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Previously reported results suggest that the analogue of the somatostatin des-AA1,2,5[D-Trp8,IAmp9]-somatostatin (CH-275) peptide bearing chelating agents able to coordinate radioactive metals could be used for scintigraphic imaging of tumor lesions overexpressing sstr1. An efficient synthetic procedure for the preparation of the somatostatin analogue CH-275 and its conjugate DTPAGlu-Gly-CH-275, bearing the chelating agent DTPAGlu (DTPAGlu = N,N-bis[2-[bis(carboxy-ethyl)amino]ethyl]-L-glutamic acid) on the N-terminus, by solid-phase peptide synthesis and 9-flourenymethyoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) chemistry, is here reported. Rapid and efficient labeling of DTPAGlu-Gly-CH-275 was achieved by addition of IIIIn(III) to the compound. Typical yields were greater than 97% as determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at specific activities in the range 4-9 GBq/μmol (100-250 Ci/mmol). A preliminary biological assay of the binding ability of IIIIn-DTPAGlu-Gly-CH-275 indicates, however, that the labeled compound does not display any specific interaction with somatostatin sstrl receptors in the tested cell lines. To confirm this unexpected negative result, competition binding experiments were carried out, in which fixed tracer amounts of the 125!-labeled somatostatin-14 were incubated with the receptor-expressing cells in the presence of DTPAGlu-Gly-CH-275 or CH-275 at concentrations ranging from 10-10 to 10-3 M. While CH-275 shows a IC50 of 80 nM similar to that already found in displacement experiments on CHO-Kl sstrl-transfected cells, DTPAGlu-Gly-CH-275 displays instead very low or negligible affinity towards this receptor. The NMR solution characterization indicates that the presence of DTPAGlu does not influence the conformational and chemical features of the peptide moiety, thus suggesting that the loss in binding activity should be due to steric hindrance of either the chelating agent DTPAGlu or its indium complex. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In the mouse, ZFP57 contains three classical Cys2His2 zinc finger domains (ZF) and recognizes the methylated TGCmetCGC target sequence using the first and the second ZFs. In this study, we demonstrate that the human ZFP57 (hZFP57) containing six Cys2His2 ZFs, binds the same methylated sequence through the third and the fourth ZFs, and identify the aminoacids critical for DNA interaction. In addition, we present evidences indicating that hZFP57 mutations and hypomethylation of the TNDM1 ICR both associated with Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus type 1 result in loss of hZFP57 binding to the TNDM1 locus, likely causing PLAGL1 activation.

Angiogenesis is mainly regulated by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a mitogen specific for endothelial cells, which binds two tyrosine kinase receptors, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, on the surface of endothelial cells. Molecules targeting VEGF receptors are attractive to pharmacologically treat diseases associated with angiogenesis or to be used as probes in angiogenesis imaging. Recently, we reported a designed peptide targeting VEGF receptors and able to inhibit the VEGF-angiogenic response in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we employed NMR and molecular modeling methodology to investigate the molecular determinants of the interaction peptide-receptor. In particular, the peptide binding site on VEGFR1 domain 2 and the residues involved in receptor recognition have been determined. These results provide significant information to develop a new class of molecules able to recognize the VEGF receptors overexpressed in pathological angiogenesis. © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Montpellier 2000

VEGF receptors have been the target of intense research aimed to develop molecules able to inhibit or stimulate angiogenesis. Based on the x-ray structure of the complex placental growth factor-VEGF receptor 1,2, we designed a VEGF receptor-binding peptide reproducing the placental growth factor beta-hairpin region Gln(87)-Val(100) that is involved in receptor recognition. A conformational analysis showed that the designed peptide adopts the expected fold in pure water. Moreover, a combination of NMR interaction analysis and cell binding studies were used to demonstrate that the peptide targets VEGF receptors. The VEGF receptor 1(D2)-interacting residues were characterized at the molecular level, and they correspond to the residues recognizing the placental growth factor sequence Gln(87)-Val(100). Finally, the peptide biological activity was characterized in vitro and in vivo, and it showed a VEGF-like behavior. Indeed, the peptide activated VEGF-dependent intracellular pathways, induced endothelial cell proliferation and rescue from apoptosis, and promoted angiogenesis in vivo. This compound is one of the few peptides known with proangiogenic activity, which makes it a candidate for the development of a novel peptide-based drug for medical applications in therapeutic angiogenesis.

Synthetic strategy for new substituted tetraphenylporphyrins and their iron(III) and manganese(II) complexes are reported together with NMR studies on free bases allowing identification of the porphyrin isomers.

We report here the synthesis and molecular structure in the solid state of fully protected tripeptides containing Cα,α-diphenylglycine (Dph), namely Z-Aib-Dph-Gly-OMe (Aib: Cα,α-dimethylgrycine) and Bz-Dph-Dph-Gly-OMe. The molecular conformation around the Dph residue, containing two bulky substituents, is fully extended, while the Aib residue, containing two smaller groups on the Cα atom, adopts the typical 310/α-helical conformation. Gly residues, without substituents on the Cα atom, show different conformational preferences. Each residue seems to behave, from a conformational point of view, independently from the presence of the other residues, and thus mixed local conformations (folded and extended) are present in the crystals. The nonconventional peptide synthesis, using the Ugi reaction, is also reported.

In the present paper we describe the synthesis, purification, single crystal x‐ray analysis, and nmr solution characterization, combined with restrained molecular dynamic simulations, of the cyclic hexapeptide cyclo‐(L‐Pro‐L‐Phe‐β‐Ala)2. The peptide was synthesized by classical solution methods and the cyclization of the free hexapeptide was accomplished in good yields in diluted methylene chloride solution using N,N‐dicyclohexyl‐carbodiimide. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21 from methanol‐dichloro‐methane solution. The two identical halves of the molecule adopt in the solid state two different conformations. One β‐Ala‐L‐Pro peptide bond is trans, while the second is cis. The molecule is present in dimethylsulfoxide d6 solutions as a mixture of conformational families. One of these corresponds to a C2 symmetrical molecule with both β‐Ala‐Pro cis peptide bonds, while the second major conformation is very similar to that observed in the solid state. All Pro‐Phe segments, both in the solid state and the symmetrical and unsym‐metrical solution conformations, display ϕ,ψ angles close to that of position i + 1 and i + 2 of type II β‐turns. In addition, the segments preceeded by a trans β‐Ala‐Pro peptide bond are characterized by a typical i ← i + 3 hydrogen bond, which is absent in the conformer containing a cis β‐Ala‐Pro peptide bond. The latter conformation corresponds to a new structural domain we define as the “pseudo type II β‐turn.” © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

In the present paper we describe the synthesis, purification, single crystal x‐ray analysis, and solution structural characterization by nmr spectroscopy, combined with restrained molecular dynamic simulations, of the cyclic hexapeptide cyclo‐(Pro‐Phe‐β‐Ala‐Phe‐Phe‐β‐Ala). The peptide was synthesized by classical solution methods and the cyclization of the free hexapeptide was accomplished in good yields in diluted methylenechloride solution using N, N‐dicyclohexyl‐carbodiimide. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21 from methanol/ethyl acetate. The molecule adopts in the solid state a conformation characterized by cis β‐Ala6‐Pro1 peptide bond. The α‐amino acid residues are at the corner positions of turned structures. The Pro1‐Phe2 segment is incorporated in a pseudo type I β‐turn, while Phe4‐Phe5 is in a typical type I β‐turn. Assignment of all 1H and 13C resonances was achieved by homo‐ and heteronuclear two‐dimensional techniques in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solutions. The conformational analysis was based on inter‐proton distances derived from rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy spectra and homonuclear coupling constants. Restrained molecular dynamic simulation in vacuo was also performed to built refined molecular models. The molecule is present in DMSO solution as two slowly interconverting conformers, characterized by a cis‐tran isomerism around the β‐Ala6‐Pro1 peptide bond. This work confirms our expectations on the low propensity of β‐alanyl residues to be positioned at the corners of turned structure. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.