Stapled truncated orexin peptides as orexin receptor agonists.

The peptides orexin-A and -B, the endogenous agonists of the orexin receptors, have similar 19-amino-acid C-termini which retain full maximum response as truncated peptides with only marginally reduced potency, while further N-terminal truncations successively reduce the activity. The peptides have been suggested to bind in an α-helical conformation, and truncation beyond a certain critical length is likely to disrupt the overall helical structure. In this study, we set out to stabilize the α-helical conformation of orexin-A15-33 via peptide stapling at four different sites. At a suggested hinge region, we varied the length of the cross-linker as well as replaced the staple with two α-aminoisobutyric acid residues. Modifications close to the peptide C-terminus, which is crucial for activity, were not allowed. However, central and N-terminal modifications yielded bioactive peptides, albeit with decreased potencies. This provides evidence that the orexin receptors can accommodate and be activated by α-helical peptides. The decrease in potency is likely linked to a stabilization of suboptimal peptide conformation or blocking of peptide backbone-receptor interactions at the hinge region by the helical stabilization or the modified amino acids.

Triethylenetetramine modulates polyamine and energy metabolism and inhibits cancer cell proliferation.

Polyamine metabolism is an attractive anticancer drug target, since polyamines are absolutely required for cellular proliferation, and increased levels of polyamines and their biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) are associated with cancer. Triethylenetetramine (TETA) is a charge-deficient isosteric analogue of the polyamine spermidine (Spd) and a Cu(II)-chelating compound used for the treatment of Wilson's disease, and it has been implicated as a potential anticancer therapeutic drug. In the present study, we studied the effects of TETA in comparison with two other Cu(II)-chelators, D-penicillamine (PA) and tetrathiomolybdate (TTM), on polyamine metabolism in DU145 prostate carcinoma, MCF-7 breast carcinoma and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. TETA induced antizyme, down-regulated ODC and inhibited [(14)C] Spd uptake. Moreover, it completely prevented α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO)-induced increase in [(14)C] Spd uptake, and inhibited [(14)C] putrescine (Put) uptake and ODC activity in vivo Seven-day treatment of DU145 cells with TETA caused growth cessation by reducing intracellular polyamine levels and suppressing the formation of hypusinated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). TETA or its N-acetylated metabolites also inhibited spermine (Spm), diamine and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases and decreased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Moreover, TETA inhibited the utilization of Put as energy source via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, as indicated by decreased production of (14)CO2 from [(14)C] Put. These results indicate that TETA attacks multiple proven anticancer drug targets not attributed to copper chelation, which warrants further studies to reveal its potential in cancer chemoprevention and cure.

Two strategies for the synthesis of the biologically important ATP analogue ApppI, at a multi-milligram scale.

Two strategies for the synthesis of the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) analogue ApppI [1-adenosin-5'-yl 3-(3-methylbut-3-enyl)triphosphoric acid diester] (1) are described. ApppI is an active metabolite of the mevalonate pathway and thus is of major biological significance. Chemically synthezised ApppI was purified by using triethylammonium bicarbonate as the counter ion in ion-pair chromatography and characterized by (1)H, (13)C, (31)P NMR and MS spectroscopical methods.

Structural requirements for bisphosphonate binding on hydroxyapatite: NMR study of bisphosphonate partial esters.

Eighteen different bisphosphonates, including four clinically used bisphosphonate acids and their phosphoesters, were studied to evaluate how the bisphosphonate structure affects binding to bone. Bisphosphonates with weak bone affinity, such as clodronate, could not bind to hydroxyapatite after the addition of one ester group. Medronate retained its ability to bind after the addition of one ester group, and hydroxy-bisphosphonates could bind even after the addition of two ester groups. Thus, several bisphosphonate esters are clearly bone binding compounds. The following conclusions about bisphosphonate binding emerge: (1) a hydroxyl group in the geminal carbon takes part in the binding process and increases the bisphosphonate's ability to bind to bone; (2) the bisphosphonate's ability to bind decreases when the amount of ester groups increases; and (3) the location of the ester groups affects the bisphosphonate's binding ability.

Enantiomers of 3-methylspermidine selectively modulate deoxyhypusine synthesis and reveal important determinants for spermidine transport.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is essential for cell proliferation, becoming functionally active only after post-translational conversion of a specific Lys to hypusine [N(ε)-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)lysine]. Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) is the rate-limiting enzyme of this two-step process, and the polyamine spermidine is the only natural donor of the butylamine group for this reaction, which is very conserved-hypusine biosynthesis suffers last when the intracellular spermidine pool is depleted. DHS has a very strict substrate specificity, and only a few spermidine analogs are substrates of the enzyme and can support long-term growth of spermidine-depleted cells. Herein, we compared the biological properties of earlier unknown enantiomers of 3-methylspermidine (3-MeSpd) in deoxyhypusine synthesis, in supporting cell growth and in polyamine transport. Long-term treatment of DU145 cells with α-difluoromethylornithine (inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis) and (R)-3-MeSpd did not cause depletion of hypusinated eIF5A, and the cells were still able to grow, whereas the combination of α-difluoromethylornithine with a racemate or (S)-3-MeSpd caused cessation of cell growth. Noticeably, DHS preferred the (R)- over the (S)-enantiomer as a substrate. (R)-3-MeSpd competed with [(14)C]-labeled spermidine for cellular uptake less efficiently than the (S)-3-MeSpd (Ki = 141 µM vs 19 µM, respectively). The cells treated with racemic 3-MeSpd accumulated intracellularly mainly (S)-3-MeSpd, but not DHS substrate (R)-3-MeSpd, explaining the inability of the racemate to support long-term growth. The distinct properties of 3-MeSpd enantiomers can be exploited in designing polyamine uptake inhibitors, facilitating drug delivery and modulating deoxyhypusine synthesis.

Replacement of the Disulfide Bridge in a KLK3-Stimulating Peptide Using Orthogonally Protected Building Blocks.

Peptide "B-2", which is one of the most potent kallikrein-related peptidase 3 (KLK3)-stimulating compounds, consists of 12 amino acids and is cyclized by a disulfide bridge between the N- and C-terminal cysteines. Orthogonally protected building blocks were used in the peptide synthesis to introduce a disulfide bridge mimetic consisting of four carbon atoms. The resulting pseudopeptides with alkane and E-alkene linkers doubled the proteolytic activity of KLK3 at a concentration of 14 µM. They were almost as potent as the parent "B-2" peptide, which gives a 3.6-fold increase in the proteolytic activity of KLK3 at the same concentration.

Novel target for peptide-based imaging and treatment of brain tumors.

Malignant gliomas are associated with high mortality due to infiltrative growth, recurrence, and malignant progression. Even with the most efficient therapy combinations, median survival of the glioblastoma multiforme (grade 4) patients is less than 15 months. Therefore, new treatment approaches are urgently needed. We describe here identification of a novel homing peptide that recognizes tumor vessels and invasive tumor satellites in glioblastomas. We demonstrate successful brain tumor imaging using radiolabeled peptide in whole-body SPECT/CT imaging. Peptide-targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics prolonged the lifespan of mice bearing invasive brain tumors and significantly reduced the number of tumor satellites compared with the free drug. Moreover, we identified mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI/H-FABP/FABP3) as the interacting partner for our peptide on brain tumor tissue. MDGI was expressed in human brain tumor specimens in a grade-dependent manner and its expression positively correlated with the histologic grade of the tumor, suggesting MDGI as a novel marker for malignant gliomas.

Comprehensive strategy for proton chemical shift prediction: linear prediction with nonlinear corrections.

A fast 3D/4D structure-sensitive procedure was developed and assessed for the chemical shift prediction of protons bonded to sp3carbons, which poses the maybe greatest challenge in the NMR spectral parameter prediction. The LPNC (Linear Prediction with Nonlinear Corrections) approach combines three well-established multivariate methods viz. the principal component regression (PCR), the random forest (RF) algorithm, and the k nearest neighbors (kNN) method. The role of RF is to find nonlinear corrections for the PCR predicted shifts, while kNN is used to take full advantage of similar chemical environments. Two basic molecular models were also compared and discussed: in the MC model the descriptors are computed from an ensemble of the conformers found by conformational search based on Metropolis Monte Carlo (MMC) simulation; in the 4D model the conformational space was further expanded to the fourth dimension (time) by adding molecular dynamics to the MC conformers. An illustrative case study about the application and interpretation of the 4D prediction for a conformationally flexible structure, scopolamine, is described in detail.

Charge deficient analogues of the natural polyamines.

Mitochondrial dysfunction, either inherited or acquired, is associated with several diseases in humans. Depending on the cell type and location, cells are prone to multiple types of insults that may compromise their proper function. Generally, these insults are overcome by defensive mechanisms but sometimes they lead to sustained damage, requiring the action of scavenging and repair machineries to retain the viability of the cells. As a final measure, severely damaged cells are targeted to a controlled cell death pathway in order to not to compromise the well-being of the whole tissue. The polyamines, spermine and spermidine are essential cellular constituents, participating in many vital functions such as proliferation and differentiation, immune response and scavenging of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, dysregulation of polyamine metabolism is often associated with different pathological states. Polyamine acetylating enzyme spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase is induced by inflammation, drugs and by several other environmental insults. Resulting accelerated polyamine acetylation with accompanying polyamine biosynthesis induction i.e. activation of polyamine futile cycle generates excessive amount of hydrogen peroxide, hampers cell energy metabolism and induces mitochondrial dysfunction and biogenesis. Therefore, the drugs inhibiting polyamine metabolism are valuable in protecting mitochondria and cell energy metabolism. Here we review the current literature focusing on the applicability of chargedeficient polyamine analogs as drugs to modulate polyamine metabolism. Alteration of pK(a) of amino group(s) in a respective analog is achieved by fluorine substitution of hydrogen atom, hydroxylamine substitution of methylamine or by reducing the numbers of carbon atoms between amine groups to two instead of three or four.

Firefly luciferase inhibitor-conjugated peptide quenches bioluminescence: a versatile tool for real time monitoring cellular uptake of biomolecules.

In this paper, novel firefly luciferase-specific inhibitor compounds (FLICs) are evaluated as potential tools for cellular trafficking of transporter conjugates. As a proof-of-concept, we designed FLICs that were suitable for solid phase peptide synthesis and could be covalently conjugated to peptides via an amide bond. The spacer between inhibitor and peptide was optimized to gain efficient inhibition of recombinant firefly luciferase (FLuc) without compromising the activity of the model peptides. The hypothesis of using FLICs as tools for cellular trafficking studies was ensured with U87Fluc glioblastoma cells expressing firefly luciferase. Results show that cell penetrating peptide (penetratin) FLIC conjugate 9 inhibited FLuc penetrated cells efficiently (IC50 = 1.6 µM) and inhibited bioluminescence, without affecting the viability of the cells. Based on these results, peptide-FLIC conjugates can be used for the analysis of cellular uptake of biomolecules in a new way that can at the same time overcome some downsides seen with other methods. Thus, FLICs can be considered as versatile tools that broaden the plethora of methods that take advantage of the bioluminescence phenomena.

Peptide labelling strategies for imaging agents.

The main goal in modern biomedicine is to develop specific diagnostic and therapeutic agents for different diseases. Especially in cancer research tumor targeted molecules are the key factor in the development of new anti-tumor drugs. In addition, the early diagnosis of the disease is an important factor for a successful therapy. Synthetic peptides have been shown to be specific targeting agents for next generation diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Noninvasive in vivo imaging using targeting molecules provides modern method for the diagnosis of the pathological alterations like cancer. To evaluate the usefulness of a synthetic peptide for in vivo diagnostic purposes the preclinical biodistribution and targeting studies are essential. Today the widely used preclinical imaging modalities for the biodistribution and tissue alteration studies in experimental animals are single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Together with conventional histochemistry, the biodistribution and tissue/cell location can be determined. In this chapter we describe the conjugation and labelling methods of the peptides for histochemistry and for the molecular imaging with SPECT and MRI modalities.

SPECT/CT imaging of radiolabeled cubosomes and hexosomes for potential theranostic applications.

We have developed a highly efficient method for the radiolabeling of phytantriol (PHYT)/oleic acid (OA)-based hexosomes based on the surface chelation of technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) to preformed hexosomes using the polyamine 1, 12-diamino-3, 6, 9-triazododecane (SpmTrien) as chelating agent. We also report on the unsuccessful labeling of cubosomes using the well-known chelating agent hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO). The (99m)Tc-labeled SpmTrien-hexosomes ((99m)Tc-SpmTrien-hexosomes) were synthesized with good radiolabeling (84%) and high radiochemical purity (>90%). The effect of radiolabeling on the internal nanostructure and the overall size of these aqueous dispersions was investigated by using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron cryo microscopy (cryo-TEM). Further, we show the utility of (99m)Tc-SpmTrien-hexosomes for the in vivo imaging of healthy mice using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in combination with computed tomography (CT), i.e. SPECT/CT. SPECT/CT experiments of subcutaneously administered (99m)Tc-SpmTrien-hexosomes to the flank of mice showed a high stability in vivo allowing imaging of the distribution of the radiolabeled hexosomes for up to 24 h. These injected (99m)Tc-SpmTrien-hexosomes formed a deposit within the subcutaneous adipose tissue, displaying a high biodistribution of ≈ 343% injected dose/g tissue (%ID/g), with negligible uptake in other organs and tissues. The developed (99m)Tc labeling method for PHYT/OA-based hexosomes could further serve as a useful tool for investigating and imaging the in vivo performance of cubosomal and hexosomal drug nanocarriers.

Spermidine promotes adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells by preventing interaction of ANP32 with HuR and PP2A.

We have shown previously that the polyamine spermidine is indispensable for differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In the present study, we examined the mechanism of spermidine function by using the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine in combination with the metabolically stable polyamine analogues γ-methylspermidine or (R,R)-α,ω-bismethylspermine. At the early phase of differentiation, spermidine-depleted 3T3-L1 cells showed decreased translation of the transcription factor C/EBPß (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ß), decreased PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) activity and increased cytoplasmic localization of the RNA-binding protein HuR (human antigen R). The amount of HuR bound to C/EBPß mRNA was reduced, whereas the amount of bound CUGBP2, an inhibitor of C/EBPß translation, was increased. ANP32 (acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32) proteins, which are known PP2A inhibitors and HuR ligands, bound more PP2A and HuR in spermidine-depleted than in control cells, whereas immunodepletion of ANP32 proteins from the lysate of spermidine-depleted cells restored PP2A activity. Taken together, our data shows that spermidine promotes C/EBPß translation in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells, and that this process is controlled by the interaction of ANP32 with HuR and PP2A.

Metabolism of triethylenetetramine and 1,12-diamino-3,6,9-triazadodecane by the spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase and thialysine acetyltransferase.

Triethylenetetramine (TETA; Syprine; Merck Rahway, NJ), a drug for Wilson's disease, is a copper chelator and a charge-deficient analog of polyamine spermidine. We recently showed that TETA is metabolized in vitro by polyamine catabolic enzyme spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT1) and by thialysine acetyltransferase (SSAT2) to its monoacetylated derivative (MAT). The acetylation of TETA is increased in SSAT1-overexpressing mice compared with wild-type mice. However, SSAT1-deficient mice metabolize TETA at the same rate as the wild-type mice, indicating the existence of another N-acetylase respons 2ible for its metabolism in mice. Here, we show that siRNA-mediated knockdown of SSAT2 in HEPG2 cells and in primary hepatocytes from the SSAT1-deficient or wild-type mice reduced the metabolism of TETA to MAT. By contrast, 1,12-diamino-3,6,9-triazadodecane(SpmTrien), a charge-deficient spermine analog, was an extremely poor substrate of human recombinant SSAT2 and was metabolized by SSAT1 in HEPG2 cells and in wild-type primary hepatocytes. Thus, despite the similar structures of TETA and SpmTrien, SSAT2 is the main acetylator of TETA, whereas SpmTrien is primarily acetylated by SSAT1.

Preparation of mixed trialkyl alkylcarbonate derivatives of etidronic acid via an unusual route.

A method to prepare four (3a-d) trialkyl alkylcarbonate esters of etidronate from P,P'-dimethyl etidronate and alkyl chloroformate was developed by utilizing unexpected demethylation and decarboxylation reactions. The reaction with the sterically more hindered isobutyl chloroformate at a lower temperature (90 °C) produced the P,P'-diester (2) as a stable intermediate product. A possible reaction mechanism is discussed to explain these methyl substitutions. These unusual reactions also clarify why it is difficult to prepare alkylcarbonate prodrugs from bisphosphonates. The compounds prepared were analysed by spectroscopic techniques.

Complex N-acetylation of triethylenetetramine.

Triethylenetetramine (TETA) is an efficient copper chelator that has versatile clinical potential. We have recently shown that spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT1), the key polyamine catabolic enzyme, acetylates TETA in vitro. Here, we studied the metabolism of TETA in three different mouse lines: syngenic, SSAT1-overexpressing, and SSAT1-deficient (SSAT1-KO) mice. The mice were sacrificed at 1, 2, or 4 h after TETA injection (300 mg/kg i.p.). We found only N(1)-acetyltriethylenetetramine (N(1)AcTETA) and/or TETA in the liver, kidney, and plasma samples. As expected, SSAT1-overexpressing mice acetylated TETA at an accelerated rate compared with syngenic and SSAT1-KO mice. It is noteworthy that SSAT1-KO mice metabolized TETA as syngenic mice did, probably by thialysine acetyltransferase, which had a K(m) value of 2.5 ± 0.3 mM and a k(cat) value of 1.3 s(-1) for TETA when tested in vitro with the human recombinant enzyme. Thus, the present results suggest that there are at least two N-acetylases potentially metabolizing TETA. However, their physiological significance for TETA acetylation requires further studies. Furthermore, we detected chemical intramolecular N-acetyl migration from the N(1) to N(3) position of N(1)AcTETA and N(1),N(8)-diacetyltriethylenetetramine in an acidified high-performance liquid chromatography sample matrix. The complex metabolism of TETA together with the intramolecular N-acetyl migration may explain the huge individual variations in the acetylation rate of TETA reported earlier.

