Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents

ABSTRACT Heme-containing peroxidases are widely distributed in the animal and plant kingdoms and play an important role in host defense by generating potent oxidants. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), the prototype of heme-containing peroxidases, exists in neutrophils and monocytes. MPO has a broad spectrum of...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zehong Cao, Guangjie Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2022-02-01
Series:Microbiology Spectrum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00522-21
_version_ 1818323340348096512
author Zehong Cao
Guangjie Cheng
author_facet Zehong Cao
Guangjie Cheng
author_sort Zehong Cao
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Heme-containing peroxidases are widely distributed in the animal and plant kingdoms and play an important role in host defense by generating potent oxidants. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), the prototype of heme-containing peroxidases, exists in neutrophils and monocytes. MPO has a broad spectrum of microbial killing. The difficulty of producing MPO at a large scale hinders its study and utilization. This study aimed to overexpress recombinant human MPO and characterize its microbicidal activities in vitro and in vivo. A human HEK293 cell line stably expressing recombinant MPO (rMPO) was established as a component of this study. rMPO was overexpressed and purified for studies on its biochemical and enzymatic properties, as well as its microbicidal activities. In this study, rMPO was secreted into culture medium as a monomer. rMPO revealed enzymatic activity similar to that of native MPO. rMPO, like native MPO, was capable of killing a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including Gram-negative and -positive bacteria and fungi, at low nM levels. Interestingly, rMPO could kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making it very useful for treatment of nosocomial infections and mixed infections. The administration of rMPO significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of murine lung infections induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In animal safety tests, the administration of 100 nM rMPO via tail vein did not result in any sign of toxic effects. Taken together, the data suggest that rMPO purified from a stably expressing human cell line is a new class of antimicrobial agents with the ability to kill a broad spectrum of pathogens, including bacteria and fungi with or without drug resistance. IMPORTANCE Over the past 2 decades, more than 20 new infectious diseases have emerged. Unfortunately, novel antimicrobial therapeutics are discovered at much lower rates. Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to conventional treatment, resulting in prolonged illness, greater risk of death, and high health care costs. Currently, this is best seen with the lack of a cure for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To combat such untreatable microorganisms, there is an urgent need to discover new classes of antimicrobial agents. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays an important role in host defense. The difficulty of producing MPO on a large scale hinders its study and utilization. We have produced recombinant MPO at a large scale and have characterized its antimicrobial activities. Most importantly, recombinant MPO significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of murine pneumonia induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Our data suggest that recombinant MPO from human cells is a new class of antimicrobials with a broad spectrum of activity.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T11:11:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2845b03750314251b314c6c925526565
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2165-0497
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T11:11:08Z
publishDate 2022-02-01
publisher American Society for Microbiology
record_format Article
series Microbiology Spectrum
spelling doaj.art-2845b03750314251b314c6c9255265652022-12-21T23:48:45ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972022-02-0110110.1128/spectrum.00522-21Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial AgentsZehong Cao0Guangjie Cheng1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USAABSTRACT Heme-containing peroxidases are widely distributed in the animal and plant kingdoms and play an important role in host defense by generating potent oxidants. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), the prototype of heme-containing peroxidases, exists in neutrophils and monocytes. MPO has a broad spectrum of microbial killing. The difficulty of producing MPO at a large scale hinders its study and utilization. This study aimed to overexpress recombinant human MPO and characterize its microbicidal activities in vitro and in vivo. A human HEK293 cell line stably expressing recombinant MPO (rMPO) was established as a component of this study. rMPO was overexpressed and purified for studies on its biochemical and enzymatic properties, as well as its microbicidal activities. In this study, rMPO was secreted into culture medium as a monomer. rMPO revealed enzymatic activity similar to that of native MPO. rMPO, like native MPO, was capable of killing a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including Gram-negative and -positive bacteria and fungi, at low nM levels. Interestingly, rMPO could kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making it very useful for treatment of nosocomial infections and mixed infections. The administration of rMPO significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of murine lung infections induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In animal safety tests, the administration of 100 nM rMPO via tail vein did not result in any sign of toxic effects. Taken together, the data suggest that rMPO purified from a stably expressing human cell line is a new class of antimicrobial agents with the ability to kill a broad spectrum of pathogens, including bacteria and fungi with or without drug resistance. IMPORTANCE Over the past 2 decades, more than 20 new infectious diseases have emerged. Unfortunately, novel antimicrobial therapeutics are discovered at much lower rates. Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to conventional treatment, resulting in prolonged illness, greater risk of death, and high health care costs. Currently, this is best seen with the lack of a cure for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To combat such untreatable microorganisms, there is an urgent need to discover new classes of antimicrobial agents. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays an important role in host defense. The difficulty of producing MPO on a large scale hinders its study and utilization. We have produced recombinant MPO at a large scale and have characterized its antimicrobial activities. Most importantly, recombinant MPO significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of murine pneumonia induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Our data suggest that recombinant MPO from human cells is a new class of antimicrobials with a broad spectrum of activity.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00522-21HEK293 cellsmyeloperoxidasetherapyanimal modelsantimicrobial activityrecombinant-protein production
spellingShingle Zehong Cao
Guangjie Cheng
Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
Microbiology Spectrum
HEK293 cells
myeloperoxidase
therapy
animal models
antimicrobial activity
recombinant-protein production
title Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
title_full Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
title_fullStr Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
title_full_unstemmed Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
title_short Recombinant Myeloperoxidase as a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents
title_sort recombinant myeloperoxidase as a new class of antimicrobial agents
topic HEK293 cells
myeloperoxidase
therapy
animal models
antimicrobial activity
recombinant-protein production
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00522-21
work_keys_str_mv AT zehongcao recombinantmyeloperoxidaseasanewclassofantimicrobialagents
AT guangjiecheng recombinantmyeloperoxidaseasanewclassofantimicrobialagents