alpha-amidated decapeptide derived from proopiomelanocortin-A in the trout pituitary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tollemer, H; Leprince, J; Bailhache, T; Chauveau, I; Vandesande, F; Tonon, M C; Jego, P; Vaudry, H

    1997-01-01

    Two complementary DNAs encoding distinct forms of POMC have been characterized in the trout pituitary. One of the POMC variants (POMC-A) possesses a C-terminal extension of 25 amino acids, which has no equivalent in other POMCs described to date. This C-terminal peptide contains three pairs of basic amino acids, suggesting that it may be the precursor of multiple processed peptides. In addition, the presence of a C-terminal glycine residue suggests that some of the processing products may be alpha-amidated. To characterize the molecular forms of the peptides generated from the C-terminal domain of trout POMC-A, we have developed specific antibodies against the C-terminal pentapeptide YHFQG and its alpha-amidated derivative YHFQ-NH2. Immunocytochemical labeling of pituitary sections with antibodies against YHFQ-NH2 revealed the presence of numerous immunoreactive cells in the pars intermedia and the rostral pars distalis. In contrast, the antibodies against YHFQG produced only weak immunostaining. HPLC analysis combined with RIA detection revealed that extracts of the pars intermedia and pars distalis contain several peptides derived from the C-terminal extension of trout POMC-A, with the predominant molecular form exhibiting the same retention time as ALGERKYHFQ-NH2. Tryptic digestion of this major form produced a peptide that coeluted with YHFQ-NH2. These data indicate that the processing of the C-terminal extension of trout POMC-A generates several novel peptides including the decapeptide amide ALGERKYHFQ-NH2.

  3. Unprecedented high insulin secretion in a healthy human subject after intravenous glucagon-like peptide-1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knop, Filip K; Lund, Asger; Madsbad, Sten

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The gut-derived incretin hormones, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1, are released in response to ingestion of nutrients. Both hormones are highly insulinotropic in strictly glucose-dependent fashions and glucagon-like peptide-1 is often referred...... to as one of the most insulinotropic substances known. CASE PRESENTATION: Plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations were measured in a healthy Caucasian male (age: 53 years; body mass index: 28.6 kg/m2; fasting plasma glucose: 5.7 mM; 2 h plasma glucose value following 75 g-oral glucose tolerance test: 3...

  4. De novo design and engineering of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozhüyük, Kenan A. J.; Fleischhacker, Florian; Linck, Annabell; Wesche, Frank; Tietze, Andreas; Niesert, Claus-Peter; Bode, Helge B.

    2018-03-01

    Peptides derived from non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) represent an important class of pharmaceutically relevant drugs. Methods to generate novel non-ribosomal peptides or to modify peptide natural products in an easy and predictable way are therefore of great interest. However, although the overall modular structure of NRPSs suggests the possibility of adjusting domain specificity and selectivity, only a few examples have been reported and these usually show a severe drop in production titre. Here we report a new strategy for the modification of NRPSs that uses defined exchange units (XUs) and not modules as functional units. XUs are fused at specific positions that connect the condensation and adenylation domains and respect the original specificity of the downstream module to enable the production of the desired peptides. We also present the use of internal condensation domains as an alternative to other peptide-chain-releasing domains for the production of cyclic peptides.

  5. Design, synthesis and DNA interactions of a chimera between a platinum complex and an IHF mimicking peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Harita; Damian, Mariana S; Alshiekh, Alak; Elmroth, Sofi K C; Diederichsen, Ulf

    2015-12-28

    Conjugation of metal complexes with peptide scaffolds possessing high DNA binding affinity has shown to modulate their biological activities and to enhance their interaction with DNA. In this work, a platinum complex/peptide chimera was synthesized based on a model of the Integration Host Factor (IHF), an architectural protein possessing sequence specific DNA binding and bending abilities through its interaction with a minor groove. The model peptide consists of a cyclic unit resembling the minor grove binding subdomain of IHF, a positively charged lysine dendrimer for electrostatic interactions with the DNA phosphate backbone and a flexible glycine linker tethering the two units. A norvaline derived artificial amino acid was designed to contain a dimethylethylenediamine as a bidentate platinum chelating unit, and introduced into the IHF mimicking peptides. The interaction of the chimeric peptides with various DNA sequences was studied by utilizing the following experiments: thermal melting studies, agarose gel electrophoresis for plasmid DNA unwinding experiments, and native and denaturing gel electrophoresis to visualize non-covalent and covalent peptide-DNA adducts, respectively. By incorporation of the platinum metal center within the model peptide mimicking IHF we have attempted to improve its specificity and DNA targeting ability, particularly towards those sequences containing adjacent guanine residues.

  6. Peptide specific expansion of CD8(+) T cells by recombinant plate bound MHC/peptide complexes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schmidt, Esben G W; Buus, Soren; Thorn, Mette

    2009-01-01

    to in vitro T cell stimulation was investigated. By use of an antigenic peptide derived from the cytomegalovirus (CMVp) we tested the stimulatory efficacy of recombinant plate bound MHC molecules (PB-MHC), being immobilized in culture plates. A single stimulation of non-adherent peripheral blood mononuclear...

  7. Design and synthesis of a new peptide derived from Fasciola gigantica cathepsin L1 with potential application in serodiagnosis of fascioliasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meshgi, Behnam; Jalousian, Fatemeh; Fathi, Saeid; Jahani, Zahra

    2018-06-01

    Fascioliasis is a global parasitic disease that affects domestic animals and causes considerable economic losses in the process of domestic animal breeding in endemic regions. The cause of the disease involves a liver trematode of the genus Fasciola, which secretes materials into a host's body (mainly proteins) in order to protect it from the host's immune system. These materials can be involved in the migration, growth, and nutrition of the parasite. Among the expressive proteins of Fasciola, proteases have been introduced as the appropriate targets for diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination against parasites. Cathepsin L (CL) is a member of cysteine proteases; it is widely expressed in the Fasciola species. The aim of this study was to evaluate two synthetic peptides from F. gigantica CL1 for improving serological diagnosis of the Fasciola infection. Therefore, the potential diagnostic value of the surface epitopes of CL1 was assessed using ELISA. In the current study, bioinformatics tools were applied to select two appropriate epitopes of Fasciola Cathepsin L1 as synthetic antigens. Their diagnostic values were evaluated by two methods of indirect ELISA and dot blot analysis. The findings revealed that the first peptide at a dilution ratio of 1:400 and the second peptide at a dilution ratio of 1:100 had the best results and the best concentration of antigens was introduced at 4 μg/ml. Moreover, 191 sera samples were analyzed by both peptides by using the ELISA method, including fascioliasis sera, other parasitic sera and negative sera. The sensitivity of the peptides 1-ELISA and peptide 2-ELISA for the diagnosis of the various cases was 100%. The specificity of the first peptide was 87.3% and its efficacy was determined to be 93.65%. The specificity and the efficacy of the second peptide were 79% and 89.5%, respectively. The positive predictive values of the first and second peptides were obtained to be 86.27% and 79.27% respectively, and the negative

  8. A tetrameric peptide derived from bovine lactoferricin as a potential therapeutic tool for oral squamous cell carcinoma: A preclinical model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solarte, Víctor Alfonso; Conget, Paulette; Vernot, Jean-Paul; Rosas, Jaiver Eduardo; Rivera, Zuly Jenny; García, Javier Eduardo; Arango-Rodríguez, Martha Ligia

    2017-01-01

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the fifth most common epithelial cancer in the world, and its current clinical treatment has both low efficiency and poor selectivity. Cationic amphipathic peptides have been proposed as new drugs for the treatment of different types of cancer. The main goal of the present work was to determine the potential of LfcinB(20-25)4, a tetrameric peptide based on the core sequence RRWQWR of bovine lactoferricin LfcinB(20-25), for the treatment of OSCC. In brief, OSCC was induced in the buccal pouch of hamsters by applying 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, and tumors were treated with one of the following peptides: LfcinB(20-25)4, LfcinB(20-25), or vehicle (control). Lesions were macroscopically evaluated every two days and both histological and serum IgG assessments were conducted after 5 weeks. The size of the tumors treated with LfcinB(20-25)4 and LfcinB(20-25) was smaller than that of the control group (46.16±4.41 and 33.92±2.74 mm3 versus 88.77±10.61 mm3, respectively). Also, LfcinB(20-25)4 caused acellularity in the parenchymal tumor compared with LfcinB(20-25) and vehicle treatments. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that both LfcinB(20-25)4 and LfcinB(20-25) induced higher degree of apoptosis relative to the untreated tumors (75-86% vs 8%, respectively). Moreover, although the lowest inflammatory response was achieved when LfcinB(20-25)4 was used, this peptide appeared to induce higher levels of IgG antibodies relative to the vehicle and LfcinB(20-25). In addition the cellular damage and selectivity of the LfcinB(20-25)4 peptide was evaluated in vitro. These assays showed that LfcinB(20-25)4 triggers a selective necrotic effect in the carcinoma cell line. Cumulatively, these data indicate that LfcinB(20-25)4 could be considered as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of OSCC.

  9. Synergistic Efficacy of Aedes aegypti Antimicrobial Peptide Cecropin A2 and Tetracycline against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    OpenAIRE

    Zheng, Zhaojun; Tharmalingam, Nagendran; Liu, Qingzhong; Jayamani, Elamparithi; Kim, Wooseong; Fuchs, Beth Burgwyn; Zhang, Rijun; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

    2017-01-01

    The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance has created an urgent need for alternative drugs with new mechanisms of action. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates that could address the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria, either alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. We studied the antimicrobial efficacy and bactericidal mechanism of cecropin A2, a 36-residue α-helical cationic peptide derived from Aedes aegypti cecropin A, focusing on the common pat...

  10. Development of a peptide substrate for detection of Sunn pest damage in wheat flour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hançerlioğulları, Begüm Zeynep; Köksel, Hamit; Dudak, Fahriye Ceyda

    2018-05-07

    Since the common protease substrates did not give satisfactory results for the determination of Sunn pest protease activity in damaged wheat, different peptide substrates derived from the repeat sequences of high molecular weight glutenin subunits were synthesized. Hydrolysis of peptides by pest protease was determined by HPLC. Among three peptides having the same consensus motifs, peptide1 (PGQGQQGYYPTSPQQ) showed the best catalytic efficiency. A novel assay was described for monitoring the enzymatic activity of protease extracted from damaged wheat flour. The selected peptide was labeled with a fluorophore (EDANS) and quencher (Dabcyl) to display fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The proteolytic activity was measured by the change in fluorescence intensity that occurred when the protease cleaved the peptide substrate. Furthermore, the developed assay was modified for rapid and easy detection of bug damage in flour. Flour samples were suspended in water and mixed with fluorescence peptide substrate. After centrifugation, the fluorescence intensities of the supernatants were determined which is proportional with the protease content of the flour. The total analysis time for the developed assay is estimated as 15 minutes. The developed assay permits a significant decrease in time and labor, offering sensitive detection of Sunn pest damage in wheat flour. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  11. B-Type Natriuretic Peptide: From Posttranslational Processing to Clinical Measurement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goetze, Jens P

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND:Plasma cardiac natriuretic peptides and peptide fragments from their molecular precursors are markers of heart disease. Clinical studies have defined the current diagnostic utility of these markers, whereas biochemical elucidation of peptide structure and posttranslational processing has...... pathophysiology and capacity. An ongoing characterization of the molecular heterogeneity may not only help us to appreciate the biosynthetic capacity of the endocrine heart but may also lead to the discovery of new and more disease-specific targets for future molecular diagnosis.SUMMARY:Peptides derived from pro...

  12. Peptides of the constant region of antibodies display fungicidal activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Polonelli

    Full Text Available Synthetic peptides with sequences identical to fragments of the constant region of different classes (IgG, IgM, IgA of antibodies (Fc-peptides exerted a fungicidal activity in vitro against pathogenic yeasts, such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Malassezia furfur, including caspofungin and triazole resistant strains. Alanine-substituted derivatives of fungicidal Fc-peptides, tested to evaluate the critical role of each residue, displayed unaltered, increased or decreased candidacidal activity in vitro. An Fc-peptide, included in all human IgGs, displayed a therapeutic effect against experimental mucosal and systemic candidiasis in mouse models. It is intriguing to hypothesize that some Fc-peptides may influence the antifungal immune response and constitute the basis for devising new antifungal agents.

  13. Peptides of the Constant Region of Antibodies Display Fungicidal Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polonelli, Luciano; Ciociola, Tecla; Magliani, Walter; Zanello, Pier Paolo; D'Adda, Tiziana; Galati, Serena; De Bernardis, Flavia; Arancia, Silvia; Gabrielli, Elena; Pericolini, Eva; Vecchiarelli, Anna; Arruda, Denise C.; Pinto, Marcia R.; Travassos, Luiz R.; Pertinhez, Thelma A.; Spisni, Alberto; Conti, Stefania

    2012-01-01

    Synthetic peptides with sequences identical to fragments of the constant region of different classes (IgG, IgM, IgA) of antibodies (Fc-peptides) exerted a fungicidal activity in vitro against pathogenic yeasts, such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Malassezia furfur, including caspofungin and triazole resistant strains. Alanine-substituted derivatives of fungicidal Fc-peptides, tested to evaluate the critical role of each residue, displayed unaltered, increased or decreased candidacidal activity in vitro. An Fc-peptide, included in all human IgGs, displayed a therapeutic effect against experimental mucosal and systemic candidiasis in mouse models. It is intriguing to hypothesize that some Fc-peptides may influence the antifungal immune response and constitute the basis for devising new antifungal agents. PMID:22470523

  14. Cyclic peptides as potential therapeutic agents for skin disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namjoshi, Sarika; Benson, Heather A E

    2010-01-01

    There is an increasing understanding of the role of peptides in normal skin function and skin disease. With this knowledge, there is significant interest in the application of peptides as therapeutics in skin disease or as cosmeceuticals to enhance skin appearance. In particular, antimicrobial peptides and those involved in inflammatory processes provide options for the development of new therapeutic directions in chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis and dermatitis. To exploit their potential, it is essential that these peptides are delivered to their site of action in active form and in sufficient quantity to provide the desired effect. Many polymers permeate the skin poorly and are vulnerable to enzymatic degradation. Synthesis of cyclic peptide derivatives can substantially alter the physicochemical characteristics of the peptide with the potential to improve its skin permeation. In addition, cyclization can stabilize the peptide structure and thereby increase its stability. This review describes the role of cyclic peptides in the skin, examples of current cyclic peptide therapeutic products, and the potential for cyclic peptides as dermatological therapeutics and cosmeceuticals.

