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Wagner WJ, Gross ML. Using mass spectrometry-based methods to understand amyloid formation and inhibition of alpha-synuclein and amyloid beta. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024; 43:782-825. [PMID: 36224716 PMCID: PMC10090239 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils, insoluble β-sheets structures that arise from protein misfolding, are associated with several neurodegenerative disorders. Many small molecules have been investigated to prevent amyloid fibrils from forming; however, there are currently no therapeutics to combat these diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) is proving to be effective for studying the high order structure (HOS) of aggregating proteins and for determining structural changes accompanying protein-inhibitor interactions. When combined with native MS (nMS), gas-phase ion mobility, protein footprinting, and chemical cross-linking, MS can afford regional and sometimes amino acid spatial resolution of the aggregating protein. The spatial resolution is greater than typical low-resolution spectroscopic, calorimetric, and the traditional ThT fluorescence methods used in amyloid research today. High-resolution approaches can struggle when investigating protein aggregation, as the proteins exist as complex oligomeric mixtures of many sizes and several conformations or polymorphs. Thus, MS is positioned to complement both high- and low-resolution approaches to studying amyloid fibril formation and protein-inhibitor interactions. This review covers basics in MS paired with ion mobility, continuous hydrogen-deuterium exchange (continuous HDX), pulsed hydrogen-deuterium exchange (pulsed HDX), fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) and other irreversible labeling methods, and chemical cross-linking. We then review the applications of these approaches to studying amyloid-prone proteins with a focus on amyloid beta and alpha-synuclein. Another focus is the determination of protein-inhibitor interactions. The expectation is that MS will bring new insights to amyloid formation and thereby play an important role to prevent their formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley J Wagner
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael L Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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2
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Yang Y, Zhang Z. α-Synuclein pathology from the body to the brain: so many seeds so close to the central soil. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1463-1472. [PMID: 38051888 PMCID: PMC10883481 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.387967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT α-Synuclein is a protein that mainly exists in the presynaptic terminals. Abnormal folding and accumulation of α-synuclein are found in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Aggregated and highly phosphorylated α-synuclein constitutes the main component of Lewy bodies in the brain, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. For decades, much attention has been focused on the accumulation of α-synuclein in the brain parenchyma rather than considering Parkinson's disease as a systemic disease. Recent evidence demonstrates that, at least in some patients, the initial α-synuclein pathology originates in the peripheral organs and spreads to the brain. Injection of α-synuclein preformed fibrils into the gastrointestinal tract triggers the gut-to-brain propagation of α-synuclein pathology. However, whether α-synuclein pathology can occur spontaneously in peripheral organs independent of exogenous α-synuclein preformed fibrils or pathological α-synuclein leakage from the central nervous system remains under investigation. In this review, we aimed to summarize the role of peripheral α-synuclein pathology in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. We also discuss the pathways by which α-synuclein pathology spreads from the body to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunying Yang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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3
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Maltseva S, Kerr D, Turke M, Adams EJ, Lee KYC. Parkinson's disease-associated mutations in α-synuclein alters its lipid-bound state. Biophys J 2024; 123:1610-1619. [PMID: 38702883 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Lipid-binding properties of α-synuclein play a central role in protein aggregation and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Synuclein, an intrinsically disordered protein, binds to lipid membranes through the formation of two amphipathic helices that insert into the lipid bilayer. All disease-associated single point mutations have been identified to be within these helical regions of α-synuclein: V15A, A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, A53T, and A53V. However, the effects of these mutations on the bound states of the two α helices of the protein have yet to be fully characterized. In this report, we use a tryptophan fluorescence assay to measure the binding of the α helices of these PD-associated mutants to lipid membranes within the lipid-depletion regime. We characterize the binding behavior of each helix, revealing that, generally, the PD-associated mutants shift the equilibrium bound state away from the N-terminal helix of the protein toward helix 2 at lower lipid concentrations. Altogether, our results indicate that disruption to the equilibrium binding of the two α helices of α-synuclein could play a role in PD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofiya Maltseva
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Daniel Kerr
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Miah Turke
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Erin J Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ka Yee C Lee
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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4
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Promtang S, Sanguanphun T, Chalorak P, Pe LS, Niamnont N, Sobhon P, Meemon K. 2-Butoxytetrahydrofuran, Isolated from Holothuria scabra, Attenuates Aggregative and Oxidative Properties of α-Synuclein and Alleviates Its Toxicity in a Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Parkinson's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:2182-2197. [PMID: 38726817 PMCID: PMC11157484 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggregative α-synuclein and incurring oxidative stress are pivotal cascading events, leading to dopaminergic (DAergic) neuronal loss and contributing to clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD). Our previous study demonstrated that 2-butoxytetrahydrofuran (2-BTHF), isolated from Holothuria scabra (H. scabra), could inhibit amyloid-β aggregation and its ensuing toxicity, which leads to Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we found that 2-BTHF also attenuated the aggregative and oxidative activities of α-synuclein and lessened its toxicity in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) PD model. Such worms treated with 100 μM of 2-BTHF showed substantial reductions in α-synuclein accumulation and DAergic neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, 2-BTHF, at this concentration, significantly decreased aggregation of monomeric α-synuclein and restored locomotion and dopamine-dependent behaviors. Molecular docking exhibited potential bindings of 2-BTHF to HSF-1 and DAF-16 transcription factors. Additionally, 2-BTHF significantly increased the mRNA transcripts of genes encoding proteins involved in proteostasis, including the molecular chaperones hsp-16.2 and hsp-16.49, the ubiquitination/SUMOylation-related ubc-9 gene, and the autophagy-related genes atg-7 and lgg-1. Transcriptomic profiling revealed an additional mechanism of 2-BTHF in α-synuclein-expressing worms, which showed upregulation of PPAR signaling cascades that mediated fatty acid metabolism. 2-BTHF significantly restored lipid deposition, upregulated the fat-7 gene, and enhanced gcs-1-mediated glutathione synthesis in the C. elegans PD model. Taken together, this study demonstrated that 2-BTHF could abrogate aggregative and oxidative properties of α-synuclein and attenuate its toxicity, thus providing a possible therapeutic application for the treatment of α-synuclein-induced PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukrit Promtang
- Molecular
Medicine Program, Multidisciplinary Unit, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Tanatcha Sanguanphun
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Pawanrat Chalorak
- Department
of Radiological Technology and Medical Physics, Faculty of Allied
Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Laurence S. Pe
- Research
Center for Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Nakorn Niamnont
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s
University of Technology Thonburi, Bang Mod, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Prasert Sobhon
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Krai Meemon
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Center for
Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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5
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Inciardi I, Rizzotto E, Gregoris F, Fongaro B, Sosic A, Minervini G, Polverino de Laureto P. Catechol-induced covalent modifications modulate the aggregation tendency of α-synuclein: An in-solution and in-silico study. Biofactors 2024. [PMID: 38801346 DOI: 10.1002/biof.2086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) stands as a challenging neurodegenerative condition characterized by the emergence of Lewy Bodies (LBs), intracellular inclusions within dopaminergic neurons. These LBs harbor various proteins, prominently including α-Synuclein (Syn) aggregates, implicated in disease pathology. A promising avenue in PD treatment involves targeting Syn aggregation. Recent findings from our research have shown that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (DOPET) possess the ability to impede the formation of Syn fibrils by disrupting the aggregation process. Notably, these compounds primarily engage in noncovalent interactions with the protein, leading to the formation of off-pathway oligomers that deter fibril growth. Through proteolysis studies and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, we have identified potential covalent modifications of Syn in the presence of DOPAC, although the exact site remains elusive. Employing molecular dynamics simulations, we delved into how DOPAC-induced covalent alterations might affect the mechanism of Syn aggregation. Our findings indicate that the addition of a covalent adduct on certain residues enhances fibril flexibility without compromising its secondary structure stability. Furthermore, in the monomeric state, the modified residue fosters novel bonding interactions, thereby influencing long-range interactions between the N- and C-termini of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Inciardi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Elena Rizzotto
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Benedetta Fongaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alice Sosic
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Wang T, Liu W, Zhang Q, Jiao J, Wang Z, Gao G, Yang H. 4-Oxo-2-Nonenal- and Agitation-Induced Aggregates of α-Synuclein and Phosphorylated α-Synuclein with Distinct Biophysical Properties and Biomedical Applications. Cells 2024; 13:739. [PMID: 38727274 PMCID: PMC11082957 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) can form oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils, which are associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Both the lipid peroxidation product 4-oxo-2-nonenal (ONE) and agitation can induce aggregation of α-syn and phosphorylated α-syn. Thus, clarification of the characteristics of different α-syn species could help to select suitable aggregates for diagnosis and elucidate the pathogenesis of diseases. Here, we characterized ONE-induced wild-type (WT) α-syn aggregates (OW), ONE-induced phosphorylated α-syn (p-α-syn) aggregates (OP), agitation-induced α-syn preformed fibrils (PFF), and agitation-induced p-α-syn preformed fibrils (pPFF). Thioflavin T (ThT) dying demonstrated that OW and OP had fewer fibrils than the PFF and pPFF. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the lengths of PFF and pPFF were similar, but the diameters differed. OW and OP had more compact structures than PFF and pPFF. Aggregation of p-α-syn was significantly faster than WT α-syn. Furthermore, OW and OP were more sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable and proteinase K-resistant, suggesting greater stability and compactness, while aggregates of PFF and pPFF were more sensitive to proteinase K treatment. Both ONE- and agitation-induced aggregates were cytotoxic when added exogenously to SH-SY5Y cells with increasing incubation times, but the agitation-induced aggregates caused cell toxicity in a shorter time and more p-α-syn inclusions. Similarly, p-proteins were more cytotoxic than non-p-proteins. Finally, all four aggregates were used as standard antigens to establish sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that the recognition efficiency of OW and OP was more sensitive than that of PFF and pPFF. The OW- and OP-specific ELISA for detection of p-α-syn and α-syn in plasma samples of Thy1-α-syn transgenic mice showed that the content of aggregates could reflect the extent of disease. ONE and agitation induced the formation of α-syn aggregates with distinct biophysical properties and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tie Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Weijin Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Qidi Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Jie Jiao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Zihao Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Ge Gao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; (T.W.); (W.L.); (Q.Z.); (J.J.); (Z.W.)
- Center of Parkinson’s Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
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7
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Semenyuk PI. Alpha-synuclein phosphorylation induces amyloid conversion via enhanced electrostatic bridging: Insights from molecular modeling of the full-length protein. Biophys Chem 2024; 307:107196. [PMID: 38335809 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2024.107196] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Fibril formation from alpha-synuclein is a key point in Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and other synucleinopathies. The mechanism of the amyloid-like conversion followed by the formation of pre-fibrillar soluble oligomers and fibrils is not completely clear; furthermore, it is unclear how the Parkinson's disease-related point mutations located in the pre-NAC region enhance fibrillation. In the present paper, atomistic replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of the full-length alpha-synuclein and its two mutants, A53T and E46K, elucidated amyloid conversion intermediates. Both mutants demonstrated an enhanced tendency for the conversion but in different manners; the main intermediate conformations populated in the WT alpha-synuclein conformational ensemble disappeared due to mutations, indicating a different conversion pathway. Analysis of the preferable beta-hairpin positions and intermediate conformations seems to reflect a tendency to form a particular amyloid fibril polymorph. A strong elevation of amyloid transformation level was shown also for Ser129-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein. Altered intermediate conformations, the most preferable beta-hairpin positions in the NAC region, and prevalent salt bridges propose the formation of so-called polymorph 2 or even a novel type of fibrils. A better understanding of the detailed mechanism of the amyloid conversion sheds light on the effect of Lewy body-related phosphorylation and might help in the development of new therapeutics for synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel I Semenyuk
- Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Leninskie gory 1/40, Russia.
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8
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Liu HN, Wang T, Hu JJ, Chen L, Shi X, Li YM, Luo SZ. The disordered protein SERF promotes α-Synuclein aggregation through liquid-liquid phase separation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105667. [PMID: 38272228 PMCID: PMC10877630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105667] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) into amyloid fibrils is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Under stress or other pathological conditions, the accumulation of α-Syn oligomers is the main contributor to the cytotoxicity. A potential approach for treating Parkinson's disease involves preventing the accumulation of these α-Syn oligomers. In this study, we present a novel mechanism involving a conserved group of disorderly proteins known as small EDRK-rich factor (SERF), which promotes the aggregation of α-Syn through a cophase separation process. Using diverse methods like confocal microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays, solution-state NMR spectroscopy, and Western blot, we determined that the N-terminal domain of SERF1a plays a role in the interactions that occur during cophase separation. Within these droplets, α-Syn undergoes a gradual transformation from solid condensates to amyloid fibrils, while SERF1a is excluded from the condensates and dissolves into the solution. Notably, in vivo experiments show that SERF1a cophase separation with α-Syn significantly reduces the deposition of α-Syn oligomers and decreases its cellular toxicity under stress. These findings suggest that SERF1a accelerates the conversion of α-Syn from highly toxic oligomers to less toxic fibrils through cophase separation, thereby mitigating the biological damage of α-Syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Ning Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Jian Hu
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Long Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyan Shi
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yan-Mei Li
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Shi-Zhong Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
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9
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Huang W, Liu J, Le S, Yao M, Shi Y, Yan J. In situ single-molecule investigations of the impacts of biochemical perturbations on conformational intermediates of monomeric α-synuclein. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:016114. [PMID: 38435467 PMCID: PMC10908564 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein aggregation is a common trait in synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease. Being an unstructured protein, α-synuclein exists in several distinct conformational intermediates, contributing to both its function and pathogenesis. However, the regulation of these monomer conformations by biochemical factors and potential drugs has remained elusive. In this study, we devised an in situ single-molecule manipulation approach to pinpoint kinetically stable conformational intermediates of monomeric α-synuclein and explore the effects of various biochemical factors and drugs. We uncovered a partially folded conformation located in the non-amyloid-β component (NAC) region of monomeric α-synuclein, which is regulated by a preNAC region. This conformational intermediate is sensitive to biochemical perturbations and small-molecule drugs that influencing α-synuclein's aggregation tendency. Our findings reveal that this partially folded intermediate may play a role in α-synuclein aggregation, offering fresh perspectives for potential treatments aimed at the initial stage of higher-order α-synuclein aggregation. The single-molecule approach developed here can be broadly applied to the study of disease-related intrinsically disordered proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenmao Huang
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
| | - Jingzhun Liu
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | | | | | - Yi Shi
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jie Yan
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
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10
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da Silva ANR, Pereira GRC, Bonet LFS, Outeiro TF, De Mesquita JF. In silico analysis of alpha-synuclein protein variants and posttranslational modifications related to Parkinson's disease. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30523. [PMID: 38239037 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30523] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is among the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting over 10 million people worldwide. The protein encoded by the SNCA gene, alpha-synuclein (ASYN), is the major component of Lewy body (LB) aggregates, a histopathological hallmark of PD. Mutations and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in ASYN are known to influence protein aggregation and LB formation, possibly playing a crucial role in PD pathogenesis. In this work, we applied computational methods to characterize the effects of missense mutations and PTMs on the structure and function of ASYN. Missense mutations in ASYN were compiled from the literature/databases and underwent a comprehensive predictive analysis. Phosphorylation and SUMOylation sites of ASYN were retrieved from databases and predicted by algorithms. ConSurf was used to estimate the evolutionary conservation of ASYN amino acids. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ASYN wild-type and variants A30G, A30P, A53T, and G51D were performed using the GROMACS package. Seventy-seven missense mutations in ASYN were compiled. Although most mutations were not predicted to affect ASYN stability, aggregation propensity, amyloid formation, and chaperone binding, the analyzed mutations received relatively high rates of deleterious predictions and predominantly occurred at evolutionarily conserved sites within the protein. Moreover, our predictive analyses suggested that the following mutations may be possibly harmful to ASYN and, consequently, potential targets for future investigation: K6N, T22I, K34E, G36R, G36S, V37F, L38P, G41D, and K102E. The MD analyses pointed to remarkable flexibility and essential dynamics alterations at nearly all domains of the studied variants, which could lead to impaired contact between NAC and the C-terminal domain triggering protein aggregation. These alterations may have functional implications for ASYN and provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of PD, supporting the design of future biomedical research and improvements in existing therapies for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aloma N R da Silva
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel R C Pereira
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luiz Felippe Sarmento Bonet
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joelma F De Mesquita
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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11
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Das D, Mattaparthi VSK. Computational investigation on the conformational dynamics of C-terminal truncated α-synuclein bound to membrane. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38321955 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2310788] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Accelerated progression rates in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been linked to C-terminal domain (CTD) truncations of monomeric α-Synuclein (α-Syn), which have been suggested to increase amyloid aggregation in vivo and in vitro. In the brain of PD patients, CTD truncated α-Syn was found to have lower cell viability and tends to increase in the formation of fibrils. The CTD of α-Syn acts as a guard for regulating the normal functioning of α-Syn. The absence of the CTD may allow the N-terminal of α-Syn to interact with the membrane thereby affecting the normal functioning of α-Syn, and all of which will affect the etiology of PD. In this study, the conformational dynamics of CTD truncated α-Syn (1-99 and 1-108) monomers and their effect on the protein-membrane interactions were demonstrated using the all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. From the MD analyses, it was noticed that among the two truncated monomers, α-Syn (1-108) was found to be more stable, shows rigidness at the N-terminal region and contains a significant number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the non-amyloid β-component (NAC) region and membrane, and lesser number of extended strands. Further, the bending angle in the N-terminal domain was found to be lesser in the α-Syn (1-108) in comparison with the α-Syn (1-99). Our findings suggest that the truncation on the CTD of α-Syn affects its interaction with the membrane and subsequently has an impact on the aggregation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy Das
- Molecular Modelling and Simulation Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, India
| | - Venkata Satish Kumar Mattaparthi
- Molecular Modelling and Simulation Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, India
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12
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Illes-Toth E, Rempel DL, Gross ML. Exploration of Resveratrol as a Potent Modulator of α-Synuclein Fibril Formation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:503-516. [PMID: 38194353 PMCID: PMC10922803 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00571] [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: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The molecular determinants of amyloid protein misfolding and aggregation are key for the development of therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative disease. Although small synthetic molecules, bifunctional molecules, and natural products offer a potentially advantageous approach to therapeutics to remodel aggregation, their evaluation requires new platforms that are informed at the molecular level. To that end, we chose pulsed hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) to discern the phenomena of aggregation modulation for a model system of alpha synuclein (αS) and resveratrol, an antiamyloid compound. We invoked, as a complement to HDX, advanced kinetic modeling described here to illuminate the details of aggregation and to determine the number of oligomeric populations by kinetically fitting the experimental data under conditions of limited proteolysis. The misfolding of αS is most evident within and nearby the nonamyloid-β component region, and resveratrol significantly remodels that aggregation. HDX distinguishes readily a less solvent-accessible, more structured oligomer that coexists with a solvent-accessible, more disordered oligomer during aggregation. A view of the misfolding emerges from time-dependent changes in the fractional species across the protein with or without resveratrol, while details were determined through kinetic modeling of the protected species. A detailed picture of the inhibitory action of resveratrol with time and regional specificity emerges, a picture that can be obtained for other inhibitors and amyloid proteins. Moreover, the model reveals that new states of aggregation are sampled, providing new insights on amyloid formation. The findings were corroborated by circular dichroism and transmission electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Illes-Toth
