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Okumura H. Perspective for Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies of Amyloid-β Aggregates. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:10931-10940. [PMID: 38109338 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is related to aggregates such as oligomers and amyloid fibrils consisting of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies have been conducted to understand the molecular mechanism of the formation and disruption of Aβ aggregates. In this Perspective, the MD simulation studies are classified into four categories, focusing on the target systems: aggregation of Aβ peptides in bulk solution, Aβ aggregation at the interface, aggregation inhibitor against Aβ peptides, and nonequilibrium MD simulation of Aβ aggregates. MD simulation studies in these categories are first reviewed. Future perspectives in each category are then presented. Finally, the overall perspective is presented on how MD simulations of Aβ aggregates can be utilized for developing Alzheimer's disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Okumura
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
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Piccialli I, Greco F, Roviello G, Sisalli MJ, Tedeschi V, di Mola A, Borbone N, Oliviero G, De Feo V, Secondo A, Massa A, Pannaccione A. The 3-(3-oxoisoindolin-1-yl)pentane-2,4-dione (ISOAC1) as a new molecule able to inhibit Amyloid β aggregation and neurotoxicity. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115745. [PMID: 37871561 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ1-42) protein aggregation is considered one of the main triggers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we examined the in vitro anti-amyloidogenic activity of the isoindolinone derivative 3-(3-oxoisoindolin-1-yl)pentane-2,4-dione (ISOAC1) and its neuroprotective potential against the Aβ1-42 toxicity. By performing the Thioflavin T fluorescence assay, Western blotting analyses, and Circular Dichroism experiments, we found that ISOAC1 was able to reduce the Aβ1-42 aggregation and conformational transition towards β-sheet structures. Interestingly, in silico studies revealed that ISOAC1 was able to bind to both the monomer and a pentameric protofibril of Aβ1-42, establishing a hydrophobic interaction with the PHE19 residue of the Aβ1-42 KLVFF motif. In vitro analyses on primary cortical neurons showed that ISOAC1 counteracted the increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels and decreased the Aβ1-42-induced toxicity, in terms of mitochondrial activity reduction and increase of reactive oxygen species production. In addition, confocal microscopy analyses showed that ISOAC1 was able to reduce the Aβ1-42 intraneuronal accumulation. Collectively, our results clearly show that ISOAC1 exerts a neuroprotective effect by reducing the Aβ1-42 aggregation and toxicity, hence emerging as a promising compound for the development of new Aβ-targeting therapeutic strategies for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Piccialli
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Greco
- Department of Pharmacy, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Josè Sisalli
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Tedeschi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonia di Mola
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Nicola Borbone
- Department of Pharmacy, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgia Oliviero
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Agnese Secondo
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Massa
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
| | - Anna Pannaccione
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Recent Computational Advances Regarding Amyloid-β and Tau Membrane Interactions in Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules 2023; 28:7080. [PMID: 37894559 PMCID: PMC10609340 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid proteins with membranes have been subject to many experimental and computational studies, as these interactions contribute in part to neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we report on recent simulations that have focused on the adsorption and insertion modes of amyloid-β and tau proteins in membranes. The atomistic-resolution characterization of the conformational changes of these amyloid proteins upon lipid cell membrane and free lipid interactions is of interest to rationally design drugs targeting transient oligomers in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H. Nguyen
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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Okumura H, Itoh SG, Zen H, Nakamura K. Dissociation process of polyalanine aggregates by free electron laser irradiation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291093. [PMID: 37683014 PMCID: PMC10491298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyalanine (polyA) disease-causative proteins with an expansion of alanine repeats can be aggregated. Although curative treatments for polyA diseases have not been explored, the dissociation of polyA aggregates likely reduces the cytotoxicity of polyA. Mid-infrared free electron laser (FEL) successfully dissociated multiple aggregates. However, whether the FEL dissociates polyA aggregates like other aggregates has not been tested. Here, we show that FEL at 6.1 μm experimentally weakened the extent of aggregation of a peptide with 13 alanine repeats (13A), and the irradiated 13A exerted lesser cytotoxicity to neuron-like cells than non-irradiated 13A. Then, we applied molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to follow the dissociation process by FEL. We successfully observed how the intermolecular β-sheet of polyA aggregates was dissociated and separated into monomers with helix structures upon FEL irradiation. After the dissociation by FEL, water molecules inhibited the reformation of polyA aggregates. We recently verified the same dissociation process using FEL-treated amyloid-β aggregates. Thus, a common mechanism underlies the dissociation of different protein aggregates that cause different diseases, polyA disease and Alzheimer's disease. However, MD simulation indicated that polyA aggregates are less easily dissociated than amyloid-β aggregates and require longer laser irradiation due to hydrophobic alanine repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Okumura
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Satoru G Itoh
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Heishun Zen
- Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Nakamura
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Gunma University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
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Krupa P, La Penna G, Li MS. Amyloid- β Tetramers and Divalent Cations at the Membrane/Water Interface: Simple Models Support a Functional Role. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12698. [PMID: 37628878 PMCID: PMC10454299 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Charge polarization at the membrane interface is a fundamental process in biology. Despite the lower concentration compared to the abundant monovalent ions, the relative abundance of divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+) in particular spaces, such as the neuron synapse, raised many questions on the possible effects of free multivalent ions and of the required protection of membranes by the eventual defects caused by the free forms of the cations. In this work, we first applied a recent realistic model of divalent cations to a well-investigated model of a polar lipid bilayer, di-myristoyl phosphatidyl choline (DMPC). The full atomistic model allows a fairly good description of changes in the hydration of charged and polar groups upon the association of cations to lipid atoms. The lipid-bound configurations were analyzed in detail. In parallel, amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ42) peptides assembled into tetramers were modeled at the surface of the same bilayer. Two of the protein tetramers' models were loaded with four Cu2+ ions, the latter bound as in DMPC-free Aβ42 oligomers. The two Cu-bound models differ in the binding topology: one with each Cu ion binding each of the monomers in the tetramer; one with pairs of Cu ions linking two monomers into dimers, forming tetramers as dimers of dimers. The models here described provide hints on the possible role of Cu ions in synaptic plasticity and of Aβ42 oligomers in storing the same ions away from lipids. The release of structurally disordered peptides in the synapse can be a mechanism to recover ion homeostasis and lipid membranes from changes in the divalent cation concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Krupa
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland; (P.K.); (M.S.L.)
| | - Giovanni La Penna
- Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds, National Research Council, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Section of Roma Tor Vergata, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland; (P.K.); (M.S.L.)
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
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Chowdhury UD, Paul A, Bhargava BL. Interaction of the tau fibrils with the neuronal membrane. Biophys Chem 2023; 298:107024. [PMID: 37104971 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107024] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Tau proteins are recently gaining a lot of interest due to their active role in causing a range of tauopathies. Molecular mechanisms underlying the tau interaction with the neuronal membrane are hitherto unknown and difficult to characterize using experimental methods. Using the cryo-EM structure of the tau-fibrils we have used atomistic molecular dynamics simulation to model the tau fibril and neuronal membrane interaction using explicit solvation. The dynamics and structural characteristics of the tau fibril with the neuronal membrane are compared to the tau fibril in the aqueous phase to corroborate the effect of the neuronal membrane in the tau structure. Tau fibrils have been modelled using CHARMM-36m force field and the six component neuronal membrane composition is taken from the earlier simulation results. The timescale conceivable in our molecular dynamics simulations is of the order of microseconds which captures the onset of the interaction of the tau fibrils with the neuronal membrane. This interaction is found to impact the tau pathogenesis that finally causes neuronal toxicity. Our study initiates the understanding of tau conformational ensemble in the presence of neuronal membrane and sheds the light on the significant tau-membrane interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unmesh D Chowdhury
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education & Research-Bhubaneswar, An OCC of Homi Bhabha National Institute, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha 752050, India
| | - Arnav Paul
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education & Research-Bhubaneswar, An OCC of Homi Bhabha National Institute, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha 752050, India
| | - B L Bhargava
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education & Research-Bhubaneswar, An OCC of Homi Bhabha National Institute, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha 752050, India.
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. An S-Shaped Aβ42 Cross-β Hexamer Embedded into a Lipid Bilayer Reveals Membrane Disruption and Permeability. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:936-946. [PMID: 36757886 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid oligomers with membranes are known to contribute to cellular toxicity. Numerous in vitro experimental studies reported on the insertion of oligomers of different sizes that can induce cell membrane disruption, extract lipids, and form ion-permeable transmembrane pores. The current repertoire of amyloid-beta (Aβ) membrane-inserted folds that was subject to high-resolution structure NMR spectroscopy and computer simulations is devoid of any cross-β fibrillar structure. In this study, we explored the dynamics of an S-shaped Aβ42 cross-β hexamer model inserted into a lipid bilayer membrane by two atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The initial model is characterized by the hydrophobic residues at the central hydrophobic core (residues 17-21, CHC) and the C-terminus (residues 30-42) embedded into the membrane. We observed major structural secondary, tertiary, and quaternary rearrangements leading to two distinct species, hexamer and two trimers, accompanied by membrane disruption and water permeation. The simulations show that some configurations, but not the majority, have the CHC and C-terminus hydrophobic residues exposed to the solvent. Overall, our computational results offer new perspectives to understand the relationship between Aβ42 assemblies and membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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