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Tuning the Activity of Mitochondria‐Penetrating Peptides for Delivery or Disruption
Author(s) -
Horton Kristin L.,
Pereira Mark P.,
Stewart Kelly M.,
Fonseca Sonali B.,
Kelley Shana O.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201100415
Subject(s) - mitochondrion , peptide , chemistry , mitochondrial membrane transport protein , cytosol , biophysics , mitochondrial matrix , inner mitochondrial membrane , mitochondrial permeability transition pore , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , membrane , cytochrome c , biology , apoptosis , enzyme , programmed cell death
Mitochondrially targeted agents have the capacity to be both vehicles for the delivery of bioactive agents and mitochondrial disrupters and show promise for the treatment of various diseases. Engineering these agents to specifically accumulate or disrupt the mitochondrion is challenging, as there is a fine line between characteristics of the molecules that accomplish each task. Here, we assess the physicochemical properties governing mitochondrial matrix accumulation or membrane disruption caused by mitochondria‐penetrating peptides. Increases in peptide length and hydrophobicity were uncovered as the dominant factors in deriving membrane disruptive activity. Shorter, less hydrophobic peptides did not disrupt the mitochondrial membrane, but rather accumulated in the mitochondrial matrix without interfering with cellular activity. These shorter peptides, however, can trigger cytochrome c release through activation of the permeability transition pore complex (PTPC), but only at very high concentrations. This study illustrates that the activity of a mitochondria‐localizing agent can be controlled through alterations in peptide hydrophobicity and dosing concentrations.