Structures and Stabilities of Fe2+/3+ Complexes Relevant to Alzheimer’s Disease: An ab Initio Study

Role of Metal Cations of Copper, Iron, and Aluminum and Multifunctional Ligands in Alzheimer's Disease: Experimental and Computational Insights

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people around the world. Even though the causes of AD are not completely understood due to its multifactorial nature, some neuropathological hallmarks of its development have been related to the high concentration of some metal cations. These roles include the participation of these metal cations in the production of reactive oxygen species, which have been involved in neuronal damage. In order to avoid the increment in the oxidative stress, multifunctional ligands used to coordinate these metal cations have been proposed as a possible treatment to AD. In this review, we present the recent advances in experimental and computational works aiming to understand the role of two redox active and essential transition-metal cations (Cu and Fe) and one nonbiological metal (Al) and the recent proposals on the development of multifunctional ligands to stop or revert the damaging effects promoted by these metal cations.

A computational protocol for the calculation of the standard reduction potential of iron complexes: application to Fe2+/3+-Aβ model systems relevant to Alzheimer's disease

Iron complexes play a key role in several biological processes, and they are also related to the development of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. One of the main properties involved in these processes is the standard reduction potential (SRP) of iron complexes. However, the calculation of this property is challenging, mainly due to problems in the electronic structure description, solvent effects and the thermodynamic cycles used for its calculation. In this work, we proposed a computational protocol for the calculation of SRPs of iron complexes by evaluating a wide range of density functionals for the electronic structure description, two implicit solvent models with varying radii and two thermodynamic cycles. Results show that the M06L density functional in combination with the SMD solvation model and the isodesmic method provides good results compared with SRP experimental values for a set of iron complexes. Finally, this protocol was applied to three Fe^2+/3+-Aβ model systems involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease and the obtained SRP values are in good agreement with those reported previously by means of MP2 calculations.

Iron complexes play a key role in the development of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. We provide a computational protocol based on DFT for the calculation of standard reduction potentials of iron complexes relevant to Alzheimer's disease.

Transition Metal Ion Interactions with Disordered Amyloid-β Peptides in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from Computational Chemistry Studies

Monomers and oligomers of the amyloid-β peptide aggregate to form the fibrils found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. These monomers and oligomers are largely disordered and can interact with transition metal ions, affecting the mechanism and kinetics of amyloid-β aggregation. Due to the disordered nature of amyloid-β, its rapid aggregation, as well as solvent and paramagnetic effects, experimental studies face challenges in the characterization of transition metal ions bound to amyloid-β monomers and oligomers. The details of the coordination chemistry between transition metals and amyloid-β obtained from experiments remain debated. Furthermore, the impact of transition metal ion binding on the monomeric or oligomeric amyloid-β structures and dynamics are still poorly understood. Computational chemistry studies can serve as an important complement to experimental studies and can provide additional knowledge on the binding between amyloid-β and transition metal ions. Many research groups conducted first-principles calculations, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, quantum mechanics/classical mechanics simulations, and classical molecular dynamics simulations for studying the interplay between transition metal ions and amyloid-β monomers and oligomers. This review summarizes the current understanding of transition metal interactions with amyloid-β obtained from computational chemistry studies. We also emphasize the current view of the coordination chemistry between transition metal ions and amyloid-β. This information represents an important foundation for future metal ion chelator and drug design studies aiming to combat Alzheimer's disease.

Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Tongue-Mimic for Time-Resolved Luminescent Noninvasive Pattern and Chiral Recognition of Thiols in Biofluids toward Healthcare Monitoring

In this work, manganese(II)-doped zinc/germanium oxide nanoparticles (Mn@ZGNPs) have been hydrothermally synthesized to equip with appealing time-resolved luminescence (TRL). Interestingly, we reveal that they can be readily quenched ("turn off") via a facile surface coating with bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) polymerized from dopamine (DA), resulting from PDA-triggered TRL resonance energy transfer (TRL-RET). By integrated with the thiol-induced inhibition of PDA formation, an ingenious inorganic-organic hybrid tongue-mimic sensor array is thus unveiled for noninvasive pattern recognition of thiols in biofluids in a TRL-RET-reversed "turn on" format toward healthcare monitoring. The sensing principle is based on the new finding that there are differential inhibitions from thiols against the polymerization of DA with various concentrations. Furthermore, density function theory (DFT) studies excellently prove our sensing principle and experimental results, reinforcing the power of the presented system. More importantly, chiral recognition of varied concentrations and mixtures of cysteine enantiomers using our platform are also been demonstrated, promising its practical usage. This is a novel concept of inorganic-organic hybrid-based pattern and chiral recognition platform for TRL background-free sensing and would sprout more novel relevant strategies toward broader applications.

Effect of ferric citrate on amyloid-beta peptides behavior

Amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation and oxidative stress are two of the central events in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Both these phenomena can be caused by the interaction of Aβ with metal ions. In the last years the interaction between Zn^II , Cu^II , and Aβ was much studied, but between iron and Aβ it is still little known. In this work we determine how three Aβ peptides, present in AD, interact with Fe^III -citrate. The three Aβ peptides are: full length Aβ1-42, an isoform truncated at Glutamic acid in position three, Aβ3-42, and its pyroglutamated form AβpE3-42. Conformation and morphology of the three peptides, aggregated with and without Fe^III -citrate were studied. Besides, we have determined the strength of the interactions Aβ/Fe^III -citrate studying the effect of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as chelator. Results reported here demonstrate that Fe^III -citrate promotes the aggregation in all the three peptides. Moreover, Aspartic acid 1, Glutamic acid 3, and Tyrosine 10 have an important role in the coordination with iron, generating a more stable complex for Aβ1-42 compared to that for the truncated peptides.

NBD-BPEA regulates Zn2+- or Cu2+-induced Aβ40 aggregation and cytotoxicity

Abnormal interaction of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and metal ions is proved to be related to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using metal chelators to reverse metal-triggered Aβ aggregation has become one of the potential therapies for AD. In our work, the effect of metal chelator, NBD-BPEA, on Zn²⁺- or Cu²⁺-mediated Aβ₄₀ aggregation and neurotoxicity has been systematically studied. NBD-BPEA exhibits the capability to inhibit the metal-mediated Aβ₄₀ aggregation and disassemble performed Aβ₄₀ aggregates. It also prevents the formation of the β-sheet structure and promotes the reversion of the β-sheet to the normal random coil conformation. Moreover, it can alleviate Zn²⁺- or Cu²⁺-Aβ₄₀-induced neurotoxicity, suppress the intracellular ROS and protect against cell apoptosis. These preliminary findings indicate that NBD-BPEA has promising perspective of application in the treatment of AD, and therefore deserve further investigation as potential anti-AD agents.

Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on Aggregation of Physiologically Important Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Misfolding and aggregation of proteins and peptides play an important role in a number of diseases as well as in many physiological processes. Many of the proteins that misfold and aggregate in vivo are intrinsically disordered. Protein aggregation is a complex multistep process, and aggregates can significantly differ in morphology, structure, stability, cytotoxicity, and self-propagation ability. The aggregation process is influenced by both intrinsic (e.g., mutations and expression levels) and extrinsic (e.g., polypeptide chain truncation, macromolecular crowding, posttranslational modifications, as well as interaction with metal ions, other small molecules, lipid membranes, and chaperons) factors. This review examines the effect of a variety of these factors on aggregation of physiologically important intrinsically disordered proteins.

Two macrocyclic polyamines as modulators of metal-mediated Aβ40aggregation

L1 and L2 can inhibit the metal-induced Aβ₄₀aggregation, attenuate neurotoxicity, suppress the intracellular ROS and protect against cell apoptosis.

Disaggregation ability of different chelating molecules on copper ion-triggered amyloid fibers

Dysfunctional interaction of amyloid-β (Aβ) with excess metal ions is proved to be related to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using metal-binding compounds to reverse metal-triggered Aβ aggregation has become one of the potential therapies for AD. In this study, the ability of a carboxylic acid gemini surfactant (SDUC), a widely used metal chelator (EDTA), and an antifungal drug clioquinol (CQ) in reversing the Cu(2+)-triggered Aβ(1-40) fibers have been systematically studied by using turbidity essay, BCA essay, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and isothermal titration microcalorimetry. The results show that the binding affinity of Cu(2+) with CQ, SDUC, and EDTA is in the order of CQ > EDTA > SDUC, while the disaggregation ability to Cu(2+)-triggered Aβ(1-40) fibers is in the order of CQ > SDUC > EDTA. Therefore, the disaggregation ability of chelators to the Aβ(1-40) fibers does not only depend on the binding affinity of the chelators with Cu(2+). Strong self-assembly ability of SDUC and π-π interaction of the conjugate group of CQ also contributes toward the disaggregation of the Cu(2+)-triggered Aβ(1-40) fibers and result in the formation of mixed small aggregates.

Modulation of amyloid-β aggregation by histidine-coordinating Cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes

Oligomers of the Aβ42 peptide are significant neurotoxins linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Histidine (His) residues present at the N terminus of Aβ42 are believed to influence toxicity by either serving as metal-ion binding sites (which promote oligomerization and oxidative damage) or facilitating synaptic binding. Transition metal complexes that bind to these residues and modulate Aβ toxicity have emerged as therapeutic candidates. Cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes (Co-sb) were evaluated for their ability to interact with Aβ peptides. HPLC-MS, NMR, fluorescence, and DFT studies demonstrated that Co-sb complexes could interact with the His residues in a truncated Aβ16 peptide representing the Aβ42 N terminus. Coordination of Co-sb complexes altered the structure of Aβ42 peptides and promoted the formation of large soluble oligomers. Interestingly, this structural perturbation of Aβ correlated to reduced synaptic binding to hippocampal neurons. These results demonstrate the promise of Co-sb complexes in anti-AD therapeutic approaches.

3D structures and redox potentials of Cu2+-Aβ(1-16) complexes at different pH: a computational study

Oxidative stress induced by redox-active metal cations such as Cu(2+) is a key event in the development of Alzheimer's disease. A detailed knowledge of the structure of Cu(2+)-Aβ complex is thus important to get a better understanding of this critical process. In the present study, we use a computational approach that combines homology modeling with quantum-mechanics-based methods to determine plausible 3D structures of Cu(2+)-Aβ(1-16) complexes that enclose the different metal coordination spheres proposed experimentally at different pH values. With these models in hand, we determine their standard reduction potential (SRP) with the aim of getting new insights into the relation between the structure of these complexes and their redox behavior. Results show that in all cases copper reduction induces CObackbone decoordination, which, for distorted square planar structures in the oxidized state (Ia_δδ, IIa_εδε, IIa_εεε, and IIc_ε), leads to tricoordinated species. For the pentacoordinated structural candidate Ib_δε with Glu11 at the apical position, the reduction leads to a distorted tetrahedral structure. The present results highlight the importance of the nature of the ligands on the SRP. The computed values (with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode) for complexes enclosing negatively charged ligands in the coordination sphere (from -0.81 to -0.12 V) are significantly lower than those computed for models involving neutral ligands (from 0.19 to 0.28 V). Major geometry changes induced by reduction, on both the metal site and the peptide configuration, are discussed as well as their possible influence in the formation of reactive oxygen species.