Open AccessAcylated heptapeptide binds albumin with high affinity and application as tag furnishes long-acting peptides
Author(s) -
Alessandro Zorzi,
Simon J. Middendorp,
Jonas Wilbs,
Kaycie M. Deyle,
Christian Heinis
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
nature communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.559
H-Index - 365
ISSN - 2041-1723
DOI - 10.1038/ncomms16092
Subject(s) - peptide , albumin , human serum albumin , ligand (biochemistry) , chemistry , in vivo , serum albumin , plasma protein binding , biochemistry , biology , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology
The rapid renal clearance of peptides in vivo limits this attractive platform for the treatment of a broad range of diseases that require prolonged drug half-lives. An intriguing approach for extending peptide circulation times works through a ‘piggy-back’ strategy in which peptides bind via a ligand to the long-lived serum protein albumin. In accordance with this strategy, we developed an easily synthesized albumin-binding ligand based on a peptide-fatty acid chimera that has a high affinity for human albumin ( K d =39 nM). This ligand prolongs the elimination half-life of cyclic peptides in rats 25-fold to over seven hours. Conjugation to a peptide factor XII inhibitor developed for anti-thrombotic therapy extends the half-life from 13 minutes to over five hours, inhibiting coagulation for eight hours in rabbits. This high-affinity albumin ligand could potentially extend the half-life of peptides in human to several days, substantially broadening the application range of peptides as therapeutics.