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Mota F, Yelland T, Hutton JA, Parker J, Patsiarika A, Chan AWE, O'Leary A, Fotinou C, Martin JF, Zachary IC, Djordjevic S, Frankel P, Selwood DL. Peptides Derived from Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B Show Potent Binding to Neuropilin-1. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202100463. [PMID: 34647407 PMCID: PMC8776337 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100463] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) regulate significant pathways in angiogenesis, myocardial and neuronal protection, metabolism, and cancer progression. The VEGF-B growth factor is involved in cell survival, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant mechanisms, through binding to VEGF receptor 1 and neuropilin-1 (NRP1). We employed surface plasmon resonance technology and X-ray crystallography to analyse the molecular basis of the interaction between VEGF-B and the b1 domain of NRP1, and developed VEGF-B C-terminus derived peptides to be used as chemical tools for studying VEGF-B - NRP1 related pathways. Peptide lipidation was used as a means to stabilise the peptides. VEGF-B-derived peptides containing a C-terminal arginine show potent binding to NRP1-b1. Peptide lipidation increased binding residence time and improved plasma stability. A crystal structure of a peptide with NRP1 demonstrated that VEGF-B peptides bind at the canonical C-terminal arginine binding site. VEGF-B C-terminus imparts higher affinity for NRP1 than the corresponding VEGF-A165 region. This tight binding may impact on the activity and selectivity of the full-length protein. The VEGF-B167 derived peptides were more effective than VEGF-A165 peptides in blocking functional phosphorylation events. Blockers of VEGF-B function have potential applications in diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Mota
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical ResearchUniversity College LondonGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
| | - Tamas Yelland
- The Institute of Structural and Molecular BiologyUniversity College LondonUK
| | - Jennie A. Hutton
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical ResearchUniversity College LondonGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
| | - Jennifer Parker
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology & MedicineBHF Laboratories at University College LondonUK
| | - Anastasia Patsiarika
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical ResearchUniversity College LondonGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
| | - A. W. Edith Chan
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical ResearchUniversity College LondonGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
| | - Andrew O'Leary
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology & MedicineBHF Laboratories at University College LondonUK
| | - Constantina Fotinou
- The Institute of Structural and Molecular BiologyUniversity College LondonUK
| | - John F. Martin
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology & MedicineBHF Laboratories at University College LondonUK
| | - Ian C. Zachary
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology & MedicineBHF Laboratories at University College LondonUK
| | - Snezana Djordjevic
- The Institute of Structural and Molecular BiologyUniversity College LondonUK
| | - Paul Frankel
- Institute of Cardiovascular ScienceUniversity College LondonUK
| | - David L. Selwood
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical ResearchUniversity College LondonGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
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Nassour H, Hoang TA, Martin RD, Dallagnol JCC, Billard É, Létourneau M, Novellino E, Carotenuto A, Allen BG, Tanny JC, Fournier A, Hébert TE, Chatenet D. Lipidated peptides derived from intracellular loops 2 and 3 of the urotensin II receptor act as biased allosteric ligands. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101057. [PMID: 34389356 PMCID: PMC8424217 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101057] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, the urotensinergic system, composed of one G protein-coupled receptor and two endogenous ligands, has garnered significant attention as a promising new target for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Indeed, this system is associated with various biomarkers of cardiovascular dysfunctions and is involved in changes in cardiac contractility, fibrosis and hypertrophy contributing, like the angiotensinergic system, to the pathogenesis and progression of heart failure. Significant investment has been made toward the development of clinically relevant UT ligands for therapeutic intervention, but with little or no success to date. This system therefore remains to be therapeutically exploited. Pepducins and other lipidated peptides have been used as both mechanistic probes and potential therapeutics; therefore, pepducins derived from the human urotensin II receptor might represent unique tools to generate signaling bias and study hUT signaling networks. Two hUT-derived pepducins, derived from the second and the third intracellular loop of the receptor (hUT-Pep2 and [Trp1, Leu2]hUT-Pep3, respectively) were synthesized and pharmacologically characterized. Our results demonstrated that hUT-Pep2 and [Trp1, Leu2]hUT-Pep3 acted as biased ago-allosteric modulators, triggered ERK1/2 phosphorylation and to a lesser extent, IP1 production and stimulated cell proliferation yet were devoid of contractile activity. Interestingly, both hUT-derived pepducins were able to modulate human urotensin II (hUII)- and urotensin II-related peptide (URP)-mediated contraction albeit to different extents. These new derivatives represent unique tools to reveal the intricacies of hUT signaling and also a novel avenue for the design of allosteric ligands selectively targeting hUT signaling potentially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Nassour
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Tuan Anh Hoang
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Ryan D Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Juliana C C Dallagnol
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Étienne Billard
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Carotenuto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Bruce G Allen
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jason C Tanny
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Alain Fournier
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Terence E Hébert
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - David Chatenet
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie des Peptides et en Pharmacothérapie (GRIPP), Université du Québec, Ville de Laval, Québec, Canada.
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