1
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Aoki K, Maeda K, Inuki S, Ohno H, Nonaka M, Oishi S. Chemical Synthesis of Interleukin-6 for Mirror-Image Screening. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:1190-1199. [PMID: 39042943 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00204] [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: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine, is an attractive therapeutic target for immunological and inflammatory diseases. We investigated the chemical synthesis of IL-6 and its enantiomer (d-IL-6) using a sequential N-to-C native chemical ligation strategy from six peptide segments. Solubilizing Trt-K10 tags improved the intermediate solubility and served as protecting groups during the metal-free desulfurization to facilitate the synthesis of full-length IL-6 protein. Synthetic l-IL-6 and recombinant IL-6 exhibited nearly identical structural and binding properties. The symmetrical binding property of d-IL-6 was also demonstrated by functional analysis using IL-6-binding peptides. The resulting functional d-IL-6 was employed to screen a phage-displayed antibody fragment library, leading to the identification of several d-IL-6-binding single-domain antibodies. This work will contribute to the development of novel, potent IL-6 inhibitors without the adverse effects of undesired immune activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Aoki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Kayuu Maeda
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Motohiro Nonaka
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
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2
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Huang DL, Guo WC, Shi WW, Gao YP, Zhou YK, Wang LJ, Wang C, Tang S, Liu L, Zheng JS. Enhanced native chemical ligation by peptide conjugation in trifluoroacetic acid. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado9413. [PMID: 39018393 PMCID: PMC466938 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado9413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Chemical ligation of peptides is increasingly used to generate proteins not readily accessible by recombinant approaches. However, a robust method to ligate "difficult" peptides remains to be developed. Here, we report an enhanced native chemical ligation strategy mediated by peptide conjugation in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The conjugation between a carboxyl-terminal peptide thiosalicylaldehyde thioester and a 1,3-dithiol-containing peptide in TFA proceeds rapidly to form a thioacetal-linked intermediate, which is readily converted into the desired native amide bond product through simple postligation treatment. The effectiveness and practicality of the method was demonstrated by the successful synthesis of several challenging proteins, including the SARS-CoV-2 transmembrane Envelope (E) protein and nanobodies. Because of the ability of TFA to dissolve virtually all peptides and prevent the formation of unreactive peptide structures, the method is expected to open new opportunities for synthesizing all families of proteins, particularly those with aggregable or colloidal peptide segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Liang Huang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wu-Chen Guo
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Wei-Wei Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yun-Pu Gao
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Yong-Kang Zhou
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Long-Jie Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Shan Tang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
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3
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Nithun RV, Yao YM, Harel O, Habiballah S, Afek A, Jbara M. Site-Specific Acetylation of the Transcription Factor Protein Max Modulates Its DNA Binding Activity. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:1295-1303. [PMID: 38947213 PMCID: PMC11212134 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Chemical protein synthesis provides a powerful means to prepare novel modified proteins with precision down to the atomic level, enabling an unprecedented opportunity to understand fundamental biological processes. Of particular interest is the process of gene expression, orchestrated through the interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and DNA. Here, we combined chemical protein synthesis and high-throughput screening technology to decipher the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs), e.g., Lys-acetylation on the DNA binding activity of Max TF. We synthesized a focused library of singly, doubly, and triply modified Max variants including site-specifically acetylated and fluorescently tagged analogs. The resulting synthetic analogs were employed to decipher the molecular role of Lys-acetylation on the DNA binding activity and sequence specificity of Max. We provide evidence that the acetylation sites at Lys-31 and Lys-57 significantly inhibit the DNA binding activity of Max. Furthermore, by utilizing high-throughput binding measurements, we assessed the binding activities of the modified Max variants across diverse DNA sequences. Our results indicate that acetylation marks can alter the binding specificities of Max toward certain sequences flanking its consensus binding sites. Our work provides insight into the hidden molecular code of PTM-TFs and DNA interactions, paving the way to interpret gene expression regulation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj V. Nithun
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Yumi Minyi Yao
- Department
of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Omer Harel
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Shaimaa Habiballah
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Ariel Afek
- Department
of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Muhammad Jbara
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
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4
