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Sharma R, Amdare NP, Ghosh A, Schloss J, Sidney J, Garforth SJ, Lopez Y, Celikgil A, Sette A, Almo SC, DiLorenzo TP. Structural and biochemical analysis of highly similar HLA-B allotypes differentially associated with type 1 diabetes. J Biol Chem 2024:107702. [PMID: 39173948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease involving T cell-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. CD8+ T cells, responding to beta cell peptides presented by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, are important effectors leading to beta cell elimination. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B*39:06, B*39:01, and B*38:01 are closely related class I MHC allotypes that nonetheless show differential association with T1D. HLA-B*39:06 is the most predisposing of all HLA class I molecules and is associated with early age at disease onset. B*39:01 is also associated with susceptibility to T1D, but to a lesser extent, though differing from B*39:06 by only two amino acids. HLA-B*38:01, in contrast, is associated with protection from the disease. Upon identifying a peptide that binds to both HLA-B*39:06 and B*39:01, we determined the respective X-ray structures of the two allotypes presenting this peptide to 1.7 Å resolution. The peptide residues available for T cell receptor contact and those serving as anchors were identified. Analysis of the F pocket of HLA-B*39:06 and B*39:01 provided an explanation for the distinct peptide C-terminus preferences of the two allotypes. Structure-based modeling of the protective HLA-B*38:01 suggested a potential reason for its peptide preferences and its reduced propensity to present 8-mer peptides compared to B*39:06. Notably, the three allotypes showed differential binding to peptides derived from beta cell autoantigens. Taken together, our findings should facilitate identification of disease-relevant candidate T cell epitopes and structure-guided therapeutics to interfere with peptide binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Sharma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Nitin P Amdare
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Agnidipta Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Jennifer Schloss
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - John Sidney
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA
| | - Scott J Garforth
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Yessenia Lopez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Alev Celikgil
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Alessandro Sette
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Steven C Almo
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
| | - Teresa P DiLorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Department of Medicine (Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
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2
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Firdessa-Fite R, Johnson SN, Bechi Genzano C, Leon MA, Ku A, Ocampo Gonzalez FA, Milner JD, Sestak JO, Berkland C, Creusot RJ. Soluble antigen arrays provide increased efficacy and safety over free peptides for tolerogenic immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1258369. [PMID: 38933266 PMCID: PMC11199391 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1258369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Autoantigen-specific immunotherapy using peptides offers a more targeted approach to treat autoimmune diseases, but clinical implementation has been challenging. We previously showed that multivalent delivery of peptides as soluble antigen arrays (SAgAs) efficiently protects against spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model. Here, we compared the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of SAgAs versus free peptides. SAgAs, but not their corresponding free peptides at equivalent doses, efficiently prevented the development of diabetes. SAgAs increased the frequency of regulatory T cells among peptide-specific T cells or induce their anergy/exhaustion or deletion, depending on the type of SAgA used (hydrolysable (hSAgA) and non-hydrolysable 'click' SAgA (cSAgA)) and duration of treatment, whereas their corresponding free peptides induced a more effector phenotype following delayed clonal expansion. Over time, the peptides induced an IgE-independent anaphylactic reaction, the incidence of which was significantly delayed when peptides were in SAgA form rather than in free form. Moreover, the N-terminal modification of peptides with aminooxy or alkyne linkers, which was needed for grafting onto hyaluronic acid to make hSAgA or cSAgA variants, respectively, influenced their stimulatory potency and safety, with alkyne-functionalized peptides being more potent and less anaphylactogenic than aminooxy-functionalized peptides. Immunologic anaphylaxis occurred in NOD mice in a dose-dependent manner but not in C57BL/6 or BALB/c mice; however, its incidence did not correlate with the level of anti-peptide antibodies. We provide evidence that SAgAs significantly improve the efficacy of peptides to induce tolerance and prevent autoimmune diabetes while at the same time reducing their anaphylactogenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebuma Firdessa-Fite
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stephanie N. Johnson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Camillo Bechi Genzano
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Martin A. Leon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Amy Ku
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States
| | - Fernando A. Ocampo Gonzalez
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joshua D. Milner
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joshua O. Sestak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Cory Berkland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Remi J. Creusot
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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3
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Firdessa-Fite R, Johnson SN, Leon MA, Sestak JO, Berkland C, Creusot RJ. Soluble antigen arrays improve the efficacy and safety of peptide-based tolerogenic immunotherapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.05.539161. [PMID: 37205572 PMCID: PMC10187310 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.05.539161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Autoantigen-specific immunotherapy using peptides offers a more targeted approach to treat autoimmune diseases, but the limited in vivo stability and uptake of peptides impedes clinical implementation. We previously showed that multivalent delivery of peptides as soluble antigen arrays (SAgAs) efficiently protects against spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model. Here, we compared the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of SAgAs versus free peptides. SAgAs, but not their corresponding free peptides at equivalent doses, efficiently prevented the development of diabetes. SAgAs increased the frequency of regulatory T cells among peptide-specific T cells or induce their anergy/exhaustion or deletion, depending on the type of SAgA (hydrolysable (hSAgA) and non-hydrolysable 'click' SAgA (cSAgA)) and duration of treatment, whereas their corresponding free peptides induced a more effector phenotype following delayed clonal expansion. Moreover, the N-terminal modification of peptides with aminooxy or alkyne linkers, which was needed for grafting onto hyaluronic acid to make hSAgA or cSAgA variants, respectively, influenced their stimulatory potency and safety, with alkyne-functionalized peptides being more potent and less anaphylactogenic than aminooxy-functionalized peptides. Both SAgA variants significantly delayed anaphylaxis compared to their respective free peptides. The anaphylaxis, which occurred in NOD mice but not in C57BL/6 mice, was dose-dependent but did not correlate with the production of IgG1 or IgE against the peptides. We provide evidence that SAgAs significantly improve the efficacy and safety of peptide-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebuma Firdessa-Fite
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Medical Center, 650 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Stephanie N. Johnson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2095 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047
| | - Martin A. Leon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, Lawrence, KS 66045
| | - Joshua O. Sestak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2095 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047
| | - Cory Berkland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2095 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas,1530 West 15 Street, Lawrence, KS 66045
| | - Remi J. Creusot
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Medical Center, 650 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
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4
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Ballabio F, Broggini L, Paissoni C, Han X, Peqini K, Sala BM, Sun R, Sandalova T, Barbiroli A, Achour A, Pellegrino S, Ricagno S, Camilloni C. l- to d-Amino Acid Substitution in the Immunodominant LCMV-Derived Epitope gp33 Highlights the Sensitivity of the TCR Recognition Mechanism for the MHC/Peptide Structure and Dynamics. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:9622-9635. [PMID: 35350306 PMCID: PMC8945122 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c06964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Presentation of pathogen-derived epitopes by major histocompatibility complex I (MHC-I) can lead to the activation and expansion of specific CD8+ T cell clones, eventually resulting in the destruction of infected target cells. Altered peptide ligands (APLs), designed to elicit immunogenicity toward a wild-type peptide, may affect the overall stability of MHC-I/peptide (pMHC) complexes and modulate the recognition by T cell receptors (TCR). Previous works have demonstrated that proline substitution at position 3 (p3P) of different MHC-restricted epitopes, including the immunodominant LCMV-derived epitope gp33 and escape variants, may be an effective design strategy to increase epitope immunogenicity. These studies hypothesized that the p3P substitution increases peptide rigidity, facilitating TCR binding. Here, molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the p3P modification rigidifies the APLs in solution predisposing them for the MHC-I loading as well as once bound to H-2Db, predisposing them for TCR binding. Our results also indicate that peptide position 6, key for interaction of H-2Db/gp33 with the TCR P14, takes a suboptimal conformation before as well as after binding to the TCR. Analyses of H-2Db in complex with APLs, in which position 6 was subjected to an l- to d-amino acid modification, revealed small conformational changes and comparable pMHC thermal stability. However, the l- to d-modification reduced significantly the binding to P14 even in the presence of the p3P modification. Our combined data highlight the sensitivity of the TCR for the conformational dynamics of pMHC and provide further tools to dissect and modulate TCR binding and immunogenicity via APLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ballabio
- Dipartimento
di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Luca Broggini
- Dipartimento
di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
- Institute
of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese 20097, Italy
| | - Cristina Paissoni
- Dipartimento
di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Xiao Han
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute,
& Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm 14186, Sweden
| | - Kaliroi Peqini
- DISFARM,
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Sezione Chimica Generale e
Organica, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Benedetta Maria Sala
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute,
& Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm 14186, Sweden
| | - Renhua Sun
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute,
& Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm 14186, Sweden
| | - Tatyana Sandalova
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute,
& Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm 14186, Sweden
| | - Alberto Barbiroli
- Dipartimento
di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Adnane Achour
- Science
for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute,
& Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm 14186, Sweden
| | - Sara Pellegrino
- DISFARM,
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Sezione Chimica Generale e
Organica, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Stefano Ricagno
- Dipartimento
di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
- Institute
of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese 20097, Italy
| | - Carlo Camilloni
- Dipartimento
di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi
di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
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Li CW, Osman R, Menconi F, Faustino LC, Kim K, Clarke OB, Hou H, Tomer Y. Cepharanthine Blocks Presentation of Thyroid and Islet Peptides in a Novel Humanized Autoimmune Diabetes and Thyroiditis Mouse Model. Front Immunol 2021; 12:796552. [PMID: 34987519 PMCID: PMC8721038 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.796552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3 variant (APS3v) refers to an autoimmune condition in which both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD) develop in the same individual. HLA-DR3 confers the strongest susceptibility to APS3v. Previously we reported a unique amino acid signature pocket that predisposes to APS3v. We found that this pocket is flexible and can trigger APS3v by presenting both thyroid (Tg.1571, TPO.758) and islet (GAD.492) peptides to induce autoimmune response. We hypothesized that blocking the specific APS3v-HLA-DR3 pocket from presenting thyroid/islet antigens can block the autoimmune response in APS3v. To test this hypothesis we performed a virtual screen of small molecules blocking APS3v-HLA-DR3, and identified 11 small molecules hits that were predicted to block APS3v-HLA-DR3. Using the baculovirus-produced recombinant APS3v-HLA-DR3 protein we tested the 11 small molecules in an in vitro binding assay. We validated 4 small molecule hits, S9, S5, S53 and S15, that could block the APS3v-HLA-DR3 pocket in vitro. We then developed a novel humanized APS3v mouse model induced by co-immunizing a peptide mix of Tg.1571, TPO.758 and GAD.492. The immunized mice developed strong T-cell and antibody responses to the thyroid/islet peptides, as well as mouse thyroglobulin. In addition, the mice showed significantly lower free T4 levels compared to controls. Using the APS3v mouse model, we showed that one of the 4 small molecules, Cepharanthine (S53), blocked T-cell activation by thyroid/islet peptides ex vivo and in vivo. These findings suggested Cepharanthine may have a therapeutic potential in APS3v patients carrying the specific APS3v-HLA-DR3 pocket.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use
- Antigen Presentation
- Autoantigens/immunology
- Benzylisoquinolines/therapeutic use
- Binding Sites/genetics
- Cells, Cultured
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/drug therapy
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/immunology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Glutamate Decarboxylase/immunology
- HLA-DR3 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-DR3 Antigen/metabolism
- Humans
- Immunity, Humoral
- Immunization
- Iodide Peroxidase/immunology
- Iron-Binding Proteins/immunology
- Islets of Langerhans/immunology
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Mice
- Mice, SCID
- Peptide Fragments/genetics
- Peptide Fragments/immunology
- Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune/drug therapy
- Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Thyroglobulin/genetics
- Thyroglobulin/immunology
- Thyroiditis, Autoimmune/drug therapy
- Thyroiditis, Autoimmune/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk Wun Li
- The Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Roman Osman
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Larissa C. Faustino
- The Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kookjoo Kim
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Physiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Oliver B. Clarke
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Physiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hanxi Hou
- The Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yaron Tomer
- The Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Yaron Tomer,
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Zhang M, Wang Y, Li X, Meng G, Chen X, Wang L, Lin Z, Wang L. A Single L/D-Substitution at Q4 of the mInsA 2-10 Epitope Prevents Type 1 Diabetes in Humanized NOD Mice. Front Immunol 2021; 12:713276. [PMID: 34526989 PMCID: PMC8435724 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.713276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoreactive CD8+ T cells play an indispensable key role in the destruction of pancreatic islet β-cells and the initiation of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Insulin is an essential β-cell autoantigen in T1D. An HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope of insulin A chain (mInsA2-10) is an immunodominant ligand for autoreactive CD8+ T cells in NOD.β2mnull .HHD mice. Altered peptide ligands (APLs) carrying amino acid substitutions at T cell receptor (TCR) contact positions within an epitope are potential to modulate autoimmune responses via triggering altered TCR signaling. Here, we used a molecular simulation strategy to guide the generation of APL candidates by substitution of L-amino acids with D-amino acids at potential TCR contact residues (positions 4 and 6) of mInsA2-10, named mInsA2-10DQ4 and mInsA2-10DC6, respectively. We found that administration of mInsA2-10DQ4, but not DC6, significantly suppressed the development of T1D in NOD.β2mnull .HHD mice. Mechanistically, treatment with mInsA2-10DQ4 not only notably eliminated mInsA2-10 autoreactive CD8+ T cell responses but also prevented the infiltration of CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, as well as the inflammatory responses in the pancreas of NOD.β2mnull.HHD mice. This study provides a new strategy for the development of APL vaccines for T1D prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjun Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China.,Institute of Immunology People's Libration Army (PLA) & Department of Immunology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiangqian Li
- Institute of Immunology People's Libration Army (PLA) & Department of Immunology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Meng
- Department of Pathology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Institute of Immunology People's Libration Army (PLA) & Department of Immunology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Department of Immunology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Zhihua Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Institute of Immunology People's Libration Army (PLA) & Department of Immunology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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7
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Recent Applications of Retro-Inverso Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168677. [PMID: 34445382 PMCID: PMC8395423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural and de novo designed peptides are gaining an ever-growing interest as drugs against several diseases. Their use is however limited by the intrinsic low bioavailability and poor stability. To overcome these issues retro-inverso analogues have been investigated for decades as more stable surrogates of peptides composed of natural amino acids. Retro-inverso peptides possess reversed sequences and chirality compared to the parent molecules maintaining at the same time an identical array of side chains and in some cases similar structure. The inverted chirality renders them less prone to degradation by endogenous proteases conferring enhanced half-lives and an increased potential as new drugs. However, given their general incapability to adopt the 3D structure of the parent peptides their application should be careful evaluated and investigated case by case. Here, we review the application of retro-inverso peptides in anticancer therapies, in immunology, in neurodegenerative diseases, and as antimicrobials, analyzing pros and cons of this interesting subclass of molecules.
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8
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Mannering SI, Bhattacharjee P. Insulin's other life: an autoantigen in type 1 diabetes. Immunol Cell Biol 2021; 99:448-460. [PMID: 33524197 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12442] [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: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
One hundred years ago, Frederick Banting, John Macleod, Charles Best and James Collip, and their collaborators, discovered insulin. This discovery paved the way to saving countless lives and ushered in the "Insulin Era." Since the discovery of insulin, we have made enormous strides in understanding its role in metabolism and diabetes. Insulin has played a dramatic role in the treatment of people with diabetes; particularly type 1 diabetes (T1D). Insulin replacement is a life-saving therapy for people with T1D and some with type 2 diabetes. T1D is an autoimmune disease caused by the T-cell-mediated destruction of the pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells that leads to a primary insulin deficiency. It has become increasingly clear that insulin, and its precursors preproinsulin (PPI) and proinsulin (PI), can play another role-not as a hormone but as an autoantigen in T1D. Here we review the role played by the products of the INS gene as autoantigens in people with T1D. From many elegant animal studies, it is clear that T-cell responses to insulin, PPI and PI are essential for T1D to develop. Here we review the evidence that autoimmune responses to insulin and PPI arise in people with T1D and discuss the recently described neoepitopes derived from the products of the insulin gene. Finally, we look forward to new approaches to deliver epitopes derived from PPI, PI and insulin that may allow immune tolerance to pancreatic beta cells to be restored in people with, or at risk of, T1D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart I Mannering
- Immunology and Diabetes Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Pushpak Bhattacharjee
- Immunology and Diabetes Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
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9
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Direct Effects of D-Chiro-Inositol on Insulin Signaling and Glucagon Secretion of Pancreatic Alpha Cells. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10101404. [PMID: 33020399 PMCID: PMC7601246 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The insulin resistance state of pancreatic α-cells seems to be related to glucagon hypersecretion in type 2 diabetes. Treatment that can improve the insulin sensitivity of α-cells could control glucagon levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive role of D-chiro-inositol (DCI), which has insulin receptor-sensitizer effects on insulin signaling pathways and glucagon secretion in pancreatic α-TC1 clone 6 cells. Cells were chronically treated with palmitate to induce insulin resistance in the presence/absence of DCI. DCI treatment improved the insulin signaling pathway and restored insulin-mediated glucagon suppression in α-TC1-6 cells exposed to palmitate. These results indicate that DCI treatment prevents the insulin resistance of α-TC1-6 cells chronically exposed to palmitate. Our data provide evidence that DCI could be useful to improve the insulin sensitivity of pancreatic α-cells in diabetes treatment.
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