Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinjian Ji, Alexander L. Nielsen, Christian Heinis
Summary: Cyclic peptides are a class of molecules widely found in nature and used in drug development. Advances in synthesis and drug development have led to the creation of many cyclic peptide drugs. Cyclic peptides possess favorable properties that make them attractive for drug development. Currently, there are over 40 cyclic peptide drugs in use, and new technological advances suggest that this number could rapidly increase.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mengting Lin, Linjie Wu, Yiying Lu, Xiaoyan Bao, Haiqing Zhong, Qi Dai, Qiyao Yang, Yiyi Xia, Xin Tan, Yaxin Qin, Ruolin Jiang, Min Han
Summary: The RM/SEDDS nanoplatform can improve the oral bioavailability of hydrophilic peptides by preventing enzymatic degradation and enhancing mucosal permeability, overcoming the challenges in the development of oral protein formulations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiaqi Zhou, Yuxing Zou, Yan Cai, Fanglian Chi, Wenlong Huang, Wei Shi, Hai Qian
Summary: The newly designed cyclic peptide Cyclo-GCGPep1 shows promising targeting and inhibitory activity against HER2-positive cancers, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent. Conjugate 1, derived from this peptide, exhibits good anti-proliferative and targeting abilities in cellular assays and tumor spheroid models.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Xueru Chen, Hui Xie, Jincai Guo
Summary: This review evaluates different medicinal interventions for the management of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). The study included 29 randomized controlled trials and 5 clinical trials, and assessed the use of drugs such as steroids, hyaluronidase, pentoxifylline, lycopene, curcumin, spirulina, aloe vera, omega 3, oxitard, allicin, and colchicine for OSF treatment. The results showed that drugs such as salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide, lycopene, pentoxifylline, curcumin, and aloe vera had high-quality evidence, while drugs like allicin, colchicine, omega 3, and oxitard had moderate-quality evidence.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hung-Jin Huang, Yu-Hsuan Lee, Li-Chin Sung, Yi-Jie Chen, Yu-Jhe Chiu, Hui-Wen Chiu, Cai-Mei Zheng
Summary: Renal inflammation and fibrosis are correlated with kidney function deterioration and CKD. Current therapies have limited effects, so innovative approaches are needed to mitigate CKD progression.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Robert Safirstein
Summary: TXNDC5 is a key mediator of kidney fibrosis, and reducing its expression can decrease the accumulation of fibrous tissue in models of chronic kidney disease, indicating that activated fibroblasts are the main producers of matrix proteins. The study also found that reducing Txndc5 helps mitigate tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vladislav Deigin, Natalia Linkova, Olga Volpina
Summary: This article presents a chemical platform based on branched piperazine-2,5-diones for creating orally available biologically active peptidomimetics. The platform includes a bio-carrier with built-in functionally active peptide fragments or bioactive molecules that are covalently attached via linkers. The developed platform allows for the transformation of small peptides into orally stable compounds displaying the same activity. Various peptidomimetics with hemostimulating, hemosuppressing, and adjuvant activity were prepared using this approach, and new examples of enantiomeric molecules demonstrating reciprocal biological activity are also presented. The article concludes by summarizing the evolutionary approach of short peptide pharmaceutical development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuyu Li, Heng Pei, Yaomeng Huang, Da Liu, Liqun Yang, Qi Zhang, Zhijun Wang
Summary: An animal model of atrial fibrillation was constructed to observe the effect of acute atrial fibrillation on renal water and sodium metabolism in mice. The expression of TGF-beta and type III collagen in atrial myocardium, as well as the levels of CRP and IL-6 in blood, were examined. Additionally, the protein expression of NF-kappa B, TGF-beta, type III collagen, AQP2, AQP3, ENaC-beta, ENaC-gamma, SGK1, and NKCC in the kidneys were observed. The results showed that acute atrial fibrillation led to renal inflammatory response and fibrosis, hindering water and sodium metabolism, which was associated with the up-regulation of NKCC, ENaC, and AQPs in the kidneys.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Lois Kim, Sandeep Lohan, Jonathan Moreno, Khalid Zoghebi, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang
Summary: This study reports the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of peptides containing tryptophan and arginine residues as molecular transporters. Among them, the peptide [WWRR](5) showed the highest cellular uptake of cargo molecules, indicating its potential as an effective molecular transporter. The study also revealed that C4 can achieve cellular internalization through endocytosis and energy-independent mechanisms.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Kang Wang, Jinling Chu, Zhangli Hu, Song Qin, Yulin Cui
Summary: By introducing antimicrobial peptide genes into transgenic diatoms, which act as oral antimicrobial agents, the resistance of mussels to Vibrio infections can be significantly improved, leading to enhanced growth.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lei Xing, Xin Chang, Lijun Shen, Chenglu Zhang, Yatong Fan, Chongsu Cho, Zhiqi Zhang, Hulin Jiang
Summary: Fibrosis is a necessary process in the progression of chronic diseases to cirrhosis or cancer, which is a serious threat to human health. Early treatment of fibrosis has been shown to be a crucial turning point. Significant progress has been made in the development of effective anti-fibrosis drugs and targeted drug delivery, with existing research laying the foundation for breakthrough delivery systems to achieve better anti-fibrosis effects.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sorour Khayyatnejad Shoushtari, Khalid Zoghebi, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang
Summary: A novel series of hybrid cyclic-linear peptides were synthesized through Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis and evaluated for cellular uptake efficiency in various cancer and normal cell lines. The results suggest the potential of these peptides as cell-penetrating peptides and molecular transporters.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Melissa L. Jagrosse, Uday K. Baliga, Christopher W. Jones, Jade J. Russell, Claudia I. Garcia, Rauf Ahmad Najar, Arshad Rahman, David A. Dean, Bradley L. Nilsson
Summary: In this study, a series of modified cyclic amphipathic cell-penetrating peptides (CAPs) were used to investigate their effects on siRNA-binding efficiency, cellular delivery and knockdown efficiency, and endocytic uptake mechanism. The results show that CAP sequences with strong cationic character and aromatic residues can interact most effectively with siRNA. Cationic charge and disulfide-constrained cyclization of CAPs improve the uptake of siRNA, while net neutral CAPs and an acyclic peptide show less-efficient siRNA translocation. All tested CAPs facilitate efficient siRNA target gene knockdown, and the best CAPs enable more than 80% knockdown. There is a moderate correlation between gene knockdown efficiency and CAP-siRNA-binding affinity. Most CAP-siRNA nanoparticles deliver siRNA through clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of CAPs for siRNA delivery and the mechanism of siRNA translocation.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew M. King, Daniel A. Anderson, Emerson Glassey, Thomas H. Segall-Shapiro, Zhengan Zhang, David L. Niquille, Amanda C. Embree, Katelin Pratt, Thomas L. Williams, D. Benjamin Gordon, Christopher A. Voigt
Summary: Peptide secondary metabolites have diverse functions and a method to design and screen modified peptides in E. coli against a target of interest has been presented. The study demonstrates a method to identify constrained peptides that bind to a single protein target, with potential applications in therapeutics and diagnostics.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yiying Lu, Linjie Wu, Mengting Lin, Xiaoyan Bao, Haiqing Zhong, Peng Ke, Qi Dai, Qiyao Yang, Xinjiang Tang, Wenhong Xu, Donghang Xu, Min Han
Summary: In this study, soybean phospholipid was used to form reverse micelles as a drug delivery system, with Exenatide as the core. Oil-in-water emulsion and hyaluronic acid-coated nanoparticles were further prepared. The nanoparticles showed enhanced cellular uptake and exhibited effects on reducing blood glucose, protecting pancreatic beta cells, and relieving insulin resistance and hyperlipemia complications in type 2 diabetic rats.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
