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Roy S, Srinivasan VR, Arunagiri S, Mishra N, Bhatia A, Shejale KP, Prajapati KP, Kar K, Anand BG. Molecular insights into the phase transition of lysozyme into amyloid nanostructures: Implications of therapeutic strategies in diverse pathological conditions. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 331:103205. [PMID: 38875805 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103205] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Lysozyme, a well-known bacteriolytic enzyme, exhibits a fascinating yet complex behavior when it comes to protein aggregation. Under certain conditions, this enzyme undergoes flexible transformation, transitioning from partially unfolded intermediate units of native conformers into complex cross-β-rich nano fibrillar amyloid architectures. Formation of such lysozyme amyloids has been implicated in a multitude of pathological and medical severities, like hepatic dysfunction, hepatomegaly, splenic rupture as well as spleen dysfunction, nephropathy, sicca syndrome, renal dysfunction, renal amyloidosis, and systemic amyloidosis. In this comprehensive review, we have attempted to provide in-depth insights into the aggregating behavior of lysozyme across a spectrum of variables, including concentrations, temperatures, pH levels, and mutations. Our objective is to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that govern lysozyme's aggregation process and to unravel the complex interplay between its structural attributes. Moreover, this work has critically examined the latest advancements in the field, focusing specifically on novel strategies and systems, that have been implemented to delay or inhibit the lysozyme amyloidogenesis. Apart from this, we have tried to explore and advance our fundamental understanding of the complex processes involved in lysozyme aggregation. This will help the research community to lay a robust foundation for screening, designing, and formulating targeted anti-amyloid therapeutics offering improved treatment modalities and interventions not only for lysozyme-linked amyloidopathy but for a wide range of amyloid-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindhujit Roy
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Venkat Ramanan Srinivasan
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Subash Arunagiri
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Nishant Mishra
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Anubhuti Bhatia
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Kiran P Shejale
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, South Korea
| | - Kailash Prasad Prajapati
- Biophysical and Biomaterials Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Karunakar Kar
- Biophysical and Biomaterials Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India..
| | - Bibin Gnanadhason Anand
- Biomolecular Self-Assembly Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India..
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2
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Lee SH, Bae EJ, Perez-Acuna D, Jung MK, Han JW, Mook-Jung I, Lee SJ. Amyloid-β-activated microglia can induce compound proteinopathies. Brain 2024:awae221. [PMID: 39194073 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae221] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease include amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and Lewy bodies, with the former preceding the latter two. However, it is not fully understood how these compound proteinopathies are interconnected. Here, we show that transplantation of amyloid-β oligomer-activated microglia into the striatum of naïve mice was sufficient to generate all the features of Alzheimer's disease, including widespread tauopathy and synucleinopathy, gliosis, neuroinflammation, synapse loss, neuronal death, and cognitive and motor deficits. These pathological features were eliminated by microglia depletion and anti-inflammatory drug administration. Our results suggest the crucial roles of microglia-driven inflammation in development of mixed pathology. This study provides not only mechanistic insights into amyloid-β oligomer-triggered proteinopathies but also a novel animal model recapitulating the salient features of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hwan Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Eun-Jin Bae
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Dayana Perez-Acuna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Min Kyo Jung
- Neural Circuits Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41068, Korea
| | - Jong Won Han
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Inhee Mook-Jung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Convergence Research Center for Dementia, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Convergence Research Center for Dementia, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
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3
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Tang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang D, Liu Y, Nussinov R, Zheng J. Exploring pathological link between antimicrobial and amyloid peptides. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:8713-8763. [PMID: 39041297 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00878a] [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: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid peptides (AMYs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as the two distinct families of peptides, characterized by their unique sequences, structures, biological functions, and specific pathological targets. However, accumulating evidence has revealed intriguing pathological connections between these peptide families in the context of microbial infection and neurodegenerative diseases. Some AMYs and AMPs share certain structural and functional characteristics, including the ability to self-assemble, the presence of β-sheet-rich structures, and membrane-disrupting mechanisms. These shared features enable AMYs to possess antimicrobial activity and AMPs to acquire amyloidogenic properties. Despite limited studies on AMYs-AMPs systems, the cross-seeding phenomenon between AMYs and AMPs has emerged as a crucial factor in the bidirectional communication between the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and host defense against microbial infections. In this review, we examine recent developments in the potential interplay between AMYs and AMPs, as well as their pathological implications for both infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. By discussing the current progress and challenges in this emerging field, this account aims to inspire further research and investments to enhance our understanding of the intricate molecular crosstalk between AMYs and AMPs. This knowledge holds great promise for the development of innovative therapies to combat both microbial infections and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
| | - Yanxian Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio 44325, USA.
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4
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Stys PK, Tsutsui S, Gafson AR, ‘t Hart BA, Belachew S, Geurts JJG. New views on the complex interplay between degeneration and autoimmunity in multiple sclerosis. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1426231. [PMID: 39161786 PMCID: PMC11330826 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1426231] [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: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a frequently disabling neurological disorder characterized by symptoms, clinical signs and imaging abnormalities that typically fluctuate over time, affecting any level of the CNS. Prominent lymphocytic inflammation, many genetic susceptibility variants involving immune pathways, as well as potent responses of the neuroinflammatory component to immunomodulating drugs, have led to the natural conclusion that this disease is driven by a primary autoimmune process. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we discuss emerging data that cast doubt on this assumption. After three decades of therapeutic experience, what has become clear is that potent immune modulators are highly effective at suppressing inflammatory relapses, yet exhibit very limited effects on the later progressive phase of MS. Moreover, neuropathological examination of MS tissue indicates that degeneration, CNS atrophy, and myelin loss are most prominent in the progressive stage, when lymphocytic inflammation paradoxically wanes. Finally, emerging clinical observations such as "progression independent of relapse activity" and "silent progression," now thought to take hold very early in the course, together argue that an underlying "cytodegenerative" process, likely targeting the myelinating unit, may in fact represent the most proximal step in a complex pathophysiological cascade exacerbated by an autoimmune inflammatory overlay. Parallels are drawn with more traditional neurodegenerative disorders, where a progressive proteopathy with prion-like propagation of toxic misfolded species is now known to play a key role. A potentially pivotal contribution of the Epstein-Barr virus and B cells in this process is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter K. Stys
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Shigeki Tsutsui
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Arie R. Gafson
- Biogen Digital Health, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Bert A. ‘t Hart
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (location VUmc), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Shibeshih Belachew
- TheraPanacea, Paris, France
- Indivi (DBA of Healios AG), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeroen J. G. Geurts
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (location VUmc), Amsterdam, Netherlands
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5
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Polańska O, Szulc N, Stottko R, Olek M, Nadwodna J, Gąsior-Głogowska M, Szefczyk M. Challenges in Peptide Solubilization - Amyloids Case Study. CHEM REC 2024; 24:e202400053. [PMID: 39023378 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202400053] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Peptide science has been a rapidly growing research field because of the enormous potential application of these biocompatible and bioactive molecules. However, many factors limit the widespread use of peptides in medicine, and low solubility is among the most common problems that hamper drug development in the early stages of research. Solubility is a crucial, albeit poorly understood, feature that determines peptide behavior. Several different solubility predictors have been proposed, and many strategies and protocols have been reported to dissolve peptides, but none of them is a one-size-fits-all method for solubilization of even the same peptide. In this review, we look for the reasons behind the difficulties in dissolving peptides, analyze the factors influencing peptide aggregation, conduct a critical analysis of solubilization strategies and protocols available in the literature, and give some tips on how to deal with the so-called difficult sequences. We focus on amyloids, which are particularly difficult to dissolve and handle such as amyloid beta (Aβ), insulin, and phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliwia Polańska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Szulc
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Rafał Stottko
- Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Gdanska 7/9, 50-344, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mateusz Olek
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Traugutta 2, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Julita Nadwodna
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marlena Gąsior-Głogowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Monika Szefczyk
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
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6
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Fan X, Zhang X, Yan J, Xu H, Zhao W, Ding F, Huang F, Sun Y. Computational Investigation of Coaggregation and Cross-Seeding between Aβ and hIAPP Underpinning the Cross-Talk in Alzheimer's Disease and Type 2 Diabetes. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:5303-5316. [PMID: 38921060 PMCID: PMC11339732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00859] [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: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The coexistence of amyloid-β (Aβ) and human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) in the brain and pancreas is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to their coaggregation and cross-seeding. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms underlying their interaction remain elusive. Here, we systematically investigated the cross-talk between Aβ and hIAPP using atomistic discrete molecular dynamics (DMD) simulations. Our results revealed that the amyloidogenic core regions of both Aβ (Aβ10-21 and Aβ30-41) and hIAPP (hIAPP8-20 and hIAPP22-29), driving their self-aggregation, also exhibited a strong tendency for cross-interaction. This propensity led to the formation of β-sheet-rich heterocomplexes, including potentially toxic β-barrel oligomers. The formation of Aβ and hIAPP heteroaggregates did not impede the recruitment of additional peptides to grow into larger aggregates. Our cross-seeding simulations demonstrated that both Aβ and hIAPP fibrils could mutually act as seeds, assisting each other's monomers in converting into β-sheets at the exposed fibril elongation ends. The amyloidogenic core regions of Aβ and hIAPP, in both oligomeric and fibrillar states, exhibited the ability to recruit isolated peptides, thereby extending the β-sheet edges, with limited sensitivity to the amino acid sequence. These findings suggest that targeting these regions by capping them with amyloid-resistant peptide drugs may hold potential as a therapeutic approach for addressing AD, T2D, and their copathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Fan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jiajia Yan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Huan Xu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Wenhui Zhao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Fengjuan Huang
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - 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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7
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Huang F, Fan X, Wang Y, Zou Y, Lian J, Wang C, Ding F, Sun Y. Computational insights into the cross-talk between medin and Aβ: implications for age-related vascular risk factors in Alzheimer's disease. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbad526. [PMID: 38271485 PMCID: PMC10810335 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad526] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of medin forming aortic medial amyloid is linked to arterial wall degeneration and cerebrovascular dysfunction. Elevated levels of arteriolar medin are correlated with an increased presence of vascular amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. The cross-interaction between medin and Aβ results in the formation of heterologous fibrils through co-aggregation and cross-seeding processes both in vitro and in vivo. However, a comprehensive molecular understanding of the cross-interaction between medin and Aβ-two intrinsically disordered proteins-is critically lacking. Here, we employed atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations to systematically investigate the self-association, co-aggregation and also the phenomenon of cross-seeding between these two proteins. Our results demonstrated that both Aβ and medin were aggregation prone and their mixture tended to form β-sheet-rich hetero-aggregates. The formation of Aβ-medin hetero-aggregates did not hinder Aβ and medin from recruiting additional Aβ and medin peptides to grow into larger β-sheet-rich aggregates. The β-barrel oligomer intermediates observed in the self-aggregations of Aβ and medin were also present during their co-aggregation. In cross-seeding simulations, preformed Aβ fibrils could recruit isolated medin monomers to form elongated β-sheets. Overall, our comprehensive simulations suggested that the cross-interaction between Aβ and medin may contribute to their pathological aggregation, given the inherent amyloidogenic tendencies of both medin and Aβ. Targeting medin, therefore, could offer a novel therapeutic approach to preserving brain function during aging and AD by improving vascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjuan Huang
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering, Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Xinjie Fan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yu Zou
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiangfang Lian
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering, Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- 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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8
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Paul PS, Patel T, Cho JY, Yarahmady A, Khalili A, Semenchenko V, Wille H, Kulka M, Mok SA, Kar S. Native PLGA nanoparticles attenuate Aβ-seed induced tau aggregation under in vitro conditions: potential implication in Alzheimer's disease pathology. Sci Rep 2024; 14:144. [PMID: 38167993 PMCID: PMC10762165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50465-x] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that beta-amyloid (Aβ)-induced phosphorylation/aggregation of tau protein plays a critical role in the degeneration of neurons and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia affecting the elderly population. Many studies have pursued a variety of small molecules, including nanoparticles conjugated with drugs to interfere with Aβ and/or tau aggregation/toxicity as an effective strategy for AD treatment. We reported earlier that FDA approved PLGA nanoparticles without any drug can attenuate Aβ aggregation/toxicity in cellular/animal models of AD. In this study, we evaluated the effects of native PLGA on Aβ seed-induced aggregation of tau protein using a variety of biophysical, structural and spectroscopic approaches. Our results show that Aβ1-42 seeds enhanced aggregation of tau protein in the presence and absence of heparin and the effect was attenuated by native PLGA nanoparticles. Interestingly, PLGA inhibited aggregation of both 4R and 3R tau isoforms involved in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles in AD brains. Furthermore, Aβ seed-induced tau aggregation in the presence of arachidonic acid was suppressed by native PLGA. Collectively, our results suggest that native PLGA nanoparticles can inhibit the Aβ seed-induced aggregation of different tau protein isoforms highlighting their therapeutic implication in the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallabi Sil Paul
- Departments of Medicine (Neurology), Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Tark Patel
- Departments of Biochemistry, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Jae-Young Cho
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Allan Yarahmady
- Departments of Biochemistry, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Aria Khalili
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Valentyna Semenchenko
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Departments of Biochemistry, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Marianna Kulka
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Sue-Ann Mok
- Departments of Biochemistry, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Satyabrata Kar
- Departments of Medicine (Neurology), Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, Departments of Medicine (Neurology) and Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.
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9
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Li X, Chen Y, Yang Z, Zhang S, Wei G, Zhang L. Structural insights into the co-aggregation of Aβ and tau amyloid core peptides: Revealing potential pathological heterooligomers by simulations. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 254:127841. [PMID: 37924907 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127841] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
The self-aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins are closely implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence indicates that Aβ and tau proteins can cross-interact to form co-aggregates, which aggravates the development of AD. However, their transient heterooligomer conformations and co-aggregation molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Herein, we utilize replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the conformational ensembles formed by the central hydrophobic core of Aβ (Aβ16-22) and each of two fibril-nucleating core segments of tau (PHF6* and PHF6). Both PHF6 and PHF6* are found to co-aggregate with Aβ16-22 into β-sheet-rich heterooligomers. Intriguingly, PHF6 and Aβ16-22 peptides formed closed β-barrels, while PHF6* and Aβ16-22 formed open β-barrels, implying their distinct co-aggregation property. Compared to Aβ16-22-PHF6*, Aβ16-22-PHF6 heterooligomers have higher β-sheet content, and contain longer β-strands and larger β-sheets, indicative of stronger co-aggregation ability of PHF6 with Aβ16-22. Further analyses reveal that hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions between Y310 of PHF6 and Aβ16-22 are crucial for the closed β-barrel/larger β-sheet formation in Aβ16-22-PHF6 heterooligomers. These results highlight the paramount importance of PHF6 fragment, particularly Y310 residue, as a potential target for inhibiting Aβ-tau co-aggregation, which could help for effective therapeutic design in mitigating Aβ-tau co-aggregation related amyloidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhua Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 28 West Xianning Road, Xi'an 710049, China; State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yujie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Zhiwei Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 28 West Xianning Road, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Shengli Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 28 West Xianning Road, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Guanghong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China..
| | - Lei Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 28 West Xianning Road, Xi'an 710049, China.
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10
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Wojciechowski JW, Szczurek W, Szulc N, Szefczyk M, Kotulska M. PACT - Prediction of amyloid cross-interaction by threading. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22268. [PMID: 38097650 PMCID: PMC10721876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48886-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid proteins are often associated with the onset of diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and many others. However, there is a wide class of functional amyloids that are involved in physiological functions, e.g., formation of microbial biofilms or storage of hormones. Recent studies showed that an amyloid fibril could affect the aggregation of another protein, even from a different species. This may result in amplification or attenuation of the aggregation process. Insight into amyloid cross-interactions may be crucial for better understanding of amyloid diseases and the potential influence of microbial amyloids on human proteins. However, due to the demanding nature of the needed experiments, knowledge of such interactions is still limited. Here, we present PACT (Prediction of Amyloid Cross-interaction by Threading) - the computational method for the prediction of amyloid cross-interactions. The method is based on modeling of a heterogeneous fibril formed by two amyloidogenic peptides. The resulting structure is assessed by the structural statistical potential that approximates its plausibility and energetic stability. PACT was developed and first evaluated mostly on data collected in the AmyloGraph database of interacting amyloids and achieved high values of Area Under ROC (AUC=0.88) and F1 (0.82). Then, we applied our method to study the interactions of CsgA - a bacterial biofilm protein that was not used in our in-reference datasets, which is expressed in several bacterial species that inhabit the human intestines - with two human proteins. The study included alpha-synuclein, a human protein that is involved in Parkinson's disease, and human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), which is involved in type 2 diabetes. In both cases, PACT predicted the appearance of cross-interactions. Importantly, the method indicated specific regions of the proteins, which were shown to play a central role in both interactions. We experimentally confirmed the novel results of the indicated CsgA fragments interacting with hIAPP based on the kinetic characteristics obtained with the ThT assay. PACT opens the possibility of high-throughput studies of amyloid interactions. Importantly, it can work with fairly long protein fragments, and as a purely physicochemical approach, it relies very little on scarce training data. The tool is available as a web server at https://pact.e-science.pl/pact/ . The local version can be downloaded from https://github.com/KubaWojciechowski/PACT .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub W Wojciechowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Witold Szczurek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Natalia Szulc
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
- LPCT, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Monika Szefczyk
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kotulska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland.
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11
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Shrimali PC, Chen S, Das A, Dreher R, Howard MK, Ryan JJ, Buck J, Kim D, Sprunger ML, Rudra JS, Jackrel ME. Amyloidogenic propensity of self-assembling peptides and their adjuvant potential for use as DNA vaccines. Acta Biomater 2023; 169:464-476. [PMID: 37586449 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.08.015] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
De novo designed peptides that self-assemble into cross-β rich fibrillar biomaterials have been pursued as an innovative platform for the development of adjuvant- and inflammation-free vaccines. However, they share structural and morphological properties similar to amyloid species implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, which has been a long-standing concern for their successful translation. Here, we comprehensively characterize the amyloidogenic character of the amphipathic self-assembling cross-β peptide KFE8, compared to pathological amyloid and amyloid-like proteins α-synuclein (α-syn) and TDP-43. Further, we developed plasmid-based DNA vaccines with the KFE8 backbone serving as a scaffold for delivery of a GFP model antigen. We find that expression of tandem repeats of KFE8 is non-toxic and efficiently cleared by autophagy. We also demonstrate that preformed KFE8 fibrils do not cross-seed amyloid formation of α-syn in mammalian cells compared to α-syn preformed fibrils. In mice, vaccination with plasmids encoding the KFE32-GFP fusion protein elicited robust immune responses, inducing production of significantly higher levels of anti-GFP antibodies compared to soluble GFP. Antigen-specific CD8+T cells were also detected in the spleens of vaccinated mice and cytokine profiles from antigen recall assays indicate a balanced Th1/Th2 response. These findings illustrate that cross-β-rich peptide nanofibers have distinct physicochemical properties from those of pathological amyloidogenic proteins, and are an attractive platform for the development of DNA vaccines with self-adjuvanting properties and improved safety profiles. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Biomaterials comprised of self-assembling peptides hold great promise for the development of new vaccines that do not require use of adjuvants. However, these materials have safety concerns, as they self-assemble into cross-β rich fibrils that are structurally similar to amyloid species implicated in disease. Here, we comprehensively study the properties of these biomaterials. We demonstrate that they have distinct properties from pathological proteins. They are non-toxic and do not trigger amyloidogenesis. Vaccination of these materials in mice elicited a robust immune response. Most excitingly, our work suggests that this platform could be used to develop DNA-based vaccines, which have few storage requirements. Further, due to their genetic encoding, longer sequences can be generated and the vaccines will be amenable to modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paresh C Shrimali
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Anirban Das
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Rachel Dreher
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Matthew K Howard
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jeremy J Ryan
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jeremy Buck
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Darren Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Macy L Sprunger
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jai S Rudra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
| | - Meredith E Jackrel
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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12
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Zheng J. Repurposing Antimicrobial Protegrin-1 as a Dual-Function Amyloid Inhibitor via Cross-seeding. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3143-3155. [PMID: 37589476 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00293] [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] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloids and antimicrobial peptides have traditionally been recognized as distinct families with separate biological functions and targets. However, certain amyloids and antimicrobial peptides share structural and functional characteristics that contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and microbial infections are interconnected pathological factors in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we propose and demonstrate a novel repurposing strategy for an antimicrobial peptide of protegrin-1 (PG-1), which exhibits the ability to simultaneously prevent Aβ aggregation and microbial infection both in vitro and in vivo. Through a comprehensive analysis using protein, cell, and worm assays, we uncover multiple functions of PG-1 against Aβ, including the following: (i) complete inhibition of Aβ aggregation at a low molar ratio of PG-1/Aβ = 0.25:1, (ii) disassembly of the preformed Aβ fibrils into amorphous aggregates, (iii) reduction of Aβ-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and transgenic GMC101 nematodes, and (iv) preservation of original antimicrobial activity against P.A., E.coli., S.A., and S.E. strains in the presence of Aβ. Mechanistically, the dual anti-amyloid and anti-bacterial functions of PG-1 primarily arise from its strong binding to distinct Aβ seeds (KD = 1.24-1.90 μM) through conformationally similar β-sheet associations. This work introduces a promising strategy to repurpose antimicrobial peptides as amyloid inhibitors, effectively targeting multiple pathological pathways in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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13
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Kapuganti SK, Saumya KU, Verma D, Giri R. Investigating the aggregation perspective of Dengue virus proteome. Virology 2023; 586:12-22. [PMID: 37473502 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.07.010] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Dengue viruses are human pathogens that are transmitted through mosquitoes. Apart from the typical symptoms associated with viral fevers, DENV infections are known to cause several neurological complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, intracranial haemorrhage, retinopathies along with the more severe, and sometimes fatal, vascular leakage and dengue shock syndrome. This study was designed to investigate, in detail, the predicted viral protein aggregation prone regions among all serotypes. Further, in order to understand the cross-talk between viral protein aggregation and aggregation of cellular proteins, cross-seeding experiments between the DENV NS1 (1-30), corresponding to the β-roll domain and the diabetes hallmark protein, amylin, were performed. Various techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, atomic force microscopy and immunoblotting have been employed for this. We observe that the DENV proteomes have many predicted APRs and the NS1 (1-30) of DENV1-3, 2K and capsid anchor of DENV2 and DENV4 are capable of forming amyloids, in vitro. Further, the DENV NS1 (1-30), aggregates are also able to cross-seed and enhance amylin aggregation and vice-versa. This knowledge may lead to an opportunity for designing suitable inhibitors of protein aggregation that may be beneficial for viral infections and comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Krishna Kapuganti
- Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Basic Sciences, VPO Kamand, Himachal Pradesh, 175005, India
| | - Kumar Udit Saumya
- Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Basic Sciences, VPO Kamand, Himachal Pradesh, 175005, India
| | - Deepanshu Verma
- Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Basic Sciences, VPO Kamand, Himachal Pradesh, 175005, India
| | - Rajanish Giri
- Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Basic Sciences, VPO Kamand, Himachal Pradesh, 175005, India.
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14
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Sulatsky MI, Belousov MV, Kosolapova AO, Mikhailova EV, Romanenko MN, Antonets KS, Kuznetsova IM, Turoverov KK, Nizhnikov AA, Sulatskaya AI. Amyloid Fibrils of Pisum sativum L. Vicilin Inhibit Pathological Aggregation of Mammalian Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12932. [PMID: 37629113 PMCID: PMC10454621 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although incurable pathologies associated with the formation of highly ordered fibrillar protein aggregates called amyloids have been known for about two centuries, functional roles of amyloids have been studied for only two decades. Recently, we identified functional amyloids in plants. These amyloids formed using garden pea Pisum sativum L. storage globulin and vicilin, accumulated during the seed maturation and resisted treatment with gastric enzymes and canning. Thus, vicilin amyloids ingested with food could interact with mammalian proteins. In this work, we analyzed the effects of vicilin amyloids on the fibril formation of proteins that form pathological amyloids. We found that vicilin amyloids inhibit the fibrillogenesis of these proteins. In particular, vicilin amyloids decrease the number and length of lysozyme amyloid fibrils; the length and width of β-2-microglobulin fibrils; the number, length and the degree of clustering of β-amyloid fibrils; and, finally, they change the structure and decrease the length of insulin fibrils. Such drastic influences of vicilin amyloids on the pathological amyloids' formation cause the alteration of their toxicity for mammalian cells, which decreases for all tested amyloids with the exception of insulin. Taken together, our study, for the first time, demonstrates the anti-amyloid effect of vicilin fibrils and suggests the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksim I. Sulatsky
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.I.S.); (E.V.M.); (I.M.K.); (K.K.T.)
| | - Mikhail V. Belousov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.V.B.); (A.O.K.); (M.N.R.); (K.S.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasiia O. Kosolapova
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.V.B.); (A.O.K.); (M.N.R.); (K.S.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V. Mikhailova
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.I.S.); (E.V.M.); (I.M.K.); (K.K.T.)
| | - Maria N. Romanenko
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.V.B.); (A.O.K.); (M.N.R.); (K.S.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Kirill S. Antonets
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.V.B.); (A.O.K.); (M.N.R.); (K.S.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina M. Kuznetsova
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.I.S.); (E.V.M.); (I.M.K.); (K.K.T.)
| | - Konstantin K. Turoverov
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.I.S.); (E.V.M.); (I.M.K.); (K.K.T.)
| | - Anton A. Nizhnikov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.V.B.); (A.O.K.); (M.N.R.); (K.S.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna I. Sulatskaya
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (M.I.S.); (E.V.M.); (I.M.K.); (K.K.T.)
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15
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Zhao Y, Zheng Q, Hong Y, Gao Y, Hu J, Lang M, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Luo H, Zhang X, Sun H, Yan XX, Huang TY, Wang YJ, Xu H, Liu C, Wang X. β 2-Microglobulin coaggregates with Aβ and contributes to amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease model mice. Nat Neurosci 2023:10.1038/s41593-023-01352-1. [PMID: 37264159 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Extensive studies indicate that β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation is pivotal for Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression; however, cumulative evidence suggests that Aβ itself is not sufficient to trigger AD-associated degeneration, and whether other additional pathological factors drive AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we characterize pathogenic aggregates composed of β2-microglobulin (β2M) and Aβ that trigger neurodegeneration in AD. β2M, a component of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I), is upregulated in the brains of individuals with AD and constitutes the amyloid plaque core. Elevation of β2M aggravates amyloid pathology independent of MHC class I, and coaggregation with β2M is essential for Aβ neurotoxicity. B2m genetic ablation abrogates amyloid spreading and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Antisense oligonucleotide- or monoclonal antibody-mediated β2M depletion mitigates AD-associated neuropathology, and inhibition of β2M-Aβ coaggregation with a β2M-based blocking peptide ameliorates amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Our findings identify β2M as an essential factor for Aβ neurotoxicity and a potential target for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yini Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiuyang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yujuan Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiaojiao Hu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Maoju Lang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiao-Xin Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, China
| | - Timothy Y Huang
- Degenerative Diseases Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yan-Jiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huaxi Xu
- Center for Brain Sciences, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Institute for Brain Science and Disease, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China.
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16
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Tayeb-Fligelman E, Bowler JT, Tai CE, Sawaya MR, Jiang YX, Garcia G, Griner SL, Cheng X, Salwinski L, Lutter L, Seidler PM, Lu J, Rosenberg GM, Hou K, Abskharon R, Pan H, Zee CT, Boyer DR, Li Y, Anderson DH, Murray KA, Falcon G, Cascio D, Saelices L, Damoiseaux R, Arumugaswami V, Guo F, Eisenberg DS. Low complexity domains of the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 form amyloid fibrils. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2379. [PMID: 37185252 PMCID: PMC10127185 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37865-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The self-assembly of the Nucleocapsid protein (NCAP) of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for its function. Computational analysis of the amino acid sequence of NCAP reveals low-complexity domains (LCDs) akin to LCDs in other proteins known to self-assemble as phase separation droplets and amyloid fibrils. Previous reports have described NCAP's propensity to phase-separate. Here we show that the central LCD of NCAP is capable of both, phase separation and amyloid formation. Within this central LCD we identified three adhesive segments and determined the atomic structure of the fibrils formed by each. Those structures guided the design of G12, a peptide that interferes with the self-assembly of NCAP and demonstrates antiviral activity in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Our work, therefore, demonstrates the amyloid form of the central LCD of NCAP and suggests that amyloidogenic segments of NCAP could be targeted for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einav Tayeb-Fligelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jeannette T Bowler
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Christen E Tai
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michael R Sawaya
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Yi Xiao Jiang
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gustavo Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Sarah L Griner
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Xinyi Cheng
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Lukasz Salwinski
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Liisa Lutter
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Paul M Seidler
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9121, USA
| | - Jiahui Lu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gregory M Rosenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Ke Hou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Romany Abskharon
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Hope Pan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Chih-Te Zee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - David R Boyer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Daniel H Anderson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Kevin A Murray
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Genesis Falcon
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Duilio Cascio
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Lorena Saelices
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biophysics, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Robert Damoiseaux
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Feng Guo
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - David S Eisenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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17
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Song Z, Gatch A, Sun Y, Ding F. Differential Binding and Conformational Dynamics of Tau Microtubule-Binding Repeats with a Preformed Amyloid-β Fibril Seed. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:1321-1330. [PMID: 36975100 PMCID: PMC10119806 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Both senile plaques formed by amyloid-β (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) comprised of tau are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The accumulation of NFTs better correlates with the loss of cognitive function than senile plaques, but NFTs are rarely observed without the presence of senile plaques. Hence, cross-seeding of tau by preformed Aβ amyloid fibril seeds has been proposed to drive the aggregation of tau and exacerbate AD progression, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we first identified cross-interaction hotspots between Aβ and tau using atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations (DMD) and confirmed the critical role of the four microtubule-binding repeats of tau (R1-R4) in the cross-interaction with Aβ. We further investigated the binding structure and dynamics of each tau repeat with a preformed Aβ fibril seed. Specifically, R1 and R3 preferred to bind the Aβ fibril lateral surface instead of the elongation end. In contrast, R2 and R4 had higher binding propensities to the fibril elongation end than the lateral surface, enhancing β-sheet content by forming hydrogen bonds with the exposed hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. Together, our results suggest that the four repeats play distinct roles in driving the binding of tau to different surfaces of an Aβ fibril seed. Binding of tau to the lateral surface of Aβ fibril can increase the local concentration, while the binding to the elongation surface promotes β-sheet formation, both of which reduce the free energy barrier for tau aggregation nucleation and subsequent fibrillization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Song
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Adam Gatch
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
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18
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Habashi M, Chauhan PS, Vutla S, Senapati S, Diachkov M, El-Husseini A, Guérin B, Lubell WD, Rahimipour S. Aza-Residue Modulation of Cyclic d,l-α-Peptide Nanotube Assembly with Enhanced Anti-Amyloidogenic Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:3058-3072. [PMID: 36763536 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02049] [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: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Transient soluble oligomers of amyloid-β (Aβ) are considered among the most toxic species in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Soluble Aβ oligomers accumulate early prior to insoluble plaque formation and cognitive impairment. The cyclic d,l-α-peptide CP-2 (1) self-assembles into nanotubes and demonstrates promising anti-amyloidogenic activity likely by a mechanism involving engagement of soluble oligomers. Systematic replacement of the residues in peptide 1 with aza-amino acid counterparts was performed to explore the effects of hydrogen bonding on propensity to mitigate Aβ aggregation and toxicity. Certain azapeptides exhibited improved ability to engage, alter the secondary structure, and inhibit aggregation of Aβ. Moreover, certain azapeptides disassembled preformed Aβ fibrils and protected cells from Aβ-mediated toxicity. Substitution of the l-norleucine3 and d-serine6 residues in peptide 1 with aza-norleucine and aza-homoserine provided, respectively, nontoxic [azaNle3]-1 (4) and [azaHse6]-1 (7), that significantly abated symptoms in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans AD model by decreasing Aβ oligomer levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maram Habashi
