1
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Sun X, Ferguson JA, Yang K, Stanfield RL, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Mispacking of the F87 sidechain drives aggregation-promoting conformational fluctuations in the subunit interfaces of the transthyretin tetramer. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5101. [PMID: 39149996 PMCID: PMC11327909 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Aberrant formation and deposition of human transthyretin (TTR) aggregates causes transthyretin amyloidosis. To initialize aggregation, transthyretin tetramers must first dissociate into monomers that partially unfold to promote entry into the aggregation pathway. The native TTR tetramer (T) is stabilized by docking of the F87 sidechain into an interfacial cavity enclosed by several hydrophobic residues including A120. We have previously shown that an alternative tetramer (T*) with mispacked F87 sidechains is more prone to dissociation and aggregation than the native T state. However, the molecular basis for the reduced stability in T* remains unclear. Here we report characterization of the A120L mutant, where steric hindrance is introduced into the F87 binding site. The x-ray structure of A120L shows that the F87 sidechain is displaced from its docking site across the subunit interface. In A120S, a naturally occurring pathogenic mutant that is less aggregation-prone than A120L, the F87 sidechain is correctly docked, as in the native TTR tetramer. Nevertheless, 19F-NMR aggregation assays show an elevated population of a monomeric aggregation intermediate in A120S relative to a control containing the native A120, due to accelerated tetramer dissociation and slowed monomer tetramerization. The mispacking of the F87 sidechain is associated with enhanced exchange dynamics for interfacial residues. At 298 K, the T* populations of various naturally occurring mutants fall between 4% and 7% (ΔG ~ 1.5-1.9 kcal/mol), consistent with the free energy change expected for undocking and solvent exposure of one of the four F87 sidechains in the tetramer (ΔG ~ 1.6 kcal/mol). Our data provide a molecular-level picture of the likely universal F87 sidechain mispacking in tetrameric TTR that promotes interfacial conformational dynamics and increases aggregation propensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - James A. Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ke Yang
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Robyn L. Stanfield
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - H. Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Peter E. Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
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2
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Navratna V, Kumar A, Rana JK, Mosalaganti S. Structure of the human heparan-α-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT). eLife 2024; 13:RP93510. [PMID: 39196614 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Degradation of heparan sulfate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) comprised of repeating units of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid, begins in the cytosol and is completed in the lysosomes. Acetylation of the terminal non-reducing amino group of α-D-glucosamine of HS is essential for its complete breakdown into monosaccharides and free sulfate. Heparan-α-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT), a resident of the lysosomal membrane, catalyzes this essential acetylation reaction by accepting and transferring the acetyl group from cytosolic acetyl-CoA to terminal α-D-glucosamine of HS in the lysosomal lumen. Mutation-induced dysfunction in HGSNAT causes abnormal accumulation of HS within the lysosomes and leads to an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder called mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC (MPS IIIC). There are no approved drugs or treatment strategies to cure or manage the symptoms of, MPS IIIC. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine a high-resolution structure of the HGSNAT-acetyl-CoA complex, the first step in the HGSNAT-catalyzed acetyltransferase reaction. In addition, we map the known MPS IIIC mutations onto the structure and elucidate the molecular basis for mutation-induced HGSNAT dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Navratna
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Arvind Kumar
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, United States
| | - Jaimin K Rana
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Shyamal Mosalaganti
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
- Department of Biophysics, College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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3
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Jäger M, Kelly JW, Gruebele M. Conservation of kinetic stability, but not the unfolding mechanism, between human transthyretin and a transthyretin-related enzyme. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315007121. [PMID: 39133861 PMCID: PMC11348317 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315007121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Kinetic stability is thought to be an attribute of proteins that require a long lifetime, such as the transporter of thyroxine and holo retinol-binding protein or transthyretin (TTR) functioning in the bloodstream, cerebrospinal fluid, and vitreous humor. TTR evolved from ancestral enzymes known as TTR-related proteins (TRPs). Here, we develop a rate-expansion approach that allows unfolding rates to be measured directly at low denaturant concentration, revealing that kinetic stability exists in the Escherichia coli TRP (EcTRP), even though the enzyme structure is more energetically frustrated and has a more mutation-sensitive folding mechanism than human TTR. Thus, the ancient tetrameric enzyme may already have been poised to mutate into a kinetically stable human transporter. An extensive mutational study that exchanges residues at key sites within the TTR and EcTRP dimer-dimer interface shows that tyrosine 111, replaced by a threonine in TTR, is the gatekeeper of frustration in EcTRP because it is critical for function. Frustration, virtually absent in TTR, occurs at multiple sites in EcTRP and even cooperatively for certain pairs of mutations. We present evidence that evolution at the C terminus of TTR was a compensatory event to maintain the preexisting kinetic stability while reducing frustration and sensitivity to mutation. We propose an "overcompensation" pathway from EcTRPs to functional hybrids to modern TTRs that is consistent with the biophysics discussed here. An alternative plausible pathway is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Jäger
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA92037
| | | | - Martin Gruebele
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL61801
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL61801
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4
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Leach BI, Ferguson JA, Morgan G, Sun X, Kroon G, Oyen D, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Conformational Dynamics of an Amyloidogenic Intermediate of Transthyretin: Implications for Structural Remodeling and Amyloid Formation. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168673. [PMID: 38909653 PMCID: PMC11410348 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation pathway of transthyretin (TTR) proceeds through rate-limiting dissociation of the tetramer (a dimer of dimers) and partial misfolding of the resulting monomer, which assembles into amyloid structures through a downhill polymerization mechanism. The structural features of the aggregation-prone monomeric intermediate are poorly understood. NMR relaxation dispersion offers a unique opportunity to characterize amyloidogenic intermediates when they exchange on favorable timescales with NMR-visible ground states. Here we use NMR to characterize the structure and conformational dynamics of the monomeric F87E mutant of human TTR. Chemical shifts derived from analysis of multinuclear relaxation dispersion data provide insights into the structure of a low-lying excited state that exchanges with the ground state of the F87E monomer at a rate of 3800 s-1. Disruption of the subunit interfaces of the TTR tetramer leads to destabilization of edge strands in both β-sheets of the F87E monomer. Conformational fluctuations are propagated through the entire hydrogen bonding network of the DAGH β-sheet, from the inner β-strand H, which forms the strong dimer-dimer interface in the TTR tetramer, to outer strand D which is unfolded in TTR fibrils. Fluctuations are also propagated from the AB loop in the weak dimer-dimer interface to the EF helix, which undergoes structural remodeling in fibrils. The conformational fluctuations in both regions are enhanced at acidic pH where amyloid formation is most favorable. The relaxation dispersion data provide insights into the conformational dynamics of the amyloidogenic state of monomeric TTR that predispose it for structural remodeling and progression to amyloid fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin I Leach
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - James A Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gareth Morgan
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gerard Kroon
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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5
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Lantz C, Rider RL, Yun SD, Laganowsky A, Russell DH. Water Plays Key Roles in Stabilities of Wild Type and Mutant Transthyretin Complexes. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:1854-1864. [PMID: 39057193 PMCID: PMC11311534 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR), a 56 kDa homotetramer that is involved in the transport of thyroxine and retinol, has been linked to amyloidosis through disassembly of tetramers to form monomers, dimers, and trimers that then reassemble into higher order oligomers and/or fibrils. Hybrid TTR (hTTR) tetramers are found in heterozygous individuals that express both wild type TTR (wt-TTR) and mutant TTR (mTTR) forms of the protein, and these states display increased rates of amyloidosis. Here we monitor subunit exchange (SUE) reactions involving homomeric and mixed tetramers using high resolution native mass spectrometry (nMS). Our results show evidence that differences in TTR primary structure alter tetramer stabilities, and hTTR products can form spontaneously by SUE reactions. In addition, we find that solution temperature has strong effects on TTR tetramer stabilities and formation of SUE products. Lower temperatures promote formation of hTTR tetramers containing L55P and V30M subunits, whereas small effects on the formation of hTTR tetramers containing F87A and T119M subunits are observed. We hypothesize that the observed temperature dependent stabilities and subsequent SUE behavior are a result of perturbations to the network of "two kinds of water": hydrating and structure stabilizing water molecules (Spyrakis et al. J. Med. Chem. 2017, 60 (16), 6781-6827; Xu et al. Soft Matter 2012, 8, 324-336) that stabilize wt-TTR and mTTR tetramers. The results presented in this work illustrate the utility of high resolution nMS for studies of the structures, stabilities, and dynamics of protein complexes that directly influence SUE reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carter Lantz
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Robert L. Rider
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Sangho D. Yun
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Arthur Laganowsky
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - David H. Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
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6
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Martins LDA, Ferreira PS, Leitão Dos Santos OA, Martins LO, Cabral Fernandes Barroso LG, Pereira HM, Waddington-Cruz M, Palhano FL, Foguel D. Structural and thermodynamic characterization of a highly amyloidogenic dimer of transthyretin involved in a severe cardiomyopathy. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107495. [PMID: 38925327 PMCID: PMC11293521 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an homotetrameric protein involved in the transport of thyroxine. More than 150 different mutations have been described in the TTR gene, several of them associated with familial amyloid cardiomyopathy. Recently, our group described a new variant of TTR in Brazil, namely A39D-TTR, which causes a severe cardiac condition. Position 39 is in the AB loop, a region of the protein that is located within the thyroxine-binding channels and is involved in tetramer formation. In the present study, we solved the structure and characterize the thermodynamic stability of this new variant of TTR using urea and high hydrostatic pressure. Interestingly, during the process of purification, A39D-TTR turned out to be a dimer and not a tetramer, a variation that might be explained by the close contact of the four aspartic acids at position 39, where they face each other inside the thyroxine channel. In the presence of subdenaturing concentrations of urea, bis-ANS binding and dynamic light scattering revealed A39D-TTR in the form of a molten-globule dimer. Co-expression of A39D and WT isoforms in the same bacterial cell did not produce heterodimers or heterotetramers, suggesting that somehow a negative charge at the AB loop precludes tetramer formation. A39D-TTR proved to be highly amyloidogenic, even at mildly acidic pH values where WT-TTR does not aggregate. Interestingly, despite being a dimer, aggregation of A39D-TTR was inhibited by diclofenac, which binds to the thyroxine channel in the tetramer, suggesting the existence of other pockets in A39D-TTR able to accommodate this molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas do Amaral Martins
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Priscila S Ferreira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Leticia Oliveira Martins
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Humberto M Pereira
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Márcia Waddington-Cruz
- Centro de Estudos de Paramiloidose Antônio Rodrigues de Mello, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando Lucas Palhano
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Debora Foguel
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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7
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Navratna V, Kumar A, Rana JK, Mosalaganti S. Structure of the human heparan-α-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.23.563672. [PMID: 37961489 PMCID: PMC10634761 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.563672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Degradation of heparan sulfate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) comprised of repeating units of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid, begins in the cytosol and is completed in the lysosomes. Acetylation of the terminal non-reducing amino group of a-D-glucosamine of HS is essential for its complete breakdown into monosaccharides and free sulfate. Heparan-a-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT), a resident of the lysosomal membrane, catalyzes this essential acetylation reaction by accepting and transferring the acetyl group from cytosolic acetyl-CoA to terminal a-D-glucosamine of HS in the lysosomal lumen. Mutation-induced dysfunction in HGSNAT causes abnormal accumulation of HS within the lysosomes and leads to an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder called mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC (MPS IIIC). There are no approved drugs or treatment strategies to cure or manage the symptoms of, MPS IIIC. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine a high-resolution structure of the HGSNAT-acetyl-CoA complex, the first step in HGSNAT catalyzed acetyltransferase reaction. In addition, we map the known MPS IIIC mutations onto the structure and elucidate the molecular basis for mutation-induced HGSNAT dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Navratna
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
| | - Arvind Kumar
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02451, United States
| | - Jaimin K. Rana
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
| | - Shyamal Mosalaganti
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Department of Biophysics, College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
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8
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Almeida ZL, Vaz DC, Brito RMM. Transthyretin mutagenesis: impact on amyloidogenesis and disease. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2024:1-25. [PMID: 38850014 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2024.2350379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR), a homotetrameric protein found in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and the eye, plays a pivotal role in the onset of several amyloid diseases with high morbidity and mortality. Protein aggregation and fibril formation by wild-type TTR and its natural more amyloidogenic variants are hallmarks of ATTRwt and ATTRv amyloidosis, respectively. The formation of soluble amyloid aggregates and the accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils and deposits in multiple tissues can lead to organ dysfunction and cell death. The most frequent manifestations of ATTR are polyneuropathies and cardiomyopathies. However, clinical manifestations such as carpal tunnel syndrome, leptomeningeal, and ocular amyloidosis, among several others may also occur. This review provides an up-to-date listing of all single amino-acid mutations in TTR known to date. Of approximately 220 single-point mutations, 93% are considered pathogenic. Aspartic acid is the residue mutated with the highest frequency, whereas tryptophan is highly conserved. "Hot spot" mutation regions are mainly assigned to β-strands B, C, and D. This manuscript also reviews the protein aggregation models that have been proposed for TTR amyloid fibril formation and the transient conformational states that convert native TTR into aggregation-prone molecular species. Finally, it compiles the various in vitro TTR aggregation protocols currently in use for research and drug development purposes. In short, this article reviews and discusses TTR mutagenesis and amyloidogenesis, and their implications in disease onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaida L Almeida
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Daniela C Vaz
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal
- LSRE-LCM - Leiria, Portugal & ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui M M Brito
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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9
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Poonsiri T, Dell’Accantera D, Loconte V, Casnati A, Cervoni L, Arcovito A, Benini S, Ferrari A, Cipolloni M, Cacioni E, De Franco F, Giacchè N, Rinaldo S, Folli C, Sansone F, Berni R, Cianci M. 3-O-Methyltolcapone and Its Lipophilic Analogues Are Potent Inhibitors of Transthyretin Amyloidogenesis with High Permeability and Low Toxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:479. [PMID: 38203650 PMCID: PMC10779086 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an amyloidogenic homotetramer involved in the transport of thyroxine in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. To date, more than 130 TTR point mutations are known to destabilise the TTR tetramer, leading to its extracellular pathological aggregation accumulating in several organs, such as heart, peripheral and autonomic nerves, and leptomeninges. Tolcapone is an FDA-approved drug for Parkinson's disease that has been repurposed as a TTR stabiliser. We characterised 3-O-methyltolcapone and two newly synthesized lipophilic analogues, which are expected to be protected from the metabolic glucuronidation that is responsible for the lability of tolcapone in the organism. Immunoblotting assays indicated the high degree of TTR stabilisation, coupled with binding selectivity towards TTR in diluted plasma of 3-O-methyltolcapone and its lipophilic analogues. Furthermore, in vitro toxicity data showed their several-fold improved neuronal and hepatic safety compared to tolcapone. Calorimetric and structural data showed that both T4 binding sites of TTR are occupied by 3-O-methyltolcapone and its lipophilic analogs, consistent with an effective TTR tetramer stabilisation. Moreover, in vitro permeability studies showed that the three compounds can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier, which is a prerequisite for the inhibition of TTR amyloidogenesis in the cerebrospinal fluid. Our data demonstrate the relevance of 3-O-methyltolcapone and its lipophilic analogs as potent inhibitors of TTR amyloidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanalai Poonsiri
- Bioorganic Chemistry and Bio-Crystallography Laboratory (B2Cl), Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (T.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Davide Dell’Accantera
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/a, 43124 Parma, Italy; (D.D.); (A.C.); (F.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Valentina Loconte
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alessandro Casnati
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/a, 43124 Parma, Italy; (D.D.); (A.C.); (F.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Laura Cervoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (L.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Alessandro Arcovito
- Department of Biotechnological Sciences and Intensive Care, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli—IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Benini
- Bioorganic Chemistry and Bio-Crystallography Laboratory (B2Cl), Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (T.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Alberto Ferrari
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; (A.F.); (C.F.)
| | - Marco Cipolloni
- TES Pharma S.r.l., Via P. Togliatti 20, Corciano, 06073 Perugia, Italy; (M.C.); (E.C.); (F.D.F.); (N.G.)
| | - Elisa Cacioni
- TES Pharma S.r.l., Via P. Togliatti 20, Corciano, 06073 Perugia, Italy; (M.C.); (E.C.); (F.D.F.); (N.G.)
| | - Francesca De Franco
- TES Pharma S.r.l., Via P. Togliatti 20, Corciano, 06073 Perugia, Italy; (M.C.); (E.C.); (F.D.F.); (N.G.)
| | - Nicola Giacchè
- TES Pharma S.r.l., Via P. Togliatti 20, Corciano, 06073 Perugia, Italy; (M.C.); (E.C.); (F.D.F.); (N.G.)
| | - Serena Rinaldo
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (L.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Claudia Folli
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; (A.F.); (C.F.)
