Peptide-based CE-SELEX enables convenient isolation of aptamers specifically recognizing CD20-expressing cells.

The CD20 antigen is a key target for several diseases including lymphoma and autoimmune diseases. For over 20 years, several monoclonal antibodies were developed to treat CD20-related disorders. As many therapeutic proteins, their clinical use is however limited due to their nature with a costly biotechnological procedure and side effects such as the production of anti-drug neutralizing antibodies. Nucleic acid aptamers have some advantages over mAbs and are currently investigated for clinical use. We herein report the selection of DNA aptamer by using a peptide-based CE-SELEX (Capillary Electrophoresis-Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) method. It was demonstrated that these aptamers bind specifically a CD20-expressing human cell line, with Kd estimated from isothermal titration calorimetry experiments in the micromolar range. This study demonstrates that the CE-SELEX is suitable as alternative method to the conventional Cell-SELEX to discover new cell-targeting compounds.

Influence of Surface Chemistry on Host/Guest Interactions: A Model Study on Redox-Sensitive ß-Cyclodextrin/Ferrocene Complexes.

While host/guest interactions are widely used to control molecular assembly on surfaces, quantitative information on the effect of surface chemistry on their efficiency is lacking. To address this question, we combined electrochemical characterization with quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring to study host/guest interactions between surface-attached ferrocene (Fc) guests and soluble ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) hosts. We identified several parameters that influence the redox response, ß-CD complexation ability, and repellent properties of Fc monolayers, including the method of Fc grafting, the linker connecting Fc with the surface, and the diluting molecule used to tune Fc surface density. The study on monovalent ß-CD/Fc complexation was completed by the characterization of multivalent interactions between Fc monolayers and ß-CD-functionalized polymers, with new insights being obtained on the interplay between the surface chemistry, binding efficiency, and reversibility under electrochemical stimulus. These results should facilitate the design of well-defined functional interfaces and their implementation in stimuli-responsive materials and sensing devices.

Multimeric RGD-Based Strategies for Selective Drug Delivery to Tumor Tissues.

RGD peptides have received a lot of attention over the two last decades, in particular to improve tumor therapy through the targeting of the αVß3 integrin receptor. This review focuses on the molecular design of multimeric RGD compounds, as well as the design of suitable linkers for drug delivery. Many examples of RGD-drug conjugates have been developed, and we show the importance of RGD constructs to enhance binding affinity to tumor cells, as well as their drug uptake. Further, we also highlight the use of RGD peptides as theranostic systems, promising tools offering dual modality, such as tumor diagnosis and therapy. In conclusion, we address the challenging issues, as well as ongoing and future development, in comparison with large molecules, such as monoclonal antibodies.

Multiplexed Imaging Reveals the Spatial Relationship of the Extracellular Acidity-Targeting pHLIP with Necrosis, Hypoxia, and the Integrin-Targeting cRGD Peptide.

pH (low) insertion peptides (pHLIPs) have been developed for cancer imaging and therapy targeting the acidic extracellular microenvironment. However, the characteristics of intratumoral distribution (ITD) of pHLIPs are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to reveal the details of the ITD of pHLIPs and their spatial relationship with other tumor features of concern. The fluorescent dye-labeled pHLIPs were intravenously administered to subcutaneous xenograft mouse models of U87MG and IGR-OV1 expressing αVß3 integrins (using large necrotic tumors). The αVß3 integrin-targeting Cy5.5-RAFT-c(-RGDfK-)4 was used as a reference. In vivo and ex vivo fluorescence imaging, whole-tumor section imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and multiplexed fluorescence colocalization analysis were performed. The ITD of fluorescent dye-labeled pHLIPs was heterogeneous, having a high degree of colocalization with necrosis. A direct one-to-one comparison of highly magnified images revealed the cellular localization of pHLIP in pyknotic, karyorrhexis, and karyolytic necrotic cells. pHLIP and hypoxia were spatially contiguous but not overlapping cellularly. The hypoxic region was found between the ITDs of pHLIP and the cRGD peptide and the Ki-67 proliferative activity remained detectable in the pHLIP-accumulated regions. The results provide a better understanding of the characteristics of ITD of pHLIPs, leading to new insights into the theranostic applications of pHLIPs.

Multivalent glycocyclopeptides: conjugation methods and biological applications.

