1
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Amin A, Perera ND, Tomas D, Cuic B, Radwan M, Hatters DM, Turner BJ, Shabanpoor F. Systemic administration of a novel Beclin 1-derived peptide significantly upregulates autophagy in the spinal motor neurons of autophagy reporter mice. Int J Pharm 2024; 659:124198. [PMID: 38816263 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy, an intracellular degradation system, plays a vital role in protecting cells by clearing damaged organelles, pathogens, and protein aggregates. Autophagy upregulation through pharmacological interventions has gained significant attention as a potential therapeutic avenue for proteinopathies. Here, we report the development of an autophagy-inducing peptide (BCN4) derived from the Beclin 1 protein, the master regulator of autophagy. To deliver the BCN4 into cells and the central nervous system (CNS), it was conjugated to our previously developed cell and blood-brain barrier-penetrating peptide (CPP). CPP-BCN4 significantly upregulated autophagy and reduced protein aggregates in motor neuron (MN)-like cells. Moreover, its systemic administration in a reporter mouse model of autophagy resulted in a significant increase in autophagy activity in the spinal MNs. Therefore, this novel autophagy-inducing peptide with a demonstrated ability to upregulate autophagy in the CNS has significant potential for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases with protein aggregates as a characteristic feature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azin Amin
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Nirma D Perera
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Doris Tomas
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Brittany Cuic
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Mona Radwan
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Danny M Hatters
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Bradley J Turner
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Fazel Shabanpoor
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
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2
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Shin HJ, Lee BK, Kang HA. Transdermal Properties of Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Applications and Skin Penetration Mechanisms. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:1-16. [PMID: 38079575 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) consist of 5-30 amino acids with intracellular transduction abilities and diverse physicochemical properties, origins, and sequences. Although recent developments in bioinformatics have facilitated the prediction of CPP candidates with the potential for transduction into cells, the mechanisms by which CPPs penetrate cells and various tissues have not yet been elucidated at the molecular interaction level. Recently, the skin-penetrating ability of CPPs has gained wide attention and emerged as a simple and effective strategy for the delivery of macromolecules into the skin. Studies on the skin structure have suggested that the penetration potential of CPPs is based on the molecular interactions and characteristics of the lipid lamellar structure between corneocytes in the stratum corneum. This review provides a brief overview of the general properties, transduction mechanisms, applications, and safety issues of CPPs, focusing on CPPs with transdermal properties, that are currently being used to develop therapeutics and cosmetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Je Shin
- ProCell R&D Center, ProCell Therapeutics, Inc., #1009 Ace-Twin Tower II, 273, Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul 08381, Republic of Korea
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Chung-Ang University, 84, Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Kyu Lee
- ProCell R&D Center, ProCell Therapeutics, Inc., #1009 Ace-Twin Tower II, 273, Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul 08381, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ah Kang
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Chung-Ang University, 84, Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
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3
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Takechi-Haraya Y, Ohgita T, Usui A, Nishitsuji K, Uchimura K, Abe Y, Kawano R, Konaklieva MI, Reimund M, Remaley AT, Sato Y, Izutsu KI, Saito H. Structural flexibility of apolipoprotein E-derived arginine-rich peptides improves their cell penetration capability. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19396. [PMID: 37938626 PMCID: PMC10632520 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46754-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphipathic arginine-rich peptide, A2-17, exhibits moderate perturbation of lipid membranes and the highest cell penetration among its structural isomers. We investigated the direct cell-membrane penetration mechanism of the A2-17 peptide while focusing on structural flexibility. We designed conformationally constrained versions of A2-17, stapled (StpA2-17) and stitched (StchA2-17), whose α-helical conformations were stabilized by chemical crosslinking. Circular dichroism confirmed that StpA2-17 and StchA2-17 had higher α-helix content than A2-17 in aqueous solution. Upon liposome binding, only A2-17 exhibited a coil-to-helix transition. Confocal microscopy revealed that A2-17 had higher cell penetration efficiency than StpA2-17, whereas StchA2-17 remained on the cell membrane without cell penetration. Although the tryptophan fluorescence analysis suggested that A2-17 and its analogs had similar membrane-insertion positions between the interface and hydrophobic core, StchA2-17 exhibited a higher membrane affinity than A2-17 or StpA2-17. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated that A2-17 reduced the mechanical rigidity of liposomes to a greater extent than StpA2-17 and StchA2-17. Finally, electrophysiological analysis showed that A2-17 induced a higher charge influx through transient pores in a planer lipid bilayer than StpA2-17 and StchA2-17. These findings indicate that structural flexibility, which enables diverse conformations of A2-17, leads to a membrane perturbation mode that contributes to cell membrane penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Takechi-Haraya
- Division of Drugs, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-9501, Japan.
