1
|
Camargo L, Gering I, Mastalipour M, Kraemer-Schulien V, Bujnicki T, Willbold D, Coronado MA, Eberle RJ. A Snake Venom Peptide and Its Derivatives Prevent Aβ 42 Aggregation and Eliminate Toxic Aβ 42 Aggregates In Vitro. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:2600-2611. [PMID: 38957957 PMCID: PMC11258689 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00089] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Over a century has passed since Alois Alzheimer first described Alzheimer's disease (AD), and since then, researchers have made significant strides in understanding its pathology. One key feature of AD is the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, which form amyloid plaques, and therefore, it is a primary target for treatment studies. Naturally occurring peptides have garnered attention for their potential pharmacological benefits, particularly in the central nervous system. In this study, nine peptide derivatives of Crotamine, a polypeptide from Crotalus durissus terrificus Rattlesnake venom, as well as one d-enantiomer, were evaluated for their ability to modulate Aβ42 aggregation through various assays such as ThT, QIAD, SPR, and sFIDA. All tested peptides were able to decrease Aβ42 aggregation and eliminate Aβ42 aggregates. Additionally, all of the peptides showed an affinity for Aβ42. This study is the first to describe the potential of crotamine derivative peptides against Aβ42 aggregation and to identify a promising d-peptide that could be used as an effective pharmacological tool against AD in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luana
Cristina Camargo
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Ian Gering
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Mohammadamin Mastalipour
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Victoria Kraemer-Schulien
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Tuyen Bujnicki
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Mônika A. Coronado
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Raphael J. Eberle
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Maniam S, Maniam S. Screening Techniques for Drug Discovery in Alzheimer's Disease. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:6059-6073. [PMID: 38371787 PMCID: PMC10870277 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive and irreversible impairment of memory and other cognitive functions of the aging brain. Pathways such as amyloid beta neurotoxicity, tau pathogenesis and neuroinflammatory have been used to understand AD, despite not knowing the definite molecular mechanism which causes this progressive disease. This review attempts to summarize the small molecules that target these pathways using various techniques involving high-throughput screening, molecular modeling, custom bioassays, and spectroscopic detection tools. Novel and evolving screening methods developed to advance drug discovery initiatives in AD research are also highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Maniam
- Department
of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Subashani Maniam
- School
of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liu H, Cui Y, Zhao X, Wei L, Wang X, Shen N, Odom T, Li X, Lawless W, Karunarathne K, Muschol M, Guida W, Cao C, Ye L, Cai J. Helical sulfonyl-γ-AApeptides modulating Aβ oligomerization and cytotoxicity by recognizing Aβ helix. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311733121. [PMID: 38285951 PMCID: PMC10861862 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311733121] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
In contrast to prevalent strategies which make use of β-sheet mimetics to block Aβ fibrillar growth, in this study, we designed a series of sulfonyl-γ-AApeptide helices that targeted the crucial α-helix domain of Aβ13-26 and stabilized Aβ conformation to avoid forming the neurotoxic Aβ oligomeric β-sheets. Biophysical assays such as amyloid kinetics and TEM demonstrated that the Aβ oligomerization and fibrillation could be greatly prevented and even reversed in the presence of sulfonyl-γ-AApeptides in a sequence-specific and dose-dependent manner. The studies based on circular dichroism, Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D-NMR) spectra unambiguously suggested that the sulfonyl-γ-AApeptide Ab-6 could bind to the central region of Aβ42 and induce α-helix conformation in Aβ. Additionally, Electrospray ionisation-ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (ESI-IMS-MS) was employed to rule out a colloidal mechanism of inhibitor and clearly supported the capability of Ab-6 for inhibiting the formation of Aβ aggregated forms. Furthermore, Ab-6 could rescue neuroblastoma cells by eradicating Aβ-mediated cytotoxicity even in the presence of pre-formed Aβ aggregates. The confocal microscopy demonstrated that Ab-6 could still specifically bind Aβ42 and colocalize into mitochondria in the cellular environment, suggesting the rescue of cell viability might be due to the protection of mitochondrial function otherwise impaired by Aβ42 aggregation. Taken together, our studies indicated that sulfonyl-γ-AApeptides as helical peptidomimetics could direct Aβ into the off-pathway helical secondary structure, thereby preventing the formation of Aβ oligomerization, fibrillation and rescuing Aβ induced cell cytotoxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Yunpeng Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Xue Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Lulu Wei
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Xudong Wang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Ning Shen
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Timothy Odom
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Xuming Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - William Lawless
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | | | - Martin Muschol
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Wayne Guida
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Chuanhai Cao
- Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33612
| | - Libin Ye
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33620
