1
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Kuang S, Zhu B, Zhang J, Yang F, Wu B, Ding W, Yang L, Shen S, Liang SH, Mondal P, Kumar M, Tanzi RE, Zhang C, Chao H, Ran C. A Photolabile Curcumin-Diazirine Analogue Enables Phototherapy with Physically and Molecularly Produced Light for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202312519. [PMID: 37721455 PMCID: PMC10615883 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202312519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) drugs has recently witnessed substantial achievement. To further enhance the pool of drug candidates, it is crucial to explore non-traditional therapeutic avenues. In this study, we present the use of a photolabile curcumin-diazirine analogue, CRANAD-147, to induce changes in properties, structures (sequences), and neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ) species both in cells and in vivo. This manipulation was achieved through irradiation with LED light or molecularly generated light, dubbed as "molecular light", emitted by the chemiluminescence probe ADLumin-4. Next, aided by molecular chemiluminescence imaging, we demonstrated that the combination of CRANAD-147/LED or CRANAD-147/ADLumin-4 (molecular light) could effectively slow down the accumulation of Aβs in transgenic 5xFAD mice in vivo. Leveraging the remarkable tissue penetration capacity of molecular light, phototherapy employing the synergistic effect of a photolabile Aβ ligand and molecular light emerges as a promising alternative to conventional AD treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Kuang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Biyue Zhu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Fan Yang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Bo Wu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Weihua Ding
- MGH Center for Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Liuyue Yang
- MGH Center for Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Shiqian Shen
- MGH Center for Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Seven H Liang
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02114, USA
| | - Prasenjit Mondal
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Mohanraja Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA-02139, USA
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Can Zhang
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA-02129, USA
| | - Hui Chao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Chongzhao Ran
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA-02129, USA
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2
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Kandi S, Cline EN, Rivera BM, Viola KL, Zhu J, Condello C, LeDuc RD, Klein WL, Kelleher NL, Patrie SM. Amyloid β Proteoforms Elucidated by Quantitative LC/MS in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3475-3488. [PMID: 37847596 PMCID: PMC10840081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous Aβ proteoforms, identified in the human brain, possess differential neurotoxic and aggregation propensities. These proteoforms contribute in unknown ways to the conformations and resultant pathogenicity of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD) manifestation owing to the lack of molecular-level specificity to the exact chemical composition of underlying protein products with widespread interrogating techniques, like immunoassays. We evaluated Aβ proteoform flux using quantitative top-down mass spectrometry (TDMS) in a well-studied 5xFAD mouse model of age-dependent Aβ-amyloidosis. Though the brain-derived Aβ proteoform landscape is largely occupied by Aβ1-42, 25 different forms of Aβ with differential solubility were identified. These proteoforms fall into three natural groups defined by hierarchical clustering of expression levels in the context of mouse age and proteoform solubility, with each group sharing physiochemical properties associated with either N/C-terminal truncations or both. Overall, the TDMS workflow outlined may hold tremendous potential for investigating proteoform-level relationships between insoluble fibrils and soluble Aβ, including low-molecular-weight oligomers hypothesized to serve as the key drivers of neurotoxicity. Similarly, the workflow may also help to validate the utility of AD-relevant animal models to recapitulate amyloidosis mechanisms or possibly explain disconnects observed in therapeutic efficacy in animal models vs humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Kandi
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Erika N Cline
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Brianna M Rivera
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Kirsten L Viola
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Jiuhe Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Richard D LeDuc
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - William L Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Steven M Patrie
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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3
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Maghsoodi F, Martin TD, Chi EY. Partial Destabilization of Amyloid-β Protofibril by Methionine Photo-Oxidation: A Molecular Dynamic Simulation Study. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:10148-10159. [PMID: 36969430 PMCID: PMC10035002 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Selective photosensitized oxidation of amyloid protein aggregates is being investigated as a possible therapeutic strategy for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Photo-oxidation has been shown to degrade amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates and ameliorate aggregate toxicity in vitro and reduce aggregate levels in the brains of AD animal models. To shed light on the mechanism by which photo-oxidation induces fibril destabilization, we carried out an all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to examine the effect of methionine (Met35) oxidation on the conformation and stability of a β-sheet-rich Aβ9-40 protofibril. Analyses of up to 1 μs simulations showed that the oxidation of the Met35 residues, which resulted in the addition of hydrophilic oxygens in the fibril core, reduced the overall conformational stability of the protofibril. Specifically, Met35 disrupted the hydrophobic interface that stabilizes the stacking of the two hexamers that comprise the protofibril. The oxidized protofibril is more solvent exposed and exhibits more backbone flexibility. However, the protofibril retained the underlying U-shaped architecture of each peptide upon oxidation, and although some loss of β-sheets occurred, a significant portion remained. Our simulation results are thus consistent with our experimental observation that photo-oxidation of Aβ40 fibril resulted in the dis-agglomeration and fragmentation of Aβ fibrils but did not cause complete disruption of the fibrillar morphology or β-sheet structures. The partial destabilization of Aβ aggregates supports the further development of photosensitized platforms for the targeting and clearing of Aβ aggregates as a therapeutic strategy for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Maghsoodi
- Nanoscience
and Microsystems Engineering Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Center
for Biomedical Engineering, University of
New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Tye D. Martin
- Center
for Biomedical Engineering, University of
New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Eva Y. Chi
- Center
for Biomedical Engineering, University of
New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
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4
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Taylor AP, Davis PJ, Aubrey LD, White JBR, Parton ZN, Staniforth RA. Simple, Reliable Protocol for High-Yield Solubilization of Seedless Amyloid-β Monomer. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 14:53-71. [PMID: 36512740 PMCID: PMC9817077 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembly of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide to form toxic oligomers and fibrils is a key causal event in the onset of Alzheimer's disease, and Aβ is the focus of intense research in neuroscience, biophysics, and structural biology aimed at therapeutic development. Due to its rapid self-assembly and extreme sensitivity to aggregation conditions, preparation of seedless, reproducible Aβ solutions is highly challenging, and there are serious ongoing issues with consistency in the literature. In this paper, we use a liquid-phase separation technique, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation with multiangle light scattering (AF4-MALS), to develop and validate a simple, effective, economical method for re-solubilization and quality control of purified, lyophilized Aβ samples. Our findings were obtained with recombinant peptide but are physicochemical in nature and thus highly relevant to synthetic peptide. We show that much of the variability in the literature stems from the inability of overly mild solvent treatments to produce consistently monomeric preparations and is rectified by a protocol involving high-pH (>12) dissolution, sonication, and rapid freezing to prevent modification. Aβ treated in this manner is chemically stable, can be stored over long timescales at -80 °C, and exhibits remarkably consistent self-assembly behavior when returned to near-neutral pH. These preparations are highly monomeric, seedless, and do not require additional rounds of size exclusion, eliminating the need for this costly procedure and increasing the flexibility of use. We propose that our improved protocol is the simplest, fastest, and most effective way to solubilize Aβ from diverse sources for sensitive self-assembly and toxicity assays.
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5
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Holubiec MI, Gellert M, Hanschmann EM. Redox signaling and metabolism in Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1003721. [PMID: 36408110 PMCID: PMC9670316 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1003721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduction and oxidation reactions are essential for biochemical processes. They are part of metabolic pathways and signal transduction. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as second messengers and oxidative modifications of cysteinyl (Cys) residues are key to transduce and translate intracellular and intercellular signals. Dysregulation of cellular redox signaling is known as oxidative distress, which has been linked to various pathologies, including neurodegeneration. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative pathology linked to both, abnormal amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, generating Aβ peptide, and Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation. Signs of oxidative distress in AD include: increase of ROS (H2O2, O2 •-), decrease of the levels or activities of antioxidant enzymes, abnormal oxidation of macromolecules related to elevated Aβ production, and changes in mitochondrial homeostasis linked to Tau phosphorylation. Interestingly, Cys residues present in APP form disulfide bonds that are important for intermolecular interactions and might be involved in the aggregation of Aβ. Moreover, two Cys residues in some Tau isoforms have been shown to be essential for Tau stabilization and its interaction with microtubules. Future research will show the complexities of Tau, its interactome, and the role that Cys residues play in the progression of AD. The specific modification of cysteinyl residues in redox signaling is also tightly connected to the regulation of various metabolic pathways. Many of these pathways have been found to be altered in AD, even at very early stages. In order to analyze the complex changes and underlying mechanisms, several AD models have been developed, including animal models, 2D and 3D cell culture, and ex-vivo studies of patient samples. The use of these models along with innovative, new redox analysis techniques are key to further understand the importance of the redox component in Alzheimer's disease and the identification of new therapeutic targets in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. I. Holubiec
- IBioBA-MPSP Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires, Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M. Gellert
- Institute for Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifwald, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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6
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Khurshid B, Rehman AU, Muhammad S, Wadood A, Anwar J. Toward the Noninvasive Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease: Molecular Basis for the Specificity of Curcumin for Fibrillar Amyloid-β. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:22032-22038. [PMID: 35785332 PMCID: PMC9245119 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies show that curcumin, a naturally fluorescent dye, can be used for the noninvasive optical imaging of retinal amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques. We investigated the molecular basis for curcumin's specificity for hierarchical Aβ structures using molecular dynamics simulations, with a focus on how curcumin is able to detect and discriminate different amyloid morphologies. Curcumin inhibits and breaks up β-sheet formation in Aβ monomers. With disordered Aβ structures, curcumin forms a coarse-grained composite structure. With an ordered fibril, curcumin's interaction is highly specific, and the curcumin molecules are deposited in the fibril groove. Curcumin tends to self-aggregate, which is finely balanced with its affinity for Aβ. This tendency concentrates curcumin molecules at Aβ deposition sites, potentially increasing the fluorescence signal. This is probably why curcumin is such an effective amyloid imaging agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beenish Khurshid
- Department
of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University
Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
| | - Ashfaq Ur Rehman
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University
of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Shabbir Muhammad
- Department
of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid
University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Wadood
- Department
of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University
Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
| | - Jamshed Anwar
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
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7
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Koshti B, Kshtriya V, Nardin C, Gour N. Chemical Perspective of the Mechanism of Action of Antiamyloidogenic Compounds Using a Minimalistic Peptide as a Reductionist Model. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:2851-2864. [PMID: 34264635 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The diphenylalanine (FF) residue which is present at the 19 and 20 positions of the amyloid beta (1-42) (Aβ42) peptide sequence is considered as a reductionist model for studying Aβ42 aggregation. FF self-assembles into well-ordered tubular structures via aromatic π-π stacking. Herein the manuscript, we have presented a chemical perspective on the mechanism of action of antiamyloid compounds by assessing their interaction with FF. Therefore, we first coincubated FF fibers with single amino acids, since they are constituted of different R side chains yet have a common structural unit. This study revealed a crucial role of aromatic rings and functional groups like thiol (-SH) in causing destabilization of FF assembly via their interaction with π-electrons participating in π-π stacking present in FF. We further studied the interaction of different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other known antiamyloidogenic compounds, and host-guest inclusion compounds like cyclodextrin (CD) to assess their mechanism of action and to decipher the functional moiety present in these compounds which could cause destabilization of π-π stacking. From the coincubation experiments, we could surmise a crucial role of aromatic rings present in these compounds for causing interference in aromatic stacking. We further consolidated our observations through microscopy analysis by various spectroscopic methods such as aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE), fluorescence spectroscopy, solution-state 1H NMR, FTIR, and circular dichroism. The studies presented in the manuscript thus provide significant insights into the role of functional groups in imparting antiamyloid action and open new avenues for an efficient design of antiamyloid drugs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharti Koshti
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Indrashil University, Kadi, Mehsana, Gujarat 382740, India
| | - Vivekshinh Kshtriya
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Indrashil University, Kadi, Mehsana, Gujarat 382740, India
| | - Corinne Nardin
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau 64053, France
| | - Nidhi Gour
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Indrashil University, Kadi, Mehsana, Gujarat 382740, India
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Indian Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India
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8
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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.
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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
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9
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Jin Y, Vadukul DM, Gialama D, Ge Y, Thrush R, White JT, Aprile FA. The Diagnostic Potential of Amyloidogenic Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4128. [PMID: 33923609 PMCID: PMC8074075 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are a highly prevalent class of diseases, whose pathological mechanisms start before the appearance of any clear symptoms. This fact has prompted scientists to search for biomarkers that could aid early treatment. These currently incurable pathologies share the presence of aberrant aggregates called amyloids in the nervous system, which are composed of specific proteins. In this review, we discuss how these proteins, their conformations and modifications could be exploited as biomarkers for diagnostic purposes. We focus on proteins that are associated with the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia. We also describe current challenges in detection, the most recent techniques with diagnostic potentials and possible future developments in diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Francesco Antonio Aprile
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK; (Y.J.); (D.M.V.); (D.G.); (Y.G.); (R.T.); (J.T.W.)
