1
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Baek Y, Lee M. Exploring the complexity of amyloid-beta fibrils: structural polymorphisms and molecular interactions. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20230854. [PMID: 39034652 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230854] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides into cross-β structures forms a variety of distinct fibril conformations, potentially correlating with variations in neurodegenerative disease progression. Recent advances in techniques such as X-ray crystallography, solid-state NMR, and cryo-electron microscopy have enabled the development of high-resolution molecular structures of these polymorphic amyloid fibrils, which are either grown in vitro or isolated from human and transgenic mouse brain tissues. This article reviews our current understanding of the structural polymorphisms in amyloid fibrils formed by Aβ40 and Aβ42, as well as disease-associated mutants of Aβ peptides. The aim is to enhance our understanding of various molecular interactions, including hydrophobic and ionic interactions, within and among cross-β structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoongyeong Baek
- Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, U.S.A
| | - Myungwoon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, U.S.A
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2
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Christensen CS, Wang S, Li W, Yu D, Li HJ. Structural Variations of Prions and Prion-like Proteins Associated with Neurodegeneration. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:6423-6439. [PMID: 39057026 PMCID: PMC11275340 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46070384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is becoming one of the leading causes of death worldwide as the population expands and grows older. There is a growing desire to understand the mechanisms behind prion proteins as well as the prion-like proteins that make up neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Both amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) proteins behave in ways similar to those of the infectious form of the prion protein, PrPSc, such as aggregating, seeding, and replicating under not yet fully understood mechanisms, thus the designation of prion-like. This review aims to highlight the shared mechanisms between prion-like proteins and prion proteins in the structural variations associated with aggregation and disease development. These mechanisms largely focus on the dysregulation of protein homeostasis, self-replication, and protein aggregation, and this knowledge could contribute to diagnoses and treatments for the given NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Henry James Li
- School of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, 567 West Yang Si Road, Shanghai 200122, China; (C.S.C.); (S.W.); (W.L.); (D.Y.)
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3
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Guillemain G, Khemtemourian L, Brehat J, Morin D, Movassat J, Tourrel-Cuzin C, Lacapere JJ. TSPO in pancreatic beta cells and its possible involvement in type 2 diabetes. Biochimie 2024:S0300-9084(24)00143-3. [PMID: 38908539 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.06.007] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Amyloidosis forms a large family of pathologies associated with amyloid deposit generated by the formation of amyloid fibrils or plaques. The amyloidogenic proteins and peptides involved in these processes are targeted against almost all organs. In brain they are associated with neurodegenerative disease, and the Translocator Protein (TSPO), overexpressed in these inflammatory conditions, is one of the target for the diagnostic. Moreover, TSPO ligands have been described as promising therapeutic drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. Type 2 diabetes, another amyloidosis, is due to a beta cell mass decrease that has been linked to hIAPP (human islet amyloid polypeptide) fibril formation, leading to the reduction of insulin production. In the present study, in a first approach, we link overexpression of TSPO and inflammation in potentially prediabetic patients. In a second approach, we observed that TSPO deficient rats have higher level of insulin secretion in basal conditions and more IAPP fibrils formation compared with wild type animals. In a third approach, we show that diabetogenic conditions also increase TSPO overexpression and IAPP fibril formation in rat beta pancreatic cell line (INS-1E). These data open the way for further studies in the field of type 2 diabetes treatment or prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghislaine Guillemain
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, INSERM UMR_S938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Centre de Recherche de St-Antoine (CRSA), 27 Rue de Chaligny, 75012, Paris, France.
| | | | - Juliette Brehat
- INSERM, U955, IMRB, équipe Ghaleh, Faculté de Médecine, UPEC, 94010, Créteil, France
| | - Didier Morin
- INSERM, U955, IMRB, équipe Ghaleh, Faculté de Médecine, UPEC, 94010, Créteil, France
| | - Jamileh Movassat
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, CNRS UMR 8251, Team "Biologie et Pathologie du Pancréas Endocrine", Paris, France
| | - Cécile Tourrel-Cuzin
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, CNRS UMR 8251, Team "Biologie et Pathologie du Pancréas Endocrine", Paris, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Lacapere
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, 75005, Paris, France.
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4
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Fu Z, Crooks EJ, Irizarry BA, Zhu X, Chowdhury S, Van Nostrand WE, Smith SO. An electrostatic cluster guides Aβ40 fibril formation in sporadic and Dutch-type cerebral amyloid angiopathy. J Struct Biol 2024; 216:108092. [PMID: 38615725 PMCID: PMC11162928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2024.108092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is associated with the accumulation of fibrillar Aβ peptides upon and within the cerebral vasculature, which leads to loss of vascular integrity and contributes to disease progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigate the structure of human-derived Aβ40 fibrils obtained from patients diagnosed with sporadic or familial Dutch-type (E22Q) CAA. Using cryo-EM, two primary structures are identified containing elements that have not been observed in in vitro Aβ40 fibril structures. One population has an ordered N-terminal fold comprised of two β-strands stabilized by electrostatic interactions involving D1, E22, D23 and K28. This charged cluster is disrupted in the second population, which exhibits a disordered N-terminus and is favored in fibrils derived from the familial Dutch-type CAA patient. These results illustrate differences between human-derived CAA and AD fibrils, and how familial CAA mutations can guide fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziao Fu
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, United States; Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Elliot J Crooks
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, United States
| | - Brandon A Irizarry
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, United States
| | - Xiaoyue Zhu
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States
| | - Saikat Chowdhury
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, United States; CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Habsiguda, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Kamala Nehru Nagar, Gaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - William E Van Nostrand
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States.
| | - Steven O Smith
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, United States
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5
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Wu T, Yu JC, Suresh A, Gale-Day ZJ, Alteen MG, Woo AS, Millbern Z, Johnson OT, Carroll EC, Partch CL, Fourches D, Vinueza NR, Vocadlo DJ, Gestwicki JE. Protein-adaptive differential scanning fluorimetry using conformationally responsive dyes. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02158-7. [PMID: 38744946 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02158-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a technique that reports protein thermal stability via the selective recognition of unfolded states by fluorogenic dyes. However, DSF applications remain limited by protein incompatibilities with existing DSF dyes. Here we overcome this obstacle with the development of a protein-adaptive DSF platform (paDSF) that combines a dye library 'Aurora' with a streamlined procedure to identify protein-dye pairs on demand. paDSF was successfully applied to 94% (66 of 70) of proteins, tripling the previous compatibility and delivering assays for 66 functionally and biochemically diverse proteins, including 10 from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We find that paDSF can be used to monitor biological processes that were previously inaccessible, demonstrated for the interdomain allostery of O-GlcNAc transferase. The chemical diversity and varied selectivities of Aurora dyes suggest that paDSF functionality may be readily extended. paDSF is a generalizable tool to interrogate protein stability, dynamics and ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiasean Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joshua C Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Arundhati Suresh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zachary J Gale-Day
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew G Alteen
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amanda S Woo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zoe Millbern
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Oleta T Johnson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emma C Carroll
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carrie L Partch
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Denis Fourches
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Nelson R Vinueza
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David J Vocadlo
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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6
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Stepanchuk AA, Stys PK. Spectral Fluorescence Pathology of Protein Misfolding Disorders. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:898-908. [PMID: 38407017 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00798] [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: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding has been extensively studied in the context of neurodegenerative disorders and systemic amyloidoses. Due to misfolding and aggregation of proteins being highly heterogeneous and generating a variety of structures, a growing body of evidence illustrates numerous ways how the aggregates contribute to progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and prion disorders. Different misfolded species of the same protein, commonly referred to as strains, appear to play a significant role in shaping the disease clinical phenotype and clinical progression. The distinct toxicity profiles of various misfolded proteins underscore their importance. Current diagnostics struggle to differentiate among these strains early in the disease course. This review explores the potential of spectral fluorescence approaches to illuminate the complexities of protein misfolding pathology and discusses the applications of advanced spectral methods in the detection and characterization of protein misfolding disorders. By examining spectrally variable probes, current data analysis approaches, and important considerations for the use of these techniques, this review aims to provide an overview of the progress made in this field and highlights directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia A Stepanchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Peter K Stys
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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7
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Sengupta U, Kayed R. Tau Oligomers as Pathogenic Seeds: Preparation, Characterization, and Propagation In Vitro and In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:147-183. [PMID: 38512666 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_9] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Tau oligomers have been shown to be the main toxic tau species in several neurodegenerative disorders. To study tau oligomers, we have developed reagents and established methods for the reliable preparation, isolation, and detection of tau oligomers as well as their seeding and propagation both in vitro and in vivo. Detailed below are methods for isolation of tau oligomers from brain tissues and detection of tau oligomers using tau oligomer-specific antibodies by biochemical, immunohistochemical, and biophysical methods. Further, methods for evaluating the biological activity of the tau oligomers including their effects on synaptic function, seeding, and propagation in cell models and in vivo are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Sengupta
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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8
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Farrell KM, Fields CR, Dicke SS, Zanni MT. Simultaneously Measured Kinetics of Two Amyloid Polymorphs Using Cross Peak Specific 2D IR Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:11750-11757. [PMID: 38117179 PMCID: PMC11163371 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The origin of in vitro amyloid fibril polymorphs is debated, in part, because few techniques can simultaneously monitor the formation kinetics of multiple amyloid polymorphs. Using a cross-peak specific polarization scheme, ⟨0°,0°,60°,-60°⟩, we resolve 22 previously unseen cross peaks in the 2D IR spectra of amyloid fibrils formed by the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP). Those cross peaks include a subset assigned to a second fibril polymorph, which forms on a slower time scale. We simulated the data with three different kinetic models for polymorph formation. Only a model based on secondary nucleation reproduces the cross peak kinetics. These experiments are evidence that fibrils formed by secondary nucleation have a different polymorphic structure than the parent fibrils and illustrate the enhanced structural resolution of this new cross peak specific polarization scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran M Farrell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Caitlyn R Fields
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Sidney S Dicke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Martin T Zanni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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9
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Björk L, Shirani H, Todarwal Y, Linares M, Vidal R, Ghetti B, Norman P, Klingstedt T, Nilsson KPR. Distinct Heterocyclic Moieties Govern the Selectivity of Thiophene-Vinylene-Based Ligands Towards Aβ or Tau Pathology in Alzheime's Disease. European J Org Chem 2023; 26:e202300583. [PMID: 38585413 PMCID: PMC10997339 DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202300583] [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: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Distinct aggregated proteins are correlated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and the development of ligands that selectively detect these pathological hallmarks is vital. Recently, the synthesis of thiophene-based optical ligands, denoted bi-thiophene-vinyl-benzothiazoles (bTVBTs), that could be utilized for selective assignment of tau pathology in brain tissue with Alzheime's disease (AD) pathology, was reported. Herein, we investigate the ability of these ligands to selectively distinguish tau deposits from aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ), the second AD associated pathological hallmark, when replacing the terminal thiophene moiety with other heterocyclic motifs. The selectivity for tau pathology was reduced when introducing specific heterocyclic motifs, verifying that specific molecular interactions between the ligands and the aggregates are necessary for selective detection of tau deposits. In addition, ligands having certain heterocyclic moieties attached to the central thiophene-vinylene building block displayed selectivity to aggregated Aβ pathology. Our findings provide chemical insights for the development of ligands that can distinguish between aggregated proteinaceous species consisting of different proteins and might also aid in creating novel agents for clinical imaging of tau pathology in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Björk
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Hamid Shirani
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Yogesh Todarwal
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathieu Linares
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202 Indiana, USA
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202 Indiana, USA
| | - Patrick Norman
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Therése Klingstedt
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - K Peter R Nilsson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
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10
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Stepanchuk AA, Stys PK. Amyloid dye pairs as spectral sensors for enhanced detection and differentiation of misfolded proteins. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2023; 248:112786. [PMID: 37742497 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2023.112786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Protein misfolding with subsequent formation of cross-β-sheet-rich fibrils is a well-known pathological hallmark of various neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence suggests that specific protein conformations may be the primary drivers of disease progression, differentiation of which remains a challenge with conventional methods. We have previously described a unique phenomenon of light-induced fluorescence enhancement and spectral changes of the amyloid dyes K114 and BSB, and demonstrated its utility in characterizing different amyloid fibrils. In this study, we further characterize and explore the potential of photoconversion, coupled with dual-probe staining, for improved detection of heterogeneity of amyloids using silk fibers and 5xFAD mouse brain sections. BSB and K114 were paired with either Nile Red or MCAAD-3, aiming to increase the sensitivity and specificity of staining and misfolded protein detection via complementary binding and FRET. Principal component analysis of spectral data revealed significant differences between various amyloids, and was able to detect subtle amyloid pathology in the 5xFAD mouse background brain parenchyma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia A Stepanchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter K Stys
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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11
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Kumar M, Ivanova MI, Ramamoorthy A. Non-micellar ganglioside GM1 induces an instantaneous conformational change in Aβ 42 leading to the modulation of the peptide amyloid-fibril pathway. Biophys Chem 2023; 301:107091. [PMID: 37549471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative condition that mainly affects cognition and memory. Recently, distinct clinical and neuropathological phenotypes have been identified in AD. Studies revealed that structural variation in Aβ fibrillar aggregates correlates with distinct disease phenotypes. Moreover, environmental surroundings, including other biomolecules such as proteins and lipids, have been shown to interact and modulate Aβ aggregation. Model membranes containing ganglioside (GM1) clusters are specifically known to promote Aβ fibrillogenesis. This study unravels the modulatory effect of non-micellar GM1, a glycosphingolipid frequently released from the damaged neuronal membranes, on Aβ42 amyloid fibril formation. Using far-UV circular dichroism experiments, we observed a change in the peptide secondary structure from random-coil to β-turn structures with subsequent generation of predominantly β-sheet-rich species upon interaction with GM1. Thioflavin-T (ThT) fluorescence assays further indicated that GM1 likely interacts with an amyloidogenic Aβ42 intermediate species leading to a possible formation of GM1-modified Aβ42 fibril. Statistically, no significant difference in toxicity to RA-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells was observed between Aβ42 fibrils and GM1-tweaked Aβ42 aggregates. Moreover, GM1-modified Aβ42 aggregates exhibited prion-like properties in catalyzing the amyloid fibril formation of both major isomers of Aβ, Aβ40, and Aβ42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Kumar
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Magdalena I Ivanova
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA.
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12
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D'Andrea C, Cazzaniga FA, Bistaffa E, Barucci A, de Angelis M, Banchelli M, Farnesi E, Polykretis P, Marzi C, Indaco A, Tiraboschi P, Giaccone G, Matteini P, Moda F. Impact of seed amplification assay and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined approach on the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:35. [PMID: 37438825 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00367-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is based on a series of analyses which involve clinical, instrumental and laboratory findings. However, signs, symptoms and biomarker alterations observed in AD might overlap with other dementias, resulting in misdiagnosis. METHODS Here we describe a new diagnostic approach for AD which takes advantage of the boosted sensitivity in biomolecular detection, as allowed by seed amplification assay (SAA), combined with the unique specificity in biomolecular recognition, as provided by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). RESULTS The SAA-SERS approach supported by machine learning data analysis allowed efficient identification of pathological Aβ oligomers in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with a clinical diagnosis of AD or mild cognitive impairment due to AD. CONCLUSIONS Such analytical approach can be used to recognize disease features, thus allowing early stratification and selection of patients, which is fundamental in clinical treatments and pharmacological trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano D'Andrea
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Federico Angelo Cazzaniga
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Barucci
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Marella de Angelis
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Martina Banchelli
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Edoardo Farnesi
- Institute of Physical Chemistry (IPC) and Abbe Center of Photonics (ACP), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Panagis Polykretis
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Chiara Marzi
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Antonio Indaco
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Tiraboschi
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Matteini
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | - Fabio Moda
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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13
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Ennerfelt H, Holliday C, Shapiro D, Zengeler K, Bolte A, Ulland T, Lukens J. CARD9 attenuates Aβ pathology and modifies microglial responses in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303760120. [PMID: 37276426 PMCID: PMC10268238 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303760120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances have highlighted the importance of several innate immune receptors expressed by microglia in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, mounting evidence from AD patients and experimental models indicates pivotal roles for TREM2, CD33, and CD22 in neurodegenerative disease progression. While there is growing interest in targeting these microglial receptors to treat AD, we still lack knowledge of the downstream signaling molecules used by these receptors to orchestrate immune responses in AD. Notably, TREM2, CD33, and CD22 have been described to influence signaling associated with the intracellular adaptor molecule CARD9 to mount downstream immune responses outside of the brain. However, the role of CARD9 in AD remains poorly understood. Here, we show that genetic ablation of CARD9 in the 5xFAD mouse model of AD results in exacerbated amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition, increased neuronal loss, worsened cognitive deficits, and alterations in microglial responses. We further show that pharmacological activation of CARD9 promotes improved clearance of Aβ deposits from the brains of 5xFAD mice. These results help to establish CARD9 as a key intracellular innate immune signaling molecule that regulates Aβ-mediated disease and microglial responses. Moreover, these findings suggest that targeting CARD9 might offer a strategy to improve Aβ clearance in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Ennerfelt
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Coco Holliday
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Daniel A. Shapiro
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Kristine E. Zengeler
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Ashley C. Bolte
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Tyler K. Ulland
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI53705
| | - John R. Lukens
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
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14
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Björk L, Klingstedt T, Nilsson KPR. Thiophene-Based Ligands: Design, Synthesis and Their Utilization for Optical Assignment of Polymorphic-Disease-Associated Protein Aggregates. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300044. [PMID: 36891883 PMCID: PMC10404026 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of ligands for detecting protein aggregates is of great interest, as these aggregated proteinaceous species are the pathological hallmarks of several devastating diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. In this regard, thiophene-based ligands have emerged as powerful tools for fluorescent assessment of these pathological entities. The intrinsic conformationally sensitive photophysical properties of poly- and oligothiophenes have allowed optical assignment of disease-associated protein aggregates in tissue sections, as well as real-time in vivo imaging of protein deposits. Herein, we recount the chemical evolution of different generations of thiophene-based ligands, and exemplify their use for the optical distinction of polymorphic protein aggregates. Furthermore, the chemical determinants for achieving a superior fluorescent thiophene-based ligand, as well as the next generation of thiophene-based ligands targeting distinct aggregated species are described. Finally, the directions for future research into the chemical design of thiophene-based ligands that can aid in resolving the scientific challenges around protein aggregation diseases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Björk
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Therése Klingstedt
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - K Peter R Nilsson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Merz GE, Chalkley MJ, Tan SK, Tse E, Lee J, Prusiner SB, Paras NA, DeGrado WF, Southworth DR. Stacked binding of a PET ligand to Alzheimer's tau paired helical filaments. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3048. [PMID: 37236970 PMCID: PMC10220082 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38537-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of filamentous aggregates of tau protein in the brain is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and many other neurodegenerative tauopathies. The filaments adopt disease-specific cross-β amyloid conformations that self-propagate and are implicated in neuronal loss. Development of molecular diagnostics and therapeutics is of critical importance. However, mechanisms of small molecule binding to the amyloid core is poorly understood. We used cryo-electron microscopy to determine a 2.7 Å structure of AD patient-derived tau paired-helical filaments bound to the PET ligand GTP-1. The compound is bound stoichiometrically at a single site along an exposed cleft of each protofilament in a stacked arrangement matching the fibril symmetry. Multiscale modeling reveals pi-pi aromatic interactions that pair favorably with the small molecule-protein contacts, supporting high specificity and affinity for the AD tau conformation. This binding mode offers critical insight into designing compounds to target different amyloid folds found across neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory E Merz
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew J Chalkley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sophia K Tan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eric Tse
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joanne Lee
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nick A Paras
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William F DeGrado
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel R Southworth
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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16
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Lantz L, Shirani H, Ghetti B, Vidal R, Klingstedt T, Nilsson KPR. Thiophene-Based Ligands for Histological Multiplex Spectral Detection of Distinct Protein Aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202203568. [PMID: 36645413 PMCID: PMC10101888 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202203568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation and accumulation of proteins in the brain is the defining feature of many devastating neurodegenerative diseases. The development of fluorescent ligands that bind to these accumulations, or deposits, is essential for the characterization of these neuropathological lesions. We report the synthesis of donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) thiophene-based ligands with different emission properties. The D-A-D ligands displayed selectivity towards distinct disease-associated protein deposits in histological sections from postmortem brain tissue of individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ability of the ligands to selectively identify AD-associated pathological alterations, such as deposits composed of aggregates of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide or tau, was reduced when the chemical composition of the ligands was altered. When combining the D-A-D ligands with conventional thiophene-based ligands, superior spectral separation of distinct protein aggregates in AD tissue sections was obtained. Our findings provide the structural and functional basis for the development of new fluorescent ligands that can distinguish between aggregated proteinaceous species, as well as offer novel strategies for developing multiplex fluorescence detection of protein aggregates in tissue sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Lantz
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Hamid Shirani
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA
| | - Therése Klingstedt
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - K Peter R Nilsson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
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17
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Lee M, Yau WM, Louis JM, Tycko R. Structures of brain-derived 42-residue amyloid-β fibril polymorphs with unusual molecular conformations and intermolecular interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218831120. [PMID: 36893281 PMCID: PMC10089215 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218831120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrils formed by the 42-residue amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42), a main component of amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease (AD), are known to be polymorphic, i.e., to contain multiple possible molecular structures. Previous studies of Aβ42 fibrils, including fibrils prepared entirely in vitro or extracted from brain tissue and using solid-state NMR (ssNMR) or cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) methods, have found polymorphs with differences in amino acid sidechain orientations, lengths of structurally ordered segments, and contacts between cross-β subunit pairs within a single filament. Despite these differences, Aβ42 molecules adopt a common S-shaped conformation in all previously described high-resolution Aβ42 fibril structures. Here we report two cryo-EM-based structures of Aβ42 fibrils that are qualitatively different, in samples derived from AD brain tissue by seeded growth. In type A fibrils, residues 12 to 42 adopt a ν-shaped conformation, with both intra-subunit and intersubunit hydrophobic contacts to form a compact core. In type B fibrils, residues 2 to 42 adopt an υ-shaped conformation, with only intersubunit contacts and internal pores. Type A and type B fibrils have opposite helical handedness. Cryo-EM density maps and molecular dynamics simulations indicate intersubunit K16-A42 salt bridges in type B fibrils and partially occupied K28-A42 salt bridges in type A fibrils. The coexistence of two predominant polymorphs, with differences in N-terminal dynamics, is supported by ssNMR data, as is faithful propagation of structures from first-generation to second-generation brain-seeded Aβ42 fibril samples. These results demonstrate that Aβ42 fibrils can exhibit a greater range of structural variations than seen in previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myungwoon Lee
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892-0520
| | - Wai-Ming Yau
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892-0520
| | - John M. Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892-0520
| | - Robert Tycko
