1
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Duan X, Zou H, Yang J, Liu S, Xu T, Ding J. Melittin-incorporated nanomedicines for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. J Control Release 2024; 375:285-299. [PMID: 39216597 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.08.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a rapidly developing and effective strategy for cancer therapy. Among various immunotherapy approaches, peptides have garnered significant attention due to their potent immunomodulatory effects. In particular, melittin emerged as a promising candidate to enhance cancer immunotherapy by inducing immunogenic cell death, promoting the maturation of antigen-presenting cells, activating T cells, enhancing the infiltration and cytotoxicity of effector lymphocytes, and modulating macrophage phenotypes for relieving immunosuppression. However, the clinical application of melittin is limited by poor targeting and systemic toxicity. To overcome these challenges, melittin has been incorporated into biomaterials and related nanotechnologies, resulting in extended circulation time in vivo, improved targeting, reduced adverse effects, and enhanced anti-cancer immunological action. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the immunomodulatory effects of melittin-incorporated nanomedicines and examines their development and challenges for clinical cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Duan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun 130041, PR China
| | - Haoyang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5625 Renmin Street, Changchun 130022, PR China
| | - Jiazhen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5625 Renmin Street, Changchun 130022, PR China.
| | - Shixian Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun 130041, PR China
| | - Tianmin Xu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun 130041, PR China.
| | - Jianxun Ding
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5625 Renmin Street, Changchun 130022, PR China.
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2
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Liu X, Zhao A, Xiao S, Li H, Li M, Guo W, Han Q. PD-1: A critical player and target for immune normalization. Immunology 2024; 172:181-197. [PMID: 38269617 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune system imbalances contribute to the pathogenesis of several different diseases, and immunotherapy shows great therapeutic efficacy against tumours and infectious diseases with immune-mediated derivations. In recent years, molecules targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint have attracted much attention, and related signalling pathways have been studied clearly. At present, several inhibitors and antibodies targeting PD-1 have been utilized as anti-tumour therapies. However, increasing evidence indicates that PD-1 blockade also has different degrees of adverse side effects, and these new explorations into the therapeutic safety of PD-1 inhibitors contribute to the emerging concept that immune normalization, rather than immune enhancement, is the ultimate goal of disease treatment. In this review, we summarize recent advancements in PD-1 research with regard to immune normalization and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuening Liu
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Alison Zhao
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Su Xiao
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- People's Hospital of Zhoucun, Zibo, Shandong, China
| | - Haohao Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Menghua Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, China
| | - Qiuju Han
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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3
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Klebansky B, Backer M, Gorbatyuk V, Vinogradova O, Backer J. In Search of Better Peptide-(Derived from PD-L2)-Based Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Biomolecules 2024; 14:597. [PMID: 38786004 PMCID: PMC11118832 DOI: 10.3390/biom14050597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Current anti-cancer immune checkpoint therapy relies on antibodies that primarily target the PD-1/PD-L1(-L2) negative regulatory pathway. Although very successful in some cases for certain cancers, these antibodies do not help most patients who, presumably, should benefit from this type of therapy. Therefore, an unmet clinical need for novel, more effective drugs targeting immune checkpoints remains. We have developed a series of high-potency peptide inhibitors interfering with PD-1/PD-L1(-L2) protein-protein interaction. Our best peptide inhibitors are 12 and 14 amino acids long and show sub-micromolar IC50 inhibitory activity in the in vitro assay. The positioning of the peptides within the PD-1 binding site is explored by extensive modeling. It is further supported by 2D NMR studies of PD-1/peptide complexes. These results reflect substantial progress in the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors using peptidomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Backer
- SibTech Inc., 115A Commerce Drive, Brookfield, CT 06804, USA
| | - Vitaliy Gorbatyuk
- Center for Open Research Resources & Equipment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA
| | - Olga Vinogradova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
| | - Joseph Backer
- SibTech Inc., 115A Commerce Drive, Brookfield, CT 06804, USA
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4
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Bojko M, Węgrzyn K, Sikorska E, Ciura P, Battin C, Steinberger P, Magiera-Mularz K, Dubin G, Kulesza A, Sieradzan AK, Spodzieja M, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S. Peptide-based inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis: potential immunotherapeutics for cancer. Transl Oncol 2024; 42:101892. [PMID: 38359715 PMCID: PMC10877416 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 complex belongs to the group of inhibitory immune checkpoints and plays a critical role in immune regulation. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is also responsible for immune evasion of cancer cells, and this complex is one of the main targets of immunotherapies used in oncology. Treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors is mainly based on antibodies. This approach has great therapeutic potential; however, it also has major drawbacks and can induce immune-related adverse events. Thus, there is a strong need for alternative, non-antibody-based therapies using small molecules, peptides, or peptidomimetics. In the present study, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a set of PD-1-targeting peptides based on the sequence and structure of PD-L1. The binding of these peptides to PD-1 was investigated using SPR and ELISA. We also assessed their ability to compete with PD-L1 for binding to PD-1 and their inhibitory properties against the PD-1/PD-L1 complex at the cellular level. The best results were obtained for the peptide PD-L1(111-127)(Y112C-I126C), named (L11), which displaced PD-L1 from binding to PD-1 in the competitive assay and inhibited the formation of the PD-1/PD-L1 complex. The (L11) peptide also exhibited strong affinity for PD-1. NMR studies revealed that (L11) does not form a well-defined secondary structure; however, MD simulation indicated that (L11) binds to PD-1 at the same place as PD-L1. After further optimization of the structure, the peptide inhibitor obtained in this study could also be used as a potential therapeutic compound targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Bojko
