• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.756-760
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• 2005

Polyene macrolide amphotericin B (AmB) is the drug of choice for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections. However, because of its pronounced side effects, the drug has limited applicability. There are few interesting reports, which state that co-administration of the drug with homo-peptide of polyaspartic acid reduces the side effects of the drug. In our present study, an approach has been made to systematically synthesize low molecular weight heteropeptides consisting of L-aspartic acid and its derivative. It was hypothesized that such heteropeptides will reduce the toxic side effects of the drug by facile hydrophobic binding between the polymer and the drug. We have employed the strategy of solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to synthesize low molecular weight hetero-peptides by using L-aspartic acid and benzyl-L-aspartic acid to induce the hydrophobic binding between the peptide and the drug. In future, the proposed methodology can be employed to tailor other polypeptides substituted with benzyl groups to reduce the nephrotoxicity of AmB.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.298.2-298.2
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• 2003

The insulinotropic hormone, glucagons-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which has been proposed as a new potential therapeutics for type-II diabetes, but this is metabolized extremely rapidly by the ubiquitous enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), forming a metabolite, which acts as an antagonist at the GLP-1 receptor. (omitted)

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.219-223
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• 2009

The nanofibers fabricated by using an electrohydrodynamic process has been used as various applications, such as nano-device, filtering system, protective clothes, wound dressing, and drug delivery system (DDS). Of these applications, the DDS should be needed to minimize side effects of drugs, maximize the properties of medicine, and efficiently deliver the required amount of drugs to the diseased area. In this paper, by using the electro spinning process, which is one of electrohydrodynamic processes, two different types, polycarprolactone and poly(ethylene oxide)/Rhodamine B, of electrospun mats were fabricated layer by layer and the release behavior of Rhodamine B was characterized with time. In addition, to show the feasibility of DDS of this type, we tested release behavior of a peptide of the nanofiber system, a PCL/(Peptide+PEO)/PCL nanofiber mat. The released peptide did not loss biological activities. From these results, we believe that the layered nanofiber mat as a DDS has enough function of a new drug delivery system.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to determine whether 4-phenylazobezyloxycarbonyl-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-D-Arg (Pz-peptide), an enhancer of hydrophilic solute permeability in the intestine, could elevate the paracellular permeability of hydrophilic drugs across cornea and conjunctiva in the rabbit. The in-vitro penetration of hydrophilic drugs (mannitol, atenolol) and lipophilic drug (propranolol) across the rabbit cornea and conjunctiva was studied either in the presence or absence of 3 mM Pz-peptide. Drug penetration was evaluated using the modified Ussing chamber. The conjunctiva was more permeable than the cornea to all drugs. Pz-peptide showed enhanced effects on the drug transport across cornea and conjunctiva in a concentration dependent manner. Effects or ion transport inhibitor on the mannitol penetration were then investigated. Mannitol penetration was not changed by serosal addition of $100\;{\mu}M$ ouabain, suggesting that $Na^+/K^+$ ion tranporter was not involved in the Pz-peptide induced elevation of paracellular drug permeability. Furthermore, effects of Pz-peptide and EDTA on the transport of atenolol and propranolol into the ocular tissues or blood circulation after its administration into both eyes were investigated. EDTA showed enhanced effect on propranolol transport into the ocular tissues, but Pz-peptide did not show significant difference. Systemic absorption of propranolol by the addition of EDTA or Pz-peptide was not changed. On the other hand, EDTA and Pz-peptide elavated the atenolol transport into the ocular tissues. The transport of atenolol into the blood circulation was also enhanced by the addition of EDTA, but no effect was observed by the addition of Pz-peptide. The above findings suggest that Pz-peptide would be used as an paracellular pathway enahncer of hydrophilic drugs into the eye, without affecting the systemic absortion of topically applied opthalmic drugs.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.466-470
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• 2008

Human cytomegalovirus expresses an unusual protein kinase UL97, a member of ${H_V}{U_L}$ family of protein kinase. UL97 can phosphorylate nucleoside analogs such as ganciclovir as well as protein/peptide. It has previously been reported that UL97 is able to phosphorylate a KESYSVYVYKV peptide and that P+5 position (K) is important. We examined the extent of contribution of other positions (P-4 through P+6) of the peptide to be substrate of UL97 using alanine substituted peptides (Ala scanning) and deleted peptides. The result suggested that the E (P-2) is negative effect and P+5 (K) is still important. The peptide YSVYVYK is the shortest substrate enough to show high activity, which could be a starting point to develop peptidomimetic drug. This study would give important information to deeply understand the substrate specificity of UL97 and develop an antiviral drug using the small peptide identified here.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.150-151
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• 1998

Drug delivery to the brain is facilitated by the synthesis of chimeric peptides, where in neuropharmaceuticals are linked to a vector such as an antibody to the transferrin receptor that mediates transcytosis through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). When disulfide linkers are used in the chimeric peptide, it is crucial that the S-S bridge is stable during transit and that cleavage does not occur prematurely within endothelial cells, as the peptide drug moiety would then be sequestered by the BBB instead of passing through it. The present study addressed that problem. As a model drug a metabolically stable opioid peptide, [$^3$H]DALDA (Tyr-dArg-Phe-Lys-NH$_2$), was used. It was monobiotinylated with NHS-SS-biotin to yield bio-[$^3$H]DALDA. The biotinylated peptide was bound to the vector OX26-SA which is a covalent conjugate of OX26 and streptavidin (molar ratio = 1: 1). In vitro treatment of the chimeric peptide, bio-[$^3$H]DALDA/OX26-SA, with a reducing agent, dithiothreitol, released the labeled peptide from the vector by conversion of bio-[$^3$H]DALDA to the desbiotinylated derivative, desbio-[$^3$H]DALDA.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.3030-3034
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• 2014

Bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU) is currently used as an anti-cancer drug for glioblastoma therapy. In this study, BCNU was loaded into the hydrophobic cores of R3V6 amphiphilic peptide micelles for efficient delivery into brain tumors. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) study showed that the BCNU-loaded R3V6 peptide micelles (R3V6-BCNU) formed spherical micelles. MTT assay showed that R3V6-BCNU more efficiently induced cell death in C6 glioblastoma cells than did BCNU. In the Annexin V assay, R3V6-BCNU more efficiently induced apoptosis than did BCNU alone. Furthermore, the results showed that R3V6 was not toxic to cells. The positive charges of the R3V6 peptide micelles may facilitate the interaction between R3V6-BCNU and the cellular membrane, resulting in an increase in cellular uptake of BCNU. In vivo evaluation with an intracranial glioblastoma rat model showed that R3V6-BCNU more effectively reduced tumor size than BCNU alone. The results suggest that R3V6 peptide micelles may be an efficient carrier of BCNU for glioblastoma therapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide is a widely distributed neurotransmitter expressed in the central nervous systems. Previously, several reports demonstrated that nucleus accumbal-injected CART peptide positively modulated behavioral sensitization induced by psychostimulants and regulated the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathway. It is confirmed that CART peptide exerted inhibitory effect on psychostimulant-enhanced dopamine receptors signaling, $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent kinase signaling and crucial transcription factors expression. Besides modulation of dopamine receptors-related pathways, CART peptide also exhibited elaborated interactions with other neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamate receptors and ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid receptors, which further account for attribution of CART peptide to inhibition of psychostimulant-potentiated locomotor activity. Recently, CART peptide has been shown to have anxiolytic functions on the aversive mood and uncontrolled drug-seeking behaviors following drug withdrawal. Moreover, microinjection of CART peptide has been shown to have an antidepressant effect, which suggests its potential utility in the mood regulation and avoidance of depression-like behaviors. In this review, we discuss CART pathways in neural circuits and their interactions with neurotransmitters associated with psychostimulant-induced depression.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.502-508
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• 2020

Dual drug-eluting stents (DES) is a primary treatment method for coronary arterial diseases in current interventional cardiology practice. However, their pathological results according to the sequence of coating of drugs have not been reported yet. The peptide-dopamine dissolved in acetonitrile was coated onto the Chonnam National University Hospital (CNUH) stent using an electrospinning coating machine. For secondary coating (e.g., sirolimus coating, designated as SPS), sirolimus (SRL) and poly lactic-glycolic acid (PLGA) were mixed in tetrahydrofuran (THF), and the solution was then coated on the CNUH stent that had underwent the primary peptide coating using an electrospinning and spray technique. Next, the peptide-dopamine was coated on the SRL-PLGA coated stent (PSS). In this study, it was confirmed that endothelialization was promoted without being significantly affected by the coating order (SPS or PSS). The sequence of drug and peptide coating may affect the development of restenosis and PSS was effective in the prevention of restenosis compared to that of using SPS.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.99-103
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• 2010

Background: Glycogen synthase kinase $3{\beta}$ ($GSK3{\beta}$) is a ubiquitous serine/threonine kinase that is regulated by serine phosphorylation at 9. Recent studies have reported the beneficial effects of a number of the pharmacological $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors in rodent models of septic shock. Since most of the $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors are targeted at the ATP-binding site, which is highly conserved among diverse protein kinases, the development of novel non-ATP competitive $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitors is needed. Methods: Based on the unique phosphorylation motif of $GSK3{\beta}$, we designed and generated a novel class of $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitor (GSK3i) peptides. In addition, we investigated the effects of a GSK3i peptide on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cytokine production and septic shock. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with GSK3i peptide and monitored over a 7-day period for survival. Results: We first demonstrate its effects on LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine production including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12p40. LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-12p40 production in macrophages was suppressed when macrophages were treated with the GSKi peptide. Administration of the GSK3i peptide potently suppressed LPS-mediated endotoxin shock. Conclusion: Collectively, we present a rational strategy for the development of a therapeutic GSK3i peptide. This peptide may serve as a novel template for the design of non-ATP competitive GSK3 inhibitors.