Solution-phase affinity selection of inhibitors from combinatorial peptide libraries
11279734 · 2022-03-22
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
C07K1/22
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
G01N33/6845
PHYSICS
C07K7/64
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C07K14/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
A61P35/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
C07K7/64
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C07K14/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
A61P35/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
C40B30/04
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C07K1/22
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
The present invention provides novel peptides (e.g., peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins) that modulate protein-protein interactions or salts thereof, and methods of making and using the inventive peptides. In some embodiments, the peptides are high affinity inhibitors (e.g., K.sub.D of at most 100 nM, at most 10 nM, at most 1 nM) of a protein-protein interaction. In certain embodiments, these peptides interfere with p53-MDM2 binding interactions (e.g., by binding to MDM2 (GenBank® Gene ID: 4193)). In some embodiments, the peptides interfere with the dimerization of the C-terminal domain of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) capsid protein (C-CA), comprising residues 146-231 of the HIV capsid protein (e.g., by binding to the C-terminal domain of the HIV capsid protein (C-CA), thereby inhibiting the dimeric interface of HIV capsid protein, thereby inhibiting viral assembly). These inventive peptides were rapidly generated and identified using novel methods described herein comprising combinatorial peptide synthesis and/or solution affinity selection.
Claims
1. A peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (I): TABLE-US-00016 (SEQ ID NO: 1) LTFX.sub.1HX.sub.2WAX.sub.3LTSK (I), wherein: X.sub.1 is Gln, Pro, or Glu; X.sub.2 is Phe, Tyr, or Glu; and X.sub.3 is Glu, Gln, Ala, or Leu; or comprising a sequence of formula (II): TABLE-US-00017 (SEQ ID NO: 6) LTFEHYWAQX.sub.1TSK (II), wherein: X.sub.1 is Phe or Leu; or comprising a sequence of the formula (III): TABLE-US-00018 (SEQ ID NO: 9) LTX.sub.1EHYX.sub.2AQX.sub.3TSK (III), wherein: X.sub.1 is Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, or Phe; X.sub.2 is Hexa, Trp, Napha, or Anta; and X.sub.3 is Cba, Cha, Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, F.sub.5f, Hexa, Homof, or Leu; or comprising a sequence of formula (V): TABLE-US-00019 (SEQ ID NO: 34) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SAA (V), wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sup.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; and X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; or comprising a sequence of formula (VII): TABLE-US-00020 (SEQ ID NO: 47) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQLX.sub.2SK (VII), wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
2. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (I) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 2-5.
3. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (II) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7 and 8.
4. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (III) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 10-29.
5. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, wherein the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (V) (SEQ ID NO: 34); and wherein the side chain of X.sub.2 and the side chain of X.sub.6 are joined together by a linker.
6. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (V) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 35-43.
7. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, wherein the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (VII) (SEQ ID NO: 47); and wherein the side chain of the first Cys(ar) and the side chain of the second Cys(ar) are joined together by a linker.
8. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VII) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 48 and 49.
9. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
10. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (I): TABLE-US-00021 (I) (SEQ ID NO: 1) LTFX.sub.1HX.sub.2WAX.sub.3LTSK, wherein: X.sub.1 is Gln, Pro, or Glu; X.sub.2 is Phe, Tyr, or Glu; and X.sub.3 is Glu, Gln, Ala, or Leu.
11. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (II): TABLE-US-00022 (II) (SEQ ID NO: 6) LTFEHYWAQX.sub.1TSK, wherein: X.sub.1 is Phe or Leu.
12. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (III): TABLE-US-00023 (III) (SEQ ID NO: 9) LTX.sub.1EHYX.sub.2AQX.sub.3TSK, wherein: X.sub.1 is Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, or Phe; X.sub.2 is Hexa, Trp, Napha, or Anta; and X.sub.3 is Cba, Cha, Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, Fsf, Hexa, Homof, or Leu.
13. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (V): TABLE-US-00024 (V) (SEQ ID NO: 34) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SAA, wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; and X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
14. The peptide of claim 1, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VII): TABLE-US-00025 (VII) (SEQ ID NO: 47) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQLX.sub.2SK, wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
15. A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
16. A method of disrupting a p53-MDM2 interaction comprising contacting a MDM2 protein with a peptide of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition of claim 9.
17. A method of treating or preventing HIV in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
18. A method of preventing an HIV capsid from forming comprising contacting an HIV capsid protein with peptide of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
19. A peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (IV): TABLE-US-00026 (SEQ ID NO: 30) IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LHX.sub.1X.sub.2GP (IV), wherein: X.sub.1 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.2 is Tyr or F.sub.2f; or comprising a sequence of formula (VI): TABLE-US-00027 (SEQ ID NO: 44) IT(F.sub.2f)X.sub.1DX.sub.2LX.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5GP (VI), wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.2 is Cba or Leu; Xa is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.4 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.5 is Tyr or F.sub.2f.
20. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, wherein the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (IV) is covalently bound to the N-terminal end of a peptide having the sequence (GS).sub.nK SEQ ID NO: 178), where n is an integer from 0 to 12.
21. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (IV) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 31-33.
22. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, wherein the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (VI) (SEO ID NO: 44); and wherein the side chain of X.sub.1 and the side chain of X.sub.3 are joined together by a linker.
23. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, wherein the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (VI) is covalently bound to the N-terminal end of a peptide having the sequence (GS).sub.nK (SEQ ID NO: 178), where n is an integer from 0 to 12.
24. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VI) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 45 and 46.
25. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (IV): TABLE-US-00028 (IV) (SEQ ID NO: 30) IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LHX.sub.1X.sub.2GP, wherein: X.sub.1 is Tyr or Dmf and X.sub.2 is Tyr or F.sub.2f.
26. The peptide of claim 19, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VI): TABLE-US-00029 (VI) (SEQ ID NO: 44) IT(F.sub.2f)X.sub.1DX.sub.2LX.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5GP, wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.2 is Cba or Leu; X.sub.3 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.4 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.5 is Tyr or F.sub.2f.
27. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide of claim 19, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
28. A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide of claim 19, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
29. A method of disrupting a p53-MDM2 interaction comprising contacting a MDM2 protein with a peptide of claim 19, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
30. A method of treating or preventing HIV in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide of claim 19, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
31. A method of preventing an HIV capsid from forming comprising contacting an HIV capsid protein with a peptide of claim 19, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
32. A peptide or mini-protein, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VIII): TABLE-US-00030 (SEQ ID NO: 50) KAWYANX.sub.1EKLX.sub.2R, (VIII), wherein: X.sub.1 is Hexa, Hepa, Cha, or CF.sub.3f; and X.sub.2 is Homol, Cha, Cba, Leu, Hexa, or Trp.
33. The peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a salt thereof, wherein all amino acids in the peptide or mini-protein are of the D-configuration.
34. The peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of formula (VIII) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 51-61.
35. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
36. A method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
37. A method of disrupting a p53-MDM2 interaction comprising contacting a MDM2 protein with a peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, Or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
38. A method of treating or preventing HIV in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
39. A method of preventing an HIV capsid from forming comprising contacting an HIV capsid protein with a peptide or mini-protein of claim 32, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
(161) The present invention provides novel peptides (e.g., peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins) that modulate protein-protein interactions or salts thereof. In some embodiments, the peptides are high affinity inhibitors (e.g., K.sub.D of at most 100 nM, at most 10 nM, at most 1 nM) of a protein-protein interaction. In certain embodiments, these peptides interfere with p53-MDM2 binding interactions (e.g., by binding to MDM2 (GenBank® Gene ID: 4193)). In some embodiments, the peptides interfere with the dimerization of the C-terminal domain of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) capsid protein (C-CA), comprising residues 146-231 of the HIV capsid protein (e.g., by binding to the C-terminal domain of the HIV capsid protein (C-CA), thereby inhibiting the dimeric interface of HIV capsid protein, thereby inhibiting viral assembly).
(162) In some embodiments, the peptide has a high affinity for a target protein (e.g., MDM2, HIV capsid protein). A high affinity in some embodiments refers to a dissociation constant (K.sub.D) of at most 1000 nM, at most 900 nM, at most 800 nM, at most 700 nM, at most 600 nM, at most 500 nM, at most 400 nM, at most 300 nM, at most 200 nM, at most 100 nM, at most 90 nM, at most 80 nM, at most 70 nM, at most 60 nM, at most 50 nM, at most 40 nM, at most 30 nM, at most 20 nM, at most 10 nM, at most 9 nM, at most 8 nM, at most 7 nM, at most 6 nM, at most 5 nM, at most 4 nM, at most 3 nM, at most 2 nM, at most 1 nM, at most 0.9 nM, at most 0.8 nM, at most 0.7 nM, at most 0.6 nM, at most 0.5 nM, at most 0.4 nM, at most 0.3 nM, at most 0.2 nM, at most 0.1 nM, or at most 0.01 nM.
(163) In some embodiments, the peptides comprise canonical amino acids. In some embodiments, the peptides comprise at least one non-canonical amino acid (e.g., at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, or more non-canonical amino acids in the sequence). In some embodiments, the peptide is derived from a known inhibitor of a protein-protein interaction (e.g., knottin, a known MDM2 inhibitor). In some embodiments, the peptide comprises L-configured amino acids. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises D-configured amino acids.
(164) In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a linear peptide.
(165) In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a precursor to a macrocyclic peptide. In such embodiments, the peptide may comprise at least two amino acids that each comprise at least one terminally unsaturated amino acid side chain. In some embodiments, the at least 2 amino acids that comprise at least one terminally unsaturated amino acid side chain are non-adjacent in the amino acid sequence (e.g., 2 amino acids apart, 3 amino acids apart, 4 amino acids apart, 5 amino acids apart, 6 amino acids apart, 7 amino acids apart or a greater number of amino acids apart). In some embodiments, the peptide may comprise at least two amino acid side chains that each comprise one or more thiols (e.g., cysteine). Such peptides may be reacted under suitable conditions to form novel macrocyclic peptides or salts thereof.
(166) In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a macrocyclic peptide. The term macrocyclic peptide as referred to herein refers to a peptide that has been chemically reacted with a suitably reactive reagent (e.g., a Grubbs catalyst, a reagent comprising aromatic groups and/or one or more halogens (e.g. fluorine)) in order to form a staple and/or a cross-link between a first amino acid side chain in the peptide and a second amino acid side chain in the peptide.
(167) In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a mini-protein (e.g., a folded mini-protein). The term “mini-protein” herein may refer to a peptide or polypeptide having a length of less than or equal to 50 amino acid residues that exhibits one or more secondary structures (e.g., one or more alpha helices, one or more beta sheets, one or more mini-protein domains) and a tertiary structure. Without wishing to be bound by theory, mini-proteins may serve as model systems to study protein folding and stability. In some embodiments, the mini-protein comprises one or more D-configured amino acid residues. In some embodiments, the mini-protein is all D-configured, wherein each amino acid residue is D-configured.
(168) The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods of making and using the inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, and salts thereof.
(169) These inventive peptides were rapidly generated and identified using novel methods described herein comprising combinatorial peptide synthesis and/or solution affinity selection.
(170) Inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, and salts thereof as described herein, may be useful wherever such compositions are advantageous, for example, as a therapeutic agent, as a biological probe, or as a drug delivery agent. The inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, and salts thereof may function as modulators of protein-protein binding interactions or protein-ligand binding interactions. In certain embodiments, these inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, and salts thereof are useful in the treatment of proliferative, neurological, immunological, endocrinologic, cardiovascular, hematologic, autoimmune, infectious, and/or inflammatory diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, and conditions characterized by premature or unwanted cell death.
(171) In some embodiments, these peptides have strong therapeutic properties. For example, some of the peptides have significant intracellular loading and are potent killers of cancer cells (e.g., peptides having nanomolar binding affinity to MDM2), and some of the peptides demonstrate effectiveness at preventing the proliferation of HIV (e.g., peptides having nanomolar binding affinity to C-CA). In addition, the novel methods by which these novel peptides were synthesized and affinity selected present a platform for the discovery of other therapeutics that interfere with protein-protein interactions or protein-ligand interactions by binding to a target protein.
(172) Peptides, Macrocyclic Peptides, and Mini-Proteins
(173) In one aspect, the present invention provides a peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (I):
(174) TABLE-US-00004 (SEQ ID NO: 1) LTFX.sub.1HX.sub.2WAX.sub.3LTSK (I),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Gln, Pro, or Glu; X.sub.2 is Phe, Tyr, or Glu; and X.sub.3 is Glu, Gln, Ala, or Leu.
(175) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Gln, X.sub.2 is Phe, X.sub.3 is Glu. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Gin, X.sub.2 is Tyr, X.sub.3 is Glu. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Pro, X.sub.2 is Tyr, X.sub.3 is Glu. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Pro, X.sub.2 is Phe, X.sub.3 is Glu. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (I) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(176) In some embodiments, where the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (I), the sequence is homologous to known peptide pDI (6) (see
(177) In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (t) comprises a peptide sequence of a peptide from Library 1 (see, e.g.,
(178) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (II):
(179) TABLE-US-00005 (SEQ ID NO: 6) LTFEHYWAQX.sub.1TSK (II),
wherein. X.sub.1 is Phe or Leu.
(180) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is a hydrophobic residue. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Phe. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Leu. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (II) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(181) In some embodiments, where the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (II), the sequence is homologous to known peptide pDI (6) (see
(182) In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (II) comprises a peptide sequence of a peptide from Library 2 (see, e.g.,
(183) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (III):
(184) TABLE-US-00006 (SEQ ID NO: 9) LTX.sub.1EHYX.sub.2AQX.sub.3TSK (III),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, or Phe; X.sub.2 is Hexa, Trp, Napha, or Anta; and X.sub.3 is Cba, Cha, Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, F.sub.5f, Hexa, Homof, or Leu.
(185) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is Hexa, and X.sub.3 is Cba. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is Trp, and X.sub.3 is Cba. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (III) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(186) In some embodiments, where the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (III), the sequence is homologous to known peptide pDI (6) (see
(187) In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (III) comprises a peptide sequence of a peptide from Library 3 (see, e.g.,
(188) In some embodiments, peptides disclosed herein (e.g., comprising a sequence of formula (III)) bind both MDM2 and MDMX with a K.sub.D of e.g. less than 100 nM or less than 50 nM, and may be referred to as dual MDM2/MDMX inhibitors. Some embodiments, without wishing to be bound by theory, peptides that are dual MDM2/MDMX inhibitors interfere with both the p53-MDM2 binding interaction and the p53-MDMX binding interaction.
