Review Article

Signal Protein-Derived Peptides as Functional Probes and Regulators of Intracellular Signaling

Table 1

The peptides, derivatives of signal proteins, and their biological activity.

Signal proteinSequenceActivityReferences

-AR (C-ICL3)RWRGRQNREKRFTC361-373 and its dimeric constrain with N-ICL3-peptide RIYQIAKRRTR233-243Both selectively stimulate Gi/o proteins and inhibit -AR agonist-stimulated GTPase activity[3032]

-AR (C-ICL3)RRSSKFCLKEKKALK259-273Selectively stimulates Gs proteins and decreases regulatory effects of β 2-AR agonists[3335]

D1-DR (C-ICL3, I), 5-HT6R (C-ICL3, II)FKMSFKRETKVLKTLSV260-276 (I); KHSRKALKASL258-268K (II)Stimulate Gs proteins and AC activity, decrease the stimulating effects of D1-DR (peptide I) and 5-HT6R (II) on AC system[38, 39]

D2-DR (N-ICL3, I), 5-HT1AR (N-ICL3, II); 5-HT1BR (C-ICL3, III); 5-HT1DR (N-ICL3, IV; C-ICL3, V); m4-MChR (C-ICL3, VI)VYIKIYIVLRRRRKRVNTK206-224 (I); LYGRIFRAARFRIRKTVK214-231 (II); ARERKATKTL307-316 (III);
LYGRIYVAARSRI213-225 (IV);
RKRISAARERKATK285-298 (V);
RNQVRKKRQMAARERKVTR382-400 (VI)
Selectively activate Gi/o proteins and inhibit forskolin-stimulated AC activity in the absence of hormone; inhibit signaling via their cognate Gi/o-coupled receptors[30, 32, 3942]

m3-MChR (C-ICL3)LVKEKKAAQTLSAILL483-497Selectively activates Gq and influences m3-MChR-mediated signaling[43]

δ-opioid receptor (ICL3)MGRLRSVRLLSGSKEKDRSLRRITR237-261Blocks δ-agonist-induced PLC activation, Ca2+ release and cAMP signaling[45]

Luteinizing hormone receptor; FSH receptor (C-ICL3, II); relaxin receptor RXFP1 (C-ICL3, III); parathyroid hormone receptor (C-ICL3, IV)FAVQNPELMATNKDTKIAKK551-570 (I),
HIYLTVRNPNIVSSSSDTRIAKR533-555 (II),
and EIRNQVKKE(Nle)ILAKR615-629 (III)
and their short analogs; EYRKLLK402-408 (IV)
Activate preferably Gs proteins and stimulate the basal AC activity, inhibit agonist-induced signaling via their cognate receptors[4652]

GLP1R (ICL1 and ICL3)FRHLHCTR169-176; IVIAKLKANLMCKTDIKCRLAK330-351Activate preferably Gs and Gi proteins, inhibit hormone- stimulated AC activity[53]

V2-vasopressin receptor (ICL3)Cyclo-QVLIFREIHASLVPGPSERAG-RRRRGRRTGSPSEGAHVSAAMAKT-VRMT225-273Decreases the affinity of agonist for the receptor and inhibits vasopressin-stimulated AC activity[55]

CB1-cannabinoid receptor (N-ICL3, I; C-ICL3, II, and N-CTD, III)KAHSHAVRMIQRGTQKS301-317 (I); QVTRPDQARMDIRLAK329-344 (II); RSKDLRHAFRSMFPSCE401-417 (III)Selectively stimulate different isoforms of the α-subunits of Gi proteins and significantly inhibit AC activity[5658]

Angiotensin II receptor of the type 1 (ICL2, I; N-ICL3, II; C-ICL3, III, N-CTD, IV)DRYLAIVHPMKSR125-137 (I); TLIWKALKKAYEIQKN216-231 (II); KNKPRNDDIFRI230-241 (III); FLGKKFKKYFLQL304-316 (IV)Inhibit angiotensin-induced activation of G proteins and the effector enzymes; peptide II selectively activates Gi/o proteins, peptide III Gq/11 proteins[5962]
FPR1 (ICL2, I; N-CTD, II)CVLHPVWTQNHR126-137 (I); FRERLIHALPASLER308-322 (II)Activate in a PTX-dependent manner Gi proteins; peptide II inhibits high affinity agonist binding to the receptor and its coupling to Gi protein[63, 64]

Prostacyclin receptor (ICL1)SARRPARPSAFAV39-51Selectively stimulates Gs proteins and the basal activity of AC[65, 66]

Insulin receptor (tyrosine kinase region)N-stearyl-TRDIYETDYYRK1142-1153Increases insulin- and vanadate-stimulated phosphorylation of IR; significantly enhances insulin-induced stimulation of PI3K and MAPK activities[67]

