Peptides in Biological Processes – Potential Therapeutics (2105)

Doc.dr.sc. Katarina Mišković Špoljarić

Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek

Understand the role and mechanism of action of neuropeptides, antimicrobial, amyloid and natriuretic peptides and how a disorder in their function leads to illness. To know that the purpose of research in this field is to correct disorders and overcome the limitations of peptides as therapeutics

1. Introduction to peptides: build, structure and function
2. Neuropeptides
-discovery, characteristics, function and neuropeptide receptors
- neuropeptides as models in the development of drugs to control pain, addiction, depression, epilepsy, food intake and neurodegeneration
3. Antimicrobial peptides
- division, mechanism of action, factors relevant to the activity
- antimicrobial peptides as therapeutics and modified synthetic peptides
4. -Amyloid peptides
- structure, function and role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, Down syndrome and prion disease
5. Natriuretic peptides
- division and use as markers and therapeutics
6. Peptide mimetics
- simple modifications, cyclic analogues, modifications of the peptide bond, -amino acids, peptide nucleic acids

1. Analyze the mechanism of action and the role of peptides in the development of a number of chronic or infectious diseases.
2. Review the approach of developing modified peptides or their mimetics.
3. To conclude on the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in assessing the use of peptides as therapeutics.
4. Critically judge the solution to the problem of the use of peptide therapeutics in clinical application.

attending classes and writing a seminar paper

1. 1. Fosgerau, K., & Hoffmann, T. (2014). Peptide therapeutics: Current status and future directions. Drug Discovery Today, 20(1), 122–128. doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2014.10.003
2. 2. Kaspar, A. a, & Reichert, J.M. (2013). Future directions for peptide therapeutics development. Drug Discovery Today, 18(17-18), 8073. –17. doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2013.05.011
3. 3. Goodwin, D., Simerska, P., & Toth, I. (2012). Peptides as therapeutics with enhanced bioactivity. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 19(26), 4451–61. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22830348
4. 4. Purcell, A. W., McCluskey, J., & Rossjohn, J. (2007). More than one reason to rethink the use of peptides in vaccine design. Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery, 6(5), 404–14. doi:10.1038/nrd2224
5. 5. Nevola, L., & Giralt, E. (2015). Modulating protein – protein interactions : the potential of peptides. Chemical Communications, (51), 3302-3315. doi:10.1039/C4CC08565E
6. 6. Sebbage, V (2009). Review Cell-penetrating peptides and their therapeutic applications. Bioscience Horizons, 2(1), 64–72.
7. 7. Wagstaff, K.M., & Jans, D. a. (2006). Protein transduction: cell penetrating peptides and their therapeutic applications. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 13(12), 1371–87. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16719783

Zeng, H., Little, H.C., Tiambeng, T. N., Williams, G.A., & Guan, Z. (2013). Multifunctional Dendronized Peptide Polymer Platform for Safe and Effective siRNA Delivery. J.Am. Chem. Soc. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja400986u |
Haugaard-Kedström, L.M., Shabanpoor, F., Hossain, M. A., Clark, R. J., Ryan, P. J., Craik, D. J., ... Rosengren, K.J. (2011). Design, synthesis, and characterization of a single-chain peptide antagonist for the relaxin-3 receptor RXFP3. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133(13), 4965–74. doi:10.1021/ja110567j
Fischer, P.M. (2006). Peptide, Peptidomimetic, and Small-molecule Antagonists of the p53–HDM2 Protein–Protein Interaction. International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics, 12(1), 3–19. doi:10.1007/s10989-006-9016-5
Brown, K.C. (2010). Peptidic tumor targeting agents: the road from phage display peptide selections to clinical applications. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 16(9), 1040–54. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20030617
Ladner, R.C., Sato, A. K., Gorzelany, J., & de Souza, M. (2004). Phage display-derived peptides as therapeutic alternatives to antibodies. Drug Discovery Today, 9(12), 525–9. doi:10.1016/S1359-6446(04)03104-6

- examination of the adequacy of the program - it will be carried out by filling out a questionnaire that will contain questions about the knowledge of students from the field covered by the course, as well as the field of scientific activity, in order to ensure maximum performance and benefit from the proposed course. It is carried out 3-5 weeks before the start of classes and at the end of the lecture
- the success of the course will evolve every year by the joint expert committee of the Rudjer Boskovic Institute, the University of Dubrovnik and the University of Osijek