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Sahoo PK, Hanovice N, Ward P, Agrawal M, Smith TP, SiMa H, Dulin JN, Vaughn LS, Tuszynski M, Welshhans K, Benowitz L, English A, Houle JD, Twiss JL. Disruption of Core Stress Granule Protein Aggregates Promotes CNS Axon Regeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.07.597743. [PMID: 38895344 PMCID: PMC11185597 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.07.597743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Depletion or inhibition of core stress granule proteins, G3BP1 in mammals and TIAR-2 in C. elegans , increases axon regeneration in injured neurons that show spontaneous regeneration. Inhibition of G3BP1 by expression of its acidic or 'B-domain' accelerates axon regeneration after nerve injury bringing a potential therapeutic intervention to promote neural repair in the peripheral nervous system. Here, we asked if G3BP1 inhibition is a viable strategy to promote regeneration in the injured mammalian central nervous system where axons do not regenerate spontaneously. G3BP1 B-domain expression was found to promote axon regeneration in both the mammalian spinal cord and optic nerve. Moreover, a cell permeable peptide to a subregion of G3BP1's B-domain (rodent G3BP1 amino acids 190-208) accelerated axon regeneration after peripheral nerve injury and promoted the regrowth of reticulospinal axons into the distal transected spinal cord through a bridging peripheral nerve graft. The rodent and human G3BP1 peptides promoted axon growth from rodent and human neurons cultured on permissive substrates, and this function required alternating Glu/Asp-Pro repeats that impart a unique predicted tertiary structure. These studies point to G3BP1 granules as a critical impediment to CNS axon regeneration and indicate that G3BP1 granule disassembly represents a novel therapeutic strategy for promoting neural repair after CNS injury.
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Scalzitti N, Miralavy I, Korenchan DE, Farrar CT, Gilad AA, Banzhaf W. Computational peptide discovery with a genetic programming approach. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2024; 38:17. [PMID: 38570405 PMCID: PMC11416381 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-024-00558-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The development of peptides for therapeutic targets or biomarkers for disease diagnosis is a challenging task in protein engineering. Current approaches are tedious, often time-consuming and require complex laboratory data due to the vast search spaces that need to be considered. In silico methods can accelerate research and substantially reduce costs. Evolutionary algorithms are a promising approach for exploring large search spaces and can facilitate the discovery of new peptides. This study presents the development and use of a new variant of the genetic-programming-based POET algorithm, called POETRegex , where individuals are represented by a list of regular expressions. This algorithm was trained on a small curated dataset and employed to generate new peptides improving the sensitivity of peptides in magnetic resonance imaging with chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). The resulting model achieves a performance gain of 20% over the initial POET models and is able to predict a candidate peptide with a 58% performance increase compared to the gold-standard peptide. By combining the power of genetic programming with the flexibility of regular expressions, new peptide targets were identified that improve the sensitivity of detection by CEST. This approach provides a promising research direction for the efficient identification of peptides with therapeutic or diagnostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Scalzitti
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Iliya Miralavy
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David E Korenchan
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian T Farrar
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Assaf A Gilad
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Wolfgang Banzhaf
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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3
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Tong H, Yang T, Xu S, Li X, Liu L, Zhou G, Yang S, Yin S, Li XJ, Li S. Huntington's Disease: Complex Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3845. [PMID: 38612657 PMCID: PMC11011923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073845] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) arises from the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the production of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with a polyglutamine stretch in its N-terminus. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, mHTT forms aggregates and accumulates abnormally in neuronal nuclei and processes, leading to disruptions in multiple cellular functions. Although there is currently no effective curative treatment for HD, significant progress has been made in developing various therapeutic strategies to treat HD. In addition to drugs targeting the neuronal toxicity of mHTT, gene therapy approaches that aim to reduce the expression of the mutant HTT gene hold great promise for effective HD therapy. This review provides an overview of current HD treatments, discusses different therapeutic strategies, and aims to facilitate future therapeutic advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
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4