  15. Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of two peptide LyeTx I derivatives modified with the chelating agent HYNIC for radiolabeling with technetium-99m.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuscaldi, Leonardo Lima; Dos Santos, Daniel Moreira; Pinheiro, Natália Gabriela Silva; Araújo, Raquel Silva; de Barros, André Luís Branco; Resende, Jarbas Magalhães; Fernandes, Simone Odília Antunes; de Lima, Maria Elena; Cardoso, Valbert Nascimento

    2016-01-01

    Current diagnostic methods and imaging techniques are not able to differentiate septic and aseptic inflammation. Thus, reliable methods are sought to provide this distinction and scintigraphic imaging is an interesting option, since it is based on physiological changes. In this context, radiolabeled antimicrobial peptides have been investigated as they accumulate in infectious sites instead of aseptic inflammation. The peptide LyeTx I, from the venom of Lycosa erythrognatha, has potent antimicrobial activity. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesize LyeTx I derivatives with the chelating compound HYNIC, to evaluate their antimicrobial activity and to radiolabel them with (99m)Tc. Two LyeTx I derivatives, HYNIC-LyeTx I (N-terminal modification) and LyeTx I-K-HYNIC (C-terminal modification), were synthesized by Fmoc strategy and purified by RP-HPLC. The purified products were assessed by RP-HPLC and MALDI-ToF-MS analysis. Microbiological assays were performed against S. aureus (ATCC® 6538) and E. coli (ATCC® 10536) in liquid medium to calculate the MIC. The radiolabeling procedure of LyeTx I-K-HYNIC with (99m)Tc was performed in the presence of co-ligands (tricine and EDDA) and reducing agent (SnCl2 (.) 2H2O), and standardized taking into account the amount of peptide, reducing agent, pH and heating. Radiochemical purity analysis was performed by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel strips and the radiolabeled compound was assessed by RP-HPLC and radioactivity measurement of the collected fractions. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, followed by Tukey test (p-values EDDA). The binding of HYNIC to the N-terminal portion of LyeTx I seems to affect its activity against bacteria. Nevertheless, the radiolabeling of the C-terminal derivative, LyeTx I-K-HYNIC, must be better investigated to optimize the radiolabeled compound, in order to use it as a specific imaging agent to distinguish septic and aseptic inflammation.

  16. A tetrameric peptide derived from bovine lactoferricin as a potential therapeutic tool for oral squamous cell carcinoma: A preclinical model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Víctor Alfonso Solarte

    Full Text Available Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the fifth most common epithelial cancer in the world, and its current clinical treatment has both low efficiency and poor selectivity. Cationic amphipathic peptides have been proposed as new drugs for the treatment of different types of cancer. The main goal of the present work was to determine the potential of LfcinB(20-254, a tetrameric peptide based on the core sequence RRWQWR of bovine lactoferricin LfcinB(20-25, for the treatment of OSCC. In brief, OSCC was induced in the buccal pouch of hamsters by applying 7,12-Dimethylbenz(aanthracene, and tumors were treated with one of the following peptides: LfcinB(20-254, LfcinB(20-25, or vehicle (control. Lesions were macroscopically evaluated every two days and both histological and serum IgG assessments were conducted after 5 weeks. The size of the tumors treated with LfcinB(20-254 and LfcinB(20-25 was smaller than that of the control group (46.16±4.41 and 33.92±2.74 mm3 versus 88.77±10.61 mm3, respectively. Also, LfcinB(20-254 caused acellularity in the parenchymal tumor compared with LfcinB(20-25 and vehicle treatments. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that both LfcinB(20-254 and LfcinB(20-25 induced higher degree of apoptosis relative to the untreated tumors (75-86% vs 8%, respectively. Moreover, although the lowest inflammatory response was achieved when LfcinB(20-254 was used, this peptide appeared to induce higher levels of IgG antibodies relative to the vehicle and LfcinB(20-25. In addition the cellular damage and selectivity of the LfcinB(20-254 peptide was evaluated in vitro. These assays showed that LfcinB(20-254 triggers a selective necrotic effect in the carcinoma cell line. Cumulatively, these data indicate that LfcinB(20-254 could be considered as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of OSCC.

  17. Cytosolic antibody delivery by lipid-sensitive endosomolytic peptide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akishiba, Misao; Takeuchi, Toshihide; Kawaguchi, Yoshimasa; Sakamoto, Kentarou; Yu, Hao-Hsin; Nakase, Ikuhiko; Takatani-Nakase, Tomoka; Madani, Fatemeh; Gräslund, Astrid; Futaki, Shiroh

    2017-08-01

    One of the major obstacles in intracellular targeting using antibodies is their limited release from endosomes into the cytosol. Here we report an approach to deliver proteins, which include antibodies, into cells by using endosomolytic peptides derived from the cationic and membrane-lytic spider venom peptide M-lycotoxin. The delivery peptides were developed by introducing one or two glutamic acid residues into the hydrophobic face. One peptide with the substitution of leucine by glutamic acid (L17E) was shown to enable a marked cytosolic liberation of antibodies (immunoglobulins G (IgGs)) from endosomes. The predominant membrane-perturbation mechanism of this peptide is the preferential disruption of negatively charged membranes (endosomal membranes) over neutral membranes (plasma membranes), and the endosomolytic peptide promotes the uptake by inducing macropinocytosis. The fidelity of this approach was confirmed through the intracellular delivery of a ribosome-inactivation protein (saporin), Cre recombinase and IgG delivery, which resulted in a specific labelling of the cytosolic proteins and subsequent suppression of the glucocorticoid receptor-mediated transcription. We also demonstrate the L17E-mediated cytosolic delivery of exosome-encapsulated proteins.

  18. Characterization of the cell penetrating properties of a human salivary proline-rich peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radicioni, Giorgia; Stringaro, Annarita; Molinari, Agnese; Nocca, Giuseppina; Longhi, Renato; Pirolli, Davide; Scarano, Emanuele; Iavarone, Federica; Manconi, Barbara; Cabras, Tiziana; Messana, Irene; Castagnola, Massimo; Vitali, Alberto

    2015-11-01

    Saliva contains hundreds of small proline-rich peptides most of which derive from the post-translational and post-secretory processing of the acidic and basic salivary proline-rich proteins. Among these peptides we found that a 20 residue proline-rich peptide (p1932), commonly present in human saliva and patented for its antiviral activity, was internalized within cells of the oral mucosa. The cell-penetrating properties of p1932 have been studied in a primary gingival fibroblast cell line and in a squamous cancer cell line, and compared to its retro-inverso form. We observed by mass-spectrometry, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy that both peptides were internalized in the two cell lines on a time scale of minutes, being the natural form more efficient than the retro-inverso one. The cytosolic localization was dependent on the cell type: both peptide forms were able to localize within nuclei of tumoral cells, but not in the nuclei of gingival fibroblasts. The uptake was shown to be dependent on the culture conditions used: peptide internalization was indeed effective in a complete medium than in a serum-free one allowing the hypothesis that the internalization could be dependent on the cell cycle. Both peptides were internalized likely by a lipid raft-mediated endocytosis mechanism as suggested by the reduced uptake in the presence of methyl-ß-cyclodextrin. These results suggest that the natural peptide may play a role within the cells of the oral mucosa after its secretion and subsequent internalization. Furthermore, lack of cytotoxicity of both peptide forms highlights their possible application as novel drug delivery agents.

  19. Hotspot autoimmune T cell receptor binding underlies pathogen and insulin peptide cross-reactivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, David K.; Bulek, Anna M.; Dolton, Garry; Schauenberg, Andrea J.; Szomolay, Barbara; Trimby, Andrew; Jothikumar, Prithiviraj; Fuller, Anna; Skowera, Ania; Rossjohn, Jamie; Zhu, Cheng; Miles, John J.; Wooldridge, Linda; Rizkallah, Pierre J.; Sewell, Andrew K.

    2016-01-01

    The cross-reactivity of T cells with pathogen- and self-derived peptides has been implicated as a pathway involved in the development of autoimmunity. However, the mechanisms that allow the clonal T cell antigen receptor (TCR) to functionally engage multiple peptide–major histocompatibility complexes (pMHC) are unclear. Here, we studied multiligand discrimination by a human, preproinsulin reactive, MHC class-I–restricted CD8+ T cell clone (1E6) that can recognize over 1 million different peptides. We generated high-resolution structures of the 1E6 TCR bound to 7 altered peptide ligands, including a pathogen-derived peptide that was an order of magnitude more potent than the natural self-peptide. Evaluation of these structures demonstrated that binding was stabilized through a conserved lock-and-key–like minimal binding footprint that enables 1E6 TCR to tolerate vast numbers of substitutions outside of this so-called hotspot. Highly potent antigens of the 1E6 TCR engaged with a strong antipathogen-like binding affinity; this engagement was governed though an energetic switch from an enthalpically to entropically driven interaction compared with the natural autoimmune ligand. Together, these data highlight how T cell cross-reactivity with pathogen-derived antigens might break self-tolerance to induce autoimmune disease. PMID:27183389

  20. PeptideManager: A Peptide Selection Tool for Targeted Proteomic Studies Involving Mixed Samples from Different Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin eDemeure

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The search for clinically useful protein biomarkers using advanced mass spectrometry approaches represents a major focus in cancer research. However, the direct analysis of human samples may be challenging due to limited availability, the absence of appropriate control samples, or the large background variability observed in patient material. As an alternative approach, human tumors orthotopically implanted into a different species (xenografts are clinically relevant models that have proven their utility in pre-clinical research. Patient derived xenografts for glioblastoma have been extensively characterized in our laboratory and have been shown to retain the characteristics of the parental tumor at the phenotypic and genetic level. Such models were also found to adequately mimic the behavior and treatment response of human tumors. The reproducibility of such xenograft models, the possibility to identify their host background and perform tumor-host interaction studies, are major advantages over the direct analysis of human samples.At the proteome level, the analysis of xenograft samples is challenged by the presence of proteins from two different species which, depending on tumor size, type or location, often appear at variable ratios. Any proteomics approach aimed at quantifying proteins within such samples must consider the identification of species specific peptides in order to avoid biases introduced by the host proteome. Here, we present an in-house methodology and tool developed to select peptides used as surrogates for protein candidates from a defined proteome (e.g., human in a host proteome background (e.g., mouse, rat suited for a mass spectrometry analysis. The tools presented here are applicable to any species specific proteome, provided a protein database is available. By linking the information from both proteomes, PeptideManager significantly facilitates and expedites the selection of peptides used as surrogates to analyze

  1. Inhibition of Vaccinia virus entry by a broad spectrum antiviral peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Altmann, S.E.; Jones, J.C.; Schultz-Cherry, S.; Brandt, C.R.

    2009-01-01

    Concerns about the possible use of Variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox, as a weapon for bioterrorism have led to renewed efforts to identify new antivirals against orthopoxviruses. We identified a peptide, EB, which inhibited infection by Vaccinia virus with an EC 50 of 15 μM. A control peptide, EBX, identical in composition to EB but differing in sequence, was inactive (EC 50 > 200 μM), indicating sequence specificity. The inhibition was reversed upon removal of the peptide, and EB treatment had no effect on the physical integrity of virus particles as determined by electron microscopy. Viral adsorption was unaffected by the presence of EB, and the addition of EB post-entry had no effect on viral titers or on early gene expression. The addition of EB post-adsorption resulted in the inhibition of β-galactosidase expression from an early viral promoter with an EC 50 of 45 μM. A significant reduction in virus entry was detected in the presence of the peptide when the number of viral cores released into the cytoplasm was quantified. Electron microscopy indicated that 88% of the virions remained on the surface of cells in the presence of EB, compared to 37% in the control (p < 0.001). EB also blocked fusion-from-within, suggesting that virus infection is inhibited at the fusion step. Analysis of EB derivatives suggested that peptide length may be important for the activity of EB. The EB peptide is, to our knowledge, the first known small molecule inhibitor of Vaccinia virus entry.

  2. Antimicrobial activity of GN peptides and their mode of action

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mojsoska, Biljana; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck; Jenssen, Håvard

    2016-01-01

    peptides due to their characteristics as naturally derived compounds with antimicrobial activity. In this study, we aimed at characterizing the mechanism of action of a small set of in silico optimized peptides. Following determination of peptide activity against E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa......Increasing prevalence of bacteria that carries resistance towards conventional antibiotics has prompted the investigation into new compounds for bacterial intervention to ensure efficient infection control in the future. One group of potential lead structures for antibiotics is antimicrobial...

  3. The Cysteine S-Alkylation Reaction as a Synthetic Method to Covalently Modify Peptide Sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calce, Enrica; De Luca, Stefania

    2017-01-05

    Synthetic methodologies to chemically modify peptide molecules have long been investigated for their impact in the field of chemical biology. They allow the introduction of biochemical probes useful for studying protein functions, for manipulating peptides with therapeutic potential, and for structure-activity relationship investigations. The commonly used approach was the derivatization of an amino acid side chain. In this regard, the cysteine, for its unique reactivity, has been widely employed as the substrate for such modifications. Herein, we report on methodologies developed to modify the cysteine thiol group through the S-alkylation reaction. Some procedures perform the alkylation of cysteine derivatives, in order to prepare building blocks to be used during the peptide synthesis, whilst some others selectively modify peptide sequences containing a cysteine residue with a free thiol group, both in solution and in the solid phase. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Structural Polymorphism in a Self-Assembled Tri-Aromatic Peptide System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Noam; Lei, Jiangtao; Zhan, Chendi; Shimon, Linda J W; Adler-Abramovich, Lihi; Wei, Guanghong; Gazit, Ehud

    2018-04-24

    Self-assembly is a process of key importance in natural systems and in nanotechnology. Peptides are attractive building blocks due to their relative facile synthesis, biocompatibility, and other unique properties. Diphenylalanine (FF) and its derivatives are known to form nanostructures of various architectures and interesting and varied characteristics. The larger triphenylalanine peptide (FFF) was found to self-assemble as efficiently as FF, forming related but distinct architectures of plate-like and spherical nanostructures. Here, to understand the effect of triaromatic systems on the self-assembly process, we examined carboxybenzyl-protected diphenylalanine (z-FF) as a minimal model for such an arrangement. We explored different self-assembly conditions by changing solvent compositions and peptide concentrations, generating a phase diagram for the assemblies. We discovered that z-FF can form a variety of structures, including nanowires, fibers, nanospheres, and nanotoroids, the latter were previously observed only in considerably larger or co-assembly systems. Secondary structure analysis revealed that all assemblies possessed a β-sheet conformation. Additionally, in solvent combinations with high water ratios, z-FF formed rigid and self-healing hydrogels. X-ray crystallography revealed a "wishbone" structure, in which z-FF dimers are linked by hydrogen bonds mediated by methanol molecules, with a 2-fold screw symmetry along the c-axis. All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed conformations similar to the crystal structure. Coarse-grained MD simulated the assembly of the peptide into either fibers or spheres in different solvent systems, consistent with the experimental results. This work thus expands the building block library for the fabrication of nanostructures by peptide self-assembly.

  5. Naturally processed measles virus peptide eluted from class II HLA-DRB1*03 recognized by T lymphocytes from human blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ovsyannikova, Inna G.; Johnson, Kenneth L.; Naylor, Stephen; Muddiman, David C.; Poland, Gregory A.

    2003-01-01

    This is the first report of the direct identification of a HLA-DRB1*03 measles-derived peptide from measles virus infected EBV-transformed B cells. We purified HLA-DR3-peptide complexes from EBV-B cells infected with measles virus (Edmonston strain) and sequenced the HLA-DR3-peptides by mass spectrometry. A class II peptide, derived from a measles phosphoprotein, ASDVETAEGGEIHELLRLQ (P1, residues 179-197), exhibited the capacity to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells to proliferate. Our data provides direct evidence that the antigenic peptide of measles virus was processed by antigen-presenting cells, presented in the context of HLA class II molecules, and was recognized by peripheral blood T cells from healthy individuals previously immunized with measles vaccine. The approach described herein provides a useful methodology for the future identification of HLA-presented pathogen-derived epitopes using mass spectrometry. The study of cell-mediated immune responses to the measles-derived peptide in immune persons should provide significant insight into the design and development of new vaccines

  6. Inefficient exogenous loading of a tapasin-dependent peptide onto HLA-B*44:02 can be improved by acid treatment or fixation of target cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stroobant, Vincent; Demotte, Nathalie; Luiten, Rosalie M.; Leonhardt, Ralf M.; Cresswell, Peter; Bonehill, Aude; Michaux, Alexandre; Ma, Wenbin; Mulder, Arend; van den Eynde, Benoît J.; van der Bruggen, Pierre; Vigneron, Nathalie

    2012-01-01

    Antitumor cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) recognize peptides derived from cellular proteins and presented on MHC class I. One category of peptides recognized by these CTLs is derived from proteins encoded by cancer-germline genes, which are specifically expressed in tumors, and therefore represent

  7. Isolation of prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory peptides from a sodium caseinate hydrolysate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Cheng-Hong; Wang, Tzu-Yuan; Hung, Chuan-Chuan; Hsieh, You-Liang; Hsu, Kuo-Chiang

    2016-01-01

    Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders, and the PEP inhibitors can restore the memory loss caused by amnesic compounds. In this study, we investigated the PEP inhibitory activity of the enzymatic hydrolysates from various food protein sources, and isolated and identified the PEP inhibitory peptides. The hydrolysate obtained from sodium caseinate using bromelain (SC/BML) displayed the highest inhibitory activity of 86.8% at 5 mg mL(-1) in the present study, and its IC50 value against PEP was 0.77 mg mL(-1). The F-5 fraction by RP-HPLC (reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography) from SC/BML showed the highest PEP inhibition rate of 88.4%, and 9 peptide sequences were identified. The synthetic peptides (1245.63-1787.94 Da) showed dose-dependent inhibition effects on PEP as competitive inhibitors with IC50 values between 29.8 and 650.5 μM. The results suggest that the peptides derived from sodium caseinate have the potential to be PEP inhibitors.

  8. Discovery Strategies of Bioactive Compounds Synthesized by Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetases and Type-I Polyketide Synthases Derived from Marine Microbiomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoutzias, Grigoris D.; Chaliotis, Anargyros; Mossialos, Dimitris

    2016-01-01

    Considering that 70% of our planet’s surface is covered by oceans, it is likely that undiscovered biodiversity is still enormous. A large portion of marine biodiversity consists of microbiomes. They are very attractive targets of bioprospecting because they are able to produce a vast repertoire of secondary metabolites in order to adapt in diverse environments. In many cases secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest such as nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) and polyketides (PKs) are synthesized by multimodular enzymes named nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSes) and type-I polyketide synthases (PKSes-I), respectively. Novel findings regarding the mechanisms underlying NRPS and PKS evolution demonstrate how microorganisms could leverage their metabolic potential. Moreover, these findings could facilitate synthetic biology approaches leading to novel bioactive compounds. Ongoing advances in bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are driving the discovery of NRPs and PKs derived from marine microbiomes mainly through two strategies: genome-mining and metagenomics. Microbial genomes are now sequenced at an unprecedented rate and this vast quantity of biological information can be analyzed through genome mining in order to identify gene clusters encoding NRPSes and PKSes of interest. On the other hand, metagenomics is a fast-growing research field which directly studies microbial genomes and their products present in marine environments using culture-independent approaches. The aim of this review is to examine recent developments regarding discovery strategies of bioactive compounds synthesized by NRPS and type-I PKS derived from marine microbiomes and to highlight the vast diversity of NRPSes and PKSes present in marine environments by giving examples of recently discovered bioactive compounds. PMID:27092515

  9. Discovery Strategies of Bioactive Compounds Synthesized by Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetases and Type-I Polyketide Synthases Derived from Marine Microbiomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grigoris D. Amoutzias

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Considering that 70% of our planet’s surface is covered by oceans, it is likely that undiscovered biodiversity is still enormous. A large portion of marine biodiversity consists of microbiomes. They are very attractive targets of bioprospecting because they are able to produce a vast repertoire of secondary metabolites in order to adapt in diverse environments. In many cases secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest such as nonribosomal peptides (NRPs and polyketides (PKs are synthesized by multimodular enzymes named nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSes and type-I polyketide synthases (PKSes-I, respectively. Novel findings regarding the mechanisms underlying NRPS and PKS evolution demonstrate how microorganisms could leverage their metabolic potential. Moreover, these findings could facilitate synthetic biology approaches leading to novel bioactive compounds. Ongoing advances in bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing (NGS technologies are driving the discovery of NRPs and PKs derived from marine microbiomes mainly through two strategies: genome-mining and metagenomics. Microbial genomes are now sequenced at an unprecedented rate and this vast quantity of biological information can be analyzed through genome mining in order to identify gene clusters encoding NRPSes and PKSes of interest. On the other hand, metagenomics is a fast-growing research field which directly studies microbial genomes and their products present in marine environments using culture-independent approaches. The aim of this review is to examine recent developments regarding discovery strategies of bioactive compounds synthesized by NRPS and type-I PKS derived from marine microbiomes and to highlight the vast diversity of NRPSes and PKSes present in marine environments by giving examples of recently discovered bioactive compounds.

  10. Biologically Active and Antimicrobial Peptides from Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos E. Salas

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Bioactive peptides are part of an innate response elicited by most living forms. In plants, they are produced ubiquitously in roots, seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves, highlighting their physiological importance. While most of the bioactive peptides produced in plants possess microbicide properties, there is evidence that they are also involved in cellular signaling. Structurally, there is an overall similarity when comparing them with those derived from animal or insect sources. The biological action of bioactive peptides initiates with the binding to the target membrane followed in most cases by membrane permeabilization and rupture. Here we present an overview of what is currently known about bioactive peptides from plants, focusing on their antimicrobial activity and their role in the plant signaling network and offering perspectives on their potential application.

  11. Biologically Active and Antimicrobial Peptides from Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salas, Carlos E.; Badillo-Corona, Jesus A.; Ramírez-Sotelo, Guadalupe; Oliver-Salvador, Carmen

    2015-01-01

    Bioactive peptides are part of an innate response elicited by most living forms. In plants, they are produced ubiquitously in roots, seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves, highlighting their physiological importance. While most of the bioactive peptides produced in plants possess microbicide properties, there is evidence that they are also involved in cellular signaling. Structurally, there is an overall similarity when comparing them with those derived from animal or insect sources. The biological action of bioactive peptides initiates with the binding to the target membrane followed in most cases by membrane permeabilization and rupture. Here we present an overview of what is currently known about bioactive peptides from plants, focusing on their antimicrobial activity and their role in the plant signaling network and offering perspectives on their potential application. PMID:25815307

  12. A conformational study of proline derivatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.E. Kamwaya

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available From the study of the structures and molecular conformations of a number of proline derivatives, some conclusions were drawn. The widening effect of angle Cα-C'-N' is caused by steric repulsion between a hydrogen atom at Cα of the preceding prolyl residue with any other at either Cα or Cδ of the pyrrolidine ring cis to it. This effect is influenced by the distance between the said hydrogen atoms: the nearer this distance is, the greater is the steric repulsion and the wider is the angle of steric repulsion. The ratio of the angle of steric repulsion to the distance between Cα and the following Cα (or Cδ cis to it is approximately 40 and 41 for peptides with trans and cis configurations, respectively. The torsion angle ranges for χ1, χ3, χ 4, θ and φ in these derivatives are widened more than usual. The highest vibration, which more often takes place at either the Cβ or Cγ of the pyrrolidine ring, does so not necessarily at the one that is puckered. A Δ&psi -relationship is established, for the determination of α-helixity or collageneity, also in small peptides and amino acids that contain proline. The Δ&psi-relationship is versatile and gives about +180o and –180o for the two categories, respectively. The distance between the carbonyl and hydroxyl (or otherwise terminal end atoms is minimal (2.2 Å and constant, for all peptides. The ratios of the angles at the carbonyl carbons (O'-C'-N' or (O'-C'-O' to this distance is also constant: 56 and 57 for the cis and trans confirgurations, respectively; i.e. a proline O'-C'-N'- (or O'-C'-O'-test, hereinafter called the CT-test, has been established for the determination of cis and trans configurations. It is also established in these proline derivatives, that whereas puckering takes place at Cβ for the CS form, it does so at Cγ for the C2 form.

  13. Acetone-Linked Peptides: A Convergent Approach for Peptide Macrocyclization and Labeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assem, Naila; Ferreira, David J; Wolan, Dennis W; Dawson, Philip E

    2015-07-20

    Macrocyclization is a broadly applied approach for overcoming the intrinsically disordered nature of linear peptides. Herein, it is shown that dichloroacetone (DCA) enhances helical secondary structures when introduced between peptide nucleophiles, such as thiols, to yield an acetone-linked bridge (ACE). Aside from stabilizing helical structures, the ketone moiety embedded in the linker can be modified with diverse molecular tags by oxime ligation. Insights into the structure of the tether were obtained through co-crystallization of a constrained S-peptide in complex with RNAse S. The scope of the acetone-linked peptides was further explored through the generation of N-terminus to side chain macrocycles and a new approach for generating fused macrocycles (bicycles). Together, these studies suggest that acetone linking is generally applicable to peptide macrocycles with a specific utility in the synthesis of stabilized helices that incorporate functional tags. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Frequency of and Prognostic Significance of Cardiac Involvement at Presentation in Hereditary Transthyretin-Derived Amyloidosis and the Value of N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klaassen, Sebastiaan H C; Tromp, Jasper; Nienhuis, Hans L A; van der Meer, Peter; van den Berg, Maarten P; Blokzijl, Hans; van Veldhuisen, Dirk J; Hazenberg, Bouke P C

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of cardiac involvement in hereditary transthyretin-derived (ATTRm) amyloidosis at the time of diagnosis and to determine the diagnostic and clinical value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The University Medical Center

  15. A nanoengineered peptidic delivery system with specificity for human brain capillary endothelial cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Linping; Moghimi, Seyed Moein

    2016-01-01

    , without manipulating the integrity of the BBB. This may be achieved by simultaneous and appropriate nanoparticle surface decoration with polymers that protect nanoparticles against rapid interception by body's defenses and ligands specific for cerebral capillary endothelial cells. To date, the binding...... avidity of the majority of the so-called ‘brain-specific’ nanoparticles to the brain capillary endothelial cells has been poor, even during in vitro conditions. We have addressed this issue and designed a versatile peptidic nanoplatform with high binding avidity to the human cerebral capillary endothelial...... cells. This was achieved by selecting an appropriate phage-derived peptide with high specificity for human brain capillary endothelial cells, which following careful structural modifications spontaneously formed a nanoparticle-fiber network. The peptidic network was characterized fully and its uptake...

  16. Effects of lactoferrin derived peptides on simulants of biological warfare agents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sijbrandij, T.; Ligtenberg, Antoon J.; Nazmi, K.; Veerman, Enno C. I.; Bolscher, Jan G. M.; Bikker, Floris J.

    2017-01-01

    Lactoferrin (LF) is an important immune protein in neutrophils and secretory fluids of mammals. Bovine LF (bLF) harbours two antimicrobial stretches, lactoferricin and lactoferampin, situated in close proximity in the N1 domain. To mimic these antimicrobial domain parts a chimeric peptide

  17. Chromogranin A

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... PF4 Antibody Hepatitis A Testing Hepatitis B Testing Hepatitis C Testing HER2/neu Herpes Testing High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) Histamine Histone Antibody HIV Antibody and HIV Antigen (p24) HIV Antiretroviral Drug Resistance Testing, Genotypic HIV Viral Load HLA Testing HLA- ...

  18. Perspective of Use of Antiviral Peptides against Influenza Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylvie Skalickova

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The threat of a worldwide influenza pandemic has greatly increased over the past decade with the emergence of highly virulent avian influenza strains. The increased frequency of drug-resistant influenza strains against currently available antiviral drugs requires urgent development of new strategies for antiviral therapy, too. The research in the field of therapeutic peptides began to develop extensively in the second half of the 20th century. Since then, the mechanisms of action for several peptides and their antiviral prospect received large attention due to the global threat posed by viruses. Here, we discussed the therapeutic properties of peptides used in influenza treatment. Peptides with antiviral activity against influenza can be divided into three main groups. First, entry blocker peptides such as a Flupep that interact with influenza hemagglutinin, block its binding to host cells and prevent viral fusion. Second, several peptides display virucidal activity, disrupting viral envelopes, e.g., Melittin. Finally, a third set of peptides interacts with the viral polymerase complex and act as viral replication inhibitors such as PB1 derived peptides. Here, we present a review of the current literature describing the antiviral activity, mechanism and future therapeutic potential of these influenza antiviral peptides.

  19. Limnonectins: a new class of antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretion of the Fujian large-headed frog (Limnonectes fujianensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Youjia; Wang, Lei; Zhou, Mei; Ma, Chengbang; Chen, Xiaole; Bai, Bing; Chen, Tianbao; Shaw, Chris

    2011-06-01

    Amphibian skin secretions are rich sources of biologically-active peptides with antimicrobial peptides predominating in many species. Several studies involving molecular cloning of biosynthetic precursor-encoding cDNAs from skin or skin secretions have revealed that these exhibit highly-conserved domain architectures with an unusually high degree of conserved nucleotide and resultant amino acid sequences within the signal peptides. This high degree of nucleotide sequence conservation has permitted the design of primers complementary to such sites facilitating "shotgun" cloning of skin or skin secretion-derived cDNA libraries from hitherto unstudied species. Here we have used such an approach using a skin secretion-derived cDNA library from an unstudied species of Chinese frog - the Fujian large-headed frog, Limnonectes fujianensis - and have discovered two 16-mer peptides of novel primary structures, named limnonectin-1Fa (SFPFFPPGICKRLKRC) and limnonectin-1Fb (SFHVFPPWMCKSLKKC), that represent the prototypes of a new class of amphibian skin antimicrobial peptide. Unusually these limnonectins display activity only against a Gram-negative bacterium (MICs of 35 and 70 μM) and are devoid of haemolytic activity at concentrations up to 160 μM. Thus the "shotgun" cloning approach described can exploit the unusually high degree of nucleotide conservation in signal peptide-encoding domains of amphibian defensive skin secretion peptide precursor-encoding cDNAs to rapidly expedite the discovery of novel and functional defensive peptides in a manner that circumvents specimen sacrifice without compromising robustness of data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Sifuvirtide, a potent HIV fusion inhibitor peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Rui-Rui; Yang, Liu-Meng; Wang, Yun-Hua; Pang, Wei; Tam, Siu-Cheung; Tien, Po; Zheng, Yong-Tang

    2009-01-01

    Enfuvirtide (ENF) is currently the only FDA approved HIV fusion inhibitor in clinical use. Searching for more drugs in this category with higher efficacy and lower toxicity seems to be a logical next step. In line with this objective, a synthetic peptide with 36 amino acid residues, called Sifuvirtide (SFT), was designed based on the crystal structure of gp41. In this study, we show that SFT is a potent anti-HIV agent with relatively low cytotoxicity. SFT was found to inhibit replication of all tested HIV strains. The effective concentrations that inhibited 50% viral replication (EC 50 ), as determined in all tested strains, were either comparable or lower than benchmark values derived from well-known anti-HIV drugs like ENF or AZT, while the cytotoxic concentrations causing 50% cell death (CC 50 ) were relatively high, rendering it an ideal anti-HIV agent. A GST-pull down assay was performed to confirm that SFT is a fusion inhibitor. Furthermore, the activity of SFT on other targets in the HIV life cycle was also investigated, and all assays showed negative results. To further understand the mechanism of action of HIV peptide inhibitors, resistant variants of HIV-1 IIIB were derived by serial virus passage in the presence of increasing doses of SFT or ENF. The results showed that there was cross-resistance between SFT and ENF. In conclusion, SFT is an ideal anti-HIV agent with high potency and low cytotoxicity, but may exhibit a certain extent of cross-resistance with ENF.

  1. Development of a poly(dimethylacrylamide) based matrix material for solid phase high density peptide array synthesis employing a laser based material transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ridder, Barbara; Foertsch, Tobias C.; Welle, Alexander; Mattes, Daniela S.; Bojnicic-Kninski, Clemens M. von; Loeffler, Felix F.; Nesterov-Mueller, Alexander; Meier, Michael A.R.; Breitling, Frank

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • New matrix material for peptide array synthesis from a ‘solid solvent’. • Resolution was increased with possible spot densities of up to 20.000 spots per cm"2. • The coupling depth and the effectiveness of washing steps analyzed by ToF-SIMS. • Adaptations and custom changes of the matrix material are possible. - Abstract: Poly(dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) based matrix materials were developed for laser-based in situ solid phase peptide synthesis to produce high density arrays. In this specific array synthesis approach, amino acid derivatives are embedded into a matrix material, serving as a “solid” solvent material at room temperature. Then, a laser pulse transfers this mixture to the target position on a synthesis slide, where the peptide array is synthesized. Upon heating above the glass transition temperature of the matrix material, it softens, allowing diffusion of the amino acid derivatives to the synthesis surface and serving as a solvent for peptide bond formation. Here, we synthesized PDMA six-arm star polymers, offering the desired matrix material properties, using atom transfer radical polymerization. With the synthesized polymers as matrix material, we structured and synthesized arrays with combinatorial laser transfer. With densities of up to 20,000 peptide spots per cm"2, the resolution could be increased compared to the commercially available standard matrix material. Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry experiments revealed the penetration behavior of an amino acid derivative into the prepared acceptor synthesis surface and the effectiveness of the washing protocols.

  2. Development of a poly(dimethylacrylamide) based matrix material for solid phase high density peptide array synthesis employing a laser based material transfer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ridder, Barbara [Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Foertsch, Tobias C. [Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Welle, Alexander [Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Mattes, Daniela S. [Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Bojnicic-Kninski, Clemens M. von; Loeffler, Felix F.; Nesterov-Mueller, Alexander [Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Meier, Michael A.R., E-mail: m.a.r.meier@kit.edu [Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Breitling, Frank, E-mail: frank.breitling@kit.edu [Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • New matrix material for peptide array synthesis from a ‘solid solvent’. • Resolution was increased with possible spot densities of up to 20.000 spots per cm{sup 2}. • The coupling depth and the effectiveness of washing steps analyzed by ToF-SIMS. • Adaptations and custom changes of the matrix material are possible. - Abstract: Poly(dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) based matrix materials were developed for laser-based in situ solid phase peptide synthesis to produce high density arrays. In this specific array synthesis approach, amino acid derivatives are embedded into a matrix material, serving as a “solid” solvent material at room temperature. Then, a laser pulse transfers this mixture to the target position on a synthesis slide, where the peptide array is synthesized. Upon heating above the glass transition temperature of the matrix material, it softens, allowing diffusion of the amino acid derivatives to the synthesis surface and serving as a solvent for peptide bond formation. Here, we synthesized PDMA six-arm star polymers, offering the desired matrix material properties, using atom transfer radical polymerization. With the synthesized polymers as matrix material, we structured and synthesized arrays with combinatorial laser transfer. With densities of up to 20,000 peptide spots per cm{sup 2}, the resolution could be increased compared to the commercially available standard matrix material. Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry experiments revealed the penetration behavior of an amino acid derivative into the prepared acceptor synthesis surface and the effectiveness of the washing protocols.

  3. Squalestatin alters the intracellular trafficking of a neurotoxic prion peptide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Williams Alun

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neurotoxic peptides derived from the protease-resistant core of the prion protein are used to model the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The current study characterised the ingestion, internalization and intracellular trafficking of a neurotoxic peptide containing amino acids 105–132 of the murine prion protein (MoPrP105-132 in neuroblastoma cells and primary cortical neurons. Results Fluorescence microscopy and cell fractionation techniques showed that MoPrP105-132 co-localised with lipid raft markers (cholera toxin and caveolin-1 and trafficked intracellularly within lipid rafts. This trafficking followed a non-classical endosomal pathway delivering peptide to the Golgi and ER, avoiding classical endosomal trafficking via early endosomes to lysosomes. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis demonstrated close interactions of MoPrP105-132 with cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 and cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1, enzymes implicated in the neurotoxicity of prions. Treatment with squalestatin reduced neuronal cholesterol levels and caused the redistribution of MoPrP105-132 out of lipid rafts. In squalestatin-treated cells, MoPrP105-132 was rerouted away from the Golgi/ER into degradative lysosomes. Squalestatin treatment also reduced the association between MoPrP105-132 and cPLA2/COX-1. Conclusion As the observed shift in peptide trafficking was accompanied by increased cell survival these studies suggest that the neurotoxicity of this PrP peptide is dependent on trafficking to specific organelles where it activates specific signal transduction pathways.

  4. Linker length dependent binding of a focal adhesion kinase derived peptide to the Src SH3-SH2 domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindfors, Hanna E; Venkata, Bharat Somireddy; Drijfhout, Jan W; Ubbink, Marcellus

    2011-02-18

    The interaction between a peptide encompassing the SH3 and SH2 binding motifs of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the Src SH3-SH2 domains has been investigated with NMR spectroscopy and calorimetry. The binding to both motifs is anti-cooperative. Reduction of the long linker connecting the motifs does not lead to cooperativity. Short linkers that do not allow simultaneous intramolecular binding of the peptide to both motifs cause peptide-mediated dimerisation, even with a linker of only three amino acids. The role of the SH3 binding motif is discussed in view of the independent nature of the SH interactions. Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Strategies for the Activation and Release of the Membranolytic Peptide Melittin from Liposomes Using Endosomal pH as a Trigger

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oude Blenke, E.; Sleszynska, M.; Evers, M. J W; Storm, G.; Martin, N. I.; Mastrobattista, E.

    2017-01-01

    Endosomolytic peptides are often coupled to drug delivery systems to enhance endosomal escape, which is crucial for the delivery of macromolecular drugs that are vulnerable to degradation in the endolysosomal pathway. Melittin is a 26 amino acid peptide derived from bee venom that has a very high

  6. Phospholyl(borane) Amino Acids and Peptides: Stereoselective Synthesis and Fluorescent Properties with Large Stokes Shift.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arribat, Mathieu; Rémond, Emmanuelle; Clément, Sébastien; Lee, Arie Van Der; Cavelier, Florine

    2018-01-24

    The synthesis of phospholyl(borane) amino acids was stereoselectively achieved by reaction of phospholide anion with iodo α-amino ester derived from l-aspartic acid or l-serine, followed by in situ complexation with borane. Phospholyl(borane) amino acids are easy to store and can be subjected to direct transformation into the corresponding free phospholyl, gold complex, oxide or sulfur derivatives as well as phospholinium salts, thus offering a variety of side chains. After selective deprotection of carboxylic function or amine, C- or N- peptide coupling with an alanine moiety proved the possible incorporation into peptides. Such phospholyl amino acid and peptide derivatives exhibit fluorescent properties with a large Stokes shift (160 nm) and fluorescence up to 535 nm, depending on the phosphole aromaticity and the chemical environment. These phospholyl(borane) amino acids constitute a new class of unnatural amino acids useful for structure-activities relationship studies and appear to be promising fluorophores for the development of labeled peptides.

  7. Technetium-99m somatostatin analogues: effect of labelling methods and peptide sequence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Decristoforo, C.; Mather, S.J.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper the preclinical evaluation of the somatostatin analogue RC160 labelled with technetium-99m using bifunctional chelators (BFCs) based on the hydrazinonicotinamide (HYNIC) and N 3 S system is described and a comparison made with [Tyr 3 ]-octreotide (TOC). Conjugates of both peptides with HYNIC, and of RC160 with benzoyl-MAG 3 and an N 3 S-adipate derivative were prepared and radiolabelling performed at high specific activities using tricine, tricine/nicotinic acid and ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic adic (EDDA) as co-ligands for HYNIC conjugates. All conjugates and 99m Tc-labelled peptides showed preserved binding affinity for the somatostatin receptor (IC50, Kd 99m Tc-RC160 derivatives compared with 99m Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-[Tyr 3 ]-octreotide (0.2%-3.5%ID/g vs 9.7%ID/g) and correlated well with the reduced internalisation rate for RC160 derivatives. Our results show that the selection of the labelling approach as well as the right choice of the peptide structure are crucial for labelling peptides with 99m Tc to achieve complexes with favourable biodistribution. Despite the relatively low tumour uptake compared with 99m Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-[Tyr 3 ]-octreotide, 99m Tc-RC160 could play a role in imaging tumours that do not bind octreotide derivatives. (orig.)

  8. Evaluation of anxiety and salivary chromogranin a secretion in women receiving breast conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seki-Nakamura, Kaori; Maebayashi, Katsuya; Nasu-Izumi, Sachiko; Akimoto, Tetsuo; Mitsuhashi, Norio

    2011-01-01

    We conducted a prospective study to assess the anxiety and salivary Chromogranin A (CgA), which is considered to be a biomarker of the stress response, in outpatients receiving breast conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy (RT) to the whole breast. Fifty consecutive patients who received whole-breast RT were enrolled in this study. The anxiety levels were measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at the beginning of RT (baseline), 30 Gy, completion of RT, and 1 and 3 months after RT. Salivary CgA levels were also measured at the same time. The mean state anxiety score for all patients was 46.16 with a standard error (SE) of 1.57 at the beginning of RT (baseline) which continued to decline during and after RT. It reached its lowest score with 36.34±1.56 at 3 months after RT (p<0.0001). The mean trait anxiety score for all patients was 43.10±1.54 at baseline and remained constant during RT but began to decline after completion of RT and reached a low level at 3 months after RT (p=0.0021). The mean salivary CgA concentration for all patients demonstrated no consistent trends over time, but at 30 Gy the concentration showed a significant decreasing pattern (p=0.0473). Salivary CgA concentrations and state anxiety and trait anxiety scores at all time points showed no correlation. The mean anxiety scores measured by State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) showed no positive correlation with salivary CgA concentration for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy following breast conserving surgery. (author)

  9. Production and characterization of polyclonal antibody against a synthetic peptide from β-actin protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazila Amini

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s:Antibodies against actin, as one of the most widely studied structural and multifunctional housekeeping proteins in eukaryotic cells, are used as internal loading controls in western blot analyses. The aim of this study was to produce polyclonal antibody against a synthetic peptide derived from N-terminal region of β-actin protein to be used as a protein loading control in western blot and other assay systems. Materials and Methods: A synthetic peptide derived from β-actin protein was designed and conjugated to Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH (and used to immunize a white New Zealand rabbit. The antibody was purified from serum by affinity chromatography column. The purity of the antibody was determined by SDS-PAGE and its ability to recognize the immunizing peptide was measured by ELISA. The reactivity of the antibody with β-actin protein in a panel of different cell lysates was then evaluated by western blot. In addition, the reactivity of the antibody with the corresponding protein was also evaluated by Immunocytochemistry and Immunohistochemistry in different samples. Results: The antibody could recognize the immunizing peptide in ELISA. It could also recognize            β-actin protein in western blot as well as in immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: Our data suggest that this antibody may be used as an internal control in western blot analyses as well as in other immunological applications such as ELISA,immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry.

  10. Mode of action of plectasin-derived peptides against gas gangrene-associated Clostridium perfringens type A.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueling Zheng

    Full Text Available NZ2114 and MP1102 are novel plectasin-derived peptides with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The antibacterial characteristics and mechanism of NZ2114 and MP1102 against gas gangrene-associated Clostridium perfringens were studied for the first time. The minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration of NZ2114 and MP1102 against resistant C. perfringens type A strain CVCC 46 were 0.91 μM. Based on the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI result, an additive or synergic effect was observed between NZ2114 (FICI = 0.5~0.75 or MP1102 (FICI = 0.375~1.0 and antibiotics. The flow cytometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that both NZ2114 and MP1102 induced obviously membrane damage, such as the leakage of cellular materials, partial disappearance of the cell membrane and membrane peeling, as well as retracting cytoplasm and ghost cell. The gel retardation and circular dichroism (CD detection showed that NZ2114 and MP1102 could bind to C. perfringens genomic DNA and change the DNA conformation. Moreover, NZ2114 also interfered with the double helix and unwind the genomic DNA. The cell cycle analysis showed that C. perfringens CVCC 46 cells exposed to NZ2114 and MP1102 were arrested at the phase I. These data indicated that both NZ2114 and MP1102 have potential as new antimicrobial agents for gas gangrene infection resulting from resistant C. perfringens.

  11. The milk-derived peptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro attenuate arterial dysfunction in L-NAME-treated rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nonaka, Atsuko; Nakamura, Teppei; Hirota, Tatsuhiko; Matsushita, Akiko; Asakura, Masanori; Ohki, Kohji; Kitakaze, Masafumi

    2014-08-01

    Both endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness are surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and thus cardiovascular (CV) events. The milk-derived peptides Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP) inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme, dilate blood vessels ex vivo and stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production in cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of either VPP or IPP on arterial function and on target organ damage in vivo. Male Wistar rats were treated with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME, 1 g l(-1)), L-NAME+VPP (0.3 g l(-1)) or L-NAME+IPP (0.3 g l(-1)) in their drinking water for 8 weeks. Plasma nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels were significantly increased in normal Wistar rats after supplementation with either VPP or IPP but not in rats that were chronically treated with L-NAME. Acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation in the thoracic aorta ring was impaired by L-NAME, whereas vasorelaxation was significantly greater in mice treated with L-NAME+VPP for 1 or 4 weeks or L-NAME+IPP for 4 weeks than in mice treated with L-NAME alone. Four weeks of treatment with either VPP or IPP attenuated the increase in pulse wave velocity (PWV) that was induced by L-NAME. Cardiac and renal damage were observed after 8 weeks of treatment with L-NAME, and either VPP or IPP attenuated this damage. These results show that VPP or IPP attenuates arterial dysfunction and suggest that milk-derived peptides might prevent CV damage.

