Structure-activity relationship of rubiscolins as delta opioid peptides

From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Active Opioid Antinociceptive Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design

Pain continues to be an enormous global health challenge, with millions of new untreated or inadequately treated patients reported annually. With respect to current clinical applications, opioids remain the mainstay for the treatment of pain, although they are often associated with serious side effects. To optimize their tolerability profiles, medicinal chemistry continues to study novel ligands and innovative approaches. Among them, natural products are known to be a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery, and they hold potential for pain management. Traditional medicine has had a long history in clinical practice due to the fact that nature provides a rich source of active principles. For instance, opium had been used for pain management until the 19th century when its individual components, such as morphine, were purified and identified. In this review article, we conducted a literature survey aimed at identifying natural products interacting either directly with opioid receptors or indirectly through other mechanisms controlling opioid receptor signaling, whose structures could be interesting from a drug design perspective.

Therapeutic Potential of Orally Administered Rubiscolin-6

Rubiscolins are naturally occurring opioid peptides derived from the enzymatic digestion of the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase protein in spinach leaves. They are classified into two subtypes based on amino acid sequence, namely rubiscolin-5 and rubiscolin-6. In vitro studies have determined rubiscolins as G protein-biased delta-opioid receptor agonists, and in vivo studies have demonstrated that they exert several beneficial effects via the central nervous system. The most unique and attractive advantage of rubiscolin-6 over other oligopeptides is its oral availability. Therefore, it can be considered a promising candidate for the development of a novel and safe drug. In this review, we show the therapeutic potential of rubiscolin-6, mainly focusing on its effects when orally administered based on available evidence. Additionally, we present a hypothesis for the pharmacokinetics of rubiscolin-6, focusing on its absorption in the intestinal tract and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Food-inspired peptides from spinach Rubisco endowed with antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties

Rubiscolin-6 (amino acid sequence: YPLDLF) is a selective δ-opioid receptor peptide isolated from spinach Rubisco. Its synthetic analogue, peptide YPMDIV is the most potent described so far for its increased opioid activity, thus in this work it was considered as lead compound for the design of twelve new analogues e.g. LMAS1-12. Firstly all the novel compounds have been tested for their antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory capacity in vitro and in vivo in order to evaluate their ability to maintain or loss the original activity. Among them peptides LMAS5-8 gave the best results, thus their antioxidant properties have been investigated along with their enzymatic inhibitory ability. Peptide LMAS6 shows a strong antioxidant (154.25 mg TE/g CUPRAC) and inhibitor activity on tyrosinase (84.49 mg KAE/g), indicating a potential role in food industry as anti-browning agent, while peptides LMAS5 and LMAS7 possess a modest cholinesterase inhibitory activity suggesting a conceivable use for nutraceuticals production.

Neuromodulatory peptides: Orally active anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like peptides derived from dietary plant proteins

Mental disorders are a severe health problem, and the number of patients is growing worldwide. Increased anxiety and decreased motivation due to excessive mental stress further accelerated the severity of the problem. Enzymatic digestion of food proteins produces bioactive peptides with various physiological functions, some of which exhibit neuromodulatory effects with oral administration. Recently, studies reported that some peptides produced from plant proteins such as soybeans, leaves, and grains exhibit emotional regulatory functions such as strong anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects comparable to pharmaceuticals. Conventionally, researchers investigated bioactive peptides by fractionation of protein hydrolysates and structure-activity relationship. As a novel methodology for analyzing bioactive peptides, the information obtained by peptidomics simultaneous analysis of the digested fractions of proteins using mass spectrometry has been effectively utilized. Some small-sized peptides such as dipeptides and tripeptides released food-derived proteins show emotional regulating effects. Moreover, some middle-sized peptides produced after intestinal digestion may exhibit the emotional regulating effect via the vagus nerve, and the importance of the gut-brain axis is also focused. As the central mechanism of emotional regulation, it has been found that these plant-derived peptides regulated monoamine neurotransmitter signaling and hippocampal neurogenesis.

Food protein-derived anxiolytic peptides: their potential role in anxiety management

Could bioactive peptides from food proteins be used as prophylactic in the management of anxiety disorders?