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Don L Rempel
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Michael L Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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13
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Savva L, Platts JA. Computational investigation of copper-mediated conformational changes in α-synuclein dimer. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:2926-2935. [PMID: 38193190 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04697d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
We report molecular dynamics simulation of dimers of α-synuclein, the peptide closely associated with onset of Parkinson's disease, both as metal-free dimer and with inter-chain bridging provided by Cu(II) ions. Our investigation reveals that the presence of copper-induced inter-chain bridging not only stabilizes α-synuclein dimers, but also leads to enhanced β-sheet formation at critical regions within the N-terminal and NAC regions of the protein. These contacts are larger and longer-lived in the presence of copper, and as a result each peptide chain is more extended and less flexible than in the metal-free dimer. The persistence of these inter-peptide contacts underscores their significance in stabilising the dimers, potentially influencing the aggregation pathway. Moreover, the increased flexibility in the two termini, as well as the absence of persistent contacts in the metal-free dimer, correlates with the presence of amorphous aggregates. This phenomenon is known to mitigate fibrillation, while their absence in the metal-bound dimer suggests an increased propensity to form fibrils in the presence of copper ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loizos Savva
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - James A Platts
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
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14
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Pounot K, Piersson C, Goring AK, Rosu F, Gabelica V, Weik M, Han S, Fichou Y. Mutations in Tau Protein Promote Aggregation by Favoring Extended Conformations. JACS AU 2024; 4:92-100. [PMID: 38274251 PMCID: PMC10806773 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation of the intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) tau is involved in several diseases, called tauopathies. Some tauopathies can be inherited due to mutations in the gene encoding tau, which might favor the formation of tau amyloid fibrils. This work aims at deciphering the mechanisms through which the disease-associated single-point mutations promote amyloid formation. We combined biochemical and biophysical characterization, notably, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), to study six different FTDP-17 derived mutations. We found that the mutations promote aggregation to different degrees and can modulate tau conformational ensembles, intermolecular interactions, and liquid-liquid phase separation propensity. In particular, we found a good correlation between the aggregation lag time of the mutants and their radii of gyration. We show that mutations disfavor intramolecular protein interactions, which in turn favor extended conformations and promote amyloid aggregation. This work proposes a new connection between the structural features of tau monomers and their propensity to aggregate, providing a novel assay to evaluate the aggregation propensity of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Pounot
- Univ.
Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Clara Piersson
- Univ.
Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, IECB, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Andrew K. Goring
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Frédéric Rosu
- Univ.
Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, IECB, UAR3033, US01, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Valérie Gabelica
- Univ.
Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, IECB, UAR3033, US01, F-33600 Pessac, France
- Univ.
Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR5320, U1212, IECB, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Martin Weik
- Univ.
Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Songi Han
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Yann Fichou
- Univ.
Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, IECB, 33600 Pessac, France
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15
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Wiseman JA, Murray HC, Faull RLMF, Dragunow M, Turner CP, Dieriks BV, Curtis MA. Aggregate-prone brain regions in Parkinson's disease are rich in unique N-terminus α-synuclein conformers with high proteolysis susceptibility. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:1. [PMID: 38167744 PMCID: PMC10762179 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00614-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease (PD), and other α-synucleinopathies, α-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregates form a myriad of conformational and truncational variants. Most antibodies used to detect and quantify α-Syn in the human brain target epitopes within the C-terminus (residues 96-140) of the 140 amino acid protein and may fail to capture the diversity of α-Syn variants present in PD. We sought to investigate the heterogeneity of α-Syn conformations and aggregation states in the PD human brain by labelling with multiple antibodies that detect epitopes along the entire length of α-Syn. We used multiplex immunohistochemistry to simultaneously immunolabel tissue sections with antibodies mapping the three structural domains of α-Syn. Discrete epitope-specific immunoreactivities were visualised and quantified in the olfactory bulb, medulla, substantia nigra, hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus of ten PD cases, and the middle temporal gyrus of 23 PD, and 24 neurologically normal cases. Distinct Lewy neurite and Lewy body aggregate morphologies were detected across all interrogated regions/cases. Lewy neurites were the most prominent in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus, while the substantia nigra, medulla and cortical regions showed a mixture of Lewy neurites and Lewy bodies. Importantly, unique N-terminus immunoreactivity revealed previously uncharacterised populations of (1) perinuclear, (2) glial (microglial and astrocytic), and (3) neuronal lysosomal α-Syn aggregates. These epitope-specific N-terminus immunoreactive aggregate populations were susceptible to proteolysis via time-dependent proteinase K digestion, suggesting a less stable oligomeric aggregation state. Our identification of unique N-terminus immunoreactive α-Syn aggregates adds to the emerging paradigm that α-Syn pathology is more abundant and complex in human brains with PD than previously realised. Our findings highlight that labelling multiple regions of the α-Syn protein is necessary to investigate the full spectrum of α-Syn pathology and prompt further investigation into the functional role of these N-terminus polymorphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Wiseman
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Helen C Murray
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Richard L M F Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Michael Dragunow
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Clinton P Turner
- LabPlus, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Te Whatu Ora, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Birger Victor Dieriks
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
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16
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Tarutani A, Hasegawa M. Ultrastructures of α-Synuclein Filaments in Synucleinopathy Brains and Experimental Models. J Mov Disord 2024; 17:15-29. [PMID: 37990381 PMCID: PMC10846975 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.23213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular α-synuclein (α-syn) inclusions are a neuropathological hallmark of Lewy body disease (LBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), both of which are termed synucleinopathies. LBD is defined by Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in neurons, while MSA displays glial cytoplasmic inclusions in oligodendrocytes. Pathological α-syn adopts an ordered filamentous structure with a 5-10 nm filament diameter, and this conformational change has been suggested to be involved in the disease onset and progression. Synucleinopathies also exhibit characteristic ultrastructural and biochemical properties of α-syn filaments, and α-syn strains with distinct conformations have been identified. Numerous experimental studies have supported the idea that pathological α-syn self-amplifies and spreads throughout the brain, during which processes the conformation of α-syn filaments may drive the disease specificity. In this review, we summarize the ultrastructural features and heterogeneity of α-syn filaments in the brains of patients with synucleinopathy and in experimental models of seeded α-syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Ohgita T, Kono H, Namba N, Saito H. Physicochemical mechanisms of aggregation and fibril formation of α-synuclein and apolipoprotein A-I. Biophys Physicobiol 2023; 21:e210005. [PMID: 38803339 PMCID: PMC11128303 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v21.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Deposition and accumulation of amyloid fibrils is a hallmark of a group of diseases called amyloidosis and neurodegenerative disorders. Although polypeptides potentially have a fibril-forming propensity, native proteins have evolved into proper functional conformations to avoid aggregation and fibril formation. Understanding the mechanism for regulation of fibril formation of native proteins provides clues for the rational design of molecules for inhibiting fibril formation. Although fibril formation is a complex multistep reaction, experimentally obtained fibril formation curves can be fitted with the Finke-Watzky (F-W) two-step model for homogeneous nucleation followed by autocatalytic fibril growth. The resultant F-W rate constants for nucleation and fibril formation provide information on the chemical kinetics of fibril formation. Using the F-W two-step model analysis, we investigated the physicochemical mechanisms of fibril formation of a Parkinson's disease protein α-synuclein (αS) and a systemic amyloidosis protein apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I). The results indicate that the C-terminal region of αS enthalpically and entropically suppresses nucleation through the intramolecular interaction with the N-terminal region and the intermolecular interaction with existing fibrils. In contrast, the nucleation of the N-terminal fragment of apoA-I is entropically driven likely due to dehydration of large hydrophobic segments in the molecule. Based on our recent findings, we discuss the similarity and difference of the fibril formation mechanisms of αS and the N-terminal fragment of apoA-I from the physicochemical viewpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ohgita
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
- Center for Instrumental Analysis, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kono
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Norihiro Namba
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Saito
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
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18
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Saramowicz K, Siwecka N, Galita G, Kucharska-Lusina A, Rozpędek-Kamińska W, Majsterek I. Alpha-Synuclein Contribution to Neuronal and Glial Damage in Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:360. [PMID: 38203531 PMCID: PMC10778752 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the widespread accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) protein aggregates. αSyn aggregation disrupts critical cellular processes, including synaptic function, mitochondrial integrity, and proteostasis, which culminate in neuronal cell death. Importantly, αSyn pathology extends beyond neurons-it also encompasses spreading throughout the neuronal environment and internalization by microglia and astrocytes. Once internalized, glia can act as neuroprotective scavengers, which limit the spread of αSyn. However, they can also become reactive, thereby contributing to neuroinflammation and the progression of PD. Recent advances in αSyn research have enabled the molecular diagnosis of PD and accelerated the development of targeted therapies. Nevertheless, despite more than two decades of research, the cellular function, aggregation mechanisms, and induction of cellular damage by αSyn remain incompletely understood. Unraveling the interplay between αSyn, neurons, and glia may provide insights into disease initiation and progression, which may bring us closer to exploring new effective therapeutic strategies. Herein, we provide an overview of recent studies emphasizing the multifaceted nature of αSyn and its impact on both neuron and glial cell damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (N.S.); (G.G.); (A.K.-L.); (W.R.-K.)
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19
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Huang J, Ahmed R, Akimoto M, Martinez Pomier K, Melacini G. Early-Onset Parkinson Mutation Remodels Monomer-Fibril Interactions to Allosterically Amplify Synuclein's Amyloid Cascade. JACS AU 2023; 3:3485-3493. [PMID: 38155658 PMCID: PMC10751762 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Alpha synuclein (αS) aggregates are the main component of Lewy bodies (LBs) associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). A longstanding question about αS and PD pertains to the autosomal dominant E46K αS mutant, which leads to the early onset of PD and LB dementias. The E46K mutation not only promotes αS aggregation but also stabilizes αS monomers in "closed" conformers, which are compact and aggregation-incompetent. Hence, the mechanism of action of the E46K mutation is currently unclear. Here, we show that αS monomers harboring the E46K mutation exhibit more extensive interactions with fibrils compared to those of WT. Such monomer-fibril interactions are sufficient to allosterically drive transitions of αS monomers from closed to open conformations, enabling αS aggregation. We also show that E46K promotes head-to-tail monomer-monomer interactions in early self-association events. This multipronged mechanism provides a new framework to explain how the E46K mutation and possibly other αS variants trigger early-onset PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Rashik Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Madoka Akimoto
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Karla Martinez Pomier
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Melacini
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
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20
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Cheung See Kit M, Cropley TC, Bleiholder C, Chouinard CD, Sobott F, Webb IK. The role of solvation on the conformational landscape of α-synuclein. Analyst 2023; 149:125-136. [PMID: 37982746 PMCID: PMC10760066 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01680c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Native ion mobility mass spectrometry has been used extensively to characterize ensembles of intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) conformers, but the extent to which the gaseous measurements provide realistic pictures of the solution conformations for such flexible proteins remains unclear. Therefore, we systematically studied the relationship between the solution and gaseous structural ensembles by measuring electrospray charge state and collision cross section (CCS) distributions for cationic and anionic forms of α-synuclein (αSN), an anionic protein in solution, as well as directly probed gas phase residue to residue distances via ion/ion reactions between gaseous α-synuclein cations and disulfonic acid linkers that form strong electrostatic bonds. We also combined results from in-solution protein crosslinking identified from native tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with an initial αSN ensemble generated computationally by IDPConformerGenerator to generate an experimentally restrained solution ensemble of αSN. CCS distributions were directly calculated for the solution ensembles determined by NMR and compared to predicted gaseous conformers. While charge state and collision cross section distributions are useful for qualitatively describing the relative structural dynamics of proteins and major conformational changes induced by changes to solution states, the predicted and measured gas phase conformers include subpopulations that are significantly different than those expected from completely "freezing" solution conformations and preserving them in the gas phase. However, insights were gained on the various roles of solvent in stabilizing various conformers for extremely dynamic proteins like α-synuclein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Cheung See Kit
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
| | - Tyler C Cropley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Christian Bleiholder
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | | | - Frank Sobott
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Ian K Webb
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
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21
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Lantz C, Lopez J, Goring AK, Zenaidee MA, Biggs K, Whitelegge JP, Ogorzalek Loo RR, Klärner FG, Schrader T, Bitan G, Loo JA. Characterization of Molecular Tweezer Binding on α-Synuclein with Native Top-Down Mass Spectrometry and Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Reveals a Mechanism for Aggregation Inhibition. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:2739-2747. [PMID: 37936057 PMCID: PMC10959575 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease that affects 15 million people worldwide, is characterized by deposition of α-synuclein into Lewy Bodies in brain neurons. Although this disease is prevalent worldwide, a therapy or cure has yet to be found. Several small compounds have been reported to disrupt fibril formation. Among these compounds is a molecular tweezer known as CLR01 that targets lysine and arginine residues. This study aims to characterize how CLR01 interacts with various proteoforms of α-synuclein and how the structure of α-synuclein is subsequently altered. Native mass spectrometry (nMS) measurements of α-synuclein/CLR01 complexes reveal that multiple CLR01 molecules can bind to α-synuclein proteoforms such as α-synuclein phosphorylated at Ser-129 and α-synuclein bound with copper and manganese ions. The binding of one CLR01 molecule shifts the ability for α-synuclein to bind other ligands. Electron capture dissociation (ECD) with Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) top-down (TD) mass spectrometry of α-synuclein/CLR01 complexes pinpoints the locations of the modifications on each proteoform and reveals that CLR01 binds to the N-terminal region of α-synuclein. CLR01 binding compacts the gas-phase structure of α-synuclein, as shown by ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS). These data suggest that when multiple CLR01 molecules bind, the N-terminus of α-synuclein shifts toward a more compact state. This compaction suggests a mechanism for CLR01 halting the formation of oligomers and fibrils involved in many neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carter Lantz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Jaybree Lopez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Andrew K. Goring
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Muhammad A. Zenaidee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
- Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
| | - Karl Biggs
- Department of Neurology and Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Julian P. Whitelegge
- The Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Rachel R. Ogorzalek Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | | | - Thomas Schrader
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Gal Bitan
- Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Joseph A. Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
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22
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Savva L, Platts JA. Exploring the impact of mutation and post-translational modification on α-Synuclein: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations with and without copper. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 249:112395. [PMID: 37820444 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112395] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
We report molecular dynamics simulations of two modifications to α-Synuclein, namely A53T mutation and phosphorylation at Ser129, which have been observed in Parkinson's disease patients. Both modifications are close to known metal binding sites, so as well as each modified peptide we also study Cu(II) bound to N-terminal and C-terminal residues. We show that A53T is predicted to cause increased β-sheet content of the peptide, with a persistent β-hairpin between residues 35-55 particularly notable. Phosphorylation has less effect on secondary structure but is predicted to significantly increase the size of the peptide, especially when bound to Cu(II), which is ascribed to reduced interaction of C-terminal sequence with central non-amyloid component. In addition, estimate of binding free energy to Cu(II) indicates A53T has little effect on metal-ion affinity, whereas phosphorylation markedly enhances the strength of binding. We suggest that the predicted changes in spatial extent and secondary structure of α-Synuclein may have implications for aggregation into Lewy bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loizos Savva
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - James A Platts
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
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23
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Huang F, Liu Y, Wang Y, Xu J, Lian J, Zou Y, Wang C, Ding F, Sun Y. Co-aggregation of α-synuclein with amyloid-β stabilizes β-sheet-rich oligomers and enhances the formation of β-barrels. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:31604-31614. [PMID: 37964757 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04138g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases with markedly different pathological features of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and α-synuclein (αS) Lewy bodies (LBs), respectively. However, clinical overlaps in symptoms and pathologies between AD and PD are commonly observed caused by the cross-interaction between Aβ and αS. To uncover the molecular mechanisms behind their overlapping symptoms and pathologies, we computationally investigated the impact of αS on an Aβ monomer and dimerization using atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations (DMD). Our results revealed that αS could directly interact with Aβ monomers and dimers, thus forming β-sheet-rich oligomers, including potentially toxic β-barrel intermediates. The binding hotspot involved the second half of the N-terminal domain and NAC region in αS, along with residues 10-21 and 31-42 in Aβ. In their hetero-complex, the binding hotspot primarily assumed a β-sheet core buried inside, which was dynamically shielded by the highly charged, amyloid-resistant C-terminus of αS. Because the amyloid prion region was the same as the binding hotspot being buried, their fibrillization may be delayed, causing the toxic oligomers to increase. This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between Aβ and αS and provides insights into the overlapping pathology of AD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjuan Huang
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yuying Liu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
| | - Jia Xu
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
| | - Jiangfang Lian
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yu Zou
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
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24
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Rupert J, Monti M, Zacco E, Tartaglia G. RNA sequestration driven by amyloid formation: the alpha synuclein case. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11466-11478. [PMID: 37870427 PMCID: PMC10681735 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids can act as potent modulators of protein aggregation, and RNA has the ability to either hinder or facilitate protein assembly, depending on the molecular context. In this study, we utilized a computational approach to characterize the physico-chemical properties of regions involved in amyloid aggregation. In various experimental datasets, we observed that while the core is hydrophobic and highly ordered, external regions, which are more disordered, display a distinct tendency to interact with nucleic acids. To validate our predictions, we performed aggregation assays with alpha-synuclein (aS140), a non-nucleic acid-binding amyloidogenic protein, and a mutant truncated at the acidic C-terminus (aS103), which is predicted to have a higher tendency to interact with RNA. For both aS140 and aS103, we observed an acceleration of aggregation upon RNA addition, with a significantly stronger effect for aS103. Due to favorable electrostatics, we noted an enhanced nucleic acid sequestration ability for the aggregated aS103, allowing it to entrap a larger amount of RNA compared to the aggregated wild-type counterpart. Overall, our research suggests that RNA sequestration might be a common phenomenon linked to protein aggregation, constituting a gain-of-function mechanism that warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Rupert
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Enrico Melen, 83, 16152, Genova, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Michele Monti
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Enrico Melen, 83, 16152, Genova, Italy
| | - Elsa Zacco
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Enrico Melen, 83, 16152, Genova, Italy
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Enrico Melen, 83, 16152, Genova, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Rani K, Pal A, Gurnani B, Agarwala P, Sasmal DK, Jain N. An Innate Host Defense Protein β 2-Microglobulin Keeps a Check on α-Synuclein amyloid Assembly: Implications in Parkinson's Disease. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168285. [PMID: 37741548 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid formation due to protein misfolding has gained significant attention due to its association with neurodegenerative diseases. α-Synuclein (α-syn) is one such protein that undergoes a profound conformational switch to form higher order cross-β-sheet structures, resulting in amyloid formation, which is linked to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). The present status of research on α-syn aggregation and PD reveals that the disease progression may be linked with many other diseases, such as kidney-related disorders. Unraveling the link between PD and non-neurological diseases may help in early detection and a better understanding of PD progression. Herein, we investigated the modulation of α-syn in the presence of β2-microglobulin (β2m), a structural protein associated with dialysis-related amyloidosis. We took a multi-disciplinary approach to establish that β2m mitigates amyloid formation by α-syn. Our fluorescence, microscopy and toxicity data demonstrated that sub-stoichiometric ratio of β2m drives α-syn into off-pathway non-toxic aggregates incompetent of transforming into amyloids. Using AlphaFold2 and all-atom MD simulation, we showed that the β-strand segments (β1 and β2) of α-synuclein, which frequently engage in interactions within amyloid fibrils, interact with the last β-strand at the C-terminal of β2m. The outcome of this study will unravel the yet unknown potential linkage of PD with kidney-related disorders. Insights from the cross-talk between two amyloidogenic proteins will lead to early diagnosis and new therapeutic approaches for treating Parkinson's disease. Finally, disruption of the nucleation process of α-syn amyloids by targeting the β1-β2 region will constitute a potential therapeutic approach for inhibiting amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Rani
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, NH 62, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India. https://twitter.com/khushboo251995
| | - Arumay Pal
- School of Bioengineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India. https://twitter.com/Arumay_Pal
| | - Bharat Gurnani
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, NH 62, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India. https://twitter.com/bgurnani05
| | - Pratibha Agarwala
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, NH 62, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India
| | - Dibyendu K Sasmal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, NH 62, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India
| | - Neha Jain
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, NH 62, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India; Centre for Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development (CETSD), Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Nagaur Road, Karwar 342030, Rajasthan, India.
