Tuning the Biological Activity of RGD Peptides with Halotryptophans†.

An array of l- and d-halotryptophans with different substituents at the indole moiety was synthesized employing either enzymatic halogenation by halogenases or incorporation of haloindoles using tryptophan synthase. Introduction of these Trp derivatives into RGD peptides as a benchmark system was performed to investigate their influence on bioactivity. Halotryptophan-containing RGD peptides display increased affinity toward integrin αβ and enhanced selectivity over integrin αβ.

Cyclic RGD and DGR Integrin Ligands Containing -2-amino-1-cyclopentanecarboxylic (-β-ACPC) Scaffolds.

Integrin ligands containing the tripeptide sequences Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and -Asp-Gly- Arg (DGR) were actively investigated as inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis and directing unit in tumor-targeting drug conjugates. Reported herein is the synthesis, of two RGD and one DGR cyclic peptidomimetics containing (1,2) and (1,2) -2-amino-1-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (-β-ACPC), using a mixed solid phase/solution phase synthetic protocol. The three ligands were examined in vitro in competitive binding assays to the purified αβ and αβ receptors using biotinylated vitronectin (αβ) and fibronectin (αβ) as natural displaced ligands.

EGFR-Binding Peptides: From Computational Design towards Tumor-Targeting of Adeno-Associated Virus Capsids.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a central role in the progression of many solid tumors. We used this validated target to analyze the de novo design of EGFR-binding peptides and their application for the delivery of complex payloads via rational design of a viral vector. Peptides were computationally designed to interact with the EGFR dimerization interface.

Linker Hydrophilicity Modulates the Anticancer Activity of RGD-Cryptophycin Conjugates.

Most anticancer agents are hydrophobic and can easily penetrate the tumor cell membrane by passive diffusion. This may impede the development of highly effective and tumor-selective treatment options. A hydrophilic β-glucuronidase-cleavable linker was used to connect the highly potent antimitotic agent cryptophycin-55 glycinate with the α β integrin ligand c(RGDfK).

Phenothiazine-Biaryl-Containing Fluorescent RGD Peptides.

Cyclic RGD peptides are well-known ligands of integrins. The integrins α β and α β are involved in angiogenesis, and integrin α β is abundantly present on cancer cells, thus representing a therapeutic target. Hence, synthetic and biophysical studies continuously are being directed towards the understanding of ligand-integrin interaction.

Size-Dependent Cellular Uptake of RGD Peptides.

Monomeric RGD peptides show unspecific fluid-phase uptake in cells, whereas multimeric RGD peptides are thought to be internalized by integrin-mediated endocytosis. However, a potential correlation between uptake mechanism and molecular mass has been neglected so far. A dual derivatization of peptide c(RGDw(7Br)K) was performed to investigate this.

Cyclization of RGD Peptides by Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling.

Halogenated l- or d-tryptophan obtained by biocatalytic halogenation was incorporated into RGD peptides together with a variety of alkyl or aryl boronic acids. Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling either in solution or on-resin results in side chain-to-tail-cyclized RGD peptides, for example, with biaryl moieties, providing a new dimension of structure-activity relationships. An array of RGD peptides differing in macrocycle size, the presence of d-amino acid, -methylation, or connectivity between the indole moiety and the boronic acid showed that, in particular, connectivity exhibits a major impact on affinities toward integrins, for example, αβ.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of RGD⁻Cryptophycin Conjugates for Targeted Drug Delivery.

Cryptophycins are potent tubulin polymerization inhibitors with picomolar antiproliferative potency in vitro and activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) cancer cells. Because of neurotoxic side effects and limited efficacy in vivo, cryptophycin-52 failed as a clinical candidate in cancer treatment. However, this class of compounds has emerged as attractive payloads for tumor-targeting applications.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of binaphthyl-based, functionalized oxazole and thiazole peptidomimetics.

Thirty two new binaphthyl-based, functionalized oxazole and thiazole peptidomimetics and over thirty five novel leucine-containing intermediate oxazoles and thiazoles were prepared in this study. This includes the first examples of the direct C-5 arylation of an amino acid dipeptide-derived oxazole. Moderate to excellent antibacterial activity was observed for all new compounds across Gram positive isolates with MICs ranging from 1-16 μg mL(-1).