Comprehensive Peptide Cyclization Examination Yields Optimized APP Scaffolds with Improved Affinity toward Mint2

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Peptides targeting disease-relevant protein-protein interactions are an attractive class of therapeutics covering the otherwise undruggable space between small molecules and therapeutic proteins. However, peptides generally suffer from poor metabolic stability and low membrane permeability. Hence, peptide cyclization has become a valuable approach to develop linear peptide motifs into metabolically stable and potentially cell-permeable cyclic leads. Furthermore, cyclization of side chains, also known as “stapling”, can stabilize particular secondary peptide structures. Here, we demonstrate that a comprehensive examination of cyclization strategies in terms of position, chemistry, and length is a prerequisite for the selection of optimal cyclic peptide scaffolds. Our systematic approach identifies cyclic APP dodecamer peptides targeting the phosphotyrosine binding domain of Mint2 with substantially improved affinity. We show that especially all-hydrocarbon stapling provides improved metabolic stability, a significantly stabilized secondary structure and membrane permeability.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry
Volume66
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)3045-3057
ISSN0022-2623
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) I Medical Sciences (grant 8020-00280B) to David E. Gloriam.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Chemical Society.

ID: 337988615