1
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Prasad AK, Samajdar R, Panwar AS, Martin LL. Origin of Secondary Structure Transitions and Peptide Self-Assembly Propensity in Trifluoroethanol-Water Mixtures. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 39088441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Membrane-peptide interactions are key to the formation of helical intermediates in the early stages of amyloidogenesis. Aqueous solutions of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) provide a membrane-mimetic environment capable of promoting and stabilizing local peptide interactions. Uperin 3.5 (U3.5), a 17-residue and amidated antimicrobial peptide, is unstructured in water but self-assembles into fibrils in the presence of salt. Secondary structure transitions linked to U3.5 self-assembly were investigated in TFE/water mixtures, in both the absence and presence of salt, to assess the role of membrane-peptide interactions on peptide self-assembly and amyloid formation. A 5-to-7-fold increase in fibril yield of U3.5 was observed at low TFE concentrations (10% TFE/water v/v) compared with physiological buffer but only in the presence of salt. No aggregation was observed in salt-free TFE/water mixtures. Circular dichroism spectra showed that partial helical structures, initially stabilized by TFE, transitioned to β-sheet-rich aggregates in a saline buffer. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that TFE and salt act synergistically to enhance peptide-peptide interactions, resulting in β-sheet-rich U3.5 oligomers at low TFE concentrations. Specifically, TFE stabilized amphipathic, helical intermediates, leading to increased peptide-peptide attraction through hydrophobic interactions. The presence of salt further enhanced the peptide-peptide interactions by screening positively charged residues. Thus, the study revealed the role of a membrane mimic in stabilizing helical intermediates on the pathway to amyloid formation in the antimicrobial U3.5 peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Kumar Prasad
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800, VIC, Australia
| | - Rajarshi Samajdar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Ajay Singh Panwar
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Lisandra L Martin
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800, VIC, Australia
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2
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Waugh ML, Wolf LM, Moore KA, Servoss SL, Moss MA. Rationally Designed Peptoid Inhibitors of Amyloid-β Oligomerization. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400060. [PMID: 38715149 PMCID: PMC11219258 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
While plaques comprised of fibrillar Aβ aggregates are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, soluble Aβ oligomers present higher neurotoxicity. Thus, one therapeutic approach is to prevent the formation of Aβ oligomers and reduce their associated harmful effects. We have proposed a peptoid mimic of the Aβ hydrophobic KLVFF core as an ideal candidate aggregation inhibitor due to its ability to evade proteolytic degradation via repositioning of the side chain from the α-carbon to the amide nitrogen. This peptoid, JPT1, utilizes chiral sidechains to achieve a helical structure, while C-terminal addition of two phenylalanine residues places aromatic groups on two sides of the helix with spacing designed to facilitate interaction with amyloid β-sheet structure. We have previously shown that JPT1 modulates Aβ fibril formation. Here, we demonstrate that JPT1 also modulates Aβ oligomerization, and we explore the role of the charge on the linker between the KLVFF mimic and the extended aromatic residues. Additionally, we demonstrate that peptoid-induced changes in Aβ oligomerization correlate with attenuation of oligomer-induced nuclear factor-κB activation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. These findings support the therapeutic potential of peptoids to target early stages of Aβ aggregation and impact the associated Aβ-induced cellular response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihyun Lim Waugh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Lauren M Wolf
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Kelly A Moore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Shannon L Servoss
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Melissa A Moss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2C02 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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3
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Dasari AK, Sengupta U, Viverette E, Borgnia MJ, Kayed R, Lim KH. Characterization of α-synuclein oligomers formed in the presence of lipid vesicles. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 38:101687. [PMID: 38545462 PMCID: PMC10965497 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2024.101687] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein into oligomers and fibrils is associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the identity of the pathogenic species formed during the aggregation process is still under active debate, mounting evidence suggests that small oligomeric species rather than fibrillar aggregates are real toxic species. Isolation and characterization of small oligomers is essential to developing therapeutic strategies to prevent oligomer formation. Preparation of misfolded oligomeric species for biophysical characterization is, however, a great challenge due to their heterogenous, transient nature. Here we report the preparation of toxic and non-toxic α-synuclein oligomeric species formed at different pH values in the presence of lipid vesicles that mimic mitochondria membranes containing cardiolipin. Biophysical characterization of the lipid-induced α-synuclein oligomeric assemblies revealed that α-synuclein oligomers formed at pH 7.4 have higher surface hydrophobicity than the aggregates formed at pH 6.0. In addition, the high-pH oligomers were shown to exhibit higher toxicity than the low-pH aggregates. Structural, dynamic properties of the oligomers were also investigated by using circular dichroism (CD) and NMR spectroscopy. Our CD analyses revealed that the two oligomeric species have distinct molecular conformations, and 2D 1H/15N HSQC NMR experiments suggested that the high-pH oligomers have more extended dynamic regions than the low-pH aggregates. The distinct structural and dynamic properties of the oligomers might be associated with their different cytotoxic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K.R. Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Elizabeth Viverette
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Mario J. Borgnia
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
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4
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Keith A, Brichtová EP, Barber JG, Wales DJ, Jackson SE, Röder K. Energy Landscapes and Structural Ensembles of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Monomers. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5601-5611. [PMID: 38831581 PMCID: PMC11182347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
While GLP-1 and its analogues are important pharmaceutical agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, their susceptibility to aggregate into amyloid fibrils poses a significant safety issue. Many factors may contribute to the aggregation propensity, including pH. While it is known that the monomeric structure of GLP-1 has a strong impact on primary nucleation, probing its diverse structural ensemble is challenging. Here, we investigated the monomer structural ensembles at pH 3, 4, and 7.5 using state-of-the-art computational methods in combination with experimental data. We found significant stabilization of β-strand structures and destabilization of helical structures at lower pH, correlating with observed aggregation lag times, which are lower under these conditions. We further identified helical defects at pH 4, which led to the fastest observed aggregation, in agreement with our far-UV circular dichroism data. The detailed atomistic structures that result from the computational studies help to rationalize the experimental results on the aggregation propensity of GLP-1. This work provides a new insight into the pH-dependence of monomeric structural ensembles of GLP-1 and connects them to experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alasdair
D. Keith
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Eva Přáda Brichtová
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorferstr. 1A, Vienna 1060, Austria
| | - Jack G. Barber
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - David J. Wales
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sophie E. Jackson
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Konstantin Röder
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Now:
Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, U.K.
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5
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Aktaş E, Özdemir Özgentürk N. A comprehensive examination of ACE2 receptor and prediction of spike glycoprotein and ACE2 interaction based on in silico analysis of ACE2 receptor. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4412-4428. [PMID: 37349943 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2220814] [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: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
The ACE2 receptor plays a vital role not only in the SARS-CoV-induced epidemic but also in various other diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and ARDS. While studies have explored the interactions between ACE2 and SARS-CoV proteins, comprehensive research utilizing bioinformatic tools on the ACE2 protein has been lacking. The one aim of present study was to extensively analyze the regions of the ACE2 protein. After utilizing all bioinformatics tools especially G104 and L108 regions on ACE2 were come forward. The results of our analysis revealed that possible mutations or deletions in the G104 and L108 regions play a critical role in both the biological functioning and the determination of the chemical-physical properties of ACE2. Additionally, these regions were found to be more susceptible to mutations or deletions compared to other regions of the ACE2 protein. Notably, the randomly selected peptide, LQQNGSSVLS (100-109), which includes G104 and L108, exhibited a crucial role in binding the RBD of the spike protein, as supported by docking scores. Furthermore, both MDs and iMODs results provided evidence that G104 and L108 influence the dynamics of ACE2-spike complexes. This study is expected to offer a new perspective on the ACE2-SARS-CoV interaction and other research areas where ACE2 plays a significant role, such as biotechnology (protein engineering, enzyme optimization), medicine (RAS, pulmonary and cardiac diseases), and basic research (structural motifs, stabilizing protein folds, or facilitating important inter molecular contacts, protein's proper structure and function).Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Aktaş
- Faculty of Art and Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nehir Özdemir Özgentürk
- Faculty of Art and Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
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6
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Agha MM, Aziziyan F, Uversky VN. Each big journey starts with a first step: Importance of oligomerization. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:111-141. [PMID: 38811079 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Protein oligomers, widely found in nature, have significant physiological and pathological functions. They are classified into three groups based on their function and toxicity. Significant advancements are being achieved in the development of functional oligomers, with a focus on various applications and their engineering. The antimicrobial peptides oligomers play roles in death of bacterial and cancer cells. The predominant pathogenic species in neurodegenerative disorders, as shown by recent results, are amyloid oligomers, which are the main subject of this chapter. They are generated throughout the aggregation process, serving as both intermediates in the subsequent aggregation pathways and ultimate products. Some of them may possess potent cytotoxic properties and through diverse mechanisms cause cellular impairment, and ultimately, the death of cells and disease progression. Information regarding their structure, formation mechanism, and toxicity is limited due to their inherent instability and structural variability. This chapter aims to provide a concise overview of the current knowledge regarding amyloid oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Mirza Agha
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Aziziyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Pushchino, Moscow, Russia; Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United Staes.
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7
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Chia S, Cataldi RL, Ruggeri FS, Limbocker R, Condado-Morales I, Pisani K, Possenti A, Linse S, Knowles TPJ, Habchi J, Mannini B, Vendruscolo M. A Relationship between the Structures and Neurotoxic Effects of Aβ Oligomers Stabilized by Different Metal Ions. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1125-1134. [PMID: 38416693 PMCID: PMC10958495 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Oligomeric assemblies of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) have been investigated for over two decades as possible neurotoxic agents in Alzheimer's disease. However, due to their heterogeneous and transient nature, it is not yet fully established which of the structural features of these oligomers may generate cellular damage. Here, we study distinct oligomer species formed by Aβ40 (the 40-residue form of Aβ) in the presence of four different metal ions (Al3+, Cu2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+) and show that they differ in their structure and toxicity in human neuroblastoma cells. We then describe a correlation between the size of the oligomers and their neurotoxic activity, which provides a type of structure-toxicity relationship for these Aβ40 oligomer species. These results provide insight into the possible role of metal ions in Alzheimer's disease by the stabilization of Aβ oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Chia
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Rodrigo Lessa Cataldi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Francesco Simone Ruggeri
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Itzel Condado-Morales
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Katarina Pisani
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Andrea Possenti
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sara Linse
- Department
of Biochemistry & Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein
Science, Lund University, PO box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Department
of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
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8
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Nutini A. Amyloid oligomers and their membrane toxicity - A perspective study. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 187:9-20. [PMID: 38211711 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Amyloidosis is a condition involving a disparate group of pathologies characterized by the extracellular deposition of insoluble fibrils composed of broken-down proteins. These proteins can accumulate locally, causing peculiar symptoms, or in a widespread way, involving many organs and. causing severe systemic failure. The damage that is created is related not only to the accumulation of. amyloid fibrils but above all to the precursor oligomers of the fibrils that manage to enter the cell in a very particular way. This article analyzes the current state of research related to the entry of these oligomers into the cell membrane and the theories related to their toxicity. The paper proposed here not only aims to review the contents in the literature but also proposes a new vision of amyloid toxicity. that could occur in a multiphase process catalyzed by the cell membrane itself. In this process, the denaturation of the lipid bilayer is followed by the stabilization of a pore through energetically favorable self-assembly processes which are achieved through particular oligomeric structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Nutini
- Biology and Biomechanics Dept - Centro Studi Attività Motorie, Italy.
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9
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Rinauro DJ, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. Misfolded protein oligomers: mechanisms of formation, cytotoxic effects, and pharmacological approaches against protein misfolding diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:20. [PMID: 38378578 PMCID: PMC10877934 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00651-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of native peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of over 50 human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Increasing evidence implicates misfolded protein oligomers produced during the amyloid formation process as the primary cytotoxic agents in many of these devastating conditions. In this review, we analyze the processes by which oligomers are formed, their structures, physicochemical properties, population dynamics, and the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity. We then focus on drug discovery strategies that target the formation of oligomers and their ability to disrupt cell physiology and trigger degenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA.
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10
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Bhatt N, Puangmalai N, Sengupta U, Jerez C, Kidd M, Gandhi S, Kayed R. C9orf72-associated dipeptide protein repeats form A11-positive oligomers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105628. [PMID: 38295729 PMCID: PMC10844744 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 is one of the most common causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. The hexanucleotide expansion, formed by GGGGCC (G4C2) repeats, leads to the production of five dipeptide protein repeats (DPRs) via repeat-associated non-AUG translation. Among the five dipeptide repeats, Gly-Arg, Pro-Arg, and Gly-Ala form neuronal inclusions that contain aggregates of the peptides. Several studies have attempted to model DPR-associated toxicity using various repeat lengths, which suggests a unique conformation that is cytotoxic and is independent of the repeat length. However, the structural characteristics of DPR aggregates have yet to be determined. Increasing evidence suggests that soluble species, such as oligomers, are the main cause of toxicity in proteinopathies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. To investigate the ability of DPRs to aggregate and form toxic oligomers, we adopted a reductionist approach using small dipeptide repeats of 3, 6, and 12. This study shows that DPRs, particularly glycine-arginine and proline-arginine, form oligomers that exhibit distinct dye-binding properties and morphologies. Importantly, we also identified toxic DPR oligomers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia postmortem brains that are morphologically similar to those generated recombinantly. This study demonstrates that, similar to soluble oligomers formed by various amyloid proteins, DPR oligomers are toxic, independent of their repeat length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Cynthia Jerez
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Madison Kidd
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Shailee Gandhi
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
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11
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Tian Z, Jiang S, Zhou J, Zhang W. Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in mitochondria. Life Sci 2023; 334:122223. [PMID: 38084674 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria serve as sites for energy production and are essential for regulating various forms of cell death induced by metal metabolism, targeted anticancer drugs, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Cuproptosis is an autonomous form of cell death that depends on copper (Cu) and mitochondrial metabolism. Although the recent discovery of cuproptosis highlights the significance of Cu and mitochondria, there is still a lack of biological evidence and experimental verification for the underlying mechanism. We provide an overview of how Cu and cuproptosis affect mitochondrial morphology and function. Through comparison with ferroptosis, similarities and differences in mitochondrial metabolism between cuproptosis and ferroptosis have been identified. These findings provide implications for further exploration of cuproptotic mechanisms. Furthermore, we explore the correlation between cuproptosis and immunotherapy or radiosensitivity. Ultimately, we emphasize the therapeutic potential of targeting cuproptosis as a novel approach for disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziying Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Su Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jieyu Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenling Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Mei J, Xu W, Gao W, Wang C, Guan Y, Ahmad S, Ai H. Identification and characterization of the conformation and size of amyloid-β (42) oligomers targeting the receptor LilrB2. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:25229-25239. [PMID: 37700616 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02746e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Experimental observations revealed that the amyloid-β 42 oligomer (AβO) can directly bind to the LilrB2 D1D2(LDD) receptor with nanomolar-affinity, leading to changes in synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits. However, the dependence of neurotoxicity on the morphology, size, and aggregation stage (SP1, SP2) of AβO, as well as the specific molecular mechanism of AβO-LDD interaction, remain uncertain. To address these uncertainties, we investigated the interaction between the LDD neuroreceptor and AβO with different Aβ42 species (nontoxic species, toxic species, and protofibril) and sizes. Our results showed that the LDD selectively binds AβO species rather than the Aβ42 monomer, accommodating various Aβ42 dimers and trimers as well as SP2 AβO, in a specific pose in the pocket of the LDD receptor (region I). Additionally, protofibrils with exposed β1/β2 regions can also bind to region I of the LDD receptor, as observed experimentally (Cao, et al., Nat. Chem., 2018, 10, 1213; and Aim et al., Nat. Commun., 2021, 12, 3451). More extensively, we identified two additional regions of the LDD receptor, regions II and III, suitable for binding to larger AβO species at the SP1 with different molecular weights and conformations, accounting for the stronger binding strength obtained experimentally. We suggest that the two regions are more competitive than region I in causing toxicity by AβO binding. The detailed and systematic characterization for the complexes generated between the LDD receptor and various AβO species, including the protofibril, offers deep insight into the dependence of neurotoxicity on the AβO size and conformation at the molecular level, and provides novel and specific targets for drug design of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Wenqi Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Chuanbo Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Yvning Guan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
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13
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Chatterjee T, Das G, Chatterjee BK, Ghosh S, Chakrabarti P. The Role of Protein- L-isoaspartyl Methyltransferase (PIMT) in the Suppression of Toxicity of the Oligomeric Form of Aβ42, in Addition to the Inhibition of Its Fibrillization. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:2888-2901. [PMID: 37535852 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The oligomeric form of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is responsible for cognitive deficits. The soluble oligomers are believed to be more toxic compared to the fibril form. Protein-L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) is a repair enzyme that converts aberrant isoAsp residues, formed spontaneously on isomerization of normal Asp and Asn residues, back to typical Asp. It was shown to inhibit the fibrillization of Aβ42 (containing three Asp residues), and here, we investigate its effect on the size, conformation, and toxicity of Aβ42 oligomers (AβO). Far-UV CD indicated a shift in the conformational feature of AβOs from the random coil to β-sheet in the presence of PIMT. Binding of bis-ANS to different AβOs (obtained using different concentrations of Aβ42 monomer) indicated the correlation of size of oligomers to hydrophobicity: the smallest AβO having the highest hydrophobicity is the most toxic. Dynamic light scattering showed an increase in size of AβO with the addition of PIMT, a contrasting role to that on Aβ fibril. Assays using PC12-derived neurons showed the neuroprotective role of PIMT against AβO-induced toxicity. Furthermore, we have elaborated on the molecular mechanism of the antifibrillar action of PIMT and how this function is correlated with its enzymatic activity. PIMT has a more pronounced effect on AβO as compared to a small heat shock protein, pointing to its importance for the amelioration of the adverse effect of both Aβ42 oligomers and fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanaya Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, P1/12 CIT Scheme VIIM, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Gaurav Das
- Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Barun K Chatterjee
- Department of Physics, Bose Institute, 93/1 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Surajit Ghosh
- Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Pinak Chakrabarti
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, P1/12 CIT Scheme VIIM, Kolkata 700054, India
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14
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Kumar M, Teakel SL, Swarbrick C, Chowdhury IS, Thorn DC, Sunde M, Carver JA, Forwood JK. Amyloid fibril formation, structure and domain swapping of acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase-7. FEBS J 2023; 290:4057-4073. [PMID: 37042241 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16795] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase (Acot) enzymes are involved in a broad range of essential intracellular roles including cell signalling, lipid metabolism, inflammation and the opening of ion channels. Dysregulation in lipid metabolism has been linked to neuroinflammatory and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Structurally, Acot enzymes adopt a circularised trimeric arrangement with each monomer containing an N- and a C-terminal hotdog domain. Acot7 spontaneously forms amyloid fibrils in vitro under physiological conditions. The resultant amyloid fibrillar structures were characterised by dye-binding fluorescence assays, far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray fibre diffraction. Acot7 has an unusual mechanism of aggregation with no lag phase. The initial phase (~ 18 h) of aggregation involves conformational rearrangement within the oligomers to form species of enhanced β-sheet character. The subsequent loss of α-helical structure is accompanied by large-scale amyloid fibril formation. The crystal structure of Acot7 revealed an unexpected arrangement of the two domains within the circularised trimeric structure, which is the basis for a proposed mechanism of amyloid fibril formation involving domain swapping during the initial phase of aggregation. Acot7 formed fibrils in the presence of its substrate arachidonoyl-CoA and its inhibitors and maintained its enzyme activity during fibril assembly. It is proposed that the Acot7 fibrillar form acts as functional amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Kumar
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, Australia
| | - Sarah L Teakel
- School of Dentistry and Medical Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia
| | - Crystall Swarbrick
- School of Dentistry and Medical Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia
| | - Intifar S Chowdhury
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, Australia
| | - David C Thorn
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, Australia
| | - Margaret Sunde
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - John A Carver
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, Australia
| | - Jade K Forwood
- School of Dentistry and Medical Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia
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15
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Přáda Brichtová E, Krupová M, Bouř P, Lindo V, Gomes Dos Santos A, Jackson SE. Glucagon-like peptide 1 aggregates into low-molecular-weight oligomers off-pathway to fibrillation. Biophys J 2023; 122:2475-2488. [PMID: 37138517 PMCID: PMC10323027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The physical stability of peptide-based drugs is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a 31-amino acid peptide hormone, the analogs of which are frequently used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the physical stability of GLP-1 and its C-terminal amide derivative, GLP-1-Am, both of which aggregate into amyloid fibrils. While off-pathway oligomers have been proposed to explain the unusual aggregation kinetics observed previously for GLP-1 under specific conditions, these oligomers have not been studied in any detail. Such states are important as they may represent potential sources of cytotoxicity and immunogenicity. Here, we identified and isolated stable, low-molecular-weight oligomers of GLP-1 and GLP-1-Am, using size-exclusion chromatography. Under the conditions studied, isolated oligomers were shown to be resistant to fibrillation or dissociation. These oligomers contain between two and five polypeptide chains and they have a highly disordered structure as indicated by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. They are highly stable with respect to time, temperature, or agitation despite their noncovalent character, which was established using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results provide evidence of stable, low-molecular-weight oligomers that are formed by an off-pathway mechanism which competes with amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Přáda Brichtová
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Monika Krupová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic; Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Petr Bouř
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Viv Lindo
- AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sophie E Jackson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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16
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Sulatsky MI, Stepanenko OV, Stepanenko OV, Mikhailova EV, Kuznetsova IM, Turoverov KK, Sulatskaya AI. Amyloid fibrils degradation: the pathway to recovery or aggravation of the disease? Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1208059. [PMID: 37377863 PMCID: PMC10291066 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1208059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The most obvious manifestation of amyloidoses is the accumulation of amyloid fibrils as plaques in tissues and organs, which always leads to a noticeable deterioration in the patients' condition and is the main marker of the disease. For this reason, early diagnosis of amyloidosis is difficult, and inhibition of fibrillogenesis, when mature amyloids are already accumulated in large quantities, is ineffective. A new direction for amyloidosis treatment is the development of approaches aimed at the degradation of mature amyloid fibrils. In the present work, we investigated possible consequences of amyloid's degradation. Methods: We analyzed the size and morphology of amyloid degradation products by transmission and confocal laser scanning microscopy, their secondary structure and spectral properties of aromatic amino acids, intrinsic chromophore sfGFP, and fibril-bound amyloid-specific probe thioflavin T (ThT) by the absorption, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy, as well as the cytotoxicity of the formed protein aggregates by MTT-test and their resistance to ionic detergents and boiling by SDS-PAGE. Results: On the example of sfGFP fibrils (model fibrils, structural rearrangements of which can be detected by a specific change in the spectral properties of their chromophore), and pathological Aβ-peptide (Aβ42) fibrils, leading to neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease, the possible mechanisms of amyloids degradation after exposure to factors of different nature (proteins with chaperone and protease activity, denaturant, and ultrasound) was demonstrated. Our study shows that, regardless of the method of fibril degradation, the resulting species retain some amyloid's properties, including cytotoxicity, which may even be higher than that of intact amyloids. Conclusion: The results of our work indicate that the degradation of amyloid fibrils in vivo should be treated with caution since such an approach can lead not to recovery, but to aggravation of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksim I. Sulatsky
- Laboratory of cell morphology, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Olga V. Stepanenko
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Olesya V. Stepanenko
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V. Mikhailova
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina M. Kuznetsova
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Konstantin K. Turoverov
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna I. Sulatskaya
- Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
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17
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Mañucat-Tan NB, Chowdhury A, Cataldi R, Abdullah RZ, Kumita JR, Wyatt AR. Hypochlorite-induced oxidation promotes aggregation and reduces toxicity of amyloid beta 1-42. Redox Biol 2023; 63:102736. [PMID: 37216700 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Exacerbated hypochlorite (OCl-) production is linked to neurodegenerative processes, but there is growing evidence that lower levels of hypochlorite activity are important to protein homeostasis. In this study we characterise the effects of hypochlorite on the aggregation and toxicity of amyloid beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ1-42), a major component of amyloid plaques that form in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. Our results demonstrate that treatment with hypochlorite promotes the formation of Aβ1-42 assemblies ≥100 kDa that have reduced surface exposed hydrophobicity compared to the untreated peptide. This effect is the result of the oxidation of Aβ1-42 at a single site as determined by mass spectrometry analysis. Although treatment with hypochlorite promotes the aggregation of Aβ1-42, the solubility of the peptide is enhanced and amyloid fibril formation is inhibited as assessed by filter trap assay, thioflavin T assay and transmission electron microscopy. The results of in vitro assays using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells show that pre-treatment of Aβ1-42 with a sub-stoichiometric amount of hypochlorite substantially reduces its toxicity. The results of flow cytometry analysis and internalisation assays indicate that hypochlorite-induced modification of Aβ1-42 reduces its toxicity via at least two-distinct mechanism, reducing the total binding of Aβ1-42 to the surface of cells and facilitating the cell surface clearance of Aβ1-42 to lysosomes. Our data is consistent with a model in which tightly regulated production of hypochlorite in the brain is protective against Aβ-induced toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noralyn B Mañucat-Tan
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, SA, Australia, 5048
| | - Ashfaq Chowdhury
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Rodrigo Cataldi
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Rafaa Zeineddine Abdullah
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 2500
| | - Janet R Kumita
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK; Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, UK.
| | - Amy R Wyatt
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, SA, Australia, 5048.
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18
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Gabriel JM, Tan T, Rinauro DJ, Hsu CM, Buettner CJ, Gilmer M, Kaur A, McKenzie TL, Park M, Cohen S, Errico S, Wright AK, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. EGCG inactivates a pore-forming toxin by promoting its oligomerization and decreasing its solvent-exposed hydrophobicity. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 371:110307. [PMID: 36535315 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Natural proteinaceous pore-forming agents can bind and permeabilize cell membranes, leading to ion dyshomeostasis and cell death. In the search for antidotes that can protect cells from peptide toxins, we discovered that the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) interacts directly with melittin from honeybee venom, resulting in the elimination of its binding to the cell membrane and toxicity by markedly lowering the extent of its solvent-exposed hydrophobicity and promoting its oligomerization into larger species. These physicochemical parameters have also been shown to play a key role in the binding to cells of misfolded protein oligomers in a host of neurodegenerative diseases, where oligomer-membrane binding and associated toxicity have been shown to correlate negatively with oligomer size and positively with solvent-exposed hydrophobicity. For melittin, which is not an amyloid-forming protein and has a very distinct mechanism of toxicity compared to misfolded oligomers, we find that the size-hydrophobicity-toxicity relationship also rationalizes the pharmacological attenuation of melittin toxicity by EGCG. These results highlight the importance of the physicochemical properties of pore forming agents in mediating their interactions with cell membranes and suggest a possible therapeutic approach based on compounds with a similar mechanism of action as EGCG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Gabriel
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Thomas Tan
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Claire M Hsu
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Caleb J Buettner
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Marshall Gilmer
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Amrita Kaur
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Tristan L McKenzie
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Martin Park
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Sophie Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Aidan K Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
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19
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Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Gómez-Oliván LM, García-Medina S, Rosales-Pérez KE, Orozco-Hernández JM, Islas-Flores H, Galar-Martínez M, Hernández-Navarro MD. Chronic exposure to realistic concentrations of metformin prompts a neurotoxic response in Danio rerio adults. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 849:157888. [PMID: 35952892 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Metformin (MET) is among the most consumed drugs around the world, and thus, it is considered the uppermost drug in mass discharged into water settings. Nonetheless, data about the deleterious consequences of MET on water organisms are still scarce and require further investigation. Herein, we aimed to establish whether or not chronic exposure to MET (1, 20, and 40 μg/L) may alter the swimming behavior and induce neurotoxicity in Danio rerio adults. After 4 months of exposure, MET-exposed fish exhibited less swimming activity when compared to control fish. Moreover, compared with the control group, MET significantly inhibited the activity of AChE and induced oxidative damage in the brain of fish. Concerning gene expression, MET significantly upregulated the expression of Nrf1, Nrf2, BAX, p53, BACE1, APP, PSEN1, and downregulated CASP3 and CASP9. Although MET did not overexpress the CASP3 gene, we saw a meaningful rise in the activity of this enzyme in the blood of fish exposed to MET compared to the control group, which we then confirmed by a high number of apoptotic cells in the TUNEL assay. Our findings demonstrate that chronic exposure to MET may impair fish swimming behavior, making them more vulnerable to predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Sandra García-Medina
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México CP 07700, Mexico
| | - Karina Elisa Rosales-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - José Manuel Orozco-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Hariz Islas-Flores
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Marcela Galar-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México CP 07700, Mexico
| | - María Dolores Hernández-Navarro
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
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20
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Dasari AKR, Yi S, Coats MF, Wi S, Lim KH. Toxic Misfolded Transthyretin Oligomers with Different Molecular Conformations Formed through Distinct Oligomerization Pathways. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2358-2365. [PMID: 36219173 PMCID: PMC9665167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is initiated by structural changes from native polypeptides to cytotoxic oligomers, which form cross-β structured amyloid. Identification and characterization of oligomeric intermediates are critically important for understanding not only the molecular mechanism of aggregation but also the cytotoxic nature of amyloid oligomers. Preparation of misfolded oligomers for structural characterization is, however, challenging because of their transient, heterogeneous nature. Here, we report two distinct misfolded transthyretin (TTR) oligomers formed through different oligomerization pathways. A pathogenic TTR variant with a strong aggregation propensity (L55P) was used to prepare misfolded oligomers at physiological pH. Our mechanistic studies showed that the full-length TTR initially forms small oligomers, which self-assemble into short protofibrils at later stages. Enzymatic cleavage of the CD loop was also used to induce the formation of N-terminally truncated oligomers, which was detected in ex vivo cardiac TTR aggregates extracted from the tissues of patients. Structural characterization of the oligomers using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism revealed that the two TTR misfolded oligomers have distinct molecular conformations. In addition, the proteolytically cleaved TTR oligomers exhibit a higher surface hydrophobicity, suggesting the presence of distinct oligomerization pathways for TTR oligomer formation. Cytotoxicity assays also revealed that the cytotoxicity of cleaved oligomers is stronger than that of the full-length TTR oligomers, indicating that hydrophobicity might be an important property of toxic oligomers. These comparative biophysical analyses suggest that the toxic cleaved TTR oligomers formed through a different misfoling pathway may adopt distinct structural features that produce higher surface hydrophobicity, leading to the stronger cytotoxic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K. R. Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Sujung Yi
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Matthew F. Coats
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Sungsool Wi
- Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
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21
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Sarkar D, Maity NC, Shome G, Varnava KG, Sarojini V, Vivekanandan S, Sahoo N, Kumar S, Mandal AK, Biswas R, Bhunia A. Mechanistic insight into functionally different human islet polypeptide (hIAPP) amyloid: the intrinsic role of the C-terminal structural motifs. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:22250-22262. [PMID: 36098073 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01650h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Targeting amyloidosis requires high-resolution insight into the underlying mechanisms of amyloid aggregation. The sequence-specific intrinsic properties of a peptide or protein largely govern the amyloidogenic propensity. Thus, it is essential to delineate the structural motifs that define the subsequent downstream amyloidogenic cascade of events. Additionally, it is important to understand the role played by extrinsic factors, such as temperature or sample agitation, in modulating the overall energy barrier that prompts divergent nucleation events. Consequently, these changes can affect the fibrillation kinetics, resulting in structurally and functionally distinct amyloidogenic conformers associated with disease pathogenesis. Here, we have focused on human Islet Polypeptide (hIAPP) amyloidogenesis for the full-length peptide along with its N- and C-terminal fragments, under different temperatures and sample agitation conditions. This helped us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic role of specific functional epitopes in the primary structure of the peptide that regulates amyloidogenesis and subsequent cytotoxicity. Intriguingly, our study involving an array of biophysical experiments and ex vivo data suggests a direct influence of external changes on the C-terminal fibrillating sequence. Furthermore, the observations indicate a possible collaborative role of this segment in nucleating hIAPP amyloidogenesis in a physiological scenario, thus making it a potential target for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibakar Sarkar
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
| | - Narayan Chandra Maity
- Chemical, Biological and Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Gourav Shome
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India
| | - Kyriakos Gabriel Varnava
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Nirakar Sahoo
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, 78539, USA
| | - Sourav Kumar
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
| | - Atin Kumar Mandal
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India
| | - Ranjit Biswas
- Chemical, Biological and Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
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22
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Dhami KB, Karki S, Parks A, Nichols CG, Nichols MR. Development of β-sheet structure in Aβ aggregation intermediates diminishes exposed hydrophobic surface area and enhances proinflammatory activity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2022; 1870:140817. [PMID: 35905824 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2022.140817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Three decades of research, both in vitro and in vivo, have demonstrated the conformational heterogeneity that is displayed by the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Understanding the distinct properties between Aβ conformations and how conformation may impact cellular activity remain open questions, yet still continue to provide new insights into protein misfolding and aggregation. In particular, there is interest in the group of soluble oligomeric prefibrillar Aβ species comprising lower molecular weight oligomers up to larger protofibrils. In the current study, a number of strategies were utilized to separate Aβ protofibrils and oligomers and show that the smaller Aβ oligomers have a much different conformation than Aβ protofibrils. The differences were consistent for both Aβ40 and Aβ42. Protofibrils bound thioflavin T to a greater extent than oligomers, and were highly enriched in β-sheet secondary structure. Aβ oligomers possessed a more open structure with significant solvent exposure of hydrophobic domains as determined by tryptophan fluorescence and bis-ANS binding, respectively. The protofibril-selective antibody AbSL readily discerned conformational differences between protofibrils and oligomers. The more developed structure for Aβ protofibrils ultimately proved critical for provoking the release of tumor necrosis factor α from microglial cells. The findings demonstrated a dependency on β-sheet structure for soluble Aβ aggregates to cause a microglial inflammatory response. The Aβ aggregation process yields many conformationally-varied species with different levels of β-structure and exposed hydrophobicity. The conformation elements likely determine biological activity and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kapur B Dhami
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sanjib Karki
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Antanisha Parks
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Cameron G Nichols
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael R Nichols
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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23
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Forloni G, La Vitola P, Balducci C. Oligomeropathies, inflammation and prion protein binding. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:822420. [PMID: 36081661 PMCID: PMC9445368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.822420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central role of oligomers, small soluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is recognized in numerous experimental conditions and is compatible with clinical evidence. To underline this concept, some years ago we coined the term oligomeropathies to define the common mechanism of action of protein misfolding diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson or prion diseases. Using simple experimental conditions, with direct application of synthetic β amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers intraventricularly at micromolar concentrations, we could detect differences and similarities in the biological consequences. The two oligomer species affected cognitive behavior, neuronal dysfunction and cerebral inflammatory reactions with distinct mechanisms. In these experimental conditions the proposed mediatory role of cellular prion protein in oligomer activities was not confirmed. Together with oligomers, inflammation at different levels can be important early in neurodegenerative disorders; both β amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers induce inflammation and its control strongly affects neuronal dysfunction. This review summarizes our studies with β-amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers, also considering the potential curative role of doxycycline, a well-known antibiotic with anti-amyloidogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. These actions are analyzed in terms of the therapeutic prospects.
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24
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Singh R, Kundu P, Bhattacharje G, Das AK. Mycobacterium tuberculosis low molecular weight T-cell antigen Mtb8.4 has heme-binding and fiber-forming properties. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:2678-2695. [PMID: 35795993 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Mtb8.4, a secretory T-cell antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is important for providing an antigen-specific immune response. In this study, we showed Mtb8.4 to have both heme-binding and fibril-forming properties, using experimental and in silico methods. High absorbance at 410 nm and interaction with hemin-agarose demonstrated its heme-binding nature. Titration of Mtb8.4 with heme resulted in 1:1 stoichiometry. The heme-binding pocket in Mtb8.4 was identified by molecular modeling, and binding residues were predicted using molecular docking. The molecular dynamics simulations of apo- and heme-bound Mtb8.4 confirmed that the heme group forms a stable complex. Transmission electron microscopy analyses and dye-binding assays showed that Mtb8.4 forms fibers. Computational studies predicted that the C-terminal sequence (93 AAQYIGLVESV103 ) is important for forming fibers. In silico analyses further anticipated the probable epitope (82 AMAAQLQAV90 ) of Mtb8.4. The fiber-forming properties of Mtb8.4 could be advantageous from a vaccine perspective for aggregate/fibril-based vaccine delivery or it might influence the epitope presentation of Mtb8.4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashika Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Prasun Kundu
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Gourab Bhattacharje
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Amit Kumar Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
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25
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Mei J, Yang H, Ahmad S, Ma X, Xu W, Gao W, Li Y, Wang C, Ai H. Toxicity Mechanism of Aβ42 Oligomer in the Binding between the GABA BR1a sushi1 Domain and Amyloid Precursor Protein 9mer: A Mechanism like Substitution Reaction. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2048-2059. [PMID: 35737468 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), characterized by its abnormal folding into neurotoxic aggregates, impairs synaptic plasticity and causes synaptic loss associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The neurotoxicity of Aβ oligomers via the binding to various cell-surface receptors was frequently observed experimentally; however, the toxic mechanism still remains unknown. In this paper, we study the intervention of Aβ oligomers to the receptor-peptide binding in the GABABR1a sushi1-APP 9mer complex, a key node in increasing short-term synaptic facilitation in the mouse hippocampus and decreasing neuronal activity by inhibiting neurotransmitter release by molecular dynamics simulations. The residue types of Aβ42 oligomers involved in the intervention and core contact areas of the receptor were first identified, by which an unprecedented toxicity mechanism of Aβ42 oligomers is proposed. These involved residues of Aβ42 oligomers are positively charged residues Asp and Glu, and the core area of GABABR1a sushi1 domain is the Coil one, sharing the rich negatively charged residues R19/R21/R25/R45 with the pocket, in which APP 9mer is locked. The presence of an Aβ42 oligomer rather than of a monomer stretches these key residues in the core area and consequently "unlocks and releases" the APP 9mer from its initial pocket, unsteadying the sushi1 domain and taking into toxic effect. It looks like a chemical "substitution" reaction, Aβ42 oligomer + GABABR1a sushi1-APP 9mer complex → Aβ42 oligomer-GABABR1a sushi1 complex + APP 9mer. Further analysis reveals that the toxicity of Aβ42 oligomer to GABABR1a sushi1 domain stability depends on the residue number of the contact area and the size of Aβ42 oligomer, in which semi-extended trimeric Aβ42 oligomer is identified as the most toxic one. This work provides a novel insight into the mechanism of Aβ oligomeric toxicity to neuroreceptors and sets an important precedent for dealing with Aβ oligomeric toxicity to other receptors at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Huijuan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohong Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Wenqi Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Ye Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Chuanbo Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P.R. China
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26
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Mondal S, Das S, Paul S, Barik S, Swamy MJ. Low-pH Molten Globule-Like Form of CIA17, a Chitooligosaccharide-Specific Lectin from the Phloem Exudate of Coccinia indica, Retains Carbohydrate-Binding Ability. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:4049-4060. [PMID: 35621271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
pH-induced changes in the conformation, structural dynamics, and carbohydrate-binding activity of Coccinia indica agglutinin (CIA17), a PP2-type lectin, were investigated employing biophysical approaches. The secondary structure of CIA17 remains nearly unaltered over a wide pH range (2.0-8.5), while the tertiary structure of the protein exhibits considerable changes. A decrease in the fluorescence intensity and excited-state lifetime at low pH indicated perturbation in the local conformation (near Trp residues) of CIA17, which was further supported by enhancement in the Trp accessibility toward charged quenchers under acidic conditions. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopic studies indicated that at pH 2.0, CIA17 exists as a monomer over the concentration range of 10-200 nM and forms dimers at higher concentrations (KD ∼ 387 nM) but could not form higher oligomers even at ∼150-fold higher concentrations, unlike under native conditions at pH 7.4. Thermal unfolding of the low pH intermediate involves two distinct steps: dissociation of a dimer to a monomer, followed by the unfolding of the monomer. These results strongly suggest that the acid-induced unfolding pathway of CIA17 involves the formation of a monomeric molten globule-like intermediate, which retains appreciable carbohydrate-binding ability. These observations are of great physiological significance since the PP2 proteins are involved in plant defense responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saradamoni Mondal
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046, India
| | - Somnath Das
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046, India
| | - Sumanta Paul
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046, India
| | - Shilpa Barik
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046, India
| | - Musti J Swamy
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046, India
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27
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Elzes MR, Mertens I, Sedlacek O, Verbraeken B, Doensen ACA, Mees MA, Glassner M, Jana S, Paulusse JMJ, Hoogenboom R. Linear Poly(ethylenimine-propylenimine) Random Copolymers for Gene Delivery: From Polymer Synthesis to Efficient Transfection with High Serum Tolerance. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2459-2470. [PMID: 35499242 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Naturally occurring oligoamines, such as spermine, spermidine, and putrescine, are well-known regulators of gene expression. These oligoamines frequently have short alkyl spacers with varying lengths between the amines. Linear polyethylenimine (PEI) is a polyamine that has been widely applied as a gene vector, with various formulations currently in clinical trials. In order to emulate natural oligoamine gene regulators, linear random copolymers containing both PEI and polypropylenimine (PPI) repeat units were designed as novel gene delivery agents. In general, statistical copolymerization of 2-oxazolines and 2-oxazines leads to the formation of gradient copolymers. In this study, however, we describe for the first time the synthesis of near-ideal random 2-oxazoline/2-oxazine copolymers through careful tuning of the monomer structures and reactivity as well as polymerization conditions. These copolymers were then transformed into near-random PEI-PPI copolymers by controlled side-chain hydrolysis. The prepared PEI-PPI copolymers formed stable polyplexes with GFP-encoding plasmid DNA, as validated by dynamic light scattering. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of polyplexes were evaluated in C2C12 mouse myoblasts. While the polymer chain length did not significantly increase the toxicity, a higher PPI content was associated with increased toxicity and also lowered the amount of polymers needed to achieve efficient transfection. The transfection efficiency was significantly influenced by the degree of polymerization of PEI-PPI, whereby longer polymers resulted in more transfected cells. Copolymers with 60% or lower PPI content exhibited a good balance between high plasmid-DNA transfection efficiency and low toxicity. Interestingly, these novel PEI-PPI copolymers revealed exceptional serum tolerance, whereby transfection efficiencies of up to 53% of transfected cells were achieved even under 50% serum conditions. These copolymers, especially PEI-PPI with DP500 and a 1:1 PEI/PPI ratio, were identified as promising transfection agents for plasmid DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rachèl Elzes
- Department of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Institute for Health and Biomedical Technologies, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Ine Mertens
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ondrej Sedlacek
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Bart Verbraeken
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aniek C A Doensen
- Department of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Institute for Health and Biomedical Technologies, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.,Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maarten A Mees
- Department of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Institute for Health and Biomedical Technologies, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Mathias Glassner
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Somdeb Jana
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jos M J Paulusse
- Department of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Institute for Health and Biomedical Technologies, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Richard Hoogenboom
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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28
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Kreiser RP, Wright AK, Sasser LR, Rinauro DJ, Gabriel JM, Hsu CM, Hurtado JA, McKenzie TL, Errico S, Albright JA, Richardson L, Jaffett VA, Riegner DE, Nguyen LT, LeForte K, Zasloff M, Hollows JE, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. A Brain-Permeable Aminosterol Regulates Cell Membranes to Mitigate the Toxicity of Diverse Pore-Forming Agents. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1219-1231. [PMID: 35404569 PMCID: PMC9026273 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
The molecular composition
of the plasma membrane plays a key role
in mediating the susceptibility of cells to perturbations induced
by toxic molecules. The pharmacological regulation of the properties
of the cell membrane has therefore the potential to enhance cellular
resilience to a wide variety of chemical and biological compounds.
In this study, we investigate the ability of claramine, a blood–brain
barrier permeable small molecule in the aminosterol class, to neutralize
the toxicity of acute biological threat agents, including melittin
from honeybee venom and α-hemolysin from Staphylococcus
aureus. Our results show that claramine neutralizes
the toxicity of these pore-forming agents by preventing their interactions
with cell membranes without perturbing their structures in a detectable
manner. We thus demonstrate that the exogenous administration of an
aminosterol can tune the properties of lipid membranes and protect
cells from diverse biotoxins, including not just misfolded protein
oligomers as previously shown but also biological protein-based toxins.
Our results indicate that the investigation of regulators of the physicochemical
properties of cell membranes offers novel opportunities to develop
countermeasures against an extensive set of cytotoxic effects associated
with cell membrane disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P. Kreiser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Aidan K. Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Liam R. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dillon J. Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Justus M. Gabriel
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Claire M. Hsu
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Jorge A. Hurtado
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Tristan L. McKenzie
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - J. Alex Albright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lance Richardson
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Victor A. Jaffett
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dawn E. Riegner
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Kathleen LeForte
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Michael Zasloff
- MedStar-Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, United States
| | - Jared E. Hollows
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
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29
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Amyloid Cross-Seeding: Mechanism, Implication, and Inhibition. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061776. [PMID: 35335141 PMCID: PMC8955620 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Most neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, etc. are caused by inclusions and plaques containing misfolded protein aggregates. These protein aggregates are essentially formed by the interactions of either the same (homologous) or different (heterologous) sequences. Several experimental pieces of evidence have revealed the presence of cross-seeding in amyloid proteins, which results in a multicomponent assembly; however, the molecular and structural details remain less explored. Here, we discuss the amyloid proteins and the cross-seeding phenomena in detail. Data suggest that targeting the common epitope of the interacting amyloid proteins may be a better therapeutic option than targeting only one species. We also examine the dual inhibitors that target the amyloid proteins participating in the cross-seeding events. The future scopes and major challenges in understanding the mechanism and developing therapeutics are also considered. Detailed knowledge of the amyloid cross-seeding will stimulate further research in the practical aspects and better designing anti-amyloid therapeutics.
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30
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Effects of oligomer toxicity, fibril toxicity and fibril spreading in synucleinopathies. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:174. [PMID: 35244787 PMCID: PMC8897347 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04166-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding is a general hallmark of protein deposition diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, in which different types of aggregated species (oligomers, protofibrils and fibrils) are generated by the cells. Despite widespread interest, the relationship between oligomers and fibrils in the aggregation process and spreading remains elusive. A large variety of experimental evidences supported the idea that soluble oligomeric species of different proteins might be more toxic than the larger fibrillar forms. Furthermore, the lack of correlation between the presence of the typical pathological inclusions and disease sustained this debate. However, recent data show that the β-sheet core of the α-Synuclein (αSyn) fibrils is unable to establish persistent interactions with the lipid bilayers, but they can release oligomeric species responsible for an immediate dysfunction of the recipient neurons. Reversibly, such oligomeric species could also contribute to pathogenesis via neuron-to-neuron spreading by their direct cell-to-cell transfer or by generating new fibrils, following their neuronal uptake. In this Review, we discuss the various mechanisms of cellular dysfunction caused by αSyn, including oligomer toxicity, fibril toxicity and fibril spreading.
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31
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Mrdenovic D, Pieta IS, Nowakowski R, Kutner W, Lipkowski J, Pieta P. Amyloid β interaction with model cell membranes - What are the toxicity-defining properties of amyloid β? Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 200:520-531. [PMID: 35074328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.01.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of the neuronal membrane by toxic amyloid β oligomers is hypothesized to be the major event associated with Alzheimer's disease's neurotoxicity. Misfolding of amyloid β is followed by aggregation via different pathways in which structurally different amyloid β oligomers can be formed. The respective toxic actions of these structurally diverse oligomers can vary significantly. Linking a particular toxic action to a structurally unique kind of amyloid β oligomers and resolving their toxicity-determining feature remains challenging because of their transient stability and heterogeneity. Moreover, the lipids that make up the membrane affect amyloid β oligomers' behavior, thus adding to the problem's complexity. The present review compares and analyzes the latest results to improve understanding of amyloid β oligomers' interaction with lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusan Mrdenovic
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Izabela S Pieta
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Nowakowski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz Kutner
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, School of Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-815 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Lipkowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Piotr Pieta
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
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Xu CK, Castellana-Cruz M, Chen SW, Du Z, Meisl G, Levin A, Mannini B, Itzhaki LS, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, Cremades N, Kumita JR. The Pathological G51D Mutation in Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers Confers Distinct Structural Attributes and Cellular Toxicity. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27041293. [PMID: 35209093 PMCID: PMC8879557 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A wide variety of oligomeric structures are formed during the aggregation of proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Such soluble oligomers are believed to be key toxic species in the related disorders; therefore, identification of the structural determinants of toxicity is of upmost importance. Here, we analysed toxic oligomers of α-synuclein and its pathological variants in order to identify structural features that could be related to toxicity and found a novel structural polymorphism within G51D oligomers. These G51D oligomers can adopt a variety of β-sheet-rich structures with differing degrees of α-helical content, and the helical structural content of these oligomers correlates with the level of induced cellular dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells. This structure–function relationship observed in α-synuclein oligomers thus presents the α-helical structure as another potential structural determinant that may be linked with cellular toxicity in amyloid-related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine K. Xu
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Marta Castellana-Cruz
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Serene W. Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
| | - Zhen Du
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
| | - Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Aviad Levin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Laura S. Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Nunilo Cremades
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor, Edificio I+D+I, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Correspondence: (N.C.); (J.R.K.)
| | - Janet R. Kumita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
- Correspondence: (N.C.); (J.R.K.)
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Zaidi N, Ajmal MR, Zaidi SA, Khan RH. Mechanistic In Vitro Dissection of the Inhibition of Amyloid Fibrillation by n-Acetylneuraminic Acid: Plausible Implication in Therapeutics for Neurodegenerative Disorders. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:69-80. [PMID: 34878262 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease are due to fibrillation in amyloidogenic proteins. The development of therapeutics for these disorders is a topic of extensive research as effective treatments are still unavailable. The present study establishes that n-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5ac) inhibits the amyloid fibrillation of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) and α-synuclein (SYN), as observed using various biophysical techniques and cellular assays. Neu5ac inhibits the amyloid formation in both proteins, as suggested from the reduction in the ThT fluorescence and remnant structures in transmission electron microscopy micrographs observed in its presence. In HEWL fibrillation, Neu5ac decreases the hydrophobicity and resists the transition of the α-helix to a β-sheet, as observed by an ANS binding assay, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, and Fourier transform infrared measurements, respectively. Neu5ac stabilizes the states that facilitate the amyloid formation in HEWL and SYN, as demonstrated by an enhanced intrinsic fluorescence in its presence, which is further confirmed by an increase in Tm obtained from differential scanning calorimetry thermograms and an increase in the near-UV CD signal for HEWL with Neu5ac. However, the increase in stability is not a manifestation of Neu5ac binding to amyloid facilitating (partially folded or native) states of both proteins, as verified by isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence binding measurements. Besides, Neu5ac also attenuates the cytotoxicity of amyloid fibrils, as evaluated by a cell toxicity assay. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the Neu5ac action against amyloid fibrillation and may establish it as a plausible inhibitor molecule against neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nida Zaidi
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Mohammad Rehan Ajmal
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Syed Adeel Zaidi
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Rizwan Hasan Khan
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
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34
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Man VH, Lin D, He X, Gao J, Wang J. Joint Computational/Cell-Based Approach for Screening Inhibitors of Tau Oligomerization: A Proof-of-Concept Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 89:107-119. [PMID: 35848028 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tau assembly produces soluble oligomers and insoluble neurofibrillary tangles, which are neurotoxic to the brain and associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Therefore, preventing tau aggregation is a promising therapy for those neurodegenerative disorders. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to develop a joint computational/cell-based oligomerization protocol for screening inhibitors of tau assembly. METHODS Virtual oligomerization inhibition (VOI) experiment using molecular dynamics simulation was performed to screen potential oligomerization inhibitors of PHF6 hexapeptide. Tau seeding assay, which is directly related to the outcome of therapeutic intervention, was carried out to confirm a ligand's ability in inhibiting tau assembly formation. RESULTS Our protocol was tested on two known compounds, EGCG and Blarcamesine. EGCG inhibited both the aggregation of PHF6 peptide in VOI and tau assembly in tau seeding assay, while Blarcamesine was not a good inhibitor at the two tasks. We also pointed out that good binding affinity to tau aggregates is needed, but not sufficient for a ligand to become a good inhibitor of tau oligomerization. CONCLUSION VOI goes beyond traditional computational inhibitor screening of amyloid aggregation by directly examining the inhibitory ability of a ligand to tau oligomerization. Comparing with the traditional biochemical assays, tau seeding activities in cells is a better indicator for the outcome of a therapeutic intervention. Our hybrid protocol has been successfully validated. It can effectively and efficiently identify the inhibitors of amyloid oligomerization/aggregation processes, thus, facilitate to the drug development of tau-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet Hoang Man
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Da Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Xibing He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Sanders HM, Jovcevski B, Marty MT, Pukala TL. Structural and mechanistic insights into amyloid-β and α-synuclein fibril formation and polyphenol inhibitor efficacy in phospholipid bilayers. FEBS J 2022; 289:215-230. [PMID: 34268903 PMCID: PMC8727495 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Under certain cellular conditions, functional proteins undergo misfolding, leading to a transition into oligomers which precede the formation of amyloid fibrils. Misfolding proteins are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. While the importance of lipid membranes in misfolding and disease aetiology is broadly accepted, the influence of lipid membranes during therapeutic design has been largely overlooked. This study utilized a biophysical approach to provide mechanistic insights into the effects of two lipid membrane systems (anionic and zwitterionic) on the inhibition of amyloid-β 40 and α-synuclein amyloid formation at the monomer, oligomer and fibril level. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) were shown to increase fibrillization and largely decrease the effectiveness of two well-known polyphenol fibril inhibitors, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and resveratrol; however, use of immunoblotting and ion mobility mass spectrometry revealed this occurs through varying mechanisms. Oligomeric populations in particular were differentially affected by LUVs in the presence of resveratrol, an elongation phase inhibitor, compared to EGCG, a nucleation targeted inhibitor. Ion mobility mass spectrometry showed EGCG interacts with or induces more compact forms of monomeric protein typical of off-pathway structures; however, binding is reduced in the presence of LUVs, likely due to partitioning in the membrane environment. Competing effects of the lipids and inhibitor, along with reduced inhibitor binding in the presence of LUVs, provide a mechanistic understanding of decreased inhibitor efficacy in a lipid environment. Together, this study highlights that amyloid inhibitor design may be misguided if effects of lipid membrane composition and architecture are not considered during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M. Sanders
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Blagojce Jovcevski
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Michael T. Marty
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Tara L. Pukala
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia,Correspondence: Tara L. Pukala: School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; ; Tel. +61 8 8313 5497
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Niyangoda C, Barton J, Bushra N, Karunarathne K, Strauss G, Fakhre F, Koria P, Muschol M. Origin, toxicity and characteristics of two amyloid oligomer polymorphs. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1631-1642. [PMID: 34977578 PMCID: PMC8637835 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00081k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that small oligomeric aggregates, emerging during the assembly of amyloid fibrils and plaques, are important molecular pathogens in many amyloid diseases. While significant progress has been made in revealing the mechanisms underlying fibril growth, understanding how amyloid oligomers fit into the fibril assembly process, and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of amyloid diseases, has remained elusive. Commonly, amyloid oligomers are considered to be metastable, early-stage precursors to fibril formation that are either on- or off-pathway from fibril growth. In addition, amyloid oligomers have been reported to colocalize with late-stage fibrils and plaques. Whether these early and late-stage oligomer species are identical or distinct, and whether both are relevant to pathogenesis remains unclear. Here we report on the formation of two distinct oligomer species of lysozyme, formed either during the early or late-stages of in vitro fibril growth. We further observe that the pH change from in vitro growth conditions to cell media used for toxicity studies induced distinct mesoscopic precipitates, two of which resemble either diffuse or neuritic plaques seen in Alzheimer's histology. Our biophysical characterization indicates that both oligomer species share morphological and tinctorial features considered characteristic for amyloid oligomers. At the same time, their sizes, morphologies, their immunostaining, detailed tinctorial profiles and, most prominently, their biological activity are clearly distinct from each other. Probing the conditions promoting the formation of these two distinct oligomer species suggests distinct roles of charge interactions, hydrophobicity and monomer flexibility in directing oligomer assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Barton
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Nabila Bushra
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | | | - Graham Strauss
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Fadia Fakhre
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Piyush Koria
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Martin Muschol
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
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37
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Pathak BK, Dey S, Mozumder S, Sengupta J. The role of membranes in function and dysfunction of intrinsically disordered amyloidogenic proteins. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:397-434. [PMID: 35034725 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-protein interactions play a major role in human physiology as well as in diseases pathology. Interaction of a protein with the membrane was previously thought to be dependent on well-defined three-dimensional structure of the protein. In recent decades, however, it has become evident that a large fraction of the proteome, particularly in eukaryotes, stays disordered in solution and these proteins are termed as intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Also, a vast majority of human proteomes have been reported to contain substantially long disordered regions, called intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), in addition to the structurally ordered regions. IDPs exist in an ensemble of conformations and the conformational flexibility enables IDPs to achieve functional diversity. IDPs (and IDRs) are found to be important players in cell signaling, where biological membranes act as anchors for signaling cascades. Therefore, IDPs modulate the membrane architectures, at the same time membrane composition also affects the binding of IDPs. Because of intrinsic disorders, misfolding of IDPs often leads to formation of oligomers, protofibrils and mature fibrils through progressive self-association. Accumulation of amyloid-like aggregates of some of the IDPs is a known causative agent for numerous diseases. In this chapter we highlight recent advances in understanding membrane interactions of some of the intrinsically disordered proteins involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bani Kumar Pathak
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India
| | - Sandip Dey
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India
| | - Sukanya Mozumder
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Jayati Sengupta
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
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38
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Dhakal S, Saha J, Wyant CE, Rangachari V. αS Oligomers Generated from Interactions with a Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid and a Dopamine Metabolite Differentially Interact with Aβ to Enhance Neurotoxicity. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4153-4161. [PMID: 34665617 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly becoming clear that neurodegenerative diseases are not as discrete as originally thought to be but display significant overlap in histopathological and clinical presentations. For example, nearly half of the patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD) show symptoms and pathological features of one another. Yet, the molecular events and features that underlie such comorbidities in neurodegenerative diseases remain poorly understood. Here, inspired to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the overlap between AD and PD, we investigated the interactions between amyloid-β (Aβ) and α-synuclein (αS), aggregates of which form the major components of amyloid plaques and Lewy bodies, respectively. Specifically, we focused on αS oligomers generated from the dopamine metabolite called dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) and a polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The two αS oligomers showed structural and conformational differences as confirmed by the disparity in size, secondary structure, susceptibility to proteinase K digestion, and cytotoxicity. More importantly, the two oligomers differentially modulated Aβ aggregation; while both inhibited Aβ aggregation to varying extents, they also induced structurally different Aβ assemblies. Furthermore, Aβ seeded with DHA-derived αS oligomers showed greater toxicity than DOPAL-derived αS oligomers in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. These results provide insights into the interactions between two amyloid proteins with empirically distinctive biophysical and cellular manifestations, enunciating a basis for potentially ubiquitous cross-amyloid interactions across many neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra Dhakal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Courtney E. Wyant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
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39
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Malhis M, Kaniyappan S, Aillaud I, Chandupatla RR, Ramirez LM, Zweckstetter M, Horn AHC, Mandelkow E, Sticht H, Funke SA. Potent Tau Aggregation Inhibitor D-Peptides Selected against Tau-Repeat 2 Using Mirror Image Phage Display. Chembiochem 2021; 22:3049-3059. [PMID: 34375027 PMCID: PMC8596876 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies are associated with neurofibrillary tangles composed of Tau protein, as well as toxic Tau oligomers. Therefore, inhibitors of pathological Tau aggregation are potentially useful candidates for future therapies targeting Tauopathies. Two hexapeptides within Tau, designated PHF6* (275-VQIINK-280) and PHF6 (306-VQIVYK-311), are known to promote Tau aggregation. Recently, the PHF6* segment has been described as the more potent driver of Tau aggregation. We therefore employed mirror-image phage display with a large peptide library to identify PHF6* fibril binding peptides consisting of D-enantiomeric amino acids. The suitability of D-enantiomeric peptides for in vivo applications, which are protease stable and less immunogenic than L-peptides, has already been demonstrated. The identified D-enantiomeric peptide MMD3 and its retro-inverso form, designated MMD3rev, inhibited in vitro fibrillization of the PHF6* peptide, the repeat domain of Tau as well as full-length Tau. Dynamic light scattering, pelleting assays and atomic force microscopy demonstrated that MMD3 prevents the formation of tau β-sheet-rich fibrils by diverting Tau into large amorphous aggregates. NMR data suggest that the D-enantiomeric peptides bound to Tau monomers with rather low affinity, but ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) data demonstrated binding to PHF6* and full length Tau fibrils. In addition, molecular insight into the binding mode of MMD3 to PHF6* fibrils were gained by in silico modelling. The identified PHF6*-targeting peptides were able to penetrate cells. The study establishes PHF6* fibril binding peptides consisting of D-enantiomeric amino acids as potential molecules for therapeutic and diagnostic applications in AD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Malhis
- Institut für BioanalytikHochschule für angewandte WissenschaftenCoburgGermany
| | - Senthilvelrajan Kaniyappan
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)BonnGermany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric PsychiatryUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Isabelle Aillaud
- Institut für BioanalytikHochschule für angewandte WissenschaftenCoburgGermany
| | | | - Lisa Marie Ramirez
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)GöttingenGermany
| | | | - Anselm H. C. Horn
- Institut für BiochemieFriedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergErlangenGermany
- Institut für Medizinische GenetikUniversität Zürich SchlierenZürichSwitzerland
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)BonnGermany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric PsychiatryUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
- CAESAR Research CenterBonnGermany
| | - Heinrich Sticht
- Institut für BiochemieFriedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergErlangenGermany
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40
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Limbocker R, Errico S, Barbut D, Knowles TPJ, Vendruscolo M, Chiti F, Zasloff M. Squalamine and trodusquemine: two natural products for neurodegenerative diseases, from physical chemistry to the clinic. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 39:742-753. [PMID: 34698757 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00042j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 1993 to 2021 (mainly 2017-2021)Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are neurodegenerative conditions affecting over 50 million people worldwide. Since these disorders are still largely intractable pharmacologically, discovering effective treatments is of great urgency and importance. These conditions are characteristically associated with the aberrant deposition of proteinaceous aggregates in the brain, and with the formation of metastable intermediates known as protein misfolded oligomers that play a central role in their aetiology. In this Highlight article, we review the evidence at the physicochemical, cellular, animal model and clinical levels on how the natural products squalamine and trodusquemine offer promising opportunities for chronic treatments for these progressive conditions by preventing both the formation of neurotoxic oligomers and their interaction with cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, USA
| | - Silvia Errico
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy. .,Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Denise Barbut
- Enterin Inc., 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK. .,Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy.
| | - Michael Zasloff
- Enterin Inc., 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.,MedStar-Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
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41
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Babych M, Nguyen PT, Côté-Cyr M, Kihal N, Quittot N, Golizeh M, Sleno L, Bourgault S. Site-Specific Alkylation of the Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Accelerates Self-Assembly and Potentiates Perturbation of Lipid Membranes. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2285-2299. [PMID: 34264642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of insoluble amyloids in the pancreatic islets is a pathological hallmark of type II diabetes and correlates closely with the loss of β-cell mass. The predominant component of these amyloid deposits is the islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). The factors contributing to the conversion of IAPP from a monomeric bioactive peptide hormone into insoluble amyloid fibrils remain partially elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of the oxidative non-enzymatic post-translational modification induced by the reactive metabolite 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) on IAPP aggregation and cytotoxicity. Incubation of IAPP with exogenous HNE accelerated its self-assembly into β-sheet fibrils and led to the formation of a Michael adduct on the His-18 side chain. To model this covalent modification, the imidazole N(π) position of histidine was alkylated using a close analogue of HNE, the octyl chain. IAPP lipidated at His-18 showed a hastened random coil-to-β-sheet conformational conversion into fibrillar assemblies with a distinct morphology, a low level of binding to thioflavin T, and a high surface hydrophobicity. Introducing an octyl chain on His-18 enhanced the ability of the peptide to perturb synthetic lipid vesicles, to permeabilize the plasma membrane, and to induce the death of pancreatic β-cells. Alkylated IAPP triggered the self-assembly of unmodified IAPP by prompting primary nucleation and increased its capacity to perturb the plasma membrane, indicating that only a small proportion of the modified peptide is necessary to shift the balance toward the formation of proteotoxic species. This study underlines the importance of studying IAPP post-translational modifications induced by oxidative metabolites in the context of pancreatic amyloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaryta Babych
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
| | - Phuong Trang Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
| | - Mélanie Côté-Cyr
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
| | - Nadjib Kihal
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
| | - Noé Quittot
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
| | - Makan Golizeh
- Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Concordia University of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB T5B 4E4, Canada
| | - Lekha Sleno
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, http://proteo.ca/en/
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42
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Perni M, Mannini B, Xu CK, Kumita JR, Dobson CM, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M. Exogenous misfolded protein oligomers can cross the intestinal barrier and cause a disease phenotype in C. elegans. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14391. [PMID: 34257326 PMCID: PMC8277765 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93527-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolded protein oligomers are increasingly recognized as highly cytotoxic agents in a wide range of human disorders associated with protein aggregation. In this study, we assessed the possible uptake and resulting toxic effects of model protein oligomers administered to C. elegans through the culture medium. We used an automated machine-vision, high-throughput screening procedure to monitor the phenotypic changes in the worms, in combination with confocal microscopy to monitor the diffusion of the oligomers, and oxidative stress assays to detect their toxic effects. Our results suggest that the oligomers can diffuse from the intestinal lumen to other tissues, resulting in a disease phenotype. We also observed that pre-incubation of the oligomers with a molecular chaperone (αB-crystallin) or a small molecule inhibitor of protein aggregation (squalamine), reduced the oligomer absorption. These results indicate that exogenous misfolded protein oligomers can be taken up by the worms from their environment and spread across tissues, giving rise to pathological effects in regions distant from their place of absorbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Perni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Catherine K Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Janet R Kumita
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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43
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Limbocker R, Staats R, Chia S, Ruggeri FS, Mannini B, Xu CK, Perni M, Cascella R, Bigi A, Sasser LR, Block NR, Wright AK, Kreiser RP, Custy ET, Meisl G, Errico S, Habchi J, Flagmeier P, Kartanas T, Hollows JE, Nguyen LT, LeForte K, Barbut D, Kumita JR, Cecchi C, Zasloff M, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M. Squalamine and Its Derivatives Modulate the Aggregation of Amyloid-β and α-Synuclein and Suppress the Toxicity of Their Oligomers. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:680026. [PMID: 34220435 PMCID: PMC8249941 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.680026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The aberrant aggregation of proteins is a key molecular event in the development and progression of a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders. We have shown previously that squalamine and trodusquemine, two natural products in the aminosterol class, can modulate the aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and of α-synuclein (αS), which are associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this work, we expand our previous analyses to two squalamine derivatives, des-squalamine and α-squalamine, obtaining further insights into the mechanism by which aminosterols modulate Aβ and αS aggregation. We then characterize the ability of these small molecules to alter the physicochemical properties of stabilized oligomeric species in vitro and to suppress the toxicity of these aggregates to varying degrees toward human neuroblastoma cells. We found that, despite the fact that these aminosterols exert opposing effects on Aβ and αS aggregation under the conditions that we tested, the modifications that they induced to the toxicity of oligomers were similar. Our results indicate that the suppression of toxicity is mediated by the displacement of toxic oligomeric species from cellular membranes by the aminosterols. This study, thus, provides evidence that aminosterols could be rationally optimized in drug discovery programs to target oligomer toxicity in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Limbocker
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Roxine Staats
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Chia
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco S. Ruggeri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine K. Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Perni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Liam R. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Natalie R. Block
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Aidan K. Wright
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Ryan P. Kreiser
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Edward T. Custy
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Georg Meisl
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Flagmeier
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tadas Kartanas
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jared E. Hollows
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Kathleen LeForte
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | | | - Janet R. Kumita
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michael Zasloff
- Enterin Inc., Philadelphia, PA, United States
- MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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44
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Li MH, Manathunga L, London E, Raleigh DP. The Fluorescent Dye 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene Binds to Amyloid Fibrils Formed by Human Amylin and Provides a New Probe of Amylin Amyloid Kinetics. Biochemistry 2021; 60:1964-1970. [PMID: 34128641 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The fluorescent dye 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) is widely used as a probe of membrane order. We show that DPH also interacts with amyloid fibrils formed by human amylin (h-amylin, also known as islet amyloid polypeptide) in solution, and this results in a 100-fold increase in DPH fluorescence for a sample of 20 μM h-amylin and 0.25 μM DPH. No increase in DPH fluorescence is observed with the non-amyloidogenic rat amylin or with freshly dissolved, nonfibrillar h-amylin. The time course of amyloid formation by amylin was followed by monitoring the fluorescence of added DPH as a function of time and was similar to that monitored by the standard fluorescent probe thioflavin-T. The inclusion of DPH in the buffer did not perturb the time course of amyloid formation under the conditions examined, and the time course was independent of the range of DPH concentrations tested (0.25-5 μM). The maximum final fluorescence intensity is observed at substoichiometric ratios of DPH to amylin. No significant increase in fluorescence was observed during the lag phase of amyloid formation, and the implications for the structure of amylin prefibril oligomers are discussed. h-Amylin contains three aromatic residues. A triple aromatic to leucine mutant forms amyloid, and DPH binds to the resulting fibrils, indicating that interactions with aromatic side chains are not required for DPH-amylin amyloid interactions. DPH may be especially useful for studies of mutant amylins and other polypeptides in which changes in charged residues might complicate interpretation of thioflavin-T fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hao Li
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Lakshan Manathunga
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Erwin London
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Daniel P Raleigh
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
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45
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Garfagnini T, Levi-Kalisman Y, Harries D, Friedler A. Osmolytes and crowders regulate aggregation of the cancer-related L106R mutant of the Axin protein. Biophys J 2021; 120:3455-3469. [PMID: 34087214 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is involved in a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. The cellular environment is crowded by a plethora of cosolutes comprising small molecules and biomacromolecules at high concentrations, which may influence the aggregation of proteins in vivo. To account for the effect of cosolutes on cancer-related protein aggregation, we studied their effect on the aggregation of the cancer-related L106R mutant of the Axin protein. Axin is a key player in the Wnt signaling pathway, and the L106R mutation in its RGS domain results in a native molten globule that tends to form native-like aggregates. This results in uncontrolled activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, leading to cancer. We monitored the aggregation process of Axin RGS L106R in vitro in the presence of a wide ensemble of cosolutes including polyols, amino acids, betaine, and polyethylene glycol crowders. Except myo-inositol, all polyols decreased RGS L106R aggregation, with carbohydrates exerting the strongest inhibition. Conversely, betaine and polyethylene glycols enhanced aggregation. These results are consistent with the reported effects of osmolytes and crowders on the stability of molten globular proteins and with both amorphous and amyloid aggregation mechanisms. We suggest a model of Axin L106R aggregation in vivo, whereby molecularly small osmolytes keep the protein as a free soluble molecule but the increased crowding of the bound state by macromolecules induces its aggregation at the nanoscale. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic study on the effect of osmolytes and crowders on a process of native-like aggregation involved in pathology, as it sheds light on the contribution of cosolutes to the onset of cancer as a protein misfolding disease and on the relevance of aggregation in the molecular etiology of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Garfagnini
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yael Levi-Kalisman
- The Harvey M. Krueger Family Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and The Alexander Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Daniel Harries
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Fritz Haber Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Assaf Friedler
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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46
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Leal-Lasarte M, Mannini B, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Dobson CM, Roodveldt C, Pozo D. Distinct responses of human peripheral blood cells to different misfolded protein oligomers. Immunology 2021; 164:358-371. [PMID: 34043816 PMCID: PMC8442237 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that peripheral immune cells play a prominent role in neurodegeneration connected to protein misfolding, which are associated with formation of aberrant aggregates, including soluble protein misfolded oligomers. The precise links, however, between the physicochemical features of diverse oligomers and their effects on the immune system, particularly on adaptive immunity, remain currently unexplored, due partly to the transient and heterogeneous nature of the oligomers themselves. To overcome these limitations, we took advantage of two stable and well‐characterized types of model oligomers (A and B), formed by HypF‐N bacterial protein, type B oligomers displaying lower solvent‐exposed hydrophobicity. Exposure to oligomers of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) revealed differential effects, with type B, but not type A, oligomers leading to a reduction in CD4+ cells. Type A oligomers promoted enhanced differentiation towards CD4+CD25HighFoxP3+ Tregs and displayed a higher suppressive effect on lymphocyte proliferation than Tregs treated with oligomers B or untreated cells. Moreover, our results reveal Th1 and Th17 lymphocyte differentiation mediated by type A oligomers and a differential balance of TGF‐β, IL‐6, IL‐23, IFN‐γ and IL‐10 mediators. These results indicate that type B oligomers recapitulate some of the biological responses associated with Parkinson's disease in peripheral immunocompetent cells, while type A oligomers resemble responses associated with Alzheimer's disease. We anticipate that further studies characterizing the differential effects of protein misfolded oligomers on the peripheral immune system may lead to the development of blood‐based diagnostics, which could report on the type and properties of oligomers present in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Leal-Lasarte
- Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Seville, Spain
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cintia Roodveldt
- Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Seville, Spain.,Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - David Pozo
- Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), Seville, Spain.,Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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47
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Wells C, Brennan S, Keon M, Ooi L. The role of amyloid oligomers in neurodegenerative pathologies. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 181:582-604. [PMID: 33766600 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.03.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are rooted in the activities of amyloid-like proteins which possess conformations that spread to healthy proteins. These include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While their clinical manifestations vary, their protein-level mechanisms are remarkably similar. Aberrant monomeric proteins undergo conformational shifts, facilitating aggregation and formation of solid fibrils. However, there is growing evidence that intermediate oligomeric stages are key drivers of neuronal toxicity. Analysis of protein dynamics is complicated by the fact that nucleation and growth of amyloid-like proteins is not a linear pathway. Feedback within this pathway results in exponential acceleration of aggregation, but activities exerted by oligomers and fibrils can alter cellular interactions and the cellular environment as a whole. The resulting cascade of effects likely contributes to the late onset and accelerating progression of amyloid-like protein disorders and the widespread effects they have on the body. In this review we explore the amyloid-like proteins associated with AD, PD, HD and ALS, as well as the common mechanisms of amyloid-like protein nucleation and aggregation. From this, we identify core elements of pathological progression which have been targeted for therapies, and which may become future therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Wells
- GenieUs Genomics, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | | | - Matt Keon
- GenieUs Genomics, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Lezanne Ooi
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; GenieUs Genomics, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
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48
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Gonzalez-Garcia M, Fusco G, De Simone A. Membrane Interactions and Toxicity by Misfolded Protein Oligomers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642623. [PMID: 33791300 PMCID: PMC8006268 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The conversion of otherwise soluble proteins into insoluble amyloid aggregates is associated with a range of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as non-neuropathic conditions such as type II diabetes and systemic amyloidoses. It is increasingly evident that the most pernicious species among those forming during protein aggregation are small prefibrillar oligomers. In this review, we describe the recent progress in the characterization of the cellular and molecular interactions by toxic misfolded protein oligomers. A fundamental interaction by these aggregates involves biological membranes, resulting in two major model mechanisms at the onset of the cellular toxicity. These include the membrane disruption model, resulting in calcium imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular reactive oxygen species, and the direct interaction with membrane proteins, leading to the alteration of their native function. A key challenge remains in the characterization of transient interactions involving heterogeneous protein aggregates. Solving this task is crucial in the quest of identifying suitable therapeutic approaches to suppress the cellular toxicity in protein misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gonzalez-Garcia
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, United Kingdom
| | - Giuliana Fusco
- Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, United Kingdom.,Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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49
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Dash R, Jahan I, Ali MC, Mitra S, Munni YA, Timalsina B, Hannan MA, Moon IS. Potential roles of natural products in the targeting of proteinopathic neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochem Int 2021; 145:105011. [PMID: 33711400 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Defective proteostasis is associated with the gradual accumulations of misfolded proteins and is a hallmark of many age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. In the aged brain, maintenance of the proteostasis network presents a substantial challenge, and its loss contributes to the onset and progression of neurological diseases associated with cognitive decline due to the generation of toxic protein aggregates, a process termed 'proteinopathy'. Emerging evidence suggests that reversing proteinopathies by boosting proteostasis might provide an effective means of preventing neurodegeneration. From this perspective, phytochemicals may play significant roles as potent modulators of the proteostasis network, as previous reports have suggested they can interact with various network components to modify pathologies and confer neuroprotection. This review focuses on some potent phytochemicals that directly or indirectly modulate the proteostasis network and on their possible molecular targets. In addition, we propose strategies for the natural product-based modulation of proteostasis machinery that target proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Dash
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Israt Jahan
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Life and Earth Sciences, Jagannath University, Dhaka, 1100, Bangladesh
| | - Md Chayan Ali
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Sarmistha Mitra
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeasmin Akter Munni
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Binod Timalsina
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Abdul Hannan
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Il Soo Moon
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, 38066, Republic of Korea.
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50
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Caruana M, Camilleri A, Farrugia MY, Ghio S, Jakubíčková M, Cauchi RJ, Vassallo N. Extract from the Marine Seaweed Padina pavonica Protects Mitochondrial Biomembranes from Damage by Amyloidogenic Peptides. Molecules 2021; 26:1444. [PMID: 33799979 PMCID: PMC7962105 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of compounds which protect the double-membrane of mitochondrial organelles from disruption by toxic confomers of amyloid proteins may offer a therapeutic strategy to combat human neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we exploited an extract from the marine brown seaweed Padina pavonica (PPE) as a vital source of natural bioactive compounds to protect mitochondrial membranes against insult by oligomeric aggregates of the amyloidogenic proteins amyloid-β (Aβ), α-synuclein (α-syn) and tau, which are currently considered to be major targets for drug discovery in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). We show that PPE manifested a significant inhibitory effect against swelling of isolated mitochondria exposed to the amyloid oligomers, and attenuated the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Using cardiolipin-enriched synthetic lipid membranes, we also show that dye leakage from fluorophore-loaded vesicles and formation of channel-like pores in planar bilayer membranes are largely prevented by incubating the oligomeric aggregates with PPE. Lastly, we demonstrate that PPE curtails the ability of Aβ42 and α-syn monomers to self-assemble into larger β-aggregate structures, as well as potently disrupts their respective amyloid fibrils. In conclusion, the mito-protective and anti-aggregator biological activities of Padina pavonica extract may be of therapeutic value in neurodegenerative proteinopathies, such as AD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Caruana
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
| | - Angelique Camilleri
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
| | - Maria Ylenia Farrugia
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
| | - Stephanie Ghio
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
| | - Michaela Jakubíčková
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ruben J. Cauchi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta; (M.C.); (A.C.); (M.Y.F.); (S.G.); (M.J.); (R.J.C.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, 2023 Msida, Malta
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