Unveiling the Hidden: Dissecting Liraglutide Oligomerization Dual Pathways via Direct Mass Technology, Electron-Capture Dissociation, and Molecular Dynamics.

ABSTRACT: Peptide therapeutics have revolutionized drug design strategies, yet the inherent structural flexibility and conjugated moieties of drug molecules present challenges in discovery, rational design, and manufacturing. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist conjugated with palmitic acid at its lysine residue, exemplifies these challenges by forming oligomers, which may compromise efficacy through progressive formation of aggregates. Here, we incorporate native mass spectrometry platforms including electron-capture dissociation (ECD), direct mass technology (DMT), and molecular dynamics (MD) to capture the early oligomerization process of liraglutide. Our findings reveal a restricted C-terminal region upon oligomer formation, as indicated by the reduced release of z-ions in ECD analysis.

SUBMITTER: Kuo ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11908122 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature