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Liu L, Liu W, Sun Y, Dong X. Serum albumin-embedding copper nanoclusters inhibit Alzheimer's β-amyloid fibrillogenesis and neuroinflammation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 672:53-62. [PMID: 38830318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.193] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that the accumulations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), β-amyloid (Aβ), and neuroinflammation are crucial pathological hallmarks for the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet there are few effective treatment strategies. Therefore, design of nanomaterials capable of simultaneously elimination of ROS and inhibition of Aβ aggregation and neuroinflammation is urgently needed for AD treatment. Herein, we designed human serum albumin (HSA)-embedded ultrasmall copper nanoclusters (CuNCs@HSA) via an HSA-mediated fabrication strategy. The as-prepared CuNCs@HSA exhibited outstanding multiple enzyme-like properties, including superoxide dismutase (>5000 U/mg), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities as well as hydroxyl radicals scavenging ability. Besides, CuNCs@HSA prominently inhibited Aβ fibrillization, and its inhibitory potency was 2.5-fold higher than native HSA. Moreover, CuNCs@HSA could significantly increase the viability of Aβ-treated cells from 60 % to over 96 % at 40 μg/mL and mitigate Aβ-induced oxidative stresses. The secretion of neuroinflammatory cytokines by lipopolysaccharide-induced BV-2 cells, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, was alleviated by CuNCs@HSA. In vivo studies manifested that CuNCs@HSA effectively suppressed the formation of plaques in transgenic C. elegans, reduced ROS levels, and extended C. elegans lifespan by 5 d. This work, using HSA as a template to mediate the fabrication of copper nanoclusters with robust ROS scavenging capability, exhibited promising potentials in inhibiting Aβ aggregation and neuroinflammation for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Liu
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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2
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Terpstra K, Huang Y, Na H, Sun L, Gutierrez C, Yu Z, Mirica LM. 2-Phenylbenzothiazolyl iridium complexes as inhibitors and probes of amyloid β aggregation. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:14258-14264. [PMID: 39129539 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01691b] [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: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides is a significant hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the detection of Aβ aggregates and the inhibition of their formation are important for the diagnosis and treatment of AD, respectively. Herein, we report a series of benzothiazole-based Ir(III) complexes HN-1 to HN-8 that exhibit appreciable inhibition of Aβ aggregation in vitro and in living cells. These Ir(III) complexes can induce a significant fluorescence increase when binding to Aβ fibrils and Aβ oligomers, while their measured log D values suggest these compounds could have enhanced blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. In vivo studies show that HN-1, HN-2, HN-3, and HN-8 successfully penetrate the BBB and stain the amyloid plaques in AD mouse brains after a 10-day treatment, suggesting that these Ir(III) complexes could act as lead compounds for AD therapeutic and diagnostic agent development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karna Terpstra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Yiran Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Hanah Na
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Liang Sun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Citlali Gutierrez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Zhengxin Yu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| | - Liviu M Mirica
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
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Song H, Kostrhunova H, Cervinka J, Macpherson J, Malina J, Rajan T, Phillips R, Postings M, Shepherd S, Zhang X, Brabec V, Rogers NJ, Scott P. Dicobalt(ii) helices kill colon cancer cells via enantiomer-specific mechanisms; DNA damage or microtubule disruption. Chem Sci 2024; 15:11029-11037. [PMID: 39027295 PMCID: PMC11253168 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc02541e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Highly diastereoselective self-assembly reactions give both enantiomers (Λ and Δ) of anti-parallel triple-stranded bimetallic Co(ii) and Co(iii) cationic helices, without the need for resolution; the first such reaction for Co. The complexes are water soluble and stable, even in the case of Co(ii). Studies in a range of cancer and healthy cell lines indicate high activity and selectivity, and substantial differences between enantiomers. The oxidation state has little effect, and correspondingly, Co(iii) compounds are reduced to Co(ii) e.g. by glutathione. In HCT116 colon cancer cells the Λ enantiomer induces dose-dependent G2-M arrest in the cell cycle and disrupts microtubule architectures. This Co(ii) Λ enantiomer is ca. five times more potent than the isostructural Fe(ii) compound. Since the measured cellular uptakes are similar this implies a higher affinity of the Co system for the intracellular target(s); while the two systems are isostructural they have substantially different charge distributions as shown by calculated hydrophobicity maps. In contrast to the Λ enantiomer, Δ-Co(ii) induces G1 arrest in HCT116 cells, efficiently inhibits the topoisomerase I-catalyzed relaxation of supercoiled plasmid DNA, and, unlike the isostructural Fe(ii) system, causes DNA damage. It thus seems very likely that redox chemistry plays a role in the latter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hualong Song
- Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Centre of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University Beijing 100069 China
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Hana Kostrhunova
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics Brno Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Cervinka
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics Brno Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Julie Macpherson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Jaroslav Malina
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics Brno Czech Republic
| | - Teena Rajan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Roger Phillips
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield Huddersfield HD1 3DH UK
| | - Miles Postings
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Samantha Shepherd
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield Huddersfield HD1 3DH UK
| | - Xuejian Zhang
- College of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Viktor Brabec
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Biophysics, Palacky University Olomouc Czech Republic
| | - Nicola J Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University Kowloon Tong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Peter Scott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
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Deng Y, Gao G, Yu L, Zhang Z, Zhang B, Li H, Zhang X, Shen L, Sun T. Engineering Core/Ligands Interfacial Anchors of Nanoparticles for Efficiently Inhibiting Both Aβ and Amylin Fibrillization. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2312046. [PMID: 38829034 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202312046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Accurate construction of artificial nano-chaperones' structure is crucial for precise regulation of protein conformational transformation, facilitating effective treatment of proteopathy. However, how the ligand-anchors of nano-chaperones affect the spatial conformational changes in proteins remains unclear, limiting the development of efficient nano-chaperones. In this study, three types of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with different core/ligands interface anchor structures (Au─NH─R, Au─S─R, and Au─C≡C─R, R = benzoic acid) are synthesized as an ideal model to investigate the effect of interfacial anchors on Aβ and amylin fibrillization. Computational results revealed that the distinct interfacial anchors imparted diverse distributions of electrostatic potential on the nanointerface and core/ligands bond strength of AuNPs, leading to differential interactions with amyloid peptides. Experimental results demonstrated that all three types of AuNPs exhibit site-specific inhibitory effects on Aβ40 fibrillization due to preferential binding. For amylin, amino-anchored AuNPs demonstrate strong adsorption to multiple sites on amylin and effectively inhibit fibrillization. Conversely, thiol- and alkyne-anchored AuNPs adsorb at the head region of amylin, promoting folding and fibrillization. This study not only provided molecular insights into how core/ligands interfacial anchors of nanomaterials induce spatial conformational changes in amyloid peptides but also offered guidance for precisely engineering artificial-chaperones' nanointerfaces to regulate the conformational transformation of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Guanbin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Liangchong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Zijun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Hu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Lei Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Taolei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
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Grcic L, Leech G, Kwan K, Storr T. Targeting misfolding and aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide and mutant p53 protein using multifunctional molecules. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:1372-1388. [PMID: 38204416 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05834d] [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: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecule misfolding and aggregation play a major role in human disease, spanning from neurodegeneration to cancer. Inhibition of these processes is of considerable interest, and due to the multifactorial nature of these diseases, the development of drugs that act on multiple pathways simultaneously is a promising approach. This Feature Article focuses on the development of multifunctional molecules designed to inhibit the misfolding and aggregation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the mutant p53 protein in cancer. While for the former, the goal is to accelerate the removal of the Aβ peptide and associated aggregates, for the latter, the goal is reactivation via stabilization of the active folded form of mutant p53 protein and/or aggregation inhibition. Due to the similar aggregation pathway of the Aβ peptide and mutant p53 protein, a common therapeutic approach may be applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauryn Grcic
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Grace Leech
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Kalvin Kwan
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Tim Storr
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Liu L, Liu W, Sun Y, Dong X. Design of aggregation-induced emission-active fluorogen-based nanoparticles for imaging and scavenging Alzheimer's β-amyloid by photo-oxygenation. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8994-9004. [PMID: 37705421 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01134h] [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: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Photo-oxygenation has emerged as an effective modality for scavenging Alzheimer's amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques. However, limitations of the current photo-oxidants, such as low Aβ-targeting and single functionality, hinder the scavenging of Aβ plaques via photo-oxygenation. Herein, based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active fluorogen (named TPMD), we designed AIE photo-oxidant nanoparticles (T-LD NPs) for Aβ imaging, inhibition, and disaggregation. The T-LD NPs were prepared by the assembly of hydrophobic TPMD with an Aβ-targeting peptide (LPPFD, L) conjugated amphiphilic polymer (DSPE-PEG). Such T-LD NPs could specifically label Aβ plaques for image-guided therapy. Under laser irradiation, T-LD NPs generated a plethora of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including 1O2, ˙OH, and O2˙-, to oxygenate Aβ species, leading to the potent inhibition of Aβ fibrillization, and significant alleviation of Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity (36% to 10% at 20 μg mL-1). Notably, T-LD NPs could rapidly disaggregate mature Aβ fibrils into fractured β-sheet rich aggregates via photo-oxygenation, resulting in alleviated cytotoxicity. In vivo studies revealed that the photo-activated T-LD NPs scavenged amyloid plaques in the transgenic C. elegans strain CL2006 and extended the lifespan by 4 days. Taken together, this multifunctional T-LD NP integrated Aβ-targeting, near-infrared fluorescence imaging, and photo-oxygenation, provides a new strategy for the development of multifunctional AIE photo-oxidants for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Liu
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Wei Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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Coverdale JPC, Kostrhunova H, Markova L, Song H, Postings M, Bridgewater HE, Brabec V, Rogers NJ, Scott P. Triplex metallohelices have enantiomer-dependent mechanisms of action in colon cancer cells. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:6656-6667. [PMID: 37114730 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt00948c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled enantiomers of an asymmetric di-iron metallohelix differ in their antiproliferative activities against HCT116 colon cancer cells such that the compound with Λ-helicity at the metals becomes more potent than the Δ compound with increasing exposure time. From concentration- and temperature-dependent 57Fe isotopic labelling studies of cellular accumulation we postulate that while the more potent Λ enantiomer undergoes carrier-mediated efflux, for Δ the process is principally equilibrative. Cell fractionation studies demonstrate that both enantiomers localise in a similar fashion; compound is observed mostly within the cytoskeleton and/or genomic DNA, with significant amounts also found in the nucleus and membrane, but with negligible concentration in the cytosol. Cell cycle analyses using flow cytometry reveal that the Δ enantiomer induces mild arrest in the G1 phase, while Λ causes a very large dose-dependent increase in the G2/M population at a concentration significantly below the relevant IC50. Correspondingly, G2-M checkpoint failure as a result of Λ-metallohelix binding to DNA is shown to be feasible by linear dichroism studies, which indicate, in contrast to the Δ compound, a quite specific mode of binding, probably in the major groove. Further, spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) failure, which could also be responsible for the observed G2/M arrest, is established as a feasible mechanism for the Λ helix via drug combination (synergy) studies and the discovery of tubulin and actin inhibition. Here, while the Λ compound stabilizes F-actin and induces a distinct change in tubulin architecture of HCT116 cells, Δ promotes depolymerization and more subtle changes in microtubule and actin networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P C Coverdale
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK
| | - H Kostrhunova
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - L Markova
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - H Song
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - M Postings
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - H E Bridgewater
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Centre of Exercise, Sport and Life Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
| | - V Brabec
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - N J Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - P Scott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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