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Diomede L, Zanier ER, Moro F, Vegliante G, Colombo L, Russo L, Cagnotto A, Natale C, Xodo FM, De Luigi A, Mosconi M, Beeg M, Catania M, Rossi G, Tagliavini F, Di Fede G, Salmona M. Aβ1-6 A2V(D) peptide, effective on Aβ aggregation, inhibits tau misfolding and protects the brain after traumatic brain injury. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2433-2444. [PMID: 37198260 PMCID: PMC10611578 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02101-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia in older adults, is a double proteinopathy characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathology. Despite enormous efforts that have been spent in the last decades to find effective therapies, late pharmacological interventions along the course of the disease, inaccurate clinical methodologies in the enrollment of patients, and inadequate biomarkers for evaluating drug efficacy have not allowed the development of an effective therapeutic strategy. The approaches followed so far for developing drugs or antibodies focused solely on targeting Aβ or tau protein. This paper explores the potential therapeutic capacity of an all-D-isomer synthetic peptide limited to the first six amino acids of the N-terminal sequence of the A2V-mutated Aβ, Aβ1-6A2V(D), that was developed following the observation of a clinical case that provided the background for its development. We first performed an in-depth biochemical characterization documenting the capacity of Aβ1-6A2V(D) to interfere with the aggregation and stability of tau protein. To tackle Aβ1-6A2V(D) in vivo effects against a neurological decline in genetically predisposed or acquired high AD risk mice, we tested its effects in triple transgenic animals harboring human PS1(M146 V), APP(SW), and MAPT(P301L) transgenes and aged wild-type mice exposed to experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI), a recognized risk factor for AD. We found that Aβ1-6A2V(D) treatment in TBI mice improved neurological outcomes and reduced blood markers of axonal damage. Exploiting the C. elegans model as a biosensor of amyloidogenic proteins' toxicity, we observed a rescue of locomotor defects in nematodes exposed to the brain homogenates from TBI mice treated with Aβ1-6A2V(D) compared to TBI controls. By this integrated approach, we demonstrate that Aβ1-6A2V(D) not only impedes tau aggregation but also favors its degradation by tissue proteases, confirming that this peptide interferes with both Aβ and tau aggregation propensity and proteotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Diomede
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisa R Zanier
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Moro
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Gloria Vegliante
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Colombo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Russo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmina Natale
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Marta Xodo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Ada De Luigi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Mosconi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Marten Beeg
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Catania
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomina Rossi
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy.
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2
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Catania M, Colombo L, Sorrentino S, Cagnotto A, Lucchetti J, Barbagallo MC, Vannetiello I, Vecchi ER, Favagrossa M, Costanza M, Giaccone G, Salmona M, Tagliavini F, Di Fede G. A novel bio-inspired strategy to prevent amyloidogenesis and synaptic damage in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:5227-5234. [PMID: 36028569 PMCID: PMC9763104 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01745-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. AD pathogenesis is intricate. It primarily involves two main molecular players-amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau-which actually have an intrinsic trend to generate molecular assemblies that are toxic to neurons. Incomplete knowledge of the molecular mechanisms inducing the onset and sustaining the progression of the disease, as well as the lack of valid models to fully recapitulate the pathogenesis of human disease, have until now hampered the development of a successful therapy for AD. The overall experience with clinical trials with a number of potential drugs-including the recent outcomes of studies with monoclonal antibodies against Aβ-seems to indicate that Aβ-targeting is not effective if it is not accompanied by an efficient challenge of Aβ neurotoxic properties. We took advantage from the discovery of a naturally-occurring variant of Aβ (AβA2V) that has anti-amyloidogenic properties, and designed a novel bio-inspired strategy for AD based on the intranasal delivery of a six-mer peptide (Aβ1-6A2V) retaining the anti-amyloidogenic abilities of the full-length AβA2V variant. This approach turned out to be effective in preventing the aggregation of wild type Aβ and averting the synaptic damage associated with amyloidogenesis in a mouse model of AD. The results of our preclinical studies inspired by a protective model already existing in nature, that is the human heterozygous AβA2V carriers which seem to be protected from AD, open the way to an unprecedented and promising approach for the prevention of the disease in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Catania
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Colombo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Sorrentino
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lucchetti
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Barbagallo
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Vannetiello
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Rita Vecchi
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Favagrossa
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Costanza
- Molecular Neuro-Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology V - Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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3
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Wallon D, Nicolas G. Genetica della malattia di Alzheimer. Neurologia 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/s1634-7072(22)47093-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
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4
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Xiang X, Wang X, Jin S, Hu J, Wu Y, Li Y, Wu X. Activation of GPR55 attenuates cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease induced by Aβ 1-42 through inhibiting RhoA/ROCK2 pathway. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 112:110423. [PMID: 34363866 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain is considered to be the initial event in the Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neurotoxicity mediated by Aβ has been demonstrated to damage the cognitive function. In the present study, we sought to determine the effects of O-1602, a specific G-protein coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) agonist, on the impairment of learning and memory induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) of Aβ1-42 (400 pmol/mouse) in mice. Our results showed that i.c.v. injection of aggregated Aβ1-42 into the brain of mice resulted in cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity. In contrast, O-1602 (2.0 or 4.0 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) can improve memory impairment induced by Aβ1-42 in the Morris water maze (MWM), and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. Besides, we found that O-1602 reduced the activity of β-secretase 1 (BACE1) and the level of soluble Aβ1-42 in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Importantly, O-1602 treatment reversed Aβ1-42-induced GPR55 down-regulation, decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), as well as suppressed apoptosis as indicated by decreased TUNEL-positive cells, and increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. O-1602 treatment also pronouncedly ameliorated synaptic dysfunction by promoting the upregulation of PSD-95 and synaptophysin (SYN) proteins. Moreover, O-1602 concurrently down regulated the protein levels of RhoA, and ROCK2, the critical proteins in the RhoA/ROCK2 pathway. This study indicates that O-1602 may reverse Aβ1-42-induced cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity in mice by inhibiting RhoA/ROCK2 pathway. Taken together, these findings suggest that GPR55 could be a novel and promising target for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoTong Xiang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xin Wang
- West Anhui Health Vocational College, Luan 237000, China
| | - ShiYu Jin
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - YuMei Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - YueYue Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xian Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China.
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Hampel H, Hardy J, Blennow K, Chen C, Perry G, Kim SH, Villemagne VL, Aisen P, Vendruscolo M, Iwatsubo T, Masters CL, Cho M, Lannfelt L, Cummings JL, Vergallo A. The Amyloid-β Pathway in Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:5481-5503. [PMID: 34456336 PMCID: PMC8758495 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01249-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 469] [Impact Index Per Article: 156.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breakthroughs in molecular medicine have positioned the amyloid-β (Aβ) pathway at the center of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. While the detailed molecular mechanisms of the pathway and the spatial-temporal dynamics leading to synaptic failure, neurodegeneration, and clinical onset are still under intense investigation, the established biochemical alterations of the Aβ cycle remain the core biological hallmark of AD and are promising targets for the development of disease-modifying therapies. Here, we systematically review and update the vast state-of-the-art literature of Aβ science with evidence from basic research studies to human genetic and multi-modal biomarker investigations, which supports a crucial role of Aβ pathway dyshomeostasis in AD pathophysiological dynamics. We discuss the evidence highlighting a differentiated interaction of distinct Aβ species with other AD-related biological mechanisms, such as tau-mediated, neuroimmune and inflammatory changes, as well as a neurochemical imbalance. Through the lens of the latest development of multimodal in vivo biomarkers of AD, this cross-disciplinary review examines the compelling hypothesis- and data-driven rationale for Aβ-targeting therapeutic strategies in development for the early treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Hampel
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA.
| | - John Hardy
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Christopher Chen
- Memory Aging and Cognition Centre, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - George Perry
- Department of Biology and Neurosciences Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Cell Therapy Center, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul Aisen
- USC Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Takeshi Iwatsubo
- Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Colin L Masters
- Laureate Professor of Dementia Research, Florey Institute and The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Min Cho
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA
| | - Lars Lannfelt
- Uppsala University, Department of of Public Health/Geriatrics, Uppsala, Sweden
- BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Andrea Vergallo
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA.
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Bruni AC, Bernardi L, Gabelli C. From beta amyloid to altered proteostasis in Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 64:101126. [PMID: 32683041 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age related neurodegenerative disorder causing severe disability and important socio-economic burden, but with no cure available to date. To disentangle this puzzling disease genetic studies represented an important way for the comprehension of pathogenic mechanisms. Abnormal processing and accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) has been considered the main cause and trigger factor of the disease. The amyloid cascade theory has fallen into crisis because the failure of several anti-amyloid drugs trials and because of the simple equation AD = abnormal Aβ deposition is not always the case. We now know that multiple neurodegenerative diseases share common pathogenic mechanisms leading to accumulation of misfolded protein species. Genome Wide Association studies (GWAS) led to the identification of large numbers of DNA common variants (SNPs) distributed on different chromosomes and modulating the Alzheimer's risk. GWAS genes fall into several common pathways such as immune system and neuroinflammation, lipid metabolism, synaptic dysfunction and endocytosis, all of them addressing to novel routes for different pathogenic mechanisms. Other hints could be derived from epidemiological and experimental studies showing some lifestyles may have a major role in the pathogenesis of many age-associated diseases by modifying cell metabolism, proteostasis and microglia mediated neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia C Bruni
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre, ASP Catanzaro, Lamezia Terme (CZ), Italy.
