scholarly journals A sulfur-free peptide mimic of surfactant protein B (B-YL) exhibits high in vitro and in vivo surface activities

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans J. Walther ◽  
Monik Gupta ◽  
Larry M. Gordon ◽  
Alan J. Waring

Background: Animal-derived surfactants containing surfactant proteins B (SP-B) and C (SP-C) are used to treat respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. SP-B (79 residues) plays a pivotal role in lung function and the design of synthetic lung surfactant. Super Mini-B (SMB), a 41-residue peptide based on the N- and C-domains of SP-B covalently joined with a turn and two disulfides, folds as an α-helix hairpin mimicking the properties of these domains in SP-B. Here, we studied ‘B-YL’, a 41-residue SMB variant that has its four cysteine and two methionine residues replaced by tyrosine and leucine, respectively, to test whether these hydrophobic substitutions produce a surface-active, α-helix hairpin. Methods: Structure and function of B-YL and SMB in surfactant lipids were compared with CD and FTIR spectroscopy, and surface activity with captive bubble surfactometry and in lavaged, surfactant-deficient adult rabbits. Results: CD and FTIR spectroscopy of B-YL in surfactant lipids showed secondary structures compatible with peptide folding as an α-helix hairpin, similar to SMB in lipids. B-YL in surfactant lipids demonstrated excellent in vitro surface activity and good oxygenation and dynamic compliance in lavaged, surfactant-deficient adult rabbits, suggesting that the four tyrosine substitutions are an effective replacement for the disulfide-reinforced helix-turn of SMB. Here, the B-YL fold may be stabilized by a core of clustered tyrosines linking the N- and C-helices through non-covalent interactions involving aromatic rings. Conclusions: ‘Sulfur-free’ B-YL forms an amphipathic helix-hairpin in surfactant liposomes with high surface activity and is functionally similar to SMB and native SP-B. The removal of the cysteines makes B-YL more feasible to scale up production for clinical application. B-YL’s possible resistance against free oxygen radical damage to methionines by substitutions with leucine provides an extra edge over SMB in the treatment of respiratory failure in preterm infants with RDS.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Frans J. Walther ◽  
Monik Gupta ◽  
Larry M. Gordon ◽  
Alan J. Waring

Background: Animal-derived surfactants containing surfactant proteins B (SP-B) and C (SP-C) are used to treat respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. SP-B (79 residues) plays a pivotal role in lung function and the design of synthetic lung surfactant. Super Mini-B (SMB), a 41-residue peptide based on the N- and C-domains of SP-B joined with a turn and two disulfides, folds as an α-helix hairpin mimicking the properties of these domains in SP-B. Here, we studied ‘B-YL’, a 41-residue oxidation-resistant SMB variant that has its four Cys and two Met residues replaced by Tyr and Leu, respectively, to test whether these hydrophobic substitutions produce a surface-active, α-helix hairpin. Methods: Structure and function of B-YL and SMB in surfactant lipids were compared with CD and FTIR spectroscopy and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, and surface activity with captive bubble surfactometry and in lavaged, surfactant-deficient adult rabbits. Results: CD and FTIR spectroscopy of B-YL in surfactant lipids showed secondary structures compatible with peptide folding as an α-helix hairpin, similar to SMB in lipids. MD simulations confirmed that B-YL maintained its α-helix hairpin in a lipid bilayer, matching the hairpin obtained from MD of SMB. Unlike the disulfide-reinforced helix-turn of SMB, the B-YL fold was stabilized by a core of clustered Tyr linking the N- and C-helices through noncovalent interactions involving aromatic rings. B-YL in surfactant lipids demonstrated excellent in vitro surface activity and good oxygenation and dynamic compliance in lavaged, surfactant-deficient adult rabbits. Conclusions: ‘Sulfur-free’ and ‘oxidation-resistant’ B-YL forms an amphipathic helix-hairpin in surfactant liposomes with high surface activity and is functionally similar to SMB and native SP-B. B-YL’s resistance against free oxygen radical damage provides an extra edge over oxidized SMB in the treatment of respiratory failure in preterm infants with RDS and children and adults with acute lung injury.


1998 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga V. Lopatko ◽  
Sandra Orgeig ◽  
Christopher B. Daniels ◽  
David Palmer

Lopatko, Olga V., Sandra Orgeig, Christopher B. Daniels, and David Palmer. Alterations in the surface properties of lung surfactant in the torpid marsupial Sminthopsis crassicaudata. J. Appl. Physiol. 84(1): 146–156, 1998.—Torpor changes the composition of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata [C. Langman, S. Orgeig, and C. B. Daniels. Am. J. Physiol. 271 ( Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 40): R437–R445, 1996]. Here we investigated the surface activity of PS in vitro. Five micrograms of phospholipid per centimeter squared surface area of whole lavage (from mice or from warm-active, 4-, or 8-h torpid dunnarts) were applied dropwise onto the subphase of a Wilhelmy-Langmuir balance at 20°C and stabilized for 20 min. After 4 h of torpor, the adsorption rate increased, and equilibrium surface tension (STeq), minimal surface tension (STmin), and the %area compression required to achieve STmin decreased, compared with the warm-active group. After 8 h of torpor, STmin decreased [from 5.2 ± 0.3 to 4.1 ± 0.3 (SE) mN/m]; %area compression required to achieve STmindecreased (from 43.4 ± 1.0 to 27.4 ± 0.8); the rate of adsorption decreased; and STeqincreased (from 26.3 ± 0.5 to 38.6 ± 1.3 mN/m). ST-area isotherms of warm-active dunnarts and mice at 20°C had a shoulder on compression and a plateau on expansion. These disappeared on the isotherms of torpid dunnarts. Samples of whole lavage (from warm-active and 8-h torpor groups) containing 100 μg phospholipid/ml were studied by using a captive-bubble surfactometer at 37°C. After 8 h of torpor, STmin increased (from 6.4 ± 0.3 to 9.1 ± 0.3 mN/m) and %area compression decreased in the 2nd (from 88.6 ± 1.7 to 82.1 ± 2.0) and 3rd (from 89.1 ± 0.8 to 84.9 ± 1.8) compression-expansion cycles, compared with warm-active dunnarts. ST-area isotherms of warm-active dunnarts at 37°C did not have a shoulder on compression. This shoulder appeared on the isotherms of torpid dunnarts. In conclusion, there is a strong correlation between in vitro changes in surface activity and in vivo changes in lipid composition of PS during torpor, although static lung compliance remained unchanged (see Langman et al. cited above). Surfactant from torpid animals is more active at 20°C and less active at 37°C than that of warm-active animals, which may represent a respiratory adaptation to low body temperatures of torpid dunnarts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 228080002110068
Author(s):  
Hsien-Te Chen ◽  
Hsin-I Lin ◽  
Chi-Jen Chung ◽  
Chih-Hsin Tang ◽  
Ju-Liang He

Here, we present a bone implant system of phase-oriented titanium dioxide (TiO2) fabricated by the micro-arc oxidation method (MAO) on β-Ti to facilitate improved osseointegration. This (101) rutile-phase-dominant MAO TiO2 (R-TiO2) is biocompatible due to its high surface roughness, bone-mimetic structure, and preferential crystalline orientation. Furthermore, (101) R-TiO2 possesses active and abundant hydroxyl groups that play a significant role in enhancing hydroxyapatite formation and cell adhesion and promote cell activity leading to osseointegration. The implants had been elicited their favorable cellular behavior in vitro in the previous publications; in addition, they exhibit excellent shear strength and promote bone–implant contact, osteogenesis, and tissue formation in vivo. Hence, it can be concluded that this MAO R-TiO2 bone implant system provides a favorable active surface for efficient osseointegration and is suitable for clinical applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Autilio ◽  
M. Echaide ◽  
A. Cruz ◽  
C. Mouton ◽  
A. Hidalgo ◽  
...  

AbstractTherapeutic hypothermia (TH) enhances pulmonary surfactant performance in vivo by molecular mechanisms still unknown. Here, the interfacial structure and the composition of lung surfactant films have been analysed in vitro under TH as well as the molecular basis of its improved performance both under physiological and inhibitory conditions. The biophysical activity of a purified porcine surfactant was tested under slow and breathing-like dynamics by constrained drop surfactometry (CDS) and in the captive bubble surfactometer (CBS) at both 33 and 37 °C. Additionally, the temperature-dependent surfactant activity was also analysed upon inhibition by plasma and subsequent restoration by further surfactant supplementation. Interfacial performance was correlated with lateral structure and lipid composition of films made of native surfactant. Lipid/protein mixtures designed as models to mimic different surfactant contexts were also studied. The capability of surfactant to drastically reduce surface tension was enhanced at 33 °C. Larger DPPC-enriched domains and lower percentages of less active lipids were detected in surfactant films exposed to TH-like conditions. Surfactant resistance to plasma inhibition was boosted and restoration therapies were more effective at 33 °C. This may explain the improved respiratory outcomes observed in cooled patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and opens new opportunities in the treatment of acute lung injury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi104-vi105
Author(s):  
Akanksha Mahajan ◽  
Lisa Hurley ◽  
Serena Tommasini-Ghelfi ◽  
Corey Dussold ◽  
Alexander Stegh ◽  
...  

Abstract The Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway represents a major innate immune sensing mechanism for tumor-derived DNA. Modified cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) that mimic the endogenous STING ligand cGAMP are currently being explored in patients with solid tumors that are amenable to intratumoral delivery. Inadequate bioavailability and insufficient lipophilicity are limiting factors for clinical CDN development, in particular when consideration is given to systemic administration approaches. We have shown that the formulation of oligonucleotides into Spherical Nucleic Acid (SNA) nanostructures, i.e.,the presentation of oligonucleotides at high density on the surface of nanoparticle cores, lead to biochemical and biological properties that are radically different from those of linear oligonucleotides. First-generation brain-penetrant siRNA-based SNAs (NCT03020017, recurrent GBM) have recently completed early clinical trials. Here, we report the development of a STING-agonistic immunotherapy by targeting cGAS, the sensor of cytosolic dsDNA upstream of STING, with SNAs presenting dsDNA at high surface density. The strategy of using SNAs exploits the ability of cGAS to raise STING responses by delivering dsDNA and inducing the catalytic production of endogenous CDNs. SNA nanostructures carrying a 45bp IFN-simulating dsDNA oligonucleotide, the most commonly used and widely characterized cGAS activator, potently activated the cGAS-STING pathway in vitro and in vivo. In a poorly immunogenic and highly aggressive syngeneic mouse glioma model, in which tumours were well-established, only one dose of intranasal treatment with STING-SNAs decelerated tumour growth, improved survival and importantly, was well-tolerated. Our use of SNAs addresses the challenges of nucleic acid delivery to intracranial tumor sites via intranasal route, exploits the binding of dsDNA molecules on the SNA surface to enhance the formation of a dimeric cGAS:DNA complex and establishes cGAS-agonistic SNAs as a novel class of immune-stimulatory modalities for triggering innate immune responses against tumor.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Oliver Bayley

<p>Cancer is currently the second largest cause of death globally, leading to a high demand for new and effective chemotherapeutics. For years, natural products have been used as a source of new bioactive compounds; of particular interest in this context, as a source of new chemotherapeutics. One chemotherapeutic candidate which has attracted significant attention in synthetic and medicinal chemistry communities, is peloruside A. Peloruside A is a bioactive secondary metabolite isolated from the New Zealand marine sponge Mycale hentscheli. Since its discovery, peloruside A has shown great promise in cancer studies both in vivo and in vitro with effects observed even at nanomolar concentrations. These chemotherapeutic effects have been shown to occur by halting cell division at the G2/M checkpoint via microtubule stabilisation. Of particular interest is that this stabilisation occurs in a manner distinct from that of the already established taxane class of microtubule stabilising drugs. This means that peloruside A is able to offer both inhibition of cell division in Taxol® resistant cells and synergistic inhibition alongside the current taxane drugs. Since peloruside A is not abundantly available from its natural source, there is a strong incentive for the development of new synthetic strategies for peloruside A production. Unfortunately attempts at aquaculture and attempts at developing an industrial scale synthesis have both proven unsuccessful thus far. In an attempt to overcome some of the difficulties with the scale up of peloruside, analogues have been developed that are intended to have similar bioactivity to peloruside A but simpler, more concise, synthetic routes. These analogues will also enable further elucidation of the binding properties of peloruside A. This project focuses on the generation of a functionalised pyran fragment, starting from a simple carbohydrate, that may be incorporated into the proposed analogues.</p>


2007 ◽  
pp. 557-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuya Maeda ◽  
Yuichi Sugiyama
Keyword(s):  

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (21) ◽  
pp. 3854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fidelis ◽  
Moura ◽  
Kabbas Junior ◽  
Pap ◽  
Mattila ◽  
...  

