Receptor-Targeting Phthalocyanine Photosensitizer for Improving Antitumor Photocytotoxicity

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising therapeutic modality which uses a photosensitizer to capture visible light resulting in phototoxicity in the irradiated region. PDT has been used in a number of pathological indications, including tumor. A key desirable feature of the photosensitizer is the high phototoxicity on tumor cells but not on normal cells. In this study, we conjugate a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to a photosensitizer, Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), in order to enhance its specificity to breast cancer, which over-expresses GnRH receptor. ZnPc has unique advantages over other photosensitizers, but is difficult to derivatize and purify as a single isomer. We previously developed a straight-forward way to synthesize mono-substituted β-carboxy-phthalocyanine zinc (ZnPc-COOH). Photophysical and photochemical parameters of this ZnPc-GnRH conjugate including fluorescence quantum yield (Фf), fluorescence decay time (τs) and singlet oxygen quantum yield (ФΔ) were evaluated and found comparable with that of ZnPc, indicating that addition of a GnRH peptide does not significantly alter the generation of singlet oxygen from ZnPc. Cellular uptakes and phototoxicities of this conjugate were tested and found significantly enhanced on human breast cancer cell lines overexpressing GnRH receptors (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells) compared to cells with low levels of GnRH receptors, such as human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) and human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells. In addition, the cellular uptake of this conjugate toward MCF-7 cells were found clearly alleviated by a GnRH receptor blocker Cetrorelix, suggesting that the cellular uptake of this conjugate was GnRH receptor-mediated. Put together, these findings revealed that coupling ZnPc with GnRH analogue was an effective way to improve the selectivity of ZnPc towards tumors with over-expressed GnRH receptors

Structure of catalytic domain of Matriptase in complex with Sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1

Seed storage proteins are both an important source of nutrition for humans and essential for seedling establishment. Interestingly, unusual napin-type 2S seed storage albumin precursors in sunflowers contain a sequence that is released as a macrocyclic peptide during post-translational processing. The mechanism by which such peptides emerge from linear precursor proteins has received increased attention; however, the structural characterization of intact precursor proteins has been limited. Here, we report the 3D NMR structure of the Helianthus annuus PawS1 (preproalbumin with sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1) and provide new insights into the processing of this remarkable dual-destiny protein. In seeds, PawS1 is matured by asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) into the cyclic peptide SFTI-1 (sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1) and a heterodimeric 2S albumin. The structure of PawS1 revealed that SFTI-1 and the albumin are independently folded into well-defined domains separated by a flexible linker. PawS1 was cleaved in vitro with recombinant sunflower HaAEP1 and in situ using a sunflower seed extract in a way that resembled the expected in vivo cleavages. Recombinant HaAEP1 cleaved PawS1 at multiple positions, and in situ, its flexible linker was removed, yielding fully mature heterodimeric albumin. Liberation and cyclization of SFTI-1, however, was inefficient, suggesting that specific seed conditions or components may be required for in vivo biosynthesis of SFTI-1. In summary, this study has revealed the 3D structure of a macrocyclic precursor protein and provided important mechanistic insights into the maturation of sunflower proalbumins into an albumin and a macrocyclic peptide

Structural Comparison of Allogeneic and Syngeneic T Cell Receptor–Peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex Complexes: A Buried Alloreactive Mutation Subtly Alters Peptide Presentation Substantially Increasing Vβ Interactions

The crystal structures of the 2C/H-2Kbm3–dEV8 allogeneic complex at 2.4 Å and H-2Kbm3–dEV8 at 2.15 Å, when compared with their syngeneic counterparts, elucidate structural changes that induce an alloresponse. The Asp77Ser mutation that imbues H-2Kbm3–dEV8 with its alloreactive properties is located beneath the peptide and does not directly contact the T cell receptor (TCR). However, the buried mutation induces local rearrangement of the peptide itself to preserve hydrogen bonding interactions between the peptide and the α1 77 residue. The COOH terminus of the peptide main chain is tugged toward the α1-helix such that its presentation to the TCR is altered. These changes increase the stability of the allogeneic peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) complex and increase complementarity in the TCR–pMHC interface, placing greater emphasis on recognition of the pMHC by the TCR β-chain, evinced by an increase in shape complementarity, buried surface area, and number of TCR–pMHC contacting residues. A nearly fourfold increase in the number of β-chain–pMHC contacts is accompanied by a concomitant 64% increase in β-chain–pMHC shape complementarity. Thus, the allogeneic mutation causes the same peptide to be presented differently, temporally and spatially, by the allogeneic and syngeneic MHCs

