1
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Goettig P, Koch NG, Budisa N. Non-Canonical Amino Acids in Analyses of Protease Structure and Function. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14035. [PMID: 37762340 PMCID: PMC10531186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
All known organisms encode 20 canonical amino acids by base triplets in the genetic code. The cellular translational machinery produces proteins consisting mainly of these amino acids. Several hundred natural amino acids serve important functions in metabolism, as scaffold molecules, and in signal transduction. New side chains are generated mainly by post-translational modifications, while others have altered backbones, such as the β- or γ-amino acids, or they undergo stereochemical inversion, e.g., in the case of D-amino acids. In addition, the number of non-canonical amino acids has further increased by chemical syntheses. Since many of these non-canonical amino acids confer resistance to proteolytic degradation, they are potential protease inhibitors and tools for specificity profiling studies in substrate optimization and enzyme inhibition. Other applications include in vitro and in vivo studies of enzyme kinetics, molecular interactions and bioimaging, to name a few. Amino acids with bio-orthogonal labels are particularly attractive, enabling various cross-link and click reactions for structure-functional studies. Here, we cover the latest developments in protease research with non-canonical amino acids, which opens up a great potential, e.g., for novel prodrugs activated by proteases or for other pharmaceutical compounds, some of which have already reached the clinical trial stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Goettig
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Paracelsus Medical University, Strubergasse 21, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nikolaj G. Koch
- Biocatalysis Group, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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2
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Miles SA, Nillama JA, Hunter L. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: The Diverse Roles That Fluorine Can Play within Amino Acid Side Chains. Molecules 2023; 28:6192. [PMID: 37687021 PMCID: PMC10489206 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Side chain-fluorinated amino acids are useful tools in medicinal chemistry and protein science. In this review, we outline some general strategies for incorporating fluorine atom(s) into amino acid side chains and for elaborating such building blocks into more complex fluorinated peptides and proteins. We then describe the diverse benefits that fluorine can offer when located within amino acid side chains, including enabling 19F NMR and 18F PET imaging applications, enhancing pharmacokinetic properties, controlling molecular conformation, and optimizing target-binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luke Hunter
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
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3
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Chowdhary S, Pelzer T, Saathoff M, Quaas E, Pendl J, Fulde M, Koksch B. Fine‐tuning the antimicrobial activity of β‐hairpin peptides with fluorinated amino acids. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Suvrat Chowdhary
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Tim Pelzer
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Mareike Saathoff
- Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Centre of Infection Medicine Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Elisa Quaas
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Core Facility SupraFAB Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Johanna Pendl
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Marcus Fulde
- Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Centre of Infection Medicine Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR) Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
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4
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Silva-Reis SC, Sampaio-Dias IE, Costa VM, Correia XC, Costa-Almeida HF, García-Mera X, Rodríguez-Borges JE. Concise Overview of Glypromate Neuropeptide Research: From Chemistry to Pharmacological Applications in Neurosciences. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:554-572. [PMID: 36735764 PMCID: PMC9936549 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) pose a serious health concern worldwide, with a particular incidence in developed countries as a result of life expectancy increase and the absence of restorative treatments. Presently, treatments for these neurological conditions are focused on managing the symptoms and/or slowing down their progression. As so, the research on novel neuroprotective drugs is of high interest. Glypromate (glycyl-l-prolyl-l-glutamic acid, also known as GPE), an endogenous small peptide widespread in the brain, holds great promise to tackle neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's, s well as other CNS-related disorders like Rett and Down's syndromes. However, the limited pharmacokinetic properties of Glypromate hinder its clinical application. As such, intense research has been devoted to leveraging the pharmacokinetic profile of this neuropeptide. This review aims to offer an updated perspective on Glypromate research by exploring the vast array of chemical derivatizations of more than 100 analogs described in the literature over the past two decades. The collection and discussion of the most relevant structure-activity relationships will hopefully guide the discovery of new Glypromate-based neuroprotective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara C. Silva-Reis
- LAQV/REQUIMTE,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University
of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal,UCIBIO/REQUIMTE,
Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivo E. Sampaio-Dias
- LAQV/REQUIMTE,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University
of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal,
| | - Vera M. Costa
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE,
Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal,Associate
Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Xavier Cruz Correia
- LAQV/REQUIMTE,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University
of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo F. Costa-Almeida
- LAQV/REQUIMTE,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University
of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Xerardo García-Mera
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José E. Rodríguez-Borges
- LAQV/REQUIMTE,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University
of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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5
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Klepach A, Tran H, Ahmad Mohammed F, ElSayed ME. Characterization and impact of peptide physicochemical properties on oral and subcutaneous delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 186:114322. [PMID: 35526665 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Peptides, an emerging modality within the biopharmaceutical industry, are often delivered subcutaneously with evolving prospects on oral delivery. Barrier biology within the subcutis or gastrointestinal tract is a significant challenge in limiting absorption or otherwise disrupting peptide disposition. Aspects of peptide pharmacokinetic performance and ADME can be mitigated with careful molecular design that tailors for properties such as effective size, hydrophobicity, net charge, proteolytic stability, and albumin binding. In this review, we endeavor to highlight effective techniques in qualifying physicochemical properties of peptides and discuss advancements of in vitro models of subcutaneous and oral delivery. Additionally, we will delineate empirical findings around the relationship of these physicochemical properties and in vivo (animal or human) impact. We conclude that robust peptide characterization methods and in vitro techniques with demonstrated correlations to in vivo data are key routines to incorporate in the drug discovery and development to improve the probability of technical and commercial success of peptide therapeutics.
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6
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Maleckis A, Abdelkader EH, Herath ID, Otting G. Synthesis of fluorinated leucines, valines and alanines for use in protein NMR. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:2424-2432. [PMID: 35262139 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob00145d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Efficient syntheses of fluorinated leucines, valines and alanines are described. The synthetic routes provide expedient access to various 13C/15N/D isotopologues requiring solely readily available and inexpensive isotope containing reagents such as NaBD4, carbon-13C dioxide and sodium azide-1-15N. The lightly fluorinated leucines and valines were found to be good substrates for cell-free protein expression and even 3-fluoroalanine, which is highly toxic to bacteria in vivo, could be incorporated into proteins this way. 19F-NMR spectra of the protein GB1 produced with these amino acids showed large chemical shift dispersions. Particularly high incorporation yields and clean 19F-NMR spectra were obtained for GB1 produced with valine residues, which had been synthesized with a single fluorine substituting a hydrogen stereospecifically in one of the methyl groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansis Maleckis
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia.
| | - Elwy H Abdelkader
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Iresha D Herath
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Gottfried Otting
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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7
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Mei H, Han J, Klika KD, Izawa K, Sato T, Meanwell NA, Soloshonok VA. Applications of fluorine-containing amino acids for drug design. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 186:111826. [PMID: 31740056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Fluorine-containing amino acids are becoming increasingly prominent in new drugs due to two general trends in the modern pharmaceutical industry. Firstly, the growing acceptance of peptides and modified peptides as drugs; and secondly, fluorine editing has become a prevalent protocol in drug-candidate optimization. Accordingly, fluorine-containing amino acids represent one of the more promising and rapidly developing areas of research in organic, bio-organic and medicinal chemistry. The goal of this Review article is to highlight the current state-of-the-art in this area by profiling 42 selected compounds that combine fluorine and amino acid structural elements. The compounds under discussion represent pharmaceutical drugs currently on the market, or in clinical trials as well as examples of drug-candidates that although withdrawn from development had a significant impact on the progress of medicinal chemistry and/or provided a deeper understanding of the nature and mechanism of biological action. For each compound, we present features of biological activity, a brief history of the design principles and the development of the synthetic approach, focusing on the source of tailor-made amino acid structures and fluorination methods. General aspects of the medicinal chemistry of fluorine-containing amino acids and synthetic methodology are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Mei
- College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Jianlin Han
- College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Karel D Klika
- Molecular Structure Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kunisuke Izawa
- Hamari Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, 533-0024, Japan.
| | - Tatsunori Sato
- Hamari Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, 533-0024, Japan
| | - Nicholas A Meanwell
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, PO Box 4000, Princeton, NJ, 08543-4000, United States.
| | - Vadim A Soloshonok
- Department of Organic Chemistry I, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 3, 20018, San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, María Díaz de Haro 3, Plaza Bizkaia, 48013, Bilbao, Spain.
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8
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Robalo JR, Streacker LM, Mendes de Oliveira D, Imhof P, Ben-Amotz D, Verde AV. Hydrophobic but Water-Friendly: Favorable Water–Perfluoromethyl Interactions Promote Hydration Shell Defects. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:15856-15868. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b06862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- João R. Robalo
- Department of Theory & Bio-systems, Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Louis M. Streacker
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | | | - Petra Imhof
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Free University of Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dor Ben-Amotz
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Ana Vila Verde
- Department of Theory & Bio-systems, Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park, Potsdam 14476, Germany
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9
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Robalo JR, Vila Verde A. Unexpected trends in the hydrophobicity of fluorinated amino acids reflect competing changes in polarity and conformation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:2029-2038. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp07025c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The hydration free energy of fluorinated amino acids is calculated with molecular simulations and explained with an analytical model.
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Affiliation(s)
- João R. Robalo
- Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces
- Department of Theory & Bio-systems
- Science Park
- Potsdam 14424
- Germany
| | - Ana Vila Verde
- Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces
- Department of Theory & Bio-systems
- Science Park
- Potsdam 14424
- Germany
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10
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Huhmann S, Koksch B. Fine-Tuning the Proteolytic Stability of Peptides with Fluorinated Amino Acids. European J Org Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201800803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Huhmann
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Freie Universität Berlin; Takustr. 3 14169 Berlin Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Freie Universität Berlin; Takustr. 3 14169 Berlin Germany
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11
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Huhmann S, Stegemann AK, Folmert K, Klemczak D, Moschner J, Kube M, Koksch B. Position-dependent impact of hexafluoroleucine and trifluoroisoleucine on protease digestion. Beilstein J Org Chem 2017; 13:2869-2882. [PMID: 29564015 PMCID: PMC5753150 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.13.279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid digestion by proteases limits the application of peptides as therapeutics. One strategy to increase the proteolytic stability of peptides is the modification with fluorinated amino acids. This study presents a systematic investigation of the effects of fluorinated leucine and isoleucine derivatives on the proteolytic stability of a peptide that was designed to comprise substrate specificities of different proteases. Therefore, leucine, isoleucine, and their side-chain fluorinated variants were site-specifically incorporated at different positions of this peptide resulting in a library of 13 distinct peptides. The stability of these peptides towards proteolysis by α-chymotrypsin, pepsin, proteinase K, and elastase was studied, and this process was followed by an FL-RP-HPLC assay in combination with mass spectrometry. In a few cases, we observed an exceptional increase in proteolytic stability upon introduction of the fluorine substituents. The opposite phenomenon was observed in other cases, and this may be explained by specific interactions of fluorinated residues with the respective enzyme binding sites. Noteworthy is that 5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine is able to significantly protect peptides from proteolysis by all enzymes included in this study when positioned N-terminal to the cleavage site. These results provide valuable information for the application of fluorinated amino acids in the design of proteolytically stable peptide-based pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Huhmann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne-Katrin Stegemann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Folmert
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Damian Klemczak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Johann Moschner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michelle Kube
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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12
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13
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Berger AA, Völler JS, Budisa N, Koksch B. Deciphering the Fluorine Code-The Many Hats Fluorine Wears in a Protein Environment. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:2093-2103. [PMID: 28803466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Deciphering the fluorine code is how we describe not only the focus of this Account, but also the systematic approach to studying the impact of fluorine's incorporation on the properties of peptides and proteins used by our groups and others. The introduction of fluorine has been shown to impart favorable, but seldom predictable, properties to peptides and proteins, but up until about two decades ago the outcomes of fluorine modification of peptides and proteins were largely left to chance. Driven by the motivation to extend the application of the unique properties of the element fluorine from medicinal and agro chemistry to peptide and protein engineering we have established extensive research programs that enable the systematic investigation of effects that accompany the introduction of fluorine into this class of biopolymers. The introduction of fluorine into amino acids offers a universe of options for modifications with regard to number and position of fluorine substituents in the amino acid side chain. Moreover, it is important to emphasize that the consequences of incorporating the C-F bond into a biopolymer can be attributed to two distinct yet related phenomena: (i) the fluorine substituent can directly engage in intermolecular interactions with its environment and/or (ii) the other functional groups present in the molecule can be influenced by the electron withdrawing nature of this element (intramolecular) and in turn interact differently with their immediate environment (intermolecular). Based on our studies, we have shown that a change in number and/or position of as subtle as one single fluorine substituent has the power to considerably modify key properties of amino acids such as hydrophobicity, polarity, and secondary structure propensity. These properties are crucial factors in peptide and protein engineering, and thus, fluorinated amino acids can be applied to fine-tune properties such as protein folding, proteolytic stability, and protein-protein interactions provided we understand and become able to predict the outcome of a fluorine substitution in this context. With this Account, we attempt to analyze information we gained from our recent projects on how the nature of the fluorine atom and C-F bond influence four key properties of peptides and proteins: peptide folding, protein-protein interactions, ribosomal translation, and protease stability. These results impressively show why the introduction of fluorine creates a new class of amino acids with a repertoire of functionalities that is unique to the world of proteins and in some cases orthogonal to the set of canonical and natural amino acids. Our concluding statements aim to offer a few conserved design principles that have emerged from systematic studies over the last two decades; in this way, we hope to advance the field of peptide and protein engineering based on the judicious introduction of fluorinated building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Ann Berger
