A Novel Peptide Oligomer of Bacitracin Induces M1 Macrophage Polarization by Facilitating Ca<sup>2+</sup> Influx

oleh: Seon Yeong Ji, Hyesook Lee, Hyun Hwangbo, Su-Hyun Hong, Hee-Jae Cha, Cheol Park, Do-Hyung Kim, Gi-Young Kim, Suhkmann Kim, Heui-Soo Kim, Jin Cheol Yoo, Yung Hyun Choi

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-05-01

Deskripsi

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are components of the innate immune system and form the first defense against pathogens for various organisms. In the present study, we assessed whether CSP32, a novel AMP oligomer of bacitracin isolated from a strain of <i>Bacillus</i> spp., regulates the polarization of murine macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells. CSP32 stimulated phagocytosis while inducing the appearance of the typical M1 polarized macrophage phenotype; these M1 macrophages play a role in host defense against pathogens. Furthermore, our results showed that CSP32 enhanced the expression and production of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines. In addition, the CSP32-stimulated inflammatory mediators were induced mainly by the mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor kappa B (MAPK/NF-κB) signaling pathway during M1 macrophage polarization. In particular, CSP32 markedly increased the numbers of Ca<sup>2+</sup>-positive macrophages while upregulating phospholipase C and activating protein kinase Cε. Furthermore, the inhibition of intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> by BAPTA-AM, a Ca<sup>2+</sup> chelator, significantly suppressed the CSP32-mediated phagocytosis, inflammatory mediator production, and NF-κB activation. In conclusion, our data suggested that CSP32-stimulated M1 macrophage polarization is dependent on the calcium signaling pathway and may result in enhanced immune capacities.