A cell-penetrating peptide blocks Toll-like receptor-mediated downstream signaling and ameliorates autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in mice

Exp Mol Med. 2019 Apr 26;51(4):1-19. doi: 10.1038/s12276-019-0244-0.

Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen/damage-associated molecular patterns and initiate inflammatory signaling cascades. Occasionally, overexpression of TLRs leads to the onset of numerous inflammatory diseases, necessitating the development of selective inhibitors to allow a protective yet balanced immune response. Here, we demonstrate that a novel peptide (TIP1) derived from Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adapter protein inhibited multiple TLR signaling pathways (MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent) in murine and human cell lines. TIP1 also inhibited NLRP3-mediated IL-1β secretion, as we validated at both the protein and mRNA levels. Biophysical experiments confirmed that TIP1 specifically binds to the BB loop of the TLR4-TIR domain. Animal studies revealed that TIP1 inhibited the secretion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory cytokines in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and kaolin/carrageenan-induced arthritis (K/C) rodent models. TIP1 also rescued animals from sepsis and from LPS-induced kidney/liver damage. Importantly, TIP1 ameliorated the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in CIA and K/C rodent models, suggesting that TIP1 has therapeutic potential for the treatment of TLR-mediated autoimmune/inflammatory diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Interferon-beta / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptors / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Peptides
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Interferon-beta