Signaling peptides are known for their prominent roles in plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation(Zhang et al., 2025). However, their extremely low natural abundance and highly dynamic expression patte...Signaling peptides are known for their prominent roles in plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation(Zhang et al., 2025). However, their extremely low natural abundance and highly dynamic expression patterns pose significant technical challenges to extract sufficient amounts with good purity for biological studies and practical applications.Consequently, chemical synthesis and microbial systems offer attractive alternatives to obtain potent peptides at higher quantities and purity. Incorporating modifications or substitutions, chemically synthetic approaches enable the creation of more effective engineered peptides such as agonists,antagonists, chemically modified peptides, or peptide-like molecules with novel functions compared to native peptides.展开更多
A recently published study(Xin et al.,Prog Biochem Biophys,2026,53(2):431-441.DOI:10.3724/j.pibb.2025.0508)addresses the therapeutic challenges of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)by innovatively developing an or...A recently published study(Xin et al.,Prog Biochem Biophys,2026,53(2):431-441.DOI:10.3724/j.pibb.2025.0508)addresses the therapeutic challenges of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)by innovatively developing an orally administered nanogene delivery system.Designed to achieve in situ,efficient delivery of chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)genes to tumor sites,this approach offers a novel strategy for CAR-macrophage(CAR-M)based immunotherapy.Its key highlights are as follows.展开更多
Neurodegenerative diseases are a growing burden on healthcare systems.Patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases(AD or PD)are desperately waiting for innovative solutions that are slow to come,despite several...Neurodegenerative diseases are a growing burden on healthcare systems.Patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases(AD or PD)are desperately waiting for innovative solutions that are slow to come,despite several decades of research worldwide.In 2021 and again in 2023,two monoclonal antibodies,aducanumab and lecanemab,have been approved by the U.S.Food and Drug Administration,and a third,donanemab,is currently under review.However,these treatments have very limited efficacy on cognitive functions and are accompanied by major side effects:amyloid-related imaging abnormalities,microhemorrhages,and accelerated brain volume loss(Høilund-Carlsen et al.,2024).展开更多
Peptides play important roles in chemistry,medicinal chemistry and life science,due to their high efficiency and specificity,unusual biological and therapeutic properties.As naturally occurring peptides often face wit...Peptides play important roles in chemistry,medicinal chemistry and life science,due to their high efficiency and specificity,unusual biological and therapeutic properties.As naturally occurring peptides often face with their intrinsic limitations including metabolic instability and low membrane permeability,the strategies for synthesizing unnatural amino acids and peptides are explored.Among the methods for modifying amino acids and peptides,chemo-and site-selective approaches are preferred because of the ability to fine-tuning structural features.Recently,transition metal-catalyzed Csingle bondH activation has been employed for the functionalization of amino acids and peptides.Through domino Csingle bondH activation/annulation,a series of structurally complex and diverse amino acids and peptides is constructed.This review highlights recent advances in the synthesis of unnatural amino acids and peptides via transition metal-catalyzed Csingle bondH activation/annulation.展开更多
Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2(Trop2)has been widely characterized as a clinically significant pan-cancer biomarker expressed in various tumors,significantly impacting tumor growth,invasion,and metastasis.In this ...Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2(Trop2)has been widely characterized as a clinically significant pan-cancer biomarker expressed in various tumors,significantly impacting tumor growth,invasion,and metastasis.In this study,we develop Trop2 targeting peptide-based radiotracer[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 for accurately detecting the Trop2 expression levels through positron emission tomography(PET)imaging.The Trop2-targeting peptide GL10 was rationally designed through computational methods based on the T2-2 peptide,and conjugated with the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N′,N″-triacetic acid(NOTA)chelator to synthesize the precursor NOTA-GL10 with nanomolar affinity for Trop2(K_(D)=12.9 nM).The radiosynthesis of[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 was achieved via conventional methods with high radiochemical yield(RCY),good stability,and favorable pharmacokinetics.Dynamic PET imaging revealed that the tracer presented a significantly higher tumor uptake((5.03±0.49)%ID/mL)and tumor-to-muscle ratio(4.44±0.30)in Trop2-positive BxPC-3 xenografts compared to that in Trop2-negative PANC-1 xenografts((1.41±0.13)%ID/mL,1.23±0.27).Moreover,near-infrared(NIR)fluorescence imaging of the probe ICG-GL10 further confirmed the ability of GL10 to specifically target Trop2-positive tumors.The peptide-based Trop2 targeting radiotracer[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in detecting Trop2 expression,which revealed the potential of Trop2-based non-invasive imaging for cancer diagnosis.展开更多
Insects represent emerging sources of bioactive peptides and functional materials.Mantidis Oötheca(Sang-Piao-Xiao in Chinese,SPX)serves as an insect-derived medicine for treating kidney disease.This study demonst...Insects represent emerging sources of bioactive peptides and functional materials.Mantidis Oötheca(Sang-Piao-Xiao in Chinese,SPX)serves as an insect-derived medicine for treating kidney disease.This study demonstrated that supernatant(SPX)improved kidney function in adriamycin(ADR)-induced nephropathy mice model.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SPX inhibited complement activation by targeting the MASP1-C3/C3a receptor(C3aR)pathway.Peptidomic analysis identified 304 peptides from SPX,with 49 peptides selected for evaluation using prediction tools and molecular docking with complement core protein C3.Three peptides(PMGFPFDR,FNDPK,AAQFFNR)exhibiting docking scores below-8.0 were synthesized to verify complement inhibition and anti-fibrotic activities.The synthetic peptide AAQFFNR demonstrated complement inhibitory activity,with an inhibitory complement hemolytic 50%(ICH_(50))value of 24.54μmol·L^(-1),and exhibited superior protective effects in ADR-induced HK-2 cells.Surface plasmon resonance(SPR)assay revealed direct interaction between AAQFFNR and complement C3 with K_(d)value of 16.8μmol·L^(-1).The reno-protective effect of AAQFFNR was subsequently verified in ADR-induced mice.This research provides initial evidence that complement C3-inhibiting peptides from insects demonstrate potential in preventing nephropathy through in silico and in vivo validation approaches.展开更多
Fluorescent probes,with their superior optical properties and labeling versatility,have greatly advanced the visualization of intracellular molecules and subcellular structures.However,poor cytoplasmic delivery,caused...Fluorescent probes,with their superior optical properties and labeling versatility,have greatly advanced the visualization of intracellular molecules and subcellular structures.However,poor cytoplasmic delivery,caused by charge,size,or targeting groups,limits the effective use of many fluorescent probes in live cells.Recently,cell-penetrating peptides(CPPs)have emerged as efficient carriers,offering great potential for the cytoplasmic delivery of fluorescent probes in live cells.This review provides a comprehensive overview of CPPs as vehicles for probe delivery,outlining advances in their development,conjugation chemistries,and intracellular delivery mechanisms.Recent applications in live-cell imaging are highlighted and organized according to major CPP modification strategies,including sequence engineering,cyclization,hybrid design and enhancement by chemical reagents.Finally,the challenges that remain and the future outlook of this rapidly evolvingfield are discussed.展开更多
Obesity affects over 1 billion people worldwide and is linked to more than 230 health complications,with cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of mortality.Losing 5%-10%of body weight is considered clinically s...Obesity affects over 1 billion people worldwide and is linked to more than 230 health complications,with cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of mortality.Losing 5%-10%of body weight is considered clinically significant for improving health.This weight loss can be achieved through pharmacotherapy,including glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP-1)receptor agonists,GLP-1/glucosedependent insulinotropic peptide dual receptor agonists,and GLP-1/glucosedependent insulinotropic peptide/glucagon triple receptor agonists(such as semaglutide,tirzepatide,and retatrutide,respectively).While much of the weight loss comes from fat mass,these treatments also result in the loss of lean mass,including muscle.This loss of muscle may contribute to difficulties in maintaining weight over the long term and can lead to sarcopenia.Therefore,the focus of new anti-obesity treatments should be primarily on reducing fat mass while minimizing the loss of muscle mass,ideally promoting muscle gain.Research focusing on human myocytes has identified more than 600 myokines associated with muscle contraction,which may play a crucial role in preserving both muscle mass and function.We explored the potential of new anti-obesity agents and their combinations with incretin-based therapies to achieve these outcomes.Further studies are needed to better understand the functional implications of lean mass expansion during weight loss and weight maintenance programs.展开更多
Targeted cancer therapy has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional chemotherapy,which is often plagued by poor selectivity,off-target effects,and drug resistance.Among the various targeting agents in devel...Targeted cancer therapy has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional chemotherapy,which is often plagued by poor selectivity,off-target effects,and drug resistance.Among the various targeting agents in development,peptides stand out for their unique advantages,including minimal immunogenicity,high tissue penetration,and ease of modification.Their small size,specificity,and flexibility allow them to target cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue selectively.Peptide-based therapies have shown great potential in enhancing the efficacy of drug delivery,improving tumor imaging,and reducing adverse effects.With cancer responsible for millions of deaths worldwide,the development of peptide-based therapeutics offers new hope in addressing the limitations of current treatments.As detailed studies on different aspects of targeting peptides are crucial for optimizing drug development,this review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on tumor-targeting peptides,including their structure,sources,modes of action,and their application in cancer therapy—both as standalone agents and in fusion drugs.Additionally,various computational tools for peptide-based tumor-targeting drug design and validation are explored.The promising results from these studies highlight peptides as ideal candidates for targeted cancer therapies,offering valuable insights for researchers and accelerating the discovery of novel anti-tumor peptide base drug candidates.展开更多
Peptide-based therapeutics are increasingly pushing to the forefront of biomedicine with their promise of high specificity and low toxicity.Although noncanonical residues can always be used,employing only the natural ...Peptide-based therapeutics are increasingly pushing to the forefront of biomedicine with their promise of high specificity and low toxicity.Although noncanonical residues can always be used,employing only the natural 20 residues restricts the chemical space to a finite dimension allowing for comprehensive in silico screening.Towards this goal,the dataset comprising all possible di-,tri-,and tetra-peptide combinations of the canonical residues has been previously reported.However,with increasing computational power,the comprehensive set of pentapeptides is now also feasible for screening as the comprehensive set of cyclic peptides comprising four or five residues.Here,we provide both the complete and prefiltered libraries of all di-,tri-,tetra-,and penta-peptide sequences from 20 canonical amino acids and their homodetic(N-to-C-terminal)cyclic homologues.The FASTA,simplified molecular-input line-entry system(SMILES),and structure-data file(SDF)-three dimension(3D)libraries can be readily used for screening against protein targets.We also provide a simple method and tool for conducting identity-based filtering.Access to this dataset will accelerate small peptide screening workflows and encourage their use in drug discovery campaigns.As a case study,the developed library was screened against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)main protease to identify potential small peptide inhibitors.展开更多
Solid lipid nanoparticles(SLN)could enhance the oral bioavailability of loaded protein and peptide drugs through lymphatic transport.Natural oligopeptides regulate nearly all vital processes and serve as a nitrogen so...Solid lipid nanoparticles(SLN)could enhance the oral bioavailability of loaded protein and peptide drugs through lymphatic transport.Natural oligopeptides regulate nearly all vital processes and serve as a nitrogen source for nourishment.They are mainly transported by oligopeptide transporter-1(PepT-1)which are primarily expressed in the intestine with the characteristics of high-capacity and low energy consumption.Our preliminary research discovered the transmembrane transport of SLN could be improved by stimulating the oligopeptide absorption pathway.This implied the potential of combining the advantages of SLN with oligopeptide transporter mediated transportation.Herein,two kinds of dipeptide modified SLN were designed with insulin and glucagon like peptide-1(GLP-1)analogue exenatide as model drugs.These drugs loaded SLN showed enhanced oral bioavailability and hypoglycemic effect in both type I diabetic C57BL/6mice and type II diabetic KKAymice.Compared with un-modified SLN,dipeptide-modified SLN could be internalized by intestinal epithelial cells via PepT-1-mediated endocytosis with higher uptake.Interestingly,after internalization,more SLN could access the systemic circulation via lymphatic transport pathway,highlighting the potential to combine the oligopeptide-absorption route with SLN for oral drug delivery.展开更多