| | - Livia Bernardi
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre, ASP Catanzaro, Lamezia Terme (CZ), Italy
| | - Carlo Gabelli
- Regional Brain Aging Centre, Azienda Ospedale Università Di Padova, Padova Italy
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Catania M, Di Fede G. One or more β-amyloid(s)? New insights into the prion-like nature of Alzheimer's disease. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 175:213-237. [PMID: 32958234 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of proteins play a central role in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's and Lewy Body diseases, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and prion diseases. Increasing evidence supports the view that Aβ and tau, which are the two main molecular players in AD, share with the prion protein several "prion-like" features that can be relevant for disease pathogenesis. These features essentially include structural/conformational/biochemical variations, resistance to degradation by endogenous proteases, seeding ability, attitude to form neurotoxic assemblies, spreading and propagation of toxic aggregates, transmissibility of tau- and Aβ-related pathology to animal models. Following this view, part of the recent scientific literature has generated a new reading frame for AD pathophysiology, based on the application of the prion paradigm to the amyloid cascade hypothesis in an attempt to definitely explain the key events causing the disease and inducing its occurrence under different clinical phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Catania
- Neurology 5 / Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology 5 / Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.
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Catania M, Giaccone G, Salmona M, Tagliavini F, Di Fede G. Dreaming of a New World Where Alzheimer's Is a Treatable Disorder. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:317. [PMID: 31803047 PMCID: PMC6873113 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It’s a chronic and untreatable neurodegenerative disease with irreversible progression and has important social and economic implications in terms of direct medical and social care costs. Despite prolonged and expensive efforts employed by the scientific community over the last few decades, no effective treatments are still available for patients, and the development of disease-modifying drugs is now a really urgent need. The recent failure of clinical trials based on the immunotherapeutic approach against amyloid-β(Aβ) protein questioned the validity of the “amyloid cascade hypothesis” as the molecular machinery causing the disease. Indeed, most attempts to design effective treatments for AD have been based until now on molecular targets suggested to be implicated in AD pathogenesis by the amyloid cascade hypothesis. However, mounting evidence from scientific literature supports the view of AD as a multifactorial disease that results from the concomitant action of multiple molecular players. This view, together with the lack of success of the disease-modifying single-target approaches, strongly suggests that AD drug design needs to be shifted towards multi-targeted compounds or drug combinations acting synergistically on the main core features of disease pathogenesis. The discovery of drug candidates targeting multiple factors involved in AD would greatly improve drug development. So, it is reasonable that upcoming strategies for the design of preventive and/or therapeutic agents for AD point to a multi-pronged approach including more than one druggable target to definitely defeat the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Catania
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Ghidoni R, Squitti R, Siotto M, Benussi L. Innovative Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on the Hidden Disease Biomarkers. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 62:1507-1518. [PMID: 29504534 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The criteria for the clinical diagnosis of AD include the analysis of biomarkers of the underlying brain disease pathology; a set of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests, amyloid-β1-42 (Aβ42), total-tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau), are available and their performance in a clinical setting has been assessed in several studies. Thus, in dementia research, great advances have been made in the discovery of putative biomarkers; however, disappointingly, few of them have been translated into clinically applicable assays. To find biomarkers able to reliably detect AD pathology already at prodromal stages and in blood is even more important. Recent technical breakthroughs have provided ultrasensitive methods that allow the detection of brain-specific proteins in blood. In the present review, we will focus on the usefulness of ultrasensitive technologies for biomarker discovery and trace elements detection; moreover, we will review studies on circulating nano-compartments, a promising novel source of material for molecular diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ghidoni
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Rosanna Squitti
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Luisa Benussi
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
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Di Fede G, Giaccone G, Salmona M, Tagliavini F. Translational Research in Alzheimer's and Prion Diseases. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 62:1247-1259. [PMID: 29172000 PMCID: PMC5869996 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Translational neuroscience integrates the knowledge derived by basic neuroscience with the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools that may be applied to clinical practice in neurological diseases. This information can be used to improve clinical trial designs and outcomes that will accelerate drug development, and to discover novel biomarkers which can be efficiently employed to early recognize neurological disorders and provide information regarding the effects of drugs on the underlying disease biology. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and prion disease are two classes of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by incomplete knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying their occurrence and the lack of valid biomarkers and effective treatments. For these reasons, the design of therapies that prevent or delay the onset, slow the progression, or improve the symptoms associated to these disorders is urgently needed. During the last few decades, translational research provided a framework for advancing development of new diagnostic devices and promising disease-modifying therapies for patients with prion encephalopathies and AD. In this review, we provide present evidence of how supportive can be the translational approach to the study of dementias and show some results of our preclinical studies which have been translated to the clinical application following the ‘bed-to-bench-and-back’ research model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Di Fede