| | - Francesco Sansone
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/a, 43124 Parma, Italy; (D.D.); (A.C.); (F.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Rodolfo Berni
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/a, 43124 Parma, Italy; (D.D.); (A.C.); (F.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Michele Cianci
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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10
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Inada Y, Ono Y, Okazaki K, Yamashita T, Kawaguchi T, Kawano S, Kobashigawa Y, Shinya S, Kojima C, Shuto T, Kai H, Morioka H, Sato T. Hydrogen bonds connecting the N-terminal region and the DE loop stabilize the monomeric structure of transthyretin. J Biochem 2023; 174:355-370. [PMID: 37400978 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a homo-tetrameric serum protein associated with sporadic and hereditary systemic amyloidosis. TTR amyloid formation proceeds by the dissociation of the TTR tetramer and the subsequent partial unfolding of the TTR monomer into an aggregation-prone conformation. Although TTR kinetic stabilizers suppress tetramer dissociation, a strategy for stabilizing monomers has not yet been developed. Here, we show that an N-terminal C10S mutation increases the thermodynamic stability of the TTR monomer by forming new hydrogen bond networks through the side chain hydroxyl group of Ser10. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that the Ser10 hydroxyl group forms hydrogen bonds with the main chain amide group of either Gly57 or Thr59 on the DE loop. These hydrogen bonds prevent the dissociation of edge strands in the DAGH and CBEF β-sheets during the unfolding of the TTR monomer by stabilizing the interaction between β-strands A and D and the quasi-helical structure in the DE loop. We propose that introducing hydrogen bonds to connect the N-terminal region to the DE loop reduces the amyloidogenic potential of TTR by stabilizing the monomer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Inada
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Ono
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Kyo Okazaki
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Takuma Yamashita
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Kawaguchi
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Shingo Kawano
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kobashigawa
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Shoko Shinya
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Chojiro Kojima
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Shuto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Kai
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Morioka
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Takashi Sato
- Department of Analytical and Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
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11
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Wang Y, Huang C, Liou G, Hsueh H, Liang C, Tseng H, Huang S, Chao C, Hsieh S, Tzeng S. A molecular basis for tetramer destabilization and aggregation of transthyretin Ala97Ser. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4610. [PMID: 36851846 PMCID: PMC10037696 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloidosis (ATTR) is a syndrome of diseases characterized by the extracellular deposition of fibrillar materials containing TTR variants. Ala97Ser (A97S) is the major mutation reported in Taiwanese ATTR patients. Here, we combine atomic resolution structural information together with the biochemical data to demonstrate that substitution of polar Ser for a small hydrophobic side chain of Ala at residue 97 of TTR largely influences the local packing density of the FG-loop, thus leading to the conformational instability of native tetramer, the increased monomeric species, and thus the enhanced amyloidogenicity of apo-A97S. Based on calorimetric studies, the tetramer destabilization of A97S can be substantially altered by interacting with native stabilizers via similarly energetic patterns compared to that of wild-type (WT) TTR; however, stabilizer binding partially rearranges the networks of hydrogen bonding in TTR variants while FG-loops of tetrameric A97S still remain relatively flexible. Moreover, TTR in complexed with holo-retinol binding protein 4 is slightly influenced by the structural and dynamic changes of FG-loop caused by A97S substitution with an approximately five-fold difference in binding affinity. Collectively, our findings suggest that the amyloidogenic A97S mutation destabilizes TTR by increasing the flexibility of the FG-loop in the monomer, thus modulating the rate of amyloid fibrillization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi‐Shiang Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCollege of Medicine, National Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chun‐Hsiang Huang
- Protein diffraction group, Experimental instrumentation divisionNational Synchrotron Radiation Research CenterHsinchuTaiwan
| | - Gunn‐Guang Liou
- Office of Research and Development, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hsueh‐Wen Hsueh
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chi‐Ting Liang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCollege of Medicine, National Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hsi‐Ching Tseng
- Instrumentation CenterNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | | | - Chi‐Chao Chao
- Department of NeurologyNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Sung‐Tsang Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind SciencesTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical MedicineTaipeiTaiwan
- Center of Precision MedicineNational Taiwan University College of MedicineTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Shiou‐Ru Tzeng
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCollege of Medicine, National Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
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12
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Begum A, Zhang J, Derbyshire D, Wu X, Konradsson P, Hammarström P, von Castelmur E. Transthyretin Binding Mode Dichotomy of Fluorescent trans-Stilbene Ligands. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:820-828. [PMID: 36780206 PMCID: PMC9982997 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The orientations of ligands bound to the transthyretin (TTR) thyroxine (T4) binding site are difficult to predict. Conflicting binding modes of resveratrol have been reported. We previously reported two resveratrol based trans-stilbene fluorescent ligands, (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-1-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (SB-11) and (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-2-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (SB-14), that bind native and misfolded protofibrillar TTR. The binding orientations of these two analogous ligands to native tetrameric TTR were predicted to be opposite. Herein we report the crystal structures of these TTR:ligand complexes. Opposite binding modes were verified but were different than predicted. The reverse binding mode (SB-14) placing the naphthalene moiety toward the opening of the binding pocket renders the fluorescent ligand pH sensitive due to changes in Lys15 amine protonation. Conversely, the forward binding mode (SB-11) placing the naphthalene inward mediates a stabilizing conformational change, allowing intersubunit H-bonding between Ser117 of different monomers across the dimer interface. Our structures of TTR complexes answer important questions in ligand design and interpretation of trans-stilbene binding modes to the TTR T4 binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshan Begum
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jun Zhang
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Dean Derbyshire
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Xiongyu Wu
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Konradsson
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Hammarström
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Eleonore von Castelmur
- Linköping University, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
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13
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Lee SB, Yu J, Kim H, Kim KW, Jeong JW, Kim YL, Park SJ, Koo TS, Lee C, Hong KB, Choi S. Novel Strategy To Inhibit Transthyretin Amyloidosis via the Synergetic Effect of Chemoselective Acylation and Noncovalent Inhibitor Release. J Med Chem 2023; 66:2893-2903. [PMID: 36749109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Strategies for developing targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs), which have the advantages of a prolonged duration of action and selectivity toward a drug target, have attracted great interest in drug discovery. Herein, we report chemoselective covalent inhibitors that specifically target lysine ε-amine groups that conjugate with an endogenous protein to prevent disease-causing protein misfolding and aggregation. These TCIs are unique because the benzoyl group is preferentially conjugated to Lys15 at the top of the T4 binding site within transthyretin (TTR) while simultaneously releasing a potent noncovalent TTR kinetic stabilizer. The potency of these covalent inhibitors is superior to tafamidis, the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of hereditary TTR amyloidosis. In addition to investigations into the covalent modification of TTR via reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, direct methods are performed to confirm and visualize the presumed covalent interaction via mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok Beom Lee
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeni Yu
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Kun Woo Kim
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Woo Jeong
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Lan Kim
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Jean Park
- College of Pharmacy and Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Sung Koo
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwook Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Bum Hong
- New Drug Development Center (NDDC), Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwook Choi
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon 34134, Republic of Korea
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14
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Zhou S, Zou H, Wang Y, Lo GV, Yuan S. Atomic Mechanisms of Transthyretin Tetramer Dissociation Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6667-6678. [PMID: 35993568 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The dissociation of the transthyretin (TTR) tetramer into a monomer is closely related to various TTR amyloidoses in humans. While the tetramer dissociation has been reported to be the rate-limiting step for TTR aggregation, few details are known about the mechanism. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed by combining conventional MD and biased metadynamics to investigate the mechanism for the wild-type (WT) and mutant (T119M) structures. Both were found to have a great deal in common. Conventional MD simulations reveal that interfacial hydrophobic interactions contribute significantly to stabilize the tetramer. Interfacial residues including L17, V20, L110, and V121 with close contacts form a hydrophobic channel. Metadynamics simulations indicate that the mouth opening of the hydrophobic channel is the first and the most difficult step for dissociation. Interactions of V20 between opposing dimers lock four monomers into the tetramer, and disruption of the interactions is found to be involved in the final step. During the dissociation, an increasing extent of solvation was observed by calculating the radial distribution functions of water around interfacial hydrophobic residues, suggesting that water plays a role in driving the tetramer dissociation. Moreover, compared to T119, residue M119 has a longer side chain that extends into the hydrophobic channel, making solvation more difficult, consistent with a higher energy barrier for dissociation of the T119M tetramer. This result provides a good explanation for the protective role of the T119M mutation. Overall, this study can provide atomic-level insights to better understand the pathogenesis of TTR amyloidosis and guide rational drug design in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangyan Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory on Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
| | - Huizhen Zou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory on Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory on Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
| | - Glenn V Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Nicholls State University, P.O. Box 2022, Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310, United States
| | - Shuai Yuan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory on Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
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15
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Pinheiro F, Pallarès I, Peccati F, Sánchez-Morales A, Varejão N, Bezerra F, Ortega-Alarcon D, Gonzalez D, Osorio M, Navarro S, Velázquez-Campoy A, Almeida MR, Reverter D, Busqué F, Alibés R, Sodupe M, Ventura S. Development of a Highly Potent Transthyretin Amyloidogenesis Inhibitor: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation. J Med Chem 2022; 65:14673-14691. [PMID: 36306808 PMCID: PMC9661476 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Transthyretin amyloidosis
(ATTR) is a group of fatal diseases described
by the misfolding and amyloid deposition of transthyretin (TTR). Discovering
small molecules that bind and stabilize the TTR tetramer, preventing
its dissociation and subsequent aggregation, is a therapeutic strategy
for these pathologies. Departing from the crystal structure of TTR
in complex with tolcapone, a potent binder in clinical trials for
ATTR, we combined rational design and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
to generate a series of novel halogenated kinetic stabilizers. Among
them, M-23 displays one of the highest affinities for
TTR described so far. The TTR/M-23 crystal structure
confirmed the formation of unprecedented protein–ligand contacts,
as predicted by MD simulations, leading to an enhanced tetramer stability
both in vitro and in whole serum. We demonstrate
that MD-assisted design of TTR ligands constitutes a new avenue for
discovering molecules that, like M-23, hold the potential
to become highly potent drugs to treat ATTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Pinheiro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Irantzu Pallarès
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Francesca Peccati
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Adrià Sánchez-Morales
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Nathalia Varejão
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Filipa Bezerra
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S−Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC−Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS−Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - David Ortega-Alarcon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Institute for Biocomputation eand Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Joint Unit GBsC-CSIC-BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragon Institute for Health Research, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Danilo Gonzalez
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Marcelo Osorio
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Adrián Velázquez-Campoy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Institute for Biocomputation eand Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Joint Unit GBsC-CSIC-BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragon Institute for Health Research, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Rosário Almeida
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S−Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC−Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS−Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - David Reverter
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Félix Busqué
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Ramon Alibés
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Mariona Sodupe
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
- ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, E-08010 Barcelona, Spain
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16
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Sanguinetti C, Minniti M, Susini V, Caponi L, Panichella G, Castiglione V, Aimo A, Emdin M, Vergaro G, Franzini M. The Journey of Human Transthyretin: Synthesis, Structure Stability, and Catabolism. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081906. [PMID: 36009453 PMCID: PMC9405911 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetrameric protein mainly synthesised by the liver and the choroid plexus whose function is to carry the thyroid hormone thyroxine and the retinol-binding protein bound to retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. When the stability of the tetrameric structure is lost, it breaks down, paving the way for the aggregation of TTR monomers into insoluble fibrils leading to transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis, a progressive disorder mainly affecting the heart and nervous system. Several TTR gene mutations have been characterised as destabilisers of TTR structure and are associated with hereditary forms of ATTR amyloidosis. The reason why also the wild-type TTR is intrinsically amyloidogenic in some subjects is largely unknown. The aim of the review is to give an overview of the TTR biological life cycle which is largely unknown. For this purpose, the current knowledge on TTR physiological metabolism, from its synthesis to its catabolism, is described. Furthermore, a large section of the review is dedicated to examining in depth the role of mutations and physiological ligands on the stability of TTR tetramers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sanguinetti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marianna Minniti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Susini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Caponi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giorgia Panichella
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Castiglione
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alberto Aimo
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Emdin
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vergaro
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Franzini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
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17
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Mohankumar A, Kalaiselvi D, Thiruppathi G, Muthusaravanan S, Vijayakumar S, Suresh R, Tawata S, Sundararaj P. Santalol Isomers Inhibit Transthyretin Amyloidogenesis and Associated Pathologies in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:924862. [PMID: 35784752 PMCID: PMC9243336 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.924862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetrameric protein found in human serum and is implicated in fatal inherited amyloidoses. Destabilization of native TTR confirmation resulting from mutation, environmental changes, and aging causes polymerization and amyloid fibril formation. Although several small molecules have been reported to stabilize the native state and inhibit TTR aggregation, prolonged use can cause serious side effects. Therefore, pharmacologically enhancing the degradation of TTR aggregates and kinetically stabilizing the native tetrameric structure with bioactive molecule(s) could be a viable therapeutic strategy to hinder the advancement of TTR amyloidoses. In this context, here we demonstrated α- and β-santalol, natural sesquiterpenes from sandalwood, as a potent TTR aggregation inhibitor and native state stabilizer using combined in vitro, in silico, and in vivo experiments. We found that α- and β-santalol synergize to reduce wild-type (WT) and Val30Met (V30M) mutant TTR aggregates in novel C. elegans strains expressing TTR fragments fused with a green fluorescent protein in body wall muscle cells. α- and β-Santalol extend the lifespan and healthspan of C. elegans strains carrying TTRWT::EGFP and TTRV30M::EGFP transgene by activating the SKN-1/Nrf2, autophagy, and proteasome. Moreover, α- and β-santalol directly interacted with TTR and reduced the flexibility of the thyroxine-binding cavity and homotetramer interface, which in turn increases stability and prevents the dissociation of the TTR tetramer. These data indicate that α- and β-santalol are the strong natural therapeutic intervention against TTR-associated amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirthalingam Mohankumar
- PAK Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
- *Correspondence: Amirthalingam Mohankumar, ; Shinkichi Tawata, ; Palanisamy Sundararaj,
| | - Duraisamy Kalaiselvi
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Environmentally Friendly Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
| | | | | | | | - Rahul Suresh
- International Research Center of Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemistry—IRC SQC, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Shinkichi Tawata
- PAK Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
- *Correspondence: Amirthalingam Mohankumar, ; Shinkichi Tawata, ; Palanisamy Sundararaj,
| | - Palanisamy Sundararaj
- Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
- *Correspondence: Amirthalingam Mohankumar, ; Shinkichi Tawata, ; Palanisamy Sundararaj,
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18
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Iakovleva I, Hall M, Oelker M, Sandblad L, Anan I, Sauer-Eriksson AE. Structural basis for transthyretin amyloid formation in vitreous body of the eye. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7141. [PMID: 34880242 PMCID: PMC8654999 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27481-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ATTR fibrils in multiple organs. However, the structure of ATTR fibrils from the eye is poorly understood. Here, we used cryo-EM to structurally characterize vitreous body ATTR fibrils. These structures were distinct from previously characterized heart fibrils, even though both have the same mutation and type A pathology. Differences were observed at several structural levels: in both the number and arrangement of protofilaments, and the conformation of the protein fibril in each layer of protofilaments. Thus, our results show that ATTR protein structure and its assembly into protofilaments in the type A fibrils can vary between patients carrying the same mutation. By analyzing and matching the interfaces between the amino acids in the ATTR fibril with those in the natively folded TTR, we are able to propose a mechanism for the structural conversion of TTR into a fibrillar form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Iakovleva
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Michael Hall
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Melanie Oelker
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Linda Sandblad
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Intissar Anan
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden ,grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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19
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Wieczorek E, Bezara P, Ożyhar A. Deep blue autofluorescence reveals the instability of human transthyretin. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 191:492-499. [PMID: 34562536 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Wild-type human transthyretin (TTR) is a tetrameric protein that transports thyroxine and retinol in the blood and brain. However, a number of mutations or aging leads to destabilization of the quaternary structure of TTR, which results in dissociation of TTR tetramers to monomers, followed by oligomerization and subsequent amyloid formation. TTR amyloid is a pathogenic factor underlying several diseases. It has recently been documented that destabilization of the structure of TTR is driven by Ca2+. The present work shows that the in vitro redox conditions contribute to the destabilization and formation of the highly unstable substoichiometric population(s) of TTR molecules. Importantly, destabilized TTR forms acquire the ability to emit fluorescence in the blue range of the light spectrum. Dithiothreitol (DTT), in the presence of Ca2+, enhances the formation of complex autofluorophore which displays maxima at 417 nm and 438 nm in the emission spectrum of TTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Wieczorek
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Patrycja Bezara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Ożyhar
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
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20
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Yang X, Ou W, Zhao S, Wang L, Chen J, Kusko R, Hong H, Liu H. Human transthyretin binding affinity of halogenated thiophenols and halogenated phenols: An in vitro and in silico study. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 280:130627. [PMID: 33964751 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Serious harmful effects have been reported for thiophenols, which are widely used industrial materials. To date, little information is available on whether such chemicals can elicit endocrine-related detrimental effects. Herein the potential binding affinity and underlying mechanism of action between human transthyretin (hTTR) and seven halogenated-thiophenols were examined experimentally and computationally. Experimental results indicated that the halogenated-thiophenols, except for pentafluorothiophenol, were powerful hTTR binders. The differentiated hTTR binding affinity of halogenated-thiophenols and halogenated-phenols were observed. The hTTR binding affinity of mono- and di-halo-thiophenols was higher than that of corresponding phenols; while the opposite relationship was observed for tri- and penta-halo-thiophenols and phenols. Our results also confirmed that the binding interactions were influenced by the degree of ligand dissociation. Molecular modeling results implied that the dominant noncovalent interactions in the molecular recognition processes between hTTR and halogenated-thiophenols were ionic pair, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Finally, a model with acceptable predictive ability was developed, which can be used to computationally predict the potential hTTR binding affinity of other halogenated-thiophenols and phenols. Taken together, our results highlighted that more research is needed to determine their potential endocrine-related harmful effects and appropriate management actions should be taken to promote their sustainable use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianhai Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China.
| | - Wang Ou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Songshan Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Lianjun Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Rebeca Kusko
- Immuneering Corporation, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Toxicological Research US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Huihui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China.
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21
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Wieczorek E, Ożyhar A. Transthyretin: From Structural Stability to Osteoarticular and Cardiovascular Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:1768. [PMID: 34359938 PMCID: PMC8307983 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a tetrameric protein transporting hormones in the plasma and brain, which has many other activities that have not been fully acknowledged. TTR is a positive indicator of nutrition status and is negatively correlated with inflammation. TTR is a neuroprotective and oxidative-stress-suppressing factor. The TTR structure is destabilized by mutations, oxidative modifications, aging, proteolysis, and metal cations, including Ca2+. Destabilized TTR molecules form amyloid deposits, resulting in senile and familial amyloidopathies. This review links structural stability of TTR with the environmental factors, particularly oxidative stress and Ca2+, and the processes involved in the pathogenesis of TTR-related diseases. The roles of TTR in biomineralization, calcification, and osteoarticular and cardiovascular diseases are broadly discussed. The association of TTR-related diseases and vascular and ligament tissue calcification with TTR levels and TTR structure is presented. It is indicated that unaggregated TTR and TTR amyloid are bound by vicious cycles, and that TTR may have an as yet undetermined role(s) at the crossroads of calcification, blood coagulation, and immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Wieczorek
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland;
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22
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Methods to study the structure of misfolded protein states in systemic amyloidosis. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:977-985. [PMID: 33929491 DOI: 10.1042/bst20201022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Systemic amyloidosis is defined as a protein misfolding disease in which the amyloid is not necessarily deposited within the same organ that produces the fibril precursor protein. There are different types of systemic amyloidosis, depending on the protein constructing the fibrils. This review will focus on recent advances made in the understanding of the structural basis of three major forms of systemic amyloidosis: systemic AA, AL and ATTR amyloidosis. The three diseases arise from the misfolding of serum amyloid A protein, immunoglobulin light chains or transthyretin. The presented advances in understanding were enabled by recent progress in the methodology available to study amyloid structures and protein misfolding, in particular concerning cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. An important observation made with these techniques is that the structures of previously described in vitro formed amyloid fibrils did not correlate with the structures of amyloid fibrils extracted from diseased tissue, and that in vitro fibrils were typically more protease sensitive. It is thus possible that ex vivo fibrils were selected in vivo by their proteolytic stability.
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23
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Transthyretin Misfolding, A Fatal Structural Pathogenesis Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094429. [PMID: 33922648 PMCID: PMC8122960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an essential transporter of a thyroid hormone and a holo-retinol binding protein, found abundantly in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, this protein is infamous for its amyloidogenic propensity, causing various amyloidoses in humans, such as senile systemic amyloidosis, familial amyloid polyneuropathy, and familial amyloid cardiomyopathy. It has been known for over two decades that decreased stability of the native tetrameric conformation of TTR is the main cause of these diseases. Yet, mechanistic details on the amyloidogenic transformation of TTR were not clear until recent multidisciplinary investigations on various structural states of TTR. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in the structural understanding of TTR misfolding and amyloidosis processes. Special emphasis has been laid on the observations of novel structural features in various amyloidogenic species of TTR. In addition, proteolysis-induced fragmentation of TTR, a recently proposed mechanism facilitating TTR amyloidosis, has been discussed in light of its structural consequences and relevance to acknowledge the amyloidogenicity of TTR.
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24
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Wasana Jayaweera S, Surano S, Pettersson N, Oskarsson E, Lettius L, Gharibyan AL, Anan I, Olofsson A. Mechanisms of Transthyretin Inhibition of IAPP Amyloid Formation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11030411. [PMID: 33802170 PMCID: PMC8001701 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-formation by the islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), produced by the β-cells in the human pancreas, has been associated with the development of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The human plasma-protein transthyretin (TTR), a well-known amyloid-inhibiting protein, is interestingly also expressed within the IAPP producing β-cells. In the present study, we have characterized the ability of TTR to interfere with IAPP amyloid-formation, both in terms of its intrinsic stability as well as with regard to the effect of TTR-stabilizing drugs. The results show that TTR can prolong the lag-phase as well as impair elongation in the course of IAPP-amyloid formation. We also show that the interfering ability correlates inversely with the thermodynamic stability of TTR, while no such correlation was observed as a function of kinetic stability. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the ability of TTR to interfere is maintained also at the low pH environment within the IAPP-containing granules of the pancreatic β-cells. However, at both neutral and low pH, the addition of TTR-stabilizing drugs partly impaired its efficacy. Taken together, these results expose mechanisms of TTR-mediated inhibition of IAPP amyloid-formation and highlights a potential therapeutic target to prevent the onset of T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanduni Wasana Jayaweera
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Solmaz Surano
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Nina Pettersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Elvira Oskarsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Lovisa Lettius
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Anna L. Gharibyan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
| | - Intissar Anan
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Anders Olofsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (S.W.J.); (S.S.); (N.P.); (E.O.); (L.L.); (A.L.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-70-354-3301
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25
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A serine protease secreted from Bacillus subtilis cleaves human plasma transthyretin to generate an amyloidogenic fragment. Commun Biol 2020; 3:764. [PMID: 33311636 PMCID: PMC7733459 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01493-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of human wild-type transthyretin (hTTR), a homo-tetrameric plasma protein, leads to acquired senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA), recently recognised as a major cause of cardiomyopathies in 1-3% older adults. Fragmented hTTR is the standard composition of amyloid deposits in SSA, but the protease(s) responsible for amyloidogenic fragments generation in vivo is(are) still elusive. Here, we show that subtilisin secreted from Bacillus subtilis, a gut microbiota commensal bacterium, translocates across a simulated intestinal epithelium and cleaves hTTR both in solution and human plasma, generating the amyloidogenic fragment hTTR(59-127), which is also found in SSA amyloids in vivo. To the best of our knowledge, these findings highlight a novel pathogenic mechanism for SSA whereby increased permeability of the gut mucosa, as often occurs in elderly people, allows subtilisin (and perhaps other yet unidentified bacterial proteases) to reach the bloodstream and trigger generation of hTTR fragments, acting as seeding nuclei for preferential amyloid fibrils deposition in the heart.
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26
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Kusaka K, Yokoyama T, Yamada T, Yano N, Tanaka I, Mizuguchi M. Neutron diffraction experiment with the Y116S variant of transthyretin using iBIX at J-PARC: application of a new integration method. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 76:1050-1056. [PMID: 33135676 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798320012498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is one of more than 30 amyloidogenic proteins, and the amyloid fibrils found in patients afflicted with ATTR amyloidosis are composed of this protein. Wild-type TTR amyloids accumulate in the heart in senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA). ATTR amyloidosis occurs at a much younger age than SSA, and the affected individuals carry a TTR mutant. The naturally occurring amyloidogenic Y116S TTR variant forms more amyloid fibrils than wild-type TTR. Thus, the Y116S mutation reduces the stability of the TTR structure. A neutron diffraction experiment on Y116S TTR was performed to elucidate the mechanism of the changes in structural stability between Y116S variant and wild-type TTR through structural comparison. Large crystals of the Y116S variant were grown under optimal crystallization conditions, and a single 2.4 mm3 crystal was ultimately obtained. This crystal was subjected to time-of-flight (TOF) neutron diffraction using the IBARAKI biological crystal diffractometer (iBIX) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, Tokai, Japan (J-PARC). A full data set for neutron structure analysis was obtained in 14 days at an operational accelerator power of 500 kW. A new integration method was developed and showed improved data statistics; the new method was applied to the reduction of the TOF diffraction data from the Y116S variant. Data reduction was completed and the integrated intensities of the Bragg reflections were obtained at 1.9 Å resolution for structure refinement. Moreover, X-ray diffraction data at 1.4 Å resolution were obtained for joint neutron-X-ray refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiro Kusaka
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, Ibaraki University, 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yokoyama
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Taro Yamada
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, Ibaraki University, 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Naomine Yano
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, Ibaraki University, 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Ichiro Tanaka
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, Ibaraki University, 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Mineyuki Mizuguchi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
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27
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Destabilisation of the structure of transthyretin is driven by Ca 2. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 166:409-423. [PMID: 33129902 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.10.199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Tetrameric transthyretin (TTR) transports thyroid hormones and retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and performs protective functions under stress conditions. Ageing and mutations result in TTR destabilisation and the formation of the amyloid deposits that dysregulate Ca2+ homeostasis. Our aim was to determine whether Ca2+ affects the structural stability of TTR. We show, using multiple techniques, that Ca2+ does not induce prevalent TTR dissociation and/or oligomerisation. However, in the presence of Ca2+, TTR exhibits altered conformational flexibility and different interactions with the solvent molecules. These structural changes lead to the formation of the sub-populations of non-native TTR conformers and to the destabilisation of the structure of TTR. Moreover, the sub-population of TTR molecules undergoes fragmentation that is augmented by Ca2+. We postulate that Ca2+ constitutes the structural and functional switch between the native and non-native forms of TTR, and therefore tip the balance towards age-dependent pathological calcification.
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28
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Childers MC, Daggett V. Edge Strand Dissociation and Conformational Changes in Transthyretin under Amyloidogenic Conditions. Biophys J 2020; 119:1995-2009. [PMID: 33091379 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
During amyloidogenesis, proteins undergo conformational changes that allow them to aggregate and assemble into insoluble, fibrillar structures. Soluble oligomers that form during this process typically contain 2-24 monomeric subunits and are cytotoxic. Before the formation of these soluble oligomers, monomeric species first adopt aggregation-competent conformations. Knowledge of the structures of these intermediate states is invaluable to the development of molecular strategies to arrest pathological amyloid aggregation. However, the highly dynamic and interconverting nature of amyloidogenic species limits biophysical characterization of their structures during amyloidogenesis. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to probe conformations sampled by monomeric transthyretin under amyloidogenic conditions. We show that certain β-strands in transthyretin tend to unfold and sample nonnative conformations and that the edge strands in one β-sheet (the DAGH sheet) are particularly susceptible to conformational changes in the monomeric state. We also find that changes in the tertiary structure of transthyretin can be associated with disruptions to the secondary structure. We evaluated the conformations produced by molecular dynamics by calculating how well molecular-dynamics-derived structures reproduced NMR-derived interatomic distances. Finally, we leverage our computational results to produce experimentally testable hypotheses that may aid experimental explorations of pathological conformations of transthyretin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Childers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Valerie Daggett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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29
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McCabe JW, Mallis CS, Kocurek KI, Poltash ML, Shirzadeh M, Hebert MJ, Fan L, Walker TE, Zheng X, Jiang T, Dong S, Lin CW, Laganowsky A, Russell DH. First-Principles Collision Cross Section Measurements of Large Proteins and Protein Complexes. Anal Chem 2020; 92:11155-11163. [PMID: 32662991 PMCID: PMC7967297 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rotationally averaged collision cross section (CCS) values for a series of proteins and protein complexes ranging in size from 8.6 to 810 kDa are reported. The CCSs were obtained using a native electrospray ionization drift tube ion mobility-Orbitrap mass spectrometer specifically designed to enhance sensitivity while having high-resolution ion mobility and mass capabilities. Periodic focusing (PF)-drift tube (DT)-ion mobility (IM) provides first-principles determination of the CCS of large biomolecules that can then be used as CCS calibrants. The experimental, first-principles CCS values are compared to previously reported experimentally determined and computationally calculated CCS using projected superposition approximation (PSA), the Ion Mobility Projection Approximation Calculation Tool (IMPACT), and Collidoscope. Experimental CCS values are generally in agreement with previously reported CCSs, with values falling within ∼5.5%. In addition, an ion mobility resolution (CCS centroid divided by CCS fwhm) of ∼60 is obtained for pyruvate kinase (MW ∼ 233 kDa); however, ion mobility resolution for bovine serum albumin (MW ∼ 68 kDa) is less than ∼20, which arises from sample impurities and underscores the importance of sample quality. The high resolution afforded by the ion mobility-Orbitrap mass analyzer provides new opportunities to understand the intricate details of protein complexes such as the impact of post-translational modifications (PTMs), stoichiometry, and conformational changes induced by ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob W McCabe
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Christopher S Mallis
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Klaudia I Kocurek
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Michael L Poltash
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Mehdi Shirzadeh
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Michael J Hebert
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Liqi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Thomas E Walker
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xueyun Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Ting Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Shiyu Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Cheng-Wei Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Arthur Laganowsky
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - David H Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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30
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Loconte V, Cianci M, Menozzi I, Sbravati D, Sansone F, Casnati A, Berni R. Interactions of tolcapone analogues as stabilizers of the amyloidogenic protein transthyretin. Bioorg Chem 2020; 103:104144. [PMID: 32791384 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an amyloidogenic homotetramer involved in the transport of thyroxine and retinol in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. TTR stabilizers, such as tolcapone, an FDA approved drug for Parkinson's disease, are able to interact with residues of the thyroxine-binding sites of TTR, both wild type and pathogenic mutant forms, thereby stabilizing its tetrameric native state and inhibiting amyloidogenesis. Herein, we report on the synthesis of 3-deoxytolcapone, a novel stabilizer of TTR. The high-resolution X-ray analyses of the interactions of 3-O-methyltolcapone and 3-deoxytolcapone with TTR were performed. In the two TTR-ligand complexes the tolcapone analogues establish mainly H-bond and hydrophobic interactions with residues of the thyroxine-binding site of the TTR tetramer. Both compounds are capable of high and selective stabilization of TTR in the presence of plasma proteins, despite their markedly different 'forward' and 'reverse' binding mode, respectively. In fact, the loss or the weakening of stabilizing interactions with protein residues of 3-deoxytolcapone in comparison with tolcapone and 3-O-methyltolcapone is compensated by new interactions established at the dimer-dimer interface. Our data, coupled with previously reported data on the pharmacokinetics properties in humans of tolcapone and 3-O-methyltolcapone, further support the relevance of the latter tolcapone analogue as TTR stabilizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Loconte
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210 Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Michele Cianci
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Ilaria Menozzi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Davide Sbravati
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Francesco Sansone
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Casnati
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Berni
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy.
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31
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Dasari AKR, Arreola J, Michael B, Griffin RG, Kelly JW, Lim KH. Disruption of the CD Loop by Enzymatic Cleavage Promotes the Formation of Toxic Transthyretin Oligomers through a Common Transthyretin Misfolding Pathway. Biochemistry 2020; 59:2319-2327. [PMID: 32500705 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid formation of full-length TTR involves dissociation of the native tetramers into misfolded monomers that self-assemble into amyloid. In addition to the full-length TTR, C-terminal fragments including residues 49-127 were also observed in vivo, implying the presence of additional misfolding pathways. It was previously proposed that a proteolytic cleavage might lead to the formation of the C-terminal fragment TTR amyloid. Here, we report mechanistic studies of misfolding and aggregation of a TTR variant (G53A) in the absence and presence of a serine protease. A proteolytic cleavage of G53A in the CD loop (K48 and T49) with agitation promoted TTR misfolding and aggregation, suggesting that the proteolytic cleavage may lead to the aggregation of the C-terminal fragment (residues 49-127). To gain more detailed insights into TTR misfolding promoted by proteolytic cleavage, we investigated structural changes in G53A TTR in the presence and absence of trypsin. Our combined biophysical analyses revealed that the proteolytic cleavage accelerated the formation of spherical small oligomers, which exhibited cytotoxic activities. However, the truncated TTR appeared to maintain native-like structures, rather than the C-terminal fragment (residues 49-127) being released and unfolded from the native state. In addition, our solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared structural studies showed that the two aggregates derived from the full-length and cleaved TTR exhibited nearly identical molecular structural features, suggesting that the proteolytic cleavage in the CD loop destabilizes the native tetrameric structure and accelerates oligomer formation through a common TTR misfolding and aggregation mechanism rather than through a distinct molecular mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Jenette Arreola
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Brian Michael
- Department of Chemistry and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Robert G Griffin
- Department of Chemistry and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jeffery W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
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Shirzadeh M, Poltash ML, Laganowsky A, Russell DH. Structural Analysis of the Effect of a Dual-FLAG Tag on Transthyretin. Biochemistry 2020; 59:1013-1022. [PMID: 32101399 PMCID: PMC7171973 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins have increased our knowledge regarding the physiological role of proteins; however, affinity purification tags are often not cleaved prior to analysis, and their effects on protein structure, stability and assembly are often overlooked. In this study, the stabilizing effects of an N-terminus dual-FLAG (FT2) tag fusion to transthyretin (TTR), a construct used in previous studies, are investigated using native ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS). A combination of collision-induced unfolding and variable-temperature electrospray ionization is used to compare gas- and solution-phase stabilities of FT2-TTR to wild-type and C-terminal tagged TTR. Despite an increased stability of both gas- and solution-phase FT2-TTR, thermal degradation of FT2-TTR was observed at elevated temperatures, viz., backbone cleavage occurring between Lys9 and Cys10. This cleavage reaction is consistent with previously reported metalloprotease activity of TTR [Liz et al. 2009] and is suppressed by either metal chelation or excess zinc. This study brings to the fore the effect of affinity tag stabilization of TTR and emphasizes unprecedented detail afforded by native IM-MS to assess structural discrepancies of recombinant proteins from their wild-type counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Shirzadeh
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Michael L Poltash
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Arthur Laganowsky
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - David H Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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33
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Tola AJ, Leelawatwattana L, Prapunpoj P. The catalytic kinetics of chicken transthyretin towards human Aβ 1-42. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019; 226:108610. [PMID: 31454704 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The novel property of transthyretin (TTR) as a protease has been proposed to be significant. However, the study of TTR proteolysis properties has not been completely elucidated. Herein, we first report the catalytic activity of chicken TTR from plasma determined by using fluorescently labeled amyloid beta 1-42 peptide (Aβ1-42), and compared it with human TTR (human TTR) from plasma and recombinant Crocodylus porosus TTR. The enzyme kinetic study revealed that the affinity for Aβ1-42 of chicken TTR and C. porosus TTR (KM values were 12.72 ± 0.27 μM and 16.21 ± 0.02 μM, respectively) were significantly lower than human TTR (KM was 43.05 ± 0.39 μM). In addition, the catalytic efficiency of chicken TTR (Kcat/KM was 310,386.87 ± 13,627.12 M-1 s-1) was 4.3 and 5.5 folds higher than those of C. porosus TTR and human TTR (Kcat/KM were 72,893.80 ± 355.74 M-1 s-1 and 56,519.12 ± 5009.50 M-1 s-1, respectively), respectively. These results does not only indicated the relationship between structure and the proteolytic activity of TTR, but also suggested a potential development of TTR as a therapeutic anti-Aβ agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adesola Julius Tola
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla 90112, Thailand
| | - Ladda Leelawatwattana
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla 90112, Thailand
| | - Porntip Prapunpoj
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkla 90112, Thailand.
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34
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Loconte V, Menozzi I, Ferrari A, Folli C, Imbimbo BP, Zanotti G, Berni R. Structure-activity relationships of flurbiprofen analogues as stabilizers of the amyloidogenic protein transthyretin. J Struct Biol 2019; 208:165-173. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Computational Assessment of Bacterial Protein Structures Indicates a Selection Against Aggregation. Cells 2019; 8:cells8080856. [PMID: 31398930 PMCID: PMC6721704 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of proteins compromises cell fitness, either because it titrates functional proteins into non-productive inclusions or because it results in the formation of toxic assemblies. Accordingly, computational proteome-wide analyses suggest that prevention of aggregation upon misfolding plays a key role in sequence evolution. Most proteins spend their lifetimes in a folded state; therefore, it is conceivable that, in addition to sequences, protein structures would have also evolved to minimize the risk of aggregation in their natural environments. By exploiting the AGGRESCAN3D structure-based approach to predict the aggregation propensity of >600 Escherichia coli proteins, we show that the structural aggregation propensity of globular proteins is connected with their abundance, length, essentiality, subcellular location and quaternary structure. These data suggest that the avoidance of protein aggregation has contributed to shape the structural properties of proteins in bacterial cells.
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36
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Yee AW, Aldeghi M, Blakeley MP, Ostermann A, Mas PJ, Moulin M, de Sanctis D, Bowler MW, Mueller-Dieckmann C, Mitchell EP, Haertlein M, de Groot BL, Boeri Erba E, Forsyth VT. A molecular mechanism for transthyretin amyloidogenesis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:925. [PMID: 30804345 PMCID: PMC6390107 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08609-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Human transthyretin (TTR) is implicated in several fatal forms of amyloidosis. Many mutations of TTR have been identified; most of these are pathogenic, but some offer protective effects. The molecular basis underlying the vastly different fibrillation behaviours of these TTR mutants is poorly understood. Here, on the basis of neutron crystallography, native mass spectrometry and modelling studies, we propose a mechanism whereby TTR can form amyloid fibrils via a parallel equilibrium of partially unfolded species that proceeds in favour of the amyloidogenic forms of TTR. It is suggested that unfolding events within the TTR monomer originate at the C-D loop of the protein, and that destabilising mutations in this region enhance the rate of TTR fibrillation. Furthermore, it is proposed that the binding of small molecule drugs to TTR stabilises non-amyloidogenic states of TTR in a manner similar to that occurring for the protective mutants of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Woon Yee
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Matteo Aldeghi
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthew P Blakeley
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Andreas Ostermann
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technische Universität München, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Philippe J Mas
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Martine Moulin
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Daniele de Sanctis
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Matthew W Bowler
- EMBL, Grenoble Outstation, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Edward P Mitchell
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Michael Haertlein
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France
| | - Bert L de Groot
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - V Trevor Forsyth
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK.
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Cedex 9, Grenoble, France.
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Dasari AKR, Hughes RM, Wi S, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Lim KH. Transthyretin Aggregation Pathway toward the Formation of Distinct Cytotoxic Oligomers. Sci Rep 2019; 9:33. [PMID: 30631096 PMCID: PMC6328637 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37230-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterization of small oligomers formed at an early stage of amyloid formation is critical to understanding molecular mechanism of pathogenic aggregation process. Here we identified and characterized cytotoxic oligomeric intermediates populated during transthyretin (TTR) aggregation process. Under the amyloid-forming conditions, TTR initially forms a dimer through interactions between outer strands. The dimers are then associated to form a hexamer with a spherical shape, which serves as a building block to self-assemble into cytotoxic oligomers. Notably, wild-type (WT) TTR tends to form linear oligomers, while a TTR variant (G53A) prefers forming annular oligomers with pore-like structures. Structural analyses of the amyloidogenic intermediates using circular dichroism (CD) and solid-state NMR reveal that the dimer and oligomers have a significant degree of native-like β-sheet structures (35–38%), but with more disordered regions (~60%) than those of native TTR. The TTR variant oligomers are also less structured than WT oligomers. The partially folded nature of the oligomeric intermediates might be a common structural property of cytotoxic oligomers. The higher flexibility of the dimer and oligomers may also compensate for the entropic loss due to the oligomerization of the monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Sungsool Wi
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA.
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38
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Zhang J, Grundström C, Brännström K, Iakovleva I, Lindberg M, Olofsson A, Andersson PL, Sauer-Eriksson AE. Interspecies Variation between Fish and Human Transthyretins in Their Binding of Thyroid-Disrupting Chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:11865-11874. [PMID: 30226982 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b03581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid-disrupting chemicals (TDCs) are xenobiotics that can interfere with the endocrine system and cause adverse effects in organisms and their offspring. TDCs affect both the thyroid gland and regulatory enzymes associated with thyroid hormone homeostasis. Transthyretin (TTR) is found in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of vertebrates, where it transports thyroid hormones. Here, we explored the interspecies variation in TDC binding to human and fish TTR (exemplified by Gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata)). The in vitro binding experiments showed that TDCs bind with equal or weaker affinity to seabream TTR than to the human TTR, in particular, the polar TDCs (>500-fold lower affinity). Crystal structures of the seabream TTR-TDC complexes revealed that all TDCs bound at the thyroid binding sites. However, amino acid substitution of Ser117 in human TTR to Thr117 in seabream prevented polar TDCs from binding deep in the hormone binding cavity, which explains their low affinity to seabream TTR. Molecular dynamics and in silico alanine scanning simulation also suggested that the protein backbone of seabream TTR is more rigid than the human one and that Thr117 provides fewer electrostatic contributions than Ser117 to ligand binding. This provides an explanation for the weaker affinities of the ligands that rely on electrostatic interactions with Thr117. The lower affinities of TDCs to fish TTR, in particular the polar ones, could potentially lead to milder thyroid-related effects in fish.
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Leach BI, Zhang X, Kelly JW, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. NMR Measurements Reveal the Structural Basis of Transthyretin Destabilization by Pathogenic Mutations. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4421-4430. [PMID: 29972637 PMCID: PMC6067956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Inherited mutations of transthyretin (TTR) destabilize its structure, leading to aggregation and familial amyloid disease. Although numerous crystal structures of wild-type (WT) and mutant TTRs have been determined, they have failed to yield a comprehensive structural explanation for destabilization by pathogenic mutations. To identify structural and dynamic variations that are not readily observed in the crystal structures, we used NMR to study WT TTR and three kinetically and/or thermodynamically destabilized pathogenic variants (V30M, L55P, and V122I). Sequence-corrected chemical shifts reveal important structural differences between WT and mutant TTR. The L55P mutation linked to aggressive early onset cardiomyopathy and polyneuropathy induces substantial structural perturbations in both the DAGH and CBEF β-sheets, whereas the V30M polyneuropathy-linked substitution perturbs primarily the CBEF sheet. In both variants, the structural perturbations propagate across the entire width of the β-sheets from the site of mutation. Structural changes caused by the V122I cardiomyopathy-associated mutation are restricted to the immediate vicinity of the mutation site, directly perturbing the subunit interfaces. NMR relaxation dispersion measurements show that WT TTR and the three pathogenic variants undergo millisecond time scale conformational fluctuations to populate a common excited state with an altered structure in the subunit interfaces. The excited state is most highly populated in L55P. The combined application of chemical shift analysis and relaxation dispersion to these pathogenic variants reveals differences in ground state structure and in the population of a transient excited state that potentially facilitates tetramer dissociation, providing new insights into the molecular mechanism by which mutations promote TTR amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin I. Leach
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania16802
| | - Jeffery W. Kelly
- Department of Chemistry and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - H. Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Peter E. Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
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40
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Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Transthyretin Association from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:7480749. [PMID: 29967786 PMCID: PMC6008865 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7480749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations are used in this work to probe the structural stability and the dynamics of engineered mutants of transthyretin (TTR), i.e., the double mutant F87M/L110M (MT-TTR) and the triple mutant F87M/L110M/S117E (3M-TTR), in relation to wild-type. Free energy analysis from end-point simulations and statistical effective energy functions are used to analyze trajectories, revealing that mutations do not have major impact on protein structure but rather on protein association, shifting the equilibria towards dissociated species. The result is confirmed by the analysis of 3M-TTR which shows dissociation within the first 10 ns of the simulation, indicating that contacts are lost at the dimer-dimer interface, whereas dimers (formed by monomers which pair to form two extended β-sheets) appear fairly stable. Overall the simulations provide a detailed view of the dynamics and thermodynamics of wild-type and mutant transthyretins and a rationale of the observed effects.
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41
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Zanotti G, Vallese F, Ferrari A, Menozzi I, Saldaño TE, Berto P, Fernandez-Alberti S, Berni R. Structural and dynamics evidence for scaffold asymmetric flexibility of the human transthyretin tetramer. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187716. [PMID: 29240759 PMCID: PMC5730205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular symmetry of multimeric proteins is generally determined by using X-ray diffraction techniques, so that the basic question as to whether this symmetry is perfectly preserved for the same protein in solution remains open. In this work, human transthyretin (TTR), a homotetrameric plasma transport protein with two binding sites for the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), is considered as a case study. Based on the crystal structure of the TTR tetramer, a hypothetical D2 symmetry is inferred for the protein in solution, whose functional behavior reveals the presence of two markedly different Kd values for the two T4 binding sites. The latter property has been ascribed to an as yet uncharacterized negative binding cooperativity. A triple mutant form of human TTR (F87M/L110M/S117E TTR), which is monomeric in solution, crystallizes as a tetrameric protein and its structure has been determined. The exam of this and several other crystal forms of human TTR suggests that the TTR scaffold possesses a significant structural flexibility. In addition, TTR tetramer dynamics simulated using normal modes analysis exposes asymmetric vibrational patterns on both dimers and thermal fluctuations reveal small differences in size and flexibility for ligand cavities at each dimer-dimer interface. Such small structural differences between monomers can lead to significant functional differences on the TTR tetramer dynamics, a feature that may explain the functional heterogeneity of the T4 binding sites, which is partially overshadowed by the crystal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Zanotti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Francesca Vallese
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alberto Ferrari
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ilaria Menozzi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Paola Berto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Rodolfo Berni
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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42
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Sun X, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Fluorotryptophan Incorporation Modulates the Structure and Stability of Transthyretin in a Site-Specific Manner. Biochemistry 2017; 56:5570-5581. [PMID: 28920433 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal deposition of aggregated wild-type (WT) human transthyretin (TTR) and its pathogenic variants is responsible for cardiomyopathy and neuropathy related to TTR amyloidosis. The tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence measurements typically used to study structural changes of TTR do not yield site-specific information on the two Trp residues per TTR protomer. To obtain such information, tryptophan labeled with fluorine at the 5 and 6 positions (5FW and 6FW) was incorporated into TTR. Fluorescence of 5FW and 6FW-labeled WT-TTR (WT-5FW and WT-6FW) and a single-Trp mutant W41Y showed that the photophysics of incorporated fluoro-Trp is consistent with site-specific solvation of the indole ring of W41 and W79. 19F-NMR showed that solvent accessibility depends on both the location of the Trp and the position of the fluorine substituent in the indole ring. Unexpectedly, differences were observed in the rates of aggregation, with WT-6FW aggregating more rapidly than WT-5FW or WT-TTR. Real-time 19F-NMR urea unfolding experiments revealed that WT-5FW is kinetically more stable than WT-6FW, consistent with the aggregation assay. In addition, structural perturbations of residues distant from either Trp site are more extensive in WT-6FW. Notably, residues in the dimer interfaces are perturbed by 6FW at residue 79; pathogenic mutations in these regions are associated with reduced tetramer stability and amyloidogenesis. The differences in behavior that arise from the replacement of a fluorine at the 5-position of a tryptophan with one at the adjacent 6-position emphasize the delicate balance of stability in the TTR tetramer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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43
