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Graur A, Haymond A, Lee KH, Viscarra F, Russo P, Luchini A, Paige M, Bermudez-Diaz I, Kabbani N. Protein Painting Mass Spectrometry in the Discovery of Interaction Sites within the Acetylcholine Binding Protein. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:2322-2333. [PMID: 38804618 PMCID: PMC11157483 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00149] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a family of ligand-gated ion channel receptors that contribute to cognition, memory, and motor control in many organisms. The pharmacological targeting of these receptors, using small molecules or peptides, presents an important strategy for the development of drugs that can treat important human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. The Aplysia californica acetylcholine binding protein (Ac-AChBP) is a structural surrogate of the nAChR with high homology to the extracellular ligand binding domain of homopentameric nAChRs. In this study, we optimized protein-painting-based mass spectrometry to identify regions of interaction between the Ac-AChBP and several nAChR ligands. Using molecular dyes that adhere to the surface of a solubilized Ac-AChBP complex, we identified amino acid residues that constitute a contact site within the Ac-AChBP for α-bungarotoxin, choline, nicotine, and amyloid-β 1-42. By integrating innovation in protein painting mass spectrometry with computational structural modeling, we present a new experimental tool for analyzing protein interactions of the nAChR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Graur
- School
of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, United States
| | - Amanda Haymond
- Center
for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Kyung Hyeon Lee
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason
University, Fairfax, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Franco Viscarra
- Department
of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
- Structural
Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Russo
- Center
for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Alessandra Luchini
- Center
for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Mikell Paige
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason
University, Fairfax, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Isabel Bermudez-Diaz
- Department
of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
| | - Nadine Kabbani
- School
of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, United States
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Bojko M, Węgrzyn K, Sikorska E, Ciura P, Battin C, Steinberger P, Magiera-Mularz K, Dubin G, Kulesza A, Sieradzan AK, Spodzieja M, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S. Peptide-based inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis: potential immunotherapeutics for cancer. Transl Oncol 2024; 42:101892. [PMID: 38359715 PMCID: PMC10877416 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101892] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 complex belongs to the group of inhibitory immune checkpoints and plays a critical role in immune regulation. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is also responsible for immune evasion of cancer cells, and this complex is one of the main targets of immunotherapies used in oncology. Treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors is mainly based on antibodies. This approach has great therapeutic potential; however, it also has major drawbacks and can induce immune-related adverse events. Thus, there is a strong need for alternative, non-antibody-based therapies using small molecules, peptides, or peptidomimetics. In the present study, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a set of PD-1-targeting peptides based on the sequence and structure of PD-L1. The binding of these peptides to PD-1 was investigated using SPR and ELISA. We also assessed their ability to compete with PD-L1 for binding to PD-1 and their inhibitory properties against the PD-1/PD-L1 complex at the cellular level. The best results were obtained for the peptide PD-L1(111-127)(Y112C-I126C), named (L11), which displaced PD-L1 from binding to PD-1 in the competitive assay and inhibited the formation of the PD-1/PD-L1 complex. The (L11) peptide also exhibited strong affinity for PD-1. NMR studies revealed that (L11) does not form a well-defined secondary structure; however, MD simulation indicated that (L11) binds to PD-1 at the same place as PD-L1. After further optimization of the structure, the peptide inhibitor obtained in this study could also be used as a potential therapeutic compound targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Bojko
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Ciura
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katarzyna Magiera-Mularz
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7A, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Dubin
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Chemistry, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Adam Kulesza
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam K Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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