1
|
Yang J, Liao X, Hu D, Mo J, Gao X, Liao H. Study on the design, synthesis, and activity of anti-tumor staple peptides targeting MDM2/MDMX. Front Chem 2024; 12:1403473. [PMID: 38911993 PMCID: PMC11190158 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1403473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Staple peptides, which have a significantly enhanced pharmacological profile, are promising therapeutic molecules due to their remarkable resistance to proteolysis and cell-penetrating properties. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of PMI-M3-based dual-targeting MDM2/MDMX staple peptides and compared them with straight-chain peptides. The staple peptide SM3-4 screened in the study induced apoptosis of tumor cells in vitro at low μM concentrations, and the helix was significantly increased. Studies have shown that the enhancement of staple activity is related to the increase in helicity, and SM3-4 provides an effective research basis for dual-targeted anti-tumor staple peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College (Chengdu Pidu District People’s Hospital), Chengdu, China
| | | | - Damin Hu
- School of Medicine, Tarim University, China
| | - Jinqiu Mo
- School of Medicine, Tarim University, China
| | - Xiurong Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongli Liao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chandramohan A, Josien H, Yuen TY, Duggal R, Spiegelberg D, Yan L, Juang YCA, Ge L, Aronica PG, Kaan HYK, Lim YH, Peier A, Sherborne B, Hochman J, Lin S, Biswas K, Nestor M, Verma CS, Lane DP, Sawyer TK, Garbaccio R, Henry B, Kannan S, Brown CJ, Johannes CW, Partridge AW. Design-rules for stapled peptides with in vivo activity and their application to Mdm2/X antagonists. Nat Commun 2024; 15:489. [PMID: 38216578 PMCID: PMC10786919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43346-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Although stapled α-helical peptides can address challenging targets, their advancement is impeded by poor understandings for making them cell permeable while avoiding off-target toxicities. By synthesizing >350 molecules, we present workflows for identifying stapled peptides against Mdm2(X) with in vivo activity and no off-target effects. Key insights include a clear correlation between lipophilicity and permeability, removal of positive charge to avoid off-target toxicities, judicious anionic residue placement to enhance solubility/behavior, optimization of C-terminal length/helicity to enhance potency, and optimization of staple type/number to avoid polypharmacology. Workflow application gives peptides with >292x improved cell proliferation potencies and no off-target cell proliferation effects ( > 3800x on-target index). Application of these 'design rules' to a distinct Mdm2(X) peptide series improves ( > 150x) cellular potencies and removes off-target toxicities. The outlined workflow should facilitate therapeutic impacts, especially for those targets such as Mdm2(X) that have hydrophobic interfaces and are targetable with a helical motif.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tsz Ying Yuen
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138665, Singapore
| | | | - Diana Spiegelberg
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lin Yan
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA
| | | | - Lan Ge
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA
| | - Pietro G Aronica
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
| | | | - Yee Hwee Lim
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138665, Singapore
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marika Nestor
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
| | - David P Lane
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | | | | | - Brian Henry
- MSD International, Singapore, 138665, Singapore.
| | - Srinivasaraghavan Kannan
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore.
| | | | - Charles W Johannes
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, 138665, Singapore.
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- EPOC Scientific LLC, Stoneham, MA, 02180, USA.
| | - Anthony W Partridge
- MSD International, Singapore, 138665, Singapore.
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang Y, Guo J, Cheng J, Zhang Z, Kang F, Wu X, Chu Q. High-Throughput Screening of Stapled Helical Peptides in Drug Discovery. J Med Chem 2023; 66:95-106. [PMID: 36580278 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides have revolutionized treatment for a number of human diseases. In particular, the past two decades have witnessed rapid progress of stapled helical peptides in drug discovery. Stapled helical peptides are chemically modified and constrained in their bioactive α-helical conformation. Compared to unstabilized linear peptides, stapled helical peptides exhibit superior binding affinity and selectivity, enhanced membrane permeability, and improved metabolic stability, presenting exciting promise for targeting otherwise challenging protein-protein interfaces. In this Perspective, we summarize recent applications of high-throughput screening technologies for identification of potent stapled helical peptides with optimized binding properties. We expect to provide a broad reference to accelerate the development of stapled helical peptides as the next generation of therapeutic peptides for various human diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jiabei Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jiongjia Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials of Nanjing, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, China
| | - Zhenghua Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Fenghua Kang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Xiaoxing Wu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Qian Chu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Miki T, Namii K, Seko K, Kakehi S, Moro G, Mihara H. Pattern enrichment analysis for phage selection of stapled peptide ligands. Chem Sci 2022; 13:12634-12642. [PMID: 36519040 PMCID: PMC9645375 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04058a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage display is the most widely used technique to discover de novo peptides that bind to target proteins. However, it is associated with some challenges such as compositional bias. In this study, to overcome these difficulties, we devised a 'pattern enrichment analysis.' In this method, two samples (one obtained by affinity selection, the other simply amplified without selection) are prepared, and the two sequence datasets read on next-generation sequencer are compared to find the three-residue pattern most enriched in the selected sample. This allows us to compare two sequence datasets with high coverage and facilitates the identification of peptide sequences and the key residues for binding. We also demonstrated that this approach in the combination with structured peptide libraries allowed spatial mapping of the enriched sequence patterns. Here, we prepared a phage library displaying chemically stapled helical peptides with the X1C2X3X4X5X6X7X8C9X10 sequence, where X is any amino acid. To validate our method, we performed screening against the HDM2 protein. The results showed that the hydrophobic residues (Phe, Tyr, Trp and Leu) that are key to interactions with HDM2 were clearly identified by the pattern enrichment analysis. We also performed selection targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD in the same manner. The results showed that similar patterns were enriched among the hit peptides that inhibited the protein-protein interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Miki
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| | - Keigo Namii
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| | - Kenta Seko
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| | - Shota Kakehi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| | - Goshi Moro
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| | - Hisakazu Mihara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 226-8501 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Selection of fluorescent biosensors against galectin-3 from an NBD-modified phage library displaying designed α-helical peptides. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 37:127835. [PMID: 33556574 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.127835] [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] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescent biosensors are indispensable tools for molecular imaging, detection, and drug screening. Conventionally, fluorescent biosensors were constructed by incorporating fluorophores into ligands. Here, to develop ligand-independent biosensors, we demonstrated biosensor selection from a fluorophore-modified peptide phage library. In this library, the peptides were designed to form α-helical structures, and one cysteine, the probe modification site, was located at the center of four randomized residues on the same face of the helix. By conjugation with 4-nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD), we constructed an NBD-modified phage library. We conducted selection against galectin-3 (Gal-3), a galactose-specific lectin associated with various biological events such as tumor metastasis and insulin resistance. After biopanning, we obtained NBD-modified peptides that selectively bind to Gal-3 from the library. The fluorescence intensity of the hit biosensors increased with the concentration of Gal-3, and this fluorescent response was visually observed.
Collapse
|
6
|
Small and Simple, yet Sturdy: Conformationally Constrained Peptides with Remarkable Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041611. [PMID: 33562633 PMCID: PMC7915549 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sheer size and vast chemical space (i.e., diverse repertoire and spatial distribution of functional groups) underlie peptides’ ability to engage in specific interactions with targets of various structures. However, the inherent flexibility of the peptide chain negatively affects binding affinity and metabolic stability, thereby severely limiting the use of peptides as medicines. Imposing conformational constraints to the peptide chain offers to solve these problems but typically requires laborious structure optimization. Alternatively, libraries of constrained peptides with randomized modules can be screened for specific functions. Here, we present the properties of conformationally constrained peptides and review rigidification chemistries/strategies, as well as synthetic and enzymatic methods of producing macrocyclic peptides. Furthermore, we discuss the in vitro molecular evolution methods for the development of constrained peptides with pre-defined functions. Finally, we briefly present applications of selected constrained peptides to illustrate their exceptional properties as drug candidates, molecular recognition probes, and minimalist catalysts.
Collapse
|