1
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Islam SN, Arif Z, Badar A, Moinuddin, Khan MA, Alam K. Glycoxidation of mammalian whole histone generates highly immunogenic aggregates: Sera of SLE patients contain autoantibodies against aggregates. Scand J Immunol 2024:e13389. [PMID: 38816907 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13389] [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: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation of self-proteins, causing formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), have been reported in an array of pathologies, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Such modifications may generate neo-epitopes, break immunological tolerance, and induce antibody response. In this study, we have first analysed the structural modifications of whole histone in the presence of deoxyribose followed by oxidation with hydroxyl radicals. Changes in the secondary and tertiary structure of the whole histone were determined by spectroscopic techniques and biochemical assays. Fluorescence spectroscopy and UPLC-MS showed the generation of AGEs such as carboxymethyl lysine and pentosidine, while DLS and TEM indicated the presence of amorphous AGE-aggregates. Moreover, rabbits immunized with these histone-AGEs exhibited enhanced immunogenicity and ELISA and western immunoblot of IgG antibodies from SLE patients' sera showed a significantly higher specificity towards modified histone-AGEs than the native histone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shireen Naaz Islam
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
| | - Zarina Arif
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
| | - Asim Badar
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
| | - Moinuddin
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
| | - Md Asad Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Khursheed Alam
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
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2
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Litberg TJ, Horowitz S. Roles of Nucleic Acids in Protein Folding, Aggregation, and Disease. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:809-823. [PMID: 38477936 PMCID: PMC11149768 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00695] [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] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The role of nucleic acids in protein folding and aggregation is an area of continued research, with relevance to understanding both basic biological processes and disease. In this review, we provide an overview of the trajectory of research on both nucleic acids as chaperones and their roles in several protein misfolding diseases. We highlight key questions that remain on the biophysical and biochemical specifics of how nucleic acids have large effects on multiple proteins' folding and aggregation behavior and how this pertains to multiple protein misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore J. Litberg
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Scott Horowitz
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
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3
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Arar S, Haque MA, Bhatt N, Zhao Y, Kayed R. Effect of Natural Osmolytes on Recombinant Tau Monomer: Propensity of Oligomerization and Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1366-1377. [PMID: 38503425 PMCID: PMC10995947 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00614] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathological misfolding and aggregation of the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), a full length Tau2N4R with 441aa, is considered the principal disease relevant constituent in tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD) with an imbalanced ratio in 3R/4R isoforms. The exact cellular fluid composition, properties, and changes that coincide with tau misfolding, seed formation, and propagation events remain obscure. The proteostasis network, along with the associated osmolytes, is responsible for maintaining the presence of tau in its native structure or dealing with misfolding. In this study, for the first time, the roles of natural brain osmolytes are being investigated for their potential effects on regulating the conformational stability of the tau monomer (tauM) and its propensity to aggregate or disaggregate. Herein, the effects of physiological osmolytes myo-inositol, taurine, trimethyl amine oxide (TMAO), betaine, sorbitol, glycerophosphocholine (GPC), and citrulline on tau's aggregation state were investigated. The overall results indicate the ability of sorbitol and GPC to maintain the monomeric form and prevent aggregation of tau, whereas myo-inositol, taurine, TMAO, betaine, and citrulline promote tau aggregation to different degrees, as revealed by protein morphology in atomic force microscopy images. Biochemical and biophysical methods also revealed that tau proteins adopt different conformations under the influence of these osmolytes. TauM in the presence of all osmolytes expressed no toxicity when tested by a lactate dehydrogenase assay. Investigating the conformational stability of tau in the presence of osmolytes may provide a better understanding of the complex nature of tau aggregation in AD and the protective and/or chaotropic nature of osmolytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Arar
- Mitchell
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments
of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, The University
of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Mitchell
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments
of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments
of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Yingxin Zhao
- Department
of Internal Medicine, University of Texas
Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Institute
for Translational Sciences, University of
Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments
of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
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Islam T, Kvartsberg H, Sehrawat A, Kac PR, Becker B, Olsson M, Abrahamson EE, Zetterberg H, Ikonomovic MD, Blennow K, Karikari TK. Novel ultrasensitive immunoassay for the selective quantification of tau oligomers and related soluble aggregates. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2894-2905. [PMID: 38520322 PMCID: PMC11032517 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13711] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau aggregation into paired helical filaments and neurofibrillary tangles is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders. However, biochemical assays for the quantification of soluble, earlier-stage tau aggregates are lacking. We describe an immunoassay that is selective for tau oligomers and related soluble aggregates over monomers. METHODS A homogeneous (single-antibody) immunoassay was developed using a novel anti-tau monoclonal antibody and validated with recombinant and brain tissue-derived tau. RESULTS The assay signals were concentration dependent for recombinant tau aggregates in solution but not monomers, and recognized peptides within, but not outside, the aggregation-prone microtubule binding region. The signals in inferior and middle frontal cortical tissue homogenates increased with neuropathologically determined Braak staging, and were higher in insoluble than soluble homogenized brain fractions. Autopsy-verified AD gave stronger signals than other neurodegenerative diseases. DISCUSSION The quantitative oligomer/soluble aggregate-specific assay can identify soluble tau aggregates, including oligomers, from monomers in human and in vitro biospecimens. HIGHLIGHTS The aggregation of tau to form fibrils and neurofibrillary tangles is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease. However, biochemical assays for the quantification of oligomers/soluble aggregated forms of tau are lacking. We developed a new assay that preferentially binds to soluble tau aggregates, including oligomers and fibrils, versus monomers. The assay signal increased corresponding to the total protein content, Braak staging, and insolubility of the sequentially homogenized brain tissue fractions in an autopsy-verified cohort. The assay recognized tau peptides containing the microtubule binding region but not those covering the N- or C-terminal regions only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tohidul Islam
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Hlin Kvartsberg
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Anuradha Sehrawat
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Przemysław R. Kac
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Bruno Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Maria Olsson
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Eric E. Abrahamson
- Department of NeurologySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical CenterVA Pittsburgh HSPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- UK Dementia Research InstituteUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesHKCeNDHong KongChina
- School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Milos D. Ikonomovic
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical CenterVA Pittsburgh HSPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Thomas K. Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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5
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Nam Y, Prajapati R, Kim S, Shin SJ, Cheong DY, Park YH, Park HH, Lim D, Yoon Y, Lee G, Jung HA, Park I, Kim DH, Choi JS, Moon M. Dual regulatory effects of neferine on amyloid-β and tau aggregation studied by in silico, in vitro, and lab-on-a-chip technology. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 172:116226. [PMID: 38301421 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116226] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of two critical pathogenic factors: amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau. Aβ and tau become neurotoxic aggregates via self-assembly, and these aggregates contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, there has been growing interest in therapeutic strategies that simultaneously target Aβ and tau aggregates. Although neferine has attracted attention as a suitable candidate agent for alleviating AD pathology, there has been no study investigating whether neferine affects the modulation of Aβ or tau aggregation/dissociation. Herein, we investigated the dual regulatory effects of neferine on Aβ and tau aggregation/dissociation. We predicted the binding characteristics of neferine to Aβ and tau using molecular docking simulations. Next, thioflavin T and atomic force microscope analyses were used to evaluate the effects of neferine on the aggregation or dissociation of Aβ42 and tau K18. We verified the effect of neferine on Aβ fibril degradation using a microfluidic device. In addition, molecular dynamics simulation was used to predict a conformational change in the Aβ42-neferine complex. Moreover, we examined the neuroprotective effect of neferine against neurotoxicity induced by Aβ and tau and their fibrils in HT22 cells. Finally, we foresaw the pharmacokinetic properties of neferine. These results demonstrated that neferine, which has attracted attention as a potential treatment for AD, can directly affect Aβ and tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunkwon Nam
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Ritu Prajapati
- Department of Food and Life Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Sujin Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Dementia Science, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jung Shin
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Yeon Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong 30019, South Korea
| | - Yong Ho Park
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ha Park
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Danyou Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoojeong Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyudo Lee
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong 30019, South Korea
| | - Hyun Ah Jung
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Insu Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong-Hyun Kim
- Departments of Pharmacology and Advanced Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jae Sue Choi
- Department of Food and Life Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Minho Moon
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Dementia Science, Konyang University, 158, Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Alhadidy MM, Kanaan NM. Biochemical approaches to assess the impact of post-translational modifications on pathogenic tau conformations using recombinant protein. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:301-318. [PMID: 38348781 PMCID: PMC10903483 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230596] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Aggregates of tau are thought of as a main contributor to neurodegeneration in these diseases. Increasingly, evidence points to earlier, soluble conformations of abnormally modified monomers and multimeric tau as toxic forms of tau. The biological processes driving tau from physiological species to pathogenic conformations remain poorly understood, but certain avenues are currently under investigation including the functional consequences of various pathological tau changes (e.g. mutations, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and protein-protein interactions). PTMs can regulate several aspects of tau biology such as proteasomal and autophagic clearance, solubility, and aggregation. Moreover, PTMs can contribute to the transition of tau from normal to pathogenic conformations. However, our understating of how PTMs specifically regulate the transition of tau into pathogenic conformations is partly impeded by the relative lack of structured frameworks to assess and quantify these conformations. In this review, we describe a set of approaches that includes several in vitro assays to determine the contribution of PTMs to tau's transition into known pathogenic conformations. The approaches begin with different methods to create recombinant tau proteins carrying specific PTMs followed by validation of the PTMs status. Then, we describe a set of biochemical and biophysical assays that assess the contribution of a given PTM to different tau conformations, including aggregation, oligomerization, exposure of the phosphatase-activating domain, and seeding. Together, these approaches can facilitate the advancement of our understanding of the relationships between PTMs and tau conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed M. Alhadidy
