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Conti Filho CE, Loss LB, Marcolongo-Pereira C, Rossoni Junior JV, Barcelos RM, Chiarelli-Neto O, da Silva BS, Passamani Ambrosio R, Castro FCDAQ, Teixeira SF, Mezzomo NJ. Advances in Alzheimer's disease's pharmacological treatment. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1101452. [PMID: 36817126 PMCID: PMC9933512 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1101452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the elderly. Several hypotheses emerged from AD pathophysiological mechanisms. However, no neuronal protective or regenerative drug is available nowadays. Researchers still work in drug development and are finding new molecular targets to treat AD. Therefore, this study aimed to summarize main advances in AD pharmacological therapy. Clinical trials registered in the National Library of Medicine database were selected and analyzed accordingly to molecular targets, therapeutic effects, and safety profile. The most common outcome was the lack of efficacy. Only seven trials concluded that tested drugs were safe and induced any kind of therapeutic improvement. Three works showed therapeutic effects followed by toxicity. In addition to aducanumab recent FDA approval, antibodies against amyloid-β (Aβ) showed no noteworthy results. 5-HT6 antagonists, tau inhibitors and nicotinic agonists' data were discouraging. However, anti-Aβ vaccine, BACE inhibitor and anti-neuroinflammation drugs showed promising results.
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2
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Forloni G, La Vitola P, Balducci C. Oligomeropathies, inflammation and prion protein binding. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:822420. [PMID: 36081661 PMCID: PMC9445368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.822420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central role of oligomers, small soluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is recognized in numerous experimental conditions and is compatible with clinical evidence. To underline this concept, some years ago we coined the term oligomeropathies to define the common mechanism of action of protein misfolding diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson or prion diseases. Using simple experimental conditions, with direct application of synthetic β amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers intraventricularly at micromolar concentrations, we could detect differences and similarities in the biological consequences. The two oligomer species affected cognitive behavior, neuronal dysfunction and cerebral inflammatory reactions with distinct mechanisms. In these experimental conditions the proposed mediatory role of cellular prion protein in oligomer activities was not confirmed. Together with oligomers, inflammation at different levels can be important early in neurodegenerative disorders; both β amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers induce inflammation and its control strongly affects neuronal dysfunction. This review summarizes our studies with β-amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers, also considering the potential curative role of doxycycline, a well-known antibiotic with anti-amyloidogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. These actions are analyzed in terms of the therapeutic prospects.
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Chen TB, Lin KJ, Lin SY, Lee YJ, Lin YC, Wang CY, Chen JP, Wang PN. Prediction of Cerebral Amyloid Pathology Based on Plasma Amyloid and Tau Related Markers. Front Neurol 2021; 12:619388. [PMID: 34671305 PMCID: PMC8520900 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.619388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Pyroglutamate-modified β-amyloid peptide (AβpE) is crucial for AD pathophysiological process. The potential associations of plasma AβpE and total tau (t-tau) with brain Aβ burden and cognitive performance remain to be clarified. Methods: Forty-six subjects with unimpaired cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or very mild dementia were enrolled. Plasma levels of AβpE3−40, t-tau, and Aβ42 were quantified by immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assays. We analyzed individual and combined biomarker correlations with neuropsychological scores and Aβ positivity determined by 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET). Results: Both plasma AβpE3−40 levels and AβpE3−40/t-tau ratios correlated negatively with short-term memory and global cognition scores, while correlating positively with PET standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs). Among the biomarkers analyzed, the combination of AβpE3−40 in a ratio with t-tau had the best discriminatory ability for Aβ PET positivity. Likewise, logistic regression analysis showed that AβpE3−40/t-tau was a highly robust predictor of Aβ PET positivity after controlling for relevant demographic covariates. Conclusion: Plasma AβpE3−40/t-tau ratios correlate with cognitive function and cerebral Aβ burden. The suitability of AβpE3−40/t-tau as a candidate clinical biomarker of AD pathology in the brain should be examined further in larger studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Bin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Dementia Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Kun-Ju Lin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Healthy Aging Research Center and Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Ying Lin
- Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jung Lee
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Taipei City Hospital Renai Branch, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Cheng Lin
- Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Life Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Yu Wang
- Division of General Neurology, Department of Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Peng Chen
- Biostatistics Task Force of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ning Wang
- Division of General Neurology, Department of Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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4
