Design and Generation of Self-Assembling Peptide Virus-like Particles with Intrinsic GPCR Inhibitory Activity

Abstract: Nano-sized carriers can help to reduce toxicity and improve clinical efficacy of drugs. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are biocompatible and biodegradable self-assembling nanoparticles, which show great promise as carriers for substances for targeted delivery and controlled release. Either chemical conjugation of physical incorporation without formation of covalent bonds is possible to load substances of interest into VLPs.Objectives: To produce VLPs from recombinant viral capsid protein (HBcAg) and test feasibility of methods of formation of chemical and physical conjugates of VLPs with substances of pharmacological interest.Methods: Virus-like particles composed from recombinant hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) were produced by recombinant expression in E.coli and purified by successive centrifugation through sucrose gradients. Peptide transportan 10 was synthesized and used for carbodiimide (EDC)-mediated conjugation to VLPs. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the nucleic acid-containing VLPs to form physical conjugate.Results: VLPs with chemically attached moieties of cell-penetrating peptide transportan 10 were produced. The conjugate was examined in SDS-PAGE to confirm presence of conjugation products. Conjugation efficiency (molar ration peptide/protein in the conjugate) reaches 0.5:1 (i.e. 50% of protein chains have one attached peptide moiety). The nucleic acid-containing VLPs can be loaded with the DOX forming stable non-covalent physical conjugate.Conclusion: Recombinantly expressed VLPs allow easy attaching of small molecules making them a convenient platform to develop drug carriers.

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Torus Circumference and Thickness Parameters From a Linear DNA Size Series Suggest How Toruses Self-Assemble

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100119430 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 522-523

Author(s):

George C. Ruben ◽

Kenneth A. Marx

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Structure ◽

Dna Complexes ◽

Tertiary Structures ◽

Self Assembling ◽

Double Stranded Dna ◽

Calf Thymus ◽

Dna Organization ◽

Condensed Dna ◽

Dna Size

Certain double stranded DNA bacteriophage and viruses are thought to have their DNA organized into large torus shaped structures. Morphologically, these poorly understood biological DNA tertiary structures resemble spermidine-condensed DNA complexes formed in vitro in the total absence of other macromolecules normally synthesized by the pathogens for the purpose of their own DNA packaging. Therefore, we have studied the tertiary structure of these self-assembling torus shaped spermidine- DNA complexes in a series of reports. Using freeze-etch, low Pt-C metal (10-15Å) replicas, we have visualized the microscopic DNA organization of both calf Thymus( CT) and linear 0X-174 RFII DNA toruses. In these structures DNA is circumferentially wound, continuously, around the torus into a semi-crystalline, hexagonal packed array of parallel DNA helix sections.

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Structure–property studies of self-assembling [n.n]paracyclophanes

10.1021/scimeetings.0c06518 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Will R Henderson ◽

Danielle E. Fagnani ◽

Yu Zhu ◽

Guancen Liu ◽

Ronald K. Castellano

Keyword(s):

Structure Property ◽

Self Assembling

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Inhibitory effects of bioaccessible anthocyanins and procyanidins from apple, red grape, cinnamon on α-amylase, α-glucosidase and lipase

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000652 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Pınar Ercan ◽

Sedef Nehir El

Keyword(s):

Inhibitory Activity ◽

Digestive Enzymes ◽

Positive Control ◽

Anthocyanin Content ◽

Inhibitory Effects ◽

Total Anthocyanin ◽

Total Anthocyanin Content ◽

Before And After ◽

Red Grape

Abstract. The goals of this study were to determine and evaluate the bioaccessibility of total anthocyanin and procyanidin in apple (Amasya, Malus communis), red grape (Papazkarası, Vitis vinifera) and cinnamon (Cassia, Cinnamomum) using an in vitro static digestion system based on human gastrointestinal physiologically relevant conditions. Also, in vitro inhibitory effects of these foods on lipid (lipase) and carbohydrate digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) were performed with before and after digested samples using acarbose and methylumbelliferyl oleate (4MUO) as the positive control. While the highest total anthocyanin content was found in red grape (164 ± 2.51 mg/100 g), the highest procyanidin content was found in cinnamon (6432 ± 177.31 mg/100 g) (p < 0.05). The anthocyanin bioaccessibilities were found as 10.2 ± 1%, 8.23 ± 0.64%, and 8.73 ± 0.70% in apple, red grape, and cinnamon, respectively. The procyanidin bioaccessibilities of apple, red grape, and cinnamon were found as 17.57 ± 0.71%, 14.08 ± 0.74% and 18.75 ± 1.49%, respectively. The analyzed apple, red grape and cinnamon showed the inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 544 ± 21.94, 445 ± 15.67, 1592 ± 17.58 μg/mL, respectively), α-amylase (IC50 38.4 ± 7.26, 56.1 ± 3.60, 3.54 ± 0.86 μg/mL, respectively), and lipase (IC50 52.7 ± 2.05, 581 ± 54.14, 49.6 ± 2.72 μg/mL), respectively. According to our results apple, red grape and cinnamon have potential to inhibit of lipase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase digestive enzymes.

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