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Pradeep S Chauhan
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Complexe des Sciences, B-3015 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, Québec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Suresh Vutla
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Complexe des Sciences, B-3015 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, Québec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Sudipta Senapati
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Mykhailo Diachkov
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Ali El-Husseini
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Complexe des Sciences, B-3015 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, Québec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Brigitte Guérin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Université de Sherbrooke 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Sherbrooke Molecular Imaging Center (CIMS), Research centre of the CHUS (CRCHUS) 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - William D Lubell
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Complexe des Sciences, B-3015 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, Québec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Shai Rahimipour
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
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19
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Housmans JAJ, Wu G, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. A guide to studying protein aggregation. FEBS J 2023; 290:554-583. [PMID: 34862849 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Disrupted protein folding or decreased protein stability can lead to the accumulation of (partially) un- or misfolded proteins, which ultimately cause the formation of protein aggregates. Much of the interest in protein aggregation is associated with its involvement in a wide range of human diseases and the challenges it poses for large-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing and formulation of therapeutic proteins and peptides. On the other hand, protein aggregates can also be functional, as observed in nature, which triggered its use in the development of biomaterials or therapeutics as well as for the improvement of food characteristics. Thus, unmasking the various steps involved in protein aggregation is critical to obtain a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of amyloid formation. This knowledge will allow a more tailored development of diagnostic methods and treatments for amyloid-associated diseases, as well as applications in the fields of new (bio)materials, food technology and therapeutics. However, the complex and dynamic nature of the aggregation process makes the study of protein aggregation challenging. To provide guidance on how to analyse protein aggregation, in this review we summarize the most commonly investigated aspects of protein aggregation with some popular corresponding methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle A J Housmans
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guiqin Wu
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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20
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Gagat P, Duda-Madej A, Ostrówka M, Pietluch F, Seniuk A, Mackiewicz P, Burdukiewicz M. Testing Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Short Amyloids. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24010804. [PMID: 36614244 PMCID: PMC9821130 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloids and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have many similarities, e.g., both kill microorganisms by destroying their membranes, form aggregates, and modulate the innate immune system. Given these similarities and the fact that the antimicrobial properties of short amyloids have not yet been investigated, we chose a group of potentially antimicrobial short amyloids to verify their impact on bacterial and eukaryotic cells. We used AmpGram, a best-performing AMP classification model, and selected ten amyloids with the highest AMP probability for our experimental research. Our results indicate that four tested amyloids: VQIVCK, VCIVYK, KCWCFT, and GGYLLG, formed aggregates under the conditions routinely used to evaluate peptide antimicrobial properties, but none of the tested amyloids exhibited antimicrobial or cytotoxic properties. Accordingly, they should be included in the negative datasets to train the next-generation AMP prediction models, based on experimentally confirmed AMP and non-AMP sequences. In the article, we also emphasize the importance of reporting non-AMPs, given that only a handful of such sequences have been officially confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Gagat
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-137 Wrocław, Poland
- Correspondence: (P.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Anna Duda-Madej
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Chałubińskiego 4, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Ostrówka
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-137 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Filip Pietluch
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-137 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Alicja Seniuk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Chałubińskiego 4, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Paweł Mackiewicz
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-137 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Burdukiewicz
- Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Białystok, Poland
- Correspondence: (P.G.); (M.B.)
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21
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Kim JR. Oligomerization by co-assembly of β-amyloid and α-synuclein. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1153839. [PMID: 37021111 PMCID: PMC10067735 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1153839] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant self-assembly of an intrinsically disordered protein is a pathological hallmark of protein misfolding diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (AD and PD, respectively). In AD, the 40-42 amino acid-long extracellular peptide, β-amyloid (Aβ), self-assembles into oligomers, which eventually aggregate into fibrils. A similar self-association of the 140 amino acid-long intracellular protein, α-synuclein (αS), is responsible for the onset of PD pathology. While Aβ and αS are primarily extracellular and intracellular polypeptides, respectively, there is evidence of their colocalization and pathological overlaps of AD and PD. This evidence has raised the likelihood of synergistic, toxic protein-protein interactions between Aβ and αS. This mini review summarizes the findings of studies on Aβ-αS interactions related to enhanced oligomerization via co-assembly, aiming to provide a better understanding of the complex biology behind AD and PD and common pathological mechanisms among the major neurodegenerative diseases.
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22
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Zhang N, Yan C, Yin C, Hu X, Guan P, Cheng Y. Structural Remodeling Mechanism of the Toxic Amyloid Fibrillary Mediated by Epigallocatechin-3-gallate. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:48047-48058. [PMID: 36591187 PMCID: PMC9798747 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Numerous therapeutic agents and strategies were designed targeting the therapies of Alzheimer's disease, but many have been suspended due to their severe clinical side effects (such as encephalopathy) on patients. The attractiveness for small molecules with good biocompatibility is therefore restarted. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), extracted from green tea, is expected to be a promising small-molecule drug candidate, which can remodel the structure of preformed β-sheet-rich oligomers/fibrils and then effectively interfere with neurodegenerative processes. However, as the structure of non-fibrillary aggregates cannot be directly characterized, the atomic details of the underlying inhibitory and destructive mechanisms still remain elusive to date. Here, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and experiments were carried out to elucidate the EGCG-induced remodeling mechanism of amyloid β (Aβ) fibrils. We showed that EGCG was indeed an effective Aβ fibril inhibitor. EGCG was capable of mediating conformational rearrangement of Aβ1-42 fibrils (from a β-sheet to a random coil structure) and triggering the disintegration of fibrils in a dose-dependent manner. EGCG redirected the structure of Aβ by breaking the β-sheet structure and hydrogen bonds between peptide chains within the Aβ protofibrils, especially the parallel β-strand (L17VFFAEDVGS26). Moreover, reduced solvent exposure and multisite binding patterns all tended to induce the conformation conversion of Aβ17-42 pentameric protofibrils, destroying pre-formed fibrils and inhibiting continued fibril growth. Detailed data analysis revealed that structural features of EGCG with abundant benzene ring and phenolic hydroxyl moieties preferentially interact with the parallel β-strands to effectually hinder the interaction of the interpeptide chain and the growth of the ordered β-sheet structure. Furthermore, experimental studies confirmed that EGCG was able to disaggregate the preformed fibrils and alter the protein structure. This study will enable a deeper understanding of fundamental principles for design of structural-based inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an
University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
| | - Chaoren Yan
- School
of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Molecular Genetic Mechanisms and Intervention
Research on High Altitude Disease of Tibet Autonomous Region, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang 712082, China
| | - Changji Yin
- Monash
Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215000, China
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash
University, Melbourne 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern
Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Ping Guan
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern
Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Yuan Cheng
- Monash
Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215000, China
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash
University, Melbourne 3800, Victoria, Australia
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23
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Insights into Non-Proteolytic Inhibitory Mechanisms of Polymorphic Early-Stage Amyloid β Oligomers by Insulin Degrading Enzyme. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121886. [PMID: 36551314 PMCID: PMC9776231 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) has been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid media and plays a role in encapsulating and degrading the amyloid β (Aβ) monomer, thus regulating the levels of Aβ monomers. The current work illustrates a first study by which IDE encapsulates polymorphic early-stage Aβ oligomers. The main goal of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of IDE activity on the encapsulated early-stage Aβ dimers: fibril-like and random coil/α-helix dimers. Our work led to several findings. First, when the fibril-like Aβ dimer interacts with IDE-C domain, IDE does not impede the contact between the monomers, but plays a role as a 'dead-end' chaperone protein. Second, when the fibril-like Aβ dimer interacts with the IDE-N domain, IDE successfully impedes the contacts between monomers. Third, the inhibitory activity of IDE on random coil/α-helix dimers depends on the stability of the dimer. IDE could impede the contacts between monomers in relatively unstable random coil/α-helix dimers, but gets hard to impede in stable dimers. However, IDE encapsulates stable dimers and could serve as a 'dead-end' chaperone. Our results examine the molecular interactions between IDE and the dimers, and between the monomers within the dimers. Hence, this study provides insights into the inhibition mechanisms of the primary nucleation of Aβ aggregation and the basic knowledge for rational design to inhibit Aβ aggregation.