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Bhat MA, Dhaneshwar S. Neurodegenerative Diseases: New Hopes and Perspectives. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:1004-1032. [PMID: 37691199 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666230907093451] [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: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Friedrich ataxia are all incurable neurodegenerative diseases defined by the continuous progressive loss of distinct neuronal subtypes. Despite their rising prevalence among the world's ageing population, fewer advances have been made in the concurrent massive efforts to develop newer drugs. Recently, there has been a shift in research focus towards the discovery of new therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we have summarized the recently developed therapies and their status in the management of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Aadil Bhat
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Lucknow, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, UP, India
| | - Suneela Dhaneshwar
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University Maharashtra, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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Khan A, Özçelik CE, Begli O, Oguz O, Kesici MS, Kasırga TS, Özçubukcu S, Yuca E, Seker UOS. Highly Potent Peptide Therapeutics To Prevent Protein Aggregation in Huntington's Disease. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1821-1826. [PMID: 38116434 PMCID: PMC10726468 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00415] [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: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a significant amplification of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (Htt) gene. More than 36 CAG repeats result in the formation of a mutant Htt (mHtt) protein. These amino-terminal mHtt fragments lead to the formation of misfolded proteins, which then form aggregates in the relevant brain regions. Therapies that can delay the progression of the disease are imperative to halting the course of the disease. Peptide-based drug therapies provide such a platform. Inhibitory peptides were screened against monomeric units of both wild type (Htt(Q25)) and mHtt fragments, Htt(Q46) and Htt(Q103). Fibril kinetics was studied by utilizing the Thioflavin T (ThT) assay. Atomic force microscopy was also used to study the influence of the peptides on fibril formation. These experiments demonstrate that the chosen peptides suppress the formation of fibrils in mHtt proteins and can provide a therapeutic lead for further optimization and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anooshay Khan
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
- Department
of Neurosciences, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Cemile Elif Özçelik
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozge Begli
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Oguzhan Oguz
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Seçkin Kesici
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Middle
East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Talip Serkan Kasırga
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Salih Özçubukcu
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Middle
East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Esra Yuca
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Yildiz
Technical University, Istanbul 34349, Turkey
- Health
Biotechnology Joint Research and Application Center of Excellence, Esenler, Istanbul 34220, Turkey
| | - Urartu Ozgur Safak Seker
- UNAM-Institute
of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
- Department
of Neurosciences, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
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Scalzitti N, Miralavy I, Korenchan DE, Farrar CT, Gilad AA, Banzhaf W. Computational Peptide Discovery with a Genetic Programming Approach. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3307450. [PMID: 37693481 PMCID: PMC10491332 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3307450/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Background The development of peptides for therapeutic targets or biomarkers for disease diagnosis is a challenging task in protein engineering. Current approaches are tedious, often time-consuming and require complex laboratory data due to the vast search space. In silico methods can accelerate research and substantially reduce costs. Evolutionary algorithms are a promising approach for exploring large search spaces and facilitating the discovery of new peptides. Results This study presents the development and use of a variant of the initial POET algorithm, called P O E T R e g e x , which is based on genetic programming, where individuals are represented by a list of regular expressions. The program was trained on a small curated dataset and employed to predict new peptides that can improve the problem of sensitivity in detecting peptides through magnetic resonance imaging using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). The resulting model achieves a performance gain of 20% over the initial POET variant and is able to predict a candidate peptide with a 58% performance increase compared to the gold-standard peptide. Conclusions By combining the power of genetic programming with the flexibility of regular expressions, new potential peptide targets were identified to improve the sensitivity of detection by CEST. This approach provides a promising research direction for the efficient identification of peptides with therapeutic or diagnostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Scalzitti
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Iliya Miralavy
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David E. Korenchan
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian T. Farrar
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Assaf A. Gilad
