Cell Press, Chemistry and Biology, 2(21), p. 284-294, 2014
DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.11.014
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Disrupting the binding interaction between proprotein convertase (PCSK9) and the epidermal growth factor-like domain A (EGF-A domain) in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) is a promising strategy to promote LDL-R recycling and thereby lower circulating cholesterol levels. In this study, truncated 26 amino acid EGF-A analogs were designed and synthesized, and their structures were analyzed in solution and in complex with PCSK9. The most potent peptide had an increased binding affinity for PCSK9 (KD = 0.6 μM) compared with wild-type EGF-A (KD = 1.2 μM), and the ability to increase LDL-R recycling in the presence of PCSK9 in a cell-based assay.