1
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Xia Z, He D, Wu Y, Kwok HF, Cao Z. Scorpion venom peptides: Molecular diversity, structural characteristics, and therapeutic use from channelopathies to viral infections and cancers. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106978. [PMID: 37923027 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal venom is an important evolutionary innovation in nature. As one of the most representative animal venoms, scorpion venom contains an extremely diverse set of bioactive peptides. Scorpion venom peptides not only are 'poisons' that immobilize, paralyze, kill, or dissolve preys but also become important candidates for drug development and design. Here, the review focuses on the molecular diversity of scorpion venom peptides, their typical structural characteristics, and their multiple therapeutic or pharmaceutical applications in channelopathies, viral infections and cancers. Especially, the group of scorpion toxin TRPTx targeting transient receptor potential (TRP) channels is systematically summarized and worthy of attention because TRP channels play a crucial role in the regulation of homeostasis and the occurrence of diseases in human. We also further establish the potential relationship between the molecular characteristics and functional applications of scorpion venom peptides to provide a research basis for modern drug development and clinical utilization of scorpion venom resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Xia
- School of Biological and Food Processing Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, China
| | - Dangui He
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macao; Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macao
| | - Yingliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macao; Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macao; MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macao.
| | - Zhijian Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Bio-drug Research Center, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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2
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Meng X, Xu C, Fan S, Dong M, Zhuang J, Duan Z, Zhao Y, Wu C. Selection and evolution of disulfide-rich peptides via cellular protein quality control. Chem Sci 2023; 14:3668-3675. [PMID: 37006698 PMCID: PMC10055976 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05343h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A selection system leveraging cellular protein quality control (termed PQC-select) has been designed to select DRPs with robust foldability from random sequences, providing valuable scaffolds for developing peptide-based probes or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chaoying Xu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Zengping Duan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
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3
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Wu Y, Fan S, Dong M, Li J, Kong C, Zhuang J, Meng X, Lu S, Zhao Y, Wu C. Structure-guided design of CPPC-paired disulfide-rich peptide libraries for ligand and drug discovery. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7780-7789. [PMID: 35865895 PMCID: PMC9258321 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00924b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides constrained through multiple disulfides (or disulfide-rich peptides, DRPs) have been an emerging frontier for ligand and drug discovery. Such peptides have the potential to combine the binding capability of biologics with the stability and bioavailability of smaller molecules. However, DRPs with stable three-dimensional (3D) structures are usually of natural origin or engineered from natural ones. Here, we report the discovery and identification of CPPC (cysteine–proline–proline–cysteine) motif-directed DRPs with stable 3D structures (i.e., CPPC–DRPs). A range of new CPPC–DRPs were designed or selected from either random or structure–convergent peptide libraries. Thus, for the first time we revealed that the CPPC–DRPs can maintain diverse 3D structures by taking advantage of constraints from unique dimeric CPPC mini-loops, including irregular structures and regular α-helix and β-sheet folds. New CPPC–DRPs that can specifically bind the receptors (CD28) on the cell surface were also successfully discovered and identified using our DRP-discovery platform. Overall, this study provides the basis for accessing an unconventional peptide structure space previously inaccessible by natural DRPs and computational designs, inspiring the development of new peptide ligands and therapeutics. CPPC-paired disulfide-rich peptides with stable 3D structures have been discovered through rational library design and screening, providing unconventional peptide scaffolds for the development of new peptide therapeutics.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shuaimin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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4
