title: Development of peptide inhibitor as a therapeutic agent against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) targeting p38alpha MAP kinase.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The p38alpha MAP kinase pathway is involved in inflammation, cell differentiation, growth, apoptosis and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. The overproduction of these cytokines plays an important role in cancer. The aim of this work was to design a peptide inhibitor on the basis of structural information of the active site of p38alpha.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tetrapeptide, VWCS as p38alpha inhibitor was designed on the basis of structural information of the ATP binding site by molecular modeling. The inhibition study of peptide with p38alpha was performed by ELISA, binding study by Surface Plasmon Resonance and anti-proliferative assays by MTT and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage inhibition of designed VWCS against pure p38alpha protein and serum of HNSCC patients was 70.30 and 71.5%, respectively. The biochemical assay demonstrated the K(D) and IC50 of the selective peptide as 7.22 x 10(-9) M and 20.08 nM, respectively. The VWCS as inhibitor significantly reduced viability of oral cancer KB cell line with an IC50 value of 10 microM and induced apoptosis by activating Caspase 3 and 7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VWCS efficiently interacted at the ATP binding pocket of p38alpha with high potency and can be used as a potent inhibitor in case of HNSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VWCS can act as an anticancer agent as it potentially inhibits the cell growth and induces apoptosis in oral cancer cell-line in a dose as well as time dependent manner. Hence, p38alpha MAP kinase inhibitor can be a potential therapeutic agent for human oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kamaldeep
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Abhay K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Vaishali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Lokesh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nigam
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Prasida
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holla
authors.forename: Satya N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Naidu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Subbarao
authors.forename: Bidhu K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Mohanti
authors.forename: Sharmistha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dey
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001665:Binding Sites; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015195:Drug Design; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007700:Kinetics; D048308:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D062105:Molecular Docking Simulation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D048308:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14; D020169:Caspases