1
|
Litberg TJ, Horowitz S. Roles of Nucleic Acids in Protein Folding, Aggregation, and Disease. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:809-823. [PMID: 38477936 PMCID: PMC11149768 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00695] [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] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The role of nucleic acids in protein folding and aggregation is an area of continued research, with relevance to understanding both basic biological processes and disease. In this review, we provide an overview of the trajectory of research on both nucleic acids as chaperones and their roles in several protein misfolding diseases. We highlight key questions that remain on the biophysical and biochemical specifics of how nucleic acids have large effects on multiple proteins' folding and aggregation behavior and how this pertains to multiple protein misfolding diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theodore J. Litberg
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Scott Horowitz
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tong H, Yang T, Xu S, Li X, Liu L, Zhou G, Yang S, Yin S, Li XJ, Li S. Huntington's Disease: Complex Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3845. [PMID: 38612657 PMCID: PMC11011923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073845] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) arises from the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the production of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with a polyglutamine stretch in its N-terminus. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, mHTT forms aggregates and accumulates abnormally in neuronal nuclei and processes, leading to disruptions in multiple cellular functions. Although there is currently no effective curative treatment for HD, significant progress has been made in developing various therapeutic strategies to treat HD. In addition to drugs targeting the neuronal toxicity of mHTT, gene therapy approaches that aim to reduce the expression of the mutant HTT gene hold great promise for effective HD therapy. This review provides an overview of current HD treatments, discusses different therapeutic strategies, and aims to facilitate future therapeutic advancements in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Das E, Sahu KK, Roy I. The functional role of Ire1 in regulating autophagy and proteasomal degradation under prolonged proteotoxic stress. FEBS J 2023. [PMID: 36757110 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of endoribonuclease/kinase Ire1 has shown beneficial effects in many proteotoxicity-induced pathology models. The mechanism by which this occurs has not been elucidated completely. Using a proteotoxic yeast model of Huntington's disease, we show that the deletion of Ire1 led to lower protein aggregation at longer time points. The rate of protein degradation was higher in ΔIre1 cells. We monitored the two major protein degradation mechanisms in the cell. The increase in expression of Rpn4, coding for the transcription factor controlling proteasome biogenesis, was higher in ΔIre1 cells. The chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity was also significantly enhanced in these cells at later time points of aggregation. The gene and protein expression levels of the autophagy gene Atg8 were higher in ΔIre1 than in wild-type cells. Significant increase in autophagy flux was also seen in ΔIre1 cells at later time points of aggregation. The results suggest that the deletion of Ire1 activates UPR-independent arms of the proteostasis network, especially under conditions of aggravated stress. Thus, the inhibition of Ire1 may regulate UPR-independent cellular stress-response pathways under prolonged stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eshita Das
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, India
| | - Kiran Kumari Sahu
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Fasano D, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Truncated Analogues of a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Targeting Mutant Huntingtin: Shorter Is Better! Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012412. [PMID: 36293267 PMCID: PMC9604342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Two analogues of the MS3 aptamer, which was previously shown to have an exquisite capability to selectively bind and modulate the activity of mutant huntingtin (mHTT), have been here designed and evaluated in their physicochemical and biological properties. Featured by a distinctive propensity to form complex G-quadruplex structures, including large multimeric aggregates, the original 36-mer MS3 has been truncated to give a 33-mer (here named MS3-33) and a 17-mer (here named MS3-17). A combined use of different techniques (UV, CD, DSC, gel electrophoresis) allowed a detailed physicochemical characterization of these novel G-quadruplex-forming aptamers, tested in vitro on SH-SY5Y cells and in vivo on a Drosophila Huntington’s disease model, in which these shorter MS3-derived oligonucleotides proved to have improved bioactivity in comparison with the parent aptamer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6078, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
van der Bent ML, Evers MM, Vallès A. Emerging Therapies for Huntington's Disease - Focus on N-Terminal Huntingtin and Huntingtin Exon 1. Biologics 2022; 16:141-160. [PMID: 36213816 PMCID: PMC9532260 DOI: 10.2147/btt.s270657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a devastating heritable neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by the presence of a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin gene, leading to a polyglutamine tract in the protein. Various mechanisms lead to the production of N-terminal Huntingtin protein fragments, which are reportedly more toxic than the full-length protein. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the production and toxicity of N-terminal Huntingtin protein fragments. Further, we expand on various therapeutic strategies targeting N-terminal Huntingtin on the protein, RNA and DNA level. Finally, we compare the therapeutic approaches that are clinically most advanced, including those that do not target N-terminal Huntingtin, discussing differences in mode of action and translational applicability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Melvin M Evers
- uniQure biopharma B.V., Department of Research and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid Vallès