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ghosh S, Ali R, Verma S. Aβ-oligomers: A potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 239:124231. [PMID: 36996958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The cascade of amyloid formation relates to multiple complex events at the molecular level. Previous research has established amyloid plaque deposition as the leading cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, detected mainly in aged population. The primary components of the plaques are two alloforms of amyloid-beta (Aβ), Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-40 peptides. Recent studies have provided considerable evidence contrary to the previous claim indicating that amyloid-beta oligomers (AβOs) as the main culprit responsible for AD-associated neurotoxicity and pathogenesis. In this review, we have discussed the primary features of AβOs, such as assembly formation, the kinetics of oligomer formation, interactions with various membranes/membrane receptors, the origin of toxicity, and oligomer-specific detection methods. Recently, the discovery of rationally designed antibodies has opened a gateway for using synthesized peptides as a grafting component in the complementarity determining region (CDR) of antibodies. Thus, the Aβ sequence motif or the complementary peptide sequence in the opposite strand of the β-sheet (extracted from the Protein Data Bank: PDB) helps design oligomer-specific inhibitors. The microscopic event responsible for oligomer formation can be targeted, and thus prevention of the overall macroscopic behaviour of the aggregation or the associated toxicity can be achieved. We have carefully reviewed the oligomer formation kinetics and associated parameters. Besides, we have depicted a thorough understanding of how the synthesized peptide inhibitors can impede the early aggregates (oligomers), mature fibrils, monomers, or a mixture of the species. The oligomer-specific inhibitors (peptides or peptide fragments) lack in-depth chemical kinetics and optimization control-based screening. In the present review, we have proposed a hypothesis for effectively screening oligomer-specific inhibitors using the chemical kinetics (determining the kinetic parameters) and optimization control strategy (cost-dependent analysis). Further, it may be possible to implement the structure-kinetic-activity-relationship (SKAR) strategy instead of structure-activity-relationship (SAR) to improve the inhibitor's activity. The controlled optimization of the kinetic parameters and dose usage will be beneficial for narrowing the search window for the inhibitors.
Collapse
|
5
|
Shi Y, Sang P, Lu J, Higbee P, Chen L, Yang L, Odom T, Daughdrill G, Chen J, Cai J. Rational Design of Right-Handed Heterogeneous Peptidomimetics as Inhibitors of Protein-Protein Interactions. J Med Chem 2020; 63:13187-13196. [PMID: 33140956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Peptidomimetics have gained great attention for their function as protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors. Herein, we report the design and investigation of a series of right-handed helical heterogeneous 1:1 α/Sulfono-γ-AA peptides as unprecedented inhibitors for p53-MDM2 and p53-MDMX. The most potent helical heterogeneous 1:1 α/Sulfono-γ-AA peptides were shown to bind tightly to MDM2 and MDMX, with Kd of 19.3 and 66.8 nM, respectively. Circular dichroism spectra, 2D-NMR spectroscopy, and the computational simulations suggested that these helical sulfono-γ-AA peptides could mimic the critical side chains of p53 and disrupt p53/MDM2 PPI effectively. It was noted that these 1:1 α/Sulfono-γ-AA peptides were completely resistant to proteolytic degradation, boosting their potential for biomedical applications. Furthermore, effective cellular activity is achieved by the stapled 1:1 α/Sulfono-γ-AA peptides, evidenced by significantly enhanced p53 transcriptional activity and much more induced level of MDM2 and p21. The 1:1 α/Sulfono-γ-AA peptides could be an alternative strategy to antagonize a myriad of PPIs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Junhao Lu
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Pirada Higbee
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Lihong Chen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Leixiang Yang
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Timothy Odom
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Gary Daughdrill
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Jiandong Chen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saini RK, Goyal D, Goyal B. Targeting Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Aggregation and Toxicity in Type 2 Diabetes: An Overview of Peptide-Based Inhibitors. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:2719-2738. [PMID: 33124419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and a progressive loss of pancreatic islet β-cell mass, which leads to insufficient secretion of insulin and hyperglycemia. Emerging evidence suggests that toxic oligomers and fibrils of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) contribute to the death of β-cells and lead to T2D pathogenesis. These observations have opened new avenues for the development of islet amyloid therapies for the treatment of T2D. The peptide-based inhibitors are of great value as therapeutic agents against hIAPP aggregation in T2D owing to their biocompatibility, feasibility of synthesis and modification, high specificity, low toxicity, proteolytic stability (modified peptides), and weak immunogenicity as well as the large size of involved interfaces during self-aggregation of hIAPP. An understanding of what has been done and achieved will provide key insights into T2D pathology and assist in the discovery of more potent drug candidates for the treatment of T2D. In this article, we review various peptide-based inhibitors of hIAPP aggregation, including those derived from the hIAPP sequence and those not based on the sequence, consisting of both natural as well as unnatural amino acids and their derivatives. The present review will be beneficial in advancing the field of peptide medicine for the treatment of T2D.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajneet Kaur Saini
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib 140406, Punjab India
| | - Deepti Goyal
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib 140406, Punjab India
| | - Bhupesh Goyal
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147004, Punjab India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shi Y, Sang P, Yin G, Gao R, Liang X, Brzozowski R, Odom T, Eswara P, Zheng Y, Li X, Cai J. Aggregation-Induced Emissive and Circularly Polarized Homogeneous Sulfono-γ-AApeptide Foldamers. ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS 2020; 8:1902122. [PMID: 33072491 PMCID: PMC7567131 DOI: 10.1002/adom.201902122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Through our continuous effort in developing a new class of foldamers, we have both designed and synthesized homogenous sulfono-γ-AApeptides using tetraphenylethylene (TPE) moieties attached to the backbone as luminogenic sidechains. Based on previous crystal structures, we have found that these foldamers adopted a left-handed 414-helix. Due to the constraint of the helical scaffold, the rotation of the TPE moieties were restricted, leading to fluorescent emissive properties with high quantum yields not only at the aggregate state but also in solution. Investigation of the relationship between the structure and fluorescence behavior reveals that emission was induced by the combined effect of the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and the rotated restriction from the backbone. Furthermore, as the packing mode of the luminogens could be precisely adjusted by the helical backbone, these foldamers were found to be circularly polarizable with relatively large luminescence dissymmetry factor (g lum). Interestingly, possessing cationic amphipathic structures similar to that of host-defense peptides (HDPs), these sulfono-γ-AApeptides were able to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) through membrane interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Guangqiang Yin