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Pivtoraiko VN, Racic T, Abrahamson EE, Villemagne VL, Handen BL, Lott IT, Head E, Ikonomovic MD. Postmortem Neocortical 3H-PiB Binding and Levels of Unmodified and Pyroglutamate Aβ in Down Syndrome and Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:728739. [PMID: 34489686 PMCID: PMC8416541 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.728739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a genetic predisposition for amyloid-β (Aβ) overproduction and earlier onset of Aβ deposits compared to patients with sporadic late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Positron emission tomography (PET) with Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) detects fibrillar Aβ pathology in living people with DS and AD, but its relationship with heterogeneous Aβ forms aggregated within amyloid deposits is not well understood. We performed quantitative in vitro3H-PiB binding assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of fibrillar (insoluble) unmodified Aβ40 and Aβ42 forms and N-terminus truncated and pyroglutamate-modified AβNpE3-40 and AβNpE3-42 forms in postmortem frontal cortex and precuneus samples from 18 DS cases aged 43–63 years and 17 late-onset AD cases aged 62–99 years. Both diagnostic groups had frequent neocortical neuritic plaques, while the DS group had more severe vascular amyloid pathology (cerebral amyloid angiopathy, CAA). Compared to the AD group, the DS group had higher levels of Aβ40 and AβNpE3-40, while the two groups did not differ by Aβ42 and AβNpE3-42 levels. This resulted in lower ratios of Aβ42/Aβ40 and AβNpE3-42/AβNpE3-40 in the DS group compared to the AD group. Correlations of Aβ42/Aβ40 and AβNpE3-42/AβNpE3-40 ratios with CAA severity were strong in DS cases and weak in AD cases. Pyroglutamate-modified Aβ levels were lower than unmodified Aβ levels in both diagnostic groups, but within group proportions of both pyroglutamate-modified Aβ forms relative to both unmodified Aβ forms were lower in the DS group but not in the AD group. The two diagnostic groups did not differ by 3H-PiB binding levels. These results demonstrate that compared to late-onset AD cases, adult DS individuals with similar severity of neocortical neuritic plaques and greater CAA pathology have a preponderance of both pyroglutamate-modified AβNpE3-40 and unmodified Aβ40 forms. Despite the distinct molecular profile of Aβ forms and greater vascular amyloidosis in DS cases, cortical 3H-PiB binding does not distinguish between diagnostic groups that are at an advanced level of amyloid plaque pathology. This underscores the need for the development of CAA-selective PET radiopharmaceuticals to detect and track the progression of cerebral vascular amyloid deposits in relation to Aβ plaques in individuals with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta N Pivtoraiko
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Tamara Racic
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Eric E Abrahamson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Benjamin L Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ira T Lott
- Department of Neurology, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Milos D Ikonomovic
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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5
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Coimbra JRM, Salvador JAR. A patent review of glutaminyl cyclase inhibitors (2004-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:809-836. [PMID: 33896339 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1917549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Glutaminyl cyclase (QC) enzymes catalyze the post-translational processing of several substrates with N-terminal glutamine or glutamate to form pyroglutamate (pE) residue. In addition to physiological functions, emerging evidence demonstrates that human QCs play a part in pathological processes in diverse diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), inflammatory and cancer diseases.Areas covered: In recent years, efforts to effectively develop QC small-molecule inhibitors have been made and different chemical classes have been disclosed. This review summarizes the patents/applications regarding QC inhibitors released from 2004 (first patent) to now. The patents are mostly described in terms of chemical structures, biochemical/pharmacological activities, and potential clinical applications.Expert opinion: For more than 15 years of research, the knowledge on the QC activity domain has considerably increased and therapeutic potential of QC inhibitors has been explored. An important number of studies and patents have been published to expand the use of QC inhibitors. QC enzymes are pharmacologically interesting targets to be used as an AD-modifying therapy, or for other QC-associated disorder. Distinct classes of chemical scaffolds and potential clinical uses have been claimed by various organizations. For the coming years, there is much to experience in the QC field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judite R M Coimbra
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge A R Salvador
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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6
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Yang Y, Ji WG, Zhang YJ, Zhou LP, Chen H, Yang N, Zhu ZR. Riluzole ameliorates soluble Aβ 1-42-induced impairments in spatial memory by modulating the glutamatergic/GABAergic balance in the dentate gyrus. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 108:110077. [PMID: 32818535 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Soluble amyloid beta (Aβ) is believed to contribute to cognitive deficits in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increased soluble Aβ1-42 in the hippocampus is closely correlated with spatial learning and memory deficits in AD. Riluzole (RLZ), an FDA-approved drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has beneficial effects for AD. However, the mechanism underlying the effects remains unclear. In this study, its neuroprotective effect against soluble Aβ1-42-induced spatial cognitive deficits in rats was assessed. We found that intrahippocampal injection of soluble Aβ1-42 impaired spatial cognitive function and suppressed long-term potentiation (LTP) of the DG region, which was relevant to soluble Aβ1-42-induced shift of the hippocampal excitation/inhibition balance toward excitation. Interestingly, RLZ ameliorated Aβ1-42-induced behavioral and LTP impairments through rescuing the soluble Aβ1-42-induced excitation/inhibition imbalance. RLZ attenuated Aβ1-42-mediated facilitation of excitatory synaptic transmission by facilitating glutamate reuptake and decreasing presynaptic glutamate release. Meanwhile, RLZ attenuated the suppression of inhibitory synaptic transmission caused by Aβ1-42 by potentiating postsynaptic GABA receptor function. These results suggest that RLZ exerts a neuroprotective effect against soluble Aβ1-42-related spatial cognitive deficits through rescuing the excitation/inhibition imbalance, and it could be a potential therapy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Wei-Gang Ji
