摘要
Peptide inhibition of the interactions of the tumor suppressor protein P53 with its negative regulators MDM2 and MDMX activates P53 in vitro and in vivo,representing a viable therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.Using phage display techniques,we previously identified a potent peptide activator of P53,termed PMI(TSFAEYWNLLSP),with binding affinities for both MDM2 and MDMX in the low nanomolar concentration range.Here we report an ultrahigh affinity,dual-specificity peptide antagonist of MDM2 and MDMX obtained through systematic mutational analysis and additivitybased molecular design.Functional assays of over 100 peptide analogs of PMI using surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence polarization techniques yielded a dodecameric peptide termed PMI-M3(LTFLEYWAQLMQ)that bound to MDM2 and MDMX with K_(d)values in the low picomolar concentration range as verified by isothermal titration calorimetry.Co-crystal structures of MDM2 and of MDMX in complex with PMI-M3 were solved at 1.65 and 3.0 A resolution,respectively.Similar to PMI,PMI-M3 occupied the P53-binding pocket of MDM2/MDMX,which was dominated energetically by intermolecular interactions involving Phe3,Tyr6,Trp7,and Leu 10.Notable differences in binding between PMI-M3 and PMI were observed at other positions such as Leu4 and Met11 with MDM2,and Leu1 and Met11 with MDMX,collectively contributing to a significantly enhanced binding affinity of PMI-M3 for both proteins.By adding lysine residues to both ends of PMI and PMI-M3 to improve their cellular uptake,we obtained modified peptides termed PMI-2K(KTSFAEYWNLLSPK)and M3-2K(KLTFLEYWAQLMQK).Compared with PMI-2K,M3-2K exhibited significantly improved antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo in a P53-dependent manner.This super-strong peptide inhibitor of the P53-MDM2/MDMX interactions may become,in its own right,a powerful lead compound for anticancer drug development,and can aid molecular design of other classes of P53 activators as well for anticancer therapy.
基金
supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.21807112(to Xiang Li),No.82030062(to Wuyuan Lu),Nos.91849129 and 22077078(to Honggang Hu)
Shanghai Rising-Star Program(to Xiang Li,China)
supported by the U.S.Department of Energy,Office of Science,Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No.DE-AC02-76SF00515
supported by the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research,and by the National Institutes of Health,National Institute of General Medical Sciences