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry − Organic Chemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan-Stefan Völler
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Müller-Breslau-Str. 10, 10623 Berlin Germany
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Müller-Breslau-Str. 10, 10623 Berlin Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry − Organic Chemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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14
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Zarandi M, Cai R, Kovacs M, Popovics P, Szalontay L, Cui T, Sha W, Jaszberenyi M, Varga J, Zhang X, Block NL, Rick FG, Halmos G, Schally AV. Synthesis and structure-activity studies on novel analogs of human growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) with enhanced inhibitory activities on tumor growth. Peptides 2017; 89:60-70. [PMID: 28130121 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2017.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The syntheses and biological evaluations of new GHRH analogs of Miami (MIA) series with greatly increased anticancer activity are described. In the design and synthesis of these analogs, the following previous substitutions were conserved: D-Arg2, Har9, Abu15, and Nle27. Most new analogs had Ala at position 8. Since replacements of both Lys12 and Lys21 with Orn increased resistance against enzymatic degradation, these modifications were kept. The substitutions of Arg at both positions 11 and 20 by His were also conserved. We kept D-Arg28, Har29 -NH2 at the C-terminus or inserted Agm or 12-amino dodecanoic acid amide at position 30. We incorporated pentafluoro-Phe (Fpa5), instead of Cpa, at position 6 and Tyr(Me) at position 10 and ω-amino acids at N-terminus of some analogs. These GHRH analogs were prepared by solid-phase methodology and purified by HPLC. The evaluation of the activity of the analogs on GH release was carried out in vitro on rat pituitaries and in vivo in male rats. Receptor binding affinities were measured in vitro by the competitive binding analysis. The inhibitory activity of the analogs on tumor proliferation in vitro was tested in several human cancer cell lines such as HEC-1A endometrial adenocarcinoma, HCT-15 colorectal adenocarcinoma, and LNCaP prostatic carcinoma. For in vivo tests, various cell lines including PC-3 prostate cancer, HEC-1A endometrial adenocarcinoma, HT diffuse mixed β cell lymphoma, and ACHN renal cell carcinoma cell lines were xenografted into nude mice and treated subcutaneously with GHRH antagonists at doses of 1-5μg/day. Analogs MIA-602, MIA-604, MIA-610, and MIA-640 showed the highest binding affinities, 30, 58, 48, and 73 times higher respectively, than GHRH (1-29) NH2. Treatment of LNCaP and HCT-15 cells with 5μM MIA-602 or MIA-690 decreased proliferation by 40%-80%. In accord with previous tests in various human cancer lines, analog MIA-602 showed high inhibitory activity in vivo on growth of PC-3 prostate cancer, HT-mixed β cell lymphoma, HEC-1A endometrial adenocarcinoma and ACHN renal cell carcinoma. Thus, GHRH analogs of the Miami series powerfully suppress tumor growth, but have only a weak endocrine GH inhibitory activity. The suppression of tumor growth could be induced in part by the downregulation of GHRH receptors levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Zarandi
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Renzhi Cai
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Magdolna Kovacs
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Petra Popovics
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Luca Szalontay
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Tengjiao Cui
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Wei Sha
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Miklos Jaszberenyi
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Jozsef Varga
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - XianYang Zhang
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Norman L Block
- South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, United States; Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ferenc G Rick
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Urology, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Gabor Halmos
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Andrew V Schally
- Endocrine, Polypeptide, and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States; South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, United States.
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Homo-β-amino acid containing MBP(85-99) analogs alleviate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8205. [PMID: 25644378 PMCID: PMC4314633 DOI: 10.1038/srep08205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MBP(85–99), an immuno-dominant epitope of myelin basic protein which binds to the major histocompatibility complex haplotype HLA-DR2 is widely implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. J5, an antagonist of MBP(85–99), that blocks the binding of MBP(85–99) to soluble HLA-DR2b much more efficiently than glatiramer acetate (a random copolymer comprising major MHC and T-cell receptor contact residues), was transformed into analogs with superior biological half-lives and antagonistic-activities by substitution of some of its residues with homo-β-amino acids. S18, the best analog obtained ameliorated symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis at least twice more effectively than glatiramer acetate or J5. S18 displayed marked resistance to proteolysis in-vitro; biological impact of which was evident in the form of delayed clinical onset of disease and prolonged therapeutic-benefits. Besides active suppression of MBP(85–99)-reactive CD4+ T-cells in-vitro and in-vivo S18 treatment also generated IL-4 producing CD4+ T-cell clones, through which protective effect could be transferred passively.
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Asante V, Mortier J, Wolber G, Koksch B. Impact of fluorination on proteolytic stability of peptides: a case study with α-chymotrypsin and pepsin. Amino Acids 2014; 46:2733-44. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-014-1819-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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