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
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New Insights on the Role of Residue 673 of APP in Alzheimer's Disease. J Neurosci 2019; 38:515-517. [PMID: 29343592 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2710-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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12
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Sharma B, Ranganathan SV, Belfort G. Weaker N-Terminal Interactions for the Protective over the Causative Aβ Peptide Dimer Mutants. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:1247-1253. [PMID: 29465978 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowing that abeta amyloid peptide (Aβ42) dimers are the smallest and most abundant neurotoxic oligomers for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we used molecular simulations with advanced sampling methods (replica-exchange) to characterize and compare interactions between the N-termini (residues 1-16) of wild type (WT-WT) and five mutant dimers under constrained and unconstrained conditions. The number of contacts and distances between the N-termini, and contact maps of their conformational landscape illustrate substantial differences for a single residue change. The N-terminal contacts are significantly diminished for the dimers containing the monomers that protect against (WT-A2T) as compared with those that predispose toward (A2V-A2V) AD and for the control WT-WT dimers. The reduced number of N-terminal contacts not only occurs at or near the second residue mutations but also is distributed through to the 10th residue. These findings provide added support to the accumulating evidence for the "N-terminal hypothesis of AD" and offer an alternate mechanism for the cause of protection from the A2T mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhanushee Sharma
- Howard P Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180-3590, United States
| | - Srivathsan V. Ranganathan
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Georges Belfort
- Howard P Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180-3590, United States
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13
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Di Fede G, Catania M, Maderna E, Ghidoni R, Benussi L, Tonoli E, Giaccone G, Moda F, Paterlini A, Campagnani I, Sorrentino S, Colombo L, Kubis A, Bistaffa E, Ghetti B, Tagliavini F. Molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3269. [PMID: 29459625 PMCID: PMC5818536 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation is a central feature of several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which assemblies of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides accumulate in the brain in the form of parenchymal and/or vascular amyloid. A widely accepted concept is that AD is characterized by distinct clinical and neuropathological phenotypes. Recent studies revealed that Aβ assemblies might have structural differences among AD brains and that such pleomorphic assemblies can correlate with distinct disease phenotypes. We found that in both sporadic and inherited forms of AD, amyloid aggregates differ in the biochemical composition of Aβ species. These differences affect the physicochemical properties of Aβ assemblies including aggregation kinetics, resistance to degradation by proteases and seeding ability. Aβ-amyloidosis can be induced and propagated in animal models by inoculation of brain extracts containing aggregated Aβ. We found that brain homogenates from AD patients with different molecular profiles of Aβ are able to induce distinct patterns of Aβ-amyloidosis when injected into mice. Overall these data suggest that the assembly of mixtures of Aβ peptides into different Aβ seeds leads to the formation of distinct subtypes of amyloid having distinctive physicochemical and biological properties which result in the generation of distinct AD molecular subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Di Fede
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Catania
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Ghidoni
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Benussi
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elisa Tonoli
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Moda
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Paterlini
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - Laura Colombo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
| | - Adriana Kubis
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.,Department of Toxicology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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14
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Chakraborty S, Das P. Emergence of Alternative Structures in Amyloid Beta 1-42 Monomeric Landscape by N-terminal Hexapeptide Amyloid Inhibitors. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9941. [PMID: 28855598 PMCID: PMC5577341 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10212-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides into senile plaques in the brain. While most familial mutations are associated with early-onset AD, recent studies report the AD-protective nature of two genetic human Aβ variants, i.e. A2T and A2V, in the heterozygous state. The mixture of A2V Aβ1-6 (Aβ6) hexapeptide and WT Aβ1–42 (Αβ42) is also found neuroprotective. Motivated by these findings, in this study we investigate the effects of WT, A2V, and A2T Aβ6 hexapeptide binding on the monomeric WT Aβ42 landscape. For this purpose, we have performed extensive atomistic Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics simulations, elucidating preferential binding of Aβ42 with the A2V and A2T hexapeptides compared to WT Aβ6. A notable reorganization of the Aβ42 landscape is revealed due to hexapeptide association, as manifested by lowering of transient interactions between the central and C-terminal hydrophobic patches. Concurrently, Aβ6-bound Aβ42 monomer exhibits alternative structural features that are strongly dependent on the hexapeptide sequence. For example, a central helix is more frequently populated within the A2T-bound monomer, while A2V-bound Aβ42 is often enhanced in overall disorder. Taken together, the present simulations offer novel molecular insights onto the effect of the N-terminal hexapeptide binding on the Aβ42 monomer structure, which might help in explaining their reported amyloid inhibition properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Payel Das
- IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY, 10598, USA.
