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Fu C, Yu L, Miao Y, Liu X, Yu Z, Wei M. Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs): a novel trend of research and development on targeted therapy, hype or hope? Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:498-516. [PMID: 36873165 PMCID: PMC9978859 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are the next generation of targeted therapeutics drug after antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), with the core benefits of enhanced cellular permeability and improved drug selectivity. Two drugs are now approved for market by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in the last two years, the pharmaceutical companies have been developing PDCs as targeted therapeutic candidates for cancer, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), metabolic diseases, and so on. The therapeutic benefits of PDCs are significant, but poor stability, low bioactivity, long research and development time, and slow clinical development process as therapeutic agents of PDC, how can we design PDCs more effectively and what is the future direction of PDCs? This review summarises the components and functions of PDCs for therapeutic, from drug target screening and PDC design improvement strategies to clinical applications to improve the permeability, targeting, and stability of the various components of PDCs. This holds great promise for the future of PDCs, such as bicyclic peptide‒toxin coupling or supramolecular nanostructures for peptide-conjugated drugs. The mode of drug delivery is determined according to the PDC design and current clinical trials are summarised. The way is shown for future PDC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Lifeng Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Yuxi Miao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Xinli Liu
- Department of Digestive Oncology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, China
| | - Zhaojin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Minjie Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shenyang 110000, China
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2
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Syndiotactic hexamer peptide nanodots. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2022; 51:483-491. [PMID: 35876872 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-022-01610-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Spatial confinement of excitons in the nano-crystalline region of semiconducting nanostructures differ significantly from the optoelectronic properties exhibited by the bulk material. We report spike-like absorption observed in the UV spectrum of a phenylalanine hexamer peptide [(Ff)3-OH] nano-assembly, which may be attributed to the spatial confinement of electrons to the dimension of quantum dots. Interdependency of the UV and PLE spectrum of the peptide confirms the existence of quantum confinement in (Ff)3-OH nano-assemblies.
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3
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Prakash V, Christian Y, Redkar AS, Roy A, Anandalakshmi R, Ramakrishnan V. Antibacterial hydrogels of aromatic tripeptides. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6360-6371. [PMID: 35971808 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00606e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled peptide hydrogels have emerged as alternatives to the conventional approaches employed in controlled drug release, wound-healing, and drug delivery, and as anti-infective agents. However, peptide hydrogels possessing antibacterial properties are less explored. In this work, we have designed three ultrashort antibacterial peptide hydrogels: Fmoc-FFH-CONH2, Fmoc-FHF-CONH2, and Fmoc-HFF-CONH2. The rheological study showed the higher storage modulus of Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 (30.43 kPa) compared to Fmoc-FHF-CONH2 and Fmoc-HFF-CONH2, which may be attributed to the enhanced aromatic interaction in Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 compared to the other two variants, resulting in more mechanical rigidity. Further, the prepared hydrogels were evaluated for their inherent antibacterial potency against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, strain MTCC 96) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, strain PA01) bacteria. Antibacterial experiments demonstrated the potency of the hydrogels in the order of Fmoc-FFH-CONH2 > Fmoc-FHF-CONH2 > Fmoc-HFF-CONH2. The antibacterial effect of the hydrogels was predominantly due to the osmotic stress and membrane disruption, which was verified by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and outer membrane permeabilization assays. Our findings point to the scope of using the synthesized peptide hydrogels as agents for topical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Prakash
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Amay Sanjay Redkar
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Abhishek Roy
- Advanced Energy & Materials Systems Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - R Anandalakshmi
- Advanced Energy & Materials Systems Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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4
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Jerath G, Darvin P, Christian Y, Trivedi V, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Delivery of Small Molecules by Syndiotactic Peptides for Breast Cancer Therapy. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:2877-2887. [PMID: 35839086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The utilization of peptide-based drug delivery systems has been suboptimal due to their poor proteolytic susceptibility, poor cell permeability, and limited tumor homing capabilities. Earlier attempts in using d-enantiomers in peptide sequences increased proteolytic stability but have compromised the overall penetration capability. We designed a series of peptides (STRAPs) with a syndiotactic polypeptide backbone that can potentially form a spatial array of cationic groups, an important feature that facilitates cellular uptake. The peptides penetrate cell membranes through a combination of active and passive modes. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of the peptides was unaffected by the presence of or treatment with bovine serum and human plasma. The designed peptides successfully delivered methotrexate, an anticancer drug, to the in vitro and in vivo models of breast cancer, with the best performing peptide STRAP-4-MTX conjugate having an EC50 value of 1.34 μM. Peptide drug delivery in mouse xenograft models showed a greater reduction of primary tumor and metastasis of breast cancer, in comparison to methotrexate of the same dose. The in vivo biodistribution assay of the STRAP-4 peptide suggests that the peptide accumulates at the tumor site after 2 h of treatment, and in the absence of tumors, the peptide gets metabolized and excreted from the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Jerath
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Pramod Darvin
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Vishal Trivedi
- Malaria Research Group, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
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5
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Saikia J, Bhat VT, Potnuru LR, Redkar AS, Agarwal V, Ramakrishnan V. Minimalist De Novo Design of an Artificial Enzyme. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:19131-19140. [PMID: 35721939 PMCID: PMC9202009 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We employed a reductionist approach in designing the first heterochiral tripeptide that forms a robust heterogeneous short peptide catalyst similar to the "histidine brace" active site of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases. The histidine brace is a conserved divalent copper ion-binding motif that comprises two histidine side chains and an amino group to create the T-shaped 3N geometry at the reaction center. The geometry parameters, including a large twist angle (73°) between the two imidazole rings of the model complex, are identical to those of native lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (72.61°). The complex was synthesized and characterized as a structural and functional mimic of the histidine brace. UV-vis, vis-circular dichroism, Raman, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses suggest a distorted square-pyramidal geometry with a 3N coordination at pH 7. Solution- and solid-state NMR results further confirm the 3N coordination in the copper center of the complex. The complex is pH-dependent and could catalyze the oxidation of benzyl alcohol in water to benzaldehyde with yields up to 82% in 3 h at pH 7 and above at 40 °C. The catalyst achieved 100% selectivity for benzaldehyde compared to conventional copper catalysis. The design of such a minimalist building block for functional soft materials with a pH switch can be a stepping stone in addressing needs for a cleaner and sustainable future catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahnu Saikia
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Venugopal T. Bhat
- Organic
Synthesis and Catalysis Laboratory SRM Research Institute and Department
of Chemistry SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Lokeswara Rao Potnuru
- TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500107, India
| | - Amay S. Redkar
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Vipin Agarwal
- TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500107, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
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6
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Liu Y, Zhao Z, Li M. Overcoming the cellular barriers and beyond: Recent progress on cell penetrating peptide modified nanomedicine in combating physiological and pathological barriers. Asian J Pharm Sci 2022; 17:523-543. [PMID: 36105313 PMCID: PMC9458999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex physiological and pathological conditions form barriers against efficient drug delivery. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), a class of short peptides which translocate drugs across cell membranes with various mechanisms, provide feasible solutions for efficient delivery of biologically active agents to circumvent biological barriers. After years of development, the function of CPPs is beyond cell penetrating. Multifunctional CPPs with bioactivity or active targeting capacity have been designed and successfully utilized in delivery of various cargoes against tumor, myocardial ischemia, ocular posterior segment disorders, etc. In this review, we summarize recent progress in CPP-functionalized nano-drug delivery systems to overcome the physiological and pathological barriers for the applications in cardiology, ophtalmology, mucus, neurology and cancer, etc. We also highlight the prospect of clinical translation of CPP-functionalized drug delivery systems in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingke Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhihe Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors.
| | - Man Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors.
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7
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Sasidharan S, Ramakrishnan V. Aromatic interactions directing peptide nano-assembly. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 130:119-160. [PMID: 35534106 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembly is a process of spontaneous organization of molecules as a result of non-covalent interactions. Organized self-assembly at the nano level is emerging as a powerful tool in the bottom-up fabrication of functional nanostructures for targeted applications. Aromatic π-π stacking plays a significant role by facilitating the persistent supramolecular association of individual subunits to the self-assembled structures of high stability. Understanding, the supramolecular chemistry of the materials interacting through aromatic interactions, is of tremendous interest in not only constructing functional materials but also in revealing the mechanism of molecular assembly in living organisms. This chapter aims to focus on understanding the potential role of π-π interactions in directing and regulating the self-assembly of peptide nanostructures. The scope of the chapter starts with an outline of the history and mechanism of the aromatic π-π interactions. It progresses through the design strategy for the assembly of peptides containing aromatic rings, the conditions affecting the aromatic stacking interactions, their resulting nanoassemblies, properties, and applications. The properties and applications of the supramolecular materials formed through the aromatic stacking interactions are highlighted to provide an increased understanding of the role of weak interactions in the design and construction of novel functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajitha Sasidharan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India.