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24
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Kosolapova AO, Belousov MV, Sulatsky MI, Tsyganova AV, Sulatskaya AI, Bobylev AG, Shtark OY, Tsyganov VE, Volkov KV, Zhukov VA, Tikhonovich IA, Nizhnikov AA. RopB protein of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae adopts amyloid state during symbiotic interactions with pea ( Pisum sativum L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1014699. [PMID: 36388578 PMCID: PMC9650718 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1014699] [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: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Amyloids represent protein aggregates with highly ordered fibrillar structure associated with the development of various disorders in humans and animals and involved in implementation of different vital functions in all three domains of life. In prokaryotes, amyloids perform a wide repertoire of functions mostly attributed to their interactions with other organisms including interspecies interactions within bacterial communities and host-pathogen interactions. Recently, we demonstrated that free-living cells of Rhizobium leguminosarum, a nitrogen-fixing symbiont of legumes, produce RopA and RopB which form amyloid fibrils at cell surface during the stationary growth phase thus connecting amyloid formation and host-symbiont interactions. Here we focused on a more detailed analysis of the RopB amyloid state in vitro and in vivo, during the symbiotic interaction between R. leguminosarum bv. viciae with its macrosymbiont, garden pea (Pisum sativum L.). We confirmed that RopB is the bona fide amyloid protein since its fibrils exhibit circular x-ray reflections indicating its cross-β structure specific for amyloids. We found that fibrils containing RopB and exhibiting amyloid properties are formed in vivo at the surface of bacteroids of R. leguminosarum extracted from pea nodules. Moreover, using pea sym31 mutant we demonstrated that formation of extracellular RopB amyloid state occurs at different stages of bacteroid development but is enhanced in juvenile symbiosomes. Proteomic screening of potentially amyloidogenic proteins in the nodules revealed the presence of detergent-resistant aggregates of different plant and bacterial proteins including pea amyloid vicilin. We demonstrated that preformed vicilin amyloids can cross-seed RopB amyloid formation suggesting for probable interaction between bacterial and plant amyloidogenic proteins in the nodules. Taken together, we demonstrate that R. leguminosarum bacteroids produce extracellular RopB amyloids in pea nodules in vivo and these nodules also contain aggregates of pea vicilin amyloid protein, which is able to cross-seed RopB fibrillogenesis in vitro. Thus, we hypothesize that plant nodules contain a complex amyloid network consisting of plant and bacterial amyloids and probably modulating host-symbiont interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia O. Kosolapova
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail V. Belousov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maksim I. Sulatsky
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna V. Tsyganova
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna I. Sulatskaya
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander G. Bobylev
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Oksana Y. Shtark
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Viktor E. Tsyganov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Vladimir A. Zhukov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Igor A. Tikhonovich
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anton A. Nizhnikov
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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25
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Burdukiewicz M, Rafacz D, Barbach A, Hubicka K, Bąkała L, Lassota A, Stecko J, Szymańska N, Wojciechowski J, Kozakiewicz D, Szulc N, Chilimoniuk J, Jęśkowiak I, Gąsior-Głogowska M, Kotulska M. AmyloGraph: a comprehensive database of amyloid-amyloid interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D352-D357. [PMID: 36243982 PMCID: PMC9825533 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Information about the impact of interactions between amyloid proteins on their fibrillization propensity is scattered among many experimental articles and presented in unstructured form. We manually curated information located in almost 200 publications (selected out of 562 initially considered), obtaining details of 883 experimentally studied interactions between 46 amyloid proteins or peptides. We also proposed a novel standardized terminology for the description of amyloid-amyloid interactions, which is included in our database, covering all currently known types of such a cross-talk, including inhibition of fibrillization, cross-seeding and other phenomena. The new approach allows for more specific studies on amyloids and their interactions, by providing very well-defined data. AmyloGraph, an online database presenting information on amyloid-amyloid interactions, is available at (http://AmyloGraph.com/). Its functionalities are also accessible as the R package (https://github.com/KotulskaLab/AmyloGraph). AmyloGraph is the only publicly available repository for experimentally determined amyloid-amyloid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominik Rafacz
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Barbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Hubicka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Laura Bąkała
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Lassota
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Jakub Stecko
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Natalia Szymańska
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jakub W Wojciechowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Dominika Kozakiewicz
- Laboratory of Microbiome Immunobiology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Natalia Szulc
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jarosław Chilimoniuk
- Department of Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Izabela Jęśkowiak
- Department of Pharmacology, Wroclaw Medical University, Mikulicza-Radeckiego 2, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marlena Gąsior-Głogowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kotulska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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26
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Trumbore CN, Raghunandan A. An Alzheimer's Disease Mechanism Based on Early Pathology, Anatomy, Vascular-Induced Flow, and Migration of Maximum Flow Stress Energy Location with Increasing Vascular Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:33-59. [PMID: 36155517 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This paper suggests a chemical mechanism for the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow stresses provide the energy needed to induce molecular conformation changes leading to AD by initiating amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau aggregation. Shear and extensional flow stresses initiate aggregation in the laboratory and in natural biophysical processes. Energy-rich CSF flow regions are mainly found in lower brain regions. MRI studies reveal flow stress "hot spots" in basal cisterns and brain ventricles that have chaotic flow properties that can distort molecules such as Aβ and tau trapped in these regions into unusual conformations. Such fluid disturbance is surrounded by tissue deformation. There is strong mapping overlap between the locations of these hot spots and of early-stage AD pathology. Our mechanism creates pure and mixed protein dimers, followed by tissue surface adsorption, and long-term tissue agitation ultimately inducing chemical reactions forming more stable, toxic oligomer seeds that initiate AD. It is proposed that different flow stress energies and flow types in different basal brain regions produce different neurotoxic aggregates. Proliferating artery hardening is responsible for enhanced heart systolic pulses that drive energetic CSF pulses, whose critical maximum systolic pulse energy location migrates further from the heart with increasing vascular disease. Two glymphatic systems, carotid and basilar, are suggested to contain the earliest Aβ and tau AD disease pathologies. A key to the proposed AD mechanism is a comparison of early chronic traumatic encephalopathy and AD pathologies. Experiments that test the proposed mechanism are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad N Trumbore
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Aditya Raghunandan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Paschold A, Voigt B, Hause G, Kohlmann T, Rothemund S, Binder WH. Modulating the Fibrillization of Parathyroid-Hormone (PTH) Peptides: Azo-Switches as Reversible and Catalytic Entities. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071512. [PMID: 35884817 PMCID: PMC9313110 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We here report a novel strategy to control the bioavailability of the fibrillizing parathyroid hormone (PTH)-derived peptides, where the concentration of the bioactive form is controlled by an reversible, photoswitchable peptide. PTH1–84, a human hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands, is important for the maintenance of extracellular fluid calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Controlling fibrillization of PTH1–84 represents an important approach for in vivo applications, in view of the pharmaceutical applications for this protein. We embed the azobenzene derivate 3-{[(4-aminomethyl)phenyl]diazenyl}benzoic acid (3,4′-AMPB) into the PTH-derived peptide PTH25–37 to generate the artificial peptide AzoPTH25–37 via solid-phase synthesis. AzoPTH25–37 shows excellent photostability (more than 20 h in the dark) and can be reversibly photoswitched between its cis/trans forms. As investigated by ThT-monitored fibrillization assays, the trans-form of AzoPTH25–37 fibrillizes similar to PTH25–37, while the cis-form of AzoPTH25–37 generates only amorphous aggregates. Additionally, cis-AzoPTH25–37 catalytically inhibits the fibrillization of PTH25–37 in ratios of up to one-fifth. The approach reported here is designed to control the concentration of PTH-peptides, where the bioactive form can be catalytically controlled by an added photoswitchable peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Paschold
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences II, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (A.P.); (T.K.)
| | - Bruno Voigt
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences II, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Gerd Hause
- Biozentrum, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Tim Kohlmann
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences II, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (A.P.); (T.K.)
| | - Sven Rothemund
- Core Unit Peptide—Technologies, University Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Wolfgang H. Binder
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences II, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (A.P.); (T.K.)
- Correspondence:
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28
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Seira Curto J, Surroca Lopez A, Casals Sanchez M, Tic I, Fernandez Gallegos MR, Sanchez de Groot N. Microbiome Impact on Amyloidogenesis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:926702. [PMID: 35782871 PMCID: PMC9245625 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.926702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our life is closely linked to microorganisms, either through a parasitic or symbiotic relationship. The microbiome contains more than 1,000 different bacterial species and outnumbers human genes by 150 times. Worryingly, during the last 10 years, it has been observed a relationship between alterations in microbiota and neurodegeneration. Several publications support the hypothesis that amyloid structures formed by microorganisms may trigger host proteins aggregation. In this review, we collect pieces of evidence supporting that the crosstalk between human and microbiota amyloid proteins could be feasible and, probably, a more common event than expected before. The combination of their outnumbers, the long periods of time that stay in our bodies, and the widespread presence of amyloid proteins in the bacteria Domain outline a worrying scenario. However, the identification of the exact microorganisms and the mechanisms through with they can influence human disease also opens the door to developing a new and diverse set of therapeutic strategies.
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29
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Liang R, Tian Y, Viles JH. Cross-seeding of WT amyloid-β with Arctic but not Italian familial mutants accelerates fibril formation in Alzheimer's disease. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102071. [PMID: 35643314 PMCID: PMC9243174 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) involves the neurotoxic self-assembly of a 40 and 42 residue peptide, Amyloid-β (Aβ). Inherited early-onset AD can be caused by single point mutations within the Aβ sequence, including Arctic (E22G) and Italian (E22K) familial mutants. These mutations are heterozygous, resulting in an equal proportion of the WT and mutant Aβ isoform expression. It is therefore important to understand how these mixtures of Aβ isoforms interact with each other and influence the kinetics and morphology of their assembly into oligomers and fibrils. Using small amounts of nucleating fibril seeds, here, we systematically monitored the kinetics of fibril formation, comparing self-seeding with cross-seeding behavior of a range of isoform mixtures of Aβ42 and Aβ40. We confirm that Aβ40(WT) does not readily cross-seed Aβ42(WT) fibril formation. In contrast, fibril formation of Aβ40(Arctic) is hugely accelerated by Aβ42(WT) fibrils, causing an eight-fold reduction in the lag-time to fibrillization. We propose that cross-seeding between the more abundant Aβ40(Arctic) and Aβ42(WT) may be important for driving early-onset AD and will propagate fibril morphology as indicated by fibril twist periodicity. This kinetic behavior is not emulated by the Italian mutant, where minimal cross-seeding is observed. In addition, we studied the cross-seeding behavior of a C-terminal-amidated Aβ42 analog to probe the coulombic charge interplay between Glu22/Asp23/Lys28 and the C-terminal carboxylate. Overall, these studies highlight the role of cross-seeding between WT and mutant Aβ40/42 isoforms, which can impact the rate and structure of fibril assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruina Liang
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yao Tian
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - John H Viles
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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30
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Miller Y, Gong K, Zheng J. Cross-seeding between Aβ and SEVI indicates a pathogenic link and gender difference between alzheimer diseases and AIDS. Commun Biol 2022; 5:417. [PMID: 35513705 PMCID: PMC9072343 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03343-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) and semen-derived enhancer of viral infection (SEVI) are considered as the two causative proteins for central pathogenic cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and HIV/AIDS, respectively. Separately, Aβ-AD and SEVI-HIV/AIDS systems have been studied extensively both in fundamental research and in clinical trials. Despite significant differences between Aβ-AD and SEVI-HIV/AIDS systems, they share some commonalities on amyloid and antimicrobial characteristics between Aβ and SEVI, there are apparent overlaps in dysfunctional neurological symptoms between AD and HIV/AIDS. Few studies have reported a potential pathological link between Aβ-AD and SEVI-HIV/AIDS at a protein level. Here, we demonstrate the cross-seeding interactions between Aβ and SEVI proteins using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Cross-seeding of SEVI with Aβ enabled to completely prevent Aβ aggregation at sub-stoichiometric concentrations, disaggregate preformed Aβ fibrils, reduce Aβ-induced cell toxicity, and attenuate Aβ-accumulated paralysis in transgenic AD C. elegans. This work describes a potential crosstalk between AD and HIV/AIDS via the cross-seeding between Aβ and SEVI, identifies SEVI as Aβ inhibitor for possible treatment or prevention of AD, and explains the role of SEVI in the gender difference in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, 44325, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, 44325, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Yanxian Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, 44325, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, 44325, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Yifat Miller
- Department of Chemistry Ben-Gurion, University of the Negev, 84105, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Keven Gong
- Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, 44236, OH, USA
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, 44325, Akron, OH, USA.
