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Leach BI, Ferguson JA, Morgan G, Sun X, Kroon G, Oyen D, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Conformational Dynamics of an Amyloidogenic Intermediate of Transthyretin: Implications for Structural Remodeling and Amyloid Formation. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168673. [PMID: 38909653 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation pathway of transthyretin (TTR) proceeds through rate-limiting dissociation of the tetramer (a dimer of dimers) and partial misfolding of the resulting monomer, which assembles into amyloid structures through a downhill polymerization mechanism. The structural features of the aggregation-prone monomeric intermediate are poorly understood. NMR relaxation dispersion offers a unique opportunity to characterize amyloidogenic intermediates when they exchange on favorable timescales with NMR-visible ground states. Here we use NMR to characterize the structure and conformational dynamics of the monomeric F87E mutant of human TTR. Chemical shifts derived from analysis of multinuclear relaxation dispersion data provide insights into the structure of a low-lying excited state that exchanges with the ground state of the F87E monomer at a rate of 3800 s-1. Disruption of the subunit interfaces of the TTR tetramer leads to destabilization of edge strands in both β-sheets of the F87E monomer. Conformational fluctuations are propagated through the entire hydrogen bonding network of the DAGH β-sheet, from the inner β-strand H, which forms the strong dimer-dimer interface in the TTR tetramer, to outer strand D which is unfolded in TTR fibrils. Fluctuations are also propagated from the AB loop in the weak dimer-dimer interface to the EF helix, which undergoes structural remodeling in fibrils. The conformational fluctuations in both regions are enhanced at acidic pH where amyloid formation is most favorable. The relaxation dispersion data provide insights into the conformational dynamics of the amyloidogenic state of monomeric TTR that predispose it for structural remodeling and progression to amyloid fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin I Leach
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - James A Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gareth Morgan
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gerard Kroon
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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2
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Almeida ZL, Vaz DC, Brito RMM. Transthyretin mutagenesis: impact on amyloidogenesis and disease. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2024:1-25. [PMID: 38850014 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2024.2350379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR), a homotetrameric protein found in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and the eye, plays a pivotal role in the onset of several amyloid diseases with high morbidity and mortality. Protein aggregation and fibril formation by wild-type TTR and its natural more amyloidogenic variants are hallmarks of ATTRwt and ATTRv amyloidosis, respectively. The formation of soluble amyloid aggregates and the accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils and deposits in multiple tissues can lead to organ dysfunction and cell death. The most frequent manifestations of ATTR are polyneuropathies and cardiomyopathies. However, clinical manifestations such as carpal tunnel syndrome, leptomeningeal, and ocular amyloidosis, among several others may also occur. This review provides an up-to-date listing of all single amino-acid mutations in TTR known to date. Of approximately 220 single-point mutations, 93% are considered pathogenic. Aspartic acid is the residue mutated with the highest frequency, whereas tryptophan is highly conserved. "Hot spot" mutation regions are mainly assigned to β-strands B, C, and D. This manuscript also reviews the protein aggregation models that have been proposed for TTR amyloid fibril formation and the transient conformational states that convert native TTR into aggregation-prone molecular species. Finally, it compiles the various in vitro TTR aggregation protocols currently in use for research and drug development purposes. In short, this article reviews and discusses TTR mutagenesis and amyloidogenesis, and their implications in disease onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaida L Almeida
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Daniela C Vaz
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal
- LSRE-LCM - Leiria, Portugal & ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui M M Brito
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre - Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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3
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Chatterjee S, Salimi A, Lee JY. Histidine tautomerism-mediated transthyretin amyloidogenesis: A molecular insight. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 742:109618. [PMID: 37172673 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of the conformational alterations involved in monomer misfolding is essential for elucidating the molecular basis of the initial stage of protein accumulation. Here, we report the first structural analyses of transthyretin (TTR) (26-57) fragments with two histidine tautomeric states (δ; Nδ1H and ε; Nε2H) using replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations. Explaining the organizational properties and misfolding procedure is challenging because the δ and ε configurations can occur in the free neutral state. REMD revealed that β-sheet generation is favored for the δδ (16.8%) and εδ (6.7%) tautomeric isomers, showing frequent main-chain contacts between the stable regions near the head (N-terminus) and central (middle) part compared to the εε (4.8%) and δε (2.8%) isomers. The presence of smaller and wider local energy minima may be related to the structural stability and toxicity of δδ/εδ and εε/δε. Histidines31 and 56 were the parts of regular (such as β-strand) and nonregular (such as coil) secondary structures within the highly toxic TTR isomer. For TTR amyloidosis, focusing on hazardous isomeric forms with high sheet contents may be a potent treatment strategy. Overall, our findings support the tautomerism concept and aid in our comprehension of the basic tautomeric actions of neutral histidine throughout the misfolding process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sompriya Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, South Korea
| | - Abbas Salimi
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, South Korea
| | - Jin Yong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, South Korea.
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4
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Duan G, Li Y, Ye M, Liu H, Wang N, Luo S. The Regulatory Mechanism of Transthyretin Irreversible Aggregation through Liquid-to-Solid Phase Transition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043729. [PMID: 36835140 PMCID: PMC9960511 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) aggregation and amyloid formation are associated with several ATTR diseases, such as senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA) and familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). However, the mechanism that triggers the initial pathologic aggregation process of TTR remains largely elusive. Lately, increasing evidence has suggested that many proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and subsequent liquid-to-solid phase transition before the formation of amyloid fibrils. Here, we demonstrate that electrostatic interactions mediate LLPS of TTR, followed by a liquid-solid phase transition, and eventually the formation of amyloid fibrils under a mildly acidic pH in vitro. Furthermore, pathogenic mutations (V30M, R34T, and K35T) of TTR and heparin promote the process of phase transition and facilitate the formation of fibrillar aggregates. In addition, S-cysteinylation, which is a kind of post-translational modification of TTR, reduces the kinetic stability of TTR and increases the propensity for aggregation, while another modification, S-sulfonation, stabilizes the TTR tetramer and reduces the aggregation rate. Once TTR was S-cysteinylated or S-sulfonated, they dramatically underwent the process of phase transition, providing a foundation for post-translational modifications that could modulate TTR LLPS in the context of pathological interactions. These novel findings reveal molecular insights into the mechanism of TTR from initial LLPS and subsequent liquid-to-solid phase transition to amyloid fibrils, providing a new dimension for ATTR therapy.
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5
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Brannagan TH, Berk JL, Gillmore JD, Maurer MS, Waddington‐Cruz M, Fontana M, Masri A, Obici L, Brambatti M, Baker BF, Hannan LA, Buchele G, Viney NJ, Coelho T, Nativi‐Nicolau J. Liver-directed drugs for transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. J Peripher Nerv Syst 2022; 27:228-237. [PMID: 36345805 PMCID: PMC10100204 DOI: 10.1111/jns.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR) is a rare, under-recognized, progressively debilitating, fatal disease caused by the aggregation and extracellular deposition of amyloid transthyretin (TTR) fibrils in multiple organs and tissues throughout the body. TTR is predominantly synthesized by the liver and normally circulates as a homotetramer, while misfolded monomers aggregate to form amyloid fibrils. One strategy to treat ATTR amyloidosis is to reduce the amount of TTR produced by the liver using drugs that directly target the TTR mRNA or gene. This narrative review focuses on how TTR gene silencing tools act to reduce TTR production, describing strategies for improved targeted delivery of these agents to hepatocytes where TTR is preferentially expressed. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), termed RNA silencers, cause selective degradation of TTR mRNA, while a TTR gene editing tool reduces TTR expression by introducing nonsense mutations into the TTR gene. Two strategies to facilitate tissue-specific delivery of these nucleic acid-based drugs employ endogenous receptors expressed by hepatocytes. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that recruit apolipoprotein E support low-density lipoprotein receptor-mediated uptake of unconjugated siRNA and are now used for CRISPR gene editing tools. Additionally, conjugating N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) moieties to ASOs or siRNAs facilitates receptor-mediated uptake by the asialoglycoprotein receptor. In summary, ATTR is a progressive disease with various clinical manifestations due to TTR aggregation, deposition, and amyloid formation. Receptor-targeted ligands (eg, GalNAc) and nanoparticle encapsulation (eg, LNPs) are technologies to deliver ASOs, siRNAs, and gene editing tools to hepatocytes, the primary location of TTR synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H. Brannagan
- Peripheral Neuropathy CenterColumbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - John L. Berk
- Amyloidosis CenterBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Julian D. Gillmore
- National Amyloidosis CentreUniversity College London, Royal Free HospitalLondonUK
| | - Mathew S. Maurer
- Cardiac Amyloidosis Program, Division of CardiologyColumbia College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Márcia Waddington‐Cruz
- National Amyloidosis Referral Center‐CEPARMUniversity HospitalFederal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Marianna Fontana
- National Amyloidosis CentreUniversity College London, Royal Free HospitalLondonUK
| | - Ahmad Masri
- Cardiac Amyloidosis Program, Knight Cardiovascular InstituteOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| | - Laura Obici
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment CenterIRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San MatteoPaviaItaly
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Teresa Coelho
- Department of NeurosciencesCentro Hospitalar Universitário do PortoPortoPortugal
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6
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Sun X, Ferguson JA, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. A transthyretin monomer intermediate undergoes local unfolding and transient interaction with oligomers in a kinetically concerted aggregation pathway. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102162. [PMID: 35724960 PMCID: PMC9293765 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is associated with tissue deposition of TTR aggregates. TTR aggregation is initiated by dissociation of the native tetramer to form a monomeric intermediate, which locally unfolds and assembles into soluble oligomers and higher-order aggregates. However, a detailed mechanistic understanding requires kinetic and structural characterization of the low-population intermediates formed. Here we show that the monomeric intermediate exchanges with an ensemble of oligomers on the millisecond timescale. This transient and reversible exchange causes broadening of the 19F resonance of a trifluoromethyl probe coupled to the monomeric intermediate at S85C. We show the 19F linewidth and R2 relaxation rate increase in a linear manner with increasing concentration of the oligomer. Furthermore, introduction of 19F probes at additional TTR sites yielded distinct 19F chemical shifts for the TTR tetramer and monomer when the trifluoromethyl probe was attached at S100C, located near the same subunit interface as S85C, but not with probes attached at S46C or E63C, which are distant from any interfaces. The 19F probe at E63C shows that part of the DE loop, which is solvent-accessible in the tetramer, becomes more buried in the NMR-visible oligomers. Finally, using backbone amides as probes, we show that parts of the EF helix and H strand become highly flexible in the otherwise structured monomeric intermediate at acidic pH. We further find that TTR aggregation can be reversed by increasing pH. Taken together, this work provides insights into location-dependent conformational changes in the reversible early steps of a kinetically-concerted TTR aggregation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - James A Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.
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7
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Gao L, Xie X, Liu P, Jin J. High-avidity binding drives nucleation of amyloidogenic transthyretin monomer. JCI Insight 2022; 7:150131. [PMID: 35393947 PMCID: PMC9057628 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidosis involves stepwise growth of fibrils assembled from soluble precursors. Transthyretin (TTR) naturally folds into a stable tetramer, whereas conditions and mutations that foster aberrant monomer formations facilitate TTR oligomeric aggregation and subsequent fibril extension. We investigated the early assembly of oligomers by WT TTR compared with its V30M and V122I variants. We monitored time-dependent redistribution among monomer, dimer, tetramer, and oligomer contents in the presence and absence of multimeric TTR seeds. The seeds were artificially constructed recombinant multimers that contained 20–40 TTR subunits via engineered biotin-streptavidin (SA) interactions. As expected, these multimer seeds rapidly nucleated TTR monomers into larger complexes, while having less effect on dimers and tetramers. In vivo, SA-induced multimers formed TTR-like deposits in the heart and the kidney following i.v. injection in mice. While all 3 variants prominently deposited glomerulus in the kidney, only V30M resulted in extensive deposition in the heart. The cardiac TTR deposits varied in size and shape and were localized in the intermyofibrillar space along the capillaries. These results are consistent with the notion of monomeric TTR engaging in high-avidity interactions with tissue amyloids. Our multimeric induction approach provides a model for studying the initiation of TTR deposition in the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Gao
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Cardiology, and
| | - Xinfang Xie
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Pan Liu
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jing Jin
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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8
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Yang W, Kim BS, Muniyappan S, Lee YH, Kim JH, Yu W. Aggregation-Prone Structural Ensembles of Transthyretin Collected With Regression Analysis for NMR Chemical Shift. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:766830. [PMID: 34746240 PMCID: PMC8568061 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.766830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Monomer dissociation and subsequent misfolding of the transthyretin (TTR) is one of the most critical causative factors of TTR amyloidosis. TTR amyloidosis causes several human diseases, such as senile systemic amyloidosis and familial amyloid cardiomyopathy/polyneuropathy; therefore, it is important to understand the molecular details of the structural deformation and aggregation mechanisms of TTR. However, such molecular characteristics are still elusive because of the complicated structural heterogeneity of TTR and its highly sensitive nature to various environmental factors. Several nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) studies of TTR variants have recently reported evidence of transient aggregation-prone structural states of TTR. According to these studies, the stability of the DAGH β-sheet, one of the two main β-sheets in TTR, is a crucial determinant of the TTR amyloidosis mechanism. In addition, its conformational perturbation and possible involvement of nearby structural motifs facilitates TTR aggregation. This study proposes aggregation-prone structural ensembles of TTR obtained by MD simulation with enhanced sampling and a multiple linear regression approach. This method provides plausible structural models that are composed of ensemble structures consistent with NMR chemical shift data. This study validated the ensemble models with experimental data obtained from circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and NMR order parameter analysis. In addition, our results suggest that the structural deformation of the DAGH β-sheet and the AB loop regions may correlate with the manifestation of the aggregation-prone conformational states of TTR. In summary, our method employing MD techniques to extend the structural ensembles from NMR experimental data analysis may provide new opportunities to investigate various transient yet important structural states of amyloidogenic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonjin Yang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Beom Soo Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
| | | | - Young-Ho Lee
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, South Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea.,Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea.,Research Headquarters, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jin Hae Kim
- Department of New Biology, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Wookyung Yu
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea.,Core Protein Resources Center, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
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9
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Brannagan TH, Auer-Grumbach M, Berk JL, Briani C, Bril V, Coelho T, Damy T, Dispenzieri A, Drachman BM, Fine N, Gaggin HK, Gertz M, Gillmore JD, Gonzalez E, Hanna M, Hurwitz DR, Khella SL, Maurer MS, Nativi-Nicolau J, Olugemo K, Quintana LF, Rosen AM, Schmidt HH, Shehata J, Waddington-Cruz M, Whelan C, Ruberg FL. ATTR amyloidosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from a global medical roundtable. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:204. [PMID: 33957949 PMCID: PMC8100737 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-01834-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causing the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised serious concern for patients with chronic disease. A correlation has been identified between the severity of COVID-19 and a patient's preexisting comorbidities. Although COVID-19 primarily involves the respiratory system, dysfunction in multiple organ systems is common, particularly in the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, renal, and nervous systems. Patients with amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis represent a population particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 morbidity due to the multisystem nature of ATTR amyloidosis. MAIN BODY ATTR amyloidosis is a clinically heterogeneous progressive disease, resulting from the accumulation of amyloid fibrils in various organs and tissues. Amyloid deposition causes multisystem clinical manifestations, including cardiomyopathy and polyneuropathy, along with gastrointestinal symptoms and renal dysfunction. Given the potential for exacerbation of organ dysfunction, physicians note possible unique challenges in the management of patients with ATTR amyloidosis who develop multiorgan complications from COVID-19. While the interplay between COVID-19 and ATTR amyloidosis is still being evaluated, physicians should consider that the heightened susceptibility of patients with ATTR amyloidosis to multiorgan complications might increase their risk for poor outcomes with COVID-19. CONCLUSION Patients with ATTR amyloidosis are suspected to have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality due to age and underlying ATTR amyloidosis-related organ dysfunction. While further research is needed to characterize this risk and management implications, ATTR amyloidosis patients might require specialized management if they develop COVID-19. The risks of delaying diagnosis or interrupting treatment for patients with ATTR amyloidosis should be balanced with the risk of exposure in the health care setting. Both physicians and patients must adapt to a new construct for care during and possibly after the pandemic to ensure optimal health for patients with ATTR amyloidosis, minimizing treatment interruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vera Bril
- University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Teresa Coelho
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Thibaud Damy
- Referral Center for Cardiac Amyloidosis, Cardiology Department, APHP-Henri Mondor Hospital, Creteil, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carol Whelan
- National Amyloidosis Centre, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Frederick L. Ruberg
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine and Amyloidosis Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
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10
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Transthyretin Misfolding, A Fatal Structural Pathogenesis Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094429. [PMID: 33922648 PMCID: PMC8122960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an essential transporter of a thyroid hormone and a holo-retinol binding protein, found abundantly in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, this protein is infamous for its amyloidogenic propensity, causing various amyloidoses in humans, such as senile systemic amyloidosis, familial amyloid polyneuropathy, and familial amyloid cardiomyopathy. It has been known for over two decades that decreased stability of the native tetrameric conformation of TTR is the main cause of these diseases. Yet, mechanistic details on the amyloidogenic transformation of TTR were not clear until recent multidisciplinary investigations on various structural states of TTR. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in the structural understanding of TTR misfolding and amyloidosis processes. Special emphasis has been laid on the observations of novel structural features in various amyloidogenic species of TTR. In addition, proteolysis-induced fragmentation of TTR, a recently proposed mechanism facilitating TTR amyloidosis, has been discussed in light of its structural consequences and relevance to acknowledge the amyloidogenicity of TTR.
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11
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Gao Y, Saccuzzo EG, Hill SE, Huard DJE, Robang AS, Lieberman RL, Paravastu AK. Structural Arrangement within a Peptide Fibril Derived from the Glaucoma-Associated Myocilin Olfactomedin Domain. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:2886-2897. [PMID: 33683890 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c11460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Myocilin-associated glaucoma is a new addition to the list of diseases linked to protein misfolding and amyloid formation. Single point variants of the ∼257-residue myocilin olfactomedin domain (mOLF) lead to mutant myocilin aggregation. Here, we analyze the 12-residue peptide P1 (GAVVYSGSLYFQ), corresponding to residues 326-337 of mOLF, previously shown to form amyloid fibrils in vitro and in silico. We applied solid-state NMR structural measurements to test the hypothesis that P1 fibrils adopt one of three predicted structures. Our data are consistent with a U-shaped fibril arrangement for P1, one that is related to the U-shape predicted previously in silico. Our data are also consistent with an antiparallel fibril arrangement, likely driven by terminal electrostatics. Our proposed structural model is reminiscent of fibrils formed by the Aβ(1-40) Iowa mutant peptide, but with a different arrangement of molecular turn regions. Taken together, our results strengthen the connection between mOLF fibrils and the broader amylome and contribute to our understanding of the fundamental molecular interactions governing fibril architecture and stability.
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12
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He S, He X, Liu L, Zhang W, Yu L, Deng Z, Feiyi Z, Mo S, Fan Y, Zhao X, Wang L, Wang C, Zhang S. The Structural Understanding of Transthyretin Misfolding and the Inspired Drug Approaches for the Treatment of Heart Failure Associated With Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:628184. [PMID: 33679409 PMCID: PMC7930814 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.628184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial controversies exist in the exploration of the molecular mechanism of heart failure (HF) and pose challenges to the diagnosis of HF and the discovery of specific drugs for the treatment. Recently, cardiac transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is becoming recognized as one of major causes of underdiagnosed HF. The investigation and modulation of TTR misfolding and amyloidal aggregation open up a new revenue to reveal the molecular mechanisms of HF and provide new possibilities for the treatment of HF. The aim of this review is to briefly introduce the recent advances in the study of TTR native and misfolding structures, discuss the correlation between the genotype and phenotype of cardiac TTR amyloidosis, and summarize the therapeutic applications of TTR structural stabilizers in the treatment of TTR amyloidosis-associated HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyue He
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lanlan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhun Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhang Feiyi
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Institute for Advanced Materials, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shanshan Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Fan
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyue Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lun Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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13
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Childers MC, Daggett V. Edge Strand Dissociation and Conformational Changes in Transthyretin under Amyloidogenic Conditions. Biophys J 2020; 119:1995-2009. [PMID: 33091379 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
During amyloidogenesis, proteins undergo conformational changes that allow them to aggregate and assemble into insoluble, fibrillar structures. Soluble oligomers that form during this process typically contain 2-24 monomeric subunits and are cytotoxic. Before the formation of these soluble oligomers, monomeric species first adopt aggregation-competent conformations. Knowledge of the structures of these intermediate states is invaluable to the development of molecular strategies to arrest pathological amyloid aggregation. However, the highly dynamic and interconverting nature of amyloidogenic species limits biophysical characterization of their structures during amyloidogenesis. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to probe conformations sampled by monomeric transthyretin under amyloidogenic conditions. We show that certain β-strands in transthyretin tend to unfold and sample nonnative conformations and that the edge strands in one β-sheet (the DAGH sheet) are particularly susceptible to conformational changes in the monomeric state. We also find that changes in the tertiary structure of transthyretin can be associated with disruptions to the secondary structure. We evaluated the conformations produced by molecular dynamics by calculating how well molecular-dynamics-derived structures reproduced NMR-derived interatomic distances. Finally, we leverage our computational results to produce experimentally testable hypotheses that may aid experimental explorations of pathological conformations of transthyretin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Childers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Valerie Daggett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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14
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Gertz M, Adams D, Ando Y, Beirão JM, Bokhari S, Coelho T, Comenzo RL, Damy T, Dorbala S, Drachman BM, Fontana M, Gillmore JD, Grogan M, Hawkins PN, Lousada I, Kristen AV, Ruberg FL, Suhr OB, Maurer MS, Nativi-Nicolau J, Quarta CC, Rapezzi C, Witteles R, Merlini G. Avoiding misdiagnosis: expert consensus recommendations for the suspicion and diagnosis of transthyretin amyloidosis for the general practitioner. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2020; 21:198. [PMID: 32967612 PMCID: PMC7513485 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-020-01252-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transthyretin amyloidosis (also known as ATTR amyloidosis) is a systemic, life-threatening disease characterized by transthyretin (TTR) fibril deposition in organs and tissue. A definitive diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis is often a challenge, in large part because of its heterogeneous presentation. Although ATTR amyloidosis was previously considered untreatable, disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of this disease have recently become available. This article aims to raise awareness of the initial symptoms of ATTR amyloidosis among general practitioners to facilitate identification of a patient with suspicious signs and symptoms. METHODS These consensus recommendations for the suspicion and diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis were developed through a series of development and review cycles by an international working group comprising key amyloidosis specialists. This working group met to discuss the barriers to early and accurate diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis and develop a consensus recommendation through a thorough search of the literature performed using PubMed Central. RESULTS The cardiac and peripheral nervous systems are most frequently involved in ATTR amyloidosis; however, many patients often also experience gastrointestinal and other systemic manifestations. Given the multisystemic nature of symptoms, ATTR amyloidosis is often misdiagnosed as a more common disorder, leading to significant delays in the initiation of treatment. Although histologic evaluation has been the gold standard to confirm ATTR amyloidosis, a range of tools are available that can facilitate early and accurate diagnosis. Of importance, genetic testing should be considered early in the evaluation of a patient with unexplained peripheral neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS A diagnostic algorithm based on initial red flag symptoms and manifestations of cardiac or neurologic involvement will facilitate identification by the general practitioner of a patient with clinically suspicious symptoms, enabling subsequent referral of the patient to a multidisciplinary specialized medical center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morie Gertz
- Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - David Adams
- Referral Center for FAP, Neurology Department, APHP, INSERM U 1195, Université Paris-Sud, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Yukio Ando
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - João Melo Beirão
- Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | - Raymond L Comenzo
- John C. Davis Myeloma and Amyloid Program, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thibaud Damy
- Department of Cardiology, Referral Center for Cardiac Amyloidosis, GRC Amyloid Research Institute, DHU A-TVB, APHP CHU Henri Mondor and Université Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | | | - Brian M Drachman
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marianna Fontana
- National Amyloidosis Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Martha Grogan
- Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Philip N Hawkins
- National Amyloidosis Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Frederick L Ruberg
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ole B Suhr
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Ronald Witteles
- Stanford Amyloid Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Giampaolo Merlini
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center Foundation, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, San Matteo, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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15
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Dasari AKR, Hung I, Michael B, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Connors LH, Griffin RG, Lim KH. Structural Characterization of Cardiac Ex Vivo Transthyretin Amyloid: Insight into the Transthyretin Misfolding Pathway In Vivo. Biochemistry 2020; 59:1800-1803. [PMID: 32338497 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Structural characterization of misfolded protein aggregates is essential to understanding the molecular mechanism of protein aggregation associated with various protein misfolding disorders. Here, we report structural analyses of ex vivo transthyretin aggregates extracted from human cardiac tissue. Comparative structural analyses of in vitro and ex vivo transthyretin aggregates using various biophysical techniques revealed that cardiac transthyretin amyloid has structural features similar to those of in vitro transthyretin amyloid. Our solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance studies showed that in vitro amyloid contains extensive nativelike β-sheet structures, while other loop regions including helical structures are disrupted in the amyloid state. These results suggest that transthyretin undergoes a common misfolding and aggregation transition to nativelike aggregation-prone monomers that self-assemble into amyloid precipitates in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Brian Michael
- Department of Chemistry, Massachuseets Institute of Technology, NW14-3220, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4703, United States
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Jeffery W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lawreen H Connors
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Robert G Griffin
- Department of Chemistry, Massachuseets Institute of Technology, NW14-3220, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4703, United States
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
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16
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Exploration of the Misfolding Mechanism of Transthyretin Monomer: Insights from Hybrid-Resolution Simulations and Markov State Model Analysis. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9120889. [PMID: 31861226 PMCID: PMC6995605 DOI: 10.3390/biom9120889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of transthyretin (TTR) is widely known to be responsible for a progressive systemic disorder called amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. Studies suggest that TTR aggregation is initiated by a rate-limiting dissociation of the homo-tetramer into its monomers, which can rapidly misfold and self-assemble into amyloid fibril. Thus, exploring conformational change involved in TTR monomer misfolding is of vital importance for understanding the pathogenesis of ATTR amyloidosis. In this work, microsecond timescale hybrid-resolution molecular dynamics (MD) simulations combined with Markov state model (MSM) analysis were performed to investigate the misfolding mechanism of the TTR monomer. The results indicate that a macrostate with partially unfolded conformations may serve as the misfolded state of the TTR monomer. This misfolded state was extremely stable with a very large equilibrium probability of about 85.28%. With secondary structure analysis, we found the DAGH sheet in this state to be significantly destroyed. The CBEF sheet was relatively stable and sheet structure was maintained. However, the F-strand in this sheet was likely to move away from E-strand and reform a new β-sheet with the H-strand. This observation is consistent with experimental finding that F and H strands in the outer edge drive the misfolding of TTR. Finally, transition pathways from a near native state to this misfolded macrostate showed that the conformational transition can occur either through a native-like β-sheet intermediates or through partially unfolded intermediates, while the later appears to be the main pathway. As a whole, we identified a potential misfolded state of the TTR monomer and elucidated the misfolding pathway for its conformational transition. This work can provide a valuable theoretical basis for understanding of TTR aggregation and the pathogenesis of ATTR amyloidosis at the atomic level.
