Design and evaluation of a novel peptide-EV complex for targeted Alzheimer's disease therapy.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that involves the formation of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates, and the development of targeted therapeutic strategies is needed. In the current work, we report the rational design of H102-CP05, a 22-residue chimeric peptide that integrates the β-sheet breaker peptide H102 with the CD63-targeting anchor CP05 to enable extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated delivery of an Aβ-inhibitory payload. Computational analysis confirmed favorable physicochemical properties and a non-allergenic profile. In silico immunogenicity assessment and C-IMMSIM simulation demonstrated a low risk of anti-drug antibody formation under chronic dosing conditions. Homology modelling and HADDOCK docking (score: -147.2 ± 4.6) predicted a computationally favourable CD63 binding configuration, while 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations confirmed structural stability in both aqueous and EV-mimetic lipid bilayer environments. In vitro cytotoxicity against HEK-293 cells revealed no significant toxicity (10-100 µM). Zebrafish embryo studies indicated acceptable developmental safety at lower concentrations, with concentration-dependent bradycardia observed at higher doses warranting further cardiovascular evaluation. Thioflavin T fluorescence assays demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of Aβ fibrillation, with near-complete suppression at 100 µM. These findings collectively support H102-CP05 as a promising EV-displayed therapeutic candidate for AD.