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Ciura
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katarzyna Magiera-Mularz
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7A, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Dubin
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Chemistry, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Adam Kulesza
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam K Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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Yang W, Wang Y, Han D, Tang W, Sun L. Recent advances in application of computer-aided drug design in anti-COVID-19 Virials Drug Discovery. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116423. [PMID: 38493593 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic epidemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which poses a serious threat to human health worldwide and results in significant economic losses. With the continuous emergence of new virus strains, small molecule drugs remain the most effective treatment for COVID-19. The traditional drug development process usually requires several years; however, the development of computer-aided drug design (CADD) offers the opportunity to develop innovative drugs quickly and efficiently. The literature review describes the general process of CADD, the viral proteins that play essential roles in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and can serve as therapeutic targets, and examples of drug screening of viral target proteins by applying CADD methods. Finally, the potential of CADD in COVID-19 therapy, the deficiency, and the possible future development direction are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiying Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Ye Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Dongfeng Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Wenjing Tang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Lichao Sun
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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6
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Sinha B, Choudhury Y. Revisiting edible insects as sources of therapeutics and drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1345281. [PMID: 38370484 PMCID: PMC10869617 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1345281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer has been medicine's most formidable foe for long, and the rising incidence of the disease globally has made effective cancer therapy a significant challenge. Drug discovery is targeted at identifying efficacious compounds with minimal side effects and developments in nanotechnology and immunotherapy have shown promise in the fight against this complicated illness. Since ancient times, insects and insect-derived products have played a significant role in traditional medicine across several communities worldwide. The aim of this study was to inspect the traditional use of edible insects in various cultures and to explore their modern use in cancer therapy. Edible insects are sources of nutrients and a variety of beneficial substances with anticancer and immunomodulatory potential. Recently, insect derived bioactive-components have also been used as nanoparticles either in combination with chemotherapeutics or as a nano-cargo for the enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs due to their high biocompatibility, low bio-toxicity, and their antioxidant and anticancer effects. The crude extracts of different edible insects and their active components such as sericin, cecropin, solenopsin, melittin, antimicrobial peptides and fibroin produce anti-cancer and immunomodulatory effects by various mechanisms which have been discussed in this review.
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7
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Carter R, Alanazi F, Sharp A, Roman J, Luchini A, Liotta L, Paige M, Brown AM, Haymond A. Identification of the functional PD-L1 interface region responsible for PD-1 binding and initiation of PD-1 signaling. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105353. [PMID: 37858677 PMCID: PMC10663846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint pathway is important for regulating immune responses and can be targeted by immunomodulatory drugs to treat a variety of immune disorders. However, the precise protein-protein interactions required for the initiation of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling are currently unknown. Previously, we designed a series of first-generation PD-1 targeting peptides based on the native interface region of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) that effectively reduced PD-1/PD-L1 binding. In this work, we further characterized the previously identified lead peptide, MN1.1, to identify key PD-1 binding residues and design an optimized peptide, MN1.4. We show MN1.4 is significantly more stable than MN1.1 in serum and retains the ability to block PD-1/PD-L1 complex formation. We further characterized the immunomodulatory effects of MN1.4 treatment by measuring markers of T cell activation in a co-culture model with ovarian cancer cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We found MN1.4 treatment reduced cytokine secretion and suppressed T cell responses in a similar manner as recombinant PD-L1. Therefore, the PD-L1 interface region used to design MN1.4 appeared sufficient to initiate PD-1 signaling and likely represents the minimum necessary region of PD-L1 required for PD-1 recognition. We propose a peptide agonist for PD-1, such as MN1.4, could have several applications for treating autoimmune disorders caused by PD-1 deficiencies such as type 1 diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, or autoimmune side effects arising from monoclonal antibody-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Carter
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA.
| | - Fatimah Alanazi
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Amanda Sharp
- Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jessica Roman
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Alessandra Luchini
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Lance Liotta
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Mikell Paige
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Anne M Brown
- Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Data Services, University Libraries, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Amanda Haymond
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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Kuncewicz K, Bojko M, Battin C, Karczyńska A, Sieradzan A, Sikorska E, Węgrzyn K, Wojciechowicz K, Wardowska A, Steinberger P, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Spodzieja M. BTLA-derived peptides as inhibitors of BTLA/HVEM complex formation - design, synthesis and biological evaluation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115161. [PMID: 37473684 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints can be divided into co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules that regulate the activation and effector functions of T cells. The co-inhibitory pathways mediated by ICPs are used by cancer cells to escape from immune surveillance, and therefore the blockade of these receptor/ligand interactions is one of the strategies used in the treatment of cancer. The two main pathways currently under investigation are CTLA-4/CD80/CD86 and PD-1/PD-L1, and the monoclonal Abs targeting them have shown potent immunomodulatory effects and activity in clinical environments. Another interesting target in cancer treatment is the BTLA/HVEM complex. Binding of BTLA protein on T cells to HVEM on cancer cells leads to inhibition of T cell proliferation and cytokine production. In the presented work, we focused on blocking the HVEM protein using BTLA-derived peptides. Based on the crystal structure of the BTLA/HVEM complex and MM/GBSA analysis performed here, we designed and synthesized peptides, specifically fragments of BTLA protein. We subsequently checked the inhibitory capacities of these compounds using ELISA and a cellular reporter platform. Two of these peptides, namely BTLA(35-43) and BTLA(33-64)C58Abu displayed the most promising properties, and we therefore performed further studies to evaluate their affinity to HVEM protein, their stability in plasma and their effect on viability of human PBMCs. In addition, the 3D structure for the peptide BTLA(33-64)C58Abu was determined using NMR. Obtained data confirmed that the BTLA-derived peptides could be the basis for future drugs and their immunomodulatory potential merits further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kuncewicz
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bojko
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Agnieszka Karczyńska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Karolina Wojciechowicz
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, Dębinki 7, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, Dębinki 7, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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Vadevoo SMP, Gurung S, Lee HS, Gunassekaran GR, Lee SM, Yoon JW, Lee YK, Lee B. Peptides as multifunctional players in cancer therapy. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:1099-1109. [PMID: 37258584 PMCID: PMC10318096 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01016-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptides exhibit lower affinity and a shorter half-life in the body than antibodies. Conversely, peptides demonstrate higher efficiency in tissue penetration and cell internalization than antibodies. Regardless of the pros and cons of peptides, they have been used as tumor-homing ligands for delivering carriers (such as nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, and cells) and cargoes (such as cytotoxic peptides and radioisotopes) to tumors. Additionally, tumor-homing peptides have been conjugated with cargoes such as small-molecule or chemotherapeutic drugs via linkers to synthesize peptide-drug conjugates. In addition, peptides selectively bind to cell surface receptors and proteins, such as immune checkpoints, receptor kinases, and hormone receptors, subsequently blocking their biological activity or serving as hormone analogs. Furthermore, peptides internalized into cells bind to intracellular proteins and interfere with protein-protein interactions. Thus, peptides demonstrate great application potential as multifunctional players in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri Murugan Poongkavithai Vadevoo
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Smriti Gurung
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Su Lee
- Department of Physiology, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu, 42472, Republic of Korea
| | - Gowri Rangaswamy Gunassekaran
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Min Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Won Yoon
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Ki Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungheon Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea.
