Multifunctional host-defense peptides isolated from skin secretions of the banana tree dwelling frog Boana platanera (Hylidae; Hylinae)

J Michael Conlon; Ananyaa Sridhar; Dawood Khan; Taylor S Cunning; Jack J Delaney; Megan G Taggart; Nigel G Ternan; Jérôme Leprince; Laurent Coquet; Thierry Jouenne; Samir Attoub; Milena Mechkarska

doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2024.03.012

Multifunctional host-defense peptides isolated from skin secretions of the banana tree dwelling frog Boana platanera (Hylidae; Hylinae)

Biochimie. 2024 Mar 30:223:23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.03.012. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Diabetes Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK. Electronic address: jmconlon1@gmail.com.
² Diabetes Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK.
³ Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK.
⁴ Université Rouen Normandie, Inserm, NorDiC UMR 1239, HeRacLeS, US 51, PRIMACEN, F-76000, Rouen, France.
⁵ CNRS UAR2026 HeRacLeS-PISSARO, CNRS UMR 6270 PBS, Université Rouen Normandie, 76821, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France.
⁶ Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
⁷ Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of The West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

PMID: 38561076
DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.03.012

Abstract

Five host-defense peptides (figainin 2PL, hylin PL, raniseptin PL, plasticin PL, and peptide YL) were isolated from norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of the banana tree dwelling frog Boana platanera (Hylidae; Hylinae) collected in Trinidad. Raniseptin PL (GVFDTVKKIGKAVGKFALGVAKNYLNS.NH₂) and figainin 2PL (FLGTVLKLGKAIAKTVVPMLTNAMQPKQ. NH₂) showed potent and rapid bactericidal activity against a range of clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative ESKAPE ⁺ pathogens and Clostridioides difficile. The peptides also showed potent cytotoxic activity (LC₅₀ values < 30 μM) against A549, MDA-MB-231 and HT29 human tumor-derived cell lines but appreciably lower hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes (LC₅₀ = 262 ± 14 μM for raniseptin PL and 157 ± 16 μM for figainin 2PL). Hylin PL (FLGLIPALAGAIGNLIK.NH₂) showed relatively weak activity against microorganisms but was more hemolytic. The glycine-leucine-rich peptide with structural similarity to the plasticins (GLLSTVGGLVGGLLNNLGL.NH₂) and the non-cytotoxic peptide YL (YVPGVIESLL.NH₂) lacked antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Hylin PL, raniseptinPL and peptide YL stimulated the rate of release of insulin from BRIN-BD11 clonal β-cells at concentrations ≥100 nM. Peptide YL was the most effective (2.3-fold increase compared with basal rate at 1 μM concentration) and may represent a template for the design of a new class of incretin-based anti-diabetic drugs.

Keywords: Amphibia; Anti-cancer; Anti-diabetic; Antimicrobial; Cytotoxicity; Insulinotropic; Type 2 diabetes.