1
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Laureano AF, Vigato AA, Puzer L, de Araujo DR. Recombinant scFv-Fc Anti-kallikrein 7 Antibody-Loaded Thermosensitive Hydrogels Against Skin Desquamation Disorders. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:4486-4496. [PMID: 38886921 PMCID: PMC11253099 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Human tissue kallikrein-related peptidase 7 (KLK7) is a serine protease implicated in the physiology of skin desquamation, and its uncontrolled activity can lead to chronic diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and Netherton syndrome. For this reason, kallikrein 7 has been identified as a potential therapeutic target. This work aimed to evaluate Pluronic (PL) hydrogels as topical carriers of four specific scFv-Fc antibodies to inhibit KLK7. The hydrogels comprised PL F127 (30% w/v) alone and a binary F127/P123 (28-2% w/v) system. Each formulation was loaded with 1 μg/mL of each antibody and characterized by physicochemical and pharmaceutical techniques, considering antibody-micelle interactions and hydrogel behavior as smart delivery systems. Results showed that the antibodies were successfully loaded into the PL-based systems, and the sol-gel transition temperature was shifted to high values after the P123 addition. The antibodies released from the gels preserved their rheological properties (G' > G'', 35- to 41-fold) and inhibitory activity against KLK7, even after 24 h. This work presented potential agents targeting KLK7 that may provide strategies for treating skin abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia
Santarine Laureano
- Department
of Surgery, Center for Transplantation Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, CNY149 13th Street, Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts 02129, United States
- Centro
de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade
Federal do ABC, Al. da Universidade, s/n-Anchieta, São
Bernardo do Campo, SP 09606-045, Brazil
| | - Aryane Alves Vigato
- Department
of Biomedical Science (BMV), Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö 20506, Sweden
- Biofilms−Research
Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö 20506, Sweden
| | - Luciano Puzer
- Centro
de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade
Federal do ABC, Al. da Universidade, s/n-Anchieta, São
Bernardo do Campo, SP 09606-045, Brazil
| | - Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo
- Centro
de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade
Federal do ABC, Av. dos
Estados, 5001, Bloco A, Torre 3, Santo André, SP 09210-580, Brazil
- Departamento
de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Vila Clementino, Sao Paulo, SP 04023-062, Brazil
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2
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Tyler TJ, Durek T, Craik DJ. Native and Engineered Cyclic Disulfide-Rich Peptides as Drug Leads. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073189. [PMID: 37049950 PMCID: PMC10096437 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioactive peptides are a highly abundant and diverse group of molecules that exhibit a wide range of structural and functional variation. Despite their immense therapeutic potential, bioactive peptides have been traditionally perceived as poor drug candidates, largely due to intrinsic shortcomings that reflect their endogenous heritage, i.e., short biological half-lives and poor cell permeability. In this review, we examine the utility of molecular engineering to insert bioactive sequences into constrained scaffolds with desired pharmaceutical properties. Applying lessons learnt from nature, we focus on molecular grafting of cyclic disulfide-rich scaffolds (naturally derived or engineered), shown to be intrinsically stable and amenable to sequence modifications, and their utility as privileged frameworks in drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan J. Tyler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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3
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Kolodziejczyk-Czepas J, Czepas J. Plant-Derived Compounds and Extracts as Modulators of Plasmin Activity-A Review. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041677. [PMID: 36838662 PMCID: PMC9965408 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Functionality of the fibrinolytic system is based on activity of its central enzyme, plasmin, responsible for the removal of fibrin clots. Besides the hemostasis, fibrinolytic proteins are also involved in many other physiological and pathological processes, including immune response, extracellular matrix degradation, cell migration, and tissue remodeling. Both the impaired and enhanced activity of fibrinolytic proteins may result in serious physiological consequences: prothrombotic state or excessive bleeding, respectively. However, current medicine offers very few options for treating fibrinolytic disorders, particularly in the case of plasmin inhibition. Although numerous attempts have been undertaken to identify natural or to develop engineered fibrinolytic system modulators, structural similarities within serine proteases of the hemostatic system and pleiotropic activity of fibrinolytic proteins constitute a serious problem in discovering anti- or profibrinolytic agents that could precisely affect the target molecules and reduce the risk of side effects. Therefore, this review aims to present a current knowledge of various classes of natural inhibitors and stimulators of the fibrinolytic system being well-defined low-molecular plant secondary metabolites or constituents of plant extracts as well as plant peptides. This work also discusses obstacles caused by low specificity of most of natural compounds and, hence, outlines recent trends in studies aimed at finding more efficient modulators of plasmin activity, including investigation of modifications of natural pharmacophore templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kolodziejczyk-Czepas
- Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Jan Czepas
- Department of Oncobiology and Epigenetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland
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4
