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Feng M, Chan KC, Zhong Q, Zhou R. In silico design of high-affinity antigenic peptides for HLA-B44. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131356. [PMID: 38574928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131356] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cell-killing by CD8+ T cells demands effective tumor antigen presentation by human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) molecules. Screening and designing highly immunogenic neoantigens require quantitative computations to reliably predict HLA-peptide binding affinities. Here, with all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and free energy perturbation (FEP) methods, we design a collection of antigenic peptide candidates through in silico mutagenesis studies on immunogenic neoantigens, yielding enhanced binding affinities to HLA-B*44:02. In-depth structural dissection shows that introducing positively charged residues such as arginine to position 6 or lysine to position 7 of the candidates triggers conformational shifts in both peptides and the antigen-binding groove of the HLA, following the "induced-fit" mechanism. Enhancement in binding affinities compared to the wild-type was found in three out of five mutated candidates. The HLA pocket, capable of accommodating positively charged residues in positions from 5 to 7, is designated as the "dynamic pocket". Taken together, we showcase an effective structure-based binding affinity optimization framework for antigenic peptides of HLA-B*44:02 and underscore the importance of dynamic nature of the antigen-binding groove in concert with the anchoring motifs. This work provides structural insights for rational design of favorable HLA-peptide bindings and future developments in neoantigen-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Feng
- Lanzhou Center for Theoretical Physics, Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China; Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Kevin C Chan
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qinglu Zhong
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China; The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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Zhou H, Chan KC, Buratto D, Zhou R. The rigidity of a structural bridge on HLA-I binding groove explains its differential outcome in cancer immune response. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127199. [PMID: 37793526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The tremendous success of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has raised the great demand for the development of predictive biomarkers. A recent cancer genomic study suggested that human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*44:02 and HLA-B*15:01 alleles may act as potential biomarkers for ICB therapies, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the molecular origins of differential responses to ICB therapies for four representative HLA alleles: HLA-B*44:02, HLA-B*15:01, HLA-B*07:02, and HLA-B*53:01, using extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We first demonstrated that the relatively more rigid peptide-binding groove of HLA-B*15:01, than those in the other three HLA alleles, may result in challenges in its recognition with T-cell receptors. Specifically, the "bridge" structure in HLA-B*15:01 is stabilized through both intramolecular electrostatic interactions between the HLA residues and intermolecular interactions between the HLA and the antigenic peptide. These observations were further confirmed by in silico mutagenesis studies, as well as simulations of several other HLA-B*15:01-peptide complexes. By contrast, the "bridge" structure is either completely absent in HLA-B*44:02 or easily perturbed in HLA-B*07:02 and HLA-B*53:01. Our findings provide detailed structural and mechanistic insights into how HLA genotype influences ICB responses and may have important implications for developing immune markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Kevin Chun Chan
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Damiano Buratto
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States.
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3
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Dunot J, Ribera A, Pousinha PA, Marie H. Spatiotemporal insights of APP function. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102754. [PMID: 37542943 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102754] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
The amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) is a ubiquitous protein with a strong genetic link to Alzheimer's disease. Although the protein was identified more than forty years ago, its physiological function is still unclear. In recent years, advances in technology have allowed researchers to tackle APP functions in greater depth. In this review, we discuss the latest research pertaining to APP functions from development to aging. We also address the different roles that APP could play in specific types of cells of the central and peripheral nervous system and in other organs of the body. We argue that, until we fully identify the functions of APP in space and time, we will be missing important pieces of the puzzle to solve its pathological implication in Alzheimer's disease and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Dunot
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR7275, 06560, Valbonne, France. https://twitter.com/DunotJade
| | - Aurore Ribera
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR7275, 06560, Valbonne, France. https://twitter.com/aurore_et_al_
| | - Paula A Pousinha
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR7275, 06560, Valbonne, France.
| | - Hélène Marie
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR7275, 06560, Valbonne, France.
