The CART (cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript) peptide is an anorexigenic neuropeptide that acts in the hypothalamus. The receptor and the mechanism of action of this peptide are still unknown. In our previous study, we showed that the CART peptide binds specifically to PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells in both the native and differentiated into neuronal phenotype. Two biologically active forms, CART(55-102) and CART(61-102), with equal biological activity, contain three disulfide bridges. To clarify the importance of each of these disulfide bridges in maintaining the biological activity of CART(61-102), an Ala scan at particular S-S bridges forming cysteines was performed, and analogs with only one or two disulfide bridges were synthesized. In this study, a stabilized CART(61-102) analog with norleucine instead of methionine at position 67 was also prepared and was found to bind to PC12 cells with an anorexigenic potency similar to that of CART(61-102). The binding study revealed that out of all analogs tested, [Ala(68,86)]CART(61-102), which contains two disulfide bridges (positions 74-94 and 88-101), preserved a high affinity to both native PC12 cells and those that had been differentiated into neurons. In food intake and behavioral tests with mice after intracerebroventricular administration, this analog showed strong and long-lasting anorexigenic potency. Therefore, the disulfide bridge between cysteines 68 and 86 in CART(61-102) can be omitted without a loss of biological activity, but the preservation of two other disulfide bridges and the full-length peptide are essential for biological activity.

• MeSH
• anorektika chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• buňky PC12 MeSH
• cystin chemie   MeSH
• kompetitivní vazba MeSH
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• lokomoce účinky léků   MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nocicepce účinky léků   MeSH
• peptidové fragmenty chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• přijímání potravy účinky léků   MeSH
• proteiny nervové tkáně chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

In the venom of eusocial bee Lasioglossum laticeps, we identified a novel unique antimicrobial peptide named lasiocepsin consisting of 27 amino acid residues and two disulfide bridges. After identifying its primary structure, we synthesized lasiocepsin by solid-phase peptide synthesis using two different approaches for oxidative folding. The oxidative folding of fully deprotected linear peptide resulted in a mixture of three products differing in the pattern of disulfide bridges. Regioselective disulfide bond formation significantly improved the yield of desired product. The synthetic lasiocepsin possessed antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, antifungal activity against Candida albicans, and no hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. We synthesized two lasiocepsin analogs cyclized through one native disulfide bridge in different positions and having the remaining two cysteines substituted by alanines. The analog cyclized through a Cys8-Cys25 disulfide bridge showed reduced antimicrobial activity compared to the native peptide while the second one (Cys17-Cys27) was almost inactive. Linear lasiocepsin having all four cysteine residues substituted by alanines or alkylated was also inactive. That was in contrast to the linear lasiocepsin with all four cysteine residues non-paired, which exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity. The shortening of lasiocepsin by several amino acid residues either from the N- or C-terminal resulted in significant loss of antimicrobial activity. Study of Bacillus subtilis cells treated by lasiocepsin using transmission electron microscopy showed leakage of bacterial content mainly from the holes localized at the ends of the bacterial cells.

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• antifungální látky chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• Candida albicans účinky léků   MeSH
• cyklické peptidy chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• cystin chemická syntéza   chemie   MeSH
• erytrocyty účinky léků   MeSH
• gramnegativní bakterie účinky léků   MeSH
• grampozitivní bakterie účinky léků   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• hemolýza MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• sekundární struktura proteinů MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• sekvenční analýza proteinů MeSH
• včelí jedy chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• včely chemie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH