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Srivastava V, Godara P, Jena SP, Naik B, Singh S, Prajapati VK, Prusty D. Peptide-ligand conjugate based immunotherapeutic approach for targeted dismissal of non-structural protein 1 of dengue virus: A novel therapeutic solution for mild and severe dengue infections. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129562. [PMID: 38246445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Dengue virus infection has significantly increased, with reported cases soaring from 505,430 in 2000 to 2,809,818 in 2022, emphasizing the need for effective treatments. Among the eleven structural and non-structural proteins of DENV, Non-structural protein 1 (NS1) has emerged as a promising target due to its diverse role in modulating the immune response, inducing vascular leakage, and facilitating viral replication and assembly. Monoclonal antibodies are the sole therapeutics to target NS1, but concerns about their cross-reactivity persist. Given these concerns, our study focuses on designing a novel Peptide Ligand Conjugate (PLC) as a potential alternative immunotherapeutic agent against NS1. This PLC aims to mediate the immune elimination of soluble NS1 and NS1-presenting DENV-infected host cells by pre-existing vaccine-induced immunity. By employing the High Throughput Virtual Screening (HTVS) method, QikProp analysis, and Molecular Dynamics studies, we identified three hits from Asinex Biodesigned Ligands out of 220,177 compounds that show strong binding affinity towards the monoclonal binding site of NS1 protein. After a rigorous analysis of physicochemical characteristics, antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity using various servers, we selected two peptides: the minimum epitopic region of the Diphtheria and Tetanus toxins as the peptide components of the PLCs. A non-cleavable, non-reactive oxime linker connected the ligand with the peptide through oxime and amide bonds. DPT vaccine is widely used in dengue-endemic countries, and it has been reported that antibodies titer against MER of Diphtheria toxin and Tetanus toxins persist lifelong in DPT-vaccinated people. Therefore, once the rationally designed PLCs bind to NS1 through the ligands, the peptide will induce an immune response against NS1 by triggering pre-existing DPT antibodies and activating memory cells. This orchestrated immune response will destroy soluble NS1 and NS1-expressing DENV-infected cells, thereby reducing the illness of severe dengue hemorrhagic fever and the DENV infection, respectively. Given the increasing demand for new therapeutics for DENV treatment, further investigation into this novel immune-therapeutic strategy may offer a new avenue for treating mild and severe dengue infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varshita Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Priya Godara
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Sudip Prasad Jena
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Biswajit Naik
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Satyendra Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi 110021, India
| | - Dhaneswar Prusty
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India.
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2
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Fotie J, Matherne CM, Mather JB, Wroblewski JE, Johnson K, Boudreaux LG, Perez AA. The Fundamental Role of Oxime and Oxime Ether Moieties in Improving the Physicochemical and Anticancer Properties of Structurally Diverse Scaffolds. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16854. [PMID: 38069175 PMCID: PMC10705934 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The present review explores the critical role of oxime and oxime ether moieties in enhancing the physicochemical and anticancer properties of structurally diverse molecular frameworks. Specific examples are carefully selected to illustrate the distinct contributions of these functional groups to general strategies for molecular design, modulation of biological activities, computational modeling, and structure-activity relationship studies. An extensive literature search was conducted across three databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scifinder, enabling us to create one of the most comprehensive overviews of how oximes and oxime ethers impact antitumor activities within a wide range of structural frameworks. This search focused on various combinations of keywords or their synonyms, related to the anticancer activity of oximes and oxime ethers, structure-activity relationships, mechanism of action, as well as molecular dynamics and docking studies. Each article was evaluated based on its scientific merit and the depth of the study, resulting in 268 cited references and more than 336 illustrative chemical structures carefully selected to support this analysis. As many previous reviews focus on one subclass of this extensive family of compounds, this report represents one of the rare and fully comprehensive assessments of the anticancer potential of this group of molecules across diverse molecular scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Fotie
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southeastern Louisiana University, SLU 10878, Hammond, LA 70402-0878, USA; (C.M.M.); (J.B.M.); (J.E.W.); (K.J.); (L.G.B.); (A.A.P.)
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3
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Gomena J, Vári B, Oláh-Szabó R, Biri-Kovács B, Bősze S, Borbély A, Soós Á, Ranđelović I, Tóvári J, Mező G. Targeting the Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor (GRP-R) in Cancer Therapy: Development of Bombesin-Based Peptide-Drug Conjugates. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3400. [PMID: 36834815 PMCID: PMC9967152 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted tumour therapy has proved to be an efficient alternative to overcome the limitations of conventional chemotherapy. Among several receptors upregulated in cancer cells, the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) has recently emerged as a promising target for cancer imaging, diagnosing and treatment due to its overexpression on cancerous tissues such as breast, prostate, pancreatic and small-cell lung cancer. Herein, we report on the in vitro and in vivo selective delivery of the cytotoxic drug daunorubicin to prostate and breast cancer, by targeting GRP-R. Exploiting many bombesin analogues as homing peptides, including a newly developed peptide, we produced eleven daunorubicin-containing peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs), acting as drug delivery systems to safely reach the tumour environment. Two of our bioconjugates revealed remarkable anti-proliferative activity, an efficient uptake by all three tested human breast and prostate cancer cell lines, high stability in plasma and a prompt release of the drug-containing metabolite by lysosomal enzymes. Moreover, they revealed a safe profile and a consistent reduction of the tumour volume in vivo. In conclusion, we highlight the importance of GRP-R binding PDCs in targeted cancer therapy, with the possibility of further tailoring and optimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Gomena
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Vári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rita Oláh-Szabó
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Bősze
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Adina Borbély
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Lendület Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Soós
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ivan Ranđelović
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- KINETO Lab Ltd., 1037 Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
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4
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Agnihotri TG, Jadhav GS, Sahu B, Jain A. Recent trends of bioconjugated nanomedicines through nose-to-brain delivery for neurological disorders. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 12:3104-3120. [PMID: 35570262 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01173-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The global burden of neurological disorders has been increasing day by day which calls for immediate attention to the solutions. Novel drug delivery systems are one of the alternatives that we count on to counteract these disorders. As the blood-brain barrier creates a significant hindrance to the delivery of drugs across the endothelium lining of the brain, nose-to-brain delivery has been the favorite option to administer such drugs. In recent times, bioconjugation has been viewed as a rapidly growing area in the field of pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical industry and academic research are investing significantly in bioconjugated structures as an attractive and advantageous potential aid to nanoparticulate delivery systems, with all of its flexible benefits in terms of tailor grafting and custom design as well as overcoming the majority of their drawbacks. This review discusses drug delivery via the intranasal route and gives insight into bioconjugation systems for drug molecules, their chemistry, and benefits over other systems. Conjugation of drugs/macromolecules with peptides, carbohydrates, ligands, and nucleic acids has also been discussed in detail. The figure represents few types of novel drug delivery systems and molecules that have been attempted by researchers for nose-to-brain delivery through nasal (mucosal) route for the effective management of epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, brain cancer, and other brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejas Girish Agnihotri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Ahmedabad, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Govinda Shivaji Jadhav
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Ahmedabad, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Bichismita Sahu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Ahmedabad, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Aakanchha Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Ahmedabad, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, Gujarat, India.
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5
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Rational designing of peptide-ligand conjugates-based immunotherapy for the treatment of complicated malaria. Life Sci 2022; 311:121121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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6
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Schuster S, Juhász É, Halmos G, Neundorf I, Gennari C, Mező G. Development and Biochemical Characterization of Self-Immolative Linker Containing GnRH-III-Drug Conjugates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095071. [PMID: 35563462 PMCID: PMC9105102 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The human gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH-I) and its sea lamprey analogue GnRH-III specifically bind to GnRH receptors on cancer cells and can be used as targeting moieties for targeted tumor therapy. Considering that the selective release of drugs in cancer cells is of high relevance, we were encouraged to develop cleavable, self-immolative GnRH-III-drug conjugates which consist of a p-aminobenzyloxycarbonlyl (PABC) spacer between a cathepsin B-cleavable dipeptide (Val-Ala, Val-Cit) and the classical anticancer drugs daunorubicin (Dau) and paclitaxel (PTX). Alongside these compounds, non-cleavable GnRH-III-drug conjugates were also synthesized, and all compounds were analyzed for their antiproliferative activity. The cleavable GnRH-III bioconjugates revealed a growth inhibitory effect on GnRH receptor-expressing A2780 ovarian cancer cells, while their activity was reduced on Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells exhibiting a lower GnRH receptor level. Moreover, the antiproliferative activity of the non-cleavable counterparts was strongly reduced. Additionally, the efficient cleavage of the Val-Ala linker and the subsequent release of the drugs could be verified by lysosomal degradation studies, while radioligand binding studies ensured that the GnRH-III-drug conjugates bound to the GnRH receptor with high affinity. Our results underline the high value of GnRH-III-based homing devices and the application of cathepsin B-cleavable linker systems for the development of small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schuster
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary;
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Juhász
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Gábor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Ines Neundorf
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Cesare Gennari
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy;
| | - Gábor Mező
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary;
- ELKH-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-1-372-2500
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7
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Multifunctional building elements for the construction of peptide drug conjugates. ENGINEERED REGENERATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.engreg.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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8
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Different Approaches to Cyclize a Cell-Penetrating Peptide and to Tether Bioactive Payloads. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2371:375-389. [PMID: 34596859 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1689-5_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are versatile tools to deliver various molecules into different cell types. The majority of CPPs are usually represented by linear structures, but numerous recent studies demonstrated cyclization to be an effective strategy leading to favorable biological activities. Here we describe two different methods for the side chain and backbone cyclization of CPPs . Furthermore, we highlight straightforward procedures for the covalent coupling of fluorophores or cytotoxic payloads.
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9
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Alas M, Saghaeidehkordi A, Kaur K. Peptide-Drug Conjugates with Different Linkers for Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2020; 64:216-232. [PMID: 33382619 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug conjugates are chemotherapeutic or cytotoxic agents covalently linked to targeting ligands such as an antibody or a peptide via a linker. While antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are now clinically established for cancer therapy, peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are gaining recognition as a new modality for targeted drug delivery with improved efficacy and reduced side effects for cancer treatment. The linker in a drug conjugate plays a key role in the circulation time of the conjugate and release of the drug for full activity at the target site. Herein, we highlight the main linker chemistries utilized in the design of PDCs and discuss representative examples of PDCs with different linker chemistries with the related outcome in cell and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Alas
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
| | - Azam Saghaeidehkordi
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
| | - Kamaljit Kaur
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
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10
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Vrettos EI, Karampelas T, Sayyad N, Kougioumtzi A, Syed N, Crook T, Murphy C, Tamvakopoulos C, Tzakos AG. Development of programmable gemcitabine-GnRH pro-drugs bearing linker controllable "click" oxime bond tethers and preclinical evaluation against prostate cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113018. [PMID: 33223264 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are gaining considerable attention as anti-neoplastic agents. However, their development is often laborious and time-consuming. Herein, we have developed and preclinically evaluated three PDCs with gemcitabine as the anticancer cytotoxic unit and D-Lys6-GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone; GnRH) as the cancer-targeting unit. These units were tethered via acid-labile programmable linkers to guide a differential drug release rate from the PDC through a combination of ester or amide and "click" type oxime ligations. The pro-drugs were designed to enable the selective targeting of malignant tumor cells with linker guided differential drug release rates. We exploited the oxime bond responsiveness against the acidic pH of the tumor microenvironment and the GnRH endocytosis via the GnRH-R GPCR which is overexpressed on cancer cells. The challenging metabolic properties of gemcitabine were addressed during design of the PDCs. We developed a rapid (1 hour) and cost-effective "click" oxime bond ligation platform to assemble in one-pot the 3 desired PDCs that does not require purification, surpassing traditional time-ineffective and low yield methods. The internalization of the tumor-homing peptide unit in cancer cells, overexpressing the GnRH-R, was first validated through confocal laser microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Subsequently, the three PDCs were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative effect in prostate cancer cells. Their stability and the release of gemcitabine over time were monitored in vitro in cell culture and in human plasma using LC-MS/MS. We then assessed the ability of the developed PDCs to internalize in prostate cancer cells and to release gemcitabine. The most potent analog, designated GOXG1, was used for pharmacokinetic studies in mice. The metabolism of GOXG1 was examined in liver microsomes, as well as in buffers mimicking the pH of intracellular organelles, resulting in the identification of two metabolites. The major metabolite at low pH emanated from the cleavage of the pH-labile oxime bond, validating our design approach. NMR spectroscopy and in vitro radioligand binding assays were exploited for GOXG1 to validate that upon conjugating the drug to the peptide, the peptide microenvironment responsible for its GnRH-R binding is not perturbed and to confirm its high binding potency to the GnRH-R. Finally, the binding of GOXG1 to the GnRH-R and the associated elicitation of testosterone release in mice were also determined. The facile platform established herein for the rapid assembly of PDCs with linker controllable characteristics from aldehyde and aminooxy units through rapid "click" oxime ligation, that does not require purification steps, could pave the way for a new generation of potent cancer therapeutics, diagnostics and theranostics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theodoros Karampelas
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation ofthe Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nisar Sayyad
- Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
| | - Anastasia Kougioumtzi
- Department of Biomedical Research, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - Forth, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Nelofer Syed
- John Fulcher Neuro-oncology Laboratory, Dept of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Timothy Crook
- John Fulcher Neuro-oncology Laboratory, Dept of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Carol Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Research, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - Forth, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation ofthe Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas G Tzakos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece; University Research Center of Ioannina (URCI), Institute of Materials Science and Computing, Ioannina, Greece.
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11
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Pavlíčková V, Jurášek M, Rimpelová S, Záruba K, Sedlák D, Šimková M, Kodr D, Staňková E, Fähnrich J, Rottnerová Z, Bartůněk P, Lapčík O, Drašar P, Ruml T. Oxime-based 19-nortestosterone-pheophorbide a conjugate: bimodal controlled release concept for PDT. J Mater Chem B 2020; 7:5465-5477. [PMID: 31414695 DOI: 10.1039/c9tb01301f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy has become a feasible direction for the treatment of both malignant and non-malignant diseases. It has been in the spotlight since FDA regulatory approval was granted to several photosensitizers worldwide. Nevertheless, there are still strong limitations in the targeting specificity that is vital to prevent systemic toxicity. Here, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel bimodal oxime conjugate composed of a photosensitizing drug, red-emitting pheophorbide a, and nandrolone (NT), a steroid specifically binding the androgen receptor (AR) commonly overexpressed in various tumors. We characterized the physico-chemical properties of the NT-pheophorbide a conjugate (NT-Pba) and singlet oxygen generation. Because light-triggered therapies have the potential to provide important advances in the treatment of hormone-sensitive cancer, the biological potential of this novel specifically-targeted photosensitizer was assessed in prostatic cancer cell lines in vitro using an AR-positive (LNCaP) and an AR-negative/positive cell line (PC-3). U-2 OS cells, both with and without stable AR expression, were used as a second cell line model. Interestingly, we found that the NT-Pba conjugate was not only photodynamically active and AR-specific, but also that its phototoxic effect was more pronounced compared to pristine pheophorbide a. We also examined the intracellular localization of NT-Pba. Live-cell fluorescence microscopy provided clear evidence that the NT-Pba conjugate localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Moreover, we performed a competitive localization study with the excess of nonfluorescent NT, which was able to displace fluorescent NT-Pba from the cell interior, thereby further confirming the binding specificity. The oxime ether bond degradation was assayed in living cells by both real-time microscopy and a steroid receptor reporter assay using AR U-2 OS cells. Thus, NT-Pba is a promising candidate for both the selective targeting and eradication of AR-positive malignant cells by photodynamic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimíra Pavlíčková
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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12
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Piorecka K, Smith D, Kurjata J, Stanczyk M, Stanczyk WA. Synthetic routes to nanoconjugates of anthracyclines. Bioorg Chem 2020; 96:103617. [PMID: 32014639 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anthracyclines (Anth) are widely used in the treatment of various types of cancer. Unfortunately, they exhibit serious adverse effects, such as hematopoietic depression and cardiotoxicity, leading to heart failure. In this review, we focus on recently developed conjugates of anthracyclines with a range of nanocarriers, such as polymers, peptides, DNA or inorganic systems. Manipulation of the composition, size and shape of chemical entities at the nanometer scale makes possible the design and development of a range of prodrugs. In this review we concentrate on synthetic chemistry in the long process leading to the introduction of novel therapeutic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Piorecka
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland
| | - David Smith
- Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ, UK
| | - Jan Kurjata
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Wlodzimierz A Stanczyk
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland.
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13
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Tripodi AAP, Ranđelović I, Biri-Kovács B, Szeder B, Mező G, Tóvári J. In Vivo Tumor Growth Inhibition and Antiangiogenic Effect of Cyclic NGR Peptide-Daunorubicin Conjugates Developed for Targeted Drug Delivery. Pathol Oncol Res 2019; 26:1879-1892. [PMID: 31820302 PMCID: PMC7297862 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-019-00773-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Among various homing devices, peptides containing the NGR tripeptide sequence represent a promising approach to selectively recognize CD13 receptor isoforms on the surface of tumor cells. They have been successfully used for the delivery of various chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor vessels. Here, we report on the murine plasma stability, in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of our recently described bioconjugates containing daunorubicin as payload. Furthermore, CD13 expression of KS Kaposi’s Sarcoma cell line and HT-29 human colon carcinoma cell line was investigated. Flow cytometry studies confirm the fast cellular uptake resulting in the rapid delivery of the active metabolite Dau = Aoa-Gly-OH to tumor cells. The increased in vitro antitumor effect might be explained by the faster rearrangement from NGR to isoDGR in case of conjugate 2 (Dau = Aoa-GFLGK(c[NleNGRE]-GG)-NH2) in comparison with conjugate 1 (Dau = Aoa-GFLGK(c[KNGRE]-GG)-NH2). Nevertheless, results indicated that both conjugates showed significant effect on inhibition of proliferation in the primary tumor and also on blood vessel formation making them a potential candidate for targeting angiogenesis processes in tumors where CD13 and integrins are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Angelo Pierluigi Tripodi
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ivan Ranđelović
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Szeder
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary.
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14
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Ranđelović I, Schuster S, Kapuvári B, Fossati G, Steinkühler C, Mező G, Tóvári J. Improved In Vivo Anti-Tumor and Anti-Metastatic Effect of GnRH-III-Daunorubicin Analogs on Colorectal and Breast Carcinoma Bearing Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4763. [PMID: 31557968 PMCID: PMC6801585 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Among various homing devices, gonadotropin-releasing hormone-III (GnRH-III) peptide represents a suitable targeting moiety for drug delivery systems. The anti-tumor activity of the previously developed GnRH-III-[4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate and the novel synthesized GnRH-III-[2ΔHis,3d-Tic,4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate, containing the anti-cancer drug daunorubicin, were evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that both GnRH-III-Dau conjugates possess an efficient growth inhibitory effect on more than 20 cancer cell lines, whereby the biological activity is strongly connected to the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRH-R). The novel conjugate showed a higher in vitro anti-proliferative activity and a higher uptake capacity. Moreover, the treatment with GnRH-III-Dau conjugates cause a significant in vivo tumor growth and metastases inhibitory effect in three different orthotopic models, including 4T1 mice and MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma, as well as HT-29 human colorectal cancer bearing BALB/s and SCID mice, while toxic side-effects were substantially reduced in comparison to the treatment with the free drug. These findings illustrate that our novel lead compound is a highly promising candidate for targeted tumor therapy in both colon cancer and metastatic breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Ranđelović
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Sabine Schuster
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Bence Kapuvári
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Gianluca Fossati
- Preclinical R&D, Italfarmaco SpA, 20092 Cinisello Balsamo (Milan), Italy.
| | | | - Gábor Mező
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
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15
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Apoptotic Effects of Drug Targeting Conjugates Containing Different GnRH Analogs on Colon Carcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184421. [PMID: 31500399 PMCID: PMC6769516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The wide range of cellular target reactions (e.g., antitumor) of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) variants provides the possibility to develop multifunctional GnRH conjugates. The aim of our work was to compare the cytotoxic/apoptotic activity of different GnRH-based, daunorubicin (Dau)-linked conjugates with or without butyrated Lys in position 4 (4Lys(Bu)) at a molecular level in a human colorectal carcinoma cell line. Cell viability was measured by impedimetry, cellular uptake and apoptosis were studied by flow cytometry, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The modification with 4Lys(Bu) resulted in an increased cytotoxic and apoptotic effects and cellular uptake of the GnRH-I and GnRH-III conjugates. Depending on the GnRH isoform and the presence of 4Lys(Bu), the conjugates could regulate the expression of several apoptosis-related genes, especially tumor necrosis factor (TNF), tumor protein p53 (TP53) and the members of growth-factor signaling. The stronger cytotoxicity of GnRH-I and GnRH-III conjugates containing 4Lys(Bu) was associated with a stronger inhibitory effect on the expression of growth-factor signaling elements in comparison with their 4Ser counterparts, in which the upregulation of TP53 and caspases (e.g., CASP9) seemed to play a more important role. We were able to provide further evidence that targeting the GnRH receptor could serve as a successful therapeutic approach in colon cancer, and GnRH-III-[4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] proved to be the best candidate for this purpose.
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16
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Kiss K, Biri-Kovács B, Szabó R, Ranđelović I, Enyedi KN, Schlosser G, Orosz Á, Kapuvári B, Tóvári J, Mező G. Sequence modification of heptapeptide selected by phage display as homing device for HT-29 colon cancer cells to improve the anti-tumour activity of drug delivery systems. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 176:105-116. [PMID: 31100648 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of peptide-based conjugates for targeted tumour therapy is a current research topic providing new possibilities in cancer treatment. In this study, VHLGYAT heptapeptide selected by phage display technique for HT-29 human colon cancer was investigated as homing peptide for drug delivery. Daunomycin was conjugated to the N-terminus of the peptide directly or through Cathepsin B cleavable spacers. Conjugates showed moderate in vitro cytostatic effect. Therefore, sequence modifications were performed by Ala-scan and positional scanning resulting in conjugates with much higher bioactivity. Conjugates in which Gly was replaced by amino acids with bulky apolaric side chains provided the best efficacy. The influence of the cellular uptake, stability and drug release on the anti-tumour activity was investigated. It was found that mainly the difference in the cellular uptake of the conjugates generated the distinct effect on cell viability. One of the most efficient conjugate Dau = Aoa-LRRY-VHLFYAT-NH2 showed tumour growth inhibition on orthotopically developed HT-29 colon cancer in mice with negligible toxic side effect compared to the free drug. We also indicate that this sequence is not specific to HT-29 cells, but it has a remarkable effect on many other cancer cells. Nevertheless, the Phe-containing conjugate was more active in all cases compared to the conjugate with the parent sequence. The literature data suggested that this sequence is highly overlapped with peptides that recognize Hsp70 membrane bound protein overexpressed in many types of tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Kiss
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rita Szabó
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ivan Ranđelović
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kata Nóra Enyedi
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gitta Schlosser
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Orosz
- Institute of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, 1444, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bence Kapuvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
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17
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Schuster S, Biri-Kovács B, Szeder B, Buday L, Gardi J, Szabó Z, Halmos G, Mező G. Enhanced In Vitro Antitumor Activity of GnRH-III-Daunorubicin Bioconjugates Influenced by Sequence Modification. Pharmaceutics 2018; 10:E223. [PMID: 30423956 PMCID: PMC6320914 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics10040223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Receptors for gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) are highly expressed in various human cancers including breast, ovarian, endometrial, prostate and colorectal cancer. Ligands like human GnRH-I or the sea lamprey analogue GnRH-III represent a promising approach for the development of efficient drug delivery systems for targeted tumor therapy. Here, we report on the synthesis and cytostatic effect of 14 oxime bond-linked daunorubicin GnRH-III conjugates containing a variety of unnatural amino acids within the peptide sequence. All compounds demonstrated a reduced cell viability in vitro on estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive and ERα negative cancer cells. The best candidate revealed an increased cancer cell growth inhibitory effect compared to our lead-compound GnRH-III-[⁴Lys(Bu),⁸Lys(Dau=Aoa)]. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy studies showed that the cellular uptake of the novel conjugate is substantially improved leading to an accelerated delivery of the drug to its site of action. However, the release of the active drug-metabolite by lysosomal enzymes was not negatively affected by amino acid substitution, while the compound provided a high stability in human blood plasma. Receptor binding studies were carried out to ensure a high binding affinity of the new compound for the GnRH-receptor. It was demonstrated that GnRH-III-[²ΔHis,³d-Tic,⁴Lys(Bu),⁸Lys(Dau=Aoa)] is a highly potent and promising anticancer drug delivery system for targeted tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schuster
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Bálint Szeder
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - László Buday
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - János Gardi
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Szabó
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Mező
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
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