1
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Polderdijk SGI, Limzerwala JF, Spiess C. Plasma membrane damage limits cytoplasmic delivery by conventional cell penetrating peptides. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305848. [PMID: 39226290 PMCID: PMC11371239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305848] [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: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Intracellular delivery of large molecule cargo via cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) is an inefficient process and despite intense efforts in past decades, improvements in efficiency have been marginal. Utilizing a standardized and comparative analysis of the delivery efficiency of previously described cationic, anionic, and amphiphilic CPPs, we demonstrate that the delivery ceiling is accompanied by irreparable plasma membrane damage that is part of the uptake mechanism. As a consequence, intracellular delivery correlates with cell toxicity and is more efficient for smaller peptides than for large molecule cargo. The delivery of pharmaceutically relevant cargo quantities with acceptable toxicity thus seems hard to achieve with the CPPs tested in our study. Our results suggest that any engineered intracellular delivery system based on conventional cationic or amphiphilic CPPs, or the design principles underlying them, needs to accept low delivery yields due to toxicity limiting efficient cytoplasmic uptake. Novel peptide designs based on detailed study of uptake mechanisms are required to overcome these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jazeel F. Limzerwala
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Christoph Spiess
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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2
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Goldbach N, Benna I, Wicky BIM, Croft JT, Carter L, Bera AK, Nguyen H, Kang A, Sankaran B, Yang EC, Lee KK, Baker D. De novo design of monomeric helical bundles for pH-controlled membrane lysis. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4769. [PMID: 37632837 PMCID: PMC10578055 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Targeted intracellular delivery via receptor-mediated endocytosis requires the delivered cargo to escape the endosome to prevent lysosomal degradation. This can in principle be achieved by membrane lysis tightly restricted to endosomal membranes upon internalization to avoid general membrane insertion and lysis. Here, we describe the design of small monomeric proteins with buried histidine containing pH-responsive hydrogen bond networks and membrane permeating amphipathic helices. Of the 30 designs that were experimentally tested, all expressed in Escherichia coli, 13 were monomeric with the expected secondary structure, and 4 designs disrupted artificial liposomes in a pH-dependent manner. Mutational analysis showed that the buried histidine hydrogen bond networks mediate pH-responsiveness and control lysis of model membranes within a very narrow range of pH (6.0-5.5) with almost no lysis occurring at neutral pH. These tightly controlled lytic monomers could help mediate endosomal escape in designed targeted delivery platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Goldbach
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Molecular Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Issa Benna
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Basile I. M. Wicky
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Jacob T. Croft
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Lauren Carter
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Asim K. Bera
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Hannah Nguyen
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Alex Kang
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Banumathi Sankaran
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated BioimagingLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Erin C. Yang
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Biological Physics, Structure and Design Graduate ProgramUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Kelly K. Lee
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Biological Physics, Structure and Design Graduate ProgramUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - David Baker
- Institute for Protein DesignUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
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3
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Wachira FW, Githirwa DC, McPartlon T, Nazarenko V, Gonzales JJC, Gazura MM, Leen C, Clary HR, Alston C, Klees LM, Yao L, An M. D-to-E and T19V Variants of the pH-Low Insertion Peptide and Their Doxorubicin Conjugates Interact with Membrane at Higher pH Ranges Than WT. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2997-3011. [PMID: 37793002 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00218] [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] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
To improve targeted cargo delivery to cancer cells, pH-Low Insertion Peptide (pHLIP) variants were developed to interact with the membrane at pH values higher than those of the WT. The Asp-to-Glu variants aim to increase side chain pKa without disturbing the sequence of protonations that underpin membrane insertion. The Thr19 variants represent efforts to perturb the critical Pro20 residue. To study the effect of cargo on pHLIP insertion, doxorubicin (Dox), a fluorescent antineoplastic drug, was conjugated to selected variants near the inserting C-terminus. Variants and conjugates were characterized on a POPC membrane using Trp and Dox fluorescence methods to define the entire pH range of insertion (pHinitial-pHfinal). Compared to WT with a pHi-pHf range of 6.7-5.6, D25E-D31E-D33E, D14E-D25E-D31E-D33E, and T19V-D25E variants demonstrated higher pHi-pHf ranges of 7.3-6.1, 7.3-6.3, and 8.2-5.4, respectively. The addition of Dox expanded the pHi-pHf range, mainly by shifting pHi to higher pH values (e.g., WT pHLIP-Dox has a pHi-pHf range of 7.7-5.2). Despite the low Hill coefficient observed for the conjugates, D14E-D25E-D31E-D33E pHLIP-Dox completed insertion by a pHf of 5.7. However, the Dox cargo remained in the hydrophobic membrane interior after pHLIP insertion, which may impede drug release. Finally, a logistic function can describe pHLIP insertion as a peripheral-to-TM (start-to-finish) two-state transition; wherever possible, we discuss data deviating from such sigmoidal fitting in support of the idea that pH-specific intermediate states distinct from the initial peripheral state and the final TM state exist at intervening pH values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith W Wachira