The circular economy is an umbrella concept that applies different mechanisms aiming to minimize waste generation, thus decoupling economic growth from natural resources. Each year, an estimated one-third of all food produced is wasted; this is equivalent to 1.3 billion tons of food, which is worth around US$1 trillion or even $2.6 trillion when social and economic costs are included. In the fruit and vegetable sector, 45% of the total produced amount is lost in the production (post-harvest, processing, and distribution) and consumption chains. Therefore, it is necessary to find new technological and environmentally friendly solutions to utilize fruit wastes as new raw materials to develop and scale up the production of high value-added products and ingredients. Considering that the production and consumption of fruits has increased in the last years and following the need to find the sustainable use of different fruit side streams, this work aimed to describe the chemical composition and bioactivity of different fruit seeds consumed worldwide. A comprehensive focus is given on the extraction techniques of water-soluble and lipophilic compounds and in vitro/in vivo functionalities, and the link between chemical composition and observed activity is holistically explained.


1994 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 757-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hallman ◽  
A. Sarnesto ◽  
K. Bry

Proteins that decrease the surface activity of surfactant accumulate in epithelial lining fluid in respiratory failure. The aim of this study was to isolate a surfactant inhibitor from the airways of rabbits in acute respiratory failure induced by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). This inhibitor was identified as being transferrin (TF). Unlike serum TF, TF recovered in respiratory failure was saturated with iron (Fe(3+)-TF). Fe(3+)-TF decreased the surface activity of normal surfactant in vitro, whereas iron-free TF had no effect. In the presence of H2O2 and a reducing agent, Fe(+3)-TF inactivated the surfactant complex: the surface absorption rate was decreased, immunoreactive surfactant protein A was decreased, and malondialdehyde was formed. The acute effects of Fe(3+)-TF and iron-free TF applied to the airways were studied in animal models. In respiratory failure induced by BAL, Fe(3+)-TF deteriorated respiratory failure, whereas iron-free TF had no effect. In respiratory failure induced by hyperoxia for 48 h, administration of iron-free TF ameliorated the respiratory failure and improved the surface activity in BAL. We propose that Fe(3+)-TF accumulating in epithelial lining fluid during lung damage contributes to surfactant inhibition and promotes the formation of free radicals that inactivate the surfactant system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (48) ◽  
pp. 30391-30399
Author(s):  
Qiang Luo ◽  
Baihui Wang ◽  
Zhen Wu ◽  
Wen Jiang ◽  
Yueyue Wang ◽  
...  

Nucleosome Assembly Protein 1 (NAP1) family proteins are evolutionarily conserved histone chaperones that play important roles in diverse biological processes. In this study, we determined the crystal structure ofArabidopsisNAP1-Related Protein 1 (NRP1) complexed with H2A-H2B and uncovered a previously unknown interaction mechanism in histone chaperoning. Both in vitro binding and in vivo plant rescue assays proved that interaction mediated by the N-terminal α-helix (αN) domain is essential for NRP1 function. In addition, the C-terminal acidic domain (CTAD) of NRP1 binds to H2A-H2B through a conserved mode similar to other histone chaperones. We further extended previous knowledge of the NAP1-conserved earmuff domain by mapping the amino acids of NRP1 involved in association with H2A-H2B. Finally, we showed that H2A-H2B interactions mediated by αN, earmuff, and CTAD domains are all required for the effective chaperone activity of NRP1. Collectively, our results reveal multiple interaction modes of a NAP1 family histone chaperone and shed light on how histone chaperones shield H2A-H2B from nonspecific interaction with DNA.


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