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Li M, Li J, Lu X, Schroder R, Chandramohan A, Wuelfing WP, Templeton AC, Xu W, Gindy M, Kesisoglou F, Ling J, Sawyer T, Verma CS, Partridge AW, Su Y. Molecular Mechanism of P53 Peptide Permeation through Lipid Membranes from Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:23075-23091. [PMID: 39110018 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04230] [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: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Macrocyclic peptides show promise in targeting high-value therapeutically relevant binding sites due to their high affinity and specificity. However, their clinical application is often hindered by low membrane permeability, which limits their effectiveness against intracellular targets. Previous studies focused on peptide conformations in various solvents, leaving a gap in understanding their interactions with and translocation through lipid bilayers. Addressing this, our study explores the membrane interactions of stapled peptides, a subclass of macrocyclic peptides, using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We conducted ssNMR measurements on ATSP-7041M, a prototypical stapled peptide, to understand its interaction with lipid membranes, leading to an MD-informed model for peptide membrane permeation. Our findings reveal that ATSP-7041M adopts a stable α-helical structure upon membrane binding, facilitated by a cation-π interaction between its phenylalanine side chain and the lipid headgroup. This interaction makes the membrane-bound state energetically favorable, facilitating membrane affinity and insertion. The bound peptide displayed asymmetric insertion depths, with the C-terminus penetrating deeper (approximately 9 Å) than the N-terminus (approximately 4.3 Å) relative to the lipid headgroups. Contrary to expectations, peptide dynamics was not hindered by membrane binding and exhibited rapid motions similar to cell-penetrating peptides. These dynamic interactions and peptide-lipid affinity appear to be crucial for membrane permeation. MD simulations indicated a thermodynamically stable transmembrane conformation of ATSP-7041M, reducing the energy barrier for translocation. Our study offers an in silico view of ATSP-7041M's translocation from the extracellular to the intracellular region, highlighting the significance of peptide-lipid interactions and dynamics in enabling peptide transit through membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Li
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Jianguo Li
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road Discovery Tower, Singapore 169856, Singapore
| | - Xingyu Lu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
- Instrumentation and Service Center for Molecular Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Ryan Schroder
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | | | - W Peter Wuelfing
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Allen C Templeton
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Wei Xu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Marian Gindy
- Small Molecule Science and Technology, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Filippos Kesisoglou
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Jing Ling
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Tomi Sawyer
- Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute at A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Yongchao Su
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
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Weyya G, Belay A, Tadesse E. Passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis Sims) by-products as a source of bioactive compounds for non-communicable disease prevention: extraction methods and mechanisms of action: a systematic review. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1340511. [PMID: 38903622 PMCID: PMC11187344 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1340511] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The review titled Passion fruit by-products as a source of bioactive compounds for non-communicable disease prevention: extraction methods and mechanisms provide valuable insights into the health benefits and industrial applications of passion fruit waste. Passion fruits are a tropical and subtropical vine species, which produces edible fruits. Many food product types can be made from passion fruits. However, during passion fruit processing, large amounts of waste are released in to the environment. This review focuses on extraction methods of bioactive compounds from passion fruit by-products such as leaves, peels, seeds, and bagasse. Methods This comprehensive review focuses on the bioactive compounds present in passion fruit by-products, emphasis on their mechanisms of action on non-communicable diseases. It also provides a detailed analysis of the extraction methods used to obtain these bioactive compounds, their potential industrial applications, and the factors that affect extraction efficiency. Results This review encourages further research and innovation in utilization of passion fruit waste as a source of bioactive compounds for non- communicable disease prevention and their mechanisms of action. This can advance the circular economy. It also highlights the importance of sustainable and green extraction methods, which have gained attention due to environmental concerns. Discussion Unlike previous reviews, this comprehensive article explores the potential health benefits of multiple passion fruit waste products. It also examines the possible applications of these extracts for industrial goods such as food additives, colorants, nutraceuticals, natural antioxidants, and antimicrobial agents. Overall, it contributes new information emphasizing the potential of passion fruit by-products as a source of bioactive, and the findings have implications for the scientific community and industry, promoting a deeper understanding of the health benefits and sustainable practices associated with passion fruit waste utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Getu Weyya
- Department of Food Science and Applied Nutrition, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abera Belay
- Department of Food Science and Applied Nutrition, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Eneyew Tadesse
- Department of Food Science and Applied Nutrition, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Huh S, Batistatou N, Wang J, Saunders GJ, Kritzer JA, Yudin AK. Cell penetration of oxadiazole-containing macrocycles. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:328-334. [PMID: 38576720 PMCID: PMC10989506 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00201b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Passive membrane permeability is an important property in drug discovery and biological probe design. To elucidate the cell-penetrating ability of oxadiazole-containing (Odz) peptides, we employed the Chloroalkane Penetration Assay. The present study demonstrates that Odz cyclic peptides can be highly cell-penetrant depending on the position of specific side chains and the chloroalkane tag. Solution NMR shows that Odz cyclic peptides adopt a β-turn conformation. However, despite observing high cell penetration, we observed low passive permeability in experiments with artificial membranes. These findings highlight the complexity of controlling cell penetration for conformationally sensitive macrocycles and suggest that Odz cyclic peptides may provide a framework for designing cell-penetrant cyclic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungjoon Huh
- Davenport Research Laboratories, University of Toronto 80 St. George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3H6 Canada
| | - Nefeli Batistatou
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University 62 Talbot Ave Medford MA 02155 USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University 62 Talbot Ave Medford MA 02155 USA
| | - George J Saunders
- Davenport Research Laboratories, University of Toronto 80 St. George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3H6 Canada
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University 62 Talbot Ave Medford MA 02155 USA
| | - Andrei K Yudin
- Davenport Research Laboratories, University of Toronto 80 St. George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3H6 Canada
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Sakamoto K, Hirokawa T. Lipid bilayer membrane permeability mechanism of the K-Ras(G12D)-inhibitory bicyclic peptide KS-58 elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 100:129649. [PMID: 38341162 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129649] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Peptides are mid-size molecules (700-2000 g/mol) and have attracted particular interest as therapeutic modalities as they are superior in controlling protein-protein interactions, a process that is a typical drug target category, compared with small molecules (<500 g/mol). In 2020, we identified KS-58 (1333 g/mol) as a K-Ras(G12D)-inhibitory bicyclic peptide and suggested its cell membrane permeability. However, the membrane permeability mechanism had not been elucidated. In this study, we aim to clarify the mechanism by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Initially, we simulated the molecular conformations of KS-58 in water (a polar solvent) and in chloroform (a non-polar solvent). The identified stable conformations were significantly different in each solvent. KS-58 behaves as a chameleon-like molecule as it alters its polar surface area (PSA) depending on the solvent environment. It was also discovered that orientation of Asp's side chain is a critical energy barrier for KS-58 altering its conformation from hydrophilic to lipophilic. Taking these properties into consideration, we simulated its lipid bilayer membrane permeability. KS-58 shifted toward the inside of the lipid bilayer membrane with altering its conformations to lipophilic. When the simulation condition was set in deionized form of that carboxy group of Asp, KS-58 traveled deeper inside the cell membrane. PSA and the depth of the membrane penetration correlated. In vitro data suggested that cell membrane permeability of KS-58 is improved in weakly acidic conditions leading to partial deionization of the carboxy group. Our data provide an example of the molecular properties of mid-size peptides with membrane accessibility and propose an effective metadynamics approach to elucidate such molecular mechanisms by MD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Sakamoto
- Research & Development Depertment, Ichimaru Pharcos Company Limited, 318-1 Asagi, Motosu, 501-0475 Gifu, Japan.
| | - Takatsugu Hirokawa
- Research & Development Depertment, Ichimaru Pharcos Company Limited, 318-1 Asagi, Motosu, 501-0475 Gifu, Japan; Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan; Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan.
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Kasper SH, Otten S, Squadroni B, Orr‐Terry C, Kuang Y, Mussallem L, Ge L, Yan L, Kannan S, Verma CS, Brown CJ, Johannes CW, Lane DP, Chandramohan A, Partridge AW, Roberts LR, Josien H, Therien AG, Hett EC, Howell BJ, Peier A, Ai X, Cassaday J. A high-throughput microfluidic mechanoporation platform to enable intracellular delivery of cyclic peptides in cell-based assays. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10542. [PMID: 37693049 PMCID: PMC10487316 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10542] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic peptides are poised to target historically difficult to drug intracellular protein-protein interactions, however, their general cell impermeability poses a challenge for characterizing function. Recent advances in microfluidics have enabled permeabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane by physical cell deformation (i.e., mechanoporation), resulting in intracellular delivery of impermeable macromolecules in vector- and electrophoretic-free approaches. However, the number of payloads (e.g., peptides) and/or concentrations delivered via microfluidic mechanoporation is limited by having to pre-mix cells and payloads, a manually intensive process. In this work, we show that cells are momentarily permeable (t 1/2 = 1.1-2.8 min) after microfluidic vortex shedding (μVS) and that lower molecular weight macromolecules can be cytosolically delivered upon immediate exposure after cells are processed/permeabilized. To increase the ability to screen peptides, we built a system, dispensing-microfluidic vortex shedding (DμVS), that integrates a μVS chip with inline microplate-based dispensing. To do so, we synced an electronic pressure regulator, flow sensor, on/off dispense valve, and an x-y motion platform in a software-driven feedback loop. Using this system, we were able to deliver low microliter-scale volumes of transiently mechanoporated cells to hundreds of wells on microtiter plates in just several minutes (e.g., 96-well plate filled in <2.5 min). We validated the delivery of an impermeable peptide directed at MDM2, a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53, using a click chemistry- and NanoBRET-based cell permeability assay in 96-well format, with robust delivery across the full plate. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DμVS could be used to identify functional, low micromolar, cellular activity of otherwise cell-inactive MDM2-binding peptides using a p53 reporter cell assay in 96- and 384-well format. Overall, DμVS can be combined with downstream cell assays to investigate intracellular target engagement in a high-throughput manner, both for improving structure-activity relationship efforts and for early proof-of-biology of non-optimized peptide (or potentially other macromolecular) tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yi Kuang
- Merck & Co., Inc.CambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Lan Ge
- Merck & Co., Inc.KenilworthNew JerseyUSA
| | - Lin Yan
- Merck & Co., Inc.KenilworthNew JerseyUSA
| | | | - Chandra S. Verma
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)SingaporeSingapore
| | | | | | - David P. Lane
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)SingaporeSingapore
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xi Ai
- Merck & Co., Inc.KenilworthNew JerseyUSA
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Absolute Stereochemistry Determination of Bioactive Marine-Derived Cyclopeptides by Liquid Chromatography Methods: An Update Review (2018-2022). MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020615. [PMID: 36677673 PMCID: PMC9867211 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Cyclopeptides are considered as one of the most important classes of compounds derived from marine sources, due to their structural diversity and a myriad of their biological and pharmacological activities. Since marine-derived cyclopeptides consist of different amino acids, many of which are non-proteinogenic, they possess various stereogenic centers. In this respect, the structure elucidation of new molecular scaffolds obtained from natural sources, including marine-derived cyclopeptides, can become a very challenging task. The determination of the absolute configurations of the amino acid residues is accomplished, in most cases, by performing acidic hydrolysis, followed by analyses by liquid chromatography (LC). In a continuation with the authors' previous publication, and to analyze the current trends, the present review covers recently published works (from January 2018 to November 2022) regarding new cyclopeptides from marine organisms, with a special focus on their biological/pharmacological activities and the absolute stereochemical assignment of the amino acid residues. Ninety-one unreported marine-derived cyclopeptides were identified during this period, most of which displayed anticancer or antimicrobial activities. Marfey's method, which involves LC, was found to be the most frequently used for this purpose.
