Profiling of p5, a 24 Amino Acid Inhibitory Peptide Derived from the CDK5 Activator, p35 CDKR1 Against 70 Protein Kinases

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that regulates a large number of neuronal processes essential for nervous system development and function with its activator p35 CDK5R1. Upon neuronal insults, p35 is proteolyzed and cleaved to p25 producing deregulation and hyperactivation of CDK5 (CDK5/p25), implicated in tau hyperphosphorylation, a pathology in some neurodegenerative diseases. A truncated, 24 amino acid peptide, p5, derived from p35 inhibits the deregulated CDK5 phosphotransferase activity and ameliorates Alzheimer's disease (AD) phenotypes in AD model mice. In the present study, we have screened a diverse panel of 70 human protein kinases for their sensitivities to p5, and a subset of these to p35. At least 16 of the tested protein kinases exhibited IC50 values that were 250 μM or less, with CAMK4, ZAP70, SGK1, and PIM1 showing greater sensitivity to inhibition by p5 than CDK5/p35 and CDK5/p25. In contrast, the p5 peptide modestly activated LKB1 and GSK3β. A sub set of kinases screened against p35 showed that activity of CAMK4 in the absence of calcium and calmodulin was also markedly inhibited by p35. The Cyclin Y-dependent kinases PFTK1 (CDK14) and PCTK1 (CDK16) were activated by p35 at least 10-fold in the absence of Cyclin Y and by approximately 50 in its presence. These findings provide additional insights into the mechanisms of action for p5 and p35 in the regulation of protein phosphorylation in the nervous system.