1
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Cresti L, Cappello G, Pini A. Antimicrobial Peptides towards Clinical Application-A Long History to Be Concluded. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4870. [PMID: 38732089 PMCID: PMC11084544 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules with an amphipathic structure that enables them to interact with bacterial membranes. This interaction can lead to membrane crossing and disruption with pore formation, culminating in cell death. They are produced naturally in various organisms, including humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. In higher animals, they are part of the innate immune system, where they counteract infection by bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. AMPs can also be designed de novo by bioinformatic approaches or selected from combinatorial libraries, and then produced by chemical or recombinant procedures. Since their discovery, AMPs have aroused interest as potential antibiotics, although few have reached the market due to stability limits or toxicity. Here, we describe the development phase and a number of clinical trials of antimicrobial peptides. We also provide an update on AMPs in the pharmaceutical industry and an overall view of their therapeutic market. Modifications to peptide structures to improve stability in vivo and bioavailability are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cresti
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Giovanni Cappello
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Alessandro Pini
- Medical Biotechnology Department, University of Siena, Via A Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.C.); (A.P.)
- SetLance srl, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, 53100 Siena, Italy
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2
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Wu X, Lin H, Bai R, Duan H. Deep learning for advancing peptide drug development: Tools and methods in structure prediction and design. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116262. [PMID: 38387334 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116262] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Peptides can bind challenging disease targets with high affinity and specificity, offering enormous opportunities for addressing unmet medical needs. However, peptides' unique features, including smaller size, increased structural flexibility, and limited data availability, pose additional challenges to the design process compared to proteins. This review explores the dynamic field of peptide therapeutics, leveraging deep learning to enhance structure prediction and design. Our exploration encompasses various facets of peptide research, ranging from dataset curation handling to model development. As deep learning technologies become more refined, we channel our efforts into peptide structure prediction and design, aligning with the fundamental principles of structure-activity relationships in drug development. To guide researchers in harnessing the potential of deep learning to advance peptide drug development, our insights comprehensively explore current challenges and future directions of peptide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Huitian Lin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Renren Bai
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, PR China.
| | - Hongliang Duan
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, 999078, PR China.
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3
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Guo S, Wang J, Wang Q, Wang J, Qin S, Li W. Advances in peptide-based drug delivery systems. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26009. [PMID: 38404797 PMCID: PMC10884816 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug delivery systems (DDSs) are designed to deliver drugs to their specific targets to minimize their toxic effects and improve their susceptibility to clearance during targeted transport. Peptides have high affinity, low immunogenicity, simple amino acid composition, and adjustable molecular size; therefore, most peptides can be coupled to drugs via linkers to form peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) and act as active pro-drugs. PDCs are widely thought to be promising DDSs, given their ability to improve drug bio-compatibility and physiological stability. Peptide-based DDSs are often used to deliver therapeutic substances such as anti-cancer drugs and nucleic acid-based drugs, which not only slow the degradation rate of drugs in vivo but also ensure the drug concentration at the targeted site and prolong the half-life of drugs in vivo. This article provides an profile of the advancements and future development in functional peptide-based DDSs both domestically and internationally in recent years, in the expectation of achieving targeted drug delivery incorporating functional peptides and taking full advantage of synergistic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Guo
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, 266112, China
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, 266112, China
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, China
| | - Song Qin
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
| | - Wenjun Li
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, 266112, China
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
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4
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Wang M, Liu J, Xia M, Yin L, Zhang L, Liu X, Cheng Y. Peptide-drug conjugates: A new paradigm for targeted cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116119. [PMID: 38194773 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116119] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are the new hope for targeted therapy after antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Compared with ADCs, the core advantages of PDCs are enhanced tissue penetration, easier chemical synthesis, and lower production costs. Two PDCs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of cancer. The therapeutic effects of PDCs are remarkable, but PDCs also encounter problems when used as targeted therapeutics, such as poor stability, a short blood circulation time, a long research and development time frame, and a slow clinical development process. Therefore, it is very urgent and important to understand the latest research progress of cancer cells targeting PDC, the solution to its stability problem, the scheme of computer technology to assist its research and development, and the direction of its future development. In this manuscript, based on the structure and function of PDCs, the latest research progress on PDCs from the aspects of cancer cell-targeting peptide (CTP) selection, pharmacokinetic characteristics, stability regulation and so on were systematically reviewed, hoping to highlight the current problems and future development directions of PDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mo Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China
| | - Jiawei Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China
| | - Mingjing Xia
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China
| | - Libinghan Yin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China
| | - Ling Zhang
- School of Chemical Technology, Shijiazhuang University, Shijiazhuang, 050035, PR China.
| | - Xifu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China.
| | - Yu Cheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Hebei Anti-Tumor Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center; Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology; College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, PR China.
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5
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Leone M. Virtual Screening of Peptide Libraries: The Search for Peptide-Based Therapeutics Using Computational Tools. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1798. [PMID: 38339078 PMCID: PMC10855943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031798] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed growing interest from both academic and industrial laboratories in peptides as possible therapeutics. Bioactive peptides have a high potential to treat various diseases with specificity and biological safety. Compared to small molecules, peptides represent better candidates as inhibitors (or general modulators) of key protein-protein interactions. In fact, undruggable proteins containing large and smooth surfaces can be more easily targeted with the conformational plasticity of peptides. The discovery of bioactive peptides, working against disease-relevant protein targets, generally requires the high-throughput screening of large libraries, and in silico approaches are highly exploited for their low-cost incidence and efficiency. The present review reports on the potential challenges linked to the employment of peptides as therapeutics and describes computational approaches, mainly structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), to support the identification of novel peptides for therapeutic implementations. Cutting-edge SBVS strategies are reviewed along with examples of applications focused on diverse classes of bioactive peptides (i.e., anticancer, antimicrobial/antiviral peptides, peptides blocking amyloid fiber formation).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.V.); (F.A.M.)
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6
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Stefanik O, Majerova P, Kovac A, Mikus P, Piestansky J. Capillary electrophoresis in the analysis of therapeutic peptides-A review. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:120-164. [PMID: 37705480 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides are a growing class of innovative drugs with high efficiency and a low risk of adverse effects. These biomolecules fall within the molecular mass range between that of small molecules and proteins. However, their inherent instability and potential for degradation underscore the importance of reliable and effective analytical methods for pharmaceutical quality control, therapeutic drug monitoring, and compliance testing. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has long time been the "gold standard" conventional method for peptide analysis, but capillary electrophoresis (CE) is increasingly being recognized as a complementary and, in some cases, superior, highly efficient, green, and cost-effective alternative technique. CE can separate peptides composed of different amino acids owing to differences in their net charge and size, determining their migration behavior in an electric field. This review provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic peptides that have been used in the clinical environment for the last 25 years. It describes the properties, classification, current trends in development, and clinical use of therapeutic peptides. From the analytical point of view, it discusses the challenges associated with the analysis of therapeutic peptides in pharmaceutical and biological matrices, as well as the evaluation of CE as a whole and the comparison with LC methods. The article also highlights the use of microchip electrophoresis, nonaqueous CE, and nonconventional hydrodynamically closed CE systems and their applications. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of developing new CE-based analytical methods to ensure the high quality, safety, and efficacy of therapeutic peptides in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Stefanik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Petra Majerova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Andrej Kovac
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Mikus
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Juraj Piestansky
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Department of Galenic Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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7
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Zerihun M, Qvit N. Selective inhibitors targeting Fis1/Mid51 protein-protein interactions protect against hypoxia-induced damage in cardiomyocytes. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1275370. [PMID: 38192411 PMCID: PMC10773907 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1275370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common non-communicable diseases globally. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. Mitochondria play critical roles in cellular metabolic homeostasis, cell survival, and cell death, as well as producing most of the cell's energy. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) have a significant role in physiological and pathological processes, and aberrant PPIs are associated with various diseases, therefore they are potential drug targets for a broad range of therapeutic areas. Due to their ability to mimic natural interaction motifs and cover relatively larger interaction region, peptides are very promising as PPI inhibitors. To expedite drug discovery, computational approaches are widely used for screening potential lead compounds. Here, we developed peptides that inhibit mitochondrial fission 1 (Fis1)/mitochondrial dynamics 51 kDa (Mid51) PPI to reduce the cellular damage that can lead to various human pathologies, such as CVDs. Based on a rational design approach we developed peptide inhibitors of the Fis1/Mid51 PPI. In silico and in vitro studies were done to evaluate the biological activity and molecular interactions of the peptides. Two peptides, CVP-241 and CVP-242 were identified based on low binding energy and molecular dynamics simulations. These peptides inhibit Fis1/Mid51 PPI (-1324.9 kcal mol-1) in docking calculations (CVP-241, -741.3 kcal mol-1, and CVP-242, -747.4 kcal mol-1), as well as in vitro experimental studies Fis1/Mid51 PPI (KD 0.054 µM) Fis1/Mid51 PPI + CVP-241 (KD 3.43 µM), and Fis1/Mid51 PPI + CVP-242 (KD 44.58 µM). Finally, these peptides have no toxicity to H9c2 cells, and they increase cell viability in cardiomyocytes (H9c2 cells). Consequently, the identified inhibitor peptides could serve as potent molecules in basic research and as leads for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nir Qvit