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26
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Chlebowicz J, Russ W, Chen D, Vega A, Vernino S, White CL, Rizo J, Joachimiak LA, Diamond MI. Saturation mutagenesis of α-synuclein reveals monomer fold that modulates aggregation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh3457. [PMID: 37889966 PMCID: PMC10610913 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh3457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (aSyn) aggregation underlies neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. aSyn seeds are proposed to replicate and propagate neuronal pathology like prions. Seeding of aSyn can be recapitulated in cellular systems of aSyn aggregation; however, the mechanism of aSyn seeding and its regulation are not well understood. We developed an mEos-based aSyn seeding assay and performed saturation mutagenesis to identify with single-residue resolution positive and negative regulators of aSyn aggregation. We not only found the core regions that govern aSyn aggregation but also identified mutants outside of the core that enhance aggregation. We identified local structure within the N terminus of aSyn that hinders the fibrillization propensity of its aggregation-prone core. Based on the screen, we designed a minimal aSyn fragment that shows a ~4-fold enhancement in seeding activity and enabled discrimination of synucleinopathies. Our study expands the basic knowledge of aSyn aggregation and advances the design of cellular systems of aSyn aggregation to diagnose synucleinopathies based on protein conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julita Chlebowicz
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - William Russ
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Evozyne Inc., Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dailu Chen
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Anthony Vega
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Steven Vernino
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Charles L. White
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lukasz A. Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Marc I. Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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27
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Kamski-Hennekam ER, Huang J, Ahmed R, Melacini G. Toward a molecular mechanism for the interaction of ATP with alpha-synuclein. Chem Sci 2023; 14:9933-9942. [PMID: 37736631 PMCID: PMC10510630 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03612j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) to modulate protein solubility establishes a critical link between ATP homeostasis and proteinopathies, such as Parkinson's (PD). The most significant risk factor for PD is aging, and ATP levels decline dramatically with age. However, the mechanism by which ATP interacts with alpha-synuclein (αS), whose aggregation is characteristic of PD, is currently not fully understood, as is ATP's effect on αS aggregation. Here, we use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as well as fluorescence, dynamic light scattering and microscopy to show that ATP affects multiple species in the αS self-association cascade. The triphosphate moiety of ATP disrupts long-range electrostatic intramolecular contacts in αS monomers to enhance initial aggregation, while also inhibiting the formation of late-stage β-sheet fibrils by disrupting monomer-fibril interactions. These effects are modulated by magnesium ions and early onset PD-related αS mutations, suggesting that loss of the ATP hydrotropic function on αS fibrillization may play a role in PD etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jinfeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Rashik Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Giuseppe Melacini
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
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28
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Huang D, Guo C. E46K Mutation of α-Synuclein Preorganizes the Intramolecular Interactions Crucial for Aggregation. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:4803-4813. [PMID: 37489886 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein is central to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The most toxic familial mutation E46K accelerates the aggregation process by an unknown mechanism. Herein, we provide a clue by investigating the influence of E46K on monomeric α-synuclein and its relation to aggregation with molecular dynamics simulations. The E46K mutation suppresses β-sheet structures in the N-terminus while promoting those at the key fibrillization region named NACore. Even though WT and E46K monomers share conserved intramolecular interactions with fibrils, E46K abolishes intramolecular contacts within the N-terminus which are present in the WT monomer but absent in fibrils. Network analysis identifies residues 36-53 as the interaction core of the WT monomer. Upon mutation, residues 36-46 are expelled to water due to aggravated electrostatic repulsion in the 43KTKK46 segment. Instead, NACore (residues 68-78) becomes the interaction hub and connects preceding residues 47-56 and the C-terminus. Consequently, residues 47-95 which belong to the fibril core form more compact β-sheets. Overall, the interaction network of E46K is more like fibrils than WT, stabilizing the fibril-like conformations. Our work provides mechanistic insights into the faster aggregation of the E46K mutant. It implies a close link between monomeric conformations and fibrils, which would spur the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defa Huang
- Department of Physics and International Centre for Quantum and Molecular Structures, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Cong Guo
- Department of Physics and International Centre for Quantum and Molecular Structures, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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29
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Graves NJ, Gambin Y, Sierecki E. α-Synuclein Strains and Their Relevance to Parkinson's Disease, Multiple System Atrophy, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12134. [PMID: 37569510 PMCID: PMC10418915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Like many neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the formation of proteinaceous aggregates in brain cells. In PD, those proteinaceous aggregates are formed by the α-synuclein (αSyn) and are considered the trademark of this neurodegenerative disease. In addition to PD, αSyn pathological aggregation is also detected in atypical Parkinsonism, including Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), as well as neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation, some cases of traumatic brain injuries, and variants of Alzheimer's disease. Collectively, these (and other) disorders are referred to as synucleinopathies, highlighting the relation between disease type and protein misfolding/aggregation. Despite these pathological relationships, however, synucleinopathies cover a wide range of pathologies, present with a multiplicity of symptoms, and arise from dysfunctions in different neuroanatomical regions and cell populations. Strikingly, αSyn deposition occurs in different types of cells, with oligodendrocytes being mainly affected in MSA, while aggregates are found in neurons in PD. If multiple factors contribute to the development of a pathology, especially in the cases of slow-developing neurodegenerative disorders, the common presence of αSyn aggregation, as both a marker and potential driver of disease, is puzzling. In this review, we will focus on comparing PD, DLB, and MSA, from symptomatology to molecular description, highlighting the role and contribution of αSyn aggregates in each disorder. We will particularly present recent evidence for the involvement of conformational strains of αSyn aggregates and discuss the reciprocal relationship between αSyn strains and the cellular milieu. Moreover, we will highlight the need for effective methodologies for the strainotyping of aggregates to ameliorate diagnosing capabilities and therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma Sierecki
- EMBL Australia Node for Single Molecule Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (N.J.G.)
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30
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Ohgita T, Kono H, Morita I, Oyama H, Shimanouchi T, Kobayashi N, Saito H. Intramolecular interaction kinetically regulates fibril formation by human and mouse α-synuclein. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10885. [PMID: 37407638 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38070-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of α-synuclein (αS) fibril formation is a potent therapeutic strategy for αS-related neurodegenerative disorders. αS, an intrinsically disordered 140-residue intraneural protein, comprises positively charged N-terminal, hydrophobic non-amyloid β component (NAC), and negatively charged C-terminal regions. Although mouse and human αS share 95% sequence identity, mouse αS forms amyloid fibrils faster than human αS. To evaluate the kinetic regulation of αS fibrillation, we examined the effects of mismatched residues in human and mouse αS on fibril formation and intramolecular interactions. Thioflavin T fluorescence assay using domain-swapped or C-terminal-truncated αS variants revealed that mouse αS exhibited higher nucleation and fibril elongation than human αS. In mouse αS, S87N substitution in the NAC region rather than A53T substitution is dominant for enhanced fibril formation. Fӧrester resonance energy transfer analysis demonstrated that the intramolecular interaction of the C-terminal region with the N-terminal and NAC regions observed in human αS is perturbed in mouse αS. In mouse αS, S87N substitution is responsible for the perturbed interaction. These results indicate that the interaction of the C-terminal region with the N-terminal and NAC regions suppresses αS fibril formation and that the human-to-mouse S87N substitution in the NAC region accelerates αS fibril formation by perturbing intramolecular interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ohgita
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Kono
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
| | - Izumi Morita
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Oyama
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Toshinori Shimanouchi
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Norihiro Kobayashi
- Department of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Saito
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Misasagi-Nakauchi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
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31
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Huang F, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wang C, Lian J, Ding F, Sun Y. Dissecting the Self-assembly Dynamics of Imperfect Repeats in α-Synuclein. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:3591-3600. [PMID: 37253119 PMCID: PMC10363412 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The pathological aggregation of α-synuclein (αS) into amyloid fibrils is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). The self-assembly and membrane interactions of αS are mainly governed by the seven imperfect 11-residue repeats of the XKTKEGVXXXX motif around residues 1-95. However, the particular role of each repeat in αS fibrillization remains unclear. To answer this question, we studied the aggregation dynamics of each repeat with up to 10 peptides in silico by conducting multiple independent micro-second atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations revealed that only repeats R3 and R6 readily self-assembled into β-sheet-rich oligomers, while the other repeats remained as unstructured monomers with weak self-assembly and β-sheet propensities. The self-assembly process of R3 featured frequent conformational changes with β-sheet formation mainly in the non-conserved hydrophobic tail, whereas R6 spontaneously self-assembled into extended and stable cross-β structures. These results of seven repeats are consistent with their structures and organization in recently solved αS fibrils. As the primary amyloidogenic core, R6 was buried inside the central cross-β core of all αS fibrils, attracting the hydrophobic tails of adjacent R4, R5, and R7 repeats forming β-sheets around R6 in the core. Further away from R6 in the sequence but with a moderate amyloid aggregation propensity, the R3 tail could serve as a secondary amyloidogenic core and form independent β-sheets in the fibril. Overall, our results demonstrate the critical role of R3 and R6 repeats in αS amyloid aggregation and suggest their potential as targets for the peptide-based and small-molecule amyloid inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjuan Huang
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jiangfang Lian
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
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32
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Khare SD, Chinchilla P, Baum J. Multifaceted interactions mediated by intrinsically disordered regions play key roles in alpha synuclein aggregation. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 80:102579. [PMID: 37060757 PMCID: PMC10910670 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of Alpha Synuclein (α-Syn) into fibrils is associated with the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Pathologic aggregates of α-Syn adopt multiple fibril topologies and are known to be transferred between cells via templated seeding. Monomeric α-Syn is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) with amphiphilic N-terminal, hydrophobic-central, and negatively charged C-terminal domains. Here, we review recent work elucidating the mechanism of α-Syn aggregation and identify the key and multifaceted roles played by the N- and C-terminal domains in the initiation and growth of aggregates as well as in the templated seeding involved in cell-to-cell propagation. The charge content of the C-terminal domain, which is sensitive to environmental conditions like organelle pH, is a key regulator of intermolecular interactions involved in fibril growth and templated propagation. An appreciation of the complex and multifaceted roles played by the intrinsically disordered terminal domains suggests novel opportunities for the development of potent inhibitors against synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar D Khare
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Priscilla Chinchilla
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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33
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Pandit E, Das L, Das AK, Dolui S, Saha S, Pal U, Mondal A, Chowdhury J, Biswas SC, Maiti NC. Single point mutations at the S129 residue of α-synuclein and their effect on structure, aggregation, and neurotoxicity. Front Chem 2023; 11:1145877. [PMID: 37304685 PMCID: PMC10250651 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1145877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is an age-related neurological disorder, and the pathology of the disease is linked to different types of aggregates of α-synuclein or alpha-synuclein (aS), which is an intrinsically disordered protein. The C-terminal domain (residues 96-140) of the protein is highly fluctuating and possesses random/disordered coil conformation. Thus, the region plays a significant role in the protein's solubility and stability by an interaction with other parts of the protein. In the current investigation, we examined the structure and aggregation behavior of two artificial single point mutations at a C-terminal residue at position 129 that represent a serine residue in the wild-type human aS (wt aS). Circular Dichroism (CD) and Raman spectroscopy were performed to analyse the secondary structure of the mutated proteins and compare it to the wt aS. Thioflavin T assay and atomic force microscopy imaging helped in understanding the aggregation kinetics and type of aggregates formed. Finally, the cytotoxicity assay gave an idea about the toxicity of the aggregates formed at different stages of incubation due to mutations. Compared to wt aS, the mutants S129A and S129W imparted structural stability and showed enhanced propensity toward the α-helical secondary structure. CD analysis showed proclivity of the mutant proteins toward α-helical conformation. The enhancement of α-helical propensity lengthened the lag phase of fibril formation. The growth rate of β-sheet-rich fibrillation was also reduced. Cytotoxicity tests on SH-SY5Y neuronal cell lines established that the S129A and S129W mutants and their aggregates were potentially less toxic than wt aS. The average survivability rate was ∼40% for cells treated with oligomers (presumably formed after 24 h of incubation of the freshly prepared monomeric protein solution) produced from wt aS and ∼80% for cells treated with oligomers obtained from mutant proteins. The relative structural stability with α-helical propensity of the mutants could be a plausible reason for their slow rate of oligomerization and fibrillation, and this was also the possible reason for reduced toxicity to neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esha Pandit
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Lopamudra Das
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Anoy Kumar Das
- Cell Biology and Physiology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Sandip Dolui
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Saumen Saha
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Uttam Pal
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Animesh Mondal
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Subhas C. Biswas
- Cell Biology and Physiology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Nakul C. Maiti
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Kolkata, India
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34
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Menon S, Mondal J. Conformational Plasticity in α-Synuclein and How Crowded Environment Modulates It. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:4032-4049. [PMID: 37114769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
A 140-residue intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), α-synuclein (αS), is known to adopt conformations that are vastly plastic and susceptible to environmental cues and crowders. However, the inherently heterogeneous nature of αS has precluded a clear demarcation of its monomeric precursor between aggregation-prone and functionally relevant aggregation-resistant states and how a crowded environment could modulate their mutual dynamic equilibrium. Here, we identify an optimal set of distinct metastable states of αS in aqueous media by dissecting a 73 μs-long molecular dynamics ensemble via building a comprehensive Markov state model (MSM). Notably, the most populated metastable state corroborates with the dimension obtained from PRE-NMR studies of αS monomer, and it undergoes kinetic transition at diverse time scales with a weakly populated random-coil-like ensemble and a globular protein-like state. However, subjecting αS to a crowded environment results in a nonmonotonic compaction of these metastable conformations, thereby skewing the ensemble by either introducing new tertiary contacts or by reinforcing the innate contacts. The early stage of dimerization process is found to be considerably expedited in the presence of crowders, albeit promoting nonspecific interactions. Together with this, using an extensively sampled ensemble of αS, this exposition demonstrates that crowded environments can potentially modulate the conformational preferences of IDP that can either promote or inhibit aggregation events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Menon
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Jagannath Mondal
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
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35
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Sun X, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Role of conformational dynamics in pathogenic protein aggregation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 73:102280. [PMID: 36878172 PMCID: PMC10033434 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of pathogenic protein oligomers and aggregates is associated with several devastating amyloid diseases. As protein aggregation is a multi-step nucleation-dependent process beginning with unfolding or misfolding of the native state, it is important to understand how innate protein dynamics influence aggregation propensity. Kinetic intermediates composed of heterogeneous ensembles of oligomers are frequently formed on the aggregation pathway. Characterization of the structure and dynamics of these intermediates is critical to the understanding of amyloid diseases since oligomers appear to be the main cytotoxic agents. In this review, we highlight recent biophysical studies of the roles of protein dynamics in driving pathogenic protein aggregation, yielding new mechanistic insights that can be leveraged for design of aggregation inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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36
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Byrd E, Wilkinson M, Radford SE, Sobott F. Taking Charge: Metal Ions Accelerate Amyloid Aggregation in Sequence Variants of α-Synuclein. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:493-504. [PMID: 36794792 PMCID: PMC9983014 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Αlpha-synuclein (αS) is an intrinsically disordered protein which exhibits a high degree of conformational heterogeneity. In vivo, αS experiences various environments which cause adaptation of its structural ensemble. Divalent metal ions are prominent in synaptic terminals where αS is located and are thought to bind to the αS C-terminal region. Herein, we used native nanoelectrospray ionization ion mobility-mass spectrometry to investigate changes in the charge state distribution and collision cross sections of wild-type N-terminally acetylated (NTA) αS, along with a deletion variant (ΔΔNTA) which inhibits amyloid formation and a C-terminal truncated variant (119NTA) which increases the rate of amyloid formation. We also examine the effect of the addition of divalent metal ions, Ca2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+, and correlate the conformational properties of the αS monomer with the ability to aggregate into amyloid, measured using Thioflavin T fluorescence and negative stain transmission electron microscopy. We find a correlation between the population of species with a low collision cross section and accelerated amyloid assembly kinetics, with the presence of metal ions resulting in protein compaction and causing ΔΔ to regain its ability to form an amyloid. The results portray how the αS conformational ensemble is governed by specific intramolecular interactions that influence its amyloidogenic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily
J. Byrd
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sheena E. Radford
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Sobott
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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37
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Canever JB, Soares ES, de Avelar NCP, Cimarosti HI. Targeting α-synuclein post-translational modifications in Parkinson's disease. Behav Brain Res 2023; 439:114204. [PMID: 36372243 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. Although the exact mechanisms underlying PD are still not completely understood, it is well accepted that α-synuclein plays key pathophysiological roles as the main constituent of the cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies. Several post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as the best-known phosphorylation, target α-synuclein and are thus implicated in its physiological and pathological functions. In this review, we present (1) an overview of the pathophysiological roles of α-synuclein, (2) a descriptive analysis of α-synuclein PTMs, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, acetylation, glycation, truncation, and O-GlcNAcylation, as well as (3) a brief summary on α-synuclein PTMs as potential biomarkers for PD. A better understanding of α-synuclein PTMs is of paramount importance for elucidating the mechanisms underlying PD and can thus be expected to improve early detection and monitoring disease progression, as well as identify promising new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaquelini B Canever
- Post-Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Laboratory of Aging, Resources and Rheumatology, UFSC, Araranguá, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Ericks Sousa Soares
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmacology, UFSC, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Núbia C P de Avelar
- Laboratory of Aging, Resources and Rheumatology, UFSC, Araranguá, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Helena I Cimarosti
- Post-Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Post-Graduate Program in Pharmacology, UFSC, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
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38
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Stephens AD, Kölbel J, Moons R, Chung CW, Ruggiero MT, Mahmoudi N, Shmool TA, McCoy TM, Nietlispach D, Routh AF, Sobott F, Zeitler JA, Kaminski Schierle GS. Decreased Water Mobility Contributes To Increased α-Synuclein Aggregation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202212063. [PMID: 36316279 PMCID: PMC10107867 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202212063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The solvation shell is essential for the folding and function of proteins, but how it contributes to protein misfolding and aggregation has still to be elucidated. We show that the mobility of solvation shell H2 O molecules influences the aggregation rate of the amyloid protein α-synuclein (αSyn), a protein associated with Parkinson's disease. When the mobility of H2 O within the solvation shell is reduced by the presence of NaCl, αSyn aggregation rate increases. Conversely, in the presence CsI the mobility of the solvation shell is increased and αSyn aggregation is reduced. Changing the solvent from H2 O to D2 O leads to increased aggregation rates, indicating a solvent driven effect. We show the increased aggregation rate is not directly due to a change in the structural conformations of αSyn, it is also influenced by a reduction in both the H2 O mobility and αSyn mobility. We propose that reduced mobility of αSyn contributes to increased aggregation by promoting intermolecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johanna Kölbel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Rani Moons
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of AntwerpBelgium
| | - Chyi Wei Chung
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Michael T. Ruggiero
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of VermontUSA
| | | | - Talia A. Shmool
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Thomas M. McCoy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | | | - Alexander F. Routh
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Frank Sobott
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of AntwerpBelgium
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsUK
| | - J. Axel Zeitler
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
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39
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R K, Aouti S, Jos S, Prasad TK, K N K, Unni S, Padmanabhan B, Kamariah N, Padavattan S, Mythri RB. High-affinity binding of celastrol to monomeric α-synuclein mitigates in vitro aggregation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:12703-12713. [PMID: 36744543 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2175379] [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: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) aggregation is associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The region αSyn36-42 acts as the nucleation 'master controller' and αSyn1-12 as a 'secondary nucleation site'. They drive monomeric αSyn to aggregation. Small molecules targeting these motifs are promising for disease-modifying therapy. Using computational techniques, we screened thirty phytochemicals for αSyn binding. The top three compounds were experimentally validated for their binding affinity. Amongst them, celastrol showed high binding affinity. NMR analysis confirmed stable αSyn-celastrol interactions involving several residues in the N-terminus and NAC regions but not in the C-terminal tail. Importantly, celastrol interacted extensively with the key motifs that drive αSyn aggregation. Thioflavin-T assay indicated that celastrol reduced αSyn aggregation. Thus, celastrol holds promise as a potent drug candidate for PD.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavya R
- Department of Biotechnology, Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Snehal Aouti
- Department of Biophysics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sneha Jos
- Department of Biophysics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Thazhe Kootteri Prasad
- Centre for Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Kumuda K N
- Department of Biotechnology, Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sruthi Unni
- Department of Biophysics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Balasundaram Padmanabhan
- Department of Biophysics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Neelagandan Kamariah
- Centre for Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sivaraman Padavattan
- Department of Biophysics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Rajeswara Babu Mythri
- Department of Biotechnology, Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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40
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Stephens AD, Kölbel J, Moons R, Chung CW, Ruggiero MT, Mahmoudi N, Shmool TA, McCoy TM, Nietlispach D, Routh AF, Sobott F, Zeitler JA, Kaminski Schierle GS. Decreased Water Mobility Contributes To Increased α-Synuclein Aggregation. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 135:e202212063. [PMID: 38516046 PMCID: PMC10952249 DOI: 10.1002/ange.202212063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
The solvation shell is essential for the folding and function of proteins, but how it contributes to protein misfolding and aggregation has still to be elucidated. We show that the mobility of solvation shell H2O molecules influences the aggregation rate of the amyloid protein α-synuclein (αSyn), a protein associated with Parkinson's disease. When the mobility of H2O within the solvation shell is reduced by the presence of NaCl, αSyn aggregation rate increases. Conversely, in the presence CsI the mobility of the solvation shell is increased and αSyn aggregation is reduced. Changing the solvent from H2O to D2O leads to increased aggregation rates, indicating a solvent driven effect. We show the increased aggregation rate is not directly due to a change in the structural conformations of αSyn, it is also influenced by a reduction in both the H2O mobility and αSyn mobility. We propose that reduced mobility of αSyn contributes to increased aggregation by promoting intermolecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johanna Kölbel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Rani Moons
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of AntwerpBelgium
| | - Chyi Wei Chung
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Michael T. Ruggiero
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of VermontUSA
| | | | - Talia A. Shmool
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Thomas M. McCoy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | | | - Alexander F. Routh
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
| | - Frank Sobott
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of AntwerpBelgium
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsUK
| | - J. Axel Zeitler
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeUK
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41
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Smith JK, Mellick GD, Sykes AM. The role of the endolysosomal pathway in α-synuclein pathogenesis in Parkinson's disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 16:1081426. [PMID: 36704248 PMCID: PMC9871505 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1081426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the midbrain (SNpc). Extensive studies into genetic and cellular models of PD implicate protein trafficking as a prominent contributor to the death of these dopaminergic neurons. Considerable evidence also suggests the involvement of α-synuclein as a central component of the characteristic cell death in PD and it is a major structural constituent of proteinaceous inclusion bodies (Lewy bodies; LB). α-synuclein research has been a vital part of PD research in recent years, with newly discovered evidence suggesting that α-synuclein can propagate through the brain via prion-like mechanisms. Healthy cells can internalize toxic α-synuclein species and seed endogenous α-synuclein to form large, pathogenic aggregates and form LBs. A better understanding of how α-synuclein can propagate, enter and be cleared from the cell is vital for therapeutic strategies.
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42
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Gonzalez-Garcia M, Fusco G, De Simone A. Metal interactions of α-synuclein probed by NMR amide-proton exchange. Front Chem 2023; 11:1167766. [PMID: 37201129 PMCID: PMC10187754 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1167766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The aberrant aggregation of α-synuclein (αS), a disordered protein primarily expressed in neuronal cells, is strongly associated with the underlying mechanisms of Parkinson's disease. It is now established that αS has a weak affinity for metal ions and that these interactions alter its conformational properties by generally promoting self-assembly into amyloids. Here, we characterised the nature of the conformational changes associated with metal binding by αS using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to measure the exchange of the backbone amide protons at a residue specific resolution. We complemented these experiments with 15N relaxation and chemical shift perturbations to obtain a comprehensive map of the interaction between αS and divalent (Ca2+, Cu2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+) and monovalent (Cu+) metal ions. The data identified specific effects that the individual cations exert on the conformational properties of αS. In particular, binding to calcium and zinc generated a reduction of the protection factors in the C-terminal region of the protein, whereas both Cu(II) and Cu(I) did not alter the amide proton exchange along the αS sequence. Changes in the R2/R1 ratios from 15N relaxation experiments were, however, detected as a result of the interaction between αS and Cu+ or Zn2+, indicating that binding to these metals induces conformational perturbations in distinctive regions of the protein. Collectively our data suggest that multiple mechanisms of enhanced αS aggregation are associated with the binding of the analysed metals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuliana Fusco
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Alfonso De Simone, ; Giuliana Fusco,
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alfonso De Simone, ; Giuliana Fusco,
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43
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Pancoe SX, Wang YJ, Shimogawa M, Perez RM, Giannakoulias S, Petersson EJ. Effects of Mutations and Post-Translational Modifications on α-Synuclein In Vitro Aggregation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167859. [PMID: 36270580 PMCID: PMC9922159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar aggregates of the α-synuclein (αS) protein are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Characterization of the effects of mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the αS aggregation rate can provide insight into the mechanism of fibril formation, which remains elusive in spite of intense study. A comprehensive collection (375 examples) of mutant and PTM aggregation rate data measured using the fluorescent probe thioflavin T is presented, as well as a summary of the effects of fluorescent labeling on αS aggregation (20 examples). A curated set of 131 single mutant de novo aggregation experiments are normalized to wild type controls and analyzed in terms of structural data for the monomer and fibrillar forms of αS. These tabulated data serve as a resource to the community to help in interpretation of aggregation experiments and to potentially be used as inputs for computational models of aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha X Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yanxin J Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marie Shimogawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryann M Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sam Giannakoulias
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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44
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Synucleins: New Data on Misfolding, Aggregation and Role in Diseases. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123241. [PMID: 36551997 PMCID: PMC9775291 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The synucleins are a family of natively unfolded (or intrinsically unstructured) proteins consisting of α-, β-, and γ-synuclein involved in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. The current number of publications on synucleins has exceeded 16.000. They remain the subject of constant interest for over 35 years. Two reasons explain this unchanging attention: synuclein's association with several severe human diseases and the lack of understanding of the functional roles under normal physiological conditions. We analyzed recent publications to look at the main trends and developments in synuclein research and discuss possible future directions. Traditional areas of peak research interest which still remain high among last year's publications are comparative studies of structural features as well as functional research on of three members of the synuclein family. Another popular research topic in the area is a mechanism of α-synuclein accumulation, aggregation, and fibrillation. Exciting fast-growing area of recent research is α-synuclein and epigenetics. We do not present here a broad and comprehensive review of all directions of studies but summarize only the most significant recent findings relevant to these topics and outline potential future directions.
