The complicated lives of GPCRs in cardiac fibroblasts.

The role of different G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the cardiovascular system is well understood in cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In the former, stimulation of Gs-coupled receptors leads to increases in contractility, whereas stimulation of Gq-coupled receptors modulates cellular survival and hypertrophic responses. In VSMCs, stimulation of GPCRs also modulates contractile and cell growth phenotypes. Here, we will focus on the relatively less well-studied effects of GPCRs in cardiac fibroblasts, focusing on key signaling events involved in the activation and differentiation of these cells. We also review the hierarchy of signaling events driving the fibrotic response and the communications between fibroblasts and other cells in the heart. We discuss how such events may be distinct depending on where the GPCRs and their associated signaling machinery are localized in these cells with an emphasis on nuclear membrane-localized receptors. Finally, we explore what such connections between the cell surface and nuclear GPCR signaling might mean for cardiac fibrosis.

Perturbing dimer interactions and allosteric communication modulates the immunosuppressive activity of human galectin-7.

The design of allosteric modulators to control protein function is a key objective in drug discovery programs. Altering functionally essential allosteric residue networks provides unique protein family subtype specificity, minimizes unwanted off-target effects, and helps avert resistance acquisition typically plaguing drugs that target orthosteric sites. In this work, we used protein engineering and dimer interface mutations to positively and negatively modulate the immunosuppressive activity of the proapoptotic human galectin-7 (GAL-7). Using the PoPMuSiC and BeAtMuSiC algorithms, mutational sites and residue identity were computationally probed and predicted to either alter or stabilize the GAL-7 dimer interface. By designing a covalent disulfide bridge between protomers to control homodimer strength and stability, we demonstrate the importance of dimer interface perturbations on the allosteric network bridging the two opposite glycan-binding sites on GAL-7, resulting in control of induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells. Molecular investigation of G16X GAL-7 variants using X-ray crystallography, biophysical, and computational characterization illuminates residues involved in dimer stability and allosteric communication, along with discrete long-range dynamic behaviors involving loops 1, 3, and 5. We show that perturbing the protein-protein interface between GAL-7 protomers can modulate its biological function, even when the overall structure and ligand-binding affinity remains unaltered. This study highlights new avenues for the design of galectin-specific modulators influencing both glycan-dependent and glycan-independent interactions.

Lipidated peptides derived from intracellular loops 2 and 3 of the urotensin II receptor act as biased allosteric ligands.

Over the last decade, the urotensinergic system, composed of one G protein-coupled receptor and two endogenous ligands, has garnered significant attention as a promising new target for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Indeed, this system is associated with various biomarkers of cardiovascular dysfunctions and is involved in changes in cardiac contractility, fibrosis, and hypertrophy contributing, like the angiotensinergic system, to the pathogenesis and progression of heart failure. Significant investment has been made toward the development of clinically relevant UT ligands for therapeutic intervention, but with little or no success to date. This system therefore remains to be therapeutically exploited. Pepducins and other lipidated peptides have been used as both mechanistic probes and potential therapeutics; therefore, pepducins derived from the human urotensin II receptor might represent unique tools to generate signaling bias and study hUT signaling networks. Two hUT-derived pepducins, derived from the second and the third intracellular loop of the receptor (hUT-Pep2 and [Trp1, Leu2]hUT-Pep3, respectively), were synthesized and pharmacologically characterized. Our results demonstrated that hUT-Pep2 and [Trp1, Leu2]hUT-Pep3 acted as biased ago-allosteric modulators, triggered ERK1/2 phosphorylation and, to a lesser extent, IP1 production, and stimulated cell proliferation yet were devoid of contractile activity. Interestingly, both hUT-derived pepducins were able to modulate human urotensin II (hUII)- and urotensin II-related peptide (URP)-mediated contraction albeit to different extents. These new derivatives represent unique tools to reveal the intricacies of hUT signaling and also a novel avenue for the design of allosteric ligands selectively targeting hUT signaling potentially.

Binding of a Soluble meso-Tetraarylporphyrin to Human Galectin-7 Induces Oligomerization and Modulates Its Pro-Apoptotic Activity.

The selective targeting of protein-protein interactions remains a significant determinant for the proper modulation and regulation of cell apoptosis. Prototypic galectins such as human galectin-7 (GAL-7) are characterized by their ability to form homodimers that control the molecular fate of a cell by mediating subtle yet critical glycan-dependent interactions between pro- and anti-apoptotic molecular partners. Altering the structural architecture of GAL-7 can therefore result in resistance to apoptosis in various human cancer cells, further illustrating its importance in cell survival. In this study, we used a combination of biophysical and cellular assays to illustrate that binding of a water-soluble meso-tetraarylporphyrin molecule to GAL-7 induces protein oligomerization and modulation of GAL-7-induced apoptosis in human Jurkat T cells. Our results suggest that the integrity of the GAL-7 homodimer architecture is essential for its molecular function, in addition to providing an interesting porphyrin binding modulator for controlling apoptosis in mammalian cells.

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCII. Urotensin II, urotensin II-related peptide, and their receptor: from structure to function.

Urotensin II (UII) is a cyclic neuropeptide that was first isolated from the urophysis of teleost fish on the basis of its ability to contract the hindgut. Subsequently, UII was characterized in tetrapods including humans. Phylogenetic studies and synteny analysis indicate that UII and its paralogous peptide urotensin II-related peptide (URP) belong to the somatostatin/cortistatin superfamily. In mammals, the UII and URP genes are primarily expressed in cholinergic neurons of the brainstem and spinal cord. UII and URP mRNAs are also present in various organs notably in the cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine systems. UII and URP activate a common G protein-coupled receptor, called UT, that exhibits relatively high sequence identity with somatostatin, opioid, and galanin receptors. The UT gene is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and in peripheral tissues including the retina, heart, vascular bed, lung, kidney, adrenal medulla, and skeletal muscle. Structure-activity relationship studies and NMR conformational analysis have led to the rational design of a number of peptidic and nonpeptidic UT agonists and antagonists. Consistent with the wide distribution of UT, UII has now been shown to exert a large array of biologic activities, in particular in the CNS, the cardiovascular system, and the kidney. Here, we review the current knowledge concerning the pleiotropic actions of UII and discusses the possible use of antagonists for future therapeutic applications.

Effect of the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide on the autophagic activation observed in in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to destruction of the midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. This phenomenon is related to apoptosis and its activation can be blocked by the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). Growing evidence indicates that autophagy, a self-degradation activity that cleans up the cell, is induced during the course of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of neuronal disorders is yet poorly understood and the potential ability of PACAP to modulate the related autophagic activation has never been significantly investigated. Hence, we explored the putative autophagy-modulating properties of PACAP in in vitro and in vivo models of PD, using the neurotoxic agents 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), respectively, to trigger alterations of DA neurons. In both models, following the toxin exposure, PACAP reduced the autophagic activity as evaluated by the production of LC3 II, the modulation of the p62 protein levels, and the formation of autophagic vacuoles. The ability of PACAP to inhibit autophagy was also observed in an in vitro cell assay by the blocking of the p62-sequestration activity produced with the autophagy inducer rapamycin. Thus, the results demonstrated that autophagy is induced in PD experimental models and that PACAP exhibits not only anti-apoptotic but also anti-autophagic properties.

Urotensin core mimics that modulate the biological activity of urotensin-II related peptide but not urotensin-II.

A novel approach for the synthesis of head-to-tail cyclic peptides has been developed and used to prepare two mimics of the urotensin II-related peptide (URP) cyclic core. Mimics 1 and 2 (c[Trp-Lys-Tyr-Gly-ψ(triazole)-Gly] and c[Phe-Trp-Lys-Tyr-Gly-ψ(triazole)-Gly]) were respectively prepared using a combination of solid- and solution-phase synthesis. The silyl-based alkyne-modifying (SAM) linker enabled installation of C-terminal alkyne and N-terminal azide moieties onto linear peptide precursors, which underwent head-to-tail copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) in solution. In an aortic ring contraction assay, neither 1 nor 2 exhibited agonist activity; however, both inhibited selectively URP- but not UII-mediated vasoconstriction. The core phenylalanine residue was shown to be important for enhancing modulatory activity of the urotensinergic system.

Caged ligands to study the role of intracellular GPCRs.

In addition to cell surface membranes, numerous G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are located on intracellular membranes including the nuclear envelope. Although the role of numerous GPCRs at the cell surface has been well characterized, the physiological function of these same receptors located on intracellular membranes remains to be determined. Here, we employ a novel caged Ang-II analog, cAng-II, to compare the effects of the activation of cell surface versus intracellular angiotensin receptors in intact cardiomyocytes. When added extracellularly to HEK 293 cells, Ang-II and photolysed cAng-II increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation (via AT1R) and cGMP production (AT2R). In contrast unphotolysed cAng-II did not. Cellular uptake of cAng-II was 6-fold greater than that of Ang-II and comparable to the HIV TAT(48-60) peptide. Intracellular photolysis of cAng-II induced an increase in nucleoplasmic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]n) that was greater than that induced by extracellular application of Ang-II. We conclude that cell-permeable ligands that can access intracellular GPCRs may evoke responses distinct from those with access restricted to the same receptor located on the cell surface.

Photoreleasable ligands to study intracrine angiotensin II signalling.

KEY POINTS: The renin-angiotensin system plays a key role in cardiovascular physiology and its overactivation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several major cardiovascular diseases. There is growing evidence that angiotensin II (Ang-II) may function as an intracellular peptide to activate intracellular/nuclear receptors and their downstream signalling effectors independently of cell surface receptors. Current methods used to study intracrine Ang-II signalling are limited to indirect approaches because of a lack of selective intracellularly-acting probes. Here, we present novel photoreleasable Ang-II analogues used to probe intracellular actions with spatial and temporal precision. The photorelease of intracellular Ang-II causes nuclear and cytosolic calcium mobilization and initiates the de novo synthesis of RNA in cardiac cells, demonstrating the application of the method. ABSTRACT: Several lines of evidence suggest that intracellular angiotensin II (Ang-II) contributes to the regulation of cardiac contractility, renal salt reabsorption, vascular tone and metabolism; however, work on intracrine Ang-II signalling has been limited to indirect approaches because of a lack of selective intracellularly-acting probes. Here, we aimed to synthesize and characterize cell-permeant Ang-II analogues that are inactive without uncaging, but release active Ang-II upon exposure to a flash of UV-light, and act as novel tools for use in the study of intracrine Ang-II physiology. We prepared three novel caged Ang-II analogues, [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II, Ang-II-ODMNB and [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II-ODMNB, based upon the incorporation of the photolabile moiety 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl (DMNB). Compared to Ang-II, the caged Ang-II analogues showed 2-3 orders of magnitude reduced affinity toward both angiotensin type-1 (AT1R) and type-2 (AT2R) receptors in competition binding assays, and greatly-reduced potency in contraction assays of rat thoracic aorta. After receiving UV-irradiation, all three caged Ang-II analogues released Ang-II and potently induced the contraction of rat thoracic aorta. [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II showed the most rapid photolysis upon UV-irradiation and was the focus of subsequent characterization. Whereas Ang-II and photolysed [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation (via AT1R) and cGMP production (AT2R), caged [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II did not. Cellular uptake of [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II was 4-fold greater than that of Ang-II and significantly greater than uptake driven by the positive-control HIV TAT(48-60) peptide. Intracellular photolysis of [Tyr(DMNB)(4)]Ang-II induced an increase in nucleoplasmic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]n), and initiated 18S rRNA and nuclear factor kappa B mRNA synthesis in adult cardiac cells. We conclude that caged Ang-II analogues represent powerful new tools for use in the selective study of intracrine signalling via Ang-II.

Evidence for heterodimerization and functional interaction of the urotensin II and the angiotensin II type 1 receptors.

Despite the observation of synergistic interactions between the urotensinergic and angiotensinergic systems, the interplay between the urotensin II receptor (hUT) and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (hAT1R) in regulating cellular signaling remains incompletely understood. Notably, the putative interaction between hUT and hAT1R could engender reciprocal allosteric modulation of their signaling signatures, defining a unique role for these complexes in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. Using a combination of co-immunoprecipitation, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and FlAsH BRET-based conformational biosensors, we first demonstrated the physical interaction between hUT and hAT1R. Next, to analyze how this functional interaction regulated proximal and distal hUT- and hAT1R-associated signaling pathways, we used BRET-based signaling biosensors and western blots to profile pathway-specific signaling in HEK 293 cells expressing hUT, hAT1R or both. We observed that hUT-hAT1R heterodimers triggered distinct signaling outcomes compared to their respective parent receptors alone. Notably, co-transfection of hUT and hAT1R has no impact on hUII-induced Gq activation but significantly reduced the potency and efficacy of Ang II to mediate Gq activation. Interestingly, URP, the second hUT endogenous ligand, produce a distinct signaling signature compared to hUII at hUT-hAT1R. Our results therefore suggest that assembly of hUT with hAT1R might be important for allosteric modulation of outcomes associated with specific hardwired signaling complexes in healthy and disease states. Altogether, our work, which potentially explains the interplay observed in native cells and tissues, validates such complexes as potential targets to promote the design of compounds that can modulate heterodimer function selectively.

Expanding Structure-Activity Relationships of Human Urotensin II Peptide Analogues: A Proposed Key Role of the N-Terminal Region for Novel Urotensin II Receptor Modulators.

While the urotensinergic system plays a role in influencing various pathologies, its potential remains untapped because of the absence of therapeutically effective urotensin II receptor (UTR) modulators. Herein, we developed analogues of human urotensin II (hU-II) peptide in which, along with well-known antagonist-oriented modifications, the Glu1 residue was subjected to single-point mutations. The generated library was tested by a calcium mobilization assay and ex vivo experiments, also in competition with selected ligands. Interestingly, many derivatives showed noncompetitive modulation that was rationalized by the lateral allostery concept applied to a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) multimeric model. UPG-108 showed an unprecedented ability to double the efficacy of hU-II, while UPG-109 and UPG-111 turned out to be negative allosteric modulators of UTR. Overall, our investigation will serve to explore and highlight the expanding possibilities of modulating the UTR system through N-terminally modified hU-II analogues and, furthermore, will aim to elucidate the intricate nature of such a GPCR system.

Intracrine endothelin signaling evokes IP3-dependent increases in nucleoplasmic Ca²âº in adult cardiac myocytes.

Endothelin receptors are present on the nuclear membranes in adult cardiac ventricular myocytes. The objectives of the present study were to determine 1) which endothelin receptor subtype is in cardiac nuclear membranes, 2) if the receptor and ligand traffic from the cell surface to the nucleus, and 3) the effect of increased intracellular ET-1 on nuclear Ca(2+) signaling. Confocal microscopy using fluorescently-labeled endothelin analogs confirmed the presence of ETB at the nuclear membrane of rat cardiomyocytes in skinned-cells and isolated nuclei. Furthermore, in both cardiac myocytes and aortic endothelial cells, endocytosed ET:ETB complexes translocated to lysosomes and not the nuclear envelope. Although ETA and ETB can form heterodimers, the presence or absence of ETA did not alter ETB trafficking. Treatment of isolated nuclei with peptide: N-glycosidase F did not alter the electrophoretic mobility of ETB. The absence of N-glycosylation further indicates that these receptors did not originate at the cell surface. Intracellular photolysis of a caged ET-1 analog ([Trp-ODMNB(21)]ET-1) evoked an increase in nucleoplasmic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]n) that was attenuated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor inhibitor 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate and prevented by pre-treatment with ryanodine. A caged cell-permeable analog of the ETB-selective antagonist IRL-2500 blocked the ability of intracellular cET-1 to increase [Ca(2+)]n whereas extracellular application of ETA and ETB receptor antagonists did not. These data suggest that 1) the endothelin receptor in the cardiac nuclear membranes is ETB, 2) ETB traffics directly to the nuclear membrane after biosynthesis, 3) exogenous endothelins are not ligands for ETB on nuclear membranes, and 4) ETB associated with the nuclear membranes regulates nuclear Ca(2+) signaling.

Regulation of cardiac nitric oxide signaling by nuclear ß-adrenergic and endothelin receptors.

At the cell surface, ßARs and endothelin receptors can regulate nitric oxide (NO) production. ß-adrenergic receptors (ßARs) and type B endothelin receptors (ETB) are present in cardiac nuclear membranes and regulate transcription. The present study investigated the role of the NO pathway in the regulation of gene transcription by these nuclear G protein-coupled receptors. Nitric oxide production and transcription initiation were measured in nuclei isolated from the adult rat heart. The cell-permeable fluorescent dye 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF2 DA) was used to provide a direct assessment of nitric oxide release. Both isoproterenol and endothelin increased NO production in isolated nuclei. Furthermore, a ß3AR-selective agonist, BRL 37344, increased NO synthesis whereas the ß1AR-selective agonist xamoterol did not. Isoproterenol increased, whereas ET-1 reduced, de novo transcription. The NO synthase inhibitor l-NAME prevented isoproterenol from increasing either NO production or de novo transcription. l-NAME also blocked ET-1-induced NO-production but did not alter the suppression of transcription initiation by ET-1. Inhibition of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) using KT5823 also blocked the ability of isoproterenol to increase transcription initiation. Furthermore, immunoblotting revealed eNOS, but not nNOS, in isolated nuclei. Finally, caged, cell-permeable isoproterenol and endothelin-1 analogs were used to selectively activate intracellular ß-adrenergic and endothelin receptors in intact adult cardiomyocytes. Intracellular release of caged ET-1 or isoproterenol analogs increased NO production in intact adult cardiomyocytes. Hence, activation of the NO synthase/guanylyl cyclase/PKG pathway is necessary for nuclear ß3ARs to increase de novo transcription. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the potential utility of caged receptor ligands in selectively modulating signaling via endogenous intracellular G protein-coupled receptors.

Receptor-independent cellular uptake of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a hypophysiotropic neurohormone, participates in the regulation of pleiotropic functions. The recent discovery of intracellular PACAP receptors in the brain and the testis as well as the physico-chemical characteristics of PACAP, i.e. extended α-helix containing basic residues, prompted us to evaluate the propensity of PACAP to cross the plasma membrane in a receptor-independent manner. Using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, we demonstrated the ability of FITC-conjugated PACAP to efficiently penetrate into the internal cell compartment by direct translocation and endocytosis through clathrin-coated pits and macropinocytosis. Our study also revealed that, once inside the cells, PACAP38 is not entirely degraded by intracellular enzymes and that a significant amount of intact PACAP38 is also able to exit cells. Moreover, using binding assay on rat nuclear fractions from various tissues, PACAP nuclear receptors were identified. We also found that PACAP stimulates calcium release in rat testis nuclei. Interestingly, PACAP27 and PACAP38 but not VIP were able to upregulate de novo DNA synthesis in testis nuclei and that this effect was abolished by PACAP(6-38). These results support the presence of PAC1 receptors at the nuclear membrane and raise questions about their role in the biological activity of the peptide. These findings contribute to the characterization of PACAP as an intracrine factor and suggest that these intracellular PAC1 binding sites, probably associated with specific biological activities, should be taken into account during the development of PACAP-based drugs.