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31
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Linking hIAPP misfolding and aggregation with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a structural perspective. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:231205. [PMID: 35475576 PMCID: PMC9118370 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211297] [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: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are over 40 identified human disorders that involve certain proteins folding incorrectly, accumulating in the body causing damage to cells and organs and causing disease. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is one of these protein misfolding disorders (PMDs) and involves human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) misfolding and accumulating in parts of the body, primarily in the pancreas, causing damage to islet cells and affecting glucose regulation. In this review, we have summarised our current understanding of what causes hIAPP to misfold, what conformations are found in different parts of the body with a particular focus on what is known about the structure of hIAPP and how this links to T2DM. Understanding the molecular basis behind these misfolding events is essential for understanding the role of hIAPP to develop better therapeutics since type 2 diabetes currently affects over 4.9 million people in the United Kingdom alone and is predicted to increase as our population ages.
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32
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Meyer N, Janot JM, Torrent J, Balme S. Real-Time Fast Amyloid Seeding and Translocation of α-Synuclein with a Nanopipette. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:441-448. [PMID: 35505874 PMCID: PMC9052795 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The detection to α-synuclein (αS) assemblies as a biomarker of synucleinopathies is an important challenge for further development of an early diagnosis tool. Here, we present proof of concept real-time fast amyloid seeding and translocation (RT-FAST) based on a nanopipette that combines in one unique system a reaction vessel to accelerate the seed amplification and nanopore sensor for single-molecule αS assembly detection. RT-FAST allows the detection of the presence αS seeds WT and A53T variant in a given sample in only 90 min by adding a low quantity (35 μL at 100 nM) of recombinant αS for amplification. It also shows cross-seeding aggregation by adding mixing seeds A53T with WT monomers. Finally, we establish the dependence between the capture rate of aggregates by the nanopore sensor and the initial seed concentration from 200 pM to 2 pM, which promises further development toward a quantitative analysis of the initial seed concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Meyer
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
- INM,
University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34091 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Marc Janot
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Joan Torrent
- INM,
University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34091 Montpellier, France
| | - Sébastien Balme
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
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33
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Sengupta U, Kayed R. Amyloid β, Tau, and α-Synuclein aggregates in the pathogenesis, prognosis, and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 214:102270. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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34
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Al Adem K, Shanti A, Srivastava A, Homouz D, Thomas SA, Khair M, Stefanini C, Chan V, Kim TY, Lee S. Linking Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes: Characterization and Inhibition of Cytotoxic Aβ and IAPP Hetero-Aggregates. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:842582. [PMID: 35372522 PMCID: PMC8968156 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.842582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxic self-aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D), respectively. Increasing evidence, particularly the co-deposition of Aβ and IAPP in both brain and pancreatic tissues, suggests that Aβ and IAPP cross-interaction may be responsible for a pathological link between AD and T2D. Here, we examined the nature of IAPP-Aβ40 co-aggregation and its inhibition by small molecules. In specific, we characterized the kinetic profiles, morphologies, secondary structures and toxicities of IAPP-Aβ40 hetero-assemblies and compared them to those formed by their homo-assemblies. We demonstrated that monomeric IAPP and Aβ40 form stable hetero-dimers and hetero-assemblies that further aggregate into β-sheet-rich hetero-aggregates that are toxic (cell viability <50%) to both PC-12 cells, a neuronal cell model, and RIN-m5F cells, a pancreatic cell model for β-cells. We then selected polyphenolic candidates to inhibit IAPP or Aβ40 self-aggregation and examined the inhibitory effect of the most potent candidate on IAPP-Aβ40 co-aggregation. We demonstrated that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) form inter-molecular hydrogen bonds with each of IAPP and Aβ40. We also showed that EGCG reduced hetero-aggregate formation and resulted in lower β-sheets content and higher unordered structures in IAPP-Aβ40-EGCG samples. Importantly, we showed that EGCG is highly effective in reducing the toxicity of IAPP-Aβ40 hetero-aggregates on both cell models, specifically at concentrations that are equivalent to or are 2.5-fold higher than the mixed peptide concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the inhibition of IAPP-Aβ40 co-aggregation by small molecules. We conclude that EGCG is a promising candidate to prevent co-aggregation and cytotoxicity of IAPP-Aβ40, which in turn, contribute to the pathological link between AD and T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenana Al Adem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aya Shanti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amit Srivastava
- Department of Physics, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Dirar Homouz
- Department of Physics, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sneha Ann Thomas
- Core Technology Platforms, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mostafa Khair
- Core Technology Platforms, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Cesare Stefanini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Vincent Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tae-Yeon Kim
- Department of Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sungmun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Khalifa University’s Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- *Correspondence: Sungmun Lee,
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35
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Subedi S, Sasidharan S, Nag N, Saudagar P, Tripathi T. Amyloid Cross-Seeding: Mechanism, Implication, and Inhibition. Molecules 2022; 27:1776. [PMID: 35335141 PMCID: PMC8955620 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Most neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, etc. are caused by inclusions and plaques containing misfolded protein aggregates. These protein aggregates are essentially formed by the interactions of either the same (homologous) or different (heterologous) sequences. Several experimental pieces of evidence have revealed the presence of cross-seeding in amyloid proteins, which results in a multicomponent assembly; however, the molecular and structural details remain less explored. Here, we discuss the amyloid proteins and the cross-seeding phenomena in detail. Data suggest that targeting the common epitope of the interacting amyloid proteins may be a better therapeutic option than targeting only one species. We also examine the dual inhibitors that target the amyloid proteins participating in the cross-seeding events. The future scopes and major challenges in understanding the mechanism and developing therapeutics are also considered. Detailed knowledge of the amyloid cross-seeding will stimulate further research in the practical aspects and better designing anti-amyloid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushma Subedi
- Molecular and Structural Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793022, India; (S.S.); (N.N.)
| | - Santanu Sasidharan
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal 506004, India;
| | - Niharika Nag
- Molecular and Structural Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793022, India; (S.S.); (N.N.)
| | - Prakash Saudagar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal 506004, India;
| | - Timir Tripathi
- Molecular and Structural Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793022, India; (S.S.); (N.N.)
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36
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Chatterjee D, Jacob RS, Ray S, Navalkar A, Singh N, Sengupta S, Gadhe L, Kadu P, Datta D, Paul A, Arunima S, Mehra S, Pindi C, Kumar S, Singru P, Senapati S, Maji SK. Co-aggregation and secondary nucleation in the life cycle of human prolactin/galanin functional amyloids. eLife 2022; 11:73835. [PMID: 35257659 PMCID: PMC8993219 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synergistic-aggregation and cross-seeding by two different proteins/peptides in the amyloid aggregation are well evident in various neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we show co-storage of human Prolactin (PRL), which is associated with lactation in mammals, and neuropeptide galanin (GAL) as functional amyloids in secretory granules (SGs) of the female rat. Using a wide variety of biophysical studies, we show that irrespective of the difference in sequence and structure, both hormones facilitate their synergic aggregation to amyloid fibrils. Although each hormone possesses homotypic seeding ability, a unidirectional cross-seeding of GAL aggregation by PRL seeds and the inability of cross seeding by mixed fibrils suggest tight regulation of functional amyloid formation by these hormones for their efficient storage in SGs. Further, the faster release of functional hormones from mixed fibrils compared to the corresponding individual amyloid, suggests a novel mechanism of heterologous amyloid formation in functional amyloids of SGs in the pituitary. The formation of plaques of proteins called ‘amyloids’ in the brain is one of the hallmark characteristics of both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but amyloids can form in many tissues and organs, often disrupting normal activity. A lot of the research into amyloids has focused on their role in disease, but it turns out that amyloids can also appear in healthy tissues. For example, some protein hormones form amyloids that act as storage depots, helping cells to release the hormone when it is needed. Normally, amyloids are made mostly of a single type of protein or protein fragment associated with a particular disease like Alzheimer's. Often, this type of amyloid promotes plaque formation in other proteins, which aggravates other diseases (for example, the amyloids that form in Alzheimer’s can lead to Parkinson’s disease or type II diabetes getting worse).The plaques start growing from small amyloid fragments called seeds. In mixed amyloids – amyloids made of two types of proteins – seeds made of one protein can trigger the formation of amyloids of the other protein. This raises the question, is this true for hormones? The body often releases more than one hormone at a time from the same tissue; for example, the pituitary gland releases prolactin and galanin simultaneously. However, these hormones have completely different structures, so whether they can form a mixed amyloid is unclear. To answer this question, Chatterjee et al. first determined that, within the pituitary gland of female rats, prolactin and galanin could be found together in the same cells, forming mixed amyloids. To understand out how this happens, Chatterjee et al. tried seeding new amyloids using either prolactin or galanin. This revealed that only prolactin seeds were able to trigger the formation of galanin amyloids. Chatterjee et al. also found that the mixed amyloids could release the hormones faster than amyloids made from either protein alone. Together, these results suggest that the collaboration between these two proteins may help maintain hormone balance in the body. Problems with hormone storage and release lead to various human diseases, including prolactinoma. Understanding amyloid storage depots could reveal new ways to control hormone levels. Further research could also help to explain more about well-studied diseases linked to amyloids, like Alzheimer's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debdeep Chatterjee
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Reeba S Jacob
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Soumik Ray
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Ambuja Navalkar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Namrata Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Shinjinee Sengupta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Laxmikant Gadhe
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Pradeep Kadu
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Debalina Datta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Ajoy Paul
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Sakunthala Arunima
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Surabhi Mehra
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Chinmai Pindi
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Santosh Kumar
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Praful Singru
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sanjib Senapati
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Samir K Maji
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
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37
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Salimi A, Chatterjee S, Lee JY. Mechanistic Insights into the Polymorphic Associations and Cross-Seeding of Aβ and hIAPP in the Presence of Histidine Tautomerism: An All-Atom Molecular Dynamic Study. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1930. [PMID: 35216047 PMCID: PMC8878669 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23041930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of millions of people around the world have been affected by Type 2 diabetes (T2D) which is a metabolic disorder. Clinical research has revealed T2D as a possible risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) development (and vice versa). Amyloid-β (Aβ) and human islet amyloid polypeptide are the main pathological species in AD and T2D, respectively. However, the mechanisms by which these two amyloidogenic peptides co-aggregate are largely uninvestigated. Herein, for the first time, we present the cross-seeding between Amylin1-37 and Aβ40 considering the particular effect of the histidine tautomerism at atomic resolution applying the all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for heterodimeric complexes. The results via random seed MD simulations indicated that the Aβ40(δδδ) isomer in cross-talking with Islet(ε) and Islet(δ) isomers could retain or increase the β-sheet content in its structure that may make it more prone to further aggregation and exhibit higher toxicity. The other tautomeric isomers which initially did not have a β-sheet structure in their monomeric forms did not show any generated β-sheet, except for one seed of the Islet(ε) and Aβ40(εεε) heterodimers complex that displayed a small amount of formed β-sheet. This computational research may provide a different point of view to examine all possible parameters that may contribute to the development of AD and T2D and provide a better understanding of the pathological link between these two severe diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jin Yong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea; (A.S.); (S.C.)
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38
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhou Y, Chang Y, Zheng B, Xu A, Zheng J. A new strategy to reconcile amyloid cross-seeding and amyloid prevention in a binary system of α-synuclein fragmental peptide and hIAPP. Protein Sci 2022; 31:485-497. [PMID: 34850985 PMCID: PMC8820123 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid cross-seeding and amyloid inhibition are two different research subjects being studied separately for different pathological purposes, in which amyloid cross-seeding targets to study the co-aggregation of different amyloid proteins and potential molecular links between different neurodegenerative diseases, while amyloid inhibition aims to design different molecules for preventing amyloid aggregation. While both amyloid cross-seeding and amyloid inhibition are critical for better understanding the pathological causes of different neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson disease (PD) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D), less efforts have been made to reconcile the two phenomena. Herein, we proposed a new preventive strategy to demonstrate (a) the cross-seeding of octapeptide TKEQVTNV from α-synuclein (associated with PD) with hIAPP (associated with T2D) and (b) the cross-seeding-promoted hIAPP fibrillization and cross-seeding-reduced hIAPP toxicity. Collective results confirmed that TKEQVTNV can indeed cross-seed with hIAPP monomers and oligomers, not protofibrils, to form β-structure-rich fibrils and to accelerate hIAPP fibrillization. Moreover, such cross-seeding-induced promotion effect by TKEQVTNV also rescued the pancreatic cells from hIAPP-induced cytotoxicity by increasing cell viability and reducing cell apoptosis simultaneously. This work provides a new angle to discover amyloid fragments and use them as amyloid modulators (inhibitors or promotors) to interfere with amyloid aggregation of other amyloid proteins, as well as sequence/structure basis to explore the amyloid cross-seeding between different amyloid proteins that may help explain a potential molecular talk between different neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion EngineeringThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion EngineeringThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion EngineeringThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
| | - Yanxian Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion EngineeringThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
| | - Yifan Zhou
- Department of Polymer ScienceThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
| | - Yung Chang
- R&D Center for Membrane Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringChung Yuan Christian UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
| | | | | | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion EngineeringThe University of AkronAkronOhioUSA
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Toward the Decipherment of Molecular Interactions in the Diabetic Brain. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10010115. [PMID: 35052794 PMCID: PMC8773210 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with cognitive complications in the brain resulting from acute and chronic metabolic disturbances happening peripherally and centrally. Numerous studies have reported on the morphological, electrophysiological, biochemical, and cognitive changes in the brains of diabetic individuals. The detailed pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in the development of the diabetic cognitive phenotype remain unclear due to intricate molecular changes evolving over time and space. This review provides an insight into recent advances in understanding molecular events in the diabetic brain, focusing on cerebral glucose and insulin uptake, insulin action in the brain, and the role of the brain in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Fully competent mitochondria are essential for energy metabolism and proper brain function; hence, the potential contribution of mitochondria to the DM-induced impairment of the brain is also discussed.
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40
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Gong X, Zheng J. Repurposing of intestinal defensins as multi-target, dual-function amyloid inhibitors via cross-seeding. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7143-7156. [PMID: 35799805 PMCID: PMC9214849 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc01447e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation and microbial infection are the two common pathological causes of neurogenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), type II diabetes (T2D), and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). While significant efforts have been made to develop different prevention strategies and preclinical hits for these diseases, conventional design strategies of amyloid inhibitors are mostly limited to either a single prevention mechanism (amyloid cascade vs. microbial infection) or a single amyloid protein (Aβ, hIAPP, or hCT), which has prevented the launch of any successful drug on the market. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new “anti-amyloid and anti-bacteria” strategy to repurpose two intestinal defensins, human α-defensin 6 (HD-6) and human β-defensin 1 (HBD-1), as multiple-target, dual-function, amyloid inhibitors. Both HD-6 and HBD-1 can cross-seed with three amyloid peptides, Aβ (associated with AD), hIAPP (associated with T2D), and hCT (associated with MTC), to prevent their aggregation towards amyloid fibrils from monomers and oligomers, rescue SH-SY5Y and RIN-m5F cells from amyloid-induced cytotoxicity, and retain their original antimicrobial activity against four common bacterial strains at sub-stoichiometric concentrations. Such sequence-independent anti-amyloid and anti-bacterial functions of intestinal defensins mainly stem from their cross-interactions with amyloid proteins through amyloid-like mimicry of β-sheet associations. In a broader view, this work provides a new out-of-the-box thinking to search and repurpose a huge source of antimicrobial peptides as amyloid inhibitors, allowing the blocking of the two interlinked pathological pathways and bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and intestines via the gut–brain axis associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Amyloid formation and microbial infection are the two common pathological causes of neurogenerative diseases. Here, we proposed a new “anti-amyloid and anti-bacteria” strategy to repurpose two intestinal defensins as multiple-target, dual-function amyloid inhibitors.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiong Gong
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA
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41
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Wong KM, Robang AS, Lint AH, Wang Y, Dong X, Xiao X, Seroski DT, Liu R, Shao Q, Hudalla GA, Hall CK, Paravastu AK. Engineering β-Sheet Peptide Coassemblies for Biomaterial Applications. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:13599-13609. [PMID: 34905370 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c04873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Peptide coassembly, wherein at least two different peptides interact to form multicomponent nanostructures, is an attractive approach for generating functional biomaterials. Current efforts seek to design pairs of peptides, A and B, that form nanostructures (e.g., β-sheets with ABABA-type β-strand patterning) while resisting self-assembly (e.g., AAAAA-type or BBBBB-type β-sheets). To confer coassembly behavior, most existing designs have been based on highly charged variants of known self-assembling peptides; like-charge repulsion limits self-assembly while opposite-charge attraction promotes coassembly. Recent analyses using solid-state NMR and coarse-grained simulations reveal that preconceived notions of structure and molecular organization are not always correct. This perspective highlights recent advances and key challenges to understanding and controlling peptide coassembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kong M Wong
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Alicia S Robang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Annabelle H Lint
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yiming Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Xin Dong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Xingqing Xiao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Dillon T Seroski
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, 1275 Center Drive, Biomedical Sciences J293, P.O. BOX 116131, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Renjie Liu
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, 1275 Center Drive, Biomedical Sciences J293, P.O. BOX 116131, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Qing Shao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United States
| | - Gregory A Hudalla
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, 1275 Center Drive, Biomedical Sciences J293, P.O. BOX 116131, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Carol K Hall
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Anant K Paravastu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Gong X, Zheng J. A mechanistic survey of Alzheimer's disease. Biophys Chem 2021; 281:106735. [PMID: 34894476 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common, age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder. While AD has been intensively studied from different aspects, there is no effective cure for AD, largely due to a lack of a clear mechanistic understanding of AD. In this mini-review, we mainly focus on the discussion and summary of mechanistic causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While different AD mechanisms illustrate different molecular and cellular pathways in AD pathogenesis, they do not necessarily exclude each other. Instead, some of them could work together to initiate, trigger, and promote the onset and development of AD. In a broader viewpoint, some AD mechanisms (e.g., amyloid aggregation mechanism, microbial infection/neuroinflammation mechanism, and amyloid cross-seeding mechanism) could also be applicable to other amyloid diseases including type II diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and prion disease. Such common mechanisms for AD and other amyloid diseases explain not only the pathogenesis of individual amyloid diseases, but also the spreading of pathologies between these diseases, which will inspire new strategies for therapeutic intervention and prevention for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, OH, United States of America
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, OH, United States of America
| | - Xiong Gong
- Department of Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, OH, United States of America
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, OH, United States of America.
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43
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Miller Y. Advancements and future directions in research of the roles of insulin in amyloid diseases. Biophys Chem 2021; 281:106720. [PMID: 34823073 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are characterized by amyloid aggregates. Insulin is released from the pancreas, and it is known that insulin downstream signaling molecules are located majorly in the regions of cortex and hippocampus. Therefore, insulin plays crucial roles not only in the pancreas, but also in the brain. Recent studies have focused on the role of insulin in amyloid diseases. This review demonstrates the recent studies in which insulin affects amyloid aggregation. Specifically, molecular modeling studies provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of the effects of insulin in amyloid aggregates. Still, experimental studies are required to provide insights into the kinetics effects. This review opens new avenues for future studies on insulin molecules and amyloid aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifat Miller
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel; Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beér-Sheva 84105, Israel.