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45
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Seetaloo N, Zacharopoulou M, Stephens AD, Kaminski Schierle GS, Phillips JJ. Millisecond Hydrogen/Deuterium-Exchange Mass Spectrometry Approach to Correlate Local Structure and Aggregation in α-Synuclein. Anal Chem 2022; 94:16711-16719. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neeleema Seetaloo
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, ExeterEX4 4QD, U.K
| | - Maria Zacharopoulou
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Amberley D. Stephens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Gabriele S. Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Jonathan J. Phillips
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, ExeterEX4 4QD, U.K
- Alan Turing Institute, British Library, LondonNW1 2DB, U.K
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46
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Mesias VD, Zhu H, Tang X, Dai X, Liu W, Guo Y, Huang J. Moderate Binding between Two SARS-CoV-2 Protein Segments and α-Synuclein Alters Its Toxic Oligomerization Propensity Differently. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:10642-10648. [PMID: 36354180 PMCID: PMC9662073 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The neurological symptoms of long COVID and viral neuroinvasion have raised concerns about the potential interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein segments and neuronal proteins, which might confer a risk of post-infection neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we reported that the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein and the nine-residue segment (SK9) of the envelope protein could bind to α-synuclein (αSyn) with Kd values of 503 ± 24 nM and 12.7 ± 1.6 μM, respectively. RBD could inhibit αSyn fibrillization by blocking the non-amyloid-β component region and mediating its antiparallel β-sheet structural conversions. Omicron-RBD (BA.5) was shown to have a slightly stronger affinity for αSyn (Kd = 235 ± 10 nM), which implies similar effects, whereas SK9 may bind to the C-terminus which accelerates the formation of parallel β-sheet-containing oligomers and abruptly increases the rate of membrane disruption by 213%. Our results provide plausible molecular insights into the impact of SARS-CoV-2 post-infection and the oligomerization propensity of αSyn that is associated with Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vince
St. Dollente Mesias
- Department
of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Hongni Zhu
- Department
of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Xiao Tang
- Division
of Life Science, The Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Xin Dai
- Department
of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yusong Guo
- Division
of Life Science, The Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jinqing Huang
- Department
of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China
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47
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Zhang Y, Wang Y, Liu Y, Wei G, Ding F, Sun Y. Molecular Insights into the Misfolding and Dimerization Dynamics of the Full-Length α-Synuclein from Atomistic Discrete Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:3126-3137. [PMID: 36278939 PMCID: PMC9797213 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The misfolding and pathological aggregation of α-synuclein forming insoluble amyloid deposits is associated with Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world population. Characterizing the self-assembly mechanism of α-synuclein is critical for discovering treatments against synucleinopathies. The intrinsically disordered property, high degrees of freedom, and macroscopic timescales of conformational conversion make its characterization extremely challenging in vitro and in silico. Here, we systematically investigated the dynamics of monomer misfolding and dimerization of the full-length α-synuclein using atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations. Our results suggested that both α-synuclein monomers and dimers mainly adopted unstructured formations with partial helices around the N-terminus (residues 8-32) and various β-sheets spanning the residues 35-56 (N-terminal tail) and residues 61-95 (NAC region). The C-terminus mostly assumed an unstructured formation wrapping around the lateral surface and the elongation edge of the β-sheet core formed by an N-terminal tail and NAC regions. Dimerization enhanced the β-sheet formation along with a decrease in the unstructured content. The inter-peptide β-sheets were mainly formed by the N-terminal tail and NACore (residues 68-78) regions, suggesting that these two regions played critical roles in the amyloid aggregation of α-synuclein. Interactions of the C-terminus with the N-terminal tail and the NAC region were significantly suppressed in the α-synuclein dimer, indicating that the interaction of the C-terminus with the N-terminal tail and NAC regions could prevent α-synuclein aggregation. These results on the structural ensembles and early aggregation dynamics of α-synuclein will help understand the nucleation and fibrillization of α-synuclein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yuying Liu
- Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Guanghong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- Department of Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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48
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Revisiting the specificity and ability of phospho-S129 antibodies to capture alpha-synuclein biochemical and pathological diversity. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2022; 8:136. [PMID: 36266318 PMCID: PMC9584898 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-022-00388-7] [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] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies against phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (aSyn) at S129 have emerged as the primary tools to investigate, monitor, and quantify aSyn pathology in the brain and peripheral tissues of patients with Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we demonstrate that the co-occurrence of multiple pathology-associated C-terminal post-translational modifications (PTMs) (e.g., phosphorylation at Tyrosine 125 or truncation at residue 133 or 135) differentially influences the detection of pS129-aSyn species by pS129-aSyn antibodies. These observations prompted us to systematically reassess the specificity of the most commonly used pS129 antibodies against monomeric and aggregated forms of pS129-aSyn in mouse brain slices, primary neurons, mammalian cells and seeding models of aSyn pathology formation. We identified two antibodies that are insensitive to pS129 neighboring PTMs. Although most pS129 antibodies showed good performance in detecting aSyn aggregates in cells, neurons and mouse brain tissue containing abundant aSyn pathology, they also showed cross-reactivity towards other proteins and often detected non-specific low and high molecular weight bands in aSyn knock-out samples that could be easily mistaken for monomeric or high molecular weight aSyn species. Our observations suggest that not all pS129 antibodies capture the biochemical and morphological diversity of aSyn pathology, and all should be used with the appropriate protein standards and controls when investigating aSyn under physiological conditions. Finally, our work underscores the need for more pS129 antibodies that are not sensitive to neighboring PTMs and more thorough characterization and validation of existing and new antibodies.
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Zhang C, Pei Y, Zhang Z, Xu L, Liu X, Jiang L, Pielak GJ, Zhou X, Liu M, Li C. C-terminal truncation modulates α-Synuclein's cytotoxicity and aggregation by promoting the interactions with membrane and chaperone. Commun Biol 2022; 5:798. [PMID: 35945337 PMCID: PMC9363494 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) is the main protein component of Lewy bodies, the major pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). C-terminally truncated α-syn is found in the brain of PD patients, reduces cell viability and tends to form fibrils. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the role of C-terminal truncation on the cytotoxicity and aggregation of α-syn. Here, we use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that the truncation alters α-syn conformation, resulting in an attractive interaction of the N-terminus with membranes and molecular chaperone, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). The truncated protein is more toxic to mitochondria than full-length protein and diminishes the effect of PDI on α-syn fibrillation. Our findings reveal a modulatory role for the C-terminus in the cytotoxicity and aggregation of α-syn by interfering with the N-terminus binding to membranes and chaperone, and provide a molecular basis for the pathological role of C-terminal truncation in PD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yunshan Pei
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zeting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China.
| | - Lingling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Gary J Pielak
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Maili Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Conggang Li
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430071, Wuhan, China.
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, 100049, Beijing, China.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430071, Wuhan, China.
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50
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Petricca L, Chiki N, Hanna-El-Daher L, Aeschbach L, Burai R, Stoops E, Fares MB, Lashuel HA. Comparative Analysis of Total Alpha-Synuclein (αSYN) Immunoassays Reveals That They Do Not Capture the Diversity of Modified αSYN Proteoforms. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:1449-1462. [PMID: 35527570 PMCID: PMC9398082 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background: The development of therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease (PD) requires the establishment of biomarker assays to enable stratifying patients, monitoring disease progression, and assessing target engagement. Attempts to develop diagnostic assays based on detecting levels of the α-synuclein (αSYN) protein, a central player in the pathogenesis of PD, have yielded inconsistent results. Objective: To determine whether the three commercial kits that have been extensively used for total αSYN quantification in human biological fluids (from Euroimmun, MSD, and Biolegend) are capable of capturing the diversity and complexity of relevant αSYN proteoforms. Methods: We investigated and compared the ability of the different assays to detect the diversity of αSYN proteoforms using a library of αSYN proteins that comprise the majority of disease-relevant αSYN variants and post-translational modifications (PTMs). Results: Our findings showed that none of the three tested immunoassays accurately capture the totality of relevant αSYN species, and that these assays are unable to recognize most disease-associated C-terminally truncated variants of αSYN. Moreover, several N-terminal truncations and phosphorylation/nitration PTMs differentially modify the level of αSYN detection and recovery by different immunoassays, and a CSF matrix effect was observed for most of the αSYN proteoforms analyzed by the three immunoassays. Conclusion: Our results show that the tested immunoassays do not capture the totality of the relevant αSYN species and therefore may not be appropriate tools to provide an accurate measure of total αSYN levels in samples containing modified forms of the protein. This highlights the need for next generation αSYN immunoassays that capture the diversity of αSYN proteoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nour Chiki
- ND Biosciences SA, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Layane Hanna-El-Daher
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute,Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lorène Aeschbach
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute,Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ritwik Burai
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute,Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Erik Stoops
- ADx NeuroSciences NV, Technologiepark 94 - Bio Incubator, Gent, Belgium
| | | | - Hilal A Lashuel
- ND Biosciences SA, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute,Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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