Abstract
Possibilities for controlling the release of pharmaceuticals from liposomal drug delivery systems can enhance their efficacy and reduce their side effects. Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) can be tailored to promote liposomal release when conjugated to lipid head groups using thiol-maleimide chemistry. However, the rapid oxidation of thiols hampers the optimization of such conjugation-dependent release strategies. Here, we demonstrate a de novo designed MAP modified with an enzyme-labile Cys-protection group (phenylacetamidomethyl (Phacm)) that prevents oxidation and facilitates in situ peptide lipidation. Before deprotection, the peptide lacks a defined secondary structure and does not interact with maleimide-functionalized vesicles. After deprotection of Cys using penicillin G acylase (PGA), the peptide adopts an α-helical conformation and triggers rapid release of vesicle content. Both the peptide and PGA concentrations significantly influence the conjugation process and, consequently, the release kinetics. At a PGA concentration of 5 μM the conjugation and release kinetics closely mirror those of fully reduced, unprotected peptides. We anticipate that these findings will enable further refinement of MAP conjugation and release processes, facilitating the development of sophisticated bioresponsive MAP-based liposomal drug delivery systems.