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Lim KH, Dasari AKR, Ma R, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Fitzgerald MC. Pathogenic Mutations Induce Partial Structural Changes in the Native β-Sheet Structure of Transthyretin and Accelerate Aggregation. Biochemistry 2017; 56:4808-4818. [PMID: 28820582 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid formation of natively folded proteins involves global and/or local unfolding of the native state to form aggregation-prone intermediates. Here we report solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structural studies of amyloid derived from wild-type (WT) and more aggressive mutant forms of transthyretin (TTR) to investigate the structural changes associated with effective TTR aggregation. We employed selective 13C labeling schemes to investigate structural features of β-structured core regions in amyloid states of WT and two mutant forms (V30M and L55P) of TTR. Analyses of the 13C-13C correlation solid-state NMR spectra revealed that WT TTR aggregates contain an amyloid core consisting of nativelike CBEF and DAGH β-sheet structures, and the mutant TTR amyloids adopt a similar amyloid core structure with nativelike CBEF and AGH β-structures. However, the V30M mutant amyloid was shown to have a different DA β-structure. In addition, strand D is more disordered even in the native state of L55P TTR, indicating that the pathogenic mutations affect the DA β-structure, leading to more effective amyloid formation. The NMR results are consistent with our mass spectrometry-based thermodynamic analyses that showed the amyloidogenic precursor states of WT and mutant TTRs adopt folded structures but the mutant precursor states are less stable than that of WT TTR. Analyses of the oxidation rate of the methionine side chain also revealed that the side chain of residue Met-30 pointing between strands D and A is not protected from oxidation in the V30M mutant, while protected in the native state, supporting the possibility that the DA β-structure might be disrupted in the V30M mutant amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Renze Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University , 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0346, United States
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Jeffery W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Michael C Fitzgerald
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University , 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0346, United States
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44
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Saldaño TE, Zanotti G, Parisi G, Fernandez-Alberti S. Evaluating the effect of mutations and ligand binding on transthyretin homotetramer dynamics. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181019. [PMID: 28704493 PMCID: PMC5509292 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Native transthyretin (TTR) homotetramer dissociation is the first step of the fibrils formation process in amyloid disease. A large number of specific point mutations that destabilize TTR quaternary structure have shown pro-amyloidogenic effects. Besides, several compounds have been proposed as drugs in the therapy of TTR amyloidosis due to their TTR tetramer binding affinities, and therefore, contribution to its integrity. In the present paper we have explored key positions sustaining TTR tetramer dynamical stability. We have identified positions whose mutations alter the most the TTR tetramer equilibrium dynamics based on normal mode analysis and their response to local perturbations. We have found that these positions are mostly localized at β-strands E and F and EF-loop. The monomer-monomer interface is pointed out as one of the most vulnerable regions to mutations that lead to significant changes in the TTR-tetramer equilibrium dynamics and, therefore, induces TTR amyloidosis. Besides, we have found that mutations on residues localized at the dimer-dimer interface and/or at the T4 hormone binding site destabilize the tetramer more than the average. Finally, we were able to compare several compounds according to their effect on vibrations associated to the ligand binding. Our ligand comparison is discussed and analyzed in terms of parameters and measurements associated to TTR-ligand binding affinities and the stabilization of its native state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Zanotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Gustavo Parisi
- Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Bernal, Argentina
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45
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Cavity filling mutations at the thyroxine-binding site dramatically increase transthyretin stability and prevent its aggregation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44709. [PMID: 28338000 PMCID: PMC5364509 DOI: 10.1038/srep44709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
More than a hundred different Transthyretin (TTR) mutations are associated with fatal systemic amyloidoses. They destabilize the protein tetrameric structure and promote the extracellular deposition of TTR as pathological amyloid fibrils. So far, only mutations R104H and T119M have been shown to stabilize significantly TTR, acting as disease suppressors. We describe a novel A108V non-pathogenic mutation found in a Portuguese subject. This variant is more stable than wild type TTR both in vitro and in human plasma, a feature that prevents its aggregation. The crystal structure of A108V reveals that this stabilization comes from novel intra and inter subunit contacts involving the thyroxine (T4) binding site. Exploiting this observation, we engineered a A108I mutation that fills the T4 binding cavity, as evidenced in the crystal structure. This synthetic protein becomes one of the most stable TTR variants described so far, with potential application in gene and protein replacement therapies.
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46
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Buxbaum JN, Johansson J. Transthyretin and BRICHOS: The Paradox of Amyloidogenic Proteins with Anti-Amyloidogenic Activity for Aβ in the Central Nervous System. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:119. [PMID: 28360830 PMCID: PMC5350149 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are physiologically insoluble biophysically specific β-sheet rich structures formed by the aggregation of misfolded proteins. In vivo tissue amyloid formation is responsible for more than 30 different disease states in humans and other mammals. One of these, Alzheimer's disease (AD), is the most common form of human dementia for which there is currently no definitive treatment. Amyloid fibril formation by the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is considered to be an underlying cause of AD, and strategies designed to reduce Aβ production and/or its toxic effects are being extensively investigated in both laboratory and clinical settings. Transthyretin (TTR) and proteins containing a BRICHOS domain are etiologically associated with specific amyloid diseases in the CNS and other organs. Nonetheless, it has been observed that TTR and BRICHOS structures are efficient inhibitors of Aβ fibril formation and toxicity in vitro and in vivo, raising the possibility that some amyloidogenic proteins, or their precursors, possess properties that may be harnessed for combating AD and other amyloidoses. Herein, we review properties of TTR and the BRICHOS domain and discuss how their abilities to interfere with amyloid formation may be employed in the development of novel treatments for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel N Buxbaum
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research InstituteLa Jolla, CA, USA; Scintillon InstituteSan Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jan Johansson
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS), Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet Huddinge, Sweden
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47
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Kim JH, Oroz J, Zweckstetter M. Struktur eines monomeren Transthyretin mit der klinisch wichtigen T119M-Mutation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201608516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hae Kim
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
| | - Javier Oroz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
- Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie; Am Fassberg 11 37077 Göttingen Deutschland
- Klinik für Neurologie; Universitätsmedizin Göttingen; Universität Göttingen; Waldweg 33 37073 Göttingen Deutschland
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48
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Kim JH, Oroz J, Zweckstetter M. Structure of Monomeric Transthyretin Carrying the Clinically Important T119M Mutation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:16168-16171. [PMID: 27885756 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201608516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the protein transthyretin can cause as well as protect individuals from transthyretin amyloidosis, an incurable fatal inherited disease. Little is known, however, about the structural basis of pathogenic and clinically protective transthyretin mutants. Here we determined the solution structure of a transthyretin monomer that carries the clinically important T119M mutation. The structure displays a non-native arrangement that is distinct from all known structures of transthyretin and highlights the importance of high-resolution studies in solution for understanding molecular processes that lead to amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hae Kim
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Javier Oroz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.,Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Waldweg 33, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
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49
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Zhang J, Begum A, Brännström K, Grundström C, Iakovleva I, Olofsson A, Sauer-Eriksson AE, Andersson PL. Structure-Based Virtual Screening Protocol for in Silico Identification of Potential Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals Targeting Transthyretin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:11984-11993. [PMID: 27668830 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid disruption by xenobiotics is associated with a broad spectrum of severe adverse outcomes. One possible molecular target of thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals (THDCs) is transthyretin (TTR), a thyroid hormone transporter in vertebrates. To better understand the interactions between TTR and THDCs, we determined the crystallographic structures of human TTR in complex with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (BP2). The molecular interactions between the ligands and TTR were further characterized using molecular dynamics simulations. A structure-based virtual screening (VS) protocol was developed with the intention of providing an efficient tool for the discovery of novel TTR-binders from the Tox21 inventory. Among the 192 predicted binders, 12 representatives were selected, and their TTR binding affinities were studied with isothermal titration calorimetry, of which seven compounds had binding affinities between 0.26 and 100 μM. To elucidate structural details in their binding to TTR, crystal structures were determined of TTR in complex with four of the identified compounds including 2,6-dinitro-p-cresol, bisphenol S, clonixin, and triclopyr. The compounds were found to bind in the TTR hormone binding sites as predicted. Our results show that the developed VS protocol is able to successfully identify potential THDCs, and we suggest that it can be used to propose THDCs for future toxicological evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Afshan Begum
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer Brännström
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Christin Grundström
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Irina Iakovleva
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anders Olofsson
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - A Elisabeth Sauer-Eriksson
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Patrik L Andersson
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University , SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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50
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Lim KH, Dasari AKR, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Wright PE, Wemmer DE. Solid-State NMR Studies Reveal Native-like β-Sheet Structures in Transthyretin Amyloid. Biochemistry 2016; 55:5272-8. [PMID: 27589034 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Structural characterization of amyloid rich in cross-β structures is crucial for unraveling the molecular basis of protein misfolding and amyloid formation associated with a wide range of human disorders. Elucidation of the β-sheet structure in noncrystalline amyloid has, however, remained an enormous challenge. Here we report structural analyses of the β-sheet structure in a full-length transthyretin amyloid using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Magic-angle-spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR was employed to investigate native-like β-sheet structures in the amyloid state using selective labeling schemes for more efficient solid-state NMR studies. Analyses of extensive long-range (13)C-(13)C correlation MAS spectra obtained with selectively (13)CO- and (13)Cα-labeled TTR reveal that the two main β-structures in the native state, the CBEF and DAGH β-sheets, remain intact after amyloid formation. The tertiary structural information would be of great use for examining the quaternary structure of TTR amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East, Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East, Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | | | | | - David E Wemmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California , Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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