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Iwamoto N, Kai T, Inuki S, Ohno H, Maeda H, Watanabe H, Maruyama T, Oishi S. Mirror-Image Human Serum Albumin Domain III as a Tool for Analyzing Site II-Dependent Molecular Recognition. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:816-825. [PMID: 38781049 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00150] [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: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Human serum albumin (HSA) as a drug carrier can significantly improve the pharmacokinetic profiles of short-lived therapeutics. Conjugation of albumin-binding moieties (ABMs) to therapeutic agents may prolong their serum half-life by promoting their association with endogenous HSA. To discover a new molecular class of ABMs from mirror-image chemical space, a preparation protocol for bioactive HSA domain III and its d-enantiomer (d-HSA domain III) was established. Structural and functional analyses suggested that the synthetic protein enantiomers exhibited mirror-image structures and stereoselective neonatal fragement crystallizable receptor (FcRn) recognition. Additionally, the ligand-binding properties of synthetic l-HSA domain III were comparable with those of site II in native HSA, as confirmed using site II-selective fluorescent probes and an esterase substrate. Synthetic d-HSA domain III is an attractive tool for analyzing the site II-dependent molecular recognition properties of HSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Iwamoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takuma Kai
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Maeda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Watanabe
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Toru Maruyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
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5
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Wan XC, Zhu WJ, Chen Y, Cui ZH, Zhang H, Zheng FH, Zhang YN, Fang GM. Thioproline-Based Oxidation Strategy for Direct Preparation of N-Terminal Thiazolidine-Containing Peptide Thioesters from Peptide Hydrazides. Org Lett 2024; 26:5021-5026. [PMID: 38842216 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01687] [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: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
We describe a simple and robust oxidation strategy for preparing N-terminal thiazolidine-containing peptide thioesters from peptide hydrazides. We find for the first time that l-thioproline can be used as a protective agent to prevent the nitrosation of N-terminal thiazolidine during peptide hydrazide oxidation. The thioproline-based oxidation strategy has been successfully applied to the chemical synthesis of CC chemokine ligand-2 (69aa) and omniligase-C (113aa), thereby demonstrating its utility in hydrazide-based native chemical ligation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Cui Wan
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Jing Zhu
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Hui Cui
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Hua Zhang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Feng-Hao Zheng
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Yan-Ni Zhang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Ge-Min Fang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
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6
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Song M, Liu Q, Yao JF, Wang YT, Ma YN, Xu H, Yu QY, Li Z, Du SS, Qi YK. Synthesis and structural optimization of oncolytic peptide LTX-315. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 107:117760. [PMID: 38762978 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117760] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Oncolytic peptides represented potential novel candidates for anticancer treatments especially drug-resistant cancer cell lines. One of the most promising and extensively studied is LTX-315, which is considered as the first in class oncolytic peptide and has entered phase I/II clinical trials. Nevertheless, the shortcomings including poor proteolytic stability, moderate anticancer durability and high synthesis costs may hinder the widespread clinical applications of LTX-315. In order to reduce the synthesis costs, as well as develop derivatives possessing both high protease-stability and durable anticancer efficiency, twenty LTX-315-based derived-peptides were designed and efficiently synthesized. Especially, through solid-phase S-alkylation, as well as the optimized peptide cleavage condition, the derived peptides could be prepared with drastically reduced synthesis cost. The in vitro anticancer efficiency, serum stability, anticancer durability, anti-migration activity, and hemolysis effect were systematically investigated. It was found that derived peptide MS-13 exhibited comparable anticancer efficiency and durability to those of LTX-315. Strikingly, the D-type peptide MS-20, which is the enantiomer of MS-13, was demonstrated to possess significantly high proteolytic stability and sustained anticancer durability. In general, the cost-effective synthesis and stability-guided structural optimizations were conducted on LTX-315, affording the highly hydrolysis resistant MS-20 which possessed durable anticancer activity. Meanwhile, this study also provided a reliable reference for the future optimization of anticancer peptides through the solid-phase S-alkylation and L-type to D-type amino acid substitutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Song
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Jing-Fang Yao
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Yu-Tao Wang
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Yan-Nan Ma
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Huan Xu
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Qian-Yao Yu
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Zhibo Li
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
| | - Shan-Shan Du
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China; Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China.
| | - Yun-Kun Qi
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China.
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7
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Xu H, Fu XY, Bao YX, Zhu SY, Xu Z, Song M, Qi YK, Li Z, Du SS. d-type peptides based fluorescent probes for "turn on" sensing of heparin. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107356. [PMID: 38604021 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107356] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Developing "turn on" fluorescent probes was desirable for the detection of the effective anticoagulant agent heparin in clinical applications. Through combining the aggregation induced emission (AIE) fluorogen tetraphenylethene (TPE) and heparin specific binding peptide AG73, the promising "turn on" fluorescent probe TPE-1 has been developed. Nevertheless, although TPE-1 could achieve the sensitive and selective detection of heparin, the low proteolytic stability and undesirable poor solubility may limit its widespread applications. In this study, seven TPE-1 derived fluorescent probes were rationally designed, efficiently synthesized and evaluated. The stability and water solubility were systematically estimated. Especially, to achieve real-time monitoring of proteolytic stability, the novel Abz/Dnp-based "turn on" probes that employ the internally quenched fluorescent (IQF) mechanism were designed and synthesized. Moreover, the detection ability of synthetic fluorescent probes for heparin were systematically evaluated. Importantly, the performance of d-type peptide fluorescent probe XH-6 indicated that d-type amino acid substitutions could significantly improve the proteolytic stability without compromising its ability of heparin sensing, and attaching solubilizing tag 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethoxy) acid (AEEA) could greatly enhance the solubility. Collectively, this study not only established practical strategies to improve both the water solubility and proteolytic stability of "turn on" fluorescent probes for heparin sensing, but also provided valuable references for the subsequent development of enzymatic hydrolysis-resistant d-type peptides based fluorescent probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Xu
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Xing-Yan Fu
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China; Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Yong-Xin Bao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266034, China
| | - Shu-Ya Zhu
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Zi Xu
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Min Song
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Yun-Kun Qi
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China; Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China.
| | - Zhibo Li
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
| | - Shan-Shan Du
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China; School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China; Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China.
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8
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Aoki K, Higashi K, Oda S, Manabe A, Maeda K, Morise J, Oka S, Inuki S, Ohno H, Oishi S, Nonaka M. Engineering a Low-Immunogenic Mirror-Image VHH against Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1194-1205. [PMID: 38695546 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00197] [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: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Immunogenicity is a major caveat of protein therapeutics. In particular, the long-term administration of protein therapeutic agents leads to the generation of antidrug antibodies (ADAs), which reduce drug efficacy while eliciting adverse events. One promising solution to this issue is the use of mirror-image proteins consisting of d-amino acids, which are resistant to proteolytic degradation in immune cells. We have recently reported the chemical synthesis of the enantiomeric form of the variable domain of the antibody heavy chain (d-VHH). However, identifying mirror-image antibodies capable of binding to natural ligands remains challenging. In this study, we developed a novel screening platform to identify a d-VHH specific for vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). We performed mirror-image screening of two newly constructed synthetic VHH libraries displayed on T7 phage and identified VHH sequences that effectively bound to the mirror-image VEGF-A target (d-VEGF-A). We subsequently synthesized a d-VHH candidate that preferentially bound the native VEGF-A (l-VEGF-A) with submicromolar affinity. Furthermore, immunization studies in mice demonstrated that this d-VHH elicited no ADAs, unlike its corresponding l-VHH. Our findings highlight the utility of this novel d-VHH screening platform in the development of protein therapeutics exhibiting both reduced immunogenicity and improved efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Aoki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Katsuaki Higashi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sakiho Oda
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Asako Manabe
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kayuu Maeda
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Jyoji Morise
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shogo Oka
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Motohiro Nonaka
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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9
