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Kaur G, Mankoo OK, Kaur A, Goyal D, Goyal B. Insights into the baicalein-induced destabilization of LS-shaped Aβ 42 protofibrils using computer simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:16674-16686. [PMID: 38809059 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06006c] [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: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregate spontaneously into various aggregating species comprising oligomers, protofibrils, and mature fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disrupting β-sheet rich neurotoxic smaller soluble Aβ42 oligomers formed at early stages is considered a potent strategy to interfere with AD pathology. Previous experiments have demonstrated the inhibition of the early stages of Aβ aggregation by baicalein; however, the molecular mechanism behind inhibition remains largely unknown. Thus, in this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been employed to illuminate the molecular mechanism of baicalein-induced destabilization of preformed Aβ42 protofibrils. Baicalein binds to chain A of the Aβ42 protofibril through hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic contacts with the central hydrophobic core (CHC) residues of the Aβ42 protofibril. The binding of baicalein to the CHC region of the Aβ42 protofibril resulted in the elongation of the kink angle and disruption of K28-A42 salt bridges, which resulted in the distortion of the protofibril structure. Importantly, the β-sheet content was notably reduced in Aβ42 protofibrils upon incorporation of baicalein with a concomitant increase in the coil content, which is consistent with ThT fluorescence and AFM images depicting disaggregation of pre-existing Aβ42 fibrils on the incorporation of baicalein. Remarkably, the interchain binding affinity in Aβ42 protofibrils was notably reduced in the presence of baicalein leading to distortion in the overall structure, which agrees with the structural stability analyses and conformational snapshots. This work sheds light on the molecular mechanism of baicalein in disrupting the Aβ42 protofibril structure, which will be beneficial to the design of therapeutic candidates against disrupting β-sheet rich neurotoxic Aβ42 oligomers in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagandeep Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Opinder Kaur Mankoo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Anupamjeet Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Deepti Goyal
- Department of Chemistry, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh-160011, India.
| | - Bhupesh Goyal
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala-147004, Punjab, India.
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Zhang M, Li Y, Han C, Chu S, Yu P, Cheng W. Biosynthesis of Nanoparticles with Green Tea for Inhibition of β-Amyloid Fibrillation Coupled with Ligands Analysis. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:4299-4317. [PMID: 38766654 PMCID: PMC11102095 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s451070] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Inhibition of amyloid β protein fragment (Aβ) aggregation is considered to be one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been found to be effective in this regard; however, owing to its low bioavailability, nanodelivery is recommended for practical applications. Compared to chemical reduction methods, biosynthesis avoids possible biotoxicity and cumbersome preparation processes. Materials and Methods The interaction between EGCG and Aβ42 was simulated by molecular docking, and green tea-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GT-Au NPs) and EGCG-Au NPs were synthesized using EGCG-enriched green tea and EGCG solutions, respectively. Surface active molecules of the particles were identified and analyzed using various liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry methods. ThT fluorescence assay, circular dichroism, and TEM were used to investigate the effect of synthesized particles on the inhibition of Aβ42 aggregation. Results EGCG as well as apigenin, quercetin, baicalin, and glutathione were identified as capping ligands stabilized on the surface of GT-Au NPs. They more or less inhibited Aβ42 aggregation or promoted fibril disaggregation, with EGCG being the most effective, which bound to Aβ42 through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, etc. resulting in 39.86% and 88.50% inhibition of aggregation and disaggregation effects, respectively. EGCG-Au NPs were not as effective as free EGCG, whereas multiple thiols and polyphenols in green tea accelerated and optimized heavy metal detoxification. The synthesized GT-Au NPs conferred the efficacy of diverse ligands to the particles, with inhibition of aggregation and disaggregation effects of 54.69% and 88.75%, respectively, while increasing the yield, enhancing water solubility, and decreasing cost. Conclusion Biosynthesis of nanoparticles using green tea is a promising simple and economical drug-carrying approach to confer multiple pharmacophore molecules to Au NPs. This could be used to design new drug candidates to treat Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Zhang
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Tianjin Guoke Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Tianjin Guoke Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunli Han
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Shandong CAS Intelligent Manufacturing Medical Device Technology Co., Ltd, Zaozhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiying Chu
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Tianjin Guoke Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peng Yu
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Tianjin Guoke Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenbo Cheng
- Mass Spectrometry Application Center, Tianjin Guoke Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Li X, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Zhang S, Zhang L. Molecular Insights into the Inhibition and Disaggregation Effects of EGCG on Aβ40 and Aβ42 Cofibrillation. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:1843-1853. [PMID: 38359305 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07232] [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: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ40 and Aβ42, the two primary isoforms of Aβ, can not only self-aggregate into homogeneous aggregates but also coaggregate to form mixed fibrils. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a prominent tea polyphenol, has shown the capability to prevent the self-aggregation of Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides and disaggregate their homogeneous fibrils. However, its effects on the cofibrillation of Aβ40 and Aβ42 have not yet been explored. Here, we employed molecular dynamic simulations to investigate the effects of EGCG on the coaggregation of Aβ40 and Aβ42, as well as on their mixed fibril. Our findings indicated that EGCG effectively inhibits the codimerization of Aβ40 and Aβ42 primarily by impeding the interchain interaction between the two isoforms. The key binding sites for EGCG on Aβ40 and Aβ42 are the polar residues and aromatic residues, engaging in hydrogen-bond , π-π, and cation-π interactions with EGCG. Additionally, EGCG disaggregates the Aβ40-Aβ42 mixed fibril by reducing its long-range interaction through similar binding sites and interactions as those between EGCG and Aβ40-Aβ42 heterodimers. Our research reveals the comprehensive inhibition and disaggregation effects of EGCG on the cofibrillation of Aβ isoforms, which provides further support for the development of EGCG as an effective antiaggregation agent for AD.
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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, Department of Physics, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yu 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
| | - Yuetian Wang
- 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
| | - 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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Tang J, Sun R, Wan J, Zou Y, Zhang Q. Molecular mechanisms involved in the destabilization of two types of R3-R4 tau fibrils associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy by Fisetin. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:3322-3334. [PMID: 38197437 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05427f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative tauopathy pathologically characterized by fibrillary tau aggregates in the depth of sulci. Clearing fibrous tau aggregates is considered a promising strategy in the treatment of CTE. Fisetin (FS), a natural polyphenolic small molecule, was confirmed to disassociate the tau filaments in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms of FS in destabilizing the CTE-related R3-R4 tau fibrils remain largely unknown. In this study, we compared the atomic-level structural differences of the two types of CTE-related R3-R4 tau fibrils and explored the influence and molecular mechanisms of FS on the two types of fibrils by conducting multiple molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results reveal that the type 1 fibril displays higher structural stability than the type 2 fibril, with a lower root-mean-square-fluctuation value and higher β-sheet structure probability. FS can destabilize both types of fibrils by decreasing the β-sheet structure content, interrupting the mainchain H-bond network, and increasing the solvent accessible surface area and β7-β8 angle of the fibrils. H-bonding, π-π stacking and cation-π are the common interactions driving FS molecules binding on the two types of fibrils, while the hydrophobic interaction occurs only in the type 2 fibril. Due to the relatively short simulation time, our study captures the early molecular mechanisms. However, it does provide beneficial information for the design of drugs to prevent or treat CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Tang
- School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ruiqing Sun
- School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jiaqian Wan
- School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yu Zou
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
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Nayak V, Patra S, Rout S, Jena AB, Sharma R, Pattanaik KP, Singh J, Pandey SS, Singh RP, Majhi S, Singh KR, Kerry RG. Regulation of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease via nanoparticle-loaded phytocompounds with anti-inflammatory and autophagy-inducing properties. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 122:155150. [PMID: 37944239 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuroinflammation linked to amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation and phosphorylated tau (τ) protein in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Key elements in Aβ production and NFT assembly, like γ-secretase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), contribute to neuroinflammation. In addition, impaired proteosomal and autophagic pathways increase Aβ and τ aggregation, leading to neuronal damage. Conventional neuroinflammation drugs have limitations due to unidirectional therapeutic approaches and challenges in crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). Clinical trials for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other therapeutics remain uncertain. Novel strategies addressing the complex pathogenesis and BBB translocation are needed to effectively tackle AD-related neuroinflammation. PURPOSE The current scenario demands for a much-sophisticated theranostic measures which could be achieved via customized engineering and designing of novel nanotherapeutics. As, these therapeutics functions as a double edge sword, having the efficiency of unambiguous targeting, multiple drug delivery and ability to cross BBB proficiently. METHODS Inclusion criteria involve selecting recent, English-language studies from the past decade (2013-2023) that explore the regulation of neuroinflammation in neuroinflammation, Alzheimer's disease, amyloid β, tau protein, nanoparticles, autophagy, and phytocompounds. Various study types, including clinical trials, experiments, and reviews, were considered. Exclusion criteria comprised non-relevant publication types, studies unrelated to Alzheimer's disease or phytocompounds, those with methodological flaws, duplicates, and studies with inaccessible data. RESULTS In this study, polymeric nanoparticles loaded with specific phytocompounds and coated with an antibody targeting the transferrin receptor (anti-TfR) present on BBB. Thereafter, the engineered nanoparticles with the ability to efficiently traverse the BBB and interact with target molecules within the brain, could induce autophagy, a cellular process crucial for neuronal health, and exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. Henceforth, the proposed combination of desired phytocompounds, polymeric nanoparticles, and anti-TfR coating presents a promising approach for targeted drug delivery to the brain, with potential implications in neuroinflammatory conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Nayak
- ICAR- National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease-International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease, Arugul, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (752050), India
| | - Sushmita Patra
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra (410210), India
| | - Shrushti Rout
- Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (751004), India
| | - Atala Bihari Jena
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (02115), United States of America
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (221005), India
| | - Kali Prasad Pattanaik
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - Jay Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (221005), India
| | - Shyam S Pandey
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu (8080196), Japan
| | - Ravindra Pratap Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Sanatan Majhi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (02115), United States of America
| | - Kshitij Rb Singh
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu (8080196), Japan.
| | - Rout George Kerry
- Department of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (751004), India.
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Nie RZ, Zhang SS, Yan XK, Feng K, Lao YJ, Bao YR. Molecular insights into the structure destabilization effects of ECG and EC on the Aβ protofilament: An all-atom molecular dynamics simulation study. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127002. [PMID: 37729983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127002] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The formation of Aβ into amyloid fibrils was closely connected to AD, therefore, the Aβ aggregates were the primary therapeutic targets against AD. Previous studies demonstrated that epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), which possessed a gallate moiety, exhibited a greater ability to disrupt the preformed Aβ amyloid fibrils than epicatechin (EC), indicating that the gallate moiety was crucial. In the present study, the molecular mechanisms were investigated. Our results demonstrated that ECG had more potent disruptive impacts on the β-sheet structure and K28-A42 salt bridges than EC. We found that ECG significantly interfered the interactions between Peptide-4 and Peptide-5. However, EC could not. The disruption of K28-A42 salt bridges by ECG was mainly due to the interactions between ECG and the hydrophobic residues located at C-terminus. Interestingly, EC disrupted the K28-A42 salt bridges by the interactions with C-terminal hydrophobic residues and the cation-π interactions with K28. Moreover, our results indicated that hydrophobic interactions, H-bonds, π-π interactions and cation-π interactions between ECG and the bend of L-shaped region caused the disaggregation of interactions between Peptide-4 and Peptide-5. Significantly, gallate moiety in ECG had contributed tremendously to the disaggregation. We believed that our findings could be useful for designing prospective drug candidates targeting AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Zu Nie
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Quality and Safety Control, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Shan-Shuo Zhang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Xiao-Ke Yan
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Kun Feng
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Quality and Safety Control, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Yan-Jing Lao
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Ya-Ru Bao
- Science and Technology Division, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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Han YL, Yin HH, Xiao C, Bernards MT, He Y, Guan YX. Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of Polyphenol Inhibition of Amyloid β Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:4051-4061. [PMID: 37890131 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00586] [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: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is highly associated with self-aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) proteins into fibrils. Inhibition of Aβ aggregation by polyphenols is one of the major therapeutic strategies for AD. Among them, four polyphenols (brazilin, resveratrol, hematoxylin, and rosmarinic acid) have been reported to be effective at inhibiting Aβ aggregation, but the inhibition mechanisms are still unclear. In this work, these four polyphenols were selected to explore their interactions with the Aβ17-42 pentamer by molecular dynamics simulation. All four polyphenols can bind to the pentamer tightly but prefer different binding sites. Conversion of the β-sheet to the random coil, fewer interchain hydrogen bonds, and weaker salt bridges were observed after binding. Interestingly, different Aβ17-42 pentamer destabilizing mechanisms for resveratrol and hematoxylin were found. Resveratrol inserts into the hydrophobic core of the pentamer by forming hydrogen bonds with Asp23 and Lys28, while hematoxylin prefers to bind beside chain A of the pentamer, which leads to β-sheet offset and dissociation of the β1 sheet of chain E. This work reveals the interactions between the Aβ17-42 pentamer and four polyphenols and discusses the relationship between inhibitor structures and their inhibition mechanisms, which also provides useful guidance for screening effective Aβ aggregation inhibitors and drug design against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Lei Han
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huan-Huan Yin
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chao Xiao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Matthew T Bernards
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow 83844, Idaho, United States
| | - Yi He
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, Washington, United States
| | - Yi-Xin Guan
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Zou H, Zhou S. EGCG-Mediated Protection of Transthyretin Amyloidosis by Stabilizing Transthyretin Tetramers and Disrupting Transthyretin Aggregates. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14146. [PMID: 37762449 PMCID: PMC10531593 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814146] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a progressive and systemic disease caused by the misfolding and amyloid aggregation of transthyretin (TTR). Stabilizing the TTR tetramers and disrupting the formed TTR aggregation are treated as a promising strategy for the treatment of ATTR. Previous studies have reported that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can participate in the whole process of TTR aggregation to prevent ATTR. However, the interaction mechanism of EGCG in this process is still obscure. In this work, we performed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interactions between EGCG and TTR tetramers, and between EGCG and TTR aggregates formed by the V30M mutation. The obtained results suggest that EGCG at the binding site of the V30M TTR tetramer can form stable hydrogen bonds with residues in the flexible AB-loop and EF-helix-loop, which reduces the structural mobility of these regions significantly. Additionally, the polyaromatic property of EGCG contributes to the increasement of hydrophobicity at the binding site and thus makes the tetramer difficult to be solvated and dissociated. For V30M-TTR-generated aggregates, EGCG can promote the dissociation of boundary β-strands by destroying key residue interactions of TTR aggregates. Moreover, EGCG is capable of inserting into the side-chain of residues of neighboring β-strands and disrupting the highly structured aggregates. Taken together, this study elucidates the role of EGCG in preventing TTR amyloidosis, which can provide important theoretical support for the future of drug design for ATTR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shuangyan Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China;
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Fang M, Wang X, Su K, Jia X, Guan P, Hu X. Inhibition Effect and Molecular Mechanisms of Quercetin on the Aβ42 Dimer: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:18009-18018. [PMID: 37251196 PMCID: PMC10210038 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) dimer as the smallest oligomer has recently been drawing attention due to its neurotoxicity, transient nature, and heterogeneity. The inhibition of Aβ dimer's aggregation is the key to primary intervention of Alzheimer's disease. Previous experimental studies have reported that quercetin, the widespread polyphenolic constituent of multiple fruits and vegetables, can hamper the formation of Aβ protofibrils and disaggregate Aβ fibrils. However, the molecular mechanisms of quercetin in the suppression of the Aβ(1-42) dimer's conformational changes still remain elusive. In this work, to investigate the inhibitory mechanisms of quercetin molecules on the Aβ(1-42) dimer, an Aβ(1-42) dimer based on monomeric the Aβ(1-42) peptide with enriched coil structures is constructed. The early molecular mechanisms of quercetin molecules on inhibiting the Aβ(1-42) dimer at two different Aβ42-to-quercetin molar ratios (1:5 and 1:10) are explored via all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicate that quercetin molecules can impede the configurational change of the Aβ(1-42) dimer. The interactions and the binding affinity between the Aβ(1-42) dimer and quercetin molecules in the Aβ42 dimer + 20 quercetin system are stronger in comparison with that in the Aβ42 dimer + 10 quercetin system. Our work may be helpful in developing new drug candidates for preventing the conformational transition and further aggregation of the Aβ dimer.
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Mohammed AA, Barale SS, Kamble SA, Paymal SB, Sonawane KD. Molecular insights into the inhibition of early stage of Aβ peptide aggregation and destabilization of Alzheimer's Aβ protofibril by dipeptide D-Trp-Aib: A molecular modelling approach. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124880. [PMID: 37217059 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide aggregates rapidly into the soluble oligomers, protofibrils and fibrils to form senile plaques, a neurotoxic component and pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Experimentally, it has been demonstrated the inhibition of an early stages of Aβ aggregation by a dipeptide D-Trp-Aib inhibitor, but its molecular mechanism is still unclear. Hence, in the present study, we used molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the molecular mechanism of inhibition of an early oligomerization and destabilization of preformed Aβ protofibril by D-Trp-Aib. Molecular docking study showed that the D-Trp-Aib binds at the aromatic (Phe19, Phe20) region of Aβ monomer, Aβ fibril and hydrophobic core of Aβ protofibril. MD simulations revealed the binding of D-Trp-Aib at the aggregation prone region (Lys16-Glu22) resulted in the stabilization of Aβ monomer by π-π stacking interactions between Tyr10 and indol ring of D-Trp-Aib, which decreases the β-sheet content and increases the α-helices. The interaction between Lys28 of Aβ monomer to D-Trp-Aib could be responsible to block the initial nucleation and may impede the fibril growth and elongation. The loss of hydrophobic contacts between two β-sheets of Aβ protofibril upon binding of D-Trp-Aib at the hydrophobic cavity resulted in the partial opening of β-sheets. This also disrupts a salt bridge (Asp23-Lys28) leading to the destabilization of Aβ protofibril. Binding energy calculations revealed that van der Waals and electrostatic interactions maximally favours the binding of D-Trp-Aib to Aβ monomer and Aβ protofibril respectively. The residues Tyr10, Phe19, Phe20, Ala21, Glu22, Lys28 of Aβ monomer, whereas Leu17, Val18, Phe19, Val40, Ala42 of protofibril contributing for the interactions with D-Trp-Aib. Thus, the present study provides structural insights into the inhibition of an early oligomerization of Aβ peptides and destabilization of Aβ protofibril, which could be useful to design novel inhibitors for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Abdulmawjood Mohammed
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra, (M.S.), India
| | - Sagar S Barale
- Department of Microbiology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra (MS), India
| | - Subodh Ashok Kamble
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra, (M.S.), India
| | - Sneha B Paymal
- Department of Microbiology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra (MS), India
| | - Kailas D Sonawane
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra, (M.S.), India; Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, Maharashtra (M.S.), India.
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Zhou Y, Yao Y, Yang Z, Tang Y, Wei G. Naphthoquinone-dopamine hybrids disrupt α-synuclein fibrils by their intramolecular synergistic interactions with fibrils and display a better effect on fibril disruption. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:14471-14483. [PMID: 37190853 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp00340j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) is an intrinsically disordered protein and its abnormal aggregation into amyloid fibrils is the main hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). The disruption of preformed αSyn fibrils using small molecules is considered as a potential strategy for PD treatment. Recent experiments have reported that naphthoquinone-dopamine hybrids (NQDA), synthesized by naphthoquinone (NQ) and dopamine (DA) molecules, can significantly disrupt αSyn fibrils and cross the blood-brain barrier. To unravel the fibril-disruptive mechanisms at the atomic level, we performed microsecond molecular dynamics simulations of αSyn fibrils in the absence and presence of NQDA, NQ, DA, or NQ+DA molecules. Our simulations showed that NQDA reduces the β-sheet content, disrupts K45-E57 and E46-K80 salt-bridges, weakens the inter-protofibril interaction, and thus destabilizes the αSyn fibril structure. NQDA has the ability to form cation-π and H-bonding interactions with K45/K80, and form π-π stacking interactions with Y39/F94. Those interactions between NQDA and αSyn fibrils play a crucial role in disaggregating αSyn fibrils. Moreover, we found that NQDA has a better fibril destabilization effect than that of NQ, DA, and NQ+DA molecules. This is attributed to the synergistic fibril-binding effect between NQ and DA groups in NQDA molecules. The DA group can form strong π-π stacking interactions with aromatic residues Y39/F94 of the αSyn fibril, while the DA molecule cannot. In addition, NQDA can form stronger cation-π interactions with residues K45/K80 than those of both NQ and DA molecules. Our results provide the molecular mechanism underlying the disaggregation of the αSyn fibril by NQDA and its better performance in fibril disruption than NQ, DA, and NQ+DA molecules, which offers new clues for the screening and development of promising drug candidates to treat PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhou
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yifei Yao
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhongyuan Yang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yiming Tang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Firouzi R, Sowlati-Hashjin S, Chávez-García C, Ashouri M, Karimi-Jafari MH, Karttunen M. Identification of Catechins' Binding Sites in Monomeric A β42 through Ensemble Docking and MD Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098161. [PMID: 37175868 PMCID: PMC10179585 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) into toxic oligomers and fibrils is associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Therefore, disrupting amyloid assembly by direct targeting of the Aβ monomeric form with small molecules or antibodies is a promising therapeutic strategy. However, given the dynamic nature of Aβ, standard computational tools cannot be easily applied for high-throughput structure-based virtual screening in drug discovery projects. In the current study, we propose a computational pipeline-in the framework of the ensemble docking strategy-to identify catechins' binding sites in monomeric Aβ42. It is shown that both hydrophobic aromatic interactions and hydrogen bonding are crucial for the binding of catechins to Aβ42. Additionally, it has been found that all the studied ligands, especially EGCG, can act as potent inhibitors against amyloid aggregation by blocking the central hydrophobic region of Aβ. Our findings are evaluated and confirmed with multi-microsecond MD simulations. Finally, it is suggested that our proposed pipeline, with low computational cost in comparison with MD simulations, is a suitable approach for the virtual screening of ligand libraries against Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohoullah Firouzi
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, Tehran 1496813151, Iran
| | | | - Cecilia Chávez-García
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- The Centre of Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Mitra Ashouri
- Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6619, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Karimi-Jafari
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6619, Iran
| | - Mikko Karttunen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- The Centre of Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
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13
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Fang M, Su K, Wang X, Guan P, Hu X. Study on molecular mechanisms of destabilizing Aβ(1-42) protofibrils by licochalcone A and licochalcone B using molecular dynamics simulations. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 122:108500. [PMID: 37094420 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid-beta (Aβ) protofibrils are closely related to Alzheimer's disease. Their behaviors with or without the presence of Aβ fibrillization inhibitors have been intensively studied by molecular dynamics simulations. In this work, the molecular mechanisms of licochalcone A and licochalcone B on destabilizing Aβ(1-42) protofibrils are explored. It is found that both two licochalcones can disorder the configuration of the Aβ(1-42) protofibril. The stable interactions between the Aβ(1-42) protofibril and licochalcone A or licochalcone B are able to be formed. A reduction of the β-sheet structure contents and an increment of the random coil structures of Aβ(1-42) protofibril are observed in the presence of either licochalcone A or licochalcone B. The hydrogen bonds inside the Aβ(1-42) protofibril could be partially collapsed to varying degrees by two licochalcones. Furthermore, the van der Waals interactions between Aβ(1-42) protofibril and licochalcone A make an important contribution to the binding free energy, while the contribution of the electrostatic interactions between Aβ(1-42) protofibril and licochalcone B is more prominent in the binding affinity. Our work may help in the development of new drug candidates for disrupting the Aβ protofibril.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Fang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
| | - Kehe Su
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Ping Guan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
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14
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Yang Z, Yao Y, Zhou Y, Li X, Tang Y, Wei G. EGCG attenuates α-synuclein protofibril-membrane interactions and disrupts the protofibril. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 230:123194. [PMID: 36623616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The fibrillary aggregates of α-synuclein (α-syn) are closely associated with the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Mounting evidence shows that the interaction of α-syn with biological membranes is a culprit for its aggregation and cytotoxicity. While some small molecules can effectively inhibit α-syn fibrillization in solution, their potential roles in the presence of membrane are rarely studied. Among them, green tea extract epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is currently under active investigation. Herein, we investigated the effects of EGCG on α-syn protofibril (an intermediate of α-syn fibril formation) in the presence of a model membrane and on the interactions between α-syn protofibril and the membrane, as well as the underlying mechanisms, by performing microsecond all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that EGCG has destabilization effects on α-syn protofibril, albeit to a lesser extent than that in solution. Intriguingly, we find that EGCG forms overwhelming H-bonding and cation-π interactions with membrane and thus attenuates protofibril-membrane interactions. Moreover, the decreased protofibril-membrane interactions impede the membrane damage by α-syn protofibril and enable the membrane integrity. These findings provide atomistic understanding towards the attenuation of α-syn protofibril-induced cytotoxicity by EGCG in cellular environment, which is helpful for the development of EGCG-based therapeutic strategies against PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyuan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuhua Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiming Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guanghong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Roy R, Paul S. Illustrating the Effect of Small Molecules Derived from Natural Resources on Amyloid Peptides. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:600-615. [PMID: 36638829 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The onset of amyloidogenic diseases is associated with the misfolding and aggregation of proteins. Despite extensive research, no effective therapeutics are yet available to treat these chronic degenerative diseases. Targeting the aggregation of disease-specific proteins is regarded as a promising new approach to treat these diseases. In the past few years, rapid progress in this field has been made in vitro, in vivo, and in silico to generate potential drug candidates, ranging from small molecules to polymers to nanoparticles. Small molecular probes, mostly those derived from natural sources, have been of particular interest among amyloid inhibitors. Here, we summarize some of the most important natural small molecular probes which can inhibit the aggregation of Aβ, hIAPP, and α-syn peptides and discuss how their binding efficacy and preference for the peptides vary with their structure and conformation. This provides a comprehensive idea of the crucial factors which should be incorporated into the future design of novel drug candidates useful for the treatment of amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rituparna Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati Assam-781039, India
| | - Sandip Paul
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati Assam-781039, India
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16
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Almeida ZL, Brito RMM. Amyloid Disassembly: What Can We Learn from Chaperones? Biomedicines 2022; 10:3276. [PMID: 36552032 PMCID: PMC9776232 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123276] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation and subsequent accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils with cross-β structure is an intrinsic characteristic of amyloid diseases, i.e., amyloidoses. Amyloid formation involves a series of on-pathway and off-pathway protein aggregation events, leading to mature insoluble fibrils that eventually accumulate in multiple tissues. In this cascade of events, soluble oligomeric species are formed, which are among the most cytotoxic molecular entities along the amyloid cascade. The direct or indirect action of these amyloid soluble oligomers and amyloid protofibrils and fibrils in several tissues and organs lead to cell death in some cases and organ disfunction in general. There are dozens of different proteins and peptides causing multiple amyloid pathologies, chief among them Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Amyloid fibril disassembly is among the disease-modifying therapeutic strategies being pursued to overcome amyloid pathologies. The clearance of preformed amyloids and consequently the arresting of the progression of organ deterioration may increase patient survival and quality of life. In this review, we compiled from the literature many examples of chemical and biochemical agents able to disaggregate preformed amyloids, which have been classified as molecular chaperones, chemical chaperones, and pharmacological chaperones. We focused on their mode of action, chemical structure, interactions with the fibrillar structures, morphology and toxicity of the disaggregation products, and the potential use of disaggregation agents as a treatment option in amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rui M. M. Brito
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre—Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
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17
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Ablinger I, Dressel K, Rott T, Lauer AA, Tiemann M, Batista JP, Taddey T, Grimm HS, Grimm MOW. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Deal with Alzheimer's Disease-From Bench to Bedside: What Feasible Options Do Already Exist Today? Biomedicines 2022; 10:2922. [PMID: 36428494 PMCID: PMC9687885 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112922] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the western population. The incidence of this disease increases with age. Rising life expectancy and the resulting increase in the ratio of elderly in the population are likely to exacerbate socioeconomic problems. Alzheimer's disease is a multifactorial disease. In addition to amyloidogenic processing leading to plaques, and tau pathology, but also other molecular causes such as oxidative stress or inflammation play a crucial role. We summarize the molecular mechanisms leading to Alzheimer's disease and which potential interventions are known to interfere with these mechanisms, focusing on nutritional approaches and physical activity but also the beneficial effects of cognition-oriented treatments with a focus on language and communication. Interestingly, recent findings also suggest a causal link between oral conditions, such as periodontitis or edentulism, and Alzheimer's disease, raising the question of whether dental intervention in Alzheimer's patients can be beneficial as well. Unfortunately, all previous single-domain interventions have been shown to have limited benefit to patients. However, the latest studies indicate that combining these efforts into multidomain approaches may have increased preventive or therapeutic potential. Therefore, as another emphasis in this review, we provide an overview of current literature dealing with studies combining the above-mentioned approaches and discuss potential advantages compared to monotherapies. Considering current literature and intervention options, we also propose a multidomain interdisciplinary approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients that synergistically links the individual approaches. In conclusion, this review highlights the need to combine different approaches in an interdisciplinary manner, to address the future challenges of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Ablinger
- Speech and Language Therapy, Campus Bonn, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 53111 Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Dressel
- Speech and Language Therapy, Campus Düsseldorf, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 40210 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thea Rott
- Interdisciplinary Periodontology and Prevention, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Anna Andrea Lauer
- Nutrition Therapy and Counseling, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
- Experimental Neurology, Saarland University, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Michael Tiemann
- Sport Science, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - João Pedro Batista
- Sport Science and Physiotherapy, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Tim Taddey
- Physiotherapy, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Heike Sabine Grimm
- Nutrition Therapy and Counseling, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
- Experimental Neurology, Saarland University, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Otto Walter Grimm
- Nutrition Therapy and Counseling, Campus Rheinland, SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, 51377 Leverkusen, Germany
- Experimental Neurology, Saarland University, 66424 Homburg, Germany
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18
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Sedov I, Khaibrakhmanova D. Molecular Mechanisms of Inhibition of Protein Amyloid Fibril Formation: Evidence and Perspectives Based on Kinetic Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113428. [PMID: 36362217 PMCID: PMC9657184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of fibril formation is considered a possible treatment strategy for amyloid-related diseases. Understanding the molecular nature of inhibitor action is crucial for the design of drug candidates. In the present review, we describe the common kinetic models of fibril formation and classify known inhibitors by the mechanism of their interactions with the aggregating protein and its oligomers. This mechanism determines the step or steps of the aggregation process that become inhibited and the observed changes in kinetics and equilibrium of fibril formation. The results of numerous studies indicate that possible approaches to antiamyloid inhibitor discovery include the search for the strong binders of protein monomers, cappers blocking the ends of the growing fibril, or the species absorbing on the surface of oligomers preventing nucleation. Strongly binding inhibitors stabilizing the native state can be promising for the structured proteins while designing the drug candidates targeting disordered proteins is challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Sedov
- Chemical Institute, Kazan Federal University, Kremlevskaya 18, 420008 Kazan, Russia
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-9600503916
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19
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Fang M, Zhang Q, Guan P, Su K, Wang X, Hu X. Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of EGCG and Apigenin on Disrupting Amyloid-Beta Protofibrils Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:8155-8165. [PMID: 36219848 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The fibrillization and deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) protofibrils are one of the important factors leading to Alzheimer's disease. Molecular dynamics simulations can offer information on intermolecular interaction mechanisms between Aβ protofibrils and Aβ fibrillization inhibitors. Here, in this work, we explore the early molecular mechanisms of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and apigenin on disrupting Aβ42 protofibrils based on molecular simulations. The binding modes of EGCG and apigenin with the Aβ42 protofibril are obtained. Furthermore, we compare the behavioral mechanisms of EGCG and apigenin on disturbing the Aβ42 protofibril. Both EGCG and apigenin are able to decrease the proportion of the β-sheet and bend structures of the Aβ42 protofibril while inducing random coil structures. The results of hydrogen bonds and D23-K28 salt bridges illustrate that EGCG and apigenin have the ability of destabilizing the Aβ42 protofibril. Meanwhile, the van der Waals interactions between the EGCG and Aβ42 protofibril are shown to be larger than that of apigenin with the Aβ42 protofibril, but the electrostatic interactions between apigenin and the Aβ42 protofibril are dominant in the binding affinity. Our findings may help in designing effective drug candidates for disordering the Aβ protofibril and impeding Aβ fibrillization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Fang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Ping Guan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Kehe Su
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, China
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20
