Antiproliferative and Antibacterial Effects of Pyroglutamic Acid Isolated from Enterococcus Faecium (Mcc-2729)

Abstract

The pyroglutamic acid (PCA) is also known as pidolic acid, 5-oxoproline. It is produced in almost all living organisms. The compound is known for its multiple physiological functions in its free and conjugated forms. PCA is reported to be a reservoir of glutamate, osmoprotectant and also enhances the stability and induces unique functions to the proteins. The peptides containing PCA are said to cause many neurological disorders and also act as a marker for the diagnosis of these disorders. The compound with such diverse functions is studied for its antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities. It is found to exhibit antiproliferative activity against both the HeLa and K-562 cell lines. Further, PCA has shown broad spectrum antibacterial activity with higher efficacy against gram positive bacteria. This is the first report highlighting the antiproliferative role of PCA even though it is ubiquitous in distribution.