Recent studies have identified a beneficial role for peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) on pancreatic beta-cell function and survival. These effects are linked to the activation of neuropeptide Y1 receptors (NPYR1s) by PYY(1-36). However, PYY(1-36) is subject to rapid degradation by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), resulting is the loss of NPYR1 activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop 2 enzymatically stable PYY(1-36) analogues, namely, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), with further structural modifications to enhance NPYR1 specificity. As expected, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was fully resistant to DPP-4-mediated degradation in vitro, whereas PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) were both liable to DPP-4 breakdown. PYY(1-36) and (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) induced significant reductions in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from BRIN BD11 cells, but only PYY(1-36) diminished alanine-stimulated insulin secretion. In contrast, PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) had no impact on GSIS or alanine-induced insulin release. All 3 PYY peptides significantly enhanced proliferation in BRIN BD11 and 1.1B4 beta-cell lines, albeit only at the highest concentration examined, 10-6 M, for (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) in BRIN BD11 cells. Regarding the protection of beta-cells against cytokine-induced apoptosis, PYY(1-36) induced clear protective effects. Both (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) offered some protection against apoptosis in BRIN BD11 cells, but were significantly less efficacious than PYY(1-36). Similarly, in 1.1B4 cells, both PYY analogues (10-6 M) protected against cytokine-induced apoptosis, but (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was significantly less effective than PYY(1-36). All 3 PYY peptides had no impact on refeeding in overnight fasted mice. These data underline the beta-cell benefits of PYY(1-36) and highlight the challenges of synthesising stable, bioactive, NPYR1-specific, PYY(1-36) analogues.
Recent studies have identified a beneficial role for peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) on pancreatic beta-cell function and survival. These effects are linked to the activation of neuropeptide Y1 receptors (NPYR1s) by PYY(1-36). However, PYY(1-36) is subject to rapid degradation by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), resulting is the loss of NPYR1 activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop 2 enzymatically stable PYY(1-36) analogues, namely, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), with further structural modifications to enhance NPYR1 specificity. As expected, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was fully resistant to DPP-4-mediated degradation in vitro, whereas PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) were both liable to DPP-4 breakdown. PYY(1-36) and (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) induced significant reductions in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from BRIN BD11 cells, but only PYY(1-36) diminished alanine-stimulated insulin secretion. In contrast, PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) had no impact on GSIS or alanine-induced insulin release. All 3 PYYpeptides significantly enhanced proliferation in BRIN BD11 and 1.1B4 beta-cell lines, albeit only at the highest concentration examined, 10-6 M, for (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) in BRIN BD11 cells. Regarding the protection of beta-cells against cytokine-induced apoptosis, PYY(1-36) induced clear protective effects. Both (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) offered some protection against apoptosis in BRIN BD11 cells, but were significantly less efficacious than PYY(1-36). Similarly, in 1.1B4 cells, both PYY analogues (10-6 M) protected against cytokine-induced apoptosis, but (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was significantly less effective than PYY(1-36). All 3 PYYpeptides had no impact on refeeding in overnight fasted mice. These data underline the beta-cell benefits of PYY(1-36) and highlight the challenges of synthesising stable, bioactive, NPYR1-specific, PYY(1-36) analogues.
The native form of peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) consists of 36 amino acids;
however, the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) degradation product, PYY(3-36), is
believed to be the principal circulating PYY entity.[1] This N-terminal enzymatic cleavage results in a major change in receptor
specificity for PYY. As such, PYY(1-36) is an established agonist for each subtype
of the target neuropeptide Y receptor (NPYR) family, namely, NPYR1, NPYR2, NPYR4,
and NPYR5,[2] whereas PYY(3-36) is a highly selective NPYR2 agonist.[3] Indeed, much of the early work with PYY has focused predominantly on
PYY(3-36) and its role in appetite regulation through the activation of hypothalamic
NPYR2s.[4-7] However, PYY has also been shown
to be expressed and synthesised in pancreatic islet cells,[8] highlighting a role for the peptide in pancreatic endocrine function.[9]In this regard, recent studies have confirmed a positive effect of PYY on beta-cell
survival and overall function, linked to the activation of NPYR1s.[10,11] Thus,
PYY(1-36) has been shown to enhance the growth and survival of beta-cells,[8] ultimately leading to enhanced glycaemic control.[12] In agreement with this, the ablation of PYY-expressing cells in mice results
in beta-cell destruction and overt hyperglycaemia, which was partially rescued by
NPYR1 activation.[13] Furthermore, streptozotocin-induced beta-cell loss and insulin deficiency
have been shown to decrease islet PYY expression, whereas hydrocortisone-induced
beta-cell expansion was linked to an increased expression of islet PYY.[8] Taken together, it is clear that the activation of islet NPYR1s by PYY offers
potential as a future treatment option for diabetes, as disease pathophysiology
closely linked to the loss of beta-cell mass and function.[14]Therefore, the aim of this study was to synthesise and characterise 2 PYY(1-36)
analogues, using current structure/function knowledge to enhance enzymatic stability
and specificity towards NPYR1. Initially, Ile[3] was substituted with Pro[3], as this has been shown to confer DPP-4 resistance in related peptide
hormones.[15-17] In addition,
previous studies revealed that the substitution of Gln[34] for Pro[34] in PYY(1-36) imparted increased NPYR1 selectivity.[18] Moreover, replacing amino acids 31 of both PYY and the structurally related
neuropeptide Y (NPY) peptide with leucine also inferred increased selectivity
towards NPY1R.[19-21] Using this
structure/function information, we generated the novel peptide,
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36). Further to this, acylation
of numerous regulatory peptide hormones, including gastric inhibitory polypeptide
(GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), xenin, and apelin, has been shown to yield
complete enzymatic resistance and significantly protract circulating biological
half-life.[22-30] In agreement, PYY(3-36)
acylated at Lys12 is an established stable and long-acting PYY(3-36)
analogue, where Ala[12] is substituted for Lys12 to facilitate acylation.[31] Thus, we also generated and tested PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) as a second
potentially stable PYY-based NPYR1 agonist.Initially, DPP-4 stability of all peptides was assessed, followed by the examination
of peptide effects on in vitro insulin secretion. In addition, the impact of
PYY(1-36) and related analogues on pancreatic beta-cell growth and protection
against apoptosis, as well as food intake in mice, was studied. The results
demonstrate the positive beta-cell survival effects of PYY(1-36), suggesting
possible antidiabetic utility for enzymatically stable and more potent PYY forms.
However, although (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) did confer some beta-cell benefits, their
effectiveness was compromised when compared with the parent peptide.
Materials and Methods
Peptides
All peptides, including GLP-1 positive control, were supplied by EZBiolab Ltd
(Carmel, IN, USA) at 95% purity, with peptide purity and mass confirmed in-house
by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser
desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS),
respectively (Table
1).
Table 1.
PYY(1-36), (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(Lys12PAL) amino acid sequences and
characterisation.
Peptides’ purity was confirmed using RP-HPLC on a ThermoQuest
SpectraSYSTEM UV2000 chromatography system using a Phenomenex C-18
analytical column with absorbance at 214 nm. Identity of peptides
was confirmed using Voyager-DE Biospectrometry MALDI-TOF MS
(PerSeptive Biosystems, Framingham, MA, USA), as described previously.[32]
PYY(1-36), (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(Lys12PAL) amino acid sequences and
characterisation.Abbreviations: MALDI-TOF MS, matrix-assisted laser desorption
ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry; PYY, peptide tyrosine
tyrosine; RP-HPLC, reverse phase high-performance liquid
chromatography.Peptides’ purity was confirmed using RP-HPLC on a ThermoQuest
SpectraSYSTEM UV2000 chromatography system using a Phenomenex C-18
analytical column with absorbance at 214 nm. Identity of peptides
was confirmed using Voyager-DE Biospectrometry MALDI-TOF MS
(PerSeptive Biosystems, Framingham, MA, USA), as described previously.[32]
PYY degradation
PYY(1-36), (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) (50 µg of each peptide) were incubated at
37°C on a plate shaker in 50 mM triethanolamine/HCl (pH 7.8) with 5 µL of pure
DPP-4 enzyme (0.01 U/µL, Sigma-Aldrich, Gillingham, UK) for 0 and 8 hours.
Reactions were terminated, as appropriate, via the addition of 10 µL of 10%
(v/v) trifluoroacetic acid/water. Reaction mixes were separated by reverse phase
high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using a Phenomenex C-18
analytical column (250 × 4.6 mm2), with absorbance monitored at 214
nm using a ThermoQuest SpectraSYSTEM UV2000 detector. High-performance liquid
chromatography peaks were collected and identified via MALDI-TOF MS on a
PerSeptive Biosystems Voyager-DE Biospectrometry (Hertfordshire, UK).
In vitro insulin secretion
The in vitro effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on insulin secretion were determined using
pancreatic clonal BRIN-BD11 beta-cells. The characteristics of this cell line,
including glucose sensitivity and insulin secretory function, have been
described in detail previously.[33] Cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium (Gibco Life Technologies Ltd),
supplemented with 10% v/v foetal bovine serum (Gibco, Thermo Fisher Scientific,
Dublin, ROI) and 1% v/v antibiotics (0.1 mg/mL streptomycin and 100 U/mL
penicillin) at 37°C in 5% atmospheric CO2. For experimentation, cells
were seeded into 24-well plates (Falcon Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Dublin,
ROI) at a density of 150 000 cells per well. Following overnight attachment, the
medium was aspirated and cells were pre-incubated in 1.1 mM glucose Krebs-Ringer
Buffer (KRB) for 40 minutes. Following pre-incubation, the 1.1 mM glucose
solution was removed and 1 mL of KRB test solution, containing either 5.6 or
16.7 mM glucose with PYY test peptides (10-12-10-6 M) was
added. PYYpeptides were then incubated in the presence of alanine (10 mM) at
16.7 mM glucose to further investigate the effects on insulin secretion. For all
experiments, following a 20-minute incubation period, the supernatant was
collected and stored at ‒20°C until insulin concentration determination using a
dextran-coated charcoalinsulin radioimmunoassay.[34]
Beta-cell proliferation and apoptosis
To assess the effects of PYY(1-36) and related analogues (10-8 and
10-6 M) on beta-cell proliferation and apoptosis, rodent
BRIN-BD1133 and human 1.1B4[35,36] beta-cells were seeded
onto sterilised, clear-glass coverslips (16 mm diameter) and placed in 12-well
plates (Falcon Ltd) at a density of 40 000 cells per well and cultured for 18
hours. Medium control, GLP-1 (10-8 and 10-6 M), and a
human cytokine cocktail mix (interleukin-1β [IL-1β]: 100 U/mL; interferon-γ
[IFNγ]: 20 U/mL; tumour necrosis factor-α [TNFα]: 200 U/mL) (Sigma-Aldrich) were
employed as controls in both cell lines, as appropriate. Cells were then rinsed
with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and fixed using 4% paraformaldehyde. After
antigen retrieval with sodium citrate buffer at 95°C for 20 minutes, blocking
was performed using 2% bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) for 45 minutes. For
proliferation studies, the slips were then incubated at 37°C with rabbit
anti-Ki-67 primary antibody (ab15580; Abcam, Cambridge, UK) and subsequently
with Alexa Fluor 488 secondary antibody. Coverslips were mounted onto
polysine-coated microscopic slides using a 50:50 glycerol:PBS solution and
stored at 4°C until required for analysis. To assess the ability of PYYpeptides
to protect against cytokine-induced apoptosis, cells were seeded, washed, and
fixed as above, with the exception that the medium was supplemented with the
cytokine mix. The slips were then incubated at 37°C with TUNEL reaction mix for
60 minutes (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) and mounted onto microscopic
slides, as above. All slides were viewed using a fluorescent microscope (model
BX51; Olympus, Southend-on-Sea, UK) and photographed by a DP70 camera adapter
system. Proliferation/TUNEL-positive frequency was determined using the
cell-counter function on ImageJ software and expressed as the percentage of
total cells analysed.
