Drug discovery remains a top priority in medical science. The phenomenon of drug resistance has heightened the need for both new classes of pharmaceutical as well as novel modes of action. In recent years we have worked to develop a distinct approach to drug design that involves both recognition and subsequent irreversible inactivation of therapeutic targets. The basic drug design strategy incorporates a protein recognition domain and a metal binding domain, where the latter mediates irreversible inactivation of the therapeutic target. Inactivation is both catalytic and multiturnover, while the incorporation of both binding and catalytic centers provides a double-filter mechanism for improved target selectivity and lower dosing.
The specific aims for the proposed funding period will focus on improving on lead metallopeptides of potential therapeutic value against cardiovascular targets, the demonstration of efficacy in animal models, and elaborating the mechanism of action of such metallodrugs against protein targets. Our overall goals can be summarized as follows. (1) Design and evaluate triple-action metallodrugs that target three key cardiovascular enzymes (ACE, ECE-1 and NEP). (2) Optimization of in vivo stability and efficacy through tuning of peptide sequence and amino acid configuration. (3) Evaluate the mechanism of catalytic inactivation of protein targets. Optimization of the intrinsic reactivity of the catalytic metallodrugs toward metal-mediated degradation of target molecules will require an advanced understanding of the mechanism of catalytic cleavage (to be achieved by use of a variety of kinetic and mass spectrometric methods). These studies will combine fluorogenic activity assays of metallopeptide inactivation of ACE, ECE-1 and NEP, as well as animal studies of a spontaneously hypertensive rat model. Mass spectrometric analysis of modified proteins and proteolytic digests will reveal details of side-chain modification that underlie catalytic inactivation. The impact of substituting L- for D-amino acids on metallodrug activity, target recognition, and in vivo stability will be investigated. The animal studies will also serve to validate initial observations that delivery of the metal-free peptide alone is sufficient for activity, with recruitment of metal cofactor from the cellular environment following uptake.

Public Health Relevance

Drug discovery remains a top priority in medical science. The phenomenon of drug resistance has heightened the need for both new classes of pharmaceutical as well as novel modes of action. In recent years we have worked to develop a distinct approach to drug design that involves both recognition and subsequent irreversible inactivation of therapeutic targets. This concept allows for improved target selectivity and lower dosage requirements and will be further developed against cardiovascular protein targets in both solution studies and animal models.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
1R21HL093446-01A1
Application #
7739431
Study Section
Macromolecular Structure and Function A Study Section (MSFA)
Program Officer
Applebaum-Bowden, Deborah
Project Start
2009-08-01
Project End
2011-05-31
Budget Start
2009-08-01
Budget End
2010-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$185,300
Indirect Cost
Name
Ohio State University
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
832127323
City
Columbus
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
43210
Yu, Zhen; Cowan, J A (2018) Metal complexes promoting catalytic cleavage of nucleic acids-biochemical tools and therapeutics. Curr Opin Chem Biol 43:37-42
Ross, Martin James; Fidai, Insiya; Cowan, James A (2017) Analysis of Structure-Activity Relationships Based on the Hepatitis?C Virus SLIIb Internal Ribosomal Entry Sequence RNA-Targeting GGHYRFK?Cu Complex. Chembiochem 18:1743-1754
Yu, Zhen; Cowan, James Allan (2017) Design of Artificial Glycosidases: Metallopeptides that Remove H?Antigen from Human Erythrocytes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 56:2763-2766
Ross, Martin James; Bradford, Seth S; Cowan, J A (2015) Catalytic metallodrugs based on the LaR2C peptide target HCV SLIV IRES RNA. Dalton Trans 44:20972-82
Yu, Zhen; Han, Menglu; Cowan, James A (2015) Toward the design of a catalytic metallodrug: selective cleavage of G-quadruplex telomeric DNA by an anticancer copper-acridine-ATCUN complex. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 54:1901-5
Bradford, Seth S; Ross, Martin James; Fidai, Insiya et al. (2014) Insight into the recognition, binding, and reactivity of catalytic metallodrugs targeting stem loop?IIb of hepatitis?C IRES RNA. ChemMedChem 9:1275-85
Fidai, Insiya; Hocharoen, Lalintip; Bradford, Seth et al. (2014) Inactivation of sortase A mediated by metal ATCUN complexes. J Biol Inorg Chem 19:1327-39
Hocharoen, Lalintip; Joyner, Jeff C; Cowan, J A (2013) N- versus C-domain selectivity of catalytic inactivation of human angiotensin converting enzyme by lisinopril-coupled transition metal chelates. J Med Chem 56:9826-36
Joyner, Jeff C; Hodnick, W F; Cowan, Ada S et al. (2013) Antimicrobial metallopeptides with broad nuclease and ribonuclease activity. Chem Commun (Camb) 49:2118-20
Joyner, Jeff C; Keuper, Kevin D; Cowan, J A (2013) Analysis of RNA cleavage by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Nucleic Acids Res 41:e2

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