Systematic Development of Peptide Inhibitors Targeting the CXCL12/HMGB1 Interaction

J Med Chem. 2021 Sep 23;64(18):13439-13450. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00852. Epub 2021 Sep 12.

Abstract

During inflammatory reactions, the production and release of chemotactic factors guide the recruitment of selective leukocyte subpopulations. The alarmin HMGB1 and the chemokine CXCL12, both released in the microenvironment, can form a heterocomplex, which exclusively acts on the chemokine receptor CXCR4, enhancing cell migration, and in some pathological conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis exacerbates the immune response. An excessive cell influx at the inflammatory site can be diminished by disrupting the heterocomplex. Here, we report the computationally driven identification of the first peptide (HBP08) binding HMGB1 and selectively inhibiting the activity of the CXCL12/HMGB1 heterocomplex. Furthermore, HBP08 binds HMGB1 with the highest affinity reported so far (Kd of 0.8 ± 0.4 μM). The identification of this peptide represents an important step toward the development of innovative pharmacological tools for the treatment of severe chronic inflammatory conditions characterized by an uncontrolled immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • HMGB1 Protein / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HMGB1 Protein / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Binding / drug effects*
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism

Substances

  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Cxcl12 protein, mouse
  • HMGB1 Protein
  • HMGB1 protein, mouse
  • Peptides
  • Receptors, CXCR4