Rubiscolins are naturally occurring G protein-biased delta opioid receptor peptides

The impact that β-arrestin proteins have on G protein-coupled receptor trafficking, signaling and physiological behavior has gained much appreciation over the past decade. A number of studies have attributed the side effects associated with the use of naturally occurring and synthetic opioids, such as respiratory depression and constipation, to excessive recruitment of β-arrestin. These findings have led to the development of biased opioid small molecule agonists that do not recruit β-arrestin, activating only the canonical G protein pathway. Similar G protein-biased small molecule opioids have been found to occur in nature, particularly within kratom, and opioids within salvia have served as a template for the synthesis of other G protein-biased opioids. Here, we present the first report of naturally occurring peptides that selectively activate G protein signaling pathways at δ opioid receptors, but with minimal β-arrestin recruitment. Specifically, we find that rubiscolin peptides, which are produced as cleavage products of the plant protein rubisco, bind to and activate G protein signaling at δ opioid receptors. However, unlike the naturally occurring δ opioid peptides leu-enkephalin and deltorphin II, the rubiscolin peptides only very weakly recruit β-arrestin 2 and have undetectable recruitment of β-arrestin 1 at the δ opioid receptor.

Rubiscolin-6 activates opioid receptors to enhance glucose uptake in skeletal muscle

Rubiscolin-6 is an opioid peptide derived from plant ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). It has been demonstrated that opioid receptors could control glucose homeostasis in skeletal muscle independent of insulin action. Therefore, Rubiscolin-6 may be involved in the control of glucose metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the effect of rubiscolin-6 on glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. Rubiscolin-6-induced glucose uptake was measured using the fluorescent indicator 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG) in L6 and C2C12 cell lines. The protein expressions of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in L6 cells were observed by Western blotting. The in vivo effects of rubiscolin-6 were characterized in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Rubiscolin-6 induced a concentration-dependent increase in glucose uptake levels. The increase of phospho-AMPK (pAMPK) and GLUT4 expressions were also observed in L6 and C2C12 cells. Effects of rubiscolin-6 were blocked by opioid receptor antagonists and/or associated signals inhibitors. Moreover, Rubiscolin-6 produced a dose-dependent reduction of blood glucose and increased GLUT4 expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In conclusion, rubiscolin-6 increases glucose uptake, potentially via an activation of AMPK to enhance GLUT4 translocation after binding to opioid receptors in skeletal muscle.

Role of food-derived opioid peptides in the central nervous and gastrointestinal systems

Opioid receptors are widely distributed in central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Endogenous opioid receptor ligands are involved in many physiological processes. Exogenous peptides, derived from food proteins with gastrointestinal proteases, also exert opioid-like activities, and they include gluten exorphins (wheat), casomorphins (milk), rubiscolins (spinach), and soymorphins (soybean). Milk-derived opioid peptides play both agonistic and antagonistic roles, and most of the opioid peptides exert regulatory functions in the central nervous system, related to nociception, emotion and memory after oral, intracerebroventricular, or intraperitoneal administration. This indicates that the peptides may have crossed the blood-brain barrier or acted peripherally. Furthermore, some food-derived opioid peptides influence gastrointestinal functions such as gut motility, hormone release, appetite, mucus production, and local immunity. In healthy states, food-derived opioid peptides could benefit both the nervous and digestive systems, whereas in pathological conditions, the gastrointestinal permeability change and opioid excess may contribute to pathogenesis of some disorders. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Opioid receptors are important biological targets for the treatment of multiple diseases. Traditional opiate compounds, such as alkaloids, are demonstrated to exert numerous side effects, thereby limiting their clinical effectiveness. It is thought that food-derived opioid peptides may be safer than the alkaloids, and therefore can be applied in functional food development. In this review, we summarized the already discovered food opioid peptides from different sources, and elaborated their physiological functions on the central nervous and gastrointestinal systems. These effects support further exploration of the opioid peptides as therapeutic agents or as functional food ingredient for human health promotion.

Bioactive peptides derived from natural proteins with respect to diversity of their receptors and physiological effects

We have found various bioactive peptides derived from animal and plant proteins, which interact with receptors for endogenous bioactive peptides such as opioids, neurotensin, complements C3a and C5a, oxytocin, and formyl peptides etc. Among them, rubiscolin, a δ opioid peptide derived from plant RuBisCO, showed memory-consolidating, anxiolytic-like, and food intake-modulating effects. Soymorphin, a μ opioid peptide derived from β-conglycinin showed anxiolytic-like, anorexigenic, hypoglycemic, and hypotriglyceridemic effects. β-Lactotensin derived from β-lactoglobulin, the first natural ligand for the NTS2 receptor, showed memory-consolidating, anxiolytic-like, and hypocholesterolemic effects. Weak agonist peptides for the complements C3a and C5a receptors were released from many proteins and exerted various central effects. Peptides showing anxiolytic-like antihypertensive and anti-alopecia effects via different types of receptors such as OT, FPR and AT2 were also obtained. Based on these study, new functions and post-receptor mechanisms of receptor commom to endogenous and exogenous bioactive peptides have been clarified.

Behavioral effects of food-derived opioid-like peptides in rodents: Implications for schizophrenia?

Dohan proposed that an overload of dietary peptides, such as those derived from wheat gluten and milk casein, could be a factor relevant to the development or maintenance of schizophrenia (SZ) symptoms in at least a subset of vulnerable individuals. Rodent behavioral models may offer insight into the plausibility of Dohan's exorphin hypothesis by providing a means to directly study the effects of such peptides. Accordingly, a review of the literature on the behavioral effects of food-derived opioid-like peptides in rodents was undertaken. Studies using a variety of behavioral tests to examine the effects of several classes of food-derived opioid-like peptides were identified and reviewed. Peptides derived from casein (β-casomorphins; BCMs, n=19), spinach (rubiscolins; RCs, n=4), and soy (soymorphins; SMs, n=1) were behaviorally active in various paradigms assessing nociception, spontaneous behavior, and memory. Surprisingly, only a single study evaluating a gluten-derived peptide (gliadorphin-7; GD-7, n=1) was identified and included in this review. In conclusion, food-derived peptides can affect rodent behavior, but more studies of GDs using diverse behavioral batteries are warranted. Assuming they occur in sufficient quantities during protein digestion and can access central opioid receptors (which entails crossing both the gastrointestinal and blood-brain barriers intact), these peptides may affect human behavior. Although BCMs and GDs may not be directly pathogenic in SZ, documented associations of casein and gluten sensitivity with SZ justify increased patient screening and dietary intervention where necessary.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship of rubiscolin analogues as delta opioid peptides using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA)

Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) studies were carried out on a series of 38 rubiscolins as delta opioid peptides using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA). Quantitative information on structure-activity relationships is provided for further rational development and direction of selective synthesis. All models were carried out over a training set including 30 peptides. The best CoMFA model included electrostatic and steric fields and had a moderate Q (2) = 0.503. CoMSIA analysis surpassed the CoMFA results: the best CoMSIA model included only the hydrophobic field and had a Q (2) = 0.661. In addition, this model predicted adequately the peptides contained in the test set. Our model identified that the potency of delta opioid activity of rubiscolin analogues essentially exhibited a significant relationship with local hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics of amino acids at positions 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Rubiscolin-6, a delta opioid peptide derived from spinach Rubisco, has anxiolytic effect via activating sigma1 and dopamine D1 receptors

Rubiscolin-6 (Tyr-Pro-Leu-Asp-Leu-Phe) is a delta opioid peptide derived from the large subunit of spinach d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). We previously reported that rubiscolin-6 had an analgesic effect and stimulated memory consolidation. Here we show that intraperitoneally (i.p.) or orally administered rubiscolin-6 has an anxiolytic effect at a dose of 10 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg, respectively, in the elevated plus-maze test in mice. The anxiolytic effects of rubscolin-6 after i.p. (10 mg/kg) and oral (100 mg/kg) administration were blocked by a delta opioid receptor antagonist, naltrindole (1 mg/kg, s.c.), suggesting that the anxiolytic activity of rubiscolin-6 is mediated by delta opioid receptor. The anxiolytic effect of rubiscolin-6 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was also blocked by a dopamine D(1) antagonist, SCH23390 (30 microg/kg, i.p.), but not by a dopamine D(2) antagonist, raclopride (15 microg/kg, i.p.). The anxiolytic effect of rubiscolin-6 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was blocked by sigma(1) receptor antagonist, BMY14802 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or BD1047 (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Taken together, the anxiolytic effect of rubiscolin-6 is mediated by sigma(1) and dopamine D(1) receptors downstream of delta opioid receptor.