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Ellenbroek BD, Kahler JP, Evers SR, Pomplun SJ. Synthetic Peptides: Promising Modalities for the Targeting of Disease-Related Nucleic Acids. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202401704. [PMID: 38456368 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
DNA and RNA play pivotal roles in life processes by storing and transferring genetic information, modulating gene expression, and contributing to essential cellular machinery such as ribosomes. Dysregulation and mutations in nucleic acid-related processes are implicated in numerous diseases. Despite the critical impact on health of nucleic acid mutations or dysregulation, therapeutic compounds addressing these biomolecules remain limited. Peptides have emerged as a promising class of molecules for biomedical research, offering potential solutions for challenging drug targets. This review focuses on the use of synthetic peptides to target disease-related nucleic acids. We discuss examples of peptides targeting double-stranded DNA, including the clinical candidate Omomyc, and compounds designed for regulatory G-quadruplexes. Further, we provide insights into both library-based screenings and the rational design of peptides to target regulatory human RNA scaffolds and viral RNAs, emphasizing the potential of peptides in addressing nucleic acid-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophie R Evers
- Leiden University, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Present address, Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Wintherthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
In the design and development of therapeutic agents, macromolecules with restricted structures have stronger competitive edges than linear biological entities since cyclization can overcome the limitations of linear structures. The common issues of linear peptides include susceptibility to degradation of the peptidase enzyme, off-target effects, and necessity of routine dosing, leading to instability and ineffectiveness. The unique conformational constraint of cyclic peptides provides a larger surface area to interact with the target at the same time, improving the membrane permeability and in vivo stability compared to their linear counterparts. Currently, cyclic peptides have been reported to possess various activities, such as antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial activities. To date, there is emerging interest in cyclic peptide therapeutics, and increasing numbers of clinically approved cyclic peptide drugs are available on the market. In this review, the medical significance of cyclic peptides in the defence against viral infections will be highlighted. Except for chikungunya virus, which lacks specific antiviral treatment, all the viral diseases targeted in this review are those with effective treatments yet with certain limitations to date. Thus, strategies and approaches to optimise the antiviral effect of cyclic peptides will be discussed along with their respective outcomes. Apart from isolated naturally occurring cyclic peptides, chemically synthesized or modified cyclic peptides with antiviral activities targeting coronavirus, herpes simplex viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, Ebola virus, influenza virus, dengue virus, five main hepatitis viruses, termed as type A, B, C, D and E and chikungunya virus will be reviewed herein. Graphical Abstract
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Abstract
Being able to effectively target RNA with potent ligands will open up a large number of potential therapeutic options. The knowledge on how to achieve this is ever expanding but an important question that remains open is what chemical matter is suitable to achieve this goal. The high flexibility of an RNA as well as its more limited chemical diversity and featureless binding sites can be difficult to target selectively but can be addressed by well-designed cyclic peptides. In this review we will provide an overview of reported cyclic peptide ligands for therapeutically relevant RNA targets and discuss the methods used to discover them. We will also provide critical insights into the properties required for potent and selective interaction and suggestions on how to assess these parameters. The use of cyclic peptides to target RNA is still in its infancy but the lessons learned from past examples can be adopted for the development of novel potent and selective ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunit Pal
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Peter 't Hart
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
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Peralta AN, Dai Y, Sherpa C, Le Grice SFJ, Santos WL. Molecular recognition of HIV-1 RNAs with branched peptides. Methods Enzymol 2019; 623:373-400. [PMID: 31239054 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Targeting RNA offers the potential in many diseases of a therapeutic treatment. Due to its large surface area and ability to adopt different conformations, targeting RNA has proven challenging. Medium-sized branched peptides are of the size to competitively bind RNA while remaining cell permeable, stable in vivo, and non-toxic. Additionally, the ease in generating a large library followed by high-throughput screening provides a way to suggest a scaffold with high diversity that is capable of targeting the structure and sequence of RNA. The ability to select various types of amino acid modifications in the branched peptide allows for variable structures and interactions of the branched peptide but can result in too large a task if not approached properly. In this chapter, we discuss a strategy to selectively recognize RNAs of interest through high throughput screening of branched peptides, validation of hits and biophysical characterization, leading by example with our experience in targeting HIV-1 RNAs with branched peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Peralta
