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Kostelanska M, Holada K. Prion Strains Differ in Susceptibility to Photodynamic Oxidation. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27030611. [PMID: 35163872 PMCID: PMC8840242 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prion disorders, or transmissible spongiform encephalophaties (TSE), are fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting mammals. Prion-infectious particles comprise of misfolded pathological prion proteins (PrPTSE). Different TSEs are associated with distinct PrPTSE folds called prion strains. The high resistance of prions to conventional sterilization increases the risk of prion transmission in medical, veterinary and food industry practices. Recently, we have demonstrated the ability of disulfonated hydroxyaluminum phthalocyanine to photodynamically inactivate mouse RML prions by generated singlet oxygen. Herein, we studied the efficiency of three phthalocyanine derivatives in photodynamic treatment of seven mouse adapted prion strains originating from sheep, human, and cow species. We report the different susceptibilities of the strains to photodynamic oxidative elimination of PrPTSE epitopes: RML, A139, Fu-1 > mBSE, mvCJD > ME7, 22L. The efficiency of the phthalocyanine derivatives in the epitope elimination also differed (AlPcOH(SO3)2 > ZnPc(SO3)1-3 > SiPc(OH)2(SO3)1-3) and was not correlated to the yields of generated singlet oxygen. Our data suggest that the structural properties of both the phthalocyanine and the PrPTSE strain may affect the effectiveness of the photodynamic prion inactivation. Our finding provides a new option for the discrimination of prion strains and highlights the necessity of utilizing range of prion strains when validating the photodynamic prion decontamination procedures.
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2
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Zaccagnini L, Rossetti G, Tran TH, Salzano G, Gandini A, Colini Baldeschi A, Bolognesi ML, Carloni P, Legname G. In silico/in vitro screening and hit evaluation identified new phenothiazine anti-prion derivatives. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 196:112295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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3
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Dong C, Garen CR, Mercier P, Petersen NO, Woodside MT. Characterizing the inhibition of α-synuclein oligomerization by a pharmacological chaperone that prevents prion formation by the protein PrP. Protein Sci 2019; 28:1690-1702. [PMID: 31306510 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of the disordered protein α-synuclein into amyloid fibrils is a central feature of synucleinopathies, neurodegenerative disorders that include Parkinson's disease. Small, pre-fibrillar oligomers of misfolded α-synuclein are thought to be the key toxic entities, and α-synuclein misfolding can propagate in a prion-like way. We explored whether a compound with anti-prion activity that can bind to unfolded parts of the protein PrP, the cyclic tetrapyrrole Fe-TMPyP, was also active against α-synuclein aggregation. Observing the initial stages of aggregation via fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy, we found that Fe-TMPyP inhibited small oligomer formation in a dose-dependent manner. Fe-TMPyP also inhibited the formation of mature amyloid fibrils in vitro, as detected by thioflavin T fluorescence. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicated Fe-TMPyP bound to monomeric α-synuclein with a stoichiometry of 2, and two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR spectra revealed significant interactions between Fe-TMPyP and the C-terminus of the protein. These results suggest commonalities among aggregation mechanisms for α-synuclein and the prion protein may exist that can be exploited as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhua Dong
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Craig R Garen
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Pascal Mercier
- National High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre (NANUC), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nils O Petersen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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4
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Kostelanska M, Freisleben J, Backovska Hanusova Z, Mosko T, Vik R, Moravcova D, Hamacek A, Mosinger J, Holada K. Optimization of the photodynamic inactivation of prions by a phthalocyanine photosensitizer: The crucial involvement of singlet oxygen. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2019; 12:e201800340. [PMID: 30989822 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201800430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Prion disorders are fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by the autocatalytic conversion of a natively occurring prion protein (PrPC ) into its misfolded infectious form (PrPTSE ). The proven resistance of PrPTSE to common disinfection procedures increases the risk of prion transmission in medical settings. Herein, we present the effective photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of prions by disulfonated hydroxyaluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcOH(SO3 )2 ) utilizing two custom-built red light sources. The treatment eliminates PrPTSE signal in infectious mouse brain homogenate with efficiency that depends on light intensity but has a low effect on the overall protein content. Importantly, singlet oxygen (O2 (1 Δg )) is the only species significantly photogenerated by AlPcOH(SO3 )2 , and it is responsible for the PDI of prions. More intensive light conditions show not only higher O2 (1 Δg ) production but also decreases in AlPcOH(SO3 )2 photostability. Our findings suggest that PDI by AlPcOH(SO3 )2 -generated O2 (1 Δg ) represents a promising approach for prion inactivation that may be useful in future decontamination strategies for delicate medical tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Kostelanska
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Freisleben
- Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Backovska Hanusova
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tibor Mosko
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Vik
- Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Moravcova
- Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Hamacek
- Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Mosinger
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Holada
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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5