Exploration of the urocontrin A scaffold yields new urotensinergic system allosteric modulator and competitive antagonists.

The urotensinergic system, involved in the development and/or progression of numerous pathological conditions, is composed of one G protein-coupled receptor (UT) and two endogenous ligands known as urotensin II (UII) and urotensin II-related peptide (URP). These two structurally related hormones, which exert common and divergent effects, are thought to play specific biological roles. In recent years, we have characterized an analog termed urocontrin A (UCA), i.e. [Pep4]URP, which is capable of discriminating the effects of UII from URP. Such an action could allow the delineation of the respective functions of these two endogenous ligands. In an effort to define the molecular determinants involved in this behavior and to improve the pharmacological profile of UCA, we introduced modifications from urantide, considered for some time as a lead compound for the development of UT antagonists, into UCA and assessed the binding, contractile activity and G protein signaling of these newly developed compounds. Our results show that UCA and its derivatives exert probe-dependent effects on UT antagonism, and we have further identified [Pen2, Pep4]URP as a Gq biased ligand with an insurmountable antagonism in our aortic ring contraction assay.

G Protein-Biased Agonists for Intracellular Angiotensin Receptors Promote Collagen Secretion in Myofibroblasts.

Photoactivatable ligands remain valuable tools to study the spatiotemporal aspects of cellular signaling. However, the synthesis, handling, and biological validation of such compounds remain challenging, especially when dealing with peptides. We report an optimized synthetic strategy, where laborious preparation of dimethoxy-nitrobenzyl-tyrosine building blocks was replaced by direct functionalization of amino acid side chains while peptides remained coupled to resin, reducing both preparation time and cost. Our caged peptides were designed to investigate cellular responses mediated by intracellular angiotensin II receptors (iATR) upon interaction with known biased and unbiased ligands. The pathophysiological roles of iATRs remain poorly understood, and we sought to develop ligands to explore this. Initial validation showed that our caged ligands undergo rapid photolysis and produced functionally active peptides upon UV exposure. We also show, for the first time, that different biased ligands (ß-arrestin- vs G protein-biased analogues) evoked distinct responses when uncaged in adult rat myofibroblasts. Intracellularly targeted versions of Ang II (unbiased) or G protein-biased analogues (TRV055, TRV056) were more effective than ß-arrestin-biased Ang II analogues (SI, TRV026, and TRV27) in inducing collagen secretion, suggesting a divergent role in regulating the fibrotic response.

Placental Galectins in Cancer: Why We Should Pay More Attention.

The first studies suggesting that abnormal expression of galectins is associated with cancer were published more than 30 years ago. Today, the role of galectins in cancer is relatively well established. We know that galectins play an active role in many types of cancer by regulating cell growth, conferring cell death resistance, or inducing local and systemic immunosuppression, allowing tumor cells to escape the host immune response. However, most of these studies have focused on very few galectins, most notably galectin-1 and galectin-3, and more recently, galectin-7 and galectin-9. Whether other galectins play a role in cancer remains unclear. This is particularly true for placental galectins, a subgroup that includes galectin-13, -14, and -16. The role of these galectins in placental development has been well described, and excellent reviews on their role during pregnancy have been published. At first sight, it was considered unlikely that placental galectins were involved in cancer. Yet, placentation and cancer progression share several cellular and molecular features, including cell invasion, immune tolerance and vascular remodeling. The development of new research tools and the concomitant increase in database repositories for high throughput gene expression data of normal and cancer tissues provide a new opportunity to examine the potential involvement of placental galectins in cancer. In this review, we discuss the possible roles of placental galectins in cancer progression and why they should be considered in cancer studies. We also address challenges associated with developing novel research tools to investigate their protumorigenic functions and design highly specific therapeutic drugs.