Small Molecules Engage Hot Spots through Cooperative Binding To Inhibit a Tight Protein–Protein Interaction

Protein–protein interactions drive every aspect of cell signaling, yet only a few small-molecule inhibitors of these interactions exist. Despite our ability to identify critical residues known as hot spots, little is known about how to effectively engage them to disrupt protein–protein interactions. Here, we take advantage of the ease of preparation and stability of pyrrolinone 1, a small-molecule inhibitor of the tight interaction between the urokinase receptor (uPAR) and its binding partner, the urokinase-type plasminogen activator uPA, to synthesize more than 40 derivatives and explore their effect on the protein–protein interaction. We report the crystal structure of uPAR bound to previously discovered pyrazole 3 and to pyrrolinone 12. While both 3 and 12 bind to uPAR and compete with a fluorescently labeled peptide probe, only 12 and its derivatives inhibit the full uPAR·uPA interaction. Compounds 3 and 12 mimic and engage different hot-spot residues on uPA and uPAR, respectively. Interestingly, 12 is involved in a π–cation interaction with Arg-53, which is not considered a hot spot. Explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations reveal that 3 and 12 exhibit dramatically different correlations of motion with residues on uPAR. Free energy calculations for the wild-type and mutant uPAR bound to uPA or 12 show that Arg-53 interacts with uPA or with 12 in a highly cooperative manner, thereby altering the contributions of hot spots to uPAR binding. The direct engagement of peripheral residues not considered hot spots through π–cation or salt-bridge interactions could provide new opportunities for enhanced small-molecule engagement of hot spots to disrupt challenging protein–protein interactions

Detection of Active Matriptase using a Biotinylated Chloromethyl Ketone Peptide

Matriptase is a member of the family of type II transmembrane serine proteases that is essential for development and maintenance of several epithelial tissues. Matriptase is synthesized as a single-chain zymogen precursor that is processed into a two-chain disulfide-linked form dependent on its own catalytic activity leading to the hypothesis that matriptase functions at the pinnacle of several protease induced signal cascades. Matriptase is usually found in either its zymogen form or in a complex with its cognate inhibitor hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor 1 (HAI-1), whereas the active non-inhibited form has been difficult to detect. In this study, we have developed an assay to detect enzymatically active non-inhibitor-complexed matriptase by using a biotinylated peptide substrate-based chloromethyl ketone (CMK) inhibitor. Covalently CMK peptide-bound matriptase is detected by streptavidin pull-down and subsequent analysis by Western blotting. This study presents a novel assay for detection of enzymatically active matriptase in living human and murine cells. The assay can be applied to a variety of cell systems and species

Crystal structure of Sar1-GDP at 1.7 Å resolution and the role of the NH2 terminus in ER export

The Sar1 GTPase is an essential component of COPII vesicle coats involved in export of cargo from the ER. We report the 1.7-Å structure of Sar1 and find that consistent with the sequence divergence of Sar1 from Arf family GTPases, Sar1 is structurally distinct. In particular, we show that the Sar1 NH2 terminus contains two regions: an NH2-terminal extension containing an evolutionary conserved hydrophobic motif that facilitates membrane recruitment and activation by the mammalian Sec12 guanine nucleotide exchange factor, and an α1' amphipathic helix that contributes to interaction with the Sec23/24 complex that is responsible for cargo selection during ER export. We propose that the hydrophobic Sar1 NH2-terminal activation/recruitment motif, in conjunction with the α1' helix, mediates the initial steps in COPII coat assembly for export from the ER