A5068243367- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Biochemical and Structural Characterization
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
- Click Chemistry and Applications
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive Peptides
- Ion channel regulation and function
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment
- interferon and immune responses
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
Fudan University
2013-2025
Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University
2025
University of Maryland, Baltimore
2014-2023
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College
2022
Xi'an Jiaotong University
2013-2018
The Ohio State University
2015
Purdue University West Lafayette
1990-2013
Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
2012
Institute of Human Virology
2009-2012
National Cancer Institute
2003-2008
Human defensins form a family of small, cationic, and Cys-rich antimicrobial proteins that play important roles in innate immunity against invading microbes. They also function as effective immune modulators adaptive by selectively chemoattracting T lymphocytes immature dendritic cells. On the basis sequence homology connectivity six conserved Cys residues, human are classified into α β families. Structures several β-defensins have recently been characterized, confirming disulfide within...
Netting the Bad Guys Antimicrobial peptides are an evolutionarily conserved component of innate immunity in intestine. One family, α-defensins, typically exert their antimicrobial effects through microbicidal activity against bacteria. Humans express only two human defensin 5 (HD5) and HD6. HD5 exhibits bactericidal plays a role shaping bacterial composition gut. HD6, on other hand, does not show its function gut is unclear. Now, Chu et al. (p. 477 , published online 21 June; see Perspective...
The oncoproteins MDM2 and MDMX negatively regulate the activity stability of tumor suppressor protein p53--a cellular process initiated by and/or binding to N-terminal transactivation domain p53. in many tumors confer p53 inactivation survival, are important molecular targets for anticancer therapy. We screened a duodecimal peptide phage library against site-specifically biotinylated p53-binding domains human chemically synthesized via native chemical ligation, identified several inhibitors...
The design of bioactive supramolecular chirality is always hampered by the lack feasible schemes to assigned specific biological activities. Herein, we developed a "mirror-image peptide grafting" method graft epitopes d-peptide onto miniprotein template construct self-assembled supraparticle. Grafting DPMIβ, 12-mer d-enantiomeric functioned as p53 agonist, Apamin, successfully constructed supermolecule nanoparticle, termed DMSN. This chiral supraparticle possesses favorable pharmaceutical...
We developed a kinetic, 96-well turbidimetric procedure that is capable of testing the antimicrobial properties six human alpha-defensins concurrently on single microplate. The defensins were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis and tested against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus Bacillus cereus) gram-negative (Enterobacter aerogenes Escherichia coli). Analysis growth curves provided virtual lethal doses (vLDs) equivalent to conventional 50% (LD(50)s), LD(90)s, LD(99)s,...
This study examined the ability of nine human defensins (HD) to protect against herpes simplex virus infection. Noncytotoxic concentrations all six alpha-defensins (HNP1-4, HD5, and HD6) beta-defensin (hBD) 3 inhibited HSV Two other beta-defensins, hBD1 2, lacked this protective activity. Synchronized assays revealed that HNP-4, HD6, hBD3 acted primarily by preventing binding entry, whereas HNP1-3 HD5 also postentry events. Even when added several hours after substantial reduction in viral...
Human beta-defensin 3 (hBD3) is a highly basic 45-amino-acid protein that acts both as an antimicrobial agent and chemoattractant molecule. Although the nature of its activity largely electrostatic, importance molecular structure on this poorly understood. Two isoforms hBD3 were synthesized: first with native disulfide linkages second nonnative linkages. In third synthetic peptide, all cysteine residues replaced alpha-aminobutyric acid, creating completely linear peptide. A series six small,...
Beta-defensins are small (3 to 5 kDa in size) secreted antimicrobial and antiviral proteins that components of innate immunity. by epithelial cells, they expressed at high levels several mucosae, including the mouth, where concentration these can reach 100 microg/ml. Because properties, we wondered whether could be part defenses lower oral transmission human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared other mucosal sites. Our data show select beta-defensins, especially beta-defensin 2 (hBD2) hBD3,...
Sexually transmitted human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Recent advances in techniques for production papillomaviral vectors [known as pseudoviruses (PsVs)] have made it possible to perform high-throughput screens compounds that might block initial stages papillomavirus infection. We used PsVs screen a variety function inhibitors HPV infection, with emphasis on peptides previously implicated innate antimicrobial immunity. Little is known about activity...
The oncoproteins MDM2 and MDMX negatively regulate the activity stability of tumor suppressor protein p53, conferring development survival. Antagonists targeting p53-binding domains kill cells both in vitro vivo by reactivating p53 pathway, promising a class antitumor agents for cancer therapy. Aided native chemical ligation mirror image phage display, we recently identified D-peptide inhibitor p53-MDM2 interaction termed D PMI-α (TNWYANLEKLLR) that competes with binding at an affinity 219...
Defensins constitute a major class of cationic antimicrobial peptides in mammals and vertebrates, acting as effectors innate immunity against infectious microorganisms. It is generally accepted that defensins are bactericidal by disrupting the anionic microbial membrane. Here, we provide evidence membrane activity human α‐defensins does not correlate with antibacterial killing. We further show α‐defensin neutrophil peptide‐1 (HNP1) binds to cell wall precursor lipid II reduction levels...
Six alpha-defensins have been found in humans. These small arginine-rich peptides play important roles various processes related to host defense, being the effectors and regulators of innate immunity as well enhancers adoptive immune responses. Four defensins, called neutrophil 1 through 4, are stored primarily polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Major sites expression defensins 5 6 Paneth cells human intestine. So far, only one structure alpha-defensin (HNP3) has reported, properties intestine...
Neutrophils are recruited to sites of injury but their timely removal is thought be vital prevent exacerbating inflammation. In addition, the recognition apoptotic cells by innate immune system provides potent anti-inflammatory and anti-immunogenic signals. this article, we describe how human neutrophils dying apoptosis or necrosis release peptides, alpha-defensins. This family small cationic peptides effectively inhibits secretion multiple proinflammatory cytokines NO from macrophages, main...
Defensins are effectors of the innate immune response with potent antibacterial activity. Their role in antiviral immunity, particularly for non-enveloped viruses, is poorly understood. We recently found that human alpha-defensins inhibit adenovirus (HAdV) by preventing virus uncoating and release endosomalytic protein VI during cell entry. Consequently, AdV remains trapped endosomal/lysosomal pathway rather than trafficking to nucleus. To gain insight into mechanism defensin-mediated...
Punicalagin (PU) is one of the major ellagitannins found in pomegranate (Punica granatum), which a popular fruit with several health benefits. So far, no studies have evaluated effects PU on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our work aims at studying effect PU-enriched extract (PE) high fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD.PE administration dosage 150 mg/kg/day significantly inhibited HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid deposition. As contributors to NAFLD, increased expression...
Developing a sophisticated nanomedicine platform to deliver therapeutics effectively and safely into tumor/cancer cells remains challenging in the field of nanomedicine. In particular, reliable peptide drug delivery systems capable overcoming biological barriers are still lacking. Here, we developed simple, rapid, robust strategy manufacture nanoclusters ∼90 nm diameter that self-assembled from lanthanide-doped nanoparticles (5 nm), two anticancer peptides with different targets (BIM PMI),...
The increasing prevalence of antibacterial resistance globally underscores the urgent need to update antibiotics. Here, we describe a strategy for inducing self-assembly host-defense antimicrobial peptide (AMP) into nanoparticle antibiotics (termed nanobiotics) with significantly improved pharmacological properties. Our involves myristoylation human α-defensin 5 (HD5) as therapeutic target and subsequent in aqueous media absence exogenous excipients. Compared its parent HD5, C-terminally...
As alternatives to small-molecular proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTAC), peptide-based molecular glues (MG) are a broad range of dual-functional ligands that simultaneously bind with targetable proteins and E3 ligases by mimicking proteinprotein interaction (PPI) partners. Methods: Herein, we design peptide-derived MG target tumor-driving protein, MDMX, for degradation, nanoengineered it into supramolecular gold(I)-thiol-peptide complex (Nano-MP) implement the proteolysis recalcitrance,...
Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) potently inhibits entry of diverse enveloped viruses by trapping the viral fusion at a hemifusion stage, but underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that recombinant IFITM3 reconstituted into lipid vesicles induces negative membrane curvature and this effect maps to its small amphipathic helix (AH). We demonstrate AH (i) partitions lipid-disordered domains where IAV occurs, (ii) curvature, (iii) increases order stiffness. These...