- Department of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Ying-Jie Zhang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Li-Ping Zhou
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Physiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Nian Yang
- Department of Physiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhi-Ru Zhu
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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7
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Neddens J, Daurer M, Flunkert S, Beutl K, Loeffler T, Walker L, Attems J, Hutter-Paier B. Correlation of pyroglutamate amyloid β and ptau Ser202/Thr205 levels in Alzheimer's disease and related murine models. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235543. [PMID: 32645028 PMCID: PMC7347153 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Senile plaques frequently contain Aβ-pE(3), a N-terminally truncated Aβ species that is more closely linked to AD compared to other Aβ species. Tau protein is highly phosphorylated at several residues in AD, and specifically phosphorylation at Ser202/Thr205 is known to be increased in AD. Several studies suggest that formation of plaques and tau phosphorylation might be linked to each other. To evaluate if Aβ-pE(3) and ptau Ser202/Thr205 levels correlate in human and transgenic AD mouse models, we analyzed human cortical and hippocampal brain tissue of different Braak stages as well as murine brain tissue of two transgenic mouse models for levels of Aβ-pE(3) and ptau Ser202/Thr205 and correlated the data. Our results show that Aβ-pE(3) formation is increased at early Braak stages while ptau Ser202/Thr205 mostly increases at later stages. Further analyses revealed strongest correlations between the two pathologies in the temporal, frontal, cingulate, and occipital cortex, however correlation in the hippocampus was weaker. Evaluation of murine transgenic brain tissue demonstrated a slow but steady increase of Aβ-pE(3) from 6 to 12 months of age in the cortex and hippocampus of APPSL mice, and a very early and strong Aβ-pE(3) increase in 5xFAD mice. ptau Ser202/Thr205 levels increased at the age of 9 months in APPSL mice and at 6 months in 5xFAD mice. Our results show that Aβ-pE(3) and ptau Ser202/Thr205 levels strongly correlate in human as well as murine tissues, suggesting that tau phosphorylation might be amplified by Aβ-pE(3).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kerstin Beutl
- QPS Austria GmbH, Grambach, Austria
- FH Joanneum Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Lauren Walker
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Attems
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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8
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Furman R, Ng SCW, Komatsu H, Axelsen PH. Quantitative Mass Spectrometric Assay of Whole and CNBr-Cleaved Amyloid-β Peptides in Human Brain. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 73:1637-1645. [PMID: 31958092 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Various amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides accumulate in brain in Alzheimer's disease, and the amounts of specific peptide variants may have pathological significance. The quantitative determination of these variants is challenging because losses inevitably occur during tissue processing and analysis. This report describes the use of stable-isotope-labeled Aβ peptides as internal standards for quantitative mass spectrometric assays, and the use of cyanogen bromide (CNBr) to remove C-terminal residues beyond Met35. The removal of residues beyond Met35 reduces losses due to aggregation, and facilitates the detection of post-translationally modified Aβ peptides. Results from 8 human brain samples suggest that the tissue concentrations of the 42-residue Aβ peptide tend to be similar in different patients. Concentrations of the 40-residue Aβ peptide are more variable, and may be greater or lesser than the 42-residue peptide. The concentration of the CNBr cleavage product closely matches the sum of the 40-residue and 42-residue peptide concentrations, indicating that these two Aβ peptides account for most of the C-terminal variants in these patients. CNBr treatment facilitated the detection of post-translational modifications such as pyroglutamyl and hexose-modified Aβ peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Furman
- Departments of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sharon C W Ng
- Departments of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hiroaki Komatsu
- Departments of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paul H Axelsen
- Departments of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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9
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Abstract
A diverse range of N-terminally truncated and modified forms of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers have been discovered in Alzheimer’s disease brains, including the pyroglutamate-Aβ (AβpE3). AβpE3 species are shown to be more neurotoxic when compared with the full-length Aβ peptide. Findings visibly suggest that glutaminyl cyclase (QC) catalyzed the generation of cerebral AβpE3, and therapeutic effects are achieved by reducing its activity. In recent years, efforts to effectively develop QC inhibitors have been pursued worldwide. The inhibitory activity of current QC inhibitors is mainly triggered by zinc-binding groups that coordinate Zn2+ ion in the active site and other common features. Herein, we summarized the current state of discovery and evolution of QC inhibitors as a potential Alzheimer’s disease-modifying strategy.
