Cationic antimicrobial peptide CC34 potential anticancer and apoptotic induction on cancer cells
Liqiang Dong1,2, Yunhe Li3, Yaguang Zhang4
1School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Suihua University, Suihua, 152061, China. dlq1930@126.com.
Abstract:
To evaluate the potential of antimicrobial peptide CC34 for use as therapeutic agents for gastric cancer SGC-7901 and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG-2. In this study, the antibacterial activity and antibacterial mechanism were tested by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis, minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) analysis, bacterial biofilm and NaCl permeability assays. Then, we assessed the hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity of CC34 for red blood cells and cancer cells, respectively. Apoptosis assay, cell cycle analysis, determination of intracellular ROS, western blot analysis caspase activity assay and ATP assay were further performed to investigate the mechanism of CC34 affected cancer cells. The novel peptide could inhibit Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, with low hemolytic activity against mouse and chicken erythrocytes. Moreover, CC34 exhibited higher inhibitory activity against biofilm formation. In addition, our data showed that CC34 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, in a dose dependent manner. CC34 induced apoptosis, induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, inhibited B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression, increase B-cell lymphoma protein 2 associated X protein (Bax) expression, release of cytochrome c (Cyt C), promoted caspase-3 and - 9 activities and reduced cellular ATP levels in cancer cells. Our results indicate that CC34 with antimicrobial activity have a highly potent ability to induced apoptosis via mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway in cancer cells.
Insights
Antimicrobial peptide CC34 effectively inhibits bacterial growth and biofilm formation. It also demonstrates potent anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis in gastric and liver cancer cells via the mitochondrial pathway.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are crucial in innate immunity.
- Exploring novel AMPs like CC34 offers therapeutic potential against infections and cancer.
- Gastric (SGC-7901) and hepatocellular (HepG-2) carcinoma are significant health concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic potential of antimicrobial peptide CC34.
- To evaluate CC34's efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
- To assess CC34's anti-cancer activity against gastric and hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
Main Methods:
- Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) assays.
- Biofilm inhibition, NaCl permeability, hemolytic, and cytotoxicity assays.
- Apoptosis assays, cell cycle analysis, ROS determination, Western blot, caspase activity, and ATP assays.
Main Results:
- CC34 exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and inhibited biofilm formation.
- CC34 showed low hemolytic activity and suppressed cancer cell proliferation dose-dependently.
- CC34 induced apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway, involving ROS generation and caspase activation.
Conclusions:
- CC34 possesses significant antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties.
- The peptide effectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells through mitochondrial pathways.
- CC34 shows promise as a dual-action therapeutic agent for infections and cancer.
Related Concept Videos
01:31The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
01:17The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway