Complete Removal of Extracellular IgG Antibodies in a Randomized Dose-Escalation Phase I Study with the Bacterial Enzyme IdeS--A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity.

UNLABELLED: IdeS is a streptococcal protease that cleaves IgG antibodies into F(ab')2 and Fc fragments with a unique degree of specificity, thereby providing a novel treatment opportunity of IgG-driven autoimmune conditions and antibody mediated transplant rejection. Here we report the results from a first in man, double blinded and randomized study with single ascending doses of IdeS in healthy, male subjects. Twenty healthy subjects were given intravenous single ascending doses of IdeS. With impressive efficacy IdeS cleaved the entire plasma IgG-pool only minutes after dosing. IgG reached nadir 6-24 hours after dosing and then slowly recovered. The half-life of IdeS was 4.9 (±2.8) hours at 0.24 mg/kg with the main fraction eliminated during 24 hours. Already two hours after IdeS-dosing, the phagocytic capacity of IgG/IgG-fragments was reduced to background levels. Importantly, IdeS has the capacity to inactivate Fc-mediated effector function in vivo, was considered safe with no serious adverse events, and without dose limiting toxicity in this study. The complete, rapid, but temporary removal of IgG provides a new potent therapeutic opportunity in IgG-mediated pathogenic conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01802697.

Antifungal activities of peptides derived from domain 5 of high-molecular-weight kininogen.

In both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, Candida and Malassezia are causing or triggering clinical manifestations such as cutaneous infections and atopic eczema. The innate immune system provides rapid responses to microbial invaders, without requiring prior stimulation, through a sophisticated system of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). High molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) and components of the contact system have previously been reported to bind to Candida and other pathogens, leading to activation of the contact system. A cutaneous Candida infection is characterized by an accumulation of neutrophils, leading to an inflammatory response and release of enzymatically active substances. In the present study we demonstrate that antifungal peptide fragments are generated through proteolytic degradation of HMWK. The recombinant domain 5 (rD5) of HMWK, D5-derived peptides, as well as hydrophobically modified D5-derived peptides efficiently killed Candida and Malassezia. Furthermore, the antifungal activity of modified peptides was studied at physiological conditions. Binding of a D5-derived peptide, HKH20 (His(479)-His(498)), to the fungal cell membrane was visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Our data disclose a novel antifungal activity of D5-derived peptides and also show that proteolytic cleavage of HMWK results in fragments exerting antifungal activity. Of therapeutic interest is that structurally modified peptides show an enhanced antifungal activity.

Preservation of antimicrobial properties of complement peptide C3a, from invertebrates to humans.

The human anaphylatoxin peptide C3a, generated during complement activation, exerts antimicrobial effects. Phylogenetic analysis, sequence analyses, and structural modeling studies paired with antimicrobial assays of peptides from known C3a sequences showed that, in particular in vertebrate C3a, crucial structural determinants governing antimicrobial activity have been conserved during the evolution of C3a. Thus, regions of the ancient C3a from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda as well as corresponding parts of human C3a exhibited helical structures upon binding to bacterial lipopolysaccharide permeabilized liposomes and were antimicrobial against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Human C3a and C4a (but not C5a) were antimicrobial, in concert with the separate evolutionary development of the chemotactic C5a. Thus, the results demonstrate that, notwithstanding a significant sequence variation, functional and structural constraints imposed on C3a during evolution have preserved critical properties governing antimicrobial activity.

Antifungal activity of C3a and C3a-derived peptides against Candida.

Antimicrobial peptides are generated during activation of the complement system [Nordahl et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2004, 101:16879-16884]. Here we show that the anaphylatoxin C3a exerts antimicrobial effects against the yeast Candida. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that C3a-derived peptides bound to the cell surface of Candida, and induced membrane perturbations and release of extracellular material. Various Candida isolates were found to induce complement degradation, leading to generation of C3a. Arginine residues were found to be critical for the antifungal and membrane breaking activity of a C3a-derived antimicrobial peptide, CNY21 (C3a; Cys57-Arg77). A CNY21 variant with increased positive net charge displayed enhanced antifungal activity. Thus, C3a-derived peptides can be utilized as templates in the development of peptide-based antifungal therapies.

Domain 5 of high molecular weight kininogen is antibacterial.

Antimicrobial peptides are important effectors of the innate immune system. These peptides belong to a multifunctional group of molecules that apart from their antibacterial activities also interact with mammalian cells and glycosaminoglycans and control chemotaxis, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Here we demonstrate a novel antimicrobial activity of the heparin-binding and cell-binding domain 5 of high molecular weight kininogen. Antimicrobial epitopes of domain 5 were characterized by analysis of overlapping peptides. A peptide, HKH20 (His(479)-His(498)), efficiently killed the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy demonstrated that HKH20 binds to and induces breaks in bacterial membranes. Furthermore, no discernible hemolysis or membrane-permeabilizing effects on eukaryotic cells were noted. Proteolytic degradation of high molecular weight kininogen by neutrophil-derived proteases as well as the metalloproteinase elastase from P. aeruginosa yielded fragments comprising HKH20 epitopes, indicating that kininogen-derived antibacterial peptides are released during proteolysis.

Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein is produced in the epididymis and associated with spermatozoa and prostasomes.

Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) is an acute phase protein known to play a central role in the defense against Gram-negative bacteria. It binds lipopolysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria and, after binding to CD14, the complex signals through Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, eliciting host-defense responses, such as cytokine production, in inflammatory cells. The present study demonstrates constitutive expression of the gene encoding lipopolysaccharide-binding protein in the epithelium of the human epididymis by in situ hybridization. Using immunohistochemistry lipopolysaccharide-binding protein was shown to be present in the same cells and also attached to the heads and tails of spermatozoa. Cell-free seminal plasma, lysed spermatozoa and lysed prostasomes were subjected to Western blot; all showed immunoreactive bands corresponding to the size of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein. Gel filtration demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide-binding protein colocalizes with prostasomes. The concentration of lipopolysacharide-binding protein in seminal plasma was 127+/-42ng/mL (mean+/-S.D.; range 73-215ng/mL). Taken together, our results suggest roles for lipopolysaccharide-binding protein during human reproduction.

Activation of the complement system generates antibacterial peptides.

The complement system represents an evolutionary old and significant part of the innate immune system involved in protection against invading microorganisms. Here, we show that the anaphylatoxin C3a and its inactivated derivative C3a-desArg are antibacterial, demonstrating a previously unknown direct antimicrobial effect of complement activation. The C3a peptide, as well as functional epitopes in the sequence, efficiently killed the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis. In mice, a C3a-derived peptide suppressed infection by Gram-positive Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. Fluorescence and electron microscopy demonstrated that C3a binds to and induces breaks in bacterial membranes. C3a was also found to induce membrane leakage of liposomes. These findings provide an interesting link between the complement system and antimicrobial peptides, which are two important branches of innate immunity.