1
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Li M, Castro Lingl S, Yang J. Reduction of hemagglutination induced by a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein fragment using an amyloid-binding benzothiazole amphiphile. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12317. [PMID: 38811619 PMCID: PMC11137076 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 infection is associated with a variety of vascular occlusive morbidities. However, a comprehensive understanding of how this virus can induce vascular complications remains lacking. Here, we show that a peptide fragment of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, S192 (sequence 192-211), is capable of forming amyloid-like aggregates that can induce agglutination of red blood cells, which was not observed with low- and non-aggregated S192 peptide. We subsequently screened eight amyloid-binding molecules and identified BAM1-EG6, a benzothiazole amphiphile, as a promising candidate capable of binding to aggregated S192 and partially inhibiting its agglutination activity. These results provide new insight into a potential molecular mechanism for the capability of spike protein metabolites to contribute to COVID-19-related blood complications and suggest a new therapeutic approach for combating microvascular morbidities in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meihan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093-0358, USA
| | - Sascha Castro Lingl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093-0358, USA
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093-0358, USA.
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2
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Mohapatra S, Viswanathan GKK, Wettstein L, Arad E, Paul A, Kumar V, Jelinek R, Münch J, Segal D. Dual concentration-dependent effect of ascorbic acid on PAP(248-286) amyloid formation and SEVI-mediated HIV infection. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1534-1545. [PMID: 34704058 PMCID: PMC8496042 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00084e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human semen contains various amyloidogenic peptides derived from Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) and Semenogelin proteins that are capable of enhancing HIV-1 infection when assembled into fibrils. The best characterized among them is a 39 amino acid peptide PAP(248–286), which forms amyloid fibrils termed SEVI (semen-derived enhancer of viral infection) that increase the infectivity of HIV-1 by orders of magnitude. Inhibiting amyloid formation by PAP(248–286) may mitigate the sexual transmission of HIV-1. Several vitamins have been shown to reduce the aggregation of amyloids such as Aβ, α-Synuclein, and Tau, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Since ascorbic acid (AA, vitamin C) is the most abundant vitamin in semen with average concentrations of 0.4 mM, we here examined how AA affects PAP(248–286) aggregation in vitro. Using ThT binding assays, transmission electron microscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy, a dual and concentration-dependent behavior of AA in modulating PAP(248–286) fibril formation was observed. We found that low molar ratios of AA:PAP(248–286) promoted whereas high molar ratios inhibited PAP(248–286) fibril formation. Accordingly, PAP(248–286) aggregated in the presence of low amounts of AA enhanced HIV-1 infection, whereas excess amounts of AA during aggregation reduced the infectivity enhancing effect in cell culture. Collectively, this work provides a biophysical insight into the effect of AA, an important seminal component, on SEVI fibrillation which might impact amyloid formation kinetics, thereby modulating the biological activity of semen amyloids. Human semen contains various amyloidogenic peptides derived from Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) and Semenogelin proteins that are capable of enhancing HIV-1 infection when assembled into fibrils.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Satabdee Mohapatra
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 69978 Israel
| | - Guru Krishna Kumar Viswanathan
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 69978 Israel
| | - Lukas Wettstein
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center Ulm 89081 Germany
| | - Elad Arad
- Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva 8410501 Israel
| | - Ashim Paul
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 69978 Israel
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 69978 Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva 8410501 Israel
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center Ulm 89081 Germany
| | - Daniel Segal
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 69978 Israel
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3
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Cifelli JL, Capule CC, Yang J. Noncovalent, Electrostatic Interactions Induce Positively Cooperative Binding of Small Molecules to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease-Related Amyloids. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:991-995. [PMID: 30044911 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are self-assembled protein aggregates that represent a major hallmark of many neurologic and systemic diseases. Among the common features of amyloids is the presence of a high density of multiple binding sites for small molecule ligands, making them an attractive target for design of multimeric binding agents. Here, we demonstrate that noncovalent, intermolecular interactions between a 1:1 mixture of oppositely charged benzothiazole molecules enhances their binding to two different amyloid aggregates: Alzheimer's-related amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides or Parkinson's-related α-synuclein (αS) proteins. We show that this mixture leads to positively cooperative binding to amyloid targets, with up to 10-fold enhancement of binding compared to the uncharged parent compound. The observed enhancement of amyloid binding using noncovalent interactions was similar in magnitude to a benzothiazole dimer to aggregated Aβ. These results represent a novel strategy for designing amyloid-targeting molecules with enhanced affinity, which could aid in the development of new diagnostic or treatment strategies for amyloid-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Cifelli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Christina C. Capule
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
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4
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Huang S, Gu J, Ye J, Fang B, Wan S, Wang C, Ashraf U, Li Q, Wang X, Shao L, Song Y, Zheng X, Cao F, Cao S. Benzoxazine monomer derived carbon dots as a broad-spectrum agent to block viral infectivity. J Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 542:198-206. [PMID: 30739009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Multiple viruses can cause infection and death of millions annually. Of these, flaviviruses are found to be highly prevalent in recent years with no distinctive antiviral therapies. Therefore, there is a desperate need for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that can be active against a large number of existing and emerging viruses. Herein, we prepared a kind of benzoxazine monomer derived carbon dots (BZM-CDs) and demonstrated their infection-blocking ability against life-threatening flaviviruses (Japanese encephalitis, Zika, and dengue viruses) and non-enveloped viruses (porcine parvovirus and adenovirus-associated virus). It was found that BZM-CDs could directly bind to the surface of the virion, and eventually the first step of virus-cell interaction was impeded. The developed nanoparticles are active against both flaviviruses and non-enveloped viruses in vitro. Thus, the application of BZM-CDs may constitute an intriguing broad-spectrum approach to rein in viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaomei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Jiangjiang Gu
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China.
| | - Jing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Bin Fang
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Shengfeng Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Caoyu Wang
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Usama Ashraf
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Xugang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Lin Shao
- Wuhan Brain VTA Technology Co. Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Yunfeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Xinsheng Zheng
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Feifei Cao
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China
| | - Shengbo Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, PR China.
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5
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Inhibitory Effect of Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan Hybrid towards Aggregation of PAP f39 Semen Amyloid. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123279. [PMID: 30544943 PMCID: PMC6320874 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PAP248–286, a 39 amino acid peptide fragment, derived from the prostatic acid phosphatase secreted in human semen, forms amyloid fibrils and facilitates the attachment of retroviruses to host cells that results in the enhancement of viral infection. Therefore, the inhibition of amyloid formation by PAP248–286 (termed PAP f39) may likely reduce HIV transmission in AIDS. In this study, we show that the naphthoquinone tryptophan (NQTrp) hybrid molecule significantly inhibited PAP f39 aggregation in vitro in a dose-dependent manner as observed from the ThT assay, ANS assay, and transmission electron microscopy imaging. We found that even at a sub-molar concentration of 20:1 [PAP f39:NQTrp], NQTrp could reduce >50% amyloid formation. NQTrp inhibition of PAP f39 aggregation resulted in non-toxic intermediate species as determined by the vesicle leakage assay. Isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking revealed that the binding of NQTrp and PAP f39 is spontaneous, and NQTrp predominantly interacts with the polar and charged residues of the peptide by forming hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts with a strong binding energy. Collectively, these findings indicate that NQTrp holds significant potential as a small molecule inhibitor of semen amyloids.
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6
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Sun W, Wang Y, Ma L, Zheng L, Fang W, Chen X, Jiang H. Self-Assembled Carcerand-like Cage with a Thermoregulated Selective Binding Preference for Purification of High-Purity C60 and C70. J Org Chem 2018; 83:14667-14675. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.8b02674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Lishuang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Lu Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Weihai Fang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xuebo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Hua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry and Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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7
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Röcker A, Roan NR, Yadav JK, Fändrich M, Münch J. Structure, function and antagonism of semen amyloids. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:7557-7569. [PMID: 29873340 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc01491d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are linear polypeptide aggregates with a cross-β structure. These fibrils are best known for their association with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, but they may also be used by living organisms as functional units, e.g. in the synthesis of melanin or in the formation of bacterial biofilms. About a decade ago, in a search for semen factors that modulate infection by HIV-1 (a sexually transmitted virus and the causative agent of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)), it was demonstrated that semen harbors amyloid fibrils capable of markedly increasing HIV infection rates. This discovery not only created novel opportunities to prevent sexual HIV-1 transmission but also stimulated research to unravel the natural role of these factors. We discuss here the identification of these intriguing structures, their molecular properties, and their effects on both sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive health. Moreover, we review strategies to antagonize semen amyloid to prevent sexual transmission of viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Röcker
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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8
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Lee YH, Ramamoorthy A. Semen-derived amyloidogenic peptides-Key players of HIV infection. Protein Sci 2018; 27:1151-1165. [PMID: 29493036 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Misfolding and amyloid aggregation of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are implicated in a variety of diseases. Studies have shown that membrane plays important roles on the formation of intermediate structures of IDPs that can initiate (and/or speed-up) amyloid aggregation to form fibers. The process of amyloid aggregation also disrupts membrane to cause cell death in amyloid diseases like Alzheimer's disease and type-2 diabetes. On the other hand, recent studies reported the membrane fusion properties of amyloid fibers. Remarkably, amyloid-fibril formation by short peptide fragments of highly abundant prostatic acidic-phosphatase (PAP) in human semen and are capable of boosting the rate of HIV infection up to 400,000-fold during sexual contact. Unlike the least toxic fully matured fibers of most amyloid proteins, the semen-derived enhancer of virus infection (SEVI) amyloid-fibrils of PAP peptide fragments are highly potent in rendering the maximum rate of HIV infection. This unusual property of amyloid fibers has witnessed increasing number of studies on the biophysical aspects of fiber formation and fiber-membrane interactions. NMR studies have reported a highly disordered partial helical structure in a membrane environment for the intrinsically disordered PAP peptide that promotes the fusion of the viral membrane with that of host cells. The purpose of this review article is to unify and integrate biophysical and immunological research reported in the previous studies on SEVI. Specifically, amyloid aggregation, dramatic HIV infection enhancing properties, membrane fusion properties, high resolution NMR structure, and approaches to eliminate the enhancement of HIV infection of SEVI peptides are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Ho Lee
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Biophysics Program and Department of Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-1055
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9
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Cooperative nanoparticle H-type self-assembly of a bolaamphiphilic BODIPY derivative in aqueous medium. POLYMER 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2016.12.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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10
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Sheik DA, Dewhurst S, Yang J. Natural Seminal Amyloids as Targets for Development of Synthetic Inhibitors of HIV Transmission. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:2159-2166. [PMID: 28809479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amyloids refer to a class of protein or peptide aggregates that are heterogeneous in size, morphology, and composition, and are implicated to play a central role in many neurodegenerative and systemic diseases. The strong correlation between biological activity and extent of aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins and peptides has led to an explosion of research efforts to target these materials with synthetic molecules or engineered antibodies to try to attenuate their function in disease pathology. Although many of these efforts to attenuate amyloid function have shown great promise in laboratory settings, the vast majority of work has been focused on targeting amyloids associated with neurologic diseases, which has been met with significant additional challenges that preclude clinical evaluation. Only recently have researchers started applying their efforts toward neutralizing the activity of amyloids associated with non-neurologic diseases. For instance, small peptides present in high abundance in human semen have been found to aggregate into amyloid-like fibrils, with in vitro experiments indicating that these amyloid fibrils could potentially increase the rate of infection of pathogens such as HIV by over 400 000-fold during sexual contact. Mechanistic investigations of naturally occurring seminal amyloid species such as Semen-derived Enhancer of Virus Infection (SEVI) and related natural peptide aggregates suggest that these materials interact strongly with virus particles and cell surfaces, facilitating viral attachment and internalization into cells and, thus, possibly promoting sexual transmission of disease. Such amyloid mediators in HIV transmission represent an attractive target for development of chemical approaches to attenuate their biological activity. For instance, the activity of seminal amyloids in genital fluids potentially allows for topical delivery of amyloid-targeting molecules, which could minimize common problems with systemic toxicity or permeability across biological barriers. In addition, molecules that target these amyloid mediators in viral attachment could potentially work synergistically with current antiviral agents to reduce the rate of HIV transmission. This Account will briefly summarize some of the key evidence in support of the capability of SEVI to enhance viral infection, and will highlight examples, many from our group, of recent efforts aimed at inhibiting its activity using synthetic small molecules, oligomeric peptides, and polymeric materials. We present various chemical strategies that have shown promise for neutralizing the role of SEVI in HIV transmission including the development of aggregation inhibitors of SEVI fibril formation, small molecule amyloid binders that modulate the charge or structure of SEVI, and synthetic molecules that form bioresistive coatings on SEVI and inhibit its interaction with the virus or cell surface. We discuss some unique challenges that hamper translation of these molecular strategies toward clinical evaluation, and propose several opportunities for researchers to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Sheik
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Stephen Dewhurst
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
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11
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Li M, Dong X, Liu Y, Sun Y. Brazilin Inhibits Prostatic Acidic Phosphatase Fibrillogenesis and Decreases its Cytotoxicity. Chem Asian J 2017; 12:1062-1068. [PMID: 28303660 DOI: 10.1002/asia.201700058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A 39-amino acid peptide fragment that is derived from prostatic acidic phosphatase (PAP), PAP248-286 , is secreted in large amounts in human semen and forms amyloid fibrils. These fibrils can capture HIV virions and increase the attachment of virions to target cells; as such, they are called a "semen-derived enhancer of virus infection" (SEVI). Therefore, the inhibition of the formation of PAP248-286 amyloid fibrils is of great significance. Herein, we demonstrate that brazilin effectively inhibits PAP248-286 aggregation. The inhibitory effect increases with increasing brazilin concentration. Thioflavin T fluorescence assays and TEM observations confirmed that a few fibrils formed when brazilin was present with PAP248-286 in an equimolar concentration. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that brazilin inhibited the secondary structural transitions from α-helices and random coils into β-sheets. Cytotoxicity assays showed that brazilin significantly decreased the cytotoxicity of the fibrils at 0.01 mmol L-1 . Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that hydrophobic interactions were the main driving force for the binding of brazilin to the PAP248-286 monomer (dissociation constant, 4.03 μmol L-1 ), and that the binding affinity of brazilin for the fibrils was at least three orders of magnitude lower than that for the monomer. These results indicate that brazilin holds great potential as a small-molecule agent against SEVIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300354, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300354, P. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biology and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, P. R. China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300354, P. R. China
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12
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Sheik DA, Chamberlain JM, Brooks L, Clark M, Kim YH, Leriche G, Kubiak CP, Dewhurst S, Yang J. Hydrophobic Nanoparticles Reduce the β-Sheet Content of SEVI Amyloid Fibrils and Inhibit SEVI-Enhanced HIV Infectivity. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:2596-2602. [PMID: 28207276 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b04295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Semen-derived enhancer of virus infection (SEVI) fibrils are naturally abundant amyloid aggregates found in semen that facilitate viral attachment and internalization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in cells, thereby increasing the probability of infection. Mature SEVI fibrils are composed of aggregated peptides exhibiting high β-sheet secondary structural characteristics. Herein, we show that polymers containing hydrophobic side chains can interact with SEVI and reduce its β-sheet content by ∼45% compared with the β-sheet content of SEVI in the presence of polymers with hydrophilic side chains, as estimated by polarization modulation-infrared reflectance absorption spectroscopy measurements. A nanoparticle (NP) formulation of this hydrophobic polymer reduced SEVI-mediated HIV infection in TMZ-bl cells by 60% compared with the control treatment. Although these NPs lacked specific amyloid-targeting groups, thus requiring high concentrations to observe biological activity, the use of hydrophobic interactions to alter the secondary structure of amyloids represents a useful approach to neutralizing the SEVI function. These results could, therefore, have general implications in the design of novel materials that can modify the activity of amyloids associated with a variety of other neurological and systemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Sheik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Chamberlain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Lauren Brooks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Melissa Clark
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Young Hun Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Geoffray Leriche
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Clifford P Kubiak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Stephen Dewhurst
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
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13
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Turhanen PA, Vepsäläinen JJ. Preparation of useful building blocks, α-iodo- and bromoalkanols from cyclic ethers using the Dowex H +/NaX (X = I, Br) approach. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra20813k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel method for preparation of α-iodo- and bromoalkanols directly from cyclic ethers has been developed. Prepared compounds are highly important building blocks in synthetic chemistry for the preparation of more complex molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petri A. Turhanen
- University of Eastern Finland
- School of Pharmacy
- Biocenter Kuopio
- Kuopio
- Finland
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14
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Lee NJ, Song JM, Cho HJ, Sung YM, Lee T, Chung A, Hong SH, Cifelli JL, Rubinshtein M, Habib LK, Capule CC, Turner RS, Pak DTS, Yang J, Hoe HS. Hexa (ethylene glycol) derivative of benzothiazole aniline promotes dendritic spine formation through the RasGRF1-Ras dependent pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2015; 1862:284-95. [PMID: 26675527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Our recent study demonstrated that an amyloid-β binding molecule, BTA-EG4, increases dendritic spine number via Ras-mediated signaling. To potentially optimize the potency of the BTA compounds, we synthesized and evaluated an amyloid-β binding analog of BTA-EG4 with increased solubility in aqueous solution, BTA-EG6. We initially examined the effects of BTA-EG6 on dendritic spine formation and found that BTA-EG6-treated primary hippocampal neurons had significantly increased dendritic spine number compared to control treatment. In addition, BTA-EG6 significantly increased the surface level of AMPA receptors. Upon investigation into the molecular mechanism by which BTA-EG6 promotes dendritic spine formation, we found that BTA-EG6 may exert its effects on spinogenesis via RasGRF1-ERK signaling, with potential involvement of other spinogenesis-related proteins such as Cdc42 and CDK5. Taken together, our data suggest that BTA-EG6 boosts spine and synapse number, which may have a beneficial effect of enhancing neuronal and synaptic function in the normal healthy brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathanael J Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Jung Min Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Hyun-Ji Cho
- Department of Neural Development and Disease, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 701-300, Republic of Korea
| | - You Me Sung
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Taehee Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Andrew Chung
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Sung-Ha Hong
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Jessica L Cifelli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mark Rubinshtein
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lila K Habib
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christina C Capule
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - R Scott Turner
- Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Daniel T S Pak
- Department of Pharmacology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hyang-Sook Hoe
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Department of Neural Development and Disease, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 701-300, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Watkins R, Wu L, Zhang C, Davis RM, Xu B. Natural product-based nanomedicine: recent advances and issues. Int J Nanomedicine 2015; 10:6055-74. [PMID: 26451111 PMCID: PMC4592057 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s92162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products have been used in medicine for many years. Many top-selling pharmaceuticals are natural compounds or their derivatives. These plant- or microorganism-derived compounds have shown potential as therapeutic agents against cancer, microbial infection, inflammation, and other disease conditions. However, their success in clinical trials has been less impressive, partly due to the compounds’ low bioavailability. The incorporation of nanoparticles into a delivery system for natural products would be a major advance in the efforts to increase their therapeutic effects. Recently, advances have been made showing that nanoparticles can significantly increase the bioavailability of natural products both in vitro and in vivo. Nanotechnology has demonstrated its capability to manipulate particles in order to target specific areas of the body and control the release of drugs. Although there are many benefits to applying nanotechnology for better delivery of natural products, it is not without issues. Drug targeting remains a challenge and potential nanoparticle toxicity needs to be further investigated, especially if these systems are to be used to treat chronic human diseases. This review aims to summarize recent progress in several key areas relevant to natural products in nanoparticle delivery systems for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Watkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Program in Nanoscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ling Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Chenming Zhang
- Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Richey M Davis
- Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA ; Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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