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Li F, Chen Y, Liu X, Tang Y, Dong X, Wei G. Atomistic Insights into A315E Mutation-Enhanced Pathogenicity of TDP-43 Core Fibrils. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2743-2754. [PMID: 36053560 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00416] [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: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) into fibrillary deposits is implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and some hereditary mutations localized in the low complexity domain (LCD) facilitate the formation of pathogenic TDP-43 fibrils. A recent cryo-EM study reported the atomic-level structures of the A315E TDP-43 LCD (residues 288-319, TDP-43288-319) core fibril in which the protofilaments have R-shaped structures and hypothesized that A315E U-shaped protofilaments can readily convert to R-shaped protofilaments compared to the wild-type (WT) ones. There are no atomic structures of WT protofilaments available yet. Herein, we performed extensive all-atom explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations on A315E and WT protofilaments starting from both the cryo-EM-determined R-shaped and our constructed U-shaped structures. Our simulations show that WT protofilaments also adopt the R-shaped structures but are less stable than their A315E counterparts. Except for R293-E315 salt bridges, N312-F316 hydrophobic interactions and F316-F316 π-π stacking interactions are also crucial for the stabilization of the neck region of the R-shaped A315E protofilaments. The loss of R293-E315 salt bridges and the weakened interactions of N312-F316 and F316-F316 result in the reduced stability of the R-shaped WT protofilaments. Simulations starting from U-shaped folds reveal that A315E protofilaments can spontaneously convert to the cryo-EM-derived R-shaped protofilaments, whereas WT protofilaments convert to R-shape-like structures with remodeled neck regions. The R-shape-like WT protofilaments could act as intermediate states slowing down the U-to-R transition. This study reveals that A315E mutation can not only enhance the structural stability of the R-shaped TDP-43288-319 protofilaments but also promote the U-to-R transition, which provides atomistic insights into the A315E mutation-enhanced TDP-43 pathogenicity in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangying Li
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yujie Chen
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xianshi Liu
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yiming Tang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xuewei Dong
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
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21
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Hou T, Zhang N, Yan C, Ding M, Niu H, Guan P, Hu X. Curcumin-loaded protein imprinted mesoporous nanosphere for inhibiting amyloid aggregation. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 221:334-345. [PMID: 36084870 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.08.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Some natural variants of human lysozyme are associated with systemic non-neurological amyloidosis that leads to amyloid protein fibril deposition in different tissues. Inhibition of amyloid fibrillation by nanomaterials is considered to be an effective approach to treating amyloidosis. Here, we prepared a targeted, highly loaded curcumin lysozyme-imprinted nanosphere (CUR-MIMS) that could effectively inhibit the aggregation of lysozyme with lysozyme adsorption capacity of 193.57 mg g-1 and the imprinting factor (IF) of 3.72. CUR-MIMS could bind to lysozyme through hydrophobic interactions and effectively reduce the hydrophobicity of the total solvent-exposed surface in lysozyme fibrillation, thus reducing the self-assembly process triggered by hydrophobic interactions. Thioflavin T (ThT) analysis demonstrated that CUR-MIMS inhibited the aggregation of amyloid fibrils in a dose-dependent manner (inhibition efficiency of 56.07 %). Circular dichroism (CD) spectrum further illustrated that CUR-MIMS could significantly inhibit the transition of lysozyme from α-helix structure to β-sheet. More importantly, biological experiments proved the good biocompatibility of CUR-MIMS, which indicated the potential of our system as a future therapeutic platform for amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Hou
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China
| | - Chaoren Yan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China
| | - Minling Ding
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China
| | - Huizhe Niu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China
| | - Ping Guan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China.
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, PR China.
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Nie RZ, Cai S, Yu B, Fan WY, Li HH, Tang SW, Huo YQ. Molecular insights into the very early steps of Aβ1-42 pentameric protofibril disassembly by PGG: A molecular dynamics simulation study. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.119638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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23
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Zou Y, Qi B, Tan J, Sun Y, Gong Y, Zhang Q. Mechanistic insight into the disruption of Tau R3-R4 protofibrils by curcumin and epinephrine: an all-atom molecular dynamics study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:20454-20465. [PMID: 35993190 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02353a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of Tau protein aggregates is a pathological hallmark of tauopathy, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Inhibiting Tau aggregation or disrupting preformed Tau fibrils is considered one of the rational therapeutic strategies to combat tauopathy. Previous studies reported that curcumin (Cur, a molecule of a labile natural product) and epinephrine (EP, an important neurotransmitter) could effectively inhibit the formation of Tau fibrillar aggregates and disassociate preformed fibrils. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we performed multiple molecular dynamics simulations for 17.5 μs in total to investigate the influence of Cur and EP on the C-shaped Tau protofibril associated with CTE. Our simulations show that the protofibrillar pentamer is the smallest stable Tau R3-R4 protofibril. Taking the pentamer as a protofibril model, we found that both Cur and EP molecules could affect the shape of the Tau pentamer by changing the β2-β3 and β7-β8 angles, leading to a more extended structure. Cur and EP display a disruptive effect on the local β-sheets and the formation of hydrogen bonds, and thus destabilize the global protofibril structure. The contact number analysis shows that Cur has a higher binding affinity with the Tau pentamer than EP, especially in the nucleating segment PHF6. Hydrophobic, π-π and cation-π interactions together facilitate the binding of Cur and EP with the Tau pentamer. Cur exhibits stronger hydrophobic and π-π interactions with Tau than EP, and EP displays a stronger cation-π interaction. Our findings provide molecular insights into the disruptive mechanisms of the Tau R3-R4 protofibrils by curcumin and epinephrine, which may be useful for the design of effective drug candidates for the treatment of CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zou
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
| | - Bote Qi
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
| | - Jingwang Tan
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.,Department of Physics, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Yehong Gong
- School of Sports Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- College of Physical Education and Training, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200438, P. R. China
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24
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Lao Z, Dong X, Liu X, Li F, Chen Y, Tang Y, Wei G. Insights into the Atomistic Mechanisms of Phosphorylation in Disrupting Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation and Aggregation of the FUS Low-Complexity Domain. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:3227-3238. [PMID: 35709363 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS), a nuclear RNA binding protein, can not only undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to form dynamic biomolecular condensates but also aggregate into solid amyloid fibrils which are associated with the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration diseases. Phosphorylation in the FUS low-complexity domain (FUS-LC) inhibits FUS LLPS and aggregation. However, it remains largely elusive what are the underlying atomistic mechanisms of this inhibitory effect and whether phosphorylation can disrupt preformed FUS fibrils, reversing the FUS gel/solid phase toward the liquid phase. Herein, we systematically investigate the impacts of phosphorylation on the conformational ensemble of the FUS37-97 monomer and dimer and the structure of the FUS37-97 fibril by performing extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations reveal three key findings: (1) phosphorylation shifts the conformations of FUS37-97 from the β-rich, fibril-competent state toward a helix-rich, fibril-incompetent state; (2) phosphorylation significantly weakens protein-protein interactions and enhances protein-water interactions, which disfavor FUS-LC LLPS as well as aggregation and facilitate the dissolution of the preformed FUS-LC fibril; and (3) the FUS37-97 peptide displays a high β-strand probability in the region spanning residues 52-67, and phosphorylation at S54 and S61 residues located in this region is crucial for the disruption of LLPS and aggregation of FUS-LC. This study may pave the way for ameliorating phase-separation-related pathologies via site-specific phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenghui Lao
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuewei Dong
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianshi Liu
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangying Li
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujie Chen
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiming Tang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
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25
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Fang M, Zhang Q, Wang X, Su K, Guan P, Hu X. Inhibition Mechanisms of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Genistein on Amyloid-beta 42 Peptide of Alzheimer's Disease via Molecular Simulations. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:19665-19675. [PMID: 35721940 PMCID: PMC9202277 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The misfolding and self-assembly of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides are one of the most important factors contributing to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to reveal the inhibition mechanisms of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and genistein on the conformational changes of Aβ42 peptides by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results indicate that both EGCG and genistein have inhibitory effects on the conformational transition of Aβ42 peptide. EGCG and genistein reduce the ratio of β-sheet secondary structures of Aβ42 peptide while inducing random coil structures. In terms of hydrophobic interactions in the central hydrophobic core of Aβ42 peptide, the binding affinities of EGCG are significantly larger in comparison with that of genistein. Our findings illustrate the inhibition mechanisms of EGCG and genistein on the Aβ42 peptides and prove that EGCG is a very promising inhibitor in impeding the conformational change of Aβ42 peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Fang
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Kehe Su
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Ping Guan
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, China
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26
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Piccialli I, Tedeschi V, Caputo L, D’Errico S, Ciccone R, De Feo V, Secondo A, Pannaccione A. Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Phytochemicals in Alzheimer’s Disease: Focus on Polyphenols and Monoterpenes. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:876614. [PMID: 35600880 PMCID: PMC9114803 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.876614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic, complex neurodegenerative disorder mainly characterized by the irreversible loss of memory and cognitive functions. Different hypotheses have been proposed thus far to explain the etiology of this devastating disorder, including those centered on the Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregation, Tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the therapeutic strategies conceived thus far to treat AD neurodegeneration have proven unsuccessful, probably due to the use of single-target drugs unable to arrest the progressive deterioration of brain functions. For this reason, the theoretical description of the AD etiology has recently switched from over-emphasizing a single deleterious process to considering AD neurodegeneration as the result of different pathogenic mechanisms and their interplay. Moreover, much relevance has recently been conferred to several comorbidities inducing insulin resistance and brain energy hypometabolism, including diabetes and obesity. As consequence, much interest is currently accorded in AD treatment to a multi-target approach interfering with different pathways at the same time, and to life-style interventions aimed at preventing the modifiable risk-factors strictly associated with aging. In this context, phytochemical compounds are emerging as an enormous source to draw on in the search for multi-target agents completing or assisting the traditional pharmacological medicine. Intriguingly, many plant-derived compounds have proven their efficacy in counteracting several pathogenic processes such as the Aβ aggregation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Many strategies have also been conceived to overcome the limitations of some promising phytochemicals related to their poor pharmacokinetic profiles, including nanotechnology and synthetic routes. Considering the emerging therapeutic potential of natural medicine, the aim of the present review is therefore to highlight the most promising phytochemical compounds belonging to two major classes, polyphenols and monoterpenes, and to report the main findings about their mechanisms of action relating to the AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Piccialli
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Tedeschi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Caputo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Stefano D’Errico
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Roselia Ciccone
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Agnese Secondo
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Pannaccione
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- *Correspondence: Anna Pannaccione,
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27
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Gao D, Wan J, Zou Y, Gong Y, Dong X, Xu Z, Tang J, Wei G, Zhang Q. Destructive Mechanism of Aβ 1-42 Protofibril by Norepinephrine revealed via Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:19827-19836. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01754g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrillary plaques represent the main hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), in addition to tau neurofibrillary tangles. Disrupting early-formed Aβ protofibril is considered as one of the primary therapeutic...
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