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Ruixuan Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Xiao Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Robert Brzozowski
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Timothy Odom
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Prahathees Eswara
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Youxuan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bolarinwa O, Li C, Khadka N, Li Q, Wang Y, Pan J, Cai J. γ-AApeptides-based Small Molecule Ligands That Disaggregate Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide. Sci Rep 2020; 10:95. [PMID: 31919432 PMCID: PMC6952368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56500-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The abnormal folding and aggregation of functional proteins into amyloid is a typical feature of many age-related diseases, including Type II diabetes. Growing evidence has revealed that the prevention of aggregate formation in culprit proteins could retard the progression of amyloid diseases. Human Amylin, also known as human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), is the major factor for categorizing Type II diabetes as an amyloid disease. Specifically, hIAPP has a great aggregation potential, which always results in a lethal situation for the pancreas. Many peptide inhibitors have been constructed from the various segments of the full-length hIAPP peptide; however, only a few have their origin from the screening of combinatorial peptidomimetic library. In this study, based on HW-155, which was previously discovered from a one-bead-one compound (OBOC) library to inhibit Aβ40 aggregation, we investigated eight (8) analogues and evaluated their amyloid-prevention capabilities for inhibiting fibrillization of hIAPP. Characterization studies revealed that all analogues of HW-155, as well as HW-155, were effective inhibitors of the fibril formation by hIAPP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olapeju Bolarinwa
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States
| | - Chunpu Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Nawal Khadka
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Jianjun Pan
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States.
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nimmagadda A, Shi Y, Cai J. γ-AApeptides as a New Strategy for Therapeutic Development. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:2313-2329. [PMID: 29110596 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666171107095913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A new class of peptidomimetics termed as "γ-AApeptides" was recently developed by our group. Similar to other peptidomimetics, γ-AApeptides are resistant to proteolytic degradation, and possess limitless potential to introduce chemically diverse functional groups. γ-AApeptides have shown great promise in biomedical applications. In this article, we will review a few examples of γ-AApeptides with biological potential. Certain γ-AApeptides can permeate cell membranes and therefore they can be used as potential drug carrier. γ-AApeptides can also bind to HIV RNA with high specificity and affinity, suggesting their potential application as anti-HIV agents. Moreover, they can mimic host-defense peptides and display potent and broad-spectrum activity towards a range of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. They are also potential anti-cancer agents. For instance, they have shown great promise in targeted imaging of tumor in mouse model, and they are also capable of disrupting p53/DNA interactions, and thus antagonize STAT3 signaling pathway. Recently, from combinatorial screening, γ-AApeptides are identified to inhibit Aβ peptide aggregation, and thus they can be developed into potential anti- Alzheimer's disease agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alekhya Nimmagadda
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Austin MJ, Rosales AM. Tunable biomaterials from synthetic, sequence-controlled polymers. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:490-505. [PMID: 30628589 DOI: 10.1039/c8bm01215f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Polymeric biomaterials have many applications including therapeutic delivery vehicles, medical implants and devices, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Both naturally-derived and synthetic materials have successfully been used for these applications in the clinic. However, the increasing complexity of these applications requires materials with advanced properties, especially customizable or tunable materials with bioactivity. To address this issue, there have been recent efforts to better recapitulate the properties of natural materials using synthetic biomaterials composed of sequence-controlled polymers. Sequence control mimics the primary structure found in biopolymers, and in many cases, provides an extra handle for functionality in synthetic polymers. Here, we first review the advances in synthetic methods that have enabled sequence-controlled biomaterials on a relevant scale, and discuss strategies for choosing functional sequences from a biomaterials engineering context. Then, we highlight several recent studies that show strong impact of sequence control on biomaterial properties, including in vitro and in vivo behavior, in the areas of hydrogels, therapeutic materials, and novel applications such as molecular barcodes for medical devices. The role of sequence control in biomaterials properties is an emerging research area, and there remain many opportunities for investigation. Further study of this topic may significantly advance our understanding of bioactive or smart materials, as well as contribute design rules to guide the development of synthetic biomaterials for future applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariah J Austin
