1
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Adasme-Carreño F, Ochoa-Calle A, Galván M, Ireta J. Conformational preference of dipeptide zwitterions in aqueous solvents. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:8210-8218. [PMID: 38384231 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05742a] [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: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Proper description of solvent effects is challenging for theoretical methods, particularly if the solute is a zwitterion. Here, a series of theoretical procedures are used to determine the preferred solvated conformations of twelve hydrophobic dipeptides (Leu-Leu, Leu-Phe, Phe-Leu, Ile-Leu, Phe-Phe, Ala-Val, Val-Ala, Ala-Ile, Ile-Ala, Ile-Val, Val-Ile and Val-Val) in the zwitterionic state. First, the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT), combined with different implicit solvent models, for describing zwitterions in aqueous solvent is assessed by comparing the predicted against the experimental glycine tautomerization energy, i.e., the energetic difference between canonical and zwitterionic glycine in aqueous solvents. It is found that among the tested solvation schemes, the charge-asymmetric nonlocally determined local-electric solvation model (CANDLE) predicts an energetic difference in excellent agreement with the experimental value. Next, DFT-CANDLE is used to determine the most favorable solvated conformation for each of the investigated dipeptide zwitterions. The CANDLE-solvated structures are obtained by exploring the conformational space of each dipeptide zwitterion concatenating DFT calculations, in vacuum, with classical molecular dynamics simulations, in explicit solvents, and DFT calculations including explicit water molecules. It is found that the energetically most favorable conformations are similar to those of the dipeptide zwitterions in their respective crystal structures. Such structural agreement is indicative of the DFT-CANDLE accomplishment of the description of solvated zwitterions, and suggests that these biomolecules self-assemble as quasi-rigid objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Adasme-Carreño
- Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Vicerrectorá de Investigación y Postgrado Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3480112, Chile.
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática y Química Computacional (LBQC), Departamento de Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3480112, Chile
| | - Alvaro Ochoa-Calle
- Departamento de Química, División de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México 09340, Mexico.
| | - Marcelo Galván
- Departamento de Química, División de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México 09340, Mexico.
| | - Joel Ireta
- Departamento de Química, División de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México 09340, Mexico.
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2
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Kim K, Park MH. Role of Functionalized Peptides in Nanomedicine for Effective Cancer Therapy. Biomedicines 2024; 12:202. [PMID: 38255307 PMCID: PMC10813321 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010202] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptide-functionalized nanomedicine, which addresses the challenges of specificity and efficacy in drug delivery, is emerging as a pivotal approach for cancer therapy. Globally, cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, and conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy, often lack precision and cause adverse effects. The integration of peptides into nanomedicine offers a promising solution for enhancing the targeting and delivery of therapeutic agents. This review focuses on the three primary applications of peptides: cancer cell-targeting ligands, building blocks for self-assembling nanostructures, and elements of stimuli-responsive systems. Nanoparticles modified with peptides improved targeting of cancer cells, minimized damage to healthy tissues, and optimized drug delivery. The versatility of self-assembled peptide structures makes them an innovative vehicle for drug delivery by leveraging their biocompatibility and diverse nanoarchitectures. In particular, the mechanism of cell death induced by self-assembled structures offers a novel approach to cancer therapy. In addition, peptides in stimuli-responsive systems enable precise drug release in response to specific conditions in the tumor microenvironment. The use of peptides in nanomedicine not only augments the efficacy and safety of cancer treatments but also suggests new research directions. In this review, we introduce systems and functionalization methods using peptides or peptide-modified nanoparticles to overcome challenges in the treatment of specific cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer, glioma, osteosarcoma, and cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kibeom Kim
- Convergence Research Center, Nanobiomaterials Institute, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung-Hwan Park
- Convergence Research Center, Nanobiomaterials Institute, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergence Science, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea
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3
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Mu J, Lin Q, Liang Y. An update on the effects of food-derived active peptides on the intestinal microecology. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2023; 63:11625-11639. [PMID: 35791779 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2094889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The intestinal microecology is a research hotspot, and neologisms related to the gut such as gut-brain axis, gut-lung axis, gut-bone axis, gut-skin axis, gut-renal axis, and gut-liver axis have emerged from recent research. Meticulous investigation has discovered that food-derived active peptides (FDAPs) are bioactive substances that optimize the structure of the gut microbiota to improve human health. However, few reviews have summarized and emphasized the nutritional value of FDAPs and their mechanisms of action in regulating the composition of the gut microbiota. We aim to provide an update on the latest research on FDAPs by comparing, summarizing, and discussing the potential food sources of FDAPs, their physiological functions, and regulatory effects on the intestinal microecology. The key findings are that few studies have analyzed the potential mechanisms and molecular pathways through which FDAPs maintain intestinal microecological homeostasis. We found that an imbalance in the ratio of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the gut microbiota and abnormal production of short-chain fatty acids are key to the occurrence and development of various diseases. This review provides theoretical support for future comprehensive research on the digestion, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of FDAPs and the mechanisms underlying the interactions between FDAPs and the intestinal microecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfei Mu
- Molecular Nutrition Branch, National Engineering Research Center of Rice and By-Product Deep Processing/College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qinlu Lin
- Molecular Nutrition Branch, National Engineering Research Center of Rice and By-Product Deep Processing/College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ying Liang
- Molecular Nutrition Branch, National Engineering Research Center of Rice and By-Product Deep Processing/College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
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4
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Patkar SS, Tang Y, Bisram AM, Zhang T, Saven JG, Pochan DJ, Kiick KL. Genetic Fusion of Thermoresponsive Polypeptides with UCST-type Behavior Mediates 1D Assembly of Coiled-Coil Bundlemers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202301331. [PMID: 36988077 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202301331] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Thermoresponsive resilin-like polypeptides (RLPs) of various lengths were genetically fused to two different computationally designed coiled coil-forming peptides with distinct thermal stability, to develop new strategies to assemble coiled coil peptides via temperature-triggered phase separation of the RLP units. Their successful production in bacterial expression hosts was verified via gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and amino acid analysis. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV/Vis) turbidimetry, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements confirmed the stability of the coiled coils and showed that the thermosensitive phase behavior of the RLPs was preserved in the genetically fused hybrid polypeptides. Cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy and coarse-grained modeling revealed that functionalizing the coiled coils with thermoresponsive RLPs leads to their thermally triggered noncovalent assembly into nanofibrillar assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai S Patkar
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Yao Tang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Arriana M Bisram
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Tianren Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jeffery G Saven
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Darrin J Pochan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Kristi L Kiick
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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5
