Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins
The natural antimicrobial peptides are ancient host defense effector molecules, present in organisms across the evolutionary spectrum. Several properties of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) suggested that it could be a natural antimicrobial peptide. α-MSH is a primordial peptide that appeare...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2006-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2006.227 |
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| author | A. Catania G. Colombo C. Rossi A. Carlin A. Sordi C. Lonati F. Turcatti P. Leonardi P. Grieco S. Gatti |
| author_facet | A. Catania G. Colombo C. Rossi A. Carlin A. Sordi C. Lonati F. Turcatti P. Leonardi P. Grieco S. Gatti |
| author_sort | A. Catania |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The natural antimicrobial peptides are ancient host defense effector molecules, present in organisms across the evolutionary spectrum. Several properties of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) suggested that it could be a natural antimicrobial peptide. α-MSH is a primordial peptide that appeared during the Paleozoic era, long before adaptive immunity developed and, like natural antimicrobial molecules, is produced by barrier epithelia, immunocytes, and within the central nervous system. α-MSH was discovered to have antimicrobial activity against two representative pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The candidacidal influences of α-MSH appeared to be mediated by increases in cell cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The cAMP-inducing capacity of α-MSH likely interferes with the yeast's own regulatory mechanisms of this essential signaling pathway. It is remarkable that this mechanism of action in yeast mimics the influences of α-MSH in mammalian cells in which the peptide binds to G-protein-linked melanocortin receptors, activates adenylyl cyclase, and increases cAMP. When considering that most of the natural antimicrobial peptides enhance the local inflammatory reaction, the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of α-MSH confer unique properties to this molecule relative to other natural antimicrobial molecules. Synthetic derivatives, chemically stable and resistant to enzymatic degradation, could form the basis for novel therapies that combine anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-36b72173a9a54bcc8c903444e27e690f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2006-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-36b72173a9a54bcc8c903444e27e690f2025-02-03T06:11:31ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2006-01-0161241124610.1100/tsw.2006.227Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic MelanocortinsA. Catania0G. Colombo1C. Rossi2A. Carlin3A. Sordi4C. Lonati5F. Turcatti6P. Leonardi7P. Grieco8S. Gatti9Center for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyCenter for Preclinical Investigation, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Toxicology, Università di Napoli, Napoli 80131, ItalyCenter for Surgical Research, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano 20122, ItalyThe natural antimicrobial peptides are ancient host defense effector molecules, present in organisms across the evolutionary spectrum. Several properties of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) suggested that it could be a natural antimicrobial peptide. α-MSH is a primordial peptide that appeared during the Paleozoic era, long before adaptive immunity developed and, like natural antimicrobial molecules, is produced by barrier epithelia, immunocytes, and within the central nervous system. α-MSH was discovered to have antimicrobial activity against two representative pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The candidacidal influences of α-MSH appeared to be mediated by increases in cell cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The cAMP-inducing capacity of α-MSH likely interferes with the yeast's own regulatory mechanisms of this essential signaling pathway. It is remarkable that this mechanism of action in yeast mimics the influences of α-MSH in mammalian cells in which the peptide binds to G-protein-linked melanocortin receptors, activates adenylyl cyclase, and increases cAMP. When considering that most of the natural antimicrobial peptides enhance the local inflammatory reaction, the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of α-MSH confer unique properties to this molecule relative to other natural antimicrobial molecules. Synthetic derivatives, chemically stable and resistant to enzymatic degradation, could form the basis for novel therapies that combine anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2006.227 |
| spellingShingle | A. Catania G. Colombo C. Rossi A. Carlin A. Sordi C. Lonati F. Turcatti P. Leonardi P. Grieco S. Gatti Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins |
| title_full | Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins |
| title_fullStr | Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins |
| title_short | Antimicrobial Properties of α-MSH and Related Synthetic Melanocortins |
| title_sort | antimicrobial properties of α msh and related synthetic melanocortins |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2006.227 |
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