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Zheng Y, Zhang B, Shi WW, Deng X, Wang TY, Han D, Ren Y, Yang Z, Zhou YK, Kuang J, Wang ZW, Tang S, Zheng JS. An Enzyme-Cleavable Solubilizing-Tag Facilitates the Chemical Synthesis of Mirror-Image Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318897. [PMID: 38326236 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Mirror-image proteins (D-proteins) are useful in biomedical research for purposes such as mirror-image screening for D-peptide drug discovery, but the chemical synthesis of many D-proteins is often low yielding due to the poor solubility or aggregation of their constituent peptide segments. Here, we report a Lys-C protease-cleavable solubilizing tag and its use to synthesize difficult-to-obtain D-proteins. Our tag is easily installed onto multiple amino acids such as DLys, DSer, DThr, and/or the N-terminal amino acid of hydrophobic D-peptides, is impervious to various reaction conditions, such as peptide synthesis, ligation, desulfurization, and transition metal-mediated deprotection, and yet can be completely removed by Lys-C protease under denaturing conditions to give the desired D-protein. The efficacy and practicality of the new method were exemplified in the synthesis of two challenging D-proteins: D-enantiomers of programmed cell death protein 1 IgV domain and SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein, in high yield. This work demonstrates that the enzymatic cleavage of solubilizing tags under denaturing conditions is feasible, thus paving the way for the production of more D-proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Baochang Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wei-Wei Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiangyu Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Tong-Yue Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Dongyang Han
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuxiang Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ziyi Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yong-Kang Zhou
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Jian Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Zhi-Wen Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Shan Tang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
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10
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Zhang G, Zhu TF. Mirror-image trypsin digestion and sequencing of D-proteins. Nat Chem 2024; 16:592-598. [PMID: 38238467 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01411-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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The development of mirror-image biology systems and related applications is hindered by the lack of effective methods to sequence mirror-image (D-) proteins. Although natural-chirality (L-) proteins can be sequenced by bottom-up liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the sequencing of long D-peptides and D-proteins with the same strategy requires digestion by a site-specific D-protease before mass analysis. Here we apply solid-phase peptide synthesis and native chemical ligation to chemically synthesize a mirror-image version of trypsin, a widely used protease for site-specific protein digestion. Using mirror-image trypsin digestion and LC-MS/MS, we sequence a mirror-image large subunit ribosomal protein (L25) and a mirror-image Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4), and distinguish between different mutants of D-Dpo4. We also perform writing and reading of digital information in a long D-peptide of 50 amino acids. Thus, mirror-image trypsin digestion in conjunction with LC-MS/MS may facilitate practical applications of D-peptides and D-proteins as potential therapeutic and informational tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanwei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting F Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
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11
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Fu XY, Yin H, Chen XT, Yao JF, Ma YN, Song M, Xu H, Yu QY, Du SS, Qi YK, Wang KW. Three Rounds of Stability-Guided Optimization and Systematical Evaluation of Oncolytic Peptide LTX-315. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3885-3908. [PMID: 38278140 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02232] [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: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Oncolytic peptides represent promising novel candidates for anticancer treatments. In our efforts to develop oncolytic peptides possessing both high protease stability and durable anticancer efficiency, three rounds of optimization were conducted on the first-in-class oncolytic peptide LTX-315. The robust synthetic method, in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity, and anticancer mechanism were investigated. The D-type peptides represented by FXY-12 possessed significantly improved proteolytic stability and sustained anticancer efficiency. Strikingly, the novel hybrid peptide FXY-30, containing one FXY-12 and two camptothecin moieties, exhibited the most potent in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. The mechanism explorations indicated that FXY-30 exhibited rapid membranolytic effects and induced severe DNA double-strand breaks to trigger cell apoptosis. Collectively, this study not only established robust strategies to improve the stability and anticancer potential of oncolytic peptides but also provided valuable references for the future development of D-type peptides-based hybrid anticancer chemotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Yan Fu
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
- Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, #38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Hao Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
- Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, #38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Xi-Tong Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Jing-Fang Yao
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Yan-Nan Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Min Song
