Histidine-rich peptide: evidence for a single zinc-binding site on H5WYG peptide that promotes membrane fusion at neutral pH

Smart Nanoparticles as Advanced Anti-Akt Kinase Delivery Systems for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers partly due to late diagnosis, poor drug delivery to the target site, and acquired resistance to therapy. Therefore, more effective therapies are urgently needed to improve the outcome of patients. In this work, we have tested self-assembling genetically engineered polymeric nanoparticles formed by elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), carrying a small peptide inhibitor of the protein kinase Akt, in both PANC-1 and patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells (PDX models). Nanoparticle cell uptake was measured by flow cytometry, and subcellular localization was determined by confocal microscopy, which showed a lysosomal localization of these nanoparticles. Furthermore, metabolic activity and cell viability were significantly reduced after incubation with nanoparticles carrying the Akt inhibitor in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Self-assembling 73 ± 3.2 nm size nanoparticles inhibited phosphorylation and consequent activation of Akt protein, blocked the NF-κB signaling pathway, and triggered caspase 3-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo assays showed that ELR-based nanoparticles were suitable devices for drug delivery purposes with long circulating time and minimum toxicity. Hence, the use of these smart nanoparticles could lead to the development of more effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer based on the inhibition of Akt.

Designing Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles to Overcome Biological Barriers by Incorporating Targeting and Endosomal Escape

The several biological barriers that nanoparticles might encounter when administered to a patient constitute the major bottleneck of nanoparticle-mediated tumor drug delivery, preventing their successful translation into the clinic and reducing their therapeutic profile. In this work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles have been employed as a platform to engineer a versatile nanomedicine able to address such barriers, achieving (a) excessive premature drug release control, (b) accumulation in tumor tissues, (c) selective internalization in tumoral cells, and (d) endosomal escape. The nanoparticles have been decorated with a self-immolative redox-responsive linker to prevent excessive premature release, to which a versatile and polyvalent peptide that is able to recognize tumoral cells and induce the delivery of the nanoparticles to the cytoplasm via endosomal escape has been grafted. The excellent biological performance of the carrier has been demonstrated using 2D and 3D in vitro cell cultures and a tumor-bearing chicken embryo model, demonstrating in all cases high biocompatibility and cytotoxic effect, efficient endosomal escape and tumor penetration, and accumulation in tumors grown on the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos.

Multifunctional spider silk polymers for gene delivery to human mesenchymal stem cells

Non-viral gene delivery systems are important transport vehicles that can be safe and effective alternatives to currently available viral systems. A new family of multifunctional spider silk-based gene carriers was bioengineered and found capable of targeting human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). These carriers successfully delivered DNA to the nucleus of these mammalian cells. The presence of specific functional sequences in the recombinant proteins, such as a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) of the large tumor (T) antigen of the Simian virus 40 (SV40 ), an hMSC high affinity binding peptide (HAB), and a translocation motif (TLM) of the hepatitis-B virus surface protein (PreS2), and their roles in mitigation and enhancement of gene transfection efficiency towards hMSCs were characterized. The results demonstrate that these bioengineered spider silk proteins serve as effective carriers, without the well-known complications associated with viral delivery systems.

Identification of [PtCl2(phen)] binding modes in amyloid-β peptide and the mechanism of aggregation inhibition

Platinum phenanthroline complexes inhibit amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and reduce Aβ-caused neurotoxicity [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2008, 105, 6813-6818]. In this study, we investigated the interactions of Aβ(1-16) with [PtCl(2)(phen)] (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) using HPLC, ESI-MS, and NMR spectroscopy , and characterized the identity of products using tandem mass spectrometry. Results indicated that the phenanthroline ligand could induce noncovalent interactions between Aβ peptide and platinum complexes, leading to rapid Aβ platination. Multiple products were generated in the reaction, in which His6/His14 chelation was preferentially formed. Coordination of Asp7, His13, and Lys16 was also detected in other products. The majority of products were monoplatinated adducts with binding of the {Pt(phen)} scaffold, which impeded intermolecular interactions between Aβ peptides. Moreover, noncovalent interactions were confirmed by the interaction between Aβ peptide and [Pt(phen)(2)]Cl(2). The synergistic roles of the phen ligand and platinum(II) atom in the inhibition of Aβ aggregation are discussed.

Involvement of histidines 11, 15 and 19 in the binding of zinc to the fusogenic H5WYG peptide

The histidine-rich GLFHAIAHFIHGGWHGLIHGWYG peptide (H5WYG) coordinates a Zn2+ ion and forms a stable peptide-metal complex promoting membrane fusion at physiologic pH. In our previous article titled 'Histidine-rich peptide: evidence for a single zinc-binding site on H5WYG peptide that promotes membrane fusion at neutral pH' in Journal of Mass Spectrometry (2009, 44, 81-89), tandem mass spectrometry experiments have provided evidence for the binding of a single Zn2+ ion to H5WYG and suggested that this binding is shared between H11, H19 and probably H15 residues. To clarify the involvement of these histidine residues in the binding to the Zn2+ ion and especially to remove the doubt about the implication of the H15 residue, here we have used three H5WYG mutants termed H5WYGH11A, H5WYGH15A and H5WYGH19A, whose H11, H15 and H19 residues were replaced with an alanine residue. The novelty introduced by these new tandem mass spectrometry experiments performed with the mutants is the demonstration that H15 is involved in the binding of the single Zn2+ ion and that it may even favour the setting of another Zn2+ ion. Thus, the three histidines H11, H15 and H19 could lead to a specific structuring of H5WYG that can promote membrane fusion upon the binding of zinc.