  12. Binding of cholesterol and inhibitory peptide derivatives with the fusogenic hydrophobic sequence of F-glycoprotein of HVJ (Sendai virus): possible implication in the fusion reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asano, K.; Asano, A.

    1988-01-01

    Specificity of the binding of sterols and related compounds with purified F-protein (fusion protein) of the HVJ (Sendai virus) was studied by binding competition with [ 3 H] cholesterol. Requirement for cholesterol or the A/B ring trans structure and nonrequirement for the 3-hydroxyl group were found in this binding. Binding of 125 I-labeled Z-Phe-Tyr, an inhibitory peptide of viral membrane-cell membrane fusion, was studied by using purified proteins and virions. F-Protein and virions showed a specific binding with the peptide, whereas the result was negative with hemagglutinin and neuraminidase protein. Thermolysin-truncated F-protein (an F-protein derivative deprived of a 2.5-kDa fragment from the N-terminal of the F 1 subunit and without fusogenic activity) exhibited a considerably diminished binding ability both to cholesterol and to inhibitory peptides. Therefore, the N-terminal hydrophobic sequence that was previously assigned as fusogenic seems to be the binding site of these molecules. In support of this, the binding of cholesterol with F-protein was inhibited by Z-Phe-Tyr and other fusion inhibitory peptides, whereas it was not affected with non-fusion-inhibitory Z-Gly-Phe. These results are discussed in relation to the notion that the binding of the N-terminal portion of the F 1 subunit of F-protein with cholesterol in the target cell membranes facilitiates the fusion reaction

  13. Bioactive Peptides in Cereals and Legumes: Agronomical, Biochemical and Clinical Aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Malaguti

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Cereals and legumes are key components of a healthy and balanced diet. Accordingly, many national nutritional guidelines emphasize their health promoting properties by placing them at the base of nutritional food pyramids. This concept is further validated by the observed correlation between a lower risk and occurrence of chronic diseases and the adherence to dietary patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, in which cereal grains, legumes and derived products represent a staple food. In the search for a dietary approach to control/prevent chronic degenerative diseases, protein derived bioactive peptides may represent one such source of health-enhancing components. These peptides may already be present in foods as natural components or may derive from hydrolysis by chemical or enzymatic treatments (digestion, hydrolysis or fermentation. Many reports are present in the literature regarding the bioactivity of peptides in vitro and a wide range of activities has been described, including antimicrobial properties, blood pressure-lowering (ACE inhibitory effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, antithrombotic and antioxidant activities, enhancement of mineral absorption/bioavailability, cyto- or immunomodulatory effects, and opioid-like activities. However it is difficult to translate these observed effects to human. In fact, the active peptide may be degraded during digestion, or may not be absorbed or reach the target tissues at a concentration necessary to exert its function. This review will focus on bioactive peptides identified in cereals and legumes, from an agronomical and biochemical point of view, including considerations about requirements for the design of appropriate clinical trials necessary for the assessment of their nutraceutical effect in vivo.

  14. On-resin conversion of Cys(Acm)-containing peptides to their corresponding Cys(Scm) congeners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullen, Daniel G; Weigel, Benjamin; Barany, George; Distefano, Mark D

    2010-05-01

    The Acm protecting group for the thiol functionality of cysteine is removed under conditions (Hg(2+)) that are orthogonal to the acidic milieu used for global deprotection in Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis. This use of a toxic heavy metal for deprotection has limited the usefulness of Acm in peptide synthesis. The Acm group may be converted to the Scm derivative that can then be used as a reactive intermediate for unsymmetrical disulfide formation. It may also be removed by mild reductive conditions to generate unprotected cysteine. Conversion of Cys(Acm)-containing peptides to their corresponding Cys(Scm) derivatives in solution is often problematic because the sulfenyl chloride reagent used for this conversion may react with the sensitive amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan. In this protocol, we report a method for on-resin Acm to Scm conversion that allows the preparation of Cys(Scm)-containing peptides under conditions that do not modify other amino acids. (c) 2010 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Penetration of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with an HIV-1 inhibitor peptide derived from GB virus C in a vaginal mucosa model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariza-Sáenz, Martha; Espina, Marta; Bolaños, Nuria; Calpena, Ana Cristina; Gomara, María José; Haro, Isabel; García, María Luisa

    2017-11-01

    Despite the great effort to decrease the HIV infectivity rate, current antiretroviral therapy has several weaknesses; poor bioavailability, development of drug resistance and poor ability to access tissues. However, molecules such as peptides have emerged asa new expectative to HIV eradication. The vaginal mucosa is the main spreading point of HIV. There are natural barriers such as the vaginal fluid which protects the vaginal epithelium from any foreign agents reaching it. This work has developed and characterized Nanoparticles (NPs) coated with glycol chitosan (GC), loaded with an HIV-1 inhibitor peptide (E2). In vitro release and ex vivo studies were carried out using the vaginal mucosa of swine and the peptide was determined by HPLC MS/MS validated method. Moreover, the peptide was labeled with 5(6)-carboxyfluoresceine and entrapped into the NPs to carried out in vivo studies and to evaluate the NPs penetration and toxicity in the vaginal mucosa of the swine. The mean size of the NPs, ξ and the loading percentage were fundamental features for to reach the vaginal tissue and to release the peptide within intercellular space. The obtained results suggesting that the fusion inhibitor peptides loaded into the NPs coated with GC might be a new way to fight the HIV-1, due to the formulation might reach the human epithelial mucosa and release peptide without any side effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Photochemical coupling of 5-bromouracil to tryptophan, tyrosine and histidine, peptide-like derivatives in aqueous fluid solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dietz, T.M.; Koch, T.H.

    1987-01-01

    Direct irradiation of 5-bromouracil (BU) in aqueous fluid solution in the presence of tryptophan (trp), tyrosine (tyr) or histidine (his) derivatives using a XeCl excimer laser at 308 nm yielded photocoupling of BU to the aromatic ring of each amino acid. Irradiation of BU at 308 nm most likely results in excitation of the n-π* transition, intersystem crossing to the triplet manifold, and coupling via electron transfer from the aromatic amino acid. The coupling observed was regiospecific between the 5-position of uracil (U) and the 2-position of the indole and phenol rings and the 5-position of the imidazole ring of the respective amino acids. Quantum yields of photocoupling to BU ranged from 1 x 10 -3 to 7 x 10 -3 and paralleled known rates of electron transfer and ionization potentials of the aromatic rings. The photocoupling between BU and some of the aromatic amino acid peptide-like derivatives possibly mimics photocrosslinking of BU-DNA to associated proteins, a potentially useful photoreaction for studying nucleic acid-protein interactions. Formation of crosslinks of the type proposed here might be detected by the characteristic fluorescence emission of the uracil amino acid adducts. (author)

  17. Reactive oxygen species play no role in the candidacidal activity of the salivary antimicrobial peptide histatin 5

    OpenAIRE

    Veerman, Enno C. I.; Nazmi, Kamran; van '​t HOF, Wim; Bolscher, Jan G. M.; den Hertog, Alice L.; Nieuw Amerongen, Arie V.

    2004-01-01

    The mechanism of action of antimicrobial peptides is still a matter of debate. The formation of ROS (reactive oxygen species) has been suggested to be the crucial step in the fungicidal mechanism of a number of antimicrobial peptides, including histatin 5 and lactoferrin-derived peptides. In the present study we have investigated the effects of histatin 5 and of a more amphipathic synthetic derivative, dhvar4, on the generation of ROS in the yeast Candida albicans, using dihydroethidium as an...

  18. Identification of novel inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MurC enzyme derived from phage-displayed peptide libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Zoeiby, Ahmed; Sanschagrin, François; Darveau, André; Brisson, Jean-Robert; Levesque, Roger C

    2003-03-01

    The machinery of peptidoglycan biosynthesis is an ideal site at which to look for novel antimicrobial targets. Phage display was used to develop novel peptide inhibitors for MurC, an essential enzyme involved in the early steps of biosynthesis of peptidoglycan monomer. We cloned and overexpressed the murA, -B and -C genes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the pET expression vector, adding a His-tag to their C termini. The three proteins were overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity in milligram quantities. MurA and -B were combinatorially used to synthesize the MurC substrate UDP-N-acetylmuramate, the identity of which was confirmed by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Two phage-display libraries were screened against MurC in order to identify peptide ligands to the enzyme. Three rounds of biopanning were carried out, successively increasing elution specificity from round 1 to 3. The third round was accomplished with both non-specific elution and competitive elution with each of the three MurC substrates, UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UNAM), ATP and L-alanine. The DNA of 10 phage, selected randomly from each group, was extracted and sequenced, and consensus peptide sequences were elucidated. Peptides were synthesized and tested for inhibition of the MurC-catalysed reaction, and two peptides were shown to be inhibitors of MurC activity with IC(50)s of 1.5 and 0.9 mM, respectively. The powerful selection technique of phage display allowed us to identify two peptide inhibitors of the essential bacterial enzyme MurC. The peptide sequences represent the basis for the synthesis of inhibitory peptidomimetic molecules.

  19. Superior Antifouling Performance of a Zwitterionic Peptide Compared to an Amphiphilic, Non-Ionic Peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Huijun; Wang, Libing; Huang, Renliang; Su, Rongxin; Liu, Boshi; Qi, Wei; He, Zhimin

    2015-10-14

    The aim of this study was to explore the influence of amphiphilic and zwitterionic structures on the resistance of protein adsorption to peptide self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and gain insight into the associated antifouling mechanism. Two kinds of cysteine-terminated heptapeptides were studied. One peptide had alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues with an amphiphilic sequence of CYSYSYS. The other peptide (CRERERE) was zwitterionic. Both peptides were covalently attached onto gold substrates via gold-thiol bond formation. Surface plasmon resonance analysis results showed that both peptide SAMs had ultralow or low protein adsorption amounts of 1.97-11.78 ng/cm2 in the presence of single proteins. The zwitterionic peptide showed relatively higher antifouling ability with single proteins and natural complex protein media. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to understand their respective antifouling behaviors. The results indicated that strong surface hydration of peptide SAMs contributes to fouling resistance by impeding interactions with proteins. Compared to the CYSYSYS peptide, more water molecules were predicted to form hydrogen-bonding interactions with the zwitterionic CRERERE peptide, which is in agreement with the antifouling test results. These findings reveal a clear relation between peptide structures and resistance to protein adsorption, facilitating the development of novel peptide-containing antifouling materials.

  20. Dissociation Behavior of a TEMPO-Active Ester Cross-Linker for Peptide Structure Analysis by Free Radical Initiated Peptide Sequencing (FRIPS) in Negative ESI-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hage, Christoph; Ihling, Christian H; Götze, Michael; Schäfer, Mathias; Sinz, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    We have synthesized a homobifunctional amine-reactive cross-linking reagent, containing a TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy) and a benzyl group (Bz), termed TEMPO-Bz-linker, to derive three-dimensional structural information of proteins. The aim for designing this novel cross-linker was to facilitate the mass spectrometric analysis of cross-linked products by free radical initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS). In an initial study, we had investigated the fragmentation behavior of TEMPO-Bz-derivatized peptides upon collision activation in (+)-electrospray ionization collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-CID-MS/MS) experiments. In addition to the homolytic NO-C bond cleavage FRIPS pathway delivering the desired odd-electron product ions, an alternative heterolytic NO-C bond cleavage, resulting in even-electron product ions mechanism was found to be relevant. The latter fragmentation route clearly depends on the protonation of the TEMPO-Bz-moiety itself, which motivated us to conduct (-)-ESI-MS, CID-MS/MS, and MS 3 experiments of TEMPO-Bz-cross-linked peptides to further clarify the fragmentation behavior of TEMPO-Bz-peptide molecular ions. We show that the TEMPO-Bz-linker is highly beneficial for conducting FRIPS in negative ionization mode as the desired homolytic cleavage of the NO-C bond is the major fragmentation pathway. Based on characteristic fragments, the isomeric amino acids leucine and isoleucine could be discriminated. Interestingly, we observed pronounced amino acid side chain losses in cross-linked peptides if the cross-linked peptides contain a high number of acidic amino acids. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  1. New Potent Membrane-Targeting Antibacterial Peptides from Viral Capsid Proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Susana A.; Freire, João M.; Pérez-Peinado, Clara; Domingues, Marco M.; Gaspar, Diana; Vale, Nuno; Gomes, Paula; Andreu, David; Henriques, Sónia T.; Castanho, Miguel A. R. B.; Veiga, Ana S.

    2017-01-01

    The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria urges the development of new antibacterial agents. With a broad spectrum activity, antimicrobial peptides have been considered potential antibacterial drug leads. Using bioinformatic tools we have previously shown that viral structural proteins are a rich source for new bioactive peptide sequences, namely antimicrobial and cell-penetrating peptides. Here, we test the efficacy and mechanism of action of the most promising peptides among those previously identified against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Two cell-penetrating peptides, vCPP 0769 and vCPP 2319, have high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, being thus multifunctional. The antibacterial mechanism of action of the two most active viral protein-derived peptides, vAMP 059 and vCPP 2319, was studied in detail. Both peptides act on both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative P. aeruginosa, with bacterial cell death occurring within minutes. Also, these peptides cause bacterial membrane permeabilization and damage of the bacterial envelope of P. aeruginosa cells. Overall, the results show that structural viral proteins are an abundant source for membrane-active peptides sequences with strong antibacterial properties. PMID:28522994

  2. Human Vitronectin-Derived Peptide Covalently Grafted onto Titanium Surface Improves Osteogenic Activity: A Pilot In Vivo Study on Rabbits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacchioli, Antonio; Ravanetti, Francesca; Bagno, Andrea; Dettin, Monica; Gabbi, Carlo

    2009-10-01

    Peptide and protein exploitation for the biochemical functionalization of biomaterial surfaces allowed fabricating biomimetic devices able to evoke and promote specific and advantageous cell functions in vitro and in vivo. In particular, cell adhesion improvement to support the osseointegration of implantable devices has been thoroughly investigated. This study was aimed at checking the biological activity of the (351-359) human vitronectin precursor (HVP) sequence, mapped on the human vitronectin protein; the peptide was covalently linked to the surface of titanium cylinders, surgically inserted in the femurs of New Zealand white rabbits and analyzed at short experimental time points (4, 9, and 16 days after surgery). To assess the osteogenic activity of the peptide, three vital fluorochromic bone markers were used (calcein green, xylenol orange, and calcein blue) to stain the areas of newly grown bone. Static and dynamic histomorphometric parameters were measured at the bone-implant interface and at different distances from the surface. The biological role of the (351-359)HVP sequence was checked by comparing peptide-grafted samples and controls, analyzing how and how much its effects change with time across the bone regions surrounding the implant surface. The results obtained reveal a major activity of the investigated peptide 4 days after surgery, within the bone region closest to the implant surface, and larger bone to implant contact 9 and 16 days after surgery. Thus, improved primary fixation of endosseous devices can be foreseen, resulting in an increased osteointegration.

