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Wolfe MS. γ-Secretase: once and future drug target for Alzheimer's disease. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:5-8. [PMID: 37915204 PMCID: PMC10872755 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2277350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Wolfe
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66049 USA
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2
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Khan T, Waseem R, Shahid M, Ansari J, Ahanger IA, Hassan I, Islam A. Recent advancement in therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease: Insights from clinical trials. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 92:102113. [PMID: 37918760 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102113] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia, characterized by the presence of plaques of amyloid beta and Tau proteins. There is currently no permanent cure for AD; the only medications approved by the FDA for mild to moderate AD are cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA receptor antagonists, and immunotherapies against core pathophysiology, that provide temporary relief only. Researchers worldwide have made significant attempts to find new targets and develop innovative therapeutic molecules to treat AD. The FDA-approved drugs are palliative and couldn't restore the damaged neuron cells of AD. Stem cells have self-differentiation properties, making them prospective therapeutics to treat AD. The promising results in pre-clinical studies of stem cell therapy for AD seek attention worldwide. Various stem cells, mainly mesenchymal stem cells, are currently in different phases of clinical trials and need more advancements to take this therapy to the translational level. Here, we review research from the past decade that has identified several hypotheses related to AD pathology. Moreover, this article also focuses on the recent advancement in therapeutic strategies for AD treatment including immunotherapy and stem cell therapy detailing the clinical trials that are currently undergoing development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzeel Khan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Rashid Waseem
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Mohammad Shahid
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jaoud Ansari
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Ishfaq Ahmad Ahanger
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Kashmir,190006, India
| | - Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Asimul Islam
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India.
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3
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Chen H, Xu J, Xu H, Luo T, Li Y, Jiang K, Shentu Y, Tong Z. New Insights into Alzheimer’s Disease: Novel Pathogenesis, Drug Target and Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041133. [PMID: 37111618 PMCID: PMC10143738 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is characterized by senile plaques composed of amyloid β protein (Aβ) and neurofilament tangles derived from the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. However, the developed medicines targeting Aβ and tau have not obtained ideal clinical efficacy, which raises a challenge to the hypothesis that AD is Aβ cascade-induced. A critical problem of AD pathogenesis is which endogenous factor induces Aβ aggregation and tau phosphorylation. Recently, age-associated endogenous formaldehyde has been suggested to be a direct trigger for Aβ- and tau-related pathology. Another key issue is whether or not AD drugs are successfully delivered to the damaged neurons. Both the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and extracellular space (ECS) are the barriers for drug delivery. Unexpectedly, Aβ-related SP deposition in ECS slows down or stops interstitial fluid drainage in AD, which is the direct reason for drug delivery failure. Here, we propose a new pathogenesis and perspectives on the direction of AD drug development and drug delivery: (1) aging-related formaldehyde is a direct trigger for Aβ assembly and tau hyperphosphorylation, and the new target for AD therapy is formaldehyde; (2) nano-packaging and physical therapy may be the promising strategy for increasing BBB permeability and accelerating interstitial fluid drainage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishu Chen
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jinan Xu
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Hanyuan Xu
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Tiancheng Luo
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yihao Li
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yangping Shentu
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhiqian Tong
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
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4
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Sivaraman L, Sanderson T. Gamma secretase inhibition: Effects on fertility and embryo-fetal development in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 469:116512. [PMID: 37030625 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Avagacestat inhibits γ-secretase, a protease that cleaves the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce amyloid beta (Aβ). Aβ plaques, a predominant lesion in Alzheimer's patient's brain, is considered a mechanism driving neurodegeneration. As part of the nonclinical reproductive safety assessment, avagacestat effects on fertility and early embryonic development and embryo-fetal development were evaluated in rats. In the embryo-fetal development study, avagacestat was a selective developmental toxicant with dose-related increased fetal mortality, decreased fetal growth, and increased fetal malformations and variations (primarily affecting the axial and appendicular skeletal system) at ≥3 mg/kg/day. In the female fertility and early embryonic development study, avagacestat-related reductions in female fecundity at ≥5 mg/kg/day were attributed to impaired ovarian follicular development that was reflected in dose-dependent reductions in implantation sites, litter size, and gravid uterine weights. In the male fertility and early embryonic development study, avagacestat-related effects on reproduction could not be fully assessed because of low systemic exposures achieved due to extensive metabolism and clearance of the drug. The results obtained in these studies were consistent with pharmacologically mediated inhibition of γ-secretase and resulting inhibition of Notch processing and signaling that are key for embryonic development and ovary folliculogenesis. These findings are not considered a risk for late-onset AD where the patient population is ≥65 years old most with women who are post-menopausal. However, for treatment of early onset AD with a younger patient population, there are risks for reproductive or developmental toxicities with treatment with gamma secretase inhibitors like avagacestat.
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Eden A, Zhao J, Xiao Y, Gibson J, Wang C. Covalent fragment inhibits intramembrane proteolysis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:958399. [PMID: 36158579 PMCID: PMC9490316 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.958399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a serious public health crisis with only one current modifying treatment. The reduction of amyloid load by targeting γ-secretase (GS) has been a leading approach in AD drug discovery and development. Despite the focus on GS inhibition, multiple GS inhibitors (GSIs) have failed in clinical trials as a result of side effects including exacerbated cognitive decline. These side effects are largely attributable to inhibition of normal GS function. Standard enzyme inhibitors target catalytic or allosteric sites of the enzyme, including the active site presenilin, as previous GSIs did. To avoid issues observed from broad-spectrum GSIs we discovered that fragment 6H8 that covalently binds to the substrate of GS, the transmembrane domain of amyloid precursor protein (APPTM). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy combined with MALDI-TOF-MS established 6H8 covalently binds to APPTM. 6H8 acts as a Michael acceptor and covalently links to the side chain amines of lysine residues, specifically targeting a cluster of C-terminal lysines K53-K55. Through this modification, 6H8 can inhibit intramembrane proteolysis of an archaeal homolog of presenilin (the active subunit of GS) via substrate binding with a 2-4 μM IC50, determined by a gel-based cleavage assay. 6H8, while too small to be an effective drug candidate, can be combined with a specific non-covalent partner and function as an effective covalent warhead of a targeted covalent inhibitor (TCI). The future development of the 6H8 fragment into the covalent warhead of a TCI is, to our knowledge, a novel approach to AD drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Eden
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Jing Zhao
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Yuanyuan Xiao
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Troy, NY, United States
| | - James Gibson
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Troy, NY, United States
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6
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Singh S, Yang F, Sivils A, Cegielski V, Chu XP. Amylin and Secretases in the Pathology and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Biomolecules 2022; 12:996. [PMID: 35883551 PMCID: PMC9312829 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease remains a prevailing neurodegenerative condition which has an array physical, emotional, and financial consequences to patients and society. In the past decade, there has been a greater degree of investigation on therapeutic small peptides. This group of biomolecules have a profile of fundamentally sound characteristics which make them an intriguing area for drug development. Among these biomolecules, there are four modulatory mechanisms of interest in this review: alpha-, beta-, gamma-secretases, and amylin. These protease-based biomolecules all have a contributory role in the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Moreover, the involvement of various biochemical pathways intertwines these peptides to have shared regulators (i.e., retinoids). Further clinical and translational investigation must occur to gain a greater understanding of its potential application in patient care. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the contemporary literature on these protease biomolecule modulators and determine its utility in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Xiang-Ping Chu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (S.S.); (F.Y.); (A.S.); (V.C.)