- uniQure biopharma B.V., Department of Research and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tran CH, Saha R, Blanco C, Bagchi D, Chen IA. Modulation of α-Synuclein Aggregation In Vitro by a DNA Aptamer. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1757-1765. [PMID: 35994742 PMCID: PMC9454088 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is an important problem for human health and biotechnology, with consequences in areas ranging from neurodegenerative diseases to protein production yields. Methods to modulate protein aggregation are therefore essential. One suggested method to modulate protein aggregation is the use of nucleic acid aptamers, that is, single-stranded nucleic acids that have been selected to specifically bind to a target. Previous studies in some systems have demonstrated that aptamers may inhibit protein aggregation, including for α-synuclein, a protein implicated in synucleinopathies. However, the mechanisms by which aptamers might affect or modulate aggregation have not been fully determined. In this study, we investigated the effect of an aptamer that binds α-synuclein oligomer, T-SO508, on α-synuclein aggregation in vitro using thioflavin T to monitor aggregation kinetics, and we performed atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and analytical ultracentrifugation to characterize intermediate structures. The results indicated that T-SO508, but not control DNA sequences, extends the lag phase of aggregation and stabilizes formation of a small non-fibrillar aggregate complex. Attempts to use the aptamer-induced complexes to seed fibril formation did not in fact accelerate aggregation, indicating that these structures are off-pathway for aggregation. This study highlights a potential mechanism by which aptamers may modulate the aggregation properties of proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire H Tran
- Program in Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Ranajay Saha
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Celia Blanco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Damayanti Bagchi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Irene A Chen
- Program in Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Podvin S, Rosenthal SB, Poon W, Wei E, Fisch KM, Hook V. Mutant Huntingtin Protein Interaction Map Implicates Dysregulation of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Neurodegeneration of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:243-267. [PMID: 35871359 PMCID: PMC9484122 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-220538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease caused by trinucleotide repeat (CAG) expansions in the human HTT gene encoding the huntingtin protein (Htt) with an expanded polyglutamine tract. OBJECTIVE HD models from yeast to transgenic mice have investigated proteins interacting with mutant Htt that may initiate molecular pathways of cell death. There is a paucity of datasets of published Htt protein interactions that include the criteria of 1) defining fragments or full-length Htt forms, 2) indicating the number of poly-glutamines of the mutant and wild-type Htt forms, and 3) evaluating native Htt interaction complexes. This research evaluated such interactor data to gain understanding of Htt dysregulation of cellular pathways. METHODS Htt interacting proteins were compiled from the literature that meet our criteria and were subjected to network analysis via clustering, gene ontology, and KEGG pathways using rigorous statistical methods. RESULTS The compiled data of Htt interactors found that both mutant and wild-type Htt interact with more than 2,971 proteins. Application of a community detection algorithm to all known Htt interactors identified significant signal transduction, membrane trafficking, chromatin, and mitochondrial clusters, among others. Binomial analyses of a subset of reported protein interactor information determined that chromatin organization, signal transduction and endocytosis were diminished, while mitochondria, translation and membrane trafficking had enriched overall edge effects. CONCLUSION The data support the hypothesis that mutant Htt disrupts multiple cellular processes causing toxicity. This dataset is an open resource to aid researchers in formulating hypotheses of HD mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Podvin
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sara Brin Rosenthal
- Center for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - William Poon
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Enlin Wei
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Fisch
- Center for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Dept of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ferguson MW, Kennedy CJ, Palpagama TH, Waldvogel HJ, Faull RLM, Kwakowsky A. Current and Possible Future Therapeutic Options for Huntington’s Disease. J Cent Nerv Syst Dis 2022; 14:11795735221092517. [PMID: 35615642 PMCID: PMC9125092 DOI: 10.1177/11795735221092517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by an excessive number of CAG trinucleotide repeats within the huntingtin gene ( HTT). HD patients can present with a variety of symptoms including chorea, behavioural and psychiatric abnormalities and cognitive decline. Each patient has a unique combination of symptoms, and although these can be managed using a range of medications and non-drug treatments there is currently no cure for the disease. Current therapies prescribed for HD can be categorized by the symptom they treat. These categories include chorea medication, antipsychotic medication, antidepressants, mood stabilizing medication as well as non-drug therapies. Fortunately, there are also many new HD therapeutics currently undergoing clinical trials that target the disease at its origin; lowering the levels of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). Currently, much attention is being directed to antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies, which bind to pre-RNA or mRNA and can alter protein expression via RNA degradation, blocking translation or splice modulation. Other potential therapies in clinical development include RNA interference (RNAi) therapies, RNA targeting small molecule therapies, stem cell therapies, antibody therapies, non-RNA targeting small molecule therapies and neuroinflammation targeted therapies. Potential therapies in pre-clinical development include Zinc-Finger Protein (ZFP) therapies, transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) therapies and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated system (Cas) therapies. This comprehensive review aims to discuss the efficacy of current HD treatments and explore the clinical trial progress of emerging potential HD therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie W. Ferguson
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Connor J. Kennedy
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Thulani H. Palpagama
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Henry J. Waldvogel
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard L. M. Faull
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Kwakowsky
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Galway Neuroscience Centre, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, Fasano D, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Fighting the Huntington's Disease with a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Specifically Binding to Mutant Huntingtin Protein: Biophysical Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4804. [PMID: 35563194 PMCID: PMC9101412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A set of guanine-rich aptamers able to preferentially recognize full-length huntingtin with an expanded polyglutamine tract has been recently identified, showing high efficacy in modulating the functions of the mutated protein in a variety of cell experiments. We here report a detailed biophysical characterization of the best aptamer in the series, named MS3, proved to adopt a stable, parallel G-quadruplex structure and show high nuclease resistance in serum. Confocal microscopy experiments on HeLa and SH-SY5Y cells, as models of non-neuronal and neuronal cells, respectively, showed a rapid, dose-dependent uptake of fluorescein-labelled MS3, demonstrating its effective internalization, even in the absence of transfecting agents, with no general cytotoxicity. Then, using a well-established Drosophila melanogaster model for Huntington's disease, which expresses the mutated form of human huntingtin, a significant improvement in the motor neuronal function in flies fed with MS3 was observed, proving the in vivo efficacy of this aptamer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
- Center for Biotechnology, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mollasalehi N, Francois-Moutal L, Porciani D, Burke DH, Khanna M. Aptamers Targeting Hallmark Proteins of Neurodegeneration. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:235-250. [PMID: 35452303 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is a progressive deterioration of neural structures leading to cognitive or motor impairment of the affected patient. There is still no effective therapy for any of the most common neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Although NDs exhibit distinct clinical characteristics, many are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins or peptide fragments in the brain and/or spinal cord. The presence of similar inclusion bodies in patients with diverse NDs provides a rationale for developing therapies directed at overlapping disease mechanisms. A novel targeting strategy involves the use of aptamers for therapeutic development. Aptamers are short nucleic acid ligands able to recognize molecular targets with high specificity and high affinity. Despite the fact that several academic groups have shown that aptamers have the potential to be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications, their clinical translation is still limited. In this study, we describe aptamers that have been developed against proteins relevant to NDs, including prion protein and amyloid beta (Aβ), cell surface receptors and other cytoplasmic proteins. This review also describes advances in the application of these aptamers in imaging, protein detection, and protein quantification, and it provides insights about their accelerated clinical use for disease diagnosis and therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Mollasalehi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Liberty Francois-Moutal
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - David Porciani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,MU Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Donald H Burke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,MU Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - May Khanna
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ozturk M, Nilsen-Hamilton M, Ilgu M. Aptamer Applications in Neuroscience. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1260. [PMID: 34959661 PMCID: PMC8709198 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Being the predominant cause of disability, neurological diseases have received much attention from the global health community. Over a billion people suffer from one of the following neurological disorders: dementia, epilepsy, stroke, migraine, meningitis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, prion disease, or brain tumors. The diagnosis and treatment options are limited for many of these diseases. Aptamers, being small and non-immunogenic nucleic acid molecules that are easy to chemically modify, offer potential diagnostic and theragnostic applications to meet these needs. This review covers pioneering studies in applying aptamers, which shows promise for future diagnostics and treatments of neurological disorders that pose increasingly dire worldwide health challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meric Ozturk
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (M.O.); (M.N.-H.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Marit Nilsen-Hamilton
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (M.O.); (M.N.-H.)
- Ames Laboratory, US DOE (United States Department of Energy), Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Aptalogic Inc., Ames, IA 50014, USA
| | - Muslum Ilgu
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (M.O.); (M.N.-H.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Ames Laboratory, US DOE (United States Department of Energy), Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Aptalogic Inc., Ames, IA 50014, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fpr1 functions as a chaperone to inhibit protein aggregation. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 191:40-50. [PMID: 34534579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Peptidyl prolyl isomerases (PPIases) accelerate the rate limiting step of protein folding by catalyzing cis/trans isomerization of peptidyl prolyl bonds. The larger PPIases have been shown to be multi-domain proteins, with functions other than isomerization of the proline-containing peptide bond. Recently, a few smaller PPIases have also been described for their ability to stabilize folding intermediates. The yeast Fpr1 (FK506-sensitive proline rotamase) is a homologue of the mammalian prolyl isomerase FKBP12 (FK506-binding protein of 12 kDa). Its ability to stabilize stressed cellular proteins has not been reported yet. We had earlier reported upregulation of Fpr1 in yeast cells exposed to proteotoxic stress conditions. In this work, we show that yeast Fpr1 exhibits characteristics typical of a general chaperone of the proteostasis network. Aggregation of mutant huntingtin fragment was higher in Fpr1-deleted as compared to parental yeast cells. Overexpression of Fpr1 led to reduced protein aggregation by decreasing the amount of oligomers and diverting the aggregation pathway towards the formation of detergent-soluble species. This correlated well with higher survival of these cells. Purified and enzymatically active yeast Fpr1 was able to inhibit aggregation of mutant huntingtin fragment and luciferase in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner; suggesting a direct action for aggregation inhibitory action of Fpr1. Overexpression of yeast Fpr1 was able to protect E. coli cells against thermal shock. This work establishes the role of Fpr1 in the protein folding network and will be used for the identification of novel pharmacological leads in disease conditions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Kim C, Yousefian-Jazi A, Choi SH, Chang I, Lee J, Ryu H. Non-Cell Autonomous and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12499. [PMID: 34830381 PMCID: PMC8617801 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeat located in the exon 1 of Huntingtin (HTT) gene in human chromosome 4. The HTT protein is ubiquitously expressed in the brain. Specifically, mutant HTT (mHTT) protein-mediated toxicity leads to a dramatic degeneration of the striatum among many regions of the brain. HD symptoms exhibit a major involuntary movement followed by cognitive and psychiatric dysfunctions. In this review, we address the conventional role of wild type HTT (wtHTT) and how mHTT protein disrupts the function of medium spiny neurons (MSNs). We also discuss how mHTT modulates epigenetic modifications and transcriptional pathways in MSNs. In addition, we define how non-cell autonomous pathways lead to damage and death of MSNs under HD pathological conditions. Lastly, we overview therapeutic approaches for HD. Together, understanding of precise neuropathological mechanisms of HD may improve therapeutic approaches to treat the onset and progression of HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaebin Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Korea; (C.K.); (A.Y.-J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Ali Yousefian-Jazi
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Korea; (C.K.); (A.Y.-J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Seung-Hye Choi
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Korea; (C.K.); (A.Y.-J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Inyoung Chang
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
| | - Junghee Lee
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Hoon Ryu
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Korea; (C.K.); (A.Y.-J.); (S.-H.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pallapati AR, Sirigiri SD, Jain S, Ratnala V, Roy I. Lysine245 plays a crucial role in stability and function of glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gpd1) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Cell Biochem 2021; 122:1726-1736. [PMID: 34369003 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gpd1 isoform) catalyzes the rate limiting step of glycerol synthesis and is a critical component of the osmo-responsive machinery in yeast. The three-dimensional structure of the enzyme is similar to the enzyme from many other organisms, including humans. A recent study with the human enzyme has proposed K120 (K152 in yeast) to be in the correct orientation for catalysis; K204 (K245 in yeast) is out of plane and is not a participant in the catalytic cycle. The current work was carried out to establish the role of K245 in the catalytic cycle of yeast Gpd1. K245A mutant was found to possess lower catalytic activity. Osmotically stressed cells expressing Gpd1 (K245A) showed no change in intracellular glycerol as compared with wild-type cells which showed ~60% increase. Fluorescence microscopy, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Thioflavin T spectrofluorimetry showed a relatively unstable, aggregation- and degradation-prone conformation for the mutant. In silico studies showed an aggregation "hotspot" around K245. This study establishes the requirement of K245 for conformational stability and functional adaptation of Gpd1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anusha R Pallapati
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Sri D Sirigiri
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Swati Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Vamsi Ratnala
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Dong X, Cong S. DNM3OS regulates GAPDH expression and influences the molecular pathogenesis of Huntington's disease. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:9066-9071. [PMID: 34369082 PMCID: PMC8435450 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging studies have suggested that dysregulated long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) including Huntington's disease (HD); however, the pathophysiological mechanism by which lncRNA dysregulation participates in HD remains to be elucidated. Here, we aim to analyse the expression of lncRNA‐DNM3OS and identify the possible DNM3OS/miR‐196b‐5p/GAPDH pathway. PC12 cells induced by rat pheochromocytoma expressing HD gene exon 1 fragment with either 23 or 74 polyglutamine repeats fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) were cultured. Our results show that GAPDH and DNM3OS were upregulated in HD PC12 cells, downregulation of which lead to inhibition of aggregate formation accompanied by a decreased apoptosis rate and increased relative ROS levels and cell viability. Moreover, upregulated DNM3OS decreased the expression of miR‐196b‐5p by sponging, and GAPDH was a direct target of miR‐196b‐5p, playing an important pathogenic role in the formation of aggregates in the HD cell model. Our study uncovers a novel DNM3OS/miR‐196b‐5p/GAPDH pathway involved in the molecular pathogenesis of HD, which may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Dong
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuyan Cong
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Biswas S, Bhadra A, Lakhera S, Soni M, Panuganti V, Jain S, Roy I. Molecular crowding accelerates aggregation of α-synuclein by altering its folding pathway. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2021; 50:59-67. [PMID: 33386904 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-020-01486-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular macromolecular crowding can lead to increased aggregation of proteins, especially those that lack a natively folded conformation. Crowding may also be mimicked by the addition of polymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG) in vitro. α-Synuclein is an intrinsically disordered protein that exhibits increased aggregation and amyloid fibril formation in a crowded environment. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this observation. One is the excluded volume effect positing that reduced water activity in a crowded environment leads to increased effective protein concentration, promoting aggregation. An alternate explanation is that increased crowding facilitates conversion to a non-native form increasing the rate of aggregation. In this work, we have segregated these two hypotheses to investigate which one is operating. We show that mere increase in concentration of α-synuclein is not enough to induce aggregation and consequent fibrillation. In vitro, we find a complex relationship between PEG concentrations and aggregation, in which smaller PEGs delay fibrillation; while, larger ones promote fibril nucleation. In turn, while PEG600 did not increase the rate of aggregation, PEG1000 did and PEG4000 and PEG12000 slowed it but led to a higher overall fibril burden in the latter to cases. In cells, PEG4000 reduces the aggregation of α-synuclein but in a way specific to the cellular environment/due to cellular factors. The aggregation of the similarly sized, globular lysozyme does not increase in vitro when at the same concentrations with either PEG8000 or PEG12000. Thus, natively disordered α-synuclein undergoes a conformational transition in specific types of crowded environment, forming an aggregation-prone conformer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soumojit Biswas