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15
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The A2V mutation as a new tool for hindering Aβ aggregation: A neutron and x-ray diffraction study. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5510. [PMID: 28710429 PMCID: PMC5511251 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05582-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We have described a novel C-to-T mutation in the APP gene that corresponds to an alanine to valine substitution at position 673 in APP (A673V), or position 2 of the amyloid-β (Aβ) sequence. This mutation is associated with the early onset of AD-type dementia in homozygous individuals, whereas it has a protective effect in the heterozygous state. Correspondingly, we observed differences in the aggregation properties of the wild-type and mutated Aβ peptides and their mixture. We have carried out neutron diffraction (ND) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments on magnetically-oriented fibers of Aβ1-28WT and its variant Aβ1-28A2V. The orientation propensity was higher for Aβ1-28A2V suggesting that it promotes the formation of fibrillar assemblies. The diffraction patterns by Aβ1-28WT and Aβ1-28A2V assemblies differed in shape and position of the equatorial reflections, suggesting that the two peptides adopt distinct lateral packing of the diffracting units. The diffraction patterns from a mixture of the two peptides differed from those of the single components, indicating the presence of structural interference during assembly and orientation. The lowest orientation propensity was observed for a mixture of Aβ1-28WT and a short N-terminal fragment, Aβ1-6A2V, which supports a role of Aβ’s N-terminal domain in amyloid fibril formation.
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16
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized neuropathologically by neuronal cell loss, extracellular neuritic plaques composed of β-amyloid (Aβ), and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Aβ is generated by proteolytic processing of the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Most individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have three copies of APP, leading to elevated APP expression, increased Aβ deposition, and characteristic AD neuropathology. Sequencing of APP in familial early-onset AD identified missense mutations that cause AD, while a recently discovered coding variant, APP A673T, reduces the risk for AD. Cellular and animal studies show that risk-associated mutations increase total Aβ levels, Aβ42 levels, or Aβ fibrillogenesis, while protective alleles reduce Aβ levels. Together, these studies provide compelling evidence for the Aβ hypothesis and suggest that therapeutics that reduces Aβ levels or Aβ fibrillogenesis should lower the risk for or prevent AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Tcw
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Alison M Goate
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
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17
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Catania M, Di Fede G, Tonoli E, Benussi L, Pasquali C, Giaccone G, Maderna E, Ghidoni R, Tagliavini F. Mirror Image of the Amyloid-β Species in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Cerebral Amyloid in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 47:877-81. [PMID: 26401767 DOI: 10.3233/jad-150179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in brain that is paralleled by Aβ(1-42) reduction in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We analyzed the pattern of Aβ peptides, including the N- and C-terminal truncated fragments, in brain and CSF from two familial and one sporadic AD cases. We found that (i) each patient is characterized by a distinct Aβ profile in CSF and brain deposits and (ii) the CSF Aβ pattern mirrors the Aβ profile of cerebral amyloid. These results suggest the existence of different molecular AD subtypes which can be recognized by CSF analysis, enabling patient stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Catania
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Tonoli
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Benussi
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Claudio Pasquali
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Ghidoni
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation - Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
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18
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Tackling amyloidogenesis in Alzheimer's disease with A2V variants of Amyloid-β. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20949. [PMID: 26864599 PMCID: PMC4750079 DOI: 10.1038/srep20949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We developed a novel therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) exploiting the properties of a natural variant of Amyloid-β (Aβ) carrying the A2V substitution, which protects heterozygous carriers from AD by its ability to interact with wild-type Aβ, hindering conformational changes and assembly thereof. As prototypic compound we designed a six-mer mutated peptide (Aβ1-6A2V), linked to the HIV-related TAT protein, which is widely used for brain delivery and cell membrane penetration of drugs. The resulting molecule [Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D)] revealed strong anti-amyloidogenic effects in vitro and protected human neuroblastoma cells from Aβ toxicity. Preclinical studies in AD mouse models showed that short-term treatment with Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D) inhibits Aβ aggregation and cerebral amyloid deposition, but a long treatment schedule unexpectedly increases amyloid burden, although preventing cognitive deterioration. Our data support the view that the AβA2V-based strategy can be successfully used for the development of treatments for AD, as suggested by the natural protection against the disease in human A2V heterozygous carriers. The undesirable outcome of the prolonged treatment with Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D) was likely due to the TAT intrinsic attitude to increase Aβ production, avidly bind amyloid and boost its seeding activity, warning against the use of the TAT carrier in the design of AD therapeutics.
