2. Academic Validation
  3. PapRIV, a BV-2 microglial cell activating quorum sensing peptide

PapRIV, a BV-2 microglial cell activating quorum sensing peptide

  • Sci Rep. 2021 May 21;11(1):10723. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90030-y.
Yorick Janssens 1,  Nathan Debunne 1,  Anton De Spiegeleer 1 2 3,  Evelien Wynendaele 1,  Marta Planas 4,  Lidia Feliu 4,  Alessandra Quarta 5 6,  Christel Claes 7,  Debby Van Dam 8 9,  Peter Paul De Deyn 8 9,  Peter Ponsaerts 5 6,  Matthew Blurton-Jones 7 10 11,  Bart De Spiegeleer 12
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
  • 2 Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
  • 3 Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB-Center for Inflammation Research, Zwijnaarde, Belgium.
  • 4 LIPPSO, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.
  • 5 Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
  • 6 Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
  • 7 Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92696, USA.
  • 8 Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
  • 9 Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
  • 10 Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
  • 11 Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92696, USA.
  • 12 Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Bart.DeSpiegeleer@UGent.be.
PMID: 34021199 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90030-y
Abstract

Quorum sensing Peptides (QSPs) are Bacterial peptides produced by Gram-positive bacteria to communicate with their peers in a cell-density dependent manner. These Peptides do not only act as interbacterial communication signals, but can also have effects on the host. Compelling evidence demonstrates the presence of a gut-brain axis and more specifically, the role of the gut microbiota in microglial functioning. The aim of this study is to investigate microglial activating properties of a selected QSP (PapRIV) which is produced by Bacillus cereus species. PapRIV showed in vitro activating properties of BV-2 microglia cells and was able to cross the in vitro Caco-2 cell model and reach the brain. In vivo peptide presence was also demonstrated in mouse plasma. The peptide caused induction of IL-6, TNFα and ROS expression and increased the fraction of ameboid BV-2 microglia cells in an NF-κB dependent manner. Different metabolites were identified in serum, of which the main metabolite still remained active. PapRIV is thus able to cross the gastro-intestinal tract and the blood-brain barrier and shows in vitro activating properties in BV-2 microglia cells, hereby indicating a potential role of this quorum sensing peptide in gut-brain interaction.

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