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Cheung TL, Tam LKB, Tam WS, Zhang L, Kai HY, Thor W, Wu Y, Lam PL, Yeung YH, Xie C, Chau HF, Lo WS, Zhang T, Wong KL. Facile Peptide Macrocyclization and Multifunctionalization via Cyclen Installation. Small Methods 2024:e2400006. [PMID: 38593368 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202400006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Cyclen-peptide bioconjugates are usually prepared in multiple steps that require individual preparation and purification of the cyclic peptide and hydrophilic cyclen derivatives. An efficient strategy is discovered for peptide cyclization and functionalization toward lanthanide probe via three components intermolecular crosslinking on solid-phase peptide synthesis with high conversion yield. Multifunctionality can be conferred by introducing different modular parts or/and metal ions on the cyclen-embedded cyclopeptide. As a proof-of-concept, a luminescent Eu3+ complex and a Gd3+-based contrasting agent for in vitro optical imaging and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging, respectively, are demonstrated through utilizing this preparation of cyclen-embedded cyclic arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsz-Lam Cheung
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leo K B Tam
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing-Sze Tam
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leilei Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, and College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Hei-Yui Kai
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Waygen Thor
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pak-Lun Lam
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yik-Hoi Yeung
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chen Xie
- Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ho-Fai Chau
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai-Sum Lo
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, and College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Ka-Leung Wong
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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Tam LKB, Lo PC, Cheung PCK, Ng DKP. A Tetrazine-Caged Carbon-Dipyrromethene as a Bioorthogonally Activatable Fluorescent Probe. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202300562. [PMID: 37489571 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202300562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
A water-soluble 1,2,4,5-tetrazine-substituted carbon-dipyrromethene (C-DIPY) was synthesized from the previously reported carbonyl pyrrole dimer through a two-step procedure. Owing to the presence of a tetrazine moiety, the fluorescence emission of this compound was largely quenched in phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.4. Upon addition of a bicyclo[6.1.0]non-4-yne (BCN) derivative, the tetrazine-based quenching component of the compound was disrupted through the inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction to restore the fluorescence in up to 6.6-fold. This bioorthogonal activation was also demonstrated using U-87 MG human glioblastoma cells, in which the fluorescence intensity of this C-DIPY could be enhanced by 8.7-fold upon post-incubation with the BCN derivative. The results showed that this tetrazine-caged C-DIPY can serve as a bioorthogonally activatable fluorescent probe for bioimaging. The compound, however, was found to reside preferentially in the lysosomes instead of the mitochondria of the cells as predicted based on its cationic character, which could be attributed to its energy-dependent endocytic cellular uptake pathway, for which lysosomes are the end station.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo K B Tam
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Pui-Chi Lo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peter Chi Keung Cheung
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Dennis K P Ng
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong, China
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Tam LKB, Chu JCH, He L, Yang C, Han KC, Cheung PCK, Ng DKP, Lo PC. Enzyme-Responsive Double-Locked Photodynamic Molecular Beacon for Targeted Photodynamic Anticancer Therapy. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:7361-7375. [PMID: 36961946 PMCID: PMC10080691 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
An advanced photodynamic molecular beacon (PMB) was designed and synthesized, in which a distyryl boron dipyrromethene (DSBDP)-based photosensitizer and a Black Hole Quencher 3 moiety were connected via two peptide segments containing the sequences PLGVR and GFLG, respectively, of a cyclic peptide. These two short peptide sequences are well-known substrates of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and cathepsin B, respectively, both of which are overexpressed in a wide range of cancer cells either extracellularly (for MMP-2) or intracellularly (for cathepsin B). Owing to the efficient Förster resonance energy transfer between the two components, this PMB was fully quenched in the native form. Only upon interaction with both MMP-2 and cathepsin B, either in a buffer solution or in cancer cells, both of the segments were cleaved specifically, and the two components could be completely separated, thereby restoring the photodynamic activities of the DSBDP moiety. This PMB could also be activated in tumors, and it effectively suppressed the tumor growth in A549 tumor-bearing nude mice upon laser irradiation without causing notable side effects. In particular, it did not cause skin photosensitivity, which is a very common side effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using conventional "always-on" photosensitizers. The overall results showed that this "double-locked" PMB functioned as a biological AND logic gate that could only be unlocked by the coexistence of two tumor-associated enzymes, which could greatly enhance the tumor specificity in PDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo K B Tam
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Jacky C H Chu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Lin He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Caixia Yang
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Kam-Chu Han
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Chai Wan, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peter Chi Keung Cheung
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Dennis K P Ng
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Pui-Chi Lo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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Tam LKB, He L, Ng DKP, Cheung PCK, Lo P. A Tumor‐Targeting Dual‐Stimuli‐Activatable Photodynamic Molecular Beacon for Precise Photodynamic Therapy. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202201652. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leo K. B. Tam
- Department of Chemistry The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, N. T. Hong Kong China
| | - Lin He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Dennis K. P. Ng
- Department of Chemistry The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, N. T. Hong Kong China
| | - Peter C. K. Cheung
- School of Life Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, N. T. Hong Kong China
| | - Pui‐Chi Lo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Hong Kong China
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Tam LKB, Yu L, Wong RCH, Fong WP, Ng DKP, Lo PC. Dual Cathepsin B and Glutathione-Activated Dimeric and Trimeric Phthalocyanine-Based Photodynamic Molecular Beacons for Targeted Photodynamic Therapy. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17455-17467. [PMID: 34846143 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Two dual stimuli-activated photosensitizers were developed, in which two or three glutathione (GSH)-responsive 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonate (DNBS)-substituted zinc(II) phthalocyanine units were connected via one or two cathepsin B-cleavable Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly peptide linker(s). These dimeric and trimeric phthalocyanines were fully quenched in the native form due to the photoinduced electron transfer to the DNBS substituents and the self-quenching of the phthalocyanine units. In the presence of GSH and cathepsin B, or upon internalization into A549 and HepG2 cancer cells, these probes were activated through the release of free phthalocyanine units. The intracellular fluorescence intensity was increased upon post-incubation with GSH ester or reduced upon pre-treatment with a cathepsin B inhibitor. Upon light irradiation, these photosensitizers became highly cytotoxic with IC50 values of 0.21-0.39 μM. The photocytotoxicity was also dependent on the intracellular GSH and cathepsin B levels. The results showed that these conjugates could serve as smart photosensitizers for targeted photodynamic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo K B Tam
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Ligang Yu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Roy C H Wong
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing-Ping Fong
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Dennis K P Ng
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Pui-Chi Lo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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Roesner S, Beadle JD, Tam LKB, Wilkening I, Clarkson GJ, Raubo P, Shipman M. Development of oxetane modified building blocks for peptide synthesis. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 18:5400-5405. [PMID: 32618315 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob01208d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis and use of oxetane modified dipeptide building blocks in solution and solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) is reported. The preparation of building blocks containing non-glycine residues at the N-terminus in a stereochemically controlled manner is challenging. Here, a practical 4-step route to such building blocks is demonstrated, through the synthesis of dipeptides containing contiguous alanine residues. The incorporation of these new derivatives at specific sites along the backbone of an alanine-rich peptide sequence containing eighteen amino acids is demonstrated via solid-phase peptide synthesis. Additionally, new methods to enable the incorporation of all 20 of the proteinogenic amino acids into such dipeptide building blocks are reported through modifications of the synthetic route (for Cys and Met) and by changes to the protecting group strategy (for His, Ser and Thr).
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Roesner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Jonathan D Beadle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Leo K B Tam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Ina Wilkening
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Guy J Clarkson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Piotr Raubo
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael Shipman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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