Insulin receptor (C-terminal region)N-stearyl-SSHCQREEAGGRDGG1293-1307Enhances insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation; increases insulin-stimulated PI3K and MAPK activities[68]

EGF receptor (N-terminal region of the juxtamembrane domain)RRREIVRKRTLRR646-658Activates Gs proteins, influences activity of Gi proteins[69]

NPR-C (cytoplasmic domain)KKYRITIERRNH461-472;
RRNHQEESNIGK469-480;
RRNHQEESNIGKHRELR469-485;
HRELREDSIRSH481-492 and their analogs
Inhibit the basal, forskolin- and hormone-stimulated AC activity; selectively increase GTP binding activity of Gi1 and Gi2 proteins; stimulate PLCβ3 activity; inhibit hormone-stimulated DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells; induce smooth muscle contraction[7072]

NPR-C (extreme C-terminal region of the cytoplasmic domain)GKHRELREDSIRSHFSVA479-496Inhibits ANP(4–23)-induced Gi protein activation and cellular responses acting as a competitive inhibitor of ANP(4–23)-mediated signaling[71]

IKENLKDCGLF340-350Stabilizes the active state of opsin and meta-II-rhodopsin and meta-Ib-rhodopsin;[7376]

RVFNDARDIIQRMHLRQYELL374-394 and its short analogsInhibit transduction of hormonal signal via Gs-coupled receptors[77]

(Switch I and II regions, resp.)RCRVLTSGIFETKFQVDK199-216; FDVGGQRDERRKWIQ-CFNDVTAIIFV222-247Increase the basal and forskolin-stimulated AC2 and AC6 activities; inhibit Gα s-stimulated activity of both AC isoforms; behave as partial agonist[78]

(α3-β5 region)EALNLFKSIWNNRWL-RTIS268-286Inhibits the basal and forskolin-stimulated activities of AC2 and AC6; significantly decreases the Gα s-stimulated enzyme activity[78]

AC1 (C1b subdomain)IKPAKRMKFKTVCYLLVQLMHCRKMF-KA495-522 (pAC28, C1b)Binds CaM with high affinity in a Ca2+-independent manner; inhibits CaM-stimulated AC activity with IC50 equal to 500 nM[79, 80]
AC1 (C2a subdomain)TEEVHRLLRRGS-YRFVCRGKV1024-1044 (pVLG, C2a)Binds CaM with low affinity in a Ca2+-dependent manner; inhibits CaM-stimulated AC activity with IC50 is 10  M[80]

AC2 (C2 domain)YTESDVNKEGLECLRLLNEIIADFD-DLL899-926 (α2, I);
SKPKFSGVEKIKTIGSTYMAAT927-948 (β2-β3, II);
DAINKHSFNDFKLRVGINHGPVIA-GVIGAQK984-1015 (α3-β4, III)
All peptides inhibit G - and forskolin-stimulated activities of AC2 and AC6; peptides I and III inhibit the basal AC activity; peptide I decreases Mn2+-stimulated activity[81]

AC6 (C1 domain)AAENHCLRIKILGDCYYC427-444 (α2-β2-β3, I); IHSGRVHCGVLGLRKWQFDVWSN-DV487-511 (β4-β5-α4, II)Both peptides inhibit G - and forskolin-stimulated AC activities; peptide II inhibits the basal activity of both AC2 and AC6[81]

PLCβ1bN-Myristoyl-TPPNPQALKW1164-1173 (I);
GEGSSSVLSESCHEDPSVPPNFTPP-NPQALKW1142-1173 (II)
Both peptides dissociate the enzyme from membrane and inhibit PLC stimulation by hormones; peptide II prevents cardiomyocytes hypertrophy[82, 83]

PLCβ3QEENTQL1161-1167Significantly inhibits intracellular calcium response to selective agonists of mGluR[84]

PLCγGLYRKAMRLRYPV724-736, and its N-myristoylated analogsSpecifically inhibit PLC activity and PLC-dependent cellular processes[85]

PLCδ1 (IQ-peptide)VRSQVQHKPKEDKLKLVPELS473-493Inhibits PLC activity; binds CaM in Ca2+-independent manner[86]

PLCδ1N-Myristoyl-TIPWNSLKQGYRHVHLL747-763Inhibits FSH-induced Ca2+ influx[87]

Regulatory p85-subunit of PI3K (C-terminal region of N-terminal SH2 domain)WNVGSSNRNKAENLLRGKR11-29Exhibits binding specificity and affinity for PI 3,4,5-P3 and inhibits PI 3,4,5-P3-binding to the p85 subunit[88]

PKCζ (pseudosubstrate region)N-Myristoyl-SIYRRGARRWRKL114-126Inhibits PKCζ activity; stimulates Akt, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and eNOS activity[89]

PKCη (pseudosubstrate region)N-Myristoyl-RKRQRAMRRRVHQING156-171Inhibits PKCη activity; stimulates eNOS phosphorylation[89]