(189) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (IV):
(190) TABLE-US-00007 (SEQ ID NO: 30) IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LHX.sub.1X.sub.2GP (IV),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.2 is Tyr or F.sub.2f.
(191) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Tyr and X.sub.2 is Tyr. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Dmf and X.sub.2 is Tyr. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Dmf and X.sub.2 is F.sub.2f. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (IV) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(192) In some embodiments, the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (IV) is covalently bound to a portion of the peptide having (GS).sub.nK (SEQ ID NO: 178) on its N-terminal end, and where n is an integer from 0 to 12 (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; e.g., (GS).sub.6K). In some such embodiments, the C-terminus (e.g., K) is biotinylated, either directly or through a linker. In some embodiments, the C-terminus is amidated. In some embodiments, the peptide is a linear peptide having a biotinylated C-terminus. In some embodiments, the peptide is a linear peptide having an amidated C-terminus.
(193) In some embodiments, where the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (IV), the sequence is homologous to known peptide CAI (37) (see
(194) In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (IV) comprises a peptide sequence of a peptide from Library 4 (see, e.g.,
(195) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide or a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (X):
(196) TABLE-US-00008 (SEQ ID NO: 62) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SX.sub.7 (X),
wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is a non-canonical alpha-amino acid (e.g., R8 or Dap) or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe: X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; X.sub.6 is a non-canonical alpha-amino acid (e.g., S5 or Dap) or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.7 is (Ala).sub.m where m is an integer from 0 to 2 (e.g., 0, 1, 2).
(197) In some embodiments, the non-canonical alpha-amino acid has a structure like that of R8 or S5 but with a side chain of length from 3 to 12 carbons, or any suitable unsaturated amino acid side chain amenable to cross-linking. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (X), formula (IX), or formula (V) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(198) In some embodiments, the present invention provides a peptide or a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (IX):
(199) TABLE-US-00009 (SEQ ID NO: 63) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SX.sub.7 (IX),
wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.7 is (Ala).sub.m where m is an integer from 0 to 2 (e.g., 0, 1, 2).
(200) In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.2 and the side chain of X.sub.6 are joined together by a linker to form a cross-link or staple. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a macrocyclic peptide. In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.2 and the side chain of X.sub.6 are not joined together. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a precursor to a macrocyclic peptide. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (X), formula (IX), or formula (V) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(201) In some embodiments, the present invention provides a peptide or a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (V):
(202) TABLE-US-00010 (SEQ ID NO: 34) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SAA (V),
wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; and X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
(203) In some embodiments, a portion of a cross-link or staple may be a precursor (e.g., a side chain amenable to cross-linking or stapling) to a cross-link or staple. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is R8, X.sub.3 is Tyr, X.sub.4 is Hexa, X.sub.5 is Gln, and X.sub.6 is S5. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is a portion of a cross-link or staple from R8 or Dap or another side chain amenable to cross-linking, X.sub.3 is Tyr, X.sub.4 is Hexa, X.sub.5 is Gin, and X.sub.6 is a portion of a cross-link or staple from S5 or Dap or another side chain amenable to cross-linking (e.g., cross-linked or stapled to X.sub.2). In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is Dap, X.sub.3 is Tyr, X is Hexa, X.sub.5 is Gin, and X.sub.6 is Dap. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is R8, X.sub.3 is Tyr, X.sub.4 is Napa (also herein Napha), X.sub.5 is Glu, and X.sub.6 is SS. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f, X.sub.2 is Dap, X.sub.3 is Phe, X.sub.4 is Trp, X.sub.5 is Gln, and X.sub.6 is Dap. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (X), formula (IX), or formula (V) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(204) In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.2 and the side chain of X.sub.6 are joined together by a linker to form a crosslink or staple. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a macrocyclic peptide. In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.2 and the side chain of X.sub.6 are not joined together. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a precursor to a macrocyclic peptide.
(205) In some embodiments, joining together by a linker to form a staple or crosslink may comprise as non-limiting examples perfluorosulfone stapling or cyclization (e.g., using the perfluorosulphone reagent shown in
(206) In some embodiments, the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (V) or formula (IX) or formula (X) is amidated. In some embodiments, the N-terminus (e.g., K) is biotinylated, either directly or through a linker (e.g., comprising a polyethylene glycol of length from 0 to 20 repeat units). In some embodiments, the N-terminus is acetylated. In some embodiments, the peptide is a linear peptide having a biotinylated or acetylated N-terminus. In some embodiments, the peptide is a linear peptide having an amidated C-terminus.
(207) In some embodiments, where the peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) comprises a sequence of formula (V) or formula (IX) or formula (X), the sequence is homologous to known peptide pDI (6) (see
(208) In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (V) or formula (IX) or formula (X) has a sequence of a peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) based on Library 3 (see, e.g.,
(209) In some embodiments, the peptide is 14 amino acids long.
(210) In some embodiments, the sequence may have a mutation at the third amino acid position (e.g., X.sub.1 in formulas (V), (IX), (X); e.g., to Phe), the 4.sup.th amino acid position, the 5.sup.th amino acid position, the 6.sup.th amino acid position, the 7.sup.th amino acid position, the 10.sup.th amino acid position, and/or the 11.sup.th amino acid position. In some embodiments, the peptide has a dissociation constant K.sub.D with respect to MDM2 of at most 500 nM, at most 300 nM, at most 200 nM, at most 100 nM, at most 75 nM, at most 50 nM, at most 30 nM, at most 20 nM, at most 10 nM, at most 5 nM, at most 2 nM, or at most 1 nM.
(211) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide or a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (VI):
(212) TABLE-US-00011 (SEQ ID NO: 44) IT(F.sub.2f)X.sub.1DX.sub.2LX.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5GP (VI),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.2 is Cba or Leu; X.sub.3 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.4 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.5 is Tyr or F.sub.2f.
(213) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Cys, X.sub.2 is Cba, X.sub.3 is Cys, X.sub.4 is Tyr, and X; is Tyr. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is S5, X.sub.2 is Cba, X.sub.3 is S5, X.sub.4 is Tyr, and X.sub.5 is Tyr. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is a portion of a cross-link or staple from S5 or another side chain amenable to cross-linking, X.sub.2 is Cba, X.sub.3 is a portion of a cross-link or staple from S5 or another side chain amenable to cross-linking (e.g., cross-linked or stapled to X.sub.1), X.sub.4 is Tyr, and X.sub.5 is Tyr. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (VI) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(214) In some embodiments, the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (VI) is covalently bound to a portion of the peptide having (GS).sub.nK (SEQ ID NO: 178) on its N-terminal end, and where n is an integer from 0 to 12 (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; e.g., (GS).sub.6K). In some such embodiments, the C-terminus (e.g., K) is biotinylated, either directly or through a linker. In some embodiments, the C-terminus is amidated. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a linear peptide having a biotinylated C-terminus. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a linear peptide having an amidated C-terminus.
(215) In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.1 and the side chain of X.sub.3 are joined together by a linker to form a crosslink or staple. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a macrocyclic peptide. In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.1 and the side chain of X.sub.3 are not joined together. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a precursor to a macrocyclic peptide.
(216) In some embodiments, joining together by a linker to form a staple or crosslink may comprise as non-limiting examples perfluorosulfone stapling or cyclization and perfluoroayl cyclization (e.g., using the perfluoroaryl reagent in
(217) In some embodiments, where the peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) comprises a sequence of formula (VI), the sequence is homologous to known peptide CAI (37) (see
(218) In some embodiments, the peptide of formula (VI) has a sequence of a peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) based on Library 4 (see, e.g.,
(219) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide or a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (VH):
(220) TABLE-US-00012 (SEQ ID NO: 47) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQLX.sub.2SK (VII),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
(221) In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Cys and X.sub.2 is Cys. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Cys(ar) and X.sub.2 is Cys(ar). In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is a portion of a cross-link or staple and X.sub.2 is a portion of a cross-link or staple attached to X.sub.1. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (VII) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(222) In some embodiments, the side chain of the first Cys(ar) and the side chain of the second Cys(ar) are joined together by a linker. In some embodiments, described herein, the linker for the macrocyclic peptide comprises a bond (e.g., a single bond, a double bond, a triple bond), optionally substituted alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, optionally substituted carbocyclylene, heterocyclylene, arylene, or heteroarylene, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, Cys(ar) has an amino acid side chain:
(223) ##STR00007##
In some embodiments, the left-hand side of Cys(ar) side chain as depicted above is bound to the carbon along the backbone of the peptide and/or the right-hand side may be directly bonded to another side chain (e.g., Cys(ar)) or may be bonded through:
(224) ##STR00008##
an example of a linker). In some embodiments, Cys(ar) is a portion of a cross-link or staple (e.g.,
(225) In some embodiments, the C-terminal end of the sequence of formula (VII) is amidated. In some embodiments, the N-terminus is biotinylated, either directly or through a linker (e.g., a polyethylene glycol linker of length e.g. 4). In some embodiments, the N-terminus is acetylated. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a linear peptide having an amidated C-terminus.
(226) In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.1 and the side chain of X.sub.2 are joined together by a linker to form a crosslink or staple. In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a macrocyclic peptide. In some embodiments, the side chain of X.sub.1 and the side chain of X.sub.2 are not joined together (e.g., when both are Cys). In some such embodiments, the peptide comprises a precursor to a macrocyclic peptide.
(227) In some embodiments, a portion of the cross-link or staple comprises sulfur. In some embodiments, joining together by a linker to form a staple or crosslink may comprise as non-limiting examples perfluorosulfone stapling or cyclization (e.g., using a reagent in
(228) In some embodiments, where the peptide comprises a sequence of formula (VII), the sequence is homologous to known peptide pDI (6) (see
(229) In some embodiments, the peptide is 13 amino acids long.
(230) In some embodiments, the sequence may have a mutation at the third amino acid position, the 4.sup.th amino acid position, the 7.sup.th amino acid position, the 8.sup.th amino acid position, the 10.sup.th amino acid position, and/or the 11.sup.th amino acid position.
(231) In some embodiments, the peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) has a dissociation constant K.sub.D with respect to MDM2 of at most 500 nM, at most 400 nM, at most 310 nM, at most 300 nM, at most 200 nM, at most 100 nM, at most 50 nM, at most 30 nM, at most 24 nM, at most 22 nM, at most 20 nM, at most 10 nM, or at most 5 nM.
(232) In some embodiments, where a mutation occurs in any sequence described herein, the change is to an amino acid side chain (e.g., a canonical or a non-nanonical amino acid side chain) that is of similar hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, size, and/or charge to that of the original amino acid side chain in the sequence.
(233) In some embodiments, formula (VII) has a sequence of a peptide (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) based on Library 6 (see, e.g.,
(234) In another aspect, the present invention provides a macrocyclic peptide, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (X.sub.1):
(235) TABLE-US-00013 (SEQ ID NO: 64) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQFX.sub.2SK (XI),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross-link or staple.
In some embodiments, the side chain of the first Cys(ar) and the side chain of the second Cys(ar) are joined together by a linker. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (X.sub.1) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(236) In another aspect, the present invention provides a peptide or a mini-protein, or a salt thereof, comprising a sequence of the formula (VIII):
(237) TABLE-US-00014 (SEQ ID NO: 50) KAWYANX.sub.1EKLX.sub.2R, (VIII),
wherein: X.sub.1 is Hexa, Hepa, Cha, or CF.sub.3f; and X.sub.2 is Homol, Cha, Cba, Leu, Hexa, or Trp.
(238) In some embodiments, all amino acids in the peptide (e.g., mini-protein) are of the D-configuration. In some embodiments, all amino acids in the peptide (e.g., mini-protein) are of the L-configuration. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hexa and X.sub.2 is Homol. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hexa and X.sub.2 is Cha. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Cha and X.sub.2 is Leu. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hexa and X.sub.2 is Hexa. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hexa and X.sub.2 is Trp. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is CF.sub.3f and X.sub.2 is Leu. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hepa and X.sub.2 is Cba. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hepa and X.sub.2 is Homol. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hepa and X.sub.2 is Hexa. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hexa and X.sub.2 is Cba. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hepa and X.sub.2 is Cba. In some embodiments, X.sub.1 is Hepa and X.sub.2 is Cha. In some embodiments, X.sub.2 is CF.sub.3f and X.sub.1 is Leu. In some embodiments, the peptide comprises a sequence of the formula (VIII) having any one of the sequences in Table 4 with side chains in the sequence specified.
(239) In some embodiments, the C-terminus of formula (VIII) in the peptide is bound to a portion that comprises an amino acid (e.g., a beta amino acid) comprising a vicinal diol along the backbone of the peptide. In some embodiments, the C-terminus of formula (VIII) in the peptide is bound to a portion that comprises the sequence GGS(beta-Ala) (SEQ ID NO: 194). In some embodiments, the C-terminus of formula (VIII) in the peptide is bound to a portion that comprises .sup.9-28EETI-II (e.g., see
(240) In some embodiments, formula (VIII) has a sequence of a mini-protein in Library 5 (see, e.g.,
(241) In some embodiments, the peptide (e.g., mini-protein) is from 12 amino acids long to 50 amino acids long (e.g., from 12 amino acids long to 37 amino acids long).
(242) In some embodiments, the peptide (e.g., mini-protein) comprising a sequence of formula (VIII) interferes with the p53-MDM2 binding interaction by binding MDM2. In some embodiments, the peptide comprising a sequence of formula (VIII) may be used for the treatment of proliferative diseases (e.g., cancer). In some embodiments, at least one amino acid side chain in the sequence is a non-canonical amino acid side chain (e.g., a side chain as depicted in
(243) In some embodiments, the peptide (e.g., mini-protein) has a dissociation constant K.sub.D with respect to MDM2 of at most 50 nM, at most 30 nM, at most 20 nM, at most 12 nM, at most 11 nM, at most 10 nM, at most 8 nM, at most 6 nM, at most 5 nM, at most 4 nM, at most 2 nM, or at most 1 nM.