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7
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Brown H, Chung M, Üffing A, Batistatou N, Tsang T, Doskocil S, Mao W, Willbold D, Bast RC, Lu Z, Weiergräber OH, Kritzer JA. Structure-Based Design of Stapled Peptides That Bind GABARAP and Inhibit Autophagy. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:14687-14697. [PMID: 35917476 PMCID: PMC9425296 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c04699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The LC3/GABARAP family of proteins is involved in nearly every stage of autophagy. Inhibition of LC3/GABARAP proteins is a promising approach to blocking autophagy, which sensitizes advanced cancers to DNA-damaging chemotherapy. Here, we report the structure-based design of stapled peptides that inhibit GABARAP with nanomolar affinities. Small changes in staple structure produced stapled peptides with very different binding modes and functional differences in LC3/GABARAP paralog selectivity, ranging from highly GABARAP-specific to broad inhibition of both subfamilies. The stapled peptides exhibited considerable cytosolic penetration and resistance to biological degradation. They also reduced autophagic flux in cultured ovarian cancer cells and sensitized ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin. These small, potent stapled peptides represent promising autophagy-modulating compounds that can be developed as novel cancer therapeutics and novel mediators of targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hawley Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Mia Chung
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Alina Üffing
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nefeli Batistatou
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Tiffany Tsang
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Samantha Doskocil
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Weiqun Mao
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Robert C Bast
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Oliver H Weiergräber
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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Ng S, Brueckner AC, Bahmanjah S, Deng Q, Johnston JM, Ge L, Duggal R, Habulihaz B, Barlock B, Ha S, Sadruddin A, Yeo C, Strickland C, Peier A, Henry B, Sherer EC, Partridge AW. Discovery and Structure-Based Design of Macrocyclic Peptides Targeting STUB1. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9789-9801. [PMID: 35853179 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that deletion of STUB1─a pivotal negative regulator of interferon-γ sensing─may potentially clear malignant cells. However, current studies rely primarily on genetic approaches, as pharmacological inhibitors of STUB1 are lacking. Identifying a tool compound will be a step toward validating the target in a broader therapeutic sense. Herein, screening more than a billion macrocyclic peptides resulted in STUB1 binders, which were further optimized by a structure-enabled in silico design. The strategy to replace the macrocyclic peptides' hydrophilic and solvent-exposed region with a hydrophobic scaffold improved cellular permeability while maintaining the binding conformation. Further substitution of the permeability-limiting terminal aspartic acid with a tetrazole bioisostere retained the binding to a certain extent while improving permeability, suggesting a path forward. Although not optimal for cellular study, the current lead provides a valuable template for further development into selective tool compounds for STUB1 to enable target validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ng
- Quantitative Biosciences, MSD, 8 Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138665
| | - Alexander C Brueckner
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Soheila Bahmanjah
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Jennifer M Johnston
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Lan Ge
- Cell Sciences Innovation, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Ruchia Duggal
- ADME Group 2, Merck & Co., Inc., 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Bahanu Habulihaz
- PPDM ADME Transporters & In Vitro Technology, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 East Lincoln Ave, Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Benjamin Barlock
- ADME Group 2, Merck & Co., Inc., 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Sookhee Ha
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Ahmad Sadruddin
- Quantitative Biosciences, MSD, 8 Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138665
| | - Constance Yeo
- Quantitative Biosciences, MSD, 8 Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138665
| | - Corey Strickland
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Andrea Peier
- Screening & Compound Profiling, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Brian Henry
- Quantitative Biosciences, MSD, 8 Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138665
| | - Edward C Sherer
- Computational & Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
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Zhou Z, Zalutsky MR, Chitneni SK. Stapled peptides as scaffolds for developing radiotracers for intracellular targets: Preliminary evaluation of a radioiodinated MDM2-binding stapled peptide in the SJSA-1 osteosarcoma model. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 66:128725. [PMID: 35436588 PMCID: PMC9940446 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128725] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Stapled peptides are promising scaffolds for inhibiting protein-protein interactions in cells, including between the intracellular oncoprotein MDM2 and p53. Herein, we have investigated the potential utility of a stapled peptide, VIP116, for developing radiolabeled agents targeting MDM2. VIP116 was radioiodinated using the prosthetic agent N-succinimidyl-3-[*I]iodobenzoate ([*I]SIB). The resulting labeled peptide [*I]SIB-VIP116 exhibited high uptake (165.3 ± 27.7%/mg protein) and specificity in SJSA-1 tumor cells. Tissue distribution studies of [*I]SIB-VIP116 revealed a peak tumor uptake of 2.19 ± 0.56 percent injected dose per gram (%ID/g) in SJSA-1 xenografts at 2 h post-injection, which was stable until 6 h. [*I]SIB-VIP116 exhibited high activity (8.33 ± 1.18%ID/g) in the blood pool but had high tumor-to-muscle ratios (12.0 ± 5.7), at 30 min. Metabolic stability studies in mice indicated that about 80% of the activity in plasma was intact [*I]SIB-VIP116 at 4 h. Our results confirm the cell permeability and specific binding of [*I]SIB-VIP116 to MDM2 and the suitability of the VIP116 scaffold for radiolabeled probe development.
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10
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Meng D, Miao C, Liu Y, Wang F, Chen L, Huang Z, Fan X, Gu P, Li Q. Metabolic engineering for biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) from glucose and propionic acid in recombinant Escherichia coli. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 348:126786. [PMID: 35114368 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-associated genes (phaCp and phaABp) cloned from Propylenella binzhouense L72T were expressed in Escherichiacoli cells for PHA production, and the recombinant strains were used to analyze PHA yields with various substrates. The highest poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxy-valerate) (PHBV) yield (1.06 g/L) and cell dry weight (3.31 g/L) in E. coli DH5α/ΔptsG-CpABp were achieved by using glucose and propionicacid as substrates. Structural verification of PHBV produced by E. coli DH5α/ΔptsG-CpABp was performed to evaluate the characteristics of the polymers using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. In addition, the X-ray diffraction results showed improved crystallinity of PHBV, and thermogravimetric analysis showed good thermal stability of 298 °C. The above findings indicated that the expression of phaCp and phaABp genes resulted in improved PHBV synthesis activity, and the polymer had better performance at higher processing temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Meng
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Changfeng Miao
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Yuling Liu
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Fang Wang
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Lu Chen
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Zhaosong Huang
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Xiangyu Fan
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Pengfei Gu
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China
| | - Qiang Li
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, PR China.
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Buyanova M, Pei D. Targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions with macrocyclic peptides. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:234-248. [PMID: 34911657 PMCID: PMC8840965 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are challenging targets for traditional drug modalities. Macrocyclic peptides (MPs) prove highly effective PPI inhibitors in vitro and can be rapidly discovered against PPI targets by rational design or screening combinatorial libraries but are generally impermeable to the cell membrane. Recent advances in MP science and technology are allowing for the development of 'drug-like' MPs that potently and specifically modulate intracellular PPI targets in cell culture and animal models. In this review, we highlight recent progress in generating cell-permeable MPs that enter the mammalian cell by passive diffusion, endocytosis followed by endosomal escape, or as-yet unknown mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Buyanova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Dehua Pei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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12
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Sun Y, Lau SY, Lim ZW, Chang SC, Ghadessy F, Partridge A, Miserez A. Phase-separating peptides for direct cytosolic delivery and redox-activated release of macromolecular therapeutics. Nat Chem 2022; 14:274-283. [PMID: 35115657 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00854-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biomacromolecules are highly promising therapeutic modalities to treat various diseases. However, they suffer from poor cellular membrane permeability, limiting their access to intracellular targets. Strategies to overcome this challenge often employ nanoscale carriers that can get trapped in endosomal compartments. Here we report conjugated peptides that form pH- and redox-responsive coacervate microdroplets by liquid-liquid phase separation that readily cross the cell membrane. A wide range of macromolecules can be quickly recruited within the microdroplets, including small peptides, enzymes as large as 430 kDa and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The therapeutic-loaded coacervates bypass classical endocytic pathways to enter the cytosol, where they undergo glutathione-mediated release of payload, the bioactivity of which is retained in the cell, while mRNAs exhibit a high transfection efficiency. These peptide coacervates represent a promising platform for the intracellular delivery of a large palette of macromolecular therapeutics that have potential for treating various pathologies (for example, cancers and metabolic diseases) or as carriers for mRNA-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sze Yi Lau
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Neuros/Immunos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhi Wei Lim
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shi Chieh Chang
- Translation Medicine Research Centre, MSD International, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Farid Ghadessy
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Neuros/Immunos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anthony Partridge
- Translation Medicine Research Centre, MSD International, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ali Miserez
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore. .,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore, Singapore.
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13
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Yeo XY, Cunliffe G, Ho RC, Lee SS, Jung S. Potentials of Neuropeptides as Therapeutic Agents for Neurological Diseases. Biomedicines 2022; 10:343. [PMID: 35203552 PMCID: PMC8961788 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent leaps in modern medicine, progress in the treatment of neurological diseases remains slow. The near impermeable blood-brain barrier (BBB) that prevents the entry of therapeutics into the brain, and the complexity of neurological processes, limits the specificity of potential therapeutics. Moreover, a lack of etiological understanding and the irreversible nature of neurological conditions have resulted in low tolerability and high failure rates towards existing small molecule-based treatments. Neuropeptides, which are small proteinaceous molecules produced by the body, either in the nervous system or the peripheral organs, modulate neurological function. Although peptide-based therapeutics originated from the treatment of metabolic diseases in the 1920s, the adoption and development of peptide drugs for neurological conditions are relatively recent. In this review, we examine the natural roles of neuropeptides in the modulation of neurological function and the development of neurological disorders. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of these proteinaceous molecules in filling gaps in current therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yi Yeo
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore; (X.Y.Y.); (G.C.)
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore;
| | - Grace Cunliffe
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore; (X.Y.Y.); (G.C.)
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Roger C. Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore;
- Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
| | - Su Seong Lee
- NanoBio Lab, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore
| | - Sangyong Jung
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore; (X.Y.Y.); (G.C.)
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117593, Singapore
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14
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Ershov PV, Mezentsev YV, Ivanov AS. Interfacial Peptides as Affinity Modulating Agents of Protein-Protein Interactions. Biomolecules 2022; 12:106. [PMID: 35053254 PMCID: PMC8773757 DOI: 10.3390/biom12010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of disease-related protein-protein interactions (PPIs) creates objective conditions for their pharmacological modulation. The contact area (interfaces) of the vast majority of PPIs has some features, such as geometrical and biochemical complementarities, "hot spots", as well as an extremely low mutation rate that give us key knowledge to influence these PPIs. Exogenous regulation of PPIs is aimed at both inhibiting the assembly and/or destabilization of protein complexes. Often, the design of such modulators is associated with some specific problems in targeted delivery, cell penetration and proteolytic stability, as well as selective binding to cellular targets. Recent progress in interfacial peptide design has been achieved in solving all these difficulties and has provided a good efficiency in preclinical models (in vitro and in vivo). The most promising peptide-containing therapeutic formulations are under investigation in clinical trials. In this review, we update the current state-of-the-art in the field of interfacial peptides as potent modulators of a number of disease-related PPIs. Over the past years, the scientific interest has been focused on following clinically significant heterodimeric PPIs MDM2/p53, PD-1/PD-L1, HIF/HIF, NRF2/KEAP1, RbAp48/MTA1, HSP90/CDC37, BIRC5/CRM1, BIRC5/XIAP, YAP/TAZ-TEAD, TWEAK/FN14, Bcl-2/Bax, YY1/AKT, CD40/CD40L and MINT2/APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel V. Ershov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (Y.V.M.); (A.S.I.)
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15
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Baeriswyl S, Personne H, Di Bonaventura I, Köhler T, van Delden C, Stocker A, Javor S, Reymond JL. A mixed chirality α-helix in a stapled bicyclic and a linear antimicrobial peptide revealed by X-ray crystallography. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1608-1617. [PMID: 34977576 PMCID: PMC8637766 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00124h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The peptide α-helix is right-handed when containing amino acids with l-chirality, and left-handed with d-chirality, however mixed chirality peptides generally do not form α-helices unless a helix inducer such as the non-natural residue amino-isobutyric acid is used. Herein we report the first X-ray crystal structures of mixed chirality α-helices in short peptides comprising only natural residues as the example of a stapled bicyclic and a linear membrane disruptive amphiphilic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) containing seven l- and four d-residues, as complexes of fucosylated analogs with the bacterial lectin LecB. The mixed chirality α-helices are superimposable onto the homochiral α-helices and form under similar conditions as shown by CD spectra and MD simulations but non-hemolytic and resistant to proteolysis. The observation of a mixed chirality α-helix with only natural residues in the protein environment of LecB suggests a vast unexplored territory of α-helical mixed chirality sequences and their possible use for optimizing bioactive α-helical peptides. We report the first X-ray crystal structures of mixed chirality α-helices comprising only natural residues as the example of bicyclic and linear membrane disruptive amphiphilic antimicrobial peptides containing seven l- and four d-residues.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Baeriswyl
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - Hippolyte Personne
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - Ivan Di Bonaventura
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - Thilo Köhler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Service of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Geneva Geneva Switzerland
| | - Christian van Delden
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Service of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Geneva Geneva Switzerland
| | - Achim Stocker
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - Sacha Javor
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern Freiestrasse 3 3012 Bern Switzerland
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16
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Pace JR, Lampkin BJ, Abakah C, Moyer A, Miao J, Deprey K, Cerulli RA, Lin YS, Baleja JD, Baker D, Kritzer JA. Stapled β-Hairpins Featuring 4-Mercaptoproline. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:15039-15044. [PMID: 34516087 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Peptides constrained by intramolecular cross-links, especially stapled α-helices, have emerged as versatile scaffolds for drug development. However, there are fewer examples of similarly constrained scaffolds for other secondary structures. Here, we used a novel computational strategy to identify an optimal staple for antiparallel β-strands, and then we incorporated that staple within a β-hairpin peptide. The hairpin uses 4-mercaptoproline as a novel staple component, which contributes to a unique, kinked structure. The stapled hairpins show a high degree of structure in aqueous solution, excellent resistance to degradation in cell lysates, and cytosolic penetration at micromolar concentrations. They also overlay with a unique subset of kinked hairpin motifs at protein-protein interaction interfaces. Thus, these scaffolds represent promising starting points for developing inhibitors of cellular protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Pace
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Bryan J Lampkin