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Yumin Dai
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Chringma Sherpa
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Stuart F J Le Grice
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Webster L Santos
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
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Wynn JE, Zhang W, Tebit DM, Gray LR, Hammarskjold ML, Rekosh D, Santos WL. Characterization and in vitro activity of a branched peptide boronic acid that interacts with HIV-1 RRE RNA. Bioorg Med Chem 2016; 24:3947-3952. [PMID: 27091070 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2016] [Revised: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
A branched peptide containing multiple boronic acids was found to bind RRE IIB selectively and inhibit HIV-1 p24 capsid production in a dose-dependent manner. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that branching in the peptide is crucial for the low micromolar binding towards RRE IIB, and the peptide demonstrates selectivity towards RRE IIB in the presence of tRNA. Footprinting studies suggest a binding site on the upper stem and internal loop regions of the RNA, which induces enzymatic cleavage of the internal loops of RRE IIB upon binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Wynn
- Department of Chemistry and Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Denis M Tebit
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, and The Myles H. Thaler Center for Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Laurie R Gray
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, and The Myles H. Thaler Center for Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Marie-Louise Hammarskjold
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, and The Myles H. Thaler Center for Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - David Rekosh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, and The Myles H. Thaler Center for Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Webster L Santos
- Department of Chemistry and Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
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Zhang W, Bryson DI, Crumpton JB, Wynn J, Santos WL. Targeting folded RNA: a branched peptide boronic acid that binds to a large surface area of HIV-1 RRE RNA. Org Biomol Chem 2014; 11:6263-71. [PMID: 23925474 DOI: 10.1039/c3ob41053f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
On-bead high-throughput screening of a medium-sized (1000-2000 Da) branched peptide boronic acid (BPBA) library consisting of 46,656 unique sequences against HIV-1 RRE RNA generated peptides with binding affinities in the low micromolar range. In particular, BPBA1 had a K(d) of 1.4 μM with RRE IIB, preference for RNA over DNA (27 fold), and selectivity of up to >75 fold against a panel of RRE IIB variants. Structure-activity studies suggest that the boronic acid moiety and "branching" in peptides are key structural features for efficient binding and selectivity for the folded RNA target. BPBA1 was efficiently taken up by HeLa and A2780 cells. RNA-footprinting studies revealed that the BPBA1 binding site encompasses a large surface area that spans both the upper stem as well as the internal loop regions of RRE IIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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Vercruysse T, Pawar S, De Borggraeve W, Pardon E, Pavlakis GN, Pannecouque C, Steyaert J, Balzarini J, Daelemans D. Measuring cooperative Rev protein-protein interactions on Rev responsive RNA by fluorescence resonance energy transfer. RNA Biol 2011; 8:316-24. [PMID: 21358282 DOI: 10.4161/rna.8.2.13782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The export of viral RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm of the cellular host is a crucial step in the life cycle of HIV-1 that is mediated by the viral Rev protein. One aspect of the Rev function, its multimerization, is still unexplored as a target for antiviral therapy. This is partly due to the lack of a fast and solid system to measure Rev multimerization. We have developed a high throughput in vitro Rev multimerization assay based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in which real-time Rev-Rev interactions can be measured both in the absence and the presence of Rev specific RRE RNA. Well-characterized Rev multimerization deficient mutants showed reduced FRET as well as unlabeled Rev molecules were able to inhibit the FRET signal demonstrating the specificity of the assay. Upon multimerization along RRE RNA the FRET signal significantly increased but dropped again at equimolar Rev/RRE ratios suggesting that in this condition most Rev molecules are bound as monomers to the RRE. Furthermore, using this assay, we demonstrate that a previously selected llama heavy-chain only antibody was shown to not only prevent the development of Rev multimers but also disassemble the already formed complexes confirming the dynamic nature of the Rev-Rev interactions. The in vitro FRET based multimerization assay facilitates the further study of the basic mechanism of cooperative Rev multimerization along the RRE and is also widely applicable to study the assembly of other functional complexes involving protein homo-multimerization or cooperative protein-protein interactions on RNA or DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Vercruysse