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10
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Mei J, Yang H, Sun B, Liu C, Ai H. Small-Molecule Targeted Aβ 42 Aggregate Degradation: Negatively Charged Small Molecules Are More Promising than the Neutral Ones. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1197-1209. [PMID: 33687193 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy evidence has confirmed that Aβ42 oligomers are the most neurotoxic aggregates and play a critical role in the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease by causing functional neuron death, cognitive damage, and dementia. Disordered Aβ42 oligomers are challenging therapeutic targets, and no drug is currently in clinical use that modifies the properties of their monomeric states. Here, a negatively charged molecule (ER), rather than the neutral TS1 one, is identified by a molecular dynamics simulation method to be more capable of binding and sequestering the intrinsically disordered amyloid-β peptide Aβ42 in its soluble pentameric state as well as its monomeric components. Results reveal that the ERs interact with Aβ and inhibit the primary nucleation pathways in its aggregation process in entropic expansion mechanism for both Aβ42 and Aβ40 oligomers but with opposite characteristics of hydrophobic surface area (HSA). The interaction between Aβ42 oligomer and either charged ER or neutral TS1/TS0 characterizes decreased HSA, and the decrease in ER-involved case is highly visible, consistent with the observations from in silico and in vitro studies. By contrast, the presence of these inhibitors causes the HSA of Aβ40 oligomer to change undetectably and there is even a bit of increase in the histidine isomerized Aβ40 oligomer. The HSA distinction between Aβ42 and Aβ40 oligomer is possibly derived from the different effects of M35-inhibitor interaction, which is analogous to the effect of M35 oxidation. In comparison with the neutral TS1/TS0 inhibitors, ER is more prone to bind the residues located in the central (β1) and C-terminal (β2) regions of Aβ42 peptide, two key nucleation regions for Aβ intramolecular folding, intermolecular aggregation, and assembly. Notably, ER can strongly bind the charged residues, such as K16, K28, D23, to greatly disturb the potential stabilizer (e.g., salt-bridge, etc.) in metastable Aβ42 oligomers and protofibrils. These results illustrate the strategy of overcoming Alzheimer's disease from inhibiting its early stage Aβ aggregation with two kinds of small molecules to alter their behavior for therapeutic purposes and strongly recommend paying more attention to the engineering and development of negatively charged inhibitors, the long-term underappreciated ones, targeting the early stage Aβ aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Huijuan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Chengqiang Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
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11
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Cao Y, He Z, Gao Y, Xin Y, Luo L, Meng F. Boosting the Photodynamic Degradation of Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Aggregates Via a "Bait-Hook-Devastate" Strategy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:14911-14919. [PMID: 33764749 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Photosensitizers that can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon irradiation have emerged as promising agents for photodynamic degradation of toxic amyloid aggregates that are linked to many amyloidogenic diseases. However, due to the ultrastable β-sheet structure in amyloid aggregates and inefficient utilization of the generated ROS, it usually requires high stoichiometric concentration of the photosensitizer and/or intensive light irradiation to fully dissociate aggregates. In this work, we have developed a "bait-hook-devastate" strategy to boost the efficiency of the photodynamic degradation of amyloid aggregates. This strategy employs anionic polyacrylic acid as a bait to accumulate cationic human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) aggregates and positively charged photosensitizer TPCI in a confined area through electronic interactions. Multiple characterization studies proved that the utilization rate of ROS generated by TPCI was remarkably improved via this strategy, which amplified the ability of TPCI to dissociate IAPP aggregates. Rapid and complete degradation of IAPP aggregates could be achieved by irradiating the system under very mild conditions for less than 30 min, and the IAPP-mediated cytotoxicity was also largely alleviated, providing a new paradigm to accelerate photodynamic degradation of amyloid aggregates for further practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Cao
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhenyan He
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yuting Gao
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yanru Xin
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liang Luo
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry and Materia Medica, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Fanling Meng
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry and Materia Medica, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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12
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Deng X, Zhao S, Liu X, Han L, Wang R, Hao H, Jiao Y, Han S, Bai C. Polygala tenuifolia: a source for anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2020; 58:410-416. [PMID: 32429787 PMCID: PMC7301717 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2020.1758732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Context: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that originates from central nervous system lesions or recessions. Current estimates suggest that this disease affects over 35 million people worldwide. However, lacking effective drugs is the biggest handicap in treating AD. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (Polygalaceae) is generally used to treat insomnia, memory dysfunction and neurasthenia.Objective: This review article explores the role of P. tenuifolia and its active components in anti-Alzheimer's disease.Methods: Literature for the last ten years was obtained through a search on PubMed, SciFinder, CNKI, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct and China Knowledge Resource Integrated with the following keywords: Polygala tenuifolia, polygalasaponin XXXII (PGS 32), tenuifolin, polygalacic acid, senegenin, tenuigenin, Alzheimer's disease.Results: Polygala tenuifolia and its active components have multiplex neuroprotective potential associated with AD, such as anti-Aβ aggregation, anti-Tau protein, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-neuronal apoptosis, enhancing central cholinergic system and promote neuronal proliferation.Conclusions: Polygala tenuifolia and its active components exhibit multiple neuroprotective effects. Hence, P. tenuifolia is a potential drug against Alzheimer's disease, especially in terms of prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Deng
- Ningxia Medical University Pharmacy College, Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Research Center of Modern Hui Medicine Engineering and Technology, Yinchuan, P. R. China
| | - Shipeng Zhao