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Charles Abakah
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Adam Moyer
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jiayuan Miao
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Kirsten Deprey
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Robert A Cerulli
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - Yu-Shan Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - James D Baleja
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - David Baker
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle Washington 98195, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Protein Design, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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17
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Strizhak AV, Babii O, Afonin S, Bakanovich I, Pantelejevs T, Xu W, Fowler E, Eapen R, Sharma K, Platonov MO, Hurmach VV, Itzhaki L, Hyvönen M, Ulrich AS, Spring DR, Komarov IV. Diarylethene moiety as an enthalpy-entropy switch: photoisomerizable stapled peptides for modulating p53/MDM2 interaction. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 18:5359-5369. [PMID: 32390036 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00831a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Analogs of the known inhibitor (peptide pDI) of the p53/MDM2 protein-protein interaction are reported, which are stapled by linkers bearing a photoisomerizable diarylethene moiety. The corresponding photoisomers possess significantly different affinities to the p53-interacting domain of the human MDM2. Apparent dissociation constants are in the picomolar-to-low nanomolar range for those isomers with diarylethene in the "open" configuration, but up to eight times larger for the corresponding "closed" isomers. Spectroscopic, structural, and computational studies showed that the stapling linkers of the peptides contribute to their binding. Calorimetry revealed that the binding of the "closed" isomers is mostly enthalpy-driven, whereas the "open" photoforms bind to the protein stronger due to their increased binding entropy. The results suggest that conformational dynamics of the protein-peptide complexes may explain the differences in the thermodynamic profiles of the binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Strizhak
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK. and Enamine Ltd, Vul. Chervonotkatska 78, 02094 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Oleg Babii
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), POB 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Sergii Afonin
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), POB 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Iuliia Bakanovich
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK. and Enamine Ltd, Vul. Chervonotkatska 78, 02094 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Teodors Pantelejevs
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, CB2 1GA Cambridge, UK
| | - Wenshu Xu
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK.
| | - Elaine Fowler
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK.
| | - Rohan Eapen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD Cambridge, UK
| | - Krishna Sharma
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK.
| | | | - Vasyl V Hurmach
- Enamine Ltd, Vul. Chervonotkatska 78, 02094 Kyiv, Ukraine and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Vul. Volodymyrska 60, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Laura Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD Cambridge, UK
| | - Marko Hyvönen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, CB2 1GA Cambridge, UK
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), POB 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany. and Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - David R Spring
- University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Cambridge, UK.
| | - Igor V Komarov
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Vul. Volodymyrska 60, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine and Lumobiotics GmbH, Auer Str. 2, 76227, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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18
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Wang H, Dawber RS, Zhang P, Walko M, Wilson AJ, Wang X. Peptide-based inhibitors of protein-protein interactions: biophysical, structural and cellular consequences of introducing a constraint. Chem Sci 2021; 12:5977-5993. [PMID: 33995995 PMCID: PMC8098664 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc00165e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are implicated in the majority of cellular processes by enabling and regulating the function of individual proteins. Thus, PPIs represent high-value, but challenging targets for therapeutic intervention. The development of constrained peptides represents an emerging strategy to generate peptide-based PPI inhibitors, typically mediated by α-helices. The approach can confer significant benefits including enhanced affinity, stability and cellular penetration and is ingrained in the premise that pre-organization simultaneously pays the entropic cost of binding, prevents a peptide from adopting a protease compliant β-strand conformation and shields the hydrophilic amides from the hydrophobic membrane. This conceptual blueprint for the empirical design of peptide-based PPI inhibitors is an exciting and potentially lucrative way to effect successful PPI inhibitor drug-discovery. However, a plethora of more subtle effects may arise from the introduction of a constraint that include changes to binding dynamics, the mode of recognition and molecular properties. In this review, we summarise the influence of inserting constraints on biophysical, conformational, structural and cellular behaviour across a range of constraining chemistries and targets, to highlight the tremendous success that has been achieved with constrained peptides alongside emerging design opportunities and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences 5625 Renmin St. Changchun 130022 Jilin China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 Jiangsu China
| | - Robert S Dawber
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Peiyu Zhang
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Martin Walko
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Andrew J Wilson
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences 5625 Renmin St. Changchun 130022 Jilin China
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei 230026 China
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19
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Liposome Click Membrane Permeability Assay for Identifying Permeable Peptides. Pharm Res 2021; 38:843-850. [PMID: 33723794 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-021-03005-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop a novel, target agnostic liposome click membrane permeability assay (LCMPA) using liposome encapsulating copper free click reagent dibenzo cyclooctyne biotin (DBCO-Biotin) to conjugate azido modified peptides that may effectively translocate from extravesicular space into the liposome lumen. METHOD DBCO-Biotin liposomes were prepared with egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol by lipid film rehydration, freeze/thaw followed by extrusion. Size of DBCO-Biotin liposomes were characterized with dynamic light scattering. RESULTS The permeable peptides representing energy independent mechanism of permeability showed higher biotinylation in LCMPA. Individual peptide permeability results from LCMPA correlated well with shifts in potency in cellular versus biochemical assays (i.e., cellular/ biochemical ratio) demonstrating quantitative correlation to intracellular barrier in intact cells. CONCLUSION The study provides a novel membrane permeability assay that has potential to evaluate energy independent transport of diverse peptides.
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20
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Philippe GJB, Mittermeier A, Lawrence N, Huang YH, Condon ND, Loewer A, Craik DJ, Henriques ST. Angler Peptides: Macrocyclic Conjugates Inhibit p53:MDM2/X Interactions and Activate Apoptosis in Cancer Cells. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:414-428. [PMID: 33533253 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Peptides are being developed as targeted anticancer drugs to modulate cytosolic protein-protein interactions involved in cancer progression. However, their use as therapeutics is often limited by their low cell membrane permeation and/or inability to reach cytosolic targets. Conjugation to cell penetrating peptides has been successfully used to improve the cytosolic delivery of high affinity binder peptides, but cellular uptake does not always result in modulation of the targeted pathway. To overcome this limitation, we developed "angler peptides" by conjugating KD3, a noncell permeable but potent and specific peptide inhibitor of p53:MDM2 and p53:MDMX interactions, with a set of cyclic cell-penetrating peptides. We examined their binding affinity for MDM2 and MDMX, the cell entry mechanism, and role in reactivation of the p53 pathway. We identified two angler peptides, cTAT-KD3 and cR10-KD3, able to activate the p53 pathway in cancer cells. cTAT-KD3 entered cells via endocytic pathways, escaped endosomes, and activated the p53 pathway in breast (MCF7), lung (A549), and colon (HCT116) cancer cell lines at concentrations in the range of 1-12 μM. cR10-KD3 reached the cytosol via direct membrane translocation and activated the p53 pathway at 1 μM in all the tested cell lines. Our work demonstrates that nonpermeable anticancer peptides can be delivered into the cytosol and inhibit intracellular cancer pathways when they are conjugated with stable cell penetrating peptides. The mechanistic studies suggest that direct translocation leads to less toxicity, higher cytosol delivery at lower concentrations, and lower dependencies on the membrane of the tested cell line than occurs for an endocytic pathway with endosomal escape. The angler strategy can rescue high affinity peptide binders identified from high throughput screening and convert them into targeted anticancer therapeutics, but investigation of their cellular uptake and cell death mechanisms is essential to confirming modulation of the targeted cancer pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire J.-B. Philippe
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Nicole Lawrence
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Nicholas D. Condon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Sónia T. Henriques
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Queensland University of Technology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4102, Australia
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21
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Peier A, Ge L, Boyer N, Frost J, Duggal R, Biswas K, Edmondson S, Hermes JD, Yan L, Zimprich C, Sadruddin A, Kristal Kaan HY, Chandramohan A, Brown CJ, Thean D, Lee XE, Yuen TY, Ferrer-Gago FJ, Johannes CW, Lane DP, Sherborne B, Corona C, Robers MB, Sawyer TK, Partridge AW. NanoClick: A High Throughput, Target-Agnostic Peptide Cell Permeability Assay. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:293-309. [PMID: 33539064 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Macrocyclic peptides open new opportunities to target intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that are often considered nondruggable by traditional small molecules. However, engineering sufficient membrane permeability into these molecules is a central challenge for identifying clinical candidates. Currently, there is a lack of high-throughput assays to assess peptide permeability, which limits our capacity to engineer this property into macrocyclic peptides for advancement through drug discovery pipelines. Accordingly, we developed a high throughput and target-agnostic cell permeability assay that measures the relative cumulative cytosolic exposure of a peptide in a concentration-dependent manner. The assay was named NanoClick as it combines in-cell Click chemistry with an intracellular NanoBRET signal. We validated the approach using known cell penetrating peptides and further demonstrated a correlation to cellular activity using a p53/MDM2 model system. With minimal change to the peptide sequence, NanoClick enables the ability to measure uptake of molecules that enter the cell via different mechanisms such as endocytosis, membrane translocation, or passive permeability. Overall, the NanoClick assay can serve as a screening tool to uncover predictive design rules to guide structure-activity-permeability relationships in the optimization of functionally active molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Peier
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Lan Ge
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Nicolas Boyer
- Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - John Frost
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Ruchia Duggal
- Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kaustav Biswas
- Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Scott Edmondson
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | | | - Lin Yan
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Chad Zimprich
- Promega Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, United States
| | | | | | | | - Christopher J. Brown
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | - Dawn Thean
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | - Xue Er Lee
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | - Tsz Ying Yuen
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | | | - Charles W. Johannes
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | - David P. Lane
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore 138665, Singapore
| | - Brad Sherborne
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Cesear Corona
- Promega Biosciences Incorporated, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
| | | | - Tomi K. Sawyer
- Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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22
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The Cream of the Crop of the Medicinal Chemistry Section of Molecules-2019. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26041053. [PMID: 33671435 PMCID: PMC7922884 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26041053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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23
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Zane D, Feldman PL, Sawyer T, Sobol Z, Hawes J. Development and Regulatory Challenges for Peptide Therapeutics. Int J Toxicol 2020; 40:108-124. [PMID: 33327828 DOI: 10.1177/1091581820977846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
There has been an increased interest in and activity for the use of peptide therapeutics to treat a variety of human diseases. The number of peptide drugs entering clinical development and the market has increased significantly over the past decade despite inherent challenges of peptide therapeutic discovery, development, and patient-friendly delivery. Disparities in interpretation and application of existing regulatory guidances to innovative synthetic and conjugated peptide assets have resulted in challenges for both regulators and sponsors. The Symposium on Development and Regulatory Challenges for Peptide Therapeutics at the 40th Annual Meeting of the American College of Toxicology held in November of 2019 focused on the following specific topics: (1) peptide therapeutic progress and future directions, and approaches to discover, optimize, assess, and deliver combination peptide therapeutics for treatment of diseases; (2) toxicological considerations to advance peptide drug-device combination products for efficient development and optimal patient benefit and adherence; (3) industry and regulatory perspectives on the regulation of synthetic and conjugated peptide products, including exploration of regulatory classifications, interpretations, and application of the existing guidances International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) M3(R2) and ICH S6(R1) in determining nonclinical study recommendations; and (4) presentation of the 2016 Health and Environmental Sciences Institute's Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee working group assessment of genotoxicity testing requirements. Perspectives were shared from industry and regulatory scientists working in the peptide therapeutics field followed by an open forum panel discussion to discuss questions drafted for the peptide therapeutics scientific community, which will be discussed in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Zane
- 435529Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Paul L Feldman
- 435529Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Zhanna Sobol
- Pfizer Inc., Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Jessica Hawes
- 4137Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Hawes is now with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), Jefferson, AR, USA
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24
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Bluntzer MTJ, O'Connell J, Baker TS, Michel J, Hulme AN. Designing stapled peptides to inhibit
protein‐protein
interactions: An analysis of successes in a rapidly changing field. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Julien Michel
- EaStChem School of Chemistry The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Alison N. Hulme