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Wolfgang Banzhaf
- BEACON Center of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Barman P, Joshi S, Sharma S, Preet S, Sharma S, Saini A. Strategic Approaches to Improvise Peptide Drugs as Next Generation Therapeutics. Int J Pept Res Ther 2023; 29:61. [PMID: 37251528 PMCID: PMC10206374 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-023-10524-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the occurrence of a wide variety of drug-resistant diseases has led to an increase in interest in alternate therapies. Peptide-based drugs as an alternate therapy hold researchers' attention in various therapeutic fields such as neurology, dermatology, oncology, metabolic diseases, etc. Previously, they had been overlooked by pharmaceutical companies due to certain limitations such as proteolytic degradation, poor membrane permeability, low oral bioavailability, shorter half-life, and poor target specificity. Over the last two decades, these limitations have been countered by introducing various modification strategies such as backbone and side-chain modifications, amino acid substitution, etc. which improve their functionality. This has led to a substantial interest of researchers and pharmaceutical companies, moving the next generation of these therapeutics from fundamental research to the market. Various chemical and computational approaches are aiding the production of more stable and long-lasting peptides guiding the formulation of novel and advanced therapeutic agents. However, there is not a single article that talks about various peptide design approaches i.e., in-silico and in-vitro along with their applications and strategies to improve their efficacy. In this review, we try to bring different aspects of peptide-based therapeutics under one article with a clear focus to cover the missing links in the literature. This review draws emphasis on various in-silico approaches and modification-based peptide design strategies. It also highlights the recent progress made in peptide delivery methods important for their enhanced clinical efficacy. The article would provide a bird's-eye view to researchers aiming to develop peptides with therapeutic applications. Graphical Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Panchali Barman
- Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology (UIEAST), Panjab University, Sector 14, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Shubhi Joshi
- Energy Research Centre, Panjab University, Sector 14, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Sheetal Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, U.T 160014 India
| | - Simran Preet
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, U.T 160014 India
| | - Shweta Sharma
- Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology (UIEAST), Panjab University, Sector 14, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Avneet Saini
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh, U.T 160014 India
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Patil PJ, Sutar SS, Usman M, Patil DN, Dhanavade MJ, Shehzad Q, Mehmood A, Shah H, Teng C, Zhang C, Li X. Exploring bioactive peptides as potential therapeutic and biotechnology treasures: A contemporary perspective. Life Sci 2022; 301:120637. [PMID: 35568229 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In preceding years, bioactive peptides (BAPs) have piqued escalating attention owing to their multitudinous biological features. To date, many potential BAPs exhibiting anti-cancer activities have been documented; yet, obstacles such as their safety profiles and consumer acceptance continue to exist. Moreover, BAPs have been discovered to facilitate the suppression of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoVID-19) and maybe ideal for treating the CoVID-19 infection, as stated by published experimental findings, but their widespread knowledge is scarce. Likewise, there is a cornucopia of BAPs possessing neuroprotective effects that mend neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) by regulating gut microbiota, but they remain a subject of research interest. Additionally, a plethora of researchers have attempted next-generation approaches based on BAPs, but they need scientific attention. The text format of this critical review is organized around an overview of BAPs' versatility and diverse bio functionalities with emphasis on recent developments and novelties. The review is alienated into independent sections, which are related to either BAPs based disease management strategies or next-generation BAPs based approaches. BAPs based anti-cancer, anti-CoVID-19, and neuroprotective strategies have been explored, which may offer insights that could help the researchers and industries to find an alternate regimen against the three aforementioned fatal diseases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that has systematically discussed the next-generation approaches in BAP research. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the BAPs may be optimal for the management of cancer, CoVID-19, and NDs; nevertheless, experimental and preclinical studies are crucial to validate their therapeutic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasanna J Patil
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Shubham S Sutar
- Department of Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Vidyanagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416004, India
| | - Muhammad Usman
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Devashree N Patil
- Department of Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Vidyanagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416004, India
| | - Maruti J Dhanavade