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Nicholas M. Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
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7
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Frey B, Holzinger D, Taylor K, Ehrnhoefer DE, Striebinger A, Biesinger S, Gasparini L, O'Neill MJ, Wegner F, Barghorn S, Höglinger GU, Heym RG. Tau seed amplification assay reveals relationship between seeding and pathological forms of tau in Alzheimer's disease brain. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:181. [PMID: 37964332 PMCID: PMC10644662 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01676-w] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau seed amplification assays (SAAs) directly measure the seeding activity of tau and would therefore be ideal biomarkers for clinical trials targeting seeding-competent tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise relationship between tau seeding measured by SAA and the levels of pathological forms of tau in the AD brain remains unknown. We developed a new tau SAA based on full-length 0N3R tau with sensitivity in the low fg/ml range and used it to characterize 103 brain samples from three independent cohorts. Tau seeding clearly discriminated between AD and control brain samples. Interestingly, seeding was absent in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) putamen, suggesting that our tau SAA did not amplify 4R tau aggregates from PSP brain. The specificity of our tau SAA for AD brain was further supported by analysis of matched hippocampus and cerebellum samples. While seeding was detected in hippocampus from Braak stages I-II, no seeding was present in AD cerebellum that is devoid of tau inclusions. Analysis of 40 middle frontal gyrus samples encompassing all Braak stages showed that tau SAA seeding activity gradually increased with Braak stage. This relationship between seeding activity and the presence of tau inclusions in AD brain was further supported by robust correlations between tau SAA results and the levels of phosphorylated tau212/214, phosphorylated tau181, aggregated tau, and sarkosyl-insoluble tau. Strikingly, we detected tau seeding in the middle frontal gyrus already at Braak stage II-III, suggesting that tau SAA can detect tau pathology earlier than conventional immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, our data suggest a quantitative relationship between tau seeding activity and pathological forms of tau in the human brain and provides an important basis for further development of tau SAA for accessible human samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Frey
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
| | - David Holzinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Keenan Taylor
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine Technologies, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Andreas Striebinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sandra Biesinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Michael J O'Neill
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Florian Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Barghorn
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases E.V. (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Roland G Heym
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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Longfield SF, Mollazade M, Wallis TP, Gormal RS, Joensuu M, Wark JR, van Waardenberg AJ, Small C, Graham ME, Meunier FA, Martínez-Mármol R. Tau forms synaptic nano-biomolecular condensates controlling the dynamic clustering of recycling synaptic vesicles. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7277. [PMID: 37949856 PMCID: PMC10638352 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43130-4] [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: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal communication relies on the release of neurotransmitters from various populations of synaptic vesicles. Despite displaying vastly different release probabilities and mobilities, the reserve and recycling pool of vesicles co-exist within a single cluster suggesting that small synaptic biomolecular condensates could regulate their nanoscale distribution. Here, we performed a large-scale activity-dependent phosphoproteome analysis of hippocampal neurons in vitro and identified Tau as a highly phosphorylated and disordered candidate protein. Single-molecule super-resolution microscopy revealed that Tau undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation to generate presynaptic nanoclusters whose density and number are regulated by activity. This activity-dependent diffusion process allows Tau to translocate into the presynapse where it forms biomolecular condensates, to selectively control the mobility of recycling vesicles. Tau, therefore, forms presynaptic nano-biomolecular condensates that regulate the nanoscale organization of synaptic vesicles in an activity-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanley F Longfield
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Mahdie Mollazade
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Tristan P Wallis
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Rachel S Gormal
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Merja Joensuu
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jesse R Wark
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI), The University of Sydney, 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | | | - Christopher Small
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Mark E Graham
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI), The University of Sydney, 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Frédéric A Meunier
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Science, The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Ramón Martínez-Mármol
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland; St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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9
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Davidson R, Krider RI, Borsellino P, Noorda K, Alhwayek G, Vida TA. Untangling Tau: Molecular Insights into Neuroinflammation, Pathophysiology, and Emerging Immunotherapies. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:8816-8839. [PMID: 37998730 PMCID: PMC10670294 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45110553] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation, a core pathological feature observed in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is rapidly gaining attention as a target in understanding the molecular underpinnings of these disorders. Glial cells, endothelial cells, peripheral immune cells, and astrocytes produce a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate the disease progression. Additionally, microglial cells play a complex role in AD, facilitating the clearance of pathological amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) plaques and aggregates of the tau protein. Tau proteins, traditionally associated with microtubule stabilization, have come under intense scrutiny for their perturbed roles in neurodegenerative conditions. In this narrative review, we focus on recent advances from molecular insights that have revealed aberrant tau post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and acetylation, serving as pathological hallmarks. These modifications also trigger the activation of CNS-resident immune cells, such as microglia and astrocytes substantially contributing to neuroinflammation. This intricate relationship between tau pathologies and neuroinflammation fosters a cascading impact on neural pathophysiology. Furthermore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning tau's influence on neuroinflammation presents a frontier for the development of innovative immunotherapies. Neurodegenerative diseases have been relatively intractable to conventional pharmacology using small molecules. We further comprehensively document the many alternative approaches using immunotherapy targeting tau pathological epitopes and structures with a wide array of antibodies. Clinical trials are discussed using these therapeutic approaches, which have both promising and disappointing outcomes. Future directions for tau immunotherapies may include combining treatments with Aβ immunotherapy, which may result in more significant clinical outcomes for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Thomas A. Vida
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA; (R.D.); (R.I.K.); (P.B.); (K.N.); (G.A.)
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10
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Rajewski BH, Makwana KM, Angera IJ, Geremia DK, Zepeda AR, Hallinan GI, Vidal R, Ghetti B, Serrano AL, Del Valle JR. β-Bracelets: Macrocyclic Cross-β Epitope Mimics Based on a Tau Conformational Strain. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:23131-23142. [PMID: 37844142 PMCID: PMC10823581 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06830] [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: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of misfolded tau into neurotoxic fibrils is linked to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Disease-associated conformations of filamentous tau are characterized by hydrophobic interactions between side chains on unique and distant β-strand modules within each protomer. Here, we report the design and diversity-oriented synthesis of β-arch peptide macrocycles composed of the aggregation-prone PHF6 hexapeptide of tau and the cross-β module specific to the AD tau fold. Termed "β-bracelets", these proteomimetics assemble in a sequence- and macrocycle-dependent fashion, resulting in amyloid-like fibrils that feature in-register parallel β-sheet structure. Backbone N-amination of a selected β-bracelet affords soluble inhibitors of tau aggregation. We further demonstrate that the N-aminated macrocycles block the prion-like cellular seeding activity of recombinant tau as well as mature fibrils from AD patient extracts. These studies establish β-bracelets as a new class of cross-β epitope mimics and demonstrate their utility in the rational design of molecules targeting amyloid propagation and seeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H. Rajewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kamlesh M. Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Isaac J. Angera
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Danielle K. Geremia
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Anna R. Zepeda
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Grace I. Hallinan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Arnaldo L. Serrano
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Juan R. Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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11
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Roy R, Mandal PK, Maroon JC. Oxidative Stress Occurs Prior to Amyloid Aβ Plaque Formation and Tau Phosphorylation in Alzheimer's Disease: Role of Glutathione and Metal Ions. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:2944-2954. [PMID: 37561556 PMCID: PMC10485904 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Although the pathogenesis remains obscure, there are two dominant causal hypotheses. Since last three decades, amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition was the most prominent hypothesis, and the other is the tau hyperphosphorylation hypothesis. The confirmed diagnostic criterion for AD is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau and the deposition of toxic oligomeric Aβ in the autopsied brain. Consistent with these hypotheses, oxidative stress (OS) is garnering major attention in AD research. OS results from an imbalance of pro-oxidants and antioxidants. There is a considerable debate in the scientific community on which process occurs first, OS or plaque deposition/tau hyperphosphorylation. Based on recent scientific observations of various laboratories including ours along with critical analysis of those information, we believe that OS is the early event that leads to oligomeric Aβ deposition as well as dimerization of tau protein and its subsequent hyperphosphorylation. This OS hypothesis immediately suggests the consideration of novel therapeutic approaches to include antioxidants involving glutathione enrichment in the brain by supplementation with or without an iron chelator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimil
Guha Roy
- Neuroimaging
and Neurospectroscopy (NINS) Laboratory, National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon 122052, India
| | - Pravat K Mandal
- Neuroimaging
and Neurospectroscopy (NINS) Laboratory, National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon 122052, India
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne School of Medicine Campus, Melbourne, 3052 VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph C. Maroon
- Department
of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh
Medical School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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12
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Eberle RJ, Coronado MA, Gering I, Sommerhage S, Korostov K, Stefanski A, Stühler K, Kraemer-Schulien V, Blömeke L, Bannach O, Willbold D. Tau protein aggregation associated with SARS-CoV-2 main protease. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288138. [PMID: 37603556 PMCID: PMC10441795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary function of virus proteases is the proteolytic processing of the viral polyprotein. These enzymes can also cleave host cell proteins, which is important for viral pathogenicity, modulation of cellular processes, viral replication, the defeat of antiviral responses and modulation of the immune response. It is known that COVID-19 can influence multiple tissues or organs and that infection can damage the functionality of the brain in multiple ways. After COVID-19 infections, amyloid-β, neurogranin, tau and phosphorylated tau were detected extracellularly, implicating possible neurodegenerative processes. The present study describes the possible induction of tau aggregation by the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease (3CLpro) possibly relevant in neuropathology. Further investigations demonstrated that tau was proteolytically cleaved by the viral protease 3CL and, consequently, generated aggregates. However, more evidence is needed to confirm that COVID-19 is able to trigger neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Josef Eberle
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mônika Aparecida Coronado
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ian Gering
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Simon Sommerhage
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Karolina Korostov
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Anja Stefanski
- Molecular Proteomics Laboratory (MPL), BMFZ, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kai Stühler
- Molecular Proteomics Laboratory (MPL), BMFZ, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Victoria Kraemer-Schulien
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lara Blömeke
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Oliver Bannach
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- JuStruct: Jülich Centre for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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13
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Zhu R, Makwana KM, Zhang Y, Rajewski BH, Del Valle JR, Wang Y. Blocking tau transmission by biomimetic graphene nanoparticles. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:7378-7388. [PMID: 37431684 PMCID: PMC10528742 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb00850a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases resulting in cognitive dysfunction, executive dysfunction, and motor disturbance. The primary pathological feature of tauopathies is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain composed of tau protein aggregates. Moreover, tau aggregates can spread from neuron to neuron and lead to the propagation of tau pathology. Although numerous small molecules are known to inhibit tau aggregation and block tau cell-to-cell transmission, it is still challenging to use them for therapeutic applications due to poor specificity and low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Graphene nanoparticles were previously demonstrated to penetrate the BBB and are amenable to functionalization for targeted delivery. Moreover, these nanoscale biomimetic particles can self-assemble or assemble with various biomolecules including proteins. In this paper, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs), as graphene nanoparticles, block the seeding activity of tau fibrils by inhibiting the fibrillization of monomeric tau and triggering the disaggregation of tau filaments. This behavior is attributed to electrostatic and π-π stacking interactions of GQDs with tau. Overall, our studies indicate that GQDs with biomimetic properties can efficiently inhibit and disassemble pathological tau aggregates, and thus block tau transmission, which supports their future developments as a potential treatment for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runyao Zhu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Kamlesh M Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Youwen Zhang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Benjamin H Rajewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Juan R Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Yichun Wang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
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14
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Oliyantakath Hassan MS, Abdul Vahid A, Sahayaraj AE, Viswanathan R, Vijayan V. NMR Relaxation Experiments Probe Monomer-Fibril Interaction and Identify Critical Interacting Residues Responsible for Distinct Tau Fibril Morphologies. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:6583-6591. [PMID: 37458827 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Tau aggregation is governed by secondary processes, a major pathological pathway for tau protein fibril propagation, yet its molecular mechanism remains unknown. This work uses saturation transfer and lifetime line-broadening experiments to identify the critical residues involved in these secondary processes. Distinct residue-specific NMR relaxation parameters were obtained for the truncated three repeat tau construct (K19) in equilibrium with structurally different, self-aggregated (saK19) or heparin-induced (hK19) fibrils. The interacting residues are restricted to R3 repeat for hK19 and to R3, R4, and R' repeats for saK19 fibrils. Furthermore, the relaxation profiles of tau monomers in equilibrium with the structurally comparable, in vitro pathological fibrils (tauAD and tauCTE) were similar but distinct from hK19 or saK19 fibrils. Thus, residue-specific relaxation identifies the important residues involved in the binding of monomers to the fibrils. The relaxation profile of the monomers in equilibrium with the NMR invisible fibril seeds potentially distinguishes the distinct structures of tau fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arshad Abdul Vahid
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Allwin Ebenezer Sahayaraj
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Renjith Viswanathan
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Vinesh Vijayan
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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15
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Xiang L, Wang Y, Liu S, Liu B, Jin X, Cao X. Targeting Protein Aggregates with Natural Products: An Optional Strategy for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11275. [PMID: 37511037 PMCID: PMC10379780 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is one of the hallmarks of aging and aging-related diseases, especially for the neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and others. In these diseases, many pathogenic proteins, such as amyloid-β, tau, α-Syn, Htt, and FUS, form aggregates that disrupt the normal physiological function of cells and lead to associated neuronal lesions. Protein aggregates in NDs are widely recognized as one of the important targets for the treatment of these diseases. Natural products, with their diverse biological activities and rich medical history, represent a great treasure trove for the development of therapeutic strategies to combat disease. A number of in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that natural products, by virtue of their complex molecular scaffolds that specifically bind to pathogenic proteins and their aggregates, can inhibit the formation of aggregates, disrupt the structure of aggregates and destabilize them, thereby alleviating conditions associated with NDs. Here, we systematically reviewed studies using natural products to improve disease-related symptoms by reducing or inhibiting the formation of five pathogenic protein aggregates associated with NDs. This information should provide valuable insights into new directions and ideas for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhi Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Shenkui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Beidong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Xuejiao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Xiuling Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
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16
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Vourkou E, Rouiz Ortega ED, Mahajan S, Mudher A, Skoulakis EMC. Human Tau Aggregates Are Permissive to Protein Synthesis-Dependent Memory in Drosophila Tauopathy Models. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2988-3006. [PMID: 36868851 PMCID: PMC10124960 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1374-22.2023] [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: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease, are characterized by progressive cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and intraneuronal aggregates comprised largely of the axonal protein Tau. It has been unclear whether cognitive deficits are a consequence of aggregate accumulation thought to compromise neuronal health and eventually lead to neurodegeneration. We use the Drosophila tauopathy model and mixed-sex populations to reveal an adult onset pan-neuronal Tau accumulation-dependent decline in learning efficacy and a specific defect in protein synthesis-dependent memory (PSD-M), but not in its protein synthesis-independent variant. We demonstrate that these neuroplasticity defects are reversible on suppression of new transgenic human Tau expression and surprisingly correlate with an increase in Tau aggregates. Inhibition of aggregate formation via acute oral administration of methylene blue results in re-emergence of deficient memory in animals with suppressed human Tau (hTau)0N4R expression. Significantly, aggregate inhibition results in PSD-M deficits in hTau0N3R-expressing animals, which present elevated aggregates and normal memory if untreated with methylene blue. Moreover, methylene blue-dependent hTau0N4R aggregate suppression within adult mushroom body neurons also resulted in emergence of memory deficits. Therefore, deficient PSD-M on human Tau expression in the Drosophila CNS is not a consequence of toxicity and neuronal loss because it is reversible. Furthermore, PSD-M deficits do not result from aggregate accumulation, which appears permissive, if not protective of processes underlying this memory variant.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Intraneuronal Tau aggregate accumulation has been proposed to underlie the cognitive decline and eventual neurotoxicity that characterizes the neurodegenerative dementias known as tauopathies. However, we show in three experimental settings that Tau aggregates in the Drosophila CNS do not impair but rather appear to facilitate processes underlying protein synthesis-dependent memory within affected neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ergina Vourkou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Alexander Fleming, 16672 Vari, Greece
| | - Eva D Rouiz Ortega
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sumeet Mahajan
- School of Chemistry, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Amrit Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Efthimios M C Skoulakis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Alexander Fleming, 16672 Vari, Greece
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17
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Light, Water, and Melatonin: The Synergistic Regulation of Phase Separation in Dementia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065835. [PMID: 36982909 PMCID: PMC10054283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The swift rise in acceptance of molecular principles defining phase separation by a broad array of scientific disciplines is shadowed by increasing discoveries linking phase separation to pathological aggregations associated with numerous neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, that contribute to dementia. Phase separation is powered by multivalent macromolecular interactions. Importantly, the release of water molecules from protein hydration shells into bulk creates entropic gains that promote phase separation and the subsequent generation of insoluble cytotoxic aggregates that drive healthy brain cells into diseased states. Higher viscosity in interfacial waters and limited hydration in interiors of biomolecular condensates facilitate phase separation. Light, water, and melatonin constitute an ancient synergy that ensures adequate protein hydration to prevent aberrant phase separation. The 670 nm visible red wavelength found in sunlight and employed in photobiomodulation reduces interfacial and mitochondrial matrix viscosity to enhance ATP production via increasing ATP synthase motor efficiency. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant that lowers viscosity to increase ATP by scavenging excess reactive oxygen species and free radicals. Reduced viscosity by light and melatonin elevates the availability of free water molecules that allow melatonin to adopt favorable conformations that enhance intrinsic features, including binding interactions with adenosine that reinforces the adenosine moiety effect of ATP responsible for preventing water removal that causes hydrophobic collapse and aggregation in phase separation. Precise recalibration of interspecies melatonin dosages that account for differences in metabolic rates and bioavailability will ensure the efficacious reinstatement of the once-powerful ancient synergy between light, water, and melatonin in a modern world.
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18
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Trivellato D, Floriani F, Barracchia CG, Munari F, D'Onofrio M, Assfalg M. Site-directed double monoubiquitination of the repeat domain of the amyloid-forming protein tau impairs self-assembly and coacervation. Bioorg Chem 2023; 132:106347. [PMID: 36630781 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106347] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease and related disorders called tauopathies, the microtubule-associated protein tau accumulates in the brain in the form of amyloid-like supramolecular filaments. As an intrinsically disordered protein, tau undergoes many post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination. Alterations to the levels of ubiquitination of tau have been observed at various stages of neurodegenerative conditions. We focus on proteoform-specific interrogations to obtain mechanistic insight into the effects of ubiquitination on disease-related conformational transitions of tau. Single and double ubiquitination of tau at residues Lys311 and Lys317 is strongly associated with pathological conditions. In this study, we leveraged disulfide-directed chemistry to install ubiquitin at one or both of those positions in the isolated microtubule-binding repeat domain of tau. We obtained homogeneously modified tau proteins and observed that they retained disordered character in solution. We found that ubiquitination in position 317 (with or without ubiquitination in position 311) impaired the formation of ordered fibrillar structures via oligomeric intermediates. Since the transition to fibrillar species may proceed via an alternative condensation pathway involving liquid droplet intermediates, we further tested the ability of the ubiquitinated proteoforms to phase separate. Single monoubiquitinated tau species were able to coacervate, however no liquid droplets were observed for the double ubiquitinated form. Taken together, the data indicate that double ubiquitination in the third repeat of tau disfavors the formation of amyloid aggregates by distinct mechanisms, suggesting that the presence of ubiquitinated residues 311 and 317 in insoluble tau may result from modifications in advanced stages of aggregation. These findings contribute to our understanding of the influence of site-specific ubiquitination on the pathological conformational transitions of a prototypical intrinsically disordered protein.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fulvio Floriani
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Munari
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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19
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Mathew AT, Baidya ATK, Das B, Devi B, Kumar R. N-glycosylation induced changes in tau protein dynamics reveal its role in tau misfolding and aggregation: A microsecond long molecular dynamics study. Proteins 2023; 91:147-160. [PMID: 36029032 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Various posttranslational modifications like hyperphosphorylation, O-GlcNAcylation, and acetylation have been attributed to induce the abnormal folding in tau protein. Recent in vitro studies revealed the possible involvement of N-glycosylation of tau protein in the abnormal folding and tau aggregation. Hence, in this study, we performed a microsecond long all atom molecular dynamics simulation to gain insights into the effects of N-glycosylation on Asn-359 residue which forms part of the microtubule binding region. Trajectory analysis of the stimulations coupled with essential dynamics and free energy landscape analysis suggested that tau, in its N-glycosylated form tends to exist in a largely folded conformation having high beta sheet propensity as compared to unmodified tau which exists in a large extended form with very less beta sheet propensity. Residue interaction network analysis of the lowest energy conformations further revealed that Phe378 and Lys353 are the functionally important residues in the peptide which helped in initiating the folding process and Phe378, Lys347, and Lys370 helped to maintain the stability of the protein in the folded state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alen T Mathew
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anurag T K Baidya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bhanuranjan Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bharti Devi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajnish Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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20
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Solid state synthesis of bispyridyl-ferrocene conjugates with unusual site selective 1,4-Michael addition, as potential inhibitor and electrochemical probe for fibrillation in amyloidogenic protein. J Mol Struct 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.134362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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21
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Rajbanshi B, Guruacharya A, Mandell JW, Bloom GS. Localization, induction, and cellular effects of tau phosphorylated at threonine 217. Alzheimers Dement 2023. [PMID: 36633254 PMCID: PMC10336182 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12892] [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: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau phosphorylation at T217 is a promising Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker, but its functional consequences were unknown. METHODS Human brain and cultured mouse neurons were analyzed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence for total tau, taupT217 , taupT181 , taupT231 , and taupS396/pS404 . Direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) super resolution microscopy was used to localize taupT217 in cultured neurons. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tau was expressed in fibroblasts as wild type and T217E pseudo-phosphorylated tau, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) reported tau turnover rates on microtubules. RESULTS In the brain, taupT217 appears in neurons at Braak stages I and II, becomes more prevalent later, and co-localizes partially with other phospho-tau epitopes. In cultured neurons, taupT217 is increased by extracellular tau oligomers (xcTauOs) and is associated with developing post-synaptic sites. FRAP recovery was fastest for EGFP-tauT217E . CONCLUSION TaupT217 increases in the brain as AD progresses and is induced by xcTauOs. Post-synaptic taupT217 suggests a role for T217 phosphorylation in synapse impairment. T217 phosphorylation reduces tau's affinity for microtubules. HIGHLIGHTS Validation of anti-tau phosphorylated at threonine-217 (taupT217 ) specificity is essential due to epitope redundancy. taupT217 increases as Alzheimer's disease progresses and is found throughout diseased neurons. taupT217 is associated with developing post-synaptic sites in cultured neurons. Extracellular oligomers of tau, but not amyloid beta, increase intracellular taupT217 . T217E pseudo-phosphorylation reduces tau's affinity for microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binita Rajbanshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Anuj Guruacharya
- Instructor Group, Software Carpentry, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - James W Mandell
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - George S Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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22
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Maina MB, Al-Hilaly YK, Serpell LC. Dityrosine cross-linking and its potential roles in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1132670. [PMID: 37034163 PMCID: PMC10075315 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1132670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a significant source of damage that accumulates during aging and contributes to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Oxidation of proteins can give rise to covalent links between adjacent tyrosines known as dityrosine (DiY) cross-linking, amongst other modifications, and this observation suggests that DiY could serve as a biomarker of accumulated oxidative stress over the lifespan. Many studies have focused on understanding the contribution of DiY to AD pathogenesis and have revealed that DiY crosslinks can be found in both Aβ and tau deposits - the two key proteins involved in the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, respectively. However, there is no consensus yet in the field on the impact of DiY on Aβ and tau function, aggregation, and toxicity. Here we review the current understanding of the role of DiY on Aβ and tau gathered over the last 20 years since the first observation, and discuss the effect of this modification for Aβ and tau aggregation, and its potential as a biomarker for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud B. Maina
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre, College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria
| | - Youssra K. Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Louise C. Serpell,
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23
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Hochmair J, Exner C, Betzel C, Mandelkow E, Wegmann S. Light Microscopy and Dynamic Light Scattering to Study Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Tau Proteins In Vitro. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2551:225-243. [PMID: 36310206 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2597-2_15] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein that binds and stabilizes axonal microtubules (MTs) in neurons of the central nervous system. The binding of Tau to MTs is mediated by its repeat domain and flanking proline-rich domains. The positively charged (basic) C-terminal half of Tau also mediates the assembly Tau into fibrillar aggregates in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathy brains. In recent years, another assembly form of Tau has been identified: Tau can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which leads to its condensation into liquid-dense phases, either by complex coacervation with polyanions like heparin or RNA or through "self-coacervation" at high Tau concentrations. Condensation of Tau in the absence of polyanions can be enhanced by the presence of molecular crowding agents in a dilute Tau solution. In vitro experiments using recombinant purified Tau are helpful to study the physicochemical determinants of Tau LLPS, which can then be extrapolated into the cellular context. Tau condensation is a new aspect of Tau biology that may play a role for the initiation of Tau aggregation, but also for its physiological function(s), for example, the binding to microtubules. Here we describe how to study the condensation of Tau in vitro using light microscopy, including fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), to assess the shape and molecular diffusion in the condensates, a proxy for the degree of condensate percolation. We also describe turbidity measurements of condensate-containing solutions to assess the overall amount of LLPS and time-resolved dynamic light scattering (trDLS) to study the formation and size of Tau condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Hochmair
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Exner
- University Hamburg, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Betzel
- University Hamburg, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Research Center CAESAR, Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.
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24
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Fernández-Ramírez MDC, Ng KKS, Menéndez M, Laurents DV, Hervás R, Carrión-Vázquez M. Expanded Conformations of Monomeric Tau Initiate Its Amyloidogenesis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 62:e202209252. [PMID: 36542681 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202209252] [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: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Understanding early amyloidogenesis is key to rationally develop therapeutic strategies. Tau protein forms well-characterized pathological deposits but its aggregation mechanism is still poorly understood. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy based on a mechanical protection strategy, we studied the conformational landscape of the monomeric tau repeat domain (tau-RD244-368 ). We found two sets of conformational states, whose frequency is influenced by mutations and the chemical context. While pathological mutations Δ280K and P301L and a pro-amyloidogenic milieu favored expanded conformations and destabilized local structures, an anti-amyloidogenic environment promoted a compact ensemble, including a conformer whose topology might mask two amyloidogenic segments. Our results reveal that to initiate aggregation, monomeric tau-RD244-368 decreases its polymorphism adopting expanded conformations. This could account for the distinct structures found in vitro and across tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Carmen Fernández-Ramírez
- Instituto Cajal, IC-CSIC, Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Current address: Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kevin Kan-Shing Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Margarita Menéndez
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano, IQFR-CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Spain
| | - Douglas V Laurents
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano, IQFR-CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén Hervás
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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25
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Kim S, Nam Y, Shin SJ, Prajapati R, Shin SM, Kim MJ, soo Kim H, Leem SH, Kim TJ, Park YH, Kim JJ, Choi JS, Moon M. Dual modulators of aggregation and dissociation of amyloid beta and tau: In vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies of Uncaria rhynchophylla and its bioactive components. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113865. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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26
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Lee HY, Yoon S, Lee JH, Park K, Jung Y, Cho I, Lee D, Shin J, Kim K, Kim S, Kim J, Kim K, Han SH, Kim SM, Kim HJ, Kim HY, Kim I, Kim YS. Aryloxypropanolamine targets amyloid aggregates and reverses Alzheimer-like phenotypes in Alzheimer mouse models. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:177. [PMID: 36443837 PMCID: PMC9706920 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01112-6] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) is considered a pathogenic initiator of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in strong association with tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive decline. As the removal of amyloid burden from AD patient brains by antibodies has shown therapeutic potential, the development of small molecule drugs inducing chemical dissociation and clearance of Aβ is compelling as a therapeutic strategy. In this study, we synthesized and screened aryloxypropanolamine derivatives and identified 1-(3-(2,4-di-tert-pentylphenoxy)-2-hydroxypropyl)pyrrolidin-1-ium chloride, YIAD002, as a strong dissociator of Aβ aggregates. METHODS The dissociative activity of aryloxypropanolamine derivatives against Aβ aggregates were evaluated through in vitro assays. Immunohistochemical staining, immunoblot assays, and the Morris water maze were used to assess the anti-Alzheimer potential in YIAD002-treated 5XFAD and transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Target-ligand interaction mechanism was characterized via a combination of peptide mapping, fluorescence dissociation assays, and constrained docking simulations. RESULTS Among 11 aryloxypropanolamine derivatives, YIAD002 exerted strongest dissociative activity against β-sheet-rich Aβ aggregates. Upon oral administration, YIAD002 substantially reduced amyloid burden and accordingly, improved cognitive performance in the Morris water maze and attenuated major pathological hallmarks of AD including tauopathy, neuroinflammation, and synaptic protein loss. Mechanism studies suggest that YIAD002 interferes with intermolecular β-sheet fibrillation by directly interacting with KLVFFA and IGLMVG domains of Aβ. In addition, YIAD002 was found to possess dissociative activity against aggregates of pyroglutamate-modified Aβ and tau. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our results evince the potential of chemical-driven dissociation of Aβ aggregates by aryloxypropanolamines as a therapeutic modality of the amyloid clearance approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Yang Lee
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Soljee Yoon
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea.,Department of Integrative Biotechnology & Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Jeong Hwa Lee
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Keunwan Park
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangwon-do, 25451, South Korea
| | - Youngeun Jung
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Illhwan Cho
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Donghee Lee
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Jisu Shin
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Kyeonghwan Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Sunmi Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Jimin Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Koeun Kim
- Amyloid Solution, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, South Korea
| | - Seung Hoon Han
- Amyloid Solution, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, South Korea
| | - Seong Muk Kim
- Amyloid Solution, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, South Korea
| | - Hye Ju Kim
- Amyloid Solution, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, South Korea
| | - Hye Yun Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Ikyon Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea.
| | - Young Soo Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea. .,Department of Integrative Biotechnology & Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea. .,Amyloid Solution, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, South Korea.
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27
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Hill SE, Esquivel AR, Ospina SR, Rahal LM, Dickey CA, Blair LJ. Chaperoning activity of the cyclophilin family prevents tau aggregation. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4448. [PMID: 36305768 PMCID: PMC9597375 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease, are characterized by the misfolding and progressive accumulation of the microtubule associated protein tau. Chaperones, tasked with maintaining protein homeostasis, can become imbalanced with age and contribute to the progression of neurodegenerative disease. Cyclophilins are a promising pool of underinvestigated chaperones with peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity that may play protective roles in regulating tau aggregation. Using a Thioflavin T fluorescence-based assay to monitor in vitro tau aggregation, all eight cyclophilins, which include PPIA to PPIH prevent tau aggregation, with PPIB, PPIC, PPID, and PPIH showing the greatest inhibition. The low thermal stability of PPID and the strong heparin binding of PPIB undermines the simplistic interpretation of reduced tau aggregation. In a cellular model of tau accumulation, all cyclophilins, except PPID and PPIH, reduce insoluble tau. PPIB, PPIC, PPIE, and PPIF also reduce soluble tau levels with PPIC exclusively protecting cells from tau seeding. Overall, this study demonstrates cyclophilins prevent tau fibril formation and many reduce cellular insoluble tau accumulation with PPIC having the greatest potential as a molecular tool to mitigate tau seeding and accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E. Hill
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Abigail R. Esquivel
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Santiago Rodriguez Ospina
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Lauren M. Rahal
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Chad A. Dickey
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Laura J. Blair
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Department of Molecular MedicineUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
- Research ServiceJames A. Haley Veterans HospitalTampaFloridaUSA
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28
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Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Promotes Protein Aggregation and Its Implications in Ferroptosis in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:7165387. [PMID: 36246407 PMCID: PMC9560807 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7165387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The pathological features of PDD are represented by dopaminergic neuronal death and intracellular α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation. The interaction of iron accumulation with α-syn and tau was further explored as an essential pathological mechanism of PDD. However, the links and mechanisms between these factors remain unclear. Studies have shown that the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases such as PDD are closely related to the separation of abnormal phases. Substances such as proteins can form droplets through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) under normal physiological conditions and even undergo further liquid-solid phase transitions to form solid aggregates under disease or regulatory disorders, leading to pathological phenomena. By analyzing the existing literature, we propose that LLPS is the crucial mechanism causing abnormal accumulation of α-syn, tau, and other proteins in PDD, and its interaction with iron metabolism disorder is the key factor driving ferroptosis in PDD. Therefore, we believe that LLPS can serve as one of the means to explain the pathological mechanism of PDD. Determining the significance of LLPS in neurodegenerative diseases such as PDD will stimulate interest in research into treatments based on interference with abnormal LLPS.
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29
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Li L, Miao J, Chu D, Jin N, Tung YC, Dai C, Hu W, Gong C, Iqbal K, Liu F. Tau antibody 77G7 targeting microtubule binding domain suppresses proteopathic tau to seed tau aggregation. CNS Neurosci Ther 2022; 28:2245-2259. [PMID: 36114722 PMCID: PMC9627375 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) of hyperphosphorylated tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Tau lesion starts in the trans-entorhinal cortex, from where it spreads to limbic regions, followed by neocortical areas. The regional distribution of NFTs associates with the progression of AD. Accumulating evidence suggests that proteopathic tau can seed tau aggregation in a prion-like fashion in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of tau seeding activity could provide a potential therapeutic opportunity to block the propagation of tau pathology in AD and related tauopathies. AIMS In the present study, we investigated the role of 77G7, a monoclonal tau antibody to the microtubule-binding repeats, in repressing the seeding activity of proteopathic tau. RESULTS We found that 77G7 had a higher affinity toward aggregated pathological tau fractions than un-aggregated tau derived from AD brain. 77G7 inhibited the internalization of tau aggregates by cells, blocked AD O-tau to capture normal tau, and to seed tau aggregation in vitro and in cultured cells. Tau pathology induced by hippocampal injection of AD O-tau in 3xTg-AD mice was suppressed by mixing 77G7 with AD O-tau. Intravenous administration of 77G7 ameliorated site-specific hyperphosphorylation of tau induced by AD O-tau in the hippocampi of Tg/hTau mice. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that 77G7 can effectively suppress the seeding activity of AD O-tau and thus could be developed as a potential immunotherapeutic drug to inhibit the propagation of tau pathology in AD and related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longfei Li
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of EducationNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Jin Miao
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA,Laboratory Animal CenterNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Dandan Chu
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of EducationNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Nana Jin
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of EducationNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Chun‐Ling Dai
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Wen Hu
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Cheng‐Xin Gong
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of NeurochemistryInge Grundke‐Iqbal Research FloorNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
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30
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El Kantar S, Yassin A, Nehmeh B, Labaki L, Mitri S, Naser Aldine F, Hirko A, Caballero S, Monck E, Garcia-Maruniak A, Akoury E. Deciphering the therapeutical potentials of rosmarinic acid. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15489. [PMID: 36109609 PMCID: PMC9476430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19735-y] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Lemon balm is herbal tea used for soothing stomach cramps, indigestion, and nausea. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is one of its chemical constituents known for its therapeutic potentials against cancer, inflammatory and neuronal diseases such as the treatment of neurofibromatosis or prevention from Alzheimer’s diseases (AD). Despite efforts, recovery and purification of RA in high yields has not been entirely successful. Here, we report its aqueous extraction with optimal conditions and decipher the structure by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Using various physical–chemical and biological assays, we highlight its anti-aggregation inhibition potentials against the formation of Tau filaments, one of the hallmarks of AD. We then examine its anti-cancer potentials through reduction of the mitochondrial reductase activity in tumor cells and investigate its electrochemical properties by cyclic voltammetry. Our data demonstrates that RA is a prominent biologically active natural product with therapeutic potentials for drug discovery in AD, cancer therapy and inflammatory diseases.
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31
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Molecular mechanism for the synchronized electrostatic coacervation and co-aggregation of alpha-synuclein and tau. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4586. [PMID: 35933508 PMCID: PMC9357037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32350-9] [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: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation of α-synuclein (αS) is the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies. Recently, Tau protein, generally associated with Alzheimer’s disease, has been linked to αS pathology and observed to co-localize in αS-rich disease inclusions, although the molecular mechanisms for the co-aggregation of both proteins remain elusive. We report here that αS phase-separates into liquid condensates by electrostatic complex coacervation with positively charged polypeptides such as Tau. Condensates undergo either fast gelation or coalescence followed by slow amyloid aggregation depending on the affinity of αS for the poly-cation and the rate of valence exhaustion of the condensate network. By combining a set of advanced biophysical techniques, we have been able to characterize αS/Tau liquid-liquid phase separation and identified key factors that lead to the formation of hetero-aggregates containing both proteins in the interior of the liquid protein condensates. Here, the authors report that α-synuclein phase-separates into liquid condensates with positively charged polypeptides such as Tau. The condensates undergo different maturation processes, including the formation of α-synuclein/Tau amyloid hetero-aggregates inside the condensates.
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32
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Peng F, Liu J, Zhang Y, Fan J, Gong D, He L, Zhang W, Qiu F. Designer self-assembling peptide nanofibers induce biomineralization of lidocaine for slow-release and prolonged analgesia. Acta Biomater 2022; 146:66-79. [PMID: 35545185 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The burst release of small molecular water-soluble drugs is a major problem when pursuing their long-acting formulations. Although various types of carrier materials have been developed for tackling this problem, it is still a big challenge to prevent water-soluble small molecules from fast release and diffusion. In this study, a biomineralization strategy based upon a self-assembling peptide is proposed for the slow release of lidocaine, a classic anesthetic with high solubility and a very small molecular weight. A bolaamphiphilic peptide was designed to self-assemble and produce negatively charged nanofibers, which were used as the template to absorb positively charged lidocaine molecules through an electrostatic interaction. The biomineralization of lidocaine was then induced by adjusting the pH, which lead to the formation of lidocaine microcrystals with a homogenous size. The microcrystals were incorporated into a hyaluronic acid hydrogel to form an injectable formulation. This formulation slowly released lidocaine and generate a prolonged anesthetic and analgesic effect in rodent models. Due to the constrained local and plasma lidocaine concentration, as well as the biocompatibility and biodegradability of the peptide materials, this formulation also showed considerable safety. These results suggest that nanofiber assisted biomineralization can provide a potential strategy for the fabrication of long-acting formulations for small molecular water-soluble drugs. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Long-acting formulations are highly pursued to achieve stronger therapeutic effect, or to avoid repeated administration of drugs, especially through painful injection. Using carrier materials to slow down the release of bioactive molecules is a common strategy to reach this goal. However, for many water-soluble small molecular drugs currently used in clinic, it is notoriously difficult to slow down their release and diffusion. This study proposes a novel strategy based on a controllable mineralization process using self-assembling peptide nanofibers as the template. Taking lidocaine as an example, we showed how peptide-drug microcrystals with well-controlled size and shape could be obtained, which exhibit significantly prolonged anesthetic and analgesic effect. As a proof-of-concept study, this work proposes a promising strategy to control the release of water-soluble small molecular drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Yujun Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Jing Fan
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Deying Gong
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Liu He
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Wensheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China.
| | - Feng Qiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China.
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Pal S, Roy R, Paul S. Deciphering the Role of ATP on PHF6 Aggregation. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:4761-4775. [PMID: 35759245 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The aggregation of Tau protein, which are involved in Alzheimer's disease, are associated with the self-assembly of the hexapeptide sequence, paired helical filament 6 (PHF6) from repeat 3 of Tau. In order to treat Alzheimer's disease and other such tauopathies, one of the therapeutic strategies is to inhibit aggregation of Tau and its nucleating segments. Therefore, we have studied the effect of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on the aggregation of PHF6. ATP has, interestingly, demonstrated its ability to inhibit and dissolve protein aggregates. Using classical molecular dynamics simulations, we observed that the hydrophobic core of PHF6 segment displays extended β-sheet conformation, which stabilizes PHF6 aggregates. However, the distribution of ATP around the vicinity of the peptides enables PHF6 to remain discrete and attain random coil conformers. The interpeptide interactions are substituted by PHF6-ATP interactions through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions (including π-π stacking). Furthermore, the adenosine moiety of ATP contributes more than the triphosphate chain toward PHF6-ATP interaction. Ultimately, this work establishes the inhibitory activity of ATP against Tau aggregation; hence, the therapeutic effect of ATP should be explored further in regard to the effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saikat Pal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Rituparna Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Sandip Paul
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
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34
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Hernández F, Ferrer I, Pérez M, Zabala JC, Del Rio JA, Avila J. Tau aggregation. Neuroscience 2022; 518:64-69. [PMID: 35525497 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Here we revisit tau protein aggregation at primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. In addition, the presence of non-aggregated tau protein, which has been recently discovered, is also commented on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Bellvitge, University Hospital-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Pérez
- Departamento de Anatomía Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Zabala
- Department of Molecular Biology, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander 39005 Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Del Rio
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Avila
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain; Networking Research Centre on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain.
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35
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Kumar H, Udgaonkar JB. Elongation of Fibrils Formed by a Tau Fragment is Inhibited by a Transient Dimeric Intermediate. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3385-3397. [PMID: 35503811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The formation and propagation of aggregates of the tau protein in the brain are associated with the tauopathy group of neurodegenerative diseases. Different tauopathies have been shown to be associated with structurally distinct aggregates of tau. However, the mechanism by which different structural folds arise remains poorly understood. In this study of fibril formation by the fragment tau-K18 of tau, it is shown that the Lys 280 → Glu mutation in the variant tau-K18 K280E forms fibrils that are morphologically distinct from those formed by wild-type (wt) tau-K18. The mutant fibrils appear to have two protofilaments twisted around each other, whereas the wt fibrils are straight and appear to have a single protofilament. Modeling the kinetics of seeded aggregation, using a simple Michaelis-Menten-like mechanism, reveals that the two morphologically distinct fibrils are elongated with different catalytic efficiencies. Surprisingly, when the elongation of monomeric tau-K18 is seeded with tau-K18 K280E fibrils, it is seen to be inhibited at high monomer concentrations. Such inhibition is not seen when elongation is seeded with tau-K18 fibrils. The mechanism of inhibition is shown to be describable as uncompetitive inhibition, in which a transient dimeric form of tau-K18 acts as an uncompetitive inhibitor. Importantly, a dimeric form of tau-K18 is seen to be populated to a detectable extent early during aggregation. A covalently linked tau dimer, with an inter-molecular disulphide linkage, is shown to be capable of acting as an inhibitor. In summary, a quantitative kinetic approach has provided an understanding of how the formation of distinct structural folds of tau fibrils can be modulated by mutation and how the elongation of one fibril type, but not the other, is inhibited by a transiently formed dimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Kumar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
| | - Jayant B Udgaonkar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India.,Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
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36
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Liu F, Jiang L, Sang J, Lu F, Li L. Molecular basis of cross-interactions between Aβ and Tau protofibrils probed by molecular simulations. Chin J Chem Eng 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2022.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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37
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Moeini Z, Seraj Z, Zohoorian Abootorabi T, Ashrafi-Kooshk M, Riazi G, Saboury AA, Seyedarabi A. Unravelling the Novel Effects of Three Volatile Compounds in Preventing Fibril Formation of Disease Related Tau and α-Synuclein Proteins- Towards Identifying Candidate Aromatic Substances for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:793727. [PMID: 35392564 PMCID: PMC8980687 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.793727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The aggregation of tau and α-synuclein into fibrillary assemblies in nerve cells is the molecular hallmark of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, respectively. In our previous studies, we investigated the anti-amyloidogenic effects of three different aroma-producing (volatile) compounds including cinnamaldehyde, phenyl ethyl alcohol, and TEMED on the fibrillation process of HEWL, as a model protein. Our previous results showed that while TEMED was able to completely stop the process of fibril formation, cinnamaldehyde and phenyl ethyl alcohol gave rise to oligomeric/protofibrillar forms and were involved in the entrapment of intermediate species of HEWL. In this study, we investigated the anti-amyloidogenic effect of the same three volatile compounds on recombinantly produced tau and α-synuclein proteins. Methods: The thioflavin T fluorescence assay, circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE/native-PAGE, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy were used, where necessary, to further our understanding of the inhibitory effects of the three volatile compounds on the fibril formation of tau and α-synuclein proteins and allow for a comparison with previous data obtained for HEWL. Results: Our results revealed that contrary to the results obtained for HEWL (a globular protein), the volatile compound TEMED was no longer able to prevent fibril formation in either of the natively unstructured tau or α-synuclein proteins, and instead, cinnamaldehye and phenyl ethyl alcohol, in particular, had the role of preventing fibril formation of tau or α-synuclein. Conclusion: The results of this study further emphasized the exclusion of HEWL as a model protein for fibrillation studies and highlighted the importance of studying brain-related proteins such as tau or α-synuclein and the need to assess the effects of volatile compounds such as cinnamaldehye and phenyl ethyl alcohol as potential substances in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Moeini
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Seraj
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Gholamhossein Riazi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Saboury
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arefeh Seyedarabi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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38
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Prifti E, Tsakiri EN, Vourkou E, Stamatakis G, Samiotaki M, Skoulakis EMC, Papanikolopoulou K. Mical modulates Tau toxicity via cysteine oxidation in vivo. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:44. [PMID: 35379354 PMCID: PMC8981811 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau accumulation is clearly linked to pathogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease and other Tauopathies. However, processes leading to Tau fibrillization and reasons for its pathogenicity remain largely elusive. Mical emerged as a novel interacting protein of human Tau expressed in Drosophila brains. Mical is characterized by the presence of a flavoprotein monooxygenase domain that generates redox potential with which it can oxidize target proteins. In the well-established Drosophila Tauopathy model, we use genetic interactions to show that Mical alters Tau interactions with microtubules and the Actin cytoskeleton and greatly affects Tau aggregation propensity and Tau-associated toxicity and dysfunction. Exploration of the mechanism was pursued using a Mical inhibitor, a mutation in Mical that selectively disrupts its monooxygenase domain, Tau transgenes mutated at cysteine residues targeted by Mical and mass spectrometry analysis to quantify cysteine oxidation. The collective evidence strongly indicates that Mical’s redox activity mediates the effects on Tau via oxidation of Cys322. Importantly, we also validate results from the fly model in human Tauopathy samples by showing that MICAL1 is up-regulated in patient brains and co-localizes with Tau in Pick bodies. Our work provides mechanistic insights into the role of the Tau cysteine residues as redox-switches regulating the process of Tau self-assembly into inclusions in vivo, its function as a cytoskeletal protein and its effect on neuronal toxicity and dysfunction.
