Peptide dendrimer enzyme models for ester hydrolysis and aldolization prepared by convergent thioether ligation

Peptide dendrimers with multiple histidines or N-terminal prolines efficiently catalyze ester hydrolysis or aldol reactions in aqueous medium. Part of the catalytic proficiency of these dendritic enzyme models stems from multivalency effects observed in G2, G3 and G4 dendrimers displaying multiple catalytic groups in their branches. To study multivalency in higher generation systems, G4, G5 and G6 peptide dendrimers were prepared by a convergent assembly. Thus, peptide dendrimers bearing four or eight chloroacetyl groups at their N-termini underwent multiple thioether ligation with G2 and G3 peptide dendrimers with a cysteine residue at their focal point, to give G4, G5 and G6 dendrimers containing up to 341 amino acids, including multiple histidines or N-terminal prolines. While the efficiency of the esterase catalysts was comparable to that of their lower generation analogs, a remarkable reactivity increase was observed in G5 and G6 aldolase dendrimers.     

Synthesis and esterolytic activity of catalytic peptide dendrimers

Peptide dendrimers were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Monomeric dendrimers were first obtained by assembly of a hexapeptide sequence containing alternate standard alpha-amino acids with diamino acids as branching units. The monomeric dendrimers were then dimerized by disulfide-bridge formation at the core cysteine. The synthetic strategy is compatible with functional amino acids and different diamino acid branching units. Peptide dendrimers composed of the catalytic triad amino acids histidine, aspartate, and serine catalyzed the hydrolysis of N-methylquinolinium salts when the histidine residues were placed at the outermost position. The dendrimer-catalyzed hydrolysis of 7-isobutyryl-N-methylquinolinium followed saturation kinetics with a rate constant of catalysis/rate constant without catalysis (k(cat)/k(uncat)) value of 3350 and a rate constant of catalysis/Michaelis constant (k(cat)/K(M)) value 350-fold larger than the second-order rate constant of the 4-methylimidazole-catalyzed reaction; this corresponds to a 40-fold rate enhancement per histidine side chain. Catalysis can be attributed to the presence of histidine residues at the surface of the dendrimers.     

Peptide and glycopeptide dendrimer apple trees as enzyme models and for biomedical applications

Solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) provides peptides with a dendritic topology when diamino acids are introduced in the sequences. Peptide dendrimers with one to three amino acids between branches can be prepared with up to 38 amino acids (MW ~ 5,000 Da). Larger peptide dendrimers (MW ~ 30,000) were obtained by a multivalent chloroacetyl cysteine (ClAc) ligation. Structural studies of peptide dendrimers by CD, FT-IR, NMR and molecular dynamics reveal molten globule states containing up to 50% of α-helix. Esterase and aldolase peptide dendrimers displaying dendritic effects and enzyme kinetics (k(cat)/k(uncat) ~ 10(5)) were designed or discovered by screening large combinatorial libraries. Strong ligands for Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectins LecA and LecB able to inhibit biofilm formation were obtained with glycopeptide dendrimers. Efficient ligands for cobalamin, cytotoxic colchicine conjugates and antimicrobial peptide dendrimers were also developed showing the versatility of dendritic peptides. Complementing the multivalency, the amino acid composition of the dendrimers strongly influenced the catalytic or biological activity obtained demonstrating the importance of the "apple tree" configuration for protein-like function in peptide dendrimers.     

New-generation biomedical materials: Peptide dendrimers and their application in biomedicine

Peptide dendrimers are attractive synthetic polymers and have been widely used as a new generation of biomaterials in recent years. Peptide dendrimers, as well as general dendrimers, may be synthesized to reach nano sizes, and display well-defined architectures, highly-branched structures, high density of functional terminal groups, and controllable molecular weights. On the other hand, peptide dendrimers have properties similar to proteins and some special characteristics, such as good biocompatibility, water solubility and resistance to proteolytic digestion. Due to these advantages, peptide dendrimers have received considerable attention in biomedicine. This review focuses on the development of peptide dendrimers with emphasis on their applications both in diagnostics and in therapy.     

