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Christoudia N, Bekas N, Kanata E, Chatziefsthathiou A, Pettas S, Karagianni K, Da Silva Correia SM, Schmitz M, Zerr I, Tsamesidis I, Xanthopoulos K, Dafou D, Sklaviadis T. Αnti-prion effects of anthocyanins. Redox Biol 2024; 72:103133. [PMID: 38565068 PMCID: PMC10990977 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, also known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), are protein-based neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) affecting humans and animals. They are characterized by the conformational conversion of the normal cellular prion protein, PrPC, into the pathogenic isoform, PrPSc. Prion diseases are invariably fatal and despite ongoing research, no effective prophylactic or therapeutic avenues are currently available. Anthocyanins (ACNs) are unique flavonoid compounds and interest in their use as potential neuroprotective and/or therapeutic agents against NDs, has increased significantly in recent years. Therefore, we investigated the potential anti-oxidant and anti-prion effects of Oenin and Myrtillin, two of the most common anthocyanins, using the most accepted in the field overexpressing PrPScin vitro model and a cell free protein aggregation model. Our results, indicate both anthocyanins as strong anti-oxidant compounds, upregulating the expression of genes involved in the anti-oxidant response, and reducing the levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), produced due to pathogenic prion infection, through the activation of the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. Importantly, they showcased remarkable anti-prion potential, as they not only caused the clearance of pathogenic PrPSc aggregates, but also completely inhibited the formation of PrPSc fibrils in the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Therefore, Oenin and Myrtillin possess pleiotropic effects, suggesting their potential use as promising preventive and/or therapeutic agents in prion diseases and possibly in the spectrum of neurodegenerative proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Christoudia
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Nikolaos Bekas
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Eirini Kanata
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Athanasia Chatziefsthathiou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Spyros Pettas
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece; Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Korina Karagianni
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Susana Margarida Da Silva Correia
- Department of Neurology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University Medicine Goettingen, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmitz
- Department of Neurology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University Medicine Goettingen, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University Medicine Goettingen, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Ioannis Tsamesidis
- Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Konstantinos Xanthopoulos
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Dimitra Dafou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Theodoros Sklaviadis
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Jheng CP, Lee CI. Combination of structure-based virtual screening, molecular docking and molecular dynamics approaches for the discovery of anti-prion fibril flavonoids. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 9:1088733. [PMID: 36685276 PMCID: PMC9849400 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1088733] [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] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of rare neurodegenerative diseases caused by the structural conversion of cellular prion into Scrapie prion resulting aggregated fibrils. Therapy of prion diseases has been developed for several decades, especially drug designs based on the structure of prion monomers. Unfortunately, none of the designed anti-prion drugs function well clinically. To fight against prion fibrils, a drug design based on the precise structure of mammalian prion fibrils is highly required. Fortunately, based on the advantage of newly advanced cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in the deconvolution of large complexes, three prion fibril structures were resolved in the last 2 years. Based on the cryo-EM solved prion fibril structures, we are able to find some molecules fighting against prion fibrils. Quercetin, one flavonoid molecule in the polyphenol group, has been found to disaggregate the prion fibrils in vitro. In this study, we performed the molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation on quercetin-like molecules possessing pharmacological properties to evaluate the anti-prion ability of tested molecules. As a result, four quercetin-like molecules interact with prion fibril and decrease the β-strand content by converting some β-strands into loop and helical structures to disintegrate the existing fibril structure. The results of this study are significant in the treatment of prion diseases, and the approaches used in this study are applicable to other amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Ping Jheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-I Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan,Center for Nano Bio-Detections, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan,Center for Innovative Research on Aging Society (CIRAS), National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan,*Correspondence: Cheng-I Lee,
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Molecular insights into the critical role of gallate moiety of green tea catechins in modulating prion fibrillation, cellular internalization, and neuronal toxicity. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 223:755-765. [PMID: 36368361 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases with no approved therapeutics. TSE pathology is characterized by abnormal accumulation of amyloidogenic and infectious prion protein conformers (PrPSc) in the central nervous system. Herein, we examined the role of gallate group in green tea catechins in modulating the aggregation of human prion protein (HuPrP) using two green tea constituents i.e., epicatechin 3-gallate (EC3G; with intact gallate ring) and epigallocatechin (EGC; without gallate ring). Molecular docking indicated distinct differences in hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions of EC3G and EGC at the β2-α2 loop of HuPrP. These differences were substantiated by 44-fold higher KD for EC3G as compared to EGC with the former significantly reducing Thioflavin T (ThT) binding aggregates of HuPrP. Conformational alterations in HuPrP aggregates were validated by particle sizing, AFM analysis and A11 and OC conformational antibodies. As compared to EGC, EC3G showed relatively higher reduction in toxicity and cellular internalization of HuPrP oligomers in Neuro-2a cells. Additionally, EC3G also displayed higher fibril disaggregating properties as observed by ThT kinetics and electron microscopy. Our observations were supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that showed markedly reduced α2-α3 and β2-α2 loop mobilities in presence of EC3G that may lead to constriction of HuPrP conformational space with lowered β-sheet conversion. In totality, gallate moiety of catechins play key role in modulating HuPrP aggregation, and toxicity and could be a new structural motif for designing therapeutics against prion diseases and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Foudah AI, Devi S, Alqarni MH, Alam A, Salkini MA, Kumar M, Almalki HS. Quercetin Attenuates Nitroglycerin-Induced Migraine Headaches by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Mediators. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14224871. [PMID: 36432556 PMCID: PMC9695045 DOI: 10.3390/nu14224871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the antimigraine potential of quercetin in migraine pain induced by nitroglycerin (NTG), 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection in rats. Quercetin was administered orally for 1 week, and behavioral parameters associated with pain were assessed 30 min after NTG injection. At the end of the study, the rats were killed so that immunohistochemical examination of their brains could be performed. The time and frequency of rearing and sniffing in the category of exploratory behavior, walking in the category of locomotor behavior, and total time spent in the light chamber were reduced in the disease control group compared with the normal group during the assessment of behavioral parameters. Pathologic migraine criteria, such as increased levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide and increased release of c-fos cells, were more prominent in the caudal nucleus triceminalis of the NTG control group. In the treatment groups, behavioral and pathological measures were less severe after pretreatment with quercetin at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. Therefore, it was concluded that quercetin improved the pain behavior of migraine patients in the NTG-induced migraine rat model. Quercetin is thought to have antimigraine effects due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Quercetin may therefore be a novel agent that can treat or prevent migraine pain and associated avoidance behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed I. Foudah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.I.F.); (A.A.)
| | - Sushma Devi
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura 140401, India
| | - Mohammed H. Alqarni
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aftab Alam
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.I.F.); (A.A.)
| | - Mohammad Ayman Salkini
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manish Kumar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura 140401, India
- Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 17033-0850, USA
| | - Husam Saad Almalki
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
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