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Warren JP, Culbert MP, Miles DE, Maude S, Wilcox RK, Beales PA. Controlling the Self-Assembly and Material Properties of β-Sheet Peptide Hydrogels by Modulating Intermolecular Interactions. Gels 2023; 9:441. [PMID: 37367112 DOI: 10.3390/gels9060441] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-assembling peptides are a promising biomaterial with potential applications in medical devices and drug delivery. In the right combination of conditions, self-assembling peptides can form self-supporting hydrogels. Here, we describe how balancing attractive and repulsive intermolecular forces is critical for successful hydrogel formation. Electrostatic repulsion is tuned by altering the peptide's net charge, and intermolecular attractions are controlled through the degree of hydrogen bonding between specific amino acid residues. We find that an overall net peptide charge of +/-2 is optimal to facilitate the assembly of self-supporting hydrogels. If the net peptide charge is too low then dense aggregates form, while a high molecular charge inhibits the formation of larger structures. At a constant charge, altering the terminal amino acids from glutamine to serine decreases the degree of hydrogen bonding within the assembling network. This tunes the viscoelastic properties of the gel, reducing the elastic modulus by two to three orders of magnitude. Finally, hydrogels could be formed from glutamine-rich, highly charged peptides by mixing the peptides in combinations with a resultant net charge of +/-2. These results illustrate how understanding and controlling self-assembly mechanisms through modulating intermolecular interactions can be exploited to derive a range of structures with tuneable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Warren
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Bragg Centre for Materials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Matthew P Culbert
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Danielle E Miles
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Steven Maude
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Ruth K Wilcox
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Paul A Beales
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Bragg Centre for Materials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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6
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Kumar V, Ozguney B, Vlachou A, Chen Y, Gazit E, Tamamis P. Peptide Self-Assembled Nanocarriers for Cancer Drug Delivery. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:1857-1871. [PMID: 36812392 PMCID: PMC10848270 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c06751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The design of novel cancer drug nanocarriers is critical in the framework of cancer therapeutics. Nanomaterials are gaining increased interest as cancer drug delivery systems. Self-assembling peptides constitute an emerging novel class of highly attractive nanomaterials with highly promising applications in drug delivery, as they can be used to facilitate drug release and/or stability while reducing side effects. Here, we provide a perspective on peptide self-assembled nanocarriers for cancer drug delivery and highlight the aspects of metal coordination, structure stabilization, and cyclization, as well as minimalism. We review particular challenges in nanomedicine design criteria and, finally, provide future perspectives on addressing a portion of the challenges via self-assembling peptide systems. We consider that the intrinsic advantages of such systems, along with the increasing progress in computational and experimental approaches for their study and design, could possibly lead to novel classes of single or multicomponent systems incorporating such materials for cancer drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay
Bhooshan Kumar
- The
Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise
Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Busra Ozguney
- Artie
McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3122, United States
| | - Anastasia Vlachou
- Artie
McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3122, United States
| | - Yu Chen
- The
Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise
Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- The
Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise
Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty
of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol
School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Artie
McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3122, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas
A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843-3003, United States
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7
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Li Z, Xu K, Qin L, Zhao D, Yang N, Wang D, Yang Y. Hollow Nanomaterials in Advanced Drug Delivery Systems: From Single- to Multiple Shells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2203890. [PMID: 35998336 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202203890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hollow-structured nanomaterials (HSNMs) have attracted increased interest in biomedical fields, owing to their excellent potential as drug delivery systems (DDSs) for clinical applications. Among HSNMs, hollow multi-shelled structures (HoMSs) exhibit properties such as high loading capacity, sequential drug release, and multi-functionalized modification and represent a new class of nanoplatforms for clinical applications. The remarkable properties of HoMS-based DDS can simultaneously satisfy and enhance DDSs for delivering small molecular drugs (e.g., antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and imaging agents) and macromolecular drugs (e.g., protein/peptide- and nucleic acid-based drugs). First, the latest research advances in delivering small molecular drugs are summarized and highlight the inherent advantages of HoMS-based DDSs for small molecular drug targeting, combining continuous therapeutic drug delivery and theranostics to optimize the clinical benefit. Meanwhile, the macromolecular drugs DDSs are in the initial development stage and currently offer limited delivery modes. There is a growing need to analyze the deficiency of other HSNMs and integrate the advantages of HSNMs, providing solutions for the safe, stable, and cascade delivery of macromolecular drugs to meet vast treatment requirements. Therefore, the latest advances in HoMS-based DDSs are comprehensively reviewed, mainly focusing on the characteristics, research progress by drug category, and future research prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Linlin Qin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Decai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nailiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
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8
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Boone K, Cloyd AK, Derakovic E, Spencer P, Tamerler C. Designing Collagen-Binding Peptide with Enhanced Properties Using Hydropathic Free Energy Predictions. APPLIED SCIENCES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:3342. [PMID: 38037603 PMCID: PMC10686322 DOI: 10.3390/app13053342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Collagen is fundamental to a vast diversity of health functions and potential therapeutics. Short peptides targeting collagen are attractive for designing modular systems for site-specific delivery of bioactive agents. Characterization of peptide-protein binding involves a larger number of potential interactions that require screening methods to target physiological conditions. We build a hydropathy-based free energy estimation tool which allows quick evaluation of peptides binding to collagen. Previous studies showed that pH plays a significant role in collagen structure and stability. Our design tool enables probing peptides for their collagen-binding property across multiple pH conditions. We explored binding features of currently known collagen-binding peptides, collagen type I alpha chain 2 sense peptide (TKKTLRT) and decorin LRR-10 (LRELHLNNN). Based on these analyzes, we engineered a collagen-binding peptide with enhanced properties across a large pH range in contrast to LRR-10 pH dependence. To validate our predictions, we used a quantum-dots-based binding assay to compare the coverage of the peptides on type I collagen. The predicted peptide resulted in improved collagen binding. Hydropathy of the peptide-protein pair is a promising approach to finding compatible pairings with minimal use of computational resources, and our method allows for quick evaluation of peptides for binding to other proteins. Overall, the free-energy-based tool provides an alternative computational screening approach that impacts protein interaction search methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Boone
- Institute for Bioengineering Research, University of Kansas, 5109 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
| | - Aya Kirahm Cloyd
- Institute for Bioengineering Research, University of Kansas, 5109 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Bioengineering Program, University of Kansas, 1132 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
| | - Emina Derakovic
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
| | - Paulette Spencer
- Institute for Bioengineering Research, University of Kansas, 5109 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Bioengineering Program, University of Kansas, 1132 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
| | - Candan Tamerler
- Institute for Bioengineering Research, University of Kansas, 5109 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
- Bioengineering Program, University of Kansas, 1132 Learned Hall 1530 W, 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045-7609, USA
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9
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Advances in Self-Assembled Peptides as Drug Carriers. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020482. [PMID: 36839803 PMCID: PMC9964150 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, self-assembled peptide nanotechnology has attracted a great deal of attention for its ability to form various regular and ordered structures with diverse and practical functions. Self-assembled peptides can exist in different environments and are a kind of medical bio-regenerative material with unique structures. These materials have good biocompatibility and controllability and can form nanoparticles, nanofibers and hydrogels to perform specific morphological functions, which are widely used in biomedical and material science fields. In this paper, the properties of self-assembled peptides, their influencing factors and the nanostructures that they form are reviewed, and the applications of self-assembled peptides as drug carriers are highlighted. Finally, the prospects and challenges for developing self-assembled peptide nanomaterials are briefly discussed.
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10
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Song W, Zhang X, Song Y, Fan K, Shao F, Long Y, Gao Y, Cai W, Lan X. Enhancing Photothermal Therapy Efficacy by In Situ Self-Assembly in Glioma. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:57-66. [PMID: 36206382 PMCID: PMC9839507 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c14413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The residence time of some small molecular imaging and therapeutic agents in tumor tissue is short and the molecules can be easily dispersed, which decreases treatment efficacy. Therefore, methods that enhance oncotherapy performance are of significant importance. Here, we report an in situ self-assembly strategy aimed at enhancing the photothermal therapy of glioblastomas. The probe, ICG-PEP-c(RGD)fk, consisted of a glutathione-reactive self-assembling polypeptide as the skeleton, indocyanine green (ICG) as a theranostic agent, and cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp [c(RGD)fk] peptides as the targeting group. ICG-PEP-c(RGD)fk was synthesized and found to be assembled in the glutathione environment at 9.446 μM in vitro. Human glioblastoma cell line U87MG-luc with high integrin αvβ3 expression was applied to invivo experiments. ICG-PEP-c(RGD)fk provided clearer tumor imaging and had a tumor retention time of 6.12 times longer than that of ICG-c(RGD)fk. In therapeutic experiments, ICG-PEP-c(RGD)fk significantly suppressed glioblastoma growth and the tumor volume was 2.61 times smaller than in the ICG-c(RGD)fk group at the end of the observation period. Moreover, the median survival time of ICG-PEP-c(RGD)fk group was significantly improved by 2.78 times compared with that of the control group. In conclusion, glutathione-reactive self-assembling peptides are capable of increasing the tumor retention time and improving the photothermal therapeutic effect. The in situ self-assembly strategy is a potential and feasible method to enhance oncotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Song
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Yangmeihui Song
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Kevin Fan
- Department of Radiology and Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Fuqiang Shao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Yu Long
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
| | - Weibo Cai
- Department of Radiology and Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022 Hubei Province, China
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11
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La Manna S, Florio D, Di Natale C, Marasco D. Modulation of hydrogel networks by metal ions. J Pept Sci 2022:e3474. [PMID: 36579727 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembling hydrogels are receiving great attention for both biomedical and technological applications. Self-assembly of protein/peptides as well as organic molecules is commonly induced in response to external triggers such as changes of temperature, concentration, or pH. An interesting strategy to modulate the morphology and mechanical properties of the gels implies the use of metal ions, where coordination bonds regulate the dynamic cross-linking in the construction of hydrogels, and coordination geometries, catalytic, and redox properties of metal ions play crucial roles. This review aims to discuss recent insights into the supramolecular assembly of hydrogels involving metal ions, with a focus on self-assembling peptides, as well as applications of metallogels in biomedical fields including tissue engineering, sensing, wound healing, and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara La Manna
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Daniele Florio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Di Natale
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.,Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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12
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Design of short peptides and peptide amphiphiles as collagen mimics and an investigation of their interactions with collagen using molecular dynamics simulations and docking studies. J Mol Model 2022; 29:19. [PMID: 36565373 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05419-x] [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: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Short peptide sequences and bolaamphiphiles derived from natural proteins are gaining importance due to their ability to form unique nanoscale architectures for a variety of biological applications. In this work, we have designed six short peptides (triplet or monomeric forms) and two peptide bolaamphiphiles that either incorporate the bioactive collagen motif (Gly-X-Y) or sequences where Gly, Pro, or hydroxyproline (Hyp) are replaced by Ala or His. For the bolaamphiphiles, a malate moiety was used as the aliphatic linker for connecting His with Hyp to create collagen mimics. Stability of the assemblies was assessed through molecular dynamics simulations and results indicated that (Pro-Ala-His)3 and (Ala-His-Hyp)3 formed the most stable structures, while the amphiphiles and the monomers showed some disintegration over the course of the 200 ns simulation, though most regained structural integrity and formed fibrillar structures, and micelles by the end of the simulation, likely due to the formation of more thermodynamically stable conformations. Multiple replica simulations (REMD) were also conducted where the sequences were simulated at different temperatures. Our results showed excellent convergence in most cases compared to constant temperature molecular dynamics simulation. Furthermore, molecular docking and MD simulations of the sequences bound to collagen triple helix structure revealed that several of the sequences had a high binding affinity and formed stable complexes, particularly (Pro-Ala-His)3 and (Ala-His-Hyp)3. Thus, we have designed new hybrid-peptide-based sequences which may be developed for potential applications as biomaterials for tissue engineering or drug delivery.