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Handley TNG, Jackson MA, Craik DJ. Scalable and Efficient In Planta Biosynthesis of Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI) Peptide Therapeutics. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2371:117-142. [PMID: 34596846 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1689-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) is a 14 amino acid cyclic peptide which has been effectively employed as a scaffold for engineering a range of peptide therapeutic candidates. Typically, synthesis of SFTI-1-based therapeutics is performed via solid-phase peptide synthesis and native chemical ligation, with significant financial and environmental costs associated. In planta synthesis of SFTI-1 based therapeutics serves as a greener approach for environmentally sustainable production. Here, we detail the methods for the transient expression, production, and purification of SFTI-1-based therapeutic peptides in Nicotiana benthamiana using a scalable and high-throughput approach. We demonstrate that a prerequisite for this is the co-expression of specialized asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) that perform the backbone cyclization of SFTI-1. In our founding study, we were able to achieve in planta yields of a plasmin inhibitor SFTI-1 peptide at yields of ~60 μg/g of dried plant material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas N G Handley
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark A Jackson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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5
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A. Tindall C, Erkner E, Stichel J, G. Beck-Sickinger A, Hoffmann A, Weiner J, T. Heiker J. Cleavage of the vaspin N-terminus releases cell-penetrating peptides that affect early stages of adipogenesis and inhibit lipolysis in mature adipocytes. Adipocyte 2021; 10:216-231. [PMID: 33866927 PMCID: PMC8078822 DOI: 10.1080/21623945.2021.1910154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaspin expression and function is related to metabolic disorders and comorbidities of obesity. In various cellular and animal models of obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis vaspin has shown beneficial, protective and/or compensatory action. While testing proteases for inhibition by vaspin, we noticed specific cleavage within the vaspin N-terminus and sequence analysis predicted cell-penetrating activity for the released peptides. These findings raised the question whether these proteolytic peptides exhibit biological activity. We synthesized various N-terminal vaspin peptides to investigate cell-penetrating activity and analyse uptake mechanisms. Focusing on adipocytes, we performed microarray analysis and functional assays to elucidate biological activities of the vaspin–derived peptide, which is released by KLK7 cleavage (vaspin residues 21-30; VaspinN). Our study provides first evidence that proteolytic processing of the vaspin N-terminus releases cell-penetrating and bioactive peptides with effects on adipocyte biology. The VaspinN peptide increased preadipocyte proliferation, interfered with clonal expansion during the early stage of adipogenesis and blunted adrenergic cAMP-signalling, downstream lipolysis as well as insulin signalling in mature adipocytes. Protease-mediated release of functional N-terminal peptides presents an additional facet of vaspin action. Future studies will address the mechanisms underlying the biological activities and clarify, if vaspin-derived peptides may have potential as therapeutic agents for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A. Tindall
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Estelle Erkner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jan Stichel
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Anne Hoffmann
- Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Leipzig and University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juliane Weiner
- Medical Department III - Endocrinology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - John T. Heiker
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Leipzig and University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Xiang F, Wang Y, Cao C, Li Q, Deng H, Zheng J, Liu X, Tan X. The Role of Kallikrein 7 in Tumorigenesis. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:2617-2631. [PMID: 34525904 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210915104537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Kallikrein 7 (KLK7) is a secreted serine protease with chymotrypsic protease activity. Abnormally high expression of KLK7 is closely related to the occurrence and development of various types of cancer. Therefore, KLK7 has been identified as a potential target for cancer drug development design in recent years. KLK7 mediates various biological and pathological processes in tumorigenesis, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and cell metabolism, by hydrolyzing a series of substrates such as membrane proteins, extracellular matrix proteins, and cytokines. This review mainly introduces the downstream cell signaling pathways involved in the activation of KLK7 and its substrate-related proteins. This review will not only help us to better understand the mechanisms of KLK7 in regulating biological and pathological processes of cancer cells, but also lay a solid foundation for the design of inhibitors targeting KLK7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyi Xiang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Yueqing Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Chunyu Cao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Qingyun Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Hao Deng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China.,The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowen Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443003. China
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7
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Palei S, Mootz HD. Semisynthetic head-to-tail cyclized peptides obtained by combining protein trans-splicing and intramolecular expressed protein ligation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:4194-4197. [PMID: 33908454 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc00449b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A dual-intein approach for the preparation of head-to-tail macrocyclic peptides is reported, where synthetic and genetically encoded fragments are ligated by two native peptide bonds. A split intein ligates the synthetic and genetically encoded peptides via protein trans-splicing and is followed by intramolecular cyclization through an expressed protein ligation step mediated with a cis-intein. We identified a suitable pair of orthogonal inteins and optimized the conditions for a one-pot cyclization protocol. We report the semisynthesis of model macrocyles with various ring sizes and of the natural product sunflower trypsin inhibitor (SFTI) along with its ornithine analog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhendu Palei
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Muenster, Münster 48149, Germany. and International Graduate School of Chemistry (GSC-MS), University of Muenster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Henning D Mootz
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Muenster, Münster 48149, Germany. and International Graduate School of Chemistry (GSC-MS), University of Muenster, Münster 48149, Germany
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8
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Chen J, Cui T, Sun S, Guo Y, Chen J, Wang J, Bierer D, Li YM. Application of tert-Butyl Disulfide-Protected Amino Acids for the Fmoc Solid-Phase Synthesis of Lactam Cyclic Peptides under Mild Metal-Free Conditions. J Org Chem 2021; 86:8610-8619. [PMID: 34161109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Lactam cyclic peptides are a class of interesting and pharmaceutically active molecules, but their previous syntheses have required the use of heavy metals and/or forcing conditions. Here, we describe the efficient application of the previously reported tert-butyl disulfide-protected amino acids and their use in the efficient, solid-phase synthesis of a series of lactam cyclic peptides under mild, metal-free conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyou Chen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Cui
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Shuaishuai Sun
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Yanyan Guo
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Jingnan Chen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Donald Bierer
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42096 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Yi-Ming Li
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
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9
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Zhang J, Yuan J, Li Z, Fu C, Xu M, Yang J, Jiang X, Zhou B, Ye X, Xu C. Exploring and exploiting plant cyclic peptides for drug discovery and development. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:3096-3117. [PMID: 33599316 DOI: 10.1002/med.21792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Ever since the discovery of insulin, natural peptides have become an important resource for therapeutic development. Decades of research has led to the discovery of a long list of peptide drugs with broad applications in clinics, from antibiotics to hypertension treatment to pain management. Many of these US FDA-approved peptide drugs are derived from microorganisms and animals. By contrast, the great potential of plant cyclic peptides as therapeutics remains largely unexplored. These macrocyclic peptides typically have rigid structures, good bioavailability and membrane permeability, making them appealing candidates for drug development and engineering. In this review, we introduce the three major classes of plant cyclic peptides and summarize their potential medical applications. We discuss how we can leverage the genome information of many different plants to quickly search for new cyclic peptides and how we can take advantage of the insights gained from their biosynthetic pathways to transform the process of production and drug development. These recent developments have provided a new angle for exploring and exploiting plant cyclic peptides, and we believe that many more peptide drugs derived from plants are about to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jimin Yuan
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhijie Li
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunjin Fu
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Menglong Xu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Boping Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiufeng Ye
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengchao Xu
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Role of Kallikrein 7 in Body Weight and Fat Mass Regulation. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9020131. [PMID: 33572949 PMCID: PMC7912635 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9020131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased plasma and adipose tissue protease activity is observed in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. It has been proposed that specific proteases contribute to the link between obesity, adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic diseases. We have recently shown that ablation of the serine protease kallikrein-related peptidase 7 (Klk7) specifically in adipose tissue preserves systemic insulin sensitivity and protects mice from obesity-related AT inflammation. Here, we investigated whether whole body Klk7 knockout (Klk7-/-) mice develop a phenotype distinct from that caused by reduced Klk7 expression in adipose tissue. Compared to littermate controls, Klk7-/- mice gain less body weight and fat mass both under chow and high fat diet (HFD) feeding, are hyper-responsive to exogenous insulin and exhibit preserved adipose tissue function due to adipocyte hyperplasia and lower inflammation. Klk7-/- mice exhibit increased adipose tissue thermogenesis, which is not related to altered thyroid function. These data strengthen our recently proposed role of Klk7 in the regulation of body weight, energy metabolism, and obesity-associated adipose tissue dysfunction. The protective effects of Klk7 deficiency in obesity are likely linked to a significant limitation of adipocyte hypertrophy. In conclusion, our data indicate potential application of specific KLK7 inhibitors to regulate KLK7 activity in the development of obesity and counteract obesity-associated inflammation and metabolic diseases.
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11
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de Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1): Sowing Seeds in the Fields of Chemistry and Biology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:8050-8071. [PMID: 32621554 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nature-derived cyclic peptides have proven to be a vast source of inspiration for advancing modern pharmaceutical design and synthetic chemistry. The focus of this Review is sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1), one of the smallest disulfide-bridged cyclic peptides found in nature. SFTI-1 has an unusual biosynthetic pathway that begins with a dual-purpose albumin precursor and ends with the production of a high-affinity serine protease inhibitor that rivals other inhibitors much larger in size. Investigations on the molecular basis for SFTI-1's rigid structure and adaptable function have planted seeds for thought that have now blossomed in several different fields. Here we survey these applications to highlight the growing potential of SFTI-1 as a versatile template for engineering inhibitors, a prototypic peptide for studying inhibitory mechanisms, a stable scaffold for grafting bioactive peptides, and a model peptide for evaluating peptidomimetic motifs and platform technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew M White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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12
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Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Der Sonnenblumen‐Trypsin‐Inhibitor 1 (SFTI‐1) in der Chemie und Biologie. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J. Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - Andrew M. White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
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13
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González-Castro R, Gómez-Lim MA, Plisson F. Cysteine-Rich Peptides: Hyperstable Scaffolds for Protein Engineering. Chembiochem 2020; 22:961-973. [PMID: 33095969 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) are small proteins of less than 100 amino acids in length characterized by the presence of disulfide bridges and common end-to-end macrocyclization. These properties confer hyperstability against high temperatures, salt concentration, serum presence, and protease degradation to CRPs. Moreover, their intercysteine domains (loops) are susceptible to residue hypervariability. CRPs have been successfully applied as stable scaffolds for molecular grafting, a protein engineering process in which cysteine-rich structures provide higher thermodynamic and metabolic stability to an epitope and acquire new biological function(s). This review describes the successes and limitations of seven cysteine-rich scaffolds, their bioactive epitopes, and the resulting grafted peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael González-Castro
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, México.,Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Irapuato, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, México
| | - Miguel A Gómez-Lim
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Irapuato, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, México
| | - Fabien Plisson
- CONACYT, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, México
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14
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Laureano AFS, Zani MB, Sant'Ana AM, Tognato RC, Lombello CB, do Nascimento MHM, Helmsing S, Fühner V, Hust M, Puzer L. Generation of recombinant antibodies against human tissue kallikrein 7 to treat skin diseases. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2020; 30:127626. [PMID: 33096161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Human tissue kallikreins (KLKs) constitute a family of 15 serine proteases that are distributed in various tissues and implicated in several pathological disorders. KLK7 is an unusual serine protease that presents both trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like specificity and appears to be upregulated in pathologies that are related to skin desquamation processes, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and Netherton syndrome. In recent years, various groups have worked to develop specific inhibitors for this enzyme, as KLK7 represents a potential target for new therapeutic procedures for diseases related to skin desquamation processes. In this work, we selected nine different single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFv) from a human naïve phage display library and characterized their inhibitory activities against KLK7. The scFv with the lowest IC50 against KLK7 was affinity maturated, which resulted in the generation of four new scFv-specific antibodies for the target protease. These new antibodies were expressed in the scFv-Fc format in HEK293-6E cells, and the characterization of their inhibitory activities against KLK7 showed that three of them presented IC50 values lower than that of the original antibody. The cytotoxicity analysis of these recombinant antibodies demonstrated that they can be safely used in a cellular model. In conclusion, our research showed that in our case, a phage-display methodology in combination with enzymology assays can be a very suitable tool for the development of inhibitors for KLKs, suggesting a new strategy to identify therapeutic protease inhibitors for diseases related to uncontrolled kallikrein activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia S Laureano
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Zani
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aquiles M Sant'Ana
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael C Tognato
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Christiane B Lombello
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais aplicadas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Helena M do Nascimento
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais aplicadas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Saskia Helmsing
- Technische Universität Braunschweig - Abteilung Biotechnologie, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Viola Fühner
- Technische Universität Braunschweig - Abteilung Biotechnologie, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Technische Universität Braunschweig - Abteilung Biotechnologie, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Luciano Puzer
- Universidade Federal do ABC - Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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15
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Jackson MA, Yap K, Poth AG, Gilding EK, Swedberg JE, Poon S, Qu H, Durek T, Harris K, Anderson MA, Craik DJ. Rapid and Scalable Plant-Based Production of a Potent Plasmin Inhibitor Peptide. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:602. [PMID: 31156672 PMCID: PMC6530601 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The backbone cyclic and disulfide bridged sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) peptide is a proven effective scaffold for a range of peptide therapeutics. For production at laboratory scale, solid phase peptide synthesis techniques are widely used, but these synthetic approaches are costly and environmentally taxing at large scale. Here, we developed a plant-based approach for the recombinant production of SFTI-1-based peptide drugs. We show that transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana allows for rapid peptide production, provided that asparaginyl endopeptidase enzymes with peptide-ligase functionality are co-expressed with the substrate peptide gene. Without co-expression, no target cyclic peptides are detected, reflecting rapid in planta degradation of non-cyclized substrate. We test this recombinant production system by expressing a SFTI-1-based therapeutic candidate that displays potent and selective inhibition of human plasmin. By using an innovative multi-unit peptide expression cassette, we show that in planta yields reach ~60 μg/g dry weight at 6 days post leaf infiltration. Using nuclear magnetic resonance structural analysis and functional in vitro assays, we demonstrate the equivalence of plant and synthetically derived plasmin inhibitor peptide. The methods and insights gained in this study provide opportunities for the large scale, cost effective production of SFTI-1-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Jackson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kuok Yap
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Aaron G. Poth
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Edward K. Gilding
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Joakim E. Swedberg
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Simon Poon
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Haiou Qu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Karen Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marilyn A. Anderson
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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16
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Structural studies of plasmin inhibition. Biochem Soc Trans 2019; 47:541-557. [DOI: 10.1042/bst20180211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Plasminogen (Plg) is the zymogen form of the serine protease plasmin (Plm), and it plays a crucial role in fibrinolysis as well as wound healing, immunity, tissue remodeling and inflammation. Binding to the targets via the lysine-binding sites allows for Plg activation by plasminogen activators (PAs) present on the same target. Cellular uptake of fibrin degradation products leads to apoptosis, which represents one of the pathways for cross-talk between fibrinolysis and tissue remodeling. Therapeutic manipulation of Plm activity plays a vital role in the treatments of a range of diseases, whereas Plm inhibitors are used in trauma and surgeries as antifibrinolytic agents. Plm inhibitors are also used in conditions such as angioedema, menorrhagia and melasma. Here, we review the rationale for the further development of new Plm inhibitors, with a particular focus on the structural studies of the active site inhibitors of Plm. We compare the binding mode of different classes of inhibitors and comment on how it relates to their efficacy, as well as possible future developments.
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17
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Using backbone-cyclized Cys-rich polypeptides as molecular scaffolds to target protein-protein interactions. Biochem J 2019; 476:67-83. [PMID: 30635453 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The use of disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, as molecular scaffolds to design a new generation of bioimaging tools and drugs that are potent and specific, and thus might have fewer side effects than traditional small-molecule drugs, is gaining increasing interest among the scientific and in the pharmaceutical industries. Highly constrained macrocyclic polypeptides are exceptionally more stable to chemical, thermal and biological degradation and show better biological activity when compared with their linear counterparts. Many of these relatively new scaffolds have been also found to be highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the disulfide bonds, able to cross cellular membranes and modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions both in vitro and in vivo These properties make them ideal tools for many biotechnological applications. The present study provides an overview of the new developments on the use of several disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, in the development of novel bioimaging reagents and therapeutic leads.
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18
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Loessner D, Goettig P, Preis S, Felber J, Bronger H, Clements JA, Dorn J, Magdolen V. Kallikrein-related peptidases represent attractive therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2018; 22:745-763. [PMID: 30114962 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2018.1512587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aberrant levels of kallikrein-related peptidases (KLK1-15) have been linked to cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. In ovarian cancer, the KLK proteolytic network has a crucial role in the tissue and tumor microenvironment. Publically available ovarian cancer genome and expression data from multiple patient cohorts show an upregulation of most KLKs. Areas covered: Here, we review the expression levels of all 15 members of this family in normal and ovarian cancer tissues, categorizing them into highly and moderately or weakly expressed KLKs, and their association with patient prognosis and survival. We summarize their tumor-biological functions determined in cell-based assays and xenograft models, further highlighting their suitability as cancer biomarkers and attractive candidates for drug development. Finally, we discuss some different pharmaceutical approaches, including peptide-based and small molecule inhibitors, cyclic peptides, depsipeptides, engineered natural inhibitors, antibodies, RNA/DNA-based aptamers, prodrugs, miRNA and siRNA. Expert opinion: In light of the results from clinical and tumor-biological studies, together with the available pharmaceutical tools, we suggest KLK4, KLK5, KLK6 and possibly KLK7 as preferred targets for inhibition in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Loessner
- a Barts Cancer Institute , Queen Mary University of London , London , UK.,b Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation , Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Peter Goettig
- c Department of Biosciences , University of Salzburg , Salzburg , Austria
| | - Sarah Preis
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Johanna Felber
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Holger Bronger
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Judith A Clements
- b Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation , Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , Brisbane , Australia.,e Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland , Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Julia Dorn
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Viktor Magdolen
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Technical University of Munich , Munich , Germany
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19
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Ran X, Gestwicki JE. Inhibitors of protein-protein interactions (PPIs): an analysis of scaffold choices and buried surface area. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 44:75-86. [PMID: 29908451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPI) were once considered 'undruggable', but clinical successes, driven by advanced methods in drug discovery, have challenged that notion. Here, we review the last three years of literature on PPI inhibitors to understand what is working and why. From the 66 recently reported PPI inhibitors, we found that the average molecular weight was significantly greater than 500Da, but that this trend was driven, in large part, by the contribution of peptide-based compounds. Despite differences in average molecular weight, we found that compounds based on small molecules or peptides were almost equally likely to be potent inhibitors (KD<1μM). Finally, we found PPIs with buried surface area (BSA) less than 2000Å2 were more likely to be inhibited by small molecules, while PPIs with larger BSA values were typically inhibited by peptides. PPIs with BSA values over 4000Å2 seemed to create a particular challenge, especially for orthosteric small molecules. Thus, it seems important to choose the inhibitor scaffold based on the properties of the target interaction. Moreover, this survey suggests a (more nuanced) conclusion to the question of whether PPIs are good drug targets; namely, that some PPIs are readily 'druggable' given the right choice of scaffold, while others still seem to deserve the 'undruggable' moniker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Ran
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
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20
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Designing macrocyclic disulfide-rich peptides for biotechnological applications. Nat Chem Biol 2018; 14:417-427. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0039-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Saikhedkar NS, Joshi RS, Bhoite AS, Mohandasan R, Yadav AK, Fernandes M, Kulkarni KA, Giri AP. Tripeptides derived from reactive centre loop of potato type II protease inhibitors preferentially inhibit midgut proteases of Helicoverpa armigera. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 95:17-25. [PMID: 29486250 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Potato type II protease inhibitors (Pin-II PIs) impede the growth of lepidopteran insects by inhibiting serine protease-like enzymes in the larval gut. The three amino acid reactive centre loop (RCL) of these proteinaceous inhibitors is crucial for protease binding and is conserved across the Pin-II family. However, the molecular mechanism and inhibitory potential of the RCL tripeptides in isolation of the native protein has remained elusive. In this study, six peptides corresponding to the RCLs of the predominant Pin-II PIs were identified, synthesized and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo inhibitory activity against serine proteases of the polyphagous insect, Helicoverpa armigera. RCL peptides with sequences PRN, PRY and TRE were found to be potent inhibitors that adversely affected the growth and development of H. armigera. The binding mechanism and differential affinity of the RCL peptides with serine proteases was delineated by crystal structures of complexes of the RCL peptides with trypsin. Residues P1 and P2 of the inhibitors play a crucial role in the interaction and specificity of these inhibitors. Important features of RCL peptides like higher inhibition of insect proteases, enhanced efficacy at alkaline gut pH, longer retention and high stability in insect gut make them suitable molecules for the development of sustainable pest management strategies for crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi S Saikhedkar
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Rakesh S Joshi
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India; Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Ashiwini S Bhoite
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Radhika Mohandasan
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Amit Kumar Yadav
- Division of Organic Chemistry, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Moneesha Fernandes
- Division of Organic Chemistry, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Kiran A Kulkarni
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India.
| | - Ashok P Giri
- Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India.
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22
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Cobos Caceres C, Bansal PS, Navarro S, Wilson D, Don L, Giacomin P, Loukas A, Daly NL. An engineered cyclic peptide alleviates symptoms of inflammation in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10288-10294. [PMID: 28473469 PMCID: PMC5473231 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.779215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a set of complex and debilitating diseases for which there is no satisfactory treatment. Recent studies have shown that small peptides show promise for reducing inflammation in models of IBD. However, these small peptides are likely to be unstable and rapidly cleared from the circulation, and therefore, if not modified for better stability, represent non-viable drug leads. We hypothesized that improving the stability of these peptides by grafting them into a stable cyclic peptide scaffold may enhance their therapeutic potential. Using this approach, we have designed a novel cyclic peptide that comprises a small bioactive peptide from the annexin A1 protein grafted into a sunflower trypsin inhibitor cyclic scaffold. We used native chemical ligation to synthesize the grafted cyclic peptide. This engineered cyclic peptide maintained the overall fold of the naturally occurring cyclic peptide, was more effective at reducing inflammation in a mouse model of acute colitis than the bioactive peptide alone, and showed enhanced stability in human serum. Our findings suggest that the use of cyclic peptides as structural backbones offers a promising approach for the treatment of IBD and potentially other chronic inflammatory conditions.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/metabolism
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use
- Colitis, Ulcerative/drug therapy
- Colitis, Ulcerative/immunology
- Colitis, Ulcerative/pathology
- Colon/drug effects
- Colon/immunology
- Colon/pathology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Design
- Drug Stability
- Gastrointestinal Agents/chemical synthesis
- Gastrointestinal Agents/chemistry
- Gastrointestinal Agents/therapeutic use
- Humans
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Models, Molecular
- Organ Size/drug effects
- Peptides, Cyclic/chemistry
- Peptides, Cyclic/metabolism
- Peptides, Cyclic/therapeutic use
- Protein Conformation
- Protein Engineering
- Protein Folding
- Protein Stability
- Proteolysis
- Random Allocation
- Serum/enzymology
- Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cobos Caceres
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Paramjit S Bansal
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Severine Navarro
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - David Wilson
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Laurianne Don
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Paul Giacomin
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Norelle L Daly
- From the Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, AITHM, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
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Masurier N, Arama DP, El Amri C, Lisowski V. Inhibitors of kallikrein-related peptidases: An overview. Med Res Rev 2017; 38:655-683. [DOI: 10.1002/med.21451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Masurier
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, CNRS; Université de Montpellier, ENSCM, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques; Montpellier Cedex France
| | - Dominique P. Arama
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, CNRS; Université de Montpellier, ENSCM, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques; Montpellier Cedex France
| | - Chahrazade El Amri
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 8256; Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Integrated Cellular Ageing and Inflammation, Molecular & Functional Enzymology; Paris France
| | - Vincent Lisowski
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, CNRS; Université de Montpellier, ENSCM, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques; Montpellier Cedex France
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24
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Filipowicz M, Ptaszyńska N, Olkiewicz K, Dębowski D, Ćwikłowska K, Burster T, Pikuła M, Krzystyniak A, Łęgowska A, Rolka K. Spliced analogues of trypsin inhibitor SFTI‐1 and their application for tracing proteolysis and delivery of cargos inside the cells. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2017; 108. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.22988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Timo Burster
- Department of NeurosurgeryUlm University Medical CenterUlm Germany
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Department of Clinical Immunology and TransplantologyMedical University of GdanskGdansk Poland
| | | | - Anna Łęgowska
- Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of GdanskGdansk Poland
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25
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Li Y, Aboye T, Breindel L, Shekhtman A, Camarero JA. Efficient recombinant expression of SFTI-1 in bacterial cells using intein-mediated protein trans-splicing. Biopolymers 2017; 106:818-824. [PMID: 27178003 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We report for the first time the recombinant expression of bioactive wild-type sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 (SFTI-1) inside E. coli cells by making use of intracellular protein trans-splicing in combination with a high efficient split-intein. SFTI-1 is a small backbone-cyclized polypeptide with a single disulfide bridge and potent trypsin inhibitory activity. Recombinantly produced SFTI-1 was fully characterized by NMR and was observed to actively inhibit trypsin. The in-cell expression of SFTI-1 was very efficient reaching intracellular concentration ≈ 40 µM. This study clearly demonstrates the possibility of generating genetically encoded SFTI-based peptide libraries in live E. coli cells, and is a critical first step for developing in-cell screening and directed evolution technologies using the cyclic peptide SFTI-1 as a molecular scaffold. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 818-824, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9121
| | - Teshome Aboye
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9121
| | - Leonard Breindel
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, NY, 12222
| | | | - Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9121.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9121
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26
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Chen W, Kinsler VA, Macmillan D, Di WL. Tissue Kallikrein Inhibitors Based on the Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor Scaffold - A Potential Therapeutic Intervention for Skin Diseases. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166268. [PMID: 27824929 PMCID: PMC5100903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue kallikreins (KLKs), in particular KLK5, 7 and 14 are the major serine proteases in the skin responsible for skin shedding and activation of inflammatory cell signaling. In the normal skin, their activities are controlled by an endogenous protein protease inhibitor encoded by the SPINK5 gene. Loss-of-function mutations in SPINK5 leads to enhanced skin kallikrein activities and cause the skin disease Netherton Syndrome (NS). We have been developing inhibitors based on the Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor 1 (SFTI-1) scaffold, a 14 amino acids head-to-tail bicyclic peptide with a disulfide bond. To optimize a previously reported SFTI-1 analogue (I10H), we made five analogues with additional substitutions, two of which showed improved inhibition. We then combined those substitutions and discovered a variant (Analogue 6) that displayed dual inhibition of KLK5 (tryptic) and KLK7 (chymotryptic). Analogue 6 attained a tenfold increase in KLK5 inhibition potency with an Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) Kd of 20nM. Furthermore, it selectively inhibits KLK5 and KLK14 over seven other serine proteases. Its biological function was ascertained by full suppression of KLK5-induced Protease-Activated Receptor 2 (PAR-2) dependent intracellular calcium mobilization and postponement of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion in cell model. Moreover, Analogue 6 permeates through the cornified layer of in vitro organotypic skin equivalent culture and inhibits protease activities therein, providing a potential drug lead for the treatment of NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Chen
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme, Immunobiology Section, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Veronica A. Kinsler
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Programme, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Derek Macmillan
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wei-Li Di
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme, Immunobiology Section, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Friedrich Löffler Prize: D. Segets / Toray Science and Technology Prize: S. Kobayashi / Inhoffen Medal: T. Carell / Leipzig Science Prize: A. G. Beck-Sickinger / Nenitzescu-Criegee Lectureship: E. Hey-Hawkins / Humboldt, Siemens, and Bessel Research Awards / New Members of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:9129-30. [PMID: 27355969 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201605626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Friedrich‐Löffler‐Preis: D. Segets / Toray Science and Technology Prize: S. Kobayashi / Inhoffen‐Medaille: T. Carell / Leipziger Wissenschaftspreis: A. G. Beck‐Sickinger / Nenitzescu‐Criegee‐Vorlesung: E. Hey‐Hawkins / Humboldt‐, Siemens‐ und Bessel‐Forschungspreise / Neue Mitglieder deutscher Wissenschaftsakademien. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201605626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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