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Dancan C Githirwa
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Thomas McPartlon
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Vladyslav Nazarenko
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Jerel J C Gonzales
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Makenzie M Gazura
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Caitlin Leen
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Hannah R Clary
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Claire Alston
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Lukas M Klees
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Lan Yao
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
- Department of Physics, SUNY, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Ming An
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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4
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Chen CH, Liu Y, Eskandari A, Ghimire J, Lin LC, Fang Z, Wimley WC, Ulmschneider JP, Suntharalingam K, Hu CJ, Ulmschneider MB. Integrated Design of a Membrane-Lytic Peptide-Based Intravenous Nanotherapeutic Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105506. [PMID: 35246961 PMCID: PMC9069370 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-lytic peptides offer broad synthetic flexibilities and design potential to the arsenal of anticancer therapeutics, which can be limited by cytotoxicity to noncancerous cells and induction of drug resistance via stress-induced mutagenesis. Despite continued research efforts on membrane-perforating peptides for antimicrobial applications, success in anticancer peptide therapeutics remains elusive given the muted distinction between cancerous and normal cell membranes and the challenge of peptide degradation and neutralization upon intravenous delivery. Using triple-negative breast cancer as a model, the authors report the development of a new class of anticancer peptides. Through function-conserving mutations, the authors achieved cancer cell selective membrane perforation, with leads exhibiting a 200-fold selectivity over non-cancerogenic cells and superior cytotoxicity over doxorubicin against breast cancer tumorspheres. Upon continuous exposure to the anticancer peptides at growth-arresting concentrations, cancer cells do not exhibit resistance phenotype, frequently observed under chemotherapeutic treatment. The authors further demonstrate efficient encapsulation of the anticancer peptides in 20 nm polymeric nanocarriers, which possess high tolerability and lead to effective tumor growth inhibition in a mouse model of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer. This work demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach for enabling translationally relevant membrane-lytic peptides in oncology, opening up a vast chemical repertoire to the arms race against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H. Chen
- Department of ChemistryKing's College LondonLondonSE1 1DBUK
- Synthetic Biology GroupResearch Laboratory of ElectronicsMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMA02139USA
| | - Yu‐Han Liu
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesAcademia SinicaTaipei115Taiwan
| | | | - Jenisha Ghimire
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLA70112USA
| | | | - Zih‐Syun Fang
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesAcademia SinicaTaipei115Taiwan
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLA70112USA
| | - Jakob P. Ulmschneider
- Department of PhysicsInstitute of Natural SciencesShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200240China
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5
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Booth V. Deuterium Solid State NMR Studies of Intact Bacteria Treated With Antimicrobial Peptides. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2022; 2:621572. [PMID: 35047897 PMCID: PMC8757836 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2020.621572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Solid state NMR has been tremendously useful in characterizing the structure and dynamics of model membranes composed of simple lipid mixtures. Model lipid studies employing solid state NMR have included important work revealing how membrane bilayer structure and dynamics are affected by molecules such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). However, solid state NMR need not be applied only to model membranes, but can also be used with living, intact cells. NMR of whole cells holds promise for helping resolve some unsolved mysteries about how bacteria interact with AMPs. This mini-review will focus on recent studies using 2H NMR to study how treatment with AMPs affect membranes in intact bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Booth
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Physics and Physical Oceanograpy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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6
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Chen CH, Pepper K, Ulmschneider JP, Ulmschneider MB, Lu TK. Predicting Membrane-Active Peptide Dynamics in Fluidic Lipid Membranes. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2405:115-136. [PMID: 35298811 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1855-4_6] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between peptides and lipid membranes could not only accelerate the development of antimicrobial peptides as treatments for infections but also be applied to finding targeted therapies for cancer and other diseases. However, designing biophysical experiments to study molecular interactions between flexible peptides and fluidic lipid membranes has been an ongoing challenge. Recently, with hardware advances, algorithm improvements, and more accurate parameterizations (i.e., force fields), all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used as a "computational microscope" to investigate the molecular interactions and mechanisms of membrane-active peptides in cell membranes (Chen et al., Curr Opin Struct Biol 61:160-166, 2020; Ulmschneider and Ulmschneider, Acc Chem Res 51(5):1106-1116, 2018; Dror et al., Annu Rev Biophys 41:429-452, 2012). In this chapter, we describe how to utilize MD simulations to predict and study peptide dynamics and how to validate the simulations by circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescent probe, membrane leakage assay, electrical impedance, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Experimentally validated MD simulations open a new route towards peptide design starting from sequence and structure and leading to desirable functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Chen
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Karen Pepper
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jakob P Ulmschneider
- Department of Physics, Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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7
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Guha S, Ferrie RP, Ghimire J, Ventura CR, Wu E, Sun L, Kim SY, Wiedman GR, Hristova K, Wimley WC. Applications and evolution of melittin, the quintessential membrane active peptide. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 193:114769. [PMID: 34543656 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Melittin, the main venom component of the European Honeybee, is a cationic linear peptide-amide of 26 amino acid residues with the sequence: GIGAVLKVLTTGLPALISWIKRKRQQ-NH2. Melittin binds to lipid bilayer membranes, folds into amphipathic α-helical secondary structure and disrupts the permeability barrier. Since melittin was first described, a remarkable array of activities and potential applications in biology and medicine have been described. Melittin is also a favorite model system for biophysicists to study the structure, folding and function of peptides and proteins in membranes. Melittin has also been used as a template for the evolution of new activities in membranes. Here we overview the rich history of scientific research into the many activities of melittin and outline exciting future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shantanu Guha
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ryan P Ferrie
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jenisha Ghimire
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Cristina R Ventura
- Seton Hall University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Eric Wu
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Leisheng Sun
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Sarah Y Kim
- Duke University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory R Wiedman
- Seton Hall University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Wimley C Wimley
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Houston, TX, USA.
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8
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Tuning of a Membrane-Perforating Antimicrobial Peptide to Selectively Target Membranes of Different Lipid Composition. J Membr Biol 2021; 254:75-96. [PMID: 33564914 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-021-00174-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of designed antimicrobial peptides as drugs has been impeded by the absence of simple sequence-structure-function relationships and design rules. The likely cause is that many of these peptides permeabilize membranes via highly disordered, heterogeneous mechanisms, forming aggregates without well-defined tertiary or secondary structure. We suggest that the combination of high-throughput library screening with atomistic computer simulations can successfully address this challenge by tuning a previously developed general pore-forming peptide into a selective pore-former for different lipid types. A library of 2916 peptides was designed based on the LDKA template. The library peptides were synthesized and screened using a high-throughput orthogonal vesicle leakage assay. Dyes of different sizes were entrapped inside vesicles with varying lipid composition to simultaneously screen for both pore size and affinity for negatively charged and neutral lipid membranes. From this screen, nine different LDKA variants that have unique activity were selected, sequenced, synthesized, and characterized. Despite the minor sequence changes, each of these peptides has unique functional properties, forming either small or large pores and being selective for either neutral or anionic lipid bilayers. Long-scale, unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations directly reveal that rather than rigid, well-defined pores, these peptides can form a large repertoire of functional dynamic and heterogeneous aggregates, strongly affected by single mutations. Predicting the propensity to aggregate and assemble in a given environment from sequence alone holds the key to functional prediction of membrane permeabilization.
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9
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Kim SY, Bondar AN, Wimley WC, Hristova K. pH-triggered pore-forming peptides with strong composition-dependent membrane selectivity. Biophys J 2021; 120:618-630. [PMID: 33460594 PMCID: PMC7896028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides that self-assemble into nanometer-sized pores in lipid bilayers could have utility in a variety of biotechnological and clinical applications if we can understand their physical chemical properties and learn to control their membrane selectivity. To empower such control, we have used synthetic molecular evolution to identify the pH-dependent delivery peptides, a family of peptides that assemble into macromolecule-sized pores in membranes at low peptide concentration but only at pH < ∼6. Further advancements will also require better selectivity for specific membranes. Here, we determine the effect of anionic headgroups and bilayer thickness on the mechanism of action of the pH-dependent delivery peptides by measuring binding, secondary structure, and macromolecular poration. The peptide pHD15 partitions and folds equally well into zwitterionic and anionic membranes but is less potent at pore formation in phosphatidylserine-containing membranes. The peptide also binds and folds similarly in membranes of various thicknesses, but its ability to release macromolecules changes dramatically. It causes potent macromolecular poration in vesicles made from phosphatidylcholine with 14 carbon acyl chains, but macromolecular poration decreases sharply with increasing bilayer thickness and does not occur at any peptide concentration in fluid bilayers made from phosphatidylcholine lipids with 20-carbon acyl chains. The effects of headgroup and bilayer thickness on macromolecular poration cannot be accounted for by the amount of peptide bound but instead reflect an inherent selectivity of the peptide for inserting into the membrane-spanning pore state. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the effect of thickness is due to hydrophobic match/mismatch between the membrane-spanning peptide and the bilayer hydrocarbon. This remarkable degree of selectivity based on headgroup and especially bilayer thickness is unusual and suggests ways that pore-forming peptides with exquisite selectivity for specific membranes can be designed or evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Y Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Group, Berlin, Germany.
| | - William C Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
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10
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Wu E, Jenschke RM, Hristova K, Wimley WC. Rational Modulation of pH-Triggered Macromolecular Poration by Peptide Acylation and Dimerization. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:8835-8843. [PMID: 32892626 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c05363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The synthetically evolved pH-dependent delivery (pHD) peptides are a unique family that bind to membranes, fold into α-helices, and form macromolecule-sized pores at low concentration at pH < 6. These peptides have potential applications in drug delivery and tumor targeting. Here, we show how pHD peptide activity can be modulated without changing the amino acid sequence. We increased the hydrophobicity of a representative peptide, pHD108 (GIGEVLHELAEGLPELQEWIHAAQQLGC-amide), by coupling hydrophobic acyl groups of 6-16 carbons and by forming dimers. Unlike the parent peptide, almost all variants showed activity at pH 7. This was due to strong partitioning into phosphatidylcholine vesicle bilayers and induced helix formation. The dimer maintained some pH sensitivity while being the most active peptide studied in this work, with macromolecular poration occurring at 1:2000 peptide:lipid at pH 5. These results confirm that membrane binding, rather than pH, is the determining factor in activity, while also showing that acylation and dimerization are viable methods to modulate pHD108 activity. We propose a possible toroidal pore architecture with peptides in a parallel or mixed parallel/antiparallel orientation without strong electrostatic interactions between peptides in the pore as evidenced by a lack of dependence of activity on either pH or salt concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Ramsey M Jenschke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - William C Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
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11
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Deplazes E, Hartmann LM, Cranfield CG, Garcia A. Structural Characterization of a Cation-Selective, Self-Assembled Peptide Pore in Planar Phospholipid Bilayers. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:8152-8156. [PMID: 32902292 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
GALA is a 30-residue amphipathic peptide that self-assembles into multimeric transmembrane pores in a pH-dependent fashion. In this study, we characterize the size, multimeric structure, and cation selectivity of GALA pores in planar phospholipid bilayers using electrical impedance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that in planar bilayers GALA pores are likely formed by six peptide monomers rather than eight to 12 monomers as previously reported for lipid vesicles. We further show that in planar bilayers, GALA pores exhibit previously unreported cation selectivity. We propose that the difference between the predicted pore structures in planar bilayers and lipid vesicles exemplifies the importance of phospholipid bilayer structural properties on the aggregation of transmembrane helical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Deplazes
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Lissy M Hartmann
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Charles G Cranfield
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Alvaro Garcia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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12