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4
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Wang X, Liu T, Huang Y, Dong F, Li L, Song J, Zuo S, Zhu Z, Kamei KI, He Z, Sun B, Sun J. Critical roles of linker length in determining the chemical and self-assembly stability of SN38 homodimeric nanoprodrugs. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2023; 8:235-244. [PMID: 36537183 DOI: 10.1039/d2nh00425a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Homodimeric prodrug nanoassemblies (HDPNs) have been widely studied for efficient cancer therapy by virtue of their ultra-high drug loading and distinct nanostructure. However, the development of SN38 HDPNs is still a great challenge due to the rigid planar aromatic ring structure. Improving the structural flexibility of homodimeric prodrugs by increasing the linker length may be a potential strategy for constructing SN38 HDPNs. Herein, three SN38 homodimeric prodrugs with different linker lengths were synthesized. The number of carbon atoms from the disulfide bond to the adjacent ester bond is 1 (denoted as α-SN38-SS-SN38), 2 (β-SN38-SS-SN38), and 3 (γ-SN38-SS-SN38), respectively. Interestingly, we found that α-SN38-SS-SN38 exhibited extremely low yield and poor chemical stability. Additionally, β-SN38-SS-SN38 demonstrated suitable chemical stability but poor self-assembly stability. In comparison, γ-SN38-SS-SN38 possessed good chemical and self-assembly stability, thereby improving the tumor accumulation and antitumor efficacy of SN38. We developed the SN38 HDPNs for the first time and illustrated the underlying molecular mechanism of increasing the linker length to enhance the chemical and self-assembly stability of homodimeric prodrugs. These findings would provide new insights for the rational design of HDPNs with superior performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, P. R. China
| | - Tian Liu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Yuetong Huang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Fudan Dong
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, P. R. China
| | - Lingxiao Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Jiaxuan Song
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Shiyi Zuo
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Zhengyang Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, P. R. China
| | - Ken-Ichiro Kamei
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Zhonggui He
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Bingjun Sun
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
| | - Jin Sun
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, P. R. China
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Rem PD, Sereikaite V, Fernández-Fernández D, Reinartz S, Ulrich D, Fritzius T, Trovo L, Roux S, Chen Z, Rondard P, Pin JP, Schwenk J, Fakler B, Gassmann M, Barkat TR, Strømgaard K, Bettler B. Soluble amyloid-β precursor peptide does not regulate GABA B receptor activity. eLife 2023; 12:82082. [PMID: 36688536 PMCID: PMC9917443 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) regulates neuronal activity through the release of secreted APP (sAPP) acting at cell surface receptors. APP and sAPP were reported to bind to the extracellular sushi domain 1 (SD1) of GABAB receptors (GBRs). A 17 amino acid peptide (APP17) derived from APP was sufficient for SD1 binding and shown to mimic the inhibitory effect of sAPP on neurotransmitter release and neuronal activity. The functional effects of APP17 and sAPP were similar to those of the GBR agonist baclofen and blocked by a GBR antagonist. These experiments led to the proposal that sAPP activates GBRs to exert its neuronal effects. However, whether APP17 and sAPP influence classical GBR signaling pathways in heterologous cells was not analyzed. Here, we confirm that APP17 binds to GBRs with nanomolar affinity. However, biochemical and electrophysiological experiments indicate that APP17 does not influence GBR activity in heterologous cells. Moreover, APP17 did not regulate synaptic GBR localization, GBR-activated K+ currents, neurotransmitter release, or neuronal activity in vitro or in vivo. Our results show that APP17 is not a functional GBR ligand and indicate that sAPP exerts its neuronal effects through receptors other than GBRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Dominic Rem
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Vita Sereikaite
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, UniversitetsparkenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Sebastian Reinartz
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Daniel Ulrich
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Thorsten Fritzius
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Luca Trovo
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Salomé Roux
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Ziyang Chen
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, UniversitetsparkenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Philippe Rondard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Jochen Schwenk
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Bernd Fakler
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- CIBSS Center for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- Center for Basics in NeuroModulationFreiburgGermany
| | - Martin Gassmann
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | | | - Kristian Strømgaard
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, UniversitetsparkenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Bernhard Bettler
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmazentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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Mei J, Yang H, Ahmad S, Ma X, Xu W, Gao W, Li Y, Wang C, Ai H. Toxicity Mechanism of Aβ42 Oligomer in the Binding between the GABA BR1a sushi1 Domain and Amyloid Precursor Protein 9mer: A Mechanism like Substitution Reaction. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2048-2059. [PMID: 35737468 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), characterized by its abnormal folding into neurotoxic aggregates, impairs synaptic plasticity and causes synaptic loss associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The neurotoxicity of Aβ oligomers via the binding to various cell-surface receptors was frequently observed experimentally; however, the toxic mechanism still remains unknown. In this paper, we study the intervention of Aβ oligomers to the receptor-peptide binding in the GABABR1a sushi1-APP 9mer complex, a key node in increasing short-term synaptic facilitation in the mouse hippocampus and decreasing neuronal activity by inhibiting neurotransmitter release by molecular dynamics simulations. The residue types of Aβ42 oligomers involved in the intervention and core contact areas of the receptor were first identified, by which an unprecedented toxicity mechanism of Aβ42 oligomers is proposed. These involved residues of Aβ42 oligomers are positively charged residues Asp and Glu, and the core area of GABABR1a sushi1 domain is the Coil one, sharing the rich negatively charged residues R19/R21/R25/R45 with the pocket, in which APP 9mer is locked. The presence of an Aβ42 oligomer rather than of a monomer stretches these key residues in the core area and consequently "unlocks and releases" the APP 9mer from its initial pocket, unsteadying the sushi1 domain and taking into toxic effect. It looks like a chemical "substitution" reaction, Aβ42 oligomer + GABABR1a sushi1-APP 9mer complex → Aβ42 oligomer-GABABR1a sushi1 complex + APP 9mer. Further analysis reveals that the toxicity of Aβ42 oligomer to GABABR1a sushi1 domain stability depends on the residue number of the contact area and the size of Aβ42 oligomer, in which semi-extended trimeric Aβ42 oligomer is identified as the most toxic one. This work provides a novel insight into the mechanism of Aβ oligomeric toxicity to neuroreceptors and sets an important precedent for dealing with Aβ oligomeric toxicity to other receptors at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Huijuan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohong Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Wenqi Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Ye Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Chuanbo Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
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Yang H, Mei J, Xu W, Ma X, Sun B, Ai H. Identification of the probable structure of the sAPPα-GABA BR1a complex and theoretical solutions for such cases. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:12267-12280. [PMID: 35543350 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00569g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the core of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Existing studies have shown that the soluble secreted APP (sAPPα) fragment obtained from the hydrolysis of APP by α-secretase has a synaptic function. Thereinto, a nine-residue fragment (APP9mer) of the extension domain region of sAPPα can bind directly and selectively to the N-terminal sushi1 domain (SD1) of the γ-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunit 1a (GABABR1a) protein, which can influence synaptic transmission and plasticity by changing the GABABR1a conformation. APP9mer is a highly flexible, disordered region, and as such it is difficult to experimentally determine the optimal APPmer-SD1 binding complex. In this study we constructed two types of APP9mer-SD1 complexes through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation, aiming to explore the recognition function and mechanism of the specific binding of APP9mer with SD1, from which the most probable APPmer-SD1 model conformation is predicted. All the data from the analyses of RMSD, RMSF, PCA, DCCM and MM/PBSA binding energy as well as comparison with the experimental dissociation constant Kd suggest that 2NC is the most likely conformation to restore the crystal structure of the