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Mao H, Kuang Y, Feng D, Chen X, Lu L, Xia W, Gan T, Huang W, Guo W, Yi H, Yang Y, Wu Z, Dai W, Sun H, Wu J, Zhang R, Zhang S, Lin X, Yong Y, Yang X, Li H, Wu W, Huang X, Bian Z, Wong HLX, Wang XL, Poppell M, Ren Y, Liu C, Zou WQ, Chen S, Xu PY. Ultrasensitive detection of aggregated α-synuclein using quiescent seed amplification assay for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:35. [PMID: 39049095 PMCID: PMC11267792 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-024-00426-9] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seed amplification assays (SAA) enable the amplification of pathological misfolded proteins, including α-synuclein (αSyn), in both tissue homogenates and body fluids of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. SAA involves repeated cycles of shaking or sonication coupled with incubation periods. However, this amplification scheme has limitations in tracking protein propagation due to repeated fragmentation. METHODS We introduced a modified form of SAA, known as Quiescent SAA (QSAA), and evaluated biopsy and autopsy samples from individuals clinically diagnosed with PD and those without synucleinopathies (control group). Brain biopsy samples were obtained from 14 PD patients and 6 controls without synucleinopathies. Additionally, skin samples were collected from 214 PD patients and 208 control subjects. Data were analyzed from April 2019 to May 2023. RESULTS QSAA successfully amplified αSyn aggregates in brain tissue sections from mice inoculated with pre-formed fibrils. In the skin samples from 214 PD cases and 208 non-PD cases, QSAA demonstrated high sensitivity (90.2%) and specificity (91.4%) in differentiating between PD and non-PD cases. Notably, more αSyn aggregates were detected by QSAA compared to immunofluorescence with the pS129-αSyn antibody in consecutive slices of both brain and skin samples. CONCLUSION We introduced the new QSAA method tailored for in situ amplification of αSyn aggregates in brain and skin samples while maintaining tissue integrity, providing a streamlined approach to diagnosing PD with individual variability. The integration of seeding activities with the location of deposition of αSyn seeds advances our understanding of the mechanism underlying αSyn misfolding in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengxu Mao
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yaoyun Kuang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Du Feng
- School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Lin Lu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wencheng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Tingting Gan
- Deptartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Weimeng Huang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wenyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hancun Yi
- Institute of Neurology, Jiangxi Academy of Medical Clinical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Yirong Yang
- Institute of Neurology, Jiangxi Academy of Medical Clinical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Zhuohua Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Jieyuan Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Deptartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Shenqing Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xiuli Lin
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yuxuan Yong
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830054, China
| | - Xinling Yang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830054, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Urumqi, 830054, China
| | - Wenjun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Xiaoyun Huang
- Dongguan Songshan Lake Central Hospital, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Bian
- Jockey Club School of Chinese Medicine, Baptist University Road, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Hoi Leong Xavier Wong
- Jockey Club School of Chinese Medicine, Baptist University Road, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Xin-Lu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Michael Poppell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 32306, USA
| | - Yi Ren
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 32306, USA
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wen-Quan Zou
- Institute of Neurology, Jiangxi Academy of Medical Clinical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
| | - Shengdi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Rui Jin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Ping-Yi Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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2
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Kuang Y, Mao H, Gan T, Guo W, Dai W, Huang W, Wu Z, Li H, Huang X, Yang X, Xu PY. A skin-specific α-Synuclein seeding amplification assay for diagnosing Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:129. [PMID: 38961119 PMCID: PMC11222486 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The seeding amplification assay (SAA) has recently emerged as a valuable tool for detecting α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates in various clinically accessible biospecimens. Despite its efficiency and specificity, optimal tissue-specific conditions for distinguishing Parkinson's disease (PD) from non-PD outside the brain remain underexplored. This study systematically evaluated 150 reaction conditions to identify the one with the highest discriminatory potential between PD and non-synucleinopathy controls using skin samples, resulting in a modified SAA. The streamlined SAA achieved an overall sensitivity of 92.46% and specificity of 93.33% on biopsy skin samples from 332 PD patients and 285 controls within 24 h. Inter-laboratory reproducibility demonstrated a Cohen's kappa value of 0.87 (95% CI 0.69-1.00), indicating nearly perfect agreement. Additionally, αSyn seeds in the skin were stable at -80 °C but were vulnerable to short-term exposure to non-ultra-low temperatures and grinding. This study thoroughly investigated procedures for sample preprocessing, seed amplification, and storage, introducing a well-structured experimental framework for PD diagnosis using skin samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyun Kuang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hengxu Mao
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Tingting Gan
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, 341000, Ganzhou, China
| | - Wenyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Neurology, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Weimeng Huang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Zhuohua Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyun Huang
- Dongguan Songshan Lake Central Hospital, 523000, Donggguan, China.
| | - Xinling Yang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Ping-Yi Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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3
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Kurepa J, Bruce KA, Gerhardt GA, Smalle JA. A Plant Model of α-Synucleinopathy: Expression of α-Synuclein A53T Variant in Hairy Root Cultures Leads to Proteostatic Stress and Dysregulation of Iron Metabolism. APPLIED BIOSCIENCES 2024; 3:233-249. [PMID: 38835931 PMCID: PMC11149894 DOI: 10.3390/applbiosci3020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Synucleinopathies, typified by Parkinson's disease (PD), entail the accumulation of α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates in nerve cells. Various αSyn mutants, including the αSyn A53T variant linked to early-onset PD, increase the propensity for αSyn aggregate formation. In addition to disrupting protein homeostasis and inducing proteostatic stress, the aggregation of αSyn in PD is associated with an imbalance in iron metabolism, which increases the generation of reactive oxygen species and causes oxidative stress. This study explored the impact of αSyn A53T expression in transgenic hairy roots of four medicinal plants (Lobelia cardinalis, Artemisia annua, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Polygonum multiflorum). In all tested plants, αSyn A53T expression triggered proteotoxic stress and perturbed iron homeostasis, mirroring the molecular profile observed in human and animal nerve cells. In addition to the common eukaryotic defense mechanisms against proteostatic and oxidative stresses, a plant stress response generally includes the biosynthesis of a diverse set of protective secondary metabolites. Therefore, the hairy root cultures expressing αSyn A53T offer a platform for identifying secondary metabolites that can ameliorate the effects of αSyn, thereby aiding in the development of possible PD treatments and/or treatments of synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmina Kurepa
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture Food and Environment, Kentucky Tobacco Research & Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Kristen A. Bruce
- Naprogenix, Inc., UK-AsTeCC, 145 Graham Avenue, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Greg A. Gerhardt
- Brain Restoration Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jan A. Smalle
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture Food and Environment, Kentucky Tobacco Research & Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
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Aubrey LD, Ninkina N, Ulamec SM, Abramycheva NY, Vasili E, Devine OM, Wilkinson M, Mackinnon E, Limorenko G, Walko M, Muwanga S, Amadio L, Peters OM, Illarioshkin SN, Outeiro TF, Ranson NA, Brockwell DJ, Buchman VL, Radford SE. Substitution of Met-38 to Ile in γ-synuclein found in two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis induces aggregation into amyloid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309700120. [PMID: 38170745 PMCID: PMC10786281 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309700120] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
α-, β-, and γ-Synuclein are intrinsically disordered proteins implicated in physiological processes in the nervous system of vertebrates. α-synuclein (αSyn) is the amyloidogenic protein associated with Parkinson's disease and certain other neurodegenerative disorders. Intensive research has focused on the mechanisms that cause αSyn to form amyloid structures, identifying its NAC region as being necessary and sufficient for amyloid assembly. Recent work has shown that a 7-residue sequence (P1) is necessary for αSyn amyloid formation. Although γ-synuclein (γSyn) is 55% identical in sequence to αSyn and its pathological deposits are also observed in association with neurodegenerative conditions, γSyn is resilient to amyloid formation in vitro. Here, we report a rare single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the SNCG gene encoding γSyn, found in two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The SNP results in the substitution of Met38 with Ile in the P1 region of the protein. These individuals also had a second, common and nonpathological, SNP in SNCG resulting in the substitution of Glu110 with Val. In vitro studies demonstrate that the Ile38 variant accelerates amyloid fibril assembly. Contrastingly, Val110 retards fibril assembly and mitigates the effect of Ile38. Substitution of residue 38 with Leu had little effect, while Val retards, and Ala increases the rate of amyloid formation. Ile38 γSyn also results in the formation of γSyn-containing inclusions in cells. The results show how a single point substitution can enhance amyloid formation of γSyn and highlight the P1 region in driving amyloid formation in another synuclein family member.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam D. Aubrey
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Ninkina
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod308015, Russian Federation
| | - Sabine M. Ulamec
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Y. Abramycheva
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Tissue Engineering, Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow125367, Russia
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Oliver M. Devine
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Eilish Mackinnon
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Galina Limorenko
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Martin Walko
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Muwanga
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo Amadio
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Owen M. Peters
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Sergey N. Illarioshkin
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Tissue Engineering, Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow125367, Russia
| | - Tiago F. Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen37075, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Goettingen37075, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon TyneNE2 4HH, United Kingdom
- Scientific employee with a honorary contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Göttingen37075, Germany
| | - Neil A. Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Brockwell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir L. Buchman
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod308015, Russian Federation
| | - Sheena E. Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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5
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Ohgita T, Kono H, Morita I, Oyama H, Shimanouchi T, Kobayashi N, Saito H. Intramolecular interaction kinetically regulates fibril formation by human and mouse α-synuclein. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10885. [PMID: 37407638 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38070-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of α-synuclein (αS) fibril formation is a potent therapeutic strategy for αS-related neurodegenerative disorders. αS, an intrinsically disordered 140-residue intraneural protein, comprises positively charged N-terminal, hydrophobic non-amyloid β component (NAC), and negatively charged C-terminal regions. Although mouse and human αS share 95% sequence identity, mouse αS forms amyloid fibrils faster than human αS. To evaluate the kinetic regulation of αS fibrillation, we examined the effects of mismatched residues in human and mouse αS on fibril formation and intramolecular interactions. Thioflavin T fluorescence assay using domain-swapped or C-terminal-truncated αS variants revealed that mouse αS exhibited higher nucleation and fibril elongation than human αS. In mouse αS, S87N substitution in the NAC region rather than A53T substitution is dominant for enhanced fibril formation. Fӧrester resonance energy transfer analysis demonstrated that the intramolecular interaction of the C-terminal region with the N-terminal and NAC regions observed in human αS is perturbed in mouse αS. In mouse αS, S87N substitution is responsible for the perturbed interaction. These results indicate that the interaction of the C-terminal region with the N-terminal and NAC regions suppresses αS fibril formation and that the human-to-mouse S87N substitution in the NAC region accelerates αS fibril formation by perturbing intramolecular interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ohgita
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Kono
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
| | - Izumi Morita
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Oyama
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Toshinori Shimanouchi
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Norihiro Kobayashi
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Saito
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
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Makdissi S, Parsons BD, Di Cara F. Towards early detection of neurodegenerative diseases: A gut feeling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1087091. [PMID: 36824371 PMCID: PMC9941184 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1087091] [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: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract communicates with the nervous system through a bidirectional network of signaling pathways called the gut-brain axis, which consists of multiple connections, including the enteric nervous system, the vagus nerve, the immune system, endocrine signals, the microbiota, and its metabolites. Alteration of communications in the gut-brain axis is emerging as an overlooked cause of neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is a common feature of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) that are incurable and debilitating conditions resulting in progressive degeneration and death of neurons, such as in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. NDs are a leading cause of global death and disability, and the incidences are expected to increase in the following decades if prevention strategies and successful treatment remain elusive. To date, the etiology of NDs is unclear due to the complexity of the mechanisms of diseases involving genetic and environmental factors, including diet and microbiota. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in diet, alteration of the microbiota, and deregulation of metabolism in the intestinal epithelium influence the inflammatory status of the neurons linked to disease insurgence and progression. This review will describe the leading players of the so-called diet-microbiota-gut-brain (DMGB) axis in the context of NDs. We will report recent findings from studies in model organisms such as rodents and fruit flies that support the role of diets, commensals, and intestinal epithelial functions as an overlooked primary regulator of brain health. We will finish discussing the pivotal role of metabolisms of cellular organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes in maintaining the DMGB axis and how alteration of the latter can be used as early disease makers and novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Makdissi
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
| | - Brendon D. Parsons
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Francesca Di Cara
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
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Zheng R, Yan Y, Dai S, Ruan Y, Chen Y, Hu C, Lin Z, Xue N, Song Z, Liu Y, Zhang B, Pu J. ASC specks exacerbate α‑synuclein pathology via amplifying NLRP3 inflammasome activities. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:26. [PMID: 36740674 PMCID: PMC9899382 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02709-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammasome activation has a pathogenic role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Up-regulated expressions of inflammasome adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and assembly of ASC specks have been observed in postmortems of human PD brains and experimental PD models. Extracellular ASC specks behave like danger signals and sustain prolonged inflammasome activation. However, the contribution of ASC specks in propagation of inflammasome activation and pathological progression in PD has not been fully established. METHODS Herein, we used human A53T mutant α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFFs)-stimulated microglia in vitro and unilateral striatal stereotaxic injection of PFFs-induced mice model of PD in vivo, to investigate the significance of ASC specks in PD pathological progression. Rotarod and open-field tests were performed to measure motor behaviors of indicated mice. Changes in the molecular expression were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting (IB). Intracellular knockdown of the ASC in BV2 cells was performed using si-RNA. Microglial and neuronal cells were co-cultured in a trans-well system to determine the effects of ASC knockdown on cytoprotection. RESULTS We observed a direct relationship between levels of ASC protein and misfolded α‑synuclein aggregates in PD mice brains. ASC specks amplified NLRP3 inflammasome activation driven by α-synuclein PFFs stimulation, which aggravated reactive microgliosis and accelerated α‑synuclein pathology, dopaminergic neurodegeneration and motor deficits. Endogenous ASC knockdown suppressed microglial inflammasome activation and neuronal α‑synuclein aggregation. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our study elucidated that ASC specks contribute to the propagation of inflammasome activation-associated α‑synuclein pathology in PD, which forms the basis for targeting ASC as a potential therapy for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Zheng
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Yiqun Yan
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Shaobing Dai
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Yang Ruan
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Ying Chen
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Chenjun Hu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, System Medicine Research Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058 Zhejiang China
| | - Zhihao Lin
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Naijia Xue
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Zhe Song
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Yi Liu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Baorong Zhang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Jiali Pu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
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8
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Svanbergsson A, Ek F, Martinsson I, Rodo J, Liu D, Brandi E, Haikal C, Torres-Garcia L, Li W, Gouras G, Olsson R, Björklund T, Li JY. FRET-Based Screening Identifies p38 MAPK and PKC Inhibition as Targets for Prevention of Seeded α-Synuclein Aggregation. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1692-1709. [PMID: 34258749 PMCID: PMC8609038 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01070-1] [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] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein is associated with neurodegeneration and a hallmark pathology in synucleinopathies. These aggregates are thought to function as prion-like particles where the conformation of misfolded α-synuclein determines the traits of the induced pathology, similar to prion diseases. Still, little is known about the molecular targets facilitating the conformation-specific biological effects, but their identification could form the basis for new therapeutic interventions. High-throughput screening of annotated compound libraries could facilitate mechanistic investigation by identifying targets with impact on α-synuclein aggregation. To this end, we developed a FRET-based cellular reporter in HEK293T cells, with sensitivity down to 6.5 nM α-synuclein seeds. Using this model system, we identified GF109203X, SB202190, and SB203580 as inhibitors capable of preventing induction of α-synuclein aggregation via inhibition of p38 MAPK and PKC, respectively. We further investigated the mechanisms underlying the protective effects and found alterations in the endo-lysosomal system to be likely candidates of the protection. We found the changes did not stem from a reduction in uptake but rather alteration of lysosomal abundance and degradative capacity. Our findings highlight the value high-throughput screening brings to the mechanistic investigation of α-synuclein aggregation while simultaneously identifying novel therapeutic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Svanbergsson
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Ek
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Department of Experimental Medicinal Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Isak Martinsson
- Experimental Dementia Research, Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jordi Rodo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Di Liu
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Edoardo Brandi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Caroline Haikal
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Laura Torres-Garcia
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Experimental Dementia Research, Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Wen Li
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Gouras
- Experimental Dementia Research, Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Roger Olsson
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Department of Experimental Medicinal Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tomas Björklund
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jia-Yi Li
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Neural Plasticity and Repair, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110112, China.
- Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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9
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Potent inhibitors of toxic alpha-synuclein identified via cellular time-resolved FRET biosensors. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2021; 7:52. [PMID: 34183676 PMCID: PMC8238948 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-021-00195-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We have developed a high-throughput drug discovery platform, measuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with fluorescent alpha-synuclein (αSN) biosensors, to detect spontaneous pre-fibrillar oligomers in living cells. Our two αSN FRET biosensors provide complementary insight into αSN oligomerization and conformation in order to improve the success of drug discovery campaigns for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. We measure FRET by fluorescence lifetime, rather than traditional fluorescence intensity, providing a structural readout with greater resolution and precision. This facilitates identification of compounds that cause subtle but significant conformational changes in the ensemble of oligomeric states that are easily missed using intensity-based FRET. We screened a 1280-compound small-molecule library and identified 21 compounds that changed the lifetime by >5 SD. Two of these compounds have nanomolar potency in protecting SH-SY5Y cells from αSN-induced death, providing a nearly tenfold improvement over known inhibitors. We tested the efficacy of several compounds in a primary mouse neuron assay of αSN pathology (phosphorylation of mouse αSN pre-formed fibrils) and show rescue of pathology for two of them. These hits were further characterized with biophysical and biochemical assays to explore potential mechanisms of action. In vitro αSN oligomerization, single-molecule FRET, and protein-observed fluorine NMR experiments demonstrate that these compounds modulate αSN oligomers but not monomers. Subsequent aggregation assays further show that these compounds also deter or block αSN fibril assembly.
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Ray B, Mahalakshmi AM, Tuladhar S, Bhat A, Srinivasan A, Pellegrino C, Kannan A, Bolla SR, Chidambaram SB, Sakharkar MK. "Janus-Faced" α-Synuclein: Role in Parkinson's Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673395. [PMID: 34124057 PMCID: PMC8194081 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673395] [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: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a pathological condition characterized by the aggregation and the resultant presence of intraneuronal inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites which are mainly composed of fibrillar α-synuclein (α-syn) protein. Pathogenic aggregation of α-syn is identified as the major cause of LBs deposition. Several mutations in α-syn showing varied aggregation kinetics in comparison to the wild type (WT) α-syn are reported in PD (A30P, E46K, H 50Q, G51D, A53E, and A53T). Also, the cell-to-cell spread of pathological α-syn plays a significant role in PD development. Interestingly, it has also been suggested that the pathology of PD may begin in the gastrointestinal tract and spread via the vagus nerve (VN) to brain proposing the gut-brain axis of α-syn pathology in PD. Despite multiple efforts, the behavior and functions of this protein in normal and pathological states (specifically in PD) is far from understood. Furthermore, the etiological factors responsible for triggering aggregation of this protein remain elusive. This review is an attempt to collate and present latest information on α-syn in relation to its structure, biochemistry and biophysics of aggregation in PD. Current advances in therapeutic efforts toward clearing the pathogenic α-syn via autophagy/lysosomal flux are also reviewed and reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bipul Ray
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Arehally M. Mahalakshmi
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Sunanda Tuladhar
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Abid Bhat
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Asha Srinivasan
- Division of Nanoscience & Technology, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Christophe Pellegrino
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Institute of Mediterranean Neurobiology, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Anbarasu Kannan
- Department of Protein Chemistry and Technology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, India
| | - Srinivasa Rao Bolla
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan City, Kazakhstan
| | - Saravana Babu Chidambaram
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Special Interest Group – Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Neurosciences Research, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
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11
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Landeck N, Strathearn KE, Ysselstein D, Buck K, Dutta S, Banerjee S, Lv Z, Hulleman JD, Hindupur J, Lin LK, Padalkar S, Stanciu LA, Lyubchenko YL, Kirik D, Rochet JC. Two C-terminal sequence variations determine differential neurotoxicity between human and mouse α-synuclein. Mol Neurodegener 2020; 15:49. [PMID: 32900375 PMCID: PMC7487555 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00380-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND α-Synuclein (aSyn) aggregation is thought to play a central role in neurodegenerative disorders termed synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Mouse aSyn contains a threonine residue at position 53 that mimics the human familial PD substitution A53T, yet in contrast to A53T patients, mice show no evidence of aSyn neuropathology even after aging. Here, we studied the neurotoxicity of human A53T, mouse aSyn, and various human-mouse chimeras in cellular and in vivo models, as well as their biochemical properties relevant to aSyn pathobiology. METHODS Primary midbrain cultures transduced with aSyn-encoding adenoviruses were analyzed immunocytochemically to determine relative dopaminergic neuron viability. Brain sections prepared from rats injected intranigrally with aSyn-encoding adeno-associated viruses were analyzed immunohistochemically to determine nigral dopaminergic neuron viability and striatal dopaminergic terminal density. Recombinant aSyn variants were characterized in terms of fibrillization rates by measuring thioflavin T fluorescence, fibril morphologies via electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and protein-lipid interactions by monitoring membrane-induced aSyn aggregation and aSyn-mediated vesicle disruption. Statistical tests consisted of ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons post hoc test and the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a Dunn's multiple comparisons test or a two-tailed Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS Mouse aSyn was less neurotoxic than human aSyn A53T in cell culture and in rat midbrain, and data obtained for the chimeric variants indicated that the human-to-mouse substitutions D121G and N122S were at least partially responsible for this decrease in neurotoxicity. Human aSyn A53T and a chimeric variant with the human residues D and N at positions 121 and 122 (respectively) showed a greater propensity to undergo membrane-induced aggregation and to elicit vesicle disruption. Differences in neurotoxicity among the human, mouse, and chimeric aSyn variants correlated weakly with differences in fibrillization rate or fibril morphology. CONCLUSIONS Mouse aSyn is less neurotoxic than the human A53T variant as a result of inhibitory effects of two C-terminal amino acid substitutions on membrane-induced aSyn aggregation and aSyn-mediated vesicle permeabilization. Our findings highlight the importance of membrane-induced self-assembly in aSyn neurotoxicity and suggest that inhibiting this process by targeting the C-terminal domain could slow neurodegeneration in PD and other synucleinopathy disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Landeck
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Katherine E. Strathearn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Present address: Fujifilm Irvine Scientific, Santa Ana, CA USA
| | - Daniel Ysselstein
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Present address: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Kerstin Buck
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Present address: AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co KG, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sayan Dutta
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| | - Siddhartha Banerjee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA
| | - Zhengjian Lv
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA
- Present address: Bruker Nanosurfaces Division, Goleta, Santa Barbara, CA USA
| | - John D. Hulleman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Present address: Departments of Ophthalmology and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Jagadish Hindupur
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Present address: Liveon Biolabs Pvt. Ltd., Tumakuru, Karnataka India
| | - Li-Kai Lin
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| | - Sonal Padalkar
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA USA
| | - Lia A. Stanciu
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| | - Yuri L. Lyubchenko
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA
| | - Deniz Kirik
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
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12
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Tufféry P, de Vries S. The search of sequence variants using a constrained protein evolution simulation approach. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:1790-1799. [PMID: 32695271 PMCID: PMC7355721 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein engineering or candidate therapeutic peptide optimization are processes in which the identification of relevant sequence variants is critical. Starting from one amino-acid sequence, the choice of the substitutions must meet the objective of not disrupting the structure of the protein, not impacting the main functional properties of the starting entity, while also meeting the condition to enhance some expected property such as thermal stability, resistance to degradation, … Here, we introduce a new approach of sequence evolution that focuses on the objective of not disrupting the structure of the initial protein by embedding a point to point control on the preservation of the local structure at each position in the sequence. For 6 mini-proteins, we find that, starting from a single sequence, our simple approach intrinsically contains information about site-specific rate heterogeneity of substitution, and that it is able to reproduce sequence diversity as can be observed in the sequences available in the Uniref repository. We show that our approach is able to provide information about positions not to substitute and about substitutions not to perform at a given position to maintain structure integrity. Overall, our results demonstrate that point to point preservation of the local structure along a sequence is an important determinant of sequence evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Tufféry
- Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, ERL U1133, Inserm, RPBS, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Sjoerd de Vries
- Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, ERL U1133, Inserm, RPBS, F-75013 Paris, France
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13
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Simmnacher K, Lanfer J, Rizo T, Kaindl J, Winner B. Modeling Cell-Cell Interactions in Parkinson's Disease Using Human Stem Cell-Based Models. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 13:571. [PMID: 32009903 PMCID: PMC6978672 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most frequently occurring movement disorder, with an increasing incidence due to an aging population. For many years, the post-mortem brain was regarded as the gold standard for the analysis of the human pathology of this disease. However, modern stem cell technologies, including the analysis of patient-specific neurons and glial cells, have opened up new avenues for dissecting the pathologic mechanisms of PD. Most data on morphological changes, such as cell death or changes in neurite complexity, or functional deficits were acquired in 2D and few in 3D models. This review will examine the prerequisites for human disease modeling in PD, covering the generation of midbrain neurons, 3D organoid midbrain models, the selection of controls including genetically engineered lines, and the study of cell-cell interactions. We will present major disease phenotypes in human in vitro models of PD, focusing on those phenotypes that have been detected in genetic and sporadic PD models. An additional point covered in this review will be the use of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived technologies to model cell-cell interactions in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Simmnacher
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jonas Lanfer
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tania Rizo
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johanna Kaindl
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Beate Winner
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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14
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de Oliveira GAP, Silva JL. Alpha-synuclein stepwise aggregation reveals features of an early onset mutation in Parkinson's disease. Commun Biol 2019; 2:374. [PMID: 31633065 PMCID: PMC6789109 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0598-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation is a process involving interconverting protein species and results in toxic oligomers and fibrils. Aggregated alpha-synuclein (αS) participates in neurodegenerative maladies, but a closer understanding of the early αS polymerization stages and polymorphism of heritable αS variants is sparse still. Here, we distinguished αS oligomer and protofibril interconversions in Thioflavin T polymerization reactions. The results support a hypothesis reconciling the nucleation-polymerization and nucleation-conversion-polymerization models to explain the dissimilar behaviors of wild-type and the A53T mutant. Cryo-electron microscopy with a direct detector shows the polymorphic nature of αS fibrils formed by heritable A30P, E46K, and A53T point mutations. By showing that A53T rapidly nucleates competent species, continuously elongates fibrils in the presence of increasing amounts of seeds, and overcomes wild-type surface requirements for growth, our findings place A53T with features that may explain the early onset of familial Parkinson's disease cases bearing this mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme A. P. de Oliveira
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, National Center of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Jiri Jonas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-901 Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 USA
| | - Jerson L. Silva
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, National Center of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Jiri Jonas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-901 Brazil
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15
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Lv G, Kumar A, Huang Y, Eliezer D. A Protofilament-Protofilament Interface in the Structure of Mouse α-Synuclein Fibrils. Biophys J 2019; 114:2811-2819. [PMID: 29925018 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrillar α-synuclein (AS) is the major component of Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), we previously reported a structural characterization of mouse AS (mAS) fibrils and found that the secondary structure of the mAS fibrils is highly similar to a form of human AS (hAS) fibrils. Recently, a three-dimensional structure of these same hAS fibrils was determined by ssNMR and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Using medium- and long-range distance restraints obtained from ssNMR spectra, we found that the single protofilament structure of mAS fibrils is also similar to that of the hAS fibrils. However, residue-specific water accessibility of mAS fibrils probed by water polarization transfer ssNMR measurements indicates that residues S42-T44 and G84-V95 are largely protected from water even though they are located at the edge of the protofilament. Some of the corresponding resonances also exhibit peak doubling. These observations suggest that these residues may be involved in, to our knowledge, a novel protofilament-protofilament interface. We propose a structural model of mAS fibrils that incorporates this dimer interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohua Lv
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Ashutosh Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Yun Huang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - David Eliezer
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
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16
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Nicot S, Verchère J, Bélondrade M, Mayran C, Bétemps D, Bougard D, Baron T. Seeded propagation of α-synuclein aggregation in mouse brain using protein misfolding cyclic amplification. FASEB J 2019; 33:12073-12086. [PMID: 31370680 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900354r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) protein aggregation is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders collectively referred to as synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease. We used protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) to study α-syn aggregation in brain homogenates of wild-type or transgenic mice expressing normal (D line) or A53T mutant (M83 line) human α-syn. We found that sonication-incubation cycles of M83 mouse brain gradually produce large quantities of SDS-resistant α-syn aggregates, involving both human and mouse proteins. These PMCA products, containing partially proteinase K-resistant α-syn species, are competent to accelerate the onset of neurologic symptoms after intracerebral inoculation to young M83 mice and to seed aggregate formation of α-syn following PMCA, including in D and wild-type mouse brain substrates. PMCA seeding activity in the M83 diseased brain correlates positively with regions mostly targeted by the α-syn pathology in this model. Our data indicate that similar to prions, PMCA can reproduce some characteristics of α-syn aggregation and seeded propagation in vitro in a complex milieu. This opens new opportunities for the molecular study of synucleinopathies.-Nicot, S., Verchère, J., Bélondrade, M., Mayran, C., Bétemps, D., Bougard, D., Baron, T. Seeded propagation of α-synuclein aggregation in mouse brain using protein misfolding cyclic amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Nicot
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic Infections, Etablissement Français du Sang, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérémy Verchère
- French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Maxime Bélondrade
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic Infections, Etablissement Français du Sang, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Charly Mayran
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic Infections, Etablissement Français du Sang, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Dominique Bétemps
- French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Daisy Bougard
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic Infections, Etablissement Français du Sang, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Baron
- French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), University of Lyon, Lyon, France
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17
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Identification of N-linked glycans as specific mediators of neuronal uptake of acetylated α-Synuclein. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000318. [PMID: 31211781 PMCID: PMC6599126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-to-cell transmission of toxic forms of α-Synuclein (αS) is thought to underlie disease progression in Parkinson disease. αS in humans is constitutively N-terminally acetylated (αSacetyl), although the impact of this modification is relatively unexplored. Here, we report that αSacetyl is more effective at inducing intracellular aggregation in primary neurons than unmodified αS (αSun). We identify complex N-linked glycans as binding partners for αSacetyl and demonstrate that cellular internalization of αSacetyl is reduced significantly upon cleavage of extracellular N-linked glycans, but not other carbohydrates. We verify binding of αSacetyl to N-linked glycans in vitro, using both isolated glycans and cell-derived proteoliposomes. Finally, we identify neurexin 1β, a neuronal glycoprotein, as capable of driving glycan-dependent uptake of αSacetyl. Importantly, our results are specific to αSacetyl because αSun does not demonstrate sensitivity for N-linked glycans in any of our assays. Our study identifies extracellular N-linked glycans—and the glycoprotein neurexin 1β specifically—as key modulators of neuronal uptake of αSacetyl, drawing attention to the potential therapeutic value of αSacetyl-glycan interactions. This study identifies extracellular N-linked glycans — and the glycoprotein neurexin 1β — as key modulators of neuronal uptake of N-terminally acetylated α-Synuclein, emphasising the potential therapeutic value of α-Synuclein-glycan interactions.
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18
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Sequence- and seed-structure-dependent polymorphic fibrils of alpha-synuclein. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1865:1410-1420. [PMID: 30790619 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Synucleinopathies comprise a diverse group of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. These share a common pathological feature, the deposition of alpha-synuclein (a-syn) in neurons or oligodendroglia. A-syn is highly conserved in vertebrates, but the primary sequence of mouse a-syn differs from that of human at seven positions. However, structural differences of their aggregates remain to be fully characterized. In this study, we found that human and mouse a-syn aggregated in vitro formed morphologically distinct amyloid fibrils exhibiting twisted and straight structures, respectively. Furthermore, we identified different protease-resistant core regions, long and short, in human and mouse a-syn aggregates. Interestingly, among the seven unconserved amino acids, only A53T substitution, one of the familial PD mutations, was responsible for structural conversion to the straight-type. Finally, we checked whether the structural differences are transmissible by seeding and found that human a-syn seeded with A53T aggregates formed straight-type fibrils with short protease-resistant cores. These results suggest that a-syn aggregates form sequence-dependent polymorphic fibrils upon spontaneous aggregation but become seed structure-dependent upon seeding.
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Hwang S, Fricke P, Zinke M, Giller K, Wall JS, Riedel D, Becker S, Lange A. Comparison of the 3D structures of mouse and human α-synuclein fibrils by solid-state NMR and STEM. J Struct Biol 2018; 206:43-48. [PMID: 29678776 PMCID: PMC6470123 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Intra-neuronal aggregation of α-synuclein into fibrils is the molecular basis for α-synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease. The atomic structure of human α-synuclein (hAS) fibrils was recently determined by Tuttle et al. using solid-state NMR (ssNMR). The previous study found that hAS fibrils are composed of a single protofilament. Here, we have investigated the structure of mouse α-synuclein (mAS) fibrils by STEM and isotope-dilution ssNMR experiments. We found that in contrast to hAS, mAS fibrils consist of two or even three protofilaments which are connected by rather weak interactions in between them. Although the number of protofilaments appears to be different between hAS and mAS, we found that they have a remarkably similar secondary structure and protofilament 3D structure as judged by secondary chemical shifts and intra-molecular distance restraints. We conclude that the two mutant sites between hAS and mAS (positions 53 and 87) in the fibril core region are crucial for determining the quaternary structure of α-synuclein fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhwan Hwang
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Pascal Fricke
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maximilian Zinke
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karin Giller
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joseph S Wall
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, 11967 NY, USA
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Electron Microscopy Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Adam Lange
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), 13125 Berlin, Germany; Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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20
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Molecular and Biological Compatibility with Host Alpha-Synuclein Influences Fibril Pathogenicity. Cell Rep 2018; 16:3373-3387. [PMID: 27653697 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.08.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation and propagation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-Syn) is a central feature of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Molecular compatibility between a fibrillar seed and its native protein state is a major determinant of amyloid self-replication. We show that cross-seeded aggregation of human (Hu) and mouse (Ms) α-Syn is bidirectionally restricted. Although fibrils formed by Hu-Ms-α-Syn chimeric mutants can overcome this inhibition in cell-free systems, sequence homology poorly predicts their efficiency in inducing α-Syn pathology in primary neurons or after intracerebral injection into wild-type mice. Chimeric α-Syn fibrils demonstrate enhanced or reduced pathogenicities compared with wild-type Hu- or Ms-α-Syn fibrils. Furthermore, α-Syn mutants induced to polymerize by fibrillar seeds inherit the functional properties of their template, suggesting that transferable pathogenic and non-pathogenic states likely influence the initial engagement between exogenous α-Syn seeds and endogenous neuronal α-Syn. Thus, transmission of synucleinopathies is regulated by biological processes in addition to molecular compatibility.
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21
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Ahlemeyer B, Halupczok S, Rodenberg-Frank E, Valerius KP, Baumgart-Vogt E. Endogenous Murine Amyloid-β Peptide Assembles into Aggregates in the Aged C57BL/6J Mouse Suggesting These Animals as a Model to Study Pathogenesis of Amyloid-β Plaque Formation. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 61:1425-1450. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-170923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Ahlemeyer
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sascha Halupczok
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Elke Rodenberg-Frank
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Valerius
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Eveline Baumgart-Vogt
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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22
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Nouraei N, Mason DM, Miner KM, Carcella MA, Bhatia TN, Dumm BK, Soni D, Johnson DA, Luk KC, Leak RK. Critical appraisal of pathology transmission in the α-synuclein fibril model of Lewy body disorders. Exp Neurol 2018; 299:172-196. [PMID: 29056362 PMCID: PMC5736319 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Lewy body disorders are characterized by the emergence of α-synucleinopathy in many parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems, including in the telencephalon. Dense α-synuclein+ pathology appears in regio inferior of the hippocampus in both Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies and may disturb cognitive function. The preformed α-synuclein fibril model of Parkinson's disease is growing in use, given its potential for seeding the self-propagating spread of α-synucleinopathy throughout the mammalian brain. Although it is often assumed that the spread occurs through neuroanatomical connections, this is generally not examined vis-à-vis the uptake and transport of tract-tracers infused at precisely the same stereotaxic coordinates. As the neuronal connections of the hippocampus are historically well defined, we examined the first-order spread of α-synucleinopathy three months following fibril infusions centered in the mouse regio inferior (CA2+CA3), and contrasted this to retrograde and anterograde transport of the established tract-tracers FluoroGold and biotinylated dextran amines (BDA). Massive hippocampal α-synucleinopathy was insufficient to elicit memory deficits or loss of cells and synaptic markers in this model of early disease processes. However, dense α-synuclein+ inclusions in the fascia dentata were negatively correlated with memory capacity. A modest compensatory increase in synaptophysin was evident in the stratum radiatum of cornu Ammonis in fibril-infused animals, and synaptophysin expression correlated inversely with memory function in fibril but not PBS-infused mice. No changes in synapsin I/II expression were observed. The spread of α-synucleinopathy was somewhat, but not entirely consistent with FluoroGold and BDA axonal transport, suggesting that variables other than innervation density also contribute to the materialization of α-synucleinopathy. For example, layer II entorhinal neurons of the perforant pathway exhibited somal α-synuclein+ inclusions as well as retrogradely labeled FluoroGold+ somata. However, some afferent brain regions displayed dense retrograde FluoroGold label and no α-synuclein+ inclusions (e.g. medial septum/diagonal band), supporting the selective vulnerability hypothesis. The pattern of inclusions on the contralateral side was consistent with specific spread through commissural connections (e.g. stratum pyramidale of CA3), but again, not all commissural projections exhibited α-synucleinopathy (e.g. hilar mossy cells). The topographical extent of inclusions is displayed here in high-resolution images that afford viewers a rich opportunity to dissect the potential spread of pathology through neural circuitry. Finally, the results of this expository study were leveraged to highlight the challenges and limitations of working with preformed α-synuclein fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Nouraei
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Daniel M Mason
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Kristin M Miner
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Michael A Carcella
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Tarun N Bhatia
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Benjamin K Dumm
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Dishaben Soni
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - David A Johnson
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States
| | - Rehana K Leak
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States.
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23
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Vertebrate food products as a potential source of prion-like α-synuclein. NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE 2017; 3:33. [PMID: 29184902 PMCID: PMC5701169 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-017-0035-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The aberrant aggregation of the protein α-synuclein is thought to be involved in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the factors that lead to initiation and propagation of α-synuclein aggregation are not clearly understood. Recently, the hypothesis that α-synuclein aggregation spreads via a prion-like mechanism originating in the gut has gained much scientific attention. If α-synuclein spreads via a prion-like mechanism, then an important question becomes, what are the origins of this prion-like species? Here we review the possibility that α-synuclein aggregation could be seeded via the ingestion of a prion-like α-synuclein species contained within food products originating from vertebrates. To do this, we highlight current evidence for the gut-to-brain hypothesis of PD, and put this in context of available routes of α-synuclein prion infectivity via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We then discuss meat as a ready exogenous source of α-synuclein and how certain risk factors, including inflammation, may allow for dietary α-synuclein to pass from the GI lumen into the host to induce pathology. Lastly, we review epidemiological evidence that dietary factors may be involved in PD. Overall, research to date has yet to directly test the contribution of dietary α-synuclein to the mechanism of initiation and progression of the disease. However, numerous experimental findings, including the potent seeding and spreading behavior of α-synuclein fibrils, seem to support, at least in part, the feasibility of an infection with a prion α-synuclein particle via the GI tract. Further studies are required to determine whether dietary α-synuclein contributes to seeding pathology in the gut.
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24
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Bickle L, Hopwood JJ, Karageorgos L. Analysis of sheep α-synuclein provides a molecular strategy for the reduction of fibrillation. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2017; 1865:261-273. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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25
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Landeck N, Buck K, Kirik D. Toxic effects of human and rodent variants of alpha-synuclein in vivo. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 45:536-547. [PMID: 27893183 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease, abnormal alpha-synuclein (asyn) accumulation leads to the formation of soluble oligomeric species thought to be toxic to cells as well as intraneuronal inclusions. To date, the precise mechanisms leading to aggregation of asyn in the brain is not well-understood. Previous studies in yeast, drosophila, and transgenic mice suggested that a non-A beta component depleted version of human asyn [h-asyn(D70-83)] or human beta-synuclein (h-bsyn), naturally lacking this centrally located hydrophobic region, are less prone to form aggregates in vitro and are expected to be less toxic compared to h-asyn in vivo, although not all experimental studies unequivocally support the latter view. To address this outstanding issue, we directly compared the neurotoxicity of human asyn against that of h-asyn(D70-83), h-bsyn as well as rat asyn using an adeno-associated viral vector to express these proteins in a dose-response study where the vector load was varied over two orders of magnitude. By quantifying the neurodegeneration of rat substantia nigra dopamine neurons here we show that h-asyn, h-bsyn, and h-asyn(D70-83) display comparable neurotoxicity across the vector doses tested. On the other hand, rat asyn and GFP control vectors displayed a different profile, where no detectable neurodegeneration was seen except at the highest vector titer. Thus, the two main conclusions of our study are that (i) deletion of the central hydrophobic region in h-asyn is not sufficient to alter its neurotoxic properties and (ii) expression of the widely used GFP control protein can cause measurable neurodegeneration at high titers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Landeck
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems (BRAINS) Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, Lund, 22184, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Buck
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems (BRAINS) Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, Lund, 22184, Sweden
| | - Deniz Kirik
- Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems (BRAINS) Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, Lund, 22184, Sweden
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26
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Role of N-terminal methionine residues in the redox activity of copper bound to alpha-synuclein. J Biol Inorg Chem 2016; 21:691-702. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-016-1376-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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27
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Werner-Allen JW, DuMond JF, Levine RL, Bax A. Toxic Dopamine Metabolite DOPAL Forms an Unexpected Dicatechol Pyrrole Adduct with Lysines of α-Synuclein. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:7374-8. [PMID: 27158766 PMCID: PMC4983193 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201600277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease has long been known to involve the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the coincidental appearance of Lewy bodies containing oligomerized forms of α-synuclein. The "catecholaldehyde hypothesis" posits a causal link between these two central pathologies mediated by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), the most toxic dopamine metabolite. Here we determine the structure of the dominant product in reactions between DOPAL and α-synuclein, a dicatechol pyrrole lysine adduct. This novel modification results from the addition of two DOPAL molecules to the Lys sidechain amine through their aldehyde moieties and the formation of a new carbon-carbon bond between their alkyl chains to generate a pyrrole ring. The product is detectable at low concentrations of DOPAL and its discovery should provide a valuable chemical basis for future studies of DOPAL-induced crosslinking of α-synuclein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon W Werner-Allen
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jenna F DuMond
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Rodney L Levine
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Ad Bax
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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28
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Understanding curcumin-induced modulation of protein aggregation. Int J Biol Macromol 2016; 100:89-96. [PMID: 27327907 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Curcumin, a diarylheptanoid compound, found in spice turmeric is known to alter the aggregation of proteins and reduce the toxicity of the aggregates. This review looks at the molecular basis of modulating protein aggregation and toxicity of the aggregates. Foremost, we identify the interaction of curcumin and its derivatives with proteins/peptides and the effect of their interaction on the conformational stability and unfolding/folding pathway(s). The unfolding/folding processes generate partially folded/unfolded intermediate, which serve as aggregation precursor state. Secondly, we discuss the effect of curcumin binding on the kinetics parameters of the aggregation process, which give information about the mechanism of the aggregation inhibition. We describe, in addition, that curcumin can accelerate/promote fibril formation by binding to oligomeric intermediate(s) accumulated in the aggregation pathway. Finally, we discuss the correlation of curcumin-induced monomeric and/or oligomeric precursor states with aggregate structure and toxicity. On the basis of these discussions, we propose a model describing curcumin-induced inhibition/promotion of formation of amyloid-like fibrils.
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29
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Werner-Allen JW, DuMond JF, Levine RL, Bax A. Toxic Dopamine Metabolite DOPAL Forms an Unexpected Dicatechol Pyrrole Adduct with Lysines of α-Synuclein. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201600277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon W. Werner-Allen
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Bethesda MD 20892 USA
| | - Jenna F. DuMond
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda MD 20892 USA
| | - Rodney L. Levine
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda MD 20892 USA
| | - Ad Bax
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Bethesda MD 20892 USA
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30
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Ibrahim T, McLaurin J. α-Synuclein aggregation, seeding and inhibition by scyllo-inositol. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 469:529-34. [PMID: 26697752 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent literature demonstrates the accelerated aggregation of α-synuclein, a protein implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), by the presence of preformed fibrillar conformers in vitro. Furthermore, these preformed fibrillar seeds are suggested to accelerate pathological induction in vivo when injected into the brains of mice. Variation in the results of in vivo studies is proposed to be caused by α-synuclein conformational variants. To investigate the impact of amino acid sequence on seeding efficiency, human and mouse α-synuclein seeds, which vary at 7 amino acid residues, were generated and cross-seeding kinetics studied. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we confirmed that mouse α-synuclein aggregated more rapidly than human α-synuclein. Subsequently, we determined that seeding of human and mouse α-synuclein was more rapid in the presence of seeds generated from the same species. In addition, an established amyloid inhibitor, scyllo-inositol, was examined for potential inhibitory effects on α-synuclein aggregation. TEM analysis of protein:inhibitor assays demonstrated that scyllo-inositol inhibits the aggregation of α-synuclein, suggesting the therapeutic potential of the small molecule in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Ibrahim
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - JoAnne McLaurin
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M4N 3M5, ON, Canada.
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31
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Leung CWT, Guo F, Hong Y, Zhao E, Kwok RTK, Leung NLC, Chen S, Vaikath NN, El-Agnaf OM, Tang Y, Gai WP, Tang BZ. Detection of oligomers and fibrils of α-synuclein by AIEgen with strong fluorescence. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 51:1866-9. [PMID: 25526628 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc07911f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report a fluorophore, TPE-TPP, with AIE characteristics which is utilized as a fluorescence probe to monitor the α-synuclein (α-Syn) fibrillation process. Compared with ThT, TPE-TPP shows a higher sensitivity in the detection of α-Syn oligomers as well as fibrils with a stronger fluorescence. The performance of TPE-TPP was evaluated using fluorescence, AFM, dot blot, and SEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Wai Tung Leung
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, No. 9 Yuexing 1st RD, South Area, Hi-tech Park Nanshan, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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32
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Janowska MK, Wu KP, Baum J. Unveiling transient protein-protein interactions that modulate inhibition of alpha-synuclein aggregation by beta-synuclein, a pre-synaptic protein that co-localizes with alpha-synuclein. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15164. [PMID: 26477939 PMCID: PMC4609965 DOI: 10.1038/srep15164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathology in Parkinson’s disease is linked to self-association of α-Synuclein (αS) into pathogenic oligomeric species and highly ordered amyloid fibrils. Developing effective therapeutic strategies against this debilitating disease is critical and βS, a pre-synaptic protein that co-localizes with αS, can act as an inhibitor of αS assembly. Despite the potential importance of βS as an inhibitor of αS, the nature, location and specificity of the molecular interactions between these two proteins is unknown. Here we use NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement experiments, to demonstrate that βS interacts directly with αS in a transient dimer complex with high specificity and weak affinity. Inhibition of αS by βS arises from transient αS/βS heterodimer species that exist primarily in head- to- tail configurations while αS aggregation arises from a more heterogeneous and weaker range of transient interactions that include both head-to-head and head-to-tail configurations. Our results highlight that intrinsically disordered proteins can interact directly with one another at low affinity and that the transient interactions that drive inhibition versus aggregation are distinct by virtue of their plasticity and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Janowska
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
| | - Kuen-Phon Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
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33
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Janowska MK, Baum J. The loss of inhibitory C-terminal conformations in disease associated P123H β-synuclein. Protein Sci 2015; 25:286-94. [PMID: 26332674 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
β-synuclein (βS) is a homologue of α-synuclein (αS), the major protein component of Lewy bodies in patients with Parkinson's disease. In contrast to αS, βS does not form fibrils, mitigates αS toxicity in vivo and inhibits αS fibril formation in vitro. Previously a missense mutation of βS, P123H, was identified in patients with Dementia with Lewy Body disease. The single P123H mutation at the C-terminus of βS is able to convert βS from a nontoxic to a toxic protein that is also able to accelerate formation of inclusions when it is in the presence of αS in vivo. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of these processes, we compare the conformational properties of the monomer forms of αS, βS and P123H-βS, and the effects on fibril formation of coincubation of αS with βS, and with P123H-βS. NMR residual dipolar couplings and secondary structure propensities show that the P123H mutation of βS renders it more flexible C-terminal to the mutation site and more αS-like. In vitro Thioflavin T fluorescence experiments show that P123H-βS accelerates αS fibril formation upon coincubation, as opposed to wild type βS that acts as an inhibitor of αS aggregation. When P123H-βS becomes more αS-like it is unable to perform the protective function of βS, which suggests that the extended polyproline II motif of βS in the C-terminus is critical to its nontoxic nature and to inhibition of αS upon coincubation. These studies may provide a basis for understanding which regions to target for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Janowska
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854
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34
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Smith RAS, Nabok A, Blakeman BJF, Xue WF, Abell B, Smith DP. Analysis of Toxic Amyloid Fibril Interactions at Natively Derived Membranes by Ellipsometry. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132309. [PMID: 26172440 PMCID: PMC4501548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate regarding the culprits of cytotoxicity associated with amyloid disorders. Although small pre-fibrillar amyloid oligomers have been implicated as the primary toxic species, the fibrillar amyloid material itself can also induce cytotoxicity. To investigate membrane disruption and cytotoxic effects associated with intact and fragmented fibrils, the novel in situ spectroscopic technique of Total Internal Reflection Ellipsometry (TIRE) was used. Fibril lipid interactions were monitored using natively derived whole cell membranes as a model of the in vivo environment. We show that fragmented fibrils have an increased ability to disrupt these natively derived membranes by causing a loss of material from the deposited surface when compared with unfragmented fibrils. This effect was corroborated by observations of membrane disruption in live cells, and by dye release assay using synthetic liposomes. Through these studies we demonstrate the use of TIRE for the analysis of protein-lipid interactions on natively derived lipid surfaces, and provide an explanation on how amyloid fibrils can cause a toxic gain of function, while entangled amyloid plaques exert minimal biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. S. Smith
- Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Aleksey Nabok
- Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ben J. F. Blakeman
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Wei-Feng Xue
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Abell
- Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David P. Smith
- Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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35
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Porcari R, Proukakis C, Waudby CA, Bolognesi B, Mangione PP, Paton JFS, Mullin S, Cabrita LD, Penco A, Relini A, Verona G, Vendruscolo M, Stoppini M, Tartaglia GG, Camilloni C, Christodoulou J, Schapira AHV, Bellotti V. The H50Q mutation induces a 10-fold decrease in the solubility of α-synuclein. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:2395-404. [PMID: 25505181 PMCID: PMC4303689 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.610527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The conversion of α-synuclein from its intrinsically disordered monomeric state into the fibrillar cross-β aggregates characteristically present in Lewy bodies is largely unknown. The investigation of α-synuclein variants causative of familial forms of Parkinson disease can provide unique insights into the conditions that promote or inhibit aggregate formation. It has been shown recently that a newly identified pathogenic mutation of α-synuclein, H50Q, aggregates faster than the wild-type. We investigate here its aggregation propensity by using a sequence-based prediction algorithm, NMR chemical shift analysis of secondary structure populations in the monomeric state, and determination of thermodynamic stability of the fibrils. Our data show that the H50Q mutation induces only a small increment in polyproline II structure around the site of the mutation and a slight increase in the overall aggregation propensity. We also find, however, that the H50Q mutation strongly stabilizes α-synuclein fibrils by 5.0 ± 1.0 kJ mol−1, thus increasing the supersaturation of monomeric α-synuclein within the cell, and strongly favors its aggregation process. We further show that wild-type α-synuclein can decelerate the aggregation kinetics of the H50Q variant in a dose-dependent manner when coaggregating with it. These last findings suggest that the precise balance of α-synuclein synthesized from the wild-type and mutant alleles may influence the natural history and heterogeneous clinical phenotype of Parkinson disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Porcari
- From the Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, and
| | - Christos Proukakis
- the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher A Waudby
- the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Benedetta Bolognesi
- the Centre for Genomic Regulation and University Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Patrizia Mangione
- From the Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, and the Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Jack F S Paton
- the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Mullin
- the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa D Cabrita
- the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Penco
- the Department of Physics, University of Genoa, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Relini
- the Department of Physics, University of Genoa, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Verona
- From the Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, and the Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom, and
| | - Monica Stoppini
- the Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Camilloni
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom, and
| | - John Christodoulou
- the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom,
| | - Anthony H V Schapira
- the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Vittorio Bellotti
- From the Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, and the Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy,
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36
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Direct observation of the three regions in α-synuclein that determine its membrane-bound behaviour. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3827. [PMID: 24871041 PMCID: PMC4046108 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (αS) is a protein involved in neurotransmitter release in presynaptic terminals, and whose aberrant aggregation is associated with Parkinson's disease. In dopaminergic neurons, αS exists in a tightly regulated equilibrium between water-soluble and membrane-associated forms. Here we use a combination of solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopy to characterize the conformations of αS bound to lipid membranes mimicking the composition and physical properties of synaptic vesicles. The study shows three αS regions possessing distinct structural and dynamical properties, including an N-terminal helical segment having a role of membrane anchor, an unstructured C-terminal region that is weakly associated with the membrane and a central region acting as a sensor of the lipid properties and determining the affinity of αS membrane binding. Taken together, our data define the nature of the interactions of αS with biological membranes and provide insights into their roles in the function of this protein and in the molecular processes leading to its aggregation.
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37
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Kang L, Janowska MK, Moriarty GM, Baum J. Mechanistic insight into the relationship between N-terminal acetylation of α-synuclein and fibril formation rates by NMR and fluorescence. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75018. [PMID: 24058647 PMCID: PMC3776725 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein (αSyn), the primary protein component in Lewy body inclusions of patients with Parkinson’s disease, arises when the normally soluble intrinsically disordered protein converts to amyloid fibrils. In this work, we provide a mechanistic view of the role of N-terminal acetylation on fibrillation by first establishing a quantitative relationship between monomer secondary structural propensity and fibril assembly kinetics, and secondly by demonstrating in the N-terminal acetylated form of the early onset A53T mutation, that N-terminal transient helices formed and/or inhibited by N-terminal acetylation modulate the fibril assembly rates. Using NMR chemical shifts and fluorescence experiments, we report that secondary structural propensity in residues 5–8, 14–31, and 50–57 are highly correlated to fibril growth rate. A four-way comparison of secondary structure propensity and fibril growth rates of N-terminally acetylated A53T and WT αSyn with non-acetylated A53T and WT αSyn present novel mechanistic insight into the role of N-terminal acetylation in amyloid fibril formation. We show that N-terminal acetylation inhibits the formation of the “fibrillation promoting” transient helix at residues 14–31 resulting from the A53T mutation in the non-acetylated variant and supports the formation of the “fibrillation inhibiting” transient helix in residues 1–12 thereby resulting in slower fibrillation rates relative to the previously studied non-acetylated A53T variant. Our results highlight the critical interplay of the region-specific transient secondary structure of the N-terminal region with fibrillation, and the inhibitory role of the N-terminal acetyl group in fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Kang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Maria K. Janowska
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Gina M. Moriarty
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
- BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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38
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Camilloni C, Vendruscolo M. A relationship between the aggregation rates of α-synuclein variants and the β-sheet populations in their monomeric forms. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:10737-41. [PMID: 23941114 DOI: 10.1021/jp405614j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins constitute a significant part of the human proteome and carry out a wide range of different functions, including in particular signaling and regulation. Several of these proteins are vulnerable to aggregation, and their aberrant assemblies have been associated with a variety of neurodegenerative and systemic diseases. It remains unclear, however, the extent to which the conformational properties of intrinsically disordered proteins in their monomeric states influence the aggregation behavior of these molecules. Here we report a relationship between aggregation rates and secondary structure populations in the soluble monomeric states of a series of mutational variants of α-synuclein. Overall, we found a correlation of over 90% between the changes in β-sheet populations calculated from NMR chemical shift data and the changes in aggregation rates for eight human-to-mouse chimeric mutants. These results provide support to the idea of investigating therapeutic strategies based on the stabilization of the monomeric form of intrinsically disordered proteins through the alteration of their conformational properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Camilloni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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39
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Exploring the accessible conformations of N-terminal acetylated α-synuclein. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:1128-38. [PMID: 23499431 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alpha synuclein (αsyn) fibrils are found in the Lewy Bodies of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aggregation of the αsyn monomer to soluble oligomers and insoluble fibril aggregates is believed to be one of the causes of PD. Recently, the view of the native state of αsyn as a monomeric ensemble was challenged by a report suggesting that αsyn exists in its native state as a helical tetramer. This review reports on our current understanding of αsyn within the context of these recent developments and describes the work performed by a number of groups to address the monomer/tetramer debate. A number of in depth studies have subsequently shown that both non-acetylated and acetylated αsyn purified under mild conditions are primarily monomer. A description of the accessible states of acetylated αsyn monomer and the ability of αsyn to self-associate is explored.
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40
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Kanduc D. Homology, similarity, and identity in peptide epitope immunodefinition. J Pept Sci 2012; 18:487-94. [PMID: 22696298 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2012] [Revised: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The tendency to use the terms homology, similarity, and identity interchangeably persists in comparative biology. When translated to immunology, overlapping the concepts of homology, similarity, and identity complicates the exact definition of the self-nonself dichotomy and, in particular, affects immunopeptidomics, an emerging field aimed at cataloging and distinguishing immunoreactive peptide epitopes from silent nonreactive amino acid sequences. The definition of similar/dissimilar peptides in immunology is discussed with special attention to the analysis of immunological (dis)similarity between two or more protein sequences that equates to measuring sequence similarity with the use of a proper measurement unit such as a length determinant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
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41
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Kang L, Moriarty GM, Woods LA, Ashcroft AE, Radford SE, Baum J. N-terminal acetylation of α-synuclein induces increased transient helical propensity and decreased aggregation rates in the intrinsically disordered monomer. Protein Sci 2012; 21:911-7. [PMID: 22573613 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2012] [Accepted: 04/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The conformational properties of soluble α-synuclein, the primary protein found in patients with Parkinson's disease, are thought to play a key role in the structural transition to amyloid fibrils. In this work, we report that recombinant 100% N-terminal acetylated α-synuclein purified under mild physiological conditions presents as a primarily monomeric protein, and that the N-terminal acetyl group affects the transient secondary structure and fibril assembly rates of the protein. Residue-specific NMR chemical shift analysis indicates substantial increase in transient helical propensity in the first 9 N-terminal residues, as well as smaller long-range changes in residues 28-31, 43-46, and 50-66: regions in which the three familial mutations currently known to be causative of early onset disease are found. In addition, we show that the N-terminal acetylated protein forms fibrils that are morphologically similar to those formed from nonacetylated α-synuclein, but that their growth rates are slower. Our results highlight that N-terminal acetylation does not form significant numbers of dimers, tetramers, or higher molecular weight species, but does alter the conformational distributions of monomeric α-synuclein species in regions known to be important in metal binding, in association with membranes, and in regions known to affect fibril formation rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Kang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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42
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Lv G, Kumar A, Giller K, Orcellet ML, Riedel D, Fernández CO, Becker S, Lange A. Structural comparison of mouse and human α-synuclein amyloid fibrils by solid-state NMR. J Mol Biol 2012; 420:99-111. [PMID: 22516611 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2012] [Revised: 03/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar α-synuclein (AS) is the major component of Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Mouse AS (mAS) aggregates much faster than human AS (hAS), although mAS differs from hAS at only seven positions in its primary sequence. Currently, little is known about the site-specific structural differences between mAS and hAS fibrils. Here, we applied state-of-the-art solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) methods to structurally characterize mAS fibrils. The assignment strategy employed a set of high-resolution 2D and 3D ssNMR spectra recorded on uniformly [(13)C, (15)N], [1-(13)C]glucose, and [2-(13)C]glucose labeled mAS fibrils. An almost complete resonance assignment (96% of backbone amide (15)N and 93% of all (13)C nuclei) was obtained for residues from Gly41 to Val95, which form the core of mAS fibrils. Six β-strands were identified to be within the fibril core of mAS based on a secondary chemical shift and NHHC analysis. Intermolecular (13)C:(15)N labeled restraints obtained from mixed 1:1 (13)C/(15)N-labeled mAS fibrils reveal a parallel, in-register supramolecular β-sheet arrangement. The results were compared in detail to recent structural studies on hAS fibrils and indicate the presence of a structurally conserved motif comprising residues Glu61-Lys80.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohua Lv
- Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goettingen, Germany
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Abstract
Aggregated a-synuclein is the major component of inclusions in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathy brains indicating that a-syn aggregation is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Although the mechanisms underlying a-syn aggregation and toxicity are not fully elucidated, it is clear that a-syn undergoes post-translational modifications and interacts with numerous proteins and other macromolecules, metals, hormones, neurotransmitters, drugs and poisons that can all modulate its aggregation propensity. The current and most recent findings regarding the factors modulating a-syn aggregation process are discussed in detail.
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