Download MendeleyThe Sam-Sam interaction between Ship2 and the EphA2 receptor: design and analysis of peptide inhibitors.
Mercurio, F.A., Di Natale, C., Pirone, L., Iannitti, R., Marasco, D., Pedone, E.M., Palumbo, R., Leone, M.(2017) Sci Rep 7: 17474-17474
- PubMed: 29234063
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17684-5
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
5NZ9 - PubMed Abstract:
The lipid phosphatase Ship2 represents a drug discovery target for the treatment of different diseases, including cancer. Its C-terminal sterile alpha motif domain (Ship2-Sam) associates with the Sam domain from the EphA2 receptor (EphA2-Sam). This interaction is expected to mainly induce pro-oncogenic effects in cells therefore, inhibition of the Ship2-Sam/EphA2-Sam complex may represent an innovative route to discover anti-cancer therapeutics. In the present work, we designed and analyzed several peptide sequences encompassing the interaction interface of EphA2-Sam for Ship2-Sam. Peptide conformational analyses and interaction assays with Ship2-Sam conducted through diverse techniques (CD, NMR, SPR and MST), identified a positively charged penta-amino acid native motif in EphA2-Sam, that once repeated three times in tandem, binds Ship2-Sam. NMR experiments show that the peptide targets the negatively charged binding site of Ship2-Sam for EphA2-Sam. Preliminary in vitro cell-based assays indicate that -at 50 µM concentration- it induces necrosis of PC-3 prostate cancer cells with more cytotoxic effect on cancer cells than on normal dermal fibroblasts. This work represents a pioneering study that opens further opportunities for the development of inhibitors of the Ship2-Sam/EphA2-Sam complex for therapeutic applications.
Organizational Affiliation:
Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.