Statistical analysis
Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism software (version 5.0).
Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. Comparative analyses between groups were
performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc
test or Student unpaired t-test, as appropriate. The difference
between groups was considered significant if P < .05.
Results
DPP-4 stability
Incubation of PYY(1-36) with DPP-4 resulted in the generation of PYY(3-36) (Figure 1A and Supplementary Figure 1). Similarly,
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) was also N-terminally degraded by DPP-4 (Figure 1B and Supplementary Figure 1). In contrast,
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was completely
resistant to DPP-4 degradation over the 8-hour incubation period (Figure 1C).
Figure 1.
HPLC profiles obtained following the incubation of (A) PYY(1-36), (B)
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and (C)
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) with purified DPP-4. Peptides (50 µg;
n = 3) were incubated at 37°C with 5 µL DPP-4 enzyme (0.01 U/µL) in 50
mM triethanolamine-HCl. Reactions were stopped using 10% (v/v)
trifluoroacetic acid/water and reaction mixes separated by HPLC. Peptide
or peptide fragment masses were determined by MALDI-TOF MS (see
Supplementary Data). DPP-4 indicates dipeptidyl
peptidase-4; HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; MALDI-TOF MS,
matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass
spectrometry; PYY, peptide tyrosine tyrosine.
HPLC profiles obtained following the incubation of (A) PYY(1-36), (B)
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and (C)
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) with purified DPP-4. Peptides (50 µg;
n = 3) were incubated at 37°C with 5 µL DPP-4 enzyme (0.01 U/µL) in 50
mM triethanolamine-HCl. Reactions were stopped using 10% (v/v)
trifluoroacetic acid/water and reaction mixes separated by HPLC. Peptide
or peptide fragment masses were determined by MALDI-TOF MS (see
Supplementary Data). DPP-4 indicates dipeptidyl
peptidase-4; HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; MALDI-TOF MS,
matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass
spectrometry; PYY, peptide tyrosine tyrosine.
Effects of PYY(1-36), (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36),
and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on insulin secretion from rodent BRIN BD11
beta-cells
PYY(1-36) significantly (P < .05) inhibited insulin secretion
from BRIN BD11 cells at 5.6 mM glucose, albeit only at the highest concentration
(10-6 M) examined (Figure 2A). Similarly, at 16.7 mM glucosePYY(1-36) also significantly (at 10-7 and 10-6 M,
P < .01 to P < .001, respectively)
decreased the insulin secretory response (Figure 2A).
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) did not modulate insulin secretion at 5.6 mM
glucose (Figure 2A).
However, at 16.7 mM glucose (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36)
decreased (P < .05) glucose-stimulated insulin secretion
from BRIN BD11 cells (Figure
2B). When incubated at 16.7 mM glucose supplemented with 10 mM
alanine, PYY(1-36), but not (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36)
or PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), reduced (P < .01 to
P < .001) alanine-induced augmentations of insulin
release (Figure 2C).
Figure 2.
Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on insulin release from BRIN-BD11
beta-cells. BRIN BD11 cells were incubated with (A) 5.6 mM glucose, (B)
16.7 mM glucose, or (C) 16.7 mM glucose supplemented with alanine (10
mM) and the effects of PYY peptides (10-6-10-12 M)
on insulin secretion determined. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 8). PYY
indicates peptide tyrosine tyrosine.
*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with (A) 5.6 mM glucose,
(B) 16.7 mM glucose, or (C) 16.7 mM glucose supplemented with
alanine.
Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on insulin release from BRIN-BD11
beta-cells. BRIN BD11 cells were incubated with (A) 5.6 mM glucose, (B)
16.7 mM glucose, or (C) 16.7 mM glucose supplemented with alanine (10
mM) and the effects of PYYpeptides (10-6-10-12 M)
on insulin secretion determined. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 8). PYY
indicates peptide tyrosine tyrosine.*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with (A) 5.6 mM glucose,
(B) 16.7 mM glucose, or (C) 16.7 mM glucose supplemented with
alanine.
Effects of PYY(1-36), (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36),
and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on beta-cell proliferation and protection
against cytokine-induced apoptosis
Both GLP-1 and PYY(1-36) (10-8 and 10-6 M) significantly
(P < .05 to P < .001) increased BRIN
BD11 and 1.1B4 beta-cell proliferation when compared with control cultures
(Figure 3A and B). In addition,
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) also significantly increased
(P < .05 to P < .01) the
proliferation of both beta-cell lines, but only at the highest concentration
tested, 10-6 M, in BRIN BD11 cells (Figure 3A and B). In addition, at 10-6 M
PYY(1-36) induced significantly (P < .05) increased
beta-cell proliferation when compared with
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) in BRIN BD11 cells and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) in 1.1B4 cells, at the same concentration
(Figure 3A and B). Representative images
of Ki-67-stained beta-cells are shown in Supplementary Figures 2 and 3. Regarding protection against cytokine-induced beta-cell
apoptosis, all peptides at both concentrations examined (10-8 and
10-6 M), barring PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) at
10-8 M, significantly (P < .05 to
P < .001) reduced apoptosis in BRIN BD11 cells when
compared with cytokine cocktail control (Figure 4A). However,
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) was significantly (P <
.05 to P < .01) less efficacious in this regard than
PYY(1-36), as was (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) at
10-6 M (Figure
4A). In 1.1B4 beta-cells, all peptides, except
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) at 10-8 M,
decreased apoptosis to levels significantly (P < .05 to
P < .001) lower than those of the cytokine cocktail
treatment alone (Figure
4B). (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was
significantly (P < .01) less effective at preventing
apoptosis than PYY(1-36) in 1.1B4 beta-cells (Figure 4B). Representative images of
TUNEL-stained beta-cells under each culture condition are shown in Supplementary Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 3.
Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on (A) rodent BRIN-BD11 and (B) human
1.1 B4 beta-cell proliferation. Cells were cultured (16 hours) with PYY
peptides or GLP-1 (10-8 and 10-6 M) and
proliferation assessed by Ki-67 staining. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 3).
GLP-1 indicates glucagon-like peptide-1; PYY, peptide tyrosine
tyrosine.
*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with control culture.
ΔP < .05 compared with PYY(1-36).
Representative images for each treatment are provided in Supplementary Data.
Figure 4.
Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on protection against
cytokine-induced apoptosis in (A) rodent BRIN-BD11 and (B) human 1.1 B4
beta-cells. Cells were cultured (16 hours) with PYY peptides or GLP-1
(10-8 and 10-6 M) in the presence of a
cytokine cocktail and apoptosis detected using the TUNEL assay. Values
are mean ± SEM (n = 3). GLP-1 indicates glucagon-like peptide-1; PYY,
peptide tyrosine tyrosine.
*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with cytokine cocktail.
++P < .01 and
+++P < .001 compared with RPMI medium
control.
ΔP < .05 and
ΔΔP < .01 compared with PYY(1-36) at
the same concentration.
Representative images for each treatment are provided in Supplementary Data.
Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on (A) rodent BRIN-BD11 and (B) human
1.1 B4 beta-cell proliferation. Cells were cultured (16 hours) with PYYpeptides or GLP-1 (10-8 and 10-6 M) and
proliferation assessed by Ki-67 staining. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 3).
GLP-1 indicates glucagon-like peptide-1; PYY, peptide tyrosine
tyrosine.*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with control culture.ΔP < .05 compared with PYY(1-36).Representative images for each treatment are provided in Supplementary Data.Effects of PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) on protection against
cytokine-induced apoptosis in (A) rodent BRIN-BD11 and (B) human 1.1 B4
beta-cells. Cells were cultured (16 hours) with PYYpeptides or GLP-1
(10-8 and 10-6 M) in the presence of a
cytokine cocktail and apoptosis detected using the TUNEL assay. Values
are mean ± SEM (n = 3). GLP-1 indicates glucagon-like peptide-1; PYY,
peptide tyrosine tyrosine.*P < .05, **P < .01, and
***P < .001 compared with cytokine cocktail.++P < .01 and
+++P < .001 compared with RPMI medium
control.ΔP < .05 and
ΔΔP < .01 compared with PYY(1-36) at
the same concentration.Representative images for each treatment are provided in Supplementary Data.
