1
|
Zampar S, Di Gregorio SE, Grimmer G, Watts JC, Ingelsson M. "Prion-like" seeding and propagation of oligomeric protein assemblies in neurodegenerative disorders. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1436262. [PMID: 39161653 PMCID: PMC11330897 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1436262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Intra- or extracellular aggregates of proteins are central pathogenic features in most neurodegenerative disorders. The accumulation of such proteins in diseased brains is believed to be the end-stage of a stepwise aggregation of misfolded monomers to insoluble cross-β fibrils via a series of differently sized soluble oligomers/protofibrils. Several studies have shown how α-synuclein, amyloid-β, tau and other amyloidogenic proteins can act as nucleating particles and thereby share properties with misfolded forms, or strains, of the prion protein. Although the roles of different protein assemblies in the respective aggregation cascades remain unclear, oligomers/protofibrils are considered key pathogenic species. Numerous observations have demonstrated their neurotoxic effects and a growing number of studies have indicated that they also possess seeding properties, enabling their propagation within cellular networks in the nervous system. The seeding behavior of oligomers differs between the proteins and is also affected by various factors, such as size, shape and epitope presentation. Here, we are providing an overview of the current state of knowledge with respect to the "prion-like" behavior of soluble oligomers for several of the amyloidogenic proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to providing new insight into pathogenic mechanisms, research in this field is leading to novel diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities for neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Zampar
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sonja E. Di Gregorio
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gustavo Grimmer
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joel C. Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Public Health/Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abioye A, Akintade D, Mitchell J, Olorode S, Adejare A. Nonintuitive Immunogenicity and Plasticity of Alpha-Synuclein Conformers: A Paradigm for Smart Delivery of Neuro-Immunotherapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:609. [PMID: 38794271 PMCID: PMC11124533 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the extensive research successes and continuous developments in modern medicine in terms of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, the lack of clinically useful disease-modifying drugs or immunotherapeutic agents that can successfully treat or prevent neurodegenerative diseases is an ongoing challenge. To date, only one of the 244 drugs in clinical trials for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases has been approved in the past decade, indicating a failure rate of 99.6%. In corollary, the approved monoclonal antibody did not demonstrate significant cognitive benefits. Thus, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing rapidly. Therefore, there is an urgent need for creative approaches to identifying and testing biomarkers for better diagnosis, prevention, and disease-modifying strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Overexpression of the endogenous α-synuclein has been identified as the driving force for the formation of the pathogenic α-synuclein (α-Syn) conformers, resulting in neuroinflammation, hypersensitivity, endogenous homeostatic responses, oxidative dysfunction, and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the conformational plasticity of α-Syn proffers that a certain level of α-Syn is essential for the survival of neurons. Thus, it exerts both neuroprotective and neurotoxic (regulatory) functions on neighboring neuronal cells. Furthermore, the aberrant metastable α-Syn conformers may be subtle and difficult to detect but may trigger cellular and molecular events including immune responses. It is well documented in literature that the misfolded α-Syn and its conformers that are released into the extracellular space from damaged or dead neurons trigger the innate and adaptive immune responses in PD. Thus, in this review, we discuss the nonintuitive plasticity and immunogenicity of the α-Syn conformers in the brain immune cells and their physiological and pathological consequences on the neuroimmune responses including neuroinflammation, homeostatic remodeling, and cell-specific interactions that promote neuroprotection in PD. We also critically reviewed the novel strategies for immunotherapeutic delivery interventions in PD pathogenesis including immunotherapeutic targets and potential nanoparticle-based smart drug delivery systems. It is envisioned that a greater understanding of the nonintuitive immunogenicity of aberrant α-Syn conformers in the brain's microenvironment would provide a platform for identifying valid therapeutic targets and developing smart brain delivery systems for clinically effective disease-modifying immunotherapeutics that can aid in the prevention and treatment of PD in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amos Abioye
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Damilare Akintade
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - James Mitchell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Simisade Olorode
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Adeboye Adejare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liquid-liquid Phase Separation of α-Synuclein: A New Mechanistic Insight for α-Synuclein Aggregation Associated with Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167713. [PMID: 35787838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant aggregation of the misfolded presynaptic protein, α-Synuclein (α-Syn) into Lewy body (LB) and Lewy neuritis (LN) is a major pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. Numerous studies have suggested that prefibrillar and fibrillar species of the misfolded α-Syn aggregates are responsible for cell death in PD pathogenesis. However, the precise molecular events during α-Syn aggregation, especially in the early stages, remain elusive. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of α-Syn occurs in the nucleation step of α-Syn aggregation, which offers an alternate non-canonical aggregation pathway in the crowded microenvironment. The liquid-like α-Syn droplets gradually undergo an irreversible liquid-to-solid phase transition into amyloid-like hydrogel entrapping oligomers and fibrils. This new mechanism of α-Syn LLPS and gel formation might represent the molecular basis of cellular toxicity associated with PD. This review aims to demonstrate the recent development of α-Syn LLPS, the underlying mechanism along with the microscopic events of aberrant phase transition. This review further discusses how several intrinsic and extrinsic factors regulate the thermodynamics and kinetics of α-Syn LLPS and co-LLPS with other proteins, which might explain the pathophysiology of α-Syn in various neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
|
4
|
Pancoe SX, Wang YJ, Shimogawa M, Perez RM, Giannakoulias S, Petersson EJ. Effects of Mutations and Post-Translational Modifications on α-Synuclein In Vitro Aggregation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167859. [PMID: 36270580 PMCID: PMC9922159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar aggregates of the α-synuclein (αS) protein are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Characterization of the effects of mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the αS aggregation rate can provide insight into the mechanism of fibril formation, which remains elusive in spite of intense study. A comprehensive collection (375 examples) of mutant and PTM aggregation rate data measured using the fluorescent probe thioflavin T is presented, as well as a summary of the effects of fluorescent labeling on αS aggregation (20 examples). A curated set of 131 single mutant de novo aggregation experiments are normalized to wild type controls and analyzed in terms of structural data for the monomer and fibrillar forms of αS. These tabulated data serve as a resource to the community to help in interpretation of aggregation experiments and to potentially be used as inputs for computational models of aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha X Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yanxin J Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marie Shimogawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryann M Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sam Giannakoulias
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Grønnemose AL, Østerlund EC, Otzen DE, Jørgensen TJD. EGCG has Dual and Opposing Effects on the N-terminal Region of Self-associating α-synuclein Oligomers. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167855. [PMID: 36240861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Oligomers of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn) are thought to be a major toxic species in Parkinson's disease, particularly through their ability to permeabilize cell membranes. The green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been found to reduce this ability. We have analyzed α-syn oligomer dynamics and interconversion by H/D exchange monitored by mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Our results show that the two oligomers OI and OII co-exist in equilibrium; OI is a multimer of OII and its dissociation can be followed by HDX-MS by virtue of the correlated exchange of the N-terminal region. Urea destabilizes the α-syn oligomers, dissociating OI to OII and monomers. Oligomers exposed to EGCG undergo Met oxidation. Intriguingly, EGCG induces an oxidation-dependent effect on the structure of the N-terminal region. For the non-oxidized N-terminal region, EGCG increases the stability of the folded structure as measured by a higher level of protection against H/D exchange. In contrast, protection is clearly abrogated in the Met oxidized N-terminal region. Having a non-oxidized and disordered N-terminal region is known to be essential for efficient membrane binding. Therefore, our results suggest that the combined effect of a structural stabilization of the non-oxidized N-terminal region and the presence of a disordered oxidized N-terminal region renders the oligomers less cytotoxic by decreasing the ability of the N-terminal region to bind to cell membranes and facilitate their permeabilization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Louise Grønnemose
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Eva Christina Østerlund
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Thomas J D Jørgensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cox D, Ormsby AR, Reid GE, Hatters DM. Protein painting reveals pervasive remodeling of conserved proteostasis machinery in response to pharmacological stimuli. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2022; 8:46. [DOI: 10.1038/s41540-022-00256-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe correct spatio-temporal organization of the proteome is essential for cellular homeostasis. However, a detailed mechanistic understanding of this organization and how it is altered in response to external stimuli in the intact cellular environment is as-yet unrealized. ‘Protein painting methods provide a means to address this gap in knowledge by monitoring the conformational status of proteins within cells at the proteome-wide scale. Here, we demonstrate the ability of a protein painting method employing tetraphenylethene maleimide (TPE-MI) to reveal proteome network remodeling in whole cells in response to a cohort of commonly used pharmacological stimuli of varying specificity. We report specific, albeit heterogeneous, responses to individual stimuli that coalesce on a conserved set of core cellular machineries. This work expands our understanding of proteome conformational remodeling in response to cellular stimuli, and provides a blueprint for assessing how these conformational changes may contribute to disorders characterized by proteostasis imbalance.
Collapse
|
7
|
Vaikath N, Sudhakaran I, Abdi I, Gupta V, Majbour N, Ghanem S, Abdesselem H, Vekrellis K, El-Agnaf O. Structural and Biophysical Characterization of Stable Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314630. [PMID: 36498957 PMCID: PMC9740078 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into neurotoxic oligomers and fibrils is an important pathogenic feature of synucleinopatheis, including Parkinson's disease (PD). A further characteristic of PD is the oxidative stress that results in the formation of aldehydes by lipid peroxidation. It has been reported that the brains of deceased patients with PD contain high levels of protein oligomers that are cross-linked to these aldehydes. Increasing evidence also suggests that prefibrillar oligomeric species are more toxic than the mature amyloid fibrils. However, due to the heterogenous and metastable nature, characterization of the α-syn oligomeric species has been challenging. Here, we generated and characterized distinct α-syn oligomers in vitro in the presence of DA and lipid peroxidation products 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and 4-oxo-2-nonenal (ONE). HNE and ONE oligomer were stable towards the treatment with SDS, urea, and temperature. The secondary structure analysis revealed that only HNE and ONE oligomers contain β-sheet content. In the seeding assay, both DA and ONE oligomers significantly accelerated the aggregation. Furthermore, all oligomeric preparations were found to seed the aggregation of α-syn monomers in vitro and found to be cytotoxic when added to SH-SY5Y cells. Finally, both HNE and ONE α-syn oligomers can be used as a calibrator in an α-syn oligomers-specific ELISA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nishant Vaikath
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
- Correspondence:
| | - Indulekha Sudhakaran
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Ilham Abdi
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Vijay Gupta
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Nour Majbour
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Simona Ghanem
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Houari Abdesselem
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Omar El-Agnaf
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang C, Pei Y, Zhang Z, Xu L, Liu X, Jiang L, Pielak GJ, Zhou X, Liu M, Li C. C-terminal truncation modulates α-Synuclein's cytotoxicity and aggregation by promoting the interactions with membrane and chaperone. Commun Biol 2022; 5:798. [PMID: 35945337 PMCID: PMC9363494 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) is the main protein component of Lewy bodies, the major pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). C-terminally truncated α-syn is found in the brain of PD patients, reduces cell viability and tends to form fibrils. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the role of C-terminal truncation on the cytotoxicity and aggregation of α-syn. Here, we use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that the truncation alters α-syn conformation, resulting in an attractive interaction of the N-terminus with membranes and molecular chaperone, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). The truncated protein is more toxic to mitochondria than full-length protein and diminishes the effect of PDI on α-syn fibrillation. Our findings reveal a modulatory role for the C-terminus in the cytotoxicity and aggregation of α-syn by interfering with the N-terminus binding to membranes and chaperone, and provide a molecular basis for the pathological role of C-terminal truncation in PD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yunshan Pei
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zeting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China.
| | - Lingling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Gary J Pielak
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Maili Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Conggang Li
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China.
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Roy M, Nath AK, Pal I, Dey SG. Second Sphere Interactions in Amyloidogenic Diseases. Chem Rev 2022; 122:12132-12206. [PMID: 35471949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00941] [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
Amyloids are protein aggregates bearing a highly ordered cross β structural motif, which may be functional but are mostly pathogenic. Their formation, deposition in tissues and consequent organ dysfunction is the central event in amyloidogenic diseases. Such protein aggregation may be brought about by conformational changes, and much attention has been directed toward factors like metal binding, post-translational modifications, mutations of protein etc., which eventually affect the reactivity and cytotoxicity of the associated proteins. Over the past decade, a global effort from different groups working on these misfolded/unfolded proteins/peptides has revealed that the amino acid residues in the second coordination sphere of the active sites of amyloidogenic proteins/peptides cause changes in H-bonding pattern or protein-protein interactions, which dramatically alter the structure and reactivity of these proteins/peptides. These second sphere effects not only determine the binding of transition metals and cofactors, which define the pathology of some of these diseases, but also change the mechanism of redox reactions catalyzed by these proteins/peptides and form the basis of oxidative damage associated with these amyloidogenic diseases. The present review seeks to discuss such second sphere modifications and their ramifications in the etiopathology of some representative amyloidogenic diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2Dm), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and prion diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madhuparna Roy
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Arnab Kumar Nath
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Ishita Pal
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Somdatta Ghosh Dey
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cox D, Ang CS, Nillegoda NB, Reid GE, Hatters DM. Hidden information on protein function in censuses of proteome foldedness. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1992. [PMID: 35422070 PMCID: PMC9010426 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29661-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Methods that assay protein foldedness with proteomics have generated censuses of apparent protein folding stabilities in biological milieu. However, different censuses poorly correlate with each other. Here, we show that the reason for this is that methods targeting foldedness through monitoring amino acid sidechain reactivity also detect changes in conformation and ligand binding, which can be a substantial fraction of the data. We show that the reactivity of only one quarter of cysteine or methionine sidechains in proteins in a urea denaturation curve of mammalian cell lysate can be confidently explained by a two-state unfolding isotherm. Contrary to that expected from unfolding, up to one third of the cysteines decreased reactivity. These cysteines were enriched in proteins with functions relating to unfolded protein stress. One protein, chaperone HSPA8, displayed changes arising from ligand and cofactor binding. Unmasking this hidden information using the approaches outlined here should improve efforts to understand both folding and the remodeling of protein function directly in complex biological settings. Proteomics can define features of proteome foldedness by assessing the reactivity of surface exposed amino acids. Here, the authors show that such exposure patterns yield insight to structural changes in chaperones as they bind to unfolded proteins in urea-denatured mammalian cell lysate.
Collapse
|
11
|
Effects of oligomer toxicity, fibril toxicity and fibril spreading in synucleinopathies. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:174. [PMID: 35244787 PMCID: PMC8897347 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04166-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding is a general hallmark of protein deposition diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, in which different types of aggregated species (oligomers, protofibrils and fibrils) are generated by the cells. Despite widespread interest, the relationship between oligomers and fibrils in the aggregation process and spreading remains elusive. A large variety of experimental evidences supported the idea that soluble oligomeric species of different proteins might be more toxic than the larger fibrillar forms. Furthermore, the lack of correlation between the presence of the typical pathological inclusions and disease sustained this debate. However, recent data show that the β-sheet core of the α-Synuclein (αSyn) fibrils is unable to establish persistent interactions with the lipid bilayers, but they can release oligomeric species responsible for an immediate dysfunction of the recipient neurons. Reversibly, such oligomeric species could also contribute to pathogenesis via neuron-to-neuron spreading by their direct cell-to-cell transfer or by generating new fibrils, following their neuronal uptake. In this Review, we discuss the various mechanisms of cellular dysfunction caused by αSyn, including oligomer toxicity, fibril toxicity and fibril spreading.
Collapse
|
12
|
Gadhavi J, Patel M, Bhatia D, Gupta S. Neurotoxic or neuroprotective: Post-translational modifications of α-synuclein at the cross-roads of functions. Biochimie 2021; 192:38-50. [PMID: 34582997 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra is one of the pathological hallmarks of PD. PD also belongs to the class of neurodegenerative disease known as 'Synucleinopathies' as α-synuclein is responsible for disease development. The presence of aggregated α-synuclein associated with other proteins found in the Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in the substantia nigra and other regions of the brain including locus ceruleus, dorsal vagal nucleus, nucleus basalis of Meynert and cerebral cortex is one of the central events for PD development. The complete biological function of α-synuclein is still debated. Besides its ability to propagate, it undergoes various post-translational modifications which play a paramount role in PD development and progression. Also, the aggregation of α-synuclein is modulated by various post-translational modifications. Here, we present a summary of multiple PTMs involved in the modulation of α-synuclein directly or indirectly and to identify their neuroprotective or neurotoxic roles, which might act as potential therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshna Gadhavi
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Mohini Patel
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Dhiraj Bhatia
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India; Center for Biomedical Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Sharad Gupta
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India; Center for Biomedical Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, 382355, Gujarat, India.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chiki A, Zhang Z, Rajasekhar K, Abriata LA, Rostami I, Krapp LF, Boudeffa D, Dal Peraro M, Lashuel HA. Investigating Crosstalk Among PTMs Provides Novel Insight Into the Structural Basis Underlying the Differential Effects of Nt17 PTMs on Mutant Httex1 Aggregation. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:686086. [PMID: 34381813 PMCID: PMC8352439 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.686086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) within the first 17 amino acids (Nt17) of the Huntingtin protein (Htt) have been shown to inhibit the aggregation and attenuate the toxicity of mutant Htt proteins in vitro and in various models of Huntington’s disease. Here, we expand on these studies by investigating the effect of methionine eight oxidation (oxM8) and its crosstalk with lysine 6 acetylation (AcK6) or threonine 3 phosphorylation (pT3) on the aggregation of mutant Httex1 (mHttex1). We show that M8 oxidation delays but does not inhibit the aggregation and has no effect on the final morphologies of mHttex1aggregates. The presence of both oxM8 and AcK6 resulted in dramatic inhibition of Httex1 fibrillization. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation studies show that PTMs that lower the mHttex1 aggregation rate (oxM8, AcK6/oxM8, pT3, pT3/oxM8, and pS13) result in increased population of a short N-terminal helix (first eight residues) in Nt17 or decreased abundance of other helical forms, including long helix and short C-terminal helix. PTMs that did not alter the aggregation rate (AcK6) of mHttex1 exhibit a similar distribution of helical conformation as the unmodified peptides. These results show that the relative abundance of N- vs. C-terminal helical conformations and long helices, rather than the overall helicity of Nt17, better explains the effect of different Nt17 PTMs on mHttex1; thus, explaining the lack of correlation between the effect of PTMs on the overall helicity of Nt17 and mHttex1 aggregation in vitro. Taken together, our results provide novel structural insight into the differential effects of single PTMs and crosstalk between different PTMs in regulating mHttex1 aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anass Chiki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zhidian Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Laboratory for Biomolecular Modeling, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kolla Rajasekhar
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luciano A Abriata
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Modeling, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Iman Rostami
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Department of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Lucien F Krapp
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Modeling, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Driss Boudeffa
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Dal Peraro
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Modeling, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, School of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Andrade S, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC. Vitamin B12 Inhibits Aβ Fibrillation and Disaggregates Preformed Fibrils in the Presence of Synthetic Neuronal Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:2491-2502. [PMID: 34133880 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00210] [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] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide with subsequent formation of fibrils which deposit in senile plaques is considered one of the key triggers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Molecules targeting the inhibition of Aβ fibrillation and/or the disruption of Aβ fibrils are thus promising approaches for the medical prevention and treatment of AD. However, amyloid formation is a complex process strongly influenced by the cellular environment, such as cell membranes, which may affect the effectiveness of therapeutic molecules. In this study, the effect of the vitamin B12 (VB12) on the formation and disaggregation of Aβ1-42 fibrils was investigated in the presence of artificial neuronal membranes mimicked by liposomes. Evidence showed that VB12 slows down the Aβ fibrillization and reduces the content of fibrils in aqueous solution. Moreover, the vitamin exhibited a strong ability to disrupt preformed fibrils. However, the presence of lipid vesicles compromised the VB12's antiamyloidogenic properties due to the competitive interaction of the vitamin with the lipid membrane and the Aβ peptide. Even so, VB12 was effective in inhibiting the fibril formation and disaggregating fibrils in the lipid membrane environment. Thereby, these results indicate that VB12 could be a promising molecule both for the prevention and cure of AD, thus warranting its study in animal models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Andrade
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A. Loureiro
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Pereira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ramis R, Ortega-Castro J, Vilanova B, Adrover M, Frau J. Cu 2+, Ca 2+, and methionine oxidation expose the hydrophobic α-synuclein NAC domain. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 169:251-263. [PMID: 33345970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is an intrinsically disordered protein whose aggregation is related to Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Metal cations are one of the main factors affecting the propensity of α-synuclein to aggregate, either by directly binding to it or by catalyzing the production of reactive oxygen species that oxidize it. His50, Asp121 and several additional C-terminal α-synuclein residues are binding sites for numerous metal cations, while methionine sulfoxidation occurs readily on this protein under oxidative stress conditions. Molecular dynamics simulations are an excellent tool to obtain a microscopic picture of how metal binding or methionine sulfoxidation alter the conformational preferences of α-synuclein and, hence, its aggregation propensity. In this work, we report the first coarse-grained molecular dynamics study comparing the conformational ensembles of the native protein, the protein bound to either Cu2+ or Ca2+ at its main binding sites, and the methionine-sulfoxidized protein. Our results suggest that these events alter the transient α-synuclein intramolecular contacts, inducing a greater solvent exposure of its hydrophobic, aggregation-prone NAC domain, in full agreement with a recent experimental study on Ca2+ binding. Moreover, metal-binding residues directly participate in the long-range contacts that shield this domain and regulate α-synuclein aggregation. These results provide a molecular-level rationalization of the enhanced fibrillation experimentally observed in the presence of Cu2+ or Ca2+ and the oligomerization induced by methionine sulfoxidation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Ramis
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Cièencies de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Joaquín Ortega-Castro
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Cièencies de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
| | - Bartolomé Vilanova
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Cièencies de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Miquel Adrover
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Cièencies de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Juan Frau
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Cièencies de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
D’Onofrio M, Munari F, Assfalg M. Alpha-Synuclein-Nanoparticle Interactions: Understanding, Controlling and Exploiting Conformational Plasticity. Molecules 2020; 25:E5625. [PMID: 33260436 PMCID: PMC7731430 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25235625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αS) is an extensively studied protein due to its involvement in a group of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease, and its documented ability to undergo aberrant self-aggregation resulting in the formation of amyloid-like fibrils. In dilute solution, the protein is intrinsically disordered but can adopt multiple alternative conformations under given conditions, such as upon adsorption to nanoscale surfaces. The study of αS-nanoparticle interactions allows us to better understand the behavior of the protein and provides the basis for developing systems capable of mitigating the formation of toxic aggregates as well as for designing hybrid nanomaterials with novel functionalities for applications in various research areas. In this review, we summarize current progress on αS-nanoparticle interactions with an emphasis on the conformational plasticity of the biomolecule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.D.); (F.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
D’Mello SR, Kindy MC. Overdosing on iron: Elevated iron and degenerative brain disorders. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 245:1444-1473. [PMID: 32878460 PMCID: PMC7553095 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220953065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT Brain degenerative disorders, which include some neurodevelopmental disorders and age-associated diseases, cause debilitating neurological deficits and are generally fatal. A large body of emerging evidence indicates that iron accumulation in neurons within specific regions of the brain plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many of these disorders. Iron homeostasis is a highly complex and incompletely understood process involving a large number of regulatory molecules. Our review provides a description of what is known about how iron is obtained by the body and brain and how defects in the homeostatic processes could contribute to the development of brain diseases, focusing on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease as well as four other disorders belonging to a class of inherited conditions referred to as neurodegeneration based on iron accumulation (NBIA) disorders. A description of potential therapeutic approaches being tested for each of these different disorders is provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark C Kindy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
- James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tira R, De Cecco E, Rigamonti V, Santambrogio C, Barracchia CG, Munari F, Romeo A, Legname G, Prosperi D, Grandori R, Assfalg M. Dynamic molecular exchange and conformational transitions of alpha-synuclein at the nano-bio interface. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 154:206-216. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.03.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
19
|
Stephens AD, Zacharopoulou M, Moons R, Fusco G, Seetaloo N, Chiki A, Woodhams PJ, Mela I, Lashuel HA, Phillips JJ, De Simone A, Sobott F, Schierle GSK. Extent of N-terminus exposure of monomeric alpha-synuclein determines its aggregation propensity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2820. [PMID: 32499486 PMCID: PMC7272411 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16564-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
As an intrinsically disordered protein, monomeric alpha-synuclein (aSyn) occupies a large conformational space. Certain conformations lead to aggregation prone and non-aggregation prone intermediates, but identifying these within the dynamic ensemble of monomeric conformations is difficult. Herein, we used the biologically relevant calcium ion to investigate the conformation of monomeric aSyn in relation to its aggregation propensity. We observe that the more exposed the N-terminus and the beginning of the NAC region of aSyn are, the more aggregation prone monomeric aSyn conformations become. Solvent exposure of the N-terminus of aSyn occurs upon release of C-terminus interactions when calcium binds, but the level of exposure and aSyn's aggregation propensity is sequence and post translational modification dependent. Identifying aggregation prone conformations of monomeric aSyn and the environmental conditions they form under will allow us to design new therapeutics targeted to the monomeric protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amberley D Stephens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maria Zacharopoulou
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rani Moons
- Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Giuliana Fusco
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Neeleema Seetaloo
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, UK
| | - Anass Chiki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippa J Woodhams
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ioanna Mela
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Frank Sobott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, UK
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Saffari B, Amininasab M, Sheikhi S, Davoodi J. An efficient method for recombinant production of human alpha synuclein in Escherichia coli using thioredoxin as a fusion partner. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2020; 50:723-734. [PMID: 32129160 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2020.1734938] [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: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we describe a simple and efficient approach to produce recombinant human α-synuclein (hAS) with high purity from Escherichia coli (E. coli). The cDNA for hAS was inserted into plasmid pET32a and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) with an N-terminal tag containing E. coli thioredoxin (trx), followed by a histidine hexapeptide, and a tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease cleavage site (trx-6His-TEV). The fusion protein, trx-hAS, was initially released by osmotic shock treatment from the host cells and subsequently purified using a nickel affinity chromatography. A TEV protease cleavage step was performed to liberate the target protein, hAS, from the fusion partner, trx. Finally, an additional nickel affinity chromatography was performed to further purify the digested product. The yield of this method is ∼25 mg of tag-less protein (with ∼99% purity) per liter of culture volume. Reverse phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry confirmed the purity and authenticity of the purified protein. Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy demonstrated that the purified proteins form fibrils. Our protocol not only provides a convenient procedure for preparing highly pure hAS, but also requires very little specialized laboratory techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Babak Saffari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehriar Amininasab
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Sheikhi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamshid Davoodi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Sarafian TA, Yacoub A, Kunz A, Aranki B, Serobyan G, Cohn W, Whitelegge JP, Watson JB. Enhanced mitochondrial inhibition by 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetaldehyde (DOPAL)-oligomerized α-synuclein. J Neurosci Res 2019; 97:1689-1705. [PMID: 31420910 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Oligomeric forms of α-synuclein are believed to cause mitochondrial injury, which may contribute to neurotoxicity in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here oligomers of α-synuclein were prepared using the dopamine metabolite, DOPAL (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetaldehyde), in the presence of guanidinium hydrochloride. Electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and Western blotting studies revealed enhanced and stable oligomerization with DOPAL compared with dopamine or CuCl2 /H2 O2 . Using isolated mouse brain mitochondria, DOPAL-oligomerized α-synuclein (DOS) significantly inhibited oxygen consumption rates compared with untreated, control-fibrillated, and dopamine-fibrillated synuclein, or with monomeric α-synuclein. Inhibition was greater in the presence of malate plus pyruvate than with succinate, suggesting the involvement of mitochondrial complex I. Mitochondrial membrane potential studies using fluorescent probes, JC-1, and Safranin O also detected enhanced inhibition by DOS compared with the other aggregated forms of α-synuclein. Testing a small customized chemical library, four compounds were identified that rescued membrane potential from DOS injury. While diverse in chemical structure and mechanism, each compound has been reported to interact with mitochondrial complex I. Western blotting studies revealed that none of the four compounds disrupted the oligomeric banding pattern of DOS, suggesting their protection involved direct mitochondrial interaction. The remaining set of chemicals also did not disrupt oligomeric banding, attesting to the high structural stability of this α-synuclein proteoform. DOPAL and α-synuclein are both found in dopaminergic neurons, where their levels are elevated in PD and in animal models exposed to chemical toxicants, including agricultural pesticides. The current study provides further evidence of α-synuclein-induced mitochondrial injury and a likely role in PD neuropathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theodore A Sarafian
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Amneh Yacoub
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Anastasia Kunz
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Burkan Aranki
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Grigor Serobyan
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Whitaker Cohn
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Julian P Whitelegge
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Joseph B Watson