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13
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Abraham B, Agredo P, Mensah SG, Nilsson BL. Anion Effects on the Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Cationic Phenylalanine Derivatives. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:15494-15505. [PMID: 36473193 PMCID: PMC9776537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular hydrogels have emerged as a class of promising biomaterials for applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Self-assembling peptides have been well studied for such applications, but low molecular weight (LMW) amino acid-derived gelators have attracted interest as low-cost alternatives with similar emergent properties. Fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine (Fmoc-Phe) is one such privileged motif often chosen due to its inherent self-assembly potential. Previously, we developed cationic Fmoc-Phe-DAP gelators that assemble into hydrogel networks in aqueous NaCl solutions of sufficient ionic strength. The chloride anions in these solutions screen the cationic charge of the gelators to enable self-assembly to occur. Herein, we report the effects of varying the anions of sodium salts on the gelation potential, nanoscale morphology, and hydrogel viscoelastic properties of Fmoc-Phe-DAP and two of its fluorinated derivatives, Fmoc-3F-Phe-DAP and Fmoc-F5-Phe-DAP. It was observed that both the anion identity and gelator structure had a significant impact on the self-assembly and gelation properties of these derivatives. Changing the anion identity resulted in significant polymorphism of the nanoscale morphology of the assembled states that was dependent on the chemical structure of the gelator. The emergent viscoelastic character of the hydrogel networks was also found to be reliant on the anion identity and gelator structure. These results demonstrate the complex interplay between the gelator and environment that have a profound and often unpredictable impact on both self-assembly properties and emergent viscoelasticity in supramolecular hydrogels formed by LMW compounds. This work also illustrates the current lack of understanding that limits the rational design of potential biomaterials that will be in contact with complex biological fluids and provides motivation for additional research to correlate the chemical structure of LMW gelators with the structure and emergent properties of the resulting supramolecular assemblies as a function of environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany
L. Abraham
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - Pamela Agredo
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - Samantha G. Mensah
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - Bradley L. Nilsson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
- Materials
Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0166, United States
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14
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Oliveira CBP, Gomes V, Ferreira PMT, Martins JA, Jervis PJ. Peptide-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels as Drug Delivery Agents: Recent Advances. Gels 2022; 8:706. [PMID: 36354614 PMCID: PMC9689023 DOI: 10.3390/gels8110706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Supramolecular peptide hydrogels have many important applications in biomedicine, including drug delivery applications for the sustained release of therapeutic molecules. Targeted and selective drug administration is often preferential to systemic drug delivery, as it can allow reduced doses and can avoid the toxicity and side-effects caused by off-target binding. New discoveries are continually being reported in this rapidly developing field. In this review, we report the latest developments in supramolecular peptide-based hydrogels for drug delivery, focusing primarily on discoveries that have been reported in the last four years (2018-present). We address clinical points, such as peptide self-assembly and drug release, mechanical properties in drug delivery, peptide functionalization, bioadhesive properties and drug delivery enhancement strategies, drug release profiles, and different hydrogel matrices for anticancer drug loading and release.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Peter J. Jervis
- Centre of Chemistry, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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15
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Singh A, Joo JU, Kim DP. Microfluidic-driven ultrafast self-assembly of a dipeptide into stimuli-responsive 0D, 1D, and 2D nanostructures and as hydrolase mimic. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:15010-15020. [PMID: 36193959 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr03092f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Numerous peptides have been utilized to explore the efficacy of their self-assembly to produce nanostructures to mimic the self-organization capability of biomolecules in nature. Self-assembled nanostructures have significant applicability for a range of diverse applications. While the ability to create self-assembled functional materials has greatly improved, the self-assembly process, which results in ordered 0D, 1D, and 2D nanostructures, is still time-consuming. Moreover, in situ structural transformation from one self-assembled structure to another with different dimensions presents an additional challenge. Therefore, in this report, we demonstrate self-assembly in an ultrafast fashion to access four different nanostructures, namely, twisted bundle (TB), nanoparticle (NP), nanofiber (NF), and nanosheet (NS), from a simple dipeptide with the aid of simple microfluidic reactors by applying different stimuli. Additionally, an integrated microfluidic system enabled rapid structural switchover between two types in an ultrashort period of time. It is interesting to note that the formation of the twisted bundle (TB) morphology enabled the formation of an extended entangled network, which resulted in the formation of a hydrogel (1 w/v%). In addition, the nanostructures obtained using the ultrafast self-assembly process were investigated to study their hydrolase enzyme activity mimicking performance against a model substrate (p-NPA) reaction. Intriguingly, we found that our nanostructures were suitably well ordered, and when taking molecular mass into consideration, showed improved catalytic efficiency as compared to the native enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashmeet Singh
- Center of Intelligent Microprocess of Pharmaceutical Synthesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, South Korea.
| | - Jeong-Un Joo
- Center of Intelligent Microprocess of Pharmaceutical Synthesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, South Korea.
| | - Dong-Pyo Kim
- Center of Intelligent Microprocess of Pharmaceutical Synthesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, South Korea.
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16
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Fluorinated Protein and Peptide Materials for Biomedical Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15101201. [PMID: 36297312 PMCID: PMC9609677 DOI: 10.3390/ph15101201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorination represents one of the most powerful modern design strategies to impart biomacromolecules with unique functionality, empowering them for widespread application in the biomedical realm. However, the properties of fluorinated protein materials remain unpredictable due to the heavy context-dependency of the surrounding atoms influenced by fluorine’s strong electron-withdrawing tendencies. This review aims to discern patterns and elucidate design principles governing the biochemical synthesis and rational installation of fluorine into protein and peptide sequences for diverse biomedical applications. Several case studies are presented to deconvolute the overgeneralized fluorous stabilization effect and critically examine the duplicitous nature of the resultant enhanced chemical and thermostability as it applies to use as biomimetic therapeutics, drug delivery vehicles, and bioimaging modalities.
