A matrix metalloproteinase-responsive hydrogel system controls angiogenic peptide release for repair of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Vascular endothelial growth factor and its mimic peptide KLTWQELYQLKYKGI(QK)are widely used as the most potent angiogenic factors for the treatment of multiple ischemic diseases.However,conventional topical drug delivery often results in a burst release of the drug,leading to transient retention(inefficacy)and undesirable diffusion(toxicity)in vivo.Therefore,a drug delivery system that responds to changes in the microenvironment of tissue regeneration and controls vascular endothelial growth factor release is crucial to improve the treatment of ischemic stroke.Matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)is gradually upregulated after cerebral ischemia.Herein,vascular endothelial growth factor mimic peptide QK was self-assembled with MMP-2-cleaved peptide PLGLAG(TIMP)and customizable peptide amphiphilic(PA)molecules to construct nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK.PA-TIMP-QK was found to control the delivery of QK by MMP-2 upregulation after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and had a similar biological activity with vascular endothelial growth factor in vitro.The results indicated that PA-TIMP-QK promoted neuronal survival,restored local blood circulation,reduced blood-brain barrier permeability,and restored motor function.These findings suggest that the self-assembling nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK may provide an intelligent drug delivery system that responds to the microenvironment and promotes regeneration and repair after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Toward Artificial Peptide Nanocapsules

HIGHLIGHTS The formation of peptide nanocapsules is facilitated by a gradient interface,where the differential solvent concentration drives the peptides to preferentially localize and assemble.The peptide nanocapsules,characterized by their hollow structures,demonstrated potential as carriers for targeted drug delivery.1 Introduction Peptide nanocapsules are a type of nanoscale delivery system that encapsulates active substances within a shell composed of peptides,leveraging the unique properties of peptides such as biocompatibility and biodegradability[1].Historically,the development of peptide nanocapsules was inspired primordially by the natural biological processes.

New modular platform based on multi-adjuvanted amphiphilic chitosan nanoparticles for efficient lipopeptide vaccine delivery against group A streptococcus

An effective vaccine against group A streptococcus(GAS)is highly desirable for definitive control of GAS infections.In the present study,two variants of amphiphilic chitosan nanoparticles-based GAS vaccines were developed.The vaccines were primarily composed of encapsulated KLH protein(a source of T helper cell epitopes)and lipidated M-protein derived B cell peptide epitope(lipoJ14)within the amphiphilic structure of nanoparticles.The only difference between themwas one of the nanoparticles vaccines received additional surface coating with poly(I:C).The formulated vaccines exhibited nanosized particles within the range of 220–240 nm.Cellular uptake study showed that nanoparticles vaccine without additional poly(I:C)coating has greater uptake by dendritic cells and macrophages compared to nanoparticles vaccine that was functionalized with poly(I:C).Both vaccines were found to be safe in mice and showed negligible cytotoxicity against HEK293 cells.Upon immunization in mice,both nanoparticle vaccines produced high antigen-specific antibodies titres that were regulated by a balanced Th1 and Th2 response compared to physical mixture.These antibodies elicited high opsonic activity against the tested GAS strains.Overall,our data demonstrated that amphiphilic chitosan nanoparticles platform induced a potent immune response even without additional inclusion of poly(I:C).

A nuclear import inhibitory peptide ameliorates the severity of cholecystokinin-induced acute pancreatitis

AIM: To assess the effect of our novel cell-permeable nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) inhibitor peptide PN50 in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis. PN50 was produced by conjugating the cell-penetrating penetratin peptide with the nuclear localization signal of the NF-κB p50 subunit.METHODS: Pancreatitis was induced in male Wistar rats by administering 2×100 μg/kg body weight of cholecystokininoctapeptide (CCK) intraperitoneally (IP) at an interval of 1 h. PN50-treated animals received 1 mg/kg of PN50 IP 30 min before or after the CCK injections. The animals were sacrificed 4 h after the first injection of CCK.RESULTS: All the examined laboratory (the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, serum amylase activity,pancreatic levels of TNF-α and IL-6, degree of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione levels, NF-κB binding activity, pancreatic and lung myeloperoxidase activity) and morphological parameters of the disease were improved before and after treatment with the PN50 peptide.According to the histological findings, PN50 protected the animals against acute pancreatitis by favoring the induction of apoptotic, as opposed to necrotic acinar cell death associated with severe acute pancreatitis.CONCLUSION: Our study implies that reversible inhibitors of stress-responsive transcription factors like NF-κB might be clinically useful for the suppression of the severity of acute pancreatitis.

Overcoming the cellular barriers and beyond: Recent progress on cell penetrating peptide modified nanomedicine in combating physiological and pathological barriers

The complex physiological and pathological conditions form barriers against efficient drug delivery.Cell penetrating peptides(CPPs),a class of short peptides which translocate drugs across cell membranes with various mechanisms,provide feasible solutions for efficient delivery of biologically active agents to circumvent biological barriers.After years of development,the function of CPPs is beyond cell penetrating.Multifunctional CPPs with bioactivity or active targeting capacity have been designed and successfully utilized in delivery of various cargoes against tumor,myocardial ischemia,ocular posterior segment disorders,etc.In this review,we summarize recent progress in CPP-functionalized nano-drug delivery systems to overcome the physiological and pathological barriers for the applications in cardiology,ophtalmology,mucus,neurology and cancer,etc.We also highlight the prospect of clinical translation of CPP-functionalized drug delivery systems in these areas.

Targeting the resolution pathway of inflammation using Ac2–26 peptide-loaded PEGylated lipid nanoparticles for the remission of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a common autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and immune dysfunction.Although various therapeutic approaches have been utilized for the treatment of RA in clinical applications,the low responsiveness of RA patients and undesired systemic toxicity are still unresolved problems.Targeting the resolution pathway of inflammation with pro-resolving mediators would evoke the protective actions of patient for combating the inflammation.Ac2–26,a 25-amino acid peptide derived from Annexin A(a pro-resolving mediator),has shown good efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.However,the low bioavailability of Ac2–26 peptides hinders their efficacy in vivo.In this paper,we formed PEGylated lipid nanoparticles(LDNPs)by the co-assembly of l-ascorbyl palmitate(L-AP)and N-(carbonyl methoxypolyethylene glycol-2000)-1,2-distearoyl-sn–glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine(DSPE-PEG 2 k)to encapsulate and deliver Ac2–26 peptides to the arthritic rats.They showed good stability and biocompatibility.After being intravenously administrated,Ac2–26 peptide-loaded PEGylated lipid nanoparticles(ADNPs)showed the prolonged in vivo circulation time and enhanced accumulation in inflamed sites.In vivo therapeutic evaluations revealed that ADNPs could attenuate synovial inflammation and improve joint pathology.Therefore,the pro-resolving therapeutic strategy using ADNPs is effective in RA treatment.

Screening and Identification of a Novel Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Binding Peptide by Using a Phage Display Library

The purpose of this study was to screen peptides that can specifically bind to human hepatocellular carcinoma （hHCC） cells using phage display of random peptide library in order to develope a peptide-based carrier for the diagnosis or therapy of hHCC. A peptide 12-mer phage display library was employed and 4 rounds of subtractive panning were performed using the hHCC cell line HepG2 as the target. After panning, the phages that specifically bound to and internalized in hHCC cells were selected. The selected phages demonstrated highly specific affinity to HepG2 cells analyzed by ELISA and immunofluorescence analysis. 57.3% of the selected phage clones displayed repeated sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM, and 4 amino acid residues, FLEP were extremely conservative. Based on the sequencing results, a 16-mer peptide （WH-16） was synthesized. The competitive EL1SA showed that the binding of the phage clones displayed sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM to HepG2 cells was efficiently inhibited by WH-16. Our findings indicate that cellular binding of phage is mediated via its displayed peptide and the synthesized 16-mer peptide may have the potential to be a delivery carrier in target diagnosis or therapy for hHCC.

Self-Assembling Peptide as a Candidate Carrier for 5-Fluorouracil

The potential application of a designed self-assembly peptide CH3CO-Pro-Thr-Phe-CysPhe-Lys-Phe-Glu-Pro-NH2（named as P1） as a carrier of 5-Fluorouracil（5-Fu） for controlled release in vitro was studied. 5-Fluorouracil（5-Fu） was selected as a representative anticancer drug due to its extensive use in treating digestive system cancer and breast cancer. The interaction between P1 and 5-Fu was detected by fluorescent quenching experiments and atomic force microscopy（AFM）. The quenching mechanism of 5-Fu and P1 system was dynamic by performing fluorescent quenching experiments at different temperatures. The thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that the interaction between 5-Fu and P1 was hydrophobic interaction. The complexes prepared by the interaction between peptide and 5-Fu appeared as large granular particles of about 20 nm in height under AFM（denoted as5-Fu-P1）, 24 times larger than the original 5-Fu particles. According to the results, an interaction model was proposed. Furthermore, 5-Fu-P1 complexes exhibited an efficient controlled release of 5-Fu in vitro. The research suggested that P1 might be a candidate carrier for drug delivery, providing a substitution agent for 5-Fu.

A RGD-Containing Oligopeptide (K)_(16)GRGBSPC: A Novel Vector for Integrin-Mediated Targeted Gene Belivery

A 23 amino acid, bifunctional integrin-targeted synthetic oligopeptide was evaluated for ex vivo gene delivery to rabbit bone marrow stromal cells （BMSCs）. Synthesis of the peptide （K）16GRGDSPC was performed on a solid-phase batch peptide synthesizer. BMSCs were transfected with plasmid DNA coding for luciferase by （K）j6GRGDSPC and the transfection efficiency was assayed. The influences of chloroquine and polyethyleneimine on the transfection efficiency were also examined. The target specificity of （K）16GRGDSPC to mediate exogenous gene into BMSCs was analyzed using cell attachment test and gene delivery inhibition test. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector was lower than that of Lipofectamine. But in the presence of endosomal buffer chloroquine or endosomal disrupting agent polyethyleneimine, the transfection efficiency of the vector was greatly enhanced. In addition, RGD-containing peptides inhibited BMSCs＇ attachment to the 96-well plates pretreated with fibronectin or vitronecfin and significantly decreased the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector. These studies demonstrated that oligopeptide （K）16GRGDSPC was an ideal novel targeted non-viral gene delivery vector, which was easy to be synthesized, high efficient and low cytotoxicity. The vector could effectively deliver exogenous gene into rat BMSCs.

Tumor specifically internalizing peptide ‘HN-1’: Targeting the putative receptor retinoblastoma-regulated discoidin domain receptor 1 involved in metastasis

BACKGROUND Less than 0.5%of intravenously injected drugs reach tumors,contributing to side effects.To limit damage to healthy cells,various delivery vectors have been formulated;yet,previously developed vectors suffer from poor penetration into solid tumors.This issue was resolved by the discovery of HN-1 peptide isolated via biopanning a phage-display library.HN-1 targets human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)(breast,thyroid;potentially lung,cervix,uterine,colon cancer),translocates across the cell membrane,and efficiently infiltrates solid tumors.HN-1 peptide has been conjugated to various anticancer drugs and imaging agents though the identity of its receptor remained enigmatic.AIM To decipher the clues that pointed to retinoblastoma(Rb)-regulated discoidindomain receptor 1 as the putative receptor for HN-1 is described.METHODS HN-1 peptide was synthesized and purified using reverse-phase highperformance liquid chromatography and gel electrophoresis.The predicted mass was confirmed by mass spectroscopy.To image the 3-dimensional structure of HN-1 peptide,PyMOL was used.Molecular modeling was also performed with PEP-FOLD3 software via RPBS bioinformatics web portal(INSERM,France).The immunohistochemistry results of discoidin domain receptor 1(DDR1)protein were obtained from the publicly accessible database in the Human Protein Atlas portal,which contained the images of immunohistochemically labeled human cancers and the corresponding normal tissues.RESULTS The clues that led to DDR1 involved in metastasis as the putative receptor mediating HN-1 endocytosis are the following:(1)HN-1 is internalized in phosphate-buffered saline and its uptake is competitively inhibited;(2)HN-1(TSPLNIHNGQKL)exhibits similarity with a stretch of amino acids in alpha5 beta3 integrin(KLLITIHDRKEF).Aside from two identical residues(Ile-His)in the middle,the overall distribution of polar and nonpolar residues throughout the sequences is nearly identical.As HN-1 sequence lacks the Arg-Gly-Asp motif recognized by integrins,HN-1 may interact with an"integrin-like"molecule.The tertiary structure of both peptides showed similarity at the 3-dimensional level;(3)HN-1 is internalized by attached cells but not by suspended cells.As culture plates are typically coated with collagen,collagen-binding receptor(expressed by adherent but not suspended cells)may represent the receptor for HN-1;(4)DDR1 is highly expressed in head and neck cancer(or breast cancer)targeted by HN-1;(5)Upon activation by collagen,DDR1 becomes internalized and compartmentalized in endosomes consistent with the determination of’energy-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis’as the HN-1 entry route and the identification of HN-1 entrapped vesicles as endosomes;and(6)DDR1 is essential for the development of mammary glands consistent with the common embryonic lineage rationale used to identify breast cancer as an additional target of HN-1.In summary,collagenactivated tyrosine kinase receptor DDR1 overexpressed in HNSCC assumes a critical role in metastasis.Further studies are warranted to assess HN-1 peptide’s interaction with DDR1 and the therapeutic potential of treating metastatic cancer.Additionally,advances in delivery(conformation,endocytic mechanism,repertoire of targeted cancers of HN-1 peptide),tracking(HN-1 conjugated imaging agents),and activity(HN-1 conjugated therapeutic agents)are described.CONCLUSION The discovery of DDR1 as HN-1 peptide’s putative receptor represents a significant advance as it enables identification of metastatic cancers or clinical application of previously developed therapeutics to block metastasis.

Dynamic mechanism for encapsulating two HIV replication inhibitor peptides with carbon nanotubes

Encapsulation of biomolecules inside a carbon nanotube （CNT） has attracted great interest because it could enable the delivery of nanoscale pharmaceutical drugs with CNT-based devices. Using a molecular dynamics simulation, we investigate the dynamic process by which human immunodeficiency virus （HIV） replication inhibitor peptides （HRIPs） are encapsulated in a water solution contained inside a CNT. The van der Waals attraction between the HRIPs and the CNT and the root-mean-square deviation are used to analyse the evolution of the encapsulation. It is found that the interaction between the HRIPs and the CNT is the main driving force for the encapsulation process, which does not cause an obvious conformational change to the HRIPs.

Coating tetrahedral DNA framework with endosomolytic peptides for improved stability and cytosolic delivery

DNA nanostructures have emerged as promising carriers for drug delivery.However,challenges such as low stability,poor cellular uptake efficiency,and vulnerability to lysosomal degradation still hinder their therapeutic potential.In this study,we demonstrate the coating of tetrahedral DNA frameworks(TDF)with the endosomolytic peptide L17E through electrostatic interactions to address these issues.Our findings highlight that L17E coating substantially enhances the stability of TDFs and improves their uptake efficiency into RAW264.7 cells through endocytosis and macropinocytosis.Moreover,L17E coating enables efficient endosomal release of TDFs.Finally,we employed L17E-coated TDF to deliver osteogenic growth peptide and demonstrated its potential applications in inhibiting periodontitis both in vitro and in vivo.This straightforward and cost-effective strategy holds promise for advancing the biomedical applications of DNA nanostructures.

Charge-guided masking of a membrane-destabilizing peptide enables efficient endosomal escape for targeted intracellular delivery of proteins

Intracellular delivery of biologicals such as peptides,proteins,and nucleic acids presents a great opportunity for innovative therapeutics.However,the endosome entrapment remains a major bottleneck in the intracellular delivery of biomacromolecules,largely limiting their therapeutic potential.Here,we converted a cell-penetrating peptide(CPP),low molecular weight protamine(LMWP),to endosomal escape peptides(EEPs)by masking LMWP with a pH-responsive counter-ionic peptide.The resulting masked CPPs(mLMWP and mLMWP2)effectively promoted the escape of peptide/protein cargoes from endosomes into the cytoplasm.Consequential lysosome repair and lysophagy were initiated upon the endolysosomal leakage.Minimal reactive oxygen species(ROS)elevation or cell death was observed.Based on mLMWP2,we constructed an intracellular protein delivery system containing an antibody as a targeting module,mLMWP2 as an endosomal escape module,and the desired protein cargo.With the HER2-targeting delivery system,we efficiently translocated cyclization recombination enzyme(Cre)and BH3-interacting domain death agonist(BID)into the cytosol of HER2^(+)cells to exert their biological activity.Thereby,the modular delivery system shows its potential as a promising tool for scientific studies and therapeutic applications.

Thermodynamically stable ionic liquid microemulsions pioneer pathways for topical delivery and peptide application

Copper peptides(GHK-Cu)are a powerful hair growth promoter with minimal side effects when compared with minoxidil and finasteride;however,challenges in delivering GHK-Cu topically limits their non-invasive applications.Using theoretical calculations and pseudo-ternary phase diagrams,we designed and constructed a thermodynamically stable ionic liquid(IL)-based microemulsion(IL-M),which integrates the high drug solubility of ILs and high skin permeability of microemulsions,thus improving the local delivery of copper peptides by approximately three-fold while retaining their biological function.Experiments in mice validated the effectiveness of our proposed IL-M system.Furthermore,the exact effects of the IL-M system on the expression of growth factors,such as vascular endothelial growth factor,were revealed,and it was found that microemulsion increased the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,which includes factors involved in hair growth regulation.Overall,the safe and non-invasive IL microemulsion system developed in this study has great potential for the clinical treatment of hair loss.

抗癌生物活性肽作用机制的研究进展

肿瘤已成为目前影响人类预期寿命和生存质量的重大疾病之一。目前关于肿瘤的治疗主要采用手术、放疗、化疗等方法,且已取得一定疗效,但不良反应严重、易产生耐药等问题会影响其临床应用效果。生物活性肽因具有特异性高、不良反应小、抗肿瘤作用明确等优势而成为有效抗肿瘤药物。生物活性肽的抗肿瘤作用主要通过促进细胞坏死和凋亡、靶向破坏异常信号通路、抑制肿瘤血管和淋巴管形成以及诱导免疫反应等机制实现。未来进一步深入研究生物活性肽的作用机制,可以为其临床转化提供帮助。

Oral peptide therapeutics for diabetes treatment: State-of-the-art and future perspectives

Diabetes,characterized by hyperglycemia,is a major cause of death and disability worldwide.Peptides,such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1)analogs,have shown promise as treatments for diabetes due to their ability to mimic or enhance insulin's actions in the body.Compared to subcutaneous injection,oral administration of anti-diabetic peptides is a preferred approach.However,biological barriers significantly reduce the efficacy of oral peptide therapeutics.Recent advancements in drug delivery systems and formulation techniques have greatly improved the oral delivery of peptide therapeutics and their efficacy in treating diabetes.This review will highlight(1)the benefits of oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics;(2)the biological barriers for oral peptide delivery,including pH and enzyme degradation,intestinal mucosa barrier,and biodistribution barrier;(3)the delivery platforms to overcome these biological barriers.Additionally,the review will discuss the prospects in this field.The information provided in this review will serve as a valuable guide for future developments in oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics.

Designing the new generation of intelligent biocompatible carriers for protein and peptide delivery

