News Releases & Research Results Elucidation of the binding mechanism of a cyclic peptide to human serum albumin - Accelerate the discovery of cyclic peptide drugs -

The results of research conducted by Assistant Professor Naoki Wakui of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College, Ph.D. student Akinobu Senoo of the Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology and Professor Kohei Tsumoto of the Department of Bioengineering/Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Specially Appointed Associate Professor Satoru Nagatoishi of the Institute of Medical Science/Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Assistant Professor Masahito Ohue of the Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Group Director Masaki Yamamoto of the Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, and Rigaku Corporation.

• The crystal structure of human serum albumin protein complexed with cyclic peptide dalbavancin* was elucidated.
  *An antibiotic with a cyclic peptide structure, used for the treatment of skin infections
• The binding mechanism of a cyclic peptide to human serum albumin has been unknown. The binding mechanism in a solution was successfully elucidated through the combined analysis of its crystal structure and solution state.
• The results of this research project should contribute to the optimization of cyclic peptide drugs.

This project was conducted with the support of the Platform Project for Supporting Drug Discovery and Life Science Research by AMED.

The results were published in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry on November 13.

Ito S., et al. Structural basis for binding mechanism of human serum albumin complexed with cyclic peptide dalbavancin Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01578