Structure-based design of peptides against G3BP with cytotoxicity on tumor cells

J Chem Inf Model. 2010 Mar 22;50(3):380-7. doi: 10.1021/ci900404p.

Abstract

Herein, we report a successful application of molecular modeling techniques to design two novel peptides with cytotoxicity on tumor cells. First, the interactions between the nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2)-like domain of G3BP and the SH3 domain of RasGAP were studied by a well-designed protocol, which combines homology modeling, protein/protein docking, molecular dynamics simulations, molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area (MM/GBSA) free energy calculations, and MM/GBSA free energy decomposition analysis together. Then, based on the theoretical predictions, two novel peptides were designed and synthesized for biological assays, and they showed an obvious sensitizing effect on cis-platin. Furthermore, the designed peptides had no significant effects on normal cells, while cis-platin did. Our results demonstrate that it is feasible to use the peptides to enhance the efficacy of clinical drugs and to kill cancer cells selectively. We believe that our work should be very useful for finding new therapies for cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Carrier Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cytotoxins / chemistry*
  • Cytotoxins / pharmacology*
  • DNA Helicases
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins
  • RNA Helicases
  • RNA Recognition Motif Proteins
  • Thermodynamics
  • src Homology Domains / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytotoxins
  • Peptides
  • Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins
  • RNA Recognition Motif Proteins
  • DNA Helicases
  • G3BP1 protein, human
  • RNA Helicases