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7
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Cho Y, Bae HG, Okun E, Arumugam TV, Jo DG. Physiology and pharmacology of amyloid precursor protein. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 235:108122. [PMID: 35114285 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein and a well-characterized precursor protein of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, which accumulate in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related pathologies. Aβ has been extensively investigated since the amyloid hypothesis in AD was proposed. Besides Aβ, previous studies on APP and its proteolytic cleavage products have suggested their diverse pathological and physiological functions. However, their roles still have not been thoroughly understood. In this review, we extensively discuss the evolutionarily-conserved biology of APP, including its structure and processing pathway, as well as recent findings on the physiological roles of APP and its fragments in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. We have also elaborated upon the current status of APP-targeted therapeutic approaches for AD treatment by discussing inhibitors of several proteases participating in APP processing, including α-, β-, and γ-secretases. Finally, we have highlighted the future perspectives pertaining to further research and the potential clinical role of APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonsuk Cho
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Han-Gyu Bae
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Pauld Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Israel
| | - Thiruma V Arumugam
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea; School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Dong-Gyu Jo
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea; Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Biomedical Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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8
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Wolfe MS, Miao Y. Structure and mechanism of the γ-secretase intramembrane protease complex. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 74:102373. [PMID: 35461161 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
γ-Secretase is a membrane protein complex that proteolyzes within the transmembrane domain of >100 substrates, including those derived from the amyloid precursor protein and the Notch family of cell surface receptors. The nine-transmembrane presenilin is the catalytic component of this aspartyl protease complex that carries out hydrolysis in the lipid bilayer. Advances in cryoelectron microscopy have led to the elucidation of the structure of the γ-secretase complex at atomic resolution. Recently, structures of the enzyme have been determined with bound APP- or Notch-derived substrates, providing insight into the nature of substrate recognition and processing. Molecular dynamics simulations of substrate-bound enzymes suggest dynamic mechanisms of intramembrane proteolysis. Structures of the enzyme bound to small-molecule inhibitors and modulators have also been solved, setting the stage for rational structure-based drug discovery targeting γ-secretase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Wolfe
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.
| | - Yinglong Miao
- Center for Computational Biology, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA. https://twitter.com/yinglongmiao
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9
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Hur JY. γ-Secretase in Alzheimer's disease. Exp Mol Med 2022; 54:433-446. [PMID: 35396575 PMCID: PMC9076685 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00754-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by synaptic and neuronal loss in the brain. One of the characteristic hallmarks of AD is senile plaques containing amyloid β-peptide (Aβ). Aβ is produced from amyloid precursor protein (APP) by sequential proteolytic cleavages by β-secretase and γ-secretase, and the polymerization of Aβ into amyloid plaques is thought to be a key pathogenic event in AD. Since γ-secretase mediates the final cleavage that liberates Aβ, γ-secretase has been widely studied as a potential drug target for the treatment of AD. γ-Secretase is a transmembrane protein complex containing presenilin, nicastrin, Aph-1, and Pen-2, which are sufficient for γ-secretase activity. γ-Secretase cleaves >140 substrates, including APP and Notch. Previously, γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) were shown to cause side effects in clinical trials due to the inhibition of Notch signaling. Therefore, more specific regulation or modulation of γ-secretase is needed. In recent years, γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) have been developed. To modulate γ-secretase and to understand its complex biology, finding the binding sites of GSIs and GSMs on γ-secretase as well as identifying transiently binding γ-secretase modulatory proteins have been of great interest. In this review, decades of findings on γ-secretase in AD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yeun Hur
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Verteporfin is a Substrate-Selective γ-Secretase Inhibitor that Binds the Amyloid Precursor Protein Transmembrane Domain. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101792. [PMID: 35247387 PMCID: PMC8968665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This work reports substrate-selective inhibition of a protease with broad substrate specificity based on direct binding of a small molecule inhibitor to the substrate. The target for these studies was γ-secretase protease, which cleaves dozens of different single span membrane protein substrates, including both the C99 domain of the human amyloid precursor protein and the Notch receptor. Substrate-specific inhibition of C99 cleavage is desirable to reduce production of the amyloid-β polypeptide without inhibiting Notch cleavage, a major source of toxicity associated with broad specificity γ-secretase inhibitors. In order to identify a C99-selective inhibitors of the human γ-secretase, we conducted an NMR-based screen of FDA-approved drugs against C99 in model membranes. From this screen, we identified the small molecule verteporfin with these properties. We observed that verteporfin formed a direct 1:1 complex with C99, with a KD of 15-47 μM (depending on the membrane mimetic used), and that it did not bind the transmembrane domain of the Notch-1 receptor. Biochemical assays showed that direct binding of verteporfin to C99 inhibits γ-secretase cleavage of C99 with IC50 values in the range of 15- 164 μM, while Notch-1 cleavage was inhibited only at higher concentrations, and likely via a mechanism that does not involve binding to Notch-1. This work documents a robust NMR-based approach to discovery of small molecule binders to single-span membrane proteins and confirmed that it is possible to inhibit γ-secretase in a substrate-specific manner.
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Luo JE, Li YM. Turning the tide on Alzheimer's disease: modulation of γ-secretase. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:2. [PMID: 34983641 PMCID: PMC8725520 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative disorder. Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques are integral to the "amyloid hypothesis," which states that the accumulation of Aβ peptides triggers a cascade of pathological events leading to neurodegeneration and ultimately AD. While the FDA approved aducanumab, the first Aβ-targeted therapy, multiple safe and effective treatments will be needed to target the complex pathologies of AD. γ-Secretase is an intramembrane aspartyl protease that is critical for the generation of Aβ peptides. Activity and specificity of γ-secretase are regulated by both obligatory subunits and modulatory proteins. Due to its complex structure and function and early clinical failures with pan inhibitors, γ-secretase has been a challenging drug target for AD. γ-secretase modulators, however, have dramatically shifted the approach to targeting γ-secretase. Here we review γ-secretase and small molecule modulators, from the initial characterization of a subset of NSAIDs to the most recent clinical candidates. We also discuss the chemical biology of γ-secretase, in which small molecule probes enabled structural and functional insights into γ-secretase before the emergence of high-resolution structural studies. Finally, we discuss the recent crystal structures of γ-secretase, which have provided valuable perspectives on substrate recognition and molecular mechanisms of small molecules. We conclude that modulation of γ-secretase will be part of a new wave of AD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna E Luo
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
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12
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Kim M, Bezprozvanny I. Conformational Models of APP Processing by Gamma Secretase Based on Analysis of Pathogenic Mutations. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13600. [PMID: 34948396 PMCID: PMC8709358 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sequential cleavage of APP by β and γ secretases leads to the generation of Aβ40 (non-amyloidogenic) and Aβ42 (amyloidogenic) peptides. Presenilin-1 (PS1) or presenilin-2 (PS2) play the role of a catalytic subunit of γ-secretase. Multiple familial AD (FAD) mutations in APP, PS1, or PS2 result in an increased Aβ42:Aβ40 ratio and the accumulation of toxic Aβ42 oligomers and plaques in patient brains. In this study, we perform molecular modeling of the APP complex with γ-secretase and analyze potential effects of FAD mutations in APP and PS1. We noticed that all FAD mutations in the APP transmembrane domain are predicted to cause an increase in the local disorder of its secondary structure. Based on structural analysis of known γ-secretase structures, we propose that APP can form a complex with γ-secretase in 2 potential conformations-M1 and M2. In conformation, the M1 transmembrane domain of APP forms a contact with the perimembrane domain that follows transmembrane domain 6 (TM6) in the PS1 structure. In conformation, the M2 transmembrane domain of APP forms a contact with transmembrane domain 7 (TM7) in the PS1 structure. By analyzing the effects of PS1-FAD mutations on the local protein disorder index, we discovered that these mutations increase the conformational flexibility of M2 and reduce the conformational flexibility of M1. Based on these results, we propose that M2 conformation, but not M1 conformation, of the γ secretase complex with APP leads to the amyloidogenic (Aβ42-generating) processing of APP. Our model predicts that APP processing in M1 conformation is favored by curved membranes, such as the membranes of early endosomes. In contrast, APP processing in M2 conformation is likely to be favored by relatively flat membranes, such as membranes of late endosomes and plasma membranes. These predictions are consistent with published biochemical analyses of APP processing at different subcellular locations. Our results also suggest that specific inhibitors of Aβ42 production could be potentially developed by selectively targeting the M2 conformation of the γ secretase complex with APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meewhi Kim
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ilya Bezprozvanny
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Synaptic Biology, Southern Federal University, 344006 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
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13
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Nie P, Kalidindi T, Nagle VL, Wu X, Li T, Liao GP, Frost G, Henry KE, Punzalan B, Carter LM, Lewis JS, Pillarsetty NVK, Li YM. Imaging of Cancer γ-Secretase Activity Using an Inhibitor-Based PET Probe. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:6145-6155. [PMID: 34475100 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Abnormal Notch signaling promotes cancer cell growth and tumor progression in various cancers. Targeting γ-secretase, a pivotal regulator in the Notch pathway, has yielded numerous γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) for clinical investigation in the last 2 decades. However, GSIs have demonstrated minimal success in clinical trials in part due to the lack of specific and precise tools to assess γ-secretase activity and its inhibition in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We designed an imaging probe based on GSI Semagacestat structure and synthesized the radioiodine-labeled analogues [131I]- or [124I]-PN67 from corresponding trimethyl-tin precursors. Both membrane- and cell-based ligand-binding assays were performed using [131I]-PN67 to determine the binding affinity and specificity for γ-secretase in vitro. Moreover, we evaluated [124I]-PN67 by PET imaging in mammary tumor and glioblastoma mouse models. RESULTS The probe was synthesized through iodo-destannylation using chloramine-T as an oxidant with a high labeling yield and efficiency. In vitro binding results demonstrate the high specificity of this probe and its ability for target replacement study by clinical GSIs. PET imaging studies demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) increased in the uptake of [124I]-PN67 in tumors versus blocking or sham control groups across multiple mouse models, including 4T1 allograft, MMTV-PyMT breast cancer, and U87 glioblastoma allograft. Ex vivo biodistribution and autoradiography corroborate these results, indicating γ-secretase specific tumor accumulation of [124I]-PN67. CONCLUSIONS [124I]-PN67 is a novel PET imaging agent that enables assessment of γ-secretase activity and target engagement of clinical GSIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengju Nie
