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Article

New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Human Cancer Cells

by
Diletta Punginelli
1,
Valentina Catania
2,*,
Giulia Abruscato
3,
Claudio Luparello
3,*,
Mirella Vazzana
4,
Manuela Mauro
4,
Vincenzo Cunsolo
5,
Rosaria Saletti
5,
Antonella Di Francesco
5,
Vincenzo Arizza
4 and
Domenico Schillaci
1
1
Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
2
Department of Earth and Sea Science (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Blg. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
3
Section of Cell Biology, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Blg. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
4
Section of Animal Biology and Anthropology, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy
5
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5650; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065650
Submission received: 20 February 2023 / Revised: 8 March 2023 / Accepted: 13 March 2023 / Published: 15 March 2023
(This article belongs to the Topic Molecular Profiling and Identification of Molecular Signatures Associated with Tissue Development, Tumorigenesis, and Anticancer Agents’ Action)
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Abstract

The demand for new molecules to counter bacterial resistance to antibiotics and tumor cell resistance is increasingly pressing. The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica is considered a promising source of new bioactive molecules. Polypeptide-enriched fractions of rhizomes and green leaves of the seagrass were tested against Gram-positive (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli), as well as towards the yeast Candida albicans. The aforementioned extracts showed indicative MIC values, ranging from 1.61 μg/mL to 7.5 μg/mL, against the selected pathogens. Peptide fractions were further analyzed through a high-resolution mass spectrometry and database search, which identified nine novel peptides. Some discovered peptides and their derivatives were chemically synthesized and tested in vitro. The assays identified two synthetic peptides, derived from green leaves and rhizomes of P. oceanica, which revealed interesting antibiofilm activity towards S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa (BIC50 equal to 17.7 μg/mL and 70.7 μg/mL). In addition, the natural and derivative peptides were also tested for potential cytotoxic and apoptosis-promoting effects on HepG2 cells, derived from human hepatocellular carcinomas. One natural and two synthetic peptides were proven to be effective against the “in vitro” liver cancer cell model. These novel peptides could be considered a good chemical platform for developing potential therapeutics.
Keywords: antibiotic resistance; drug-resistant bacteria; antimicrobial peptides; anticancer peptides; marine seagrasses; computational peptide design antibiotic resistance; drug-resistant bacteria; antimicrobial peptides; anticancer peptides; marine seagrasses; computational peptide design

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MDPI and ACS Style

Punginelli, D.; Catania, V.; Abruscato, G.; Luparello, C.; Vazzana, M.; Mauro, M.; Cunsolo, V.; Saletti, R.; Di Francesco, A.; Arizza, V.; et al. New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Human Cancer Cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24, 5650. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065650

AMA Style

Punginelli D, Catania V, Abruscato G, Luparello C, Vazzana M, Mauro M, Cunsolo V, Saletti R, Di Francesco A, Arizza V, et al. New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Human Cancer Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023; 24(6):5650. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065650

Chicago/Turabian Style

Punginelli, Diletta, Valentina Catania, Giulia Abruscato, Claudio Luparello, Mirella Vazzana, Manuela Mauro, Vincenzo Cunsolo, Rosaria Saletti, Antonella Di Francesco, Vincenzo Arizza, and et al. 2023. "New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Human Cancer Cells" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24, no. 6: 5650. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065650

APA Style

Punginelli, D., Catania, V., Abruscato, G., Luparello, C., Vazzana, M., Mauro, M., Cunsolo, V., Saletti, R., Di Francesco, A., Arizza, V., & Schillaci, D. (2023). New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Human Cancer Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(6), 5650. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065650

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