- Cell & Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Boisgerault N, Bertrand P. Inside PD-1/PD-L1,2 with their inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115465. [PMID: 37196547 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes current knowledge in the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including antibodies and small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Boisgerault
- Nantes Université, Inserm UMR 1307, CNRS UMR 6075, Université D'Angers, CRCI2NA, LabEx IGO, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Philippe Bertrand
- University of Poitiers, IC2MP UMR 7285 CNRS, 4 Rue Michel Brunet B27, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9, France.
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11
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Fujita M, Tsuchiya K, Kurohara T, Fukuhara K, Misawa T, Demizu Y. In silico optimization of peptides that inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 84:117264. [PMID: 37003158 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway causes transcriptional activation through the interaction between β-catenin and T cell-specific transcription factor (TCF) and regulates a wide variety of cellular responses, including proliferation, differentiation and cell motility. Excessive transcriptional activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is implicated in developing or exacerbating various cancers. We have recently reported that liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1)-derived peptides inhibit the β-catenin/TCF interaction. In addition, we developed a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-conjugated LRH-1-derived peptide that inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells and specifically inhibits the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Nonetheless, the inhibitory activity of the CPP-conjugated LRH-1-derived peptide was unsatisfactory (ca. 20 μM), and improving the bioactivity of peptide inhibitors is required for their in vivo applications. In this study, we optimized the LRH-1-derived peptide using in silico design to enhance its activity further. The newly designed peptides showed binding affinity toward β-catenin comparable to the parent peptide. In addition, the CPP-conjugated stapled peptide, Penetratin-st6, showed excellent inhibition (ca. 5 μM). Thus, the combination of in silico design by MOE and MD calculations has revealed that logical molecular design of PPI inhibitory peptides targeting β-catenin is possible. This method can be also applied to the rational design of peptide-based inhibitors targeting other proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minami Fujita
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan; Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tsuchiya
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; Graduate School of Pharmacy, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
| | - Takashi Kurohara
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Fukuhara
- Graduate School of Pharmacy, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan
| | - Takashi Misawa
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan; Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.
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12
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Zhang Y, Liu C, Wu C, Song L. Natural peptides for immunological regulation in cancer therapy: Mechanism, facts and perspectives. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 159:114257. [PMID: 36689836 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually. Treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) is unsatisfactory because many patients have advanced disease at the initial diagnosis. However, the emergence of immunotherapy promises to be an effective strategy to improve the outcome of advanced tumors. Immune checkpoint antibodies, which are at the forefront of immunotherapy, have had significant success but still leave some cancer patients without benefit. For more cancer patients to benefit from immunotherapy, it is necessary to find new drugs and combination therapeutic strategies to improve the outcome of advanced cancer patients and achieve long-term tumor control or even eradication. Peptides are promising choices for tumor immunotherapy drugs because they have the advantages of low production cost, high sequence selectivity, high tissue permeability, low toxicity and low immunogenicity etc., and the adjuvant matching and technologies like nanotechnology can further optimize the effects of peptides. In this review, we present the current status and mechanisms of research on peptides targeting multiple immune cells (T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), regulatory T cells (Tregs)) and immune checkpoints in tumor immunotherapy; and we summarize the current status of research on peptide-based tumor immunotherapy in combination with other therapies including RT, chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, cytokine therapy, adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and cancer vaccines. Finally, we discuss the current status of peptide applications in mRNA vaccine delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchao Zhang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chenxin Liu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chunjie Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China.
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13
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High-potency PD-1/PD-L1 degradation induced by Peptide-PROTAC in human cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:924. [PMID: 36333311 PMCID: PMC9636179 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05375-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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14
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Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:48. [PMID: 35165272 PMCID: PMC8844085 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 501] [Impact Index Per Article: 250.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide drug development has made great progress in the last decade thanks to new production, modification, and analytic technologies. Peptides have been produced and modified using both chemical and biological methods, together with novel design and delivery strategies, which have helped to overcome the inherent drawbacks of peptides and have allowed the continued advancement of this field. A wide variety of natural and modified peptides have been obtained and studied, covering multiple therapeutic areas. This review summarizes the efforts and achievements in peptide drug discovery, production, and modification, and their current applications. We also discuss the value and challenges associated with future developments in therapeutic peptides.
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15
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Yamaguchi H, Hsu JM, Yang WH, Hung MC. Mechanisms regulating PD-L1 expression in cancers and associated opportunities for novel small-molecule therapeutics. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2022; 19:287-305. [DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00601-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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16
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Precise Hapten Design of Sulfonamides by Combining Machine Learning and 3D-QSAR Approaches. FOOD ANAL METHOD 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12161-021-02179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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17
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Du F, Qi X, Zhang A, Sui F, Wang X, Proud CG, Lin C, Fan X, Li J. MRTF-A-NF-κB/p65 axis-mediated PDL1 transcription and expression contributes to immune evasion of non-small-cell lung cancer via TGF-β. Exp Mol Med 2021; 53:1366-1378. [PMID: 34548615 PMCID: PMC8492728 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00670-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PD-L1 is abnormally regulated in many cancers and is critical for immune escape. Fully understanding the regulation of PD-L1 expression is vital for improving the clinical efficacy of relevant anticancer agents. TGF-β plays an important role in the low reactivity of PD-1/PD-L1 antibody immunotherapy. However, it is not very clear whether and how TGF-β affects PD-L1 expression. In the present study, we show that TGF-β upregulates the expression of the transcriptional coactivator MRTF-A in non-small-cell lung cancer cells, which subsequently interacts with NF-κB/p65 rather than SRF to facilitate the binding of NF-κB/p65 to the PDL1 promoter, thereby activating the transcription and expression of PD-L1. This leads to the immune escape of NSCLC cells. This process is dependent on the activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway. In vivo, inhibition of MRTF-A effectively suppresses the growth of lung tumor syngrafts with enrichment of NK and T cells in tumor tissue. Our study defines a new signaling pathway that regulates the transcription and expression of PD-L1 upon TGF-β treatment, which may have a significant impact on research into the application of immunotherapy in treating lung cancer. Better understanding how a critical protein to allow cancer cells to escape immune system may aid in development of improved immunotherapies for lung cancer. The membrane protein PD-L1, expressed on tumor cells, helps them to evade the immune surveillance; existing treatments that block PD-L1 have very low efficacy for some patient partly due to re-expression of PD-L1. Jing Li at Ocean University of China in Qingdao and co-workers found that TGF-β up-regulated in tumor microenvironment boosts PD-L1 transcription and expression in an unusual way, namely, via MRTF-A-NF-κB/p65 axis. Blocking MRTF-A in a mouse model remarkably increased levels of immune cells targeting the tumor and slowed lung tumor growth. These results illuminate the mechanism of immune escape in lung cancers upon TGF-β, which may contribute to develop new treatment to synergize PD-L1 antibody therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Du
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Qi
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China.,Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Aotong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Fanfan Sui
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemin Wang
- South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Christopher G Proud
- South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Cunzhi Lin
- Department of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266555, China
| | - Xinglong Fan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266035, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China. .,Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China. .,Open Studio for Drug Research on Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Li HJ, Ke FY, Lin CC, Lu MY, Kuo YH, Wang YP, Liang KH, Lin SC, Chang YH, Chen HY, Yang PC, Wu HC. ENO1 Promotes Lung Cancer Metastasis via HGFR and WNT Signaling-Driven Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition. Cancer Res 2021; 81:4094-4109. [PMID: 34145039 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
ENO1 (α-enolase) expression is significantly correlated with reduced survival and poor prognosis in many cancer types, including lung cancer. However, the function of ENO1 in carcinogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we found that high expression of ENO1 is present in metastatic lung cancer cell lines and malignant tumors and is associated with poor overall survival of patients with lung cancer. Knockdown of ENO1 decreased cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness, whereas overexpression of ENO1 enhanced these processes. Moreover, ENO1 expression promoted tumor growth in orthotopic models and enhanced lung tumor metastasis in tail-vein injection models. These effects were mediated by upregulation of mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition regulator SLUG, along with concurrent downregulation of E-cadherin. Mechanistically, ENO1 interacted with hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR) and activated HGFR and Wnt signaling via increased phosphorylation of HGFR and the Wnt coreceptor LRP5/6. Activation of these signaling axes decreased GSK3β activity via Src-PI3K-AKT signaling and inactivation of the β-catenin destruction complex to ultimately upregulate SLUG and β-catenin. In addition, we generated a chimeric anti-ENO1 mAb (chENO1-22) that can decrease cancer cell proliferation and invasion. chENO1-22 attenuated cancer cell invasion by inhibiting ENO1-mediated GSK3β inactivation to promote SLUG protein ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, chENO1-22 prevented lung tumor metastasis and prolonged survival in animal models. Taken together, these findings illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying the function of ENO1 in lung cancer metastasis and support the therapeutic potential of a novel antibody targeting ENO1 for treating lung cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that ENO1 promotes lung cancer metastasis via HGFR and WNT signaling and introduces a novel anti-ENO1 antibody for potential therapeutic use in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Jung Li
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yi Ke
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ching Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yi Lu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Huei Kuo
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Wang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kang-Hao Liang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Chang Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hsuan Chang
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Yu Chen
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pan-Chyr Yang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Han-Chung Wu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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19
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Hou P, Wang C, Zhou M, Liu H. Properties and regulation of Gly-Sar uptake and transport in bovine intestinal epithelial cells. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2021; 106:24-32. [PMID: 33834547 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Intestinal absorption of peptides is vital for the overall health and productivity of dairy cows. This study investigated the regulation, uptake and transport of dipeptides in bovine intestinal epithelial cells (BIECs). We also evaluated the effects of time, pH, concentration of the dipeptides, temperature, presence of diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC)-an inhibitor of PepT1, and other dipeptides (Met-Met, Lys-Lys or Met-Lys), on the uptake and transport of Gly-Sar-FITC, which was a common fluorophore-labelled dipeptide. Under controlled experiments, BIECs were treated with 25 μM LY294002 (a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor) and 25 μM Perifosine (a protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitor). The subsequent expression of PepT1 in the BIECs was assessed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. It was found that the uptake and transport of Gly-Sar-FITC were significant high at 37℃ than that at 4℃. The optimal pH for transport and uptake of Gly-Sar-FITC was 6.0-6.5, whereas the two properties decreased significantly in the presence of DEPC, Met-Met, Lys-Lys and Met-Lys (p < 0.05). The apical-to-basolateral transport was also found to be significantly higher than the reverse transport (p < 0.05). PI3K and AKT inhibitors were found to significantly suppress the expression of PepT1, thus impairing uptake and transport of Gly-Sar-FITC. Findings of this study thus suggest that the uptake and transport of Gly-Sar-FITC in BIECs are mediated by PepT1, and the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway regulates the absorption of small peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Hou
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Caihong Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Agriculture, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Hongyun Liu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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20
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Furukawa N, Popel AS. Peptides that immunoactivate the tumor microenvironment. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1875:188486. [PMID: 33276025 PMCID: PMC8369429 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has achieved positive clinical outcomes and is revolutionizing cancer treatment. However, cancer immunotherapy has thus far failed to improve outcomes for most "cold tumors", which are characterized by low infiltration of immune cells and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Enhancing the responsiveness of cold tumors to cancer immunotherapy by stimulating the components of the tumor microenvironment is a strategy pursued in the last decade. Currently, most of the agents used to modify the tumor microenvironment are small molecules or antibodies. Small molecules exhibit low affinity and specificity towards the target and antibodies have shortcomings such as poor tissue penetration and high production cost. Peptides may overcome these drawbacks and therefore are promising materials for immunomodulating agents. Here we systematically summarize the currently developed immunoactivating peptides and discuss the potential of peptide therapeutics in cancer immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Furukawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
| | - Aleksander S Popel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
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21
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Fragments of gD Protein as Inhibitors of BTLA/HVEM Complex Formation-Design, Synthesis, and Cellular Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228876. [PMID: 33238640 PMCID: PMC7700651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major current trends in cancer immunotherapy is the blockade of immune checkpoint proteins that negatively regulate the immune response. This has been achieved through antibodies blocking PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4/CD80/CD86 interactions. Such antibodies have revolutionized oncological therapy and shown a new way to fight cancer. Additional (negative) immune checkpoints are also promising targets in cancer therapy and there is a demand for inhibitors for these molecules. Our studies are focused on BTLA/HVEM complex, which inhibits T-cell proliferation and cytokine production and therefore has great potential as a new target for cancer treatment. The goal of the presented studies was the design and synthesis of compounds able to block BTLA/HVEM interactions. For that purpose, the N-terminal fragment of glycoprotein D (gD), which interacts with HVEM, was used. Based on the crystal structure of the gD/HVEM complex and MM/GBSA analysis performed on it, several peptides were designed and synthesized as potential inhibitors of the BTLA/HVEM interaction. Affinity tests, ELISA tests, and cellular-based reporter assays were performed on these compounds to check their ability to bind to HVEM and to inhibit BTLA/HVEM complex formation. For leading peptides candidates, all-atom and subsequent docking simulations with a coarse-grained force field were performed to determine their binding modes. To further evaluate their potential as drug candidates, their stability in plasma and their cytotoxicity effects on PBMCs were assessed. Our data indicate that the peptide gD(1-36)(K10C-T29C) is the best candidate as a future drug. It interacts with HVEM protein, blocks the BTLA/HVEM interaction, and is nontoxic to cells. The present study provides a new perspective on the development of BTLA/HVEM inhibitors that disrupt protein interactions.
