A selective peptide inhibitor of Frizzled 7 receptors disrupts intestinal stem cells

Nat Chem Biol. 2018 Jun;14(6):582-590. doi: 10.1038/s41589-018-0035-2. Epub 2018 Apr 9.

Abstract

Regeneration of the adult intestinal epithelium is mediated by a pool of cycling stem cells, which are located at the base of the crypt, that express leucine-rich-repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5). The Frizzled (FZD) 7 receptor (FZD7) is enriched in LGR5+ intestinal stem cells and plays a critical role in their self-renewal. Yet, drug discovery approaches and structural bases for targeting specific FZD isoforms remain poorly defined. FZD proteins interact with Wnt signaling proteins via, in part, a lipid-binding groove on the extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of the FZD receptor. Here we report the identification of a potent peptide that selectively binds to the FZD7 CRD at a previously uncharacterized site and alters the conformation of the CRD and the architecture of its lipid-binding groove. Treatment with the FZD7-binding peptide impaired Wnt signaling in cultured cells and stem cell function in intestinal organoids. Together, our data illustrate that targeting the lipid-binding groove holds promise as an approach for achieving isoform-selective FZD receptor inhibition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • CHO Cells
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cricetulus
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Discovery
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Frizzled Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Frizzled Receptors / metabolism*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Intestines / cytology
  • Intestines / drug effects*
  • Lipids / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Regeneration
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Stem Cells / drug effects*
  • Stem Cells / pathology
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway

Substances

  • FZD7 protein, human
  • Frizzled Receptors
  • Lipids
  • Peptides