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8
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Chandrasekharan A, Christian Y, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Molecular hybridization combining tumor homing and penetrating peptide domains for cellular targeting. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2021; 12:1285-1292. [PMID: 34333729 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-01035-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A complete peptide-based drug delivery unit has been designed with a tumor homing domain chemically linked to a syndiotactic cell-penetrating domain. The designed peptides were synthesized, characterized, and tested in vitro for cellular uptake and cytotoxicity evaluation. The differential uptake, cellular internalization, negligible hemotoxicity, selective toxicity to MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and the superior penetration in three-dimensional MDA-MB-231 tumorospheres confirm their utility as a promising delivery vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Cancer Research Program-1, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Yvonne Christian
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Cancer Research Program-1, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
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9
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Zhong C, Zhang F, Yao J, Zhu Y, Zhu N, Zhang J, Ouyang X, Zhang T, Li B, Xie J, Ni J. New Antimicrobial Peptides with Repeating Unit against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1619-1637. [PMID: 33829758 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the aim of tackling the increasingly serious antimicrobial resistance and improving the clinical potential of AMPs, a facile de novo strategy was adopted in this study, and a series of new peptides comprising repeating unit (WRX)n (X represents I, L, F, W, and K; n = 2, 3, 4, or 5) and amidation at C-terminus were designed. Most of the newly designed peptides exhibited a broad range of excellent antimicrobial activities against various bacteria, especially difficult-to-kill multidrug-resistant bacteria clinical isolates. Among (WRK)4 and (WRK)5, with n = 4 and n = 5 of repeating unit WRK, the highest selectivity for anionic bacterial membranes over a zwitterionic mammalian cell membrane is presented with strong antimicrobial potential and low toxicity. Additionally, both (WRK)4 and (WRK)5 emerged with fast killing speed and low tendency of resistance in sharp contrast to the conventional antibiotics ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and imipenem, as well as having antimicrobial activity through multiple mechanisms including a membrane-disruptive mechanism and an intramolecular mechanism (nucleic acid leakage, DNA binding and ROS generation) characterized by a series of assays. Furthermore, (WRK)4 exerted impressive therapeutic effects in vivo similarly to polymyxin B but displayed much lower toxicity in vivo than polymyxin B. Taken together, the newly designed peptides (WRK)4 and (WRK)5 presented tremendous potential as novel antimicrobial candidates in response to the growing antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fangyan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Yao
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuewen Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ningyi Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianyue Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Beibei Li
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junqiu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macao 999078, China
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10
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Akhil R, Chandrasekharan A, Puppala ER, Ponneganti S, Sarma A, Naidu VGM, Santhoshkumar TR, Ramakrishnan V. Geometry encoded functional programming of tumor homing peptides for targeted drug delivery. J Control Release 2021; 333:16-27. [PMID: 33722612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Poly-peptide molecules have shown promising applications in drug delivery and tumor targeting. A series of tumor homing peptides were designed by exhaustively sampling low energy geometrical basins of amino acids at specific sites of a peptide molecule to induce a conformational lock. This peptide library was pruned to a limited set of eight molecules, employing electrostatic interactions, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. These designed and optimized peptides were synthesized and tested on various cell lines, including breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer (HeLa), osteosarcoma (U2-OS), and non-cancerous mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A) using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Peptides show differential uptake in cancerous MDA-MB-231, HeLa, U2-OS, and non-cancerous MCF-10A cells. Confocal imaging verified their ability to penetrate even in 3D tumorospheres of MDA-MB-231 cells. Further, experiments of mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and Caspase-3 activation confirmed that their cytotoxic effects are by apoptosis. Homing ability of the designed peptides in in vivo system and fluorescence imaging with clinical samples of human origin have further confirmed that the in vitro studies are qualitatively identical and quantitatively comparable in their ability to selectively recognize tumor cells. Overall, we present a roadmap for the functional programming of peptide-based homing and penetrating molecules that can perform selective tumor targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - R Akhil
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Eswara Rao Puppala
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Guwahati, Guwahati 781101, Assam, India
| | - Srikanth Ponneganti
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Guwahati, Guwahati 781101, Assam, India
| | - Anupam Sarma
- Dr. Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute, Tata Memorial Centre (Mumbai), Guwahati 781016, Assam, India
| | - V G M Naidu
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Guwahati, Guwahati 781101, Assam, India
| | - T R Santhoshkumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India.