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Huan Xu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Qian-Yao Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Shan-Shan Du
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Yun-Kun Qi
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
- Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, #38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Ke-Wei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao University, #1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266073, China
- Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, #38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266021, China
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12
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Liao X, Minamitani E, Xie T, Yang L, Zhang W, Klyatskaya S, Ruben M, Fu YS. Altering Spin Distribution of Tb 2Pc 3 via Molecular Chirality Manipulation. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5901-5907. [PMID: 38408315 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Manipulating the chirality of the spin-polarized electronic state is pivotal for understanding many unusual quantum spin phenomena, but it has not been achieved at the single-molecule level. Here, using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), we successfully manipulate the chirality of spin distribution in a triple-decker single-molecule magnet tris(phthalocyaninato)bis(terbium(III)) (Tb2Pc3), which is evaporated on a Pb(111) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy. The otherwise achiral Tb2Pc3 becomes chiral after being embedded into the self-assembled monolayer films of bis(phthalocyaninato)terbium(III) (TbPc2). The chirality of the spin distribution in Tb2Pc3 is manifested via the spatial mapping of its Kondo resonance state from its ligand orbital. Our first-principles calculations revealed that the spin and molecular chirality are associated with a small rotation followed by a structural distortion of the top Pc, consistent with the experimental observation. By constructing tailored molecular clusters with the STM tip, a single Tb2Pc3 molecule can be manipulated among achiral and differently handed chiral configurations of spin distributions reversibly. This paves the way for designing chiral spin enantiomers for fundamental studies and developing functional spintronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liao
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Emi Minamitani
- SANKEN, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Tao Xie
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Lianzhi Yang
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Svetlana Klyatskaya
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Mario Ruben
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
- Institute for Quantum Materials and Technologies, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
- Centre Européen de Sciences Quantiques, Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires, 8 Allée Gaspard Monge, BP 70028, 67083 Strasbourg Cedex, France
| | - Ying-Shuang Fu
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
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13
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Callahan AJ, Gandhesiri S, Travaline TL, Reja RM, Lozano Salazar L, Hanna S, Lee YC, Li K, Tokareva OS, Swiecicki JM, Loas A, Verdine GL, McGee JH, Pentelute BL. Mirror-image ligand discovery enabled by single-shot fast-flow synthesis of D-proteins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1813. [PMID: 38418820 PMCID: PMC10901774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45634-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Widespread adoption of mirror-image biological systems presents difficulties in accessing the requisite D-protein substrates. In particular, mirror-image phage display has the potential for high-throughput generation of biologically stable macrocyclic D-peptide binders with potentially unique recognition modes but is hindered by the individualized optimization required for D-protein chemical synthesis. We demonstrate a general mirror-image phage display pipeline that utilizes automated flow peptide synthesis to prepare D-proteins in a single run. With this approach, we prepare and characterize 12 D-proteins - almost one third of all reported D-proteins to date. With access to mirror-image protein targets, we describe the successful discovery of six macrocyclic D-peptide binders: three to the oncoprotein MDM2, and three to the E3 ubiquitin ligase CHIP. Reliable production of mirror-image proteins can unlock the full potential of D-peptide drug discovery and streamline the study of mirror-image biology more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J Callahan
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Satish Gandhesiri
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Tara L Travaline
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Rahi M Reja
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Lia Lozano Salazar
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Stephanie Hanna
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yen-Chun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Chemistry, National Cheng Kung University, No.1, University Road, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan
| | - Kunhua Li
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Olena S Tokareva
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Jean-Marie Swiecicki
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
- Relay Therapeutics, Inc., 399 Binney Street, 2nd Floor, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Andrei Loas
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Gregory L Verdine
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - John H McGee
- FOG Pharmaceuticals Inc., 30 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA.
| | - Bradley L Pentelute
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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14
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Shi W, Wang T, Yang Z, Ren Y, Han D, Zheng Y, Deng X, Tang S, Zheng JS. L-Glycosidase-Cleavable Natural Glycans Facilitate the Chemical Synthesis of Correctly Folded Disulfide-Bonded D-Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202313640. [PMID: 38193587 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202313640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
D-peptide ligands can be screened for therapeutic potency and enzymatic stability using synthetic mirror-image proteins (D-proteins), but efficient acquisition of these D-proteins can be hampered by the need to accomplish their in vitro folding, which often requires the formation of correctly linked disulfide bonds. Here, we report the finding that temporary installation of natural O-linked-β-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) groups onto selected D-serine or D-threonine residues of the synthetic disulfide-bonded D-proteins can facilitate their folding in vitro, and that the natural glycosyl groups can be completely removed from the folded D-proteins to afford the desired chirally inverted D-protein targets using naturally occurring O-GlcNAcase. This approach enabled the efficient chemical syntheses of several important but difficult-to-fold D-proteins incorporating disulfide bonds including the mirror-image tumor necrosis factor alpha (D-TNFα) homotrimer and the mirror-image receptor-binding domain of the Omicron spike protein (D-RBD). Our work establishes the use of O-GlcNAc to facilitate D-protein synthesis and folding and proves that D-proteins bearing O-GlcNAc can be good substrates for naturally occurring O-GlcNAcase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Shi
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Tongyue Wang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ziyi Yang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuxiang Ren
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Dongyang Han
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yupeng Zheng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiangyu Deng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shan Tang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
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15
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Lander A, Kong Y, Jin Y, Wu C, Luk LYP. Deciphering the Synthetic and Refolding Strategy of a Cysteine-Rich Domain in the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor (TNF-R) for Racemic Crystallography Analysis and d-Peptide Ligand Discovery. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2024; 4:68-76. [PMID: 38404743 PMCID: PMC10885103 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Many cell-surface receptors are promising targets for chemical synthesis because of their critical roles in disease development. This synthetic approach enables investigations by racemic protein crystallography and ligand discovery by mirror-image methodologies. However, due to their complex nature, the chemical synthesis of a receptor can be a significant challenge. Here, we describe the chemical synthesis and folding of a central, cysteine-rich domain of the cell-surface receptor tumor necrosis factor 1 which is integral to binding of the cytokine TNF-α, namely, TNFR-1 CRD2. Racemic protein crystallography at 1.4 Å confirmed that the native binding conformation was preserved, and TNFR-1 CRD2 maintained its capacity to bind to TNF-α (KD ≈ 7 nM). Encouraged by this discovery, we carried out mirror-image phage display using the enantiomeric receptor mimic and identified a d-peptide ligand for TNFR-1 CRD2 (KD = 1 μM). This work demonstrated that cysteine-rich domains, including the central domains, can be chemically synthesized and used as mimics for investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander
J. Lander
- School
of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K.
| | - Yifu Kong
- Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE
Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State
Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Fujian Province 361005, China
| | - Yi Jin
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, University of
Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE
Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State
Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Fujian Province 361005, China
| | - Louis Y. P. Luk
- School
of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K.