Peptide-based therapies have attracted considerable interest in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, bacterial infections, and neurodegenerative diseases due to their promising therapeutic properties and enhanced safety...Peptide-based therapies have attracted considerable interest in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, bacterial infections, and neurodegenerative diseases due to their promising therapeutic properties and enhanced safety profiles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the major trends in peptide drug discovery and development, emphasizing preclinical strategies aimed at improving peptide stability, specificity, and pharmacokinetic properties. It assesses the current applications and challenges of peptide-based drugs in these diseases, illustrating the pharmaceutical areas where peptide-based drugs demonstrate significant potential. Furthermore, this review analyzes the obstacles that must be overcome in the future,aiming to provide valuable insights and references for the continued advancement of peptidebased drugs.展开更多
Momordica antiviral protein 30 kD(MAP30)is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein(RIP)with antibacterial,anti-HIV and antitumor activities but lacks the ability to target tumor cells.To increase its tumor-targeting ab...Momordica antiviral protein 30 kD(MAP30)is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein(RIP)with antibacterial,anti-HIV and antitumor activities but lacks the ability to target tumor cells.To increase its tumor-targeting ability,the arginine-glycine-aspartic(RGD)peptide and the epidermal growth factor receptor interference(EGFRi)peptide were fused with MAP30,which was named ELRL-MAP30.The efficiency of targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)MDA-MB-231 cells,which lack the expression of estrogen receptor(ER),Progesterone receptor(PgR)and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2),is limited.In this study,we focus on exploring the effect and mechanism of ELRL-MAP30 on TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells.First,we discovered that ELRL-MAP30 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells and induced MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis.Moreover,ELRL-MAP30 treatment resulted in a significant increase in Bax expression and a decrease in Bcl-2 expression.Furthermore,ELRL-MAP30 triggered apoptosis via the Fak/EGFR/Erk and Ilk/Akt signaling pathways.In addition,recombinant ELRL-MAP30 can inhibit chicken embryonic angiogenesis,and also inhibit the tube formation ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs),indicating its potential therapeutic effects on tumor angiogenesis.Collectively,these results indicate that ELRL-MAP30 has significant tumor-targeting properties in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells and reveals potential therapeutic effects on angiogenesis.These findings indicate the potential role of ELRL-MAP30 in the targeted treatment of the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231.展开更多
Nine peptide-modified Salen-Co(Ⅱ)complexes based on three Salen ligand frameworks SA1~SA3 and four oligopeptides P1~P4 have been prepared.Their catalytic activities were examined through a model hydrohydrazination of...Nine peptide-modified Salen-Co(Ⅱ)complexes based on three Salen ligand frameworks SA1~SA3 and four oligopeptides P1~P4 have been prepared.Their catalytic activities were examined through a model hydrohydrazination of cinnamic alcohol with azodicarboxylate.While peptide-modified Salen-Co(Ⅱ)complexes derived from SA1 are ineffective,its parent 1SalenCo and those based on SA2 and SA3 are excellent catalyst for this reaction.These results demonstrate that peptide ligands significantly modulate the catalytic activity of SalenCo(Ⅱ)complexes,particularly at lower temperatures,likely due to hydrogen-bonding interactions.展开更多
This study explores the broad-spectrum application of OsRALF26,a small secreted peptide belonging to the rapid alkalinization factor(RALF)family in rice.We found that the rice genome carries numerous lineage-specific ...This study explores the broad-spectrum application of OsRALF26,a small secreted peptide belonging to the rapid alkalinization factor(RALF)family in rice.We found that the rice genome carries numerous lineage-specific OsRALFs,suggesting that this evolutionary expansion could be the result of an arms race with pathogens.Among them,we focused on the Oryza-specific Os RALF26 and its closest homolog,OsRALF27,analyzing their effects across a range of plant species from monocots to dicots.The exogenous application of OsRALF26 significantly reduced bacterial populations in rice challenged with Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo)and in Arabidopsis and tomato challenged with Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato DC3000(Pst DC3000),whereas Os RALF27 did not enhance resistance.展开更多
Endometrial injury caused by intrauterine procedures can result in infertility and recurrent miscarriages,and the current clinical treatments are inadequate for effective endometrial repair.The implantation of anti-ad...Endometrial injury caused by intrauterine procedures can result in infertility and recurrent miscarriages,and the current clinical treatments are inadequate for effective endometrial repair.The implantation of anti-adhesion hydrogels combined with growth factors is a promising strategy to address endometrial injury.Insulin-like growth factor 1 is closely associated with endometrial growth and plays a crucial role in endometrial receptivity that is essential for fertility.However,its high cost,environmental sensitivity,and short biological half-life limit its practical applications.In this study,we developed a two-component peptide-based hydrogel consisting of a biotinylated peptide and an insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1)mimetic peptide,both of which were designed with self-assembly capabilities.The resultant hydrogel exhibited significant mechanical properties and retained its native IGF-1 bioactivity.In vivo experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel significantly facilitated proliferation and vascular restoration.Additionally,it effectively reduced fibrosis by decreasing collagen accumulation,restoring the expression of progesterone receptors,and enhancing endometrial receptivity,which are crucial for embryo implantation.These findings highlight the potential of the two-component peptide-based hydrogel as an innovative therapeutic approach for treating endometrial injury.展开更多