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17
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Childers MC, Daggett V. Drivers of α-Sheet Formation in Transthyretin under Amyloidogenic Conditions. Biochemistry 2019; 58:4408-4423. [PMID: 31609590 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid diseases make up a set of fatal disorders in which proteins aggregate to form fibrils that deposit in tissues throughout the body. Amyloid-associated diseases are challenging to study because amyloid formation occurs on time scales that span several orders of magnitude and involve heterogeneous, interconverting protein conformations. The development of more effective technologies to diagnose and treat amyloid disease requires both a map of the conformations sampled during amyloidogenesis and an understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive this process. In prior molecular dynamics simulations of amyloid proteins, we observed the formation of a nonstandard type of secondary structure, called α-sheet, that we proposed is associated with the pathogenic conformers in amyloid disease, the soluble oligomers. However, the detailed molecular interactions that drive the conversion to α-sheet remain elusive. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to interrogate a critical event in transthyretin aggregation, the formation of aggregation-competent, monomeric species. We show that conformational changes in one of the two β-sheets in transthyretin enable solvent molecules and polar side chains to form electrostatic interactions with main-chain peptide groups to facilitate and modulate conversion to α-sheet secondary structure. Our results shed light on the early conformational changes that drive transthyretin toward the α-sheet structure associated with toxicity. Delineation of the molecular events that lead to aggregation at atomic resolution can aid strategies to target the early, critical toxic soluble oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Carter Childers
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195-5013 , United States
| | - Valerie Daggett
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195-5013 , United States
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18
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Liu YT, Yen YJ, Ricardo F, Chang Y, Wu PH, Huang SJ, Lin KP, Yu TY. Biophysical characterization and modulation of Transthyretin Ala97Ser. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:1961-1970. [PMID: 31502419 PMCID: PMC6801203 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Ala97Ser (A97S) is the major transthyretin (TTR) mutation in Taiwanese patients of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), characterized by a late‐onset but rapidly deteriorated neuropathy. Tafamidis can restore the stability of some mutant TTR tetramers and slow down the progression of TTR‐FAP. However, there is little understanding of the biophysical features of A97S‐TTR mutant and the pharmacological modulation effect of tafamidis on it. This study aims to delineate the biophysical characteristics of A97S‐TTR and the pharmacological modulation effect of tafamidis on this mutant. Method The stability of TTR tetramers was assessed by urea denaturation and differential scanning calorimetry. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to measure the binding constant of tafamidis to TTR. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) titration experiment was used to map out the tafamidis binding site. Results Chemical and thermal denaturation confirmed the destabilization effect of A97S. Consistent with other the amyloidogenic mutant, A97S‐TTR has slightly lower conformational stability. NMR revealed the binding site of A97S‐TTR with tafamidis is at the thyroxine binding pocket. The ITC experiments documented the high affinity of the binding which can effectively stabilize the A97S‐TTR tetramer. Interpretation This study confirmed the structural modulation effect of tafamidis on A97S‐TTR and implied the potential therapeutic benefit of tafamidis for A97S TTR‐FAP. This approach can be applied to investigate the modulation effect of tafamidis on other rare TTR variants and help to make individualized choices of available treatments for FAP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo-Tsen Liu
- Division of Epilepsy, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Jung Yen
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Frans Ricardo
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu Chang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hao Wu
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shing-Jong Huang
- Instrumentation Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kon-Ping Lin
- National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Division of Peripheral Nervous System Disorders, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsyr-Yan Yu
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,International Graduate Program of Molecular Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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19
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Probing conformational changes of monomeric transthyretin with second derivative fluorescence. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10988. [PMID: 31358790 PMCID: PMC6662758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47230-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We have studied the intrinsic fluorescence spectra of a monomeric variant of human transthyretin (M-TTR), a protein involved in the transport of the thyroid hormone and retinol and associated with various forms of amyloidosis, extending our analysis to the second order derivative of the spectra. This procedure allowed to identify three peaks readily assigned to Trp41, as the three peaks were also visible in a mutant lacking the other tryptophan (Trp79) and had similar FRET efficiency values with an acceptor molecule positioned at position 10. The wavelength values of the three peaks and their susceptibility to acrylamide quenching revealed that the three corresponding conformers experience different solvent-exposure, polarity of the environment and flexibility. We could monitor the three peaks individually in urea-unfolding and pH-unfolding curves. This revealed changes in the distribution of the corresponding conformers, indicating conformational changes and alterations of the dynamics of the microenvironment that surrounds the associated tryptophan residue in such transitions, but also native-like conformers of such residues in unfolded states. We also found that the amyloidogenic state adopted by M-TTR at mildly low pH has a structural and dynamical microenvironment surrounding Trp41 indistinguishable from that of the fully folded and soluble state at neutral pH.
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20
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Inoue M, Ueda M, Higashi T, Anno T, Fujisawa K, Motoyama K, Mizuguchi M, Ando Y, Jono H, Arima H. Therapeutic Potential of Polyamidoamine Dendrimer for Amyloidogenic Transthyretin Amyloidosis. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2584-2590. [PMID: 30912637 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidogenic transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is caused by a formation of ATTR amyloid fibrils. Because ATTR misfolding triggers the formation of aggregates and amyloid fibrils, which are considered to deposit on the tissues, novel clinically effective therapeutic strategies targeted to those processes are urgently needed. In this study, to discover a new drug candidate for ATTR amyloidosis therapy, we focused on polyamidoamine dendrimer (dendrimer), a 3D-structural nanomaterial, which has a branched cationic polymer repeating polyamidoamine units. Dendrimer (G2) not only inhibited ATTR V30M amyloid fibril formation, but also reduced already formed ATTR V30M amyloid fibrils by reducing β-sheet structure of ATTR V30M protein. Moreover, intravenous administration of dendrimer (G2) reduced TTR deposition in human ATTR V30M transgenic rats. These results indicate that dendrimer (G2) may possess both inhibitory and breaking effects on ATTR V30M amyloid, suggesting that dendrimer has the potential as a dual effective agents against TTR amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamichi Inoue
- Program for Leading Graduate Schools ‘Health Life Science: Interdisciplinary and Glocal Oriented (HIGO) Program’, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mineyuki Mizuguchi
- Laboratory of Structual Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | | | | | - Hidetoshi Arima
- Program for Leading Graduate Schools ‘Health Life Science: Interdisciplinary and Glocal Oriented (HIGO) Program’, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
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21
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Dasari AKR, Hughes RM, Wi S, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Lim KH. Transthyretin Aggregation Pathway toward the Formation of Distinct Cytotoxic Oligomers. Sci Rep 2019; 9:33. [PMID: 30631096 PMCID: PMC6328637 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37230-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterization of small oligomers formed at an early stage of amyloid formation is critical to understanding molecular mechanism of pathogenic aggregation process. Here we identified and characterized cytotoxic oligomeric intermediates populated during transthyretin (TTR) aggregation process. Under the amyloid-forming conditions, TTR initially forms a dimer through interactions between outer strands. The dimers are then associated to form a hexamer with a spherical shape, which serves as a building block to self-assemble into cytotoxic oligomers. Notably, wild-type (WT) TTR tends to form linear oligomers, while a TTR variant (G53A) prefers forming annular oligomers with pore-like structures. Structural analyses of the amyloidogenic intermediates using circular dichroism (CD) and solid-state NMR reveal that the dimer and oligomers have a significant degree of native-like β-sheet structures (35–38%), but with more disordered regions (~60%) than those of native TTR. The TTR variant oligomers are also less structured than WT oligomers. The partially folded nature of the oligomeric intermediates might be a common structural property of cytotoxic oligomers. The higher flexibility of the dimer and oligomers may also compensate for the entropic loss due to the oligomerization of the monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Sungsool Wi
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA.
