Prion Protein-Derived Cell-Penetrating Peptide Inhibits Type II Diabetes-Associated Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Aggregation and Cytotoxicity

Biochemistry. 2026 Apr 21;65(8):1249-1260. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5c00634. Epub 2026 Apr 2.

Abstract

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) is a 37-residue peptide hormone copackaged and cosecreted with insulin by pancreatic β-cells. A pathological hallmark of type II diabetes is the self-assembly of IAPP into β-sheet rich amyloid fibers, which is associated with β-cell impairment. Previously, we showed that a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) construct, consisting of a hydrophobic signal sequence coupled to a polycationic nuclear localization signal (NLS)-like sequence, exhibited potent antiprion activity and antagonism of Alzheimer's disease-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregation and neurotoxicity. Here, we have extended this approach toward type II diabetes by assessing the efficacy of the CPP construct, designated as neural cell adhesion molecule-1 (NCAM1)-prion protein (PrP), in inhibiting IAPP oligomerization, fiber formation, and associated cytotoxicity. Using complementary in vitro and in silico experiments, we show that NCAM1-PrP effectively modulates IAPP's toxic structures into nontoxic conformations. This study underlines the potential of our designed CPP-based therapeutic approach as a versatile tool in the battle against amyloid-associated pathologies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides* / chemistry
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides* / metabolism
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides* / pharmacology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide* / chemistry
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide* / metabolism
  • Prion Proteins* / chemistry
  • Prion Proteins* / pharmacology
  • Protein Aggregates / drug effects
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological* / metabolism

Substances

  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Prion Proteins
  • Protein Aggregates