| | - Takashi Ohgita
- Center for Instrumental Analysis, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 1 Misasagi-Shichono-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8412, Japan
| | - Akiko Usui
- Division of Drugs, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-9501, Japan
| | - Kazuchika Nishitsuji
- Department of Biochemistry, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, 641-8509, Japan
- Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR 8576 CNRS, Université de Lille, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Kenji Uchimura
- Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR 8576 CNRS, Université de Lille, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Yasuhiro Abe
- Division of Drugs, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-9501, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kawano
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-6 Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Monika I Konaklieva
- Department of Chemistry, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20016-8014, USA
| | - Mart Reimund
- Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory, Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Alan T Remaley
- Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory, Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yoji Sato
- Division of Drugs, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-9501, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Izutsu
- School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, 2600-1 Kitakanemaru, Otawara, Tochigi, 324-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Saito
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
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4
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Gori A, Lodigiani G, Colombarolli SG, Bergamaschi G, Vitali A. Cell Penetrating Peptides: Classification, Mechanisms, Methods of Study, and Applications. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300236. [PMID: 37389978 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) encompass a class of peptides that possess the remarkable ability to cross cell membranes and deliver various types of cargoes, including drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins, into cells. For this reason, CPPs are largely investigated in drug delivery applications in the context of many diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and genetic disorders. While sharing this functionality and some common structural features, such as a high content of positively charged amino acids, CPPs represent an extremely diverse group of elements, which can differentiate under many aspects. In this review, we summarize the most common characteristics of CPPs, introduce their main distinctive features, mechanistic aspects that drive their function, and outline the most widely used techniques for their structural and functional studies. We highlight current gaps and future perspectives in this field, which have the potential to significantly impact the future field of drug delivery and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gori
- SCITEC - Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta", National Research Council of Italy, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131, Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Lodigiani
- SCITEC - Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta", National Research Council of Italy, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131, Milano, Italy
| | - Stella G Colombarolli
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta", National Research Council of Italy, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168, Roma, Italy
| | - Greta Bergamaschi
- SCITEC - Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta", National Research Council of Italy, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131, Milano, Italy
| | - Alberto Vitali
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "Giulio Natta", National Research Council of Italy, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168, Roma, Italy
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5
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Hao M, Zhang L, Chen P. Membrane Internalization Mechanisms and Design Strategies of Arginine-Rich Cell-Penetrating Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169038. [PMID: 36012300 PMCID: PMC9409441 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been discovered to deliver chemical drugs, nucleic acids, and macromolecules to permeate cell membranes, creating a novel route for exogenous substances to enter cells. Up until now, various sequence structures and fundamental action mechanisms of CPPs have been established. Among them, arginine-rich peptides with unique cell penetration properties have attracted substantial scientific attention. Due to the positively charged essential amino acids of the arginine-rich peptides, they can interact with negatively charged drug molecules and cell membranes through non-covalent interaction, including electrostatic interactions. Significantly, the sequence design and the penetrating mechanisms are critical. In this brief synopsis, we summarize the transmembrane processes and mechanisms of arginine-rich peptides; and outline the relationship between the function of arginine-rich peptides and the number of arginine residues, arginine optical isomers, primary sequence, secondary and ternary structures, etc. Taking advantage of the penetration ability, biomedical applications of arginine-rich peptides have been refreshed, including drug/RNA delivery systems, biosensors, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Understanding the membrane internalization mechanisms and design strategies of CPPs will expand their potential applications in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglu Hao
- Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (P.C.)
| | - Pu Chen
- Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (P.C.)