(244) TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 4 Formulas and Embodiments Thereof Formula Sequence SEQ ID NO: Example Binders (I) LTFX.sub.1HX.sub.2WAX.sub.3LTSK SEQ ID NO: 1 wherein: X.sub.1 is Gln, Pro, or Glu; X.sub.2 is Phe, Tyr, or Glu; and X.sub.3 is Glu, Gln, Ala, or Leu LTFQHFWAELTSK SEQ ID NO: 2 1a LTFQHYWAELTSK SEQ ID NO: 3 2a LTFPHYWAELTSK SEQ ID NO: 4 3a LTFPHFWAELTSK SEQ ID NO: 5 4a (II) LTFEHYWAQX.sub.1TSK SEQ ID NO: 6 wherein: X.sub.1 is Phe or Leu LTFEHYWAQFTSK SEQ ID NO: 7 5a LTFEHYWAQLTSK SEQ ID NO: 8 6a (III) LTX.sub.1EHYX.sub.2AQX.sub.3TSK SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein: X.sub.1 is Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, or Phe; X.sub.2 is Hexa, Trp, Napha, or Anta; and X.sub.3 is Cba, Cha, Ff, F.sub.2f, F.sub.3f, F.sub.5f, Hexa, Homof, or Leu LT(Ff)EHY(Hexa)AQLTSK SEQ ID NO: 10 38a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Cba)TSK SEQ ID NO: 11 10a, 10b LT(F.sub.2f)EHYWAQ(Cba)TSK SEQ ID NO: 12 11a, 11b LT(Ff)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Cha)TSK SEQ ID NO: 13 12a LT(Ff)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Cba)TSK SEQ ID NO: 14 13a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Ff)TSK SEQ ID NO: 15 14a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Ff)TSK SEQ ID NO: 16 15a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Cha)TSK SEQ ID NO: 17 16a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Hexa)TSK SEQ ID NO: 18 17a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(F.sub.3f)TSK SEQ ID NO: 19 18a LT(F.sub.2f)EHYWAQ(Hexa)TSK SEQ ID NO: 20 19a LT(F.sub.3f)EHYWAQ(Cha)TSK SEQ ID NO: 21 20a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(Homof)TSK SEQ ID NO: 22 21a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Anta)AQ(Cba)TSK SEQ ID NO: 23 22a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(F.sub.3f)TSK SEQ ID NO: 24 23a LT(F.sub.3f)EHY(Hexa)AQ(F.sub.5f)TSK SEQ ID NO: 25 24a LT(F.sub.2f)EHYWAQ(F.sub.2f)TSK SEQ ID NO: 26 25a LT(F.sub.2f)EHYWAQ(F.sub.3f)TSK SEQ ID NO: 27 26a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Napa)AQ(Cba)TSK SEQ ID NO: 28 27a LT(F.sub.2f)EHY(Napa)AQ(Ff)TSK SEQ ID NO: 29 28a (IV) IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LHX.sub.1X.sub.2GP SEQ ID NO: 30 wherein: X.sub.1 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.2 is Tyr or F.sub.2f IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LHYYGP SEQ ID NO: 31 30a IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LH(Dmf)YGP SEQ ID NO: 32 31a IT(F.sub.2f)ED(Cba)LH(Dmf)(F.sub.2f)GP SEQ ID NO: 33 32a (X) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SX.sub.7 SEQ ID NO: 62 wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is a non-canonical alpha-amino acid (e.g., R8 or Dap) or a portion of a cross- link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; X.sub.6 is a non-canonical alpha-amino acid (e.g., S5 or Dap) or a portion of a cross- link or staple; and X.sub.7 is (Ala).sub.m where m is an integer from 0 to 2 (e.g., 0, 1, 2) (IX) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SX.sub.7 SEQ ID NO: 63 wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; and X.sub.7 is (Ala).sub.m where m is an integer from 0 to 2 (e.g., 0, 1, 2) (V) LTX.sub.1X.sub.2EX.sub.3X.sub.4AX.sub.5(Cba)X.sub.6SAA SEQ ID NO: 34 wherein: X.sub.1 is F.sub.2f or Phe; X.sub.2 is R8 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.3 is Tyr or Phe; X.sub.4 is Hexa, Napha, or Trp; X.sub.5 is Gln or Glu; and X.sub.6 is S5 or Dap or a portion of a cross-link or staple LT(F.sub.2f)(R8)EY(Hexa)AQ(Cba)(S5)SAA SEQ ID NO: 35 10a-M, 10b-M, 10b-M unclosed LT(F.sub.2f)DapEY(Hexa)AQ(Cba)(Dap)SAA SEQ ID NO: 36 10b-S1 LT(F.sub.2f)KEY(Hexa)AQ(Cba)(K)SAA SEQ ID NO: 37 10b-S4 LT(F.sub.2f)(R8)EFWAQ(Cba)(S5)SAA SEQ ID NO: 38 11b-M LT(F.sub.2f)(Dap)EFWAQ(Cba)(Dap)SAA SEQ ID NO: 39 11a-S1 LT(F.sub.2f)(Dap)EYWAQ(Cba)(Dap)SAA SEQ ID NO: 40 11b-S1 LT(F.sub.2f)KEYWAE(Cba)KSAA SEQ ID NO: 41 11b-S4 LTF(R8)EYWAE(Cba)(S5)SAA SEQ ID NO: 42 ATSP-7041 LT(F.sub.2f)(R8)EY(Napa)AE(Cba)KSAA SEQ ID NO: 43 27b-M (VI) IT(F.sub.2f)X.sub.1DX.sub.2LX.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5GP SEQ ID NO: 44 wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.2 is Cba or Leu; X.sub.3 is Cys or S5 or a portion of a cross-link or staple; X.sub.4 is Tyr or Dmf; and X.sub.5 is Tyr or F.sub.2f IT(F.sub.2f)CD(Cba)LCYYGP SEQ ID NO: 45 30a-H IT(F.sub.2f)(S5)D(Cba)L(S5)YYGP SEQ ID NO: 46 30a-M (VII) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQLX.sub.2SK SEQ ID NO: 47 wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross- link or staple; and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross- link or staple LTFCHYWAQLCSK SEQ ID NO: 48 60 LTFCys(ar)HYWAQLCys(ar)SK SEQ ID NO: 49 60a, 60b (XI) LTFX.sub.1HYWAQFX.sub.2SK SEQ ID NO: 64 wherein: X.sub.1 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross- link or staple; and X.sub.2 is Cys or Cys(ar) or a portion of a cross- link or staple LTFCys(ar)HYWAQFCys(ar)SK SEQ ID NO: 65 61a (VIII) KAWYANX.sub.1EKLX.sub.2R SEQ ID NO: 50 wherein: X.sub.1 is Hexa, Hepa, Cha, or CF.sub.3f; and X.sub.2 is Homol, Cha, Cba, Leu, Hexa, or Trp KAWYAN(Hexa)EKL(Homol)R SEQ ID NO: 51 43 KAWYAN(Hexa)EKL(Cha)R SEQ ID NO: 52 44 KAWYAN(Cha)EKLLR SEQ ID NO: 53 45 KAWYAN(Hexa)EKL(Hexa)R SEQ ID NO: 54 46 KAWYAN(Hexa)EKLWR SEQ ID NO: 55 47 KAWYAN(Hepa)EKL(Cba)R SEQ ID NO: 56 48 KAWYAN(Hepa)EKL(Homol)R SEQ ID NO: 57 49 KAWYAN(Hepa)EKL(Hexa)R SEQ ID NO: 58 50 KAWYAN(Hexa)EKL(Cba)R SEQ ID NO: 59 51 KAWYAN(Hepa)EKL(Cha)R SEQ ID NO: 60 52 KAWYAN(CF.sub.3f)EKLLR SEQ ID NO: 61 53, 54b
(245) In some embodiments, the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide may be synthesized with one or more modifications during the process of producing a library of such mini-proteins or macrocyclic peptides and affinity selecting using the library. In some embodiments, for one or more modifications, the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide comprises one or more diols along the backbone of the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide, incorporated during peptide synthesis. In some embodiments, the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide comprises one or more diols (e.g., vicinal diols, 1,2-diols) along the backbone, such that the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide can be cleaved along the backbone (e.g., using sodium periodate). In some embodiments, the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide is cleaved along the backbone to sequence the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide (e.g., using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). Without wishing to be bound by a particular theory, introducing one or more diols along the backbone of the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide may result in facilitated linearization of the mini-protein or macrocyclic peptide for sequencing.
(246) Suitable amino acid side chains include, but are not limited to, both natural and non-canonical amino acid side chains as provided in Tables 1 to 3, and as described herein.
(247) In some embodiments, the peptide, the macrocyclic peptide, the mini-protein, or the salt thereof may have any suitable number of amino acids. For example, the peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof, may have up to 20 amino acids, from 20 to 30 amino acids, from 30 to 40 amino acids, from 40 to 50 amino acids, or from 50 to 100 amino acids.
(248) In some embodiments, the sequence of the peptide, the macrocyclic peptide, the mini-protein, or the salt thereof, may be modified by at least one amino acid relative to a provided or known sequence. For example, the sequence may be modified by one amino acid, two amino acids, 3 amino acids, 4 amino acids, five amino acids, six amino acids, or more relative to its respective provided or known sequence.
(249) As is understood by one skilled in the art, in all embodiments and aspects herein, the left-hand side of the sequence (also referred to herein as the peptide chain) corresponds to the N-terminal end and the right-hand side of the sequence corresponds to the C-terminal end of the peptide chain. The N-terminal end and/or the C-terminal end of the peptide chain may be modified, for example by biotinylation, acetylation, acylation, or amidation. In some embodiments, the N-terminal end and/or the C-terminal end of the peptide chain may comprise a peptide or a protein. In some embodiments, the peptide may be a portion of for example a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a protein, or a salt thereof.
(250) In some embodiments, the C-terminal end of the peptide chain is amidated, biotinylated, or attached to another peptide or polypeptide or protein domain; or is hydrogen, cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted aryl; substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; substituted or unsubstituted acyl; a resin; a suitable hydroxyl, amino, or thiol protecting group; or a substituted or unsubstituted 5- to 6-membered heterocyclic or heteroaromatic ring.
(251) In some embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is hydrogen; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted aryl; substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; substituted or unsubstituted acyl; a resin; a suitable amino protecting group; a label optionally joined by a linker, wherein the linker is selected from cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkenylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkynylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkylene: cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkenylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkynylene; substituted or unsubstituted arylene; substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylene; or substituted or unsubstituted acylene.
(252) In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is hydrogen. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is C.sub.1-6 alkyl. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is —CH.sub.3. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is a suitable amino protecting group. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is -Boc. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is -Fmoc. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is acyl. In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is —(C═O)CH.sub.3.
(253) In certain embodiments, the N-terminal end of the peptide chain is a label optionally joined to the peptide by a linker, wherein the linker is cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkenylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkynylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkenylene; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkynylene; substituted or unsubstituted arylene; substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylene; or substituted or unsubstituted acylene, or a combination thereof.
(254) Exemplary labels include, but are not limited to FITC and biotin:
(255) ##STR00009##
(256) In certain embodiments, the label is directly joined to the inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof (e.g., through a bond).
(257) In certain embodiments, the label is indirectly joined to the inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof (e.g., through a linker).
(258) In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkenylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkynylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkenylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkynylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a substituted or unsubstituted arylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylene. In certain embodiments, the linker is a substituted or unsubstituted acylene.
(259) Methods of Synthesis
(260) The present invention is also directed to methods of synthesizing inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, and salts thereof. Peptides can be synthesized using methods known in the art, e.g., solid phase peptide synthesis, solution phase peptide synthesis; see generally, Bodanszky and Bodanszky, The Practice of Peptide Synthesis, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1984; Atherton and Sheppard, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis: A Practical Approach, IRL Press at Oxford University Press Oxford, England, 1989, and Stewart and Young, Solid phase Peptide Synthesis, 2nd edition, Pierce Chemical Company, Rockford, 1984, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. In both solution phase and solid phase techniques, the choice of the protecting groups must be considered, as well as the specific coupling techniques to be utilized. For a detailed discussion of peptide synthesis techniques for solution phase and solid phase reactions, see, Bioorganic chemistry: Peptides and Proteins, Hecht, Oxford University Press, New York: 1998, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
(261) In certain embodiments, the method comprises a solution phase synthesis of an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof. Solution phase synthesis, as mentioned above, is a well-known technique for the construction of polypeptides. An exemplary solution phase synthesis comprises the steps of: (1) providing an amino acid protected at the N-terminus with a suitable amino protecting group; (2) providing an amino acid protected at the C-terminus with a suitable carboxylic acid protecting group; (3) coupling the N-protected amino acid to the C-protected amino acid; (4) deprotecting the product of the coupling reaction; and (5) repeating steps (3) to (4) until a desired polypeptide is obtained, wherein at least two of the amino acids coupled at any of the above steps each comprise at least one terminally unsaturated amino acid sidechain. During the course of the above synthesis, various parameters can be varied, including, but not limited to placement of amino acids with terminally unsaturated side chains, stereochemistry of amino acids, terminally unsaturated side chain length and functionality, and amino acid residues utilized.
(262) In certain embodiments, the method comprises a solid phase synthesis of an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof. Solid phase synthesis, as mentioned above, is a well-known technique for the construction of polypeptides. An exemplary solid phase synthesis comprises the steps of: (1) providing a resin-bound amino acid; (2) deprotecting the resin bound amino acid; (3) coupling an amino acid to the deprotected resin-bound amino acid; (4) repeating steps (3) until a desired peptide is obtained, wherein in some embodiments at least two of the amino acids coupled at any of the above steps each comprise at least one terminally unsaturated amino acid sidechain. During the course of the above synthesis, various parameters can be varied, including, but not limited to placement of amino acids with terminally unsaturated side chains, stereochemistry of amino acids, terminally unsaturated side chain length and functionality, and amino acid residues utilized.
(263) After a desired peptide or salt thereof is synthesized using an appropriate technique, the peptide or salt thereof may be contacted with a specific catalyst and/or reacted with a cross-linking agent to promote “stapling” of the polypeptide to form a macrocyclic peptide. For example, the resin-bound polypeptide may be contacted with a catalyst to promote “stapling,” or may first be cleaved from the resin, and then contacted with a catalyst and/or reacted with a cross-linking agent to promote “stapling.”
(264) Additional Modifications
(265) The peptides can be modified in any suitable manner, at the C-terminus, at the N-terminus, and/or at a side chain. In certain embodiments, such modifications include reduction, oxidation, and nucleophilic or electrophilic additions to a functional group (e.g., a double bond provided from a metathesis reaction) of the cross-link to provide a synthetically modified peptide. Other modifications may include conjugation of a peptide, or a synthetically modified peptide, with a biologically active agent, label or diagnostic agent anywhere on the peptide scaffold, e.g., such as at the N-terminus of the peptide, the C-terminus of the peptide, on an amino acid side chain of the peptide, or at one or more modified or unmodified sites (e.g., to a staple). Such modification may be useful in delivery of the peptide (e.g., peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof) to a cell, tissue, or organ. Such modifications may allow for targeting to a particular type of cell or tissue.
(266) Thus, in certain embodiments, the above synthetic method further comprises treating the peptide with a suitably reactive agent under suitable conditions to provide a synthetically modified stapled peptide, also referred to herein as a macrocyclic peptide.
(267) One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of reactions, conditions, and “suitably reactive agent(s)” may be employed to promote such a transformation, therefore, a wide variety of reactions, conditions, and reactive agents are envisioned; see generally, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure, M. B. Smith and J. March, 5.sup.th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2001; Advance Organic Chemistry, Part B: Reactions and Synthesis, Carey and Sundberg, 3.sup.rd Edition, Plenum Press, New York, 1993; and Comprehensive Organic Transformations, R. C. Larock, 2.sup.nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1999, the entirety of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Exemplary “suitably reactive agents” may be any agent reactive with a multiple bond (e.g., a double or triple bond). In certain embodiments, suitably reactive agents are able to react with a double bond or triple bond, for example, via a hydrogenation, osmylation, hydroxylation (mono- or di-), amination, halogenation, cycloaddition (e.g., cyclopropanation, aziridination, epoxidation), oxy-mercuration, and/or a hydroboronation reaction, to provide a functionalized single bond or double bond. As one of ordinary skill in the art will clearly recognize, these above-described transformations will introduce functionalities compatible with the particular stabilized structures and the desired biological interactions; such functionalities include, but are not limited to, hydrogen, cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted aryl; substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; substituted or unsubstituted acyl; substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyl; substituted or unsubstituted amino; substituted or unsubstituted thiol, halo; cyano; nitro; azido; imino; oxo; and thiooxo.
(268) In another aspect, in certain embodiments, the above method further comprises treating the polypeptide with a suitably reactive agent to provide a synthetically modified peptide (e.g., stapled peptide), and treating the modified peptide with a biologically active agent to provide a modified peptide conjugated to a biologically-active agent.
(269) Furthermore, in another aspect, in certain embodiments, the above method comprises treating a stapled peptide with a biologically active agent to provide a stapled peptide conjugated to a biologically-active agent.
(270) In another aspect, in certain embodiments, the above method further comprises treating the peptide with a suitable reagent to provide a synthetically modified stapled peptide, and treating the modified stapled polypeptide with a diagnostic agent to provide a modified stapled polypeptide conjugated to a diagnostic agent.
(271) Furthermore, in another aspect, in certain embodiments, the above method comprises treating a stapled peptide of step (vi) with a diagnostic agent to provide a stapled peptide conjugated to a diagnostic agent.
(272) Conjugation of an agent (e.g., a label, a diagnostic agent, a biologically active agent) to the inventive peptide (e.g., peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof) may be achieved in a variety of different ways. The agent may be covalently conjugated, directly or indirectly, to the polypeptide at the site of stapling, or to the N-terminus or the C-terminus of the polypeptide chain. Alternatively, the agent may be noncovalently conjugated, directly or indirectly, to the polypeptide at the site of stapling, or to the N-terminus or the C-terminus of the polypeptide chain. Indirect covalent conjugation is by means of one or more covalent bonds. Indirect noncovalent conjugation is by means of one or more noncovalent bonds. Conjugation may also be via a combination of non-covalent and covalent forces/bonds. The agent may also be conjugated through a covalent or non-covalent linking group.
(273) Any suitable bond may be used in the conjugation of a biologically active agent and/or diagnostic agent to the inventive polypeptide present invention. Such bonds include amide linkages, ester linkages, disulfide linkages, carbon-carbon bonds, carbamate, carbonate, urea, hydrazide, and the like. In some embodiments, the bond is cleavable under physiological conditions (e.g., enzymatically cleavable, cleavable with a high or low pH, with heat, light, ultrasound, x-ray, etc). However, in some embodiments, the bond is not cleavable.
(274) Combinatorial Synthesis of Peptides
(275) It will also be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the synthetic method as described above can also be applied to combinatorial synthesis of inventive peptides. Although combinatorial synthesis techniques can be applied in solution, it is more typical that combinatorial techniques are performed on the solid phase using split-and-pool techniques. During the course of the combinatorial synthesis, various parameters can be varied, including, but not limited to placement of amino acids with terminally unsaturated side chains, stereochemistry of amino acids, terminally unsaturated side chain length and functionality, and amino acid residues utilized.
(276) The present invention, in one aspect, provides methods for the synthesis of libraries of novel inventive polypeptides, as described above, comprising (1) providing a collection of resin-bound amino acids; (2) deprotecting each of said resin bound amino acids; (3) separating said collection of deprotected resin bound amino acids into n equal portions, wherein n represents the number of different types of amino acids to be coupled; (4) coupling of each of n types of amino acids to the deprotected amino acid; (5) combining each of the n portions together; and (6) repeating steps (2)-15) until a desired polypeptide is obtained, wherein in some embodiments at least two of the amino acids coupled at any of the above steps each comprise at least one terminally unsaturated amino acid sidechain. After a desired polypeptide is synthesized, the resin-bound polypeptide may be contacted with a catalyst to promote “stapling,” or may first be cleaved from the resin, and then contacted with a catalyst to promote “stapling.”
(277) It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the libraries of peptides having stabilized secondary structures can be further diversified at specific functional moieties after the desired stabilized structures are formed. For example, free or latent amino acid functionalities may be diversified, or alternatively or additionally, free or latent functionality present on the cross-linkers may be diversified. In particularly preferred embodiments, in but one example, the hydrophilicity of stabilized structures may be increased by the introduction of hydroxyl moieties. As one of ordinary skill in the art will realize, the diversification reactions will be selected to introduce functionalities compatible with the particular stabilized structures and the desired biological interactions, and these functionalities include, but are not limited to hydrogen, cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted aryl; substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl; substituted or unsubstituted acyl; substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyl; substituted or unsubstituted amino; substituted or unsubstituted thiol, halo; cyano; nitro; azido; imino; oxo; and thiooxo.
(278) Methods of Identification, Screening, and Selection
(279) The present invention is also directed to methods of identifying one or more modulators (e.g., peptides) of a protein-protein interaction. In some embodiments, methods of identifying one or more binders (e.g., peptide) for inhibiting a protein-protein interaction are provided.
(280) The method may comprise incubating a library (e.g., a peptide library) with a protein target in solution under suitable conditions to form a mixture comprising one or more modulator-protein target complexes (e.g., one or more peptide-protein target complexes).
(281) In some embodiments, the library (e.g., peptide library) comprises at least 100 members, at least 1000 members, or at least 1 million members. In some embodiments, members of the library (e.g., peptide library) are linear peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof. In some embodiments, members of the peptide library have their N-terminus modified with biotinylation or acetylation. In some embodiments, the peptide library is based on anyone of formulas (I)-(X) herein.
(282) In some embodiments, the mixture comprises a buffer (e.g., Tris buffer). In some embodiments, the buffer comprises L-arginine. In some embodiments, one or more amino acids (e.g., arginine) is included in the mixture, and/or in the mobile phase for HPSEC. In some embodiments, each of the one or more amino acids is present in the mixture and/or the mobile phase at from 0 M to 0.75 M (e.g., from 0.1 M to 0.3 M, 0.2 M). In some embodiments, the buffer and/or the mobile phase comprises e.g. L-proline, glycine, or glutamate. In some embodiments, the buffer has a pH similar to physiological conditions (e.g., a pH of 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0). In some embodiments, the buffer has a pH of 7.4 or 7.5. In some embodiments, the mixture is incubated at from 15 minutes to 24 hours and at from 20° C. to 30° C. In some embodiments, the mixture is incubated at one hour at room temperature.
(283) The method may comprise fractionating the mixture comprising the one or more modulator-protein target complexes (e.g., one or more peptide-protein target complexes) using high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) into a first plurality of fractions.
(284) In some embodiments, fractionation comprises separating one or more non-binding members (e.g., peptides) in the library from one or more modulator-protein target complexes. In some embodiments, the first plurality of fractions comprises at least one protein fraction, which herein refers to a fraction comprising the protein target and/or one or more modulator-protein target complexes, and at least one unbound fraction, comprising one or more non-binding members (e.g., peptides) from the library.
(285) In some embodiments, the difference in molecular weight between a non-binding member (e.g., peptide) and a modulator-protein target complex that is fractionated from the non-binding member is less than or equal to 100 kDa, less than or equal to 80 kDa, less than or equal to 50 kDa, or less than or equal to 30 kDa. In some embodiments, the difference in molecular weight between a non-binding member and a modulator-protein target complex that is fractionated from the non-binding member is less than or equal to 30 kDa.
(286) In some embodiments, a mobile phase used for HPSEC comprises the same components as the buffer used in the mixture, in the same or different ratios. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the supplementation of the buffer and/or mobile phase with L-arginine dramatically increases the yield and efficiency of fractionation by HPSEC relative to that obtained using other buffers used for protein analysis by those of skill in the art. In some embodiments, without wishing to be bound by theory, the presence of L-arginine allows peptide-protein target complexes to be eluted from a column using HPSEC, whereas in the absence of L-arginine, the peptide-protein target complexes do not elute from the column.
(287) The method may comprise fractionating a reference solution comprising the protein target using HPSEC, using substantially identical conditions to those used for the mixture comprising the one or more modulator-protein target complexes, into a second plurality of fractions comprising a protein fraction comprising the protein target.
(288) The method may comprise selecting a protein fraction of the first plurality of fractions, wherein at least the protein target and/or one or more modulator-protein target complexes was eluted. In some embodiments, the protein fraction of the first plurality of fractions has a closer elution time to the protein fraction of the second plurality of fractions than does the unbound fraction.
(289) The method may comprise analyzing the protein fraction of the first plurality of fractions directly (e.g, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)) to obtain structural information (e.g., a peptide sequence) of the modulator (e.g., peptide). In some embodiments, the method comprises subjecting the protein fraction to chemical conditions to form a linearized fraction having a linearized modulator (e.g., peptide). In some embodiments, the method for linearizing a modulator (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) for analysis comprises exposing the modulator (e.g., polymer) to the appropriate chemical conditions (e.g., exposing to sodium periodate) to cleave the polymer along the backbone using one or more diols along the backbone of the modulator (e.g., peptide).
(290) In some embodiments, the method for linearizing a modulator (e.g., macrocyclic peptide) for analysis can be carried out by first introducing one or more diols along the backbone of the modulator, e.g. polymer (e.g., peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, protein), during synthesis. In some embodiments, synthesis of the modulator comprises macrocyclizing the modulator (e.g., peptide) using a chemical transformation.
(291) In some embodiments, the method comprises analyzing the linearized fraction (e.g., by LC-MS/MS) to obtain structural information (e.g., a peptide sequence) of the modulator (e.g., peptide).
(292) In some embodiments, the method comprises synthesizing a library (e.g., a peptide library). In some embodiments, the library (e.g., the peptide library) has at least 100 members, at least 500 members, at least 1000 members (e.g., at least 1000 members, at least 5000 members, at least 10,000 members, at least 50,000 members, at least 100,000 members, at least 500,000 members, at least 1 million members, at least 1.5 million members, at least 2 million members). In some embodiments, synthesizing the library (e.g., peptide library) comprises using a split and pool technique. In some embodiments, synthesizing the library (e.g., peptide library) comprises randomizing one or more residues (e.g., one residue, to residues, 3 residues, 4 residues, 5 residues, 6 residues, 7 residues, 8 residues, 9 residues, 10 residues, or more) in a peptide sequence.
(293) In some embodiments, the method comprises re-synthesizing and/or modifying the modulator using the structural information (e.g., the peptide sequence). In some embodiments, the method comprises validating binding of the modulator (e.g., peptide) to the protein target using an assay (e.g., a binding assay, a functional assay).
(294) Pharmaceutical Compositions
(295) In another aspect, the present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a peptide, a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a salt thereof described herein.
(296) The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable form thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Such pharmaceutical compositions may optionally comprise one or more additional biologically-active substances. In accordance with some embodiments, a method of administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising inventive compositions to a subject in need thereof is provided. In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered to humans. For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “active ingredient” generally refers to an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof, as described herein.
(297) Although the descriptions of pharmaceutical compositions provided herein are principally directed to pharmaceutical compositions which are suitable for administration to humans, it will be understood by the skilled artisan that such compositions are generally suitable for administration to animals of all sorts. Modification of pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration to humans in order to render the compositions suitable for administration to various animals is well understood, and the ordinarily skilled veterinary pharmacologist can design and/or perform such modification with merely ordinary, if any, experimentation. Subjects to which administration of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention is contemplated include, but are not limited to, humans and/or other primates; mammals, including commercially relevant mammals such as cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, cats, and/or dogs; and/or birds, including commercially relevant birds such as chickens, ducks, geese, and/or turkeys.
(298) The formulations of the pharmaceutical compositions described herein may be prepared by any method known or hereafter developed in the art of pharmacology. In general, such preparatory methods include the step of bringing the active ingredient into association with a carrier and/or one or more other accessory ingredients, and then, if necessary and/or desirable, shaping and/or packaging the product into a desired single- or multi-dose unit.
(299) A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold in bulk, as a single unit dose, and/or as a plurality of single unit doses. As used herein, a “unit dose” is discrete amount of the pharmaceutical composition comprising a predetermined amount of the active ingredient. The amount of the active ingredient is generally equal to the dosage of the active ingredient which would be administered to a subject and/or a convenient fraction of such a dosage such as, for example, one-half or one-third of such a dosage.
(300) The relative amounts of the active ingredient, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and/or any additional ingredients in a pharmaceutical composition of the invention will vary, depending upon the identity, size, and/or condition of the subject treated and further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered. By way of example, the composition may comprise between 0.1% and 100% (w/w) active ingredient.
(301) Pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention may additionally comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, which, as used herein, includes any and all solvents, dispersion media, diluents, or other liquid vehicles, dispersion or suspension aids, surface active agents, isotonic agents, thickening or emulsifying agents, preservatives, solid binders, lubricants and the like, as suited to the particular dosage form desired. Remington's The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 21.sup.st Edition, A. R. Gennaro, (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, Md., 2006) discloses various carriers used in formulating pharmaceutical compositions and known techniques for the preparation thereof. Except insofar as any conventional carrier medium is incompatible with a substance or its derivatives, such as by producing any undesirable biological effect or otherwise interacting in a deleterious manner with any other component(s) of the pharmaceutical composition, its use is contemplated to be within the scope of this invention.
(302) In some embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% pure. In some embodiments, the excipient is approved for use in humans and for veterinary use. In some embodiments, the excipient is approved by United States Food and Drug Administration. In some embodiments, the excipient is pharmaceutical grade. In some embodiments, the excipient meets the standards of the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), the European Pharmacopoeia (EP), the British Pharmacopoeia, and/or the International Pharmacopoeia.