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Sepehri A, PeBenito L, Pino-Angeles A, Lazaridis T. What Makes a Good Pore Former: A Study of Synthetic Melittin Derivatives. Biophys J 2020; 118:1901-1913. [PMID: 32183940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pore formation by membrane-active peptides, naturally encountered in innate immunity and infection, could have important medical and technological applications. Recently, the well-studied lytic peptide melittin has formed the basis for the development of combinatorial libraries from which potent pore-forming peptides have been derived, optimized to work under different conditions. We investigate three such peptides, macrolittin70, which is most active at neutral pH; pHD15, which is active only at low pH; and MelP5_Δ6, which was rationally designed to be active at low pH but formed only small pores. There are three, six, and six acidic residues in macrolittin70, pHD15, and MelP5_Δ6, respectively. We perform multi-microsecond simulations in 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) of hexamers of these peptides starting from transmembrane orientations at neutral pH (all residues at standard protonation), low pH (acidic residues and His protonated), and highly acidic environments in which C-termini are also protonated. Previous simulations of the parent peptides melittin and MelP5 in 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) are repeated in POPC. We find that the most potent pore-forming peptides exhibit strong interpeptide interactions, including salt bridges, H-bonds, and polar interactions. Protonation of the C-terminus promotes helicity and pore size. The proximity of the peptides allows fewer lipid headgroups to line the pores than in previous simulations, making the pores intermediate between barrel stave and toroidal. Based on these structures and geometrical arguments, we attempt to rationalize the factors that under different conditions can increase or decrease pore stability and propose mutations that could be tested experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliasghar Sepehri
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York
| | - Leo PeBenito
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York; Graduate Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Almudena Pino-Angeles
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York
| | - Themis Lazaridis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York; Graduate Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.
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13
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Kim SY, Pittman AE, Zapata-Mercado E, King GM, Wimley WC, Hristova K. Mechanism of Action of Peptides That Cause the pH-Triggered Macromolecular Poration of Lipid Bilayers. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:6706-6718. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b01970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Y. Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | | | - Elmer Zapata-Mercado
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | | | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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14
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Site-Specific Peptide Probes Detect Buried Water in a Lipid Membrane. Biophys J 2019; 116:1692-1700. [PMID: 31000156 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmembrane peptides contain polar residues in the interior of the membrane, which may alter the electrostatic environment and favor hydration in the otherwise nonpolar environment of the membrane core. Here, we demonstrate a general, nonperturbative strategy to probe hydration of the peptide backbone at specific depths within the bilayer using a combination of site-specific isotope labels, ultrafast two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy, and spectral modeling based on molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that the amphiphilic pH-low insertion peptide supports a highly heterogeneous environment, with significant backbone hydration of nonpolar residues neighboring charged residues. For example, a leucine residue located as far as 1 nm into the hydrophobic bulk reports hydrogen-bonded populations as high as ∼20%. These findings indicate that the polar nature of these residues may facilitate the transport of water molecules into the hydrophobic core of the membrane.
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15
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Simulation-Guided Rational de Novo Design of a Small Pore-Forming Antimicrobial Peptide. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:4839-4848. [PMID: 30839209 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b11939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the age of failing small-molecule antibiotics, tapping the near-infinite structural and chemical repertoire of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offers one of the most promising routes toward developing next-generation antibacterial compounds. One of the key impediments en route is the lack of methodologies for systematic rational design and optimization of new AMPs. Here we present a new simulation-guided rational design approach and apply it to develop a potent new AMP. We show that unbiased atomic detail molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are able to predict structures formed by evolving peptide designs enabling structure-based rational fine-tuning of functional properties. Starting from a 14-residue poly leucine template we demonstrate the design of a minimalistic potent new AMP. Consisting of only four types of amino acids (LDKA), this peptide forms large pores in microbial membranes at very low peptide-to-lipid ratios (1:1000) and exhibits low micromolar activity against common Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Remarkably, the four amino acids were sufficient to encode preferential poration of bacterial membranes with negligible damage to red blood cells at bactericidal concentrations. As the sequence is too short to span cellular membranes, pores are formed by stacking of channels in each bilayer leaflet.