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44
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Tang Y, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Cai L, Plaster E, Zheng J. Fundamentals and exploration of aggregation-induced emission molecules for amyloid protein aggregation. J Mater Chem B 2021; 10:2280-2295. [PMID: 34724699 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb01942b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed the growing interest and advances in aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules as driven by their unique fluorescence/optical properties in particular sensing applications including biomolecule sensing/detection, environmental/health monitoring, cell imaging/tracking, and disease analysis/diagnosis. In sharp contrast to conventional aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) fluorophores, AIE molecules possess intrinsic advantages for the study of disease-related protein aggregates, but such studies are still at an infant stage with much less scientific exploration. This outlook mainly aims to provide the first systematic summary of AIE-based molecules for amyloid protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Despite a limited number of studies on AIE-amyloid systems, we will survey recent and important developments of AIE molecules for different amyloid protein aggregates of Aβ (associated with Alzheimer's disease), insulin (associated with type 2 diabetes), (α-syn, associated with Parkinson's disease), and HEWL (associated with familial lysozyme systemic amyloidosis) with a particular focus on the working principle and structural design of four types of AIE-based molecules. Finally, we will provide our views on current challenges and future directions in this emerging area. Our goal is to inspire more researchers and investment in this emerging but less explored subject, so as to advance our fundamental understanding and practical design/usages of AIE molecules for disease-related protein aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Yanxian Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Lirong Cai
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Eleanor Plaster
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
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Potential Roles of Sestrin2 in Alzheimer's Disease: Antioxidation, Autophagy Promotion, and Beyond. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9101308. [PMID: 34680426 PMCID: PMC8533411 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease. It presents with progressive memory loss, worsens cognitive functions to the point of disability, and causes heavy socioeconomic burdens to patients, their families, and society as a whole. The underlying pathogenic mechanisms of AD are complex and may involve excitotoxicity, excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), aberrant cell cycle reentry, impaired mitochondrial function, and DNA damage. Up to now, there is no effective treatment available for AD, and it is therefore urgent to develop an effective therapeutic regimen for this devastating disease. Sestrin2, belonging to the sestrin family, can counteract oxidative stress, reduce activity of the mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), and improve cell survival. It may therefore play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases like AD. However, only limited studies of sestrin2 and AD have been conducted up to now. In this article, we discuss current experimental evidence to demonstrate the potential roles of sestrin2 in treating neurodegenerative diseases, focusing specifically on AD. Strategies for augmenting sestrin2 expression may strengthen neurons, adapting them to stressful conditions through counteracting oxidative stress, and may also adjust the autophagy process, these two effects together conferring neuronal resistance in cases of AD.
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46
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Hanczyc P, Fita P. Laser Emission of Thioflavin T Uncovers Protein Aggregation in Amyloid Nucleation Phase. ACS PHOTONICS 2021; 8:2598-2609. [PMID: 34557567 PMCID: PMC8451393 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.1c00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
There is currently no definitive test for early detection of neurodegeneration which is linked with protein aggregation. Finding methods capable of detecting intermediate states of protein aggregates, named oligomers, is critical for the early stage diagnosis of over 30 neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Currently, fluorescence-based imaging using Thioflavin T (ThT) dye is the gold standard for detecting protein aggregation. It is used to detect aggregation in vitro and in various tissues, including the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), whereby the disease-related protein recombinant is seeded with the patient's fluid. The major drawback of ThT is its lack of sensitivity to oligomeric forms of protein aggregates. Here, we overcome this limitation by transferring a ThT-oligomer mixture into solid state thin films and detecting fluorescence of ThT amplified in the process of stimulated emission. By monitoring the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) we achieved a remarkable recognition sensitivity to prefibrillar oligomeric forms of insulin and lysozyme aggregates in vitro, to Aβ42 oligomers in the human protein recombinants seeded with CSF and to Aβ42 oligomers doped into brain tissue. Seeding with Alzheimer patient's CSF containing Aβ42 and Tau aggregates revealed that only Aβ42 oligomers allowed generating ASE. Thus, we demonstrated that, in contrast to the current state-of-the-art, ASE of ThT, a commonly used histological dye, can be used to detect and differentiate amyloid oligomers and evaluate the risk levels of neurodegenerative diseases to potential patients before the clinical symptoms occur.
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Nirwal S, Bharathi V, Patel BK. Amyloid-like aggregation of bovine serum albumin at physiological temperature induced by cross-seeding effect of HEWL amyloid aggregates. Biophys Chem 2021; 278:106678. [PMID: 34492451 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BSA can form amyloid-like aggregates in vitro at 65 °C. Heterologous amyloid can proposedly cross-seed other protein's aggregation, however, general mechanisms and driving conditions remain to be vividly elucidated. Here, we examined if pre-formed HEWL amyloid can cross-seed the aggregation of BSA at physiological temperature, 37 °C, and whether the efficacy depends on the BSA conformation. We find that at pH 3.0, 37 °C where BSA manifests exposure of abundant hydrophobic patches, HEWL amyloid efficiently drives BSA into ThT-positive, sarkosyl-resistant, β-sheet rich amyloid-like aggregates exhibiting fibrils in TEM. On the contrary, HEWL amyloid fails to cross-seed the BSA aggregation at pH 7.0, 37 °C where BSA has largely internalized hydrophobic patches. Strikingly, human lysozyme amyloid could also cross-seed human serum albumin aggregation at pH 3.0, 37 °C. Thus, heterologous amyloid cross-seeding can help overcome the energy-barrier for aggregation of other proteins that, for any reason, may have perturbed and promiscuous structural conformation at physiological temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadhana Nirwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana 502285, India
| | - Vidhya Bharathi
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana 502285, India
| | - Basant K Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana 502285, India.
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48
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Gour N, Gazit E. Metabolite assemblies: A surprising extension to the amyloid hypothesis. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 64:154-164. [PMID: 34482124 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The realization of the ability of metabolites to form self-assembled amyloid-like nanostructures was a surprising phenomenon. This discovery paved the way towards understanding the pathophysiology of the inborn error of metabolism disorders from a new perspective, relating them to amyloid-associated diseases that are characterized by the aggregation of proteins and polypeptides. Hence, a 'generic amyloid hypothesis' can be proposed. This theory implies that the formation of amyloid-like structures is a general phenomenon not limited to proteins and reflects a common etiology for both age-related amyloid-associated diseases and inborn error of metabolism disorders. Here, we present a comprehensive survey of the recent research related to metabolite amyloids including their structure formation through self-association, propagation, interactions, transmission, and their role in metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases and their applications for the fabrication of novel materials which implicate metabolite assemblies as a surprising extension to the amyloid scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Gour
- School of Science, Department of Chemistry, Indrashil University, Mehsana, Gujarat, 382740 India
| | - Ehud Gazit
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel; BLAVATNIK CENTER for Drug Discovery, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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49
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Abramov-Harpaz K, Pollock-Gagolashvili M, Miller Y. Insights into the Mechanistic Perspective Effect of Insulin on the Nonamyloidogenic Component (NAC) and α-Synuclein Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3266-3276. [PMID: 34406742 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin plays important functions in the brain, such as neuroprotective effects on neurons, and it is also involved in cognitive functions (e.g., attention, learning and memory). It is proposed that a lack of insulin in the brain may initiate development of neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we examined the effect of insulin on aggregates of α-synuclein (AS), a protein that is related to Parkinson's disease (PD), and its segment nonamyloidogenic component (NAC), which is known to play a crucial role in AS aggregation. The molecular modeling tools assist us to provide insights into the molecular mechanism of the effect of insulin on fibrillation of NAC and AS. Our research leads to three conclusions. First, the preferred interactions between insulin chain B and the "zipper domain" sequence within both NAC and AS appear at the central domain across the fibril axis or at the edge of the fibril. Second, these interactions do not disrupt the cross-β structure of NAC fibril-like oligomers but disrupt the cross-β structure of AS fibril-like oligomers. Thus, insulin does not inhibit the fibrillation of NAC but may inhibit AS fibrillation. Third, some of the polymorphic NAC and AS fibril-like oligomers bind to chain A in insulin. This is the first study that demonstrates that insulin chain A can also participate in the interactions with amyloid fibril-like oligomers. Our study proposes that insulin plays a crucial role in impeding AS aggregation in the brain and consequently could inhibit the development of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Abramov-Harpaz
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
- The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
| | - Maya Pollock-Gagolashvili
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
- The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
| | - Yifat Miller
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
- The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva84105, Israel
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50
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Zhang Y, Liu Y, Tang Y, Zhang D, He H, Wu J, Zheng J. Antimicrobial α-defensins as multi-target inhibitors against amyloid formation and microbial infection. Chem Sci 2021; 12:9124-9139. [PMID: 34276942 PMCID: PMC8261786 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01133b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation and microbial infection are considered as pathological risk factors for developing amyloid diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), type II diabetes (T2D), Parkinson's disease (PD), and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Due to the multifactorial nature of amyloid diseases, single-target drugs and treatments have mostly failed to inhibit amyloid aggregation and microbial infection simultaneously, thus leading to marginal benefits for amyloid inhibition and medical treatments. Herein, we proposed and demonstrated a new "anti-amyloid and antimicrobial hypothesis" to discover two host-defense antimicrobial peptides of α-defensins containing β-rich structures (human neutrophil peptide of HNP-1 and rabbit neutrophil peptide of NP-3A), which have demonstrated multi-target, sequence-independent functions to (i) prevent the aggregation and misfolding of different amyloid proteins of amyloid-β (Aβ, associated with AD), human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP, associated with T2D), and human calcitonin (hCT, associated with MTC) at sub-stoichiometric concentrations, (ii) reduce amyloid-induced cell toxicity, and (iii) retain their original antimicrobial activity upon the formation of complexes with amyloid peptides. Further structural analysis showed that the sequence-independent amyloid inhibition function of α-defensins mainly stems from their cross-interactions with amyloid proteins via β-structure interactions. The discovery of antimicrobial peptides containing β-structures to inhibit both microbial infection and amyloid aggregation greatly expands the new therapeutic potential of antimicrobial peptides as multi-target amyloid inhibitors for better understanding pathological causes and treatments of amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxian Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron Ohio USA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron Ohio USA
| | - Yijing Tang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron Ohio USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron Ohio USA
| | - Huacheng He
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University Zhejiang China
| | - Jiang Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University Zhejiang China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron Ohio USA
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