Publications by authors named "Jiena Wu"

Pelophylax nigromaculata, common traditional Chinese medicinal material used for several hundreds of years, is one of the most widely distributed amphibians in China. In this study, a novel Ranatuerin-2 family antimicrobial peptide, Rana-2PN, was identified and characterized from its skin, and its structural characteristics and functional activities were studied extensively. First, Rana-2PN exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, displaying minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 12.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Sepsis is a serious condition that results from severe infection and leads to a harmful immune response, potentially causing multiple organ failure and death, highlighting the need for better treatments.* -
  • Cath-HG is a compound identified to improve platelet function and survival in septic mice, with properties that include antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant effects.* -
  • Research shows that Cath-HG can effectively neutralize LPS, kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, and protect against tissue damage in sepsis, making it a strong candidate for new sepsis therapies.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Platelet activation contributes to sepsis development, leading to microthrombosis and increased inflammation, which results in disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ dysfunction. Although Cathelicidin can alleviate sepsis, its role in sepsis regulation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identified Cath-HG, a novel Cathelicidin from skin, and analyzed its structure using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

FS145, a protein containing a WGD motif, was previously described from the salivary transcriptome of the flea Xenopsylla cheopis. Nevertheless, its biological function and complete structure are still uncertain. Herein, FS145 was confirmed to adopt a common αββ structure with the WGD motif exposed on its surface and located right at the top of a loop composed of residues 72-81.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that results in dyskinesia, with oxidative stress playing a pivotal role in its progression. Antioxidant peptides may thus present therapeutic potential for PD. In this study, a novel cathelicidin peptide (Cath-KP; GCSGRFCNLFNNRRPGRLTLIHRPGGDKRTSTGLIYV) was identified from the skin of the Asiatic painted frog ( ).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wound healing is a complex process and remains a considerable challenge in clinical trials due to the lack of ideal therapeutic drugs. Here, a new peptide TK-HR identified from the skin of the frog was tested for its ability to heal cutaneous wounds in mice. Topical application of TK-HR at doses of 50-200 μg/mL significantly accelerated wound closure without causing any adverse effects in the animals.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious inflammatory disorder and still lacks effective therapy globally. In this study, a novel Ranacyclin peptide, Ranacin, was identified from the skin of frog. Ranacin adopted a compact β-hairpin conformation with a disulfide bond (Cys5-Cys15).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chansu, a mixture extracted from Duttaphrynus melanostictus or Bufo gargarizans Cantor, is a traditional Chinese medicine with a broad range of medical applications. However, the peptides/proteins in it have not received adequate attention. Herein, a Cathelicidin-DM-derived peptide named Cath-DM-NT was identified from the skin of D.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Research has been conducted to investigate the potential application of scorpion venom-derived peptides in cancer therapy. Smp43, a cationic antimicrobial peptide from venom, has been found to exhibit suppressive activity against the proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines. However, its impact on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines has not been previously investigated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Antimicrobial peptide is one important component of the first protective barrier of organisms. They not only have potent antimicrobial activity which can protect the body from the invading pathogens, but also participate in the immune regulation of the body. In this study, a Brevinin-1 peptide named by Brevinin-1GHd was identified from , and the similarity of mature peptide sequence among Brevinin-1GHd, Brevinin-1HL and Brevinin-1GHa supported the close species relationship between , and .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Septic shock from Gram-positive bacteria is a significant issue in ICUs worldwide, leading to high rates of illness and death.
  • A new peptide called Temporin-FL, derived from the skin of the Fejervarya limnocharis frog, shows promise as an antimicrobial treatment due to its ability to inhibit Gram-positive bacteria and its small size.
