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Atkinson E, Dickman R. Growth factors and their peptide mimetics for treatment of traumatic brain injury. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 90:117368. [PMID: 37331175 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability in adults, caused by a physical insult damaging the brain. Growth factor-based therapies have the potential to reduce the effects of secondary injury and improve outcomes by providing neuroprotection against glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative damage, hypoxia, and ischemia, as well as promoting neurite outgrowth and the formation of new blood vessels. Despite promising evidence in preclinical studies, few neurotrophic factors have been tested in clinical trials for TBI. Translation to the clinic is not trivial and is limited by the short in vivo half-life of the protein, the inability to cross the blood-brain barrier and human delivery systems. Synthetic peptide mimetics have the potential to be used in place of recombinant growth factors, activating the same downstream signalling pathways, with a decrease in size and more favourable pharmacokinetic properties. In this review, we will discuss growth factors with the potential to modulate damage caused by secondary injury mechanisms following a traumatic brain injury that have been trialled in other indications including spinal cord injury, stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. Peptide mimetics of nerve growth factor (NGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), glial cell line-derived growth factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) will be highlighted, most of which have not yet been tested in preclinical or clinical models of TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Atkinson
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; UCL Centre for Nerve Engineering, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
| | - Rachael Dickman
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
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Ito K, Matsuda Y, Mine A, Shikida N, Takahashi K, Miyairi K, Shimbo K, Kikuchi Y, Konishi A. Single-chain tandem macrocyclic peptides as a scaffold for growth factor and cytokine mimetics. Commun Biol 2022; 5:56. [PMID: 35031676 PMCID: PMC8760323 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03015-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mimetics of growth factors and cytokines are promising tools for culturing large numbers of cells and manufacturing regenerative medicine products. In this study, we report single-chain tandem macrocyclic peptides (STaMPtides) as mimetics in a new multivalent peptide format. STaMPtides, which contain two or more macrocyclic peptides with a disulfide-closed backbone and peptide linkers, are successfully secreted into the supernatant by Corynebacterium glutamicum-based secretion technology. Without post-secretion modification steps, such as macrocyclization or enzymatic treatment, bacterially secreted STaMPtides form disulfide bonds, as designed; are biologically active; and show agonistic activities against respective target receptors. We also demonstrate, by cell-based assays, the potential of STaMPtides, which mimic growth factors and cytokines, in cell culture. The STaMPtide technology can be applied to the design, screening, and production of growth factor and cytokine mimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichiro Ito
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan.
| | - Yoshihiko Matsuda
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Ayako Mine
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Natsuki Shikida
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Takahashi
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Kyohei Miyairi
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Shimbo
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Kikuchi
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Atsushi Konishi
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-Cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
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Dimer Interface in Natural Variant NK1 Is Dispensable for HGF-Dependent Met Receptor Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179240. [PMID: 34502141 PMCID: PMC8431453 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
NK1, a splicing variant of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), binds to and activates Met receptor by forming an NK1 dimer and 2:2 complex with Met. Although the structural mechanism underlying Met activation by HGF remains incompletely resolved, it has been proposed that the NK1 dimer structure participates in this activation. We investigated the NK1 dimer interface’s role in Met activation by HGF. Because N127, V140, and K144 are closely involved in the head-to-tail NK1 dimer formation, mutant NK1 proteins with replacement of these residues by alanine were prepared. In Met tyrosine phosphorylation assays, N127-NK1, V140-NK1, and K144-NK1 showed 8.3%, 23.8%, and 52.2% activity, respectively, compared with wild-type NK1. Although wild-type NK1 promoted cell migration and scattering, N127-NK1, V140-NK1, and K144-NK1 hardly or marginally promoted them, indicating loss of activity of these mutant NK1 proteins to activate Met. In contrast, mutant HGFs (N127-HGF, V140-HGF, and K144-HGF) with the same amino acid replacements as in NK1 induced Met tyrosine phosphorylation and biological responses at levels comparable to those of wild-type HGF. These results indicate that the structural basis responsible for NK1-dependent Met dimer formation and activation differs from, or is at least distinguishable from, the structural basis responsible for HGF-dependent Met activation.
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Discovery of De Novo Macrocyclic Peptides by Messenger RNA Display. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021; 42:385-397. [PMID: 33771353 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Macrocyclic peptides are a promising class of compounds that can often engage challenging therapeutic targets. Display technologies, such as mRNA display, allow for the efficient discovery of macrocyclic peptides. This article reviews the current approaches for generating macrocyclic peptide libraries using mRNA display and highlights some recent examples of ribosomal incorporation of nonproteinogenic amino acids into macrocyclic peptides.
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Sato H, Imamura R, Suga H, Matsumoto K, Sakai K. Cyclic Peptide-Based Biologics Regulating HGF-MET. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21217977. [PMID: 33121208 PMCID: PMC7662982 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Using a random non-standard peptide integrated discovery system, we obtained cyclic peptides that bind to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) or mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor. (MET) HGF-inhibitory peptide-8 (HiP-8) selectively bound to two-chain active HGF, but not to single-chain precursor HGF. HGF showed a dynamic change in its molecular shape in atomic force microscopy, but HiP-8 inhibited dynamic change in the molecular shape into a static status. The inhibition of the molecular dynamics of HGF by HiP-8 was associated with the loss of the ability to bind MET. HiP-8 could selectively detect active HGF in cancer tissues, and active HGF probed by HiP-8 showed co-localization with activated MET. Using HiP-8, cancer tissues with active HGF could be detected by positron emission tomography. HiP-8 seems to be applicable for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. In contrast, based on the receptor dimerization as an essential process for activation, the cross-linking of the cyclic peptides that bind to the extracellular region of MET successfully generated an artificial ligand to MET. The synthetic MET agonists activated MET and exhibited biological activities which were indistinguishable from the effects of HGF. MET agonists composed of cyclic peptides can be manufactured by chemical synthesis but not recombinant protein expression, and thus are expected to be new biologics that are applicable to therapeutics and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Sato
- Division of Tumor Dynamics and Regulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan; (H.S.); (R.I.); (K.M.)
- WPI-Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Ryu Imamura
- Division of Tumor Dynamics and Regulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan; (H.S.); (R.I.); (K.M.)
- WPI-Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
| | - Kunio Matsumoto
- Division of Tumor Dynamics and Regulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan; (H.S.); (R.I.); (K.M.)
- WPI-Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
- Tumor Microenvironment Research Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Katsuya Sakai
- Division of Tumor Dynamics and Regulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan; (H.S.); (R.I.); (K.M.)
- WPI-Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
- Correspondence:
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