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Takahashi I, Kuroiwa S, Lindfors HE, Ndamba LA, Hiruma Y, Yajima T, Okishio N, Ubbink M, Hirota S. Modulation of protein-ligand interactions by photocleavage of a cyclic peptide using phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase SH3 domain as model system. J Pept Sci 2009; 15:411-6. [PMID: 19378350 DOI: 10.1002/psc.1132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
To photomodulate the interaction of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase SH3 domain with a peptide ligand, a cyclic peptide (cyclic-1) with a photolabile side chain-to-side chain linker was synthesized. The conformation of cyclic-1 differs from that of the parent linear peptide, but becomes identical by UV-irradiation. Accordingly, the binding affinity of cyclic-1 to the SH3 domain increased upon conversion of the cyclic to a linear flexible structure by irradiation (K(d): 3.4 +/- 1.7 and 0.9 +/- 0.3 mM, respectively). These results confirm the usefulness of a photocleavable peptide for photocontrol of peptide-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isao Takahashi
- Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
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Groom HCT, Anderson EC, Dangerfield JA, Lever AML. Rev regulates translation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNAs. J Gen Virol 2009; 90:1141-1147. [DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.007963-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Full-length human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA acts as both mRNA, encoding Gag and Gag–Pol polyproteins, and genomic RNA. Translation of this RNA must be tightly controlled to allow sufficient protein synthesis prior to a switch to particle production. The viral protein Rev stimulates nuclear export of unspliced HIV-1 RNAs containing the Rev response element, but may also stimulate translation of these RNAs. We previously identified an additional Rev binding site in the 5′ untranslated region of the HIV-1 RNA. We show that Rev inhibits translation non-specifically at high concentrations and stimulates translation of HIV-1 RNAs at intermediate concentrations in vitro. Stimulation is dependent on the presence of the Rev binding site within the 5′ untranslated region and not on the Rev response element. In COS-1 cells, translation from an HIV-1 reporter is specifically increased by coexpression of Rev.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma C. Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Warwick CV4 7AL, UK
| | - John A. Dangerfield
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Gene Therapeutic Vectors, Research Institute of Virology and Biomedicine, University for Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Abstract
Rev remains a hot topic. In this review, we revisit the insights that have been gained into the control of gene expression by the retroviral protein Rev and speculate on where current research is leading. We outline what is known about the role of Rev in translation and encapsidation and how these are linked to its more traditional role of nuclear export, underlining the multifaceted nature of this small viral protein. We discuss what more is to be learned in these fields and why continuing research on these 116 amino acids and understanding their function is still important in devising methods to combat AIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C T Groom
- Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK
| | - E C Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - A M L Lever
- Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK
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Kaushik-Basu N, Basu A, Harris D. Peptide inhibition of HIV-1: current status and future potential. BioDrugs 2008; 22:161-75. [PMID: 18481899 DOI: 10.2165/00063030-200822030-00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
More than 2 decades of intensive research has focused on defining replication mechanisms of HIV type 1 (HIV-1), the etiologic agent of AIDS. The delineation of strategies for combating this viral infection has yielded many innovative approaches toward this end. HIV-1 is a lentivirus in the family retroviridae that is relatively small with regard to both structure and genome size, having a diploid RNA genome of approximately 9 kb, with only three major genes and several gene products resulting from alternate splicing and translational frameshifting. Most marketed drugs for treating AIDS are inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase or protease enzymes, but new targets include the integrase enzyme, cell surface interactions that facilitate viral entry, and also virus particle maturation and assembly. The emergence of drug-resistant variants of HIV-1 has been the main impediment to successful treatment of AIDS. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop novel treatment strategies targeting multiple stages of the virus life-cycle. Research efforts aimed at developing successful means for combating HIV-1 infection have included development of peptide inhibitors of HIV-1. This article summarizes past and current endeavors in the development of peptides that inhibit replication of HIV-1 and the role of peptide inhibitors in the search for new anti-HIV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neerja Kaushik-Basu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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The Vignette for V14 N5 Issue. J Biomed Sci 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s11373-007-9195-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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