  3. Specificity of B-type natriuretic peptide assays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saenger, Amy K.; Rodriguez-Fraga, Olaia; Ler, Ranka

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: B-type natriuretic peptides (BNPs) are used clinically to diagnose and monitor heart failure and are present in the circulation as multiple proBNP-derived fragments. We investigated the specificity of BNP immunoassays with glycosylated and nonglycosylated BNP, N-terminal proBNP (NT......-proBNP), and proBNP peptides to probe the cross-reactivity of each assay. METHODS: Nine B-type natriuretic peptides were studied, including synthetic and recombinant BNP (Shionogi, Scios, Mayo), human and synthetic glycosylated and nonglycosylated NT-proBNP (HyTest, Roche Diagnostics), and human glycosylated......-Rad, Goetze] were evaluated. Specificity was assessed by calculating the recovery between baseline and peptide-spiked human plasma pools at target concentrations of 100 ng/L BNP, 300 ng/L proBNP, or 450 ng/L NT-proBNP. All assays were performed in duplicate. RESULTS: BNP and NT-proBNP assays demonstrated...

  4. Egg ovotransferrin-derived ACE inhibitory peptide IRW increases ACE2 but decreases proinflammatory genes expression in mesenteric artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumder, Kaustav; Liang, Guanxiang; Chen, Yanhong; Guan, LeLuo; Davidge, Sandra T; Wu, Jianping

    2015-09-01

    Egg ovotransferrin-derived angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide IRW was previously shown to reduce blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats through reduced vascular inflammation and increased nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of this peptide through transcriptome analysis by RNAseq technique. Total RNA was extracted from kidney and mesenteric arteries; the RNAseq libraries (from untreated and IRW-treated groups) were constructed and subjected to sequence using HiSeq 2000 system (Illumina) system. A total of 12 764 and 13 352 genes were detected in kidney and mesenteric arteries, respectively. The differentially expressed (DE) genes between untreated and IRW-treated groups were identified and the functional analysis through ingenuity pathway analysis revealed a greater role of DE genes identified from mesenteric arteries than that of kidney in modulating various cardiovascular functions. Subsequent qPCR analysis further confirmed that IRW significantly increased the expression of ACE-2, ABCB-1, IRF-8, and CDH-1 while significantly decreased the expression ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in mesenteric arteries. Our research showed for the first time that ACE inhibitory peptide IRW could contribute to its antihypertensive activity through increased ACE2 and decreased proinflammatory genes expression. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Dynamical system modeling to simulate donor T cell response to whole exome sequencing-derived recipient peptides: Understanding randomness in alloreactivity incidence following stem cell transplantation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishal Koparde

    Full Text Available Quantitative relationship between the magnitude of variation in minor histocompatibility antigens (mHA and graft versus host disease (GVHD pathophysiology in stem cell transplant (SCT donor-recipient pairs (DRP is not established. In order to elucidate this relationship, whole exome sequencing (WES was performed on 27 HLA matched related (MRD, & 50 unrelated donors (URD, to identify nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. An average 2,463 SNPs were identified in MRD, and 4,287 in URD DRP (p<0.01; resulting peptide antigens that may be presented on HLA class I molecules in each DRP were derived in silico (NetMHCpan ver2.0 and the tissue expression of proteins these were derived from determined (GTex. MRD DRP had an average 3,670 HLA-binding-alloreactive peptides, putative mHA (pmHA with an IC50 of <500 nM, and URD, had 5,386 (p<0.01. To simulate an alloreactive donor cytotoxic T cell response, the array of pmHA in each patient was considered as an operator matrix modifying a hypothetical cytotoxic T cell clonal vector matrix; each responding T cell clone's proliferation was determined by the logistic equation of growth, accounting for HLA binding affinity and tissue expression of each alloreactive peptide. The resulting simulated organ-specific alloreactive T cell clonal growth revealed marked variability, with the T cell count differences spanning orders of magnitude between different DRP. Despite an estimated, uniform set of constants used in the model for all DRP, and a heterogeneously treated group of patients, higher total and organ-specific T cell counts were associated with cumulative incidence of moderate to severe GVHD in recipients. In conclusion, exome wide sequence differences and the variable alloreactive peptide binding to HLA in each DRP yields a large range of possible alloreactive donor T cell responses. Our findings also help understand the apparent randomness observed in the development of alloimmune responses.

  6. Inactivation of cellular caspases by peptide-derived tryptophan and tyrosine peroxides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hampton, Mark B; Morgan, Philip E; Davies, Michael Jonathan

    2002-01-01

    Peroxides generated on peptides and proteins within cells, as a result of radical attack or reaction with singlet oxygen, are longer-lived than H(2)O(2) due to their poor removal by protective enzymes. These peroxides readily oxidize cysteine residues and can inactivate thiol-dependent enzymes. W...

  7. Synthetic peptide vaccines: palmitoylation of peptide antigens by a thioester bond increases immunogenicity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beekman, N.J.C.M.; Schaaper, W.M.M.; Tesser, G.I.

    1997-01-01

    Synthetic peptides have frequently been used to immunize animals. However, peptides less than about 20 to 30 amino acids long are poor immunogens. In general, to increase its immunogenicity, the presentation of the peptide should be improved, and molecular weight needs to be increased. Many...... or an amide bond. It was found that these S-palmitoylated peptides were much more immunogenic than N-palmitoylated peptides and at least similar to KLH-conjugated peptides with respect to appearance and magnitude of induced antibodies (canine parvovirus) or immunocastration effect (gonadotropin...

  8. Secretion of intact proteins and peptide fragments by lysosomal pathways of protein degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isenman, L.D.; Dice, J.F.

    1989-01-01

    We report that degradation of proteins microinjected into human fibroblasts is accompanied by release into the culture medium of peptide fragments and intact proteins as well as single amino acids. For the nine proteins and polypeptides microinjected, acid-precipitable radioactivity, i.e. peptide fragments and/or intact proteins, ranged from 10 to 67% of the total released radioactivity. Peptide fragments and/or intact protein accounted for 60% of the radioactivity released into the medium by cells microinjected with ribonuclease A. Two major radiolabeled peptide fragments were found, and one was of an appropriate size to function as an antigen in antigen-presenting cells. The peptides released from microinjected ribonuclease A were derived from lysosomal pathways of proteolysis based on several lines of evidence. Previous studies have shown that microinjected ribonuclease A is degraded to single amino acids entirely within lysosomes. We show that release of free amino acids and peptide fragments and/or intact protein was equivalently stimulated by serum deprivation and equivalently inhibited by NH4Cl. We also show that lysosomal degradation of endocytosed [3H]ribonuclease A was accompanied by the release of two peptide fragments similar in size and charge to those from microinjected [ 3 H]ribonuclease A. These findings demonstrate that degradation within lysosomes occurs in a manner that spares specific peptides; they also suggest a previously unsuspected pathway by which cells can secrete cytosol-derived polypeptides

  9. Derivatization of peptides as quaternary ammonium salts for sensitive detection by ESI-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cydzik, Marzena; Rudowska, Magdalena; Stefanowicz, Piotr; Szewczuk, Zbigniew

    2011-06-01

    A series of model peptides in the form of quaternary ammonium salts at the N-terminus was efficiently prepared by the solid-phase synthesis. Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of the peptide quaternary ammonium derivatives was shown to provide sequence confirmation and enhanced detection. We designed the 2-(1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] octylammonium)acetyl quaternary ammonium group which does not suffer from neutral losses during MS/MS experiments. The presented quaternization of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) by iodoacetylated peptides is relatively easy and compatible with standard solid-phase peptide synthesis. This methodology offers a novel sensitive approach to analyze peptides and other compounds. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. MHC class I–associated peptides derive from selective regions of the human genome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Hillary; Granados, Diana Paola; Durette, Chantal; Bonneil, Eric; Courcelles, Mathieu; Rodenbrock, Anja; Laverdure, Jean-Philippe; Côté, Caroline; Thibault, Pierre

    2016-01-01

    MHC class I–associated peptides (MAPs) define the immune self for CD8+ T lymphocytes and are key targets of cancer immunosurveillance. Here, the goals of our work were to determine whether the entire set of protein-coding genes could generate MAPs and whether specific features influence the ability of discrete genes to generate MAPs. Using proteogenomics, we have identified 25,270 MAPs isolated from the B lymphocytes of 18 individuals who collectively expressed 27 high-frequency HLA-A,B allotypes. The entire MAP repertoire presented by these 27 allotypes covered only 10% of the exomic sequences expressed in B lymphocytes. Indeed, 41% of expressed protein-coding genes generated no MAPs, while 59% of genes generated up to 64 MAPs, often derived from adjacent regions and presented by different allotypes. We next identified several features of transcripts and proteins associated with efficient MAP production. From these data, we built a logistic regression model that predicts with good accuracy whether a gene generates MAPs. Our results show preferential selection of MAPs from a limited repertoire of proteins with distinctive features. The notion that the MHC class I immunopeptidome presents only a small fraction of the protein-coding genome for monitoring by the immune system has profound implications in autoimmunity and cancer immunology. PMID:27841757

  11. Selective rhodium-catalyzed reduction of tertiary amides in amino acid esters and peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Shoubhik; Li, Yuehui; Bornschein, Christoph; Pisiewicz, Sabine; Kiersch, Konstanze; Michalik, Dirk; Gallou, Fabrice; Junge, Kathrin; Beller, Matthias

    2015-10-12

    Efficient reduction of the tertiary amide bond in amino acid derivatives and peptides is described. Functional group selectivity has been achieved by applying a commercially available rhodium precursor and bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) ligand together with phenyl silane as a reductant. This methodology allows for specific reductive derivatization of biologically interesting peptides and offers straightforward access to a variety of novel peptide derivatives for chemical biology studies and potential pharmaceutical applications. The catalytic system tolerates a variety of functional groups including secondary amides, ester, nitrile, thiomethyl, and hydroxy groups. This convenient hydrosilylation reaction proceeds at ambient conditions and is operationally safe because no air-sensitive reagents or highly reactive metal hydrides are needed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Taylor Dispersion Analysis as a promising tool for assessment of peptide-peptide interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høgstedt, Ulrich B; Schwach, Grégoire; van de Weert, Marco

    2016-01-01

    solutions increased with concentration. Our results indicate that a viscosity difference between run buffer and sample in Taylor Dispersion Analysis may result in overestimation of the measured diffusion coefficient. Thus, Taylor Dispersion Analysis provides a practical, but as yet primarily qualitative......Protein-protein and peptide-peptide (self-)interactions are of key importance in understanding the physiochemical behavior of proteins and peptides in solution. However, due to the small size of peptide molecules, characterization of these interactions is more challenging than for proteins...

  13. Enhancement of the Enterocin CRL35 Activity by a Synthetic Peptide Derived from the NH2-Terminal Sequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saavedra, Lucila; Minahk, Carlos; de Ruiz Holgado, Aída P.; Sesma, Fernando

    2004-01-01

    The enterocin CRL35 biosynthetic gene cluster was cloned and sequenced. The sequence was revealed to be highly identical to that of the mundticin KS gene cluster (S. Kawamoto, J. Shima, R. Sato, T. Eguchi, S. Ohmomo, J. Shibato, N. Horikoshi, K. Takeshita, and T. Sameshima, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:3830-3840, 2002). Short synthetic peptides were designed based on the bacteriocin sequence and were evaluated in antimicrobial competitive assays. The peptide KYYGNGVSCNKKGCS produced an enhancement of enterocin CRL35 antimicrobial activity in a buffer system. PMID:15215149

  14. TFH-derived dopamine accelerates productive synapses in germinal centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papa, Ilenia; Saliba, David; Ponzoni, Maurilio; Bustamante, Sonia; Canete, Pablo F; Gonzalez-Figueroa, Paula; McNamara, Hayley A; Valvo, Salvatore; Grimbaldeston, Michele; Sweet, Rebecca A; Vohra, Harpreet; Cockburn, Ian A; Meyer-Hermann, Michael; Dustin, Michael L; Doglioni, Claudio; Vinuesa, Carola G

    2017-07-20

    Protective high-affinity antibody responses depend on competitive selection of B cells carrying somatically mutated B-cell receptors by follicular helper T (T FH ) cells in germinal centres. The rapid T-B-cell interactions that occur during this process are reminiscent of neural synaptic transmission pathways. Here we show that a proportion of human T FH cells contain dense-core granules marked by chromogranin B, which are normally found in neuronal presynaptic terminals storing catecholamines such as dopamine. T FH cells produce high amounts of dopamine and release it upon cognate interaction with B cells. Dopamine causes rapid translocation of intracellular ICOSL (inducible T-cell co-stimulator ligand, also known as ICOSLG) to the B-cell surface, which enhances accumulation of CD40L and chromogranin B granules at the human T FH cell synapse and increases the synapse area. Mathematical modelling suggests that faster dopamine-induced T-B-cell interactions increase total germinal centre output and accelerate it by days. Delivery of neurotransmitters across the T-B-cell synapse may be advantageous in the face of infection.

  15. New peptides players in metabolic disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata Mierzwicka

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Among new peptides responsible for the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders and carbohydrate metabolism, adipokines are of great importance. Adipokines are substances of hormonal character, secreted by adipose tissue. Apart from the well-known adipokines, adropin and preptin are relatively newly discovered, hence their function is not fully understood. They are peptides not secreted by adipose tissue but their role in the metabolic regulations seems to be significant. Preptin is a 34-amino acid peptide, a derivative of proinsulin growth factor II (pro-IGF-II, secreted by pancreatic β cells, considered to be a physiological enhancer of insulin secretion. Additionally, preptin has a stimulating effect on osteoblasts, inducing their proliferation, differentiation and survival. Adropin is a 76-amino acid peptide, encoded by the energy homeostasis associated gene (Enho, mainly in liver and brain, and its expression is dependent on a diet. Adropin is believed to play an important role in metabolic homeostasis, fatty acids metabolism control, insulin resistance prevention, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose tolerance. The results of studies conducted so far show that the diseases resulting from metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or cardiovascular disease are accompanied by significant changes in the concentration of these peptides. It is also important to note that preptin has an anabolic effect on bone tissue, which might be preventive in osteoporosis.

  16. A cocoa peptide protects Caenorhabditis elegans from oxidative stress and β-amyloid peptide toxicity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Martorell

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cocoa and cocoa-based products contain different compounds with beneficial properties for human health. Polyphenols are the most frequently studied, and display antioxidant properties. Moreover, protein content is a very interesting source of antioxidant bioactive peptides, which can be used therapeutically for the prevention of age-related diseases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A bioactive peptide, 13L (DNYDNSAGKWWVT, was obtained from a hydrolyzed cocoa by-product by chromatography. The in vitro inhibition of prolyl endopeptidase (PEP was used as screening method to select the suitable fraction for peptide identification. Functional analysis of 13L peptide was achieved using the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strain CL4176 expressing the human Aβ₁₋₄₂ peptide as a pre-clinical in vivo model for Alzheimer's disease. Among the peptides isolated, peptide 13L (1 µg/mL showed the highest antioxidant activity (P≤0.001 in the wild-type strain (N2. Furthermore, 13L produced a significant delay in body paralysis in strain CL4176, especially in the 24-47 h period after Aβ₁₋₄₂ peptide induction (P≤0.0001. This observation is in accordance with the reduction of Aβ deposits in CL4176 by western blot. Finally, transcriptomic analysis in wild-type nematodes treated with 13L revealed modulation of the proteosomal and synaptic functions as the main metabolic targets of the peptide. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that the cocoa 13L peptide has antioxidant activity and may reduce Aβ deposition in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer's disease; and therefore has a putative therapeutic potential for prevention of age-related diseases. Further studies in murine models and humans will be essential to analyze the effectiveness of the 13L peptide in higher animals.

  17. AnchorDock for Blind Flexible Docking of Peptides to Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slutzki, Michal; Ben-Shimon, Avraham; Niv, Masha Y

    2017-01-01

    Due to increasing interest in peptides as signaling modulators and drug candidates, several methods for peptide docking to their target proteins are under active development. The "blind" docking problem, where the peptide-binding site on the protein surface is unknown, presents one of the current challenges in the field. AnchorDock protocol was developed by Ben-Shimon and Niv to address this challenge.This protocol narrows the docking search to the most relevant parts of the conformational space. This is achieved by pre-folding the free peptide and by computationally detecting anchoring spots on the surface of the unbound protein. Multiple flexible simulated annealing molecular dynamics (SAMD) simulations are subsequently carried out, starting from pre-folded peptide conformations, constrained to the various precomputed anchoring spots.Here, AnchorDock is demonstrated using two known protein-peptide complexes. A PDZ-peptide complex provides a relatively easy case due to the relatively small size of the protein, and a typical peptide conformation and binding region; a more challenging example is a complex between USP7 N-term and a p53-derived peptide, where the protein is larger, and the peptide conformation and a binding site are generally assumed to be unknown. AnchorDock returned native-like solutions ranked first and third for the PDZ and USP7 complexes, respectively. We describe the procedure step by step and discuss possible modifications where applicable.

  18. Production of an Engineered Killer Peptide in Nicotiana benthamiana by Using a Potato virus X Expression System

    OpenAIRE

    Donini, Marcello; Lico, Chiara; Baschieri, Selene; Conti, Stefania; Magliani, Walter; Polonelli, Luciano; Benvenuto, Eugenio

    2005-01-01

    The decapeptide killer peptide (KP) derived from the sequence of a single-chain, anti-idiotypic antibody acting as a functional internal image of a microbicidal, broad-spectrum yeast killer toxin (KT) was shown to exert a strong microbicidal activity against human pathogens. With the aim to exploit this peptide to confer resistance to plant pathogens, we assayed its antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi. Synthetic KP exhibited antimicrobial acti...

  19. The CNTF-derived peptide mimetic Cintrofin attenuates spatial-learning deficits in a rat post-status epilepticus model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Russmann, Vera; Seeger, Natalie; Zellinger, Christina

    2013-01-01

    Ciliary neurotrophic growth factor is considered a potential therapeutic agent for central nervous system diseases. We report first in vivo data of the ciliary neurotrophic growth factor peptide mimetic Cintrofin in a rat post-status epilepticus model. Cintrofin prevented long-term alterations...... in the number of doublecortin-positive neuronal progenitor cells and attenuated the persistence of basal dendrites. In contrast, Cintrofin did neither affect acute status epilepticus-associated alterations in hippocampal cell proliferation and neurogenesis nor reveal any relevant effect on seizure activity....... Whereas status epilepticus caused a significant disturbance in spatial learning in reversed peptide-treated rats, the performance of Cintrofin-treated rats did not differ from controls. The study confirms that Cintrofin comprises an active sequence mimicking effects of its parent molecule. While the data...

  20. Antitumor activity of novel chimeric peptides derived from cyclinD/CDK4 and the protein transduction domain 4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haili; Chen, Xi; Chen, Yanping; Sun, Lei; Li, Guodong; Zhai, Mingxia; Zhai, Wenjie; Kang, Qiaozhen; Gao, Yanfeng; Qi, Yuanming

    2013-02-01

    CyclinD1/CDK4 and cyclinD3/CDK4 complexes are key regulators of the cell progression and therefore constitute promising targets for the design of anticancer agents. In the present study, the key peptide motifs were selected from these two complexes. Chimeric peptides with these peptides conjugated to the protein transduction domain 4 (PTD4) were designed and synthesized. The chimeric peptides, PTD4-D1, PTD4-D3, PTD4-K4 exhibited significant anti-proliferation effects on cancer cell lines. These peptides could compete with the cyclinD/CDK4 complex and induce the G1/S phase arrest and apoptosis of cancer cells. In the tumor challenge experiment, these peptides showed potent antitumor effects with no significant side effects. Our results suggested that these peptides could be served as novel leading compounds with potent antitumor activity.

  1. Synthesis of α,γ-peptide hybrids by selective conversion of glutamic acid units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saavedra, Carlos J; Boto, Alicia; Hernández, Rosendo

    2012-07-06

    The site-selective modification of small peptides at a glutamate residue allows the ready preparation of α,γ-hybrids. In this way, a single peptide can be transformed into a variety of hybrid derivatives. The process takes place under very mild conditions, and good global yields are obtained.

  2. C- and N-truncated antimicrobial peptides from LFampin 265 - 284: Biophysical versus microbiology results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regina Adão

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with two globular lobes, each having two domains. Since the discovery of its antimicrobial properties, efforts have been made to find peptides derived from this protein showing antimicrobial properties. Most peptides initially studied were derived from Lactoferricin B, obtained from the protein by digestion with pepsin. More recently, a new family of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs derived from Lactoferrin was discovered by Bolcher et al, and named Lactoferrampin (LFampin. The original sequence of LFampin contained residues 268 - 284 from the N1 domain of Lactoferrin. From this peptide, the Bolscher′s group synthesized a collection of peptides obtained by extension and / or truncation at the C or N-terminal sides, in order to unravel the main structural features responsible for antimicrobial action. Here, we present results for three of these peptides, namely LFampin 265 - 284, LFampin 265 - 280, and LFampin 270 - 284. The peptides were tested against bacteria (E. coli and S. sanguinis, fungi (C. albicans, and model membranes of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol] (DMPG, and their mixtures at a ratio of 3 : 1 (DMPC : DMPG (3 : 1. The ability to adopt a helical conformation was followed by a circular dichroism (CD, and the perturbation of the gel to the liquid-crystalline phase transition of the membrane was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. Distinct behavior was observed in the three peptides, both from the microbiology and model membrane studies, with the biophysical results showing excellent correlation with the microbiology activity studies. LFampin 265 - 284 was the most active peptide toward the tested microorganisms, and in the biophysical studies it showed the highest ability to form an a-helix and the strongest interaction with model membranes, followed by LFampin 265 - 280. LFampin 270 - 284 was inactive, showing

  3. Cross-protective peptide vaccine against influenza A viruses developed in HLA-A*2402 human immunity model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toru Ichihashi

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL induction is an important target for the development of a broadly protective human influenza vaccine, since most CTL epitopes are found on internal viral proteins and relatively conserved. In this study, the possibility of developing a strain/subtype-independent human influenza vaccine was explored by taking a bioinformatics approach to establish an immunogenic HLA-A24 restricted CTL epitope screening system in HLA-transgenic mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: HLA-A24 restricted CTL epitope peptides derived from internal proteins of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus were predicted by CTL epitope peptide prediction programs. Of 35 predicted peptides, six peptides exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity in vivo. More than half of the mice which were subcutaneously vaccinated with the three most immunogenic and highly conserved epitopes among three different influenza A virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1 survived lethal influenza virus challenge during both effector and memory CTL phases. Furthermore, mice that were intranasally vaccinated with these peptides remained free of clinical signs after lethal virus challenge during the effector phase. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This CTL epitope peptide selection system can be used as an effective tool for the development of a cross-protective human influenza vaccine. Furthermore this vaccine strategy can be applicable to the development of all intracellular pathogens vaccines to induce epitope-specific CTL that effectively eliminate infected cells.

  4. Inhibition of enterovirus 71 (EV-71 infections by a novel antiviral peptide derived from EV-71 capsid protein VP1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chee Wah Tan

    Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV-71 is the main causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD. In recent years, EV-71 infections were reported to cause high fatalities and severe neurological complications in Asia. Currently, no effective antiviral or vaccine is available to treat or prevent EV-71 infection. In this study, we have discovered a synthetic peptide which could be developed as a potential antiviral for inhibition of EV-71. Ninety five synthetic peptides (15-mers overlapping the entire EV-71 capsid protein, VP1, were chemically synthesized and tested for antiviral properties against EV-71 in human Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD cells. One peptide, SP40, was found to significantly reduce cytopathic effects of all representative EV-71 strains from genotypes A, B and C tested, with IC(50 values ranging from 6-9.3 µM in RD cells. The in vitro inhibitory effect of SP40 exhibited a dose dependent concentration corresponding to a decrease in infectious viral particles, total viral RNA and the levels of VP1 protein. The antiviral activity of SP40 peptide was not restricted to a specific cell line as inhibition of EV-71 was observed in RD, HeLa, HT-29 and Vero cells. Besides inhibition of EV-71, it also had antiviral activities against CV-A16 and poliovirus type 1 in cell culture. Mechanism of action studies suggested that the SP40 peptide was not virucidal but was able to block viral attachment to the RD cells. Substitutions of arginine and lysine residues with alanine in the SP40 peptide at positions R3A, R4A, K5A and R13A were found to significantly decrease antiviral activities, implying the importance of positively charged amino acids for the antiviral activities. The data demonstrated the potential and feasibility of SP40 as a broad spectrum antiviral agent against EV-71.

  5. Conjugated nanoliposome with the HER2/neu-derived peptide GP2 as an effective vaccine against breast cancer in mice xenograft model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atefeh Razazan

    Full Text Available One of the challenging issues in vaccine development is peptide and adjuvant delivery into target cells. In this study, we developed a vaccine and therapeutic delivery system to increase cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL response against a breast cancer model overexpressing HER2/neu. Gp2, a HER2/neu-derived peptide, was conjugated to Maleimide-mPEG2000-DSPE micelles and post inserted into liposomes composed of DMPC, DMPG phospholipids, and fusogenic lipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE containing monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL adjuvant (DMPC-DMPG-DOPE-MPL-Gp2. BALB/c mice were immunized with different formulations and the immune response was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. ELISpot and intracellular cytokine analysis by flow cytometry showed that the mice vaccinated with Lip-DOPE-MPL-GP2 incited the highest number of IFN-γ+ in CD8+ cells and CTL response. The immunization led to lower tumor sizes and longer survival time compared to the other groups of mice immunized and treated with the Lip-DOPE-MPL-GP2 formulation in both prophylactic and therapeutic experiments. These results showed that co-formulation of DOPE and MPL conjugated with GP2 peptide not only induces high antitumor immunity but also enhances therapeutic efficacy in TUBO mice model. Lip-DOPE-MPL-GP2 formulation could be a promising vaccine and a therapeutic delivery system against HER2 positive cancers and merits further investigation.

  6. Limitations of Ab Initio Predictions of Peptide Binding to MHC Class II Molecules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Hao; Lund, Ole; Nielsen, Morten

    2010-01-01

    potentials derived from the analysis of known protein structures; energetic evaluation of different peptide snapshots in a molecular dynamics simulation; and direct analysis of contacts made in known 3D structures of peptide:MHC complexes. These methods are ab initio in that they require structural data...

  7. Chicken cathelicidin-2-derived peptides with enhanced immunomodulatory and antibacterial activities against biological warfare agents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molhoek, E.M.; Dijk, A. van; Veldhuizen, E.J.A.; Dijk-Knijnenburg, H.; Mars-Groenendijk, R.H.; Boele, L.C.L.; Kaman-van Zanten, W.E.; Haagsman, H.P.; Bikker, F.J.

    2010-01-01

    Host defence peptides (HDPs) are considered to be excellent candidates for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Recently, it was demonstrated that the peptide C1-15, an N-terminal segment of chicken HDP cathelicidin-2, exhibits potent antibacterial activity while lacking cytotoxicity towards

  8. A family of cell-adhering peptides homologous to fibrinogen C-termini

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levy-Beladev, Liron; Levdansky, Lilia; Gaberman, Elena; Friedler, Assaf; Gorodetsky, Raphael

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Cell-adhesive sequences homologous to fibrinogen C-termini exist in other proteins. → The extended homologous cell-adhesive C-termini peptides family is termed Haptides. → In membrane-like environment random coiled Haptides adopt a helical conformation. → Replacing positively charged residues with alanine reduces Haptides activity. -- Abstract: A family of cell-adhesive peptides homologous to sequences on different chains of fibrinogen was investigated. These homologous peptides, termed Haptides, include the peptides Cβ, preCγ, and CαE, corresponding to sequences on the C-termini of fibrinogen chains β, γ, and αE, respectively. Haptides do not affect cell survival and rate of proliferation of the normal cell types tested. The use of new sensitive assays of cell adhesion clearly demonstrated the ability of Haptides, bound to inert matrices, to mediate attachment of different matrix-dependent cell types including normal fibroblasts, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells. Here we present new active Haptides bearing homologous sequences derived from the C-termini of other proteins, such as angiopoietin 1 and 2, tenascins C and X, and microfibril-associated glycoprotein-4. The cell adhesion properties of all the Haptides were found to be associated mainly with their 11 N-terminal residues. Mutated preCγ peptides revealed that positively charged residues account for their attachment effect. These results suggest a mechanism of direct electrostatic interaction of Haptides with the cell membrane. The extended Haptides family may be applied in modulating adhesion of cells to scaffolds for tissue regeneration and for enhancement of nanoparticulate transfection into cells.

  9. AP-1/KIF13A Blocking Peptides Impair Melanosome Maturation and Melanin Synthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cécile Campagne

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Melanocytes are specialized cells that generate unique organelles called melanosomes in which melanin is synthesized and stored. Melanosome biogenesis and melanocyte pigmentation require the transport and delivery of melanin synthesizing enzymes, such as tyrosinase and related proteins (e.g., TYRP1, from endosomes to maturing melanosomes. Among the proteins controlling endosome-melanosome transport, AP-1 together with KIF13A coordinates the endosomal sorting and trafficking of TYRP1 to melanosomes. We identify here β1-adaptin AP-1 subunit-derived peptides of 5 amino acids that block the interaction of KIF13A with AP-1 in cells. Incubating these peptides with human MNT-1 cells or 3D-reconstructed pigmented epidermis decreases pigmentation by impacting the maturation of melanosomes in fully pigmented organelles. This study highlights that peptides targeting the intracellular trafficking of melanocytes are candidate molecules to tune pigmentation in health and disease.

  10. HLA Class I Binding 9mer Peptides from Influenza A Virus Induce CD4(+) T Cell Responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, M. J.; Larsen, Mette Voldby; Nielsen, Morten

    2010-01-01

    of the pan-specific anti-HLA class II (HLA-II) antibody IVA12. Blocking of HLA-II subtype reactivity revealed that 8 and 6 peptide responses were blocked by anti-HLA-DR and -DP antibodies, respectively. Peptide reactivity of PBMC depleted of CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells prior to the ELISPOT culture revealed...... that effectors are either CD4(+) (the majority of reactivities) or CD8(+) T cells, never a mixture of these subsets. Three of the peptides, recognized by CD4(+) T cells showed binding to recombinant DRA1*0101/DRB1*0401 or DRA1*0101/DRB5*0101 molecules in a recently developed biochemical assay. Conclusions....../Significance: HLA-I binding 9mer influenza virus-derived peptides induce in many cases CD4(+) T cell responses restricted by HLA-II molecules....