(303) Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions include, but are not limited to, inert diluents, dispersing and/or granulating agents, surface active agents and/or emulsifiers, disintegrating agents, binding agents, preservatives, buffering agents, lubricating agents, and/or oils. Such excipients may optionally be included in the inventive formulations. Excipients such as cocoa butter and suppository waxes, coloring agents, coating agents, sweetening, flavoring, and perfuming agents can be present in the composition, according to the judgment of the formulator.
(304) Exemplary diluents include, but are not limited to, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, calcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate lactose, sucrose, cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, kaolin, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol, sodium chloride, dry starch, cornstarch, powdered sugar, etc., and combinations thereof
(305) A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold in a formulation suitable for ophthalmic administration. Such formulations may, for example, be in the form of eye drops including, for example, a 0.1/1.0% (w/w) solution and/or suspension of the active ingredient in an aqueous or oily liquid carrier. Such drops may further comprise buffering agents, salts, and/or one or more other of the additional ingredients described herein. Other ophthalmically-administrable formulations which are useful include those which comprise the active ingredient in microcrystalline form and/or in a liposomal preparation. Ear drops and/or eye drops are contemplated as being within the scope of this invention.
(306) General considerations in the formulation and/or manufacture of pharmaceutical agents may be found, for example, in Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy 21.sup.st ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.
(307) Methods of Use
(308) The present invention provides a method of treating a disease, disorder, or condition comprising administering to a subject diagnosed with or having susceptibility to the disease, disorder, or condition, a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide, a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a salt thereof described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable form thereof. Exemplary diseases, disorders, or conditions which may be treated by administration of an inventive polypeptide include proliferative, neurological, immunological, endocrinologic, cardiovascular, hematologic, autoimmune, infectious, and inflammatory diseases, disorders, or conditions.
(309) As used herein a proliferative disease, condition, or disorder includes, but is not limited to, cancer, hematopoietic neoplastic disorders, proliferative breast disease, proliferative disorders of the lung, proliferative disorders of the colon, proliferative disorders of the liver, and proliferative disorders of the ovary.
(310) Examples of cancers treatable by the above method include carcinoma, sarcoma, or metastatic disorders, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, fibrosarcoma, myosarcoma, liposarcoma, chondrosarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma, chordoma, angiosarcoma, endotheliosarcoma, lymphangiosarcoma, lymphangioendotheliosarcoma, synovioma, mesothelioma, Ewing's tumor, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cancer of the head and neck, skin cancer, brain cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma, cystadenocarcinoma, medullary carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, hepatoma, bile duct carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, Wilm's tumor, cervical cancer, testicular cancer, small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, epithelial carcinoma, glioma, astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, pinealoma, hemangioblastoma, acoustic neuroma, oligodendroglioma, meningioma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, leukemia, lymphoma, or Kaposi sarcoma,
(311) Examples of hematopoietic neoplastic disorders treatable by the above method includes diseases involving hyperplastic/neoplastic cells of hematopoietic origin, e.g., arising from myeloid, lymphoid or erythroid lineages, or precursor cells thereof. In certain embodiments, the diseases arise from poorly differentiated acute leukemias, e.g., erythroblastic leukemia and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. Additional exemplary myeloid disorders include, but are not limited to, acute promyeloid leukemia (APML), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (reviewed in Vaickus, L. (1991) Crit Rev. in Oncol./Hemotol. 11:267-97); lymphoid malignancies include, but are not limited to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which includes B-lineage ALL and T-lineage ALL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL), hairy cell leukemia (HLL) and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM). Additional forms of malignant lymphomas include, but are not limited to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and variants thereof, peripheral T cell lymphomas, adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGF), Hodgkin's disease and Reed-Stemberg disease.
(312) Examples of proliferative breast disease treatable by the above method includes epithelial hyperplasia, sclerosing adenosis, and small duct papillomas; tumors, e.g., stromal tumors such as fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumor, and sarcomas, and epithelial tumors such as large duct papilloma; carcinoma of the breast including in situ (noninvasive) carcinoma that includes ductal carcinoma in situ (including Paget's disease) and lobular carcinoma in situ, and invasive (infiltrating) carcinoma including, but not limited to, invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, colloid (mucinous) carcinoma, tubular carcinoma, and invasive papillary carcinoma, and miscellaneous malignant neoplasms. Disorders in the male breast include, but are not limited to, gynecomastia and carcinoma.
(313) Examples of proliferative disorders of the lung treatable by the above method include, but are not limited to, bronchogenic carcinoma, including paraneoplastic syndromes, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumors, such as bronchial carcinoid, miscellaneous tumors, and metastatic tumors; pathologies of the pleura, including inflammatory pleural effusions, noninflammatory pleural effusions, pneumothorax, and pleural tumors, including solitary fibrous tumors (pleural fibroma) and malignant mesothelioma.
(314) Examples of proliferative disorders of the colon treatable by the above method include, but are not limited to, non-neoplastic polyps, adenomas, familial syndromes, colorectal carcinogenesis, colorectal carcinoma, and carcinoid tumors.
(315) Examples of proliferative disorders of the liver treatable by the above method include, but are not limited to, nodular hyperplasias, adenomas, and malignant tumors, including primary carcinoma of the liver and metastatic tumors.
(316) Examples of proliferative disorders of the ovary treatable by the above method include, but are not limited to, ovarian tumors such as, tumors of coelomic epithelium, serous tumors, mucinous tumors, endometeriod tumors, clear cell adenocarcinoma, cystadenofibroma, brenner tumor, surface epithelial tumors; germ cell tumors such as mature (benign) teratomas, monodermal teratomas, immature malignant teratomas, dysgerminoma, endodermal sinus tumor, choriocarcinoma; sex cord-stomal tumors such as, granulosa-theca cell tumors, thecomafibromas, androblastomas, hill cell tumors, and gonadoblastoma; and metastatic tumors such as Krukenberg tumors.
(317) The inventive peptides may serve to treat the above-described diseases, disorders, or conditions, by disrupting native protein-protein, protein-ligand, and/or protein-receptor interactions. For example, many biologically important protein/protein interactions, such as p53/MDM2 and Bcl-X1/Bak, are mediated by one protein donating a helix into a cleft of its helix-accepting partner. The interaction of p53 and MDM2 and mutations in the p53 gene have been identified in virtually half of all reported cancer cases (see, Shair Chem. & Biol. 1997, 4, 791, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). As stresses are imposed on a cell, p53 is believed to orchestrate a response that leads to either cell-cycle arrest and DNA repair, or programmed cell death. As well as mutations in the p53 gene that alter the function of the p53 protein directly, p53 can be altered by changes in MDM2. The MDM2 protein has been shown to bind to p53 and disrupt transcriptional activation by associating with the transactivation domain of p53. For example, an 11 amino-acid peptide derived from the transactivation domain of p53 forms an amphipathic alpha-helix of 2.5 turns that inserts into the MDM2 crevice.
(318) In certain embodiments, an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof described herein is capable of binding tightly to MDM2 and disrupting native protein/protein interactions. These structures may then be screened using methods of identifying a binder described herein to identify high performing peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof. The novel structures that disrupt the MDM2 interaction might be useful for many applications, including, but not limited to, control of soft tissue sarcomas (which overexpresses MDM2 in the presence of wild type p53). These cancers may be held in check with molecules that could intercept MDM2, thereby preventing suppression of p53. Additionally, molecule disrupters of MDM2-p53 interactions could be used as adjuvant therapy to help control and modulate the extent of the p53 dependent apoptosis response in conventional chemotherapy.
(319) In certain embodiments, the inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof is homologous to a known peptide. In certain embodiments, the inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof is modified by at most 10 amino acids, at most 9 amino acids, at most 8 amino acids, at most 7 amino acids, at most 6 amino acids, at most 5 amino acids, at most 4 amino acids, at most 3 amino acids, at most 2 amino acids, or at most 1 amino acid relative to its respective known peptide.
(320) In addition, the inventive polypeptides may be useful in the area of materials science. For example, molecules such as lipids and other polymeric molecules may be attached to the terminal peptide moieties and thus generate potentially important biomaterials.
(321) In addition to the above-mentioned uses, the inventive polypeptides may be used for studies in bioinorganic chemistry or in catalysis, either as a ligand for a transition metal capable of mimicking an important biological environment, or by acting in concert with a particular transition metal catalyst to effect a desired chemical reaction.
(322) Also provided herein are peptides, macrocyclic peptides, and mini-proteins, and salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, for any of the uses described herein (e.g., for use in treating and/or preventing a disease described herein).
(323) Also provided herein are uses of peptides, macrocyclic peptides, and mini-proteins, and salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, in the preparation of medicaments for treating and/or preventing any of the diseases described herein.
(324) Administration
(325) In some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount of an inventive pharmaceutical composition is delivered to a patient and/or organism prior to, simultaneously with, and/or after diagnosis with a disease, disorder, and/or condition. In some embodiments, a therapeutic amount of an inventive composition is delivered to a patient and/or organism prior to, simultaneously with, and/or after onset of symptoms of a disease, disorder, and/or condition. In some embodiments, the amount of inventive composition is sufficient to treat, alleviate, ameliorate, relieve, delay onset of, inhibit progression of, reduce severity of, and/or reduce incidence of one or more symptoms or features of the disease, disorder, and/or condition.
(326) In one aspect, the present invention is directed to methods of treating cancer, and/or of treating or preventing HIV in a subject in need thereof comprising administering a peptide, a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a salt thereof described herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises preventing an HIV capsid from forming using a peptide, a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a salt thereof described herein.
(327) In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods for disrupting a protein-protein interaction (e.g., a p53-MDM2 interaction) using a peptide, a macrocyclic peptide, a mini-protein, or a salt thereof described herein.
(328) The compositions, according to the method of the present invention, may be administered using any amount and any route of administration effective for treatment. The exact amount required will vary from subject to subject, depending on the species, age, and general condition of the subject, the severity of the infection, the particular composition, its mode of administration, its mode of activity, and the like. The compositions of the invention are typically formulated in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. It will be understood, however, that the total daily usage of the compositions of the present invention will be decided by the attending physician within the scope of sound medical judgment. The specific therapeutically effective dose level for any particular subject or organism will depend upon a variety of factors including the disorder being treated and the severity of the disorder; the activity of the specific active ingredient employed; the specific composition employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the subject; the time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion of the specific active ingredient employed; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the specific active ingredient employed; and like factors well known in the medical arts.
(329) The pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administered by any route. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are administered variety of routes, including oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intra-arterial, intramedullary, intrathecal, subcutaneous, intraventricular, transdermal, interdermal, rectal, intravaginal, intraperitoneal, topical (as by powders, ointments, creams, and/or drops), mucosal, nasal, buccal, enteral, sublingual; by intratracheal instillation, bronchial instillation, and/or inhalation; and/or as an oral spray, nasal spray, and/or aerosol. Specifically contemplated routes are systemic intravenous injection, regional administration via blood and/or lymph supply, and/or direct administration to an affected site. In general the most appropriate route of administration will depend upon a variety of factors including the nature of the agent (e.g., its stability in the environment of the gastrointestinal tract), the condition of the subject (e.g., whether the subject is able to tolerate oral administration), etc. At present the oral and/or nasal spray and/or aerosol route is most commonly used to deliver therapeutic agents directly to the lungs and/or respiratory system. However, the invention encompasses the delivery of the inventive pharmaceutical composition by any appropriate route taking into consideration likely advances in the sciences of drug delivery.
(330) In certain embodiments, the compositions of the invention may be administered at dosage levels sufficient to deliver from about 0.001 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg, from about 0.01 mg/kg to about 50 mg/kg, from about 0.1 mg/kg to about 40 mg/kg, from about 0.5 mg/kg to about 30 mg/kg, from about 0.01 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.1 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, or from about 1 mg/kg to about 25 mg/kg, of subject body weight per day, one or more times a day, to obtain the desired therapeutic effect. The desired dosage may be delivered three times a day, two times a day, once a day, every other day, every third day, every week, every two weeks, every three weeks, or every four weeks. In certain embodiments, the desired dosage may be delivered using multiple administrations (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, or more administrations).
(331) In some embodiments, the present invention encompasses “therapeutic cocktails” comprising inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein. In some embodiments, the inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein comprises a single species which can bind to multiple targets. In some embodiments, different inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein comprise different targeting moiety species, and all of the different targeting moiety species can bind to the same target. In some embodiments, different inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein comprise different targeting moiety species, and all of the different targeting moiety species can bind to different targets. In some embodiments, such different targets may be associated with the same cell type. In some embodiments, such different targets may be associated with different cell types.
(332) It will be appreciated that inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein and pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention can be employed in combination therapies. The particular combination of therapies (therapeutics or procedures) to employ in a combination regimen will take into account compatibility of the desired therapeutics and/or procedures and the desired therapeutic effect to be achieved. It will be appreciated that the therapies employed may achieve a desired effect for the same purpose (for example, an inventive conjugate useful for detecting tumors may be administered concurrently with another agent useful for detecting tumors), or they may achieve different effects (e.g., control of any adverse effects).
(333) Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administered either alone or in combination with one or more other therapeutic agents. By “in combination with,” it is not intended to imply that the agents must be administered at the same time and/or formulated for delivery together, although these methods of delivery are within the scope of the invention. The compositions can be administered concurrently with, prior to, or subsequent to, one or more other desired therapeutics or medical procedures. In general, each agent will be administered at a dose and/or on a time schedule determined for that agent. Additionally, the invention encompasses the delivery of the inventive pharmaceutical compositions in combination with agents that may improve their bioavailability, reduce and/or modify their metabolism, inhibit their excretion, and/or modify their distribution within the body.
(334) The particular combination of therapies (therapeutics and/or procedures) to employ in a combination regimen will take into account compatibility of the desired therapeutics and/or procedures and/or the desired therapeutic effect to be achieved. It will be appreciated that the therapies employed may achieve a desired effect for the same disorder (for example, an inventive peptide, macrocyclic peptide, mini-protein, or salt thereof described herein may be administered concurrently with another biologically active agent used to treat the same disorder), and/or they may achieve different effects (e.g., control of any adverse effects). In some embodiments, peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof of the invention are administered with a second biologically active agent that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
(335) In will further be appreciated that biologically active agents utilized in this combination may be administered together in a single composition or administered separately in different compositions.
(336) In general, it is expected that biologically active agents utilized in combination be utilized at levels that do not exceed the levels at which they are utilized individually. In some embodiments, the levels utilized in combination will be lower than those utilized individually.
