{"title":"Histatin 5-Inspired Short-Chain Peptides Selectively Combating Pathogenic Fungi with Multifaceted Mechanisms","authors":"Guojun Lu, Xiaoyan Ju, Meng Zhu, Jinzhao Ou, Dandan Xu, Kejia Li, Wei Jiang, Chenxiao Wan, Ye Tian, Zhongwei Niu","doi":"10.1002/adhm.202303755","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Short-chain antifungal peptides (AFPs) inspired by histatin 5 have been designed to address the problem of antifungal drug resistance. These AFPs demonstrate remarkable antifungal activity, with a minimal inhibitory concentration as low as 2 µg mL<sup>−1</sup>. Notably, these AFPs display a strong preference for targeting fungi rather than bacteria and mammalian cells. This is achieved by binding the histidine-rich domains of the AFPs to the Ssa1/2 proteins in the fungal cell wall, as well as the reduced membrane-disrupting activity due to their low amphiphilicity. These peptides disrupt the nucleus and mitochondria once inside the cells, leading to reactive oxygen species production and cell damage. In a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the AFPs demonstrate not only antifungal activity, but also promote the growth of beneficial <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp. This research provides valuable insights for the development of fungus-specific AFPs and offers a promising strategy for the treatment of fungal infectious diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":113,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Healthcare Materials","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":10.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advanced Healthcare Materials","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adhm.202303755","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Short-chain antifungal peptides (AFPs) inspired by histatin 5 have been designed to address the problem of antifungal drug resistance. These AFPs demonstrate remarkable antifungal activity, with a minimal inhibitory concentration as low as 2 µg mL−1. Notably, these AFPs display a strong preference for targeting fungi rather than bacteria and mammalian cells. This is achieved by binding the histidine-rich domains of the AFPs to the Ssa1/2 proteins in the fungal cell wall, as well as the reduced membrane-disrupting activity due to their low amphiphilicity. These peptides disrupt the nucleus and mitochondria once inside the cells, leading to reactive oxygen species production and cell damage. In a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the AFPs demonstrate not only antifungal activity, but also promote the growth of beneficial Lactobacillus spp. This research provides valuable insights for the development of fungus-specific AFPs and offers a promising strategy for the treatment of fungal infectious diseases.
期刊介绍:
Advanced Healthcare Materials, a distinguished member of the esteemed Advanced portfolio, has been dedicated to disseminating cutting-edge research on materials, devices, and technologies for enhancing human well-being for over ten years. As a comprehensive journal, it encompasses a wide range of disciplines such as biomaterials, biointerfaces, nanomedicine and nanotechnology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.