1
|
Rijwan, Arjmand F, Tabassum S. Repurposing the antihistamine drug bilastine as an anti-cancer metallic drug entity: synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of metal-based bilastine and phen [Co(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II)] tailored anticancer chemotherapeutic agents against resistant cancer cells. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:10126-10141. [PMID: 38817206 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00426d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Bilastine (BLA), 2-(4-(2-(4-(1-(2-ethoxyethyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-yl)-piperidin-1-yl)-ethyl)-phenyl)-2-methylpropanoic acid, is an active antihistamine drug. With the idea of repurposing drugs from the existing pool of 'active' pharmaceutical ingredients, the therapeutic potency of bilastine as an anticancer agent was investigated via the tailored synthesis of a metal-based anticancer drug formulation of the type [BLA(phen)2M(II)]+·X-, where M = Co, Cu, and Zn and X- = NO3 and ClO4. The synthesized metal-based chemotherapeutics derived from the bilastine drug that acts as a ligand were thoroughly characterized using spectroscopic techniques, namely, UV-vis, FT-IR, and EPR (in the case of 1 and 2); 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR (in the case of 3); ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Comprehensive biological studies (DNA binding, cleavage, and cytotoxic activity) using various biophysical and gel electrophoretic methods were carried out to validate their potential as anticancer agents. The cytotoxic activity of 'therapeutically promising' copper(II)-based drug candidate 2 was evaluated against MCF-7, MBA-MD-231, HeLa, HepG2, and Mia-PaCa-2 cancer cells via an SRB assay, and the results demonstrated 2 as a potent anticancer agent at low nanomolar concentrations against all tested cancer cells, preferably with a much superior anticancer efficacy against human pancreatic cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rijwan
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP 202002, India.
| | - Farukh Arjmand
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP 202002, India.
| | - Sartaj Tabassum
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP 202002, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lan Y, Qiu X, Xu Y. Expression, Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Disintegrin from Gloydius Brevicaudus Venom in Escherichia Coli. Protein J 2024; 43:603-612. [PMID: 38734856 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-024-10198-w] [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] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Disintegrins, a family of snake venom protein, which are capable of modulating the activity of integrins that play a fundamental role in the regulation of many physiological and pathological processes. The main purpose of this study is to obtain the recombinant disintegrin (r-DI) and evaluate its biological activity. In this study, we explored a high-level expression prokaryotic system and purification strategy for r-DI. Then, r-DI was treated to assay effects on cell growth, migration, and invasion. The affinity for the interactions of r-DI with integrin was determined using Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analyses. The r-DI can be expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by one-step chromatography. The r-DI can inhibit B16F10 cells proliferation, migration, and invasion. Also, we found that r-DI could interact with the integrin αIIbβ3 (GPIIb/IIIa). The r-DI can be expressed, purified, characterized through functional assays, and can also maintain strong biological activities. Thus, this study showed potential therapeutic effects of r-DI for further functional and structural studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinxiang Lan
- Department of Pharmacy, Fujian Children's Hospital (Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center), College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, FuJian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xiuliang Qiu
- Department of Pharmacy, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yunlu Xu
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
- Center of Translational Hematology of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ghosh A, Maske P, Patel V, Dubey J, Aniket K, Srivastava R. Theranostic applications of peptide-based nanoformulations for growth factor defective cancers. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129151. [PMID: 38181914 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Growth factors play a pivotal role in orchestrating cellular growth and division by binding to specific cell surface receptors. Dysregulation of growth factor production or activity can contribute to the uncontrolled cell proliferation observed in cancer. Peptide-based nanoformulations (PNFs) have emerged as promising therapeutic strategies for growth factor-deficient cancers. PNFs offer multifaceted capabilities including targeted delivery, imaging modalities, combination therapies, resistance modulation, and personalized medicine approaches. Nevertheless, several challenges remain, including limited specificity, stability, pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, toxicity, and immunogenicity. To address these challenges and optimize PNFs for clinical translation, in-depth investigations are warranted. Future research should focus on elucidating the intricate interplay between peptides and nanoparticles, developing robust spectroscopic and computational methodologies, and establishing a comprehensive understanding of the structure-activity relationship governing peptide-nanoparticle interactions. Bridging these knowledge gaps will propel the translation of peptide-nanoparticle therapies from bench to bedside. While a few peptide-nanoparticle drugs have obtained FDA approval for cancer treatment, the integration of nanostructured platforms with peptide-based medications holds tremendous potential to expedite the implementation of innovative anticancer interventions. Therefore, growth factor-deficient cancers present both challenges and opportunities for targeted therapeutic interventions, with peptide-based nanoformulations positioned as a promising avenue. Nonetheless, concerted research and development endeavors are essential to optimize the specificity, stability, and safety profiles of PNFs, thereby advancing the field of peptide-based nanotherapeutics in the realm of oncology research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Ghosh
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| | - Priyanka Maske
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Vinay Patel
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Jyoti Dubey