Therapeutic proteins and peptides have revolutionized treatment for a number of diseases, and the expected increase in macromolecule-based therapies brings a new set of challenges for the pharmaceutics field. Due to their poor stability, large molecular weight, and poor transport properties,therapeutic proteins and peptides are predominantly limited to parenteral administration. The short serum half-lives typically require frequent injections to maintain an effective dose, and patient compliance is a growing issue as therapeutic protein treatments become more widely available. A number of studies have underscored the relationship of subcutaneous injections with patient non-adherence, estimating that over half of insulin-dependent adults intentionally skip injections. The development of oral formulations has the potential to address some issues associated with non-adherence including the interference with daily activities, embarrassment, and injection pain. Oral delivery can also help to eliminate the adverse effects and scar tissue buildup associated with repeated injections. However, there are several major challenges associated with oral delivery of proteins and peptides, such as the instability in the gastrointestinal(GI)tract, low permeability, and a narrow absorption window in the intestine. This review provides a detailed overview of the oral delivery route and associated challenges. Recent advances in formulation and drugdelivery technologies to enhance bioavailability are discussed, including the co-administration of compounds to alter conditions in the GI tract, the modification of the macromolecule physicochemical properties, and the use of improved targeted and controlled release carriers.

靶头修饰对PEG-PCL胶束在人宫颈癌细胞内转运行为的影响

目的 研究转铁蛋白靶向肽T7(7pep)对聚乙二醇-聚己内酯(PEG-PCL)胶束在人宫颈癌HeLa细胞内转运行为的影响。方法 以香豆素-6(C6)为荧光指示探针,通过薄膜分散法制备包载有C6的PEG-PCL(PEG-PCL-C6)胶束以及靶头7pep修饰的PEG-PCL(7pep-PEG-PCL-C6)胶束。比较两种胶束的粒径、多分散指数及外观形态;比较两种胶束被HeLa细胞实时摄取的情况及其入胞后与早期内吞体(EE)、内吞循环室(ERC)、晚期内吞体(LE)的共定位情况。结果 PEG-PCL-C6和7pep-PEG-PCL-C6胶束的平均粒径分别为(75.0±2.3)、(82.0±1.5)nm,多分散指数分别为0.17±0.20、0.17±0.32,外观均为规整的圆球形。7pep-PEGPCL-C6胶束的入胞速度和入胞量均明显快/多于PEG-PCL-C6胶束。7pep-PEG-PCL-C6胶束比PEG-PCL-C6胶束能够更快地进入EE,而入胞后PEG-PCL-C6胶束进入ERC的速率较7pep-PEG-PCL-C6胶束快,且PEG-PCL-C6胶束和7pep-PEG-PCL-C6胶束在LE均有逐渐累积的趋势,但7pep-PEG-PCL-C6胶束入胞60 min时与LE的皮尔森系数、信号重叠比率、共定位比率均显著低于入胞30 min时(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论 靶头7pep修饰可提高PEG-PCL-C6胶束的入胞速率和入胞量,还可改变其胞内转运行为。

Multifunctional oral delivery systems for enhanced bioavailability of therapeutic peptides/proteins

In last few years, therapeutic peptides/proteins are rapidly growing in drug market considering their higher efficiency and lower toxicity than chemical drugs. However, the administration of therapeutic peptides/proteins is mainly limited in parenteral approach. Oral therapy which was hampered by harsh gastrointestinal environment and poorly penetrating epithelial barriers often results in low bioavailability(less than 1%–2%). Therefore, delivery systems that are rationally designed to overcome these challenges in gastrointestinal tract and ameliorate the oral bioavailability of therapeutic peptides/proteins are seriously promising. In this review, we summarized various multifunctional delivery systems, including lipid-based particles, polysaccharide-based particles, inorganic particles, and synthetic multifunctional particles that achieved effective oral delivery of therapeutic peptides/proteins.

蛋白多肽美拉德反应物稳定乳液的研究进展

乳液被认为是一种用于递送生物活性物质的良好体系,但由于其不稳定,极大地限制了应用。蛋白多肽具有独特的营养价值和生物活性,其结构灵活且易于在油水界面展开和重排,因此蛋白多肽稳定的乳液受到了广泛关注。蛋白多肽作为乳化剂虽然能够形成有效的乳液,但在稳定乳液方面效率较低。有研究发现蛋白多肽美拉德反应物稳定的乳液具有较好的稳定性、理化特性和功能特性。因此,本文对蛋白多肽美拉德反应物稳定乳液的作用机制、理化特性、功能特性、影响乳液稳定性的因素及其在递送体系中的应用进行了详细的阐述,为扩大蛋白多肽乳液在递送生物活性物质中的应用提供理论依据。