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Iljina M, Hong L, Horrocks MH, Ludtmann MH, Choi ML, Hughes CD, Ruggeri FS, Guilliams T, Buell AK, Lee JE, Gandhi S, Lee SF, Bryant CE, Vendruscolo M, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, De Genst E, Klenerman D. Nanobodies raised against monomeric ɑ-synuclein inhibit fibril formation and destabilize toxic oligomeric species. BMC Biol 2017; 15:57. [PMID: 28673288 PMCID: PMC5496350 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-017-0390-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aggregation of the protein ɑ-synuclein (ɑS) underlies a range of increasingly common neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease. One widely explored therapeutic strategy for these conditions is the use of antibodies to target aggregated ɑS, although a detailed molecular-level mechanism of the action of such species remains elusive. Here, we characterize ɑS aggregation in vitro in the presence of two ɑS-specific single-domain antibodies (nanobodies), NbSyn2 and NbSyn87, which bind to the highly accessible C-terminal region of ɑS. Results We show that both nanobodies inhibit the formation of ɑS fibrils. Furthermore, using single-molecule fluorescence techniques, we demonstrate that nanobody binding promotes a rapid conformational conversion from more stable oligomers to less stable oligomers of ɑS, leading to a dramatic reduction in oligomer-induced cellular toxicity. Conclusions The results indicate a novel mechanism by which diseases associated with protein aggregation can be inhibited, and suggest that NbSyn2 and NbSyn87 could have significant therapeutic potential. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-017-0390-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Iljina
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Liu Hong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.,Zhou Pei-Yuan Center for Applied Mathematics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Mathew H Horrocks
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.,Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Marthe H Ludtmann
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Minee L Choi
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Craig D Hughes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Francesco S Ruggeri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Tim Guilliams
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.,Present address: Healx Ltd., St John's Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.,Present address: Institute of Physical Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Sonia Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Steven F Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Clare E Bryant
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Erwin De Genst
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK. .,Present address: Astra Zeneca, Innovative Medicines Discovery Sciences Unit 310, Darwin Building, Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, UK.
| | - David Klenerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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