1
|
Gonschorek P, Zorzi A, Maric T, Le Jeune M, Schüttel M, Montagnon M, Gómez-Ojea R, Vollmar DP, Whitfield C, Reymond L, Carle V, Verma H, Schilling O, Hovnanian A, Heinis C. Phage Display Selected Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of Kallikrein-Related Peptidases 5 and 7 and Their In Vivo Delivery to the Skin. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9735-9749. [PMID: 35653695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidases 5 (KLK5) and 7 (KLK7) are serine proteases with homeostatic functions in the epidermis that play a critical role in Netherton syndrome (NS), a rare yet life-threatening genetic disorder that currently lacks specific treatment. Previous research suggests that controlling KLKs could lead to the development of NS therapies, but existing synthetic inhibitors have limitations. Herein, we used phage display to screen libraries comprising more than 100 billion different cyclic peptides and found selective, high-affinity inhibitors of KLK5 (Ki = 2.2 ± 0.1 nM) and KLK7 (Ki = 16 ± 4 nM). By eliminating protease-prone sites and conjugating the inhibitors to an albumin-binding peptide, we enhanced the inhibitor stability and prolonged the elimination half-life to around 5 h in mice. In tissue sections taken from mice, a fluorescently labeled peptide was detected in the epidermis, suggesting that the inhibitors can reach the KLKs upon systemic delivery and should be suited to control deregulated protease activity in NS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Gonschorek
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Maric
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Le Jeune
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mischa Schüttel
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Montagnon
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Rebeca Gómez-Ojea
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Denis Patrick Vollmar
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Whitfield
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Luc Reymond
- Biomolecular Screening Facility, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Carle
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Hitesh Verma
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Schilling
- Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Alain Hovnanian
- INSERM UMR1163, Imagine Institute, University of Paris, Paris, France; Department of Genetics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children (AP-HP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dürvanger Z, Boros E, Nagy ZA, Hegedüs R, Megyeri M, Dobó J, Gál P, Schlosser G, Ángyán AF, Gáspári Z, Perczel A, Harmat V, Mező G, Menyhárd DK, Pál G. Directed Evolution-Driven Increase of Structural Plasticity Is a Prerequisite for Binding the Complement Lectin Pathway Blocking MASP-Inhibitor Peptides. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:969-986. [PMID: 35378038 PMCID: PMC9016712 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
MASP-1 and MASP-2
are key activator proteases of the complement
lectin pathway. The first specific mannose-binding lectin-associated
serine protease (MASP) inhibitors had been developed from the 14-amino-acid
sunflower trypsin inhibitor (SFTI) peptide by phage display, yielding
SFTI-based MASP inhibitors, SFMIs. Here, we present the crystal structure
of the MASP-1/SFMI1 complex that we analyzed in comparison to other
existing MASP-1/2 structures. Rigidified backbone structure has long
been accepted as a structural prerequisite for peptide inhibitors
of proteases. We found that a hydrophobic cluster organized around
the P2 Thr residue is essential for the structural stability of wild-type
SFTI. We also found that the same P2 Thr prevents binding of the rigid
SFTI-like peptides to the substrate-binding cleft of both MASPs as
the cleft is partially blocked by large gatekeeper enzyme loops. Directed
evolution removed this obstacle by replacing the P2 Thr with a Ser,
providing the SFMIs with high-degree structural plasticity, which
proved to be essential for MASP inhibition. To gain more insight into
the structural criteria for SFMI-based MASP-2 inhibition, we systematically
modified MASP-2-specific SFMI2 by capping its two termini and by replacing
its disulfide bridge with varying length thioether linkers. By doing
so, we also aimed to generate a versatile scaffold that is resistant
to reducing environment and has increased stability in exopeptidase-containing
biological environments. We found that the reduction-resistant disulfide-substituted l-2,3-diaminopropionic acid (Dap) variant possessed near-native
potency. As MASP-2 is involved in the life-threatening thrombosis
in COVID-19 patients, our synthetic, selective MASP-2 inhibitors could
be relevant coronavirus drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Dürvanger
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Boros
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Attila Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rózsa Hegedüs
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Márton Megyeri
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Dobó
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Gál
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gitta Schlosser
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, MTA-ELTE Lendület Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Research Group, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, Budapest, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Annamária F. Ángyán
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter u. 50/A, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Gáspári
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter u. 50/A, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Perczel
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Eötvös
Loránd Research Network, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Harmat
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Eötvös
Loránd Research Network, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
- Department of Organic Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Dóra K. Menyhárd
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Eötvös
Loránd Research Network, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Pál
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen Y, Xi X, Ma C, Zhou M, Chen X, Ye Z, Ge L, Wu Q, Chen T, Wang L, Kwok HF. Structure-Activity Relationship and Molecular Docking of a Kunitz-Like Trypsin Inhibitor, Kunitzin-AH, from the Skin Secretion of Amolops hainanensis. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13070966. [PMID: 34206897 PMCID: PMC8309051 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13070966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Kunitz-like trypsin inhibitors are one of the most noteworthy research objects owing to their significance in pharmacological studies, including anticarcinogenic activity, obesity regulation and anticoagulation. In the current study, a novel Kunitz-like trypsin inhibitor, Kunitzin-AH, was isolated from the skin secretion of Amolops hainanensis. The novel peptide displayed a modest trypsin inhibitory activity with the inhibitor constant (Ki) value of 1.18 ± 0.08 µM without inducing damage to healthy horse erythrocytes. Then, a series of shortened variants of Kunitzin-AH were designed by truncating a peptide loop and site mutation inside the loop to illustrate the structure–activity relationship of the trypsin inhibition function. Among the variants, a significant decrease was observed for the Cys-Cys loop domain, while the extension of an Arg at N-terminus (RCKAAFC) retained the inhibitory activity, indicating that the -RCK-motif is essential in forming the reactive domain for exerting the inhibitory activity. Furthermore, substitutions of Ala by hydrophobic or hydrophilic residues decreased the activity, indicating suitable steric hindrance provides convenience for the combination of trypsin. Additionally, the conformational simulation of the analogues processed with Chimera and Gromacs and further combination simulations between the peptides and trypsin conducted with HDOCK offered a potential opportunity for the natural trypsin inhibitory drug design. The truncated sequence, AH-798, may be a good replacement for the full-length peptide, and can be optimized via cyclization for further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Xinping Xi
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, China
- Correspondence: (X.X.); (H.F.K.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Zhuming Ye
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lilin Ge
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; (L.G.); (Q.W.)
| | - Qinan Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; (L.G.); (Q.W.)
| | - Tianbao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Y.C.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, China
- Correspondence: (X.X.); (H.F.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Payne CD, Franke B, Fisher MF, Hajiaghaalipour F, McAleese CE, Song A, Eliasson C, Zhang J, Jayasena AS, Vadlamani G, Clark RJ, Minchin RF, Mylne JS, Rosengren KJ. A chameleonic macrocyclic peptide with drug delivery applications. Chem Sci 2021; 12:6670-6683. [PMID: 34040741 PMCID: PMC8132947 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc00692d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Head-to-tail cyclized peptides are intriguing natural products with unusual properties. The PawS-Derived Peptides (PDPs) are ribosomally synthesized as part of precursors for seed storage albumins in species of the daisy family, and are post-translationally excised and cyclized during proteolytic processing. Here we report a PDP twice the typical size and with two disulfide bonds, identified from seeds of Zinnia elegans. In water, synthetic PDP-23 forms a unique dimeric structure in which two monomers containing two β-hairpins cross-clasp and enclose a hydrophobic core, creating a square prism. This dimer can be split by addition of micelles or organic solvent and in monomeric form PDP-23 adopts open or closed V-shapes, exposing different levels of hydrophobicity dependent on conditions. This chameleonic character is unusual for disulfide-rich peptides and engenders PDP-23 with potential for cell delivery and accessing novel targets. We demonstrate this by conjugating a rhodamine dye to PDP-23, creating a stable, cell-penetrating inhibitor of the P-glycoprotein drug efflux pump.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colton D Payne
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Bastian Franke
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Mark F Fisher
- The University of Western Australia, School of Molecular Sciences, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | | | - Courtney E McAleese
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Angela Song
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Carl Eliasson
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- The University of Western Australia, School of Molecular Sciences, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Achala S Jayasena
