Title
Insights into the anticancer properties of the first antimicrobial peptide from Archaea
Author
Rosa Gaglione, Luciano Pirone, Biancamaria Farina, Salvatore Fusco, Giovanni Smaldone, Martina Aulitto, Eliana Dell'Olmo, Emanuela Roscetto, Annarita Del Gatto, Roberto Fattorusso, Eugenio Notomista, Laura Zaccaro, Angela Arciello, Emilia Pedone, Patrizia Contursi
Year
2017
Journal
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects
Abstract
The peptide VLL-28, identified in the sequence of an archaeal protein, the transcription factor Stf76 from Sulfolobus islandicus, was previously identified and characterized as an antimicrobial peptide, possessing a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Through a combined approach of NMR and Circular Dichroism spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, confocal microscopy and cell viability assays, the interaction of VLL-28 with the membranes of both parental and malignant cell lines has been characterized and peptide mechanism of action has been studied. It is here demonstrated that VLL-28 selectively exerts cytotoxic activity against murine and human tumor cells. By means of structural methodologies, VLL-28 interaction with the membranes has been proven and the binding residues have been identified. Confocal microscopy data show that VLL-28 is internalized only into tumor cells. Finally, it is shown that cell death is mainly caused by a time-dependent activation of apoptotic pathways. VLL-28, deriving from the archaeal kingdom, is here found to be endowed with selective cytotoxic activity towards both murine and human cancer cells and consequently can be classified as an ACP.
Instrument
J-810
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Chemical stability, Biochemistry