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19
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Diomede L, Romeo M, Cagnotto A, Rossi A, Beeg M, Stravalaci M, Tagliavini F, Di Fede G, Gobbi M, Salmona M. The new β amyloid-derived peptide Aβ1-6A2V-TAT(D) prevents Aβ oligomer formation and protects transgenic C. elegans from Aβ toxicity. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 88:75-84. [PMID: 26792398 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
One attractive pharmacological strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is to design small peptides to interact with amyloid-β (Aβ) protein reducing its aggregation and toxicity. Starting from clinical observations indicating that patients coding a mutated Aβ variant (AβA2V) in the heterozygous state do not develop AD, we developed AβA2V synthetic peptides, as well as a small peptide homologous to residues 1-6. These hindered the amyloidogenesis of Aβ and its neurotoxicity in vitro, suggesting a basis for the design of a new small peptide in D-isomeric form, linked to the arginine-rich TAT sequence [Aβ1-6A2V-TAT(D)], to allow translocation across biological membranes and the blood-brain barrier. Aβ1-6A2V-TAT(D) was resistant to protease degradation, stable in serum and specifically able to interfere with Aβ aggregation in vitro, reducing the appearance of toxic soluble species and protecting transgenic C. elegans from toxicity related to the muscular expression of human Aβ. These observations offer a proof of concept for future pharmacological studies in mouse models of AD, providing a foundation for the design of AβA2V-based peptidomimetic molecules for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Diomede
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy.
| | - Margherita Romeo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Marten Beeg
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Stravalaci
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Division of Neurology and Neuropathology, "Carlo Besta" National Neurological Institute, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Division of Neurology and Neuropathology, "Carlo Besta" National Neurological Institute, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Gobbi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
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20
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The cell-permeable Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D) peptide reverts synaptopathy induced by Aβ1-42wt. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 89:101-11. [PMID: 26721320 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia. Loss of hippocampal synapses is the first neurodegenerative event in AD. Synaptic loss has been associated with the accumulation in the brain parenchyma of soluble oligomeric forms of amyloid β peptide (Aβ1-42wt). Clinical observations have shown that a mutation in the APP protein (A673V) causes an early onset AD-type dementia in homozygous carriers while heterozygous carriers are unaffected. This mutation leads to the formation of mutated Aβ peptides (Aβ1-42A2V) in homozygous patients, while in heterozygous subjects both Aβ1-42wt and Aβ1-42A2V are present. To better understand the impact of the A673V mutation in AD, we analyzed the synaptotoxic effect of oligomers formed by aggregation of different Aβ peptides (Aβ1-42wt or Aβ1-42A2V) and the combination of the two Aβ1-42MIX (Aβ1-42wt and Aβ1-42A2V) in an in vitro model of synaptic injury. We showed that Aβ1-42A2V oligomers are more toxic than Aβ1-42wt oligomers in hippocampal neurons, confirming the results previously obtained in cell lines. Furthermore, we reported that oligomers obtained by the combination of both wild type and mutated peptides (Aβ1-42MIX) did not exert synaptic toxicity. We concluded that the combination of Aβ1-42wt and Aβ1-42A2V peptides hinders the toxicity of Aβ1-42A2V and counteracts the manifestation of synaptopathy in vitro. Finally we took advantage of this finding to generate a cell-permeable peptide for clinical application, by fusing the first six residues of the Aβ1-42A2V to the TAT cargo sequence (Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D)). Noteworthy, the treatment with Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D) confers neuroprotection against both in vitro and in vivo synaptopathy models. Therefore Aβ1-6A2VTAT(D) may represent an innovative therapeutic tool to prevent synaptic degeneration in AD.
