1
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Jia Y, Fernandez A, Sampath J. PEGylation of Insulin and Lysozyme To Stabilize against Thermal Denaturation: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:6856-6866. [PMID: 37498538 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c01289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Biologic drugs or "biologics" (proteins derived from living organisms) are one of the fastest-growing classes of FDA-approved therapeutics. These compounds are often fragile and require conjugation to polymers for stabilization, with many proteins too ephemeral for therapeutic use. During storage or administration, proteins tend to unravel and lose their secondary structure due to changes in solution temperature, pH, and other external stressors. To enhance their lifetime, protein drugs currently in the market are conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), owing to its ability to increase the stability, solubility, and pharmacokinetics of protein drugs. Here, we perform all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the unfolding process of egg-white lysozyme and insulin at elevated temperatures. We test the validity of two force fields─CHARMM36 and Amber ff99SB-ILDN─in the unfolding process. By calculating global and local properties, we capture residues that deteriorate first─these are the "weak links" in the proteins. Next, we conjugate both proteins with PEG and find that PEG preserves the native structure of the proteins at elevated temperatures by blocking water molecules from entering the hydrophobic core, thereby causing the secondary structure to stabilize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinhao Jia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Adam Fernandez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Janani Sampath
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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2
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Elsayed A, Al-Remawi M, Jaber N, Abu-Salah KM. Advances in buccal and oral delivery of insulin. Int J Pharm 2023; 633:122623. [PMID: 36681204 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic endocrine disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances in metabolic processes, such as those related to carbohydrates, fat, and protein. There are two main types of this disease: type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Insulin therapy is pivotal to the management of diabetes. Over the last two decades, many routes of administration, including nasal, pulmonary, rectal, transdermal, buccal, and ocular, have been investigated. Nevertheless, subcutaneous parenteral administration is still the most common route for insulin therapy. To overcome poor bioavailability and the barriers to oral insulin absorption, novel approaches in the field of oral drug delivery and administration have been brought about by the coalescence of different branches of nanoscience and nanotechnology, such as nanomedicine, nano-biochemistry, and nano-pharmacy. Novel drug delivery systems, including nanoparticles, nano-platforms, and nanocarriers, have been suggested. The objective of this review is to provide an update on the various promising approaches that have been explored and evaluated for the safe and efficient oral and buccal administration of insulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Elsayed
- College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mayyas Al-Remawi
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 11196, Jordan
| | - Nisrein Jaber
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Khalid M Abu-Salah
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences/ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Department of Nanomedicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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3
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Yang Y, Glidden MD, Dhayalan B, Zaykov AN, Chen YS, Wickramasinghe NP, DiMarchi RD, Weiss MA. Peptide Model of the Mutant Proinsulin Syndrome. II. Nascent Structure and Biological Implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:821091. [PMID: 35299958 PMCID: PMC8922542 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.821091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxic misfolding of proinsulin variants in β-cells defines a monogenic diabetes syndrome, designated mutant INS-gene induced diabetes of the young (MIDY). In our first study (previous article in this issue), we described a one-disulfide peptide model of a proinsulin folding intermediate and its use to study such variants. The mutations (LeuB15→Pro, LeuA16→Pro, and PheB24→Ser) probe residues conserved among vertebrate insulins. In this companion study, we describe 1H and 1H-13C NMR studies of the peptides; key NMR resonance assignments were verified by synthetic 13C-labeling. Parent spectra retain nativelike features in the neighborhood of the single disulfide bridge (cystine B19-A20), including secondary NMR chemical shifts and nonlocal nuclear Overhauser effects. This partial fold engages wild-type side chains LeuB15, LeuA16 and PheB24 at the nexus of nativelike α-helices α1 and α3 (as defined in native proinsulin) and flanking β-strand (residues B24-B26). The variant peptides exhibit successive structural perturbations in order: parent (most organized) > SerB24 >> ProA16 > ProB15 (least organized). The same order pertains to (a) overall α-helix content as probed by circular dichroism, (b) synthetic yields of corresponding three-disulfide insulin analogs, and (c) ER stress induced in cell culture by corresponding mutant proinsulins. These findings suggest that this and related peptide models will provide a general platform for classification of MIDY mutations based on molecular mechanisms by which nascent disulfide pairing is impaired. We propose that the syndrome's variable phenotypic spectrum-onsets ranging from the neonatal period to later in childhood or adolescence-reflects structural features of respective folding intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Michael D. Glidden
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | | | - Yen-Shan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Nalinda P. Wickramasinghe
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | | | - Michael A. Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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4
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Busto-Moner L, Feng CJ, Antoszewski A, Tokmakoff A, Dinner AR. Structural Ensemble of the Insulin Monomer. Biochemistry 2021; 60:3125-3136. [PMID: 34637307 PMCID: PMC8552439 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Experimental evidence suggests that monomeric insulin exhibits significant conformational heterogeneity, and modifications of apparently disordered regions affect both biological activity and the longevity of pharmaceutical formulations, presumably through receptor binding and fibrillation/degradation, respectively. However, a microscopic understanding of conformational heterogeneity has been lacking. Here, we integrate all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with an analysis pipeline to investigate the structural ensemble of human insulin monomers. We find that 60% of the structures present at least one of the following elements of disorder: melting of the A-chain N-terminal helix, detachment of the B-chain N-terminus, and detachment of the B-chain C-terminus. We also observe partial melting and extension of the B-chain helix and significant conformational heterogeneity in the region containing the B-chain β-turn. We then estimate hydrogen-exchange protection factors for the sampled ensemble and find them in line with experimental results for KP-insulin, although the simulations underestimate the importance of unfolded states. Our results help explain the ready exchange of specific amide sites that appear to be protected in crystal structures. Finally, we discuss the implications for insulin function and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Busto-Moner
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Chi-Jui Feng
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Adam Antoszewski
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Andrei Tokmakoff
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- James
Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Institute
for Biophysical Dynamics, The University
of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United
States
| | - Aaron R. Dinner
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- James
Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Institute
for Biophysical Dynamics, The University
of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United
States
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5
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Jarosinski MA, Dhayalan B, Chen YS, Chatterjee D, Varas N, Weiss MA. Structural principles of insulin formulation and analog design: A century of innovation. Mol Metab 2021; 52:101325. [PMID: 34428558 PMCID: PMC8513154 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery of insulin in 1921 and its near-immediate clinical use initiated a century of innovation. Advances extended across a broad front, from the stabilization of animal insulin formulations to the frontiers of synthetic peptide chemistry, and in turn, from the advent of recombinant DNA manufacturing to structure-based protein analog design. In each case, a creative interplay was observed between pharmaceutical applications and then-emerging principles of protein science; indeed, translational objectives contributed to a growing molecular understanding of protein structure, aggregation and misfolding. SCOPE OF REVIEW Pioneering crystallographic analyses-beginning with Hodgkin's solving of the 2-Zn insulin hexamer-elucidated general features of protein self-assembly, including zinc coordination and the allosteric transmission of conformational change. Crystallization of insulin was exploited both as a step in manufacturing and as a means of obtaining protracted action. Forty years ago, the confluence of recombinant human insulin with techniques for site-directed mutagenesis initiated the present era of insulin analogs. Variant or modified insulins were developed that exhibit improved prandial or basal pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Encouraged by clinical trials demonstrating the long-term importance of glycemic control, regimens based on such analogs sought to resemble daily patterns of endogenous β-cell secretion more closely, ideally with reduced risk of hypoglycemia. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Next-generation insulin analog design seeks to explore new frontiers, including glucose-responsive insulins, organ-selective analogs and biased agonists tailored to address yet-unmet clinical needs. In the coming decade, we envision ever more powerful scientific synergies at the interface of structural biology, molecular physiology and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Jarosinski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
| | - Yen-Shan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
| | - Deepak Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
| | - Nicolás Varas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
| | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA; Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, 47405, IN, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47907, IN, USA.
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6
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Dhayalan B, Chatterjee D, Chen YS, Weiss MA. Structural Lessons From the Mutant Proinsulin Syndrome. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:754693. [PMID: 34659132 PMCID: PMC8514764 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.754693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Insight into folding mechanisms of proinsulin has been provided by analysis of dominant diabetes-associated mutations in the human insulin gene (INS). Such mutations cause pancreatic β-cell dysfunction due to toxic misfolding of a mutant proinsulin and impairment in trans of wild-type insulin secretion. Anticipated by the "Akita" mouse (a classical model of monogenic diabetes mellitus; DM), this syndrome illustrates the paradigm endoreticulum (ER) stress leading to intracellular proteotoxicity. Diverse clinical mutations directly or indirectly perturb native disulfide pairing leading to protein misfolding and aberrant aggregation. Although most introduce or remove a cysteine (Cys; leading in either case to an unpaired thiol group), non-Cys-related mutations identify key determinants of folding efficiency. Studies of such mutations suggest that the hormone's evolution has been constrained not only by structure-function relationships, but also by the susceptibility of its single-chain precursor to impaired foldability. An intriguing hypothesis posits that INS overexpression in response to peripheral insulin resistance likewise leads to chronic ER stress and β-cell dysfunction in the natural history of non-syndromic Type 2 DM. Cryptic contributions of conserved residues to folding efficiency, as uncovered by rare genetic variants, define molecular links between biophysical principles and the emerging paradigm of Darwinian medicine: Biosynthesis of proinsulin at the edge of non-foldability provides a key determinant of "diabesity" as a pandemic disease of civilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michael A. Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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7
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Chen YS, Gleaton J, Yang Y, Dhayalan B, Phillips NB, Liu Y, Broadwater L, Jarosinski MA, Chatterjee D, Lawrence MC, Hattier T, Michael MD, Weiss MA. Insertion of a synthetic switch into insulin provides metabolite-dependent regulation of hormone-receptor activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2103518118. [PMID: 34290145 PMCID: PMC8325334 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103518118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin-signaling requires conformational change: whereas the free hormone and its receptor each adopt autoinhibited conformations, their binding leads to structural reorganization. To test the functional coupling between insulin's "hinge opening" and receptor activation, we inserted an artificial ligand-dependent switch into the insulin molecule. Ligand-binding disrupts an internal tether designed to stabilize the hormone's native closed and inactive conformation, thereby enabling productive receptor engagement. This scheme exploited a diol sensor (meta-fluoro-phenylboronic acid at GlyA1) and internal diol (3,4-dihydroxybenzoate at LysB28). The sensor recognizes monosaccharides (fructose > glucose). Studies of insulin-signaling in human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2) demonstrated fructose-dependent receptor autophosphorylation leading to appropriate downstream signaling events, including a specific kinase cascade and metabolic gene regulation (gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis). Addition of glucose (an isomeric ligand with negligible sensor affinity) did not activate the hormone. Similarly, metabolite-regulated signaling was not observed in control studies of 1) an unmodified insulin analog or 2) an analog containing a diol sensor without internal tethering. Although secondary structure (as probed by circular dichroism) was unaffected by ligand-binding, heteronuclear NMR studies revealed subtle local and nonlocal monosaccharide-dependent changes in structure. Insertion of a synthetic switch into insulin has thus demonstrated coupling between hinge-opening and allosteric holoreceptor signaling. In addition to this foundational finding, our results provide proof of principle for design of a mechanism-based metabolite-responsive insulin. In particular, replacement of the present fructose sensor by an analogous glucose sensor may enable translational development of a "smart" insulin analog to mitigate hypoglycemic risk in diabetes therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Shan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | | | - Yanwu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Nelson B Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Yule Liu
- Thermalin Inc., Cleveland, OH 44106
| | | | - Mark A Jarosinski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Deepak Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Michael C Lawrence
- Structural Biology Division, WEHI, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
| | | | | | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202;
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8
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Haataja L, Arunagiri A, Hassan A, Regan K, Tsai B, Dhayalan B, Weiss MA, Liu M, Arvan P. Distinct states of proinsulin misfolding in MIDY. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6017-6031. [PMID: 34245311 PMCID: PMC8316239 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03871-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A precondition for efficient proinsulin export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is that proinsulin meets ER quality control folding requirements, including formation of the Cys(B19)–Cys(A20) “interchain” disulfide bond, facilitating formation of the Cys(B7)–Cys(A7) bridge. The third proinsulin disulfide, Cys(A6)–Cys(A11), is not required for anterograde trafficking, i.e., a “lose-A6/A11” mutant [Cys(A6), Cys(A11) both converted to Ser] is well secreted. Nevertheless, an unpaired Cys(A11) can participate in disulfide mispairings, causing ER retention of proinsulin. Among the many missense mutations causing the syndrome of Mutant INS gene-induced Diabetes of Youth (MIDY), all seem to exhibit perturbed proinsulin disulfide bond formation. Here, we have examined a series of seven MIDY mutants [including G(B8)V, Y(B26)C, L(A16)P, H(B5)D, V(B18)A, R(Cpep + 2)C, E(A4)K], six of which are essentially completely blocked in export from the ER in pancreatic β-cells. Three of these mutants, however, must disrupt the Cys(A6)–Cys(A11) pairing to expose a critical unpaired cysteine thiol perturbation of proinsulin folding and ER export, because when introduced into the proinsulin lose-A6/A11 background, these mutants exhibit native-like disulfide bonding and improved trafficking. This maneuver also ameliorates dominant-negative blockade of export of co-expressed wild-type proinsulin. A growing molecular understanding of proinsulin misfolding may permit allele-specific pharmacological targeting for some MIDY mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena Haataja
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Anoop Arunagiri
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Anis Hassan
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Kaitlin Regan
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Billy Tsai
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Ming Liu
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.,Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Peter Arvan
- The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.
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9
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Rege NK, Liu M, Yang Y, Dhayalan B, Wickramasinghe NP, Chen YS, Rahimi L, Guo H, Haataja L, Sun J, Ismail-Beigi F, Phillips NB, Arvan P, Weiss MA. Evolution of insulin at the edge of foldability and its medical implications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:29618-29628. [PMID: 33154160 PMCID: PMC7703552 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010908117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins have evolved to be foldable, and yet determinants of foldability may be inapparent once the native state is reached. Insight has emerged from studies of diseases of protein misfolding, exemplified by monogenic diabetes mellitus due to mutations in proinsulin leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress and β-cell death. Cellular foldability of human proinsulin requires an invariant Phe within a conserved crevice at the receptor-binding surface (position B24). Any substitution, even related aromatic residue TyrB24, impairs insulin biosynthesis and secretion. As a seeming paradox, a monomeric TyrB24 insulin analog exhibits a native-like structure in solution with only a modest decrement in stability. Packing of TyrB24 is similar to that of PheB24, adjoining core cystine B19-A20 to seal the core; the analog also exhibits native self-assembly. Although affinity for the insulin receptor is decreased ∼20-fold, biological activities in cells and rats were within the range of natural variation. Together, our findings suggest that the invariance of PheB24 among vertebrate insulins and insulin-like growth factors reflects an essential role in enabling efficient protein folding, trafficking, and secretion, a function that is inapparent in native structures. In particular, we envision that the para-hydroxyl group of TyrB24 hinders pairing of cystine B19-A20 in an obligatory on-pathway folding intermediate. The absence of genetic variation at B24 and other conserved sites near this disulfide bridge-excluded due to β-cell dysfunction-suggests that insulin has evolved to the edge of foldability. Nonrobustness of a protein's fitness landscape underlies both a rare monogenic syndrome and "diabesity" as a pandemic disease of civilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nischay K Rege
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Yanwu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | | | - Yen-Shan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Leili Rahimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Huan Guo
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Leena Haataja
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Jinhong Sun
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Faramarz Ismail-Beigi
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Nelson B Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Peter Arvan
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106;
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
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10
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Sharma D, Singh J. Long-term glycemic control and prevention of diabetes complications in vivo using oleic acid-grafted-chitosan‑zinc-insulin complexes incorporated in thermosensitive copolymer. J Control Release 2020; 323:161-178. [PMID: 32283211 PMCID: PMC7299807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Daily injections for basal insulin therapy are far from ideal resulting in hypo/hyperglycemic episodes associated with fatal complications in type-1 diabetes patients. Here we report a delivery system that provides controlled release of insulin closely mimicking physiological basal insulin requirement for an extended period following a single subcutaneous injection. Stability of insulin was significantly improved by formation of zinc-insulin hexamers, further stabilized by electrostatic complex formation with chitosan polymer. Insulin complexes were homogenously incorporated into PLA-PEG-PLA, a biodegradable thermogel copolymer, that instantaneously forms a subcutaneous gel-depot following injection. Chitosan polymer was hydrophobically modified using oleic acid prior to complex formation with insulin to enable distribution of oleic acid-grafted-chitosan‑zinc-insulin complexes into the hydrophobic core of PLA-PEG-PLA thermogel-copolymer micelles. In vivo, daily administration of marketed long-acting insulin, glargine, resulted in fluctuating blood glucose levels between 91 and 443 mg/dL in type 1 diabetic rats. However, single administration of thermogel copolymeric formulation successfully demonstrated slow diffusion of insulin complexes maintaining peak-free basal insulin level of 21 mU/L for 91 days. Sustained release of basal insulin also correlated with efficient glycemic control (blood glucose <120 mg/dL), prevention of diabetic ketoacidosis and absence of cataract development, unlike other treatment groups. Moreover, there was no sign of inflammation, tissue damage, or collagen deposition around depot site, suggesting exceptional biocompatibility of the formulation for long-term use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Professions, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105, ND, USA.
| | - Jagdish Singh
- Deparment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University, USA.
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11
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Pariary R, Ghosh B, Bednarikova Z, Varnava KG, Ratha BN, Raha S, Bhattacharyya D, Gazova Z, Sarojini V, Mandal AK, Bhunia A. Targeted inhibition of amyloidogenesis using a non-toxic, serum stable strategically designed cyclic peptide with therapeutic implications. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2020; 1868:140378. [PMID: 32032759 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2020.140378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Amyloidogenic disorders are currently rising as a global health issue, prompting more and more studies dedicated to the development of effective targeted therapeutics. The innate affinity of these amyloidogenic proteins towards the biomembranes adds further complexities to the systems. Our previous studies have shown that biologically active peptides can effectively target amyloidogenesis serving as an efficient therapeutic alternative in several amyloidogenic disorders. The structural uniqueness of the PWWP motif in the de novo designed heptapeptide, KR7 (KPWWPRR-NH2) was demonstrated to target insulin fiber elongation specifically. By working on insulin, an important model system in amyloidogenic studies, we gained several mechanistic insights into the inhibitory actions at the protein-peptide interface. Here, we report a second-generation non-toxic and serum stable cyclic peptide, based primarily on the PWWP motif that resulted in complete inhibition of insulin fibrillation both in the presence and absence of the model membranes. Using both low- and high-resolution spectroscopic techniques, we could delineate the specific mechanism of inhibition, at atomistic resolution. Our studies put forward an effective therapeutic intervention that redirects the default aggregation kinetics towards off-pathway fibrillation. Based on the promising results, this novel cyclic peptide can be considered an excellent lead to design pharmaceutical molecules against amyloidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranit Pariary
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Baijayanti Ghosh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Zuzana Bednarikova
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Kyriakos Gabriel Varnava
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bhisma N Ratha
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Sreyan Raha
- Department of Physics, Bose Institute, 93/1 APC Road, Kolkata 700009, India
| | - Dipita Bhattacharyya
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Zuzana Gazova
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Atin K Mandal
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata, 700054, India.
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12
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Rege NK, Liu M, Dhayalan B, Chen YS, Smith NA, Rahimi L, Sun J, Guo H, Yang Y, Haataja L, Phillips NFB, Whittaker J, Smith BJ, Arvan P, Ismail-Beigi F, Weiss MA. "Register-shift" insulin analogs uncover constraints of proteotoxicity in protein evolution. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:3080-3098. [PMID: 32005662 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Globular protein sequences encode not only functional structures (the native state) but also protein foldability, i.e. a conformational search that is both efficient and robustly minimizes misfolding. Studies of mutations associated with toxic misfolding have yielded insights into molecular determinants of protein foldability. Of particular interest are residues that are conserved yet dispensable in the native state. Here, we exploited the mutant proinsulin syndrome (a major cause of permanent neonatal-onset diabetes mellitus) to investigate whether toxic misfolding poses an evolutionary constraint. Our experiments focused on an invariant aromatic motif (PheB24-PheB25-TyrB26) with complementary roles in native self-assembly and receptor binding. A novel class of mutations provided evidence that insulin can bind to the insulin receptor (IR) in two different modes, distinguished by a "register shift" in this motif, as visualized by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Register-shift variants are active but defective in cellular foldability and exquisitely susceptible to fibrillation in vitro Indeed, expression of the corresponding proinsulin variant induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, a general feature of the mutant proinsulin syndrome. Although not present among vertebrate insulin and insulin-like sequences, a prototypical variant ([GlyB24]insulin) was as potent as WT insulin in a rat model of diabetes. Although in MD simulations the shifted register of receptor engagement is compatible with the structure and allosteric reorganization of the IR-signaling complex, our results suggest that this binding mode is associated with toxic misfolding and so is disallowed in evolution. The implicit threat of proteotoxicity limits sequence variation among vertebrate insulins and insulin-like growth factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nischay K Rege
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Ming Liu
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, Australia; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, Heping District, 300052 China
| | - Balamurugan Dhayalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Yen-Shan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Nicholas A Smith
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Leili Rahimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Jinhong Sun
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, Australia
| | - Huan Guo
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, Australia
| | - Yanwu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Leena Haataja
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, Australia
| | - Nelson F B Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Jonathan Whittaker
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Brian J Smith
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Peter Arvan
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, Australia
| | - Faramarz Ismail-Beigi
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202.
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13
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Sharma D, Arora S, Singh J. Smart Thermosensitive Copolymer Incorporating Chitosan-Zinc-Insulin Electrostatic Complexes for Controlled Delivery of Insulin: Effect of Chitosan Chain Length. INT J POLYM MATER PO 2019; 69:1054-1068. [PMID: 33012880 DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2019.1655750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This work was designed to optimize thermosensitive copolymeric depot-based system for delivering insulin at a controlled rate for a prolonged period following a single subcutaneous injection. Intrinsic ability of insulin to form hexamers in the presence of zinc and electrostatic complexes with chitosan (CS) were explored for improving stability and release characteristics of insulin through the copolymeric depot. CS-zinc-insulin complexes were prepared using CS of different chain lengths (5, 30, 50, 200 kDa). Effect of different chain lengths of CS on the thermal stability, binding constant, and release profile of insulin was determined. Increasing chain length of CS demonstrated increasing thermal stability of insulin. However, higher chain length of CS adversely affected the release profile of insulin. Hydrolytic degradation analysis showed rapid degradation of copolymer in formulation containing higher chain length of CS (200 kDa)-zinc-insulin complexes, implying formation of bigger pores and channels in copolymeric matrix during initial release in this system. However, formulation containing smaller chain length of CS (5 kDa)-zinc-insulin complexes demonstrated slow copolymer degradation and sustained insulin release profile. Additionally, CS-zinc-insulin complexes were effective in preserving stability of insulin during the entire duration of release and storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Professions, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105, ND, USA
| | - Sanjay Arora
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Professions, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105, ND, USA
| | - Jagdish Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Professions, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105, ND, USA
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14
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Wang JH, Shao XX, Hu MJ, Liu YL, Xu ZG, Guo ZY. Functionality of an absolutely conserved glycine residue in the chimeric relaxin family peptide R3/I5. Amino Acids 2019; 51:619-626. [PMID: 30604098 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-018-02694-y] [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: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The insulin superfamily is a group of homologous proteins that are further divided into the insulin family and relaxin family according to their distinct receptors. All insulin superfamily members contain three absolutely conserved disulfide linkages and a nonchiral Gly residue immediately following the first B-chain cysteine. The functionality of this conserved Gly residue in the insulin family has been studied by replacing it with natural L-amino acids or the corresponding unnatural D-amino acids. However, such analysis has not been conducted on relaxin family members. In the present study, we conducted chiral mutagenesis on the conserved B11Gly of the chimeric relaxin family peptide R3/I5, which is an efficient agonist for receptor RXFP3 and RXFP4. Similar to the effects on insulin family foldability, L-Ala or L-Ser substitution completely abolished the in vitro refolding of a recombinant R3/I5 precursor; whereas, D-Ala or D-Ser substitution had no detrimental effect on refolding of a semi-synthetic R3/I5 precursor, suggesting that the conserved Gly residue controls the foldability of relaxin family members. In contrast to the effect on insulin family activity, D-Ala or D-Ser replacement had no detrimental effect on the binding and activation potencies of the mature R3/I5 towards both RXFP3 and RXFP4, suggesting that the conserved Gly residue is irrelevant to the relaxin family's activity. The present study revealed functionality of the conserved B-chain Gly residue for a relaxin family peptide for the first time, providing an overview of its contribution to foldability and activity of the insulin superfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Hui Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng-Jun Hu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Ong SC, Belgi A, van Lierop B, Delaine C, Andrikopoulos S, MacRaild CA, Norton RS, Haworth NL, Robinson AJ, Forbes BE. Probing the correlation between insulin activity and structural stability through introduction of the rigid A6-A11 bond. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:11928-11943. [PMID: 29899115 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.002486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of fast-acting and highly stable insulin analogues is challenging. Insulin undergoes structural transitions essential for binding and activation of the insulin receptor (IR), but these conformational changes can also affect insulin stability. Previously, we substituted the insulin A6-A11 cystine with a rigid, non-reducible C=C linkage ("dicarba" linkage). A cis-alkene permitted the conformational flexibility of the A-chain N-terminal helix necessary for high-affinity IR binding, resulting in surprisingly rapid activity in vivo Here, we show that, unlike the rapidly acting LysB28ProB29 insulin analogue (KP insulin), cis-dicarba insulin is not inherently monomeric. We also show that cis-dicarba KP insulin lowers blood glucose levels even more rapidly than KP insulin, suggesting that an inability to oligomerize is not responsible for the observed rapid activity onset of cis-dicarba analogues. Although rapid-acting, neither dicarba species is stable, as assessed by fibrillation and thermodynamics assays. MALDI analyses and molecular dynamics simulations of cis-dicarba insulin revealed a previously unidentified role of the A6-A11 linkage in insulin conformational dynamics. By controlling the conformational flexibility of the insulin B-chain helix, this linkage affects overall insulin structural stability. This effect is independent of its regulation of the A-chain N-terminal helix flexibility necessary for IR engagement. We conclude that high-affinity IR binding, rapid in vivo activity, and insulin stability can be regulated by the specific conformational arrangement of the A6-A11 linkage. This detailed understanding of insulin's structural dynamics may aid in the future design of rapid-acting insulin analogues with improved stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shee Chee Ong
- From the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Alessia Belgi
- the School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Bianca van Lierop
- the School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Carlie Delaine
- From the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Sofianos Andrikopoulos
- the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Christopher A MacRaild
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Naomi L Haworth
- the School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia, and.,the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Andrea J Robinson
- the School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Briony E Forbes
- From the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia,
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16
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Rege NK, Wickramasinghe NP, Tustan AN, Phillips NFB, Yee VC, Ismail-Beigi F, Weiss MA. Structure-based stabilization of insulin as a therapeutic protein assembly via enhanced aromatic-aromatic interactions. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:10895-10910. [PMID: 29880646 PMCID: PMC6052209 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Key contributions to protein structure and stability are provided by weakly polar interactions, which arise from asymmetric electronic distributions within amino acids and peptide bonds. Of particular interest are aromatic side chains whose directional π-systems commonly stabilize protein interiors and interfaces. Here, we consider aromatic-aromatic interactions within a model protein assembly: the dimer interface of insulin. Semi-classical simulations of aromatic-aromatic interactions at this interface suggested that substitution of residue TyrB26 by Trp would preserve native structure while enhancing dimerization (and hence hexamer stability). The crystal structure of a [TrpB26]insulin analog (determined as a T3Rf3 zinc hexamer at a resolution of 2.25 Å) was observed to be essentially identical to that of WT insulin. Remarkably and yet in general accordance with theoretical expectations, spectroscopic studies demonstrated a 150-fold increase in the in vitro lifetime of the variant hexamer, a critical pharmacokinetic parameter influencing design of long-acting formulations. Functional studies in diabetic rats indeed revealed prolonged action following subcutaneous injection. The potency of the TrpB26-modified analog was equal to or greater than an unmodified control. Thus, exploiting a general quantum-chemical feature of protein structure and stability, our results exemplify a mechanism-based approach to the optimization of a therapeutic protein assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alisar N Tustan
- Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 and
| | | | | | | | - Michael A Weiss
- From the Departments of Biochemistry and
- the Department of Biochemistry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
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17
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Glidden MD, Yang Y, Smith NA, Phillips NB, Carr K, Wickramasinghe NP, Ismail-Beigi F, Lawrence MC, Smith BJ, Weiss MA. Solution structure of an ultra-stable single-chain insulin analog connects protein dynamics to a novel mechanism of receptor binding. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:69-88. [PMID: 29114034 PMCID: PMC5766920 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.808667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Domain-minimized insulin receptors (IRs) have enabled crystallographic analysis of insulin-bound "micro-receptors." In such structures, the C-terminal segment of the insulin B chain inserts between conserved IR domains, unmasking an invariant receptor-binding surface that spans both insulin A and B chains. This "open" conformation not only rationalizes the inactivity of single-chain insulin (SCI) analogs (in which the A and B chains are directly linked), but also suggests that connecting (C) domains of sufficient length will bind the IR. Here, we report the high-resolution solution structure and dynamics of such an active SCI. The hormone's closed-to-open transition is foreshadowed by segmental flexibility in the native state as probed by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy and multiple conformer simulations of crystallographic protomers as described in the companion article. We propose a model of the SCI's IR-bound state based on molecular-dynamics simulations of a micro-receptor complex. In this model, a loop defined by the SCI's B and C domains encircles the C-terminal segment of the IR α-subunit. This binding mode predicts a conformational transition between an ultra-stable closed state (in the free hormone) and an active open state (on receptor binding). Optimization of this switch within an ultra-stable SCI promises to circumvent insulin's complex global cold chain. The analog's biphasic activity, which serendipitously resembles current premixed formulations of soluble insulin and microcrystalline suspension, may be of particular utility in the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Glidden
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Yanwu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Nicholas A Smith
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Nelson B Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Kelley Carr
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | | | - Faramarz Ismail-Beigi
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Michael C Lawrence
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Brian J Smith
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Michael A Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
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18
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Liu TH, Yuyama KI, Hiramatsu T, Yamamoto N, Chatani E, Miyasaka H, Sugiyama T, Masuhara H. Femtosecond-Laser-Enhanced Amyloid Fibril Formation of Insulin. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:8311-8318. [PMID: 28742366 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b01822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Femtosecond (fs)-laser-induced crystallization as a novel crystallization technique was proposed for the first time by our group, where the crystallization time can be significantly shortened under fs laser irradiation. Similarly, we have further extended our investigation to amyloid fibril formation, also known as a nucleation-dependence process. Here we demonstrate that the necessary time for amyloid fibril formation can be significantly shortened by fs laser irradiation, leading to favorable enhancement. The enhancement was confirmed by both spectral measurements and direct observations of amyloid fibrils. The thioflavin T fluorescence intensity of laser-irradiated solution increased earlier than that of the control solution, and such a difference was simultaneously revealed by ellipticity changes. At the same time before intensity saturation in fluorescence, the number of amyloid fibrils obtained under laser irradiation was generally more than that in the control solution. Besides, such an enhancement is correlated to the laser power threshold of cavitation bubbling. Possible mechanisms are proposed by referring to fs-laser-induced crystallization and ultrasonication-induced amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Han Liu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Ken-Ichi Yuyama
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Takato Hiramatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University , Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Naoki Yamamoto
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University , Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Eri Chatani
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University , Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Miyasaka
- Division of Frontier Materials Science and Center for Promotion of Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University , Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
| | - Teruki Sugiyama
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology , Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Masuhara
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
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19
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El Hage K, Pandyarajan V, Phillips NB, Smith BJ, Menting JG, Whittaker J, Lawrence MC, Meuwly M, Weiss MA. Extending Halogen-based Medicinal Chemistry to Proteins: IODO-INSULIN AS A CASE STUDY. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:27023-27041. [PMID: 27875310 PMCID: PMC5207135 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.761015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin, a protein critical for metabolic homeostasis, provides a classical model for protein design with application to human health. Recent efforts to improve its pharmaceutical formulation demonstrated that iodination of a conserved tyrosine (TyrB26) enhances key properties of a rapid-acting clinical analog. Moreover, the broad utility of halogens in medicinal chemistry has motivated the use of hybrid quantum- and molecular-mechanical methods to study proteins. Here, we (i) undertook quantitative atomistic simulations of 3-[iodo-TyrB26]insulin to predict its structural features, and (ii) tested these predictions by X-ray crystallography. Using an electrostatic model of the modified aromatic ring based on quantum chemistry, the calculations suggested that the analog, as a dimer and hexamer, exhibits subtle differences in aromatic-aromatic interactions at the dimer interface. Aromatic rings (TyrB16, PheB24, PheB25, 3-I-TyrB26, and their symmetry-related mates) at this interface adjust to enable packing of the hydrophobic iodine atoms within the core of each monomer. Strikingly, these features were observed in the crystal structure of a 3-[iodo-TyrB26]insulin analog (determined as an R6 zinc hexamer). Given that residues B24-B30 detach from the core on receptor binding, the environment of 3-I-TyrB26 in a receptor complex must differ from that in the free hormone. Based on the recent structure of a "micro-receptor" complex, we predict that 3-I-TyrB26 engages the receptor via directional halogen bonding and halogen-directed hydrogen bonding as follows: favorable electrostatic interactions exploiting, respectively, the halogen's electron-deficient σ-hole and electronegative equatorial band. Inspired by quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics, such "halogen engineering" promises to extend principles of medicinal chemistry to proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystel El Hage
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80 CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Brian J Smith
- the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - John G Menting
- the The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia, and
| | | | - Michael C Lawrence
- the The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia, and
- the Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Markus Meuwly
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80 CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland,
| | - Michael A Weiss
- the Departments of Biochemistry,
- Medicine, and
- Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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20
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Pandyarajan V, Phillips NB, Rege N, Lawrence MC, Whittaker J, Weiss MA. Contribution of TyrB26 to the Function and Stability of Insulin: STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS AT A CONSERVED HORMONE-RECEPTOR INTERFACE. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:12978-90. [PMID: 27129279 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.708347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Crystallographic studies of insulin bound to receptor domains have defined the primary hormone-receptor interface. We investigated the role of Tyr(B26), a conserved aromatic residue at this interface. To probe the evolutionary basis for such conservation, we constructed 18 variants at B26. Surprisingly, non-aromatic polar or charged side chains (such as Glu, Ser, or ornithine (Orn)) conferred high activity, whereas the weakest-binding analogs contained Val, Ile, and Leu substitutions. Modeling of variant complexes suggested that the B26 side chains pack within a shallow depression at the solvent-exposed periphery of the interface. This interface would disfavor large aliphatic side chains. The analogs with highest activity exhibited reduced thermodynamic stability and heightened susceptibility to fibrillation. Perturbed self-assembly was also demonstrated in studies of the charged variants (Orn and Glu); indeed, the Glu(B26) analog exhibited aberrant aggregation in either the presence or absence of zinc ions. Thus, although Tyr(B26) is part of insulin's receptor-binding surface, our results suggest that its conservation has been enjoined by the aromatic ring's contributions to native stability and self-assembly. We envisage that such classical structural relationships reflect the implicit threat of toxic misfolding (rather than hormonal function at the receptor level) as a general evolutionary determinant of extant protein sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michael C Lawrence
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia, Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | | | - Michael A Weiss
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106,
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21
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Abstract
Insulin provides a classical model of a globular protein, yet how the hormone changes conformation to engage its receptor has long been enigmatic. Interest has focused on the C-terminal B-chain segment, critical for protective self-assembly in β cells and receptor binding at target tissues. Insight may be obtained from truncated "microreceptors" that reconstitute the primary hormone-binding site (α-subunit domains L1 and αCT). We demonstrate that, on microreceptor binding, this segment undergoes concerted hinge-like rotation at its B20-B23 β-turn, coupling reorientation of Phe(B24) to a 60° rotation of the B25-B28 β-strand away from the hormone core to lie antiparallel to the receptor's L1-β2 sheet. Opening of this hinge enables conserved nonpolar side chains (Ile(A2), Val(A3), Val(B12), Phe(B24), and Phe(B25)) to engage the receptor. Restraining the hinge by nonstandard mutagenesis preserves native folding but blocks receptor binding, whereas its engineered opening maintains activity at the price of protein instability and nonnative aggregation. Our findings rationalize properties of clinical mutations in the insulin family and provide a previously unidentified foundation for designing therapeutic analogs. We envisage that a switch between free and receptor-bound conformations of insulin evolved as a solution to conflicting structural determinants of biosynthesis and function.
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22
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Pandyarajan V, Phillips NB, Cox GP, Yang Y, Whittaker J, Ismail-Beigi F, Weiss MA. Biophysical optimization of a therapeutic protein by nonstandard mutagenesis: studies of an iodo-insulin derivative. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:23367-81. [PMID: 24993826 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.588277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin provides a model for the therapeutic application of protein engineering. A paradigm in molecular pharmacology was defined by design of rapid-acting insulin analogs for the prandial control of glycemia. Such analogs, a cornerstone of current diabetes regimens, exhibit accelerated subcutaneous absorption due to more rapid disassembly of oligomeric species relative to wild-type insulin. This strategy is limited by a molecular trade-off between accelerated disassembly and enhanced susceptibility to degradation. Here, we demonstrate that this trade-off may be circumvented by nonstandard mutagenesis. Our studies employed Lys(B28), Pro(B29)-insulin ("lispro") as a model prandial analog that is less thermodynamically stable and more susceptible to fibrillation than is wild-type insulin. We have discovered that substitution of an invariant tyrosine adjoining the engineered sites in lispro (Tyr(B26)) by 3-iodo-Tyr (i) augments its thermodynamic stability (ΔΔGu 0.5 ± 0.2 kcal/mol), (ii) delays onset of fibrillation (lag time on gentle agitation at 37 °C was prolonged by 4-fold), (iii) enhances affinity for the insulin receptor (1.5 ± 0.1-fold), and (iv) preserves biological activity in a rat model of diabetes mellitus. (1)H NMR studies suggest that the bulky iodo-substituent packs within a nonpolar interchain crevice. Remarkably, the 3-iodo-Tyr(B26) modification stabilizes an oligomeric form of insulin pertinent to pharmaceutical formulation (the R6 zinc hexamer) but preserves rapid disassembly of the oligomeric form pertinent to subcutaneous absorption (T6 hexamer). By exploiting this allosteric switch, 3-iodo-Tyr(B26)-lispro thus illustrates how a nonstandard amino acid substitution can mitigate the unfavorable biophysical properties of an engineered protein while retaining its advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael A Weiss
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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Nakazawa S, Ahn J, Hashii N, Hirose K, Kawasaki N. Analysis of the local dynamics of human insulin and a rapid-acting insulin analog by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2012; 1834:1210-4. [PMID: 23220415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2012.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2012] [Revised: 11/24/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Human insulin and insulin lispro (lispro), a rapid-acting insulin analog, have identical primary structures, except for the transposition of a pair of amino acids. This mutation results in alterations in their higher order structures, with lispro dissociating more easily than human insulin. In our previous study performed using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX/MS), differences were observed in the rates and levels of deuteration among insulin analog products, which were found to be related to their self-association stability. In this study, we carried out peptide mapping of deuterated human insulin and lispro to determine the regions responsible for these deuteration differences and to elucidate the type of structural changes that affect their HDX reactivity. We identified A3-6 and B22-24 as the 2 regions that showed distinct differences in the number of deuterium atoms incorporated between human insulin and lispro. These regions contain residues that are thought to participate in hexamerization and dimerization, respectively. We also determined that over time, the differences in deuteration levels decreased in A3-6, whereas they increased in B22-24, suggesting a difference in the dynamics between these 2 regions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mass spectrometry in structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiori Nakazawa
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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Phillips NB, Whittaker J, Ismail-Beigi F, Weiss MA. Insulin fibrillation and protein design: topological resistance of single-chain analogs to thermal degradation with application to a pump reservoir. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2012; 6:277-88. [PMID: 22538136 PMCID: PMC3380768 DOI: 10.1177/193229681200600210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Insulin is susceptible to thermal fibrillation, a misfolding process that leads to nonnative cross-β assembly analogous to pathological amyloid deposition. Pharmaceutical formulations are ordinarily protected from such degradation by sequestration of the susceptible monomer within native protein assemblies. With respect to the safety and efficacy of insulin pumps, however, this strategy imposes an intrinsic trade-off between pharmacokinetic goals (rapid absorption and clearance) and the requisite physical properties of a formulation (prolonged shelf life and stability within the reservoir). Available rapid-acting formulations are suboptimal in both respects; susceptibility to fibrillation is exacerbated even as absorption is delayed relative to the ideal specifications of a closed-loop system. To circumvent this molecular trade-off, we exploited structural models of insulin fibrils and amyloidogenic intermediates to define an alternative protective mechanism. Single-chain insulin (SCI) analogs were shown to be refractory to thermal fibrillation with maintenance of biological activity for more than 3 months under conditions that promote the rapid fibrillation and inactivation of insulin. The essential idea exploits an intrinsic incompatibility between SCI topology and the geometry of cross-β assembly. A peptide tether was thus interposed between the A- and B-chains whose length was (a) sufficiently long to provide the "play" needed for induced fit of the hormone on receptor binding and yet (b) sufficiently short to impose a topological barrier to fibrillation. Our findings suggest that ultrastable monomeric SCI analogs may be formulated without protective self-assembly and so permit simultaneous optimization of pharmacokinetics and reservoir life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson B. Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
| | - Jonathan Whittaker
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
| | - Faramarz Ismail-Beigi
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael A. Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
- Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineCleveland, Ohio
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25
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Berenson DF, Weiss AR, Wan ZL, Weiss MA. Insulin analogs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus: therapeutic applications of protein engineering. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2011; 1243:E40-E54. [PMID: 22641195 PMCID: PMC3360579 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06468.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The engineering of insulin analogs represents a triumph of structure-based protein design. A framework has been provided by structures of insulin hexamers. Containing a zinc-coordinated trimer of dimers, such structures represent a storage form of the active insulin monomer. Initial studies focused on destabilization of subunit interfaces. Because disassembly facilitates capillary absorption, such targeted destabilization enabled development of rapid-acting insulin analogs. Converse efforts were undertaken to stabilize the insulin hexamer and promote higher-order self-assembly within the subcutaneous depot toward the goal of enhanced basal glycemic control with reduced risk of hypoglycemia. Current products either operate through isoelectric precipitation (insulin glargine, the active component of Lantus(®); Sanofi-Aventis) or employ an albumin-binding acyl tether (insulin detemir, the active component of Levemir(®); Novo-Nordisk). To further improve pharmacokinetic properties, modified approaches are presently under investigation. Novel strategies have recently been proposed based on subcutaneous supramolecular assembly coupled to (a) large-scale allosteric reorganization of the insulin hexamer (the TR transition), (b) pH-dependent binding of zinc ions to engineered His-X(3)-His sites at hexamer surfaces, or (c) the long-range vision of glucose-responsive polymers for regulated hormone release. Such designs share with wild-type insulin and current insulin products a susceptibility to degradation above room temperature, and so their delivery, storage, and use require the infrastructure of an affluent society. Given the global dimensions of the therapeutic supply chain, we envisage that concurrent engineering of ultra-stable protein analog formulations would benefit underprivileged patients in the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Berenson
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Yale University. New Haven, CT
| | - Allison R. Weiss
- National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Zhu-li Wan
- Departments of Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Michael A. Weiss
- Departments of Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
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