Osteogenic ability impairment and myelosuppression are common complications of chemotherapy and many chemotherapeutics can affect the skeletal system.Skeletal system protection is necessary for cancer chemotherapy.In ...Osteogenic ability impairment and myelosuppression are common complications of chemotherapy and many chemotherapeutics can affect the skeletal system.Skeletal system protection is necessary for cancer chemotherapy.In this study,osteogenic growth peptide(OGP)and tetrahedral framework nucleic-acid nanostructures(tFNAs)are combined to form a peptide-DNA complex OGP-tFNAs,which aims to combine the positive biological effect on tissue protection and regeneration.The bone marrow protection and bone formation effect of OGP-tFNAs are investigated in chemotherapy-induced myelosuppressive mice.The results show that OGP-tFNAs could reduce the cell damage degree from 5-fluorouracil(5-FU)in vitro and maintained the osteogenic differentiation potential.Furthermore,OGP-tFNAs accelerate bone defect regeneration in myelosuppressive mice.In conclusion,OGP-tFNAs could protect the osteogenic differentiation potential of bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs)from 5-FU injury and maintain the bone formation ability of myelosuppressive mice suffering from chemotherapy.展开更多
Oxidative stress arises from disruption of the balance between reactive oxygen species(ROS)production and detoxification and constitutes a fundamental driver of diverse pathological diseases.Skin photoaging is a well-...Oxidative stress arises from disruption of the balance between reactive oxygen species(ROS)production and detoxification and constitutes a fundamental driver of diverse pathological diseases.Skin photoaging is a well-recognized example,primarily driven by chronic ultraviolet(UV)exposure and marked by progressive structural and functional deterioration.UV-induced ROS accelerate macromolecular degradation and impair epidermal and dermal barrier integrity,highlighting the urgent need for effective antioxidant interventions.Antioxidant peptides(AOPs),whether naturally occurring or synthetically engineered,have shown considerable potential in mitigating ROS-induced cellular damage.Amphibians,which possess highly permeable skin and are continuously challenged by fluctuating environmental conditions,represent a rich source of bioactive peptides with potent antioxidant properties.In particular,AOPs isolated from amphibian skin secretions demonstrate notable efficacy in ROS scavenging and mitigation of oxidative damage,offering promising candidates for anti-photoaging therapies.This review provides an integrated overview of ROS generation and signaling,the molecular mechanisms linking oxidative stress to skin photoaging,and the emerging biomedical potential of amphibian-derived AOPs.Deeper mechanistic insight into their structure and function is expected to accelerate the development of novel peptide-based interventions for photoaging and other oxidative stress-associated dermatological disorders.展开更多
The naturally fermented Inner Mongolian cheese’s flavor and nutritional value make it a popular choice among customers.In this work,to create multi-functional peptides that have taste and biological activity,peptidom...The naturally fermented Inner Mongolian cheese’s flavor and nutritional value make it a popular choice among customers.In this work,to create multi-functional peptides that have taste and biological activity,peptidomics and bioinformatics were used to screen flavor peptides from Inner Mongolian cheese and further assess their antioxidant and angiotensin I-converting enzyme(ACE)inhibitory properties.According to sensory data,YH8 and IL7 had detectable bitter tastes with low thresholds of 0.03 and 0.06 mmol/L,respectively.With an umami threshold range of 0.24‒0.81 mmol/L,VQ6,FK13,HP13 and QT14 exhibited a range of flavors dominated by umami,including sweet,bitter,salty,sour and kokumi.Antioxidant activity wise,YH8,VQ6,HP13 and QT14 were well represented.The above-mentioned peptides all had some ACE inhibitory effect.The bitter peptide IL7(IC_(50)=0.08 mmol/L)had the highest level of ACE inhibitory activity,followed by YH8(IC_(50)=0.33 mmol/L).These multi-functional peptides,which have been assessed for bioactive and taste features in Inner Mongolian cheese,may have positive impacts on health and harmonize the cheese’s overall flavor.These results suggest that some flavor peptides produced in fermented foods might be with bioactivities while providing a basis for the exploration and application of multi-functional peptides.展开更多
The global mortality rate due to liver diseases,particularly liver fibrosis,is increasing.Among various treatment methods,stem cell therapy using placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells(PDMSCs)offers distinct benefits...The global mortality rate due to liver diseases,particularly liver fibrosis,is increasing.Among various treatment methods,stem cell therapy using placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells(PDMSCs)offers distinct benefits,including ease of isolation and superior proliferative potential.To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PDMSCs,the WKYMVm peptide was selected for cell engineering.Immobilization of WKYMVm on PDMSC membranes facilitates effective peptide binding to the formyl peptide receptor 2 on adjacent PDMSCs and hepatocytes,thereby enhancing cell activation and achieving more efficient peptide utilization compared to bolus peptide treatment.Increased cell activation enhances the secretion of paracrine factors including growth factors and cytokines,which in turn improves liver function and vascular repair in both in vitro and in vivo models.This approach not only enhances the angiogenic and therapeutic capacities of stem cells,but also enables efficient peptide utilization,minimizing potential side effects and costs associated with high peptide dosages.Overall,our study demonstrates significant promise of stem cell therapy for treating liver fibrosis.Thus,stem cell therapy offers considerable prospects for clinical applications.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(32370850,32460081)Leading Talent of Technological Innovation of Shaanxi Special Support Program(20249)+3 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi(2020JC-29,2023-JCZD-09)Central Universities Funds(GK202402003)the Jiangxi Agricultural University(9232308314)the Science and Technology Department of Jiangxi Province(20223BCJ25037)。
文摘Signaling peptides are known for their prominent roles in plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation(Zhang et al., 2025). However, their extremely low natural abundance and highly dynamic expression patterns pose significant technical challenges to extract sufficient amounts with good purity for biological studies and practical applications.Consequently, chemical synthesis and microbial systems offer attractive alternatives to obtain potent peptides at higher quantities and purity. Incorporating modifications or substitutions, chemically synthetic approaches enable the creation of more effective engineered peptides such as agonists,antagonists, chemically modified peptides, or peptide-like molecules with novel functions compared to native peptides.