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16
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Zhou X, Wang Z, Li S, Rong X, Bu J, Liu Q, Ouyang Z. Differentiating enantiomers by directional rotation of ions in a mass spectrometer. Science 2024; 383:612-618. [PMID: 38330101 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj8342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Conventional mass spectrometry does not distinguish between enantiomers, or mirror-image isomers. Here we report a technique to break the chiral symmetry and to differentiate enantiomers by inducing directional rotation of chiral gas-phase ions. Dual alternating current excitations were applied to manipulate the motions of trapped ions, including the rotation around the center of mass and macro movement around the center of the trap. Differences in collision cross section were induced, which could be measured by ion cloud profiling at high resolutions above 10,000. High-field ion mobility and tandem mass spectrometry analyses of the enantiomers were combined and implemented by using a miniature ion trap mass spectrometer. The effectiveness of the developed method was demonstrated with a variety of organic compounds including amino acids, sugars, and several drug molecules, as well as a proof-of-principle ligand optimization study for asymmetric hydrogenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhuofan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xianle Rong
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiexun Bu
- PURSPEC Technology (Beijing) Ltd., Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zheng Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
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17
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Arai M, Suetaka S, Ooka K. Dynamics and interactions of intrinsically disordered proteins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102734. [PMID: 38039868 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102734] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are widespread in eukaryotes and participate in a variety of important cellular processes. Numerous studies using state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods have advanced our understanding of IDPs and revealed that disordered regions engage in a large repertoire of intra- and intermolecular interactions through their conformational dynamics, thereby regulating many intracellular functions in concert with folded domains. The mechanisms by which IDPs interact with their partners are diverse, depending on their conformational propensities, and include induced fit, conformational selection, and their mixtures. In addition, IDPs are implicated in many diseases, and progress has been made in designing inhibitors of IDP-mediated interactions. Here we review these recent advances with a focus on the dynamics and interactions of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munehito Arai
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
| | - Shunji Suetaka
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Koji Ooka
- Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
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18
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Iwamoto N, Sasaki J, Ohno S, Aoki K, Usui Y, Inuki S, Ohno H, Oishi S. Synthetic studies on the extracellular domain of the T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) using Trt-K 10 solubilizing tags. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 99:117585. [PMID: 38219557 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117585] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) is an inhibitory immunoreceptor expressed on lymphocytes that serves as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. In this study, facile synthetic protocols to produce the extracellular domain of TIGIT were investigated for applications of TIGIT in mirror-image screening. During the synthesis via sequential native chemical ligations, we encountered problems with significantly poor solubility of the ligated products. Introducing trityl-type solubilizing auxiliaries, which also functioned as temporary protecting groups for cysteine residues, facilitated a flexible order of ligations and efficient purification protocols. After refolding under appropriate conditions, the synthetic TIGIT showed a sufficient affinity toward its target ligand CD155.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Iwamoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Jumpei Sasaki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Saya Ohno
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Keisuke Aoki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Yusuke Usui
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan.
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19
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Gao YP, Sun PF, Guo WC, Zhou YK, Zheng JS, Tang S. Chemical synthesis of a 28 kDa full-length PET degrading enzyme ICCG by the removable backbone modification strategy. Bioorg Chem 2024; 143:107047. [PMID: 38154387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107047] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Chemical protein synthesis offers a powerful way to access otherwise-difficult-to-obtain proteins such as mirror-image proteins. Although a large number of proteins have been chemically synthesized to date, the acquisition to proteins containing hydrophobic peptide fragments has proven challenging. Here, we describe an approach that combines the removable backbone modification strategy and the peptide hydrazide-based native chemical ligation for the chemical synthesis of a 28 kDa full-length PET degrading enzyme IGGC (a higher depolymerization efficiency of variant leaf-branch compost cutinase (LCC)) containing hydrophobic peptide segments. The synthetic ICCG exhibits the enzymatic activity and will be useful in establishing the corresponding mirror-image version of ICCG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Pu Gao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Peng-Fei Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Wu-Chen Guo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Yong-Kang Zhou
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China.
| | - Shan Tang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China.