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
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11
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Reissmann S, Filatova MP. New generation of cell‐penetrating peptides: Functionality and potential clinical application. J Pept Sci 2021; 27:e3300. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Siegmund Reissmann
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Friedrich Schiller University Dornburger Str. 25 Jena Thueringia 07743 Germany
| | - Margarita P. Filatova
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
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12
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Hazam PK, Phukan C, Akhil R, Singh A, Ramakrishnan V. Antimicrobial effects of syndiotactic polypeptides. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1823. [PMID: 33469079 PMCID: PMC7815786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We present design and antibacterial studies of stereochemically diversified antimicrobial peptides against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Syndiotactic polypeptides are polymers of alternating L and D amino acids with LDLD or DLDL backbone stereochemical sequence, which can form stable gramicidin like helical conformations. We designed, synthesized and characterized eight model molecular systems with varied electrostatic fingerprints, modulated through calibrated sequence positioning. Six out of eight model systems showed very impressive antimicrobial activity against three difficult to treat bacterial species, Gentamicin resistant MRSA, E. coli and Mycobacterium. More importantly, the designed LDLD peptides were equally potent in serum, an important drawback of poly L peptide sequences due to enzyme mediated degradation and ion sensitivity. Further, we tested the activity of the designed peptides against drug-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Molecular dynamics simulation studies suggest formation of an assembly of individual peptides, preceding the membrane interaction and deformation. The activity estimates are comparable with the available peptide based antimicrobials, and are also highly specific and less toxic as per standard estimates. Incorporation of D amino-acids can significantly expand the peptide design space, which can in turn manifest in future biomaterial designs, especially antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kishore Hazam
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781125, India
| | - Chimanjita Phukan
- Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Bhangagarh, Guwahati, Assam, 781032, India
| | - R Akhil
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Anjali Singh
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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13
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Chandrasekharan A, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Peptide-based delivery vectors with pre-defined geometrical locks. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:1303-1313. [PMID: 34095842 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00229a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Design of peptide-based targeted delivery vectors with attributes of specificity and selective cellular targeting by fixing their topology and resulting electrostatic fingerprint is the objective of this study. We formulated our peptide design platform by utilizing the possibilities of side-chain induced geometric restrictions in a typical peptide molecule. Conceptually, we locked the conformation of the RGD/NGR motif of tumor homing peptides (THPs) by mutating glycine in these motifs with d-proline and tailed the peptides with a syndiotactic amphipathic segment for cellular penetration. The designed peptides were synthesized, characterized, and tested in vitro on various cell lines, including breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer (HeLa), osteosarcoma (U2-OS) and non-cancer mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A), by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The results showed differential cellular uptake in different cell types, as a result of the distinct electrostatic fingerprint encoded in their design. The uptake of serum pre-treated peptides by cells reveals the retention of peptide activity even after the incubation with serum. In addition, peptide-methotrexate (MTX) conjugates compared to the methotrexate drug showed enhanced apoptotic cell death in MTX-resistant MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating the increase in MTX bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
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Jerath G, Goyal R, Trivedi V, Santhoshkumar TR, Ramakrishnan V. Conformationally constrained peptides for drug delivery. J Pept Sci 2020; 26:e3244. [PMID: 32128940 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Peptides have shown great potential in acting as template for developing versatile carrier platforms in nanomedicine, aimed at selective delivery of drugs to only pathological tissues saving its normal neighbors. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short oligomeric peptides capable of translocating across the cell membrane while simultaneously employing multiple mechanisms of entry. Most CPPs exist as disordered structures in solution and may adopt a helical conformation on interaction with cell membrane, vital to their penetrative capability. Herein, we report a series of cationic helical amphipathic peptides (CHAPs), which are topologically constrained to be helical. The peptides were tested against cervical and breast cancer cells for their cell penetration and drug delivery potential. The cellular uptake of CHAP peptides is independent of temperature and energy availability. The activity of the peptides is biocompatible in bovine serum. CHAPs delivered functional methotrexate (MTX) inside the cell as CHAP-MTX conjugates. CHAP-MTX conjugates were more toxic to cancer cells than MTX alone. However, the CHAP-MTX conjugates were less toxic to HEK-293 cells compared with the cancer cells suggesting higher affinity towards cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Jerath
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Ruchika Goyal
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Vishal Trivedi
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | | | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics and Design Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
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15
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Xu J, Khan AR, Fu M, Wang R, Ji J, Zhai G. Cell-penetrating peptide: a means of breaking through the physiological barriers of different tissues and organs. J Control Release 2019; 309:106-124. [PMID: 31323244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The selective infiltration of cell membranes and tissue barriers often blocks the entry of most active molecules. This natural defense mechanism prevents the invasion of exogenous substances and limits the therapeutic value of most available molecules. Therefore, it is particularly important to find appropriate ways of membrane translocation and therapeutic agent delivery to its target site. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a group of short peptides harnessed in this condition, possessing a significant capacity for membrane transduction and could be exploited to transfer various biologically active cargoes into the cells. Since their discovery, CPPs have been employed for delivery of a wide variety of therapeutic molecules to treat various disorders including cranial nerve involvement, ocular inflammation, myocardial ischemia, dermatosis and cancer. The promising results of CPPs-derived therapeutics in various tumor models demonstrated a potential and worthwhile scope of CPPs in chemotherapy. This review describes the detailed description of CPPs and CPPs-assisted molecular delivery against various tissues and organs disorders. An emphasis is focused on summarizing the novel insights and achievements of CPPs in surmounting the natural membrane barriers during the last 5 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangkang Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Abdur Rauf Khan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Manfei Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Rujuan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jianbo Ji
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Guangxi Zhai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
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Hazam PK, Akhil R, Jerath G, Saikia J, Ramakrishnan V. Topological effects on the designability and bactericidal potency of antimicrobial peptides. Biophys Chem 2019; 248:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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