文摘A recently published study(Xin et al.,Prog Biochem Biophys,2026,53(2):431-441.DOI:10.3724/j.pibb.2025.0508)addresses the therapeutic challenges of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)by innovatively developing an orally administered nanogene delivery system.Designed to achieve in situ,efficient delivery of chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)genes to tumor sites,this approach offers a novel strategy for CAR-macrophage(CAR-M)based immunotherapy.Its key highlights are as follows.
文摘Neurodegenerative diseases are a growing burden on healthcare systems.Patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases(AD or PD)are desperately waiting for innovative solutions that are slow to come,despite several decades of research worldwide.In 2021 and again in 2023,two monoclonal antibodies,aducanumab and lecanemab,have been approved by the U.S.Food and Drug Administration,and a third,donanemab,is currently under review.However,these treatments have very limited efficacy on cognitive functions and are accompanied by major side effects:amyloid-related imaging abnormalities,microhemorrhages,and accelerated brain volume loss(Høilund-Carlsen et al.,2024).
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20220409)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22401153)+2 种基金the FWO[Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders(Belgium)]for financial support(recipient Erik V.Van der Eycken)the Research Council of the KU Leuven(recipient Erik V.Van der Eycken)the support of the"RUDN University Strategic Academic Leadership Program"(recipient Erik V.Van der Eycken).
文摘Peptides play important roles in chemistry,medicinal chemistry and life science,due to their high efficiency and specificity,unusual biological and therapeutic properties.As naturally occurring peptides often face with their intrinsic limitations including metabolic instability and low membrane permeability,the strategies for synthesizing unnatural amino acids and peptides are explored.Among the methods for modifying amino acids and peptides,chemo-and site-selective approaches are preferred because of the ability to fine-tuning structural features.Recently,transition metal-catalyzed Csingle bondH activation has been employed for the functionalization of amino acids and peptides.Through domino Csingle bondH activation/annulation,a series of structurally complex and diverse amino acids and peptides is constructed.This review highlights recent advances in the synthesis of unnatural amino acids and peptides via transition metal-catalyzed Csingle bondH activation/annulation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22407052)the Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation(BK20240300)+4 种基金the Scientific Research Project of Jiangsu Commission of Health(MQ2024007,H2023150,K2024007)the Wuxi Science and Technology Development Fund(K20241060)the Major Project of Wuxi Municipal Health Commission(Z202303)the Wuxi Association for Science and Technology(TJXD-2024-102)the Jiangsu Province Capability Improvement Project through Science,Technology and Education(ZDXYS202211)。
文摘Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2(Trop2)has been widely characterized as a clinically significant pan-cancer biomarker expressed in various tumors,significantly impacting tumor growth,invasion,and metastasis.In this study,we develop Trop2 targeting peptide-based radiotracer[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 for accurately detecting the Trop2 expression levels through positron emission tomography(PET)imaging.The Trop2-targeting peptide GL10 was rationally designed through computational methods based on the T2-2 peptide,and conjugated with the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N′,N″-triacetic acid(NOTA)chelator to synthesize the precursor NOTA-GL10 with nanomolar affinity for Trop2(K_(D)=12.9 nM).The radiosynthesis of[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 was achieved via conventional methods with high radiochemical yield(RCY),good stability,and favorable pharmacokinetics.Dynamic PET imaging revealed that the tracer presented a significantly higher tumor uptake((5.03±0.49)%ID/mL)and tumor-to-muscle ratio(4.44±0.30)in Trop2-positive BxPC-3 xenografts compared to that in Trop2-negative PANC-1 xenografts((1.41±0.13)%ID/mL,1.23±0.27).Moreover,near-infrared(NIR)fluorescence imaging of the probe ICG-GL10 further confirmed the ability of GL10 to specifically target Trop2-positive tumors.The peptide-based Trop2 targeting radiotracer[^(68)Ga]Ga-NOTA-GL10 demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in detecting Trop2 expression,which revealed the potential of Trop2-based non-invasive imaging for cancer diagnosis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82104353)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(No.2022M711680).