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20
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Lin X, Harel O, Jbara M. Chemical Engineering of Artificial Transcription Factors by Orthogonal Palladium(II)-Mediated S-Arylation Reactions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317511. [PMID: 38085105 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Site-selective functionalization strategies are in high demand to prepare well-defined homogeneous proteins for basic research and biomedical applications. In this regard, cysteine-based reactions have enabled a broad set of transformations to produce modified proteins for various applications. However, these approaches were mainly employed to modify a single reactive site with a specific transformation. Achieving site selectivity or multiple transformations, essential for preparing complex biomolecules, remains challenging. Herein we demonstrate the power of combining palladium(II)-mediated C-S bond formation and C-S bond cleavage reactions to selectively edit desired cysteine sites in complex and uniquely modified proteins. We developed an orthogonal palladium(II) strategy for rapid and effective diversification of multiple cysteine sites (3-6 residues) with various transformations. Importantly, we employed our approach to prepare 10 complex analogues, including modified, stapled, and multimeric proteins on a milligram scale. Furthermore, we also synthesized a focused library of stabilized artificial transcription factors that displayed enhanced stability and potent DNA binding activity. Our approach enables rapid and effective protein editing and opens new avenues to engineer new biomolecules for fundamental research and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Lin
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Omer Harel
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Muhammad Jbara
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
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21
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Aoki K, Manabe A, Kimura H, Katoh Y, Inuki S, Ohno H, Nonaka M, Oishi S. Mirror-Image Single-Domain Antibody for a Novel Nonimmunogenic Drug Scaffold. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:2055-2065. [PMID: 37883660 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Immunogenic responses by protein therapeutics often lead to reduced therapeutic effects and/or adverse effects via the generation of neutralizing antibodies and/or antidrug antibodies (ADA). Mirror-image proteins of the variable domain of the heavy chain of the heavy chain antibody (VHH) are potential novel protein therapeutics with high-affinity binding to target proteins and reduced immunogenicity because these mirror-image VHHs (d-VHHs) are less susceptible to proteolytic degradation in antigen-presenting cells (APCs). In this study, we investigated the preparation protocols of d-VHHs and their biological properties, including stereoselective target binding and immunogenicity. Initially, we established a facile synthetic process of two model VHHs [anti-GFP VHH and PMP12A2h1 (monomeric VHH of caplacizumab)] and their mirror-image proteins by three-step native chemical ligations (NCLs) from four peptide segments. The folded synthetic VHHs (l-anti-GFP VHH and l-PMP12A2h1) bound to the target proteins (EGFP and vWF-A1 domain, respectively), while their mirror-image proteins (d-anti-GFP VHH and d-PMP12A2h1) showed no binding to the native proteins. For biodistribution studies, l-VHH and d-VHH with single radioactive indium diethylenetriamine-pentaacid (111In-DTPA) labeling at the C-terminus were designed and synthesized by the established protocol. The distribution profiles were essentially similar between l-VHH and d-VHH, in which the probes accumulated in the kidney within 15 min after intravenous administration in mice, because of the small molecular size of VHHs. Comparative assessment of the immunogenicity responses revealed that d-VHH-induced levels of ADA generation were significantly lower than those of native VHH, regardless of the peptide sequences and administration routes. The resulting scaffold investigated should be applicable in the design of d-VHHs with various C-terminal CDR3 sequences, which can be identified by screening using display technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Aoki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Asako Manabe
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kimura
- Laboratory of Analytical and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Yohei Katoh
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Motohiro Nonaka
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
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22
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Lander AJ, Mercado LD, Li X, Taily IM, Findlay BL, Jin Y, Luk LYP. Roles of inter- and intramolecular tryptophan interactions in membrane-active proteins revealed by racemic protein crystallography. Commun Chem 2023; 6:154. [PMID: 37464011 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-023-00953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan is frequently found on the surface of membrane-associated proteins that interact with the lipid membrane. However, because of their multifaceted interactions, it is difficult to pinpoint the structure-activity relationship of each tryptophan residue. Here, we describe the use of racemic protein crystallography to probe dedicated tryptophan interactions of a model tryptophan-rich bacteriocin aureocin A53 (AucA) by inclusion and/or exclusion of potential ligands. In the presence of tetrahedral anions that are isosteric to the head group of phospholipids, distinct tryptophan H-bond networks were revealed. H-bond donation by W40 was critical for antibacterial activity, as its substitution by 1-methyltryptophan resulted in substantial loss of activity against bacterial clinical isolates. Meanwhile, exclusion of tetrahedral ions revealed that W3 partakes in formation of a dimeric interface, thus suggesting that AucA is dimeric in solution and dissociated to interact with the phosphate head group in the presence of the lipid membrane. Based on these findings, we could predict the tryptophan residue responsible for activity as well as the oligomeric state of a distant homologue lacticin Q (48%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Lander
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Laura Domínguez Mercado
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Xuefei Li
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Irshad Maajid Taily
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Brandon L Findlay
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Yi Jin
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK.
| | - Louis Y P Luk
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
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