Discussion
Since the discovery of the satiety-inducing effects of the DPP-4 degradation product
of PYY(1-36), namely, PYY(3-36),[37] most PYY-based research has revolved around the activation of hypothalamic
NPYR2 receptors by PYY(3-36) and possible anti-obesity effects.[1,31] However, more recent evidence
reveals that the NPYR1 is expressed on pancreatic islet cells and that PYY(1-36) is
synthesised and secreted locally within islets, with postulated beneficial local
actions.[8,9]
This study has consequently aimed to synthesise and characterise PYY(1-36) peptide
analogues with enhanced enzymatic stability and improved NPYR1 selectivity, to fully
harness PYY-related pancreatic benefits. To date, the only report of a long-acting
PYY analogue with NPYR1 activity is a dual NPYR1/NPYR2 agonist named X-PYY,[13] which interestingly has deletion of the first 2 N-terminal amino acids that
would be considered to diminish NPYR1-mediated effects.[3](P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) were designed based on current structure/function
knowledge known to extend biological half-life and/or promote NPYR1 selectivity of
peptide-based drugs.[6,16,18,31,38] Following successful synthesis, the susceptibility of the PYYpeptides to DPP-4 degradation was examined. In contrast to native PYY(1-36), which
was efficiently degraded by DPP-4 to PYY(3-36),[39] (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) was completely resistant
to DPP-4-mediated enzymatic degradation. This confirms that the substitution of Ile[3] in PYY(1-36) with a proline residue renders the peptide resistant to the
actions of DPP-4, as documented for other regulatory peptide hormones.[15] Thus, unlike native PYY(1-36),
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) does not undergo removal of the
N-terminal Tyr[1]-Pro[2] dipeptide, known to generate a more specific NPYR2 agonist.[3,39] Indeed, the additional
structural modifications at positions 31 and 34 in
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) should render the peptide a
stable, long-acting, NPYR1 agonist.[18,21] Somewhat surprisingly,
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) was susceptible to DPP-4 degradation in the in
vitro system, unlike related fatty-acid-derivatised regulatory peptide hormone
analogues where acylation has been shown to mask the cleavage site for
DPP-4.[22-30] This difference could be
related to the unique three-dimensional structure of PYY that includes an N-terminal
left-handed polyproline-like helix, a typical mid-chain α-helix and β-turn that
together give rise to the characteristic ‘PP-fold’ of the NPY family of peptides.[40] In addition, the Lys12 for Ala[12] amino acid substitution in PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) may also have an
impact here. However, the overall effect of acylation and subsequent protein binding
of PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) in vivo may lead to altered kinetics and reduced
conversion to PYY(3-36)(Lys12PAL), which would require more detailed
study.Although structural modification of PYY(1-36) may protect against DPP-4 cleavage and
therefore be highly influential for biological half-life and receptor
specificity,[3,18,38] confirmation of preserved bioactivity is still of utmost
importance. Consistent with earlier studies,[8] PYY(1-36) inhibited both glucose- and alanine-induced insulin secretion.
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) evoked essentially similar
effects, albeit with a reduced magnitude. There were slight differences in efficacy
between the 2 peptides regarding the inhibition of glucose- and alanine-induced
insulin secretion, and this likely relates to the more distal non-metabolic effects
of alanine on beta-cell-induced insulin secretion. Thus, although the Pro[3], Leu[31], and Pro[34] substitutions improved enzymatic stability, this may have resulted in an
analogue with decreased biological potency. The presence of functionally important
NPYR2 receptors on BRIN BD11 beta-cells,[8] unlike primary human beta-cells,[2] could also be a factor here, as the increased stability of
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) will dramatically reduce
NPYR2 interactions. Despite this, these data do indicate that
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) retains affinity for NPY
receptors and the ability to activate related signal transduction pathways. Although
further studies using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and specific NPYR1 or NPYR2 knockdown,
beta-cells would be required to confirm this, as specificity with commercially
available NPYR inhibitors could be an issue. In addition, if a specific NPYR1
receptor binding assay was available, it would also be helpful in this regard.
Interestingly, PYY(3-36)(Lys12PAL) was devoid of effects on the
modulation of insulin secretion. This could be related to reduced levels of ‘free’
peptide due to greater albumin binding of the acylated analogue, as observed for
other fatty-acid-derivatised peptides.[41] To investigate these concepts further, we decided to examine the effects of
all PYYpeptides on proliferation and survival in both rodent BRIN BD11 and human
1.1B4 beta-cell lines.As expected, PYY(1-36) enhanced the growth and survival of both BRIN BD11 and 1.1B4
beta-cell lines,[8] presumably through the activation of Y1 receptors.[9,10] Importantly, both modified PYY
analogues also displayed positive pancreatic beta-cell growth and survival
characteristics. However, similar to insulin secretory studies, despite the
postulated increased specificity of
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL) towards NPYR1s recognised as being critically
important for PYY-mediated beta-cell benefits,[9] neither analogue had superior effects than PYY(1-36). Indeed, both analogues
were actually significantly less efficacious than the native peptide under many of
the test conditions. Thus, the generation of stable and bioactive, NPYR1-specific,
PYY peptide analogues appears to be particularly challenging, implying that current
structure/function knowledge for PYY requires more detailed investigation. Indeed,
the notion that a compound can possess inhibitory actions on insulin secretion while
concomitantly imparting beta-cell survival benefits is interesting and now an
accepted action for NPYR1 activation by PYY(1-36).[10] Moreover, the suggestion that beta-cell rest improves beta-cell function per
se, and therefore enduring glucose control could also be a factor here.[42] In this regard, a recent study has revealed that C-terminal integrity of PYYpeptides is essential for preserved biological activity at the level of the
beta-cell,[43,44] and this may need to be considered for both
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and
PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL).In conclusion, the present data reveal that the rational amino acid substitution of
PYY(1-36), but not simple acylation, leads to the generation of an enzyme-resistant
PYY(1-36) analogue. However, the improved stability of
(P3L31P34)PYY(1-36), or perceived enhanced
circulating half-life of PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), was offset by overall
reduced biological activity. Thus, further work is required to develop stable,
NPYR1-specific, PYY analogues to fully exploit the notable beneficial effects of
PYY(1-36) on beta-cell growth and survival.Click here for additional data file.Supplemental material, Supplemental_Figures for Effects of 2 Novel PYY(1-36)
Analogues, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), on Pancreatic Beta-Cell
Function, Growth, and Survival by Ryan A Lafferty, Victor A Gault, Peter R Flatt
and Nigel Irwin in Clinical Medicine Insights: Endocrinology and DiabetesClick here for additional data file.Supplemental material, Supplemental_Fig_Legends for Effects of 2 Novel PYY(1-36)
Analogues, (P3L31P34)PYY(1-36) and PYY(1-36)(Lys12PAL), on Pancreatic Beta-Cell
Function, Growth, and Survival by Ryan A Lafferty, Victor A Gault, Peter R Flatt
and Nigel Irwin in Clinical Medicine Insights: Endocrinology and Diabetes
Authors: Ryan A Lafferty; Neil Tanday; R Charlotte Moffett; Frank Reimann; Fiona M Gribble; Peter R Flatt; Nigel Irwin Journal: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) Date: 2021-02-25 Impact factor: 5.555
Authors: Ananyaa Sridhar; Dawood Khan; Mahmoud Abdelaal; Jessie A Elliott; Violetta Naughton; Peter R Flatt; Carel W Le Roux; Neil G Docherty; Charlotte R Moffett Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-09-22 Impact factor: 3.752