title: Novel chimeric peptide with enhanced cell specificity and anti-inflammatory activity.
abstract: An antimicrobial peptide (AMP), Hn-Mc, was designed by combining the N-terminus of HPA3NT3 and the C-terminus of melittin. This chimeric AMP exhibited potent antibacterial activity with low minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), ranging from 1 to 2 μM against four drug-susceptible bacteria and ten drug-resistant bacteria. Moreover, the hemolysis and cytotoxicity was reduced significantly compared to those of the parent peptides, highlighting its high cell selectivity. The morphological changes in the giant unilamellar vesicles and bacterial cell surfaces caused by the Hn-Mc peptide suggested that it killed the microbial cells by damaging the membrane envelope. An in vivo study also demonstrated the antibacterial activity of the Hn-Mc peptide in a mouse model infected with drug-resistant bacteria. In addition, the chimeric peptide inhibited the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells by preventing the interaction between LPS and Toll-like receptors. These results suggest that this chimeric peptide is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory candidate as a pharmaceutic agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hong
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Wan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yung-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea. Electronic address: schpark9@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seong-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Jeonnam 540-950, South Korea. Electronic address: jmk8856@sunchon.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mi-Kyeong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D002460:Cell Line; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008555:Melitten / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C530859:HPA3 peptide; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D008555:Melitten
keywords: Anti-inflammatory activity; Antimicrobial peptide; Drug-resistant bacteria; Hybrid peptide; Lipopolysaccharide