  • Temporin-FL not only protects against sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus in mice but also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by neutralizing harmful substances and inhibiting specific inflammatory pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Scorpion-venom-derived peptides have become a promising anticancer agent due to their cytotoxicity against tumor cells via multiple mechanisms. The suppressive effect of the cationic antimicrobial peptide Smp24, which is derived from the venom of , on the proliferation of the hepatoma cell line HepG2 has been reported earlier. However, its mode of action against HepG2 hepatoma cells remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of death in lung cancer due to its aggressiveness and rapid migration. The potent antitumor effect of Smp24, an antimicrobial peptide derived from Egyptian scorpion via damaging the membrane and cytoskeleton have been reported earlier. However, its effects on mitochondrial functions and ROS accumulation in human lung cancer cells remain unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Amphibian skin is acknowledged to contain an antioxidant system composed of various gene-encoded antioxidant peptides, which exert significant effects on host defense. Nevertheless, recognition of such peptides is in its infancy so far. Here, we reported the antioxidant properties and underlying mechanism of a new antioxidant peptide, brevinin-1FL, identified from frog skin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Bacterial resistance to all currently available conventional antibiotics has caused a global public health crisis and led to an imperative search for new agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of host innate immune defense against microbial invasions.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to report a novel AMP, brevinin-2KP, from the skin of the black Kaloula pulchra frog and describe its structural and biological characterization.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Brevinins are an important antimicrobial peptide (AMP) family identified in the skin of frogs and generally contain a characteristic ranabox structure at their C-terminal sequence. Herein a novel AMP named brevinin-2MP has been identified from the skin of the frog by molecular cloning. Brevinin-2MP (GVITDTLKGVAKTVAAELLRKAHCKLTNSC) with a high amphipathic α-helix in sodium dodecyl sulfate solutions can destroy bacterial cell membrane and kill microbes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Several years have passed since the Zika virus (ZIKV) pandemic reoccurred in 2015-2016. However, there is still a lack of proved protective vaccines or effective drugs against ZIKV. The peptide brevinin-2GHk (BR2GK), pertaining to the brevinin-2 family of antimicrobial peptides, has been reported to exhibit only weak antibacterial activity, and its antiviral effects have not been investigated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Acne vulgaris is a common adolescent skin condition which is mainly caused by overcolonization and subsequent inflammation. Our previous studies have demonstrated that Cath-MH, an antimicrobial peptide from the skin of the frog , possesses potential antimicrobial, LPS-binding, and anti-septicemic properties. However, its protective effects and potential mechanisms against acne vulgaris are still unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Kv1.3 channel has been widely demonstrated to play crucial roles in the activation and proliferation of T cells, which suggests that selective blockers could serve as potential therapeutics for autoimmune diseases mediated by T cells. We previously described that the toxin mimic FS48 from salivary gland of Xenopsylla cheopis downregulates the secretion of proinflammatory factors by Raw 264.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sepsis is an exacerbated inflammatory reaction induced by severe infection. As important defensive molecules in innate immunity, several AMPs are reported to prevent septic shock. In this study, we characterized a novel cathelicidin, FM-CATH, from the frog skin of FM-CATH was found to adopt an amphipathic α-helix structural in membrane-mimetic environments and possess favorable antimicrobial effects against bacteria and fungus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Antimicrobial peptides form part of the innate immune response and play a vital role in host defense against pathogens. Here we report a new antimicrobial peptide belonging to the cathelicidin family, cathelicidin-MH (cath-MH), from the skin of frog. Cath-MH has a single α-helical structure in membrane-mimetic environments and is antimicrobial against fungi and bacteria, especially Gram-negative bacteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is mainly transmitted by sexual intercourse, and effective microbicides preventing HIV-1 transmission are still required. Amphibian skin is a rich source of defense peptides with antiviral activity. Here, we characterized a lectin-like peptide, fejerlectin (RLCYMVLPCP), isolated from the skin of the frog .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Development of new and effective antiinfluenza drugs is critical for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza A virus (IAV) infection. A wide range of amphibian skin secretions have been identified to show antiviral activity. Our previously reported ESC-1GN, a peptide from the skin secretion of Hylarana guentheri, displayed good antimicrobial and antiinflammatory effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The inflammatory response plays important roles in acne vulgaris and pain pathogenesis. In previous study, Esc-1GN with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and lipopolysacchride (LPS) binding activity was identified from the skin of the frog Hylarana guentheri. Here, we report its therapeutic potentials for acne vulgaris and inflammatory pain.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Excessive osteoclast leads to the imbalance in bone reconstruction and results in osteolytic diseases, such as osteoporosis and rheumatic arthritis. Integrin αβ abundantly expresses on osteoclast and plays a critical role in the formation and function of osteoclast, therefore, blockage of αβ has become an attractive therapeutic option for osteolytic diseases. In this study, we find that Tablysin-15, a RGD motif containing disintegrin, concentration-dependently suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis, F-actin ring formation and bone resorption without affecting the cell viabilities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF