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Abstract
The unprecedented pandemic of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is threatening global health. The virus emerged in late 2019 and can cause a severe disease associated with significant mortality. Several vaccine development and drug discovery campaigns are underway. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease is considered a promising drug target, as it is dissimilar to human proteases. Sequence and structure of the main protease are closely related to those from other betacoronaviruses, facilitating drug discovery attempts based on previous lead compounds. Covalently binding peptidomimetics and small molecules are investigated. Various compounds show antiviral activity in infected human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Ullrich
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Christoph Nitsche
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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Bendre S, Zhang Z, Kuo HT, Rousseau J, Zhang C, Merkens H, Roxin Á, Bénard F, Lin KS. Evaluation of Met-Val-Lys as a Renal Brush Border Enzyme-Cleavable Linker to Reduce Kidney Uptake of 68Ga-Labeled DOTA-Conjugated Peptides and Peptidomimetics. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25173854. [PMID: 32854201 PMCID: PMC7503470 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25173854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
High kidney uptake is a common feature of peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals, leading to reduced detection sensitivity for lesions adjacent to kidneys and lower maximum tolerated therapeutic dose. In this study, we evaluated if the Met-Val-Lys (MVK) linker could be used to lower kidney uptake of 68Ga-labeled DOTA-conjugated peptides and peptidomimetics. A model compound, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(Ac)-OH (AmBz: aminomethylbenzoyl), and its derivative, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(HTK01166)-OH, coupled with the PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen)-targeting motif of the previously reported HTK01166 were synthesized and evaluated to determine if they could be recognized and cleaved by the renal brush border enzymes. Additionally, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, ex vivo biodistribution and in vivo stability studies were conducted in mice to evaluate their pharmacokinetics. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(Ac)-OH was effectively cleaved specifically by neutral endopeptidase (NEP) of renal brush border enzymes at the Met-Val amide bond, and the radio-metabolite [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-Met-OH was rapidly excreted via the renal pathway with minimal kidney retention. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(HTK01166)-OH retained its PSMA-targeting capability and was also cleaved by NEP, although less effectively when compared to [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(Ac)-OH. The kidney uptake of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK(HTK01166)-OH was 30% less compared to that of [68Ga]Ga-HTK01166. Our data demonstrated that derivatives of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-AmBz-MVK-OH can be cleaved specifically by NEP, and therefore, MVK can be a promising cleavable linker for use to reduce kidney uptake of radiolabeled DOTA-conjugated peptides and peptidomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Bendre
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Zhengxing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Hsiou-Ting Kuo
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Julie Rousseau
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Chengcheng Zhang
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Helen Merkens
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - Áron Roxin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
| | - François Bénard
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
- Department of Functional Imaging, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E6, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Kuo-Shyan Lin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (S.B.); (Z.Z.); (H.-T.K.); (J.R.); (C.Z.); (H.M.); (Á.R.); (F.B.)
- Department of Functional Imaging, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E6, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Evans BJ, King AT, Katsifis A, Matesic L, Jamie JF. Methods to Enhance the Metabolic Stability of Peptide-Based PET Radiopharmaceuticals. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25102314. [PMID: 32423178 PMCID: PMC7287708 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25102314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The high affinity and specificity of peptides towards biological targets, in addition to their favorable pharmacological properties, has encouraged the development of many peptide-based pharmaceuticals, including peptide-based positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals. However, the poor in vivo stability of unmodified peptides against proteolysis is a major challenge that must be overcome, as it can result in an impractically short in vivo biological half-life and a subsequently poor bioavailability when used in imaging and therapeutic applications. Consequently, many biologically and pharmacologically interesting peptide-based drugs may never see application. A potential way to overcome this is using peptide analogues designed to mimic the pharmacophore of a native peptide while also containing unnatural modifications that act to maintain or improve the pharmacological properties. This review explores strategies that have been developed to increase the metabolic stability of peptide-based pharmaceuticals. It includes modifications of the C- and/or N-termini, introduction of d- or other unnatural amino acids, backbone modification, PEGylation and alkyl chain incorporation, cyclization and peptide bond substitution, and where those strategies have been, or could be, applied to PET peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J. Evans
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; (B.J.E.); (A.T.K.)
| | - Andrew T. King
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; (B.J.E.); (A.T.K.)