Tunable Surface Charge Enables the Electrostatic Adsorption-Controlled Release of Neuroprotective Peptides from a Hydrogel-Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System.

We exploit the electrostatic interactions between the positively charged neuroprotective peptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), and negatively charged poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles to control PACAP release from the surface of nanoparticles dispersed in a hyaluronan-methylcellulose (HAMC) hydrogel composite. PACAP is a promising therapeutic for the treatment of neurological disorders, yet it has been difficult to deliver in vivo. Herein, the PACAP release rate was tuned by manipulating peptide adsorption onto the surface of blank nanoparticles by modifying either nanoparticle loading in the hydrogel or nanoparticle surface charge. This peptide-nanoparticle interaction was controlled by the pH-responsive carboxylic acid end terminal groups of PLGA. We further validated this system with the controlled release of a novel stabilized PACAP analog: Ac-[Ala15, Ala20]PACAP-propylamide, which masks its recognition to peptidases in circulation. Both wild-type and stabilized PACAP released from the vehicle increased the production of neuroprotective Interleukin-6 from cultured primary astrocytes. Using computational fluid dynamics methods, PACAP release from the composite was predicted based on experimentally derived adsorption isotherms, which exhibited similar release profiles to experimental data. This versatile adsorption-based system was used to deliver PACAP locally to the brains of stroke-injured mice over a 10 day period in vivo, highlighting its effectiveness for the controlled release of PACAP to the central nervous system.

Urotensin II Receptor Modulation with 1,3,4-Benzotriazepin-2-one Tetrapeptide Mimics.

Urotensin II receptor (UT) modulators that differentiate the effects of the endogenous cyclic peptide ligands urotensin II (UII) and urotensin II-related peptide (URP) offer potential for dissecting their respective biological roles in disease etiology. Selective modulators of hUII and URP activities were obtained using 1,3,4-benzotriazepin-2-one mimics of a purported bioactive γ-turn conformation about the Bip-Lys-Tyr tripeptide sequence of urocontrin ([Bip4]URP). Considering an active ß-turn conformer about the shared Phe-Trp-Lys-Tyr sequence of UII and URP, 8-substituted 1,3,4-benzotriazepin-2-ones were designed to mimic the Phe-Bip-Lys-Tyr tetrapeptide sequence of urocontrin, synthesized, and examined for biological activity. Subtle 5- and 8-position modifications resulted in biased signaling and selective modulation of hUII- or URP-induced vasoconstriction. For example, p-hydroxyphenethyl analogs 17b-d were strong Gα13 and ßarr1 activators devoid of Gαq-mediated signaling. Tertiary amides 15d and 17d negatively modulated hUII-induced vasoconstriction without affecting URP-mediated responses. Benzotriazepinone carboxamides proved to be exceptional tools for elucidating the pharmacological complexity of UT.

Cardiotoxin-I: an unexpectedly potent insulinotropic agent.

Insulin secretion from pancreatic ß-cells is a complex process, involving the integration and interaction of multiple external and internal stimuli, in which glucose plays a major role. Understanding the physiology leading to insulin release is a crucial step toward the identification of new targets. In this study, we evaluated the presence of insulinotropic metabolites in Naja kaouthia snake venom. Only one fraction, identified as cardiotoxin-I (CTX-I) was able to induce insulin secretion from INS-1E cells without affecting cell viability and integrity, as assessed by MTT and LDH assays. Interestingly, CTX-I was also able to stimulate insulin secretion from INS-1E cells even in the absence of glucose. Although cardiotoxins have been characterized as potent hemolytic agents and vasoconstrictors, CTX-I was unable to induce direct hemolysis of human erythrocytes or to induce potent vasoconstriction. As such, this newly identified insulin-releasing toxin will surely enrich the pool of existing tools to study ß-cell physiology or even open a new therapeutic avenue.