- Ningxia Medical University Pharmacy College, Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Research Center of Modern Hui Medicine Engineering and Technology, Yinchuan, P. R. China
| | - Xinqi Liu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Lu Han
- Ningxia Medical University Pharmacy College, Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Research Center of Modern Hui Medicine Engineering and Technology, Yinchuan, P. R. China
| | - Ruizhou Wang
- Ningxia Medical University Pharmacy College, Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Research Center of Modern Hui Medicine Engineering and Technology, Yinchuan, P. R. China
| | - Huifeng Hao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yanna Jiao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shuyan Han
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Changcai Bai
- Ningxia Medical University Pharmacy College, Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Research Center of Modern Hui Medicine Engineering and Technology, Yinchuan, P. R. China
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13
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Heller GT, Aprile FA, Michaels TCT, Limbocker R, Perni M, Ruggeri FS, Mannini B, Löhr T, Bonomi M, Camilloni C, De Simone A, Felli IC, Pierattelli R, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, Vendruscolo M. Small-molecule sequestration of amyloid-β as a drug discovery strategy for Alzheimer's disease. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/45/eabb5924. [PMID: 33148639 PMCID: PMC7673680 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb5924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Disordered proteins are challenging therapeutic targets, and no drug is currently in clinical use that modifies the properties of their monomeric states. Here, we identify a small molecule (10074-G5) capable of binding and sequestering the intrinsically disordered amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in its monomeric, soluble state. Our analysis reveals that this compound interacts with Aβ and inhibits both the primary and secondary nucleation pathways in its aggregation process. We characterize this interaction using biophysical experiments and integrative structural ensemble determination methods. We observe that this molecule increases the conformational entropy of monomeric Aβ while decreasing its hydrophobic surface area. We also show that it rescues a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Aβ-associated toxicity, consistent with the mechanism of action identified from the in silico and in vitro studies. These results illustrate the strategy of stabilizing the monomeric states of disordered proteins with small molecules to alter their behavior for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella T Heller
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Francesco A Aprile
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Thomas C T Michaels
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Michele Perni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Francesco Simone Ruggeri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Thomas Löhr
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Massimiliano Bonomi
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry. CNRS UMR 3528, C3BI, CNRS USR 3756, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Carlo Camilloni
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II," 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Isabella C Felli
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM), University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff," University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Roberta Pierattelli
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM), University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff," University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
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14
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Metal- and UV- Catalyzed Oxidation Results in Trapped Amyloid-β Intermediates Revealing that Self-Assembly Is Required for Aβ-Induced Cytotoxicity. iScience 2020; 23:101537. [PMID: 33083713 PMCID: PMC7516296 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dityrosine (DiY), via the cross-linking of tyrosine residues, is a marker of protein oxidation, which increases with aging. Amyloid-β (Aβ) forms DiY in vitro and DiY-cross-linked Aβ is found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Metal- or UV- catalyzed oxidation of Aβ42 results in an increase in DiY cross-links. Using DiY as a marker of oxidation, we compare the self-assembly propensity and DiY cross-link formation for a non-assembly competent variant of Aβ42 (vAβ) with wild-type Aβ42. Oxidation results in the formation of trapped wild-type Aβ assemblies with increased DiY cross-links that are unable to elongate further. Assembly-incompetent vAβ and trapped Aβ assemblies are non-toxic to neuroblastoma cells at all stages of self-assembly, in contrast to oligomeric, non-cross-linked Aβ. These findings point to a mechanism of toxicity that necessitates dynamic self-assembly whereby trapped Aβ assemblies and assembly-incompetent variant Aβ are unable to result in cell death. Metal- (Cu2+ H202) or UV- catalyzedoxidation results in dityrosine (DiY) formation Oxidation results in DiY cross-link formation in Aβ and halts further assembly Non-assembling Aβ (trapped Aβ or variant Αβ monomer) is not cytotoxic
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15
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Tavanti F, Pedone A, Menziani MC. Insights into the Effect of Curcumin and (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate on the Aggregation of Aβ(1-40) Monomers by Means of Molecular Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155462. [PMID: 32751722 PMCID: PMC7432714 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared the effects of two well-known natural compounds on the early step of the fibrillation process of amyloid-β (1–40), responsible for the formation of plaques in the brains of patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The use of extensive replica exchange simulations up to the µs scale allowed us to characterize the inhibition activity of (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and curcumin (CUR) on unfolded amyloid fibrils. A reduced number of β-strands, characteristic of amyloid fibrils, and an increased distance between the amino acids that are responsible for the intra- and interprotein aggregations are observed. The central core region of the amyloid-β (Aβ(1–40)) fibril is found to have a high affinity to EGCG and CUR due to the presence of hydrophobic residues. Lastly, the free binding energy computed using the Poisson Boltzmann Surface Ares suggests that EGCG is more likely to bind to unfolded Aβ(1–40) fibrils and that this molecule can be a good candidate to develop new and more effective congeners to treat AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Tavanti
- CNR–NANO Research Center S3, Via Campi 213/a, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (A.P.); (M.C.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alfonso Pedone
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (A.P.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Maria Cristina Menziani
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (A.P.); (M.C.M.)
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16
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Ermilova I, Lyubartsev AP. Modelling of interactions between Aβ(25-35) peptide and phospholipid bilayers: effects of cholesterol and lipid saturation. RSC Adv 2020; 10:3902-3915. [PMID: 35492630 PMCID: PMC9048594 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra06424a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides in neuronal membranes is a known promoter of Alzheimer’s disease. To gain insight into the molecular details of Aβ peptide aggregation and its effect on model neuronal membranes, we carried out molecular dynamics simulations of the Aβ(25–35) fragment of the amyloid precursor protein in phospholipid bilayers composed of either fully saturated or highly unsaturated lipids, in the presence or absence of cholesterol. It was found that the peptide does not penetrate through any of the considered membranes, but can reside in the headgroup region and upper part of the lipid tails showing a clear preference to a polyunsaturated cholesterol-free membrane. Due to the ordering and condensing effect upon addition of cholesterol, membranes become more rigid facilitating peptide aggregation on the surface. Except for the case of the cholesterol-free saturated lipid bilayer, the peptides have a small effect on the membrane structure and ordering. It was also found that the most “active” amino-acid for peptide–lipid and peptide–cholesterol interaction is methionine-35, followed by asparagine-27 and serine-26, which form hydrogen bonds between peptides and polar atoms of lipid headgroups. These amino acids are also primarily responsible for peptide aggregation. This work will be relevant for designing strategies to develop drugs to combat Alzheimer’s disease. Molecular dynamics simulations of Aβ(25–35) peptides in phospholipid bilayers are carried out to investigate the effect of polyunsaturated lipids and cholesterol on aggregation of the peptides. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Ermilova
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden +46 8161193
| | - Alexander P Lyubartsev
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden +46 8161193
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17
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Pilkington AW, Donohoe GC, Akhmedov NG, Ferrebee T, Valentine SJ, Legleiter J. Hydrogen Peroxide Modifies Aβ-Membrane Interactions with Implications for Aβ 40 Aggregation. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2893-2905. [PMID: 31187978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is pathologically characterized by the formation of extracellular senile plaques, predominately comprised of aggregated β-amyloid (Aβ), deposited in the brain. Aβ aggregation can result in a myriad of distinct aggregate species, from soluble oligomers to insoluble fibrils. Aβ strongly interacts with membranes, which can be linked to a variety of potential toxic mechanisms associated with AD. Oxidative damage accompanies the formation of Aβ aggregates, with a 10-50% proportion of Aβ aggregates being oxidized in vivo. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a reactive oxygen species implicated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence has demonstrated that the H2O2 concentration fluctuates rapidly in the brain, resulting in large concentration spikes, especially in the synaptic cleft. Here, the impact of environmental H2O2 on Aβ aggregation in the presence and absence of lipid membranes is investigated. Aβ40 was exposed to H2O2, resulting in the selective oxidation of methionine 35 (Met35) to produce Aβ40Met35[O]. While oxidation mildly reduced the rate of Aβ aggregation and produced a distinct fibril morphology at high H2O2 concentrations, H2O2 had a much more pronounced impact on Aβ aggregation in the presence of total brain lipid extract vesicles. The impact of H2O2 on Aβ aggregation in the presence of lipids was associated with a reduced affinity of Aβ for the vesicle surface. However, this reduced vesicle affinity was predominately associated with lipid peroxidation rather than Aβ oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert W Pilkington
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States
| | - Gregory C Donohoe
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States
| | - Novruz G Akhmedov
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States
| | - Timothy Ferrebee
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States
| | - Stephen J Valentine
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry , West Virginia University , 217 Clark Hall , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506 , United States.,Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes , West Virginia University , 1 Medical Center Drive , P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown , West Virginia 26505 , United States.,Department of Neuroscience , West Virginia University , 1 Medical Center Drive , P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown , West Virginia 26505 , United States
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18
