Development of a peptide-based inducer of nuclear receptors degradation.

A peptide-based protein knockdown system for inducing nuclear receptors degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system was developed. Specifically, the designed molecules were composed of two biologically active scaffolds: a peptide that binds to the estrogen receptor α (ERα) surface and an MV1 molecule that binds to cellular inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAP: cIAP1/cIAP2/XIAP) to induce ubiquitylation of the ERα. The hybrid peptides induced IAP-mediated ubiquitylation followed by proteasomal degradation of the ERα. Those peptides were also applicable for inducing androgen receptor (AR) degradation.