- EaStChem School of Chemistry The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
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25
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Cerulli RA, Shehaj L, Brown H, Pace J, Mei Y, Kritzer JA. Stapled Peptide Inhibitors of Autophagy Adapter LC3B. Chembiochem 2020; 21:2777-2785. [PMID: 32406996 PMCID: PMC7872222 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that autophagy inhibition enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy, especially in difficult-to-treat cancers. Existing autophagy inhibitors are primarily lysosomotropic agents. More specific autophagy inhibitors are highly sought-after. The microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B protein, LC3B, is an adapter protein that mediates key protein-protein interactions at several points in autophagy pathways. In this work, we used a known peptide ligand as a starting point to develop improved LC3B inhibitors. We obtained structure-activity relationships that quantify the binding contributions of peptide termini, individual charged residues, and hydrophobic interactions. Based on these data, we used artificial amino acids and diversity-oriented stapling to improve affinity and resistance to biological degradation, while maintaining or improving LC3B affinity and selectivity. These peptides represent the highest-affinity LC3B-selective ligands reported to date, and they will be useful tools for further elucidation of LC3B's role in autophagy and in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Cerulli
- Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Program Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Livia Shehaj
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Hawley Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Jennifer Pace
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Yang Mei
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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26
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Pavlicevic M, Maestri E, Marmiroli M. Marine Bioactive Peptides-An Overview of Generation, Structure and Application with a Focus on Food Sources. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E424. [PMID: 32823602 PMCID: PMC7460072 DOI: 10.3390/md18080424] [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: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The biggest obstacles in the application of marine peptides are two-fold, as in the case of non-marine plant and animal-derived bioactive peptides: elucidating correlation between the peptide structure and its effect and demonstrating its stability in vivo. The structures of marine bioactive peptides are highly variable and complex and dependent on the sources from which they are isolated. They can be cyclical, in the form of depsipeptides, and often contain secondary structures. Because of steric factors, marine-derived peptides can be resistant to proteolysis by gastrointestinal proteases, which presents an advantage over other peptide sources. Because of heterogeneity, amino acid sequences as well as preferred mechanisms of peptides showing specific bioactivities differ compared to their animal-derived counterparts. This review offers insights on the extreme diversity of bioactivities, effects, and structural features, analyzing 253 peptides, mainly from marine food sources. Similar to peptides in food of non-marine animal origin, a significant percentage (52.7%) of the examined sequences contain one or more proline residues, implying that proline might play a significant role in the stability of bioactive peptides. Additional problems with analyzing marine-derived bioactive peptides include their accessibility, extraction, and purification; this review considers the challenges and proposes possible solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Pavlicevic
- Institute for Food Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, 11070 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Elena Maestri
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, and SITEIA.PARMA, University of Parma, 42123 Parma, Italy;
- Consorzio Italbiotec, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Marmiroli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, and SITEIA.PARMA, University of Parma, 42123 Parma, Italy;
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27
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Cerulli RA, Shehaj L, Tosic I, Jiang K, Wang J, Frank DA, Kritzer JA. Cytosolic delivery of peptidic STAT3 SH2 domain inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115542. [PMID: 32503696 PMCID: PMC7294595 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein is constitutively activated in several cancers. STAT3 activity can be blocked by inhibiting its Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain, but phosphotyrosine and its isosteres have poor bioavailability. In this work, we develop peptide-based inhibitors of STAT3-SH2 by combining chemical strategies that have proven effective for targeting other SH2 domains. These strategies include a STAT3-specific selectivity sequence, non-hydrolyzable phosphotyrosine isosteres, and a high-efficiency cell-penetrating peptide. Peptides that combined these three strategies had substantial biological stability and cytosolic delivery, as measured using highly quantitative cell-based assays. However, these peptides did not inhibit STAT3 activity in cells. By comparing in vitro binding affinity, cell penetration, and proteolytic stability, this work explores the delicate balance of factors that contribute to biological activity for peptidic inhibitors of STAT3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Cerulli
- Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, United States
| | - Livia Shehaj
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States
| | - Isidora Tosic
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Kevin Jiang
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States
| | - David A Frank
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02111, United States
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
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28
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Kannan S, Aronica PGA, Ng S, Gek Lian DT, Frosi Y, Chee S, Shimin J, Yuen TY, Sadruddin A, Kaan HYK, Chandramohan A, Wong JH, Tan YS, Chang ZW, Ferrer-Gago FJ, Arumugam P, Han Y, Chen S, Rénia L, Brown CJ, Johannes CW, Henry B, Lane DP, Sawyer TK, Verma CS, Partridge AW. Macrocyclization of an all-d linear α-helical peptide imparts cellular permeability. Chem Sci 2020; 11:5577-5591. [PMID: 32874502 PMCID: PMC7441689 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc06383h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based molecules hold great potential as targeted inhibitors of intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Indeed, the vast diversity of chemical space conferred through their primary, secondary and tertiary structures allows these molecules to be applied to targets that are typically deemed intractable via small molecules. However, the development of peptide therapeutics has been hindered by their limited conformational stability, proteolytic sensitivity and cell permeability. Several contemporary peptide design strategies are aimed at addressing these issues. Strategic macrocyclization through optimally placed chemical braces such as olefinic hydrocarbon crosslinks, commonly referred to as staples, may improve peptide properties by (i) restricting conformational freedom to improve target affinities, (ii) improving proteolytic resistance, and (iii) enhancing cell permeability. As a second strategy, molecules constructed entirely from d-amino acids are hyper-resistant to proteolytic cleavage, but generally lack conformational stability and membrane permeability. Since neither approach is a complete solution, we have combined these strategies to identify the first examples of all-d α-helical stapled and stitched peptides. As a template, we used a recently reported all d-linear peptide that is a potent inhibitor of the p53-Mdm2 interaction, but is devoid of cellular activity. To design both stapled and stitched all-d-peptide analogues, we used computational modelling to predict optimal staple placement. The resultant novel macrocyclic all d-peptide was determined to exhibit increased α-helicity, improved target binding, complete proteolytic stability and, most notably, cellular activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasaraghavan Kannan
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
| | - Pietro G A Aronica
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
| | - Simon Ng
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Dawn Thean Gek Lian
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Yuri Frosi
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Sharon Chee
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Jiang Shimin
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Tsz Ying Yuen
- Institute of Chemical & Engineering Science , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8 Biomedical Grove, #07, Neuros Building , Singapore 138665
| | - Ahmad Sadruddin
- MSD International , Translation Medicine Research Centre , 8 Biomedical Grove, #04-01/05 Neuros Building , Singapore , 138665 , Singapore .
| | - Hung Yi Kristal Kaan
- MSD International , Translation Medicine Research Centre , 8 Biomedical Grove, #04-01/05 Neuros Building , Singapore , 138665 , Singapore .
| | - Arun Chandramohan
- MSD International , Translation Medicine Research Centre , 8 Biomedical Grove, #04-01/05 Neuros Building , Singapore , 138665 , Singapore .
| | - Jin Huei Wong
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
| | - Yaw Sing Tan
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
| | - Zi Wei Chang
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #03-06, Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Fernando J Ferrer-Gago
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Prakash Arumugam
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
| | - Yi Han
- Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , New Jersey , USA
| | - Shiying Chen
- Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , New Jersey , USA
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #03-06, Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Christopher J Brown
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | - Charles W Johannes
- Institute of Chemical & Engineering Science , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8 Biomedical Grove, #07, Neuros Building , Singapore 138665
| | - Brian Henry
- MSD International , Translation Medicine Research Centre , 8 Biomedical Grove, #04-01/05 Neuros Building , Singapore , 138665 , Singapore .
| | - David P Lane
- p53 Laboratory , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos , Singapore 138648
| | | | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) , 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix , Singapore 138671 , Singapore . ; ; ; Tel: +65 6478 8353 ; Tel: +65 6478 8273
- School of Biological Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , 60 Nanyang Drive , Singapore 637551
- Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , 14 Science Drive 4 , Singapore 117543
| | - Anthony W Partridge
- MSD International , Translation Medicine Research Centre , 8 Biomedical Grove, #04-01/05 Neuros Building , Singapore , 138665 , Singapore .
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29
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Diller DJ, Swanson J, Bayden AS, Brown CJ, Thean D, Lane DP, Partridge AW, Sawyer TK, Audie J. Rigorous Computational and Experimental Investigations on MDM2/MDMX-Targeted Linear and Macrocyclic Peptides. Molecules 2019; 24:E4586. [PMID: 31847417 PMCID: PMC6943714 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is interest in peptide drug design, especially for targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions. Therefore, the experimental validation of a computational platform for enabling peptide drug design is of interest. Here, we describe our peptide drug design platform (CMDInventus) and demonstrate its use in modeling and predicting the structural and binding aspects of diverse peptides that interact with oncology targets MDM2/MDMX in comparison to both retrospective (pre-prediction) and prospective (post-prediction) data. In the retrospective study, CMDInventus modules (CMDpeptide, CMDboltzmann, CMDescore and CMDyscore) were used to accurately reproduce structural and binding data across multiple MDM2/MDMX data sets. In the prospective study, CMDescore, CMDyscore and CMDboltzmann were used to accurately predict binding affinities for an Ala-scan of the stapled α-helical peptide ATSP-7041. Remarkably, CMDboltzmann was used to accurately predict the results of a novel D-amino acid scan of ATSP-7041. Our investigations rigorously validate CMDInventus and support its utility for enabling peptide drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Diller
- CMDBioscience, 5 Park Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; (D.J.D.); (J.S.); (A.S.B.)
- Venenum BioDesign, LLC, 8 Black Forest Road, Hamilton, NJ 08691, USA
| | - Jon Swanson
- CMDBioscience, 5 Park Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; (D.J.D.); (J.S.); (A.S.B.)
- ChemModeling, LLC, Suite 101, 500 Huber Park Ct, Weldon Spring, MO 63304, USA
| | - Alexander S. Bayden
- CMDBioscience, 5 Park Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; (D.J.D.); (J.S.); (A.S.B.)
- Kleo Pharmaceuticals, 25 Science Park, Ste 235, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Chris J. Brown
- A*STAR, p53 Laboratory, Singapore 138648, Singapore; (C.J.B.); (D.T.); (D.P.L.)
| | - Dawn Thean
- A*STAR, p53 Laboratory, Singapore 138648, Singapore; (C.J.B.); (D.T.); (D.P.L.)
| | - David P. Lane
- A*STAR, p53 Laboratory, Singapore 138648, Singapore; (C.J.B.); (D.T.); (D.P.L.)
| | - Anthony W. Partridge
- MSD International GmbH, Singapore 138665, Singapore;
- Merck Research Laboratories, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tomi K. Sawyer
- Merck Research Laboratories, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joseph Audie
- CMDBioscience, 5 Park Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; (D.J.D.); (J.S.); (A.S.B.)
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
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30
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Yuen TY, Brown CJ, Tan YS, Johannes CW. Synthesis of Chiral Alkenyl Cyclopropane Amino Acids for Incorporation into Stapled Peptides. J Org Chem 2019; 85:1556-1566. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.9b02659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tsz Ying Yuen
- Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01, Neuros, Singapore 138665
| | - Christopher J. Brown
- P53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-06, Immunos, Singapore 138648
| | - Yaw Sing Tan
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01, Matrix, Singapore 138671
| | - Charles W. Johannes
- P53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-06, Immunos, Singapore 138648
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31
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Kannan S, Partridge AW, Lane DP, Verma CS. The Dual Interactions of p53 with MDM2 and p300: Implications for the Design of MDM2 Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20235996. [PMID: 31795143 PMCID: PMC6928821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins that limit the activity of the tumour suppressor protein p53 are increasingly being targeted for inhibition in a variety of cancers. In addition to the development of small molecules, there has been interest in developing constrained (stapled) peptide inhibitors. A stapled peptide ALRN_6924 that activates p53 by preventing its interaction with its negative regulator Mdm2 has entered clinical trials. This stapled peptide mimics the interaction of p53 with Mdm2. The chances that this peptide could bind to other proteins that may also interact with the Mdm2-binding region of p53 are high; one such protein is the CREB binding protein (CBP)/p300. It has been established that phosphorylated p53 is released from Mdm2 and binds to p300, orchestrating the transcriptional program. We investigate whether molecules such as ALRN_6924 would bind to p300 and, to do so, we used molecular simulations to explore the binding of ATSP_7041, which is an analogue of ALRN_6924. Our study shows that ATSP_7041 preferentially binds to Mdm2 over p300; however, upon phosphorylation, it appears to have a higher affinity for p300. This could result in attenuation of the amount of free p300 available for interacting with p53, and hence reduce its transcriptional efficacy. Our study highlights the importance of assessing off-target effects of peptide inhibitors, particularly guided by the understanding of the networks of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that are being targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasaraghavan Kannan
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (C.S.V.); Tel.: +65-6478-8353 (S.K.); +65-6478-8273 (C.S.V.); Fax: +65-6478-9048 (S.K.); +65-6478-9048(C.S.V.)
| | - Anthony W. Partridge
- MSD International, Translation Medicine Research Centre, Singapore 138665, Singapore;
| | - David P. Lane
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-04/05, Neuros/Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore;
| | - Chandra S. Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (C.S.V.); Tel.: +65-6478-8353 (S.K.); +65-6478-8273 (C.S.V.); Fax: +65-6478-9048 (S.K.); +65-6478-9048(C.S.V.)
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