- The University of Western Australia, School of Molecular Sciences, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Grishma Vadlamani
- The University of Western Australia, School of Molecular Sciences, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Richard J Clark
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Rodney F Minchin
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Joshua S Mylne
- The University of Western Australia, School of Molecular Sciences, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - K Johan Rosengren
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
de Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1): Sowing Seeds in the Fields of Chemistry and Biology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:8050-8071. [PMID: 32621554 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nature-derived cyclic peptides have proven to be a vast source of inspiration for advancing modern pharmaceutical design and synthetic chemistry. The focus of this Review is sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1), one of the smallest disulfide-bridged cyclic peptides found in nature. SFTI-1 has an unusual biosynthetic pathway that begins with a dual-purpose albumin precursor and ends with the production of a high-affinity serine protease inhibitor that rivals other inhibitors much larger in size. Investigations on the molecular basis for SFTI-1's rigid structure and adaptable function have planted seeds for thought that have now blossomed in several different fields. Here we survey these applications to highlight the growing potential of SFTI-1 as a versatile template for engineering inhibitors, a prototypic peptide for studying inhibitory mechanisms, a stable scaffold for grafting bioactive peptides, and a model peptide for evaluating peptidomimetic motifs and platform technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew M White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Der Sonnenblumen‐Trypsin‐Inhibitor 1 (SFTI‐1) in der Chemie und Biologie. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J. Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - Andrew M. White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gitlin-Domagalska A, Maciejewska A, Dębowski D. Bowman-Birk Inhibitors: Insights into Family of Multifunctional Proteins and Peptides with Potential Therapeutical Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13120421. [PMID: 33255583 PMCID: PMC7760496 DOI: 10.3390/ph13120421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bowman-Birk inhibitors (BBIs) are found primarily in seeds of legumes and in cereal grains. These canonical inhibitors share a highly conserved nine-amino acids binding loop motif CTP1SXPPXC (where P1 is the inhibitory active site, while X stands for various amino acids). They are natural controllers of plants' endogenous proteases, but they are also inhibitors of exogenous proteases present in microbials and insects. They are considered as plants' protective agents, as their elevated levels are observed during injury, presence of pathogens, or abiotic stress, i.a. Similar properties are observed for peptides isolated from amphibians' skin containing 11-amino acids disulfide-bridged loop CWTP1SXPPXPC. They are classified as Bowman-Birk like trypsin inhibitors (BBLTIs). These inhibitors are resistant to proteolysis and not toxic, and they are reported to be beneficial in the treatment of various pathological states. In this review, we summarize up-to-date research results regarding BBIs' and BBLTIs' inhibitory activity, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity, antimicrobial and insecticidal strength, as well as chemopreventive properties.
Collapse
|
8
|
Ranacyclin-NF, a Novel Bowman-Birk Type Protease Inhibitor from the Skin Secretion of the East Asian Frog, Pelophylax nigromaculatus. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9070149. [PMID: 32630758 PMCID: PMC7407945 DOI: 10.3390/biology9070149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Serine protease inhibitors are found in plants, animals and microorganisms, where they play important roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Inhibitor scaffolds based on natural proteins and peptides have gradually become the focus of current research as they tend to bind to their targets with greater specificity than small molecules. In this report, a novel Bowman–Birk type inhibitor, named ranacyclin-NF (RNF), is described and was identified in the skin secretion of the East Asian frog, Pelophylax nigromaculatus. A synthetic replicate of the peptide was subjected to a series of functional assays. It displayed trypsin inhibitory activity with an inhibitory constant, Ki, of 447 nM and had negligible direct cytotoxicity. No observable direct antimicrobial activity was found but RNF improved the therapeutic potency of Gentamicin against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). RNF shared significant sequence similarity to previously reported and related inhibitors from Odorrana grahami (ORB) and Rana esculenta (ranacyclin-T), both of which were found to be multi-functional. Two analogues of RNF, named ranacyclin-NF1 (RNF1) and ranacyclin-NF3L (RNF3L), were designed based on some features of ORB and ranacyclin-T to study structure–activity relationships. Structure–activity studies demonstrated that residues outside of the trypsin inhibitory loop (TIL) may be related to the efficacy of trypsin inhibitory activity.
Collapse
|
9
|
Li CY, Yap K, Swedberg JE, Craik DJ, de Veer SJ. Binding Loop Substitutions in the Cyclic Peptide SFTI-1 Generate Potent and Selective Chymase Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2020; 63:816-826. [PMID: 31855419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chymase is a serine protease that is predominantly expressed by mast cells and has key roles in immune defense and the cardiovascular system. This enzyme has also emerged as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease due to its ability to remodel cardiac tissue and generate angiotensin II. Here, we used the nature-derived cyclic peptide sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) as a template for designing novel chymase inhibitors. The key binding contacts of SFTI-1 were optimized by combining a peptide substrate library screen with structure-based design, which yielded several variants with potent activity. The lead variant was further modified by replacing the P1 Tyr residue with para-substituted Phe derivatives, generating new inhibitors with improved potency (Ki = 1.8 nM) and higher selectivity over closely related enzymes. Several variants were shown to block angiotensin I cleavage in vitro, highlighting their potential for further development and future evaluation as pharmaceutical leads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Choi Yi Li
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , QLD 4072 , Australia
| | - Kuok Yap
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , QLD 4072 , Australia
| | - Joakim E Swedberg
- 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
| | - Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , QLD 4072 , Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Tian S, Swedberg JE, Li CY, Craik DJ, de Veer SJ. Iterative Optimization of the Cyclic Peptide SFTI-1 Yields Potent Inhibitors of Neutrophil Proteinase 3. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:1234-1239. [PMID: 31413811 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils produce at least four serine proteases that are packaged within azurophilic granules. These enzymes contribute to antimicrobial defense and inflammation but can be destructive if their activities are not properly regulated. Accordingly, they represent therapeutic targets for several diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we focused on proteinase 3 (PR3), a neutrophil protease with elastase-like specificity, and engineered potent PR3 inhibitors based on the cyclic peptide sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1). We used an iterative optimization approach to screen targeted substitutions at the P1, P2, P2', and P4 positions of SFTI-1, and generated several new inhibitors with K i values in the low nanomolar range. These SFTI-variants show high stability in human serum and are attractive leads for further optimization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sixin Tian
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Joakim E. Swedberg
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Choi Yi Li
- 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
| | - Simon J. de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Riley BT, Ilyichova O, de Veer SJ, Swedberg JE, Wilson E, Hoke DE, Harris JM, Buckle AM. KLK4 Inhibition by Cyclic and Acyclic Peptides: Structural and Dynamical Insights into Standard-Mechanism Protease Inhibitors. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2524-2533. [PMID: 31058493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Sunflower trypsin inhibitor (SFTI-1) is a 14 amino acid serine protease inhibitor. The dual antiparallel β-sheet arrangement of SFTI-1 is stabilized by an N-terminal-C-terminal backbone cyclization and a further disulfide bridge to form a final bicyclic structure. This constrained structure is further rigidified by an extensive network of internal hydrogen bonds. Thus, the structure of SFTI-1 in solution resembles the protease-bound structure, reducing the entropic penalty upon protease binding. When cleaved at the scissile bond, it is thought that the rigidifying features of SFTI-1 maintain its structure, allowing the scissile bond to be reformed. The lack of structural plasticity for SFTI-1 is proposed to favor initial protease binding and continued occupancy in the protease active site, resulting in an equilibrium between the cleaved and uncleaved inhibitor in the presence of a protease. We have determined, at 1.15 Å resolution, the X-ray crystal structures of complexes between human kallikrein-related peptidase 4 (KLK4) and SFTI-FCQR(Asn14) and between KLK4 and an acyclic form of the same inhibitor, SFTI-FCQR(Asn14)[1,14], with the latter displaying a cleaved scissile bond. Structural analysis and MD simulations together reveal the roles of the altered contact sequence, intramolecular hydrogen bonding network, and backbone cyclization in altering the state of SFTI's scissile bond ligation at the protease active site. Taken together, the data presented reveal insights into the role of dynamics in the standard-mechanism inhibition and suggest that modifications on the non-contact strand may be a useful, underexplored approach for generating further potent or selective SFTI-based inhibitors against members of the serine protease family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Blake T Riley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Olga Ilyichova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Joakim E Swedberg
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Emily Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - David E Hoke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Jonathan M Harris
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation , Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , Queensland 4059 , Australia
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| |
Collapse
|