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Teja Kalidindi
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Veronica L Nagle
- Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York.,Program in Molecular Pharmacology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Xianzhong Wu
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Thomas Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.,Program of Neurosciences, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - George P Liao
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Georgia Frost
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Kelly E Henry
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Blesida Punzalan
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Lukas M Carter
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Jason S Lewis
- Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York.,Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.,Program in Molecular Pharmacology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. .,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York.,Program of Neurosciences, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, New York
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14
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Abstract
Several genes in innate immunity have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the effect of innate immunity on amyloid β (Aβ) production, which makes amyloid plaques in AD brains, was previously not known. Recently, the antiviral protein interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) has been identified as a novel γ-secretase modulatory protein for Aβ production. In this review, the mechanisms of how innate immunity modulates Aβ production via IFITM3-γ-secretase complexes and contributes to AD pathogenesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yeun Hur
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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15
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Stoiljkovic M, Horvath TL, Hajós M. Therapy for Alzheimer's disease: Missing targets and functional markers? Ageing Res Rev 2021; 68:101318. [PMID: 33711510 PMCID: PMC8131215 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The development of the next generation therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a huge challenge given the number of promising treatment candidates that failed in trials, despite recent advancements in understanding of genetic, pathophysiologic and clinical characteristics of the disease. This review reflects some of the most current concepts and controversies in developing disease-modifying and new symptomatic treatments. It elaborates on recent changes in the AD research strategy for broadening drug targets, and potentials of emerging non-pharmacological treatment interventions. Established and novel biomarkers are discussed, including emerging cerebrospinal fluid and plasma biomarkers reflecting tau pathology, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. These fluid biomarkers together with neuroimaging findings can provide innovative objective assessments of subtle changes in brain reflecting disease progression. A particular emphasis is given to neurophysiological biomarkers which are well-suited for evaluating the brain overall neural network integrity and function. Combination of multiple biomarkers, including target engagement and outcome biomarkers will empower translational studies and facilitate successful development of effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Stoiljkovic
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Nis School of Medicine, Nis, Serbia.
| | - Tamas L Horvath
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Mihály Hajós
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Cognito Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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16
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17
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Is γ-secretase a beneficial inactivating enzyme of the toxic APP C-terminal fragment C99? J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100489. [PMID: 33662398 PMCID: PMC8027268 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic, biochemical, and anatomical grounds led to the proposal of the amyloid cascade hypothesis centered on the accumulation of amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) to explain Alzheimer's disease (AD) etiology. In this context, a bulk of efforts have aimed at developing therapeutic strategies seeking to reduce Aβ levels, either by blocking its production (γ- and β-secretase inhibitors) or by neutralizing it once formed (Aβ-directed immunotherapies). However, so far the vast majority of, if not all, clinical trials based on these strategies have failed, since they have not been able to restore cognitive function in AD patients, and even in many cases, they have worsened the clinical picture. We here propose that AD could be more complex than a simple Aβ-linked pathology and discuss the possibility that a way to reconcile undoubted genetic evidences linking processing of APP to AD and a consistent failure of Aβ-based clinical trials could be to envision the pathological contribution of the direct precursor of Aβ, the β-secretase-derived C-terminal fragment of APP, βCTF, also referred to as C99. In this review, we summarize scientific evidences pointing to C99 as an early contributor to AD and postulate that γ-secretase should be considered as not only an Aβ-generating protease, but also a beneficial C99-inactivating enzyme. In that sense, we discuss the limitations of molecules targeting γ-secretase and propose alternative strategies seeking to reduce C99 levels by other means and notably by enhancing its lysosomal degradation.
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18
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Wolfe MS. Probing Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential of γ-Secretase in Alzheimer's Disease. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 26:molecules26020388. [PMID: 33450968 PMCID: PMC7828430 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The membrane-embedded γ-secretase complex carries out hydrolysis within the lipid bilayer in proteolyzing nearly 150 different membrane protein substrates. Among these substrates, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been the most studied, as generation of aggregation-prone amyloid β-protein (Aβ) is a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mutations in APP and in presenilin, the catalytic component of γ-secretase, cause familial AD, strong evidence for a pathogenic role of Aβ. Substrate-based chemical probes-synthetic peptides and peptidomimetics-have been critical to unraveling the complexity of γ-secretase, and small drug-like inhibitors and modulators of γ-secretase activity have been essential for exploring the potential of the protease as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Such chemical probes and therapeutic prototypes will be reviewed here, with concluding commentary on the future directions in the study of this biologically important protease complex and the translation of basic findings into therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Wolfe
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, 1567 Irving Hill Road, GLH-2115, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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19
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Yang G, Zhou R, Guo X, Yan C, Lei J, Shi Y. Structural basis of γ-secretase inhibition and modulation by small molecule drugs. Cell 2020; 184:521-533.e14. [PMID: 33373587 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Development of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and modulators (GSMs) represents an attractive therapeutic opportunity for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancers. However, how these GSIs and GSMs target γ-secretase has remained largely unknown. Here, we report the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human γ-secretase bound individually to two GSI clinical candidates, Semagacestat and Avagacestat, a transition state analog GSI L685,458, and a classic GSM E2012, at overall resolutions of 2.6-3.1 Å. Remarkably, each of the GSIs occupies the same general location on presenilin 1 (PS1) that accommodates the β strand from amyloid precursor protein or Notch, interfering with substrate recruitment. L685,458 directly coordinates the two catalytic aspartate residues of PS1. E2012 binds to an allosteric site of γ-secretase on the extracellular side, potentially explaining its modulating activity. Structural analysis reveals a set of shared themes and variations for inhibitor and modulator recognition that will guide development of the next-generation substrate-selective inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui Yang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xuefei Guo
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chuangye Yan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianlin Lei
- Technology Center for Protein Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yigong Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
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20
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Hur JY, Frost GR, Wu X, Crump C, Pan SJ, Wong E, Barros M, Li T, Nie P, Zhai Y, Wang JC, Tcw J, Guo L, McKenzie A, Ming C, Zhou X, Wang M, Sagi Y, Renton AE, Esposito BT, Kim Y, Sadleir KR, Trinh I, Rissman RA, Vassar R, Zhang B, Johnson DS, Masliah E, Greengard P, Goate A, Li YM. The innate immunity protein IFITM3 modulates γ-secretase in Alzheimer's disease. Nature 2020; 586:735-740. [PMID: 32879487 PMCID: PMC7919141 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Innate immunity is associated with Alzheimer's disease1, but the influence of immune activation on the production of amyloid-β is unknown2,3. Here we identify interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) as a γ-secretase modulatory protein, and establish a mechanism by which inflammation affects the generation of amyloid-β. Inflammatory cytokines induce the expression of IFITM3 in neurons and astrocytes, which binds to γ-secretase and upregulates its activity, thereby increasing the production of amyloid-β. The expression of IFITM3 is increased with ageing and in mouse models that express familial Alzheimer's disease genes. Furthermore, knockout of IFITM3 reduces γ-secretase activity and the formation of amyloid plaques in a transgenic mouse model (5xFAD) of early amyloid deposition. IFITM3 protein is upregulated in tissue samples from a subset of patients with late-onset Alzheimer's disease that exhibit higher γ-secretase activity. The amount of IFITM3 in the γ-secretase complex has a strong and positive correlation with γ-secretase activity in samples from patients with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. These findings reveal a mechanism in which γ-secretase is modulated by neuroinflammation via IFITM3 and the risk of Alzheimer's disease is thereby increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yeun Hur
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Georgia R Frost
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Program of Neurosciences, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xianzhong Wu
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina Crump
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Si Jia Pan
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eitan Wong
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marilia Barros
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Program of Neurosciences, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pengju Nie
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yujia Zhai
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jen Chyong Wang
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julia Tcw
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lei Guo
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew McKenzie
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chen Ming
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xianxiao Zhou
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yotam Sagi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alan E Renton
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bianca T Esposito
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yong Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ivy Trinh
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert Vassar
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paul Greengard
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Program of Neurosciences, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
- Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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Luo W, Ip FCF, Fu G, Cheung K, Tian Y, Hu Y, Sinha A, Cheng EYL, Wu X, Bustos V, Greengard P, Li YM, Sinha SC, Ip NY. A Pentacyclic Triterpene from Ligustrum lucidum Targets γ-Secretase. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2827-2835. [PMID: 32786303 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-beta peptides generated by β-secretase- and γ-secretase-mediated successive cleavage of amyloid precursor protein are believed to play a causative role in Alzheimer's disease. Thus, reducing amyloid-beta generation by modulating γ-secretase remains a promising approach for Alzheimer's disease therapeutic development. Here, we screened fruit extracts of Ligustrum lucidum Ait. (Oleaceae) and identified active fractions that increase the C-terminal fragment of amyloid precursor protein and reduce amyloid-beta production in a neuronal cell line. These fractions contain a mixture of two isomeric pentacyclic triterpene natural products, 3-O-cis- or 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid (OCMA), in different ratios. We further demonstrated that trans-OCMA specifically inhibits γ-secretase and decreases amyloid-beta levels without influencing cleavage of Notch. By using photoactivatable probes targeting the subsites residing in the γ-secretase active site, we demonstrated that trans-OCMA selectively affects the S1 subsite of the active site in this protease. Treatment of Alzheimer's disease transgenic model mice with trans-OCMA or an analogous carbamate derivative of a related pentacyclic triterpene natural product, oleanolic acid, rescued the impairment of synaptic plasticity. This work indicates that the naturally occurring compound trans-OCMA and its analogues could become a promising class of small molecules for Alzheimer's disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Luo
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Fanny C. F. Ip
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, Shenzhen−Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 518057
| | - Guangmiao Fu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kit Cheung
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuan Tian
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Yueqing Hu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Anjana Sinha
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Elaine Y. L. Cheng
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xianzhong Wu
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Victor Bustos
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Paul Greengard
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Subhash C. Sinha
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Nancy Y. Ip
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, Shenzhen−Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 518057
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22
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Pinheiro L, Faustino C. Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Amyloid-β in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 16:418-452. [PMID: 30907320 DOI: 10.2174/1567205016666190321163438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder linked to protein misfolding and aggregation. AD is pathologically characterized by senile plaques formed by extracellular Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and Intracellular Neurofibrillary Tangles (NFT) formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Extensive synaptic loss and neuronal degeneration are responsible for memory impairment, cognitive decline and behavioral dysfunctions typical of AD. Amyloidosis has been implicated in the depression of acetylcholine synthesis and release, overactivation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and increased intracellular calcium levels that result in excitotoxic neuronal degeneration. Current drugs used in AD treatment are either cholinesterase inhibitors or NMDA receptor antagonists; however, they provide only symptomatic relief and do not alter the progression of the disease. Aβ is the product of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) processing after successive cleavage by β- and γ-secretases while APP proteolysis by α-secretase results in non-amyloidogenic products. According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis, Aβ dyshomeostasis results in the accumulation and aggregation of Aβ into soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils. The former are synaptotoxic and can induce tau hyperphosphorylation while the latter deposit in senile plaques and elicit proinflammatory responses, contributing to oxidative stress, neuronal degeneration and neuroinflammation. Aβ-protein-targeted therapeutic strategies are thus a promising disease-modifying approach for the treatment and prevention of AD. This review summarizes recent findings on Aβ-protein targeted AD drugs, including β-secretase inhibitors, γ-secretase inhibitors and modulators, α-secretase activators, direct inhibitors of Aβ aggregation and immunotherapy targeting Aβ, focusing mainly on those currently under clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Pinheiro
- iMed.ULisboa - Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Célia Faustino
- iMed.ULisboa - Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
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23
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Dehury B, Tang N, Mehra R, Blundell TL, Kepp KP. Side-by-side comparison of Notch- and C83 binding to γ-secretase in a complete membrane model at physiological temperature. RSC Adv 2020; 10:31215-31232. [PMID: 35520661 PMCID: PMC9056423 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra04683c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Secretase cleaves the C99 fragment of the amyloid precursor protein, leading to formation of aggregated β-amyloid peptide central to Alzheimer's disease, and Notch, essential for cell regulation. Recent cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures indicate major changes upon substrate binding, a β-sheet recognition motif, and a possible helix unwinding to expose peptide bonds towards nucleophilic attack. Here we report side-by-side comparison of the 303 K dynamics of the two proteins in realistic membranes using molecular dynamics simulations. Our ensembles agree with the cryo-EM data (full-protein Cα-RMSD = 1.62–2.19 Å) but reveal distinct presenilin helix conformation states and thermal β-strand to coil transitions of C83 and Notch100. We identify distinct 303 K hydrogen bond dynamics and water accessibility of the catalytic sites. The RKRR motif (1758–1761) contributes significantly to Notch binding and serves as a “membrane anchor” that prevents Notch displacement. Water that transiently hydrogen bonds to G1753 and V1754 probably represents the catalytic nucleophile. At 303 K, Notch and C83 binding induce different conformation states, with Notch mostly present in a closed state with shorter Asp–Asp distance. This may explain the different outcome of Notch and C99 cleavage, as the latter is more imprecise with many products. Our identified conformation states may aid efforts to develop conformation-selective drugs that target C99 and Notch cleavage differently, e.g. Notch-sparing γ-secretase modulators. Distinct membrane dynamics and conformations of C83- and Notch-bound γ-secretase may aid the development of Notch-sparing treatments of Alzheimer's disease.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Budheswar Dehury
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark +45 45252409.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road CB2 1GA UK
| | - Ning Tang
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark +45 45252409
| | - Rukmankesh Mehra
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark +45 45252409
| | - Tom L Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road CB2 1GA UK
| | - Kasper P Kepp
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark +45 45252409
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24
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Uddin MS, Kabir MT, Rahman MS, Behl T, Jeandet P, Ashraf GM, Najda A, Bin-Jumah MN, El-Seedi HR, Abdel-Daim MM. Revisiting the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis: From Anti-Aβ Therapeutics to Auspicious New Ways for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165858. [PMID: 32824102 PMCID: PMC7461598 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder related to age, characterized by the cerebral deposition of fibrils, which are made from the amyloid-β (Aβ), a peptide of 40–42 amino acids. The conversion of Aβ into neurotoxic oligomeric, fibrillar, and protofibrillar assemblies is supposed to be the main pathological event in AD. After Aβ accumulation, the clinical symptoms fall out predominantly due to the deficient brain clearance of the peptide. For several years, researchers have attempted to decline the Aβ monomer, oligomer, and aggregate levels, as well as plaques, employing agents that facilitate the reduction of Aβ and antagonize Aβ aggregation, or raise Aβ clearance from brain. Unluckily, broad clinical trials with mild to moderate AD participants have shown that these approaches were unsuccessful. Several clinical trials are running involving patients whose disease is at an early stage, but the preliminary outcomes are not clinically impressive. Many studies have been conducted against oligomers of Aβ which are the utmost neurotoxic molecular species. Trials with monoclonal antibodies directed against Aβ oligomers have exhibited exciting findings. Nevertheless, Aβ oligomers maintain equivalent states in both monomeric and aggregation forms; so, previously administered drugs that precisely decrease Aβ monomer or Aβ plaques ought to have displayed valuable clinical benefits. In this article, Aβ-based therapeutic strategies are discussed and several promising new ways to fight against AD are appraised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh
- Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +880-171-022-0110
| | - Md. Tanvir Kabir
- Department of Pharmacy, BRAC University, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh;
| | - Md. Sohanur Rahman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh;
| | - Tapan Behl
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India;
| | - Philippe Jeandet
- Research Unit, Induced Resistance and Plant Bioprotection, EA 4707, SFR Condorcet FR CNRS 3417, Faculty of Sciences, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, PO Box 1039, 51687 Reims CEDEX 2, France;
| | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Agnieszka Najda
- Laboratory of Quality of Vegetables and Medicinal Plants, Department of Vegetable Crops and Medicinal Plants, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 15 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
| | - May N. Bin-Jumah
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11474, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China;
- Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom 32512, Egypt
| | - Mohamed M. Abdel-Daim
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
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25
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Zhao J, Liu X, Xia W, Zhang Y, Wang C. Targeting Amyloidogenic Processing of APP in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:137. [PMID: 32848600 PMCID: PMC7418514 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of senile dementia, characterized by neurofibrillary tangle and amyloid plaque in brain pathology. Major efforts in AD drug were devoted to the interference with the production and accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), which plays a causal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Aβ is generated from amyloid precursor protein (APP), by consecutive cleavage by β-secretase and γ-secretase. Therefore, β-secretase and γ-secretase inhibition have been the focus for AD drug discovery efforts for amyloid reduction. Here, we review β-secretase inhibitors and γ-secretase inhibitors/modulators, and their efficacies in clinical trials. In addition, we discussed the novel concept of specifically targeting the γ-secretase substrate APP. Targeting amyloidogenic processing of APP is still a fundamentally sound strategy to develop disease-modifying AD therapies and recent advance in γ-secretase/APP complex structure provides new opportunities in designing selective inhibitors/modulators for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Xinyue Liu
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Weiming Xia
- Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yingkai Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
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26
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Liu X, Zhao J, Zhang Y, Ubarretxena-Belandia I, Forth S, Lieberman RL, Wang C. Substrate-Enzyme Interactions in Intramembrane Proteolysis: γ-Secretase as the Prototype. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:65. [PMID: 32508589 PMCID: PMC7248309 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Intramembrane-cleaving proteases (I-CLiPs) catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds within the transmembrane regions of membrane protein substrates, releasing bioactive fragments that play roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Based on their catalytic mechanism and nucleophile, I-CLiPs are classified into metallo, serine, aspartyl, and glutamyl proteases. Presenilin is the most prominent among I-CLiPs, as the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase (GS) complex responsible for cleaving the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch, as well as many other membrane substrates. Recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of GS provide new details on how presenilin recognizes and cleaves APP and Notch. First, presenilin transmembrane helix (TM) 2 and 6 are dynamic. Second, upon binding to GS, the substrate TM helix is unwound from the C-terminus, resulting in an intermolecular β-sheet between the substrate and presenilin. The transition of the substrate C-terminus from α-helix to β-sheet is proposed to expose the scissile peptide bond in an extended conformation, leaving it susceptible to protease cleavage. Despite the astounding new insights in recent years, many crucial questions remain unanswered regarding the inner workings of γ-secretase, however. Key unanswered questions include how the enzyme recognizes and recruits substrates, how substrates are translocated from an initial docking site to the active site, how active site aspartates recruit and coordinate catalytic water, and the nature of the mechanisms of processive trimming of the substrate and product release. Answering these questions will have important implications for drug discovery aimed at selectively reducing the amyloid load in Alzheimer's disease (AD) with minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Liu
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Jing Zhao
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Yingkai Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Iban Ubarretxena-Belandia
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Scott Forth
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Raquel L. Lieberman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
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27
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Funamoto S, Tagami S, Okochi M, Morishima-Kawashima M. Successive cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein by γ-secretase. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 105:64-74. [PMID: 32354467 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
γ-Secretase is a multimeric aspartyl protease that cleaves the membrane-spanning region of the β-carboxyl terminal fragment (βCTF) generated from β-amyloid precursor protein. γ-Secretase defines the generated molecular species of amyloid β-protein (Aβ), a critical molecule in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many therapeutic trials for AD have targeted γ-secretase. However, in contrast to the great efforts in drug discovery, the enzymatic features and cleavage mechanism of γ-secretase are poorly understood. Here we review our protein-chemical analyses of the cleavage products generated from βCTF by γ-secretase, which revealed that Aβ was produced by γ-secretase through successive cleavages of βCTF, mainly at three-residue intervals. Two representative product lines were identified. ε-Cleavages occur first at Leu49-Val50 and Thr48-Leu49 of βCTF (in accordance with Aβ numbering). Longer generated Aβs, Aβ49 and Aβ48, are precursors to the majority of Aβ40 and Aβ42, concomitantly releasing the tripeptides, ITL, VIV, and IAT; and VIT and TVI, respectively. A portion of Aβ42 is processed further to Aβ38, releasing a tetrapeptide, VVIA. The presence of additional multiple minor pathways may reflect labile cleavage activities derived from the conformational flexibility of γ-secretase through molecular interactions. Because these peptide byproducts are not secreted and remain within the cells, they may serve as an indicator that reflects γ-secretase activity more directly than secreted Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Funamoto
- Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinji Tagami
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Integrated Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Masayasu Okochi
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Integrated Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Maho Morishima-Kawashima
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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28
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Nie P, Vartak A, Li YM. γ-Secretase inhibitors and modulators: Mechanistic insights into the function and regulation of γ-Secretase. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 105:43-53. [PMID: 32249070 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over two decades, γ-secretase has been the target for extensive therapeutic development due to its pivotal role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and cancer. However, it has proven to be a challenging task owing to its large set of substrates and our limited understanding of the enzyme's structural and mechanistic features. The scientific community is taking bigger strides towards solving this puzzle with recent advancement in techniques like cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and photo-affinity labelling (PAL). This review highlights the significance of the PAL technique with multiple examples of photo-probes developed from γ-secretase inhibitors and modulators. The binding of these probes into active and/or allosteric sites of the enzyme has provided crucial information on the γ-secretase complex and improved our mechanistic understanding of this protease. Combining the knowledge of function and regulation of γ-secretase will be a decisive factor in developing novel γ-secretase modulators and biological therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengju Nie
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Pharmacology program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Abhishek Vartak
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Pharmacology program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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29
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Mei H, Han J, Takeda R, Sakamoto T, Miwa T, Minamitsuji Y, Moriwaki H, Abe H, Soloshonok VA. Practical Method for Preparation of ( S)-2-Amino-5,5,5-trifluoropentanoic Acid via Dynamic Kinetic Resolution. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:11844-11851. [PMID: 31460294 PMCID: PMC6682081 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
This work reports an operationally convenient ∼20 g scale synthesis of (S)-2-amino-5,5,5-trifluoropentanoic acid and its Fmoc-derivative via dynamic kinetic resolution of the corresponding racemate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Mei
- College
of Chemical Engineering Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Jianlin Han
- College
of Chemical Engineering Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Ryosuke Takeda
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
- Department
of Organic Chemistry I, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 3, San Sebastián 20018, Spain
| | - Tsubasa Sakamoto
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
| | - Toshio Miwa
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
| | - Yutaka Minamitsuji
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
| | - Hiroki Moriwaki
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
| | - Hidenori Abe
- Hamari
Chemicals Ltd., 1-4-29 Kunijima, Higashi-Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0024, Japan
| | - Vadim A. Soloshonok
- Department
of Organic Chemistry I, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 3, San Sebastián 20018, Spain
- IKERBASQUE—Basque
Foundation for Science, María
Díaz de Haro 3, Plaza Bizkaia, Bilbao 48013, Spain
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30
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Maia MA, Sousa E. BACE-1 and γ-Secretase as Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12010041. [PMID: 30893882 PMCID: PMC6469197 DOI: 10.3390/ph12010041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a growing global health concern with a massive impact on affected individuals and society. Despite the considerable advances achieved in the understanding of AD pathogenesis, researchers have not been successful in fully identifying the mechanisms involved in disease progression. The amyloid hypothesis, currently the prevalent theory for AD, defends the deposition of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) aggregates as the trigger of a series of events leading to neuronal dysfunction and dementia. Hence, several research and development (R&D) programs have been led by the pharmaceutical industry in an effort to discover effective and safety anti-amyloid agents as disease modifying agents for AD. Among 19 drug candidates identified in the AD pipeline, nine have their mechanism of action centered in the activity of β or γ-secretase proteases, covering almost 50% of the identified agents. These drug candidates must fulfill the general rigid prerequisites for a drug aimed for central nervous system (CNS) penetration and selectivity toward different aspartyl proteases. This review presents the classes of γ-secretase and beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1) inhibitors under development, highlighting their structure-activity relationship, among other physical-chemistry aspects important for the successful development of new anti-AD pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Maia
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Emília Sousa
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
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31
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γ-Secretase and its modulators: Twenty years and beyond. Neurosci Lett 2019; 701:162-169. [PMID: 30763650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Twenty years ago, Wolfe, Xia, and Selkoe identified two aspartate residues in Alzheimer's presenilin protein that constitute the active site of the γ-secretase complex. Mutations in the genes encoding amyloid precursor protein (APP) or presenilin (PS) cause early onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), and sequential cleavages of the APP by β-secretase and γ-secretase/presenilin generate amyloid β protein (Aβ), the major component of pathological hallmark, neuritic plaques, in brains of AD patients. Therapeutic strategies centered on targeting γ-secretase/presenilin to reduce amyloid were implemented and led to several high profile clinical trials. This review article focuses on the studies of γ-secretase and its inhibitors/modulators since the discovery of presenilin as the γ-secretase. While a lack of complete understanding of presenilin biology renders failure of clinical trials, the lessons learned from some γ-secretase modulators, while premature for human testing, provide new directions to develop potential therapeutics. Imbalanced Aβ homeostasis is an upstream event of neurodegenerative processes. Exploration of γ-secretase modulators for their roles in these processes is highly significant, e.g., decreasing neuroinflammation and levels of phosphorylated tau, the component of the other AD pathological hallmark, neurofibrillary tangles. Agents with excellent human pharmacology hold great promise in suppressing neurodegeneration in pre-symptomatic or early stage AD patients.
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32
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Schaduangrat N, Prachayasittikul V, Choomwattana S, Wongchitrat P, Phopin K, Suwanjang W, Malik AA, Vincent B, Nantasenamat C. Multidisciplinary approaches for targeting the secretase protein family as a therapeutic route for Alzheimer's disease. Med Res Rev 2019; 39:1730-1778. [PMID: 30628099 DOI: 10.1002/med.21563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The continual increase of the aging population worldwide renders Alzheimer's disease (AD) a global prime concern. Several attempts have been focused on understanding the intricate complexity of the disease's development along with the on- andgoing search for novel therapeutic strategies. Incapability of existing AD drugs to effectively modulate the pathogenesis or to delay the progression of the disease leads to a shift in the paradigm of AD drug discovery. Efforts aimed at identifying AD drugs have mostly focused on the development of disease-modifying agents in which effects are believed to be long lasting. Of particular note, the secretase enzymes, a group of proteases responsible for the metabolism of the β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) and β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides production, have been underlined for their promising therapeutic potential. This review article attempts to comprehensively cover aspects related to the identification and use of drugs targeting the secretase enzymes. Particularly, the roles of secretases in the pathogenesis of AD and their therapeutic modulation are provided herein. Moreover, an overview of the drug development process and the contribution of computational (in silico) approaches for facilitating successful drug discovery are also highlighted along with examples of relevant computational works. Promising chemical scaffolds, inhibitors, and modulators against each class of secretases are also summarized herein. Additionally, multitarget secretase modulators are also taken into consideration in light of the current growing interest in the polypharmacology of complex diseases. Finally, challenging issues and future outlook relevant to the discovery of drugs targeting secretases are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalini Schaduangrat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Veda Prachayasittikul
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Saowapak Choomwattana
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prapimpun Wongchitrat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kamonrat Phopin
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wilasinee Suwanjang
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center for Research and Innovation, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Aijaz Ahmad Malik
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bruno Vincent
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Chanin Nantasenamat
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Center of Data Mining and Biomedical Informatics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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33
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Steiner H, Fukumori A, Tagami S, Okochi M. Making the final cut: pathogenic amyloid-β peptide generation by γ-secretase. Cell Stress 2018; 2:292-310. [PMID: 31225454 PMCID: PMC6551803 DOI: 10.15698/cst2018.11.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease of the elderly population. Genetic evidence strongly suggests that aberrant generation and/or clearance of the neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is triggering the disease. Aβ is generated from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the sequential cleavages of β- and γ-secretase. The latter cleavage by γ-secretase, a unique and fascinating four-component protease complex, occurs in the APP transmembrane domain thereby releasing Aβ species of 37-43 amino acids in length including the longer, highly pathogenic peptides Aβ42 and Aβ43. The lack of a precise understanding of Aβ generation as well as of the functions of other γ-secretase substrates has been one factor underlying the disappointing failure of γ-secretase inhibitors in clinical trials, but on the other side also been a major driving force for structural and in depth mechanistic studies on this key AD drug target in the past few years. Here we review recent breakthroughs in our understanding of how the γ-secretase complex recognizes substrates, of how it binds and processes β-secretase cleaved APP into different Aβ species, as well as the progress made on a question of outstanding interest, namely how clinical AD mutations in the catalytic subunit presenilin and the γ-secretase cleavage region of APP lead to relative increases of Aβ42/43. Finally, we discuss how the knowledge emerging from these studies could be used to therapeutically target this enzyme in a safe way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Steiner
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Metabolic Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Akio Fukumori
- Department of Aging Neurobiology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu & Department of Mental Health Promotion, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Shinji Tagami
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Integrated Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Masayasu Okochi
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Integrated Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
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34
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Ge SS, Chen B, Wu YY, Long QS, Zhao YL, Wang PY, Yang S. Current advances of carbene-mediated photoaffinity labeling in medicinal chemistry. RSC Adv 2018; 8:29428-29454. [PMID: 35547988 PMCID: PMC9084484 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra03538e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) in combination with a chemical probe to covalently bind its target upon UV irradiation has demonstrated considerable promise in drug discovery for identifying new drug targets and binding sites. In particular, carbene-mediated photoaffinity labeling (cmPAL) has been widely used in drug target identification owing to its excellent photolabeling efficiency, minimal steric interference and longer excitation wavelength. Specifically, diazirines, which are among the precursors of carbenes and have higher carbene yields and greater chemical stability than diazo compounds, have proved to be valuable photolabile reagents in a diverse range of biological systems. This review highlights current advances of cmPAL in medicinal chemistry, with a focus on structures and applications for identifying small molecule-protein and macromolecule-protein interactions and ligand-gated ion channels, coupled with advances in the discovery of targets and inhibitors using carbene precursor-based biological probes developed in recent decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha-Sha Ge
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Biao Chen
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Yuan-Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Qing-Su Long
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Yong-Liang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Pei-Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
| | - Song Yang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China +86-851-8829-2170 +86-851-8829-2171
- College of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology Shanghai 200237 China
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35
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van Maanen EMT, van Steeg TJ, Ahsman MJ, Michener MS, Savage MJ, Kennedy ME, Kleijn HJ, Stone J, Danhof M. Extending a Systems Model of the APP Pathway: Separation of β- and γ-Secretase Sequential Cleavage Steps of APP. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2018; 365:507-518. [PMID: 29563326 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.117.244699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The abnormal accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain parenchyma has been posited as a central event in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Recently, we have proposed a systems pharmacology model of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) pathway, describing the Aβ APP metabolite responses (Aβ40, Aβ42, sAPPα, and sAPPβ) to β-secretase 1 (BACE1) inhibition. In this investigation this model was challenged to describe Aβ dynamics following γ-secretase (GS) inhibition. This led an extended systems pharmacology model, with separate descriptions to characterize the sequential cleavage steps of APP by BACE1 and GS, to describe the differences in Aβ response to their respective inhibition. Following GS inhibition, a lower Aβ40 formation rate constant was observed, compared with BACE1 inhibition. Both BACE1 and GS inhibition were predicted to lower Aβ oligomer levels. Further model refinement and new data may be helpful to fully understand the difference in Aβ dynamics following BACE1 versus GS inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline M T van Maanen
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Tamara J van Steeg
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Maurice J Ahsman
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Maria S Michener
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Mary J Savage
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Matthew E Kennedy
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Huub Jan Kleijn
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Julie Stone
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
| | - Meindert Danhof
- Division of Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., M.D.); Leiden Experts on Advanced Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Leiden, The Netherlands (E.M.T.v.M., T.J.v.S., M.J.A.); and Merck & Company, Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey (M.S.M., M.J.S., M.E.K., H.J.K., J.S.)
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Ran Y, Hossain F, Pannuti A, Lessard CB, Ladd GZ, Jung JI, Minter LM, Osborne BA, Miele L, Golde TE. γ-Secretase inhibitors in cancer clinical trials are pharmacologically and functionally distinct. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:950-966. [PMID: 28539479 PMCID: PMC5494507 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201607265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are being actively repurposed as cancer therapeutics based on the premise that inhibition of NOTCH1 signaling in select cancers is therapeutic. Using novel assays to probe effects of GSIs against a broader panel of substrates, we demonstrate that clinical GSIs are pharmacologically distinct. GSIs show differential profiles of inhibition of the various NOTCH substrates, with some enhancing cleavage of other NOTCH substrates at concentrations where NOTCH1 cleavage is inhibited. Several GSIs are also potent inhibitors of select signal peptide peptidase (SPP/SPPL) family members. Extending these findings to mammosphere inhibition assays in triple-negative breast cancer lines, we establish that these GSIs have different functional effects. We also demonstrate that the processive γ-secretase cleavage pattern established for amyloid precursor protein (APP) occurs in multiple substrates and that potentiation of γ-secretase cleavage is attributable to a direct action of low concentrations of GSIs on γ-secretase. Such data definitively demonstrate that the clinical GSIs are not biological equivalents, and provide an important framework to evaluate results from ongoing and completed human trials with these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Ran
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fokhrul Hossain
- Department of Genetics and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Antonio Pannuti
- Department of Genetics and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Christian B Lessard
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gabriela Z Ladd
- College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joo In Jung
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lisa M Minter
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Barbara A Osborne
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Lucio Miele
- Department of Genetics and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Kumar D, Ganeshpurkar A, Kumar D, Modi G, Gupta SK, Singh SK. Secretase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: Long road ahead. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 148:436-452. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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38
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Simutis FJ, Sanderson TP, Pilcher GD, Graziano MJ. Nonclinical Safety Assessment of the γ-Secretase Inhibitor Avagacestat. Toxicol Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frank J Simutis
- Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903
| | - Thomas P Sanderson
- Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903
| | - Gary D Pilcher
- Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903
| | - Michael J Graziano
- Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903
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Johnson DS, Li YM, Pettersson M, St George-Hyslop PH. Structural and Chemical Biology of Presenilin Complexes. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2017; 7:cshperspect.a024067. [PMID: 28320827 PMCID: PMC5710098 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a024067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The presenilin proteins are the catalytic subunits of a tetrameric complex containing presenilin 1 or 2, anterior pharynx defective 1 (APH1), nicastrin, and PEN-2. Other components such as TMP21 may exist in a subset of specialized complexes. The presenilin complex is the founding member of a unique class of aspartyl proteases that catalyze the γ, ɛ, ζ site cleavage of the transmembrane domains of Type I membrane proteins including amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch. Here, we detail the structural and chemical biology of this unusual enzyme. Taken together, these studies suggest that the complex exists in several conformations, and subtle long-range (allosteric) shifts in the conformation of the complex underpin substrate access to the catalytic site and the mechanism of action for allosteric inhibitors and modulators. Understanding the mechanics of these shifts will facilitate the design of γ-secretase modulator (GSM) compounds that modulate the relative efficiency of γ, ɛ, ζ site cleavage and/or substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S. Johnson
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065
| | - Martin Pettersson
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Peter H. St George-Hyslop
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust MRC Building, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Departments of Medicine, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, and Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
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40
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M344 promotes nonamyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein processing while normalizing Alzheimer's disease genes and improving memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E9135-E9144. [PMID: 29073110 PMCID: PMC5664514 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707544114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of failed clinical trials with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients over the last fifteen years demonstrate that the one-target–one-disease approach is not effective in AD. In silico, structure-based, multitarget drug design approaches to treat multifactorial diseases have not been successful in the context of AD either. Here, we show that M344, an inhibitor of class I and IIB histone deacetylases, affects multiple AD-related genes, including those related to both early- and late-onset AD. We also show that M344 improves memory in the 3xTg AD mouse model. This work endorses a shift to a multitargeted approach to the treatment of AD, supporting the therapeutic potential of a single small molecule with an epigenetic mechanism of action. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) comprises multifactorial ailments for which current therapeutic strategies remain insufficient to broadly address the underlying pathophysiology. Epigenetic gene regulation relies upon multifactorial processes that regulate multiple gene and protein pathways, including those involved in AD. We therefore took an epigenetic approach where a single drug would simultaneously affect the expression of a number of defined AD-related targets. We show that the small-molecule histone deacetylase inhibitor M344 reduces beta-amyloid (Aβ), reduces tau Ser396 phosphorylation, and decreases both β-secretase (BACE) and APOEε4 gene expression. M344 increases the expression of AD-relevant genes: BDNF, α-secretase (ADAM10), MINT2, FE65, REST, SIRT1, BIN1, and ABCA7, among others. M344 increases sAPPα and CTFα APP metabolite production, both cleavage products of ADAM10, concordant with increased ADAM10 gene expression. M344 also increases levels of immature APP, supporting an effect on APP trafficking, concurrent with the observed increase in MINT2 and FE65, both shown to increase immature APP in the early secretory pathway. Chronic i.p. treatment of the triple transgenic (APPsw/PS1M146V/TauP301L) mice with M344, at doses as low as 3 mg/kg, significantly prevented cognitive decline evaluated by Y-maze spontaneous alternation, novel object recognition, and Barnes maze spatial memory tests. M344 displays short brain exposure, indicating that brief pulses of daily drug treatment may be sufficient for long-term efficacy. Together, these data show that M344 normalizes several disparate pathogenic pathways related to AD. M344 therefore serves as an example of how a multitargeting compound could be used to address the polygenic nature of multifactorial diseases.
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Sogorb-Esteve A, García-Ayllón MS, Llansola M, Felipo V, Blennow K, Sáez-Valero J. Inhibition of γ-Secretase Leads to an Increase in Presenilin-1. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:5047-5058. [PMID: 28815510 PMCID: PMC5948247 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
γ-Secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, trials have proven disappointing. We addressed the possibility that γ-secretase inhibition can provoke a rebound effect, elevating the levels of the catalytic γ-secretase subunit, presenilin-1 (PS1). Acute treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with the GSI LY-374973 (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester, DAPT) augments PS1, in parallel with increases in other γ-secretase subunits nicastrin, presenilin enhancer 2, and anterior pharynx-defective 1, yet with no increase in messenger RNA expression. Over-expression of the C-terminal fragment (CTF) of APP, C99, also triggered an increase in PS1. Similar increases in PS1 were evident in primary neurons treated repeatedly (4 days) with DAPT or with the GSI BMS-708163 (avagacestat). Likewise, rats examined after 21 days administered with avagacestat (40 mg/kg/day) had more brain PS1. Sustained γ-secretase inhibition did not exert a long-term effect on PS1 activity, evident through the decrease in CTFs of APP and ApoER2. Prolonged avagacestat treatment of rats produced a subtle impairment in anxiety-like behavior. The rebound increase in PS1 in response to GSIs must be taken into consideration for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitana Sogorb-Esteve
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Av. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - María-Salud García-Ayllón
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Av. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain. .,Unidad de Investigación, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, FISABIO, 03203, Elche, Spain.