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Lockhart C, Smith AK, Klimov DK. Methionine Oxidation Changes the Mechanism of Aβ Peptide Binding to the DMPC Bilayer. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5947. [PMID: 30976055 PMCID: PMC6459879 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42304-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Using all-atom explicit solvent replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations with solute tempering, we study the effect of methionine oxidation on Aβ10–40 peptide binding to the zwitterionic DMPC bilayer. By comparing oxidized and reduced peptides, we identified changes in the binding mechanism caused by this modification. First, Met35 oxidation unravels C-terminal helix in the bound peptides. Second, oxidation destabilizes intrapeptide interactions and expands bound peptides. We explain these outcomes by the loss of amphiphilic character of the C-terminal helix due to oxidation. Third, oxidation “polarizes” Aβ binding to the DMPC bilayer by strengthening the interactions of the C-terminus with lipids while largely releasing the rest of the peptide from bilayer. Fourth, in contrast to the wild-type peptide, oxidized Aβ induces significantly smaller bilayer thinning and drop in lipid density within the binding footprint. These observations are the consequence of mixing oxidized peptide amino acids with lipids promoted by enhanced Aβ conformational fluctuations. Fifth, methionine oxidation reduces the affinity of Aβ binding to the DMPC bilayer by disrupting favorable intrapeptide interactions upon binding, which offset the gains from better hydration. Reduced binding affinity of the oxidized Aβ may represent the molecular basis for its reduced cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy K Smith
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA
| | - Dmitri K Klimov
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA.
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19
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Witter S, Witter R, Vilu R, Samoson A. Medical Plants and Nutraceuticals for Amyloid-β Fibrillation Inhibition. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2018; 2:239-252. [PMID: 30599045 PMCID: PMC6311354 DOI: 10.3233/adr-180066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Plaque formation due to amyloid-β oligomerization and fibrillation is a key issue for its deposition in the brains of dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients. Related drugs preventing this peptide fibril accumulation bear the potential of considerable medical and social value. In this study, we performed in vitro fibrillation inhibition tests with eight different medical plant extracts and nutraceuticals using fluorescence spectroscopy. Successful inhibition of the following plant extracts and nutraceuticals were obtained: Withania somnifera, Centella asiatica, Bacopa monnieri, and Convolvulus pluricaulis, providing new drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffi Witter
- Department of Health Technologies, School of Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Raiker Witter
- Department of Health Technologies, School of Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Raivo Vilu
- Competence Center of Food and Fermentation Technology (TFTAK), Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Ago Samoson
- Department of Health Technologies, School of Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
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20
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Orteca G, Tavanti F, Bednarikova Z, Gazova Z, Rigillo G, Imbriano C, Basile V, Asti M, Rigamonti L, Saladini M, Ferrari E, Menziani MC. Curcumin derivatives and Aβ-fibrillar aggregates: An interactions' study for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes in neurodegenerative diseases. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:4288-4300. [PMID: 30031653 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's (AD), are characterized by amyloid fibrillar deposition of misfolded proteins, and this feature can be exploited for both diagnosis and therapy design. In this paper, structural modifications of curcumin scaffold were examined in order to improve its bioavailability and stability in physiological conditions, as well as its ability to interfere with β-amyloid fibrils and aggregates. The acid-base behaviour of curcumin derivatives, their pharmacokinetic stability in physiological conditions, and in vitro ability to interfere with Aβ fibrils at different incubation time were investigated. The mechanisms governing these phenomena have been studied at atomic level by means of molecular docking and dynamic simulations. Finally, biological activity of selected curcuminoids has been investigated in vitro to evaluate their safety and efficiency in oxidative stress protection on hippocampal HT-22 mouse cells. Two aromatic rings, π-conjugated structure and H-donor/acceptor substituents on the aromatic rings showed to be the sine qua non structural features to provide interaction and disaggregation activity even at very low incubation time (2h). Computational simulations proved that upon binding the ligands modify the conformational dynamics and/or interact with the amyloidogenic region of the protofibril facilitating disaggregation. Significantly, in vitro results on hippocampal cells pointed out protection against glutamate toxicity and safety when administered at low concentrations (1 μM). On the overall, in view of its higher stability in physiological conditions with respect to curcumin, of his rapid binding to fibrillar aggregates and strong depolymerizing activity, phtalimmide derivative K2F21 appeared a good candidate for both AD diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Orteca
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Francesco Tavanti
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Zuzana Bednarikova
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Gazova
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Giovanna Rigillo
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Carol Imbriano
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Valentina Basile
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Mattia Asti
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Advanced Technology Department, AUSL - IRCCS Reggio Emilia, viale Amendola 2, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Luca Rigamonti
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Monica Saladini
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Erika Ferrari
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy.
