TY - JOUR
T1 - Host defence peptides identified in human apolipoprotein B as promising antifungal agents
AU - Dell'Olmo, Eliana
AU - Gaglione, Rosa
AU - Cesaro, Angela
AU - Cafaro, Valeria
AU - Teertstra, Wieke R
AU - de Cock, Hans
AU - Notomista, Eugenio
AU - Haagsman, Henk P
AU - Veldhuizen, Edwin J A
AU - Arciello, Angela
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - Abstract: Therapeutic options to treat invasive fungal infections are still limited. This makes the development of novel antifungal agents highly desirable. Naturally occurring antifungal peptides represent valid candidates, since they are not harmful for human cells and are endowed with a wide range of activities and their mechanism of action is different from that of conventional antifungal drugs. Here, we characterized for the first time the antifungal properties of novel peptides identified in human apolipoprotein B. ApoB-derived peptides, here named r(P)ApoBLPro, r(P)ApoBLAla and r(P)ApoBSPro, were found to have significant fungicidal activity towards Candida albicans (C. albicans) cells. Peptides were also found to be able to slow down metabolic activity of Aspergillus niger (A. niger) spores. In addition, experiments were carried out to clarify the mechanism of fungicidal activity of ApoB-derived peptides. Peptides immediately interacted with C. albicans cell surfaces, as indicated by fluorescence live cell imaging analyses, and induced severe membrane damage, as indicated by propidium iodide uptake induced upon treatment of C. albicans cells with ApoB-derived peptides. ApoB-derived peptides were also tested on A. niger swollen spores, initial hyphae and branched mycelium. The effects of peptides were found to be more severe on swollen spores and initial hyphae compared to mycelium. Fluorescence live cell imaging analyses confirmed peptide internalization into swollen spores with a consequent accumulation into hyphae. Altogether, these findings open interesting perspectives to the application of ApoB-derived peptides as effective antifungal agents. Key points: Human cryptides identified in ApoB are effective antifungal agents.ApoB-derived cryptides exert fungicidal effects towards C. albicans cells.ApoB-derived cryptides affect different stages of growth of A. niger. Graphical abstract[Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Abstract: Therapeutic options to treat invasive fungal infections are still limited. This makes the development of novel antifungal agents highly desirable. Naturally occurring antifungal peptides represent valid candidates, since they are not harmful for human cells and are endowed with a wide range of activities and their mechanism of action is different from that of conventional antifungal drugs. Here, we characterized for the first time the antifungal properties of novel peptides identified in human apolipoprotein B. ApoB-derived peptides, here named r(P)ApoBLPro, r(P)ApoBLAla and r(P)ApoBSPro, were found to have significant fungicidal activity towards Candida albicans (C. albicans) cells. Peptides were also found to be able to slow down metabolic activity of Aspergillus niger (A. niger) spores. In addition, experiments were carried out to clarify the mechanism of fungicidal activity of ApoB-derived peptides. Peptides immediately interacted with C. albicans cell surfaces, as indicated by fluorescence live cell imaging analyses, and induced severe membrane damage, as indicated by propidium iodide uptake induced upon treatment of C. albicans cells with ApoB-derived peptides. ApoB-derived peptides were also tested on A. niger swollen spores, initial hyphae and branched mycelium. The effects of peptides were found to be more severe on swollen spores and initial hyphae compared to mycelium. Fluorescence live cell imaging analyses confirmed peptide internalization into swollen spores with a consequent accumulation into hyphae. Altogether, these findings open interesting perspectives to the application of ApoB-derived peptides as effective antifungal agents. Key points: Human cryptides identified in ApoB are effective antifungal agents.ApoB-derived cryptides exert fungicidal effects towards C. albicans cells.ApoB-derived cryptides affect different stages of growth of A. niger. Graphical abstract[Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Antifungal peptides
KW - Fungal infections
KW - Human cryptides
KW - Peptide therapeutics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100862552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00253-021-11114-3
DO - 10.1007/s00253-021-11114-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 33576886
SN - 0175-7598
VL - 105
SP - 1953
EP - 1964
JO - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
JF - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
IS - 5
ER -