The N Terminus of α-Synuclein Forms CuII-Bridged Oligomers

Computational investigation of copper-mediated conformational changes in α-synuclein dimer

We report molecular dynamics simulation of dimers of α-synuclein, the peptide closely associated with onset of Parkinson's disease, both as metal-free dimer and with inter-chain bridging provided by Cu(II) ions. Our investigation reveals that the presence of copper-induced inter-chain bridging not only stabilizes α-synuclein dimers, but also leads to enhanced β-sheet formation at critical regions within the N-terminal and NAC regions of the protein. These contacts are larger and longer-lived in the presence of copper, and as a result each peptide chain is more extended and less flexible than in the metal-free dimer. The persistence of these inter-peptide contacts underscores their significance in stabilising the dimers, potentially influencing the aggregation pathway. Moreover, the increased flexibility in the two termini, as well as the absence of persistent contacts in the metal-free dimer, correlates with the presence of amorphous aggregates. This phenomenon is known to mitigate fibrillation, while their absence in the metal-bound dimer suggests an increased propensity to form fibrils in the presence of copper ions.

Bioinorganic Chemistry of Micronutrients Related to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases

Metal ions are fundamental to guarantee the regular physiological activity of the human organism. Similarly, vitamins play a key role in many biological functions of the metabolism, among which are coenzymes, redox mediators, and antioxidants. Due to their importance in the human organism, both metals and vitamins have been extensively studied for their involvement in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). However, the full potential of the interaction between vitamins and metal ions has not been fully explored by researchers yet, and further investigation on this topic is needed. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the scientific literature on the implications of vitamins and selected metal ions in two of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, vitamin-metal ion interactions are discussed in detail focusing on their bioinorganic chemistry, with the perspective of arousing more interest in this fascinating bioinorganic field.

How Cu(II) binding affects structure and dynamics of α-synuclein revealed by molecular dynamics simulations

We report accelerated molecular dynamics simulations of α-Synuclein and its complex with two Cu(II) ions bound to experimentally determined binding sites. Adding two Cu(II) ions, one bound to the N-terminal region and one to the C-terminus, decreases size and flexibility of the peptide while introducing significant new contacts within and between N-terminus and non-Aβ component (NAC). Cu(II) ions also alter the pattern of secondary structure within the peptide, inducing more and longer-lasting elements of secondary structure such as β-strands and hairpins. Free energy surfaces, obtained from reweighting the accelerated molecular dynamics boost potential, further demonstrate the restriction on size and flexibility that results from binding of copper ions.

Crossroads between copper ions and amyloid formation in Parkinson's disease

Copper (Cu) ion dys-homeostasis and α-synclein amyloid deposits are two hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, I will discuss the connections between these features, with a major focus on the role of Cu in the α-synuclein (aS) amyloid formation process. The structurally disordered aS monomer can bind to both redox states of Cu (i.e., oxidized Cu(II) and reduced Cu(I)) with high affinity in vitro. Notably, the presence of Cu(II) (in absence of aS N-terminal acetylation) and Cu(I) (when in complex with the copper chaperone Atox1) modulate aS assembly into β-structured amyloids in opposite directions in vitro. Albeit the link to biological relevance is not fully unraveled, existing observations clearly emphasize the need for more knowledge on this interplay and its consequences to eventually combat destructive reactions that promote PD.

Ternary Cu2+ Complexes of Human Serum Albumin and Glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine

Human serum albumin (HSA) and the growth factor glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine (GHK) bind Cu2+ as part of their normal functions. GHK is found at its highest concentration in the albumin-rich fraction of plasma, leading to speculation that HSA and GHK form a ternary Cu2+ complex. Although preliminary evidence was presented 40 years ago, the structure and stability of such a complex have remained elusive. Here, we show that two ternary Cu(GHK)NImHSA complexes are formed between GHK and the imino nitrogen (NIm) of His side chains of HSA. We identified His3 as one site of ternary complex formation (conditional binding constant cKCu(GHK)NImHis3Cu(GHK) = 2900 M-1 at pH 7.4), with the second site (cKCu(GHK)NImHisXCu(GHK) = 1700 M-1) likely being supplied by either His128 or His510. Together with the established role of HSA as a molecular shuttle in the blood, these complexes may aid the transport of the exchangeable Cu2+ pool and the functional form of GHK.

Ternary Cu(II) Complex with GHK Peptide and Cis-Urocanic Acid as a Potential Physiologically Functional Copper Chelate

The tripeptide NH₂–Gly–His–Lys–COOH (GHK), cis-urocanic acid (cis-UCA) and Cu(II) ions are physiological constituents of the human body and they co-occur (e.g., in the skin and the plasma). While GHK is known as Cu(II)-binding molecule, we found that urocanic acid also coordinates Cu(II) ions. Furthermore, both ligands create ternary Cu(II) complex being probably physiologically functional species. Regarding the natural concentrations of the studied molecules in some human tissues, together with the affinities reported here, we conclude that the ternary complex [GHK][Cu(II)][cis-urocanic acid] may be partly responsible for biological effects of GHK and urocanic acid described in the literature.

Cu and Zn coordination to amyloid peptides: From fascinating chemistry to debated pathological relevance

Several diseases share misfolding of different peptides and proteins as a key feature for their development. This is the case of important neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and type II diabetes mellitus. Even more, metal ions such as copper and zinc might play an important role upon interaction with amyloidogenic peptides and proteins, which could impact their aggregation and toxicity abilities. In this review, the different coordination modes proposed for copper and zinc with amyloid-β, α-synuclein and IAPP will be reviewed as well as their impact on the aggregation, and ROS production in the case of copper. In addition, a special focus will be given to the mutations that affect metal binding and lead to familial cases of the diseases. Different modifications of the peptides that have been observed in vivo and could be relevant for the coordination of metal ions are also described.

Chemical Synthesis and Characterization of an Equinatoxin II(1-85) Analogue

The chemical synthesis of an 85 residue analogue of the pore-forming protein, Equinatoxin II (EqtII), was achieved. Peptide precursors with over 40 residues were assembled by solid phase synthesis. The EqtII(1-46) fragment was modified to the reactive C-terminal thioester and native chemical ligation was performed with the A47C mutated EqtII(47-85) peptide to form the EqtII(1-85) analogue. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the N-terminal domain of EqtII(1-46) and EqtII(1-85) maintains predominantly an α-helical structure in solution and also in the presence of lipid micelles. This demonstrates the feasibility of assembling the full 179 residue protein EqtII via chemical means. Site-specific isotopic labels could be incorporated for structural studies in membranes by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Amyloid-β and α-Synuclein Decrease the Level of Metal-Catalyzed Reactive Oxygen Species by Radical Scavenging and Redox Silencing

The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Here we have investigated the effect of soluble and aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) and α-synuclein (αS), associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, respectively, on the Cu²⁺-catalyzed formation of ROS in vitro in the presence of a biological reductant. We find that the levels of ROS, and the rate by which ROS is generated, are significantly reduced when Cu²⁺ is bound to Aβ or αS, particularly when they are in their oligomeric or fibrillar forms. This effect is attributed to a combination of radical scavenging and redox silencing mechanisms. Our findings suggest that the increase in ROS associated with the accumulation of aggregated Aβ or αS does not result from a particularly ROS-active form of these peptides, but rather from either a local increase of Cu²⁺ and other ROS-active metal ions in the aggregates or as a downstream consequence of the formation of the pathological amyloid structures.

Inhibition effects of tanshinone on the aggregation of α-synuclein

Bioactive tanshinone compounds inhibit the aggregation of α-synuclein and extend the life span of aC. elegansmodel of Parkinson's disease.

Copper at synapse: Release, binding and modulation of neurotransmission

Over the last decade, a piece of the research studying copper role in biological systems was devoted to unravelling a still elusive, but extremely intriguing, aspect that is the involvement of copper in synaptic function. These studies were prompted to provide a rationale to the finding that copper is released in the synaptic cleft upon depolarization. The copper pump ATP7A, which mutations are responsible for diseases with a prominent neurodegenerative component, seems to play a pivotal role in the release of copper at synapses. Furthermore, it was found that, when in the synaptic cleft, copper can control, directly or indirectly, the activity of the neurotransmitter receptors (NMDA, AMPA, GABA, P2X receptors), thus affecting excitability. In turn, neurotransmission can affect copper trafficking and delivery in neuronal cells. Furthermore, it was reported that copper can also modulate synaptic vesicles trafficking and the interaction between proteins of the secretory pathways. Interestingly, proteins with a still unclear role in neuronal system though associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (the amyloid precursor protein, APP, the prion protein, PrP, α-synuclein, α-syn) show copper-binding domains. They may act as copper buffer at synapses and participate in the interplay between copper and the neurotransmitters receptors. Given that copper dysmetabolism occurs in several diseases affecting central and peripheral nervous system, the findings on the contribution of copper in synaptic transmission, beside its more consolidate role as a neuronal enzymes cofactor, may open new insights for therapy interventions.

Copper(ii) complexes of macrocyclic and open-chain pseudopeptidic ligands: synthesis, characterization and interaction with dicarboxylates

Cu(ii) complexes of pseudopeptides interact with very similar dicarboxylates of biological interest (malate and aspartate) affording strikingly different outcomes.