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892-0520
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18
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Yang H, Yuan P, Wu Y, Shi M, Caro CD, Tengeiji A, Yamanoi S, Inoue M, DeGrado WF, Condello C. EMBER multi-dimensional spectral microscopy enables quantitative determination of disease- and cell-specific amyloid strains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.01.526692. [PMID: 36778268 PMCID: PMC9915571 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.526692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
In neurodegenerative diseases proteins fold into amyloid structures with distinct conformations (strains) that are characteristic of different diseases. However, there is a need to rapidly identify amyloid conformations in situ . Here we use machine learning on the full information available in fluorescent excitation/emission spectra of amyloid binding dyes to identify six distinct different conformational strains in vitro , as well as Aβ deposits in different transgenic mouse models. Our EMBER (excitation multiplexed bright emission recording) imaging method rapidly identifies conformational differences in Aβ and tau deposits from Down syndrome, sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease human brain slices. EMBER has in situ identified distinct conformational strains of tau inclusions in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons from Pick's disease. In future studies, EMBER should enable high-throughput measurements of the fidelity of strain transmission in cellular and animal neurodegenerative diseases models, time course of amyloid strain propagation, and identification of pathogenic versus benign strains. Significance In neurodegenerative diseases proteins fold into amyloid structures with distinct conformations (strains) that are characteristic of different diseases. There is a need to rapidly identify these amyloid conformations in situ . Here we use machine learning on the full information available in fluorescent excitation/emission spectra of amyloid binding dyes to identify six distinct different conformational strains in vitro , as well as Aβ deposits in different transgenic mouse models. Our imaging method rapidly identifies conformational differences in Aβ and tau deposits from Down syndrome, sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease human brain slices. We also identified distinct conformational strains of tau inclusions in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons from Pick's disease. These findings will facilitate the identification of pathogenic protein aggregates to guide research and treatment of protein misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjun Yang
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Peng Yuan
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Yibing Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Marie Shi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Christoffer D Caro
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | | | | | | | - William F DeGrado
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
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19
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Wu T, Yu JC, Suresh A, Gale-Day ZJ, Alteen MG, Woo AS, Millbern Z, Johnson OT, Carroll EC, Partch CL, Fourches D, Vinueza NR, Vocadlo DJ, Gestwicki JE. Conformationally responsive dyes enable protein-adaptive differential scanning fluorimetry. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.23.525251. [PMID: 36747624 PMCID: PMC9900766 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.23.525251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Flexible in vitro methods alter the course of biological discoveries. Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF) is a particularly versatile technique which reports protein thermal unfolding via fluorogenic dye. However, applications of DSF are limited by widespread protein incompatibilities with the available DSF dyes. Here, we enable DSF applications for 66 of 70 tested proteins (94%) including 10 from the SARS-CoV2 virus using a chemically diverse dye library, Aurora, to identify compatible dye-protein pairs in high throughput. We find that this protein-adaptive DSF platform (paDSF) not only triples the previous protein compatibility, but also fundamentally extends the processes observable by DSF, including interdomain allostery in O-GlcNAc Transferase (OGT). paDSF enables routine measurement of protein stability, dynamics, and ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiasean Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Joshua C. Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Arundhati Suresh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Zachary J. Gale-Day
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Matthew G. Alteen
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University; Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Amanda S. Woo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Zoe Millbern
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Oleta T. Johnson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Emma C. Carroll
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
| | - Carrie L. Partch
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Denis Fourches
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Nelson R. Vinueza
- Department of Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - David J. Vocadlo
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University; Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University; Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jason E. Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 94038, USA
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20
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Condello C, Merz GE, Aoyagi A, DeGrado WF, Prusiner SB. Aβ and Tau Prions Causing Alzheimer's Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2561:293-337. [PMID: 36399277 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2655-9_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Studies show that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have both Aβ and tau prions, and thus, AD is a double-prion disease. AD patients with the greatest longevity exhibited low levels of both Aβ and tau prions; tau prions were nearly absent in the brains of almost half of the patients who lived beyond 80 years of age. Using cellular bioassays for prions in postmortem samples, we found that both Aβ and tau proteins misfold into prions leading to AD, which is either a sporadic or familial dementing disorder. Although AD is transmissible experimentally, there is no evidence that AD is either communicable or contagious. Since the progression of AD correlates poorly with insoluble Aβ in the central nervous system (CNS), it was difficult to distinguish between inert amyloids and Aβ prions. To measure the progression of AD, we devised rapid bioassays to measure the abundance of isoform-specific Aβ prions in the brains of transgenic (Tg) mice and in postmortem human CNS samples from AD victims and people who died of other neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). We found significant correlations between the longevity of individuals with AD, sex, and genetic background, despite the fact that all postmortem brain tissue had essentially the same confirmed neuropathology.Although brains from all AD patients had measurable levels of Aβ prions at death, the oldest individuals had lower Aβ prion levels than the younger ones. Additionally, the long-lived individuals had low tau prion levels that correlated with the extent of phosphorylated tau (p-tau). Unexpectedly, a longevity-dependent decrease in tau prions was found in spite of increasing amounts of total insoluble tau. When corrected for the abundance of insoluble tau, the tau prion levels decreased exponentially with respect to the age at death with a half-time of approximately one decade, and this correlated with the abundance of phosphorylated tau.Even though our findings with tau prions were not unexpected, they were counterintuitive; thus, tau phosphorylation and tau prion activity decreased exponentially with longevity in patients with AD ranging from ages 37 to 99 years. Our findings demonstrated an inverse correlation between longevity in AD patients and the abundance of neurotoxic tau prions. Moreover, our discovery may have profound implications for the selection of phenotypically distinct patient populations and the development of diagnostics and effective therapeutics for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Gregory E Merz
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Atsushi Aoyagi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - William F DeGrado
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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21
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Björk L, Bäck M, Lantz L, Ghetti B, Vidal R, Klingstedt T, Nilsson KPR. Proteophenes - Amino Acid Functionalized Thiophene-based Fluorescent Ligands for Visualization of Protein Deposits in Tissue Sections with Alzheimer's Disease Pathology. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202201557. [PMID: 35950816 PMCID: PMC9643645 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201557] [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: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Protein deposits composed of specific proteins or peptides are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases and fluorescent ligands able to detect these pathological hallmarks are vital. Here, we report the synthesis of a class of thiophene-based ligands, denoted proteophenes, with different amino acid side-chain functionalities along the conjugated backbone, which display selectivity towards specific disease-associated protein aggregates in tissue sections with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The selectivity of the ligands towards AD associated pathological hallmarks, such as aggregates of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide or tau filamentous inclusions, was highly dependent on the chemical nature of the amino acid functionality, as well as on the location of the functionality along the pentameric thiophene backbone. Finally, the concept of synthesizing donor-acceptor-donor proteophenes with distinct photophysical properties was shown. Our findings provide the structural and functional basis for the development of new thiophene-based ligands that can be utilized for optical assignment of different aggregated proteinaceous species in tissue sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Björk
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping University581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - Marcus Bäck
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping University581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - Linda Lantz
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping University581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis46202IndianaUSA
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis46202IndianaUSA
| | - Therése Klingstedt
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping University581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - K. Peter R. Nilsson
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping University581 83LinköpingSweden
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22
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Stepanchuk AA, Morgan ML, Joseph JT, Stys PK. Dual-probe fluorescence spectroscopy for sensitive quantitation of Alzheimer’s amyloid pathology. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:153. [DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01456-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractProtein misfolding is a prominent pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Studies have shown that the diversity of β sheet-rich protein deposits (such as amyloid β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles), present across different brain regions, might underlie different disease phenotypes and only certain types of aggregates might be associated with cognitive decline. Conformationally sensitive fluorescent amyloid probes have the ability to report different structures of protein aggregates by virtue of their shifting emission spectra. Here we defined the binding affinity of the fluorescent amyloid probes BSB and MCAAD to disease-relevant protein aggregates, and combined the two probes to examine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded mouse and human brain samples. Coupled with quantitative spectral phasor analysis, the dual-probe staining approach revealed remarkable heterogeneity of protein aggregates across the samples. Distinct emission spectra were consistent with certain types of deposits present in the mouse and human brain sections. The sensitivity of this staining, imaging and analysis approach outperformed conventional immunohistochemistry with the detected spectral differences between the greater parenchyma of cognitively normal and AD cases indicating a subtle yet widespread proteopathy associated with disease. Our method offers more sensitive, objective, and quantitative examination of protein misfolding pathology using conventional tissue sections.
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23
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Saha J, Bose P, Dhakal S, Ghosh P, Rangachari V. Ganglioside-Enriched Phospholipid Vesicles Induce Cooperative Aβ Oligomerization and Membrane Disruption. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2206-2220. [PMID: 36173882 PMCID: PMC9840156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
A major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of extracellular aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ). Structural polymorphism observed among Aβ fibrils in AD brains seem to correlate with the clinical subtypes suggesting a link between fibril polymorphism and pathology. Since fibrils emerge from a templated growth of low-molecular-weight oligomers, understanding the factors affecting oligomer generation is important. Membrane lipids are key factors to influence early stages of Aβ aggregation and oligomer generation, which cause membrane disruption. We have previously demonstrated that conformationally discrete Aβ oligomers can be generated by modulating the charge, composition, and chain length of lipids and surfactants. Here, we extend our studies into liposomal models by investigating Aβ oligomerization on large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) of total brain extracts (TBE), reconstituted lipid rafts (LRs), or 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC). Varying the vesicle composition by specifically increasing the amount of GM1 gangliosides as a constituent, we found that only GM1-enriched liposomes induce the formation of toxic, low-molecular-weight oligomers. Furthermore, we found that the aggregation on liposome surface and membrane disruption are highly cooperative and sensitive to membrane surface characteristics. Numerical simulations confirm such a cooperativity and reveal that GM1-enriched liposomes form twice as many pores as those formed in the absence GM1. Overall, this study uncovers mechanisms of cooperativity between oligomerization and membrane disruption under controlled lipid compositional bias, and refocuses the significance of the early stages of Aβ aggregation in polymorphism, propagation, and toxicity in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Priyankar Bose
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Shailendra Dhakal
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Preetam Ghosh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States; Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
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24
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Guillemain G, Lacapere JJ, Khemtemourian L. Targeting hIAPP fibrillation: A new paradigm to prevent β-cell death? BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184002. [PMID: 35868406 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Loss of pancreatic β-cell mass is deleterious for type 2 diabetes patients since it reduces insulin production, critical for glucose homeostasis. The main research axis developed over the last few years was to generate new pancreatic β-cells or to transplant pancreatic islets as occurring for some specific type 1 diabetes patients. We evaluate here a new paradigm consisting in preservation of β-cells by prevention of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) oligomers and fibrils formation leading to pancreatic β-cell death. We review the hIAPP physiology and the pathology that contributes to β-cell destruction, deciphering the various cellular steps that could be involved. Recent progress in understanding other amyloidosis such as Aβ, Tau, α-synuclein or prion, involved in neurodegenerative processes linked with inflammation, has opened new research lines of investigations to preserve neuronal cells. We evaluate and estimate their transposition to the pancreatic β-cells preservation. Among them is the control of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production occurring with inflammation and the possible implication of the mitochondrial translocator protein as a diagnostic and therapeutic target. The present review also focuses on other amyloid forming proteins from molecular to physiological and physiopathological points of view that could help to better decipher hIAPP-induced β-cell death mechanisms and to prevent hIAPP fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghislaine Guillemain
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, Inserm UMR_S938, Institute of Cardio metabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Centre de recherche de St-Antoine (CRSA), 27 rue de Chaligny, F-75012 Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Jacques Lacapere
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS UMR 7203, Laboratoire des BioMolécules (LBM), 4 place Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Lucie Khemtemourian
- CBMN, CNRS UMR 5248, IPB, Univ. Bordeaux, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, F-33600 Pessac, France.
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25
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Structure-specific amyloid precipitation in biofluids. Nat Chem 2022; 14:1045-1053. [PMID: 35798951 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-00976-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The composition of soluble toxic protein aggregates formed in vivo is currently unknown in neurodegenerative diseases, due to their ultra-low concentration in human biofluids and their high degree of heterogeneity. Here we report a method to capture amyloid-containing aggregates in human biofluids in an unbiased way, a process we name amyloid precipitation. We use a structure-specific chemical dimer, a Y-shaped, bio-inspired small molecule with two capture groups, for amyloid precipitation to increase affinity. Our capture molecule for amyloid precipitation (CAP-1) consists of a derivative of Pittsburgh Compound B (dimer) to target the cross β-sheets of amyloids and a biotin moiety for surface immobilization. By coupling CAP-1 to magnetic beads, we demonstrate that we can target the amyloid structure of all protein aggregates present in human cerebrospinal fluid, isolate them for analysis and then characterize them using single-molecule fluorescence imaging and mass spectrometry. Amyloid precipitation enables unbiased determination of the molecular composition and structural features of the in vivo aggregates formed in neurodegenerative diseases.
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26
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Bashit AA, Nepal P, Connors T, Oakley DH, Hyman BT, Yang L, Makowski L. Mapping the Spatial Distribution of Fibrillar Polymorphs in Human Brain Tissue. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:909542. [PMID: 35720706 PMCID: PMC9198601 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.909542] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder defined by the progressive formation and spread of fibrillar aggregates of Aβ peptide and tau protein. Polymorphic forms of these aggregates may contribute to disease in varying ways since different neuropathologies appear to be associated with different sets of fibrillar structures and follow distinct pathological trajectories that elicit characteristic clinical phenotypes. The molecular mechanisms underlying the spread of these aggregates in disease may include nucleation, replication, and migration all of which could vary with polymorphic form, stage of disease, and region of brain. Given the linkage between mechanisms of progression and distribution of polymorphs, mapping the distribution of fibrillar structures in situ has the potential to discriminate between mechanisms of progression. However, the means of carrying out this mapping are limited. Optical microscopy lacks the resolution to discriminate between polymorphs in situ, and higher resolution tools such as ssNMR and cryoEM require the isolation of fibrils from tissue, destroying relevant spatial information. Here, we demonstrate the use of scanning x-ray microdiffraction (XMD) to map the locations of fibrillar polymorphs of Aβ peptides and tau protein in histological thin sections of human brain tissue. Coordinated examination of serial sections by immunohistochemistry was used to aid in the interpretation of scattering patterns and to put the observations in a broader anatomical context. Scattering from lesions in tissue shown to be rich in Aβ fibrils by immunohistochemistry exhibited scattering patterns with a prototypical 4.7 Å cross-β peak, and overall intensity distribution that compared well with that predicted from high resolution structures. Scattering from lesions in tissue with extensive tau pathology also exhibited a 4.7 Å cross-β peak but with intensity distributions that were distinct from those seen in Aβ-rich regions. In summary, these observations demonstrate that XMD is a rich source of information on the distribution of fibrillar polymorphs in diseased human brain tissue. When used in coordination with neuropathological examination it has the potential to provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Al Bashit
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Prakash Nepal
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Theresa Connors
- Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Derek H Oakley
- Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lin Yang
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, United States
| | - Lee Makowski
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
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27
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Upadhyay A, Sundaria N, Dhiman R, Prajapati VK, Prasad A, Mishra A. Complex Inclusion Bodies and Defective Proteome Hubs in Neurodegenerative Disease: New Clues, New Challenges. Neuroscientist 2022; 28:271-282. [PMID: 33530848 DOI: 10.1177/1073858421989582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A healthy physiological environment of cells represents the dynamic homeostasis of crowded molecules. A subset of cellular proteome forms protein quality control (PQC) machinery to maintain an uninterrupted synthesis of new polypeptides and targeted elimination of old or defective proteins. The process of PQC may get overwhelmed under specific genetic mutations, environmental stress conditions, and aging-associated perturbances. Many of these conditions may lead to the generation of various types of aberrant protein species that may or may not accumulate as large cellular inclusions. These proteinaceous formations, referred to as inclusion bodies (IBs), could be membrane-bound or membrane-less, cytoplasmic, or nuclear. Most importantly, they could either be toxic or protective. Under acute stress conditions, the formation of aggregates may cause proteostasis failure, leading to large-scale changes in the cellular proteome compositions. However, the large insoluble IBs may act as reservoirs for many soluble proteins with high aggregation propensities, which can overwhelm the cellular chaperoning capacity and protein degradation machinery. The kinetic equilibrium between folding and unfolding, misfolding, and refolding; aggregation and degradation is perturbed in one or many neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) associated with dementia, cognitive impairments, movement, and behavioural losses. However, a detailed interplay of IBs into the manifestation of the NDDs is unknown, and a very primitive knowledge of structural compositions of amyloid inclusions is present. The present article presents a brief evolutionary background of IBs; their functional relevance for prokaryotes, plants, and animals; and associated involvement in neuronal proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Upadhyay
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Naveen Sundaria
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Rohan Dhiman
- Laboratory of Mycobacterial Immunology, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Amit Prasad
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
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28
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Chen B, Marquez-Nostra B, Belitzky E, Toyonaga T, Tong J, Huang Y, Cai Z. PET Imaging in Animal Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:872509. [PMID: 35685772 PMCID: PMC9171374 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.872509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The successful development and translation of PET imaging agents targeting β-amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles have allowed for in vivo detection of these hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) antemortem. Amyloid and tau PET have been incorporated into the A/T/N scheme for AD characterization and have become an integral part of ongoing clinical trials to screen patients for enrollment, prove drug action mechanisms, and monitor therapeutic effects. Meanwhile, preclinical PET imaging in animal models of AD can provide supportive information for mechanistic studies. With the recent advancement of gene editing technologies and AD animal model development, preclinical PET imaging in AD models will further facilitate our understanding of AD pathogenesis/progression and the development of novel treatments. In this study, we review the current state-of-the-art in preclinical PET imaging using animal models of AD and suggest future research directions.
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29
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Louros N, Ramakers M, Michiels E, Konstantoulea K, Morelli C, Garcia T, Moonen N, D'Haeyer S, Goossens V, Thal DR, Audenaert D, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Mapping the sequence specificity of heterotypic amyloid interactions enables the identification of aggregation modifiers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1351. [PMID: 35292653 PMCID: PMC8924238 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28955-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterotypic amyloid interactions between related protein sequences have been observed in functional and disease amyloids. While sequence homology seems to favour heterotypic amyloid interactions, we have no systematic understanding of the structural rules determining such interactions nor whether they inhibit or facilitate amyloid assembly. Using structure-based thermodynamic calculations and extensive experimental validation, we performed a comprehensive exploration of the defining role of sequence promiscuity in amyloid interactions. Using tau as a model system we demonstrate that proteins with local sequence homology to tau amyloid nucleating regions can modify fibril nucleation, morphology, assembly and spreading of aggregates in cultured cells. Depending on the type of mutation such interactions inhibit or promote aggregation in a manner that can be predicted from structure. We find that these heterotypic amyloid interactions can result in the subcellular mis-localisation of these proteins. Moreover, equilibrium studies indicate that the critical concentration of aggregation is altered by heterotypic interactions. Our findings suggest a structural mechanism by which the proteomic background can modulate the aggregation propensity of amyloidogenic proteins and we discuss how such sequence-specific proteostatic perturbations could contribute to the selective cellular susceptibility of amyloid disease progression. In this work, Louros et al. uncover a rule book for interactions of amyloids with other proteins. This grammar was shown to promote cellular spreading of tau aggregates in cells, but can also be harvested to develop structure-based aggregation blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meine Ramakers
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emiel Michiels
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katerina Konstantoulea
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teresa Garcia
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nele Moonen
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sam D'Haeyer
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vera Goossens
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for Neuropathology, KU Leuven, and Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Audenaert
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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30
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Lucas MJ, Pan HS, Verbeke EJ, Partipilo G, Helfman EC, Kann L, Keitz BK, Taylor DW, Webb LJ. Cross-Seeding Controls Aβ Fibril Populations and Resulting Functions. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:2217-2229. [PMID: 35276047 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c09995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid peptides nucleate from monomers to aggregate into fibrils through primary nucleation. Pre-existing fibrils can then act as seeds for additional monomers to fibrillize through secondary nucleation. Both nucleation processes occur simultaneously, yielding a distribution of fibril polymorphs that can generate a spectrum of neurodegenerative effects. Understanding the mechanisms driving polymorph structural distribution during both nucleation processes is important for uncovering fibril structure-function relationships, as well as for creating polymorph distributions in vitro that better match fibril structures found in vivo. Here, we explore how cross-seeding wild-type (WT) Aβ1-40 with Aβ1-40 mutants E22G (Arctic) and E22Δ (Osaka), as well as with WT Aβ1-42, affects the distribution of fibril structural polymorphs and how changes in structural distribution impact toxicity. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that fibril seeds derived from mutants of Aβ1-40 imparted their structure to WT Aβ1-40 monomers during secondary nucleation, but WT Aβ1-40 fibril seeds do not affect the structure of fibrils assembled from mutant Aβ1-40 monomers, despite the kinetic data indicating accelerated aggregation when cross-seeding of any combination of mutants. Additionally, WT Aβ1-40 fibrils seeded with mutant fibrils produced similar structural distributions to the mutant seeds with similar cytotoxicity profiles. This indicates that mutant fibril seeds not only impart their structure to growing WT Aβ1-40 aggregates but also impart cytotoxic properties. Our findings establish a relationship between the fibril structure and the phenotype on a polymorph population level and that these properties can be passed on through secondary nucleation to the succeeding generations of fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Lucas
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Henry S Pan
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Eric J Verbeke
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Gina Partipilo
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Ethan C Helfman
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Leah Kann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Benjamin K Keitz
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - David W Taylor
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.,Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.,Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.,LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Lauren J Webb
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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31
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Mukherjee A, Al-Lahham R, Corkins ME, Samanta S, Schmeichel AM, Singer W, Low PA, Govindaraju T, Soto C. Identification of Multicolor Fluorescent Probes for Heterogeneous Aβ Deposits in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:802614. [PMID: 35185519 PMCID: PMC8852231 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.802614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) into amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau into neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is a significant intra- and inter-individual variability in the morphology and conformation of Aβ aggregates, which may account in part for the extensive clinical and pathophysiological heterogeneity observed in AD. In this study, we sought to identify an array of fluorescent dyes to specifically probe Aβ aggregates, in an effort to address their diversity. We screened a small library of fluorescent probes and identified three benzothiazole-coumarin derivatives that stained both vascular and parenchymal Aβ deposits in AD brain sections. The set of these three dyes allowed the visualization of Aβ deposits in three different colors (blue, green and far-red). Importantly, two of these dyes specifically stained Aβ deposits with no apparent staining of hyperphosphorylated tau or α-synuclein deposits. Furthermore, this set of dyes demonstrated differential interactions with distinct types of Aβ deposits present in the same subject. Aβ aggregate-specific dyes identified in this study have the potential to be further developed into Aβ imaging probes for the diagnosis of AD. In addition, the far-red dye we identified in this study may serve as an imaging probe for small animal imaging of Aβ pathology. Finally, these dyes in combination may help us advance our understanding of the relation between the various Aβ deposits and the clinical diversity observed in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhisek Mukherjee
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rabab Al-Lahham
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mark E. Corkins
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sourav Samanta
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Wolfgang Singer
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Phillip A. Low
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Thimmaiah Govindaraju
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India
| | - Claudio Soto
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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32
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Duara R, Barker W. Heterogeneity in Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis and Progression Rates: Implications for Therapeutic Trials. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:8-25. [PMID: 35084721 PMCID: PMC9130395 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01185-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical presentation and the pathological processes underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be very heterogeneous in severity, location, and composition including the amount and distribution of AB deposition and spread of neurofibrillary tangles in different brain regions resulting in atypical clinical patterns and the existence of distinct AD variants. Heterogeneity in AD may be related to demographic factors (such as age, sex, educational and socioeconomic level) and genetic factors, which influence underlying pathology, the cognitive and behavioral phenotype, rate of progression, the occurrence of neuropsychiatric features, and the presence of comorbidities (e.g., vascular disease, neuroinflammation). Heterogeneity is also manifest in the individual resilience to the development of neuropathology (brain reserve) and the ability to compensate for its cognitive and functional impact (cognitive and functional reserve). The variability in specific cognitive profiles and types of functional impairment may be associated with different progression rates, and standard measures assessing progression may not be equivalent for individual cognitive and functional profiles. Other factors, which may govern the presence, rate, and type of progression of AD, include the individuals' general medical health, the presence of specific systemic conditions, and lifestyle factors, including physical exercise, cognitive and social stimulation, amount of leisure activities, environmental stressors, such as toxins and pollution, and the effects of medications used to treat medical and behavioral conditions. These factors that affect progression are important to consider while designing a clinical trial to ensure, as far as possible, well-balanced treatment and control groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjan Duara
- Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA
- Departments of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Warren Barker
- Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA.
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33
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Maxwell AM, Yuan P, Rivera BM, Schaaf W, Mladinov M, Prasher VP, Robinson AC, DeGrado WF, Condello C. Emergence of distinct and heterogeneous strains of amyloid beta with advanced Alzheimer's disease pathology in Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:201. [PMID: 34961556 PMCID: PMC8711167 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01298-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid beta (Aβ) is thought to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prion-like Aβ polymorphs, or "strains", can have varying pathogenicity and may underlie the phenotypic heterogeneity of the disease. In order to develop effective AD therapies, it is critical to identify the strains of Aβ that might arise prior to the onset of clinical symptoms and understand how they may change with progressing disease. Down syndrome (DS), as the most common genetic cause of AD, presents promising opportunities to compare such features between early and advanced AD. In this work, we evaluate the neuropathology and Aβ strain profile in the post-mortem brain tissues of 210 DS, AD, and control individuals. We assayed the levels of various Aβ and tau species and used conformation-sensitive fluorescent probes to detect differences in Aβ strains among individuals and populations. We found that these cohorts have some common but also some distinct strains from one another, with the most heterogeneous populations of Aβ emerging in subjects with high levels of AD pathology. The emergence of distinct strains in DS at these later stages of disease suggests that the confluence of aging, pathology, and other DS-linked factors may favor conditions that generate strains that are unique from sporadic AD.
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34
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Niyangoda C, Barton J, Bushra N, Karunarathne K, Strauss G, Fakhre F, Koria P, Muschol M. Origin, toxicity and characteristics of two amyloid oligomer polymorphs. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1631-1642. [PMID: 34977578 PMCID: PMC8637835 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00081k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that small oligomeric aggregates, emerging during the assembly of amyloid fibrils and plaques, are important molecular pathogens in many amyloid diseases. While significant progress has been made in revealing the mechanisms underlying fibril growth, understanding how amyloid oligomers fit into the fibril assembly process, and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of amyloid diseases, has remained elusive. Commonly, amyloid oligomers are considered to be metastable, early-stage precursors to fibril formation that are either on- or off-pathway from fibril growth. In addition, amyloid oligomers have been reported to colocalize with late-stage fibrils and plaques. Whether these early and late-stage oligomer species are identical or distinct, and whether both are relevant to pathogenesis remains unclear. Here we report on the formation of two distinct oligomer species of lysozyme, formed either during the early or late-stages of in vitro fibril growth. We further observe that the pH change from in vitro growth conditions to cell media used for toxicity studies induced distinct mesoscopic precipitates, two of which resemble either diffuse or neuritic plaques seen in Alzheimer's histology. Our biophysical characterization indicates that both oligomer species share morphological and tinctorial features considered characteristic for amyloid oligomers. At the same time, their sizes, morphologies, their immunostaining, detailed tinctorial profiles and, most prominently, their biological activity are clearly distinct from each other. Probing the conditions promoting the formation of these two distinct oligomer species suggests distinct roles of charge interactions, hydrophobicity and monomer flexibility in directing oligomer assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Barton
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Nabila Bushra
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | | | - Graham Strauss
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Fadia Fakhre
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Piyush Koria
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Martin Muschol
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
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35
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Stepanchuk AA, Barber PA, Lashley T, Joseph JT, Stys PK. Quantitative detection of grey and white matter amyloid pathology using a combination of K114 and CRANAD-3 fluorescence. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 161:105540. [PMID: 34751140 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that exacts a huge toll on the patient, the healthcare system and society in general. Abundance and morphology of protein aggregates such as amyloid β plaques and tau tangles, along with cortical atrophy and gliosis are used as measures to assess the changes in the brain induced by the disease. Not all of these parameters have a direct correlation with cognitive decline. Studies have shown that only particular protein conformers can be the main drivers of disease progression, and conventional approaches are unable to distinguish different conformations of disease-relevant proteins. METHODS AND RESULTS Using the fluorescent amyloid probes K114 and CRANAD-3 and spectral confocal microscopy, we examined formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain samples from different control and AD cases. Based on the emission spectra of the probes used in this study, we found that certain spectral signatures can be correlated with different aggregates formed by different proteins. The combination of spectral imaging and advanced image analysis tools allowed us to detect variability of protein deposits across the samples. CONCLUSION Our proposed method offers a quicker and easier neuropathological assessment of tissue samples, as well as introducing an additional parameter by which protein aggregates can be discriminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia A Stepanchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Philip A Barber
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Jeffrey T Joseph
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter K Stys
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Ghosh U, Yau WM, Collinge J, Tycko R. Structural differences in amyloid-β fibrils from brains of nondemented elderly individuals and Alzheimer's disease patients. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2111863118. [PMID: 34725161 PMCID: PMC8609303 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111863118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although amyloid plaques composed of fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ) assemblies are a diagnostic hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), quantities of amyloid similar to those in AD patients are observed in brain tissue of some nondemented elderly individuals. The relationship between amyloid deposition and neurodegeneration in AD has, therefore, been unclear. Here, we use solid-state NMR to investigate whether molecular structures of Aβ fibrils from brain tissue of nondemented elderly individuals with high amyloid loads differ from structures of Aβ fibrils from AD tissue. Two-dimensional solid-state NMR spectra of isotopically labeled Aβ fibrils, prepared by seeded growth from frontal lobe tissue extracts, are similar in the two cases but with statistically significant differences in intensity distributions of cross-peak signals. Differences in solid-state NMR data are greater for 42-residue amyloid-β (Aβ42) fibrils than for 40-residue amyloid-β (Aβ40) fibrils. These data suggest that similar sets of fibril polymorphs develop in nondemented elderly individuals and AD patients but with different relative populations on average.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ujjayini Ghosh
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Wai-Ming Yau
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520
| | - John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London, London W1W 7FF, United Kingdom
- Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London W1W 7FF, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Tycko
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520;
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37
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Joshi P, Riffel F, Kumar S, Villacampa N, Theil S, Parhizkar S, Haass C, Colonna M, Heneka MT, Arzberger T, Herms J, Walter J. TREM2 modulates differential deposition of modified and non-modified Aβ species in extracellular plaques and intraneuronal deposits. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:168. [PMID: 34663480 PMCID: PMC8522217 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01263-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Progressive accumulation of Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits in the brain is a characteristic neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). During disease progression, extracellular Aβ plaques undergo specific changes in their composition by the sequential deposition of different modified Aβ species. Microglia are implicated in the restriction of amyloid deposits and play a major role in internalization and degradation of Aβ. Recent studies showed that rare variants of the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) are associated with an increased risk for AD. Post-translational modifications of Aβ could modulate the interaction with TREM2, and the uptake by microglia. Here, we demonstrate that genetic deletion of TREM2 or expression of a disease associated TREM2 variant in mice lead to differential accumulation of modified and non-modified Aβ species in extracellular plaques and intraneuronal deposits. Human brains with rare TREM2 AD risk variants also showed altered deposition of modified Aβ species in the different brain lesions as compared to cases with the common variant of TREM2. These findings indicate that TREM2 plays a critical role in the development and the composition of Aβ deposits, not only in extracellular plaques, but also intraneuronally, that both could contribute to the pathogenesis of AD.