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Kundu Aniket
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| | - Rohit Srivastava
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Roy L, Roy A, Bose D, Banerjee N, Chatterjee S. Unraveling the structural aspects of the G-quadruplex in SMO promoter and elucidating its contribution in transcriptional regulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37878583 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2268200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
We located a 25 nt G-rich sequence in the promoter region of SMO oncogene. We performed an array of biophysical and biochemical assays and confirmed the formation of a parallel G quadruplex (SMO1-GQ) by the identified sequence. SMO1-GQ is highly conserved in primates. For a comprehensive characterization of the SMO quadruplex structure, we have performed spectroscopic and in silico analysis with established GQ binder small molecules TMPyP4 and BRACO-19. We observed comparatively higher stable interaction of BRACO-19 with SMO1-GQ. Structure-based, rational drug design against SMO1-GQ to target SMO oncogene requires a detailed molecular anatomy of the G-quadruplex. We structurally characterised the SMO1-GQ using DMS footprinting assay and molecular modelling, docking, and MD simulation to identify the probable atomic regions that interact with either of the small molecules. We further investigated SMO1-GQ in vivo by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. ChIP data revealed that this gene element functions as a scaffold for a number of transcription factors: specificity protein (Sp1), nucleolin (NCL), non-metastatic cell 2 (NM23-H2), cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP), and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) which reflects the SMO1-P1 G-quadruplex to be the master regulator of SMO1 transcriptional activity. The strong binding interaction detected between SMO1-GQ and BRACO-19 contemplates the potential of the G quadruplex as a promising anti-cancer druggable target to downregulate SMO1 oncogene driven cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laboni Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Ananya Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Debopriya Bose
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Nilanjan Banerjee
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang Z, Zhang X, Han M, Jiao X, Zhou J, Wang X, Su R, Wang Y, Qi W. An ultra pH-responsive peptide nanocarrier for cancer gene therapy. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8974-8984. [PMID: 37700728 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01311a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is a very complex and dynamic ecosystem. Although a variety of pH-responsive peptides have been reported to deliver nucleic acid drugs for cancer treatment, these responses typically only target the acidic microenvironment of the tumor or the lysosome, and the carrier suffers from issues such as low transfection efficiency and poor lysosomal escape within the cell. To address this problem, we have developed an ultra pH-responsive peptide nanocarrier that can efficiently deliver siRNA, pDNA, and mRNA into cancer cells by performing progressive dynamic assembly in response to pH changes in the acidic tumor microenvironment (pH 6.5-6.8) and the acidic intracellular lysosomal environment (pH 5.0-6.0). The maximum transfection efficiency was 87.1% for pDNA and 74.9% for mRNA, which is higher than that of peptide-based nanocarrier reported to date. In addition, the targeting sequence on the surface allows the peptide@siRNA complex to efficiently enter cancer cells, causing 96% of cancer cell mortality. The carrier has high biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity, making it highly promising for application in immunotherapy and gene therapy of tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Xuelin Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Mingshan Han
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Xinhao Jiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Jialin Zhou
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Xinyao Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
| | - Rongxin Su
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yuefei Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Beyonpep Biotechnology Limited, Tianjin 300110, P. R. China
| | - Wei Qi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cui CP, Huo QJ, Xiong X, Li KX, Ma P, Qiang GF, Pandya PH, Saadatzadeh MR, Bijangi Vishehsaraei K, Kacena MA, Aryal UK, Pollok KE, Li BY, Yokota H. Anticancer peptides from induced tumor-suppressing cells for inhibiting osteosarcoma cells. Am J Cancer Res 2023; 13:4057-4072. [PMID: 37818062 PMCID: PMC10560922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequent primary bone cancer, which is mainly suffered by children and young adults. While the current surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy is effective for the early stage of OS, advanced OS preferentially metastasizes to the lung and is difficult to treat. Here, we examined the efficacy of ten anti-OS peptide candidates from a trypsin-digested conditioned medium that was derived from the secretome of induced tumor-suppressing cells (iTSCs). Using OS cell lines, the antitumor capabilities of the peptide candidates were evaluated by assaying the alterations in metabolic activities, proliferation, motility, and invasion of OS cells. Among ten candidates, peptide P05 (ADDGRPFPQVIK), a fragment of aldolase A (ALDOA), presented the most potent OS-suppressing capabilities. Its efficacy was additive with standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin and doxorubicin, and it downregulated oncoproteins such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Snail, and Src in OS cells. Interestingly, P05 did not present inhibitory effects on non-OS skeletal cells such as mesenchymal stem cells and osteoblast cells. Collectively, this study demonstrated that iTSC-derived secretomes may provide a source for identifying anticancer peptides, and P05 may warrant further evaluations for the treatment of OS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Peng Cui
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical UniversityHarbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Qing-Ji Huo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical UniversityHarbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Xue Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical UniversityHarbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Ke-Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical UniversityHarbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Peng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function for Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening ResearchBeijing 100050, China