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Orabi EA, English AM. Expanding the range of binding energies and oxidizability of biologically relevant S-aromatic interactions: imidazolium and phenolate binding to sulfoxide and sulfone. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:14620-14628. [PMID: 31214677 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp02332a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Oxidation and protonation/deprotonation strongly impact intermolecular noncovalent interactions. For example, S-aromatic interactions are stabilized up to three-fold in the gas phase on oxidation of the sulfur ligand or protonation/deprotonation of the aromatic. To probe if such stabilizing effects are additive and to model interactions of oxidized methionine (MetOn) with protonated histidine and deprotonated tyrosine residues in proteins, we examined Me2SOn (n = 1, 2) binding to imidazolium, phenolate and their 4-methylated forms. Ab initio MP2(full)/6-311++G(d,p) gas-phase calculations reveal that the Me2SOn-imidazolium complexes adopt edge-on geometry with σ-type (N/C-HarO) H-bonding and interaction energies of -17.2 to -31.1 kcal mol-1. The less stable (-13.8 to -21.0 kcal mol-1) Me2SOn-phenolates possess en-face geometry stabilized by π-type (C-Hπar) H-bonding. Comparing these energies with those reported for the Me2S-neutral aromatics affirms the additive effects of ligand protonation/deprotonation and oxidation on gas-phase stability. However, this is not the case in water although the aqueous complexes retain their preferred gas-phase σ- and π-type H-bonded structures. Binding free energies (kcal mol-1) calculated from molecular dynamics simulations in bulk water (preceded by CHARMM36 force field calibration where necessary) reveal that Me2SO-imidazolium (-4.4) is more stable than Me2SO-phenolate (-2.4) but Me2SO2-imidazolium (-0.6) is less stable than Me2SO2-phenolate (-3.8). Vertical ionization potentials (IPV) calculated for the gas-phase complexes indicate that the Me2SOn-phenolates, but not the Me2SOn-imidazoles, are oxidizable under biological conditions. Charge transfer from the phenolate increases its IPV by ∼20%, decreasing its susceptibility to oxidation. Overall, this work provides fundamental data to predict the behaviour of protein-based MetOn-aromatic-ion interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esam A Orabi
- Center for Research in Molecular Modeling (CERMM), Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications (PROTEO), and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Ann M English
- Center for Research in Molecular Modeling (CERMM), Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications (PROTEO), and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ponzini E, De Palma A, Cerboni L, Natalello A, Rossi R, Moons R, Konijnenberg A, Narkiewicz J, Legname G, Sobott F, Mauri P, Santambrogio C, Grandori R. Methionine oxidation in α-synuclein inhibits its propensity for ordered secondary structure. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:5657-5665. [PMID: 30755483 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.001907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (AS) is an intrinsically disordered protein highly expressed in dopaminergic neurons. Its amyloid aggregates are the major component of Lewy bodies, a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). AS is particularly exposed to oxidation of its methionine residues, both in vivo and in vitro Oxidative stress has been implicated in PD and oxidized α-synuclein has been shown to assemble into soluble, toxic oligomers, rather than amyloid fibrils. However, the structural effects of methionine oxidation are still poorly understood. In this work, oxidized AS was obtained by prolonged incubations with dopamine (DA) or epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), two inhibitors of AS aggregation, indicating that EGCG promotes the same final oxidation product as DA. The conformational transitions of the oxidized and non-oxidized protein were monitored by complementary biophysical techniques, including MS, ion mobility (IM), CD, and FTIR spectroscopy assays. Although the two variants displayed very similar structures under conditions that stabilize highly disordered or highly ordered states, differences emerged in the intermediate points of transitions induced by organic solvents, such as trifluoroethanol (TFE) and methanol (MeOH), indicating a lower propensity of the oxidized protein for forming either α- or β-type secondary structures. Furthermore, oxidized AS displayed restricted secondary-structure transitions in response to dehydration and slightly amplified tertiary-structure transitions induced by ligand binding. This difference in susceptibility to induced folding could explain the loss of fibrillation potential observed for oxidized AS. Finally, site-specific oxidation kinetics point out a minor delay in Met-127 modification, likely due to the effects of AS intrinsic structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika Ponzini
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella De Palma
- the Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Lucilla Cerboni
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Natalello
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Rossana Rossi
- the Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Rani Moons
- the Biomolecular and Analytical Mass Spectrometry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Albert Konijnenberg
- the Biomolecular and Analytical Mass Spectrometry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joanna Narkiewicz
- the Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) and ELETTRA-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- the Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) and ELETTRA-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Frank Sobott
- the Biomolecular and Analytical Mass Spectrometry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium.,the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, United Kingdom, and.,the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - PierLuigi Mauri
- the Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Santambrogio
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy,
| | - Rita Grandori
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
The Cellular Environment Affects Monomeric α-Synuclein Structure. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 44:453-466. [PMID: 30527975 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The presynaptic protein α-synuclein (aSyn) is an 'intrinsically disordered protein' that is highly dynamic in conformation. Transient intramolecular interactions between its charged N and C termini, and between its hydrophobic region and the C terminus, prevent self-association. These interactions inhibit the formation of insoluble inclusions, which are the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease and many other synucleinopathies. This review discusses how these intramolecular interactions are influenced by the specific environment aSyn is in. We discuss how charge, pH, calcium, and salt affect the physiological structure of monomeric aSyn, and how they may favour the formation of toxic structures. The more we understand the dynamic conformations of aSyn, the better we can design desperately needed therapeutics to prevent disease progression.
Collapse
|
25
|
Exploring the role of methionine residues on the oligomerization and neurotoxic properties of DOPAL-modified α-synuclein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 505:295-301. [PMID: 30249394 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.09.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) is believed to play a central role in Parkinson's disease neurodegeneration by stabilizing potentially toxic oligomers of the presynaptic protein α-Synuclein (aSyn). Besides the formation of covalent DOPAL-Lys adducts, DOPAL promotes the oxidation of Met residues of aSyn, which is also a common oxidative post-translational modification found in the protein in vivo. Herein we set out to address the role of Met residues on the oligomerization and neurotoxic properties of DOPAL-modified aSyn. Our data indicate that DOPAL promotes the formation of two distinct types of aSyn oligomers: large and small (dimer and trimers) oligomers, which seem to be generated by independent mechanisms and cannot be interconverted by using denaturing agents. Interestingly, H2O2-treated aSyn monomer, which exhibits all-four Met residues oxidized to Met-sulfoxide, exhibited a reduced ability to form large oligomers upon treatment with DOPAL, with no effect on the population of small oligomers. In this context, triple Met-Val mutant M5V/M116V/M127V exhibited an increased population of large aSyn-DOPAL oligomers in comparison with the wild-type protein. Interestingly, the stabilization of large rather than small oligomers seems to be associated with an enhanced toxicity of DOPAL-aSyn adducts. Collectively, these findings indicate that Met residues may play an important role in modulating both the oligomerization and the neurotoxic properties of DOPAL-derived aSyn species.
Collapse
|
26
|
Stephens A, Nespovitaya N, Zacharopoulou M, Kaminski CF, Phillips JJ, Kaminski Schierle GS. Different Structural Conformers of Monomeric α-Synuclein Identified after Lyophilizing and Freezing. Anal Chem 2018; 90:6975-6983. [PMID: 29750859 PMCID: PMC6047843 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b01264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms behind amyloid protein aggregation in diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, is often hampered by the reproducibility of in vitro assays. Yet, understanding the basic mechanisms of protein misfolding is essential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. We show here, that for the amyloid protein α-synuclein (aSyn), a protein involved in Parkinson's disease (PD), chromatographic buffers and storage conditions can significantly interfere with the overall structure of the protein and thus affect protein aggregation kinetics. We apply several biophysical and biochemical methods, including size exclusion chromatography (SEC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), to characterize the high molecular weight conformers formed during protein purification and storage. We further apply hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) to characterize the monomeric form of aSyn and reveal a thus far unknown structural component of aSyn at the C-terminus of the protein. Furthermore, lyophilizing the protein greatly affected the overall structure of this monomeric conformer. We conclude from this study that structural polymorphism may occur under different storage conditions, but knowing the structure of the majority of the protein at the start of each experiment, as well as the factors that may influence it, may pave the way to an improved understanding of the mechanism leading to aSyn pathology in PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amberley
D. Stephens
- Departmtent
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K.
| | - Nadezhda Nespovitaya
- Departmtent
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K.
| | - Maria Zacharopoulou
- Departmtent
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K.
| | - Clemens F. Kaminski
- Departmtent
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K.
| | - Jonathan J. Phillips
- Living
Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, U.K.
| | - Gabriele S. Kaminski Schierle
- Departmtent
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Tiwari MK, Leinisch F, Sahin C, Møller IM, Otzen DE, Davies MJ, Bjerrum MJ. Early events in copper-ion catalyzed oxidation of α-synuclein. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 121:38-50. [PMID: 29689296 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.04.559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies on metal-ion catalyzed oxidation of α-synuclein oxidation have mostly used conditions that result in extensive modification precluding an understanding of the early events in this process. In this study, we have examined time-dependent oxidative events related to α-synuclein modification using six different molar ratios of Cu2+/H2O2/protein and Cu2+/H2O2/ascorbate/protein resulting in mild to moderate extents of oxidation. For a Cu2+/H2O2/protein molar ratio of 2.3:7.8:1 only low levels of carbonyls were detected (0.078 carbonyls per protein), whereas a molar ratio of 4.7:15.6:1 gave 0.22 carbonyls per α-synuclein within 15 min. With the latter conditions, rapid conversion of 3 out of 4 methionines (Met) to methionine sulfoxide, and 2 out of 4 tyrosines (Tyr) were converted to products including inter- and intra-molecular dityrosine cross-links and protein oligomers, as determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Limited histidine (His) modification was observed. The rapid formation of dityrosine cross-links was confirmed by fluorescence and mass-spectrometry. These data indicate that Met and Tyr oxidation are early events in Cu2+/H2O2-mediated damage, with carbonyl formation being a minor process. With the Cu2+/H2O2/ascorbate system, rapid protein carbonyl formation was detected with the first 5 min, but after this time point, little additional carbonyl formation was detected. With this system, lower levels of Met and Tyr oxidation were detected (2 Met and 1 Tyr modified with a Cu2+/H2O2/ascorbate/protein ratio of 2.3:7.8:7.8:1), but greater His oxidation. Only low levels of intra- dityrosine cross-links and no inter- dityrosine oligomers were detected under these conditions, suggesting that ascorbate limits Cu2+/H2O2-induced α-synuclein modification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manish K Tiwari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fabian Leinisch
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cagla Sahin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ian Max Møller
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Michael J Davies
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten J Bjerrum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ghiglieri V, Calabrese V, Calabresi P. Alpha-Synuclein: From Early Synaptic Dysfunction to Neurodegeneration. Front Neurol 2018; 9:295. [PMID: 29780350 PMCID: PMC5945838 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, many experimental and clinical studies have provided solid evidence that alpha-synuclein (α-syn), a small, natively unfolded protein, is closely related to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. To provide an overview on the different roles of this protein, here we propose a synopsis of seminal and recent studies that explored the many aspects of α-syn. Ranging from the physiological functions to its neurodegenerative potential, the relationship with the possible pathogenesis of PD will be discussed. Close attention will be paid on early cellular and molecular alterations associated with the presence of α-syn aggregates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ghiglieri
- Dipartimento di Filosofia, Scienze Sociali, Umane e della Formazione, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.,Laboratorio di Neurofisiologia, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Calabrese
- Laboratorio di Neurofisiologia, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Calabresi
- Laboratorio di Neurofisiologia, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Almandoz-Gil L, Ingelsson M, Bergström J. Generation and Characterization of Stable α-Synuclein Oligomers. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1779:61-71. [PMID: 29886527 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7816-8_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein oligomers are linked to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative diseases. In this chapter, we present a method to generate kinetically stable α-synuclein oligomers by the addition of reactive aldehydes, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, and 4-oxo-2-nonenal. We also describe biochemical and immunological techniques to characterize the generated oligomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leire Almandoz-Gil
- Molecular Geriatrics, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Molecular Geriatrics, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joakim Bergström
- Molecular Geriatrics, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Orabi EA, English AM. Predicting structural and energetic changes in Met–aromatic motifs on methionine oxidation to the sulfoxide and sulfone. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:23132-23141. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp03277g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Methionine oxidation increases its affinity for aromatics in the gas phase but lowers it for most complexes in water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esam A. Orabi
- Center for Research in Molecular Modeling (CERMM)
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function
- Engineering, and Applications (PROTEO), and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Concordia University
- Montréal
| | - Ann M. English
- Center for Research in Molecular Modeling (CERMM)
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function
- Engineering, and Applications (PROTEO), and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Concordia University
- Montréal
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Autophagy enhancement is rendered ineffective in presence of α-synuclein in melanoma cells. J Cell Commun Signal 2017; 11:381-394. [PMID: 28748508 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-017-0402-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased cellular concentration of α-synuclein (α-syn) predisposes it to misfolding and aggregation that in turn impair the degradation pathways. This poses a limitation to the use of overexpression models for studies on α-syn clearance by autophagy, which is widely investigated for its therapeutic potential. This limitation can be overcome with the use of endogenous models. In this study, SK-MEL-28, a melanoma cell model with endogenous α-syn expression, was employed to study α-syn clearance through autophagy. We demonstrated the dual localization of α-syn to nucleus and cytoplasm that varied in response to changes in cellular environment. Autophagy inhibition and exposure to dopamine favored cytoplasmic localization of α-syn, while autophagy induction favored increased localization to the nucleus. The inhibitory effect of dopamine on autophagy was heightened in presence of α-syn. Additionally, because α-syn had a regulatory effect on autophagy, cells showed an increased resistance to autophagy induction in presence of α-syn. This resistance prevented effective induction of autophagy even under conditions of prolonged autophagy inhibition. These results highlight alternate physiological roles of α-syn, particularly in non-neuronal cells. Because autophagy enhancement could reverse neither the increase in α-syn levels nor the autophagy inhibition, there arises a need to evaluate the efficacy of autophagy-based therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
32
|
Dietary Modulation of Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18071583. [PMID: 28753984 PMCID: PMC5536070 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells generate unpaired electrons, typically via oxygen- or nitrogen-based by-products during normal cellular respiration and under stressed situations. These pro-oxidant molecules are highly unstable and may oxidize surrounding cellular macromolecules. Under normal conditions, the reactive oxygen or nitrogen species can be beneficial to cell survival and function by destroying and degrading pathogens or antigens. However, excessive generation and accumulation of the reactive pro-oxidant species over time can damage proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Over time, this oxidative stress can contribute to a range of aging-related degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, macular degeneration, and Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. It is well accepted that natural compounds, including vitamins A, C, and E, β-carotene, and minerals found in fruits and vegetables are powerful anti-oxidants that offer health benefits against several different oxidative stress induced degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There is increasing interest in developing anti-oxidative therapeutics to prevent AD. There are contradictory and inconsistent reports on the possible benefits of anti-oxidative supplements; however, fruits and vegetables enriched with multiple anti-oxidants (e.g., flavonoids and polyphenols) and minerals may be highly effective in attenuating the harmful effects of oxidative stress. As the physiological activation of either protective or destructive pro-oxidant behavior remains relatively unclear, it is not straightforward to relate the efficacy of dietary anti-oxidants in disease prevention. Here, we review oxidative stress mediated toxicity associated with AD and highlight the modulatory roles of natural dietary anti-oxidants in preventing AD.
Collapse
|
33
|
Shrivastava AN, Aperia A, Melki R, Triller A. Physico-Pathologic Mechanisms Involved in Neurodegeneration: Misfolded Protein-Plasma Membrane Interactions. Neuron 2017; 95:33-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
34
|
Kang J, Lee SJC, Nam JS, Lee HJ, Kang MG, Korshavn KJ, Kim HT, Cho J, Ramamoorthy A, Rhee HW, Kwon TH, Lim MH. An Iridium(III) Complex as a Photoactivatable Tool for Oxidation of Amyloidogenic Peptides with Subsequent Modulation of Peptide Aggregation. Chemistry 2017; 23:1645-1653. [PMID: 27862428 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201604751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Aggregates of amyloidogenic peptides are involved in the pathogenesis of several degenerative disorders. Herein, an iridium(III) complex, Ir-1, is reported as a chemical tool for oxidizing amyloidogenic peptides upon photoactivation and subsequently modulating their aggregation pathways. Ir-1 was rationally designed based on multiple characteristics, including 1) photoproperties leading to excitation by low-energy radiation; 2) generation of reactive oxygen species responsible for peptide oxidation upon photoactivation under mild conditions; and 3) relatively easy incorporation of a ligand on the IrIII center for specific interactions with amyloidogenic peptides. Biochemical and biophysical investigations illuminate that the oxidation of representative amyloidogenic peptides (i.e., amyloid-β, α-synuclein, and human islet amyloid polypeptide) is promoted by light-activated Ir-1, which alters the conformations and aggregation pathways of the peptides. Additionally, their potential oxidation sites are identified as methionine, histidine, or tyrosine residues. Overall, our studies on Ir-1 demonstrate the feasibility of devising metal complexes as chemical tools suitable for elucidating the nature of amyloidogenic peptides at the molecular level, as well as controlling their aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juhye Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Jung C Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Seung Nam
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuck Jin Lee
- School of Life Sciences, UNIST, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong-Gyun Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyle J Korshavn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hyun-Tak Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeheung Cho
- Department of Emerging Materials Science, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.,Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hyun-Woo Rhee
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Hyuk Kwon
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Hee Lim
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Structural Characteristics of α-Synuclein Oligomers. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 329:79-143. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
36
|
van Diggelen F, Tepper AWJW, Apetri MM, Otzen DE. α-Synuclein Oligomers: A Study in Diversity. Isr J Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201600116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Femke van Diggelen
- Crossbeta Biosciences; Padualaan 8 3584CH Utrecht The Netherlands
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO); Aarhus University; Gustav Wieds Vej 14 8000C Aarhus Denmark
| | | | | | - Daniel E. Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO); Aarhus University; Gustav Wieds Vej 14 8000C Aarhus Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Breydo L, Redington JM, Uversky VN. Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on Aggregation of Physiologically Important Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 329:145-185. [PMID: 28109327 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of proteins and peptides play an important role in a number of diseases as well as in many physiological processes. Many of the proteins that misfold and aggregate in vivo are intrinsically disordered. Protein aggregation is a complex multistep process, and aggregates can significantly differ in morphology, structure, stability, cytotoxicity, and self-propagation ability. The aggregation process is influenced by both intrinsic (e.g., mutations and expression levels) and extrinsic (e.g., polypeptide chain truncation, macromolecular crowding, posttranslational modifications, as well as interaction with metal ions, other small molecules, lipid membranes, and chaperons) factors. This review examines the effect of a variety of these factors on aggregation of physiologically important intrinsically disordered proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Breydo
- Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
| | - J M Redington
- Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - V N Uversky
- Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States; Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Coordination and redox properties of copper interaction with α-synuclein. J Inorg Biochem 2016; 163:292-300. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
39
|
Ingelsson M. Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers-Neurotoxic Molecules in Parkinson's Disease and Other Lewy Body Disorders. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:408. [PMID: 27656123 PMCID: PMC5011129 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse intra- and extracellular effects of toxic α-synuclein are believed to be central to the pathogenesis in Parkinson's disease and other disorders with Lewy body pathology in the nervous system. One of the physiological roles of α-synuclein relates to the regulation of neurotransmitter release at the presynapse, although it is still unclear whether this mechanism depends on the action of monomers or smaller oligomers. As for the pathogenicity, accumulating evidence suggest that prefibrillar species, rather than the deposits per se, are responsible for the toxicity in affected cells. In particular, larger oligomers or protofibrils of α-synuclein have been shown to impair protein degradation as well as the function of several organelles, such as the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. Accumulating evidence further suggest that oligomers/protofibrils may have a toxic effect on the synapse, which may lead to disrupted electrophysiological properties. In addition, recent data indicate that oligomeric α-synuclein species can spread between cells, either as free-floating proteins or via extracellular vesicles, and thereby act as seeds to propagate disease between interconnected brain regions. Taken together, several lines of evidence suggest that α-synuclein have neurotoxic properties and therefore should be an appropriate molecular target for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease and other disorders with Lewy pathology. In this context, immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies against α-synuclein oligomers/protofibrils should be a particularly attractive treatment option.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ingelsson
- Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Public Health/Geriatrics, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Role of N-terminal methionine residues in the redox activity of copper bound to alpha-synuclein. J Biol Inorg Chem 2016; 21:691-702. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-016-1376-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
|
41
|
Structural and functional properties of prefibrillar α-synuclein oligomers. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24526. [PMID: 27075649 PMCID: PMC4830946 DOI: 10.1038/srep24526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of fibrillar alpha-synuclein (α-syn) within inclusions (Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites) in neurons and glial cells is a hallmark of synucleinopathies. α-syn populates a variety of assemblies ranging from prefibrillar oligomeric species to fibrils whose specific contribution to neurodegeneration is still unclear. Here, we compare the specific structural and biological properties of distinct soluble prefibrillar α-syn oligomers formed either spontaneously or in the presence of dopamine and glutaraldehyde. We show that both on-fibrillar assembly pathway and distinct dopamine-mediated and glutaraldehyde-cross-linked α-syn oligomers are only slightly effective in perturbing cell membrane integrity and inducing cytotoxicity, while mature fibrils exhibit the highest toxicity. In contrast to low-molecular weight and unstable oligomers, large stable α-syn oligomers seed the aggregation of soluble α-syn within reporter cells although to a lesser extent than mature α-syn fibrils. These oligomers appear elongated in shape. Our findings suggest that α-syn oligomers represent a continuum of species ranging from unstable low molecular weight particles to mature fibrils via stable elongated oligomers composed of more than 15 α-syn monomers that possess seeding capacity.
Collapse
|
42
|
Dell'Acqua S, Pirota V, Anzani C, Rocco MM, Nicolis S, Valensin D, Monzani E, Casella L. Reactivity of copper-α-synuclein peptide complexes relevant to Parkinson's disease. Metallomics 2016; 7:1091-102. [PMID: 25865825 DOI: 10.1039/c4mt00345d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of abnormal α-synuclein (αSyn) deposits in the brain. Alterations in metal homeostasis and metal-induced oxidative stress may play a crucial role in the aggregation of αSyn and, consequently, in the pathogenesis of PD. We have therefore investigated the capability of copper-αSyn6 and copper-αSyn15 peptide complexes, with the 1-6 and 1-15 terminal fragments of the protein, to promote redox reactions that can be harmful to other cellular components. The pseudo-tyrosinase activity of copper-αSyn complexes against catecholic (di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBCH2), 4-methylcatechol (4-MC)) and phenolic (phenol) substrates is lower compared to that of free copper(II). In particular, the rates (kcat) of DTBCH2 catalytic oxidation are 0.030 s(-1) and 0.009 s(-1) for the reaction promoted by free copper(II) and [Cu(2+)-αSyn15], respectively. On the other hand, HPLC/ESI-MS analysis of solutions of αSyn15 incubated with copper(II) and 4-MC showed that αSyn is competitively oxidized with remarkable formation of sulfoxide at Met1 and Met5 residues. Moreover, the sulfoxidation of methionine residues, which is related to the aggregation of αSyn, also occurs on peptides not directly bound to copper, indicating that external αSyn can also be oxidized by copper. Therefore, this study strengthens the hypothesis that copper plays an important role in oxidative damage of αSyn which is proposed to be strongly related to the etiology of PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Dell'Acqua
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Intracellular repair of oxidation-damaged α-synuclein fails to target C-terminal modification sites. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10251. [PMID: 26807843 PMCID: PMC4737712 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular oxidative stress serves as a common denominator in many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Here we use in-cell NMR spectroscopy to study the fate of the oxidation-damaged Parkinson's disease protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) in non-neuronal and neuronal mammalian cells. Specifically, we deliver methionine-oxidized, isotope-enriched α-Syn into cultured cells and follow intracellular protein repair by endogenous enzymes at atomic resolution. We show that N-terminal α-Syn methionines Met1 and Met5 are processed in a stepwise manner, with Met5 being exclusively repaired before Met1. By contrast, C-terminal methionines Met116 and Met127 remain oxidized and are not targeted by cellular enzymes. In turn, persisting oxidative damage in the C-terminus of α-Syn diminishes phosphorylation of Tyr125 by Fyn kinase, which ablates the necessary priming event for Ser129 modification by CK1. These results establish that oxidative stress can lead to the accumulation of chemically and functionally altered α-Syn in cells. α-synuclein is a protein linked to the occurrence of Parkinson's disease. Here, the authors use time-resolved in-cell NMR spectroscopy to study the repair of methionine-oxidized α-synuclein by endogenous cellular enzymes.
Collapse
|
44
|
Follmer C, Coelho-Cerqueira E, Yatabe-Franco DY, Araujo GDT, Pinheiro AS, Domont GB, Eliezer D. Oligomerization and Membrane-binding Properties of Covalent Adducts Formed by the Interaction of α-Synuclein with the Toxic Dopamine Metabolite 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL). J Biol Chem 2015; 290:27660-79. [PMID: 26381411 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.686584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative deamination of dopamine produces the highly toxic aldehyde 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), enhanced production of which is found in post-mortem brains of Parkinson disease patients. When injected into the substantia nigra of rat brains, DOPAL causes the loss of dopaminergic neurons accompanied by the accumulation of potentially toxic oligomers of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (aS), potentially explaining the synergistic toxicity described for dopamine metabolism and aS aggregation. In this work, we demonstrate that DOPAL interacts with aS via formation of Schiff-base and Michael-addition adducts with Lys residues, in addition to causing oxidation of Met residues to Met-sulfoxide. DOPAL modification leads to the formation of small aS oligomers that may be cross-linked by DOPAL. Both monomeric and oligomeric DOPAL adducts potently inhibit the formation of mature amyloid fibrils by unmodified aS. The binding of aS to either lipid vesicles or detergent micelles, which results in a gain of α-helix structure in its N-terminal lipid-binding domain, protects the protein against DOPAL adduct formation and, consequently, inhibits DOPAL-induced aS oligomerization. Functionally, aS-DOPAL monomer exhibits a reduced affinity for small unilamellar vesicles with lipid composition similar to synaptic vesicles, in addition to diminished membrane-induced α-helical content in comparison with the unmodified protein. These results suggest that DOPAL could compromise the functionality of aS, even in the absence of protein oligomerization, by affecting the interaction of aS with lipid membranes and hence its role in the regulation of synaptic vesicle traffic in neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Follmer
- From the Departments of Physical Chemistry and the Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065
| | | | | | - Gabriel D T Araujo
- Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil and
| | - Anderson S Pinheiro
- Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil and
| | - Gilberto B Domont
- Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil and
| | - David Eliezer
- the Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Villar-Piqué A, Lopes da Fonseca T, Outeiro TF. Structure, function and toxicity of alpha-synuclein: the Bermuda triangle in synucleinopathies. J Neurochem 2015; 139 Suppl 1:240-255. [PMID: 26190401 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of currently incurable neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the misfolding and accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates that are commonly known as synucleinopathies. Clinically, synucleinopathies are heterogeneous, reflecting the somewhat selective neuronal vulnerability characteristic of each disease. The precise molecular underpinnings of synucleinopathies remain unclear, but the process of aggregation of alpha-synuclein appears as a central event. However, there is still no consensus with respect to the toxic forms of alpha-synuclein, hampering our ability to use the protein as a target for therapeutic intervention. To decipher the molecular bases of synucleinopathies, it is essential to understand the complex triangle formed between the structure, function and toxicity of alpha-synuclein. Recently, important steps have been undertaken to elucidate the role of the protein in both physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we provide an overview of recent findings in the field of alpha-synuclein research, and put forward a new perspective over paradigms that persist in the field. Establishing whether alpha-synuclein has a causative role in all synucleinopathies will enable the identification of targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for this devastating group of disorders. Alpha-synuclein is the speculated cornerstone of several neurodegenerative disorders known as Synucleinopathies. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenic effects of this protein remain unknown. Here, we review the recent findings in the three corners of alpha-synuclein biology - structure, function and toxicity - and discuss the enigmatic roads that have accompanied alpha-synuclein from the beginning. This article is part of a special issue on Parkinson disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Villar-Piqué
- Department of NeuroDegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tomás Lopes da Fonseca
- Department of NeuroDegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of NeuroDegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. .,Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal. .,CEDOC, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
α-Synuclein dimer structures found from computational simulations. Biochimie 2015; 116:133-40. [PMID: 26193124 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Dimer formation is likely the first step in the oligomerization of α-synuclein in Lewy bodies. In order to prevent α-synuclein aggregation, knowledge of the atomistic structures of possible α-synuclein dimers and the interaction affinity between the dimer domains is a necessary prerequisite in the process of rational design of dimerization inhibitors. Using computational methodology, we have investigated several possible α-synuclein dimer structures, focusing on dimers formed from α-helical forms of the protein found when it is membrane-bound, and dimers formed from β-sheet conformations predicted by simulations. Structures and corresponding binding affinities for the interacting monomers in possible α-synuclein dimers, along with properties including the contributions from different interaction energies and the radii of gyration, were found through molecular docking followed by MD simulations and binding-energy calculations. We found that even though α-synuclein is highly charged, hydrophobic contributions play a significant role in stabilizing dimers.
Collapse
|
47
|
Breydo L, Uversky VN. Structural, morphological, and functional diversity of amyloid oligomers. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:2640-8. [PMID: 26188543 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation are known to play a crucial role in a number of important human diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, prion, diabetes, cataracts, etc.) as well as in a multitude of physiological processes. Protein aggregation is a highly complex process resulting in a variety of aggregates with different structures and morphologies. Oligomeric protein aggregates (amyloid oligomers) are formed as both intermediates and final products of the aggregation process. They are believed to play an important role in many protein aggregation-related diseases, and many of them are highly cytotoxic. Due to their instability and structural heterogeneity, information about structure, mechanism of formation, and physiological effects of amyloid oligomers is sparse. This review attempts to summarize the existing information on the major properties of amyloid oligomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Breydo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russian Federation; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Phillips AS, Gomes AF, Kalapothakis JMD, Gillam JE, Gasparavicius J, Gozzo FC, Kunath T, MacPhee C, Barran PE. Conformational dynamics of α-synuclein: insights from mass spectrometry. Analyst 2015; 140:3070-81. [DOI: 10.1039/c4an02306d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Different mass spectrometry approaches are combined to investigate the conformational flexibility of α-synuclein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley S. Phillips
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
- University of Manchester
- Manchester
- UK
| | - Alexandre F. Gomes
- Dalton Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
- University of Campinas – UNICAMP
- Brazil
| | | | - Jay E. Gillam
- School of Physics and Astronomy
- University of Edinburgh
- Edinburgh
- UK
| | | | - Fabio C. Gozzo
- Dalton Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
- University of Campinas – UNICAMP
- Brazil
| | - Tilo Kunath
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- University of Edinburgh
- Edinburgh
- UK
| | - Cait MacPhee
- School of Physics and Astronomy
- University of Edinburgh
- Edinburgh
- UK
| | - Perdita E. Barran
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
- University of Manchester
- Manchester
- UK
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Curtain CC, Kirby NM, Mertens HDT, Barnham KJ, Knott RB, Masters CL, Cappai R, Rekas A, Kenche VB, Ryan T. Alpha-synuclein oligomers and fibrils originate in two distinct conformer pools: a small angle X-ray scattering and ensemble optimisation modelling study. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2015; 11:190-6. [DOI: 10.1039/c4mb00356j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Size exclusion chromatography with small angle X-ray scattering and ensemble optimisation modelling reveals conformers in random pool of α-synuclein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Curtain
- Department of Pathology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Technology Institute
- The University of Melbourne
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Nigel M. Kirby
- SAXS/WAXS Beamline
- The Australian Synchrotron
- Clayton
- Australia
| | | | - Kevin J. Barnham
- Department of Pathology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Technology Institute
- The University of Melbourne
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Robert B. Knott
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
- Kirrawee
- Australia
| | - Colin L. Masters
- The University of Melbourne
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
| | - Roberto Cappai
- Department of Pathology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Technology Institute
- The University of Melbourne
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
| | - Agata Rekas
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
- Kirrawee
- Australia
| | - Vijaya B. Kenche
- The University of Melbourne
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
| | - Timothy Ryan
- The University of Melbourne
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- Victoria 3010
- Australia
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Carmo-Gonçalves P, Pinheiro AS, Romão L, Cortines J, Follmer C. UV-induced selective oxidation of Met5 to Met-sulfoxide leads to the formation of neurotoxic fibril-incompetent α-synuclein oligomers. Amyloid 2014; 21:163-74. [PMID: 24784227 DOI: 10.3109/13506129.2014.912208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress and the formation of cytotoxic aggregates of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (AS) are two important events associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and several other neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, extensive efforts have been made to elucidate the molecular basis of the cytotoxic synergy between oxidative stress and AS aggregation. In this study, we demonstrate that the exposure of AS to oxidative stress induced by UV radiation (ASUV) blocks the protein fibrillation, leading to the formation of highly toxic fibril-incompetent oligomers. In addition, ASUV exhibited stronger anti-fibrillogenic properties than H2O2-treated AS, inhibiting the fibrillation of unmodified AS at notably low concentrations. Mass spectrometry indicated that Met5 oxidation to Met-sulfoxide was the only modification promoted by UV exposure, which is reinforced by NMR data indicating that Met5 is the only residue whose amide resonance completely disappeared from the (1)H-(15)N HSQC spectrum after UV exposure. This result is supported by previous data that indicate that C-terminal Met residues (Met116 and Met127) and N-terminal Met1 are less susceptible to oxidation than Met5 because of the residual structure of the disordered AS monomer. Overall, our findings suggest that specific oxidation of Met5 might be sufficient to promote the formation of highly neurotoxic oligomers of AS.
Collapse
|