Click chemistry was extensively used to decorate synthetic multivalent scaffolds with glycans to mimic the cell surface glycocalyx and to develop applications in glycosciences. Conjugation methods such as oxime ligation, copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition, thiol-ene coupling, squaramide coupling or Lansbury aspartylation proved particularly suitable to achieve this purpose. This review summarizes the synthetic strategies that can be used either in a stepwise manner or in an orthogonal one-pot approach, to conjugate multiple copies of identical or different glycans to cyclopeptide scaffolds (namely multivalent glycocyclopeptides) having different size, valency, geometry and molecular composition. The second part of this review will describe the potential of these structures to interact with various carbohydrate binding proteins or to stimulate immunity against tumor cells.

MT9, a natural peptide from black mamba venom antagonizes the muscarinic type 2 receptor and reverses the M2R-agonist-induced relaxation in rat and human arteries.

All five muscarinic receptors have important physiological roles. The endothelial M2 and M3 subtypes regulate arterial tone through direct coupling to Gq or Gi/o proteins. Yet, we lack selective pharmacological drugs to assess the respective contribution of muscarinic receptors to a given function. We used mamba snake venoms to identify a selective M2R ligand to investigate its contribution to arterial contractions. Using a bio-guided screening binding assay, we isolated MT9 from the black mamba venom, a three-finger toxin active on the M2R subtype. After sequencing and chemical synthesis of MT9, we characterized its structure by X-ray diffraction and determined its pharmacological characteristics by binding assays, functional tests, and ex vivo experiments on rat and human arteries. Although MT9 belongs to the three-finger fold toxins family, it is phylogenetically apart from the previously discovered muscarinic toxins, suggesting that two groups of peptides evolved independently and in a convergent way to target muscarinic receptors. The affinity of MT9 for the M2R is 100 times stronger than that for the four other muscarinic receptors. It also antagonizes the M2R/Gi pathways in cell-based assays. MT9 acts as a non-competitive antagonist against acetylcholine or arecaine, with low nM potency, for the activation of isolated rat mesenteric arteries. These results were confirmed on human internal mammary arteries. In conclusion, MT9 is the first fully characterized M2R-specific natural toxin. It should provide a tool for further understanding of the effect of M2R in various arteries and may position itself as a new drug candidate in cardio-vascular diseases.

2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl as a Thiol-Protecting Group for Directed-Disulfide Bond Formation.

The chemical synthesis of disulfide-rich peptides such as toxins can be accomplished by using numerous orthogonal cysteine-protecting groups. Herein we report the use of the Hmboff/on protecting group for directed disulfide bond formation. Its combination with classical Trt, Acm, and Mob groups was studied for the synthesis of NMB-1 and phlotoxin-1 toxins highlighting new orthogonal strategies for directed disulfide bond formation.

Chemical Synthesis of a Functional Fluorescent-Tagged α-Bungarotoxin.

α-bungarotoxin is a large, 74 amino acid toxin containing five disulphide bridges, initially identified in the venom of Bungarus multicinctus snake. Like most large toxins, chemical synthesis of α-bungarotoxin is challenging, explaining why all previous reports use purified or recombinant α-bungarotoxin. However, only chemical synthesis allows easy insertion of non-natural amino acids or new chemical functionalities. Herein, we describe a procedure for the chemical synthesis of a fluorescent-tagged α-bungarotoxin. The full-length peptide was designed to include an alkyne function at the amino-terminus through the addition of a pentynoic acid linker. Chemical synthesis of α-bungarotoxin requires hydrazide-based coupling of three peptide fragments in successive steps. After completion of the oxidative folding, an azide-modified Cy5 fluorophore was coupled by click chemistry onto the toxin. Next, we determined the efficacy of the fluorescent-tagged α-bungarotoxin to block acetylcholine (ACh)-mediated currents in response to muscle nicotinic receptor activation in TE671 cells. Using automated patch-clamp recordings, we demonstrate that fluorescent synthetic α-bungarotoxin has the expected nanomolar affinity for the nicotinic receptor. The blocking effect of fluorescent α-bungarotoxin could be displaced by incubation with a 20-mer peptide mimicking the α-bungarotoxin binding site. In addition, TE671 cells could be labelled with fluorescent toxin, as witnessed by confocal microscopy, and this labelling was partially displaced by the 20-mer competitive peptide. We thus demonstrate that synthetic fluorescent-tagged α-bungarotoxin preserves excellent properties for binding onto muscle nicotinic receptors.

Ratiometric Luminescence Detection of Copper(I) by a Resonant System Comprising Two Antenna/Lanthanide Pairs.