| | - Maria Cristina Menziani
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
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21
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Spahn C, Wermann M, Eichentopf R, Hause G, Schlenzig D, Schilling S. Purification of recombinant Aβ(1-42) and pGlu-Aβ(3-42) using preparative SDS-PAGE. Electrophoresis 2017; 38:2042-2049. [PMID: 28510356 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201700154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant expression and purification of amyloid peptides represents a common basis for investigating the molecular mechanisms of amyloid formation and toxicity. However, the isolation of the recombinant peptides is hampered by inefficient separation from contaminants such as the fusion protein required for efficient expression in E. coli. Here, we present a new approach for the isolation of highly purified Aβ(1-42) and pGlu-Aβ(3-42), which is based on a separation using preparative SDS-PAGE. The method relies on the purification of the Aβ fusion protein by affinity chromatography followed by preparative SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions and subsequent removal of detergents by precipitation. The application of preparative SDS-PAGE represents the key step to isolate highly pure recombinant Aβ, which has been applied for characterization of aggregation and toxicity. Thereby, the yield of the purification strategy was >60%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of an electrophoresis-based method for purification of a recombinant Aβ peptide. Therefore, the method might be of interest for isolation of other amyloid peptides, which are critical for conventional purification strategies due to their aggregation propensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Spahn
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department for Drug Design and Target Validation (IZI-MWT), Halle, Germany
| | - Michael Wermann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department for Drug Design and Target Validation (IZI-MWT), Halle, Germany
| | - Rico Eichentopf
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department for Drug Design and Target Validation (IZI-MWT), Halle, Germany
| | - Gerd Hause
- Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Dagmar Schlenzig
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department for Drug Design and Target Validation (IZI-MWT), Halle, Germany
| | - Stephan Schilling
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department for Drug Design and Target Validation (IZI-MWT), Halle, Germany
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22
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Rivas-Arancibia S, Rodríguez-Martínez E, Badillo-Ramírez I, López-González U, Saniger JM. Structural Changes of Amyloid Beta in Hippocampus of Rats Exposed to Ozone: A Raman Spectroscopy Study. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:137. [PMID: 28588448 PMCID: PMC5438967 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this work was to study the effect of oxidative stress on the structural changes of the secondary peptide structure of amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ 1-42), in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus of rats exposed to low doses of ozone. The animals were exposed to ozone-free air (control group) and 0.25 ppm ozone during 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days, respectively. The samples were studied by: (1) Raman spectroscopy to detect the global conformational changes in peptides with α-helix and β-sheet secondary structure, following the deconvolution profile of the amide I band; and (2) immunohistochemistry against Aβ 1-42. The results of the deconvolutions of the amide I band indicate that, ozone exposure causes a progressively decrease in the abundance percentage of α-helix secondary structure. Furthermore, the β-sheet secondary structure increases its abundance percentage. After 60 days of ozone exposure, the β-sheet band is identified in a similar wavenumber of the Aβ 1-42 peptide standard. Immunohistochemistry assays show an increase of Aβ 1-42 immunoreactivity, coinciding with the conformational changes observed in the Raman spectroscopy of Aβ 1-42 at 60 and 90 days. In conclusion, oxidative stress produces changes in the folding process of amyloid beta peptide structure in the dentate gyrus, leading to its conformational change in a final β-sheet structure. This is associated to an increase in Aβ 1-42 expression, similar to the one that happens in the brain of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selva Rivas-Arancibia
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Erika Rodríguez-Martínez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Isidro Badillo-Ramírez
- Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ulises López-González
- Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - José M Saniger
- Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
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23
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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.
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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
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24
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Mozziconacci O, Bhagavathy GV, Yamamoto T, Wilson GS, Glass RS, Schöneich C. Neighboring amide participation in the Fenton oxidation of a sulfide to sulfoxide, vinyl sulfide and ketone relevant to oxidation of methionine thioether side chains in peptides. Tetrahedron 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2016.08.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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