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Petruk G, Puthia M, Samsudin F, Petrlova J, Olm F, Mittendorfer M, Hyllén S, Edström D, Strömdahl AC, Diehl C, Ekström S, Walse B, Kjellström S, Bond PJ, Lindstedt S, Schmidtchen A. Targeting Toll-like receptor-driven systemic inflammation by engineering an innate structural fold into drugs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6097. [PMID: 37773180 PMCID: PMC10541425 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41702-y] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a clinical need for conceptually new treatments that target the excessive activation of inflammatory pathways during systemic infection. Thrombin-derived C-terminal peptides (TCPs) are endogenous anti-infective immunomodulators interfering with CD14-mediated TLR-dependent immune responses. Here we describe the development of a peptide-based compound for systemic use, sHVF18, expressing the evolutionarily conserved innate structural fold of natural TCPs. Using a combination of structure- and in silico-based design, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, biophysics, mass spectrometry, cellular, and in vivo studies, we here elucidate the structure, CD14 interactions, protease stability, transcriptome profiling, and therapeutic efficacy of sHVF18. The designed peptide displays a conformationally stabilized, protease resistant active innate fold and targets the LPS-binding groove of CD14. In vivo, it shows therapeutic efficacy in experimental models of endotoxin shock in mice and pigs and increases survival in mouse models of systemic polymicrobial infection. The results provide a drug class based on Nature´s own anti-infective principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganna Petruk
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Manoj Puthia
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
| | - Jitka Petrlova
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Franziska Olm
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Snejana Hyllén
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Skåne University Hospital, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden
| | - Dag Edström
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Skåne University Hospital, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ann-Charlotte Strömdahl
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Carl Diehl
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, SE-22381, Lund, Sweden
| | - Simon Ekström
- BioMS - Swedish National Infrastructure for Biological Mass Spectrometry, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Walse
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, SE-22381, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sven Kjellström
- Division of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Sandra Lindstedt
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Skåne University Hospital, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden
| | - Artur Schmidtchen
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-22184, Lund, Sweden
- Dermatology, Skane University Hospital, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden
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Chen FY, Cao XW, Han SY, Lian HZ, Mao L. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HYDROPHOBICITY AND RPLC RETENTION BEHAVIOR OF AMPHOTERIC COMPOUNDS. J LIQ CHROMATOGR R T 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/10826076.2013.864977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fang-yuan Chen
- a State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University , Nanjing , China
| | - Xiao-wen Cao
- a State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University , Nanjing , China
| | - Shu-ying Han
- a State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University , Nanjing , China
- b College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine , Nanjing , China
| | - Hong-zhen Lian
- a State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University , Nanjing , China
| | - Li Mao
- c MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, School of Public Health , Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing , China
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Aumann L, Buttè A, Morbidelli M, Büscher K, Schenkel B. Modeling of the Chromatographic Solvent Gradient Reversed Phase Purification of a Multicomponent Polypeptide Mixture. SEP SCI TECHNOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/01496390801941026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Kovacs JM, Mant CT, Hodges RS. Determination of intrinsic hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of amino acid side chains in peptides in the absence of nearest-neighbor or conformational effects. Biopolymers 2006; 84:283-97. [PMID: 16315143 PMCID: PMC2744689 DOI: 10.1002/bip.20417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of amino acid side chains in peptides/proteins is one the most important aspects of biology. Though many hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity scales have been generated, an "intrinsic" scale has yet to be achieved. "Intrinsic" implies the maximum possible hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of side chains in the absence of nearest-neighbor or conformational effects that would decrease the full expression of the side-chain hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity when the side chain is in a polypeptide chain. Such a scale is the fundamental starting point for determining the parameters that affect side-chain hydrophobicity and for quantifying such effects in peptides and proteins. A 10-residue peptide sequence, Ac-X-G-A-K-G-A-G-V-G-L-amide, was designed to enable the determination of the intrinsic values, where position X was substituted by all 20 naturally occurring amino acids and norvaline, norleucine, and ornithine. The coefficients were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using six different mobile phase conditions involving different pH values (2, 5, and 7), ion-pairing reagents, and the presence and absence of different salts. The results show that the intrinsic hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of amino acid side chains in peptides (proteins) is independent of pH, buffer conditions, or whether C(8) or C(18) reversed-phase columns were used for 17 side chains (Gly, Ala, Cys, Pro, Val, nVal, Leu, nLeu, Ile, Met, Tyr, Phe, Trp, Ser, Thr, Asn, and Gln) and dependent on pH and buffer conditions, including the type of salt or ion-pairing reagent for potentially charged side chains (Orn, Lys, His, Arg, Asp, and Glu).
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Kovacs
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Aurora, 80045, USA
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Chen Y, Mant CT, Farmer SW, Hancock REW, Vasil ML, Hodges RS. Rational design of alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides with enhanced activities and specificity/therapeutic index. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:12316-29. [PMID: 15677462 PMCID: PMC1393284 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m413406200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 467] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, the 26-residue peptide sequence Ac-KWKSFLKTFKSAVKTVLHTALKAISS-amide (V681) was utilized as the framework to study the effects of peptide hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, amphipathicity, and helicity (induced by single amino acid substitutions in the center of the polar and nonpolar faces of the amphipathic helix) on biological activities. The peptide analogs were also studied by temperature profiling in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, from 5 to 80 degrees C, to evaluate the self-associating ability of the molecules in solution, another important parameter in understanding peptide antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. A higher ability to self-associate in solution was correlated with weaker antimicrobial activity and stronger hemolytic activity of the peptides. Biological studies showed that strong hemolytic activity of the peptides generally correlated with high hydrophobicity, high amphipathicity, and high helicity. In most cases, the D-amino acid substituted peptides possessed an enhanced average antimicrobial activity compared with L-diastereomers. The therapeutic index of V681 was improved 90- and 23-fold against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. By simply replacing the central hydrophobic or hydrophilic amino acid residue on the nonpolar or the polar face of these amphipathic derivatives of V681 with a series of selected D-/L-amino acids, we demonstrated that this method has excellent potential for the rational design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Chen
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Aurora, Colorado 80045, the
| | - Colin T. Mant
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Aurora, Colorado 80045, the
| | - Susan W. Farmer
- Department of Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada, and the
| | - Robert E. W. Hancock
- Department of Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada, and the
| | - Michael L. Vasil
- Department of Microbiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Robert S. Hodges
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Aurora, Colorado 80045, the
- || To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Biomolecular Structure MS 8101, P. O. Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045. Tel.: 303-724-3253; Fax: 303-724-3249; E-mail:
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Chen Y, Mant CT, Hodges RS. Selectivity differences in the separation of amphipathic α-helical peptides during reversed-phase liquid chromatography at pHs 2.0 and 7.0. J Chromatogr A 2004; 1043:99-111. [PMID: 15317418 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2004.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In an ongoing effort to understand the effect of varying reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) parameters on the retention behaviour of peptides, necessary for the rational development of separation/optimization protocols, we believe it is important to delineate the contribution of alpha-helical structure to the selectivity of peptide separations. The present study reports the effects of varying column packing, mobile phase conditions and temperature on RP-HPLC retention behaviour at pHs 2.0 and 7.0 of peptides based on the amphipathic peptide sequence Ac-EAEKAAKEXEKAAKEAEK-amide (with position X in the centre of the hydrophobic face of the alpha-helix), where position X is substituted by L- or D-amino acids. At pH 2.0, an increase in trifluoroacetic acid concentration or the addition of sodium perchlorate to a phosphoric acid-based mobile phase had the similar effect of improving peak shape as well as increasing peptide retention time due to ion-pairing effects with the positively-charged peptides; in contrast, at pH 7.0, the addition of salt had little effect save an improvement in peak shape. Temperature was shown to have a complex influence on peptide selectivity due to varying effects on peptide conformation. In addition, subtle effects on peptide selectivity were also noted based on the column packings employed at pHs 2.0 and 7.0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health, Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA
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Chen Y, Mant CT, Hodges RS. Temperature selectivity effects in reversed-phase liquid chromatography due to conformation differences between helical and non-helical peptides. J Chromatogr A 2003; 1010:45-61. [PMID: 14503815 DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(03)00877-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In order to characterize the effect of temperature on the retention behaviour and selectivity of separation of polypeptides and proteins in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), the chromatographic properties of four series of peptides, with different peptide conformations, have been studied as a function of temperature (5-80 degrees C). The secondary structure of model peptides was based on either the amphipathic alpha-helical peptide sequence Ac-EAEKAAKEX(D/L)EKAAKEAEK-amide, (position X being in the centre of the hydrophobic face of the alpha-helix), or the random coil peptide sequence Ac-X(D/L)LGAKGAGVG-amide, where position X is substituted by the 19 L- or D-amino acids and glycine. We have shown that the helical peptide analogues exhibited a greater effect of varying temperature on elution behaviour compared to the random coil peptide analogues, due to the unfolding of alpha-helical structure with the increase of temperature during RP-HPLC. In addition, temperature generally produced different effects on the separations of peptides with different L- or D-amino acid substitutions within the groups of helical or non-helical peptides. The results demonstrate that variations in temperature can be used to effect significant changes in selectivity among the peptide analogues despite their very high degree of sequence homology. Our results also suggest that a temperature-based approach to RP-HPLC can be used to distinguish varying amino acid substitutions at the same site of the peptide sequence. We believe that the peptide mixtures presented here provide a good model for studying temperature effects on selectivity due to conformational differences of peptides, both for the rational development of peptide separation optimization protocols and a probe to distinguish between peptide conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Mant CT, Chen Y, Hodges RS. Temperature profiling of polypeptides in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2003; 1009:29-43. [PMID: 13677643 DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(03)00621-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The present study sets out to extend the utility of reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) by demonstrating its ability to monitor dimerization and unfolding of de novo designed synthetic amphipathic alpha-helical peptides on stationary phases of varying hydrophobicity. Thus, we have compared the effect of temperature (5-80 degrees C) on the RP-HPLC (C8 or cyano columns) elution behaviour of mixtures of peptides encompassing amphipathic alpha-helical structure, amphipathic alpha-helical structure with L- or D-substitutions or non-amphipathic alpha-helical structure. By comparing the retention behaviour of the helical peptides to a peptide of negligible secondary structure (a random coil), we rationalize that "temperature profiling" by RP-HPLC can monitor association of peptide molecules, either through oligomerization or aggregation, or monitor unfolding of alpha-helical peptides with increasing temperature. We believe that the conformation-dependent response of peptides to RP-HPLC under changing temperature has implications both for general analysis and purification of peptides but also for the de novo design of peptides and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin T Mant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA
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Lee DL, Mant CT, Hodges RS. A novel method to measure self-association of small amphipathic molecules: temperature profiling in reversed-phase chromatography. J Biol Chem 2003; 278:22918-27. [PMID: 12686558 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m301777200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Biophysical techniques such as size-exclusion chromatography, sedimentation equilibrium analytical ultracentrifugation, and non-denaturing gel electrophoresis are the classical methods for determining the self-association of molecules into dimers, trimers, or other higher order species. However, these techniques usually require high (mg/ml) loading concentrations to detect self-association and also possess a lower size limit that is dependent on the ability of the technique to resolve monomeric from higher order species. Here we describe a novel, sensitive method with no upper or lower molecular size limits that indicates self-association of molecules driven together by the hydrophobic effect under aqueous conditions. "Temperature profiling in reversed-phase chromatography" analyzes the retention behavior of a sample over the temperature range of 5-80 degrees C during gradient elution reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Because this technique greatly increases the effective concentration of analyte upon adsorption to the column, it is extremely sensitive, requiring very small sample quantities (microgram or less). In contrast, the classical techniques mentioned above decrease the effective analyte concentration during analysis, decreasing sensitivity by requiring larger amounts of analyte to detect molecular self-association. We demonstrate the utility of this technique with 14-residue cyclic and linear cationic peptides (<2000 Da) based on the sequence of the de novo-designed cytolytic peptide, GS14. The only requirements for the analyte molecule when using this technique are its ability to be retained on the reversed-phase column and to be subsequently removed from the column during gradient elution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin L Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
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Biswas KM, DeVido DR, Dorsey JG. Evaluation of methods for measuring amino acid hydrophobicities and interactions. J Chromatogr A 2003; 1000:637-55. [PMID: 12877193 DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(03)00182-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The concept of hydrophobicity has been addressed by researchers in all aspects of science, particularly in the fields of biology and chemistry. Over the past several decades, the study of the hydrophobicity of biomolecules, particularly amino acids has resulted in the development of a variety of hydrophobicity scales. In this review, we discuss the various methods of measuring amino acid hydrophobicity and provide explanations for the wide range of rankings that exist among these published scales. A discussion of the literature on amino acid interactions is also presented. Only a surprisingly small number of papers exist in this rather important area of research; measuring pairwise amino acid interactions will aid in understanding structural aspects of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kallol M Biswas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
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