1
|
He H, Yin J, Li M, Dessai CVP, Yi M, Teng X, Zhang M, Li Y, Du Z, Xu B, Cheng JX. Mapping enzyme activity in living systems by real-time mid-infrared photothermal imaging of nitrile chameleons. Nat Methods 2024; 21:342-352. [PMID: 38191931 PMCID: PMC11165695 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02137-x] [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: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Simultaneous spatial mapping of the activity of multiple enzymes in a living system can elucidate their functions in health and disease. However, methods based on monitoring fluorescent substrates are limited. Here, we report the development of nitrile (C≡N)-tagged enzyme activity reporters, named nitrile chameleons, for the peak shift between substrate and product. To image these reporters in real time, we developed a laser-scanning mid-infrared photothermal imaging system capable of imaging the enzymatic substrates and products at a resolution of 300 nm. We show that when combined, these tools can map the activity distribution of different enzymes and measure their relative catalytic efficiency in living systems such as cancer cells, Caenorhabditis elegans, and brain tissues, and can be used to directly visualize caspase-phosphatase interactions during apoptosis. Our method is generally applicable to a broad category of enzymes and will enable new analyses of enzymes in their native context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jiaze Yin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mingsheng Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chinmayee Vallabh Prabhu Dessai
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meihui Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Xinyan Teng
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meng Zhang
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yueming Li
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhiyi Du
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yan Z, Liu Y, Zhao L, Hu J, Du Y, Peng X, Liu Z. In situ stimulus-responsive self-assembled nanomaterials for drug delivery and disease treatment. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:3197-3217. [PMID: 37376926 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00592e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The individual motifs that respond to specific stimuli for the self-assembly of nanomaterials play important roles. In situ constructed nanomaterials are formed spontaneously without human intervention and have promising applications in bioscience. However, due to the complex physiological environment of the human body, designing stimulus-responsive self-assembled nanomaterials in vivo is a challenging problem for researchers. In this article, we discuss the self-assembly principles of various nanomaterials in response to the tissue microenvironment, cell membrane, and intracellular stimuli. We propose the applications and advantages of in situ self-assembly in drug delivery and disease diagnosis and treatment, with a focus on in situ self-assembly at the lesion site, especially in cancer. Additionally, we introduce the significance of introducing exogenous stimulation to construct self-assembly in vivo. Based on this foundation, we put forward the prospects and possible challenges in the field of in situ self-assembly. This review uncovers the relationship between the structure and properties of in situ self-assembled nanomaterials and provides new ideas for innovative drug molecular design and development to solve the problems in the targeted delivery and precision medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziling Yan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan Province, P. R. China
| | - Yanfei Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan Province, P. R. China
| | - Licheng Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan Province, P. R. China
| | - Jiaxin Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, P. R. China.
| | - Yimin Du
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, P. R. China.
| | - Xingxing Peng
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, P. R. China.
| | - Zhenbao Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, P. R. China.
- Molecular Imaging Research Center of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang S, Wang M, Wang T, Sun M, Huang H, Shi X, Duan S, Wu Y, Zhu J, Liu F. Self-assembled short peptides: Recent advances and strategies for potential pharmaceutical applications. Mater Today Bio 2023; 20:100644. [PMID: 37214549 PMCID: PMC10199221 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-assembled short peptides have intrigued scientists due to the convenience of synthesis, good biocompatibility, low toxicity, inherent biodegradability and fast response to change in the physiological environment. Therefore, it is necessary to present a comprehensive summary of the recent advances in the last decade regarding the construction, route of administration and application of self-assembled short peptides based on the knowledge on their unique and specific ability of self-assembly. Herein, we firstly explored the molecular mechanisms of self-assembly of short peptides, such as non-modified amino acids, as well as Fmoc-modified, N-functionalized, and C-functionalized peptides. Next, cell penetration, fusion, and peptide targeting in peptide-based drug delivery were characterized. Then, the common administration routes and the potential pharmaceutical applications (drug delivery, antibacterial activity, stabilizers, imaging agents, and applications in bioengineering) of peptide drugs were respectively summarized. Last but not least, some general conclusions and future perspectives in the relevant fields were briefly listed. Although with certain challenges, great opportunities are offered by self-assembled short peptides to the fascinating area of drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shihua Yang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Department of Phase I Clinical Trials Center, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110102, China
| | - Mingge Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Tianye Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Department of Anus and Intestine Surgery, The First Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, China
| | - Mengchi Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Hanwei Huang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Department of Phase I Clinical Trials Center, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110102, China
| | - Xianbao Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, China
| | - Shijie Duan
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Department of Phase I Clinical Trials Center, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110102, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Phase I Clinical Trials Center, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110102, China
| | - Jiaming Zhu
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Funan Liu
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, China Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Department of Phase I Clinical Trials Center, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110102, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
He H, Yin J, Li M, Teng X, Zhang M, Li Y, Du Z, Xu B, Cheng JX. Mapping Enzyme Activity in Living Systems by Real-Time Mid-Infrared Photothermal Imaging of Nitrile Chameleons. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2592139. [PMID: 36909612 PMCID: PMC10002843 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2592139/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Enzymes are vital components in a variety of physiological and biochemical processes. Participation of various enzyme species are required for many biological events and signaling networks. Thus, spatially mapping the activity of multiple enzymes in a living system is significant for elucidating enzymatic functions in health and connections to diseases. Here, we report the development of nitrile (C≡N)-tagged enzyme activity reporters, named nitrile chameleons for the shifted peak between substrate and product. By real-time mid-infrared photothermal imaging of the enzymatic substrates and products at 300 nm resolution, our approach can map the activity distribution of different enzymes and quantitate the relative catalytic efficiency in living cancer cells, C. elegans, and brain tissues. An important finding is the direct visualization of caspase-phosphatase cooperation during apoptosis. Our method is generally applicable to a broad category of enzymes and will advance the discovery of potential targets for diagnosis and drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jiaze Yin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mingsheng Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Xinyan Teng
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Meng Zhang
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yueming Li
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zhiyi Du
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hamley IW. Self-Assembly, Bioactivity, and Nanomaterials Applications of Peptide Conjugates with Bulky Aromatic Terminal Groups. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:384-409. [PMID: 36735801 PMCID: PMC9945136 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c01041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly and structural and functional properties of peptide conjugates containing bulky terminal aromatic substituents are reviewed with a particular focus on bioactivity. Terminal moieties include Fmoc [fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl], naphthalene, pyrene, naproxen, diimides of naphthalene or pyrene, and others. These provide a driving force for self-assembly due to π-stacking and hydrophobic interactions, in addition to the hydrogen bonding, electrostatic, and other forces between short peptides. The balance of these interactions leads to a propensity to self-assembly, even for conjugates to single amino acids. The hybrid molecules often form hydrogels built from a network of β-sheet fibrils. The properties of these as biomaterials to support cell culture, or in the development of molecules that can assemble in cells (in response to cellular enzymes, or otherwise) with a range of fascinating bioactivities such as anticancer or antimicrobial activity, are highlighted. In addition, applications of hydrogels as slow-release drug delivery systems and in catalysis and other applications are discussed. The aromatic nature of the substituents also provides a diversity of interesting optoelectronic properties that have been demonstrated in the literature, and an overview of this is also provided. Also discussed are coassembly and enzyme-instructed self-assembly which enable precise tuning and (stimulus-responsive) functionalization of peptide nanostructures.
Collapse
|
6
|
Jeena MT, Jin S, Jana B, Ryu JH. Enzyme-instructed morphology transformation of mitochondria-targeting peptide for the selective eradication of osteosarcoma. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1416-1421. [PMID: 36544576 PMCID: PMC9709777 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00166g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The treatment of osteosarcoma involves an adjuvant therapy that combines surgery and chemotherapy. However, considering that children are the main victims of osteosarcoma, replacing such a harsh treatment with a soft but powerful method that ensures a complete cure while having no adverse effects is highly desirable. To achieve this aim, we have developed a supramolecular therapeutic strategy based on morphology-transformable mitochondria-targeting peptides for the eradication of osteosarcoma with enhanced selectivity and reduced side effects. A newly designed micelle-forming amphiphilic peptide, l-Mito-FFYp, consisting of a phosphate substrate for the biomarker enzyme of osteosarcoma alkaline phosphatase (ALP), disassembles in response to the ALP enzyme in the cell membrane to generate positively charged l-Mito-FFY molecules, which diffuse inside the targeted cell and self-assemble to form nanostructures specifically inside the mitochondria to induce cell apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. T. Jeena
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Ulsan 44919Republic of Korea
| | - Seongeon Jin
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Ulsan 44919Republic of Korea
| | - Batakrishna Jana
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Ulsan 44919Republic of Korea
| | - Ja-Hyoung Ryu
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)Ulsan 44919Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tan W, Zhang Q, Hong P, Xu B. A Self-Assembling Probe for Imaging the States of Golgi Apparatus in Live Single Cells. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:1983-1988. [PMID: 35312281 PMCID: PMC9489815 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite the enormous progress in genomics and proteomics, it is still challenging to assess the states of organelles in living cells with high spatiotemporal resolution. Based on our recent finding of enzyme-instructed self-assembly of a thiophosphopeptide that targets the Golgi Apparatus (GA) instantly, we use the thiophosphopeptide, which is enzymatically responsive and redox active, as an integrative probe for revealing the state of the GA of live cells at the single cell level. By imaging the probe in the GA of live cells over time, our results show that the accumulation of the probe at the GA depends on cell types. By comparison to a conventional Golgi probe, this self-assembling probe accumulates at the GA much faster and are sensitive to the expression of alkaline phosphatases. In addition, subtle changes of the fluorophore results in slightly different GA responses. This work illustrates a novel class of active molecular probes that combine enzyme-instructed self-assembly and redox reaction for high-resolution imaging of the states of subcellular organelles over a large area and extended times.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Qiuxin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Pengyu Hong
- Department of Computer Science, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Characterization of Aurintricarboxylic Acid (ATA) Interactions with Plasma Transporter Protein and SARS-CoV-2 Viral Targets: Correlation of Functional Activity and Binding Energetics. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12060872. [PMID: 35743905 PMCID: PMC9227171 DOI: 10.3390/life12060872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In an effort to identify functional-energetic correlations leading to the development of efficient anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic agents, we have designed synthetic analogs of aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), a heterogeneous polymeric mixture of structurally related linear homologs known to exhibit a host of biological properties, including antiviral activity. These derivatives are evaluated for their ability to interact with a plasma transporter protein (human serum albumin), eukaryotic (yeast) ribosomes, and a SARS-CoV-2 target, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The resultant data are critical for characterizing drug distribution, bioavailability, and effective inhibition of host and viral targets. Promising lead compounds are selected on the basis of their binding energetics which have been characterized and correlated with functional activities as assessed by inhibition of RNA replication and protein synthesis. Our results reveal that the activity of heterogeneous ATA is mimicked by linear compounds of defined molecular weight, with a dichlorohexamer salicylic-acid derivative exhibiting the highest potency. These findings are instrumental for optimizing the design of structurally defined ATA analogs that fulfill the requirements of an antiviral drug with respect to bioavailability, homogeneity, and potency, thereby expanding the arsenal of therapeutic regimens that are currently available to address the urgent need for effective SARS-CoV-2 treatment strategies.
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Supramolecular assemblies are essential components of living organisms. Cellular scaffolds, such as the cytoskeleton or the cell membrane, are formed via secondary interactions between proteins or lipids and direct biological processes such as metabolism, proliferation and transport. Inspired by nature’s evolution of function through structure formation, a range of synthetic nanomaterials has been developed in the past decade, with the goal of creating non-natural supramolecular assemblies inside living mammalian cells. Given the intricacy of biological pathways and the compartmentalization of the cell, different strategies can be employed to control the assembly formation within the highly crowded, dynamic cellular environment. In this Review, we highlight emerging molecular design concepts aimed at creating precursors that respond to endogenous stimuli to build nanostructures within the cell. We describe the underlying reaction mechanisms that can provide spatial and temporal control over the subcellular formation of synthetic nanostructures. Showcasing recent advances in the development of bioresponsive nanomaterials for intracellular self-assembly, we also discuss their impact on cellular function and the challenges associated with establishing structure–bioactivity relationships, as well as their relevance for the discovery of novel drugs and imaging agents, to address the shortfall of current solutions to pressing health issues. ![]()
Creating artificial nanostructures inside living cells requires the careful design of molecules that can transform into active monomers within a complex cellular environment. This Review explores the recent development of bioresponsive precursors for the controlled formation of intracellular supramolecular assemblies.
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang TT, Xia YY, Gao JQ, Xu DH, Han M. Recent Progress in the Design and Medical Application of In Situ Self-Assembled Polypeptide Materials. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:753. [PMID: 34069645 PMCID: PMC8160760 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13050753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inspired by molecular self-assembly, which is ubiquitous in natural environments and biological systems, self-assembled peptides have become a research hotspot in the biomedical field due to their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability, properties that are afforded by the amide linkages forming the peptide backbone. This review summarizes the biological advantages, principles, and design strategies of self-assembled polypeptide systems. We then focus on the latest advances in in situ self-assembly of polypeptides in medical applications, such as oncotherapy, materials science, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery, and then briefly discuss their potential challenges in clinical treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Tian Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Yi-Yi Xia
- Institution of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.-Y.X.); (J.-Q.G.)
| | - Jian-Qing Gao
- Institution of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.-Y.X.); (J.-Q.G.)
| | - Dong-Hang Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Min Han
- Institution of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.-Y.X.); (J.-Q.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chen J, Zhao Y, Yao Q, Gao Y. Pathological environment directed in situ peptidic supramolecular assemblies for nanomedicines. Biomed Mater 2021; 16:022011. [PMID: 33630754 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/abc2e9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Peptidic self-assembly provides a powerful method to build biomedical materials with integrated functions. In particular, pathological environment instructed peptidic supramolecular have gained great progress in treating various diseases. Typically, certain pathology related factors convert hydrophilic precursors to corresponding more hydrophobic motifs to assemble into supramolecular structures. Herein, we would like to review the recent progress of nanomedicines based on the development of instructed self-assembly against several specific disease models. Firstly we introduce the cancer instructed self-assembly. These assemblies have exhibited great inhibition efficacy, as well as enhanced imaging contrast, against cancer models both in vitro and in vivo. Then we discuss the infection instructed peptidic self-assembly. A number of different molecular designs have demonstrated the potential antibacterial application with satisfied efficiency for peptidic supramolecular assemblies. Further, we discuss the application of instructed peptidic self-assembly for other diseases including neurodegenerative disease and vaccine. The assemblies have succeeded in down-regulating abnormal Aβ aggregates and immunotherapy. In summary, the self-assembly precursors are typical two-component molecules with (1) a self-assembling motif and (2) a cleavable trigger responsive to the pathological environment. Upon cleavage, the self-assembly occurs selectively in pathological loci whose targeting capability is independent from active targeting. Bearing the novel targeting regime, we envision that the pathological conditions instructed peptidic self-assembly will lead a paradigm shift on biomedical materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Chen
- CAS Center of Excellence for Nanoscience, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Zhao
- CAS Center of Excellence for Nanoscience, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingxin Yao
- CAS Center of Excellence for Nanoscience, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Gao
- CAS Center of Excellence for Nanoscience, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Enzymatic reactions and noncovalent (i.e., supramolecular) interactions are two fundamental nongenetic attributes of life. Enzymatic noncovalent synthesis (ENS) refers to a process where enzymatic reactions control intermolecular noncovalent interactions for spatial organization of higher-order molecular assemblies that exhibit emergent properties and functions. Like enzymatic covalent synthesis (ECS), in which an enzyme catalyzes the formation of covalent bonds to generate individual molecules, ENS is a unifying theme for understanding the functions, morphologies, and locations of molecular ensembles in cellular environments. This review intends to provide a summary of the works of ENS within the past decade and emphasize ENS for functions. After comparing ECS and ENS, we describe a few representative examples where nature uses ENS, as a rule of life, to create the ensembles of biomacromolecules for emergent properties/functions in a myriad of cellular processes. Then, we focus on ENS of man-made (synthetic) molecules in cell-free conditions, classified by the types of enzymes. After that, we introduce the exploration of ENS of man-made molecules in the context of cells by discussing intercellular, peri/intracellular, and subcellular ENS for cell morphogenesis, molecular imaging, cancer therapy, and other applications. Finally, we provide a perspective on the promises of ENS for developing molecular assemblies/processes for functions. This review aims to be an updated introduction for researchers who are interested in exploring noncovalent synthesis for developing molecular science and technologies to address societal needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian He
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Weiyi Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Jiaqi Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Meihui Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Adrianna N Shy
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shy AN, Li J, Shi J, Zhou N, Xu B. Enzyme-instructed self-assembly of the stereoisomers of pentapeptides to form biocompatible supramolecular hydrogels. J Drug Target 2020; 28:760-765. [PMID: 32668995 PMCID: PMC7729926 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2020.1797048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This article reports enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA) of stereoisomers of pentapeptides as a simple approach for generating biocompatible supramolecular hydrogels as potential soft bionanomaterials. Peptide-based supramolecular hydrogels are emerging as a new type of biomaterials. The use of tyrosine phosphate offers a trigger for enzymatic hydrogelation, and the incorporation of D-amino acids can increase the proteolytic stability of peptides. This work compared four phosphorpeptides that are stereoisomers in terms of rate of dephosphorylation, proteolytic stability, and cell compatibility. The results show that the naphthyl (Nap)-capped pentapeptides, containing the amino acid sequence of Phe-Phe-Gly-Glu-pTyr, are able to undergo EISA to form the hydrogels consisting the nanofibres of the dephosphorylated pentapeptides. The naphthyl-capped D-phosphopentpeptides, contrasting to a naphthyl-capped D-phosphotripeptide (Nap-D-Phe-D-Phe-D-pTyr), are largely cell compatible. This result, suggesting that the sequence of phophopeptides also dedicates the cell compatibility of the peptide assemblies resulted from EISA, provides useful insights for developing supramolecular hydrogels as potential biomaterials with tailored properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna N. Shy
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA USA
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA USA
| | - Ning Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chen Y, Liu B, Guo L, Xiong Z, We G. Enzyme-instructed self-assembly of peptides: Process, dynamics, nanostructures, and biomedical applications. AIMS BIOPHYSICS 2020. [DOI: 10.3934/biophy.2020028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
15
|
Yao Q, Huang Z, Liu D, Chen J, Gao Y. Enzyme-Instructed Supramolecular Self-Assembly with Anticancer Activity. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1804814. [PMID: 30444545 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201804814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, which has continuously stimulated the development of numerous functional biomaterials with anticancer activities. Herein is reviewed one recent trend of biomaterials focusing on the advances in enzyme-instructed supramolecular self-assembly (EISA) with anticancer activity. EISA relies on enzymatic transformations to convert designed small-molecular precursors into corresponding amphiphilic residues that can form assemblies in living systems. EISA has shown some advantages in controlling cell fate from three aspects. 1) Based on the abnormal activity of specific enzymes, EISA can differentiate cancer cells from normal cells. In contrast to the classical ligand-receptor recognition, the targeting capability of EISA relies on dynamic control of the self-assembly process. 2) The interactions between EISA and cellular components directly disrupt cellular processes or pathways, resulting in cell death phenotypes. 3) EISA spatiotemporally controls the distribution of therapeutic agents, which boosts drug delivery efficiency. Therefore, with regard to the development of EISA, the aim is to provide a perspective on the future directions of research into EISA as anticancer theranostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingxin Yao
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Zhentao Huang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Dongdong Liu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jiali Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Gao
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wang Q, Jiang N, Fu B, Huang F, Liu J. Self-assembling peptide-based nanodrug delivery systems. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:4888-4911. [PMID: 31509120 DOI: 10.1039/c9bm01212e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembling peptide-based nanodrug delivery systems (NDDs), consisting of naturally occurring amino acids, not only share the advantages of traditional nanomedicine but also possess the unique properties of excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, flexible responsiveness, specific biological function, and synthetic feasibility. Physical methods, enzymatic reaction, chemical reaction, and biosurface induction can yield versatile peptide-based NDDs; flexible responsiveness is their main advantage. Different functional peptides and abundant covalent modifications endow such systems with precise controllability and multifunctionality. Inspired by the above merits, researchers have taken advantage of the self-assembling peptide-based NDDs and achieved the accurate delivery of drugs to the lesion site. The present review outlines the methods for designing self-assembling peptide-based NDDs for small-molecule drugs, with an emphasis on the different drug delivery strategies and their applications in using peptides and peptide conjugates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, P. R. China.
| | - Nan Jiang
- Tianjin chest hospital, Tianjin 300051, P. R. China
| | - Bo Fu
- Tianjin chest hospital, Tianjin 300051, P. R. China
| | - Fan Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, P. R. China.
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, P. R. China. and Lab of Functional and Biomedical Nanomaterials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Huang Z, Yao Q, Wei S, Chen J, Gao Y. Enzyme-Instructed Self-assembly in Biological Milieu for Theranostics Purpose. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:1351-1365. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170921104010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Precision medicine is in an urgent need for public healthcare. Among the past
several decades, the flourishing development in nanotechnology significantly advances
the realization of precision nanomedicine. Comparing to well-documented nanoparticlebased
strategy, in this review, we focus on the strategy using enzyme instructed selfassembly
(EISA) in biological milieu for theranostics purpose. In principle, the design of
small molecules for EISA requires two aspects: (1) the substrate of enzyme of interest;
and (2) self-assembly potency after enzymatic conversion. This strategy has shown its irreplaceable
advantages in nanomedicne, specifically for cancer treatments and Vaccine
Adjuvants. Interestingly, all the reported examples rely on only one kind of enzymehydrolase.
Therefore, we envision that the application of EISA strategy just begins and
will lead to a new paradigm in nanomedicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhentao Huang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qingxin Yao
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Simin Wei
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Jiali Chen
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Shi L, Li K, Li LL, Chen SY, Li MY, Zhou Q, Wang N, Yu XQ. Novel easily available purine-based AIEgens with colour tunability and applications in lipid droplet imaging. Chem Sci 2018; 9:8969-8974. [PMID: 30647889 PMCID: PMC6301202 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc03369b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, tetraphenylethene, triphenylamine and other man-made core AIE luminescent materials (AIEgens) have attracted significant scientific interest. However, the design and synthesis of natural product based, facile and color tunable AIEgens remains challenging. Herein, a novel series of AIEgens based on purine-core molecular rotors is reported, which can be facilely synthesized and shows color tunable emission. Moreover, these purine-based AIEgens exhibit lipid droplet specific properties in live cellular imaging with low background, high selectivity and excellent biocompatibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Kun Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Ling-Ling Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Shan-Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Meng-Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Qian Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Nan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| | - Xiao-Qi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology , Ministry of Education , College of Chemistry , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China 610064 . ;
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Zhang P, Cui Y, Anderson CF, Zhang C, Li Y, Wang R, Cui H. Peptide-based nanoprobes for molecular imaging and disease diagnostics. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 47:3490-3529. [PMID: 29497722 DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00793k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pathological changes in a diseased site are often accompanied by abnormal activities of various biomolecules in and around the involved cells. Identifying the location and expression levels of these biomolecules could enable early-stage diagnosis of the related disease, the design of an appropriate treatment strategy, and the accurate assessment of the treatment outcomes. Over the past two decades, a great diversity of peptide-based nanoprobes (PBNs) have been developed, aiming to improve the in vitro and in vivo performances of water-soluble molecular probes through engineering of their primary chemical structures as well as the physicochemical properties of their resultant assemblies. In this review, we introduce strategies and approaches adopted for the identification of functional peptides in the context of molecular imaging and disease diagnostics, and then focus our discussion on the design and construction of PBNs capable of navigating through physiological barriers for targeted delivery and improved specificity and sensitivity in recognizing target biomolecules. We highlight the biological and structural roles that low-molecular-weight peptides play in PBN design and provide our perspectives on the future development of PBNs for clinical translation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center for Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Huang Z, Gao Y. Enzyme-Instructed Self-assembly of Small Peptides In Vivo for Biomedical Application. IN VIVO SELF-ASSEMBLY NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-6913-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
|
21
|
Li J, Shi J, Medina JE, Zhou J, Du X, Wang H, Yang C, Liu J, Yang Z, Dinulescu DM, Xu B. Selectively Inducing Cancer Cell Death by Intracellular Enzyme-Instructed Self-Assembly (EISA) of Dipeptide Derivatives. Adv Healthc Mater 2017; 6:10.1002/adhm.201601400. [PMID: 28233466 PMCID: PMC5550337 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201601400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tight ligand-receptor binding, paradoxically, is a major root of drug resistance in cancer chemotherapy. To address this problem, instead of using conventional inhibitors or ligands, this paper focuses on the development of a novel process-enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA)-to kill cancer cells selectively. Here it is demonstrated that EISA as an intracellular process to generate nanofibrils of short peptides for selectively inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, including drug resistant ones. As the process that turns the non-self-assembling precursors into the self-assembling peptides upon the catalysis of carboxylesterases (CES), EISA occurs intracellularly to selectively inhibit a range of cancer cells that exhibit relatively high CES activities. More importantly, EISA inhibits drug resistant cancer cells (e.g., triple negative breast cancer cells (HCC1937) and platinum-resistant ovarian cells (SKOV3, A2780cis)). With the IC50 values of 28-80 and 25-44 µg mL-1 of l- and d-dipeptide precursors against cancer cells, respectively, EISA is innocuous to normal cells. Moreover, using coculture of cancer and normal cells, the selectivity of EISA is validated against cancer cells. Besides revealing that intracellular EISA cause apoptosis or necroptosis to kill the cancer cells, this work illustrates a new approach to amplify the enzymatic difference between cancer and normal cells and to expand the pool of drug candidates for potentially overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Jamie E Medina
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Xuewen Du
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Huaimin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Cuihong Yang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Zhimou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Daniela M Dinulescu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zhou J, Li J, Du X, Xu B. Supramolecular biofunctional materials. Biomaterials 2017; 129:1-27. [PMID: 28319779 PMCID: PMC5470592 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This review discusses supramolecular biofunctional materials, a novel class of biomaterials formed by small molecules that are held together via noncovalent interactions. The complexity of biology and relevant biomedical problems not only inspire, but also demand effective molecular design for functional materials. Supramolecular biofunctional materials offer (almost) unlimited possibilities and opportunities to address challenging biomedical problems. Rational molecular design of supramolecular biofunctional materials exploit powerful and versatile noncovalent interactions, which offer many advantages, such as responsiveness, reversibility, tunability, biomimicry, modularity, predictability, and, most importantly, adaptiveness. In this review, besides elaborating on the merits of supramolecular biofunctional materials (mainly in the form of hydrogels and/or nanoscale assemblies) resulting from noncovalent interactions, we also discuss the advantages of small peptides as a prevalent molecular platform to generate a wide range of supramolecular biofunctional materials for the applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, immunology, cancer therapy, fluorescent imaging, and stem cell regulation. This review aims to provide a brief synopsis of recent achievements at the intersection of supramolecular chemistry and biomedical science in hope of contributing to the multidisciplinary research on supramolecular biofunctional materials for a wide range of applications. We envision that supramolecular biofunctional materials will contribute to the development of new therapies that will ultimately lead to a paradigm shift for developing next generation biomaterials for medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Xuewen Du
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Acar H, Srivastava S, Chung EJ, Schnorenberg MR, Barrett JC, LaBelle JL, Tirrell M. Self-assembling peptide-based building blocks in medical applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2017; 110-111:65-79. [PMID: 27535485 PMCID: PMC5922461 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Peptides and peptide-conjugates, comprising natural and synthetic building blocks, are an increasingly popular class of biomaterials. Self-assembled nanostructures based on peptides and peptide-conjugates offer advantages such as precise selectivity and multifunctionality that can address challenges and limitations in the clinic. In this review article, we discuss recent developments in the design and self-assembly of various nanomaterials based on peptides and peptide-conjugates for medical applications, and categorize them into two themes based on the driving forces of molecular self-assembly. First, we present the self-assembled nanostructures driven by the supramolecular interactions between the peptides, with or without the presence of conjugates. The studies where nanoassembly is driven by the interactions between the conjugates of peptide-conjugates are then presented. Particular emphasis is given to in vivo studies focusing on therapeutics, diagnostics, immune modulation and regenerative medicine. Finally, challenges and future perspectives are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Handan Acar
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
| | - Eun Ji Chung
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Mathew R Schnorenberg
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - John C Barrett
- Biophysical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - James L LaBelle
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Matthew Tirrell
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gao Y, Nieuwendaal R, Dimitriadis EK, Hammouda B, Douglas JF, Xu B, Horkay F. Supramolecular Self-assembly of a Model Hydrogelator: Characterization of Fiber Formation and Morphology. Gels 2016; 2:27. [PMID: 28649573 PMCID: PMC5482529 DOI: 10.3390/gels2040027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels are of intense recent interest in connection with biomedical applications ranging from 3-D cell cultures and stem cell differentiation to regenerative medicine, controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering. This prototypical form of soft matter has many emerging material science applications outside the medical field. The physical processes underlying this type of solidification are incompletely understood and this limits design efforts aimed at optimizing these materials for applications. We address this general problem by applying multiple techniques (e.g., NMR, dynamic light scattering, small angle neutron scattering, rheological measurements) to the case of a peptide derivative hydrogelator (molecule 1, NapFFKYp) over a broad range of concentration and temperature to characterize both the formation of individual nanofibers and the fiber network. We believe that a better understanding of the hierarchical self-assembly process and control over the final morphology of this kind of material should have broad significance for biological and medicinal applications utilizing hydrogels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
| | - Ryan Nieuwendaal
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
| | - Emilios K. Dimitriadis
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Boualem Hammouda
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
| | - Jack F. Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA;
| | - Ferenc Horkay
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang H, Feng Z, Wang Y, Zhou R, Yang Z, Xu B. Integrating Enzymatic Self-Assembly and Mitochondria Targeting for Selectively Killing Cancer Cells without Acquired Drug Resistance. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:16046-16055. [PMID: 27960313 PMCID: PMC5291163 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b09783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Targeting organelles by modulating the redox potential of mitochondria is a promising approach to kill cancer cells that minimizes acquired drug resistance. However, it lacks selectivity because mitochondria perform essential functions for (almost) all cells. We show that enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), a bioinspired molecular process, selectively generates the assemblies of redox modulators (e.g., triphenyl phosphinium (TPP)) in the pericellular space of cancer cells for uptake, which allows selectively targeting the mitochondria of cancer cells. The attachment of TPP to a pair of enantiomeric, phosphorylated tetrapeptides produces the precursors (L-1P or D-1P) that form oligomers. Upon dephosphorylation catalyzed by ectophosphatases (e.g., alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) overexpressed on cancer cells (e.g., Saos2), the oligomers self-assemble to form nanoscale assemblies only on the surface of the cancer cells. The cancer cells thus uptake these assemblies of TPP via endocytosis, mainly via a caveolae/raft-dependent pathway. Inside the cells, the assemblies of TPP-peptide conjugates escape from the lysosome, induce dysfunction of mitochondria to release cytochrome c, and result in cell death, while the controls (i.e., omitting TPP motif, inhibiting ALP, or removing phosphate trigger) hardly kill the Saos2 cells. Most importantly, the repeated stimulation of the cancers by the precursors, unexpectedly, sensitizes the cancer cells to the precursors. As the first example of the integration of subcellular targeting with cell targeting, this study validates the spatial control of the assemblies of nonspecific cytotoxic agents by EISA as a promising molecular process for selectively killing cancer cells without inducing acquired drug resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huaimin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University , 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States.,State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoqianqi Feng
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University , 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Youzhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, P.R. China
| | - Rong Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University , 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Zhimou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, P.R. China
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University , 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Versluis F, van Esch JH, Eelkema R. Synthetic Self-Assembled Materials in Biological Environments. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2016; 28:4576-4592. [PMID: 27042774 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201505025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic self-assembly has long been recognized as an excellent approach for the formation of ordered structures on the nanoscale. Although the development of synthetic self-assembling materials has often been inspired by principles observed in nature (e.g., the assembly of lipids, DNA, proteins), until recently the self-assembly of synthetic molecules has mainly been investigated ex vivo. The past few years however, have witnessed the emergence of a research field in which synthetic, self-assembling systems are used that are capable of operating as bioactive materials in biological environments. Here, this up-and-coming field, which has the potential of becoming a key area in chemical biology and medicine, is reviewed. Two main categories of applications of self-assembly in biological environments are identified and discussed, namely therapeutic and imaging agents. Within these categories key concepts, such as triggers and molecular constraints for in vitro/in vivo self-assembly and the mode of interaction between the assemblies and the biological materials will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Versluis
- Advanced Soft Matter Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628BL, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H van Esch
- Advanced Soft Matter Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628BL, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Rienk Eelkema
- Advanced Soft Matter Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628BL, Delft, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kirkham S, Hamley IW, Smith AM, Gouveia RM, Connon CJ, Reza M, Ruokolainen J. A self-assembling fluorescent dipeptide conjugate for cell labelling. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 137:104-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
28
|
Du X, Zhou J, Shi J, Xu B. Supramolecular Hydrogelators and Hydrogels: From Soft Matter to Molecular Biomaterials. Chem Rev 2015; 115:13165-307. [PMID: 26646318 PMCID: PMC4936198 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1266] [Impact Index Per Article: 140.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In this review we intend to provide a relatively comprehensive summary of the work of supramolecular hydrogelators after 2004 and to put emphasis particularly on the applications of supramolecular hydrogels/hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials. After a brief introduction of methods for generating supramolecular hydrogels, we discuss supramolecular hydrogelators on the basis of their categories, such as small organic molecules, coordination complexes, peptides, nucleobases, and saccharides. Following molecular design, we focus on various potential applications of supramolecular hydrogels as molecular biomaterials, classified by their applications in cell cultures, tissue engineering, cell behavior, imaging, and unique applications of hydrogelators. Particularly, we discuss the applications of supramolecular hydrogelators after they form supramolecular assemblies but prior to reaching the critical gelation concentration because this subject is less explored but may hold equally great promise for helping address fundamental questions about the mechanisms or the consequences of the self-assembly of molecules, including low molecular weight ones. Finally, we provide a perspective on supramolecular hydrogelators. We hope that this review will serve as an updated introduction and reference for researchers who are interested in exploring supramolecular hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials for addressing the societal needs at various frontiers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Du
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Biocompatible fluorescent supramolecular nanofibrous hydrogel for long-term cell tracking and tumor imaging applications. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16680. [PMID: 26573372 PMCID: PMC4647837 DOI: 10.1038/srep16680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocompatible peptide-based supramolecular hydrogel has recently emerged as a new and promising system for biomedical applications. In this work, Rhodamine B is employed as a new capping group of self-assembling peptide, which not only provides the driving force for supramolecular nanofibrous hydrogel formation, but also endows the hydrogel with intrinsic fluroescence signal, allowing for various bioimaging applications. The fluorescent peptide nanofibrous hydrogel can be formed via disulfide bond reduction. After dilution of the hydrogel with aqueous solution, the fluorescent nanofiber suspension can be obtained. The resultant nanofibers are able to be internalized by the cancer cells and effectively track the HeLa cells for as long as 7 passages. Using a tumor-bearing mouse model, it is also demonstrated that the fluorescent supramolecular nanofibers can serve as an efficient probe for tumor imaging in a high-contrast manner.
Collapse
|
30
|
Li J, Kuang Y, Shi J, Zhou J, Medina JE, Zhou R, Yuan D, Yang C, Wang H, Yang Z, Liu J, Dinulescu DM, Xu B. Enzyme-Instructed Intracellular Molecular Self-Assembly to Boost Activity of Cisplatin against Drug-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:13307-11. [PMID: 26365295 PMCID: PMC4681442 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201507157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Anticancer drug resistance demands innovative approaches that boost the activity of drugs against drug-resistant cancers without increasing the systemic toxicity. Here we show the use of enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA) to generate intracellular supramolecular assemblies that drastically boost the activity of cisplatin against drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells. We design and synthesize small peptide precursors as the substrates of carboxylesterase (CES). CES cleaves the ester bond pre-installed on the precursors to form the peptides that self-assemble in water to form nanofibers. At the optimal concentrations, the precursors themselves are innocuous to cells, but they double or triple the activity of cisplatin against the drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells. This work illustrates a simple, yet fundamental, new way to introduce non-cytotoxic components into combination therapies with cisplatin without increasing the systemic burden or side effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Jamie E Medina
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (USA)
| | - Rong Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Dan Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Cuihong Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (P.R. China)
| | - Huaimin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)
| | - Zhimou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (P.R. China)
| | - Daniela M Dinulescu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (USA).
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA).
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
Being driven by non-covalent interactions, the formation of functional assemblies (or aggregates) of small molecules at nanoscale is a more common process in water than one would think. While most efforts on self-assembly in cellular environment concentrate on the assemblies of proteins (e.g., microtubules or amyloid fibers), nanoscale assemblies of small molecules are emerging functional entities that exhibit important biological function in cellular environments. This review describes the increasing efforts on the exploration of nanoscale assemblies of small molecules that largely originate from the serendipitous observations in research fields other than nanoscience and technology. Specifically, we describe that nanoscale assemblies of small molecules exhibit unique biological functions in extracellular and intracellular environment, thus inducing various cellular responses, like causing cell death or promoting cell proliferation. We first survey certain common feature of nanoscale molecular assemblies, then discuss several specific examples, such as, nanoscale assemblies of small peptides accumulated in the cells for selectively inhibiting cancer cells via promiscuous interactions with proteins, and nanoscale assemblies of a glycoconjugate for promoting the proliferation of stem cells or for suppressing immune responses. Subsequently, we emphasize the spatiotemporal control of nanoscale assemblies for controlling the cell fate, particularly illustrate a paradigm-shifting approach-enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), that is, the integration of enzymatic reaction and self-assembly-for generating nanoscale assemblies from innocuous monomers for selectively inhibiting cancer cells. Moreover, we introduce a convenient assay for proteomic study of the proteins that interact with nanoscale assemblies of small molecules in cellular environment. Furthermore, we introduce the use of ligand-receptor interaction to catalyze the formation of nanoscale assemblies. By illustrating these experimental strategies for controlling the formation of nanoscale assemblies of small molecules and for identifying their corresponding protein targets, we aim to highlight that, though not being defined at the genetic level, nanoscale assemblies of small molecules are able to perform many critical biological functions. We envision that nanoscale assemblies of small molecules are a new frontier at the intersection of nanoscience and cell biology and biomedicine. In addition, we discuss the challenges and perspectives of relevant potential biomedical applications of nanoscale assemblies of small molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St. MS 015, Waltham, MA 02454
