Impact of Peptide Sequences on Their Structure and Function: Mimicking of Virus-Like Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Delivery.

We rationally designed a series of amphiphilic hepta-peptides enriched with a chemically conjugated guanidiniocarbonylpyrrole (GCP) unit at the lysine side chain. All peptides are composed of polar (GCP) and non-polar (cyclohexyl alanine) residues but differ in their sequence periodicity, resulting in different secondary as well as supramolecular structures. CD spectra revealed the assembly of ß-sheet-, α-helical and random structures for peptides 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Consequently, this enabled the formation of distinct supramolecular assemblies such as fibres, nanorod-like or spherical aggregates. Notably, all three cationic peptides are equipped with the anion-binding GCP unit and thus possess a nucleic acid-binding centre. However, only the helical (2) and the unstructured (3) peptide were able to assemble into small virus-like DNA-polyplexes and effectively deliver DNA into cells. Notably, as both peptides (2 and 3) were also capable of siRNA-delivery, they could be utilized to downregulate expression of the caner-relevant protein Survivin.

The C-terminal segment of Leishmania major HslU: Toward potential inhibitors of LmHslVU activity.

It is urgent to develop less toxic and more efficient treatments for leishmaniases and trypanosomiases. We explore the possibility to target the parasite mitochondrial HslVU protease, which is essential for growth and has no analogue in the human host. For this, we develop compounds potentially inhibiting the complex assembly by mimicking the C-terminal (C-ter) segment of the ATPase HslU. We previously showed that a dodecapeptide derived from Leishmania major HslU C-ter segment (LmC12-U2, Cpd 1) was able to bind to and activate the digestion of a fluorogenic substrate by LmHslV. Here, we present the study of its structure-activity relationships. By replacing each essential residue with related non-proteinogenic residues, we obtained more potent analogues. In particular, a cyclohexylglycine residue at position 11 (cpd 24) allowed a more than three-fold gain in potency while reducing the size of compound 24 from twelve to six residues (cpd 50) without significant loss of potency, opening the way toward short HslU C-ter peptidomimetics as potential inhibitors of HslV proteolytic function. Finally, conjugates constituted of LmC6-U2 analogues and a mitochondrial penetrating peptide were found to penetrate into the promastigote form of L. infantum and to inhibit the parasite growth without showing toxicity toward human THP-1 cells at the same concentration (i.e. 30 µM).

The HslV Protease from Leishmania major and Its Activation by C-terminal HslU Peptides.

HslVU is an ATP-dependent proteolytic complex present in certain bacteria and in the mitochondrion of some primordial eukaryotes, including deadly parasites such as Leishmania. It is formed by the dodecameric protease HslV and the hexameric ATPase HslU, which binds via the C-terminal end of its subunits to HslV and activates it by a yet unclear allosteric mechanism. We undertook the characterization of HslV from Leishmania major (LmHslV), a trypanosomatid that expresses two isoforms for HslU, LmHslU1 and LmHslU2. Using a novel and sensitive peptide substrate, we found that LmHslV can be activated by peptides derived from the C-termini of both LmHslU1 and LmHslU2. Truncations, Ala- and D-scans of the C-terminal dodecapeptide of LmHslU2 (LmC12-U2) showed that five out of the six C-terminal residues of LmHslU2 are essential for binding to and activating HslV. Peptide cyclisation with a lactam bridge allowed shortening of the peptide without loss of potency. Finally, we found that dodecapeptides derived from HslU of other parasites and bacteria are able to activate LmHslV with similar or even higher efficiency. Importantly, using electron microscopy approaches, we observed that the activation of LmHslV was accompanied by a large conformational remodeling, which represents a yet unidentified layer of control of HslV activation.

An inverted supramolecular amphiphile and its step-wise self-assembly into vesicular networks.

A host-guest interaction between a multi-cationic dendrimer 1 functionalized with 16 guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole (GCP) groups on its surface and naphthalene diimide dicarboxylic acid (NDIDC) in a 1 : 8 ratio leads to the formation of a new type of inverted amphiphile. This amphiphile further self-assembles in a step-wise manner first into reverse micelles and then into reverse vesicles, which adhere to form an extensive 3D network several micrometers in length. Self-assembly is based on the aromatic stacking interactions of the surface-bound NDIDC. Furthermore, these aggregates only form at neutral pH but not in acidic or basic solutions in which no ion pairing between 1 and NDIDC is possible. The step-wise self-assembly process of the inverted amphiphile which follows a theoretical prediction recently proposed for hyperbranched polymers was studied and visualized in detail using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Efficient Gene Transfection through Inhibition of ß-Sheet (Amyloid Fiber) Formation of a Short Amphiphilic Peptide by Gold Nanoparticles.

The effect of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the secondary structure of an artificial ß-sheet-forming cationic peptide has been studied. The AuNPs inhibited ß-sheet formation and led to fragmented fibrils and spherical oligomers with assembled AuNPs on their surface. Besides this structural change, the functional properties of the peptide are also different. Whereas the peptide was unable to act as a vector for gene delivery, formation of a complex with AuNPs allowed successful gene delivery into cells.

pH-Controlled Formation of a Stable ß-Sheet and Amyloid-like Fibers from an Amphiphilic Peptide: The Importance of a Tailor-Made Binding Motif for Secondary Structure Formation.

The new amphiphilic peptide 1 is composed of alternating cyclohexyl side chains and guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole (GCP) groups. In contrast to analogue 2, which contains lysine instead of the GCP groups and only exists as a random coil owing to charge repulsion, peptide 1 forms a stable ß-sheet at neutral pH in aqueous medium. The weakly basic GCP groups (pKa ≈7) are key for secondary structure formation as they stabilize the ß-sheet through mutual interactions (formation of a "GCP zipper"). The ß-sheets further aggregate into left-handed helically twisted fibers. However, ß-sheet formation is completely reversible as a function of pH. At low pH (ca. 4), peptide 1 is unstructured (random coil) as all GCP units are protonated. Only round colloidal particles are observed. The amyloid nature of the fibers formed at neutral pH was confirmed by staining experiments with Congo Red and thioflavin T. Furthermore, at millimolar concentrations, peptide 1 forms a stable hydrogel.

Guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole (GCP) conjugated PAMAM-G2, a highly efficient vector for gene delivery: the importance of DNA condensation.

A novel hybrid compound 1 efficiently shuttles genetic material into HeLa cells at concentrations as low as 0.6 µM, whereas the parent compound PAMAM-G2 is ineffective even at 200 µM. The high efficiency of 1 stems from its capabiliy to form highly condensed ligand-DNA polyplexes. Its binding affinity is actually lower than for the parent dendrimer. Compound 1 is even 200 times more effective and less cytotoxic than PEI, the current gold standard in gene transfection with cationic polymers.

Two-Component Self-Assembly: Hierarchical Formation of pH-Switchable Supramolecular Networks by π-π Induced Aggregation of Ion Pairs.

Two-component self-assembly is a promising approach to construct functional nanomaterials. Interaction of a flexible guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole tetra-cation (1) with naphthalene diimide dicarboxylic acid (NDIDC) in aqueous DMSO leads to the formation of supramolecular networks. First, the carboxylate groups of NDIDC bind to the guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole cations of 1 in a 1:2 stoichiometry. Further π-π induced aggregation then leads to 3D networks, as established by dynamic light scattering studies (DLS), NMR, fluorescence titration, viscosity measurements, AFM, and TEM microscopy. Due to ion pairing, the resulting aggregates can be switched between the monomers and the aggregates reversibly using external stimuli like protonation or deprotonation. At high concentration, a stable colloidal solution is formed, which shows an extensive Tyndall effect. Increasing the concentrations even further leads to formation of a supramolecular gel.

Amino acid chirons: a tool for asymmetric synthesis of heterocycles.

As a result of their easy availability in enantiomerically enriched form and their possession of synthetically transformable diverse functional groups, amino acids have been extensively used by synthetic organic and medicinal chemists as a chiral pool for access to heterocycles (monocycles, bicycles or polycycles, either bridged or fused). This review describes the syntheses of diverse asymmetric heterocycles with various membered rings (n = 3-9) followed by benzo or heteroannulated ones, for the period from 1996 to Dec. 2013. It details solution phase synthetic methodologies in which the naturally occurring α-amino acid is incorporated, totally or partially, into the final product.

Amino acids derived benzoxazepines: design, synthesis and antitumor activity.

Two series of new benzoxazepines substituted with different alkyl amino ethyl chains were synthesized comprising synthetic steps of inter and intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction, lithium aluminium hydride (LAH) reduction, debenzylation, bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction. The present study investigates the effect of a tyrosine-based benzoxazepine derivative in human breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and in breast cancer animal model. The anti-proliferative effect of 15a on MCF-7 cells was associated with G1 cell-cycle arrest. This G1 growth arrest was followed by apoptosis as 15a dose dependently increased phosphatidylserine exposure, PARP cleavage and DNA fragmentation that are hallmarks of apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, 15a activated components of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis characterized by activation of caspase-8 and -9, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratio. However, use of selective caspase inhibitors revealed that the caspase-8-dependent pathway is the major contributor to 15a-induced apoptosis. Compound 15a also significantly reduced the growth of MCF-7 xenograft tumors in athymic nude mice. Together, 15a could serve as a base for the development of a new group of effective breast cancer therapeutics.

Inter- and intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction and metal complexation study: synthesis of S-amino acids derived chiral 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline, benzo-annulated [9]-N3 peraza, [12]-N4 peraza-macrocycles.

Substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline, benzo-annulated unsymmetrical chiral [9]-N(3) peraza, and [12]-N(4) peraza-macrocycles have been synthesized employing an inter- and intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction from an amino acid derived common synthetic intermediate 3. The metal complexation study of these macrocycles has been investigated by UV-visible spectroscopic technique with binding constant (K(b)) value 1.84 × 10(3) dm(3) mol(-1) using the Benesi-Hildebrand equation and a Gibbs free energy (ΔG) -19.4 kJ mol(-1) at 35 °C for 14d with Co(2+). The binding properties of the metal were dependent on the structure of polyaza-macrocycles that were confirmed by the DFT optimized structure of two macrocycles. A detailed investigaton of UV-visible spectra of macrocycles and their complete interpretation with the help of TD-DFT along with the frontier molecular orbital calculations are presented.

One pot synthesis of amino acid derived chiral disubstituted morpholines and 1,4-oxazepanes via tandem aziridine/epoxide ring opening sequences.

A new one-pot synthetic strategy is described for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure cis-3,5-disubstituted morpholines and 3,6-disubstituted 1,4-oxazepanes via tandem aziridine/epoxide ring opening sequences. This new strategy describes how epoxy alcohols could act as both a nucleophile and an electrophile in a tandem fashion and undergo intermolecular regioselective ring opening of chiral aziridines for the first time.

Regioselective ring-opening of amino acid-derived chiral aziridines: an easy access to cis-2,5-disubstituted chiral piperazines.

An efficient four-step synthetic strategy for cis-2,5-disubstituted chiral piperazines derived from amino-acid-based aziridines is described. The key steps in this strategy are the highly regioselective boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BF(3)·OEt(2))-mediated ring-opening of less-reactive N-Ts chiral aziridines by α-amino acid methyl ester hydrochloride followed by Mitsunobu cyclization. This protocol has been used in an attempt to construct the piperazine core framework of natural product (+)-piperazinomycin.

A new synthesis of amino acid-based enantiomerically pure substituted 2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-pyrazino[1,2-a]quinoxalines.

A new series of enantiomerically pure 2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-pyrazino[1,2-a]quinoxalines were synthesized for the first time in twelve steps from 1-fluoro-2-nitrobenzene and S-amino acids with 13-20% overall yields. First use of intramolecular Mitsunobu cyclization for 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxalines followed by PPh(3)/I(2)/imidazole mediated 6-exo-tet cyclization were the key steps.

Anti-tumor activity of a new series of benzoxazepine derivatives in breast cancer.

A series of new benzoxazepine derivatives substituted with different alkoxy and aryloxy group were synthesized comprising synthetic steps of Mitsunobu reaction, lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) reduction, followed by debenzylation and finally intramolecular Mitsunobu cyclization. The new benzoxazepines specifically inhibited growth of breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, but lack cytotoxicity to normal HEK-293 cells. The cell growth inhibition induced by the active compounds was due to cell cycle arrest at G(0)/G(1) phase. The active compound could cause significant reduction in tumor volume of MCF-7 xenograft tumor in nude mice model and their activity was comparable to that of tamoxifen citrate at 16mgkg(-1) dose at 30days of treatment. The identified most active compounds of the series have specific advantages as anti-cancer agent in breast cancer than tamoxifen.

Amino acid based enantiomerically pure 3-substituted benzofused heterocycles: A new class of antithrombotic agents.

A diverse group of novel medium ring heterocycles derived from naturally abundant proteinogenic amino acids were evaluated for their potency towards antithrombotic activity. The more potent benzofused oxazepine and oxazocine scaffolds were diversified by incorporating different amino acids at the position number 3. Further the effect of ring size has also been taken into account and it was observed that the eight-membered oxazocines ane more potent compared to the corresponding oxazepines.