文摘Insects represent emerging sources of bioactive peptides and functional materials.Mantidis Oötheca(Sang-Piao-Xiao in Chinese,SPX)serves as an insect-derived medicine for treating kidney disease.This study demonstrated that supernatant(SPX)improved kidney function in adriamycin(ADR)-induced nephropathy mice model.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SPX inhibited complement activation by targeting the MASP1-C3/C3a receptor(C3aR)pathway.Peptidomic analysis identified 304 peptides from SPX,with 49 peptides selected for evaluation using prediction tools and molecular docking with complement core protein C3.Three peptides(PMGFPFDR,FNDPK,AAQFFNR)exhibiting docking scores below-8.0 were synthesized to verify complement inhibition and anti-fibrotic activities.The synthetic peptide AAQFFNR demonstrated complement inhibitory activity,with an inhibitory complement hemolytic 50%(ICH_(50))value of 24.54μmol·L^(-1),and exhibited superior protective effects in ADR-induced HK-2 cells.Surface plasmon resonance(SPR)assay revealed direct interaction between AAQFFNR and complement C3 with K_(d)value of 16.8μmol·L^(-1).The reno-protective effect of AAQFFNR was subsequently verified in ADR-induced mice.This research provides initial evidence that complement C3-inhibiting peptides from insects demonstrate potential in preventing nephropathy through in silico and in vivo validation approaches.
基金supported by the following grants:National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.92354305 and 32271428),National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFC3401100)Young Talent Program of Hubei Provincial Health Commission(WJ2025Q037)+1 种基金Interdisciplinary Research Program of HUST(Grant No.2023JCY5045)Director Fund of WNLO.
文摘Fluorescent probes,with their superior optical properties and labeling versatility,have greatly advanced the visualization of intracellular molecules and subcellular structures.However,poor cytoplasmic delivery,caused by charge,size,or targeting groups,limits the effective use of many fluorescent probes in live cells.Recently,cell-penetrating peptides(CPPs)have emerged as efficient carriers,offering great potential for the cytoplasmic delivery of fluorescent probes in live cells.This review provides a comprehensive overview of CPPs as vehicles for probe delivery,outlining advances in their development,conjugation chemistries,and intracellular delivery mechanisms.Recent applications in live-cell imaging are highlighted and organized according to major CPP modification strategies,including sequence engineering,cyclization,hybrid design and enhancement by chemical reagents.Finally,the challenges that remain and the future outlook of this rapidly evolvingfield are discussed.
文摘Obesity affects over 1 billion people worldwide and is linked to more than 230 health complications,with cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of mortality.Losing 5%-10%of body weight is considered clinically significant for improving health.This weight loss can be achieved through pharmacotherapy,including glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP-1)receptor agonists,GLP-1/glucosedependent insulinotropic peptide dual receptor agonists,and GLP-1/glucosedependent insulinotropic peptide/glucagon triple receptor agonists(such as semaglutide,tirzepatide,and retatrutide,respectively).While much of the weight loss comes from fat mass,these treatments also result in the loss of lean mass,including muscle.This loss of muscle may contribute to difficulties in maintaining weight over the long term and can lead to sarcopenia.Therefore,the focus of new anti-obesity treatments should be primarily on reducing fat mass while minimizing the loss of muscle mass,ideally promoting muscle gain.Research focusing on human myocytes has identified more than 600 myokines associated with muscle contraction,which may play a crucial role in preserving both muscle mass and function.We explored the potential of new anti-obesity agents and their combinations with incretin-based therapies to achieve these outcomes.Further studies are needed to better understand the functional implications of lean mass expansion during weight loss and weight maintenance programs.
文摘Targeted cancer therapy has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional chemotherapy,which is often plagued by poor selectivity,off-target effects,and drug resistance.Among the various targeting agents in development,peptides stand out for their unique advantages,including minimal immunogenicity,high tissue penetration,and ease of modification.Their small size,specificity,and flexibility allow them to target cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue selectively.Peptide-based therapies have shown great potential in enhancing the efficacy of drug delivery,improving tumor imaging,and reducing adverse effects.With cancer responsible for millions of deaths worldwide,the development of peptide-based therapeutics offers new hope in addressing the limitations of current treatments.As detailed studies on different aspects of targeting peptides are crucial for optimizing drug development,this review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on tumor-targeting peptides,including their structure,sources,modes of action,and their application in cancer therapy—both as standalone agents and in fusion drugs.Additionally,various computational tools for peptide-based tumor-targeting drug design and validation are explored.The promising results from these studies highlight peptides as ideal candidates for targeted cancer therapies,offering valuable insights for researchers and accelerating the discovery of novel anti-tumor peptide base drug candidates.
文摘Peptide-based therapeutics are increasingly pushing to the forefront of biomedicine with their promise of high specificity and low toxicity.Although noncanonical residues can always be used,employing only the natural 20 residues restricts the chemical space to a finite dimension allowing for comprehensive in silico screening.Towards this goal,the dataset comprising all possible di-,tri-,and tetra-peptide combinations of the canonical residues has been previously reported.However,with increasing computational power,the comprehensive set of pentapeptides is now also feasible for screening as the comprehensive set of cyclic peptides comprising four or five residues.Here,we provide both the complete and prefiltered libraries of all di-,tri-,tetra-,and penta-peptide sequences from 20 canonical amino acids and their homodetic(N-to-C-terminal)cyclic homologues.The FASTA,simplified molecular-input line-entry system(SMILES),and structure-data file(SDF)-three dimension(3D)libraries can be readily used for screening against protein targets.We also provide a simple method and tool for conducting identity-based filtering.Access to this dataset will accelerate small peptide screening workflows and encourage their use in drug discovery campaigns.As a case study,the developed library was screened against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)main protease to identify potential small peptide inhibitors.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2021YFE0115200)the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U22A20356).
