Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Screening and Identification of Small Peptides Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor2 using a Phage Display Peptide Library
Published on: September 30, 2019
Peptide selected by phage display increases survival of SH-SY5Y neurons comparable to brain-derived neurotrophic
Fatemeh Nafian1, Mohammad Javad Rasaee1, Shahin Yazdani2,3
1Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a well-known neuroprotectant and a potent therapeutic candidate for neurodegenerative diseases. However, there are several clinical concerns about its therapeutic applications. In the current study, we designed and developed BDNF-mimicking small peptides as an alternative to circumvent these problems. A phage-displayed peptide library was screened using BDNF receptor (neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type2 [NTRK2]) and evaluated by ELISA. The peptide sequences showed similarity to loop2 of BDNF, they were recognized as discontinuous epitopes though. Interestingly, in silico molecular docking showed strong interactions between the peptide three-dimensional models and the surface residues of the NTRK2 protein at the IgC2 domain. A consensus peptide sequence was then synthesized to generate a mimetic construct (named as RNYK). The affinity binding and function of this construct was confirmed by testing against the native structure of NTRK2 in SH-SY5Y cells in vitro using flow-cytometry and MTT assays, respectively. RNYK at 5 ng/mL prevented neuronal degeneration of all- trans-retinoic acid-treated SH-SY5Y with equal efficacy to or even better than BDNF at 50 ng/mL.
Related Concept Videos
Comparing the Survival Analysis of Two or More Groups
Peptide Bonds
What is Natural Selection?
Transcription Factors
Neurons as Communicators of the Brain
Cell Body
The cell body, also known...
Survival Curves
The Kaplan-Meier estimator is the most common method for constructing survival curves. This...