Selective and sensitive detection of Cu(I) is an ongoing challenge due to its important role in biological systems, for example. Herein, we describe a photoluminescent molecular chemosensor integrating two lanthanide ions (Tb3+ and Eu3+) and respective tryptophan and naphthalene antennas onto a polypeptide backbone. The latter was structurally inspired from copper-regulating biomacromolecules in Gram-negative bacteria and was found to bind Cu+ effectively under pseudobiological conditions (log KCu+ = 9.7 ± 0.2). Ion regulated modulation of lanthanide luminescence in terms of intensity and long, millisecond lifetime offers perspectives in terms of ratiometric and time-gated detection of Cu+. The role of the bound ion in determining the photophysical properties is discussed with the aid of additional model compounds.

Impact of Multimeric Ferrocene-containing Cyclodecapeptide Scaffold on Host-Guest Interactions at a ß-Cyclodextrin Covered Surface.

Among non-covalent bonds, the host-guest interaction is an attractive way to attach biomolecules to solid surfaces since the binding strength can be tuned by the nature of host and guest partners or through the valency of the interaction. For that purpose, we synthesized cyclodecapeptide scaffolds exhibiting in a spatially controlled manner two independent domains enabling the multimeric presentation of guest molecules on one face and the other face enabling the potential grafting of a biomolecule of interest. In this work, we were interested in the ß-cyclodextrin/ferrocene inclusion complex formed on ß-CD monolayers functionalized surfaces. By using surface sensitive techniques such as quartz crystal microbalance and surface plasmon resonance, we quantified the influence of the guest valency on the stability of the inclusion complexes. The results show a drastic enhancement of the affinity with the gradual increase of guest valency. Considering that the sequential binding events are equal and independent, we applied the multivalent model developed by the Huskens group to extract intrinsic binding constants and an effective concentration of host.

Determination of the Rituximab Binding Site to the CD20 Epitope Using SPOT Synthesis and Surface Plasmon Resonance Analyses.

Antibodies not only play a major role in clinical diagnostics and biopharmaceutical analysis but also are a class of drugs that are regularly used to treat numerous diseases. The identification of antibody-epitope binding sites is then of great interest to many emerging medical and bioanalytical applications, particularly to design monoclonal antibodies (mAb) mimics taking advantage of amino acid residues involved in the binding. Among relevant antibodies, the monoclonal antibody rituximab has received significant attention as it is exploited to treat several cancers including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as some autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. The binding of rituximab to the targeted cells occurs via the recognition of the CD20 epitope. A crystallographic study has shown that the binding area, named paratope, is located at the surface of rituximab. Combining the SPOT method and the complementary surface plasmon resonance technique allowed us to detect an extended recognition domain buried in the pocket of the rituximab Fab formed by four ß-sheets. More generally, the present study offers a comprehensive approach to identify antibody-epitope binding sites.

Radiotheranostic Agent 64Cu-cyclam-RAFT-c(-RGDfK-)4 for Management of Peritoneal Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer.

PURPOSE: Ovarian cancer peritoneal metastases (OCPMs) are a pathophysiologically heterogeneous group of tumors that are rarely curable. αVß3 integrin (αVß3) is overexpressed on tumoral neovessels and frequently on ovarian cancer cells. Here, using two clinically relevant αVß3-positive OCPM mouse models, we studied the theranostic potential of an αVß3-specific radiopeptide, 64Cu-cyclam-RAFT-c(-RGDfK-)4 (64Cu-RaftRGD), and its intra- and intertumoral distribution in relation to the tumor microenvironment. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: αVß3-expressing peritoneal and subcutaneous models of ovarian carcinoma (IGR-OV1 and NIH:OVCAR-3) were established in nude mice. 64Cu-RaftRGD was administered either intravenously or intraperitoneally. We performed intratumoral distribution (ITD) studies, PET/CT imaging and quantification, biodistribution assay and radiation dosimetry, and therapeutic efficacy and toxicity studies. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal administration was an efficient route for targeting 64Cu-RaftRGD to OCPMs with excellent tumor penetration. Using the fluorescence surrogate, Cy5.5-RaftRGD, in our unique high-resolution multifluorescence analysis, we found that the ITD of 64Cu-RaftRGD was spatially distinct from, but complementary to, that of hypoxia. 64Cu-RaftRGD-based PET enabled clear visualization of multiple OCPM deposits and ascites and biodistribution analysis demonstrated an inverse correlation between tumor uptake and tumor size (1.2-17.2 mm). 64Cu-RaftRGD at a radiotherapeutic dose (148 MBq/0.357 nmol) showed antitumor activities by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis, with negligible toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these results demonstrate the all-in-one potential of 64Cu-RaftRGD for imaging guided radiotherapy of OCPM by targeting both tumoral neovessels and cancerous cells. On the basis of the ITD finding, we propose that pairing αVß3- and hypoxia-targeted radiotherapies could improve therapeutic efficacy by overcoming the heterogeneity of ITD encountered with single-agent treatments.

Heparan sulfate co-immobilized with cRGD ligands and BMP2 on biomimetic platforms promotes BMP2-mediated osteogenic differentiation.

The chemical and physical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are known to be fundamental for regulating growth factor bioactivity. The role of heparan sulfate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan, and of cell adhesion proteins (containing the cyclic RGD (cRGD) ligands) on bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-mediated osteogenic differentiation has not been fully explored. In particular, it is not known whether and how their effects can be potentiated when they are presented in controlled close proximity, as in the ECM. Here, we developed streptavidin platforms to mimic selective aspects of the in vivo presentation of cRGD, HS and BMP2, with a nanoscale-control of their surface density and orientation to study cell adhesion and osteogenic differentiation. We showed that whereas a controlled increase in cRGD surface concentration upregulated BMP2 signaling due to ß3 integrin recruitment, silencing either ß1 or ß3 integrins negatively affected BMP2-mediated phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/9 and alkaline phosphatase expression. Furthermore, the presence of adsorbed BMP2 promoted cellular adhesion at very low cRGD concentrations. Finally, we proved that HS co-immobilized with cRGD both sustained BMP2 signaling and enhanced osteogenic differentiation compared to BMP2 directly immobilized on streptavidin, even with a low cRGD surface concentration. Altogether, our results show that HS facilitated and sustained the synergy between BMP2 and integrin pathways and that the co-immobilization of HS and cRGD peptides optimised BMP2-mediated osteogenic differentiation. Statement of significance The growth factor BMP2 is used to treat large bone defects. Previous studies have shown that the presentation of BMP2 via extracellular matrix molecules, such as heparan sulfate (HS), can upregulate BMP2 signaling. The potential advantages of dose reduction and local specificity have stimulated interest in further investigations into biomimetic approaches. We designed a streptavidin model surface eligible for immobilizing tunable amounts of molecules from the extracellular space, such as HS, adhesion motifs (cyclic RGD) and BMP2. By studying cellular adhesion, BMP2 bioactivity and its osteogenic potential we reveal the combined effect of integrins, HS and BMP2, which contribute in answering fundamental questions regarding cell-matrix interaction.

Using Native Chemical Ligation for Site-Specific Synthesis of Hetero-bis-lanthanide Peptide Conjugates: Application to Ratiometric Visible or Near-Infrared Detection of Zn2.

The interest in ratiometric luminescent probes that detect and quantify a specific analyte is growing. Owing to their special luminescence properties, lanthanide(III) cations offer attractive opportunities for the design of dual-color ratiometric probes. Here, the design principle of hetero-bis-lanthanide peptide conjugates by using native chemical ligation is described for perfect control of the localization of each lanthanide cation within the molecule. Two zinc-responsive probes, r-LZF1Tb|Cs124|Eu and r-LZF1Eu|Cs124|Tb are described on the basis of a zinc finger peptide and two DOTA (DOTA=1,4,7,10-tetraaza-cyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) complexes of terbium and europium. Both display dual-color ratiometric emission in response to the presence of Zn2+ . By using a screening approach, anthracene was identified for the sensitization of the luminescence of two near-infrared-emitting lanthanides, Yb3+ and Nd3+ . Thus, two novel zinc-responsive hetero-bis-lanthanide probes, r-LZF3Yb|Anthra|Nd and r-LZF3Nd|Anthra|Yb were assembled, the former offering a neat ratiometric response to Zn2+ with emission in the near-infrared around 1000 nm, which is unprecedented.

Antimicrobial Peptides as Probes in Biosensors Detecting Whole Bacteria: A Review.

Bacterial resistance is becoming a global issue due to its rapid growth. Potential new drugs as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered for several decades as promising candidates to circumvent this threat. Nonetheless, AMPs have also been used more recently in other settings such as molecular probes grafted on biosensors able to detect whole bacteria. Rapid, reliable and cost-efficient diagnostic tools for bacterial infection could prevent the spread of the pathogen from the earliest stages. Biosensors based on AMPs would enable easy monitoring of potentially infected samples, thanks to their powerful versatility and integrability in pre-existent settings. AMPs, which show a broad spectrum of interactions with bacterial membranes, can be tailored in order to design ubiquitous biosensors easily adaptable to clinical settings. This review aims to focus on the state of the art of AMPs used as the recognition elements of whole bacteria in label-free biosensors with a particular focus on the characteristics obtained in terms of threshold, volume of sample analysable and medium, in order to assess their workability in real-world applications.