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Bibli SI, Fleming I. Oxidative Post-Translational Modifications: A Focus on Cysteine S-Sulfhydration and the Regulation of Endothelial Fitness. Antioxid Redox Signal 2021; 35:1494-1514. [PMID: 34346251 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2021.0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Changes in the oxidative balance can affect cellular physiology and adaptation through redox signaling. The endothelial cells that line blood vessels are particularly sensitive to reactive oxygen species, which can alter cell function by a number of mechanisms, including the oxidative post-translational modification (oxPTM) of proteins on critical cysteine thiols. Such modifications can act as redox-switches to alter the function of targeted proteins. Recent Advances: Mapping the cysteine oxPTM proteome and characterizing the effects of individual oxPTMs to gain insight into consequences for cellular responses has proven challenging. A recent addition to the list of reversible oxPTMs that contributes to cellular redox homeostasis is persulfidation or S-sulfhydration. Critical Issues: It has been estimated that up to 25% of proteins are S-sulfhydrated, making this modification almost as abundant as phosphorylation. In the endothelium, persulfides are generated by the trans-sulfuration pathway that catabolizes cysteine and cystathionine to generate hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and H2S-related sulfane sulfur compounds (H2Sn). This pathway is of particular importance for the vascular system, as the enzyme cystathionine γ lyase (CSE) in endothelial cells accounts for a significant portion of total vascular H2S/H2Sn production. Future Directions: Impaired CSE activity in endothelial dysfunction has been linked with marked changes in the endothelial cell S-sulfhydrome and can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension. It will be interesting to determine how changes in the S-sulfhydration of specific networks of proteins contribute to endothelial cell physiology and pathophysiology. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 35, 1494-1514.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia-Iris Bibli
- Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site RheinMain, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ingrid Fleming
- Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site RheinMain, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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5
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A Deep Learning Approach with Data Augmentation to Predict Novel Spider Neurotoxic Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212291. [PMID: 34830173 PMCID: PMC8619404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As major components of spider venoms, neurotoxic peptides exhibit structural diversity, target specificity, and have great pharmaceutical potential. Deep learning may be an alternative to the laborious and time-consuming methods for identifying these peptides. However, the major hurdle in developing a deep learning model is the limited data on neurotoxic peptides. Here, we present a peptide data augmentation method that improves the recognition of neurotoxic peptides via a convolutional neural network model. The neurotoxic peptides were augmented with the known neurotoxic peptides from UniProt database, and the models were trained using a training set with or without the generated sequences to verify the augmented data. The model trained with the augmented dataset outperformed the one with the unaugmented dataset, achieving accuracy of 0.9953, precision of 0.9922, recall of 0.9984, and F1 score of 0.9953 in simulation dataset. From the set of all RNA transcripts of Callobius koreanus spider, we discovered neurotoxic peptides via the model, resulting in 275 putative peptides of which 252 novel sequences and only 23 sequences showing homology with the known peptides by Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. Among these 275 peptides, four were selected and shown to have neuromodulatory effects on the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. The augmentation method presented here may be applied to the identification of other functional peptides from biological resources with insufficient data.
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6
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Tran P, Schroeder CI. Enzymatic Ligation of Disulfide-Rich Animal Venom Peptides: Using Sortase A to Form Double-Knotted Peptides. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2355:83-92. [PMID: 34386952 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1617-8_8] [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] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sortase A is a thiol transpeptidase expressed by Gram-positive bacteria. This enzyme is capable of site-specifically ligating peptides containing the C-terminal recognition motif LPXTG to peptides containing an N-terminal polyglycine sequence, forming a native peptide bond. Here, we describe the preparation and application of sortase A to the ligation of two individually folded disulfide-rich animal venom peptides in order to form a heterodimeric double-knotted peptide with a native peptide linker. This method is mild enough to preserve the structures and disulfide connectivities of the peptides during ligation. We employed a highly efficient sortase A pentamutant (SrtA5°), which brings the reaction to completion within 15 min with a ~50-80% yield of ligated peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poanna Tran
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA.
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7
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Nikoloudakis N, Pappi P, Markakis EA, Charova SN, Fanourakis D, Paschalidis K, Delis C, Tzortzakakis EA, Tsaniklidis G. Structural Diversity and Highly Specific Host-Pathogen Transcriptional Regulation of Defensin Genes Is Revealed in Tomato. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249380. [PMID: 33317090 PMCID: PMC7764197 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Defensins are small and rather ubiquitous cysteine-rich anti-microbial peptides. These proteins may act against pathogenic microorganisms either directly (by binding and disrupting membranes) or indirectly (as signaling molecules that participate in the organization of the cellular defense). Even though defensins are widespread across eukaryotes, still, extensive nucleotide and amino acid dissimilarities hamper the elucidation of their response to stimuli and mode of function. In the current study, we screened the Solanum lycopersicum genome for the identification of defensin genes, predicted the relating protein structures, and further studied their transcriptional responses to biotic (Verticillium dahliae, Meloidogyne javanica, Cucumber Mosaic Virus, and Potato Virus Y infections) and abiotic (cold stress) stimuli. Tomato defensin sequences were classified into two groups (C8 and C12). Our data indicate that the transcription of defensin coding genes primarily depends on the specific pathogen recognition patterns of V. dahliae and M. javanica. The immunodetection of plant defensin 1 protein was achieved only in the roots of plants inoculated with V. dahliae. In contrast, the almost null effects of viral infections and cold stress, and the failure to substantially induce the gene transcription suggest that these factors are probably not primarily targeted by the tomato defensin network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Nikoloudakis
- Department of Agricultural Science, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
- Correspondence: (N.N.); (G.T.)
| | - Polyxeni Pappi
- Department of Viticulture, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Plant Protection, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Mesa Katsabas, 71307 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; (P.P.); (E.A.M.); (E.A.T.)
| | - Emmanouil A. Markakis
- Department of Viticulture, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Plant Protection, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Mesa Katsabas, 71307 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; (P.P.); (E.A.M.); (E.A.T.)
| | - Spyridoula N. Charova
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (IMBB-FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Fanourakis
- Giannakakis SA, Export Fruits and Vegetables, 70200 Tympaki, Crete, Greece;
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
| | - Konstantinos Paschalidis
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
| | - Costas Delis
- Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Agricultural Technology and Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Peloponnese, 24100 Antikalamos, Kalamata, Greece;
| | - Emmanuel A. Tzortzakakis
- Department of Viticulture, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Plant Protection, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Mesa Katsabas, 71307 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; (P.P.); (E.A.M.); (E.A.T.)
| | - Georgios Tsaniklidis
- Department of Viticulture, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Plant Protection, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Mesa Katsabas, 71307 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; (P.P.); (E.A.M.); (E.A.T.)
- Correspondence: (N.N.); (G.T.)
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C-Terminal Amidation of Chlorotoxin Does Not Affect Tumour Cell Proliferation and Has No Effect on Toxin Cytotoxicity. Int J Pept Res Ther 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-020-10117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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9
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Li M, Shao X, Wu C, Lu D, Liu K, Wang W, Liu J, Li H, Su W, Fang L. Chlorotoxin-derived bicyclic peptides for targeted imaging of glioblastomas. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:9537-9540. [PMID: 32691026 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc01089h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A convenient and efficient strategy was developed for accessing chlorotoxin-derived bicyclic peptide-biomolecule conjugates by cyclizing fully-unprotected linear peptides with a designed tetrafunctional chemical linker. Among these peptides, bicycle-P3 bearing the N-terminal sequence of chlorotoxin shows high tumor selectivity and penetration ability, which is promising for treatment of gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqing Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ximing Shao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Chunlei Wu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Danyi Lu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Ke Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Jiakai Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Hongchang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wu Su
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Lijing Fang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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10
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Cid-Uribe JI, Veytia-Bucheli JI, Romero-Gutierrez T, Ortiz E, Possani LD. Scorpion venomics: a 2019 overview. Expert Rev Proteomics 2019; 17:67-83. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2020.1705158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jimena I. Cid-Uribe
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - José Ignacio Veytia-Bucheli
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Teresa Romero-Gutierrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Ortiz
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Lourival D. Possani
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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11
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Dastpeyman M, Giacomin P, Wilson D, Nolan MJ, Bansal PS, Daly NL. A C-Terminal Fragment of Chlorotoxin Retains Bioactivity and Inhibits Cell Migration. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:250. [PMID: 30949052 PMCID: PMC6435586 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorotoxin was originally isolated from the venom of the Israeli scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus, and has potential as a tumor imaging agent based on its selective binding to tumor cells. Several targets have been suggested for chlorotoxin including voltage-gated chloride channels, and it has been shown to have anti-angiogenic activity and inhibit cell migration. The structure of chlorotoxin is stabilized by four disulfide bonds and contains β-sheet and helical structure. Interestingly, the reduced form has previously been shown to inhibit cell migration to the same extent as the wild type, but structural analysis indicates that the reduced form of the peptide does not maintain the native secondary structure and appears unstructured in solution. This lack of structure suggests that a short stretch of amino acids might be responsible for the bioactivity. To explore this hypothesis, we have synthesized fragments of chlorotoxin without disulfide bonds. As expected for such small peptides, NMR analysis indicated that the peptides were unstructured in solution. However, the peptide corresponding to the eight C-terminal residues inhibited cell migration, in contrast to the other fragments. Our results suggest that the C-terminal region plays a critical role in the bioactivity of chlorotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Dastpeyman
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul Giacomin
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - David Wilson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Matthew J Nolan
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Paramjit S Bansal
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Norelle L Daly
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
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12
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Effects of Selective Substitution of Cysteine Residues on the Conformational Properties of Chlorotoxin Explored by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061261. [PMID: 30871150 PMCID: PMC6470725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorotoxin (CTX) is a 36–amino acid peptide with eight Cys residues that forms four disulfide bonds. It has high affinity for the glioma-specific chloride channel and matrix metalloprotease-2. Structural and binding properties of CTX analogs with various Cys residue substitutions with l-α-aminobutyric acid (Abu) have been previously reported. Using 4.2 µs molecular dynamics, we compared the conformational and essential space sampling of CTX and analogs with selective substitution of the Cys residues and associated disulfide bonds with either Abu or Ser. The native and substituted peptides maintained a high degree of α-helix propensity from residues 8 through 21, with the exception of substitution of the Cys5–Cys28 residues with Ser and the Cys16–Cys33 residues with Abu. In agreement with previous circular dichroism spectropolarimetry results, the C-terminal β-sheet content varied less from residues 25 through 29 and 32 through 36 and was well conserved in most analogs. The Cys16–Cys33 and Cys20–Cys35 disulfide-bonded residues appear to be required to maintain the αβ motif of CTX. Selective substitution with the hydrophilic Ser, may mitigate the destabilizing effect of Cys16–Cys33 substitution through the formation of an inter residue H-bond from Ser16:OγH to Ser33:OγH bridged by a water molecule. All peptides shared considerable sampled conformational space, which explains the retained receptor binding of the non-native analogs.
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13
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Ojeda PG, Henriques ST, Pan Y, Nicolazzo JA, Craik DJ, Wang CK. Lysine to arginine mutagenesis of chlorotoxin enhances its cellular uptake. Biopolymers 2018; 108. [PMID: 28459137 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chlorotoxin (CTX), a disulfide-rich peptide from the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus, has several promising biopharmaceutical properties, including preferential affinity for certain cancer cells, high serum stability, and cell penetration. These properties underpin its potential for use as a drug design scaffold, especially for the treatment of cancer; indeed, several analogs of CTX have reached clinical trials. Here, we focus on its ability to internalize into cells-a trait associated with a privileged subclass of peptides called cell-penetrating peptides-and whether it can be improved through conservative substitutions. Mutants of CTX were made using solid-phase peptide synthesis and internalization into human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells was monitored by fluorescence and confocal microscopy. CTX_M1 (ie, [K15R/K23R]CTX) and CTX_M2 (ie, [K15R/K23R/Y29W]CTX) mutants showed at least a twofold improvement in uptake compared to CTX. We further showed that these mutants internalize into HeLa cells largely via an energy-dependent mechanism. Importantly, the mutants have high stability, remaining intact in serum for over 24 h; thus, retaining the characteristic stability of their parent peptide. Overall, we have shown that simple conservative substitutions can enhance the cellular uptake of CTX, suggesting that such type of mutations might be useful for improving uptake of other peptide toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola G Ojeda
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM), Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Sónia Troeira Henriques
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Yijun Pan
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph A Nicolazzo
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Conan K Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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14
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Designing macrocyclic disulfide-rich peptides for biotechnological applications. Nat Chem Biol 2018; 14:417-427. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0039-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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15
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Díaz-Perlas C, Varese M, Guardiola S, García J, Sánchez-Navarro M, Giralt E, Teixidó M. From venoms to BBB-shuttles. MiniCTX3: a molecular vector derived from scorpion venom. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:12738-12741. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cc06725b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
A monocyclic peptidomimetic version of chlorotoxin, MiniCTX3, was developed as a BBB-shuttle being able to transport nanoparticles across endothelial cells. Our results reveal animal venoms as an outstanding source of BBB-shuttles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Díaz-Perlas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
| | - Monica Varese
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
| | - Salvador Guardiola
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
| | - Jesús García
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
| | - Macarena Sánchez-Navarro
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
| | - Ernest Giralt
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
| | - Meritxell Teixidó
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
- Barcelona 08028
- Spain
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16
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Glioblastoma multiforme targeted therapy: The Chlorotoxin story. J Clin Neurosci 2016; 33:52-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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17
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Yamaguchi Y, Peigneur S, Liu J, Uemura S, Nose T, Nirthanan S, Gopalakrishnakone P, Tytgat J, Sato K. Role of individual disulfide bridges in the conformation and activity of spinoxin (α-KTx6.13), a potassium channel toxin from Heterometrus spinifer scorpion venom. Toxicon 2016; 122:31-38. [PMID: 27660193 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Spinoxin (SPX; α-KTx6.13), isolated from venom of the scorpion Heterometrus spinifer, is a K+ channel-specific peptide toxin (KTx), which adopts a cysteine-stabilized α/β scaffold that is cross-linked by four disulfide bridges (Cys1-Cys5, Cys2-Cys6, Cys3-Cys7, and Cys4-Cys8). To investigate the role of the individual disulfide bonds in the structure-activity relationship of SPX, we synthesized four SPX analogs in which each pair of cysteine residues was replaced by alanine residues. The analysis of circular dichroism spectra and inhibitory activity against Kv1.3 channels showed that the SPX analogs lacking any of three specific disulfide bonds (Cys1-Cys5, Cys2-Cys6, and Cys3-Cys7) were unable to form the native secondary structure and completely lost inhibitory activities. Thus, we conclude that Cys1-Cys5, Cys2-Cys6, and Cys3-Cys7 are required for the inhibition of the Kv1.3 channel by SPX. In contrast, the analog lacking Cys4-Cys8 retained both native secondary structure and inhibitory activity. Interestingly, one of the isomers of the analog lacking Cys1-Cys5 also showed inhibitory activities, although its inhibition was ∼18-fold weaker than native SPX. This isomer had an atypical disulfide bond pairing (Cys3-Cys4 and Cys7-Cys8) that corresponds to that of maurotoxin (MTX), another α-KTx6 family member. These results indicate that the Cys1-Cys5 and Cys2-Cys6 bonds are important for restricting the toxin from forming an atypical (MTX-type) disulfide bond pairing among the remaining four cysteine residues (Cys3, Cys4, Cys7, and Cys8) in native SPX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Yamaguchi
- Department of Environment Sciences, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka, 813-8529, Japan
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 922, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Junyi Liu
- Department of Environment Sciences, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka, 813-8529, Japan
| | - Shiho Uemura
- Department of Environment Sciences, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka, 813-8529, Japan
| | - Takeru Nose
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Selvanayagam Nirthanan
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia; School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Ponnampalam Gopalakrishnakone
- Venom and Toxin Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 922, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Kazuki Sato
- Department of Environment Sciences, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka, 813-8529, Japan.
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Shafee TMA, Lay FT, Hulett MD, Anderson MA. The Defensins Consist of Two Independent, Convergent Protein Superfamilies. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 33:2345-56. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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19
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Wang CK, Stalmans S, De Spiegeleer B, Craik DJ. Biodistribution of the cyclotide MCoTI-II, a cyclic disulfide-rich peptide drug scaffold. J Pept Sci 2016; 22:305-10. [PMID: 26929247 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Disulfide-rich macrocyclic peptides are promising templates for drug design because of their unique topology and remarkable stability. However, little is known about their pharmacokinetics. In this study, we characterize the biodistribution in mice of Momordica cochinchinensis trypsin inhibitor-II (MCoTI-II), a cyclic three-disulfide-containing peptide that has been used in a number of studies as a drug scaffold. The distribution of MCoTI-II was compared with that of chlorotoxin, which is a four-disulfide-containing peptide that has been used to develop brain tumor imaging agents; dermorphin, which is a disulfide-less peptide; and bovine serum albumin, a large protein. Both MCoTI-II and chlorotoxin distributed predominantly to the serum and kidneys, confirming that they are stable in serum and suggesting that they are eliminated from the blood through renal clearance. Although cell-penetrating peptides have been reported to be able to transport across the blood-brain barrier, MCoTI-II, which is a cell-penetrating peptide, showed no uptake into the brain. The uptake of chlorotoxin was higher than that of MCoTI-II but lower than that of dermorphin, which is considered to have low uptake into the brain. This study provides insight into the behavior of disulfide-rich peptides in vivo. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conan K Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Sofie Stalmans
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart De Spiegeleer
- Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) Group, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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20
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Ojeda PG, Wang CK, Craik DJ. Chlorotoxin: Structure, activity, and potential uses in cancer therapy. Biopolymers 2016; 106:25-36. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.22748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paola G. Ojeda
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Conan K. Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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21
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Wu HB, Wang Z, Wang QS, Han YJ, Wang M, Zhou WL, Li HS. Use of Labelled tLyP-1 as a Novel Ligand Targeting the NRP Receptor to Image Glioma. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137676. [PMID: 26398657 PMCID: PMC4580457 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuropilin (NRP) receptors are overexpressed in glioma tumor tissue, and therefore may be a potential target for imaging markers. We investigated whether labelled tLyP-1, an NRP targeting peptide, could be used as the targeting ligand for developing reagents for imaging glioma tumors. Methods The tLyP-1 peptide (CGNKRTR) was labeled with 5-carboxyfluorescein (FAM) or 18F-fluoride. A control peptide (MAQKTSH) was also labeled with FAM. The in vitro binding between FAM-tLyP-1 and U87MG cells and in vivo biodistribution of FAM-tLyP-1 in a U87MG glioblastoma xenograft model (nude mouse) were determined. The in vivo biodistribution of 18F-tLyP-1 was also determined by microPET/CT. Results In vitro, FAM-tLyP-1 was strongly taken up by U87MG cells at very low concentrations (1μM). In vivo, FAM-tLyP-1 accumulated in glioma (U87MG) tumors, but uptake was minimal in the normal brain tissue 1 h after administration. The distribution of FAM-tLyP-1 in the tumor tissue was consistent with expression of NRP1. The tumor/brain fluorescence intensity ratio in mice treated with FAM-tLyP-1 was significantly higher than the control FAM-labeled peptide 1 h after administration (3.44 ± 0.83 vs. 1.32 ± 0.15; t = 5.547, P = 0.001). Uptake of FAM-tLyP-1 in glioma tumors could be blocked by administering an excess of non-conjugated tLyP-1 peptide. [Lys4] tLyP-1 was labeled with 18F to synthesis a PET (18F-tLyP-1). MicroPET/CT imaging showed the tumor was visualized clearly with a high tumor/brain radiolabel ratio at 60 min (2.69 ± 0.52) and 120 min (3.11±0.25). Conclusion Taken together, our results suggest that tLyP-1 could be developed as a novel fluorescent or radio labelled tracer for imaging glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu-bing Wu
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Zhen Wang
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quan-shi Wang
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan-jian Han
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng Wang
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-lan Zhou
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-sheng Li
- NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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