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6
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Abstract
AbstractBiophysical studies have a very high impact on the understanding of internalization, molecular mechanisms, interactions, and localization of CPPs and CPP/cargo conjugates in live cells or in vivo. Biophysical studies are often first carried out in test-tube set-ups or in vitro, leading to the complicated in vivo systems. This review describes recent studies of CPP internalization, mechanisms, and localization. The multiple methods in these studies reveal different novel and important aspects and define the rules for CPP mechanisms, hopefully leading to their improved applicability to novel and safe therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matjaž Zorko
- University of Ljubljana, Medical Faculty, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Vrazov trg 2, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Ülo Langel
- University of Stockholm, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Svante Arrhenius väg 16, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden, , and Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, Tartu, Estonia, 50411
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7
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Effect of hydrophobic moment on membrane interaction and cell penetration of apolipoprotein E-derived arginine-rich amphipathic α-helical peptides. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4959. [PMID: 35322082 PMCID: PMC8943082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08876-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously developed an amphipathic arginine-rich peptide, A2-17, which has high ability to directly penetrate across cell membranes. To understand the mechanism of the efficient cell-penetrating ability of the A2-17 peptide, we designed three structural isomers of A2-17 having different values of the hydrophobic moment and compared their membrane interaction and direct cell penetration. Confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that cell penetration efficiency of peptides tends to increase with their hydrophobic moment, in which A2-17 L14R/R15L, an A2-17 isomer with the highest hydrophobic moment, predominantly remains on plasma cell membranes. Consistently, Trp fluorescence analysis indicated the deepest insertion of A2-17 L14R/R15L into lipid membranes among all A2-17 isomers. Electrophysiological analysis showed that the duration and charge flux of peptide-induced pores in lipid membranes were prominent for A2-17 L14R/R15L, indicating the formation of stable membrane pores. Indeed, the A2-17 L14R/R15L peptide exhibited the strongest membrane damage to CHO-K1 cells. Atomic force microscopy quantitatively defined the peptide-induced membrane perturbation as the decrease in the stiffness of lipid vesicles, which was correlated with the hydrophobic moment of all A2-17 isomers. These results indicate that optimal membrane perturbation by amphipathic A2-17 peptide is critical for its efficient penetration into cells without inducing stabilized membrane pores.
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8
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Geng J, Xia X, Teng L, Wang L, Chen L, Guo X, Belingon B, Li J, Feng X, Li X, Shang W, Wan Y, Wang H. Emerging landscape of cell-penetrating peptide-mediated nucleic acid delivery and their utility in imaging, gene-editing, and RNA-sequencing. J Control Release 2022; 341:166-183. [PMID: 34822907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The safety issues like immunogenicity and unacceptable cancer risk of viral vectors for DNA/mRNA vaccine delivery necessitate the development of non-viral vectors with no toxicity. Among the non-viral strategies, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been a topic of interest recently because of their ability to cross plasma membranes and facilitate nucleic acids delivery both in vivo and in vitro. In addition to the application in the field of gene vaccine and gene therapy, CPPs based nucleic acids delivery have been proved by its potential application like gene editing, RNA-sequencing, and imaging. Here, we focus on summarizing the recent applications and progress of CPPs-mediated nucleic acids delivery and discuss the current problems and solutions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingping Geng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xuan Xia
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Lin Teng
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Lidan Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Linlin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Affiliated Ren He Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xiangli Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Bonn Belingon
- Institute of Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA
| | - Jason Li
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA
| | - Xuemei Feng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xianghui Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Wendou Shang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Yingying Wan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Hu Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China.
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9
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Chen Y, Li S, Zhao J, Cao X, Wang F. Efficient drug delivery by novel cell-penetrating peptide derived from Midkine, with two heparin binding sites braced by a length-specific helix. J Drug Target 2021; 30:326-333. [PMID: 34708678 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2021.1999960] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been regarded as potential drug carriers for cancer therapy. However, most well-studied CPPs fail to deliver exogenous drugs efficiently and selectively. In this study, a tumour-targeted CPP with high efficiency derived from heparin-binding domain (HBD) of Midkine (named HMD) was discovered. HMD exhibited higher delivery efficiency than classic CPPs (TAT and R9) and manifested selectivity in tumour cells. Normally, the positive charge is the key factor for the transmembrane activity of CPPs such as TAT and R9. Here, the length of α-helix inside CPP was found also important for in the recognition of heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Subsequently, the introduction of HMD enhanced the inhibitory effect of Momordica antiviral protein of 30 kDa (MAP30) on tumour cells, resulting in a 6.07-fold and 5.42-fold increase in HeLa cells and MGC80-3 cells respectively without enhanced cytotoxicity in normal cells. These results show that HMD possesses high efficiency and good tumour specificity and can be utilised as a promising agent for the tumour-targeted delivery of drug. This study is also a supplement to the existing theories about the biological activities of the α-helix in CPPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuewei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Fujun Wang
- Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,New Drug R&D Center, Zhejiang Fonow Medicine Co., Ltd., Dongyang, People's Republic of China
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10
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Dastpeyman M, Sharifi R, Amin A, Karas JA, Cuic B, Pan Y, Nicolazzo JA, Turner BJ, Shabanpoor F. Endosomal escape cell-penetrating peptides significantly enhance pharmacological effectiveness and CNS activity of systemically administered antisense oligonucleotides. Int J Pharm 2021; 599:120398. [PMID: 33640427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an emerging class of gene-specific therapeutics for diseases associated with the central nervous system (CNS). However, ASO delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to their CNS target cells remains a major challenge. Since ASOs are mainly taken up into the brain capillary endothelial cells interface through endosomal routes, entrapment in the endosomal compartment is a major obstacle for efficient CNS delivery of ASOs. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of a panel of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) bearing several endosomal escape domains for the intracellular delivery, endosomal release and antisense activity of FDA-approved Spinraza (Nusinersen), an ASO used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). We identified a CPP, HA2-ApoE(131-150), which, when conjugated to Nusinersen, showed efficient endosomal escape capability and significantly increased the level of full-length functional mRNA of the survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene in SMA patient-derived fibroblasts. Treatment of SMN2 transgenic adult mice with this CPP-PMO conjugate resulted in a significant increase in the level of full-length SMN2 in the brain and spinal cord. This work provides proof-of-principle that integration of endosomal escape domains with CPPs enables higher cytosolic delivery of ASOs, and more importantly enhances the efficiency of BBB-permeability and CNS activity of systemically administered ASOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Dastpeyman
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Ramin Sharifi
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Azin Amin
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - John A Karas
- School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; The Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Rd., VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Brittany Cuic
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Yijun Pan
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph A Nicolazzo
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Bradley J Turner
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia 6150, Australia
| | - Fazel Shabanpoor
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia.