| | - Andrew Katsifis
- Department of Molecular Imaging, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia;
| | - Lidia Matesic
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia;
| | - Joanne F. Jamie
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; (B.J.E.); (A.T.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-9850-8283
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Xiao H, Altangerel A, Gerile G, Wu Y, Baigude H. Design of Highly Potent Lipid-Functionalized Peptidomimetics for Efficient in Vivo siRNA Delivery. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2016; 8:7638-7645. [PMID: 26964858 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a highly efficient approach for gene silencing. Regulation of gene expression at post-transcriptional level provides great potential for curing diseases caused by abnormal overexpression of disease-related genes. However, the application of RNAi in the clinic has been hindered by the lack of efficient and biocompatible delivery systems. Therefore, the development of a safe and tissue-targeted double-stranded interfering RNA (siRNA) carrier for clinical application is urgently needed. Here we report the discovery of a highly efficient liposomal siRNA delivery agent based on a novel peptidomimetic built from natural amino acids. Fine tuning of the composition of amino acids, the type of amide linkage in the peptidomimetic, as well as the formulation and the physicochemical parameters of the novel lipoplex resulted in a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that efficiently encapsulates and carries siRNA to mouse liver. In vivo experiments showed that a single injection of unmodified siRNA complexed to one of the peptidomimetics at a clinically feasible dose induced significant RNAi in mouse liver, resulting in a 90% decrease in apolipoprotein B (ApoB) mRNA level, as well as a 60% decrease in serum ApoB protein level. Analysis of mouse serum by ELISA indicated that the novel peptidomimetic based lipoplex did not elevate the level of liver enzymes (ALT, AST) in the serum. Our novel peptidomimetic-based lipoplex demonstrated great potential for the development of a safe and efficient siRNA delivery agent for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Xiao
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University , 235 West College Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010020, People's Republic of China
| | - Altanzul Altangerel
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University , 235 West College Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010020, People's Republic of China
| | - Gerile Gerile
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University , 235 West College Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010020, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinga Wu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University , 235 West College Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010020, People's Republic of China
| | - Huricha Baigude
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University , 235 West College Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010020, People's Republic of China
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Tan ML, Basu D, Kwiecien JM, Johnson RL, Mishra RK. Preclinical pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluation of MIF-1 peptidomimetic, PAOPA: examining the pharmacology of a selective dopamine D2 receptor allosteric modulator for the treatment of schizophrenia. Peptides 2013; 42:89-96. [PMID: 23416534 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2012] [Revised: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by a breakdown in cognition and emotion. Over the years, drug treatment for this disorder has mainly been compromised of orthosteric ligands that antagonize the active site of the dopamine D2 receptor. However, these drugs are limited in their use and often lead to the development of adverse movement and metabolic side effects. Allosteric modulators are an emerging class of therapeutics with significant advantages over orthosteric ligands, including an improved therapeutic and safety profile. This study investigates our newly developed allosteric modulator, PAOPA, which is a specific modulator of the dopamine D2 receptor. Previous studies have shown PAOPA to attenuate schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities in preclinical models. To advance this newly developed allosteric drug from the preclinical to clinical stage, this study examines the pharmacokinetic behavior and toxicological profile of PAOPA. Results from this study prove the effectiveness of PAOPA in reaching the implicated regions of the brain for therapeutic action, particularly the striatum. Pharmacokinetic parameters of PAOPA were found to be comparable to current market antipsychotic drugs. Necropsy and histopathological analyses showed no abnormalities in all examined organs. Acute and chronic treatment of PAOPA indicated no movement abnormalities commonly found with the use of current typical antipsychotic drugs. Moreover, acute and chronic PAOPA treatment revealed no hematological or metabolic abnormalities classically found with the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs. Findings from this study demonstrate a better safety profile of PAOPA, and necessitates the progression of this newly developed therapeutic for the treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattea L Tan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Butini S, Brogi S, Novellino E, Campiani G, Ghosh AK, Brindisi M, Gemma S. The structural evolution of β-secretase inhibitors: a focus on the development of small-molecule inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem 2013; 13:1787-807. [PMID: 23931442 PMCID: PMC6034716 DOI: 10.2174/15680266113139990137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a critical unmet need in medicine. The lack of useful treatment for AD led to an intense search for novel therapies based on the amyloid hypothesis, which states that amyloid β-42 (Aβ42) plays an early and crucial role in all cases of AD. β-Secretase (also known as BACE-1 β-site APP-cleaving enzyme, Asp-2 or memapsin-2) is an aspartyl protease representing the rate limiting step in the generation of Aβ peptide fragments, therefore it could represent an important target in the steady hunt for a disease-modifying treatment. Generally, β-secretase inhibitors are grouped into two families: peptidomimetic and nonpeptidomimetic inhibitors. However, irrespective of the class, serious challenges with respect to blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and selectivity still remain. Discovering a small molecule inhibitor of β-secretase represents an unnerving challenge but, due to its significant potential as a therapeutic target, growing efforts in this task are evident from both academic and industrial laboratories. In this frame, the rising availability of crystal structures of β-secretase-inhibitor complexes represents an invaluable opportunity for optimization. Nevertheless, beyond the inhibitory activity, the major issue of the current research approaches is about problems associated with BBB penetration and pharmacokinetic properties. This review follows the structural evolution of the early β-secretase inhibitors and gives a snap-shot of the hottest chemical templates in the literature of the last five years, showing research progress in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Butini
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
| | - Simone Brogi
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
| | - Arun K. Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
| | - Sandra Gemma
- European Research Centre for Drug Discovery and Development (NatSynDrugs), University of Siena, Italy
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Seo J, Ren G, Liu H, Miao Z, Park M, Wang Y, Miller TM, Barron AE, Cheng Z. In vivo biodistribution and small animal PET of (64)Cu-labeled antimicrobial peptoids. Bioconjug Chem 2012; 23:1069-79. [PMID: 22486390 PMCID: PMC3410980 DOI: 10.1021/bc300091d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Peptoids are a rapidly developing class of biomimetic polymers based on oligo-N-substituted glycine backbones, designed to mimic peptides and proteins. Inspired by natural antimicrobial peptides, a group of cationic amphipathic peptoids has been successfully discovered with potent, broad-spectrum activity against pathogenic bacteria; however, there are limited studies to address the in vivo pharmacokinetics of the peptoids. Herein, (64)Cu-labeled DOTA conjugates of three different peptoids and two control peptides were synthesized and assayed in vivo by both biodistribution studies and small animal positron emission tomography (PET). The study was designed in a way to assess how structural differences of the peptidomimetics affect in vivo pharmacokinetics. As amphipathic molecules, major uptake of the peptoids occurred in the liver. Increased kidney uptake was observed by deleting one hydrophobic residue in the peptoid, and (64)Cu-3 achieved the highest kidney uptake of all the conjugates tested in this study. In comparison to peptides, our data indicated that peptoids had general in vivo properties of higher tissue accumulation, slower elimination, and higher in vivo stability. Different administration routes (intravenous, intraperitoneal, and oral) were investigated with peptoids. When administered orally, the peptoids showed poor bioavailability, reminiscent of that of peptide. However, remarkably longer passage through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract without rapid digestion was observed for peptoids. These unique in vivo properties of peptoids were rationalized by efficient cellular membrane permeability and protease resistance of peptoids. The results observed in the biodistribution studies could be confirmed by PET imaging, which provides a reliable way to evaluate in vivo pharmacokinetic properties of peptoids noninvasively and in real time. The pharmacokinetic data presented here can provide insight for further development of the antimicrobial peptoids as pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwon Seo
- School of General Studies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Gang Ren
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, California, 94305-5344, USA
| | - Hongguang Liu
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, California, 94305-5344, USA
| | - Zheng Miao
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, California, 94305-5344, USA
| | - Minyoung Park
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, California, 94305-5440, USA
| | - Yihong Wang
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, California, 94305-5344, USA
| | - Tyler M. Miller
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, California, 94305-5440, USA
| | - Annelise E. Barron
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, California, 94305-5440, USA
| | - Zhen Cheng
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, California, 94305-5344, USA
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Jadav P, Bahekar R, Shah SR, Patel D, Joharapurkar A, Kshirsagar S, Jain M, Shaikh M, Sairam KVVM. Long-acting peptidomimetics based DPP-IV inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2012; 22:3516-21. [PMID: 22503246 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.03.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Revised: 03/12/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Pyrrolidine based peptidomimetics are reported as potent and selective DPP-IV inhibitors for the treatment of T2DM. Compounds 16c and 16d showed excellent in vitro potency and selectivity towards DPP-IV and the lead compound 16c showed sustained antihyperglycemic effects, along with improved pharmacokinetic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradip Jadav
- Zydus Research Centre, Sarkhej-Bavla NH 8A Moraiya, Ahmedabad, India
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