文摘Solid lipid nanoparticles(SLN)could enhance the oral bioavailability of loaded protein and peptide drugs through lymphatic transport.Natural oligopeptides regulate nearly all vital processes and serve as a nitrogen source for nourishment.They are mainly transported by oligopeptide transporter-1(PepT-1)which are primarily expressed in the intestine with the characteristics of high-capacity and low energy consumption.Our preliminary research discovered the transmembrane transport of SLN could be improved by stimulating the oligopeptide absorption pathway.This implied the potential of combining the advantages of SLN with oligopeptide transporter mediated transportation.Herein,two kinds of dipeptide modified SLN were designed with insulin and glucagon like peptide-1(GLP-1)analogue exenatide as model drugs.These drugs loaded SLN showed enhanced oral bioavailability and hypoglycemic effect in both type I diabetic C57BL/6mice and type II diabetic KKAymice.Compared with un-modified SLN,dipeptide-modified SLN could be internalized by intestinal epithelial cells via PepT-1-mediated endocytosis with higher uptake.Interestingly,after internalization,more SLN could access the systemic circulation via lymphatic transport pathway,highlighting the potential to combine the oligopeptide-absorption route with SLN for oral drug delivery.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82173674 and 82204195)。
文摘Peptide-based therapies have attracted considerable interest in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, bacterial infections, and neurodegenerative diseases due to their promising therapeutic properties and enhanced safety profiles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the major trends in peptide drug discovery and development, emphasizing preclinical strategies aimed at improving peptide stability, specificity, and pharmacokinetic properties. It assesses the current applications and challenges of peptide-based drugs in these diseases, illustrating the pharmaceutical areas where peptide-based drugs demonstrate significant potential. Furthermore, this review analyzes the obstacles that must be overcome in the future,aiming to provide valuable insights and references for the continued advancement of peptidebased drugs.
文摘Momordica antiviral protein 30 kD(MAP30)is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein(RIP)with antibacterial,anti-HIV and antitumor activities but lacks the ability to target tumor cells.To increase its tumor-targeting ability,the arginine-glycine-aspartic(RGD)peptide and the epidermal growth factor receptor interference(EGFRi)peptide were fused with MAP30,which was named ELRL-MAP30.The efficiency of targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)MDA-MB-231 cells,which lack the expression of estrogen receptor(ER),Progesterone receptor(PgR)and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2),is limited.In this study,we focus on exploring the effect and mechanism of ELRL-MAP30 on TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells.First,we discovered that ELRL-MAP30 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells and induced MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis.Moreover,ELRL-MAP30 treatment resulted in a significant increase in Bax expression and a decrease in Bcl-2 expression.Furthermore,ELRL-MAP30 triggered apoptosis via the Fak/EGFR/Erk and Ilk/Akt signaling pathways.In addition,recombinant ELRL-MAP30 can inhibit chicken embryonic angiogenesis,and also inhibit the tube formation ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs),indicating its potential therapeutic effects on tumor angiogenesis.Collectively,these results indicate that ELRL-MAP30 has significant tumor-targeting properties in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells and reveals potential therapeutic effects on angiogenesis.These findings indicate the potential role of ELRL-MAP30 in the targeted treatment of the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231.
文摘Nine peptide-modified Salen-Co(Ⅱ)complexes based on three Salen ligand frameworks SA1~SA3 and four oligopeptides P1~P4 have been prepared.Their catalytic activities were examined through a model hydrohydrazination of cinnamic alcohol with azodicarboxylate.While peptide-modified Salen-Co(Ⅱ)complexes derived from SA1 are ineffective,its parent 1SalenCo and those based on SA2 and SA3 are excellent catalyst for this reaction.These results demonstrate that peptide ligands significantly modulate the catalytic activity of SalenCo(Ⅱ)complexes,particularly at lower temperatures,likely due to hydrogen-bonding interactions.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korea government(Grant Nos.NRF-2020R1A2C1007778 and RS-2024-00454908)。
文摘This study explores the broad-spectrum application of OsRALF26,a small secreted peptide belonging to the rapid alkalinization factor(RALF)family in rice.We found that the rice genome carries numerous lineage-specific OsRALFs,suggesting that this evolutionary expansion could be the result of an arms race with pathogens.Among them,we focused on the Oryza-specific Os RALF26 and its closest homolog,OsRALF27,analyzing their effects across a range of plant species from monocots to dicots.The exogenous application of OsRALF26 significantly reduced bacterial populations in rice challenged with Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo)and in Arabidopsis and tomato challenged with Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato DC3000(Pst DC3000),whereas Os RALF27 did not enhance resistance.