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10
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Hu YR, Xing SL, Chen C, Shen DZ, Chen JL. Tiaoxin Recipe, a Chinese herbal formula, inhibits microRNA-34a expression in the APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2019; 17:404-409. [PMID: 31548147 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of Tiaoxin Recipe (a Chinese herbal formula) treatment on Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS Twelve-week-old APPswe/PS1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) double transgenic mice were used as a model of AD-afflicted mice. One group of mice was treated with Tiaoxin Recipe by gastrogavage for 12 weeks, while two other groups were given intraperitoneal injections of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or FK866 for 4 weeks. Morris water maze and thioflavin S staining tests were performed to evaluate cognitive impairment and amyloid plaque deposition, respectively. Serum amyloid-β1-42 (Aβ1-42) content was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression levels of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) in cortex and hippocampus samples of the study mice. RESULTS Compared with the normal control group, the memory and learning abilities of the APP/PS1 model group were found to be impaired (P < 0.01), as shown by the increased levels of senile plaque deposition in cortex and hippocampus (P < 0.01), miR-34a expression (P < 0.01) and serum Aβ1-42 content (P < 0.01). Treatment with Tiaoxin Recipe significantly reduced memory impairment (P < 0.01) by reducing amyloid plaque accumulation in cortex and hippocampus (P < 0.01), miR-34a expression (P < 0.01) and serum Aβ1-42 content (P < 0.01) in APP/PS1 mice. CONCLUSION Tiaoxin Recipe is a viable complementary or alternative therapeutic treatment that is capable of delaying the development of early-stage AD by inhibiting the expression of miR-34a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ran Hu
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - San-Li Xing
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Chuan Chen
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ding-Zhu Shen
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jiu-Lin Chen
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
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11
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Qi C, Zhou Q, Gao W, Liu M, Chen C, Li XN, Lai Y, Zhou Y, Li D, Hu Z, Zhu H, Zhang Y. Anti-BACE1 and anti-AchE activities of undescribed spiro-dioxolane-containing meroterpenoids from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus Thom. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2019; 165:112041. [PMID: 31203103 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Spiroterreusnoids A-F, six undescribed spiro-dioxolane-containing adducts bearing 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based meroterpenoid and 2,3-butanediol moieties were isolated from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus Thom from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (Celastraceae). The structures of these adducts were established by spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) measurements. Spiroterreusnoids A-F represent the first examples of adducts composed of 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based meroterpenoids. It is noteworthy that spiroterreusnoids A-F possessing a spiro-dioxolane moiety exhibited potential abilities in inhibiting BACE1 (IC50 values ranging from 5.86 to 27.16 μM) and AchE (IC50 values ranging from 22.18 to 32.51 μM), while the other analogues without this fragment displayed no such activities. Taken together, spiroterreusnoids A-F represent the first multitargeted natural adducts that could inhibit BACE1 and AchE, and might provide a new template for the development of new anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changxing Qi
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Qun Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Weixi Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengting Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunmei Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Nian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongji Lai
- Department of Pharmacy, the Central Hospital of Wuhan Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongyan Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhengxi Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hucheng Zhu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yonghui Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Qiu GL, He SS, Chen SC, Li B, Wu HH, Zhang J, Tang WJ. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of tricyclic pyrazolo[1,5-c][1,3]benzoxazin-5(5H)-one scaffolds as selective BuChE inhibitors. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2018; 33:1506-1515. [PMID: 30284486 PMCID: PMC6179045 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2018.1488696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on the structural analysis of tricyclic scaffolds as butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitors, a series of pyrazolo[1,5-c][1,3]benzoxazin-5(5H)-one derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BuChE inhibitory activity. Compounds with 5-carbonyl and 7- or/and 9-halogen substitutions showed potential BuChE inhibitory activity, among which compounds 6a, 6c and 6g showed the best BuChE inhibition (IC50 = 1.06, 1.63 and 1.63 µM, respectively). The structure–activity relationship showed that the 5-carbonyl and halogen substituents significantly influenced BuChE activity. Compounds 6a and 6g were found nontoxic, lipophilic and exhibited remarkable neuroprotective activity and mixed-type inhibition against BuChE (Ki = 7.46 and 3.09 µM, respectively). Docking studies revealed that compound 6a can be accommodated into BuChE via five hydrogen bonds, one Pi–Sigma interaction and three Pi–Alkyl interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Liang Qiu
- a School of Pharmacy , Anhui Medical University , Hefei , PR China
| | - Shao-Sheng He
- a School of Pharmacy , Anhui Medical University , Hefei , PR China.,b Lujiang County People's Hospital , Lujiang , Anhui , PR China
| | - Shi-Chao Chen
- a School of Pharmacy , Anhui Medical University , Hefei , PR China
| | - Bo Li
- a School of Pharmacy , Anhui Medical University , Hefei , PR China
| | - Hui-Hui Wu
- c Anhui Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Disease , Hefei , PR China
| | - Jing Zhang
- c Anhui Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Disease , Hefei , PR China
| | - Wen-Jian Tang
- a School of Pharmacy , Anhui Medical University , Hefei , PR China
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13
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Qi C, Liu M, Zhou Q, Gao W, Chen C, Lai Y, Hu Z, Xue Y, Zhang J, Li D, Li XN, Zhang Q, Wang J, Zhu H, Zhang Y. BACE1 Inhibitory Meroterpenoids from Aspergillus terreus. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2018; 81:1937-1945. [PMID: 30207465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b01050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sixteen 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based (DMOA-based) meroterpenoids, including 10 new compounds, asperterpenes D-M (1-10), were obtained from Aspergillus terreus. The structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were confirmed by extensive spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) measurements. Compounds 2, 3, and 7 are the first 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based meroterpenoids possessing a unique cis-fused A/B ring system. These new compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). Compounds 2, 3, and 7, the first 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based meroterpenoids possessing cis-fused A/B rings, exhibited significant inhibitory activities against BACE1 with IC50 values of 3.3, 5.9, and 31.7 μM, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changxing Qi
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Mengting Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Qun Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Weixi Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Chunmei Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Yongji Lai
- Department of Pharmacy, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengxi Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Yongbo Xue
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Jinwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Dongyan Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Nian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China , Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Kunming , Yunnan Province 650204 , People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Hucheng Zhu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
| | - Yonghui Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei Province 430030 , People's Republic of China
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14
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Mehta PD, Patrick BA, Barshatzky M, Mehta SP, Frackowiak J, Mazur-Kolecka B, Wegiel J, Wisniewski T, Miller DL. Generation and Partial Characterization of Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody to Pyroglutamate Amyloid-β3-42 (pE3-Aβ). J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 62:1635-1649. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-170898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj D. Mehta
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Bruce A. Patrick
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Marc Barshatzky
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Sangita P. Mehta
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Janusz Frackowiak
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Bozena Mazur-Kolecka
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Jerzy Wegiel
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David L. Miller
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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15
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Qi C, Qiao Y, Gao W, Liu M, Zhou Q, Chen C, Lai Y, Xue Y, Zhang J, Li D, Wang J, Zhu H, Hu Z, Zhou Y, Zhang Y. New 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid-based meroterpenoids with BACE1 and AchE inhibitory activities from Aspergillus terreus. Org Biomol Chem 2018; 16:9046-9052. [DOI: 10.1039/c8ob02741b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Chemical investigation of Aspergillus terreus resulted in the identification of terreusterpenes A–D with potential BACE1 and AchE inhibitory activities.