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16
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Peraro L, Kritzer JA. Emerging Methods and Design Principles for Cell-Penetrant Peptides. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018; 57:11868-11881. [PMID: 29740917 PMCID: PMC7184558 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201801361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biomolecules such as antibodies, proteins, and peptides are important tools for chemical biology and leads for drug development. They have been used to inhibit a variety of extracellular proteins, but accessing intracellular proteins has been much more challenging. In this review, we discuss diverse chemical approaches that have yielded cell-penetrant peptides and identify three distinct strategies: masking backbone amides, guanidinium group patterning, and amphipathic patterning. We summarize a growing number of large data sets, which are starting to reveal more specific design guidelines for each strategy. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of current methods for quantifying cell penetration. Finally, we provide an overview of best-odds approaches for applying these new methods and design principles to optimize cytosolic penetration for a given bioactive peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Peraro
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, 02155, USA
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, 02155, USA
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17
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Peraro L, Kritzer JA. Neue Methoden und Designprinzipien für zellgängige Peptide. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201801361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leila Peraro
- Department of Chemistry Tufts University Medford Massachusetts 02155 USA
| | - Joshua A. Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry Tufts University Medford Massachusetts 02155 USA
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18
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McKay MJ, Afrose F, Koeppe RE, Greathouse DV. Helix formation and stability in membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:2108-2117. [PMID: 29447916 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In this article we review current understanding of basic principles for the folding of membrane proteins, focusing on the more abundant alpha-helical class. Membrane proteins, vital to many biological functions and implicated in numerous diseases, fold into their active conformations in the complex environment of the cell bilayer membrane. While many membrane proteins rely on the translocon and chaperone proteins to fold correctly, others can achieve their functional form in the absence of any translation apparatus or other aides. Nevertheless, the spontaneous folding process is not well understood at the molecular level. Recent findings suggest that helix fraying and loop formation may be important for overall structure, dynamics and regulation of function. Several types of membrane helices with ionizable amino acids change their topology with pH. Additionally we note that some peptides, including many that are rich in arginine, and a particular analogue of gramicidin, are able passively to translocate across cell membranes. The findings indicate that a final protein structure in a lipid-bilayer membrane is sequence-based, with lipids contributing to stability and regulation. While much progress has been made toward understanding the folding process for alpha-helical membrane proteins, it remains a work in progress. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Emergence of Complex Behavior in Biomembranes edited by Marjorie Longo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J McKay
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Fahmida Afrose
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Roger E Koeppe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Denise V Greathouse
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
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19
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Fennouri A, Mayer SF, Schroeder TBH, Mayer M. Single channel planar lipid bilayer recordings of the melittin variant MelP5. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:2051-2057. [PMID: 28720433 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
MelP5 is a 26 amino acid peptide derived from melittin, the main active constituent of bee venom, with five amino acid replacements. The pore-forming activity of MelP5 in lipid membranes is attracting attention because MelP5 forms larger pores and induces dye leakage through liposome membranes at a lower concentration than melittin. Studies of MelP5 have so far focused on ensemble measurements of membrane leakage and impedance; here we extend this characterization with an electrophysiological comparison between MelP5 and melittin using planar lipid bilayer recordings. These experiments reveal that MelP5 pores in lipid membranes composed of 3:1 phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol consist of an average of 10 to 12 monomers compared to an average of 3 to 9 monomers for melittin. Both peptides form transient pores with dynamically varying conductance values similar to previous findings for melittin, but MelP5 occasionally also forms stable, well-defined pores with single channel conductance values that vary greatly and range from 50 to 3000pS in an electrolyte solution containing 100mM KCl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Fennouri
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Simon Finn Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; Biberach University of Applied Sciences, Karlstraße 11, 88400 Biberach, Germany
| | - Thomas B H Schroeder
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
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20