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17
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Abraham BL, Mensah SG, Gwinnell BR, Nilsson BL. Side-chain halogen effects on self-assembly and hydrogelation of cationic phenylalanine derivatives. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5999-6008. [PMID: 35920399 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00713d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Low molecular weight (LMW) supramolecular hydrogels have great potential as next-generation biomaterials for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. The design of LMW gelators is complicated by the lack of understanding regarding how the chemical structure of the gelator correlates to self-assembly potential and emergent hydrogel material properties. The fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine (Fmoc-Phe) motif is a privileged scaffold that is prone to undergo self-assembly into self-supporting hydrogel networks. Cationic Fmoc-Phe-DAP derivatives modified with diaminopropane (DAP) at the C-terminus have been developed that self-assemble into hydrogel networks in aqueous solutions of sufficient ionic strength. We report herein the impact of side-chain halogenation on the self-assembly and hydrogelation properties of Fmoc-Phe-DAP derivatives. A systematic study of the self-assembly and hydrogelation of monohalogenated Fmoc-Phe-DAP derivatives with F, Cl, or Br atoms in the ortho, meta, or para positions of the phenyl side chain reveal significant differences in self-assembly and gelation potential, nanoscale assembly morphology, and hydrogel viscoelastic properties as a function of halogen identity and substitution position. These results demonstrate the profound impact that subtle changes to the chemical scaffold can have on the behavior of LMW supramolecular gelators and illustrate the ongoing difficulty of predicting the emergent self-assembly and hydrogelation behavior of LMW gelators that differ even modestly in chemical structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany L Abraham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
| | - Samantha G Mensah
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
| | | | - Bradley L Nilsson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
- Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
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18
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Mosseri A, Sancho‐Albero M, Leone M, Nava D, Secundo F, Maggioni D, De Cola L, Romanelli A. Chiral Fibers Formation Upon Assembly of Tetraphenylalanine Peptide Conjugated to a PNA Dimer. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202200693. [PMID: 35474351 PMCID: PMC9325372 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202200693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Self‐assembly of biomolecules such as peptides, nucleic acids or their analogues affords supramolecular objects, exhibiting structures and physical properties dependent on the amino‐acid or nucleobase composition. Conjugation of the peptide diphenylalanine (FF) to peptide nucleic acids triggers formation of self‐assembled structures, mainly stabilized by interactions between FF. In this work we report formation of homogeneous chiral fibers upon self‐assembly of the hybrid composed of the tetraphenylalanine peptide (4F) conjugated to the PNA dimer adenine‐thymine (at). In this case nucleobases seem to play a key role in determining the morphology and chirality of the fibers. When the PNA “at” is replaced by guanine‐cytosine dimer “gc”, disordered structures are observed. Spectroscopic characterization of the self‐assembled hybrids, along with AFM and SEM studies is reported. Finally, a structural model consistent with the experimental evidence has also been obtained, showing how the building blocks of 4Fat arrange to give helical fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mosseri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Maria Sancho‐Albero
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS 20156 Milano Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini – CNR via Mezzocannone 16 80134 Naples Italy
| | - Donatella Nava
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Francesco Secundo
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, CNR via Mario Bianco 9 Milan 20131 Italy
| | - Daniela Maggioni
- Dipartimento di Chimica Università degli Studi di Milano Via Golgi 19 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Luisa De Cola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS 20156 Milano Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
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19
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Chibh S, Kaur K, Gautam UK, Panda JJ. Dimension switchable auto-fluorescent peptide-based 1D and 2D nano-assemblies and their self-influence on intracellular fate and drug delivery. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:715-735. [PMID: 34937079 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr06768k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The production of dynamic, environment-responsive shape-tunable biomaterials marks a significant step forward in the construction of synthetic materials that can easily rival their natural counterparts. Significant progress has been made in the self-assembly of bio-materials. However, the self-assembly of a peptide into morphologically distinct auto-fluorescent nanostructures, without the incorporation of any external moiety is still in its infancy. Hence, in this study, we have developed peptide-based self-assembled auto-fluorescent nanostructures that can shuttle between 1D and 2D morphologies. Different morphological nanostructures are well known to have varied cellular internalization efficiencies. Taking advantage of our morphologically different particles emanating from the same peptide monomer, we further explored the intracellular fate of our nanostructures. We observed that the nanostructures' cellular internalization is a complex process that gets influenced by particle morphology and this might further affect their intracellular drug delivery potential. Overall, this study provides initial cues for the preparation of environment-responsive shape-shifting peptide-nano assemblies. Efforts have also been made to understand their shape driven cellular uptake behaviour, along with establishing them as nanocarriers for the cellular delivery of therapeutic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Chibh
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India.
| | - Komalpreet Kaur
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Ujjal K Gautam
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Jiban Jyoti Panda
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India.
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20
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Amadi EV, Venkataraman A, Papadopoulos C. Nanoscale self-assembly: concepts, applications and challenges. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33. [PMID: 34874297 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac3f54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembly offers unique possibilities for fabricating nanostructures, with different morphologies and properties, typically from vapour or liquid phase precursors. Molecular units, nanoparticles, biological molecules and other discrete elements can spontaneously organise or form via interactions at the nanoscale. Currently, nanoscale self-assembly finds applications in a wide variety of areas including carbon nanomaterials and semiconductor nanowires, semiconductor heterojunctions and superlattices, the deposition of quantum dots, drug delivery, such as mRNA-based vaccines, and modern integrated circuits and nanoelectronics, to name a few. Recent advancements in drug delivery, silicon nanoelectronics, lasers and nanotechnology in general, owing to nanoscale self-assembly, coupled with its versatility, simplicity and scalability, have highlighted its importance and potential for fabricating more complex nanostructures with advanced functionalities in the future. This review aims to provide readers with concise information about the basic concepts of nanoscale self-assembly, its applications to date, and future outlook. First, an overview of various self-assembly techniques such as vapour deposition, colloidal growth, molecular self-assembly and directed self-assembly/hybrid approaches are discussed. Applications in diverse fields involving specific examples of nanoscale self-assembly then highlight the state of the art and finally, the future outlook for nanoscale self-assembly and potential for more complex nanomaterial assemblies in the future as technological functionality increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eberechukwu Victoria Amadi
- University of Victoria, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, PO BOX 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Anusha Venkataraman
- University of Victoria, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, PO BOX 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Chris Papadopoulos
- University of Victoria, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, PO BOX 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
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21
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Theodoroula NF, Karavasili C, Vlasiou MC, Primikyri A, Nicolaou C, Chatzikonstantinou AV, Chatzitaki AT, Petrou C, Bouropoulos N, Zacharis CK, Galatou E, Sarigiannis Y, Fatouros DG, Vizirianakis IS. NGIWY-Amide: A Bioinspired Ultrashort Self-Assembled Peptide Gelator for Local Drug Delivery Applications. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:133. [PMID: 35057029 PMCID: PMC8778326 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14010133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrillar structures derived from plant or animal origin have long been a source of inspiration for the design of new biomaterials. The Asn-Gly-Ile-Trp-Tyr-NH2 (NGIWY-amide) pentapeptide, isolated from the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, which spontaneously self-assembles in water to form hydrogel, pertains to this category. In this study, we evaluated this ultra-short cosmetic bioinspired peptide as vector for local drug delivery applications. Combining nuclear magnetic resonance, circular dichroism, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and rheological studies, the synthesized pentapeptide formed a stiff hydrogel with a high β-sheet content. Molecular dynamic simulations aligned well with scanning electron and atomic-force microscopy studies, revealing a highly filamentous structure with the fibers adopting a helical-twisted morphology. Model dye localization within the supramolecular hydrogel provided insights on the preferential distribution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds in the hydrogel network. That was further depicted in the diffusion kinetics of drugs differing in their aqueous solubility and molecular weight, namely, doxorubicin hydrochloride, curcumin, and octreotide acetate, highlighting its versatility as a delivery vector of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds of different molecular weight. Along with the observed cytocompatibility of the hydrogel, the NGIWY-amide pentapeptide may offer new approaches for cell growth, drug delivery, and 3D bioprinting tissue-engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoleta F. Theodoroula
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Christina Karavasili
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.K.); (A.-T.C.); (D.G.F.)
| | - Manos C. Vlasiou
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
| | | | - Christia Nicolaou
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
| | - Alexandra V. Chatzikonstantinou
- Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Aikaterini-Theodora Chatzitaki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.K.); (A.-T.C.); (D.G.F.)
| | - Christos Petrou
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
| | - Nikolaos Bouropoulos
- Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Constantinos K. Zacharis
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Eleftheria Galatou
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
| | - Yiannis Sarigiannis
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
| | - Dimitrios G. Fatouros
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (C.K.); (A.-T.C.); (D.G.F.)
| | - Ioannis S. Vizirianakis
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus; (M.C.V.); (C.N.); (C.P.); (E.G.)
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22
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Kumai T, Yamaki H, Kono M, Hayashi R, Wakisaka R, Komatsuda H. Antitumor Peptide-Based Vaccine in the Limelight. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10010070. [PMID: 35062731 PMCID: PMC8778374 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of the immune checkpoint blockade has provided a proof of concept that immune cells are capable of attacking tumors in the clinic. However, clinical benefit is only observed in less than 20% of the patients due to the non-specific activation of immune cells by the immune checkpoint blockade. Developing tumor-specific immune responses is a challenging task that can be achieved by targeting tumor antigens to generate tumor-specific T-cell responses. The recent advancements in peptide-based immunotherapy have encouraged clinicians and patients who are struggling with cancer that is otherwise non-treatable with current therapeutics. By selecting appropriate epitopes from tumor antigens with suitable adjuvants, peptides can elicit robust antitumor responses in both mice and humans. Although recent experimental data and clinical trials suggest the potency of tumor reduction by peptide-based vaccines, earlier clinical trials based on the inadequate hypothesis have misled that peptide vaccines are not efficient in eliminating tumor cells. In this review, we highlighted the recent evidence that supports the rationale of peptide-based antitumor vaccines. We also discussed the strategies to select the optimal epitope for vaccines and the mechanism of how adjuvants increase the efficacy of this promising approach to treat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Kumai
- Department of Innovative Head & Neck Cancer Research and Treatment, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-166-68-2554; Fax: +81-166-68-2559
| | - Hidekiyo Yamaki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Michihisa Kono
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Ryusuke Hayashi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Risa Wakisaka
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Hiroki Komatsuda
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan; (H.Y.); (M.K.); (R.H.); (R.W.); (H.K.)
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23
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Das S, Das D. Rational Design of Peptide-based Smart Hydrogels for Therapeutic Applications. Front Chem 2021; 9:770102. [PMID: 34869218 PMCID: PMC8635208 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.770102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based hydrogels have captivated remarkable attention in recent times and serve as an excellent platform for biomedical applications owing to the impressive amalgamation of unique properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, easily tunable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, modular incorporation of stimuli sensitivity and other functionalities, adjustable mechanical stiffness/rigidity and close mimicry to biological molecules. Putting all these on the same plate offers smart soft materials that can be used for tissue engineering, drug delivery, 3D bioprinting, wound healing to name a few. A plethora of work has been accomplished and a significant progress has been realized using these peptide-based platforms. However, designing hydrogelators with the desired functionalities and their self-assembled nanostructures is still highly serendipitous in nature and thus a roadmap providing guidelines toward designing and preparing these soft-materials and applying them for a desired goal is a pressing need of the hour. This review aims to provide a concise outline for that purpose and the design principles of peptide-based hydrogels along with their potential for biomedical applications are discussed with the help of selected recent reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurav Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Debapratim Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India
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La Manna S, Di Natale C, Onesto V, Marasco D. Self-Assembling Peptides: From Design to Biomedical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12662. [PMID: 34884467 PMCID: PMC8657556 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembling peptides could be considered a novel class of agents able to harvest an array of micro/nanostructures that are highly attractive in the biomedical field. By modifying their amino acid composition, it is possible to mime several biological functions; when assembled in micro/nanostructures, they can be used for a variety of purposes such as tissue regeneration and engineering or drug delivery to improve drug release and/or stability and to reduce side effects. Other significant advantages of self-assembled peptides involve their biocompatibility and their ability to efficiently target molecular recognition sites. Due to their intrinsic characteristics, self-assembled peptide micro/nanostructures are capable to load both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, and they are suitable to achieve a triggered drug delivery at disease sites by inserting in their structure's stimuli-responsive moieties. The focus of this review was to summarize the most recent and significant studies on self-assembled peptides with an emphasis on their application in the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara La Manna
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Concetta Di Natale
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci, 53, 80125 Napoli, Italy
- Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale sui Biomateriali CRIB, Università di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio, 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
| | - Valentina Onesto
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR NANOTEC, via Monteroni, c/o Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy;
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy;
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25
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Modeling of Self-Assembled Peptide Nanotubes and Determination of Their Chirality Sign Based on Dipole Moment Calculations. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11092415. [PMID: 34578731 PMCID: PMC8471708 DOI: 10.3390/nano11092415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The chirality quantification is of great importance in structural biology, where the differences in proteins twisting can provide essentially different physiological effects. However, this aspect of the chirality is still poorly studied for helix-like supramolecular structures. In this work, a method for chirality quantification based on the calculation of scalar triple products of dipole moments is suggested. As a model structure, self-assembled nanotubes of diphenylalanine (FF) made of L- and D-enantiomers were considered. The dipole moments of FF molecules were calculated using semi-empirical quantum-chemical method PM3 and the Amber force field method. The obtained results do not depend on the used simulation and calculation method, and show that the D-FF nanotubes are twisted tighter than L-FF. Moreover, the type of chirality of the helix-like nanotube is opposite to that of the initial individual molecule that is in line with the chirality alternation rule general for different levels of hierarchical organization of molecular systems. The proposed method can be applied to study other helix-like supramolecular structures.
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26
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Signore MA, De Pascali C, Giampetruzzi L, Siciliano PA, Francioso L. Gut-on-Chip microphysiological systems: Latest advances in the integration of sensing strategies and adoption of mature detection mechanisms. SENSING AND BIO-SENSING RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbsr.2021.100443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of Peptide Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26154587. [PMID: 34361740 PMCID: PMC8348434 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26154587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a challenging need for the development of new alternative nanostructures that can allow the coupling and/or encapsulation of therapeutic/diagnostic molecules while reducing their toxicity and improving their circulation and in-vivo targeting. Among the new materials using natural building blocks, peptides have attracted significant interest because of their simple structure, relative chemical and physical stability, diversity of sequences and forms, their easy functionalization with (bio)molecules and the possibility of synthesizing them in large quantities. A number of them have the ability to self-assemble into nanotubes, -spheres, -vesicles or -rods under mild conditions, which opens up new applications in biology and nanomedicine due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as their surface chemical reactivity via amino- and carboxyl groups. In order to obtain nanostructures suitable for biomedical applications, the structure, size, shape and surface chemistry of these nanoplatforms must be optimized. These properties depend directly on the nature and sequence of the amino acids that constitute them. It is therefore essential to control the order in which the amino acids are introduced during the synthesis of short peptide chains and to evaluate their in-vitro and in-vivo physico-chemical properties before testing them for biomedical applications. This review therefore focuses on the synthesis, functionalization and characterization of peptide sequences that can self-assemble to form nanostructures. The synthesis in batch or with new continuous flow and microflow techniques will be described and compared in terms of amino acids sequence, purification processes, functionalization or encapsulation of targeting ligands, imaging probes as well as therapeutic molecules. Their chemical and biological characterization will be presented to evaluate their purity, toxicity, biocompatibility and biodistribution, and some therapeutic properties in vitro and in vivo. Finally, their main applications in the biomedical field will be presented so as to highlight their importance and advantages over classical nanostructures.
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28
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Scarel M, Marchesan S. Diketopiperazine Gels: New Horizons from the Self-Assembly of Cyclic Dipeptides. Molecules 2021; 26:3376. [PMID: 34204905 PMCID: PMC8199760 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclodipeptides (CDPs) or 2,5-diketopiperazines (DKPs) can exert a variety of biological activities and display pronounced resistance against enzymatic hydrolysis as well as a propensity towards self-assembly into gels, relative to the linear-dipeptide counterparts. They have attracted great interest in a variety of fields spanning from functional materials to drug discovery. This concise review will analyze the latest advancements in their synthesis, self-assembly into gels, and their more innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Scarel
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Silvia Marchesan
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
- National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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29
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Mathur D, Kaur H, Dhall A, Sharma N, Raghava GPS. SAPdb: A database of short peptides and the corresponding nanostructures formed by self-assembly. Comput Biol Med 2021; 133:104391. [PMID: 33892308 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nanostructures generated by self-assembly of peptides yield nanomaterials that have many therapeutic applications, including drug delivery and biomedical engineering, due to their low cytotoxicity and higher uptake by targeted cells owing to their high affinity and specificity towards cell surface receptors. Despite the promising implications of this rapidly expanding field, there is no dedicated resource to study peptide nanostructures. This study endeavours to create a repository of short peptides, which may prove to be the best models to study ordered nanostructures formed by peptide self-assembly. SAPdb has a repertoire of 1049 entries of experimentally validated nanostructures formed by the self-assembly of small peptides. It consists of 328 tripeptides, 701 dipeptides, and 20 single amino acids with some conjugate partners. Each entry encompasses comprehensive information about the peptide, such as chemical modifications, the type of nanostructure formed, experimental conditions like pH, temperature, solvent required for the self-assembly, etc. Our analysis indicates that peptides containing aromatic amino acids favour the formation of self-assembling nanostructures. Additionally, we observed that these peptides form different nanostructures under different experimental conditions. SAPdb provides this comprehensive information in a hassle-free tabulated manner at a glance. User-friendly browsing, searching, and analysis modules have been integrated for easy data retrieval, data comparison, and examination of properties. We anticipate SAPdb to be a valuable repository for researchers engaged in the burgeoning arena of nanobiotechnology. It is freely available at https://webs.iiitd.edu.in/raghava/sapdb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Mathur
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh-160036, India.
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh-160036, India.
| | - Anjali Dhall
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi-110020, India.
| | - Neelam Sharma
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi-110020, India.