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21
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Wallon D, Nicolas G. Genetica delle demenze degenerative. Neurologia 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/s1634-7072(15)73962-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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22
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Das P, Murray B, Belfort G. Alzheimer's protective A2T mutation changes the conformational landscape of the Aβ₁₋₄₂ monomer differently than does the A2V mutation. Biophys J 2015; 108:738-47. [PMID: 25650940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides plays a crucial role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, it has been reported that an A2T mutation in Aβ can protect against AD. Interestingly, a nonpolar A2V mutation also has been found to offer protection against AD in the heterozygous state, although it causes early-onset AD in homozygous carriers. Since the conformational landscape of the Aβ monomer is known to directly contribute to the early-stage aggregation mechanism, it is important to characterize the effects of the A2T and A2V mutations on Aβ₁₋₄₂ monomer structure. Here, we have performed extensive atomistic replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations of the solvated wild-type (WT), A2V, and A2T Aβ₁₋₄₂ monomers. Our simulations reveal that although all three variants remain as collapsed coils in solution, there exist significant structural differences among them at shorter timescales. A2V exhibits an enhanced double-hairpin population in comparison to the WT, similar to those reported in toxic WT Aβ₁₋₄₂ oligomers. Such double-hairpin formation is caused by hydrophobic clustering between the N-terminus and the central and C-terminal hydrophobic patches. In contrast, the A2T mutation causes the N-terminus to engage in unusual electrostatic interactions with distant residues, such as K16 and E22, resulting in a unique population comprising only the C-terminal hairpin. These findings imply that a single A2X (where X = V or T) mutation in the primarily disordered N-terminus of the Aβ₁₋₄₂ monomer can dramatically alter the β-hairpin population and switch the equilibrium toward alternative structures. The atomistically detailed, comparative view of the structural landscapes of A2V and A2T variant monomers obtained in this study can enhance our understanding of the mechanistic differences in their early-stage aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Das
- Soft Matter Theory and Simulations Group, Computational Biology Center, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York.
| | - Brian Murray
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Georges Belfort
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
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23
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Das AK, Rawat A, Bhowmik D, Pandit R, Huster D, Maiti S. An early folding contact between Phe19 and Leu34 is critical for amyloid-β oligomer toxicity. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1290-5. [PMID: 25951510 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Small hydrophobic oligomers of aggregation-prone proteins are thought to be generically toxic. Here we examine this view by perturbing an early folding contact between Phe19 and Leu34 formed during the aggregation of Alzheimer's amyloid-β (Aβ40) peptide. We find that even conservative single mutations altering this interaction can abolish Aβ40 toxicity. Significantly, the mutants are not distinguishable either by the oligomers size or by the end-state fibrillar structure from the wild type Aβ40. We trace the change in their toxicity to a drastic lowering of membrane affinity. Therefore, nonlocal folding contacts play a key role in steering the oligomeric intermediates through specific conformations with very different properties and toxicity levels. Our results suggest that engineering the folding energy landscape may provide an alternative route to Alzheimer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand K. Das
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Anoop Rawat
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Debanjan Bhowmik
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Rucha Pandit
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute
of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr.
16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sudipta Maiti
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
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24
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Messa M, Colombo L, del Favero E, Cantù L, Stoilova T, Cagnotto A, Rossi A, Morbin M, Di Fede G, Tagliavini F, Salmona M. The peculiar role of the A2V mutation in amyloid-β (Aβ) 1-42 molecular assembly. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:24143-52. [PMID: 25037228 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.576256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently reported a novel Aβ precursor protein mutation (A673V), corresponding to position 2 of Aβ1-42 peptides (Aβ1-42A2V), that caused an early onset AD-type dementia in a homozygous individual. The heterozygous relatives were not affected as an indication of autosomal recessive inheritance of this mutation. We investigated the folding kinetics of native unfolded Aβ1-42A2V in comparison with the wild type sequence (Aβ1-42WT) and the equimolar solution of both peptides (Aβ1-42MIX) to characterize the oligomers that are produced in the early phases. We carried out the structural characterization of the three preparations using electron and atomic force microscopy, fluorescence emission, and x-ray diffraction and described the soluble oligomer formation kinetics by laser light scattering. The mutation promoted a peculiar pathway of oligomerization, forming a connected system similar to a polymer network with hydrophobic residues on the external surface. Aβ1-42MIX generated assemblies very similar to those produced by Aβ1-42WT, albeit with slower kinetics due to the difficulties of Aβ1-42WT and Aβ1-42A2V peptides in building up of stable intermolecular interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Messa
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Colombo
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena del Favero
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, V.le F.lli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy, and
| | - Laura Cantù
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, V.le F.lli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy, and
| | - Tatiana Stoilova
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Morbin
- Neurology V and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology V and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology V and Neuropathology, IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- From the Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy,