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11
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Wei Y, Zhang M, Jiao P, Zhang X, Yang G, Xu X. Intracellular Paclitaxel Delivery Facilitated by a Dual-Functional CPP with a Hydrophobic Hairpin Tail. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:4853-4860. [PMID: 33474938 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c20180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In our pervious study, a dual-functional peptide R7 was developed to form a complex with paclitaxel (PTX) for enhancement of PTX translocation. However, because of the unstable noncovalent bond between R7 and PTX, PTX redistributed after the introduction of heparin, leading to R7-PTX complex dissociation, further causing less PTX penetration than expected. Thus, a novel positive CPP carrier of P9 was developed to improve CPP-PTX affinity via a double-proline (Pro, P) hairpin tail and enhance PTX translocation through the reduction of translocation energy barrier, confirmed by the MM-PBSA analysis and umbrella sampling simulation. Cellular uptake study reveals that P9 can quickly translocate into the HeLa cells within 1 min and exhibits no noticeable cytotoxicity. Compared to R7, P9 is able to help PTX translocation, leading to a remarkable increase in the intracellular concentration of PTX, eventually resulting in a significant loss in tumor cell viability. In vivo experiments demonstrate that a vein injection of P9-PTX complex dramatically inhibits tumor growth. Our study provides a novel perspective for designing CPP-facilitated drug carrier to enhance antitumor efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Wei
- School of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, Henan Province 473061, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Man Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Henan Province, 473002, P.R. China
| | - Pengfei Jiao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, Henan Province 473061, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, Henan Province 473061, P.R. China
| | - Ganggang Yang
- Biochemical Engineering Research Centre, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui Province 243032, P.R. China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui Province 243032, P.R. China
| | - Xia Xu
- Biochemical Engineering Research Centre, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui Province 243032, P.R. China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui Province 243032, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
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Porosk L, Gaidutšik I, Langel Ü. Approaches for the discovery of new cell-penetrating peptides. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:553-565. [PMID: 33874824 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1851187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The capability of cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), also known as protein transduction domains (PTD), to enter into cells possibly with an attached cargo, makes their application as delivery vectors or as direct therapeutics compelling. They are generally biocompatible, nontoxic, and easy to synthesize and modify. Three decades after the discovery of the first CPPs, ~2,000 CPP sequences have been identified, and many more predicted. Nevertheless, the field has a strong commitment to authenticate new, more efficient, and specific CPPs.Areas covered: Although a scattering of CPPs have been found by chance, various systematic approaches have been developed and refined over the years to directly aid the identification and depiction of new peptide-based delivery vectors or therapeutics. Here, the authors give an overview of CPPs, and review various approaches of discovering new ones. An emphasis is placed on in silico methods, as these have advanced rapidly in recent years.Expert opinion: Although there are many known CPPs, there is a need to find more efficient and specific CPPs. Several approaches are used to identify such sequences. The success of these approaches depends on the advancement of others and the successful prediction of CPP sequences relies on experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly Porosk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ilja Gaidutšik
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ülo Langel
- Department Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Ohgita T, Takechi-Haraya Y, Okada K, Matsui S, Takeuchi M, Saito C, Nishitsuji K, Uchimura K, Kawano R, Hasegawa K, Sakai-Kato K, Akaji K, Izutsu KI, Saito H. Enhancement of direct membrane penetration of arginine-rich peptides by polyproline II helix structure. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183403. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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