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22
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Abstract
Systemic amyloidosis can be hereditary or acquired with autosomal dominant mutations in the transthyretin gene (TTR) being the most common cause of hereditary amyloidosis. ATTRm amyloidosis is a multi-system disorder with cardiovascular, peripheral and autonomic nerve involvement that can be difficult to diagnose due to phenotypic heterogeneity. This review will focus on the neuropathic manifestations of ATTRm, the genotype-phenotype variability, the diagnostic approach and the recent therapeutic advances in this disabling condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Kapoor
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Alexander M. Rossor
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Matilde Laura
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Mary M. Reilly
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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23
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Wieczorek E, Chitruń A, Ożyhar A. Destabilised human transthyretin shapes the morphology of calcium carbonate crystals. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018; 1863:313-324. [PMID: 30394286 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetramer that transports thyroid hormones and retinol in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. TTR is also an intracellular protein found in tissues such as those in the brain, eye and pancreas. TTR is a nutrition marker, reflecting the health of the organism, and TTR levels are linked to the normal and diseased states of the body. The switch from a protective to a pathological role is attributed to the destabilisation of the TTR structure, which leads to tetramer dissociation and amyloid formation. Native and destabilised TTR have been associated with osteoarthritis and bone density in humans. Moreover, TTR is present in eggshell mammillary cones; therefore, we verified the putative TTR engagement in the process of mineral formation. Using an in vitro assay, we found that TTR affected calcium carbonate crystal growth and morphology, producing asymmetric crystals with a complex nanocrystalline composition. The crystals possessed rounded edges and corners and irregular etch pits, suggesting the selective inhibition of crystal growth and/or dissolution imposed by TTR. The occurrence of many porosities, fibrillary inclusions and amorphous precipitates suggested that destabilisation of the TTR structure is an important factor involved in the mineralisation process. Crystals grown in the presence of TTR exhibited the characteristic features of crystals controlled by biomineralisation-active proteins, suggesting novel functions of TTR in the mineral formation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Wieczorek
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Anna Chitruń
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Andrzej Ożyhar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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24
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Leach BI, Zhang X, Kelly JW, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. NMR Measurements Reveal the Structural Basis of Transthyretin Destabilization by Pathogenic Mutations. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4421-4430. [PMID: 29972637 PMCID: PMC6067956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Inherited mutations of transthyretin (TTR) destabilize its structure, leading to aggregation and familial amyloid disease. Although numerous crystal structures of wild-type (WT) and mutant TTRs have been determined, they have failed to yield a comprehensive structural explanation for destabilization by pathogenic mutations. To identify structural and dynamic variations that are not readily observed in the crystal structures, we used NMR to study WT TTR and three kinetically and/or thermodynamically destabilized pathogenic variants (V30M, L55P, and V122I). Sequence-corrected chemical shifts reveal important structural differences between WT and mutant TTR. The L55P mutation linked to aggressive early onset cardiomyopathy and polyneuropathy induces substantial structural perturbations in both the DAGH and CBEF β-sheets, whereas the V30M polyneuropathy-linked substitution perturbs primarily the CBEF sheet. In both variants, the structural perturbations propagate across the entire width of the β-sheets from the site of mutation. Structural changes caused by the V122I cardiomyopathy-associated mutation are restricted to the immediate vicinity of the mutation site, directly perturbing the subunit interfaces. NMR relaxation dispersion measurements show that WT TTR and the three pathogenic variants undergo millisecond time scale conformational fluctuations to populate a common excited state with an altered structure in the subunit interfaces. The excited state is most highly populated in L55P. The combined application of chemical shift analysis and relaxation dispersion to these pathogenic variants reveals differences in ground state structure and in the population of a transient excited state that potentially facilitates tetramer dissociation, providing new insights into the molecular mechanism by which mutations promote TTR amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin I. Leach
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania16802
| | - Jeffery W. Kelly
- Department of Chemistry and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - H. Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Peter E. Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037
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Kinetic analysis of the multistep aggregation pathway of human transthyretin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E6201-E6208. [PMID: 29915031 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807024115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of transthyretin (TTR) is the causative agent for TTR cardiomyopathy and polyneuropathy amyloidoses. Aggregation is initiated by dissociation of the TTR tetramer into a monomeric intermediate, which self-assembles into amyloid. The coupled multiple-step equilibria and low-concentration, aggregation-prone intermediates are challenging to probe using conventional assays. We report a 19F-NMR assay that leverages a highly sensitive trifluoroacetyl probe at a strategic site that gives distinct 19F chemical shifts for the TTR tetramer and monomeric intermediate and enables direct quantification of their populations during the aggregation process. Integration of real-time 19F-NMR and turbidity measurements as a function of temperature allows kinetic and mechanistic dissection of the aggregation pathway of both wild-type and mutant TTR. At physiological temperature, the monomeric intermediate formed by wild-type TTR under mildly acidic conditions rapidly aggregates into species that are invisible to NMR, leading to loss of the NMR signal at the same rate as the turbidity increase. Lower temperature accelerates tetramer dissociation and decelerates monomer tetramerization and oligomerization via reduced hydrophobic interactions associated with packing of a phenylalanine (F87) into a neighboring protomer. As a result, the intermediate accumulates to a higher level, and formation of higher-order aggregates is delayed. Application of this assay to pathogenic (V30M, L55P, and V122I) and protective (T119M) mutants revealed significant differences in behavior. A monomeric intermediate was observed only for V122I: aggregation of V30M and L55P proceeds without an observable monomeric intermediate, whereas the protective mutant T119M remains resistant to tetramer dissociation and aggregation.
