title: Sequence-based discovery of a synthetic peptide inhibitor of caspase 6.
abstract: We recently demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor alpha activates caspase 6, which in turn cleaves transcription factor AP-2 alpha. We mapped the cleavage site at 19 amino acids from the N-terminus at the sequence aspartate-argenine-histidine-aspartate (DRHD). Mutating aspartic acid at position 19 abrogated the cleavage site. From these observations, we hypothesized that the DRHD peptide could act as a caspase 6 inhibitor. To test this hypothesis, the peptide zAsp(Ome)-Arg-His-Asp(Ome)-fluoromethyl ketone (zDRHDfmk) was synthesized. Here we show that zDRHDfmk inhibits TNFalpha-induced caspase 6 activity and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. When compared to other caspase inhibitors, zDRHDfmk inhibited caspase 6 activity more effectively than the general caspase inhibitor zVal-Ala-Lys(Ome)-fluoromethy ketone (zVADfmk) or the caspase 6 inhibitor zVal-Glu-Ile-Asp-(Ome)-fluoromethyl ketone (zVEIDfmk). However, it was less effective in inhibiting TNFalpha-induced apoptosis than zVADfmk or zVEIDfmk, presumably because caspase 6 is only one of at least three effector caspases, the others being caspase 3 and 7, that are active during caspase-dependent apoptosis. The discovery of this sequence-based caspase 6 inhibitor provides a new tool for studying caspase 6. More importantly, it could be used, in combination with other agents, as a drug to inhibit apoptosis in neurodegenrative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, 700 George St., Durham, NC 27707, USA. onyormoi@wpo.nccu.edu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nyormoi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bar-Eli
mesh_terms: D033962:Adaptor Protein Complex 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D053178:Caspase 6; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D033962:Adaptor Protein Complex 2; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C487701:zAsp(Ome)-Arg-His-Asp(Ome)-fluoromethyl ketone; C505514:CASP6 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053178:Caspase 6; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases