Peptide aptamer-mediated inhibition of target proteins by sequestration into aggresomes

J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 28;281(30):21345-21352. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M604258200. Epub 2006 May 22.

Abstract

Peptide aptamers (PAs) can be employed to block the intracellular function of target proteins. Little is known about the mechanism of PA-mediated protein inhibition. Here, we generated PAs that specifically bound to the duck hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein. Among them, PA34 strongly blocked duck HBV replication by inhibiting viral capsid formation. We found that PA34 led to a dramatic intracellular redistribution of its target protein into perinuclear inclusion bodies, which exhibit the typical characteristics of aggresomes. As a result, the core protein is efficiently removed from the viral life cycle. Corresponding findings were obtained for bioactive PAs that bind to the HBV core protein or to the human papillomavirus-16 (HPV16) E6 protein, respectively. The observation that PAs induce the specific sequestration of bound proteins into aggresomes defines a novel mechanism as to how this new class of intracellular inhibitors blocks the function of their target proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Aptamers, Peptide / chemistry*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Vimentin / chemistry
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Aptamers, Peptide
  • E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral
  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Vimentin