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26
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Samelson AJ, Bolin E, Costello SM, Sharma AK, O’Brien EP, Marqusee S. Kinetic and structural comparison of a protein's cotranslational folding and refolding pathways. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaas9098. [PMID: 29854950 PMCID: PMC5976279 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aas9098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Precise protein folding is essential for the survival of all cells, and protein misfolding causes a number of diseases that lack effective therapies, yet the general principles governing protein folding in the cell remain poorly understood. In vivo, folding can begin cotranslationally and protein quality control at the ribosome is essential for cellular proteostasis. We directly characterize and compare the refolding and cotranslational folding trajectories of the protein HaloTag. We introduce new techniques for both measuring folding kinetics and detecting the conformations of partially folded intermediates during translation in real time. We find that, although translation does not affect the rate-limiting step of HaloTag folding, a key aggregation-prone intermediate observed during in vitro refolding experiments is no longer detectable. This rerouting of the folding pathway increases HaloTag's folding efficiency and may serve as a general chaperone-independent mechanism of quality control by the ribosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi J. Samelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
| | - Eric Bolin
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
| | - Shawn M. Costello
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
| | - Ajeet K. Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Edward P. O’Brien
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Susan Marqusee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–3220, USA
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27
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Silva A, Almeida B, Fraga JS, Taboada P, Martins PM, Macedo-Ribeiro S. Distribution of Amyloid-Like and Oligomeric Species from Protein Aggregation Kinetics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201707345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Silva
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal; Universidade do Porto; 4150-180 Porto Portugal
| | - Bruno Almeida
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal; Universidade do Porto; 4150-180 Porto Portugal
- Present address: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Medicine; University of Minho; 4710-057 Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory; University of Minho; Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Joana S. Fraga
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal; Universidade do Porto; 4150-180 Porto Portugal
| | - Pablo Taboada
- Área de Física de la Materia Condensada; Facultad de Física; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS) de Santiago de Compostela; Spain
| | - Pedro M. Martins
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal; Universidade do Porto; 4150-180 Porto Portugal
- LEPABE-Departamento de Engenharia Química; Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto; Rua Dr. Roberto Frias 4200-465 Porto Portugal
- ICBAS-Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar; Universidade do Porto; Portugal
| | - Sandra Macedo-Ribeiro
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal; Universidade do Porto; 4150-180 Porto Portugal
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28
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Silva A, Almeida B, Fraga JS, Taboada P, Martins PM, Macedo-Ribeiro S. Distribution of Amyloid-Like and Oligomeric Species from Protein Aggregation Kinetics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:14042-14045. [PMID: 28906069 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201707345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils and soluble oligomers are two types of protein aggregates associated with neurodegeneration. Classic therapeutic strategies try to prevent the nucleation and spread of amyloid fibrils, whilst diffusible oligomers have emerged as promising drug targets affecting downstream pathogenic processes. We developed a generic protein aggregation model and validate it against measured compositions of fibrillar and non-fibrillar assemblies of ataxin-3, a protein implicated in Machado-Joseph disease. The derived analytic rate-law equations can be used to 1) identify the presence of parallel aggregation pathways and 2) estimate the critical sizes of amyloid fibrils. The discretized population balance supporting our model is the first to quantitatively fit time-resolved measurements of size and composition of both amyloid-like and oligomeric species. The new theoretical framework can be used to screen a new class of drugs specifically targeting toxic oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Silva
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180, Porto, Portugal
| | - Bruno Almeida
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180, Porto, Portugal.,Present address: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, University of Minho, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joana S Fraga
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pablo Taboada
- Área de Física de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Física, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS) de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Pedro M Martins
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180, Porto, Portugal.,LEPABE-Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS-Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Macedo-Ribeiro
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and I3s-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde Portugal, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180, Porto, Portugal
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29
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Ghadami SA, Bemporad F, Sala BM, Tiana G, Ricagno S, Chiti F. FRET studies of various conformational states adopted by transthyretin. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:3577-3598. [PMID: 28478513 PMCID: PMC11107560 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is an extracellular protein able to deposit into well-defined protein aggregates called amyloid, in pathological conditions known as senile systemic amyloidosis, familial amyloid polyneuropathy, familial amyloid cardiomyopathy and leptomeningeal amyloidosis. At least three distinct partially folded states have been described for TTR, including the widely studied amyloidogenic state at mildly acidic pH. Here, we have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments in a monomeric variant of TTR (M-TTR) and in its W41F and W79F mutants, taking advantage of the presence of a unique, solvent-exposed, cysteine residue at position 10, that we have labelled with a coumarin derivative (DACM, acceptor), and of the two natural tryptophan residues at positions 41 and 79 (donors). Trp41 is located in an ideal position as it is one of the residues of β-strand C, whose degree of unfolding is debated. We found that the amyloidogenic state at low pH has the same FRET efficiency as the folded state at neutral pH in both M-TTR and W79F-M-TTR, indicating an unmodified Cys10-Trp41 distance. The partially folded state populated at low denaturant concentrations also has a similar FRET efficiency, but other spectroscopic probes indicate that it is distinct from the amyloidogenic state at acidic pH. By contrast, the off-pathway state accumulating transiently during refolding has a higher FRET efficiency, indicating non-native interactions that reduce the Cys10-Trp41 spatial distance, revealing a third distinct conformational state. Overall, our results clarify a negligible degree of unfolding of β-strand C in the formation of the amyloidogenic state and establish the concept that TTR is a highly plastic protein able to populate at least three distinct conformational states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Abolghasem Ghadami
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche "Mario Serio", Sezione di Scienze Biochimiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Morgagni 50, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Bemporad
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche "Mario Serio", Sezione di Scienze Biochimiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Morgagni 50, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Benedetta Maria Sala
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Tiana
- Center for Complexity and Biosystems, Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Milano and INFN, via Celoria 16, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Ricagno
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche "Mario Serio", Sezione di Scienze Biochimiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Morgagni 50, 50134, Florence, Italy.
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30
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Cieplak AS. Protein folding, misfolding and aggregation: The importance of two-electron stabilizing interactions. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180905. [PMID: 28922400 PMCID: PMC5603215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases are highly pleiomorphic and may adopt an all-α-helical fold in one environment, assemble into all-β-sheet or collapse into a coil in another, and rapidly polymerize in yet another one via divergent aggregation pathways that yield broad diversity of aggregates’ morphology. A thorough understanding of this behaviour may be necessary to develop a treatment for Alzheimer’s and related disorders. Unfortunately, our present comprehension of folding and misfolding is limited for want of a physicochemical theory of protein secondary and tertiary structure. Here we demonstrate that electronic configuration and hyperconjugation of the peptide amide bonds ought to be taken into account to advance such a theory. To capture the effect of polarization of peptide linkages on conformational and H-bonding propensity of the polypeptide backbone, we introduce a function of shielding tensors of the Cα atoms. Carrying no information about side chain-side chain interactions, this function nonetheless identifies basic features of the secondary and tertiary structure, establishes sequence correlates of the metamorphic and pH-driven equilibria, relates binding affinities and folding rate constants to secondary structure preferences, and manifests common patterns of backbone density distribution in amyloidogenic regions of Alzheimer’s amyloid β and tau, Parkinson’s α-synuclein and prions. Based on those findings, a split-intein like mechanism of molecular recognition is proposed to underlie dimerization of Aβ, tau, αS and PrPC, and divergent pathways for subsequent association of dimers are outlined; a related mechanism is proposed to underlie formation of PrPSc fibrils. The model does account for: (i) structural features of paranuclei, off-pathway oligomers, non-fibrillar aggregates and fibrils; (ii) effects of incubation conditions, point mutations, isoform lengths, small-molecule assembly modulators and chirality of solid-liquid interface on the rate and morphology of aggregation; (iii) fibril-surface catalysis of secondary nucleation; and (iv) self-propagation of infectious strains of mammalian prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Stanisław Cieplak