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
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8
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Otvos L, Wade JD. Big peptide drugs in a small molecule world. Front Chem 2023; 11:1302169. [PMID: 38144886 PMCID: PMC10740154 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1302169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A quarter of a century ago, designer peptide drugs finally broke through the glass ceiling. Despite the resistance by big pharma, biotechnology companies managed to develop injectable peptide-based drugs, first against orphan or other small volume diseases, and later for conditions affecting large patient populations such as type 2 diabetes. Even their lack of gastrointestinal absorption could be utilized to enable successful oral dosing against chronic constipation. The preference of peptide therapeutics over small molecule competitors against identical medical conditions can be achieved by careful target selection, intrachain and terminal amino acid modifications, appropriate conjugation to stability enhancers and chemical space expansion, innovative delivery and administration techniques and patient-focused marketing strategies. Unfortunately, however, pharmacoeconomical considerations, including the strength of big pharma to develop competing small molecule drugs, have somewhat limited the success of otherwise smart peptide-based therapeutics. Yet, with increasing improvement in peptide drug modification and formulation, these are continuing to gain significant, and growing, acceptance as desirable alternatives to small molecule compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo Otvos
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- OLPE Pharmaceutical Consultants, Audubon, PA, United States
| | - John D. Wade
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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9
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Wang D, Deng B, Cheng L, Li J, Guo X, Zhang J, Zhang X, Su P, Li G, Miao X, Yang W, Xie J, Wang R. The novel peptide DR4penA attenuates the bleomycin- and paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23225. [PMID: 37855708 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301363r] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), which is caused by continuous alveolar epithelial cell injury and abnormal repair, is referred to as a difficult disease of the lung system by the World Health Organization due to its rapid progression, poor prognosis, and high mortality rate. However, there is still a lack of ideal therapeutic strategies. The peptide DR8 (DHNNPQIR-NH2 ), which is derived from rapeseed, exerted antifibrotic activity in the lung, liver, and kidney in our previous studies. By studying the structure-activity relationship and rational design, we introduced an unnatural hydrophobic amino acid (α-(4-pentenyl)-Ala) into DR8 and screened the novel peptide DR4penA (DHNα-(4-pentenyl)-APQIR-NH2 ), which had higher anti-PF activity, higher antioxidant activity and a longer half-life than DR8. Notably, DR4penA attenuated bleomycin- and paraquat-induced PF, and the anti-PF activity of DR4penA was equivalent to that of pirfenidone. Additionally, DR4penA suppressed the TGF-β/Smad pathway in TGF-β1-induced A549 cells and paraquat-induced rats. This study demonstrates that the novel peptide DR4penA is a potential candidate compound for PF therapy, and its antifibrotic activity in different preclinical models of PF provides a theoretical basis for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Medical Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Bochuan Deng
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jieru Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaomin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ping Su
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guofeng Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaokang Miao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenle Yang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Junqiu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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10
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Dutta B, Loo S, Kam A, Tam JP. Plant-derived cell-penetrating microprotein α-astratide aM1 targets Akt signaling and alleviates insulin resistance. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:293. [PMID: 37715850 PMCID: PMC10505102 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04937-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Insulin-resistant diabetes is a common metabolic disease with serious complications. Treatments directly addressing the underlying molecular mechanisms involving insulin resistance would be desirable. Our laboratory recently identified a proteolytic-resistant cystine-dense microprotein from huáng qí (Astragalus membranaceus) called α-astratide aM1, which shares high sequence homology to leginsulins. Here we show that aM1 is a cell-penetrating insulin mimetic, enters cells by endocytosis, and activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway independent of the insulin receptor leading to translocation of glucose transporter GLUT4 to the cell surface to promote glucose uptake. We also showed that aM1 alters gene expression, suppresses lipid synthesis and uptake, and inhibits intracellular lipid accumulation in myotubes and adipocytes. By reducing intracellular lipid accumulation and preventing lipid-induced, PKCθ-mediated degradation of IRS1/2, aM1 restores glucose uptake to overcome insulin resistance. These findings highlight the potential of aM1 as a lead for developing orally bioavailable insulin mimetics to expand options for treating diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bamaprasad Dutta
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Shining Loo
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- Academy of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Antony Kam
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - James P Tam
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
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11
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Huang Y, Peng H, Zeng A, Song L. The role of peptides in reversing chemoresistance of breast cancer: current facts and future prospects. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1188477. [PMID: 37284316 PMCID: PMC10239817 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1188477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the first malignant tumor in women, and its incidence is also increasing year by year. Chemotherapy is one of the standard therapies for breast cancer, but the resistance of breast cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs is a huge challenge for the effective treatment of breast cancer. At present, in the study of reversing the drug resistance of solid tumors such as breast cancer, peptides have the advantages of high selectivity, high tissue penetration, and good biocompatibility. Some of the peptides that have been studied can overcome the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs in the experiment, and effectively control the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Here, we describe the mechanism of different peptides in reversing breast cancer resistance, including promoting cancer cell apoptosis; promoting non-apoptotic regulatory cell death of cancer cells; inhibiting the DNA repair mechanism of cancer cells; improving the tumor microenvironment; inhibiting drug efflux mechanism; and enhancing drug uptake. This review focuses on the different mechanisms of peptides in reversing breast cancer drug resistance, and these peptides are also expected to create clinical breakthroughs in promoting the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer patients and improving the survival rate of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiu Huang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyao Peng
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Anqi Zeng
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology and Clinical Application, Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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12
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Ahmad S, Mirza MU, Trant JF. Dock-able linear and homodetic di, tri, tetra and pentapeptide library from canonical amino acids: SARS-CoV-2 Mpro as a case study. J Pharm Anal 2023; 13:523-534. [PMID: 37275125 PMCID: PMC10104786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based therapeutics are increasingly pushing to the forefront of biomedicine with their promise of high specificity and low toxicity. Although noncanonical residues can always be used, employing only the natural 20 residues restricts the chemical space to a finite dimension allowing for comprehensive in silico screening. Towards this goal, the dataset comprising all possible di-, tri-, and tetra-peptide combinations of the canonical residues has been previously reported. However, with increasing computational power, the comprehensive set of pentapeptides is now also feasible for screening as the comprehensive set of cyclic peptides comprising four or five residues. Here, we provide both the complete and prefiltered libraries of all di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-peptide sequences from 20 canonical amino acids and their homodetic (N-to-C-terminal) cyclic homologues. The FASTA, simplified molecular-input line-entry system (SMILES), and structure-data file (SDF)-three dimension (3D) libraries can be readily used for screening against protein targets. We also provide a simple method and tool for conducting identity-based filtering. Access to this dataset will accelerate small peptide screening workflows and encourage their use in drug discovery campaigns. As a case study, the developed library was screened against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease to identify potential small peptide inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarfraz Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor N9B 3P4, Ontario, Canada
- Binary Star Research Services, LaSalle N9J 3X8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Muhammad Usman Mirza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor N9B 3P4, Ontario, Canada
- Binary Star Research Services, LaSalle N9J 3X8, Ontario, Canada
| | - John F Trant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor N9B 3P4, Ontario, Canada
- Binary Star Research Services, LaSalle N9J 3X8, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Gao F, Zhao X, Si Q, Niu X, Hou S, Liu S, Guo J, Wang L, Zhang F. Gemini surfactant-like peptide-based nanocages with β-sheet-enhanced stability and encapsulation efficiency of hydrophobic anticancer drugs. RSC Adv 2023; 13:12863-12868. [PMID: 37114030 PMCID: PMC10126818 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra01950k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based scaffolds have been widely applied to drug delivery because of their ease and high yields of synthesis, well-defined structure, biocompatibility, diversity, tunability of properties, and molecular recognition abilities. However, the stability of peptide-based nanostructures highly depends on the intermolecular assembling manner, e.g., α-helix based coiled coils, β-sheet. Inspired by the robust protein fibril structures in amyloidosis, herein we constructed a β-sheet-forming gemini surfactant-like peptide to self-assemble into nanocages with the help of molecular dynamics simulation. As expected, the experimental results showed that nanocages can be formed with the inner diameter of up to ∼400 nm, which were robust enough even under both transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, indicating the significant contribution of β-sheet conformation. The β-nanocages can load hydrophobic anticancer drugs, e.g., paclitaxel with a very high encapsulation efficiency, which holds great potential for clinic drug delivery due to the improved anticancer effect as compared with paclitaxel alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Gao
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University Hohhot 010010 China
| | - Xinmin Zhao
- Quantum Biophotonic Lab, Key Laboratory of Optical Technology and Instrument for Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai 200093 China
| | - Qiankang Si
- Quantum Biophotonic Lab, Key Laboratory of Optical Technology and Instrument for Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai 200093 China
| | - Xingkun Niu
- Quantum Biophotonic Lab, Key Laboratory of Optical Technology and Instrument for Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai 200093 China
| | - Shaojie Hou
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China
| | - Shihao Liu
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China
| | - Jun Guo
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China
| | - Liping Wang
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University Hohhot 010010 China
- Quantum Biophotonic Lab, Key Laboratory of Optical Technology and Instrument for Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai 200093 China
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China
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14
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Soni A, Bhandari MP, Tripathi GK, Bundela P, Khiriya PK, Khare PS, Kashyap MK, Dey A, Vellingiri B, Sundaramurthy S, Suresh A, Pérez de la Lastra JM. Nano-biotechnology in tumour and cancerous disease: A perspective review. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:737-762. [PMID: 36840363 PMCID: PMC10002932 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17677] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, drug manufacturers and researchers have begun to consider the nanobiotechnology approach to improve the drug delivery system for tumour and cancer diseases. In this article, we review current strategies to improve tumour and cancer drug delivery, which mainly focuses on sustaining biocompatibility, biodistribution, and active targeting. The conventional therapy using cornerstone drugs such as fludarabine, cisplatin etoposide, and paclitaxel has its own challenges especially not being able to discriminate between tumour versus normal cells which eventually led to toxicity and side effects in the patients. In contrast to the conventional approach, nanoparticle-based drug delivery provides target-specific delivery and controlled release of the drug, which provides a better therapeutic window for treatment options by focusing on the eradication of diseased cells via active targeting and sparing normal cells via passive targeting. Additionally, treatment of tumours associated with the brain is hampered by the impermeability of the blood-brain barriers to the drugs, which eventually led to poor survival in the patients. Nanoparticle-based therapy offers superior delivery of drugs to the target by breaching the blood-brain barriers. Herein, we provide an overview of the properties of nanoparticles that are crucial for nanotechnology applications. We address the potential future applications of nanobiotechnology targeting specific or desired areas. In particular, the use of nanomaterials, biostructures, and drug delivery methods for the targeted treatment of tumours and cancer are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambikesh Soni
- School of Nanotechnology, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, India
| | | | - Gagan Kant Tripathi
- School of Nanotechnology, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, India
| | - Priyavand Bundela
- School of Nanotechnology, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, India
| | | | - Purnima Swarup Khare
- School of Nanotechnology, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, India
| | - Manoj Kumar Kashyap
- Amity Stem Cell Institute, Amity Medical School, Amity University Haryana, Haryana, India
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, West Bengal, Kolkata, India
| | - Balachandar Vellingiri
- Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bathinda, India
| | - Suresh Sundaramurthy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, India
| | - Arisutha Suresh
- Department of Energy, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology & M/s Eco Science & Technology, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, India
| | - José M Pérez de la Lastra
- Biotecnología de macromoléculas, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
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