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shi Y, Parag S, Patel R, Lui A, Murr M, Cai J, Patel NA. Stabilization of lncRNA GAS5 by a Small Molecule and Its Implications in Diabetic Adipocytes. Cell Chem Biol 2019; 26:319-330.e6. [PMID: 30661991 PMCID: PMC10498384 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) are regulatory RNAs >200 nt. We previously showed that lncRNA GAS5 decreases significantly in serum of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Hence, we sought to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of GAS5 in T2DM in adipose tissue. Using CHIP-RIP, we demonstrate that GAS5 binds to promoter of insulin receptor to regulate its expression, and its depletion inhibits glucose uptake and insulin signaling. Toward stabilizing GAS5 levels in T2DM, we incorporated a strategy to limit the degradation of GAS5 by blocking the interaction of GAS5 and UPF1 with a small molecule identified using OBTC screening strategy. NP-C86 binds to GAS5 with high affinity, and increases GAS5 levels and glucose uptake in diabetic patient adipocytes. As a broader impact, NP-C86 may be used as a molecular probe to investigate the intricacies of GAS5 in relevant biological systems as it offers specificity, efficient cellular uptake and is non-cytotoxic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Sajan Parag
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Rekha Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Ashley Lui
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Michel Murr
- Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
| | - Niketa A Patel
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ryan P, Patel B, Makwana V, Jadhav HR, Kiefel M, Davey A, Reekie TA, Rudrawar S, Kassiou M. Peptides, Peptidomimetics, and Carbohydrate-Peptide Conjugates as Amyloidogenic Aggregation Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:1530-1551. [PMID: 29782794 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. For many years, AD causality was attributed to amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregated species. Recently, multiple therapies that target Aβ aggregation have failed in clinical trials, since Aβ aggregation is found in AD and healthy patients. Attention has therefore shifted toward the aggregation of the tau protein as a major driver of AD. Numerous inhibitors of tau-based pathology have recently been developed. Diagnosis of AD has shifted from measuring late stage senile plaques to early stage biomarkers, amyloid-β and tau monomers and oligomeric assemblies. Synthetic peptides and some derivative structures are being explored for use as theranostic tools as they possess the capacity both to bind the biomarkers and to inhibit their pathological self-assembly. Several studies have demonstrated that O-linked glycoside addition can significantly alter amyloid aggregation kinetics. Furthermore, natural O-glycosylation of amyloid-forming proteins, including amyloid precursor protein (APP), tau, and α-synuclein, promotes alternative nonamyloidogenic processing pathways. As such, glycopeptides and related peptidomimetics are being investigated within the AD field. Here we review advancements made in the last 5 years, as well as the arrival of sugar-based derivatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Ryan
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
| | - Bhautikkumar Patel
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
| | - Vivek Makwana
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
| | - Hemant R. Jadhav
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani Campus, Pilani-333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Milton Kiefel
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
| | - Andrew Davey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
| | | | - Santosh Rudrawar
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4222, Australia
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Michael Kassiou
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Komnatnyy VV, Nielsen TE, Qvortrup K. Bead-based screening in chemical biology and drug discovery. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:6759-6771. [PMID: 29888365 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc02486c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
High-throughput screening is an important component of the drug discovery process. The screening of libraries containing hundreds of thousands of compounds requires assays amenable to miniaturisation and automization. Combinatorial chemistry holds a unique promise to deliver structurally diverse libraries for early drug discovery. Among the various library forms, the one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) library, where each bead carries many copies of a single compound, holds the greatest potential for the rapid identification of novel hits against emerging drug targets. However, this potential has not yet been fully realized due to a number of technical obstacles. In this feature article, we review the progress that has been made in bead-based library screening and its application to the discovery of bioactive compounds. We identify the key challenges of this approach and highlight key steps needed for making a greater impact in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly V Komnatnyy
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shi Y, Challa S, Sang P, She F, Li C, Gray GM, Nimmagadda A, Teng P, Odom T, Wang Y, van der Vaart A, Li Q, Cai J. One-Bead-Two-Compound Thioether Bridged Macrocyclic γ-AApeptide Screening Library against EphA2. J Med Chem 2017; 60:9290-9298. [PMID: 29111705 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Identification of molecular ligands that recognize peptides or proteins is significant but poses a fundamental challenge in chemical biology and biomedical sciences. Development of cyclic peptidomimetic library is scarce, and thus discovery of cyclic peptidomimetic ligands for protein targets is rare. Herein we report the unprecedented one-bead-two-compound (OBTC) combinatorial library based on a novel class of the macrocyclic peptidomimetics γ-AApeptides. In the library, we utilized the coding peptide tags synthesized with Dde-protected α-amino acids, which were orthogonal to solid phase synthesis of γ-AApeptides. Employing the thioether linkage, the desired macrocyclic γ-AApeptides were found to be effective for ligand identification. Screening the library against the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 led to the discovery of one lead compound that tightly bound to EphA2 (Kd = 81 nM) and potently antagonized EphA2-mediated signaling. This new approach of macrocyclic peptidomimetic library may lead to a novel platform for biomacromolecular surface recognition and function modulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Sridevi Challa
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Fengyu She
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Chunpu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Geoffrey M Gray
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Alekhya Nimmagadda
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Timothy Odom
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Arjan van der Vaart
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Molchanova N, Hansen PR, Franzyk H. Advances in Development of Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics as Potential Drugs. Molecules 2017; 22:E1430. [PMID: 28850098 PMCID: PMC6151827 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22091430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens has evolved into a global health problem as current treatment options are failing for infections caused by pan-resistant bacteria. Hence, novel antibiotics are in high demand, and for this reason antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted considerable interest, since they often show broad-spectrum activity, fast killing and high cell selectivity. However, the therapeutic potential of natural AMPs is limited by their short plasma half-life. Antimicrobial peptidomimetics mimic the structure and biological activity of AMPs, but display extended stability in the presence of biological matrices. In the present review, focus is on the developments reported in the last decade with respect to their design, synthesis, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic side effects as well as their potential applications as anti-infective agents. Specifically, only peptidomimetics with a modular structure of residues connected via amide linkages will be discussed. These comprise the classes of α-peptoids (N-alkylated glycine oligomers), β-peptoids (N-alkylated β-alanine oligomers), β³-peptides, α/β³-peptides, α-peptide/β-peptoid hybrids, α/γ N-acylated N-aminoethylpeptides (AApeptides), and oligoacyllysines (OAKs). Such peptidomimetics are of particular interest due to their potent antimicrobial activity, versatile design, and convenient optimization via assembly by standard solid-phase procedures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Molchanova
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Paul R Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sang P, Shi Y, Teng P, Cao A, Xu H, Li Q, Cai J. Antimicrobial AApeptides. Curr Top Med Chem 2017; 17:1266-1279. [PMID: 27758686 DOI: 10.2174/1568026616666161018145945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public concerns in the 21st century. Host-defense peptides (HDPs) can potentially mitigate the problem through bacterial membrane disruption; however, they suffer from moderate activity and low stability. We recently developed a new class of peptidomimetics termed "AApeptides". This class of peptidomimetics can mimic the mechanism of action of HDPs, and effectively arrest the growth of multidrug resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. As they are built on unnatural backbone, they are resistant to proteolytic degradation. In this review, we summarize the development of this class of antimicrobial peptidomimetics, and discuss the future perspective on how they can move forward on combating antibiotic resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33260, United States
| | - Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33260, United States
| | - Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33260, United States
| | - Annie Cao
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33260, United States
| | - Hai Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, HN 410083, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, United States
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Goyal D, Shuaib S, Mann S, Goyal B. Rationally Designed Peptides and Peptidomimetics as Inhibitors of Amyloid-β (Aβ) Aggregation: Potential Therapeutics of Alzheimer's Disease. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2017; 19:55-80. [PMID: 28045249 DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.6b00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no clinically accepted treatment to cure or halt its progression. The worldwide effort to develop peptide-based inhibitors of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation can be considered an unplanned combinatorial experiment. An understanding of what has been done and achieved may advance our understanding of AD pathology and the discovery of effective therapeutic agents. We review here the history of such peptide-based inhibitors, including those based on the Aβ sequence and those not derived from that sequence, containing both natural and unnatural amino acid building blocks. Peptide-based aggregation inhibitors hold significant promise for future AD therapy owing to their high selectivity, effectiveness, low toxicity, good tolerance, low accumulation in tissues, high chemical and biological diversity, possibility of rational design, and highly developed methods for analyzing their mode of action, proteolytic stability (modified peptides), and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Goyal
- Department of Chemistry,
School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Suniba Shuaib
- Department of Chemistry,
School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Sukhmani Mann
- Department of Chemistry,
School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Bhupesh Goyal
- Department of Chemistry,
School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bolarinwa O, Nimmagadda A, Su M, Cai J. Structure and Function of AApeptides. Biochemistry 2017; 56:445-457. [PMID: 28029249 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The intrinsic drawbacks encountered in bioactive peptides in chemical biology and biomedical sciences have diverted research efforts to the development of sequence-specific peptidomimetics that are capable of mimicking the structure and function of peptides and proteins. Modifications in the backbone and/or the side chain of peptides have been explored to develop biomimetic molecular probes or drug leads for biologically important targets. To expand the family of oligomeric peptidomimetics to facilitate their further application, we recently developed a new class of peptidomimetics, AApeptides based on a chiral peptide nucleic acid backbone. AApeptides are resistant to proteolytic degradation and amenable to enormous chemical diversification. Moreover, they could mimic the primary structure of peptides and also fold into discrete secondary structure such as helices and turn-like structures. Furthermore, they have started to show promise in applications in material and biomedical sciences. Herein, we highlight the structural design and some function of AApeptides and present our perspective on their future development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olapeju Bolarinwa
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Alekhya Nimmagadda
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Ma Su
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nimmagadda A, Liu X, Teng P, Su M, Li Y, Qiao Q, Khadka NK, Sun X, Pan J, Xu H, Li Q, Cai J. Polycarbonates with Potent and Selective Antimicrobial Activity toward Gram-Positive Bacteria. Biomacromolecules 2017; 18:87-95. [PMID: 28064500 PMCID: PMC5267617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b01385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The resistance developed by life-threatening bacteria toward conventional antibiotics has become a major concern in public health. To combat antibiotic resistance, there has been a significant interest in the development of antimicrobial cationic polymers due to the ease of synthesis and low manufacturing cost compared to host-defense peptides (HDPs). Herein, we report the design and synthesis of amphiphilic polycarbonates containing primary amino groups. These polymers exhibit potent antimicrobial activity and excellent selectivity to Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug resistant pathogens. Fluorescence and TEM studies suggest that these polymers are likely to kill bacteria by disrupting bacterial membranes. These polymers also show low tendency to elicit resistance in bacteria. Their further development may lead to new antimicrobial agents combating drug-resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alekhya Nimmagadda
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Xuan Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Ma Su
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Yaqiong Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Qiao Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Nawal K. Khadka
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Xiaoting Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Jianjun Pan
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| | - Hai Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, HN 410083, P. R. China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, U.S
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
Sequence-specific peptidomimetics are molecules that mimic the structure and function of peptides and proteins. With new backbones and molecular frameworks, peptidomimetics are of considerable interest in addressing challenges encountered in chemical biology and biomedical sciences. Based on the γ-PNA backbone, a new class of peptidomimetics - "γ-AApeptides" were recently developed. Both linear and cyclic γ-AApeptides can be synthesized with high efficiency. Compared with α-peptides, γ-AApeptides are resistant to enzymatic degradation, and amendable to diversification with a variety of chemical groups. Moreover, they could mimic primary and secondary structure, as well as the function of peptides, and show promise in biological applications, such as the development of new agents combating bacteria, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. A few research outcomes of γ-AApeptides are highlighted in this Concept article, and a future perspective is also proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Shi Y, Teng P, Sang P, She F, Wei L, Cai J. γ-AApeptides: Design, Structure, and Applications. Acc Chem Res 2016; 49:428-41. [PMID: 26900964 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.5b00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of sequence-specific peptidomimetics has led to a variety of fascinating discoveries in chemical biology. Many peptidomimetics can mimic primary, secondary, and even tertiary structure of peptides and proteins, and because of their unnatural backbones, they also possess significantly enhanced resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis, improved bioavailability, and chemodiversity. It is known that peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are peptidic sequences developed for the mimicry of nucleic acids; however, their unique backbone as the molecular scaffold of peptidomimetics to mimic structure and function of bioactive peptides has not been investigated systematically. As such, we recently developed a new class of peptidomimetics, "γ-AApeptides", based on the chiral γ-PNA backbone. They are termed γ-AApeptides because they are the oligomers of γ-substituted-N-acylated-N-aminoethyl amino acids. Similar to other classes of peptidomimetics, γ-AApeptides are also resistant to proteolytic degradation and possess the potential to enhance chemodiversity. Moreover, in our scientific journey on the exploration of this class of peptidomimetics, we have discovered some intriguing structures and functions of γ-AApeptides. In this Account, we summarize the current development and application of γ-AApeptides with biological potential. Briefly, both linear and cyclic (either through head-to-tail or head-to-side-chain cyclization) γ-AApeptides with diverse functional groups can be synthesized easily on the solid phase using the synthetic protocol we developed. γ-AApeptides could mimic the primary structure of peptides, as they project the same number of side chains as peptides of the same lengths. For instance, they could mimic the Tat peptide to permeate cell membranes and bind to HIV RNA with high specificity and affinity. Certain γ-AApeptides show similar activity to the RGD peptide and target integrin specifically on the cell surface. γ-AApeptides with function akin to fMLF peptides are also identified. More importantly, we found that γ-AApeptides can fold into discrete secondary structures, such as helical and β-turn-like structures. Therefore, they could be rationally designed for a range of biological applications. For instance, γ-AApeptides can mimic host-defense peptides and display potent and broad-spectrum activity toward a panel of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Meanwhile, because of their stability against proteolysis and their chemodiversity, γ-AApeptides are also amenable for combinatorial screening. We demonstrate that, through combinatorial selection, certain γ-AApeptides are identified to inhibit Aβ40 peptide aggregation, suggesting their potential use as a molecular probe to intervene in Alzheimer's disease. In addition, a few γ-AApeptides identified from the γ-AApeptide library have been shown to bind to the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 and antagonize STAT3/DNA interactions. Our studies suggest that, with further studies and exploration on both structures and functions, γ-AApeptides may emerge to be a new class of peptidomimetics that play an important role in chemical biology and biomedical sciences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Fengyu She