- Department of Chemistry, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Lim KH, Dasari AKR, Ma R, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Fitzgerald MC. Pathogenic Mutations Induce Partial Structural Changes in the Native β-Sheet Structure of Transthyretin and Accelerate Aggregation. Biochemistry 2017; 56:4808-4818. [PMID: 28820582 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid formation of natively folded proteins involves global and/or local unfolding of the native state to form aggregation-prone intermediates. Here we report solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structural studies of amyloid derived from wild-type (WT) and more aggressive mutant forms of transthyretin (TTR) to investigate the structural changes associated with effective TTR aggregation. We employed selective 13C labeling schemes to investigate structural features of β-structured core regions in amyloid states of WT and two mutant forms (V30M and L55P) of TTR. Analyses of the 13C-13C correlation solid-state NMR spectra revealed that WT TTR aggregates contain an amyloid core consisting of nativelike CBEF and DAGH β-sheet structures, and the mutant TTR amyloids adopt a similar amyloid core structure with nativelike CBEF and AGH β-structures. However, the V30M mutant amyloid was shown to have a different DA β-structure. In addition, strand D is more disordered even in the native state of L55P TTR, indicating that the pathogenic mutations affect the DA β-structure, leading to more effective amyloid formation. The NMR results are consistent with our mass spectrometry-based thermodynamic analyses that showed the amyloidogenic precursor states of WT and mutant TTRs adopt folded structures but the mutant precursor states are less stable than that of WT TTR. Analyses of the oxidation rate of the methionine side chain also revealed that the side chain of residue Met-30 pointing between strands D and A is not protected from oxidation in the V30M mutant, while protected in the native state, supporting the possibility that the DA β-structure might be disrupted in the V30M mutant amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Renze Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University , 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0346, United States
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Jeffery W Kelly
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Michael C Fitzgerald
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University , 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0346, United States
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32
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Al Shweiki MHDR, Oeckl P, Steinacker P, Hengerer B, Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Otto M. Major depressive disorder: insight into candidate cerebrospinal fluid protein biomarkers from proteomics studies. Expert Rev Proteomics 2017; 14:499-514. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2017.1336435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Oeckl
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Bastian Hengerer
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | | | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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33
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Mechanistic basis for the recognition of a misfolded protein by the molecular chaperone Hsp90. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2017; 24:407-413. [PMID: 28218749 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The critical toxic species in over 40 human diseases are misfolded proteins. Their interaction with molecular chaperones such as Hsp90, which preferentially interacts with metastable proteins, is essential for the blocking of disease progression. Here we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to determine the three-dimensional structure of the misfolded cytotoxic monomer of the amyloidogenic human protein transthyretin, which is characterized by the release of the C-terminal β-strand and perturbations of the A-B loop. The misfolded transthyretin monomer, but not the wild-type protein, binds to human Hsp90. In the bound state, the Hsp90 dimer predominantly populates an open conformation, and transthyretin retains its globular structure. The interaction surface for the transthyretin monomer comprises the N-terminal and middle domains of Hsp90 and overlaps with that of the Alzheimer's-disease-related protein tau. Taken together, the data suggest that Hsp90 uses a mechanism for the recognition of aggregation-prone proteins that is largely distinct from those of other Hsp90 clients.
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34
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Kim JH, Oroz J, Zweckstetter M. Struktur eines monomeren Transthyretin mit der klinisch wichtigen T119M-Mutation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201608516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hae Kim
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
| | - Javier Oroz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Von-Siebold-Straße 3a 37075 Göttingen Deutschland
- Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie; Am Fassberg 11 37077 Göttingen Deutschland
- Klinik für Neurologie; Universitätsmedizin Göttingen; Universität Göttingen; Waldweg 33 37073 Göttingen Deutschland
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35
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Kim JH, Oroz J, Zweckstetter M. Structure of Monomeric Transthyretin Carrying the Clinically Important T119M Mutation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:16168-16171. [PMID: 27885756 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201608516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the protein transthyretin can cause as well as protect individuals from transthyretin amyloidosis, an incurable fatal inherited disease. Little is known, however, about the structural basis of pathogenic and clinically protective transthyretin mutants. Here we determined the solution structure of a transthyretin monomer that carries the clinically important T119M mutation. The structure displays a non-native arrangement that is distinct from all known structures of transthyretin and highlights the importance of high-resolution studies in solution for understanding molecular processes that lead to amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hae Kim
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Javier Oroz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Strasse 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.,Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Waldweg 33, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
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36
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Lim KH, Dasari AKR, Hung I, Gan Z, Kelly JW, Wright PE, Wemmer DE. Solid-State NMR Studies Reveal Native-like β-Sheet Structures in Transthyretin Amyloid. Biochemistry 2016; 55:5272-8. [PMID: 27589034 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Structural characterization of amyloid rich in cross-β structures is crucial for unraveling the molecular basis of protein misfolding and amyloid formation associated with a wide range of human disorders. Elucidation of the β-sheet structure in noncrystalline amyloid has, however, remained an enormous challenge. Here we report structural analyses of the β-sheet structure in a full-length transthyretin amyloid using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Magic-angle-spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR was employed to investigate native-like β-sheet structures in the amyloid state using selective labeling schemes for more efficient solid-state NMR studies. Analyses of extensive long-range (13)C-(13)C correlation MAS spectra obtained with selectively (13)CO- and (13)Cα-labeled TTR reveal that the two main β-structures in the native state, the CBEF and DAGH β-sheets, remain intact after amyloid formation. The tertiary structural information would be of great use for examining the quaternary structure of TTR amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Ivan Hung
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East, Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Zhehong Gan
- Center of Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) , 1800 East, Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | | | | | - David E Wemmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California , Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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Ciccone L, Policar C, Stura EA, Shepard W. Human TTR conformation altered by rhenium tris-carbonyl derivatives. J Struct Biol 2016; 195:353-364. [PMID: 27402536 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.07.002] [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: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a 54 kDa homotetrameric serum protein that transports thyroxine (T4) and retinol. TTR is potentially amyloidogenic due to homotetramer dissociation into monomeric intermediates that self-assemble as amyloid deposits and insoluble fibrils. Most crystallographic structures, including those of amyloidogenic variants show the same tetramer without major variations in the monomer-monomer interface nor in the volume of the interdimeric cavity. Soaking TTR crystals in a solution containing rhenium tris-carbonyl derivatives yields a TTR conformer never observed before. Only one of the two monomers of the crystallographic dimer is significantly altered, and the inner part of the T4 binding cavity is expanded at one end and shrunk at the other. The result redefines the mechanism of allosteric communication between the two sites, suggesting that negative cooperativity is a function of dimer asymmetry, which can be induced through internal or external binding. An aspect that remains unexplained is why the conformational changes are ubiquitous throughout the crystal although the heavy metal content of the derivatized crystals is relatively low. The conformational changes observed, which include Leu(82), may represent a form of TTR better at scavenging β-Amyloid. At a resolution of 1.69Å, with excellent refinement statistics and well defined electron density for all parts of the structure, it is possible to envisage answering important questions that range from protein cooperative behavior to heavy atom induced protein conformational modifications that can result in crystallographic non-isomorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Ciccone
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, l'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin, BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; CEA, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO), Gif-sur-Yvette F-91191, France
| | - Clotilde Policar
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Département de chimie, 24, rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, 4, Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR7203, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Enrico A Stura
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, l'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin, BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; CEA, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO), Gif-sur-Yvette F-91191, France.
| | - William Shepard
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, l'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin, BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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