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Krishna NK, Cunnion KM, Parker GA. The EPICC Family of Anti-Inflammatory Peptides: Next Generation Peptides, Additional Mechanisms of Action, and In Vivo and Ex Vivo Efficacy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:752315. [PMID: 35222367 PMCID: PMC8863753 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.752315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The EPICC peptides are a family of peptides that have been developed from the sequence of the capsid protein of human astrovirus type 1 and previously shown to inhibit the classical and lectin pathways of complement. The EPICC peptides have been further optimized to increase aqueous solubility and identify additional mechanisms of action. Our laboratory has developed the lead EPICC molecule, PA-dPEG24 (also known as RLS-0071), which is composed of a 15 amino acid peptide with a C-terminal monodisperse 24-mer PEGylated moiety. RLS-0071 has been demonstrated to possess other mechanisms of action in addition to complement blockade that include the inhibition of neutrophil-driven myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, inhibition of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation as well as intrinsic antioxidant activity mediated by vicinal cysteine residues contained within the peptide sequence. RLS-0071 has been tested in various ex vivo and in vivo systems and has shown promise for the treatment of both immune-mediated hematological diseases where alterations in the classical complement pathway plays an important pathogenic role as well as in models of tissue-based diseases such as acute lung injury and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy driven by both complement and neutrophil-mediated pathways (i.e., MPO activity and NET formation). Next generation EPICC peptides containing a sarcosine residue substitution in various positions within the peptide sequence possess aqueous solubility in the absence of PEGylation and demonstrate enhanced complement and neutrophil inhibitory activity compared to RLS-0071. This review details the development of the EPICC peptides, elucidation of their dual-acting complement and neutrophil inhibitory activities and efficacy in ex vivo systems using human clinical specimens and in vivo efficacy in animal disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neel K Krishna
- Division of Research, ReAlta Life Sciences, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Kenji M Cunnion
- Division of Research, ReAlta Life Sciences, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Children's Specialty Group, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Grace A Parker
- Division of Research, ReAlta Life Sciences, Norfolk, VA, United States
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Hair PS, Enos AI, Krishna NK, Cunnion KM. Inhibition of complement activation, myeloperoxidase, NET formation and oxidant activity by PIC1 peptide variants. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226875. [PMID: 31891617 PMCID: PMC6938345 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A product of rational molecular design, PA-dPEG24 is the lead derivative of the PIC1 family of peptides with multiple functional abilities including classical complement pathway inhibition, myeloperoxidase inhibition, NET inhibition and antioxidant activity. PA-dPEG24 is composed of a sequence of 15 amino acid, IALILEPICCQERAA, and contains a monodisperse 24-mer PEGylated moiety at its C terminus to increase aqueous solubility. Here we explore a sarcosine substitution scan of the PA peptide to evaluate impacts on solubility in the absence of PEGylation and functional characteristics. Methods Sixteen sarcosine substitution variants were synthesized and evaluated for solubility in water. Aqueous soluble variants were then tested in standard complement, myeloperoxidase, NET formation and antioxidant capacity assays. Results Six sarcosine substitution variants were aqueous soluble without requiring PEGylation. Substitution with sarcosine of the isoleucine at position eight yielded a soluble peptide that surpassed the parent molecule for complement inhibition and myeloperoxidase inhibition. Substitution with sarcosine of the cysteine at position nine improved solubility, but did not otherwise change the functional characteristics compared with the parent compound. However, replacement of both vicinal cysteine residues at positions 9 and 10 with a single sarcosine residue reduced functional activity in most of the assays tested. Conclusions Several of the sarcosine PIC1 variant substitutions synthesized yielded improved solubility as well as a number of unanticipated structure-function findings that provide new insights. Several sarcosine substitution variants demonstrate increased potency over the parent peptide suggesting enhanced therapeutic potential for inflammatory disease processes involving complement, myeloperoxidase, NETs or oxidant stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela S. Hair
- Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
| | - Adrianne I. Enos
- Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
| | - Neel K. Krishna
- Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
| | - Kenji M. Cunnion
- Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
- Children's Specialty Group, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
- Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, Norfolk, VA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Crisma M, Toniolo C. Helical screw-sense preferences of peptides based on chiral, Cα-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids. Biopolymers 2016; 104:46-64. [PMID: 25363510 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Revised: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The preferred helical screw senses of chiral α-amino acids with a C(α)-tetrasubstituted α-carbon atom, as determined in the crystal state by X-ray diffraction analyses on derivatives and peptides, are reviewed. This survey covers C(α)-methylated and C(α)-ethylated α-amino acids, as well as α-amino acids cyclized on the α-carbon, including those characterized by the combination of lack of chirality at the α-carbon with either side-chain or axial chirality. Although, in general, chiral C(α)-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids show a less pronounced bias toward a single helical screw sense than their proteinogenic (C(α)-trisubstituted) counterparts, our analysis highlights significant differences in terms of magnitude and direction of such a bias among the various sub-families of residues, and between individual amino acids within each sub-family as well. The experimental findings can be rationalized, at least in part, on the basis of steric considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Crisma
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, 35131, Padova, Italy
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Mastellos DC, Yancopoulou D, Kokkinos P, Huber-Lang M, Hajishengallis G, Biglarnia AR, Lupu F, Nilsson B, Risitano AM, Ricklin D, Lambris JD. Compstatin: a C3-targeted complement inhibitor reaching its prime for bedside intervention. Eur J Clin Invest 2015; 45:423-40. [PMID: 25678219 PMCID: PMC4380746 DOI: 10.1111/eci.12419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing awareness that complement plays an integral role in human physiology and disease, transcending its traditional perception as an accessory system for pathogen clearance and opsonic cell killing. As the list of pathologies linked to dysregulated complement activation grows longer, it has become clear that targeted modulation of this innate immune system opens new windows of therapeutic opportunity for anti-inflammatory drug design. Indeed, the introduction of the first complement-targeting drugs has reignited a vibrant interest in the clinical translation of complement-based inhibitors. Compstatin was discovered as a cyclic peptide that inhibits complement activation by binding C3 and interfering with convertase formation and C3 cleavage. As the convergence point of all activation pathways and a molecular hub for crosstalk with multiple pathogenic pathways, C3 represents an attractive target for therapeutic modulation of the complement cascade. A multidisciplinary drug optimization effort encompassing rational 'wet' and in silico synthetic approaches and an array of biophysical, structural and analytical tools has culminated in an impressive structure-function refinement of compstatin, yielding a series of analogues that show promise for a wide spectrum of clinical applications. These new derivatives have improved inhibitory potency and pharmacokinetic profiles and show efficacy in clinically relevant primate models of disease. This review provides an up-to-date survey of the drug design effort placed on the compstatin family of C3 inhibitors, highlighting the most promising drug candidates. It also discusses translational challenges in complement drug discovery and peptide drug development and reviews concerns related to systemic C3 interception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios C Mastellos
- Division of Biodiagnostic Sciences and Technologies, INRASTES, National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, Greece
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Guo Z, Streu K, Krilov G, Mohanty U. Probing the Origin of Structural Stability of Single and Double Stapled p53 Peptide Analogs Bound to MDM2. Chem Biol Drug Des 2014; 83:631-42. [DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Revised: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zuojun Guo
- Department of Chemistry; Boston College; 2609 Beacon Street Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation; 10675 John Jay Hopkins Dr. San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Kristina Streu
- Department of Chemistry; Boston College; 2609 Beacon Street Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Goran Krilov
- Schrödinger, Inc.; 120 W 45th Street, 17th Fl. New York NY 10036 USA
| | - Udayan Mohanty
- Department of Chemistry; Boston College; 2609 Beacon Street Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
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Gabizon R, Friedler A. Allosteric modulation of protein oligomerization: an emerging approach to drug design. Front Chem 2014; 2:9. [PMID: 24790978 PMCID: PMC3982530 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2014.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Many disease-related proteins are in equilibrium between different oligomeric forms. The regulation of this equilibrium plays a central role in maintaining the activity of these proteins in vitro and in vivo. Modulation of the oligomerization equilibrium of proteins by molecules that bind preferentially to a specific oligomeric state is emerging as a potential therapeutic strategy that can be applied to many biological systems such as cancer and viral infections. The target proteins for such compounds are diverse in structure and sequence, and may require different approaches for shifting their oligomerization equilibrium. The discovery of such oligomerization-modulating compounds is thus achieved based on existing structural knowledge about the specific target proteins, as well as on their interactions with partner proteins or with ligands. In silico design and combinatorial tools such as peptide arrays and phage display are also used for discovering compounds that modulate protein oligomerization. The current review highlights some of the recent developments in the design of compounds aimed at modulating the oligomerization equilibrium of proteins, including the "shiftides" approach developed in our lab.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Assaf Friedler
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalem, Israel
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Dannecker-Dörig I, Linden A, Heimgartner H. Synthesis of Poly-Aib Oligopeptides and Aib-Containing Peptides via the ‘Azirine/Oxazolone Method’, and Their Crystal Structures. Helv Chim Acta 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/hlca.201100116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Ovadia O, Greenberg S, Chatterjee J, Laufer B, Opperer F, Kessler H, Gilon C, Hoffman A. The effect of multiple N-methylation on intestinal permeability of cyclic hexapeptides. Mol Pharm 2011; 8:479-87. [PMID: 21375270 DOI: 10.1021/mp1003306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in peptide synthesis simplified the synthesis of multiple N-methylation of peptides. To evaluate how multiple N-methylation affects the bioavailability of peptides, a poly alanine cyclic hexapeptide library (n = 54), varying in the number of N-methyl (N-Me) groups (1-5 groups) and their position, was synthesized. The peptides were evaluated for their intestinal permeability in vitro using the Caco-2 model. Further evaluation of the transport route of chosen analogues was performed using rat excised viable intestinal tissue, a novel colorimetric liposomal model and the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). While most members were found to have poor permeability (permeability coefficient, P(app) < 1 x 10⁻⁶ cm/s, lower than mannitol, the marker for paracellular permeability), 10 analogues were found to have high Caco-2 permeability, (P(app) > 1 x 10⁻⁵ cm/s, similar to testosterone, a marker of transcellular permeability). No correlation was found between the number of N-methylated groups and the enhanced permeability. However, 9/10 permeable peptides in the Caco-2 model included an N-Me placed adjacently to the D-Ala position. While the exact transport route was not fully characterized, the data suggests a facilitated diffusion. It can be concluded that multiple N-methylation of peptides may improve intestinal permeability, and therefore can be utilized in the design of orally available peptide-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oded Ovadia
- The Institute of Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Qu H, Magotti P, Ricklin D, Wu EL, Kourtzelis I, Wu YQ, Kaznessis YN, Lambris JD. Novel analogues of the therapeutic complement inhibitor compstatin with significantly improved affinity and potency. Mol Immunol 2010; 48:481-9. [PMID: 21067811 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2010.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2010] [Accepted: 10/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Compstatin is a 13-residue disulfide-bridged peptide that inhibits a key step in the activation of the human complement system. Compstatin and its derivatives have shown great promise for the treatment of many clinical disorders associated with unbalanced complement activity. To obtain more potent compstatin analogues, we have now performed an N-methylation scan of the peptide backbone and amino acid substitutions at position 13. One analogue (Ac-I[CVW(Me)QDW-Sar-AHRC](NMe)I-NH(2)) displayed a 1000-fold increase in both potency (IC(50) = 62 nM) and binding affinity for C3b (K(D) = 2.3 nM) over that of the original compstatin. Biophysical analysis using surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry suggests that the improved binding originates from more favorable free conformation and stronger hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a series of significantly improved drug leads for therapeutic applications in complement-related diseases, and offers new insights into the structure-activity relationships of compstatin analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchang Qu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Guo Z, Mohanty U, Noehre J, Sawyer TK, Sherman W, Krilov G. Probing theα-Helical Structural Stability of Stapled p53 Peptides: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Analysis. Chem Biol Drug Des 2010; 75:348-59. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2010.00951.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Moretto A, De Zotti M, Crisma M, Formaggio F, Toniolo C. N-Methylation of N α-Acetylated, Fully Cα-Ethylated, Linear Peptides. Int J Pept Res Ther 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-008-9151-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Tantry SJ, Venkataramanarao R, Chennakrishnareddy G, Sureshbabu VV. Total Synthesis of Cyclosporin O by Convergent Approach Employing Fmoc-Amino Acid Chlorides Mediated by Zinc Dust. J Org Chem 2007; 72:9360-3. [DOI: 10.1021/jo701329w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Subramanyam J Tantry
- Department of Studies in Chemistry, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560 001, India
| | - Rao Venkataramanarao
- Department of Studies in Chemistry, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560 001, India
| | - Gundala Chennakrishnareddy
- Department of Studies in Chemistry, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560 001, India
| | - Vommina Venkata Sureshbabu
- Department of Studies in Chemistry, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560 001, India
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