Gramicidin inhibits human gastric cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle and induced apoptosis

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a common malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, which seriously affects human health. Gramicidin is a short peptide antibiotic which could be used for treating infection induced by bacteria or fungi. However, the anti-cancer effect of gramicidin on gastric cancer cells and its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. RESULTS: Gastric cancer cells SGC-7901, BGC-823 and normal gastric mucosal cells GES-1 were treated with different concentrations of gramicidin respectively. The results of CCK-8 experiment revealed cellular toxicity of gramicidin to cancer cells while cell colony formation assay showed that gramicidin significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, but had little effect on normal gastric mucosal cells. In addition, the wound healing assay showed that gramicidin inhibited the migration of SGC-7901 cell. Meanwhile, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis revealed that gramicidin induced cell apoptosis with G2/M cell cycle inhibition. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that gramicidin down-regulated the expression of cyclinD1 and Bcl-2 as well as the FoxO1 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: The current study illustrated the anti-tumor activity of gramicidin on gastric cancer cells, providing a possibility for gramicidin to be applied in clinical practice for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Development of agar diffusion method for dosage of gramicidin / Desenvolvimento do método de difusão em agar para dosagem de gramicidina

Gramicidin, an antimicrobial peptide active against Gram positive bacteria, is commonly used in pharmaceutical preparations for topical use. Considering that only the turbidimetric method has been described in the literature, the present study sought to develop and validate an agar diffusion method for the dosage of gramicidin. The method was developed and validated using the Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341 as a test microorganism. Two designs were used: a 3x3 parallel-line model, and a 5x1 standard curve. The validation demonstrated that the method follows the linear model (r²= 0.994), presenting a significant regression between the zone diameter of growth inhibition and the logarithm of the concentration within the range of 5 to 25.3 µg/mL. The results obtained for both designs were precise, having a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for intra-day precision of 0.81 for the 3x3 assay and 1.90 for the 5x1 assay. For the inter-day precision, the R.S.D. was 1.35 for the 3x3 and 2.64 for the 5x1. The accuracy was verified and results confirmed to be accurate, having a tolerance interval of 95 percent, which lay within permitted limits and appropriate trueness. In addition, the method was considered selective, with limit of detection and upper and lower limits of quantification of 2.00, 5.00 and 25.3 µg/mL, respectively. No difference in precision between the designs used in the agar diffusion method was evident (p>0.05). The method proved to be appropriate for the microbiological dosage of the raw material gramicidin.

A gramicidina, um peptídeo antimicrobiano ativo contra bactérias Gram positivo, é utilizada em preparações farmacêuticas de uso tópico. Neste trabalho procurou-se desenvolver e validar outro método para o doseamento de gramicidina tendo em vista que somente o método turbidimétrico é descrito. O método de difusão em ágar foi desenvolvido e validado utilizando como microrganismo teste Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341. Foram utilizados dois delineamentos: retas paralelas 3x3 e curva padrão 5x1. A validação demonstrou que o método segue o modelo linear (r²= 0,994) havendo regressão significativa entre o diâmetro dos halos de inibição e o logaritmo da concentração na faixa de 5,00 a 25,3 µg/mL. Os resultados obtidos por ambos os delineamentos foram precisos apresentando desvio padrão relativo (DPR) para precisão intra-dia de 0,81 para ensaio 3x3 e de 1,90 para ensaio 5x1. Para a precisão inter-dias o DPR foi de 1,35 para 3x3 e de 2,64 para 5x1. A exatidão foi verificada e os resultados foram exatos apresentando intervalo de tolerância a 95 por cento dentro dos limites permitidos e veracidade adequada. O método foi seletivo com limites de detecção e quantificação inferior e superior iguais a 2,00, 5,00 e 25,3 µg/mL, respectivamente. Não foi observada diferença entre a precisão dos delineamentos empregados no método de difusão em ágar (p>0.05). O método se mostrou adequado para a dosagem microbiológica de gramicidina matéria-prima.

Effects of Dopamine on the Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone(GnRH) Neurons / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: The gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons represent the final output cells of the neural network that controls fertility. Dopamine (DA) has been shown to control gonadotropin release in many species. However, the direct membrane effects of DA and the related receptors on GnRH neurons remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the direct actions of DA on GnRH neurons and the related receptors using brain slice electrophysiology. METHODS: Gramicidin-perforated patch clamp recordings were made from the GnRH neurons to examine the direct membrane effects of DA in GnRH-EGFP mut5 mice. RESULTS: DA induced hyperpolarization of the GnRH neurons, which was maintained in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a Na+ channel blocker, suggesting a direct, rather than indirect, action of DA on GnRH neurons. DA-induced hyperpolarizing effects were blocked by prazosin, an alpah1-adrenergic antagonist, and mimicked by phenylephrine (PE), an alpha1-adrenergic agonist. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that DA exerts a direct inhibitory effect on GnRH neurons via the alpha1- adrenergic receptors. These results support the general concept that dopaminergic afference represents a predominantly inhibitory component of the GnRH neuronal network.

Computed energy profiles for ion transport in the gramicidin A channel.

Energy profiles have been established for the transport of Na+, K+ and Cs+ through the gramicidin A channel. In Urry’s head-to-head β 6.3 left-handed helical dimer structure, using a refined methodology for the calculation of intra and intermolecular interactions. The computations show the important role, for the energy profile and the position of the possible binding site, of the flexible ethanolamine chain, whose significance was till now overlooked. The calculations indicate that the barriers at the entrance and at the center of the channel should be in the order Na+ > K+ > Cs+ but predict also that the energies of the binding sites should be the greatest for Na+ and, then, comparable for K+ and Cs+. The indications concerning the barriers are confirmed by experiment.

Gramicidin-S: Structure–activity relationship.

The two side chain amino groups of the two L-ornithine residues in gramicidin-S seem to be important for the antibacterial activity of the molecule, since complete acetylation, formylation, carbamylation, deamination, trinitrophenylation, succinylation, maleylation of the antibiotic caused 90–95 % loss of the antibacterial activity of the antibiotic. However this modification leads to only 12–30% loss of the hemolytic activity. Monoacetyl- and monoformyl gramicidin-S with a free amino group retains nearly 50% of the antibacterial activity of the molecule. It seems, therefore, that the two amino groups contribute equally to the antibacterial activity of gramicidin-S.

The role of free amino groups of peptides and proteins in the Folin-Lowry and biuret methods.

On an equal weight basis polymyxin Β and EM 49 which do not contain tyrosine or tryptophan yielded the same colour intensity as proteins in the Folin-Lowry and biuret methods. But, in the absence of reagent C (alkaline copper reagent) polymyxin Β and EM 49 yielded no colour in the Folin-Lowry method. Mono-, di- and tri-formyl polymyxins Β formed identical amounts of coloured complexes as polymyxin Β in the two methods. However, the tetra- and penta-formyl polymyxins Β yielded only one-fifth and one-sixth, respectively, of the expected colour in the Folin-Lowry method. Similarly, 40% and 30%, respectively, of the anticipated amount of colour is formed in the biuret method. Formylated and methylated lysozyme and bovine serum albumins form only 70-75% of the expected colour in the Folin-Lowry method. Since formation of colour by reduction of Folin reagent, in the Folin-Lowry method, is at least partly due to complexes of copper, it was inferred that polymyxin Β as well as its mono-, di- and tri-formyl derivatives on the one hand and the tetra- and penta-formyl derivatives on the other differ in their ability to complex Cu(II) The former group of compounds was indeed found to complex as many as three Cu(II) ions whereas the tetra- and penta-formyl polymyxins Β complexed only one equivalent, under conditions of excess Cu(II). Under conditions of low Cu(II), polymyxin Β and all its derivatives complexed only one Cu(II). In proteins, sites other than amino groups which complex Cu(II) probably play a major role in the reduction of the Folin reagent, since methylated lysozyme and bovine serum albumin yield 70-75% of the colour formed by the unmodified proteins in the Folin-Lowry reaction.