Unveiling a VEGF-mimetic peptide sequence in the IQGAP1 protein. Issue 8 (7th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Capasso, Domenica; Di Gaetano, Sonia; Celentano, Veronica; Diana, Donatella; Festa, Luisa; Di Stasi, Rossella; De Rosa, Lucia; Fattorusso, Roberto; D'Andrea, Luca D.
• Is Part Of: Molecular bioSystems. Volume 13:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 1619
• Page End: 1629
• Publication Date: 2017-07-07
• Subjects: Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; 571.7405
• DOI: 10.1039/c7mb00190h
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-206X

Abstract

Abstract : A peptide able to recapitulate the VEGF effect on ECs was derived from the IQGAP1 protein sequence. Abstract : The ability to modulate angiogenesis by chemical tools has several important applications in different scientific fields. With the perspective of finding novel proangiogenic molecules, we searched peptide sequences with a chemical profile similar to that of the QK peptide, a well described VEGF mimetic peptide. We found that residues 1617–1627 of the IQGAP1 protein show molecular features similar to those of the QK peptide sequence. The IQGAP1-derived synthetic peptide was analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and its biological activity was characterized in endothelial cells. These studies showed that this IQGAP1-derived peptide has a biological activity similar to that of VEGF and could be considered as a novel tool for reparative angiogenesis.