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Antara Bhadra
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Sunidhi Lakhera
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Monika Soni
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Venkataharsha Panuganti
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Swati Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Jain S, Kaur J, Prasad S, Roy I. Nucleic acid therapeutics: a focus on the development of aptamers. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:255-274. [PMID: 32990095 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1829587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aptamers provide exciting opportunities for the development of specific and targeted therapeutic approaches. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors discuss different therapeutic options available with nucleic acids, including aptamers, focussing on similarities and differences between them. The authors concentrate on case studies with specific aptamers, which exemplify their distinct advantages. The reasons for failure, wherever available, are deliberated upon. Attempts to accelerate the in vitro selection process have been discussed. Challenges with aptamers in terms of their specificity and targeted delivery and strategies to overcome these are described. Examples of precise regulation of systemic half-life of aptamers using antidotes are discussed. EXPERT OPINION Despite their nontoxic nature, a variety of reasons limit the therapeutic potential of aptamers in the clinic. The analysis of adverse effects observed with the pegnivacogin/anivamersen pair has highlighted the need to screen for preexisting PEG antibodies in any clinical trial involving pegylated molecules. Surprisingly, and promisingly, the ability of nucleic acid therapeutics to breach the blood brain barrier seems achievable. The recognition of specific motifs, e.g. G-quadruplex in thrombin-binding aptamers, or a 'nucleation' zone while designing aptamer-antidote pairs, is likely to accelerate the discovery of therapeutically efficacious molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Swati Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Jaskirat Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Shivcharan Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jamwal S, Elsworth JD, Rahi V, Kumar P. Gene therapy and immunotherapy as promising strategies to combat Huntington's disease-associated neurodegeneration: emphasis on recent updates and future perspectives. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 20:1123-1141. [PMID: 32720531 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1801424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Modulation of gene expression using gene therapy as well as modulation of immune activation using immunotherapy has attracted considerable attention as rapidly emerging potential therapeutic intervention for the treatment of HD. Several preclinical and clinical trials for gene-based therapy and immunotherapy/antibody-based have been conducted. AREAS COVERED This review focused on the potential use of gene therapy and immuno-based therapies to treat HD, including the current status, the rationale for these approaches as well as preclinical and clinical data supporting it. Growing knowledge of HD pathogenesis has resulted in the discovery of new therapeutic targets, some of which are now in clinical trials. Focus has been allocated to RNA and DNA-based gene therapies for the reduction of mutant huntingtin (mHTT), using Immuno/antibody-based therapies. EXPERT OPINION While safety and efficacy of gene therapy and immunotherapy has been well demonstrated for HD, therefore much focus has now been shifted to disease-modifying therapies. This review defines the current status and future directions of gene therapy and immunotherapies. The review summarizes by what means HD genetic root cause modification and functional restoration of mHtt protein could be achieved by using targeted multimodality gene therapy and immunotherapy to target intracellular and extracellular mHtt.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Jamwal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D Elsworth
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vikrant Rahi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University , Bathinda, India
| | - Puneet Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab , Bathinda, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Blundell TL, Gupta MN, Hasnain SE. Intrinsic disorder in proteins: Relevance to protein assemblies, drug design and host-pathogen interactions. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 156:34-42. [PMID: 32628954 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsic disorder in proteins resulting in considerable variation in structure can lead to multiple functions including multi-specificity and diverse pathologies. Protein interfaces can involve disordered regions that assemble through a concerted-fold-and-bind mechanism. The binding involves both enthalpic and entropic gains by exploiting 'hot spots' on the partner and displacing water molecules placed in thermodynamically unfavorable situations. The examples of Rad51-BRCA2 and Artemis-DNA-PKCs/LigIV complexes illustrate this in the context of drug design. This overview tracks the seamless involvement of protein disorder in multi-specificity of biocatalysts, protein assembly formations and host-pathogen interactions, where intrinsic disorder can in Mycobacteria, compensate for genome reduction by carrying out multiple functions and in some RNA viruses facilitate adaption to the host. These present challenging opportunities for designing new drugs and interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom L Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB21GA, UK
| | - Munishwar N Gupta
- Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Seyed E Hasnain
- Jamia Hamdard Institute of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India; Dr Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Prof C.R. Rao Road, Hyderabad, India.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Sethi R, Roy I. Stabilization of elongated polyglutamine tracts by a helical peptide derived from N-terminal huntingtin. IUBMB Life 2020; 72:1528-1536. [PMID: 32320524 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In Huntington's disease, the length of the polyglutamine tract in the mutant protein correlates positively with the formation of aggregates and disease symptoms and severity of the disease. Some disease-modifying factors exist. However, no organized study has been carried out to investigate the effect of polyglutamine length in the mutant protein on the efficacy of a therapeutic strategy. We had shown earlier that the helical peptide arising out of the N-terminal stretch of normal huntingtin is able to inhibit aggregation of a number of proteins, including luciferase, α-synuclein, p53, and Rnq1. In this work, we show that polyglutamine stretches of differing lengths, namely 51Q, 72Q, and 103Q, form a mixture of aggregates at different rates, with the rate increasing in a polyQ length-dependent manner. The helical peptide is able to inhibit the rate of aggregation. The extent of inhibition was different when measuring either total aggregation or only fibrillar aggregates, suggesting that the helical peptide with benign polyQ stretch alters the aggregation landscape of different elongated polyQ lengths differently. Our results suggest that designing a therapeutic approach to inhibit protein aggregation must take note of polyQ length of the protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ratnika Sethi
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Jain S, Panuganti V, Jha S, Roy I. Harmine Acts as an Indirect Inhibitor of Intracellular Protein Aggregation. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:5620-5628. [PMID: 32226837 PMCID: PMC7097889 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregation and oxidative stress are two pathological hallmarks of a number of protein misfolding diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). Whether protein aggregation precedes elevation of oxidative stress or follows it remains ambiguous. We have investigated the role of harmine, a beta-carboline alkaloid, in aggregation of a mutant huntingtin fragment (103Q-htt) in a yeast model of HD. We observed that harmine was able to decrease intracellular aggregation of 103Q-htt, and this reduction was higher than that observed with trehalose, a conventional protein stabilizer. The presence of harmine also decreased prion formation. Decreased protein aggregation was accompanied by reduction in oxidative stress. However, harmine had no effect on aggregation of the mutant huntingtin fragment in vitro. Thus, based on experimental data, we conclude that the antioxidant harmine lowers aggregation-induced elevation in oxidative stress, which slows down intracellular protein aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ipsita Roy
- E-mail: . Phone: 0091-172-229 2061. Fax: 0091-172-221 4692
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by an unstable expanded trinucleotide repeat at the short end of the fourth chromosome. Central nervous system pathology begins in the striatum, eventually affecting the entire brain and occurs consequent to multiple intracellular derangements. The proximate cause is a mutant protein with an elongated polyglutamine tract. Pharmacological approaches targeting multiple domains of intracellular functions have universally been disappointing. However, recent developments in gene therapy, including antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs, and gene editing are bringing new hope to the Huntington's community. This review discusses the promises and challenges of these new potential treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Shannon
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1685 Highland Avenue #7158, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Singh V, Patel KA, Sharma RK, Patil PR, Joshi AS, Parihar R, Athilingam T, Sinha N, Ganesh S, Sinha P, Roy I, Thakur AK. Discovery of Arginine Ethyl Ester as Polyglutamine Aggregation Inhibitor: Conformational Transitioning of Huntingtin N-Terminus Augments Aggregation Suppression. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3969-3985. [PMID: 31460743 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic disorder caused by a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin gene leading to polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the N-terminal part of huntingtin (Httex1). Expanded polyQ, through a complex aggregation pathway, forms aggregates in neurons and presents a potential therapeutic target. Here we show Httex1 aggregation suppression by arginine and arginine ethyl ester (AEE) in vitro, as well as in yeast and mammalian cell models of HD, bearing expanded polyQ. These molecules also rescue locomotion dysfunction in HD Drosophila model. Both molecules alter the hydrogen bonding network of polyQ to enhance its aqueous solubility and delay aggregation. AEE shows direct binding with the NT17 part of Httex1 to induce structural changes to impart an enhanced inhibitory effect. This study provides a platform for the development of better arginine based therapeutic molecules against polyQ-rich Httex1 aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virender Singh
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Kinjal A. Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Raj Kumar Sharma
- Centre of Biomedical Research, SGPGIMS Campus, Raibarelly Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226014, India
| | - Pratik R. Patil
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Abhayraj S. Joshi
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Rashmi Parihar
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Thamarailingam Athilingam
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Neeraj Sinha
- Centre of Biomedical Research, SGPGIMS Campus, Raibarelly Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226014, India
| | - Subramaniam Ganesh
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Pradip Sinha
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Ashwani Kumar Thakur
- Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lévy E, El Banna N, Baïlle D, Heneman-Masurel A, Truchet S, Rezaei H, Huang ME, Béringue V, Martin D, Vernis L. Causative Links between Protein Aggregation and Oxidative Stress: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20163896. [PMID: 31405050 PMCID: PMC6719959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Compelling evidence supports a tight link between oxidative stress and protein aggregation processes, which are noticeably involved in the development of proteinopathies, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and prion disease. The literature is tremendously rich in studies that establish a functional link between both processes, revealing that oxidative stress can be either causative, or consecutive, to protein aggregation. Because oxidative stress monitoring is highly challenging and may often lead to artefactual results, cutting-edge technical tools have been developed recently in the redox field, improving the ability to measure oxidative perturbations in biological systems. This review aims at providing an update of the previously known functional links between oxidative stress and protein aggregation, thereby revisiting the long-established relationship between both processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elise Lévy
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit (VIM-UR892), INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Nadine El Banna
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Dorothée Baïlle
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Amélie Heneman-Masurel
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Sandrine Truchet
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit (VIM-UR892), INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Human Rezaei
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit (VIM-UR892), INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Meng-Er Huang
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Vincent Béringue
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit (VIM-UR892), INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Davy Martin
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit (VIM-UR892), INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | - Laurence Vernis
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Patel KA, Kolluri T, Jain S, Roy I. Designing aptamers which respond to intracellular oxidative stress and inhibit aggregation of mutant huntingtin. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 120:311-316. [PMID: 29609019 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.03.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Targeted expression of a therapeutic agent is a major bottleneck in designing a drug delivery system. Protein aggregation and elevated oxidative stress are associated with the onset of many neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD). An oxidative stress-inducible promoter, i.e. Thioredoxin 2, was employed to design a sensor for protein aggregation. RNA aptamers specific for mutant huntingtin were expressed only in cells where aggregation of mutant huntingtin occurred. A nine-fold increase in RNA expression was seen when aptamer sequences were cloned under the Trx2 promoter. Expression of aptamer resulted in reduced protein aggregation and decreased oxidative stress, which, in turn, reduced the expression of aptamers by two-fold. Reduction in aggregation led to increased cell survival. The aptamers were not expressed in cells expressing wild-type huntingtin in the soluble form. This rational and simple design will allow the use of this construct for the targeted expression of other therapeutic nucleic acid molecules as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kinjal A Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, SAS Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Thulasi Kolluri
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, SAS Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Swati Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, SAS Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, SAS Nagar, Punjab 160062, India.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Sethi R, Tripathi N, Pallapati AR, Gaikar A, Bharatam PV, Roy I. Does N-terminal huntingtin function as a 'holdase' for inhibiting cellular protein aggregation? FEBS J 2018; 285:1791-1811. [PMID: 29630769 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Proteolytic cleavage of huntingtin gives rise to N-terminal fragments. While the role of truncated mutant huntingtin is described in Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis, the function of N-terminal wild-type protein is less studied. The yeast model of HD is generated by the presence of FLAG tag and absence of polyproline tract as flanking sequences of the elongated polyglutamine stretch. We show that the same sequence derived from wild-type huntingtin exon1 is able to inhibit the aggregation of proteins in vitro and in yeast cells. It is able to stabilize client proteins as varied as luciferase, α-synuclein, and p53 in a soluble but non-native state. This is somewhat similar to the 'holdase' function of small heat shock proteins and 'nonchaperone proteins' which are able to stabilize partially unfolded client proteins in a nonspecific manner, slowing down their aggregation. Mutagenesis studies show this property to be localized at the N17 domain preceding the polyglutamine tract. Distortion of this ordered segment, either by deletion of this segment or mutation of a single residue (L4A), leads to decreased stability and increased aggregation of client proteins. It is interesting to note that the helical conformation of the N17 domain is also essential for aggregation of the N-terminal mutant protein. Our results provide evidence for a novel function for the amphipathic helix derived from exon1 of wild-type huntingtin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ratnika Sethi
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Neha Tripathi
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Anusha R Pallapati
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Abhishek Gaikar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Prasad V Bharatam
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
RNA Aptamers Rescue Mitochondrial Dysfunction in a Yeast Model of Huntington's Disease. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 12:45-56. [PMID: 30195782 PMCID: PMC6023792 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is associated with the misfolding and aggregation of mutant huntingtin harboring an elongated polyglutamine stretch at its N terminus. A distinguishing pathological hallmark of HD is mitochondrial dysfunction. Any strategy that can restore the integrity of the mitochondrial environment should have beneficial consequences for the disease. Specific RNA aptamers were selected that were able to inhibit aggregation of elongated polyglutamine stretch containing mutant huntingtin fragment (103Q-htt). They were successful in reducing the calcium overload, which leads to mitochondrial membrane depolarization in case of HD. In one case, the level of Ca2+ was restored to the level of cells not expressing 103Q-htt, suggesting complete recovery. The presence of aptamers was able to increase mitochondrial mass in cells expressing 103Q-htt, along with rescuing loss of mitochondrial genome. The oxidative damage to the proteome was prevented, which led to increased viability of cells, as monitored by flow cytometry. Thus, the presence of aptamers was able to inhibit aggregation of mutant huntingtin fragment and restore mitochondrial dysfunction in the HD cell model, confirming the advantage of the strategy in a disease-relevant parameter.