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Scott HL, Westerfield JM, Barrera FN. Determination of the Membrane Translocation pK of the pH-Low Insertion Peptide. Biophys J 2017; 113:869-879. [PMID: 28834723 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The pH-low insertion peptide (pHLIP) is a leading peptide technology to target the extracellular acidosis that characterizes solid tumors. The pHLIP binds to lipid membranes, and responds to acidification by undergoing a coupled folding/membrane insertion process. In the final transmembrane state, the C terminus of pHLIP gets exposed to the cytoplasm of the target cell, providing a means to translocate membrane-impermeable drug cargoes across the plasma membrane of cancer cells. There exists a need to develop improved pHLIP variants to target tumors with greater efficiency. Characterization of such variants typically relies on determining the pK parameter, the pH midpoint of peptide insertion into the lipid bilayer. Here we report that the value of the pK can be strongly dependent on the method used for its determination. Membrane insertion of pHLIP involves at least four intermediate states, which are believed to be linked to the staggered titration of key acidic residues. We propose that some spectroscopic methods are influenced more heavily by specific membrane folding intermediates, and as a result yield different pK values. To address this potential problem, we have devised an assay to independently monitor the environment of the two termini of pHLIP. This approach provides insights into the conformation pHLIP adopts immediately before the establishment of the transmembrane configuration. Additionally, our data indicate that the membrane translocation of the C terminus of pHLIP, the folding step more directly relevant to drug delivery, occurs at more acidic pH values than previously considered. Consequently, such a pK difference could have substantial ramifications for assessing the translocation of drug cargoes conjugated to pHLIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haden L Scott
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Justin M Westerfield
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
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21
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Wolf J, Aisenbrey C, Harmouche N, Raya J, Bertani P, Voievoda N, Süss R, Bechinger B. pH-Dependent Membrane Interactions of the Histidine-Rich Cell-Penetrating Peptide LAH4-L1. Biophys J 2017; 113:1290-1300. [PMID: 28734478 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The histidine-rich designer peptide LAH4-L1 exhibits antimicrobial and potent cell-penetrating activities for a wide variety of cargo including nucleic acids, polypeptides, adeno-associated viruses, and nanodots. The non-covalent complexes formed between the peptide and cargo enter the cell via an endosomal pathway where the pH changes from neutral to acidic. Here, we investigated the membrane interactions of the peptide with phospholipid bilayers and its membrane topology using static solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Oriented 15N solid-state NMR indicates that in membranes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (POPS) 3:1 mol/mole and at neutral pH, the peptide adopts transmembrane topologies. Furthermore, 31P and 2H solid-state NMR spectra show that liquid crystalline 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and POPC/POPS 3:1 liposomes retain a bilayer macroscopic phase even at the highest peptide concentrations investigated, with an oblate orientational distribution of the phospholipids at a peptide/lipid ratio of 1:5. At pH 5, as it occurs in the endosome, the alignment of LAH4-L1 at a peptide/lipid ratio of 1:25 is predominantly parallel to POPC/POPS 3:1 bilayers (prolate deformation) when at the same time it induces a considerable decrease of the deuterium order parameter of POPC/2H31-POPS 3:1. In addition, when studied in mechanically supported lipid membranes, a pronounced disordering of the phospholipid alignment is observed. In the presence of even higher peptide concentrations, lipid spectra are observed that suggest the formation of magnetically oriented or isotropic bicelles. This membrane-disruptive effect is enhanced for gel phase DMPC membranes. By protonation of the four histidines in acidic environments, the overall charge and hydrophobic moment of LAH4-L1 considerably change, and much of the peptide is released from the cargo. Thus, the amphipathic peptide sequences become available to disrupt the endosomal membrane and to assure highly efficient release from this organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Wolf
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Nicole Harmouche
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jesus Raya
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Bertani
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Natalia Voievoda
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Regine Süss
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Pharmazeutische Technologie und Biopharmazie, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Institut de Chimie, UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
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22
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The development of activatable lytic peptides for targeting triple negative breast cancer. Cell Death Discov 2017; 3:17037. [PMID: 29263848 PMCID: PMC5629628 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2017.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytolytic peptides are an emerging class of promising cancer therapeutics shown to overcome drug resistance. They eliminate cancer cells via disruption of the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes, a mechanism that differentiates it from traditional treatments. However, applications of lytic peptides via systematic administration are hampered by nonspecific toxicity. Here, we describe activatable, masked lytic peptides that are conjugated with anionic peptides via a cleavable linker sensitive to matrix metalloproteinases (Ac-w-βA-e8-XPLG*LAG-klUklUkklUklUk-NH2; lower case letters in the sequences represent D-amino-acids, U=Aib, α-aminoisobutyric acid, *cleavage site). The peptides were activated upon being introduced into the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, which overexpresses secreted matrix metalloproteinases, to selectively cleave the peptide linker. Our results indicate that the activatable design could be applied to improve the targeting ability of lytic peptides.
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23
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Carney RP, Thillier Y, Kiss Z, Sahabi A, Heleno Campos JC, Knudson A, Liu R, Olivos D, Saunders M, Tian L, Lam KS. Combinatorial Library Screening with Liposomes for Discovery of Membrane Active Peptides. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2017; 19:299-307. [PMID: 28378995 DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.6b00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Membrane active peptides (MAPs) represent a class of short biomolecules that have shown great promise in facilitating intracellular delivery without disrupting cellular plasma membranes. Yet their clinical application has been stalled by numerous factors: off-target delivery, a requirement for high local concentration near cells of interest, degradation en route to the target site, and in the case of cell-penetrating peptides, eventual entrapment in endolysosomal compartments. The current method of deriving MAPs from naturally occurring proteins has restricted the discovery of new peptides that may overcome these limitations. Here, we describe a new branch of assays featuring high-throughput functional screening capable of discovering new peptides with tailored cell uptake and endosomal escape capabilities. The one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial method is used to screen libraries containing millions of potential MAPs for binding to synthetic liposomes, which can be adapted to mimic various aspects of limiting membranes. By incorporating unnatural and d-amino acids in the library, in addition to varying buffer conditions and liposome compositions, we have identified several new highly potent MAPs that improve on current standards and introduce motifs that were previously unknown or considered unsuitable. Since small variations in pH and lipid composition can be controlled during screening, peptides discovered using this methodology could aid researchers building drug delivery platforms with unique requirements, such as targeted intracellular localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy P. Carney
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Yann Thillier
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Zsofia Kiss
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Amir Sahabi
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Jean Carlos Heleno Campos
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Alisha Knudson
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Ruiwu Liu
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - David Olivos
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Mary Saunders
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Lin Tian
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Kit S. Lam
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
- Division
of Hematology/Oncology, University of California Davis Cancer Center, Sacramento, California United States
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24
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Wiedman G, Kim SY, Zapata-Mercado E, Wimley WC, Hristova K. pH-Triggered, Macromolecule-Sized Poration of Lipid Bilayers by Synthetically Evolved Peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:937-945. [PMID: 28001058 PMCID: PMC5521809 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b11447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
pH-triggered membrane-permeabilizing peptides could be exploited in a variety of applications, such as to enable cargo release from endosomes for cellular delivery, or as cancer therapeutics that selectively permeabilize the plasma membranes of malignant cells. Such peptides would be especially useful if they could enable the movement of macromolecules across membranes, a rare property in membrane-permeabilizing peptides. Here we approach this goal by using an orthogonal high-throughput screen of an iterative peptide library to identify peptide sequences that have the following two properties: (i) little synthetic lipid membrane permeabilization at physiological pH 7 at high peptide concentration and (ii) efficient formation of macromolecule-sized defects in synthetic lipid membranes at acidic pH 5 and low peptide concentration. The peptides we selected are remarkably potent macromolecular sized pore-formers at pH 5, while having little or no activity at pH 7, as intended. The action of these peptides likely relies on tight coupling between membrane partitioning, α-helix formation, and electrostatic repulsions between acidic side chains, which collectively drive a sharp pH-triggered transition between inactive and active configurations with apparent pKa values of 5.5-5.8. This work opens new doors to developing applications that utilize peptides with membrane-permeabilizing activities that are triggered by physiologically relevant decreases in pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Wiedman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Sarah Y. Kim
- Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Elmer Zapata-Mercado
- Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
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25
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Ng DP, Deber CM. Modulating Transmembrane α-Helix Interactions through pH-Sensitive Boundary Residues. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4306-15. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Derek P. Ng
- Department
of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
- Institute
of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Charles M. Deber
- Division of Molecular Structure & Function, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
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26
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Teixeira VH, Vila-Viçosa D, Reis PBPS, Machuqueiro M. pKa Values of Titrable Amino Acids at the Water/Membrane Interface. J Chem Theory Comput 2016; 12:930-4. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.5b01114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vitor H. Teixeira
- Centro de Química
e Bioquímica, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica,
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diogo Vila-Viçosa
- Centro de Química
e Bioquímica, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica,
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro B. P. S. Reis
- Centro de Química
e Bioquímica, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica,
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Machuqueiro
- Centro de Química
e Bioquímica, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica,
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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27
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Nguyen VP, Alves DS, Scott HL, Davis FL, Barrera FN. A Novel Soluble Peptide with pH-Responsive Membrane Insertion. Biochemistry 2015; 54:6567-75. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa P. Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry
and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Daiane S. Alves
- Department of Biochemistry
and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Haden L. Scott
- Department of Biochemistry
and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Forrest L. Davis
- Department of Biochemistry
and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Francisco N. Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry
and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
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