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Valiente-Gabioud AA, Riedel D, Outeiro TF, Menacho-Márquez MA, Griesinger C, Fernández CO. Binding Modes of Phthalocyanines to Amyloid β Peptide and Their Effects on Amyloid Fibril Formation. Biophys J 2019. [PMID: 29539391 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The inherent tendency of proteins to convert from their native states into amyloid aggregates is associated with a range of human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In that sense, the use of small molecules as probes for the structural and toxic mechanism related to amyloid aggregation has become an active area of research. Compared with other compounds, the structural and molecular basis behind the inhibitory interaction of phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (PcTS) with proteins such as αS and tau has been well established, contributing to a better understanding of the amyloid aggregation process in these proteins. We present here the structural characterization of the binding of PcTS and its Cu(II) and Zn(II)-loaded forms to the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and the impact of these interactions on the peptide amyloid fibril assembly. Elucidation of the PcTS binding modes to Aβ40 revealed the involvement of specific aromatic and hydrophobic interactions in the formation of the Aβ40-PcTS complex, ascribed to a binding mode in which the planarity and hydrophobicity of the aromatic ring system in the phthalocyanine act as main structural determinants for the interaction. Our results demonstrated that formation of the Aβ40-PcTS complex does not interfere with the progression of the peptide toward the formation of amyloid fibrils. On the other hand, conjugation of Zn(II) but not Cu(II) at the center of the PcTS macrocyclic ring modified substantially the binding profile of this phthalocyanine to Aβ40 and became crucial to reverse the effects of metal-free PcTS on the fibril assembly of the peptide. Overall, our results provide a firm basis to understand the structural rules directing phthalocyanine-protein interactions and their implications on the amyloid fibril assembly of the target proteins; in particular, our results contradict the hypothesis that PcTS might have similar mechanisms of action in slowing the formation of a variety of pathological aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel A Valiente-Gabioud
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Facility for Transmission Electron Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration; Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mauricio A Menacho-Márquez
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudio O Fernández
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.
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6
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Gupta AN, Neupane K, Rezajooei N, Cortez LM, Sim VL, Woodside MT. Pharmacological chaperone reshapes the energy landscape for folding and aggregation of the prion protein. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12058. [PMID: 27346148 PMCID: PMC4931252 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of small-molecule pharmacological chaperones as therapeutics for protein misfolding diseases has proven challenging, partly because their mechanism of action remains unclear. Here we study Fe-TMPyP, a tetrapyrrole that binds to the prion protein PrP and inhibits misfolding, examining its effects on PrP folding at the single-molecule level with force spectroscopy. Single PrP molecules are unfolded with and without Fe-TMPyP present using optical tweezers. Ligand binding to the native structure increases the unfolding force significantly and alters the transition state for unfolding, making it more brittle and raising the barrier height. Fe-TMPyP also binds the unfolded state, delaying native refolding. Furthermore, Fe-TMPyP binding blocks the formation of a stable misfolded dimer by interfering with intermolecular interactions, acting in a similar manner to some molecular chaperones. The ligand thus promotes native folding by stabilizing the native state while also suppressing interactions driving aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Nath Gupta
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
| | - Krishna Neupane
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
| | - Negar Rezajooei
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
| | - Leonardo M Cortez
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M8
| | - Valerie L Sim
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M8
| | - Michael T Woodside
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1.,National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2M9
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7
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Valiente-Gabioud AA, Miotto MC, Chesta ME, Lombardo V, Binolfi A, Fernández CO. Phthalocyanines as Molecular Scaffolds to Block Disease-Associated Protein Aggregation. Acc Chem Res 2016; 49:801-8. [PMID: 27136297 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.5b00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of proteins into toxic conformations plays a critical role in the development of different neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Creutzfled-Jakob's disease (CJD). These disorders share a common pathological mechanism that involves the formation of aggregated protein species including toxic oligomers and amyloid fibrils. The aggregation of alpha-synuclein (αS) in PD and the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) and tau protein in AD results in neuronal death and disease onset. In the case of CJD, the misfolding of the physiological prion protein (PrP) induces a chain reaction that results in accumulation of particles that elicit brain damage. Currently, there is no preventive therapy for these diseases and the available therapeutic approaches are based on the treatment of the symptoms rather than the underlying causes of the disease. Accordingly, the aggregation pathway of these proteins represents a useful target for therapeutic intervention. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of amyloid formation and its inhibition is of high clinical importance. The design of small molecules that efficiently inhibit the aggregation process and/or neutralize its associated toxicity constitutes a promising tool for the development of therapeutic strategies against these disorders. In this accounts, we discuss current knowledge on the anti-amyloid activity of phthalocyanines and their potential use as drug candidates in neurodegeneration. These tetrapyrrolic compounds modulate the amyloid assembly of αS, tau, Aβ, and the PrP in vitro, and protect cells from the toxic effects of amyloid aggregates. In addition, in scrapie-infected mice, these compounds showed important prophylactic antiscrapie properties. The structural basis for the inhibitory effect of phthalocyanines on amyloid filament assembly relies on specific π-π interactions between the aromatic ring system of these molecules and aromatic residues in the amyloidogenic proteins. Analysis of the structure-activity relationship in phthalocyanines revealed that their anti-amyloid activity is highly dependent on the type of metal ion coordinated to the tetrapyrrolic system but is not sensitive to the number of peripheral charged substituents. The tendency of phthalocyanines to oligomerize (self-association) via aromatic-aromatic stacking interactions correlates precisely with their binding capabilities to target proteins and, more importantly, determines their efficiency as anti-amyloid agents. The ability to block different types of disease-associated protein aggregation raises the possibility that these cyclic tetrapyrrole compounds have a common mechanism of action to impair the formation of a variety of pathological aggregates. Because the structural and molecular basis for the anti-amyloid effects of these molecules is starting to emerge, combined efforts from the fields of structural, cellular, and animal biology will result critical for the rational design and discovery of new drugs for the treatment of amyloid related neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel A. Valiente-Gabioud