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16
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Abstract
The production of soluble amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) and the activation of inflammation are two important early steps in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The central role of oligomers as responsible for the neuronal dysfunction associated with the clinical features has been extended to the other protein misfolding disorders definable, on this basis, as oligomeropathies. In AD, recent evidence indicates that the mechanism of inflammation as a consequence of neurodegeneration must be assessed in favor of a more direct role of glial activation in the alteration of synaptic function. Our own experimental models demonstrate the efficacy of anti-inflammatory treatments in preventing the cognitive deficits induced acutely by AβOs applied directly in the brain. Moreover, some promising clinical tools are based on immunological activation reducing the presence of cerebral Aβ deposits. However, the strategies based on the control of inflammatory factors as well as the amyloid aggregation show poor or non-therapeutic efficacy. Numerous studies have examined inflammatory factors in biological fluids as possible markers of the neuroinflammation in AD. In some cases, altered levels of cytokines or other inflammatory markers in cerebrospinal fluid correlate with the severity of the disease. Here we propose, according to the precision medicine principles, innovative therapeutic approaches to AD based on the patient's inflammatory profile/state. The earlier intervention and a multifactor approach are two other elements considered essential to improve the chances of effective therapy in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluigi Forloni
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Milano, Italy
| | - Claudia Balducci
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Milano, Italy
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17
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Gao XH, Zhou C, Liu HR, Liu LB, Tang JJ, Xia XH. Tertiary amine derivatives of chlorochalcone as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and buthylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitors: the influence of chlorine, alkyl amine side chain and α,β-unsaturated ketone group. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2016; 32:146-152. [PMID: 27801600 PMCID: PMC6009910 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2016.1243534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A new series of tertiary amine derivatives of chlorochalcone (4a∼4l) were designed, synthesized and evaluated for the effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and buthylcholinesterase (BuChE). The results indicated that all compounds revealed moderate or potent inhibitory activity against AChE, and some possessed high selectivity for AChE over BuChE. The structure–activity investigation showed that the substituted position of chlorine significantly influenced the activity and selectivity. The alteration of tertiary amine group also leads to obvious change in bioactivity. Among them, IC50 of compound 4l against AChE was 0.17 ± 0.06 µmol/L, and the selectivity was 667.2 fold for AChE over BuChE. Molecular docking and enzyme kinetic study on compound 4l suggested that it simultaneously binds to the catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) of AChE. Further study showed that the pyrazoline derivatives synthesized from chlorochalcones had weaker activity and lower selectivity in inhibiting AChE compared to that of chlorochalcone derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hui Gao
- a College of Pharmacy , Hu'nan University of Chinese Medicine , Changsha , PR China
| | - Chao Zhou
- b College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Hu'nan University , Changsha , PR China
| | - Hao-Ran Liu
- b College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Hu'nan University , Changsha , PR China
| | - Lin-Bo Liu
- b College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Hu'nan University , Changsha , PR China
| | - Jing-Jing Tang
- b College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Hu'nan University , Changsha , PR China
| | - Xin-Hua Xia
- a College of Pharmacy , Hu'nan University of Chinese Medicine , Changsha , PR China
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18
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Galante D, Ruggeri FS, Dietler G, Pellistri F, Gatta E, Corsaro A, Florio T, Perico A, D'Arrigo C. A critical concentration of N-terminal pyroglutamylated amyloid beta drives the misfolding of Ab1-42 into more toxic aggregates. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2016; 79:261-270. [PMID: 27592450 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A wide consensus based on robust experimental evidence indicates pyroglutamylated amyloid-β isoform (AβpE3-42) as one of the most neurotoxic peptides involved in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, AβpE3-42 co-oligomerized with excess of Aβ1-42, produces oligomers and aggregates that are structurally distinct and far more cytotoxic than those made from Aβ1-42 alone. Here, we investigate quantitatively the influence of AβpE3-42 on biophysical properties and biological activity of Aβ1-42. We tested different ratios of AβpE3-42/Aβ1-42 mixtures finding a correlation between the biological activity and the structural conformation and morphology of the analyzed mixtures. We find that a mixture containing 5% AβpE3-42, induces the highest disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis and the highest neuronal toxicity. These data correlate to an high content of relaxed antiparallel β-sheet structure and the coexistence of a population of big spheroidal aggregates together with short fibrils. Our experiments provide also evidence that AβpE3-42 causes template-induced misfolding of Aβ1-42 at ratios below 33%. This means that there exists a critical concentration required to have seeding on Aβ1-42 aggregation, above this threshold, the seed effect is not possible anymore and AβpE3-42 controls the total aggregation kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Galante
- Institute for Macromolecular Studies, National Research Council, 16149 Genova, Italy; Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Francesco Simone Ruggeri
- Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPLF), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB21EW, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Dietler
- Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPLF), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Elena Gatta
- Department of Physics, University of Genova, 16100 Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Angelo Perico
- Institute for Macromolecular Studies, National Research Council, 16149 Genova, Italy
| | - Cristina D'Arrigo
- Institute for Macromolecular Studies, National Research Council, 16149 Genova, Italy.
