Phage Display Selected Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of Kallikrein-Related Peptidases 5 and 7 and Their In Vivo Delivery to the Skin

Kallikrein-related peptidases 5 (KLK5) and 7 (KLK7) are serine proteases with homeostatic functions in the epidermis that play a critical role in Netherton syndrome (NS), a rare yet life-threatening genetic disorder that currently lacks specific treatment. Previous research suggests that controlling KLKs could lead to the development of NS therapies, but existing synthetic inhibitors have limitations. Herein, we used phage display to screen libraries comprising more than 100 billion different cyclic peptides and found selective, high-affinity inhibitors of KLK5 (K_i = 2.2 ± 0.1 nM) and KLK7 (K_i = 16 ± 4 nM). By eliminating protease-prone sites and conjugating the inhibitors to an albumin-binding peptide, we enhanced the inhibitor stability and prolonged the elimination half-life to around 5 h in mice. In tissue sections taken from mice, a fluorescently labeled peptide was detected in the epidermis, suggesting that the inhibitors can reach the KLKs upon systemic delivery and should be suited to control deregulated protease activity in NS.