| | - Marta Llansola
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Fundación Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vicente Felipo
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Fundación Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal Campus, Sweden
| | - Javier Sáez-Valero
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Av. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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Karelina T, Demin O, Nicholas T, Lu Y, Duvvuri S, Barton HA. A Translational Systems Pharmacology Model for Aβ Kinetics in Mouse, Monkey, and Human. CPT-PHARMACOMETRICS & SYSTEMS PHARMACOLOGY 2017; 6:666-675. [PMID: 28571112 PMCID: PMC5658289 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
A mechanistic model of amyloid beta production, degradation, and distribution was constructed for mouse, monkey, and human, calibrated and externally verified across multiple datasets. Simulations of single‐dose avagacestat treatment demonstrate that the Aβ42 brain inhibition may exceed that in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The dose that achieves 50% CSF Aβ40 inhibition for humans (both healthy and with Alzheimer's disease (AD)) is about 1 mpk, one order of magnitude lower than for mouse (10 mpk), mainly because of differences in pharmacokinetics. The predicted maximal percent of brain Aβ42 inhibition after single‐dose avagacestat is higher for AD subjects (about 60%) than for healthy individuals (about 45%). The probability of achieving a normal physiological level for Aβ42 in brain (1 nM) during multiple avagacestat dosing can be increased by using a dosing regimen that achieves higher exposure. The proposed model allows prediction of brain pharmacodynamics for different species given differing dosing regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Karelina
- Institute for Systems Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - O Demin
- Institute for Systems Biology, Moscow, Russia
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43
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Sun Z, Xie Y, Chen Y, Yang Q, Quan Z, Dai R, Qing H. Rab21, a Novel PS1 Interactor, Regulates γ-Secretase Activity via PS1 Subcellular Distribution. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:3841-3855. [PMID: 28547526 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0606-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
γ-Secretase has been a therapeutical target for its key role in cleaving APP to generate β-amyloid (Aβ), the primary constituents of senile plaques and a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Recently, γ-secretase-associating proteins showed promising role in specifically modulating APP processing while sparing Notch signaling; however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. A co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) coupled with mass spectrometry proteomic assay for Presenilin1 (PS1, the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase) was firstly conducted to find more γ-secretase-associating proteins. Gene ontology analysis of these results identified Rab21 as a potential PS1 interacting protein, and the interaction between them was validated by reciprocal Co-IP and immunofluorescence assay. Then, molecular and biochemical methods were used to investigate the effect of Rab21 on APP processing. Results showed that overexpression of Rab21 enhanced Aβ generation, while silencing of Rab21 reduced the accumulation of Aβ, which resulted due to change in γ-secretase activity rather than α- or β-secretase. Finally, we demonstrated that Rab21 had no effect on γ-secretase complex synthesis or metabolism but enhanced PS1 endocytosis and translocation to late endosome/lysosome. In conclusion, we identified a novel γ-secretase-associating protein Rab21 and illustrate that Rab21 promotes γ-secretase internalization and translocation to late endosome/lysosome. Moreover, silencing of Rab21 decreases the γ-secretase activity in APP processing thus production of Aβ. All these results open new gateways towards the understanding of γ-secretase-associating proteins in APP processing and make inhibition of Rab21 a promising strategy for AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Sun
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujie Xie
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yintong Chen
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghu Yang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenzhen Quan
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongji Dai
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Qing
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
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44
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Khan A, Corbett A, Ballard C. Emerging amyloid and tau targeting treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Expert Rev Neurother 2017; 17:697-711. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2017.1326819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Khan
- Institute for NanoBiotechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anne Corbett
- King’s College London, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, London, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- King’s College London, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, London, UK
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45
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Verhelst SHL. Intramembrane proteases as drug targets. FEBS J 2017; 284:1489-1502. [PMID: 27889944 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Proteases are considered attractive drug targets. Various drugs targeting classical, soluble proteases have been approved for treatment of human disease. Intramembrane proteases (IMPs) are a more recently discovered group of proteolytic enzymes. They are embedded in lipid bilayers and their active sites are located in the plane of a membrane. All four mechanistic families of IMPs have been linked to disease, but currently, no drugs against IMPs have entered the market. In this review, I will outline the function of IMPs with a focus on the ones involved in human disease, which includes Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and infectious diseases by microorganisms. Inhibitors of IMPs are known for all mechanistic classes, but are not yet very potent or selective - aside from those targeting γ-secretase. I will here describe the different features of IMP inhibitors and discuss a list of issues that need attention in the near future in order to improve the drug development for IMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven H L Verhelst
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.,AG Chemical Proteomics, Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences ISAS, Dortmund, Germany
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46
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Gertsik N, Am Ende CW, Geoghegan KF, Nguyen C, Mukherjee P, Mente S, Seneviratne U, Johnson DS, Li YM. Mapping the Binding Site of BMS-708163 on γ-Secretase with Cleavable Photoprobes. Cell Chem Biol 2017; 24:3-8. [PMID: 28065657 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2016.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
γ-Secretase, a four-subunit transmembrane aspartic proteinase, is a highly valued drug target in Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Despite significant progress in structural studies, the respective molecular mechanisms and binding modes of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and modulators (GSMs) remain uncertain. Here, we developed biotinylated cleavable-linker photoprobes based on the BMS-708163 GSI to study its interaction with γ-secretase. Comparison of four cleavable linkers indicated that the hydrazine-labile N-1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohexylidene)ethyl (Dde) linker was cleaved most efficiently to release photolabeled and affinity-captured presenilin-1 (PS1), the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase. Peptide mapping showed that the BMS-708163-based probe photoinserted at L282 of PS1. This insertion site was consistent with the results of molecular dynamics simulations of the γ-secretase complex with inhibitor. Taken together, this work reveals the binding site of a GSI and offers insights into the mechanism of action of this class of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Gertsik
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Christopher W Am Ende
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Kieran F Geoghegan
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Structural and Molecular Sciences, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Chuong Nguyen
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Structural and Molecular Sciences, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Paramita Mukherjee
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Scot Mente
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Uthpala Seneviratne
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Douglas S Johnson
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Xiangya International Academy of Translational Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
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47
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Ricciarelli R, Fedele E. The Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis in Alzheimer's Disease: It's Time to Change Our Mind. Curr Neuropharmacol 2017; 15:926-935. [PMID: 28093977 PMCID: PMC5652035 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170116143743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery in 1984, the beta amyloid peptide has treaded the boards of neurosciences as the star molecule in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. In the last decade, however, this vision has been challenged by evidence-based medicine showing the almost complete failure of clinical trials that experimented anti-amyloid therapies with great hopes. Moreover, data have accumulated which clearly indicate that this small peptide plays a key role in the physiological processes of memory formation. In the present review, we will discuss the different aspects of the amyloid cascade hypothesis, highlighting its pros and cons, and we will analyse the results of the therapeutic approaches attempted to date that should change the direction of Alzheimer's disease research in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ricciarelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of General Pathology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Ernesto Fedele
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
- Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
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48
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γ-Secretase Modulators as Aβ42-Lowering Pharmacological Agents to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease. TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/7355_2016_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Dormán G, Nakamura H, Pulsipher A, Prestwich GD. The Life of Pi Star: Exploring the Exciting and Forbidden Worlds of the Benzophenone Photophore. Chem Rev 2016; 116:15284-15398. [PMID: 27983805 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The widespread applications of benzophenone (BP) photochemistry in biological chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, and material science have been prominent in both academic and industrial research. BP photophores have unique photochemical properties: upon n-π* excitation at 365 nm, a biradicaloid triplet state is formed reversibly, which can abstract a hydrogen atom from accessible C-H bonds; the radicals subsequently recombine, creating a stable covalent C-C bond. This light-directed covalent attachment process is exploited in many different ways: (i) binding/contact site mapping of ligand (or protein)-protein interactions; (ii) identification of molecular targets and interactome mapping; (iii) proteome profiling; (iv) bioconjugation and site-directed modification of biopolymers; (v) surface grafting and immobilization. BP photochemistry also has many practical advantages, including low reactivity toward water, stability in ambient light, and the convenient excitation at 365 nm. In addition, several BP-containing building blocks and reagents are commercially available. In this review, we explore the "forbidden" (transitions) and excitation-activated world of photoinduced covalent attachment of BP photophores by touring a colorful palette of recent examples. In this exploration, we will see the pros and cons of using BP photophores, and we hope that both novice and expert photolabelers will enjoy and be inspired by the breadth and depth of possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- György Dormán
- Targetex llc , Dunakeszi H-2120, Hungary.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged , Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - Hiroyuki Nakamura
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology , Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Abigail Pulsipher
- GlycoMira Therapeutics, Inc. , Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, United States.,Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Rhinology - Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine , Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, United States
| | - Glenn D Prestwich
- Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Rhinology - Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine , Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, United States
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Crump CJ, Murrey HE, Ballard TE, am Ende CW, Wu X, Gertsik N, Johnson DS, Li YM. Development of Sulfonamide Photoaffinity Inhibitors for Probing Cellular γ-Secretase. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:1166-73. [PMID: 27253220 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Secretase is a multiprotein complex that catalyzes intramembrane proteolysis associated with Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Here, we have developed potent sulfonamide clickable photoaffinity probes that target γ-secretase in vitro and in cells by incorporating various photoreactive groups and walking the clickable alkyne handle to different positions around the molecule. We found that benzophenone is preferred over diazirine as a photoreactive group within the sulfonamide scaffold for labeling γ-secretase. Intriguingly, the placement of the alkyne at different positions has little effect on probe potency but has a significant impact on the efficiency of labeling of γ-secretase. Moreover, the optimized clickable photoprobe, 163-BP3, was utilized as a cellular probe to effectively assess the target engagement of inhibitors with γ-secretase in primary neuronal cells. In addition, biotinylated 163-BP3 probes were developed and used to capture the native γ-secretase complex in the 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPSO) solubilized state. Taken together, these next generation clickable and biotinylated sulfonamide probes offer new tools to study γ-secretase in biochemical and cellular systems. Finally, the data provide insights into structural features of the sulfonamide inhibitor binding site in relation to the active site and into the design of clickable photoaffinity probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina J. Crump
- Chemical
Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York
Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Heather E. Murrey
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - T. Eric Ballard
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Worldwide
Medicinal Chemistry Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Christopher W. am Ende
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Worldwide
Medicinal Chemistry Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Xianzhong Wu
- Chemical
Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York
Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Natalya Gertsik
- Chemical
Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York
Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Douglas S. Johnson
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yue-Ming Li
- Chemical
Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York
Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
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