(337) In some embodiments, inventive pharmaceutical compositions may be administered in combination with any biologically active agent or therapeutic regimen that is useful to treat, alleviate, ameliorate, relieve, delay onset of, inhibit progression of, reduce severity of, and/or reduce incidence of one or more symptoms or features of cancer. For example, inventive compositions may be administered in combination with traditional cancer therapies including, but not limited to, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, complementary or alternative therapy, and any combination of these therapies.
(338) In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered in combination with surgery to remove a tumor. Because complete removal of a tumor with minimal or no damage to the rest of a patient's body is typically the goal of cancer treatment, surgery is often performed to physically remove part or all of a tumor. If surgery is unable to completely remove a tumor, additional therapies (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, complementary or alternative therapy) may be employed.
(339) In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered in combination with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy (also known as radiotherapy, X-ray therapy, or irradiation) is the use of ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy may be used to treat almost any type of solid tumor, including cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, larynx, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, uterus, or soft tissue sarcomas. Radiation can be used to treat leukemia and lymphoma. Radiation therapy can be administered externally via external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or internally via brachytherapy. Typically, the effects of radiation therapy are localized and confined to the region being treated. Radiation therapy injures or destroys tumor cells in an area being treated (e.g. a target organ, tissue, and/or cell) by damaging their genetic material, preventing tumor cells from growing and dividing. In general, radiation therapy attempts to damage as many tumor cells as possible while limiting harm to nearby healthy tissue. Hence, it is often administered in multiple doses, allowing healthy tissue to recover between fractions.
(340) In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered in combination with immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is the use of immune mechanisms against tumors which can be used in various forms of cancer, such as breast cancer (e.g. trastuzumab/Herceptin®), leukemia (e.g. gemtuzumab ozogamicin/Mylotarg®), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (e.g. rituximab/Rituxan®). In some embodiments, immunotherapy agents are monoclonal antibodies directed against proteins that are characteristic to the cells of the cancer in question. In some embodiments, immunotherapy agents are cytokines that modulate the immune system's response. In some embodiments, immunotherapy agents may be vaccines.
(341) In some embodiments, vaccines can be administered to prevent and/or delay the onset of cancer. In some embodiments, cancer vaccines prevent and/or delay the onset of cancer by preventing infection by oncogenic infectious agents. In some embodiments, cancer vaccines prevent and/or delay the onset of cancer by mounting an immune response against cancer-specific epitopes. To give but one example of a cancer vaccine, an experimental vaccine for HPV types 16 and 18 was shown to be 100% successful at preventing infection with these types of HPV and, thus, are able to prevent the majority of cervical cancer cases (Harper et al., 2004, Lancet, 364:1757).
(342) In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered in combination with complementary and alternative medicine treatments. Some exemplary complementary measures include, but are not limited to, botanical medicine (e.g. use of mistletoe extract combined with traditional chemotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors); acupuncture for managing chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery; prayer; psychological approaches (e.g. “imaging” or meditation) to aid in pain relief or improve mood. Some exemplary alternative measures include, but are not limited to, diet and other lifestyle changes (e.g. plant-based diet, the grape diet, and the cabbage diet).
(343) In some embodiments, inventive compositions are administered in combination with any of the traditional cancer treatments described herein, which are often associated with unpleasant, uncomfortable, and/or dangerous side effects. For example, chronic pain often results from continued tissue damage due to the cancer itself or due to the treatment (i.e., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). Alternatively or additionally, such therapies are often associated with hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, anemia, malnutrition, depression of immune system, infection, sepsis, hemorrhage, secondary neoplasms, cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, etc. Thus, inventive compositions which are administered in combination with any of the traditional cancer treatments described herein may be also be administered in combination with any therapeutic agent or therapeutic regimen that is useful to treat, alleviate, ameliorate, relieve, delay onset of, inhibit progression of, reduce severity of, and/or reduce incidence of one or more side effects of cancer treatment. To give but a few examples, pain can be treated with opioids and/or analgesics (e.g. morphine, oxycodone, antiemetics, etc.); nausea and vomiting can be treated with 5-HT.sub.3 inhibitors (e.g. dolasetron/Anzemet®, granisetron/Kytril®, ondansetron/Zofran®, palonsetron/Aloxi®) and/or substance P inhibitors (e.g. aprepitant/Emend®); immunosuppression can be treated with a blood transfusion; infection and/or sepsis can be treated with antibiotics (e.g. penicillins, tetracyclines, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, etc.); and so forth.
(344) In some embodiments, inventive compositions may be administered and/or inventive diagnostic methods may be performed in combination with any therapeutic agent or therapeutic regimen that is useful to diagnose one or more symptoms or features of cancer (e.g. detect the presence of and/or locate a tumor). In some embodiments, inventive peptides, macrocyclic peptides, mini-proteins, or salts thereof described herein may be used in combination with one or more diagnostic agents.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
(345) A solution-phase combinatorial strategy for the facile discovery of functional peptidomimetics based on the use of non-canonical amino acids and scaffolds is presented herein. This approach allows for the robust screening of large combinatorial libraries ranging from thousands to millions of peptides in one single experiment with virtually no false positives. Novel and high affinity non-canonical inhibitors of well-studied PPIs were rapidly discovered and it was demonstrated that using established chemistry, these inhibitors can rapidly be turned into potent bioactive macrocyclic inhibitors. Proof of concept is also provided herein for the affinity selection of mini-protein-based structures to rapidly discover new functional scaffolds featuring non-canonical side chains. Such capabilities are illustrated by presenting original high affinity knottin-derived non-canonical MDM2 inhibitors with low nanomolar affinities.
(346) Presented herein is an affinity selection platform harnessing combinatorial chemistry to rapidly synthesize large peptide libraries, specifically enrich in solution and high throughput sequence peptide and peptidomimetic binders (
(347) To illustrate its efficacy, the thoroughly studied p53-MDM2 PPI was selected as a benchmark [12] and it was first aimed to re-extract critical information on how pDI (6), a p53-like peptide, binds MDM2 using usual L-configured amino acids. Classically, such insights are obtained through systematic mutational studies like Ala-scanning [13], though combinatorial approaches using phage display have also been reported [14]. Library 1 was designed and synthesized (
(348) Then, to discover non-canonical binders to MDM2, the three hot spots of linear 6 were randomized by using non-canonical L-configured amino acids spanning different side chain hydrophobicity, rigidity and sterics (Library 3,
(349) To confirm the generality and robustness of this approach, the use of non-canonical side chains was extended to CAI (37) a micromolar allosteric binder to C-terminal capsid domain (C-CA) that inhibits the dimeric interface of HIV capsid protein [17]. A similar approach was used, and reported [18] interaction hot spots of CAI were randomized using the same non-canonical amino acid set (Library 4,
(350) To illustrate further the usefulness of the approach, the discovery platform was merged with peptide macrocyclization chemistry to illustrate the rapid discovery of bioactive non-canonical PPI inhibitors. Using well established chemical transformations of peptides [4], non-canonical sequences discovered by affinity selection from Library 3 (
(351) The discovered macrocyclic low nanomolar MDM2 binders 10b-M and 11b-S1 were further evaluated along with their controls (
(352) Finally, in an effort to extend the discovery of PPI inhibitors to highly attractive [3], and large (>30 mer) non-proteinogenic peptide scaffolds, an all D-configured mini-protein capable of binding MDM2 while exhibiting a folded structure [22] was designed (
(353) Taken together, these results demonstrate that the in solution affinity selection platform is particularly suited for the rapid generation, with virtually no false positives (1 false positive for more than 50 resynthesized and validated binders), of novel bioactive chemical matter. In the context of drug discovery these capabilities will prove particularly useful in structure guided approaches where non-canonical side chains may be used both to robustly probe for key binding residues within protein-protein interfaces while allowing for the rapid discovery of highly potent non-canonical inhibitors based on chemical structures of various complexities and sizes. It is envisioned that increasing library sizes (>10.sup.7 members) by means of automation coupled to the development of novel scaffolds will dramatically expand the chemical space for structure and function, a powerful prospect to drug the undruggable using this affinity selection platform.
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Example 2
(355) This example describes materials and methods associated with Example 1, as well as additional materials, methods, and results associated with Example 1.
(356) Materials
(357) H-Rink Amide-ChemMatrix resin was obtained from PCAS BioMatrix Inc. (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada). 1-[Bis(dimethylamino)methylene]-1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b]pyridinium-3-oxid-hexafluorophosphate (HATU), Fmoc-L-Arg(Pbf)-OH, Fmoc-L-His(Trt)-OH, Fmoc-L-Lys(Boc)-OH, Fmoc-L-Asp(tBu)-OH, Fmoc-L-Glu(tBu)-OH, Fmoc-L-Ser(tBu)-OH, Fmoc-L-Thr(tBu)-OH, Fmoc-L-Asn(Trt)-OH, Fmoc-L-Gln(Trt)-OH, Fmoc-L-Cys(Trt)-OH, Fmoc-L-Gly-OH, Fmoc-L-Ala-OH, Fmoc-L-Val-OH, Fmoc-L-Leu-OH, Fmoc-L-Met-OH, Fmoc-L-Phe-OH, Fmoc-L-Tyr(tBu)-OH, Fmoc-L-Trp(Boc)-OH, Fmoc-3-Ala(9-anthryl)-OH, Fmoc-L-Ala(2-naphthyl)-OH, Fmoc-D-Ala(2-naphthyl)-OH Fmoc-L-Ala(pyrenyl)-OH, Fmoc-Ala(p-cyclobutyl)-OH, Fmoc-s-cyclobutyl-D-Ala-OH, Fmoc-L-Cha-OH, Fmoc-D-Cha-OH Fmoc-L-Phe(4-F)-OH, Fmoc-L-HomoPhe-OH, Fmoc-L-Phe(3,4-Dimethoxy)-OH, Fmoc-L-Phg-OH, L-Phe(4-CN)-OH, L-Phe(4-NO2)-OH, Fmoc-L-Phe(4-NHBoc)-OH, Fmoc-L-Phe(4-CF3)-OH, Fmoc-D-Phe(4-CF3)-OH Fmoc-L-Ala(4,4′-biphenyl)-OH, Fmoc-3,4-difluoro-L-Phe-OH, Fmoc-3,4-difluoro-D-Phe-OH Fmoc-L-Phe(3,4,5-trifluoro)-OH, Fmoc-L-Phe(F)5-OH, Fmoc-D-Phe(F)5-OH, Fmoc-D-HomoLeu-OH, Fmoc-R-Ala-OH, Fmoc-L-Dap(Boc)-OH and FITC isomer I were purchased from Chem-Impex International (Wood Dale, Ill.). Fmoc-Anon(2)-OH, Fmoc-D-Anon(2)-OH and Fmoc-D-Adec(2)-OH were purchased from Watanabe Chemical Industries, Ltd. (Hiroshima, Japan). Fmoc-(R)-2-(7-octenyl)Ala-OH, Fmoc-(S)-2-(4-pentenyl)Ala-OH and Hoveyda-Grubbs Catalyst™ 2nd Generation were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Biotin-PEG.sub.4-NHS was purchased from ChemPep Inc. (Wellington, Fla.). Peptide synthesis-grade N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dichloromethane (DCM), diethyl ether, HPLC-grade acetonitrile, were obtained from VWR International (Philadelphia, Pa.). All reactions were set up on the bench top open to air. Water was deionized and used as is. DMSO-d6 was purchased in sealed ampules from Cambridge Isotopes. Trypsin from bovine pancreas and monoclonal ANTI-FLAG® M2 antibody were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. Human .sup.1-137MDMX was purchased from Abcam (ab167947). High performance size exclusion chromatography columns BIO-SEC-3, 7.8×150 mm, 3 μm, 100 Å and BIO-SEC-3, 7.8×50 mm, 3 μm, 100 Å and analytical RP-HPLC columns Zorbax SB C3, 2.1×150 mm, 5 μm were purchased from Agilent technologies. Purification of perfluorosulfone electrophile was performed by silica gel column chromatography purchased from Acros Organics. All other materials and reagents were purchased from commercial sources and used as received. .sup.1H and .sup.3C NMR spectra were recorded on a Brucker 400 MHz spectrometer and calibration was performed using residual DMSO-d5 (2.54 ppm) as an internal reference. The following abbreviations were used for multiplicities: s=singlet, d=doublet, t=triplet, bs=broad singlet, m=multiplet.
(358) Methods for LC-MS and LC-MS/MS Analysis
(359) LC-MS Chromatograms and Associated Mass Spectra for Affinity Selections were Acquired Using Agilent 6550 ESI-O-TOF Mass Spectrometer
(360) Mobile phases are: 0.1% formic acid in water (solvent A) and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (solvent B).
(361) Method A: LC conditions: Zorbax SB C3 column: 2.1×150 mm, 5 μm, column temperature: 20° C., gradient: 0-2 minutes 1% B, 2-12 minutes 1-65% B, 12-12.1 minutes 65-90% B, 12.1-13.1 90% B. flow rate: 0.5 mL/min.
(362) Method B: LC conditions: Zorbax SB C3 column: 2.1×150 mm, 5 μm, column temperature: 20° C., gradient: 0-1 minutes 1% B, 1-35 minutes 1-65% B, 35-35.1 minutes 65-90% B, 35.1-37 90% B. flow rate: 0.5 mL/min.
(363) LC-MS Chromatograms and Associated Mass Spectra for Purified Peptides were Acquired Using Agilent 6520 ESI-Q-TOF Mass Spectrometer
(364) Mobile phases are: 0.1% formic acid in water (solvent A) and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (solvent B).
(365) Method C: LC conditions: Zorbax SB C3 column: 2.1×150 mm, 5 μm, column temperature: 40° C., gradient: 0-2 minutes 1% B, 2-8 minutes 1-30% B, 8-14 minutes 30-60% B, flow rate: 0.8 mL/min.
(366) Method D: LC conditions: Zorbax SB C3 column: 2.1×150 mm, 5 μm, column temperature: 40° C., 0-2 minutes 1% B, 2-8 minutes 1-30% B, 8-13 minutes 30-95% B, flow rate: 0.8 mL/min.
