1
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Keith A, Brichtová EP, Barber JG, Wales DJ, Jackson SE, Röder K. Energy Landscapes and Structural Ensembles of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Monomers. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5601-5611. [PMID: 38831581 PMCID: PMC11182347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
While GLP-1 and its analogues are important pharmaceutical agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, their susceptibility to aggregate into amyloid fibrils poses a significant safety issue. Many factors may contribute to the aggregation propensity, including pH. While it is known that the monomeric structure of GLP-1 has a strong impact on primary nucleation, probing its diverse structural ensemble is challenging. Here, we investigated the monomer structural ensembles at pH 3, 4, and 7.5 using state-of-the-art computational methods in combination with experimental data. We found significant stabilization of β-strand structures and destabilization of helical structures at lower pH, correlating with observed aggregation lag times, which are lower under these conditions. We further identified helical defects at pH 4, which led to the fastest observed aggregation, in agreement with our far-UV circular dichroism data. The detailed atomistic structures that result from the computational studies help to rationalize the experimental results on the aggregation propensity of GLP-1. This work provides a new insight into the pH-dependence of monomeric structural ensembles of GLP-1 and connects them to experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alasdair
D. Keith
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Eva Přáda Brichtová
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorferstr. 1A, Vienna 1060, Austria
| | - Jack G. Barber
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - David J. Wales
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sophie E. Jackson
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Konstantin Röder
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, U.K.
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2
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Renawala HK, Chandrababu KB, Smith KJ, D'Addio SM, Topp EM. A Model Study to Assess Fibrillation and Product Stability to Support Peptide Drug Design. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2223-2237. [PMID: 38552144 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The fibrillation of therapeutic peptides can present significant quality concerns and poses challenges for manufacturing and storage. A fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of fibrillation is critical for the rational design of fibrillation-resistant peptide drugs and can accelerate product development by guiding the selection of solution-stable candidates and formulations. The studies reported here investigated the effects of structural modifications on the fibrillation of a 29-residue peptide (PepA) and two sequence modified variants (PepB, PepC). The C-terminus of PepA was amidated, whereas both PepB and PepC retained the carboxylate, and Ser16 in PepA and PepB was substituted with a helix-stabilizing residue, α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), in PepC. In thermal denaturation studies by far-UV CD spectroscopy and fibrillation kinetic studies by fluorescence and turbidity measurements, PepA and PepB showed heat-induced conformational changes and were found to form fibrils, whereas PepC did not fibrillate and showed only minor changes in the CD signal. Pulsed hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) showed a high degree of protection from HD exchange in mature PepA fibrils and its proteolytic fragments, indicating that most of the sequence had been incorporated into the fibril structure and occurred nearly simultaneously throughout the sequence. The effects of the net peptide charge and formulation pH on fibrillation kinetics were investigated. In real-time stability studies of two formulations of PepA at pH's 7.4 and 8.0, analytical methods detected significant changes in the stability of the formulations at different time points during the study, which were not observed during accelerated studies. Additionally, PepA samples were withdrawn from real-time stability and subjected to additional stress (40 °C, continuous shaking) to induce fibrillation; an approach that successfully amplified oligomers or prefibrillar species previously undetected in a thioflavin T assay. Taken together, these studies present an approach to differentiate and characterize fibrillation risk in structurally related peptides under accelerated and real-time conditions, providing a model for rapid, iterative structural design to optimize the stability of therapeutic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshil K Renawala
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Karthik B Chandrababu
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Katelyn J Smith
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Suzanne M D'Addio
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Topp
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, Belfield, Blackrock, Co. Dublin A94 X099, Ireland
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3
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Adorinni S, Gentile S, Bellotto O, Kralj S, Parisi E, Cringoli MC, Deganutti C, Malloci G, Piccirilli F, Pengo P, Vaccari L, Geremia S, Vargiu AV, De Zorzi R, Marchesan S. Peptide Stereochemistry Effects from p Ka-Shift to Gold Nanoparticle Templating in a Supramolecular Hydrogel. ACS NANO 2024; 18:3011-3022. [PMID: 38235673 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The divergent supramolecular behavior of a series of tripeptide stereoisomers was elucidated through spectroscopic, microscopic, crystallographic, and computational techniques. Only two epimers were able to effectively self-organize into amphipathic structures, leading to supramolecular hydrogels or crystals, respectively. Despite the similarity between the two peptides' turn conformations, stereoconfiguration led to different abilities to engage in intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Self-assembly further shifted the pKa value of the C-terminal side chain. As a result, across the pH range 4-6, only one epimer predominated sufficiently as a zwitterion to reach the critical molar fraction, allowing gelation. By contrast, the differing pKa values and higher dipole moment of the other epimer favored crystallization. The four stereoisomers were further tested for gold nanoparticle (AuNP) formation, with the supramolecular hydrogel being the key to control and stabilize AuNPs, yielding a nanocomposite that catalyzed the photodegradation of a dye. Importantly, the AuNP formation occurred without the use of reductants other than the peptide, and the redox chemistry was investigated by LC-MS, NMR, and infrared scattering-type near field optical microscopy (IR s-SNOM). This study provides important insights for the rational design of simple peptides as minimalistic and green building blocks for functional nanocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Adorinni
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Serena Gentile
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Ottavia Bellotto
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Slavko Kralj
- Materials Synthesis Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Evelina Parisi
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria C Cringoli
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Caterina Deganutti
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuliano Malloci
- Physics Department, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Piccirilli
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149 Basovizza, Italy
- Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Pengo
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lisa Vaccari
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149 Basovizza, Italy
| | - Silvano Geremia
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Attilio V Vargiu
- Physics Department, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rita De Zorzi
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvia Marchesan
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
- Unit of Trieste, INSTM, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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4
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Gao Z, Wei Y, Ma G. A review of recent research and development on GLP-1 receptor agonists-sustained-release microspheres. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:11184-11197. [PMID: 37975420 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02207b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are increasingly used in treating type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, owing to their limited oral bioavailability, most commercially available GLP-1 RAs are administered through frequent subcutaneous injections, which may result in poor patient compliance during clinical treatment. To improve patients' compliance, sustained-release GLP-1 RA-loaded microspheres have been explored. This review is an overview of recent progress and research in GLP-1 RA-loaded microspheres. First, the fabrication methods of GLP-1 RA-loaded microspheres including the coacervation method, emulsion-solvent evaporation method based on agitation, premix membrane emulsification technology, spray drying, microfluidic droplet technology, and supercritical fluid technology are summarized. Next, the strategies for maintaining GLP-1 RAs' stability and activity in microspheres by adding additives and PEGylation are reviewed. Finally, the effect of particle size, drug distribution, the internal structure of microspheres, and the hydrogel/microsphere composite strategy on improved release behavior is summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Guanghui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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5
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Přáda Brichtová E, Krupová M, Bouř P, Lindo V, Gomes Dos Santos A, Jackson SE. Glucagon-like peptide 1 aggregates into low-molecular-weight oligomers off-pathway to fibrillation. Biophys J 2023; 122:2475-2488. [PMID: 37138517 PMCID: PMC10323027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The physical stability of peptide-based drugs is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a 31-amino acid peptide hormone, the analogs of which are frequently used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the physical stability of GLP-1 and its C-terminal amide derivative, GLP-1-Am, both of which aggregate into amyloid fibrils. While off-pathway oligomers have been proposed to explain the unusual aggregation kinetics observed previously for GLP-1 under specific conditions, these oligomers have not been studied in any detail. Such states are important as they may represent potential sources of cytotoxicity and immunogenicity. Here, we identified and isolated stable, low-molecular-weight oligomers of GLP-1 and GLP-1-Am, using size-exclusion chromatography. Under the conditions studied, isolated oligomers were shown to be resistant to fibrillation or dissociation. These oligomers contain between two and five polypeptide chains and they have a highly disordered structure as indicated by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. They are highly stable with respect to time, temperature, or agitation despite their noncovalent character, which was established using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results provide evidence of stable, low-molecular-weight oligomers that are formed by an off-pathway mechanism which competes with amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Přáda Brichtová
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Monika Krupová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic; Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Petr Bouř
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Viv Lindo
- AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sophie E Jackson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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6
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Martinez Morales M, van der Walle CF, Derrick JP. Modulation of the Fibrillation Kinetics and Morphology of a Therapeutic Peptide by Cucurbit[7]uril. Mol Pharm 2023. [PMID: 37327060 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fibrillation is a challenge commonly encountered in the formulation and development of therapeutic peptides. Cucurbit[7]urils (CB[7]), a group of water soluble macrocycles, have been reported to suppress fibrillation in insulin and human calcitonin through association with Phe and Tyr residues which drive fibril formation. Here, we report the effect of CB[7] on the fibrillation behavior of the HIV fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide (ENF) that contains N-terminal Tyr and C-terminal Phe residues. Thioflavin T fluorescence, CD spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to monitor fibrillation behavior. Fibrillation onset showed a strong pH dependency, with pH 6.5 identified as the condition most suitable to monitor the effects of CB[7]. Binding of CB[7] to wild-type ENF was measured by isothermal titration calorimetry and was consistent with a single site (Ka = 2.4 × 105 M-1). A weaker interaction (Ka = 2.8 × 103 M-1) was observed for an ENF mutant with the C-terminal Phe substituted for Ala (ENFm), suggesting that Phe was the specific site for CB[7] recognition. The onset of ENF fibrillation onset was delayed, rather than fully suppressed, in the presence of CB[7]. The ENFm mutant showed a greater delay in fibrillation onset but with no observable effect on fibrillation kinetics in the presence of CB[7]. Interestingly, ENF/CB[7] and ENFm fibrils exhibited comparable morphologies, differing from those observed for ENF alone. The results indicate that CB[7] is capable of modulating fibrillation onset and the resulting ENF fibrils by specifically binding to the C-terminal Phe residue. The work reinforces the potential of CB[7] as an inhibitor of fibrillation and highlights its role in determining fibril morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Martinez Morales
- Dosage Form Design & Development, AstraZeneca, Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH, U.K
- School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | | | - Jeremy P Derrick
- School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
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7
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Wang K, Chen K. Direct Assessment of Oligomerization of Chemically Modified Peptides and Proteins in Formulations using DLS and DOSY-NMR. Pharm Res 2023; 40:1329-1339. [PMID: 36627448 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-022-03468-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Protein higher order structure (HOS) including the oligomer distribution can be critical for efficacy, safety and stability of drug products (DP). Oligomerization is particularly relevant to chemically modified protein therapeutics that have an extended pharmacokinetics profile. Therefore, the direct assessment of protein oligomerization in drug formulation is desired for quality assurance and control. METHODS Here, two non-invasive methods, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) NMR, were applied to measure translational diffusion coefficients (Ddls and Dnmr) of proteins in formulated drug products. The hydrodynamic molecular weights (MWhd), similar to hydrodynamic size, of protein therapeutics were derived based on a log(Ddls) vs log(MWhd) correlation model established using protein standards. RESULTS An exponent value of -0.40 ± 0.01 was established for DLS measured log(D) vs. log(MWhd) using protein standards and a theoretical exponent value of -0.6 was used for unstructured polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains. The analysis of DLS derived MWhd of the primary species showed the fatty acid linked glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) was in different oligomer states, but the fatty acid linked insulin and PEG linked proteins were in monomer states. Nevertheless, equilibrium and exchange between oligomers in formulations were universal and clearly evidenced from DOSY-NMR for all drugs except peginterferon alfa-2a. CONCLUSION The correlation models of log(D) vs. log(MWhd) could be a quick and efficient way to predict MWhd of protein, which directly informs on the state of protein folding and oligomerization in formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Division of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Kang Chen
- Division of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
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8
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Frolov AI, Chankeshwara SV, Abdulkarim Z, Ghiandoni GM. pIChemiSt ─ Free Tool for the Calculation of Isoelectric Points of Modified Peptides. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:187-196. [PMID: 36573842 PMCID: PMC9832473 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The isoelectric point (pI) is a fundamental physicochemical property of peptides and proteins. It is widely used to steer design away from low solubility and aggregation and guide peptide separation and purification. Experimental measurements of pI can be replaced by calculations knowing the ionizable groups of peptides and their corresponding pKa values. Different pKa sets are published in the literature for natural amino acids, however, they are insufficient to describe synthetically modified peptides, complex peptides of natural origin, and peptides conjugated with structures of other modalities. Noncanonical modifications (nCAAs) are ignored in the conventional sequence-based pI calculations, therefore producing large errors in their pI predictions. In this work, we describe a pI calculation method that uses the chemical structure as an input, automatically identifies ionizable groups of nCAAs and other fragments, and performs pKa predictions for them. The method is validated on a curated set of experimental measures on 29 modified and 119093 natural peptides, providing an improvement of R2 from 0.74 to 0.95 and 0.96 against the conventional sequence-based approach for modified peptides for the two studied pKa prediction tools, ACDlabs and pKaMatcher, correspondingly. The method is available in the form of an open source Python library at https://github.com/AstraZeneca/peptide-tools, which can be integrated into other proprietary and free software packages. We anticipate that the pI calculation tool may facilitate optimization and purification activities across various application domains of peptides, including the development of biopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey I. Frolov
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D,
AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden,
| | - Sunay V. Chankeshwara
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D,
AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Zeyed Abdulkarim
- Early
Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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9
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Application of Af4-Multidetection to Liraglutide in Its Formulation: Preserving and Representing Native Aggregation. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175485. [PMID: 36080254 PMCID: PMC9457993 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation is among the most critical parameters affecting the pharmacological and safety profile of peptide Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). For this reason, it is of utmost importance to define the exact aggregation state of peptide drugs, particularly when the API is marketed as a ready-to-use solution. Consequently, appropriate non-destructive techniques able to replicate the peptide environment must be employed. In our work, we exploited Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4), connected to UV, dRI, fluorescence, and MALS detectors, to fully characterize the aggregation state of Liraglutide, a peptide API used for the treatment of diabetes type 2 and chronic obesity. In previous studies, Liraglutide was hypothesized to assemble into hexa-octamers in phosphate buffer, but no information on its behavior in the formulation medium was provided up to now. The method used allowed researchers to work using formulation as the mobile phase with excellent recoveries and LoQ/LoD, discerning between stable and degraded samples, and detecting, when present, aggregates up to 108 Da. The native state of Liraglutide was assessed and found to be an association into pentamers, with a non-spherical conformation. Combined to benchmark analyses, the sameness study was complete and descriptive, also giving insight on the aggregation process and covalent/non-covalent aggregate types.
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10
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Amyloidogenicity of peptides targeting diabetes and obesity. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021; 209:112157. [PMID: 34715595 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.112157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of insulin, a century ago, the repertoire of therapeutic polypeptides targeting diabetes - and now also obesity - have increased substantially. The focus on quality has shifted from impure and unstable preparations of animal insulin to highly pure, homologous recombinant insulin, along with other peptide-based hormones and analogs such as amylin analogs (pramlintide, davalintide, cagrilintide), glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1, liraglutide, exenatide, semaglutide). Proper formulation, storage, manipulation and usage by professionals and patients are required in order to avoid agglomeration into high molecular weight products (HMWP), either amorphous or amyloid, which could result in potential loss of biological activity and short- or long-term immune reaction and silent inactivation. In this narrative review, we present perspective of the aggregation of therapeutic polypeptides used in diabetes and other metabolic diseases, covering the nature and mechanisms, analytical techniques, physical and chemical stability, strategies aimed to hamper the formation of HMWP, and perspectives on future biopharmaceutical developments.
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11
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The Effects of pH and Excipients on Exenatide Stability in Solution. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081263. [PMID: 34452224 PMCID: PMC8398870 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Exenatide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Byetta® and Bydureon®, two type 2 diabetes drug products that have generics and multiple follow-up formulations currently in development. Even though exenatide is known to be chemically and physically unstable at pH 7.5, there lacks a systematic evaluation of the impact of pH and excipients on the peptide solution stability. In this study, we established analytical methods to measure the chemical and physical degradation of the peptide in solution. Exenatide remained relatively stable at pH 4.5 when incubated at 37 °C. At pH 5.5-6.5, degradation was driven by oxidation, while driven by deamidation at pH 7.5-8.5. Significant aggregation of exenatide at pH 7.5 and 8.5 was detected by size exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering. Each pH value greater than 4.5 exhibited unique profiles corresponding to a loss of α-helical content and an increase in unordered structures. The addition of sugars, including mannitol, sorbitol and sucrose, conferred small protective effects against peptide aggregation when incubating at pH 7.5 and 37 °C, as measured by size-exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering. The results of this study will be useful for investigators developing generic exenatide products, peptide analogs and novel exenatide drug delivery systems.
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12
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Wang Y, Guo Z, Tan T, Ji Y, Hu J, Zhang Y. The effects of nanobubbles on the assembly of glucagon amyloid fibrils. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:3486-3493. [PMID: 33657201 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm02279a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Some recent studies have shown that the surface and interface play an important role in the assembly and aggregation of amyloid proteins. However, it is unclear how the gas-liquid interface affects the protein assembly at the nanometer scale although the presence of gas-liquid interfaces is very common in in vitro experiments. Nanobubbles have a large specific surface area, which provides a stage for interactions with various proteins and peptides on the nanometer scale. In this work, nanobubbles produced in solution were employed for studying the effects of the gas-liquid interface on the assembly of glucagon proteins. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies showed that nanobubble-treated glucagon solution formed fibrils with an apparent height of 4.02 ± 0.71 nm, in contrast to the fibrils formed with a height of 2.14 ± 0.53 nm in the control. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results also showed that nanobubbles promoted the assembly of glucagon to form more fibrils. Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses indicated that the nanobubbles induced the change of the glucagon conformation to a β-sheet structure. A mechanism that explains how nanobubbles affect the assembly of glucagon amyloid fibrils was proposed based on the above-mentioned experimental results. Given the fact that there are a considerable amount of nanobubbles existing in protein solutions, our results indicate that nanobubbles should be considered for fully understanding the protein aggregation events in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
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13
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Patient-centric design for peptide delivery: Trends in routes of administration and advancement in drug delivery technologies. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2020.100079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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14
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Zaman M, Andreasen M. Modulating Kinetics of the Amyloid-Like Aggregation of S. aureus Phenol-Soluble Modulins by Changes in pH. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010117. [PMID: 33430169 PMCID: PMC7825627 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is recognized as one of the most frequent causes of biofilm-associated infections. The recently identified phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) peptides act as the key molecular effectors of staphylococcal biofilm maturation and promote the formation of an aggregated fibril structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various pH values on the formation of functional amyloids of individual PSM peptides. Here, we combined a range of biophysical, chemical kinetics and microscopic techniques to address the structure and aggregation mechanism of individual PSMs under different conditions. We established that there is a pH-induced switch in PSM aggregation kinetics. Different lag times and growth of fibrils were observed, which indicates that there was no clear correlation between the rates of fibril elongation among different PSMs. This finding confirms that pH can modulate the aggregation properties of these peptides and suggest a deeper understanding of the formation of aggregates, which represents an important basis for strategies to interfere and might help in reducing the risk of biofilm-related infections.
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15
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Doerr FJS, Burns LJ, Lee B, Hinds J, Davis-Harrison RL, Frank SA, Florence AJ. Peptide Isolation via Spray Drying: Particle Formation, Process Design and Implementation for the Production of Spray Dried Glucagon. Pharm Res 2020; 37:255. [PMID: 33319329 PMCID: PMC7736029 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-020-02942-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Spray drying plays an important role in the pharmaceutical industry for product development of sensitive bio-pharmaceutical formulations. Process design, implementation and optimisation require in-depth knowledge of process-product interactions. Here, an integrated approach for the rapid, early-stage spray drying process development of trehalose and glucagon on lab-scale is presented. METHODS Single droplet drying experiments were used to investigate the particle formation process. Process implementation was supported using in-line process analytical technology within a data acquisition framework recording temperature, humidity, pressure and feed rate. During process implementation, off-line product characterisation provided additional information on key product properties related to residual moisture, solid state structure, particle size/morphology and peptide fibrillation/degradation. RESULTS A psychrometric process model allowed the identification of feasible operating conditions for spray drying trehalose, achieving high yields of up to 84.67%, and significantly reduced levels of residual moisture and particle agglomeration compared to product obtained during non-optimal drying. The process was further translated to produce powders of glucagon and glucagon-trehalose formulations with yields of >83.24%. Extensive peptide aggregation or degradation was not observed. CONCLUSIONS The presented data-driven process development concept can be applied to address future isolation problems on lab-scale and facilitate a systematic implementation of spray drying for the manufacturing of sensitive bio-pharmaceutical formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik J S Doerr
- EPSRC CMAC Future Manufacturing Research Hub, Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RD, UK
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Lee J Burns
- Small Molecule Design and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Becky Lee
- Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories PSS, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Jeremy Hinds
- Small Molecule Design and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | | | - Scott A Frank
- Small Molecule Design and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Alastair J Florence
- EPSRC CMAC Future Manufacturing Research Hub, Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RD, UK.
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK.
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16
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Egbu R, van der Walle CF, Brocchini S, Williams GR. Inhibiting the fibrillation of a GLP-1-like peptide. Int J Pharm 2020; 574:118923. [PMID: 31812799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.118923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation, including the formation of fibrils, poses significant challenges for the development of therapeutic peptides. To prepare stable peptide formulations, some understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the fibrillation process is required. A thioflavin T fluorescence assay was first used to determine the fibrillation profile of a GLP-1-like peptide (G48) at conditions being considered to formulate the peptide. G48 concentrations ranged from 0 to 600 µM and three pH values (pH 3.7, 7.4 and 8.5) were evaluated. Kinetic data demonstrate that G48 displays a pH-dependent aggregation profile. At pH 3.7, which is below the isoelectric point of G48 (pI ~ 5), kinetics representative of amorphous aggregates forming via a nucleation-independent mechanism were seen. At pH 7.4 and 8.5 (pH > pI) typical nucleation-dependent aggregation kinetics were observed. The weight concentration of β-sheet rich aggregates (FLmax) correlated inversely with net charge, so lower FLmax values were observed at pH 3.7 and 8.5 than at pH 7.4. Incorporation of a non-ionic surfactant (polysorbate 80) into the peptide solution suppressed the fibrillation of G48 at all pH values and maintained the native peptide conformation, whereas a phenolic co-formulant (ferulic acid) had minimal effects on fibril growth. Peptide fibrillation, which can occur within a range of formulation concentrations and pH values, can hence be inhibited by the judicious use of excipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Egbu
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | | | - Steve Brocchini
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Gareth R Williams
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
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17
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Hu J, Sun H, Hao H, Zheng Q. Prediction of fibril formation by early-stage amyloid peptide aggregation. J Pharm Anal 2019; 10:194-199. [PMID: 32373391 PMCID: PMC7193079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are found in systemic amyloidosis diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and type II diabetes. Currently, these diseases are diagnosed by observation of fibrils or plaques, which is an ineffective method for early diagnosis and treatment of disease. The goal of this study was to develop a simple and quick method to predict the possibility and speed of fibril formation before its occurrence. Oligomers generated from seven representative peptide segments were first isolated and detected by ion-mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). Then, their assemblies were disrupted using formic acid (FA). Interestingly, oligomers that showed small ion intensity changes upon FA addition had rapid fibril formation. By contrast, oligomers that had large ion intensity changes generated fibrils slowly. Two control peptides (aggregation/no fibrils and no aggregation/no fibrils) did not show changes in their ion intensities, which confirmed the ability of this method to predict amyloid formation. In summary, the developed method correlated MS intensity ratio changes of peptide oligomers on FA addition with their amyloid propensities. This method will be useful for monitoring peptide/protein aggregation behavior and essential for their mechanism studies. Co-populated oligomers are differentiated by IM-MS. Oligomers that showed small ranges of fold change had rapid fibril formation. Oligomers that had large ranges of fold change generated fibrils slowly. Fold changes of oligomers are representative to their aggregation propensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Huiyong Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Haiping Hao
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Qiuling Zheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang #24, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
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18
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The molecular lifecycle of amyloid – Mechanism of assembly, mesoscopic organisation, polymorphism, suprastructures, and biological consequences. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2019; 1867:140257. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2019.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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19
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Morel B, Conejero-Lara F. Early mechanisms of amyloid fibril nucleation in model and disease-related proteins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2019; 1867:140264. [PMID: 31437584 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2019.140264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein amyloid aggregation is a hallmark in neuropathologies and other diseases of tremendous impact such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. During the last decade, it has become increasingly evident that neuronal death is mainly induced by proteinaceous oligomers rather than the mature amyloid fibrils. Therefore, the earliest molecular events occurring during the amyloid aggregation cascade represent a growing interest of study. Important breakthroughs have been achieved using experimental data from different proteins, used as models, as well as systems related to diseases. Here, we summarize the structural properties of amyloid oligomeric and fibrillar aggregates and review the recent advances on how biophysical techniques can be combined with quantitative kinetic analysis and theoretical models to study the detailed mechanism of oligomer formation and nucleation of fibrils. These insights into the mechanism of early oligomerization and amyloid nucleation are of relevant interest in drug discovery and in the design of preventive strategies against neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Morel
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Conejero-Lara
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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20
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Bothe JR, Andrews A, Smith KJ, Joyce LA, Krishnamachari Y, Kashi S. Peptide Oligomerization Memory Effects and Their Impact on the Physical Stability of the GLP-1 Agonist Liraglutide. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:2153-2161. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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21
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Evers A, Pfeiffer-Marek S, Bossart M, Heubel C, Stock U, Tiwari G, Gebauer B, Elshorst B, Pfenninger A, Lukasczyk U, Hessler G, Kamm W, Wagner M. Peptide Optimization at the Drug Discovery-Development Interface: Tailoring of Physicochemical Properties Toward Specific Formulation Requirements. J Pharm Sci 2019; 108:1404-1414. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2018.11.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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22
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Zhang J, Mao X, Xu W. Fibril Nucleation Kinetics of a Pharmaceutical Peptide: The Role of Conformation Stability, Formulation Factors, and Temperature Effect. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:5591-5601. [PMID: 30350639 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Peptide aggregation, such as the formation of fibrils, could pose a significant challenge for the stability of parenteral peptide drugs. To ensure a robust peptide formulation, a thorough understanding of aggregation kinetics and the development of appropriate accelerated testing conditions are necessary. The present research investigated factors that impact the fibrillation kinetics of a helical 29mer pharmaceutical peptide (peptide A) and attempts to correlate results of accelerated kinetic studies with real time kinetics. Conformational flexibility of the peptide and its potential impact on aggregation kinetics were thoroughly evaluated. Three orthogonal approaches to evaluate aggregation kinetics were assessed, thioflavin T fluorescence, turbidity, and soluble peptide concentration. The results from the methods demonstrated that peptide A showed nucleated polymerization kinetics. The lag time of the fibrillation process depends heavily on pH, ionic strength, temperature, agitation, and substrate interface. The temperature-dependent fibril nucleation kinetics follow Arrhenius behavior, despite a helical fold in the peptide structure. This finding suggests a potential opportunity to leverage accelerated testing conditions to project the long-term performance at storage temperatures. The present study provides both fundamental understanding and practical approaches to mitigate the aggregation risk for pharmaceutical peptides with a strong tendency to form fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtao Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MRL , Merck & Co., Inc. , West Point , Pennsylvania 19486 , United States
| | - Xinpei Mao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MRL , Merck & Co., Inc. , West Point , Pennsylvania 19486 , United States
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MRL , Merck & Co., Inc. , West Point , Pennsylvania 19486 , United States
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23
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Hasecke F, Miti T, Perez C, Barton J, Schölzel D, Gremer L, Grüning CSR, Matthews G, Meisl G, Knowles TPJ, Willbold D, Neudecker P, Heise H, Ullah G, Hoyer W, Muschol M. Origin of metastable oligomers and their effects on amyloid fibril self-assembly. Chem Sci 2018; 9:5937-5948. [PMID: 30079208 PMCID: PMC6050532 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc01479e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Assembly of rigid amyloid fibrils with their characteristic cross-β sheet structure is a molecular signature of numerous neurodegenerative and non-neuropathic disorders. Frequently large populations of small globular amyloid oligomers (gOs) and curvilinear fibrils (CFs) precede the formation of late-stage rigid fibrils (RFs), and have been implicated in amyloid toxicity. Yet our understanding of the origin of these metastable oligomers, their role as on-pathway precursors or off-pathway competitors, and their effects on the self-assembly of amyloid fibrils remains incomplete. Using two unrelated amyloid proteins, amyloid-β and lysozyme, we find that gO/CF formation, analogous to micelle formation by surfactants, is delineated by a "critical oligomer concentration" (COC). Below this COC, fibril assembly replicates the sigmoidal kinetics of nucleated polymerization. Upon crossing the COC, assembly kinetics becomes biphasic with gO/CF formation responsible for the lag-free initial phase, followed by a second upswing dominated by RF nucleation and growth. RF lag periods below the COC, as expected, decrease as a power law in monomer concentration. Surprisingly, the build-up of gO/CFs above the COC causes a progressive increase in RF lag periods. Our results suggest that metastable gO/CFs are off-pathway from RF formation, confined by a condition-dependent COC that is distinct from RF solubility, underlie a transition from sigmoidal to biphasic assembly kinetics and, most importantly, not only compete with RFs for the shared monomeric growth substrate but actively inhibit their nucleation and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Hasecke
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
| | - Tatiana Miti
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
| | - Carlos Perez
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
| | - Jeremy Barton
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
| | - Daniel Schölzel
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Lothar Gremer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Clara S R Grüning
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
| | - Garrett Matthews
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
| | - Georg Meisl
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , Cambridge CB2 1EW , UK
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , Cambridge CB2 1EW , UK
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Philipp Neudecker
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Henrike Heise
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Ghanim Ullah
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , 40204 Düsseldorf , Germany .
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) , Structural Biochemistry , Research Centre Jülich , Germany
| | - Martin Muschol
- Department of Physics , University of South Florida , Tampa , FL 33620 , USA .
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24
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Takeuchi M, Okamoto M, Okamoto R, Kinoshita H, Yamaguchi Y, Watanabe N. Discovery of a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 analog with enhanced aggregation propensity. Peptides 2018; 102:8-15. [PMID: 29391187 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In the course of our search for new GLP-1 analogs, we screened a number of [Ser8]-GLP-1 analogs using the C-terminal helix 3 of the albumin binding domain 3 of protein G from bacterial Streptococcal G strain 148 (G148-ABD3) as appendage. Our efforts led to the discovery of [Ser8]-GLP-1 (7-35)-GVKALIDEILAA-NH2, peptide 6, as a long-acting GLP-1 analog with enhanced self-associated aggregation. Peptide 6 showed enhanced stability in rat and human plasma and an extended half-life of 5.4 h with good bioavailability in rats and subsequently prolonged therapeutic effects in diabetic mice. Analytical ultracentrifugation and TLC suggest that 6 remains oligomeric in the circulation, which accounts for its extended in vivo half-life. The present work shows the possible enhancement of medium-sized oligopeptides aggregation propensity and highlights the potential advantages of peptide aggregates for long-acting peptide drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuaki Takeuchi
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan
| | - Masayuki Okamoto
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan
| | - Ryuji Okamoto
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kinoshita
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan
| | - Yu Yamaguchi
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan
| | - Nobuhide Watanabe
- Mie Research Laboratories, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd., 363 Shiosaki, Hokusei-cho, Inabe-city, Mie 511-0406, Japan; Licensing & Business Development, R&D Strategy Center, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Co., Ltd.,Mitsui Building No.2 5F 1-1 Nihonbashi-Muromachi 2-Chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0022, Japan.
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25
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Nick M, Wu Y, Schmidt NW, Prusiner SB, Stöhr J, DeGrado WF. A long-lived Aβ oligomer resistant to fibrillization. Biopolymers 2018; 109:e23096. [PMID: 29319162 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The hydrophobic Aβ peptide is highly aggregation prone; it first forms soluble oligomers, which then convert into the amyloid fibrils found in the cerebral plaques of Alzheimer's disease. It is generally understood that as the peptide concentration of Aβ increases, the fibrillization process is accelerated, but we examine the limits on this phenomenon. We found that once a threshold concentration of Aβ is exceeded, a stable oligomer is formed at the expense of fibril formation. The suppression of fibril formation was observed by amyloid-binding dye Thioflavin T and solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Small-angle X-ray scattering, size exclusion chromatography, and analytical ultracentrifugation demonstrated that Aβ peptides form a range of compact species, with a dimer being an early highly populated oligomer. Solution NMR allowed us to define the secondary structure of this Aβ dimer, which shows interlocking contacts between C-terminal peptide strands. Thus, we present a novel Aβ oligomer that resists conversion to fibrils and remains stable for more than one year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Nick
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Yibing Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Nathan W Schmidt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Jan Stöhr
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - William F DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California
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26
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Zapadka KL, Becher FJ, Gomes Dos Santos AL, Jackson SE. Factors affecting the physical stability (aggregation) of peptide therapeutics. Interface Focus 2017; 7:20170030. [PMID: 29147559 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2017.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of biological therapeutic agents in the clinic and development pipeline has increased dramatically over the last decade and the number will undoubtedly continue to increase in the coming years. Despite this fact, there are considerable challenges in the development, production and formulation of such biologics particularly with respect to their physical stabilities. There are many cases where self-association to form either amorphous aggregates or highly structured fibrillar species limits their use. Here, we review the numerous factors that influence the physical stability of peptides including both intrinsic and external factors, wherever possible illustrating these with examples that are of therapeutic interest. The effects of sequence, concentration, pH, net charge, excipients, chemical degradation and modification, surfaces and interfaces, and impurities are all discussed. In addition, the effects of physical parameters such as pressure, temperature, agitation and lyophilization are described. We provide an overview of the structures of aggregates formed, as well as our current knowledge of the mechanisms for their formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frederik J Becher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | | | - Sophie E Jackson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
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27
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Controlling the bioactivity of a peptide hormone in vivo by reversible self-assembly. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1026. [PMID: 29044101 PMCID: PMC5647335 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01114-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of peptides as therapeutic agents is undergoing a renaissance with the expectation of new drugs with enhanced levels of efficacy and safety. Their clinical potential will be only fully realised once their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties have been precisely controlled. Here we demonstrate a reversible peptide self-assembly strategy to control and prolong the bioactivity of a native peptide hormone in vivo. We show that oxyntomodulin, a peptide with potential to treat obesity and diabetes, self-assembles into a stable nanofibril formulation which subsequently dissociates to release active peptide and produces a pharmacological effect in vivo. The subcutaneous administration of the nanofibrils in rats results in greatly prolonged exposure, with a constant oxyntomodulin bioactivity detectable in serum for at least 5 days as compared to free oxyntomodulin which is undetectable after only 4 h. Such an approach is simple, cost-efficient and generic in addressing the limitations of peptide therapeutics. The clinical potential of peptide therapeutic agents can only be fully realised once their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties are precisely controlled. Here the authors show a reversible peptide self-assembly strategy to control and prolong the bioactivity of a native peptide hormone in vivo.
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