ABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy , Cytotoxins/pharmacology , Lactoferrin/pharmacology , Mouth Neoplasms/drug therapy , Peptides/pharmacology , Animals , Cattle , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Membrane Permeability/drug effects , Humans , Necrosis/drug therapyABSTRACT
Leishmania braziliensis es un parásito protozoario causante de la mayor parte de casos de leishmaniasis cutánea en al menos quince países del continente americano. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) ha reportado que cerca de doce millones de personas están infectadas en el mundo y que este número aumenta cada año. Debido al delicado problema de salud pública derivado de la prevalencia de esta enfermedad se hace necesario el estudio del metabolismo de este parásito. En tal sentido se ha estudiado la proteína NMNAT de este parásito, la cual es una enzima central del metabolismo de todos los organismos al estar encargada de la síntesis del NAD+, un importante cofactor en reacciones redox de procesos centrales del metabolismo celular. En la NMNAT de L. braziliensis se ha encontrado una secuencia de 44 aminoácidos en el extremo N-terminal carente de homología con la proteína del hospedero. En este estudio se produjeron anticuerpos IgG específicos contra esta secuencia, utilizando como antígenos péptidos que contuvieran la secuencia mencionada. Los anticuerpos obtenidos mostraron un reconocimiento de la NMNAT recombinante de L. braziliensis mediante ensayo por western blot.
Leishmania braziliensis is a protozoan which is cause of the most of the cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in at least 15 countries from America. World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that around 12 millions of people are infected in the world and this number increase every year. Because of the delicate problem of public health due to the prevalence of this disease, it is necessary the metabolism study in this parasite. In this way has been studied NMNAT protein of the parasite, which is a central enzyme of the metabolism of all organisms, since it is in charge of synthesizing NAD+, an important cofactor in oxidation-reduction reactions of central processes in the cellular metabolism. In The NMNAT of L. has been found a 43 amino acids sequence in the N terminal, which does not have homology with the protein in the human host. In this study were produced IgG antibodies against this sequence, using like antigens peptides that had the mentioned sequence. The produced antibodies recognized the recombinant NMNAT of L. braziliensis through western blot assay.
Leishmania braziliensis é um parasita protozoário que causa a maioria dos casos de leishmaniose cutânea em pelo menos 15 países das Américas. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) informou que cerca de 12 milhões de pessoas estão infectadas em todo o mundo e esse número aumenta a cada ano. Devido ao delicado problema de saúde pública decorrentes da prevalência desta doença é necessário estudar o metabolismo do parasita. A este respeito temos estudado a proteína NMNAT deste parasita, que é uma enzima central no metabolismo de todos os organismos de estar envolvido na produção de NAD+, um importante cofator em reações redox de processos centrais de celulares metabolismo. No L. braziliensis NMNAT encontrou uma seqüencia de 43 aminoácidos no terminal N homologia com a proteína faltando host. Este estudo produziu anticorpos IgG específicos para esta seqüência, usando como peptídeos de antígeno contendo a seqüência mencionada. Os anticorpos obtidos mostraram um reconhecimento da NMNAT L. braziliensis recombinantes por meio de julgamento por western blot.
ABSTRACT
The process of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of the macrophage implies a very little-known initial recognition and adherence step, important for mycobacterial survival; many proteins even remain like hypothetical. The Rv1510c gene, encoding a putatively conserved membrane protein, was investigated by analysing the M. tuberculosis genome sequence data reported by Cole et al. and a previous report that used PCR assays to show that the Rv1510 gene was only present in M. tuberculosis. This article confirmed all the above and identified the transcribed gene in M. tuberculosis, Mycobacterium africanum, and in M. tuberculosis clinical isolates. Antibodies raised against peptides from this protein recognised a 44 kDa band, corresponding to Rv1510c theoretical mass (44,294 Da). Assays involving synthetic peptides covering the whole protein binding to U937 and A549 cell lines led to recognising five high activity binding peptides in the Rv1510 protein: 11094, 11095, 11105, 11108, and 11111. Their affinity constants and Hill coefficients were determined by using U937 cells. Cross-linking assays performed with some of these HABPs showed that they specifically bound to a U937 cell line 51 kDa protein, but not to Hep G2 or red blood cell proteins, showing this interaction's specificity.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Proteins/chemistry , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/chemistry , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Antibodies, Bacterial , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/immunology , Base Sequence , Binding Sites/genetics , Cell Line , Circular Dichroism , Cross-Linking Reagents , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Genes, Bacterial , Humans , Kinetics , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Membrane Proteins/immunology , Molecular Sequence Data , Molecular Weight , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/immunology , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/genetics , Peptide Fragments/metabolism , U937 CellsABSTRACT
The Plasmodium falciparum acidic-basic repeat antigen represents a potential malarial vaccine candidate. One of this protein's high activity binding peptides, named 2150 ((161)KMNMLKENVDYIQKNQNLFK(180)), is conserved, non-immunogenic, and non-protection-inducing. Analogue peptides whose critical binding residues (in bold) were replaced by amino-acids having similar mass but different charge were synthesized and tested to try to modify such immunological properties. These analogues' HLA-DRbeta1* molecule binding ability were also studied in an attempt to explain their biological mechanisms and correlate binding capacity and immunological function with their three-dimensional structure determined by (1)H NMR. A 3(10) distorted helical structure was identified in protective and immunogenic peptide 24922 whilst alpha-helical structure was found for non-immunogenic, non-protective peptides having differences in alpha-helical position. The changes performed on immunogenic, protection-inducing peptide 24922 allowed it to bind specifically to the HLA-DRbeta1*0301 molecule, suggesting that these changes may lead to better interaction with the MHC Class II-peptide-TCR complex rendering it immunogenic and protective, thus suggesting a new way of developing multi-component, sub-unit-based anti-malarial vaccines.