  11. Cancer therapy with alpha-emitters labeled peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadachova, Ekaterina

    2010-05-01

    Actively targeted alpha-particles offer specific tumor cell killing action with less collateral damage to surrounding normal tissues than beta-emitters. During the last decade, radiolabeled peptides that bind to different receptors on the tumors have been investigated as potential therapeutic agents both in the preclinical and clinical settings. Advantages of radiolabeled peptides over antibodies include relatively straightforward chemical synthesis, versatility, easier radiolabeling, rapid clearance from the circulation, faster penetration and more uniform distribution into tissues, and less immunogenicity. Rapid internalization of the radiolabeled peptides with equally rapid re-expression of the cell surface target is a highly desirable property that enhances the total delivery of these radionuclides into malignant sites. Peptides, such as octreotide, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-containing peptides, bombesin derivatives, and others may all be feasible for use with alpha-emitters. The on-going preclinical work has primarily concentrated on octreotide and octreotate analogues labeled with Bismuth-213 and Astatine-211. In addition, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogue has been labeled with Lead-212/Bismuth-212 in vivo generator and demonstrated the encouraging therapeutic efficacy in treatment of experimental melanoma. Obstacles that continue to obstruct widespread acceptance of alpha-emitter-labeled peptides are primarily the supply of these radionuclides and concerns about potential kidney toxicity. New sources and methods for production of these medically valuable radionuclides and better understanding of mechanisms related to the peptide renal uptake and clearance should speed up the introduction of alpha-emitter-labeled peptides into the clinic. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Virus-cell fusion inhibitory activity of novel analogue peptides based on the HP (2-20) derived from N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori Ribosomal Protein L1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Eun-Rhan; Lee, Dong Gun; Chang, Young-Su; Park, Yoonkyung; Hahm, Kyung-Soo

    2002-12-01

    HP (2-20) (AKKVFKRLEKLFSKIQNDK) is the antibacterial sequence derived from N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori Ribosomal Protein L1 (RPL1). It has a broad-spectrum microbicidal activity in vitro that is thought to be related to the membrane-disruptive properties of the peptide. Based on the putative membrane-targeted mode of action, we postulated that HP (2-20) might be possessed virus-cell fusion inhibitory activity. To develop the novel virus-cell fusion inhibitory peptides, several analogues with amino acid substitution were designed to increase or decrease only net hydrophobic region. In particular, substitution of Gln and Asp for hydrophobic amino acid, Trp at position 17 and 19 of HP (2-20) (Anal 3) caused a dramatic increase in virus-cell fusion inhibitory activity without hemolytic effect.

  13. A novel CXCR4-targeted near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe (Peptide R-NIR750) specifically detects CXCR4 expressing tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santagata, Sara; Portella, Luigi; Napolitano, Maria; Greco, Adelaide; D'Alterio, Crescenzo; Barone, Maria Vittoria; Luciano, Antonio; Gramanzini, Matteo; Auletta, Luigi; Arra, Claudio; Zannetti, Antonella; Scala, Stefania

    2017-05-31

    C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is over-expressed in multiple human cancers and correlates with tumor aggressiveness, poor prognosis and increased risk for distant metastases. Imaging agents for CXCR4 are thus highly desirable. We developed a novel CXCR4-targeted near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe (Peptide R-NIR750) conjugating the new developed CXCR4 peptidic antagonist Peptide R with the NIR fluorescent dye VivoTag-S750. Specific CXCR4 binding was obtained in cells overexpressing human CXCR4 (B16-hCXCR4 and human melanoma cells PES43), but not in CXCR4 low expressing cells (FB-1). Ex vivo evaluation demonstrated that PepR-NIR750 specifically detects B16-hCXCR4-derived subcutaneous tumors and lung metastases. Fluorescence Molecular Tomography (FMT) in vivo imaging was performed on mice carrying subcutaneous CHO and CHO-CXCR4 tumors. PepR-NIR750 accumulates only in CXCR4-positive expressing subcutaneous tumors. Additionally, an intense NIR fluorescence signal was detected in PES43-derived lung metastases of nude mice injected with PepR-NIR750 versus mice injected with VivoTag-S750. With a therapeutic intent, mice bearing PES43-derived lung metastases were treated with Peptide R. A the dramatic reduction in PES43-derived lung metastases was detected through a decrease of the PepR-NIR750 signal. PepR-NIR750 is a specific probe for non-invasive detection of human high CXCR4-expressing tumors and metastatic lesion and thus a valuable tool for cancer molecular imaging.

  14. Inhibition of the myostatin/Smad signaling pathway by short decorin-derived peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Shafey, Nelly; Guesnon, Mickaël; Simon, Françoise; Deprez, Eric; Cosette, Jérémie; Stockholm, Daniel; Scherman, Daniel; Bigey, Pascal; Kichler, Antoine

    2016-02-15

    Myostatin, also known as growth differentiation factor 8, is a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily that has been shown to play a key role in the regulation of the skeletal muscle mass. Indeed, while myostatin deletion or loss of function induces muscle hypertrophy, its overexpression or systemic administration causes muscle atrophy. Since myostatin blockade is effective in increasing skeletal muscle mass, myostatin inhibitors have been actively sought after. Decorin, a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family is a metalloprotein that was previously shown to bind and inactivate myostatin in a zinc-dependent manner. Furthermore, the myostatin-binding site has been shown to be located in the decorin N-terminal domain. In the present study, we investigated the anti-myostatin activity of short and soluble fragments of decorin. Our results indicate that the murine decorin peptides DCN48-71 and 42-65 are sufficient for inactivating myostatin in vitro. Moreover, we show that the interaction of mDCN48-71 to myostatin is strictly zinc-dependent. Binding of myostatin to activin type II receptor results in the phosphorylation of Smad2/3. Addition of the decorin peptide 48-71 decreased in a dose-dependent manner the myostatin-induced phosphorylation of Smad2 demonstrating thereby that the peptide inhibits the activation of the Smad signaling pathway. Finally, we found that mDCN48-71 displays a specificity towards myostatin, since it does not inhibit other members of the transforming growth factor-beta family. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Comparative analysis of selected methods for the assessment of antimicrobial and membrane-permeabilizing activity: a case study for lactoferricin derived peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lohner Karl

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Growing concerns about bacterial resistance to antibiotics have prompted the development of alternative therapies like those based on cationic antimicrobial peptides (APs. These compounds not only are bactericidal by themselves but also enhance the activity of antibiotics. Studies focused on the systematic characterization of APs are hampered by the lack of standard guidelines for testing these compounds. We investigated whether the information provided by methods commonly used for the biological characterization of APs is comparable, as it is often assumed. For this purpose, we determined the bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and permeability-increasing activity of synthetic peptides (n = 57; 9–13 amino acid residues in length analogous to the lipopolysaccharide-binding region of human lactoferricin by a number of the most frequently used methods and carried out a comparative analysis. Results While the minimum inhibitory concentration determined by an automated turbidimetry-based system (Bioscreen or by conventional broth microdilution methods did not differ significantly, bactericidal activity measured under static conditions in a low-ionic strength solvent resulted in a vast overestimation of antimicrobial activity. Under these conditions the degree of antagonism between the peptides and the divalent cations differed greatly depending on the bacterial strain tested. In contrast, the bioactivity of peptides was not affected by the type of plasticware (polypropylene vs. polystyrene. Susceptibility testing of APs using cation adjusted Mueller-Hinton was the most stringent screening method, although it may overlook potentially interesting peptides. Permeability assays based on sensitization to hydrophobic antibiotics provided overall information analogous – though not quantitatively comparable- to that of tests based on the uptake of hydrophobic fluorescent probes. Conclusion We demonstrate that subtle changes in methods for

  16. Biomimetic chimeric peptide-tethered hydrogels for human mesenchymal stem cell delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Gayong; Kim, Gunwoo; Choi, Junhyeok; Yi, TacGhee; Cho, Yun Kyoung; Song, Sun Uk; Byun, Youngro; Oh, Yu-Kyoung

    2015-12-01

    Here, we report a chimeric peptide-tethered fibrin hydrogel scaffold for delivery of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). Osteopontin-derived peptide (OP) was used as an hMSC-tethering moiety. OP showed hMSC adhesion properties and enhanced hMSC proliferation. A natural fibrin-binding protein-derived peptide (FBP) was tested for its ability to tether hMSC to the fibrin gel matrix. FBP loading on fibrin gels was 8.2-fold higher than that of a scrambled peptide (scFBP). FBP-loaded fibrin gels were retained at injection sites longer than scFBP-loaded fibrin gels, showing a 15.9-fold higher photon intensity of fluorescent FBP-grafted fibrin gels than fluorescent scFBP-loaded fibrin gels 48 h after injection. On the basis of the fibrin gel-binding properties of FBP and the hMSC-binding and proliferation-supporting properties of OP, we constructed chimeric peptides containing FBP and OP linked with a spacer (FBPsOP). Four days after transplantation, the survival of hMSC in FBPsOP-grafted fibrin gels was 3.9-fold higher than hMSC in fibrin gels alone. Our results suggest the potential of FBPsOP-grafted fibrin gels as a bioactive delivery system for enhanced survival of stem cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Designed β-Boomerang Antiendotoxic and Antimicrobial Peptides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhunia, Anirban; Mohanram, Harini; Domadia, Prerna N.; Torres, Jaume; Bhattacharjya, Surajit

    2009-01-01

    Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an integral part of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is involved in a variety of biological processes including inflammation, septic shock, and resistance to host-defense molecules. LPS also provides an environment for folding of outer membrane proteins. In this work, we describe the structure-activity correlation of a series of 12-residue peptides in LPS. NMR structures of the peptides derived in complex with LPS reveal boomerang-like β-strand conformations that are stabilized by intimate packing between the two aromatic residues located at the 4 and 9 positions. This structural feature renders these peptides with a high ability to neutralize endotoxicity, >80% at 10 nm concentration, of LPS. Replacements of these aromatic residues either with Ala or with Leu destabilizes the boomerang structure with the concomitant loss of antiendotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, the aromatic packing stabilizing the β-boomerang structure in LPS is found to be maintained even in a truncated octapeptide, defining a structured LPS binding motif. The mode of action of the active designed peptides correlates well with their ability to perturb LPS micelle structures. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of the peptides delineate β-type conformations and immobilization of phosphate head groups of LPS. Trp fluorescence studies demonstrated selective interactions with LPS and the depth of insertion into the LPS bilayer. Our results demonstrate the requirement of LPS-specific structures of peptides for endotoxin neutralizations. In addition, we propose that structures of these peptides may be employed to design proteins for the outer membrane. PMID:19520860

  18. Isotretinoin therapy changes the expression of antimicrobial peptides in acne vulgaris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borovaya, Alena; Dombrowski, Yvonne; Zwicker, Stephanie; Olisova, Olga; Ruzicka, Thomas; Wolf, Ronald; Schauber, Jürgen; Sárdy, Miklós

    2014-10-01

    In acne vulgaris, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could play a dual role; i.e., protective by acting against Propionibacterium acnes, pro-inflammatory by acting as signalling molecules. The cutaneous expression of 15 different AMPs was investigated in acne patients; furthermore, the impact of isotretinoin therapy on AMP expression was analysed in skin biopsies from 13 patients with acne vulgaris taken before, during and after a 6-month treatment cycle with isotretinoin using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cutaneous expression of the AMPs cathelicidin, human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), lactoferrin, lysozyme, psoriasin (S100A7), koebnerisin (S100A15), and RNase 7 was upregulated in untreated acne vulgaris, whereas α-defensin-1 (HNP-1) was downregulated compared to controls. While relative expression levels of cathelicidin, HBD-2, lactoferrin, psoriasin (S100A7), and koebnerisin (S100A15) decreased during isotretinoin treatment, only those of cathelicidin and koebnerisin returned to normal after 6 months of isotretinoin therapy. The increased expression of lysozyme and RNase 7 remained unaffected by isotretinoin treatment. The levels of granulysin, RANTES (CCL5), perforin, CXCL9, substance P, chromogranin B, and dermcidin were not regulated in untreated acne patients and isotretinoin had no effect on these AMPs. In conclusion, the expression of various AMPs is altered in acne vulgaris. Isotretinoin therapy normalizes the cutaneous production of distinct AMPs while the expression of others is still increased in healing acne. Considering the antimicrobial and pro-inflammatory role of AMPs, these molecules could serve as specific targets for acne therapy and maintenance of clinical remission.

  19. A cancer specific cell-penetrating peptide, BR2, for the efficient delivery of an scFv into cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ki Jung Lim

    Full Text Available Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs have proven very effective as intracellular delivery vehicles for various therapeutics. However, there are some concerns about non-specific penetration and cytotoxicity of CPPs for effective cancer treatments. Herein, based on the cell-penetrating motif of an anticancer peptide, buforin IIb, we designed several CPP derivatives with cancer cell specificity. Among the derivatives, a 17-amino acid peptide (BR2 was found to have cancer-specificity without toxicity to normal cells. After specifically targeting cancer cells through interaction with gangliosides, BR2 entered cells via lipid-mediated macropinocytosis. Moreover, BR2 showed higher membrane translocation efficiency than the well-known CPP Tat (49-57. The capability of BR2 as a cancer-specific drug carrier was demonstrated by fusion of BR2 to a single-chain variable fragment (scFv directed toward a mutated K-ras (G12V. BR2-fused scFv induced a higher degree of apoptosis than Tat-fused scFv in K-ras mutated HCT116 cells. These results suggest that the novel cell-penetrating peptide BR2 has great potential as a useful drug delivery carrier with cancer cell specificity.

  20. A cancer specific cell-penetrating peptide, BR2, for the efficient delivery of an scFv into cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Ki Jung; Sung, Bong Hyun; Shin, Ju Ri; Lee, Young Woong; Kim, Da Jung; Yang, Kyung Seok; Kim, Sun Chang

    2013-01-01

    Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have proven very effective as intracellular delivery vehicles for various therapeutics. However, there are some concerns about non-specific penetration and cytotoxicity of CPPs for effective cancer treatments. Herein, based on the cell-penetrating motif of an anticancer peptide, buforin IIb, we designed several CPP derivatives with cancer cell specificity. Among the derivatives, a 17-amino acid peptide (BR2) was found to have cancer-specificity without toxicity to normal cells. After specifically targeting cancer cells through interaction with gangliosides, BR2 entered cells via lipid-mediated macropinocytosis. Moreover, BR2 showed higher membrane translocation efficiency than the well-known CPP Tat (49-57). The capability of BR2 as a cancer-specific drug carrier was demonstrated by fusion of BR2 to a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) directed toward a mutated K-ras (G12V). BR2-fused scFv induced a higher degree of apoptosis than Tat-fused scFv in K-ras mutated HCT116 cells. These results suggest that the novel cell-penetrating peptide BR2 has great potential as a useful drug delivery carrier with cancer cell specificity.