Stimuli-Responsive Conformational Transformation of Peptides for Tunable Cytotoxicity

The stimuli-responsive conformational transformation of peptides possessing a constrained form triggered by specific biological microenvironment would provide an effective strategy for the development of highly specific peptide therapeutics. Here, we developed a peptide containing a cytotoxic helical KLA sequence with therapeutic specificity through the use of stimuli-responsive conformational transformation. The KLA peptide is modified to form a cyclic structure to allow for constrained helicity that confers low cytotoxicity. The modified KLA peptide is electrostatically complexed to hyaluronic acid to facilitate enhanced endocytosis into the cancer cells. After endocytosis, the peptide is released from the complex into the cellular cytoplasm by hyaluronidases on the surface of the cellular membrane. Specific intracellular stimuli then trigger the release of the strain that suppresses peptide helicity, and the inherent helical conformation of the KLA peptide is restored. Therefore, the stimuli-responsive conformational transformation of a peptide from low to high helicity selectively induces cell death by disruption of the plasma and mitochondrial membrane.