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Lulu Wei
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202
East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wu H, Qiao Q, Teng P, Hu Y, Antoniadis D, Zuo X, Cai J. New Class of Heterogeneous Helical Peptidomimetics. Org Lett 2015; 17:3524-7. [PMID: 26153619 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.5b01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A new class of unnatural heterogeneous foldamers is reported to contain alternative α-amino acid and sulfono-γ-AA amino acid residues in a 1:1 repeat pattern. Two-dimensional NMR data show that two 1:1 α/sulfono-γ-AA peptides with diverse side chains form analogous right-handed helical structures in solution. The effects of sequence length, side chain, N-capping, and temperature on folding propensity were further investigated using circular dichroism and small-angle X-ray scattering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haifan Wu
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Qiao Qiao
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Peng Teng
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Yaogang Hu
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Dimitrios Antoniadis
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Xiaobing Zuo
- ‡X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- †Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Li Y, Wu H, Teng P, Bai G, Lin X, Zuo X, Cao C, Cai J. Helical Antimicrobial Sulfono-γ-AApeptides. J Med Chem 2015; 58:4802-11. [PMID: 26020456 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Host-defense peptides (HDPs) such as magainin 2 have emerged as potential therapeutic agents combating antibiotic resistance. Inspired by their structures and mechanism of action, herein we report the first example of antimicrobial helical sulfono-γ-AApeptide foldamers. The lead molecule displays broad-spectrum and potent antimicrobial activity against multi-drug-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Time-kill studies and fluorescence microscopy suggest that sulfono-γ-AApeptides eradicate bacteria by taking a mode of action analogous to that of HDPs. Clear structure-function relationships exist in the studied sequences. Longer sequences, presumably adopting more-defined helical structures, are more potent than shorter ones. Interestingly, the sequence with less helical propensity in solution could be more selective than the stronger helix-forming sequences. Moreover, this class of antimicrobial agents are resistant to proteolytic degradation. These results may lead to the development of a new class of antimicrobial foldamers combating emerging antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaobing Zuo
- §X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cruickshank DR, Luyt LG. The development of organometallic OBOC peptide libraries and sequencing of N-terminal rhenium(I) tricarbonyl-containing peptides utilizing MALDI tandem mass spectrometry. CAN J CHEM 2015. [DOI: 10.1139/cjc-2014-0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The development of peptide-based imaging agents through screening of large peptide libraries is hindered by the additional requirement of a radionuclide−chelator complex that can negatively affect the binding properties of the peptide. Herein, we report N-terminal rhenium(I)tricarbonyl OBOC (one-bead, one-compound) peptide libraries for use in the direct screening of potential imaging agents. The rhenium(I) tricarbonyl is incorporated directly in the library as an imaging entity surrogate to account for the presence of a technetium-99m radionuclide chelate. The identification of unknown organometallic peptides on single beads is successfully accomplished through MALDI tandem mass spectrometry, preceded by a systematic investigation of the effects of a variety of N-terminal rhenium(I) tricarbonyl chelates on peptide fragmentation patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana R. Cruickshank
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Leonard G. Luyt
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, 790 Commissioners Rd. E., London, ON N6A 4L6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gao Y, Amar S, Pahwa S, Fields G, Kodadek T. Rapid lead discovery through iterative screening of one bead one compound libraries. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2015; 17:49-59. [PMID: 25434974 PMCID: PMC4294594 DOI: 10.1021/co500154e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Primary hits that arise from screening one bead one compound (OBOC) libraries against a target of interest rarely have high potency. However, there has been little work focused on the development of an efficient workflow for primary hit improvement. In this study, we show that by characterizing the binding constants for all of the hits that arise from a screen, structure-activity relationship (SAR) data can be obtained to inform the design of "derivative libraries" of a primary hit that can then be screened under more demanding conditions to obtain improved compounds. Here, we demonstrate the rapid improvement of a primary hit against matrix metalloproteinase-14 using this approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gao
- Departments
of Chemistry and Cancer Biology The Scripps Research Institutem 130
Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Sabrina Amar
- Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies 11350 SW Village Parkway, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Sonia Pahwa
- Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies 11350 SW Village Parkway, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Gregg Fields
- Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies 11350 SW Village Parkway, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Thomas Kodadek
- Departments
of Chemistry and Cancer Biology The Scripps Research Institutem 130
Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Wu H, She F, Gao W, Prince A, Li Y, Wei L, Mercer A, Wojtas L, Ma S, Cai J. The synthesis of head-to-tail cyclic sulfono-γ-AApeptides. Org Biomol Chem 2015; 13:672-6. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ob02232g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Head-to-tail cyclic sulfono-γ-AApeptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haifan Wu
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Fengyu She
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Wenyang Gao
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Austin Prince