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
| | - Marco C. Miotto
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
| | - María E. Chesta
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
| | - Verónica Lombardo
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
| | - Andres Binolfi
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
| | - Claudio O. Fernández
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology,
Chemistry and Molecular
Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and ‡Instituto de Investigaciones para
el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina
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8
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Voronina AA, Filippova AA, Vashurin AS, Pukhovskaya SG, Shaposhnikov GP, Golubchikov OA. Self-association of sulfo derivatives of cobalt phthalocyaninates in the presence of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. RUSS J GEN CHEM+ 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s1070363215070245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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9
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Candiano G, Santucci L, Petretto A, Lavarello C, Inglese E, Bruschi M, Ghiggeri GM, Boschetti E, Righetti PG. Widening and Diversifying the Proteome Capture by Combinatorial Peptide Ligand Libraries via Alcian Blue Dye Binding. Anal Chem 2015; 87:4814-20. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Candiano
- Nephrology, Dialysis,
Transplantation Unit and Laboratory on Pathophysiology of Uremia, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Laura Santucci
- Nephrology, Dialysis,
Transplantation Unit and Laboratory on Pathophysiology of Uremia, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Andrea Petretto
- Core Facilities—Proteomics
Laboratory, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Chiara Lavarello
- Core Facilities—Proteomics
Laboratory, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Elvira Inglese
- Core Facilities—Proteomics
Laboratory, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Maurizio Bruschi
- Nephrology, Dialysis,
Transplantation Unit and Laboratory on Pathophysiology of Uremia, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | - Gian Marco Ghiggeri
- Nephrology, Dialysis,
Transplantation Unit and Laboratory on Pathophysiology of Uremia, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa 16148, Italy
| | | | - Pier Giorgio Righetti
- Department
of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, “Giulio
Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milano 20131, Italy
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10
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Fonseca-Ornelas L, Eisbach SE, Paulat M, Giller K, Fernández CO, Outeiro TF, Becker S, Zweckstetter M. Small molecule-mediated stabilization of vesicle-associated helical α-synuclein inhibits pathogenic misfolding and aggregation. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5857. [PMID: 25524885 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein is an abundant presynaptic protein that is important for regulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking, and whose misfolding plays a key role in Parkinson's disease. While α-synuclein is disordered in solution, it folds into a helical conformation when bound to synaptic vesicles. Stabilization of helical, folded α-synuclein might therefore interfere with α-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity. Here we show that several small molecules, which delay aggregation of α-synuclein in solution, including the Parkinson's disease drug selegiline, fail to interfere with misfolding of vesicle-bound α-synuclein. In contrast, the porphyrin phtalocyanine tetrasulfonate directly binds to vesicle-bound α-synuclein, stabilizes its helical conformation and thereby delays pathogenic misfolding and aggregation. Our study suggests that small-molecule-mediated stabilization of helical vesicle-bound α-synuclein opens new possibilities to target Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fonseca-Ornelas
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sybille E Eisbach
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Restorative Research, University Medicine, Waldweg 33, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maria Paulat
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Karin Giller
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudio O Fernández
- 1] Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 27 de Febrero 210 bis, S2002LRK- Rosario, Argentina [2] Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Farmacos de Rosario-IIDEFAR, (CONICET-UNR), 27 de Febrero 210 bis, S2002LRK- Rosario, Argentina
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- 1] Department of Neurodegeneration and Restorative Research, University Medicine, Waldweg 33, 37073 Göttingen, Germany [2] DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- 1] Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany [2] DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center, 37073 Göttingen, Germany [3] German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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11
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Abstract
The structural conversion of the prion protein PrP into a transmissible, misfolded form is the central element of prion disease, yet there is little consensus as to how it occurs. Key aspects of conversion into the diseased state remain unsettled, from details about the earliest stages of misfolding such as the involvement of partially- or fully-unfolded intermediates to the structure of the infectious state. Part of the difficulty in understanding the structural conversion arises from the complexity of the underlying energy landscapes. Single molecule methods provide a powerful tool for probing complex folding pathways as in prion misfolding, because they allow rare and transient events to be observed directly. We discuss recent work applying single-molecule probes to study misfolding in prion proteins, and what it has revealed about the folding dynamics of PrP that may underlie its unique behavior. We also discuss single-molecule studies probing the interactions that stabilize non-native structures within aggregates, pointing the way to future work that may help identify the microscopic events triggering pathogenic conversion. Although single-molecule approaches to misfolding are relatively young, they have a promising future in prion science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yu
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
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