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St. MS 015, Waltham, MA 02454
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Li J, Kuang Y, Shi J, Zhou J, Medina JE, Zhou R, Yuan D, Yang C, Wang H, Yang Z, Liu J, Dinulescu DM, Xu B. Enzyme‐Instructed Intracellular Molecular Self‐Assembly to Boost Activity of Cisplatin against Drug‐Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201507157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Jamie E. Medina
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (USA)
| | - Rong Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Dan Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| | - Cuihong Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (P.R. China)
| | - Huaimin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)
| | - Zhimou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (P.R. China)
| | - Daniela M. Dinulescu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (USA)
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St, Waltham, MA 02454 (USA)
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Vilaça H, Pereira G, Castro TG, Hermenegildo BF, Shi J, Faria TQ, Micaêlo N, Brito RMM, Xu B, Castanheira EMS, Martins JA, Ferreira PMT. New self-assembled supramolecular hydrogels based on dehydropeptides. J Mater Chem B 2015; 3:6355-6367. [PMID: 32262754 DOI: 10.1039/c5tb00501a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular hydrogels rely on small molecules that self-assemble in water as a result of the cooperative effect of several relatively weak intermolecular interactions. Peptide-based low molecular weight hydrogelators have attracted enormous interest owing to the simplicity of small molecules combined with the versatility and biocompatibility of peptides. In this work, naproxen, a well known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was N-conjugated with various dehydrodipeptides to give aromatic peptide amphiphiles that resist proteolysis. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to obtain insight into the underlying molecular mechanism of self-assembly and to rationalize the design of this type of hydrogelators. The results obtained were in excellent agreement with the experimental observations. Only dehydrodipeptides having at least one aromatic amino acid gave hydrogels. The characterization of the hydrogels was carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy and also rheological assays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Vilaça
- Centre of Chemistry, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Zhou J, Xu B. Enzyme-instructed self-assembly: a multistep process for potential cancer therapy. Bioconjug Chem 2015; 26:987-99. [PMID: 25933032 PMCID: PMC4533114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.5b00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The central dogma of the action of current anticancer drugs is that the drug tightly binds to its molecular target for inhibition. The reliance on tight ligand-receptor binding, however, is also the major root of drug resistance in cancer therapy. In this article, we highlight enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA)-the integration of enzymatic transformation and molecular self-assembly-as a multistep process for the development of cancer therapy. Using apoptosis as an example, we illustrate that the combination of enzymatic transformation and self-assembly, in fact, is an inherent feature of apoptosis. After the introduction of EISA of small molecules in the context of supramolecular hydrogelation, we describe several key studies to underscore the promises of EISA for developing cancer therapy. Particularly, we will highlight that EISA allows one to develop approaches to target "undruggable" targets or "untargetable" features of cancer cells and provides the opportunity for simultaneously interacting with multiple targets. We envision that EISA, used separately or in combination with current anticancer therapeutics, will ultimately lead to a paradigm shift for developing anticancer medicine that inhibit multiple hallmark capabilities of cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Fleming S, Ulijn RV. Design of nanostructures based on aromatic peptide amphiphiles. Chem Soc Rev 2014; 43:8150-77. [PMID: 25199102 DOI: 10.1039/c4cs00247d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 591] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Aromatic peptide amphiphiles are gaining popularity as building blocks for the bottom-up fabrication of nanomaterials, including gels. These materials combine the simplicity of small molecules with the versatility of peptides, with a range of applications proposed in biomedicine, nanotechnology, food science, cosmetics, etc. Despite their simplicity, a wide range of self-assembly behaviours have been described. Due to varying conditions and protocols used, care should be taken when attempting to directly compare results from the literature. In this review, we rationalise the structural features which govern the self-assembly of aromatic peptide amphiphiles by focusing on four segments, (i) the N-terminal aromatic component, (ii) linker segment, (iii) peptide sequence, and (iv) C-terminus. It is clear that the molecular structure of these components significantly influences the self-assembly process and resultant supramolecular architectures. A number of modes of assembly have been proposed, including parallel, antiparallel, and interlocked antiparallel stacking conformations. In addition, the co-assembly arrangements of aromatic peptide amphiphiles are reviewed. Overall, this review elucidates the structural trends and design rules that underpin the field of aromatic peptide amphiphile assembly, paving the way to a more rational design of nanomaterials based on aromatic peptide amphiphiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Fleming
- WestCHEM/Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Du X, Zhou J, Xu B. Supramolecular hydrogels made of basic biological building blocks. Chem Asian J 2014; 9:1446-72. [PMID: 24623474 PMCID: PMC4024374 DOI: 10.1002/asia.201301693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
As a consequence of the self-assembly of small organic molecules in water, supramolecular hydrogels are evolving from serendipitous events during organic synthesis to become a new type of materials that hold promise for applications in biomedicine. In this Focus Review, we describe recent advances in the use of basic biological building blocks for creating molecules that act as hydrogelators and the potential applications of the corresponding hydrogels. After introducing the concept of supramolecular hydrogels and defining the scope of this review, we briefly describe the methods for making and characterizing supramolecular hydrogels. We then discuss representative hydrogelators according to the categories of their building blocks, such as amino acids, nucleobases, and saccharides, and highlight the applications of the hydrogels when necessary. Finally, we offer our perspective and outlook on this fast-growing field at the interface of organic chemistry, materials, biology, and medicine. By providing a snapshot for chemists, engineers, and medical scientists, we hope that this Focus Review will contribute to the development of multidisciplinary research on supramolecular hydrogels for a wide range of applications in different fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Du
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA, Fax: (01)781 736 2516
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA, Fax: (01)781 736 2516
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA, Fax: (01)781 736 2516
| |
Collapse
|