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Yaqiong Li
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Lulu Wei
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Allison Mercer
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Lukasz Wojtas
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Shengqian Ma
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry
- University of South Florida
- Tampa
- USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wu H, Qiao Q, Hu Y, Teng P, Gao W, Zuo X, Wojtas L, Larsen RW, Ma S, Cai J. Sulfono-γ-AApeptides as a new class of nonnatural helical foldamer. Chemistry 2014; 21:2501-7. [PMID: 25504756 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201406112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Foldamers offer an attractive opportunity for the design of novel molecules that mimic the structures and functions of proteins and enzymes including biocatalysis and biomolecular recognition. Herein we report a new class of nonnatural helical sulfono-γ-AApeptide foldamers of varying lengths. The crystal structure of the sulfono-γ-AApeptide monomer S6 illustrates the intrinsic folding propensity of sulfono-γ-AApeptides, which likely originates from the bulkiness of tertiary sulfonamide moiety. The two-dimensional solution NMR spectroscopy data for the longest sequence S1 demonstrates a 10/16 right-handed helical structure. Optical analysis using circular dichroism further supports well- defined helical conformation of sulfono-γ-AApeptides in solution containing as few as five building blocks. Future development of sulfono-γ-AApeptides may lead to new foldamers with discrete functions, enabling expanded application in chemical biology and biomedical sciences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haifan Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Recognition of antigen-specific B-cell receptors from chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients by synthetic antigen surrogates. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 21:1670-9. [PMID: 25467125 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2014.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Revised: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a single neoplastic antigen-specific B cell accumulates and overgrows other B cells, leading to immune deficiency. CLL is often treated with drugs that ablate all B cells, leading to further weakening of humoral immunity, and a more focused therapeutic strategy capable of targeting only the pathogenic B cells would represent a significant advance. One approach to this would be to develop synthetic surrogates of the CLL antigens allowing differentiation of the CLL cells and healthy B cells in a patient. Here, we describe nonpeptidic molecules capable of targeting antigen-specific B cell receptors with good affinity and selectivity using a combinatorial library screen. We demonstrate that our hit compounds act as synthetic antigen surrogates and recognize CLL cells and not healthy B cells. Additionally, we argue that the technology we developed can be used to identify other classes of antigen surrogates.
Collapse
|
29
|
Hu Y, Cheng N, Wu H, Kang S, Ye RD, Cai J. Design, synthesis and characterization of fMLF-mimicking AApeptides. Chembiochem 2014; 15:2420-6. [PMID: 25224835 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201402396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The tripeptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF) is a potent neutrophil chemoattractant and the reference agonist for the G protein-coupled N-formylpeptide receptor (FPR). As it plays a very important role in host defense and inflammation, there has been considerable interest in the development of fMLF analogues in the hope of identifying potential therapeutic agents. Herein we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of AApeptides that mimic the structure and function of fMLF. The lead AApeptides induced calcium mobilization and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways in FPR-transfected rat basophilic leukemic (RBL) cells. More intriguingly, at high concentrations, certain AApeptides were more effective than fMLF in the induction of calcium mobilization. Their agonistic activity is further supported by their ability to stimulate chemotaxis and the production of superoxide in HL-60 cells. Similarly to fMLF, these AApeptides are much more selective towards FPR1 than FPR2. These results suggest that the fMLF-mimicking AApeptides might emerge as a new class of therapeutic agents that target FPRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaogang Hu
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Li Y, Smith C, Wu H, Teng P, Shi Y, Padhee S, Jones T, Nguyen AM, Cao C, Yin H, Cai J. Short antimicrobial lipo-α/γ-AA hybrid peptides. Chembiochem 2014; 15:2275-80. [PMID: 25169879 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201402264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The last two decades have seen the rise of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to combat emerging antibiotic resistance. Herein we report the solid-phase synthesis of short lipidated α/γ-AA hybrid peptides. This family of lipo-chimeric peptidomimetics displays potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against a range of multi-drug resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These lipo-α/γ-AA hybrid peptides also demonstrate high biological specificity, with no hemolytic activity towards red blood cells. Fluorescence microscopy suggests that these lipo-α/γ-AA chimeric peptides can mimic the mode of action of AMPs and kill bacterial pathogens via membrane disintegration. As the composition of these chimeric peptides is simple, therapeutic development could be economically feasible and amenable for a variety of antimicrobial applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Teng P, Zhang X, Wu H, Qiao Q, Sebti SM, Cai J. Identification of novel inhibitors that disrupt STAT3-DNA interaction from a γ-AApeptide OBOC combinatorial library. Chem Commun (Camb) 2014; 50:8739-42. [PMID: 24964402 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc03909b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
From a γ-AApeptide-based one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial library, we identified γ-AApeptides that can selectively inhibit STAT3-DNA interaction and suppress the expression levels of STAT3 target genes in intact cells. Our results demonstrate that in addition to the SH2 domain, the DNA binding domain of STAT3 is targetable for the development of a new generation of anti-cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Teng
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|