| | - Gui-Fen Qiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function for Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Screening ResearchBeijing 100050, China
| | - Pankita H Pandya
- Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Mohammad R Saadatzadeh
- Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | | | - Melissa A Kacena
- Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Uma K Aryal
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Karen E Pollok
- Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Bai-Yan Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical UniversityHarbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hiroki Yokota
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Parrasia S, Rossa A, Roncaglia N, Mattarei A, Honisch C, Szabò I, Ruzza P, Biasutto L. DA7R: A 7-Letter Zip Code to Target PDAC. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051508. [PMID: 37242749 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer, and is among the most aggressive and still incurable cancers. Innovative and successful therapeutic strategies are extremely needed. Peptides represent a versatile and promising tool to achieve tumor targeting, thanks to their ability to recognize specific target proteins (over)expressed on the surface of cancer cells. A7R is one such peptide, binding neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and VEGFR2. Since PDAC expresses these receptors, the aim of this study was to test if A7R-drug conjugates could represent a PDAC-targeting strategy. PAPTP, a promising mitochondria-targeted anticancer compound, was selected as the cargo for this proof-of-concept study. Derivatives were designed as prodrugs, using a bioreversible linker to connect PAPTP to the peptide. Both the retro-inverso (DA7R) and the head-to-tail cyclic (cA7R) protease-resistant analogs of A7R were tested, and a tetraethylene glycol chain was introduced to improve solubility. Uptake of a fluorescent DA7R conjugate, as well as of the PAPTP-DA7R derivative into PDAC cell lines was found to be related to the expression levels of NRP-1 and VEGFR2. Conjugation of DA7R to therapeutically active compounds or nanovehicles might allow PDAC-targeted drug delivery, improving the efficacy of the therapy and reducing off-target effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Parrasia
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Rossa
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Nicola Roncaglia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
- CNR Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padua Unit, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Mattarei
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Claudia Honisch
- CNR Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padua Unit, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Ildikò Szabò
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Ruzza
- CNR Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padua Unit, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Biasutto
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Padua Unit, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Recent progress in nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for antitumour metastasis. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115259. [PMID: 36934485 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Tumour metastasis is one of the major factors leading to poor prognosis as well as lower survival among cancer patients. A number of studies investigating the inhibition of tumour metastasis have been conducted. It is difficult to achieve satisfactory results with surgery alone for distant metastatic tumours, and chemotherapy can boost the healing rate and prognosis of patients. However, the poor therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy drugs due to their low solubility, lack of tumour targeting, instability in vivo, high toxicity and multidrug resistance hinder their application. Immunotherapy is beneficial to the treatment of metastatic cancers, but it also has disadvantages such as adverse reactions and acquired resistance. Fortunately, delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs with nanocarriers can reduce systemic reactions caused by chemotherapeutic agents and inhibit metastasis. This review discusses the underlying mechanisms of metastasis, therapeutic approaches for antitumour metastasis, the advantages of nanodrug delivery systems and their application in reducing metastasis.
Collapse
|
9
|
Tavakoli S, Firoozpour L, Davoodi J. The synergistic effect of chimeras consisting of N-terminal smac and modified KLA peptides in inducing apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 655:138-144. [PMID: 36934589 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is one of the most important obstacles in effective cancer therapy triggered through various mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is caused by the upregulation of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs). IAPs, inhibit apoptosis through direct and/or indirect caspase inhibition, which themselves are antagonized by an endogenous protein called Second Mitochondrial-derived Activator of Caspases, Smac/Diablo, mediated by the presence of a tetrapeptide IAP binding motif at its N-terminus. Accordingly, Smac-based peptides are under intense investigation as anti-cancer drugs and have reached Phase 2 clinical trials, although, Smac based peptides or mimetics alone have not been effective as anti-cancer agents. On the other hand, KLA peptide has shown major toxicity against cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis. Consequently, we designed an anti-cancer chimera by fusing an octa-peptide from the N-terminus of mature Smac protein to a modified proapoptotic KLA peptide (KLAKLCKKLAKLCK) to be called Smac-KLA. This chimera, therefore, possesses both proapoptotic and anti-IAP activities. In addition, we dimerized this chimera via intermolecular disulfide bonds in order to enhance their cellular permeability. Both the Smac-KLA monomeric and dimeric peptides exhibited cytotoxic activity against both MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell lines at low micromolar concentrations. Importantly, the dimerization of the chimeras enhanced their potency 2-4- fold due to higher cellular uptake.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Tavakoli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Postal code: 1417614335, Tehran, Iran
| | - Loghman Firoozpour
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamshid Davoodi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Postal code: 1417614335, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|