Rationally Designed Peptides and Peptoids as Inhibitors of Amyloid-β (Aβ) Aggregation

Abstract

Peptide and peptoid are two types of peptidomimetics can be used as drugs for diseases. One of the main hallmarks in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is Aβ aggregation. Due to the natural affinity between peptide and Aβ proteins, peptide therapeutics are found out to be suitable for the disease, as they are almost nontoxic, possess good biocompatibility and are structurally changeable. This review mainly focuses on peptide and peptoid as inhibitors targeting Aβ protein, elaborating on their design strategies and some of their inhibitory effects, providing diverse potential compounds for the treatment of AD. The involved peptide inhibitors are classified into three major categories based on their structural features: inhibitors based on the natural Aβ sequence, inhibitors based on non-natural Aβ sequences, and inhibitors conjugated with small molecule compounds. To facilitate understanding of the development process of each type of inhibitor, we have expounded on each major category in terms of chronological order, specialty and importance. It also summarized the challenges and design strategies faced by peptide inhibitors in targeting Aβ aggregation. This review provides a valuable resource for researchers in the field of synthetic peptide and their biomedical applications, offering structural insights into the design of new peptide for better diagnosis and therapeutic applications.