- Department of Microbiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth's Dr. Patangrao Kadam Mahavidyalaya, Sangli, Maharashtra 416416, India
| | - Qayyum Shehzad
- National Engineering Laboratory for Agri-Product Quality Traceability, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Arshad Mehmood
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China; Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Chemical Technology, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Haroon Shah
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Chao Teng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China; Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Chemical Technology, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Chengnan Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China; Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Chemical Technology, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Xiuting Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11, Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China; Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Chemical Technology, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
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Abstract
Amyloids are protein aggregates bearing a highly ordered cross β structural motif, which may be functional but are mostly pathogenic. Their formation, deposition in tissues and consequent organ dysfunction is the central event in amyloidogenic diseases. Such protein aggregation may be brought about by conformational changes, and much attention has been directed toward factors like metal binding, post-translational modifications, mutations of protein etc., which eventually affect the reactivity and cytotoxicity of the associated proteins. Over the past decade, a global effort from different groups working on these misfolded/unfolded proteins/peptides has revealed that the amino acid residues in the second coordination sphere of the active sites of amyloidogenic proteins/peptides cause changes in H-bonding pattern or protein-protein interactions, which dramatically alter the structure and reactivity of these proteins/peptides. These second sphere effects not only determine the binding of transition metals and cofactors, which define the pathology of some of these diseases, but also change the mechanism of redox reactions catalyzed by these proteins/peptides and form the basis of oxidative damage associated with these amyloidogenic diseases. The present review seeks to discuss such second sphere modifications and their ramifications in the etiopathology of some representative amyloidogenic diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2Dm), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuparna Roy
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Arnab Kumar Nath
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Ishita Pal
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Somdatta Ghosh Dey
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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Targeting RNA structures in diseases with small molecules. Essays Biochem 2021; 64:955-966. [PMID: 33078198 PMCID: PMC7724634 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
RNA is crucial for gene expression and regulation. Recent advances in understanding of RNA biochemistry, structure and molecular biology have revealed the importance of RNA structure in cellular processes and diseases. Various approaches to discovering drug-like small molecules that target RNA structure have been developed. This review provides a brief introduction to RNA structural biology and how RNA structures function as disease regulators. We summarize approaches to targeting RNA with small molecules and highlight their advantages, shortcomings and therapeutic potential.
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Role and Perspective of Molecular Simulation-Based Investigation of RNA-Ligand Interaction: From Small Molecules and Peptides to Photoswitchable RNA Binding. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26113384. [PMID: 34205049 PMCID: PMC8199858 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant RNA–protein complexes are formed in a variety of diseases. Identifying the ligands that interfere with their formation is a valuable therapeutic strategy. Molecular simulation, validated against experimental data, has recently emerged as a powerful tool to predict both the pose and energetics of such ligands. Thus, the use of molecular simulation may provide insight into aberrant molecular interactions in diseases and, from a drug design perspective, may allow for the employment of less wet lab resources than traditional in vitro compound screening approaches. With regard to basic research questions, molecular simulation can support the understanding of the exact molecular interaction and binding mode. Here, we focus on examples targeting RNA–protein complexes in neurodegenerative diseases and viral infections. These examples illustrate that the strategy is rather general and could be applied to different pharmacologically relevant approaches. We close this study by outlining one of these approaches, namely the light-controllable association of small molecules with RNA, as an emerging approach in RNA-targeting therapy.
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Kohli H, Kumar P, Ambasta RK. In silico designing of putative peptides for targeting pathological protein Htt in Huntington's disease. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06088. [PMID: 33659724 PMCID: PMC7890153 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat in the first exon of HTT (Huntingtin) gene, leading to abnormal form of Htt protein containing enlarged polyglutamine strands of variable length that stick together to form aggregates and is toxic to brain causing brain damage. Complete reversal of brain damage is not possible till date but recovery may be possible by peptide therapy. The peptide-based therapy for Huntington's disease includes both poly Q peptide as well as non poly Q peptides like (QBP1)2, p42, Exendin 4, ED11, CaM, BiP, Leuprorelin peptide. The novel approach that is currently being tested in this article is the peptide-based therapy to target the mutated protein. This approach is based on the principle of preventing the aggregation of mutant Htt by blocking the potential sites responsible for protein aggregation and thereby ameliorating the disease symptoms. Herein, we have screened a variety of potential peptides that were known to prevent the protein aggregation, comparatively analyzed their binding affinity with homology modeled Htt protein, designed novel peptides based upon conservation analysis among screened potential peptides as a therapeutic agent, comparatively analyzed the therapeutic potential of novel peptides against modeled Htt protein for investigating the therapeutic prospects of Huntington's disease. We have designed a peptide for the therapy of Huntington's disease by comparing several peptides, which are already in use for Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harleen Kohli
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi 110042, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi 110042, India
| | - Rashmi K. Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi 110042, India
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Kumar A, Kumar V, Singh K, Kumar S, Kim YS, Lee YM, Kim JJ. Therapeutic Advances for Huntington's Disease. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10010043. [PMID: 31940909 PMCID: PMC7016861 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive neurological disease that is inherited in an autosomal fashion. The cause of disease pathology is an expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats within the huntingtin gene (HTT) on chromosome 4 (4p16.3), which codes the huntingtin protein (mHTT). The common symptoms of HD include motor and cognitive impairment of psychiatric functions. Patients exhibit a representative phenotype of involuntary movement (chorea) of limbs, impaired cognition, and severe psychiatric disturbances (mood swings, depression, and personality changes). A variety of symptomatic treatments (which target glutamate and dopamine pathways, caspases, inhibition of aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional dysregulation, and fetal neural transplants, etc.) are available and some are in the pipeline. Advancement in novel therapeutic approaches include targeting the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein and the HTT gene. New gene editing techniques will reduce the CAG repeats. More appropriate and readily tractable treatment goals, coupled with advances in analytical tools will help to assess the clinical outcomes of HD treatments. This will not only improve the quality of life and life span of HD patients, but it will also provide a beneficial role in other inherited and neurological disorders. In this review, we aim to discuss current therapeutic research approaches and their possible uses for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Kumar
- Department of Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow 226014, UP, India;
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
- Correspondence: (V.K.); (J.-J.K.)
| | - Kritanjali Singh
- Central Research Station, Subharti Medical College, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut 250002, India;
| | - Sukesh Kumar
- PG Department of Botany, Nalanda College, Bihar Sharif, Magadh University, Bihar 824234, India;
| | - You-Sam Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Yun-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Jong-Joo Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
- Correspondence: (V.K.); (J.-J.K.)
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Discovery of a potent small molecule inhibiting Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis via targeting CAG repeats RNA and Poly Q protein. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16872. [PMID: 31728006 PMCID: PMC6856162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CAG repeats RNA causes various fatal neurodegenerative diseases exemplified by Huntington's disease (HD) and several spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). Although there are differences in the pathogenic mechanisms, these diseases share the common cause, i.e., expansion of CAG repeats. The shared cause of these diseases raises the possibility for the exploiting the common target as a potential therapeutic approach. Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics are designed earlier with the help of the base pairing rule but are not very promiscuous, considering the nonspecific stimulation of the immune system and the poor cellular delivery. Therefore, small molecules-based therapeutics are preferred for targeting the repeats expansion disorders. Here, we have used the chemical similarity search approach to discern the small molecules that selectively target toxic CAG RNA. The lead compounds showed the specificity towards AA mismatch in biophysical studies including CD, ITC, and NMR spectroscopy and thus aided to forestall the polyQ mediated pathogenicity. Furthermore, the lead compounds also explicitly alleviate the polyQ mediated toxicity in HD cell models and patient-derived cells. These findings suggest that the lead compound could act as a chemical probe for AA mismatch containing RNA as well as plays a neuroprotective role in fatal neurodegenerative diseases like HD and SCAs.
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Verma AK, Khan E, Bhagwat SR, Kumar A. Exploring the Potential of Small Molecule-Based Therapeutic Approaches for Targeting Trinucleotide Repeat Disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:566-584. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01724-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Khan E, Biswas S, Mishra SK, Mishra R, Samanta S, Mishra A, Tawani A, Kumar A. Rationally designed small molecules targeting toxic CAG repeat RNA that causes Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCAs). Biochimie 2019; 163:21-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Couly S, Paucard A, Bonneaud N, Maurice T, Benigno L, Jourdan C, Cohen-Solal C, Vignes M, Maschat F. Improvement of BDNF signalling by P42 peptide in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:3012-3028. [PMID: 29860423 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a mutation in the Huntingtin (HTT) protein. We previously reported that the 23aa peptide of HTT protein, P42, is preventing HD pathological phenotypes, such as aggregation, reduction of motor performances and neurodegeneration. A systemic treatment with P42 during the pre-symptomatic phase of the disease showed therapeutic potential in R6/2 mice. We here tested P42 effects when administered during the post-symptomatic phase. The P42 treatment alleviated deficits in motor performances, even when symptoms have already started. Because changes in the level and activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been shown to play a central role in HD, we analysed the influence of P42 on BDNF deficit and associated phenotypes. Our data suggest that P42 is involved in the spatio-temporal control of bdnf and trkB mRNA and their protein levels. Related to this enhancement of BDNF-TrkB signalling, R6/2 mice treated with P42, exhibit reduced anxiety, better learning and memory performances, and better long-term potentiation (LTP) response. Finally we identified a direct influence of P42 peptide on neuronal plasticity and activity. These results suggest that P42 offers an efficient therapeutic potential not only by preventing aggregation of mutant HTT at early stages of the disease, but also by favouring some physiological functions of normal HTT, as P42 is naturally part of it, at the different stages of the disease. This makes P42 peptide potentially suitable not only to prevent, but also to treat HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Couly
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | - Alexia Paucard
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | - Nathalie Bonneaud
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | - Tangui Maurice
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | | | - Christophe Jourdan
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | | | - Michel Vignes
- IBMM-UMR5247, Univ-Montpellier, Montpellier F-34095, France
| | - Florence Maschat
- MMDN, Univ-Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier F-34095, France
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Singh V, Deepak RNVK, Sengupta B, Joshi AS, Fan H, Sen P, Thakur AK. Calmidazolium Chloride and Its Complex with Serum Albumin Prevent Huntingtin Exon1 Aggregation. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:3356-3368. [PMID: 29979597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic disorder caused by a CAG expansion mutation in Huntingtin gene leading to polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the N-terminus side of Huntingtin (Httex1) protein. Neurodegeneration in HD is linked to aggregates formed by Httex1 bearing an expanded polyQ. Initiation and elongation steps of Httex1 aggregation are potential target steps for the discovery of therapeutic molecules for HD, which is currently untreatable. Here we report Httex1 aggregation inhibition by calmidazolium chloride (CLC) by acting on the initial aggregation event. Because it is hydrophobic, CLC was adsorbed to the vial surface and could not sustain an inhibition effect for a longer duration. The use of bovine serum albumin (BSA) prevented CLC adsorption by forming a BSA-CLC complex. This complex showed improved Httex1 aggregation inhibition by interacting with the aggregation initiator, the NT17 part of Httex1. Furthermore, biocompatible CLC-loaded BSA nanoparticles were made which reduced the polyQ aggregates in HD-150Q cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virender Singh
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur 208016 , India
| | | | - Bhaswati Sengupta
- Department of Chemistry , Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur 208016 , India
| | - Abhayraj S Joshi
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur 208016 , India
| | - Hao Fan
- Bioinformatics Institute , 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01 , Singapore 138671.,Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117545
| | - Pratik Sen
- Department of Chemistry , Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur 208016 , India
| | - Ashwani Kumar Thakur
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur 208016 , India
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Khan E, Tawani A, Mishra SK, Verma AK, Upadhyay A, Kumar M, Sandhir R, Mishra A, Kumar A. Myricetin Reduces Toxic Level of CAG Repeats RNA in Huntington's Disease (HD) and Spino Cerebellar Ataxia (SCAs). ACS Chem Biol 2018; 13:180-188. [PMID: 29172480 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the HTT gene. The transcribed mutant RNA contains expanded CAG repeats that translate into a mutant huntingtin protein. This expanded CAG repeat also causes mis-splicing of pre-mRNA due to sequestration of muscle blind like-1 splicing factor (MBNL1), and thus both of these elicit the pathogenesis of HD. Targeting the onset as well as progression of HD by small molecules could be a potent therapeutic approach. We have screened a set of small molecules to target this transcript and found Myricetin, a flavonoid, as a lead molecule that interacts with the CAG motif and thus prevents the translation of mutant huntingtin protein as well as sequestration of MBNL1. Here, we report the first solution structure of the complex formed between Myricetin and RNA containing the 5'CAG/3'GAC motif. Myricetin interacts with this RNA via base stacking at the AA mismatch. Moreover, Myricetin was also found reducing the proteo-toxicity generated due to the aggregation of polyglutamine, and further, its supplementation also improves neurobehavioral deficits in the HD mouse model. Our study provides the structural and mechanistic basis of Myricetin as an effective therapeutic candidate for HD and other polyQ related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshan Khan
