Conjugation of cell-penetrating peptides leads to identification of anti-HIV peptides from matrix proteins

  • Bioorg Med Chem. 2012 Feb 15;20(4):1468-74. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2011.12.055.
Tetsuo Narumi  1 ,  Mao Komoriya ,  Chie Hashimoto ,  Honggui Wu ,  Wataru Nomura ,  Shintaro Suzuki ,  Tomohiro Tanaka ,  Joe Chiba ,  Naoki Yamamoto ,  Tsutomu Murakami ,  Hirokazu Tamamura
Affiliations
  • 1. Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
PMID: 22277590 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2011.12.055
Abstract

Compounds which inhibit the HIV-1 replication cycle have been found amongst fragment peptides derived from an HIV-1 matrix (MA) protein. Overlapping peptide libraries covering the whole sequence of MA were designed and constructed with the addition of an octa-arginyl group to increase their cell membrane permeability. Imaging experiments with fluorescent-labeled peptides demonstrated these peptides with an octa-arginyl group can penetrate cell membranes. The fusion of an octa-arginyl group was proven to be an efficient way to find active peptides in cells such as HIV-inhibitory peptides.