(367) MS/MS Analysis was Performed Using the Above LC Methods with the Following Parameters
(368) MS and MS/MS acquisition range: 100-1700 m/z
(369) MS acquisition rate: 2 spectra/s, time: 500 ms/spectrum, transients/spectrum: 2547
(370) MS/MS acquisition rate: 8 spectra/s, time: 125 ms/spectrum, transients/spectrum: 620
(371) Maximum number of precursors per cycle: 12
(372) Absolute MS/MS threshold (precursor ion selection for sequencing): 10 000 counts unless stated otherwise. Corresponded typically to EIC peak areas >50 000 for triply charged peptides
(373) Active exclusion: after 10 spectra and release after 0.5 minutes
(374) Mass exclusion range: 100-400 m/z and 600-1700 m/z
(375) Precursor selection: +3
(376) CID collision energies:
(377) Using PEAKS Studio Software from Bioinformatics Solutions Inc. (Waterloo, Canada), MS/MS Spectra were Imported and Refined with the Following Parameters
(378) Merge scan: retention time window of 0.2 min and precursor m/z tolerance error 0.01 Da
(379) Correct precursor: mass only
(380) Filter scans: retention times incompatible with library members are discarded
(381) De novo sequencing error tolerance: 15.0 ppm and fragment ion: 0.01 Da
(382) Fixed post-translational modification (PTM) commonly used: Amidation (C-terminus, any residue, −0.98 Da), EETI-II .sup.1Gly-.sup.2Ser (N-terminus, any residue, 217.0521), .sup.1Lys-.sup.2Ala (N-terminus, any residue, 199.1302)
(383) Variable post-translational modification (PTM) commonly used: F.sub.5f (Phe, 89.9528 Da), F.sub.3f (Phe, 53.9717 Da), F.sub.2f (Phe, 35.9811 Da), Ff (Phe, 17.9887 Da), CF.sub.3f (Phe, 67.9873 Da), NH.sub.2f (Phe, 15.0108), NO.sub.2f (Phe, 44.985 Da), CNf (Phe, 24.9952 Da), Phg (Phe, −14.0156 Da), Dmf (Phe, 60.0211 Da), Homof (Phe, 14.0156 Da), Phf (Phe, 76.0313 Da), Cha (Leu, 40.0313 Da), Hexa (Leu, 42.047 Da), Hepa (Leu, 56.047 Da), Homol (Leu, 14.0157 Da) Cba (Leu, 12.0 Da), Anta (Phe, 100.0313 Da), Pyra (Phe, 124.0313 Da), Napha (Phe, 50.0156 Da), Methionine sulfoxide (Met, 15.9949), cleaved diol (C-terminus, any residue, 70.0531 Da)
(384) General Methods for Affinity Selection Using HPSEC
(385) High Pressure Size Exclusion Chromatograms were Acquired Using Agilent 1260 HPLC-UV Instrument
(386) SEC conditions: unless stated otherwise, high performance size exclusion column BIO-SEC-3, 7.8×150 mm, 3 μm particle size and 100 Å pore size was used. 100 μL of binding mixture containing peptides or peptide libraries and protein target was isocratically eluted in buffered mobile phase (25 mM Tris, 50 mM NaCl, pH 7.5, with or without L-arginine supplementation) at 1 mL/min flow rate for 15 minutes (typical backpressure ˜80-90 bars for a brand new column). Generally, mobile phase is also used as the binding buffer for affinity selection experiments, and systematically before each experiment a blank injection is performed consisting in a protein only injection. During affinity selection experiments the breakthrough fraction (protein fraction) was monitored by UV and collected. The latter contained the protein-binder complexes which were dissociated using 0.2% formic acid before characterization using LC-MS or LC-MS/MS analysis.
(387) Maintenance and cleaning: after each affinity selection experiment SEC columns were carefully cleaned with one of the following buffers. Buffer 1: 0.5 M Na.sub.2SO.sub.4, pH 3.0. Buffer 2: 50 mM phosphate, pH 7.0, 20% acetonitrile. Buffer 3: 6M urea, 25 mM Tris, pH 7.5, mixtures with higher organics content (methanol, isopropanol or acetonitrile) were also used for cleaning purposes.
(388) General Methods for Peptide and Peptide Library Preparation
(389) Peptide Numbering and Nomenclature
(390) All synthesized peptides have their C-terminus amidated.
(391) Unless stated otherwise, numbered molecules correspond to peptide-based (linear, macrocyclic or folded) peptides without any molecular labels (Biotin, acetyl or FITC). For example 60 corresponds to the sequence of macrocyclic pDI-sulfone without any further modification.
(392) Xa, corresponds to the modification of sequence number X to allow for the introduction of a biotin label. For example 6a corresponds to the N-terminal modification of 6 with a Biotin-(Peg).sub.4 label.
(393) Xb, corresponds to N-terminal acetylation of sequence number X. For example 6b corresponds to the N-terminal acetylation of 6.
(394) Xc, corresponds to the modification of sequence number X to allow for the introduction of a FITC label. For example 10c corresponds to the N-terminal modification of 10 with a FITC-βAla label.
(395) Manual Solid-Phase Synthesis of Non-Canonical Amino Acid Containing Peptide Sequences
(396) Peptide sequences were manually synthesized typically at 0.05 mmol scale on H-Rink Amide-ChemMatrix resin using manual Fmoc-SPPS (Solid phase peptide synthesis). Torviq syringes (10 mL) were utilized as the reactor vessel and the resin was swollen in DMF for a few minutes before starting synthesis. The procedure for canonical amino acid coupling cycle included 10 minutes coupling with 1 mmol (20 equiv.) of Fmoc-protected amino acid, 0.95 mmol (19 equiv.) HATU, and 500 μL of diisopropylethyl amine (DIEA, 100 equiv.) in 2.5 mL of DMF at room temperature. For non-canonical amino acids, 30 minutes of coupling were required with 0.25 mmol (5 equiv.) Fmoc-protected amino acid, 0.237 mmol (4.75 equiv.) HATU and 125 μL of diisopropylethyl amine (DIEA, 25 equiv.) in 625 μL of DMF at room temperature. The resin was then washed (5×) with DMF, deprotected (2×) for 3 minutes with 20% (v/v) piperidine in DMF and finally washed again (5×) with DMF to conclude the cycle. After peptide synthesis completion, the resin was washed with DCM (5×) and dried under reduced pressure.
(397) Automated Fast-Flow Peptide Synthesis.sup.1
(398) L and D-configured peptide sequences containing usual amino acid side chains were synthesized at 90° C. on H-Rink Amide-ChemMatrix resin with HATU activation using a fully automatic flow-based peptide synthesizer.sup.1. Amide bond formation was effected in 8 seconds, and Fmoc groups were removed in 8 seconds with 20% (v/v) piperidine in DMF.
(399) Overall cycle times were about 40 seconds. After completion of fast-flow synthesis, the resins were washed with DCM (5×) and dried under reduced pressure.
(400) Solid-Phase Synthesis of Combinatorial Peptide Libraries
(401) Libraries 1 to 6 were synthesized on Tentagel resin (30 microns beads, 0.22 mmol/g, Rapp Polymere) at a typical scale of 0.5 g of resin (˜20*10{circumflex over ( )}6 beads) using split and pool technique. Fixed regions were synthesized using manual SPPS. For each randomized residue, resin was equally spitted in separate torviq syringes and for each coupling cycle, Fmoc-protected amino acids (5 equiv. with regard to resin substitution), HATU (4.75 equiv.) and DIEA (25 equiv.) were added for 30 min. The splitted resin was then washed (5×) with DMF and pooled then deprotected (2×) with 20% (v/v) piperidine in DMF and finally washed (5×) with DMF to conclude the split and pool cycle. After synthesis completion, the resins are washed with DCM (5×) and dried under reduced pressure then cleaved and purified using RP-HPLC to remove PEG impurities.
(402) Peptide Cleavage and Deprotection
(403) Peptides were cleaved from the resin and side-chains were simultaneously deprotected by treatment with 2.5% (v/v) 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT), 5% (v/v) water, 5% (v/v) phenol, 5% (v/v) thioanisole in neat trifluoro acetic acid (TFA) for 8 min at 60° C., 6 ml of cleavage cocktail was used for 0.1 mmol of peptide. The resulting solution was triturated and washed with cold ether (pre-chilled in −80° C. freezer) for linear peptides. In the case of macrocyclic peptides the resulting solution was triturated and washed with cold ether/cold cyclohexane (50/50) (pre-chilled in −80° C. freezer). The trituration was repeated a total of three times. The obtained solids were dissolved in water/acetonitrile (50/50) and lyophilized.
(404) RP-HPLC Purification of Peptides
(405) The crude peptides were dissolved in a water/acetonitrile mixture with 0.1% TFA and purified by semi-preparative RP-HPLC using a Waters 600 HPLC system (Agilent Zorbax SB C3 column: 9.4×250 mm, 5 μm or Agilent Zorbax SB C18 column: 9.4×250 mm, 5 μm, or Agilent Zorbax SB C3 column: 21.2×250 mm, 7 μm). HPLC fractions containing pure product were confirmed by LC-MS analysis, combined, and lyophilized.
(406) General Synthetic Procedures
(407) Synthesis of Fmoc Protected Diol Amino Acid.sup.2
(408) ##STR00010##
(409) Diol amino acid was synthesized as described.sup.2. NMR .sup.1H spectra matches those reported in literature.sup.2. .sup.1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ (ppm) 13.00 (bs, 1H), 7.89 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.46 and 6.97-6.92 (t and m, J=7.4 Hz, 1H, rotamers), 7.42 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.33 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 4.60 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H), 4.40-4.35 (m, 1H), 4.30 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 2H), 4.22 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 1H), 3.31-3.28 and 2.90-2.97 (m, rotamers, 2H), 1.47 (s, 3H), 1.30 (s, 3H). .sup.13C NMR (100 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ (ppm) 170.75, 156.12, 143.89, 140.74, 127.61, 127.06, 120.11, 125.23, 109.76, 75.42, 74.99, 65.52, 46.69, 41.21, 27.04, 25.57.
(410) Representative Protocol for Peptide Perfluorosulfone Macrocyclization.sup.3
(411) 50 mL conical tube was charged with 10 mL of peptide (1.25 mM stock solution in DMF). 5 mL of DIEA solution (20 equiv. 50 mM stock solution in DMF) was added. The resulting mixture was capped and vortexed for 10 seconds. Then 10 mL of perfluorosulfone.sup.3 (1.25 equiv. 1.56 mM stock solution in DMF) was added. The resulting reaction mixture was capped, vortexed for 10 seconds, and left overnight at room temperature. DMF was removed under reduced pressure and the obtained residue was dissolved in a water/acetonitrile mixture with 0.1% TFA, filtered, then subjected to RP-HPLC purification.
(412) Representative protocol for Peptide RCM Macrocyclization.sup.4, 5
(413) Ring-closing metathesis was performed on the peptide while still on the solid support. An eppendorf tube was charged with peptidyl resin (30 μmol) to which was added 1 mL of a 6 mM freshly prepared solution of Hoveyda-Grubbs second-generation catalyst (20 mol % with respect to resin substitution) in 1,2-dichloroethane, under slow nitrogen bubbling and gentle agitation for 2 h at 50° C. Completeness of the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction was monitored by LC-MS. Upon completion resin-bound peptide was washed (5×) with DMF and with DCM (5×) and dried under vacuum.
(414) Representative Protocol for Peptide Labeling with Biotin
(415) Peptide labeling with D-biotin was performed on the resin bound protected peptides by treating the protected peptide resin either with a solution of Biotin-PEG.sub.4-NHS (ChemPep Inc., 2 equiv.) and DIEA (4 equiv.) dissolved in DMF for 6 hours at room temperature; or with a solution of D-biotin (10 equiv.), HATU (9.5 equiv.) and DIEA (in DMF for 20 minutes at room temperature. Upon completion, the resin was washed with DMF (5×) and DCM (5×) and dried under reduced pressure.
(416) Representative Protocol for Peptide Labeling with FITC
(417) Peptide labeling with FITC was performed on the resin bound protected peptides by treating the N-terminal β-alanine containing protected peptide resin with a solution of fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I (Chem-Impex International, 6 equiv.) and DIEA (10 equiv.) dissolved in DMF for 3 hours at room temperature in the dark. Upon completion of the reaction resin was washed with DMF (5×) and DCM (5×) and finally dried under reduced pressure.
(418) Representative Protocol for Peptide and Peptide Library Oxidative Folding.sup.6
(419) Single mini-proteins and Library 5 were folded in the same conditions. Typically to 1-2 mg of crude material was added 50 μL of 20× dissolving buffer (6M Guanidine hydrochloride, 5 mM TCEP hydrochloride, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.7). The obtained suspension was thoroughly vortexed and left to stand for a few minutes before dilution in 950 μL of folding buffer (2 mM cystine, 2 mM cysteine, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.7). The thus obtained solution was thoroughly stirred overnight in the library case and for a few hours under LC-MS monitoring for single mini-proteins. The mixture was either filtered using solid phase extraction (SPE) in the library case or filtered using a 0.22 μm nylon filter followed by RP-HPLC purification for single mini-proteins.
(420) Protocol for the Macrocyclization of Library 6
(421) Decafluorobiphenyl macrocyclization: A 0.6 mL eppendorf tube was charged with 20 μL of Library 6 (1.25 mM stock solution in DMF) and 10 μL of DIEA solution (10 equiv. 25 mM stock in DMF) was added. The resulting mixture was capped and vortexed for 10 seconds followed by addition of 25 μL of decafluorobiphenyl electrophile (1.25 mM stock solution in DMF) and 5 μL of DMF. The reaction mixture was vortexed and left to stand for 5 hours at room temperature before LC-MS analysis.
(422) Perfluorosulfone macrocyclization: _A 1.5 mL eppendorf tube was charged with 110 μL of Library 6 (6.25 mM stock solution in DMSO). 10 μL of a TCEP solution (120 μM in 50 mM Tris pH 8.5) was added and the resulting mixture was capped and left at room temperature for 10 minutes. The mixture was then diluted with 400 μL of buffer (50 mM Tris pH 8.5) followed by the addition of 110 μL of perfluorosulfone solution (7.5 mM stock in acetonitrile). The reaction mixture was frequently vortexed and finally spun down after one hour at room temperature. Supernatant was analyzed and found to only contain the desired macrocyclized library. Concurrently, these same conditions were used to staple pDI-cysteine peptide and were shown to equally provide 60 efficiently (
(423) Protein Expression and Purification.sup.7, 8
(424) MDM2 protein preparation.sup.7: SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 (MW=23 297 Da) was expressed in Rosetta (DE3) pLysS cells. Single transformed colonies were grown in 1 L LB cultures. Upon reaching OD600=0.4 these cultures were induced for 4 hours at 22° C. with 0.4 M IPTG. The cell suspensions were then pelleted at 6000 rpm at 4° C. and frozen at −80° C. Approximately 20 g of cell pellet was resuspended in 100 ml of 50 mM Tris-HCl, 150 mM NaCl, pH 7.5 buffer containing 100 mg lysozyme, 2 mg Roche DNAase 1, and 1 tablet of Roche protease inhibitor cocktail then sonicated (3×) for 20 seconds. The suspension was then centrifuged at 17000 rpm for 40 minutes to clarify the lysate. The latter was loaded into 2× 5 ml HisTrap FF crude Ni-NTA columns (GE Healthcare, UK) and washed with 100 mL of 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 150 mM NaCl, and with 40 mM imidazole in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 500 mM NaCl. The crude protein was eluted from the columns using 10 mL 500 mM imidazole in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 500 mM NaCl. The eluted protein was buffer exchanged into 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 50 mM NaCl using a HiPrep 26/10 Desalting column (GE Healthcare, UK). Crude protein mixture was purified the same day using 2×5 mL Hi Trap Q HP (GE Healthcare, UK) anion exchange columns with a linear NaCl gradient (50 mM to 500 mM). Pure SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 was obtained in the early eluting fraction, as evidenced by LC-MS analysis, concentrated using 3000 Da Amicon Ultra-15 Centrifugal Filter Unit (EMD Millipore) and used as is in affinity selection experiments.
(425) C-CA protein preparation.sup.8: HIV-1 C-terminal capsid domain (SUMO-C-CA, MW=22916 Da) was expressed in BL21 DE3 competent cells. Single transformed colonies were grown in 1 L LB cultures and upon reaching OD600=0.6 these cultures were induced with 0.4 M IPTG and left shaking overnight at 30° C. The cell suspensions were then pelleted at 6000 rpm at 4° C. and frozen at −80° C. About 20 g of cell pellet was resuspended in 50 mL Tris buffer (50 mM Tris, 150 mM NaCl, pH 7.4) containing 100 mg lysozyme, 2 mg DNAse 1, and 1 tablet of Roche protease inhibitor cocktail then sonicated (3×) for 20 seconds. The suspension was then centrifuged at 17,000 rpm for 40 minutes to clarify the lysate. The latter was loaded into 2×5 ml HisTrap FF crude Ni-NTA columns (GE Healthcare, UK) and washed with 100 mL of 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 150 mM NaCl, at pH 8.5 and 50 mL of 40 mM imidazole in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 500 mM NaCl. The crude protein was eluted from the columns using 10 mL of 500 mM imidazole in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 500 mM NaCl. The eluted protein was buffer exchanged into 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5, 150 mM NaCl using a HiPrep 26/10 desalting column (GE Healthcare, UK). SUMO-C-CA was concentrated using 3000 Da Amicon Ultra-15 Centrifugal Filter Unit (EMD Millipore), analyzed by LC-MS and used as is in affinity selection experiments.
(426) Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) Based Validation Assays.sup.3, 7, 9
(427) 1—Immobilized Binder Kinetic Assay.sup.3, 7
(428) In vitro binding assays were performed using Fortebio Octet® RED96 Bio-Layer Interferometry system (Octet RED96, ForteBio, CA) at 30° C. and 1000 rpm. Briefly, streptavidin tips were dipped in 200 μL of biotinylated peptide solution (2.5 μM in PBS with 0.05% tween) for the loading step. The tips loaded with peptide were then sampled with SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 or SUMO-C-CA at various concentrations in PBS with 0.05% tween to obtain the association curve. Buffer only and protein only conditions (at a high sampled protein concentration) were used as references for background substraction. After association, the tips were dipped back into PBS and 0.05% tween to obtain the dissociation curve. The association and dissociation curves were fitted with Fortebio Biosystems (global fitting algorithm) to obtain the dissociation constant (K.sub.D).
(429) 2—In Solution Competition Assay.sup.7, 9
(430) A competition binding assay.sup.9 was performed using the same bio-layer interferometry system to estimate the binding affinity of N-terminus acetylated peptides and mini-protein binders of SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2.
(431) Calibration Curve: Streptavidin (SA) sensors were soaked in competition buffer (PBS supplemented with 0.05% Tween-20, and L-arginine pH 7.5) for 10 minutes at 30° C. Modified.sup.15, 29p53 peptide with an N-terminal Gly-Ser linker (sequence: (Gly-Ser).sub.6-Ser-Gln-Glu-Thr-Phe-Ser-Asp-Leu-Trp-Lys-Leu-Leu-Pro-Glu-Asn) (SEQ ID NO: 137), was fast flow synthesized and labeled with a biotin on its N-terminus. The thus obtained biotinylated 63a (0.5 μM in competition buffer) was loaded on the SA sensor for 10 minutes at 30° C. and 1000 rpm. Then serial dilutions of SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 in competition buffer were analyzed for binding at 30° C. and 1000 rpm followed by dissociation in competition buffer. A calibration curve corresponding to binding response at equilibrium (in nm)=f(free [MDM2] in nM) was generated using GraphPad Prism 6 software using non-linear regression analysis (see
(432) Competition assay: various concentrations of acetylated peptides and mini-protein binders were incubated in wells with 100 or 50 nM SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 in competition buffer at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, SA sensors were soaked in competition buffer for 10 minutes at 30° C. Peptide 63a (0.5 μM in competition buffer) was immobilized on the SA sensor surface for 10 minutes and the association and dissociation curves of SUMO-.sup.25-109 MDM2 pre-incubated samples were then analyzed at 30° C. and 1000 rpm. Based on the binding (nm) values, the concentration of “free” MDM2 was interpolated for each sample using the calibration curve. Non-linear regression analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 6 software to estimate the Kd value based on the equation: Kd=[peptide][MDM2]/[complex]. The following equation was used to generate fitted curves. [y]=0.5*[(b−Kd−[X])+(([X]+Kd−b){circumflex over ( )}2+4b*Kd){circumflex over ( )}(0.5)] where y is “free” MDM2 in nM, X is the acetylated peptide inhibitor in nM, Kd is the dissociation constant, and b is ymax (see
(433) Solution-Phase Affinity Selection in Model Systems
(434) HPSEC Selection Assay for Model Binders: a) Model binders (see
(435) 2—Sequencing of Affinity Selected Model Binders: a) Linear binder MS/MS sequencing (see
Macrocycle excision of 60 (see
Backbone cleavage of knottin mini-protein 59 (see
(436) 2—HPSEC Affinity Selection in the Library Context: a) In solution LC-MS library characterization (i) Library 1 exemplary purification and characterization (see
Screening of Linear Canonical and Non-Canonical Peptide Libraries
(437) Combinatorial Mapping of MDM2 Binding Pocket Using Library 1 and Library 2 a) Mutational tolerance of binder 6 hotspots (i) Library 2 screening-usual stringency (see
(438) Screening of Linear Canonical and Non-Canonical Peptide Libraries: a) Affinity selection with usual stringency (i) Resynthesized binders after Library 3 screen in usual stringency conditions (see
(439) 3-Discovery of Non-Canonical CAI Based Inhibitors:
(440) List of Library 4 resynthesized binders (see
(441) Library 4 binder validation (see
(442) Expanding Non-Canonical Side Chains to the Discovery of Potent Macrocyclic Inhibitors
(443) 1—Macrocyclic Binders Based on Library 3 Non-Canonical Sequences: a) Miscellaneous macrocyclic bioactive constructs and controls (see
(444) 2—Biological Validations a) Cell penetration b) Western blot analysis of p53 activation by non-canonical macrocyclic inhibitors c) Cell viability assays (i) SJSA-I viability assay for low nanomolar non-canonical macrocyclic inhibitors (see
Cell Penetration
Confocal Imaging
(445) SJSA-1 cells were cultured in 24 well plates containing cover slips until they reached 80% confluency. Appropriate amounts of peptides were dissolved in RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% serum and 1% Pen-Strep and were added to the cells to a final concentration of 10 μM (0.1% DMSO). Cells were incubated with the samples for 4 hours at 37° C. and 5% CO2. After incubation, cells were washed (2×) with HBSS and one more time with PBS then fixed with 4% formaldehyde (Alfa Aesar, Mass.) in DPBS for 10 minutes. Cells were then washed (2×) with PBS and stained with 5 μg/ml wheat germ agglutinin tetramethyl-647 conjugate (Thermo Fisher Scientific, CA) in PBS for 20 minutes. Finally, cells were washed (2×) with PBS and the cover slips were transferred to microscope slides and imaged using scan confocal microscope Leica DMRXE (see
(446) Flow Cytometry
(447) SJSA-1 cells were cultured in triplicate in 24 well plates until they reached 80% confluency. Appropriate amounts of peptides dissolved in RPMI-1640 media supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen-Strep were added to the cells to a final concentration of 10 μM and incubated for 4 hours at 37° C. and 5% C02. Supernatant was removed and trypsin-EDTA 0.25% (0.5 mL) was added to the cells and incubated for 10 minutes at 37° C. and 5% C02. After incubation, cells were recovered by pipetting then transferred to Eppendorf tubes and spun down at 2200 rpm for 3 minutes. The pellets were washed 3 times with PBS then re-suspended in PBS with 2% FBS (v/v) before filtration using Cell Strainer caps. Cells were finally treated with trypan blue.sub.10 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, CA) and the fluorescence of individual cells was measured on a BD LSRII Flow Cytometer (wavelengths were 488 nm for excitation and 525 nm for detection and 10,000 events were recorded for every experimental conditions) and results analyzed using FlowJo® software (see
(448) Western Blot Analysis of p53 Activation by Non-Canonical Macrocyclic Inhibitors
(449) SJSA-1 and K-562 cells were seeded in 6 well plates at a cell density of 350*10{circumflex over ( )}3 cells/well in RPMI-1640 media supplemented with 10% serum and 1% Pen-Strep and incubated overnight at 37° C. and 5% CO2. The next day cells were treated with peptides and controls at 10 μM for 12 hours. Then cells were harvested and their pellets washed (2×) with PBS and lysed in 100 μL of RIPA buffer supplemented with Roche protease inhibitor cocktail on ice for 30 minutes. The lysates were clarified by brief centrifugation at 4° C. and total protein concentration was determined using the Bio-Rad DC protein assay. Aliquots of the cell lysates were run on 12% Tris-Glycine polyacrylamide gels (Invitrogen). After transfer using Trans-Blot Turbo Transfer system (Biorad), the membrane was blocked at room temperature for 2 hours with LI-COR blocking buffer. The membrane was cut in three and each part was incubated respectively with anti-MDM2 (mouse, SMP14: sc-965, Santa Cruz Biotechnology), anti-p21 (mouse, F-5: sc-6246, Santa Cruz Biotechnology) and anti-GAPDH (rabbit, GAPDH (D16H11) XP®, Cell Signaling Technology) antibodies in TBST overnight at 4° C. The membranes were washed and incubated with the appropriate secondary antibodies in TBST for 1 h at room temperature, washed again, then imaged with the LI-COR Odyssey infrared imaging system (see
(450) Cell Viability Assays
(451) SJSA-1, K-562 and MCF-7 cells were plated in 96-well plates in RPMI-1640 containing 10% FBS and 1% Pen-Strep and the next day were treated with the indicated concentrations of peptide or vehicle control. Peptide stocks were diluted into RPMI-1640 containing 10% FBS and 1% Pen-Strep to achieve 2× working individual stock solutions that were thoroughly mixed then diluted into the treatment wells. Cell viability was assayed after 72 hours by addition of CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation reagent (MTS). All assays were performed in triplicate, and data was normalized to vehicle treated control and analyzed using Prism software (GraphPad Software).
(452) While the present teachings have been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.
(453) 3-Macrocyclization of Non-Canonical C-CA Binding Sequences
(454) See
(455) 4—In Solution Perfluoroaryl Macrocyclization of Peptide Libraries; a) Library 6 design (see
Affinity Selection of Non-Canonical Folded Mini-Proteins
(456) 1—Peptide 53 Folding, HPSEC Affinity Selection and Decoding
(457) Folding of mini-protein 53 (see
(458) HPSEC affinity selection of 53 and its decoding (see
(459) 2—Affinity Selection from Folded Library, Decoding and Binder Validation
(460) Affinity selection in the folded library context (see
(461) Mini-protein binder decoding and folding assessment (see
(462) Exemplary LC-MS Spectra of Purified Peptides
(463) See
REFERENCES FOR EXAMPLE 2
(464) 1. Mijalis, A. J.; Thomas, D. A.; Simon, M. D.; Adamo, A.; Beaumont, R.; Jensen, K. F.; Pentelute, B. L. Nat Chem. Biol. 2017, 13, 5. 2. (a) Rodenko, B.; Toebes, M.; Celie, P. H.; Perrakis, A.; Schumacher, T. N.; Ovaa, H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 34. (b) Kamiya, T.; Saito, Y.; Seki, H.; Hashimot, M. Tetrahedron 1972, 28, 899. 3. Lautrette, G.; Touti F., Lee, H. G.; Dai, P.; Pentelute, B. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 27. 4. Kim, Y. W.; Grossmann, T. N.; Verdine, G. L. Nat. Protoc. 2011 6, 6. 5. Chang, Y. S.; Graves, B.; Guerlavais, V.; Tovar, C.; Packman, K.; to, K. H.; Olson, K. A.; Kesavan, K.; Gangurde, P.; Mukherjee, A.; Baker, T.; Darlak, K.; Elkin, C.; Filipovic, Z.; Qureshi, F. Z.; Cai, H.; Berry, P.; Feyfant, E.; Shi, X. E.; Horstick, J.; Annis, D. A.; Manning, A. M.; Fotouhi, N.; Nash, H.; Vassilev, L. T.; Sawyer, T. K. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 2013, 110, E3445. 6. Simon, M. D.; Maki, Y.; Vinogradov, A. A.; Zhang, C.; Yu, H.; Lin, Y. S.; Kajihara, Y.; Pentelute, B. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016 138, 37. 7. Rabideau, A. E.; Liao, X.; Pentelute, B. L. Chem. Sci. 2015, 6, 1. 8. Vinogradov, A. A.; Choo, Z. N.; Totaro, K. A.; Pentelute, B. L. Org Lett. 2016, 18, 6. 9. Pazgier, M.; Liu, M.; Zou, G.; Yuan, W.; Li, C.; Li, J.; Monbo, J.; Zella, D.; Tarasov, S. G.; Lua, W. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2009, 106, 12. 10. Illien, F.; Rodriguez, N.; Amoura, M.; Joliot, A.; Pallerla, M.; Cribier, S.; Burlina, F.; Sagan, S. Sci Rep. 2016, 6, 36938. 11. Spokoyny, A. M.; Zou, Y.; Ling, J. J.; Yu, H.; Lin, Y. S.; Pentelute, B. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 16.
EQUIVALENTS AND SCOPE
(465) While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.
(466) The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”
(467) The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
(468) As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.
(469) As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
(470) In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.