Multimeric Presentation of RGD Peptidomimetics Enhances Integrin Binding and Tumor Cell Uptake.

The use of multimeric ligands is considered as a promising strategy to improve tumor targeting for diagnosis and therapy. Herein, tetrameric RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) peptidomimetics were designed to target αv ß3 integrin-expressing tumor cells. These compounds were prepared by an oxime chemoselective assembly of cyclo(DKP-RGD) ligands and a cyclodecapeptide scaffold, which allows a tetrameric presentation. The resulting tetrameric RGD peptidomimetics were shown to improve αv ß3 integrin binding compared with the monomeric form. Interestingly, these compounds were also able to enhance tumor cell endocytosis in the same way as tetrameric RGD peptides. Altogether, the results show the potential of the tetrameric cyclo(DKP-RGD) ligands for in vivo imaging and drug delivery.

Impact of Antigen Density on Recognition by Monoclonal Antibodies.

Understanding antigen-antibody interactions is important to many emerging medical and bioanalytical applications. In particular, the levels of antigen expression at the cell surface may determine antibody-mediated cell death. This parameter has a clear effect on outcome in patients undergoing immunotherapy. In this context, CD20 which is expressed in the membrane of B cells has received significant attention as target for immunotherapy of leukemia and lymphoma using the monoclonal antibody rituximab. To systematically study the impact of CD20 density on antibody recognition, we designed self-assembled monolayers that display tunable CD20 epitope densities. For this purpose, we developed in situ click chemistry to functionalize SPR sensor chips. We find that the rituximab binding affinity depends sensitively and nonmonotonously on CD20 surface density. Strongest binding, with an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD = 32 nM) close to values previously reported from in vitro analysis with B cells (apparent KD between 5 and 19 nM), was obtained for an average inter-antigen spacing of 2 nm. This distance is required for improving rituximab recognition, and in agreement with the known requirement of CD20 to form clusters to elicit a biological response. More generally, this study offers an interesting outlook in the understanding of the necessity of epitope clusters for effective mAb recognition.

Synthesis and Biological Characterization of Monomeric and Tetrameric RGD-Cryptophycin Conjugates.

The effective delivery of cytotoxic agents to tumor cells is a key challenge in anticancer therapy. Multivalent integrinspecific ligands are considered a promising tool to increase the binding affinity, selectivity, and internalization efficiency of small-molecule drug conjugates. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a multimeric conjugate containing the high-affinity integrin αv ß3 binding ligand RAFT-c(RGDfK)4 , a lysosomally cleavable Val-Cit linker, and cryptophycin-55 glycinate, a potent inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. In vitro cytotoxicity assays verified that the multimeric RGD-cryptophycin conjugate displays improved potency compared to the monomeric analogue in integrin αv ß3 overexpressing tumor cell lines, while significantly reduced activity was observed in the integrin-negative cell line.

Multifunctional Glycoconjugates for Recruiting Natural Antibodies against Cancer Cells.

Invited for the cover of this issue is Olivier Renaudet and co-workers at the Université Grenoble Alpes and funded by the European Research Council (CoG "LEGO'" no. 647938). The image illustrates a synthetic chemist playing with supramolecular structures to kill cancer cells by using natural antibodies present in the blood stream. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201903327.

Multifunctional Glycoconjugates for Recruiting Natural Antibodies against Cancer Cells.

We have developed a fully synthetic and multifunctional antibody-recruiting molecule (ARM) to guide natural antibodies already present in the blood stream against cancer cells without pre-immunization. Our ARM is composed of antibody and tumor binding modules (i.e., ABM and TBM) displaying clustered rhamnose and cyclo-RGD, respectively. By using a stepwise approach, we have first demonstrated the importance of multivalency for efficient recognition with naturel IgM and αv ß3 integrin expressing M21 tumor cell line. Once covalently conjugated by click chemistry, we confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy that the recognition properties of both the ABM and TBM are conserved, and more importantly, that the resulting ARM promotes the formation of a ternary complex between natural IgM and cancer cells, which is required for the stimulation of the cytotoxic immune response in vivo. Due to the efficiency of the synthetic process, a larger diversity of heterovalent ligands could be easily explored by using the same multivalent approach and could open new perspectives in this field.