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39
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Munari F, Mollica L, Valente C, Parolini F, Kachoie EA, Arrigoni G, D'Onofrio M, Capaldi S, Assfalg M. Structural Basis for Chaperone‐Independent Ubiquitination of Tau Protein by Its E3 Ligase CHIP. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202112374. [PMID: 35107860 PMCID: PMC9303552 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202112374] [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: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The multi‐site ubiquitination of Tau protein found in Alzheimer's disease filaments hints at the failed attempt of neurons to remove early toxic species. The ubiquitin‐dependent degradation of Tau is regulated in vivo by the E3 ligase CHIP, a quality controller of the cell proteome dedicated to target misfolded proteins for degradation. In our study, by using site‐resolved NMR, biochemical and computational methods, we elucidate the structural determinants underlying the molecular recognition between the ligase and its intrinsically disordered substrate. We reveal a multi‐domain dynamic interaction that explains how CHIP can direct ubiquitination of Tau at multiple sites even in the absence of chaperones, including its typical partner Hsp70/Hsc70. Our findings thus provide mechanistic insight into the chaperone‐independent engagement of a disordered protein by its E3 ligase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Munari
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Luca Mollica
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - Carlo Valente
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - Francesca Parolini
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Elham Ataie Kachoie
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Giorgio Arrigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Padova Padova Italy
- Proteomics Center University of Padova and Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova Padova Italy
| | - Mariapina D'Onofrio
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Stefano Capaldi
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
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40
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Louros N, Ramakers M, Michiels E, Konstantoulea K, Morelli C, Garcia T, Moonen N, D'Haeyer S, Goossens V, Thal DR, Audenaert D, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Mapping the sequence specificity of heterotypic amyloid interactions enables the identification of aggregation modifiers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1351. [PMID: 35292653 PMCID: PMC8924238 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28955-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterotypic amyloid interactions between related protein sequences have been observed in functional and disease amyloids. While sequence homology seems to favour heterotypic amyloid interactions, we have no systematic understanding of the structural rules determining such interactions nor whether they inhibit or facilitate amyloid assembly. Using structure-based thermodynamic calculations and extensive experimental validation, we performed a comprehensive exploration of the defining role of sequence promiscuity in amyloid interactions. Using tau as a model system we demonstrate that proteins with local sequence homology to tau amyloid nucleating regions can modify fibril nucleation, morphology, assembly and spreading of aggregates in cultured cells. Depending on the type of mutation such interactions inhibit or promote aggregation in a manner that can be predicted from structure. We find that these heterotypic amyloid interactions can result in the subcellular mis-localisation of these proteins. Moreover, equilibrium studies indicate that the critical concentration of aggregation is altered by heterotypic interactions. Our findings suggest a structural mechanism by which the proteomic background can modulate the aggregation propensity of amyloidogenic proteins and we discuss how such sequence-specific proteostatic perturbations could contribute to the selective cellular susceptibility of amyloid disease progression. In this work, Louros et al. uncover a rule book for interactions of amyloids with other proteins. This grammar was shown to promote cellular spreading of tau aggregates in cells, but can also be harvested to develop structure-based aggregation blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meine Ramakers
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emiel Michiels
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katerina Konstantoulea
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teresa Garcia
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nele Moonen
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sam D'Haeyer
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vera Goossens
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for Neuropathology, KU Leuven, and Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Audenaert
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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41
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Parolini F, Tira R, Barracchia CG, Munari F, Capaldi S, D'Onofrio M, Assfalg M. Ubiquitination of Alzheimer's-related tau protein affects liquid-liquid phase separation in a site- and cofactor-dependent manner. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 201:173-181. [PMID: 35016968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.12.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The formation of biomolecular condensates has emerged as a crucial player both in neuronal physiology and neurodegeneration. Phase separation of the Alzheimer's related protein tau into liquid condensates is facilitated by polyanions and is regulated by post-translational modifications. Given the central role of ubiquitination in proteostasis regulation and signaling, we investigated the behavior of monoubiquitinated tau during formation of condensates. We ubiquitinated the lysine-rich, four-repeat domain of tau either unspecifically via enzymatic conjugation or in a position-specific manner by semisynthesis. Ubiquitin conjugation at specific sites weakened multivalent tau/RNA interactions and disfavored tau/heparin condensation. Yet, heterogeneous ubiquitination was tolerated during phase separation and stabilized droplets against aggregation-linked dissolution. Thus, we demonstrated that cofactor chemistry and site of modification affect the mesoscopic and molecular signatures of ubiquitinated tau condensates. Our findings suggest that ubiquitination could influence the physiological states and pathological transformations of tau in cellular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberto Tira
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Munari
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Capaldi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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42
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Yekta R, Sadeghi L, Dehghan G. The role of non-enzymatic glycation on Tau-DNA interactions: Kinetic and mechanistic approaches. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 207:161-168. [PMID: 35257729 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.178] [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: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Despite the regulatory role of Tau protein in the stabilization and assembly of microtubules, this protein has an important function in the protection and stabilizing of DNA molecules in the cell nucleus. In the present study, it has been indicated that glycation of lysine residues (Lys-267, Lys-274, and Lys-280) in the microtubule-binding domain (MBD) can considerably decrease its binding affinity to DNA molecules. The structural analysis also confirmed that the decreased glycated tau-DNA complex's stability was due to structural modification of this protein after the glycation process. The study of hippocampal cells under hyperglycemic conditions showed that near to 70% of Tau proteins glycated in these cells, although the expression of Tau remained unaffected. The assessment of H3K9me2, as a marker for binding of Tau to pericentromeric heterochromatin (PCH), indicated that localization of Tau protein on PCH was remarkably decreased at high glucose conditions relative to the controls. It is suggested that increasing the structural stability of Tau protein limits the ability of this protein for DNA binding, while the molecular and physical barrier of glycated Lys residues should not be neglected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Yekta
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leila Sadeghi
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran..
| | - Gholamreza Dehghan
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran..
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43
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Munari F, Mollica L, Valente C, Parolini F, Kachoie EA, Arrigoni G, D'Onofrio M, Capaldi S, Assfalg M. Structural Basis for Chaperone‐Independent Ubiquitination of Tau Protein by Its E3 Ligase CHIP. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202112374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Munari
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Luca Mollica
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - Carlo Valente
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - Francesca Parolini
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Elham Ataie Kachoie
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Giorgio Arrigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Padova Padova Italy
- Proteomics Center University of Padova and Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova Padova Italy
| | - Mariapina D'Onofrio
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Stefano Capaldi
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
| | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology University of Verona Strada Le Grazie 15 37134 Verona Italy
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44
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Islam M, Shen F, Regmi D, Du D. Therapeutic Strategies for Tauopathies and Drug Repurposing as a Potential Approach. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 198:114979. [PMID: 35219701 PMCID: PMC9159505 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of abnormal tau in the brain. To date, there are no disease-modifying therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for the treatment of tauopathies. In the past decades, extensive efforts have been provided to develop disease-modifying therapies to treat tauopathies. Specifically, exploring existing drugs with the intent of repurposing for the treatment of tauopathies affords a reasonable alternative to discover potent drugs for treating these formidable diseases. Drug repurposing will not only reduce formulation and development stage effort and cost but will also take a key advantage of the established toxicological studies, which is one of the main causes of clinical trial failure of new molecules. In this review, we provide an overview of the current treatment strategies for tauopathies and the recent progress in drug repurposing as an alternative approach to treat tauopathies.
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45
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. Revisiting the grammar of Tau aggregation and pathology formation: how new insights from brain pathology are shaping how we study and target Tauopathies. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 51:513-565. [PMID: 34889934 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00127b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence continues to point towards Tau aggregation and pathology formation as central events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies. Despite significant advances in understanding the morphological and structural properties of Tau fibrils, many fundamental questions remain about what causes Tau to aggregate in the first place. The exact roles of cofactors, Tau post-translational modifications, and Tau interactome in regulating Tau aggregation, pathology formation, and toxicity remain unknown. Recent studies have put the spotlight on the wide gap between the complexity of Tau structures, aggregation, and pathology formation in the brain and the simplicity of experimental approaches used for modeling these processes in research laboratories. Embracing and deconstructing this complexity is an essential first step to understanding the role of Tau in health and disease. To help deconstruct this complexity and understand its implication for the development of effective Tau targeting diagnostics and therapies, we firstly review how our understanding of Tau aggregation and pathology formation has evolved over the past few decades. Secondly, we present an analysis of new findings and insights from recent studies illustrating the biochemical, structural, and functional heterogeneity of Tau aggregates. Thirdly, we discuss the importance of adopting new experimental approaches that embrace the complexity of Tau aggregation and pathology as an important first step towards developing mechanism- and structure-based therapies that account for the pathological and clinical heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease and Tauopathies. We believe that this is essential to develop effective diagnostics and therapies to treat these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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46
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Mukherjee S, Panda D. Contrasting Effects of Ferric and Ferrous Ions on Oligomerization and Droplet Formation of Tau: Implications in Tauopathies and Neurodegeneration. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4393-4405. [PMID: 34783530 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of metal homeostasis is reported to enhance the aggregation of tau, a key neuronal microtubule-associated protein. Herein, we found that ferric (Fe3+) ions enhanced tau aggregation. Fe3+ and Al3+ induced tau aggregation while several trivalent metal ions such as Cr3+, La3+, and V3+ had no discernable effect on tau aggregation. Fe3+ reduced the critical concentration of tau required for the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS); however, Cr3+, La3+, and V3+ did not affect tau droplet formation. Dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopic, and transmission electron microscopic analysis suggested that Fe3+ significantly increased the formation of tau oligomers and fibrils. In contrast, Fe2+ neither enhanced tau droplet formation nor increased the heparin-induced aggregation of tau. Using a tryptophan mutant (Y310W-tau) of tau, Fe3+ was found to bind to tau with four times higher affinity than Fe2+. Acrylamide quenching of the tryptophan fluorescence of Y310W-tau, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) fluorescence experiment, and far-UV circular dichroism analysis indicated that Fe3+ decreased the solvent exposure of the tryptophan residue, perturbed the hydrophobic surface arrangement, and disrupted the secondary structure of tau, respectively. The increase in the β-sheet content and a subsequent decrease in the disordered content of tau due to the binding of Fe3+ may favor tau aggregation. Fe3+ may enhance and stabilize the non-covalent interactions between disordered domains of tau molecules leading to tau aggregation. The data highlighted the relationship between the dysregulation of ferric ions and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandipan Mukherjee
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Dulal Panda
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
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Mamsa SSA, Meloni BP. Arginine and Arginine-Rich Peptides as Modulators of Protein Aggregation and Cytotoxicity Associated With Alzheimer's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:759729. [PMID: 34776866 PMCID: PMC8581540 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.759729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A substantial body of evidence indicates cationic, arginine-rich peptides (CARPs) are effective therapeutic compounds for a range of neurodegenerative pathologies, with beneficial effects including the reduction of excitotoxic cell death and mitochondrial dysfunction. CARPs, therefore, represent an emergent class of promising neurotherapeutics with multimodal mechanisms of action. Arginine itself is a known chaotrope, able to prevent misfolding and aggregation of proteins. The putative role of proteopathies in chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) warrants investigation into whether CARPs could also prevent the aggregation and cytotoxicity of amyloidogenic proteins, particularly amyloid-beta and tau. While monomeric arginine is well-established as an inhibitor of protein aggregation in solution, no studies have comprehensively discussed the anti-aggregatory properties of arginine and CARPs on proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review the structural, physicochemical, and self-associative properties of arginine and the guanidinium moiety, to explore the mechanisms underlying the modulation of protein aggregation by monomeric and multimeric arginine molecules. Arginine-rich peptide-based inhibitors of amyloid-beta and tau aggregation are discussed, as well as further modulatory roles which could reduce proteopathic cytotoxicity, in the context of therapeutic development for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayra S A Mamsa
- School of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Bruno P Meloni
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia.,Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia
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Kitoka K, Skrabana R, Gasparik N, Hritz J, Jaudzems K. NMR Studies of Tau Protein in Tauopathies. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:761227. [PMID: 34859051 PMCID: PMC8632555 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.761227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), are the most troublesome of all age-related chronic conditions, as there are no well-established disease-modifying therapies for their prevention and treatment. Spatio-temporal distribution of tau protein pathology correlates with cognitive decline and severity of the disease, therefore, tau protein has become an appealing target for therapy. Current knowledge of the pathological effects and significance of specific species in the tau aggregation pathway is incomplete although more and more structural and mechanistic insights are being gained using biophysical techniques. Here, we review the application of NMR to structural studies of various tau forms that appear in its aggregation process, focusing on results obtained from solid-state NMR. Furthermore, we discuss implications from these studies and their prospective contribution to the development of new tauopathy therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Kitoka
- Laboratory of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
| | - Rostislav Skrabana
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Norbert Gasparik
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Hritz
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristaps Jaudzems
- Laboratory of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
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Kalsoom U, Alazmi M, Farrukh HSUB, Chung KHK, Alshammari N, Kakinen A, Chotana GA, Javed I, Davis TP, Saleem RSZ. Structure Dependent Differential Modulation of Aβ Fibrillization by Selenadiazole-Based Inhibitors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3806-3817. [PMID: 34595924 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolding and fibrillar aggregation of Aβ is a characteristic hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and primarily participates in neurodegenerative pathologies. There has been no breakthrough made in the therapeutic regime of Alzheimer's disease while the pharmacological interventions against Aβ are designed to sequester and clear Aβ burden from the neurological tissues. Based on the physiological relevance of Aβ, therapeutic approaches are required to inhibit and stabilize Aβ fibrillization, instead of cleaning it from the neurological system. In this context, we have designed a selenadiazole-based library of compounds against the fibrillization paradigm of Aβ. Compounds that completely inhibited the Aβ fibrillization appeared to stabilize Aβ at the monomeric stage as indicated by ThT assay, CD spectrophotometry, and TEM imaging. Partial inhibitors elongated the nucleation phase and allowed limited fibrillization of Aβ into smaller fragments with slightly higher β-sheets contents, while noninhibitors did not interfere in Aβ aggregation and resulted in mature fibrils with fibrillization kinetics similar to Aβ control. Molecular docking revealed the different binding positions of the compounds for three classes. Complete inhibitors alleviated Aβ toxicity to SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and permeated across the blood-brain barrier in zebrafish larvae. The amino acid residues from Aβ peptide that interacted with the compounds from all three classes were overlapping and majorly lying in the amyloidogenic regions. However, compounds that stabilize Aβ monomers displayed higher association constants (Ka) and lower dissociation constants (Kd) in comparison to partial and noninhibitors, as corroborated by ITC. These results support further structure activity-based preclinical development of these selenadiazole compounds for potential anti-Alzheimer's therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umme Kalsoom
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Meshari Alazmi
- Department of Information and Computer Science, College of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Ha’il, P.O. Box 2440, Ha’il 81411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafiz Syed Usama Bin Farrukh
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Ka Hang Karen Chung
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Nawaf Alshammari
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Ha’il, P.O. Box 2440, Ha’il 81411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aleksandr Kakinen
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ghayoor Abbas Chotana
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Ibrahim Javed
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Paul Davis
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rahman Shah Zaib Saleem
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
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Houben B, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Protein structure and aggregation: a marriage of necessity ruled by aggregation gatekeepers. Trends Biochem Sci 2021; 47:194-205. [PMID: 34561149 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Protein aggregation propensity is a pervasive and seemingly inescapable property of proteomes. Strikingly, a significant fraction of the proteome is supersaturated, meaning that, for these proteins, their native conformation is less stable than the aggregated state. Maintaining the integrity of a proteome under such conditions is precarious and requires energy-consuming proteostatic regulation. Why then is aggregation propensity maintained at such high levels over long evolutionary timescales? Here, we argue that the conformational stability of the native and aggregated states are correlated thermodynamically and that codon usage strengthens this correlation. As a result, the folding of stable proteins requires kinetic control to avoid aggregation, provided by aggregation gatekeepers. These unique residues are evolutionarily selected to kinetically favor native folding, either on their own or by coopting chaperones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert Houben
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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