The use of novel C-methylated spermidine derivatives to investigate the regulation of polyamine metabolism.

The polyamines are organic polycations present at millimolar concentrations in eukaryotic cells where they participate in the regulation of vital cellular functions including proliferation and differentiation. Biological evaluation of rationally designed polyamine analogs is one of the cornerstones of polyamine research. Here we have synthesized and characterized novel C-methylated spermidine analogs, that is, 2-methylspermidine, 3-methylspermidine, and 8-methylspermidine. 3-Methylspermidine was found to be metabolically stable in DU145 cells, while 8-methylspermidine was a substrate for spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and 2-methylspermidine was a substrate for both SSAT and acetylpolyamine oxidase. All the analogs induced the splicing of the productive mRNA splice variant of SSAT, overcame growth arrest induced by 72-h treatment with ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine, and were transported via the polyamine transporter. Surprisingly, 2-methylspermidine was a weak downregulator of ODC activity in DU145 cells. Our data demonstrates that it is possible to radically alter the biochemical properties of a polyamine analog by changing the position of the methyl group.

Methylated polyamines as research tools.

Earlier unknown racemic ß-methylspermidine (ß-MeSpd) and γ-methylspermidine (γ-MeSpd) were -synthesized starting from crotononitrile or methacrylonitrile and putrescine. Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of the intermediate di-Boc-nitriles resulted in corresponding di-Boc-amines, which after deprotection gave target ß- and γ-MeSpd's. To prepare α-MeSpd, the starting compound, 3-amino-1-butanol, was converted into N-Cbz-3-amino-1-butyl methanesulfonate, which alkylated putrescine to give (after deprotection of amino group) the required α-MeSpd. Novel ß- and γ-MeSpd's in combination with earlier α-MeSpd are useful tools for studying enzymology and cell biology of polyamines.

Synthesis and biological characterization of novel charge-deficient spermine analogues.

Biogenic polyamines, spermidine and spermine, are positively charged at physiological pH. They are present in all cells and essential for their growth and viability. Here we synthesized three novel derivatives of the isosteric charge-deficient spermine analogue 1,12-diamino-3,6,9-triazadodecane (SpmTrien, 5a) that are N(1)-Ac-SpmTrien (5c), N(12)-Ac-SpmTrien (5b), and N(1),N(12)-diethyl-1,12-diamino-3,6,9-triazadodecane (N(1),N(12)-Et(2)-SpmTrien, 5d). 5a and 5d readily accumulated in DU145 cells at the same concentration range as natural polyamines and moderately competed for the uptake with putrescine (1) but not with spermine (4a) or spermidine (2). 5a efficiently down-regulated ornithine decarboxylase and decreased polyamine levels, while 5d proved to be inefficient, compared with N(1),N(11)-diethylnorspermine (6). None of the tested analogues were substrates for human recombinant spermine oxidase, but those having free aminoterminus, including 1,8-diamino-3,6-diazaoctane (Trien, 3a), were acetylated by mouse recombinant spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase. 5a was acetylated to 5c and 5b, and the latter was further metabolized by acetylpolyamine oxidase to 3a, a drug used to treat Wilson's disease. Thus, 5a is a bioactive precursor of 3a with enhanced bioavailability.

Identification of novel peptide inhibitors for human trypsins.

Human trypsin isoenzymes share extensive sequence similarity, but certain differences in their activity and susceptibility to inhibitors have been observed. Using phage display technology, we identified seven different peptides that bind to and inhibit the activity of trypsin-3, a minor trypsin isoform expressed in pancreas and brain. All of the peptides contain at least two of the amino acids tryptophan, alanine and arginine, whereas proline was found closer to the N-terminus in all but one peptide. All peptides contain two or more cysteines, suggesting a cyclic structure. However, we were able to make synthetic linear variants of these peptides without losing bioactivity. Alanine replacement experiments for one of the peptides suggest that the IPXXWFR motif is important for activity. By molecular modeling the same amino acids were found to interact with trypsin-3. The peptides also inhibit trypsin-1, but only weakly, if at all, trypsin-2 and -C. As trypsin is a highly active enzyme which can activate protease-activated receptors and enzymes that participate in proteolytic cascades involved in tumor invasion and metastasis, these peptides might be useful lead molecules for the development of drugs for diseases associated with increased trypsin activity.