1. Novel Ocellatin Peptides Mitigate LPS-induced ROS Formation and NF-kB Activation in Microglia and Hippocampal Neurons.
- Author
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Sousa NA, Oliveira GAL, de Oliveira AP, Lopes ALF, Iles B, Nogueira KM, Araújo TSL, Souza LKM, Araújo AR, Ramos-Jesus J, Plácido A, Amaral C, Campelo YDM, Barbosa EA, Portugal CC, Socodato R, Lobo A, Relvas J, Bemquerer M, Eaton P, Leite JRSA, and Medeiros JVR
- Subjects
- Amino Acid Sequence genetics, Animals, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides chemistry, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides genetics, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides metabolism, Hippocampus metabolism, Infections chemically induced, Infections genetics, Infections microbiology, Lipopolysaccharides toxicity, Mice, Microglia drug effects, NF-kappa B genetics, Neurons metabolism, Nitrites antagonists & inhibitors, Nitrites metabolism, Reactive Oxygen Species metabolism, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides pharmacology, Anura metabolism, Hippocampus drug effects, Infections drug therapy, Neurons drug effects
- Abstract
Cutaneous secretions of amphibians have bioactive compounds, such as peptides, with potential for biotechnological applications. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the primary structure and investigate peptides obtained from the cutaneous secretions of the amphibian, Leptodactylus vastus, as a source of bioactive molecules. The peptides obtained possessed the amino acid sequences, GVVDILKGAAKDLAGH and GVVDILKGAAKDLAGHLASKV, with monoisotopic masses of [M + H]
± = 1563.8 Da and [M + H]± = 2062.4 Da, respectively. The molecules were characterized as peptides of the class of ocellatins and were named as Ocellatin-K1(1-16) and Ocellatin-K1(1-21). Functional analysis revealed that Ocellatin-K1(1-16) and Ocellatin-K1(1-21) showed weak antibacterial activity. However, treatment of mice with these ocellatins reduced the nitrite and malondialdehyde content. Moreover, superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity and glutathione concentration were increased in the hippocampus of mice. In addition, Ocellatin-K1(1-16) and Ocellatin-K1(1-21) were effective in impairing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and NF-kB activation in living microglia. We incubated hippocampal neurons with microglial conditioned media treated with LPS and LPS in the presence of Ocellatin-K1(1-16) and Ocellatin-K1(1-21) and observed that both peptides reduced the oxidative stress in hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, these ocellatins demonstrated low cytotoxicity towards erythrocytes. These functional properties suggest possible to neuromodulatory therapeutic applications.- Published
- 2020
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