| | - Gajendra P S Raghava
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi-110020, India. http://webs.iiitd.edu.in/raghava/
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30
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Carlini AS, Choi W, McCallum NC, Gianneschi NC. pH-Responsive Charge-Conversion Progelator Peptides. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2021; 31:2007733. [PMID: 36530181 PMCID: PMC9757809 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202007733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
A simple strategy for generating stimuli-responsive peptide-based hydrogels via charge-conversion of a self-assembling peptide (SAP) is described. These materials are formulated as soluble, polyanionic peptides, containing maleic acid, citraconic acid, or dimethylmaleic acid masking groups on each lysine residue, which do not form assemblies, but instead flow easily through high gauge needles and catheters. Acid-induced mask hydrolysis renews the zwitterionic nature of the peptides with concomitant and rapid self-assembly via β-sheet formation into rehealable hydrogels. The use of different masks enables one to tune pH responsiveness and assembly kinetics. In anticipation of their potential for in vivo hydrogel delivery and use, progelators exhibit hemocompatibility in whole human blood, and their peptide components are shown to be noncytotoxic. Finally, demonstration of stimuli-induced self-assembly for dye sequestration suggests a simple, non-covalent strategy for small molecule encapsulation in a degradable scaffold. In summary, this simple, scalable masking strategy allows for preparation of responsive, dynamic self-assembling biomaterials. This work sets the stage for implementing biodegradable therapeutic hydrogels that assemble in response to physiological, disease-relevant states of acidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Carlini
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Wonmin Choi
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Naneki C McCallum
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Nathan C Gianneschi
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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Prabakaran R, Rawat P, Thangakani AM, Kumar S, Gromiha MM. Protein aggregation: in silico algorithms and applications. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:71-89. [PMID: 33747245 PMCID: PMC7930180 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00778-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a topic of immense interest to the scientific community due to its role in several neurodegenerative diseases/disorders and industrial importance. Several in silico techniques, tools, and algorithms have been developed to predict aggregation in proteins and understand the aggregation mechanisms. This review attempts to provide an essence of the vast developments in in silico approaches, resources available, and future perspectives. It reviews aggregation-related databases, mechanistic models (aggregation-prone region and aggregation propensity prediction), kinetic models (aggregation rate prediction), and molecular dynamics studies related to aggregation. With a multitude of prediction models related to aggregation already available to the scientific community, the field of protein aggregation is rapidly maturing to tackle new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Prabakaran
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
| | - Puneet Rawat
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
| | - A. Mary Thangakani
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Biotherapeutics Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical Inc., Ridgefield, CT USA
| | - M. Michael Gromiha
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
- School of Computing, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan
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32
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Dognini P, Coxon CR, Alves WA, Giuntini F. Peptide-Tetrapyrrole Supramolecular Self-Assemblies: State of the Art. Molecules 2021; 26:693. [PMID: 33525730 PMCID: PMC7865683 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The covalent and noncovalent association of self-assembling peptides and tetrapyrroles was explored as a way to generate systems that mimic Nature's functional supramolecular structures. Different types of peptides spontaneously assemble with porphyrins, phthalocyanines, or corroles to give long-range ordered architectures, whose structure is determined by the features of both components. The regular morphology and ordered molecular arrangement of these systems enhance the photochemical properties of embedded chromophores, allowing applications as photo-catalysts, antennas for dye-sensitized solar cells, biosensors, and agents for light-triggered therapies. Chemical modifications of peptide and tetrapyrrole structures and control over the assembly process can steer the organization and influence the properties of the resulting system. Here we provide a review of the field, focusing on the assemblies obtained from different classes of self-assembling peptides with tetrapyrroles, their morphologies and their applications as innovative functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Dognini
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Byrom Street Campus, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
| | - Christopher R. Coxon
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh AH14 4AS, UK;
| | - Wendel A. Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP 09210-380, Brazil;
| | - Francesca Giuntini
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Byrom Street Campus, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
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33
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Chibh S, Mishra J, Kour A, Chauhan VS, Panda JJ. Recent advances in the fabrication and bio-medical applications of self-assembled dipeptide nanostructures. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2021; 16:139-163. [PMID: 33480272 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2020-0314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular self-assembly is a widespread natural phenomenon and has inspired several researchers to synthesize a compendium of nano/microstructures with widespread applications. Biomolecules like proteins, peptides and lipids are used as building blocks to fabricate various nanomaterials. Supramolecular peptide self-assembly continue to play a significant role in forming diverse nanostructures with numerous biomedical applications; however, dipeptides offer distinctive supremacy in their ability to self-assemble and produce a variety of nanostructures. Though several reviews have articulated the progress in the field of longer peptides or polymers and their self-assembling behavior, there is a paucity of reviews or literature covering the emerging field of dipeptide-based nanostructures. In this review, our goal is to present the recent advancements in dipeptide-based nanostructures with their potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Chibh
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Jibanananda Mishra
- Cell and Molecular Biology Division, AAL Research & Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Panchkula, Haryana 134113, India
| | - Avneet Kour
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Virander S Chauhan
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Jiban J Panda
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
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34
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Mayans E, Alemán C. Revisiting the Self-Assembly of Highly Aromatic Phenylalanine Homopeptides. Molecules 2020; 25:E6037. [PMID: 33419355 PMCID: PMC7766750 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25246037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Diphenylalanine peptide (FF), which self-assembles into rigid tubular nanostructures, is a very short core recognition motif in Alzheimer's disease β-amyloid (Aβ) polypeptide. Moreover, the ability of the phenylalanine (F or Phe)-homopeptides to self-assemble into ordered nanostructures has been proved. Within this context it was shown that the assembly preferences of this family of compounds is altered by capping both the N- and C-termini using highly aromatic fluorenyl groups (i.e., fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl and 9-fluorenylmethyl ester, named Fmoc and OFm, respectively). In this article the work performed in the field of the effect of the structure and incubation conditions on the morphology and polymorphism of short (from two to four amino acid residues) Phe-homopeptides is reviewed and accompanied by introducing some new results for completing the comparison. Special attention has been paid to the influence of solvent: co-solvent mixture used to solubilize the peptide, the peptide concentration and, in some cases, the temperature. More specifically, uncapped (FF, FFF, and FFFF), N-capped with Fmoc (Fmoc-FF, Fmoc-FFF, and Fmoc-FFFF), C-capped with OFm (FF-OFm), and doubly capped (Fmoc-FF-OFm, Fmoc-FFF-OFm, and Fmoc-FFFF-OFm) Phe-homopeptides have been re-measured. Although many of the experienced assembly conditions have been only revisited as they were previously reported, other experimental conditions have been examined by the first time in this work. In any case, pooling the effect of highly aromatic blocking groups in a single study, using a wide variety of experimental conditions, allows a perspective of how the disappearance of head-to-tail electrostatic interactions and the gradual increase in the amount of π-π stacking interactions, affects the morphology of the assemblies. Future technological applications of Phe-homopeptides can be envisaged by choosing the most appropriate self-assemble structure, defining not only the length of the peptide but also the amount and the position of fluorenyl capping groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Alemán
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química and Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, EEBE, C/Eduard Maristany, 10-14, Ed. I2, 08019 Barcelona, Spain;
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35
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Das R, Gayakvad B, Shinde SD, Rani J, Jain A, Sahu B. Ultrashort Peptides—A Glimpse into the Structural Modifications and Their Applications as Biomaterials. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:5474-5499. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rudradip Das
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
| | - Bhavinkumar Gayakvad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
| | - Suchita Dattatray Shinde
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
| | - Jyoti Rani
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
| | - Alok Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
| | - Bichismita Sahu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India
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