Title:Chemically Synthesized Matrix Metalloproteinase and Angiogenesis-inhibiting Peptides as Anticancer Agents
VOLUME: 14 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Jialiang Hu, Ming Yan, Chunyan Pu, Jingjing Wang, Philippe E. Van den Steen, Ghislain Opdenakker and Hanmei Xu
Affiliation:The Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
Keywords:Angiogenesis, endostatin, integrin, matrix metalloproteinase, migration, tumor.
Abstract:By connection of Regasepin2, a heptapeptide inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), to the N- or C-terminus of
ES-2, an anti-angiogenic peptide of 11 residues, two designed peptides CPU1 and CPU2 were generated. Unexpectedly, CPU2 inhibited
MMP-8 and MMP-9 activity in the nanomolar range, whereas CPU1 displayed a weaker inhibitory profile than Regasepin2 against
TACE, MMP-8 and MMP-9. CPU1 showed a higher affinity than CPU2 with integrin α5β1 in a HUVEC adhesion assay. In an in vitro
angiogenesis model of HUVEC migration, CPU1 showed higher inhibition potency than CPU2 (85% inhibition for CPU1 at a
concentration of 0.8 μM versus 17% inhibition for CPU2 at the same concentration). In an in vivo angiogenesis model in chicken egg
chorioallantoic membranes, 1.37 μM CPU1 showed a significant inhibition in the formation of new blood vessels, whereas CPU2 and
Regasepin2 had no effect on angiogenesis. Furthermore, CPU1 significantly inhibited B16F10 melanoma growth in a syngeneic mouse
model (inhibition rate of 56.91% by tumor weight analysis at a dose of 20 mg/kg/d), whereas CPU2 and Regasepin2 did not show any
inhibitory effect. In view of recent findings that MMP-9 is pro-angiogenic, our results indicated that the combination of MMP inhibitors
and anti-angiogenic peptides may generate novel molecules with potent in vivo anti-tumor effects.