基金the financial support from the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.LBY24H040012)Discipline Cluster of Oncology of Wenzhou Medical University(No.z1-2023007)+1 种基金the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32401107)the financial support from the Discipline Cluster of Oncology of Wenzhou Medical University(No.z3-2023027)。
文摘Endometrial injury caused by intrauterine procedures can result in infertility and recurrent miscarriages,and the current clinical treatments are inadequate for effective endometrial repair.The implantation of anti-adhesion hydrogels combined with growth factors is a promising strategy to address endometrial injury.Insulin-like growth factor 1 is closely associated with endometrial growth and plays a crucial role in endometrial receptivity that is essential for fertility.However,its high cost,environmental sensitivity,and short biological half-life limit its practical applications.In this study,we developed a two-component peptide-based hydrogel consisting of a biotinylated peptide and an insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1)mimetic peptide,both of which were designed with self-assembly capabilities.The resultant hydrogel exhibited significant mechanical properties and retained its native IGF-1 bioactivity.In vivo experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel significantly facilitated proliferation and vascular restoration.Additionally,it effectively reduced fibrosis by decreasing collagen accumulation,restoring the expression of progesterone receptors,and enhancing endometrial receptivity,which are crucial for embryo implantation.These findings highlight the potential of the two-component peptide-based hydrogel as an innovative therapeutic approach for treating endometrial injury.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.82322015,82171006)Sichuan Province Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team(No.2022JDTD0021)+3 种基金Sichuan Science and Technology Program(No.2022NSFSC0002)West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University(No.RCDWJS2024-3)Sichuan Science and Technology Program(Nos.2023NSFSC1706,2024NSFSC1589)Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China(No.BX20220220)。
文摘Osteogenic ability impairment and myelosuppression are common complications of chemotherapy and many chemotherapeutics can affect the skeletal system.Skeletal system protection is necessary for cancer chemotherapy.In this study,osteogenic growth peptide(OGP)and tetrahedral framework nucleic-acid nanostructures(tFNAs)are combined to form a peptide-DNA complex OGP-tFNAs,which aims to combine the positive biological effect on tissue protection and regeneration.The bone marrow protection and bone formation effect of OGP-tFNAs are investigated in chemotherapy-induced myelosuppressive mice.The results show that OGP-tFNAs could reduce the cell damage degree from 5-fluorouracil(5-FU)in vitro and maintained the osteogenic differentiation potential.Furthermore,OGP-tFNAs accelerate bone defect regeneration in myelosuppressive mice.In conclusion,OGP-tFNAs could protect the osteogenic differentiation potential of bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs)from 5-FU injury and maintain the bone formation ability of myelosuppressive mice suffering from chemotherapy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32070439)Key Research&Development Plan in Social Development of Jiangsu Province(BE2022723)Suzhou Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project(SNG2022054)。
文摘Oxidative stress arises from disruption of the balance between reactive oxygen species(ROS)production and detoxification and constitutes a fundamental driver of diverse pathological diseases.Skin photoaging is a well-recognized example,primarily driven by chronic ultraviolet(UV)exposure and marked by progressive structural and functional deterioration.UV-induced ROS accelerate macromolecular degradation and impair epidermal and dermal barrier integrity,highlighting the urgent need for effective antioxidant interventions.Antioxidant peptides(AOPs),whether naturally occurring or synthetically engineered,have shown considerable potential in mitigating ROS-induced cellular damage.Amphibians,which possess highly permeable skin and are continuously challenged by fluctuating environmental conditions,represent a rich source of bioactive peptides with potent antioxidant properties.In particular,AOPs isolated from amphibian skin secretions demonstrate notable efficacy in ROS scavenging and mitigation of oxidative damage,offering promising candidates for anti-photoaging therapies.This review provides an integrated overview of ROS generation and signaling,the molecular mechanisms linking oxidative stress to skin photoaging,and the emerging biomedical potential of amphibian-derived AOPs.Deeper mechanistic insight into their structure and function is expected to accelerate the development of novel peptide-based interventions for photoaging and other oxidative stress-associated dermatological disorders.
基金supported by the central government and guides local funds for science and technology development(2022ZY0109).
文摘The naturally fermented Inner Mongolian cheese’s flavor and nutritional value make it a popular choice among customers.In this work,to create multi-functional peptides that have taste and biological activity,peptidomics and bioinformatics were used to screen flavor peptides from Inner Mongolian cheese and further assess their antioxidant and angiotensin I-converting enzyme(ACE)inhibitory properties.According to sensory data,YH8 and IL7 had detectable bitter tastes with low thresholds of 0.03 and 0.06 mmol/L,respectively.With an umami threshold range of 0.24‒0.81 mmol/L,VQ6,FK13,HP13 and QT14 exhibited a range of flavors dominated by umami,including sweet,bitter,salty,sour and kokumi.Antioxidant activity wise,YH8,VQ6,HP13 and QT14 were well represented.The above-mentioned peptides all had some ACE inhibitory effect.The bitter peptide IL7(IC_(50)=0.08 mmol/L)had the highest level of ACE inhibitory activity,followed by YH8(IC_(50)=0.33 mmol/L).These multi-functional peptides,which have been assessed for bioactive and taste features in Inner Mongolian cheese,may have positive impacts on health and harmonize the cheese’s overall flavor.These results suggest that some flavor peptides produced in fermented foods might be with bioactivities while providing a basis for the exploration and application of multi-functional peptides.
基金supported by grants from the Korean Fund for Regenerative Medicine(KFRM)grant funded by the Korean government(the Ministry of Science and ICT,the Ministry of Health and Welfare)(RS-2022-00070304)the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(RS-2024-00398030).
文摘The global mortality rate due to liver diseases,particularly liver fibrosis,is increasing.Among various treatment methods,stem cell therapy using placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells(PDMSCs)offers distinct benefits,including ease of isolation and superior proliferative potential.To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PDMSCs,the WKYMVm peptide was selected for cell engineering.Immobilization of WKYMVm on PDMSC membranes facilitates effective peptide binding to the formyl peptide receptor 2 on adjacent PDMSCs and hepatocytes,thereby enhancing cell activation and achieving more efficient peptide utilization compared to bolus peptide treatment.Increased cell activation enhances the secretion of paracrine factors including growth factors and cytokines,which in turn improves liver function and vascular repair in both in vitro and in vivo models.This approach not only enhances the angiogenic and therapeutic capacities of stem cells,but also enables efficient peptide utilization,minimizing potential side effects and costs associated with high peptide dosages.Overall,our study demonstrates significant promise of stem cell therapy for treating liver fibrosis.Thus,stem cell therapy offers considerable prospects for clinical applications.