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22
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Tao H, Cheng L, Liu L, Wang H, Jiang Z, Qiang X, Xing L, Xu Y, Cai X, Yao J, Wang M, Qiu Z. A PD-1 peptide antagonist exhibits potent anti-tumor and immune regulatory activity. Cancer Lett 2020; 493:91-101. [PMID: 32805322 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway have achieved great success. However, some disadvantages of antibodies have been found, which limit their clinical applications. Peptide antagonists are alternatives to antibodies in PD-1/PD-L1 blockage, but successful studies in this area are limited. A PD-1 targeting peptide, P-F4, was identified using phage display. P-F4 bound PD-1 with an affinity of 0.119 μM, inhibited PD-1/PD-L1 interaction at the cellular level and modulated T cell activity in vitro. We have overcome the poor solubility and rapid degradation problems of this peptide by packaging P-F4 in nanoparticles. In vivo experiments demonstrated that P-F4 nanoparticles could strongly inhibit tumor growth in a CT26 mouse model. Further research revealed that treatment of P-F4 nanoparticles increased CD8+T cells and reduced Tregs in the tumor microenvironment and tumor-draining lymph nodes. It was shown that treatment of P-F4 nanoparticles also increased lymphocytic activities, including proliferation, cytokine secretion and cytolytic activity. Moreover, computer modeling suggested that the P-F4 binding site to PD-1 overlaps with the PD-L1 binding surface. In this study, a peptide candidate for cancer immunotherapy was provided, and its working mechanisms were studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Tao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lihua Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hong Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhijie Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xu Qiang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lijun Xing
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yifeng Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xinying Cai
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Jing Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Min Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Zheng Qiu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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23
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Ayo A, Figueras E, Schachtsiek T, Budak M, Sewald N, Laakkonen P. Tumor-Targeting Peptides: The Functional Screen of Glioblastoma Homing Peptides to the Target Protein FABP3 (MDGI). Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1836. [PMID: 32650473 PMCID: PMC7409020 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently identified the glioblastoma homing peptide CooP (CGLSGLGVA) using in vivo phage display screen. The mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI/FABP3) was identified as its interacting partner. Here, we present an alanine scan of A-CooP to investigate the contribution of each amino acid residue to the binding to FABP3 by microscale thermophoresis (MST) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We also tested the binding affinity of the A-CooP-K, KA-CooP, and retro-inverso A-CooP analogues to the recombinant FABP3. According to the MST analysis, A-CooP showed micromolar (KD = 2.18 µM) affinity to FABP3. Alanine replacement of most of the amino acids did not affect peptide affinity to FABP3. The A-CooP-K variant showed superior binding affinity, while A-[Ala5]CooP and A-[Ala7]CooP, both replacing a glycine residue with alanine, showed negligible binding to FABP3. These results were corroborated in vitro and in vivo using glioblastoma models. Both A-CooP-K and A-CooP showed excellent binding in vitro and homing in vivo, while A-[Ala5]CooP and control peptides failed to bind the cells or home to the intracranial glioblastoma xenografts. These results provide insight into the FABP3-A-CooP interaction that may be important for future applications of drug conjugate design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abiodun Ayo
- Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Eduard Figueras
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry OC III, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (E.F.); (T.S.); (M.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Thomas Schachtsiek
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry OC III, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (E.F.); (T.S.); (M.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Mazlum Budak
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry OC III, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (E.F.); (T.S.); (M.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Norbert Sewald
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry OC III, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (E.F.); (T.S.); (M.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Pirjo Laakkonen
- Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
- Laboratory Animal Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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