α-环糊精/聚乙二醇自组装超分子纳米药物载体

研究了一种新型超分子纳米药物载体的制备方法及其药物释放性能. 将α-环糊精(α-CD)穿入肉桂酸改性的PEG分子链形成包含复合物(inclusion complex, IC), 通过超分子自组装成为纳米粒子. 将抗肿瘤药物阿霉素负载到纳米粒子中, 研究药物释放行为及其对肿瘤细胞的抑制效果. 以核磁共振(1H NMR)、X射线衍射(XRD)、紫外吸收光谱(UV)、动态光散射(DLS)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)和原子力显微镜(AFM)表征了纳米粒子的结构和形貌, 用激光共聚焦显微镜(Confocal)研究了载药纳米粒子在细胞内的分布及其对肿瘤细胞的抑制效果. 结果显示超分子纳米粒子具有很好的生物相容性和药物缓释作用, 载药纳米粒子对肿瘤细胞具有很好的杀伤效果.     

Synthesis and properties of carbosilane dendrimers with perfluorohexyl groups in the outer layer of the molecular structure

Branched perfluorohydrosiloxane with CF₃CF₂CF₂C(CF₃)₂(CH₂)₃ groups at the silicon atom was synthesized by a sequence of chemical reactions. The resulting compound was used as a modifying agent for carbosilane dendrimers of the 3rd and 6th generations. Dendrimers with perfluorohexyl terminal groups in surface layer are characterized by a complex of physicochemical methods. It is demonstrated that due to the branching of perfluoroalkyl terminal groups, obtained carbosilane dendrimers are soluble in organic and inorganic media. Differences in the solubility of small and large dendrimers are caused by the formation of the outer fluoride shell of different densities.     

Selective catalysis with peptide dendrimers

Peptide dendrimers incorporating 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid 1 as a branching unit (B) were prepared by solid-phase synthesis of ((Ac-A(3))(2)B-A(2))(2)B-Cys-A(1)-NH(2) followed by disulfide bridge formation. Twenty-one homo- and heterodimeric dendrimers were obtained by permutations of aspartate, histidine, and serine at positions A(1), A(2), and A(3). Two dendrimers catalyzed the hydrolysis of 7-hydroxy-N-methyl-quinolinium esters (2-5), and two other dendrimers catalyzed the hydrolysis of 8-hydroxy-pyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate esters (10-12). Enzyme-like kinetics was observed in aqueous buffer pH 6.0 with multiple turnover, substrate binding (K(M) = 0.1-0.5 mM), rate acceleration (k(cat)/k(uncat) > 10(3)), and chiral discrimination (E = 2.8 for 2-phenylpropionate ester 5). The role of individual amino acids in catalysis was investigated by amino acid exchanges, highlighting the key role of histidine as a catalytic residue, and the importance of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions in modulating substrate binding. These experiments demonstrate for the first time selective catalysis in peptide dendrimers.     

Synthesis and activity of histidine-containing catalytic peptide dendrimers

Peptide dendrimers built by iteration of the diamino acid dendron Dap-His-Ser (His = histidine, Ser = Serine, Dap = diamino propionic acid) display a strong positive dendritic effect for the catalytic hydrolysis of 8-acyloxypyrene 1,3,6-trisulfonates, which proceeds with enzyme-like kinetics in aqueous medium (Delort, E.; Darbre, T.; Reymond, J.-L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 15642-3). Thirty-two mutants of the original third generation dendrimer A3 ((Ac-His-Ser)8(Dap-His-Ser)4(Dap-His-Ser)2Dap-His-Ser-NH2) were prepared by manual synthesis or by automated synthesis with use of a Chemspeed PSW1100 peptide synthesizer. Dendrimer catalysis was specific for 8-acyloxypyrene 1,3,6-trisulfonates, and there was no activity with other types of esters. While dendrimers with hydrophobic residues at the core and histidine residues at the surface only showed weak activity, exchanging serine residues in dendrimer A3 against alanine (A3A), beta-alanine (A3B), or threonine (A3C) improved catalytic efficiency. Substrate binding was correlated with the total number of histidines per dendrimer, with an average of three histidines per substrate binding site. The catalytic rate constant kcat depended on the placement of histidines within the dendrimers and the nature of the other amino acid residues. The fastest catalyst was the threonine mutant A3C ((Ac-His-Thr)8(Dap-His-Thr)4(Dap-His-Thr)2Dap-His-Thr-NH2), with kcat = 1.3 min(-1), kcat/k(uncat) = 90'000, KM = 160 microM for 8-bytyryloxypyrene 1,3,6-trisulfonate, corresponding to a rate acceleration of 18'000 per catalytic site and a 5-fold improvement over the original sequence A3.     

Structures and properties of dendrimers having peripheral 2,3-difluorobiphenyl mesogenic units: effects of dendrimer generation

1st-5th generation poly(propyleneimine) dendrimers having peripheral 2,3-difluorobiphenyl mesogenic groups have been synthesized. They exhibited smectic liquid crystalline behaviour. All the liquid crystalline dendrimers exhibited a smectic A (SmA) phase and a crystal E (E) phase. The SmA-isotropic phase transition temperature increased with increasing generation. In addition, a homeotropic structure was spontaneously formed on a glass plate in the SmA phase for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation dendrimers. The hometropic structure remained unchanged in the phase.     

Phthalocyanine-centred and naphthalocyanine-centred aryl ether dendrimers with oligo(ethyleneoxy) surface groups

The synthesis of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation phthalocyanine-centred and naphthalocyanine-centred poly(aryl ether) dendrimers possessing oligo(ethyleneoxy) surface groups is described. These materials are soluble in polar protic solvents. For both types of macrocycle, the tendency of the non-polar phthalocyanine core towards intermolecular cofacial aggregation is not reduced by peripheral dendritic substitution. However, the prohibition of cofacial aggregation can be achieved by placing the dendritic substituents at the axial sites of the silicon-containing macrocycle. A single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of one of these compounds beautifully illustrates this concept.     

Bioinspired Therapeutic Dendrimers as Efficient Peptide Drugs Based on Supramolecular Interactions for Tumor Inhibition

Bioinspired tryptophan‐rich peptide dendrimers (TRPDs) are designed as a new type of dendritic peptide drugs for efficient tumor therapy. The TRPDs feature a precise molecular structure and excellent water solubility and are obtained in a facile process. Based on the unique features of peptide dendrimers, including highly branched structures, abundant terminal groups, and globular‐protein‐like architectures, the therapeutic dendrimers show significant supramolecular interactions with DNA through the tryptophan residues (indole rings and amino groups). Further experimental results indicate that TRPDs are efficient antitumor agents both in vitro and in vivo.     

New-generation biomedical materials:Peptide dendrimers and their application in biomedicine

Peptide dendrimers are attractive synthetic polymers and have been widely used as a new generation of biomaterials in recent years.Peptide dendrimers,as well as general dendrimers,may be synthesized to reach nano sizes,and display well-defined architectures,highly-branched structures,high density of functional terminal groups,and controllable molecular weights.On the other hand,peptide dendrimers have properties similar to proteins and some special characteristics,such as good biocompatibility,water solubil...     

新型生物医用材料: 肽类树枝状大分子及其生物医学应用

肽类树枝状大分子是近年来发展起来的一类新型生物医用高分子材料, 它在具有普通树枝状大分子的特征如规整性、高度支化、表面呈现高密度功能团、尺度为纳米级、通过可控制备可得到单一分子量等之外, 同时还具有类似蛋白一样的球状结构、好的生物相容性、水溶性、耐蛋白酶水解、生物降解等独特的性能. 肽类树枝状大分子的上述特点, 使其在生物医学应用中显示出诱人的前景. 本综述从肽类树枝状大分子的制备出发、详尽介绍了肽类树枝状大分子的功能化及其在疾病诊断和治疗中的应用等方面的研究进展, 籍此推动肽类树枝状大分子在生物医学领域的研究与开发.     

Preparation of de novo globular proteins based on proline dendrimers

A synthetic method for the preparation of protein-like globular dendrimers derived from a combination of proline, glycine and imidazolidin ring as branching unit is described. The methodology allows the synthesis of novel peptide dendrimers up to fourth generation. Dendrimers were synthesized by a convergent solid-phase peptide synthesis approach. The conformational properties of branched polyproline peptides and proline dendrimers were studied by CD experiments. CD data suggest conformational plasticity of branched peptides for PPI and PPII, and a stable well-defined secondary structure of proline dendrimers for PPII.     