experimental APP9mer-SD1 complex. Of note, the key recognition residues of APP9mer are D24, D25, D27, W29 and W30, which mainly act on the 9-45 residue domain of SD1 (consisting of two loops and three short β-chains at the N-terminus of SD1). The mini-model with key residues identified establishes the molecular basis with deep insight into the interaction between APP and GABABR1a and provides a target for the development of therapeutic strategies for modulating GABABR1a-specific signaling in neurological and psychiatric disorders. More importantly, the study offers a theoretical solution for how to determine a biomolecular structure with a highly flexible, disordered fragment embedded within. The flexible fragment involved in a protein structure has to be deserted usually during the structural determination with experimental methods (e.g. X-ray crystallography, etc.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaohong Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
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Chen SH, Bell DR. Evolution of Thyroglobulin Loop Kinetics in EpCAM. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11090915. [PMID: 34575064 PMCID: PMC8467770 DOI: 10.3390/life11090915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cell-activating molecule (EpCAM) is an important cancer biomarker and therapeutic target given its elevated expression in epithelial cancers. EpCAM is a type I transmembrane protein that forms cis-dimers along the thyroglobulin type-1A-like domain (TYD) in the extracellular region. The thyroglobulin loop (TY loop) within the TYD is structurally dynamic in the monomer state of human EpCAM, binding reversibly to a TYD site. However, it is not known if this flexibility is prevalent across different species. Here, we conduct over 17 μs of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study EpCAM TY loop kinetics of five different species, including human, mouse, chicken, frog, and fish. We find that the TY loop remains dynamic across evolution. In addition to the TYD binding site, we discover a second binding site for the TY loop in the C-terminal domain (CTD). Calculations of the dissociation rate constants from the simulation trajectories suggest a differential binding pattern of fish EpCAM and other organisms. Whereas fish TY loop has comparable binding for both TYD and CTD sites, the TY loops of other species preferably bind the TYD site. A hybrid construct of fish EpCAM with human TY loop restores the TYD binding preference, suggesting robust effects of the TY loop sequence on its dynamic behavior. Our findings provide insights into the structural dynamics of EpCAM and its implication in physiological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena H. Chen
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
- Correspondence: (S.H.C.); (D.R.B.)
| | - David R. Bell
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
- Correspondence: (S.H.C.); (D.R.B.)
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Wang X, Yang B, Li L, Liu T, Zuo S, Chi D, He Z, Sun B, Sun J. Probing the fluorination effect on the self-assembly characteristics, in vivo fate and antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel prodrug nanoassemblies. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:7896-7910. [PMID: 34335971 PMCID: PMC8315070 DOI: 10.7150/thno.61337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Small-molecule prodrug nanoassembly is emerging as an efficient platform for chemotherapy. The self-assembly stability plays a vital role on the drug delivery efficiency of prodrug nanoassembly. It is reported that fluoroalkylation could improve the self-assembly stability of amphiphilic polymers by utilizing the unique fluorination effect. But the application of fluoroalkylation on small-molecule prodrug nanoassembly has never been reported. Methods: Here, fluoro-modified prodrug was developed by conjugating paclitaxel with perfluorooctanol (F8-SS-PTX), and the paclitaxel-octanol prodrug (C8-SS-PTX) was used as control. The fluoro-mediated self-assembly mechanisms were illustrated using molecular dynamics simulation. In addition, the impacts of fluoroalkylation on the pharmacy characters, in vivo fate and antitumor effect of small-molecule prodrug nanoassembly were investigated in details. Results: Fluoroalkylation significantly improved the self-assembly stability of F8-SS-PTX NPs both in vitro and in vivo, which could be attributed to the fluoro-mediated hydrophobic force and halogen bonds. The AUC0-24h and tumor accumulation of F8-SS-PTX NPs was 6-fold and 2-fold higher than that of C8-SS-PTX NPs, respectively. As a result, F8-SS-PTX NPs exhibited much better antitumor effect than C8-SS-PTX NPs and Abraxane. Conclusion: Fluoroalkylation could improve the self-assembly stability, in vivo fate, and antitumor efficacy of small-molecule prodrug nanoassemblies, which could be an effective strategy for the rational design of advanced nanomedicines.
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