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Genetic markers for diagnosis and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Gene 2014; 545:185-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Diomede L, Di Fede G, Romeo M, Bagnati R, Ghidoni R, Fiordaliso F, Salio M, Rossi A, Catania M, Paterlini A, Benussi L, Bastone A, Stravalaci M, Gobbi M, Tagliavini F, Salmona M. Expression of A2V-mutated Aβ in Caenorhabditis elegans results in oligomer formation and toxicity. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 62:521-32. [PMID: 24184799 PMCID: PMC4068289 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Alzheimer's disease (AD) is usually sporadic, in a small proportion of cases it is familial and can be linked to mutations in β-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Unlike the other genetic defects, the mutation [alanine-673→valine-673] (A673V) causes the disease only in the homozygous condition with enhanced amyloid β (Aβ) production and aggregation; heterozygous carriers remain unaffected. It is not clear how misfolding and aggregation of Aβ is affected in vivo by this mutation and whether this correlates with its toxic effects. No animal models over-expressing the A673V–APP gene or alanine-2-valine (A2V) mutated human Aβ protein are currently available. Using the invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans, we generated the first transgenic animal model to express the human Aβ1–40 wild-type (WT) in neurons or possess the A2V mutation (Aβ1–40A2V). Insertion of an Aβ-mutated gene into this nematode reproduced the homozygous state of the human pathology. Functional and biochemical characteristics found in the A2V strain were compared to those of transgenic C. elegans expressing Aβ1–40WT. The expression of both WT and A2V Aβ1–40 specifically reduced the nematode's lifespan, causing behavioral defects and neurotransmission impairment which were worse in A2V worms. Mutant animals were more resistant than WT to paralysis induced by the cholinergic agonist levamisole, indicating that the locomotor defect was specifically linked to postsynaptic dysfunctions. The toxicity caused by the mutated protein was associated with a high propensity to form oligomeric assemblies which accumulate in the neurons, suggesting this to be the central event involved in the postsynaptic damage and early onset of the disease in homozygous human A673V carriers. We generated the first transgenic animal model expressing in neurons the human Aβ1–40 wild-type or has the A2V mutation. Aβ1–40 expression reduced the worm's lifespan, caused behavioral and neuronal defects which were worse in the A2V strain. The behavioral defects of mutant worms were specifically linked to postsynaptic dysfunctions. The toxicity of Aβ1–40A2V was associated with its high propensity to form oligomers which accumulate in the neurons. These transgenic strains represent an attractive tools for an in vivo screening of compounds interfering with oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Diomede
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Division of Neurology and Neuropathology, "Carlo Besta" National Neurological Institute, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Margherita Romeo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Renzo Bagnati
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Ghidoni
- Proteomics Unit, IRCCS "Centro S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli", Via Pilastroni 4, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Fabio Fiordaliso
- Department of Cardiovascular Research, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Salio
- Department of Cardiovascular Research, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Catania
- Division of Neurology and Neuropathology, "Carlo Besta" National Neurological Institute, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Paterlini
- Proteomics Unit, IRCCS "Centro S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli", Via Pilastroni 4, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Benussi
- Proteomics Unit, IRCCS "Centro S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli", Via Pilastroni 4, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonio Bastone
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Stravalaci
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Gobbi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Division of Neurology and Neuropathology, "Carlo Besta" National Neurological Institute, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy
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Novel approaches for studying amyloidogenic peptides/proteins. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2013; 13:797-801. [PMID: 23742923 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2013.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of important human diseases are associated with the aggregation and deposition of incorrectly folded proteins in the form of highly structured amyloid fibrils. The aggregation process involves the formation of intermediate oligomeric assemblies with toxic properties. There are many commonalities among the different amyloid diseases, that is, similarities in structural features of amyloid fibrils or determinants of oligomer toxicity. Thus, a better knowledge of the general mechanisms of protein aggregation, the characterization of the aggregate's toxicity, and the identification of compounds interfering with these processes, may help for developing therapeutic strategies for different diseases. A variety of analytical methods are currently applied for these purposes. Here we focus on new applications of consolidated technologies which allow one to obtain informative data in a rapid and convenient manner. In particular, we discuss new applications of Surface Plasmon Resonance to study fibril elongation and to specifically recognize oligomers, as well as to screen for ligands of aggregated species and inhibitors of oligomer formation. We also review new advances in the use of wild-type or transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans as suitable in vivo models for the rapid and relatively inexpensive analysis of oligomer toxicity and for testing putative antagonists against this toxicity.
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Lai W, Wu J, Zou X, Xie J, Zhang L, Zhao X, Zhao M, Wang Q, Ji J. Secretome Analyses of Aβ1–42 Stimulated Hippocampal Astrocytes Reveal that CXCL10 is Involved in Astrocyte Migration. J Proteome Res 2013; 12:832-43. [DOI: 10.1021/pr300895r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Lai
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jing Wu
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xiao Zou
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jian Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing TianTan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing TianTan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Xuyang Zhao
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Minzhi Zhao
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Qingsong Wang
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jianguo Ji
- The National Laboratory of Protein
Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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