Adsorption behaviors of poly(amido amine) dendrimers with an azacrown core and long alkyl chain spacers on solid substrates

Adsorption behaviors of functional poly(amido amine) dendrimers with an azacrown core and long alkyl chain spacers were investigated on gold and self-assembled monolayer (SAM) by means of time course attenuated total reflection-surface enhanced infrared absorption and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopies. While 1.5th and 2.5th generation (G1.5 and G2.5) ester-terminated dendrimers were slightly adsorbed on all substrates examined, the adsorption of G2 amine-terminated dendrimer increased in the order dodecanethiol SAM相似文献   

Peptide‐Decorated Dendrimers and Their Bioapplications

Peptide‐decorated dendrimers (PDDs) are a class of spherical, regular, branched polymers that are modified by peptides covalently attached to their surface. PDDs have been used as protein mimetics, novel biomaterials, and in a wide range of biomedical applications. Since their design and development in the late eighties, poly‐l ‐lysine has been a preferred core structure for PDDs. However, numerous recent innovations in polymer synthesis and ligation chemistry have re‐energized the field and led to the emergence of well‐defined peptide dendrimers with more diverse core structures and functions. This Minireview highlights the development of PDDs driven by significantly improved ligation chemistry incorporating structurally well‐defined peptides and the emerging use of PDDs in imaging and drug development.     

Artificial aldolases from peptide dendrimer combinatorial libraries

Peptide dendrimers were investigated as synthetic models for aldolase enzymes. Combinatorial libraries were prepared with aldolase active residues such as lysine and proline placed at the dendrimer core or near the surface. On-bead selection for aldolase activity was carried out using the dye-labelled 1,3-diketone 1a, suitable for covalent trapping of enamine-reactive side-chains, and the fluorogenic enolization probe 6. Aldolase dendrimers catalyzed the aldol reaction of acetone, dihydroxyacetone and cyclohexanone with nitrobenzaldehyde. Much like enzymes, the dendrimers exhibited strong aldolase activity in aqueous medium, but were also active in organic solvent. Dendrimer-catalyzed aldol reactions reached complete conversion in 3 h at 25 degrees C with 1 mol% catalyst and gave aldol products with up to 65% ee. A positive dendritic effect in catalysis was observed with both lysine and proline based aldolase dendrimer catalysts.     

以尼罗红为探针对新型两亲性树枝形聚合物微环境的研究

本工作合成了一系列外围以三缩四乙二醇单甲醚修饰的烷基芳醚骨架两亲性树枝形聚合物Gn(n=0—3),化合物通过了¹H-NMR,IR和MALDI-TOF-MS的表征.利用吸收光谱,稳态和时间分辨荧光光谱研究了水溶液中Gn对尼罗红分子的增溶作用以及Gn内部微环境的极性.研究结果表明,高代数树枝形聚合物Gn对尼罗红具有更好的增溶效果.1—3代树枝形聚合物Gn内部疏水孔腔微环境极性随代数增加而逐渐降低,G1和G2树枝形聚合物具有相似的微环境极性,而由于构象的变化使G3具有更加疏水的微环境.     

The synthesis and glass-forming properties of phthalocyanine-containing poly(aryl ether) dendrimers

The synthesis, structural characterisation and properties of a number of phthalocyanine-containing dendrimers are described. Peripheral substitution of phthalocyanine (Pc) with four poly(aryl ether) dendritic wedges (1st, 2nd or 3rd generation) produces materials whose properties are dominated both by the columnar self-association of the Pc core and by the glass-forming character of the dendritic substituents. Asymmetric Pcs containing a single poly(aryl ether) dendron display a columnar mesophase, the structure of which can be frozen into an anisotropic glass at room temperature. Placing the dendritic wedges at the axial sites of silicon phthalocyanine prohibits self-association and gives materials from which can be fabricated robust, isotropic solid solutions of Pc with high glass transition temperatures. A single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of one of these compounds illustrates the ability of the axial dendrons to prevent cofacial aggregation in the solid state.     

罗丹明B修饰的树形高分子作为核酸递送载体的研究

设计合成了三种罗丹明B修饰的树形高分子核酸递送载体GR-1、GR-2和GR-3,并通过核磁共振氢谱分析了树形分子表面联接的罗丹明B的数目。琼脂糖凝胶电泳实验表明,树形分子表面的罗丹明B数目越少,对RNA的浓缩效果越好。在三种核酸递送材料中,GR-3对Antagomir-138-5p的递送效率最高,基因沉默效率70% 左右,高于商业化的转染试剂Lipofectamine 2000。