Collapse
|
28
|
Shin B, Jung R, Oh H, Owens GE, Lee H, Kwak S, Lee R, Cotman SL, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Song JJ, Vijayvargia R, Seong IS. Novel DNA Aptamers that Bind to Mutant Huntingtin and Modify Its Activity. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 11:416-428. [PMID: 29858077 PMCID: PMC5992459 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The CAG repeat expansion that elongates the polyglutamine tract in huntingtin is the root genetic cause of Huntington’s disease (HD), a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. This seemingly slight change to the primary amino acid sequence alters the physical structure of the mutant protein and alters its activity. We have identified a set of G-quadruplex-forming DNA aptamers (MS1, MS2, MS3, MS4) that bind mutant huntingtin proximal to lysines K2932/K2934 in the C-terminal CTD-II domain. Aptamer binding to mutant huntingtin abrogated the enhanced polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) stimulatory activity conferred by the expanded polyglutamine tract. In HD, but not normal, neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs), MS3 aptamer co-localized with endogenous mutant huntingtin and was associated with significantly decreased PRC2 activity. Furthermore, MS3 transfection protected HD NPCs against starvation-dependent stress with increased ATP. Therefore, DNA aptamers can preferentially target mutant huntingtin and modulate a gain of function endowed by the elongated polyglutamine segment. These mutant huntingtin binding aptamers provide novel molecular tools for delineating the effects of the HD mutation and encourage mutant huntingtin structure-based approaches to therapeutic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baehyun Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Roy Jung
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Hyejin Oh
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gwen E Owens
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Hyeongseok Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Center for Cancer Metastasis, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kwak
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Ramee Lee
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Susan L Cotman
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Center for Cancer Metastasis, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Ravi Vijayvargia
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Ihn Sik Seong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Caterino M, Squillaro T, Montesarchio D, Giordano A, Giancola C, Melone MAB. Huntingtin protein: A new option for fixing the Huntington's disease countdown clock. Neuropharmacology 2018. [PMID: 29526547 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a dreadful, incurable disorder. It springs from the autosomal dominant mutation in the first exon of the HTT gene, which encodes for the huntingtin protein (HTT) and results in progressive neurodegeneration. Thus far, all the attempted approaches to tackle the mutant HTT-induced toxicity causing this disease have failed. The mutant protein comes with the aberrantly expanded poly-glutamine tract. It is primarily to blame for the build-up of β-amyloid-like HTT aggregates, deleterious once broadened beyond the critical ∼35-37 repeats threshold. Recent experimental findings have provided valuable information on the molecular basis underlying this HTT-driven neurodegeneration. These findings indicate that the poly-glutamine siding regions and many post-translation modifications either abet or counter the poly-glutamine tract. This review provides an overall, up-to-date insight into HTT biophysics and structural biology, particularly discussing novel pharmacological options to specifically target the mutated protein and thus inhibit its functions and toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Caterino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Tiziana Squillaro
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic Sciences, and Aging, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy; InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Napoli, Italy; InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy.
| | - Mariarosa A B Melone
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic Sciences, and Aging, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy; InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy; Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Patel KA, Sethi R, Dhara AR, Roy I. Challenges with osmolytes as inhibitors of protein aggregation: Can nucleic acid aptamers provide an answer? Int J Biol Macromol 2016; 100:75-88. [PMID: 27156694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregation follows some common motifs. Whether in the formation of inclusion bodies in heterologous overexpression systems or inclusions in protein conformational diseases, or aggregation during storage or transport of protein formulations, aggregates form cross beta-sheet structures and stain with amyloidophilic dyes like Thioflavin T and Congo Red, irrespective of the concerned protein. Traditionally, osmolytes are used to stabilize proteins against stress conditions. They are employed right from protein expression, through production and purification, to formulation and administration. As osmolytes interact with the solvent, the differential effect of the stress condition on the solvent mostly determines the effect of the osmolyte on protein stability. Nucleic acid aptamers, on the other hand, are highly specific for their targets. When selected against monomeric, natively folded proteins, they bind to them with very high affinity. This binding inhibits the unfolding of the protein and/or monomer-monomer interaction which are the initial common steps of protein aggregation. Thus, by changing the approach to a protein-centric model, aptamers are able to function as universal stabilizers of proteins. The review discusses cases where osmolytes were unable to provide stabilization to proteins against different stress conditions, a gap which the aptamers seem to be able to fill.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kinjal A Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160 062, India
| | - Ratnika Sethi
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160 062, India
| | - Anita R Dhara
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160 062, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160 062, India.
| |
Collapse
|