- Discipline
of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Arpita Tawani
- Discipline
of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Subodh Kumar Mishra
- Discipline
of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Arun Kumar Verma
- Discipline
of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Arun Upadhyay
- Cellular
and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342011, India
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Department
of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Rajat Sandhir
- Department
of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular
and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342011, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Discipline
of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
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20
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Polyglutamine expansion diseases: More than simple repeats. J Struct Biol 2017; 201:139-154. [PMID: 28928079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat-containing proteins are widespread in the human proteome but only nine of them are associated with highly incapacitating neurodegenerative disorders. The genetic expansion of the polyQ tract in disease-related proteins triggers a series of events resulting in neurodegeneration. The polyQ tract plays the leading role in the aggregation mechanism, but other elements modulate the aggregation propensity in the context of the full-length proteins, as implied by variations in the length of the polyQ tract required to trigger the onset of a given polyQ disease. Intrinsic features such as the presence of aggregation-prone regions (APRs) outside the polyQ segments and polyQ-flanking sequences, which synergistically participate in the aggregation process, are emerging for several disease-related proteins. The inherent polymorphic structure of polyQ stretches places the polyQ proteins in a central position in protein-protein interaction networks, where interacting partners may additionally shield APRs or reshape the aggregation course. Expansion of the polyQ tract perturbs the cellular homeostasis and contributes to neuronal failure by modulating protein-protein interactions and enhancing toxic oligomerization. Post-translational modifications further regulate self-assembly either by directly altering the intrinsic aggregation propensity of polyQ proteins, by modulating their interaction with different macromolecules or by modifying their withdrawal by the cell quality control machinery. Here we review the recent data on the multifaceted aggregation pathways of disease-related polyQ proteins, focusing on ataxin-3, the protein mutated in Machado-Joseph disease. Further mechanistic understanding of this network of events is crucial for the development of effective therapies for polyQ diseases.
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ASPsiRNA: A Resource of ASP-siRNAs Having Therapeutic Potential for Human Genetic Disorders and Algorithm for Prediction of Their Inhibitory Efficacy. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:2931-2943. [PMID: 28696921 PMCID: PMC5592921 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.044024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Allele-specific siRNAs (ASP-siRNAs) have emerged as promising therapeutic molecules owing to their selectivity to inhibit the mutant allele or associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) sparing the expression of the wild-type counterpart. Thus, a dedicated bioinformatics platform encompassing updated ASP-siRNAs and an algorithm for the prediction of their inhibitory efficacy will be helpful in tackling currently intractable genetic disorders. In the present study, we have developed the ASPsiRNA resource (http://crdd.osdd.net/servers/aspsirna/) covering three components viz (i) ASPsiDb, (ii) ASPsiPred, and (iii) analysis tools like ASP-siOffTar. ASPsiDb is a manually curated database harboring 4543 (including 422 chemically modified) ASP-siRNAs targeting 78 unique genes involved in 51 different diseases. It furnishes comprehensive information from experimental studies on ASP-siRNAs along with multidimensional genetic and clinical information for numerous mutations. ASPsiPred is a two-layered algorithm to predict efficacy of ASP-siRNAs for fully complementary mutant (Effmut) and wild-type allele (Effwild) with one mismatch by ASPsiPredSVM and ASPsiPredmatrix, respectively. In ASPsiPredSVM, 922 unique ASP-siRNAs with experimentally validated quantitative Effmut were used. During 10-fold cross-validation (10nCV) employing various sequence features on the training/testing dataset (T737), the best predictive model achieved a maximum Pearson’s correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.71. Further, the accuracy of the classifier to predict Effmut against novel genes was assessed by leave one target out cross-validation approach (LOTOCV). ASPsiPredmatrix was constructed from rule-based studies describing the effect of single siRNA:mRNA mismatches on the efficacy at 19 different locations of siRNA. Thus, ASPsiRNA encompasses the first database, prediction algorithm, and off-target analysis tool that is expected to accelerate research in the field of RNAi-based therapeutics for human genetic diseases.
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