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Chang YT, Huang CW, Chen NC, Lin KJ, Huang SH, Chang WN, Hsu SW, Hsu CW, Chen HH, Chang CC. Hippocampal Amyloid Burden with Downstream Fusiform Gyrus Atrophy Correlate with Face Matching Task Scores in Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:145. [PMID: 27378917 PMCID: PMC4911390 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Neuronal activity during face matching shows co-activation of the fusiform gyrus (FG) and areas along the ventral visual network. To elucidate the mechanisms related to the facial discrimination deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the study evaluates the relationships between β-amyloid (Aβ) load and gray matter (GM) atrophy within the ventral visual network. Methods: Comprehensive cognitive assessments and GM volumetry using 3-dimentional T1-weighted images and AV-45 positron emission tomography (PET) were studied in 44 patients with AD. We used AV-45 PET to measure regional Aβ to analyze the correlations between the regional neocortical AV-45 retention and atrophy in patients with AD. Results: FG volume was positively correlated with the para-hippocampus (β = 0.565, P < 0.001), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC; β = 0.402, P < 0.001), and hippocampus volumes (β = 0.209, P = 0.044). After carefully confounded all possible factors simultaneously, the hippocampus standardized uptake value (SUV) ratio was independently associated with FG volume (β = −0.151, P = 0.017). Furthermore, volumes of the hippocampus (r = 0.473, P = 0.003), para-hippocampus (r = 0.515, P = 0.001), and FG (r = 0.383, P = 0.018) were associated with Benton’s facial recognition test (BFRT). Conclusions: In conclusion, our study indicated that amyloid burden within the hippocampus might contribute to FG cortical hub GM atrophy. While the face matching task scores were related to the FG, hippocampus, and para-hippocampus volumes, concordant changes of the aforementioned three structures suggested the importance of the three ventral visual network hubs in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ting Chang
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Huang
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Ching Chen
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kun-Ju Lin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging and Translation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hua Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Neng Chang
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Wei Hsu
- Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Che-Wei Hsu
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Hui Chen
- Department of Physical Education, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Science Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Chih Chang
- Departments of Neurology, Cognition and Aging Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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20
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High-affinity Anticalins with aggregation-blocking activity directed against the Alzheimer β-amyloid peptide. Biochem J 2016; 473:1563-78. [PMID: 27029347 PMCID: PMC4888463 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Anticalins engineered for high affinity and specificity towards the central VFFAED epitope in Aβ peptides potently inhibit their aggregation, thus providing novel reagents to study the molecular pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and alternative drug candidates compared with current biopharmaceutical treatments. Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, in particular Aβ42 and Aβ40, exert neurotoxic effects and their overproduction leads to amyloid deposits in the brain, thus constituting an important biomolecular target for treatments of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We describe the engineering of cognate Anticalins as a novel type of neutralizing protein reagent based on the human lipocalin scaffold. Phage display selection from a genetic random library comprising variants of the human lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) with mutations targeted at 20 exposed amino acid positions in the four loops that form the natural binding site was performed using both recombinant and synthetic target peptides and resulted in three different Anticalins. Biochemical characterization of the purified proteins produced by periplasmic secretion in Escherichia coli revealed high folding stability in a monomeric state, with Tm values ranging from 53.4°C to 74.5°C, as well as high affinities for Aβ40, between 95 pM and 563 pM, as measured by real-time surface plasmon resonance analysis. The central linear VFFAED epitope within the Aβ sequence was mapped using a synthetic peptide array on membranes and was shared by all three Anticalins, despite up to 13 mutual amino acid differences in their binding sites. All Anticalins had the ability–with varying extent–to inhibit Aβ aggregation in vitro according to the thioflavin-T fluorescence assay and, furthermore, they abolished Aβ42-mediated toxicity in neuronal cell culture. Thus, these Anticalins provide not only useful protein reagents to study the molecular pathology of AD but they also show potential as alternative drug candidates compared with antibodies.
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21
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Central Role of Glutamate Metabolism in the Maintenance of Nitrogen Homeostasis in Normal and Hyperammonemic Brain. Biomolecules 2016; 6:biom6020016. [PMID: 27023624 PMCID: PMC4919911 DOI: 10.3390/biom6020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is present in the brain at an average concentration—typically 10–12 mM—far in excess of those of other amino acids. In glutamate-containing vesicles in the brain, the concentration of glutamate may even exceed 100 mM. Yet because glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter, the concentration of this amino acid in the cerebral extracellular fluid must be kept low—typically µM. The remarkable gradient of glutamate in the different cerebral compartments: vesicles > cytosol/mitochondria > extracellular fluid attests to the extraordinary effectiveness of glutamate transporters and the strict control of enzymes of glutamate catabolism and synthesis in well-defined cellular and subcellular compartments in the brain. A major route for glutamate and ammonia removal is via the glutamine synthetase (glutamate ammonia ligase) reaction. Glutamate is also removed by conversion to the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) via the action of glutamate decarboxylase. On the other hand, cerebral glutamate levels are maintained by the action of glutaminase and by various α-ketoglutarate-linked aminotransferases (especially aspartate aminotransferase and the mitochondrial and cytosolic forms of the branched-chain aminotransferases). Although the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction is freely reversible, owing to rapid removal of ammonia as glutamine amide, the direction of the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction in the brain in vivo is mainly toward glutamate catabolism rather than toward the net synthesis of glutamate, even under hyperammonemia conditions. During hyperammonemia, there is a large increase in cerebral glutamine content, but only small changes in the levels of glutamate and α-ketoglutarate. Thus, the channeling of glutamate toward glutamine during hyperammonemia results in the net synthesis of 5-carbon units. This increase in 5-carbon units is accomplished in part by the ammonia-induced stimulation of the anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase. Here, we suggest that glutamate may constitute a buffer or bulwark against changes in cerebral amine and ammonia nitrogen. Although the glutamate transporters are briefly discussed, the major emphasis of the present review is on the enzymology contributing to the maintenance of glutamate levels under normal and hyperammonemic conditions. Emphasis will also be placed on the central role of glutamate in the glutamine-glutamate and glutamine-GABA neurotransmitter cycles between neurons and astrocytes. Finally, we provide a brief and selective discussion of neuropathology associated with altered cerebral glutamate levels.
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22
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Frost JL, Liu B, Rahfeld JU, Kleinschmidt M, O'Nuallain B, Le KX, Lues I, Caldarone BJ, Schilling S, Demuth HU, Lemere CA. An anti-pyroglutamate-3 Aβ vaccine reduces plaques and improves cognition in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice. Neurobiol Aging 2015; 36:3187-3199. [PMID: 26453001 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Pyroglutamate-3 amyloid-beta (pGlu-3 Aβ) is an N-terminally truncated Aβ isoform likely playing a decisive role in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Here, we describe a prophylactic passive immunization study in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice using a novel pGlu-3 Aβ immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody, 07/1 (150 and 500 μg, intraperitoneal, weekly) and compare its efficacy with a general Aβ IgG1 monoclonal antibody, 3A1 (200 μg, intraperitoneal, weekly) as a positive control. After 28 weeks of treatment, plaque burden was reduced and cognitive performance of 07/1-immunized Tg mice, especially at the higher dose, was normalized to wild-type levels in 2 hippocampal-dependent tests and partially spared compared with phosphate-buffered saline-treated Tg mice. Mice that received 3A1 had reduced plaque burden but showed no cognitive benefit. In contrast with 3A1, treatment with 07/1 did not increase the concentration of Aβ in plasma, suggesting different modes of Aβ plaque clearance. In conclusion, early selective targeting of pGlu-3 Aβ by immunotherapy may be effective in lowering cerebral Aβ plaque burden and preventing cognitive decline in the clinical setting. Targeting this pathologically modified form of Aβ thereby is unlikely to interfere with potential physiologic function(s) of Aβ that have been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Frost
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Brian O'Nuallain
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin X Le
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inge Lues
- Probiodrug AG, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Barbara J Caldarone
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center NeuroBehavior Laboratory Core, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Cynthia A Lemere
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Liu H, Fan H, Gao X, Huang X, Liu X, Liu L, Zhou C, Tang J, Wang Q, Liu W. Design, synthesis and preliminary structure-activity relationship investigation of nitrogen-containing chalcone derivatives as acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors: a further study based on Flavokawain B Mannich base derivatives. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2015; 31:580-9. [PMID: 26186269 DOI: 10.3109/14756366.2015.1050009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to study the structure-activity relationship of Flavokawain B Mannich-based derivatives as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors in our recent investigation, 20 new nitrogen-containing chalcone derivatives (4 a-8d) were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for AChE inhibitory activity in vitro. The results suggested that amino alkyl side chain of chalcone dramatically influenced the inhibitory activity against AChE. Among them, compound 6c revealed the strongest AChE inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 0.85 μmol/L) and the highest selectivity against AChE over BuChE (ratio: 35.79). Enzyme kinetic study showed that the inhibition mechanism of compound 6c against AChE was a mixed-type inhibition. The molecular docking assay showed that this compound can both bind with the catalytic site and the peripheral site of AChE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Liu
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Haoqun Fan
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Xiaohui Gao
- b College of Pharmacy, Hu'nan University of Chinese Medicine , Changsha , China
| | - Xueqing Huang
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Xianjun Liu
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Linbo Liu
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Chao Zhou
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Jingjing Tang
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Qiuan Wang
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
| | - Wukun Liu
- a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hu'nan University , Changsha , China and
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