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38
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Lombardi G, Pupi A, Bessi V, Polito C, Padiglioni S, Ferrari C, Lucidi G, Berti V, De Cristofaro MT, Piaceri I, Bagnoli S, Nacmias B, Sorbi S. Challenges in Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic Work-Up: Amyloid Biomarker Incongruences. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 77:203-217. [PMID: 32716357 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Discordance among amyloid biomarkers is a challenge to overcome in order to increase diagnostic accuracy in dementia. OBJECTIVES 1) To verify that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio (AβR) better agrees with Amyloid PET (Amy-PET) results compared to CSF Aβ42; 2) to detect differences among concordant positive, concordant negative, and discordant cases, basing the concordance definition on the agreement between CSF AβR and Amy-PET results; 3) to define the suspected underlying pathology of discordant cases using in vivo biomarkers. METHOD We retrospectively enrolled 39 cognitively impaired participants in which neuropsychological tests, apolipoprotein E genotype determination, TC/MRI, FDG-PET, Amy-PET, and CSF analysis had been performed. In all cases, CSF analysis was repeated using the automated Lumipulse method. In discordant cases, FDG-PET scans were evaluated visually and using automated classifiers. RESULTS CSF AβR better agreed with Amy-PET compared to CSF Aβ42 (Cohen's K 0.431 versus 0.05). Comparisons among groups did not show any difference in clinical characteristics except for age at symptoms onset that was higher in the 6 discordant cases with abnormal CSF AβR values and negative Amy-PET (CSF AβR+/AmyPET-). FDG-PET and all CSF markers (Aβ42, AβR, p-Tau, t-Tau) were suggestive of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in 5 of these 6 cases. CONCLUSION 1) CSF AβR is the CSF amyloid marker that shows the better level of agreement with Amy-PET results; 2) The use of FDG-PET and CSF-Tau markers in CSFAβR+/Amy-PET-discordant cases can support AD diagnosis; 3) Disagreement between positive CSF AβR and negative Amy-PET in symptomatic aged AD patients could be due to the variability in plaques conformation and a negative Amy-PET scan cannot be always sufficient to rule out AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Lombardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Fondazione Filippo Turati, Pistoia, Italy
| | | | | | - Cristina Polito
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences "Mario Serio", Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Sonia Padiglioni
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Camilla Ferrari
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Valentina Berti
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences "Mario Serio", Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Irene Piaceri
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Bagnoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Benedetta Nacmias
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
| | - Sandro Sorbi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
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Legname G, Scialò C. On the role of the cellular prion protein in the uptake and signaling of pathological aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. Prion 2021; 14:257-270. [PMID: 33345731 PMCID: PMC7757855 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2020.1854034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with intra- or extra-cellular deposition of aggregates of misfolded insoluble proteins. These deposits composed of tau, amyloid-β or α-synuclein spread from cell to cell, in a prion-like manner. Novel evidence suggests that the circulating soluble oligomeric species of these misfolded proteins could play a major role in pathology, while insoluble aggregates would represent their protective less toxic counterparts. Recent convincing data support the proposition that the cellular prion protein, PrPC, act as a toxicity-inducing receptor for amyloid-β oligomers. As a consequence, several studies focused their investigations to the role played by PrPC in binding other protein aggregates, such as tau and α-synuclein, for its possible common role in mediating toxic signalling. The biological relevance of PrPC as key ligand and potential mediator of toxicity for multiple proteinaceous aggregated species, prions or PrPSc included, could lead to relevant therapeutic implications. Here we describe the structure of PrPC and the proposed interplay with its pathological counterpart PrPSc and then we recapitulate the most recent findings regarding the role of PrPC in the interaction with aggregated forms of other neurodegeneration-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlo Scialò
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
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40
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Klingstedt T, Shirani H, Ghetti B, Vidal R, R. Nilsson KP. Thiophene-Based Optical Ligands That Selectively Detect Aβ Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2568-2581. [PMID: 34101954 PMCID: PMC8409278 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In several neurodegenerative diseases, the presence of aggregates of specific proteins in the brain is a significant pathological hallmark; thus, developing ligands able to bind to the aggregated proteins is essential for any effort related to imaging and therapeutics. Here we report the synthesis of thiophene-based ligands containing nitrogen heterocycles. The ligands selectively recognized amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates in brain tissue from individuals diagnosed neuropathologically as having Alzheimer's disease (AD). The selectivity for Aβ was dependent on the position of nitrogen in the heterocyclic compounds, and the ability to bind Aβ was shown to be reduced when introducing anionic substituents on the thiophene backbone. Our findings provide the structural and functional basis for the development of ligands that can differentiate between aggregated proteinaceous species comprised of distinct proteins. These ligands might also be powerful tools for studying the pathogenesis of Aβ aggregation and for designing molecules for imaging of Aβ pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Therése Klingstedt
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping UniversitySE-581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - Hamid Shirani
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping UniversitySE-581 83LinköpingSweden
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis46202IndianaUSA
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis46202IndianaUSA
| | - K. Peter R. Nilsson
- Department of PhysicsChemistry and BiologyLinköping UniversitySE-581 83LinköpingSweden
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41
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Saha J, Dean DN, Dhakal S, Stockmal KA, Morgan SE, Dillon KD, Adamo MF, Levites Y, Rangachari V. Biophysical characteristics of lipid-induced Aβ oligomers correlate to distinctive phenotypes in transgenic mice. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21318. [PMID: 33508158 PMCID: PMC7883479 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002025rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects cognition and memory. Recent advances have helped identify many clinical sub‐types in AD. Mounting evidence point toward structural polymorphism among fibrillar aggregates of amyloid‐β (Aβ) to being responsible for the phenotypes and clinical manifestations. In the emerging paradigm of polymorphism and prion‐like propagation of aggregates in AD, the role of low molecular weight soluble oligomers, which are long known to be the primary toxic agents, in effecting phenotypes remains inconspicuous. In this study, we present the characterization of three soluble oligomers of Aβ42, namely 14LPOs, 16LPOs, and GM1Os with discreet biophysical and biochemical properties generated using lysophosphatidyl glycerols and GM1 gangliosides. The results indicate that the oligomers share some biophysical similarities but display distinctive differences with GM1Os. Unlike the other two, GM1Os were observed to be complexed with the lipid upon isolation. It also differs mainly in detection by conformation‐sensitive dyes and conformation‐specific antibodies, temperature and enzymatic stability, and in the ability to propagate morphologically‐distinct fibrils. GM1Os also show distinguishable biochemical behavior with pronounced neuronal toxicity. Furthermore, all the oligomers induce cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and plaque burden in transgenic AD mice, which seems to be a consistent feature among all lipid‐derived oligomers, but 16LPOs and GM1Os displayed significantly higher effect than the others. These results establish a correlation between molecular features of Aβ42 oligomers and their distinguishable effects in transgenic AD mice attuned by lipid characteristics, and therefore help bridge the knowledge gap in understanding how oligomer conformers could elicit AD phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Dexter N Dean
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Shailendra Dhakal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Kelli A Stockmal
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Sarah E Morgan
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Kristy D Dillon
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Munir F Adamo
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yona Levites
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.,Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
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42
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Lau HHC, Ingelsson M, Watts JC. The existence of Aβ strains and their potential for driving phenotypic heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:17-39. [PMID: 32743745 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02201-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Reminiscent of the human prion diseases, there is considerable clinical and pathological variability in Alzheimer's disease, the most common human neurodegenerative condition. As in prion disorders, protein misfolding and aggregation is a hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease, where the initiating event is thought to be the self-assembly of Aβ peptide into aggregates that deposit in the central nervous system. Emerging evidence suggests that Aβ, similar to the prion protein, can polymerize into a conformationally diverse spectrum of aggregate strains both in vitro and within the brain. Moreover, certain types of Aβ aggregates exhibit key hallmarks of prion strains including divergent biochemical attributes and the ability to induce distinct pathological phenotypes when intracerebrally injected into mouse models. In this review, we discuss the evidence demonstrating that Aβ can assemble into distinct strains of aggregates and how such strains may be primary drivers of the phenotypic heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease.
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43
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Molecular structure of a prevalent amyloid-β fibril polymorph from Alzheimer's disease brain tissue. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2023089118. [PMID: 33431654 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023089118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils exhibit self-propagating, molecular-level polymorphisms that may contribute to variations in clinical and pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report the molecular structure of a specific fibril polymorph, formed by 40-residue Aβ peptides (Aβ40), that is derived from cortical tissue of an AD patient by seeded fibril growth. The structure is determined from cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) images, supplemented by mass-per-length (MPL) measurements and solid-state NMR (ssNMR) data. Previous ssNMR studies with multiple AD patients had identified this polymorph as the most prevalent brain-derived Aβ40 fibril polymorph from typical AD patients. The structure, which has 2.8-Å resolution according to standard criteria, differs qualitatively from all previously described Aβ fibril structures, both in its molecular conformations and its organization of cross-β subunits. Unique features include twofold screw symmetry about the fibril growth axis, despite an MPL value that indicates three Aβ40 molecules per 4.8-Å β-sheet spacing, a four-layered architecture, and fully extended conformations for molecules in the central two cross-β layers. The cryoEM density, ssNMR data, and MPL data are consistent with β-hairpin conformations for molecules in the outer cross-β layers. Knowledge of this brain-derived fibril structure may contribute to the development of structure-specific amyloid imaging agents and aggregation inhibitors with greater diagnostic and therapeutic utility.
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Abstract
APPS198P segregates with rare familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease and resides within exon 5, unlike 27 other mutations that reside in exons 16 or 17. In this issue, Zhang et al. (2021. J. Exp. Med.https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20210313) show that the brains of APPS198P transgenic mice accumulate excess levels of Aβ. In cultured cells, APPS198P undergoes accelerated ER folding, leading to early arrival in late vesicular compartments, thereby enhancing generation of Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Gandy
- Department of Neurology and The Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health and NFL Neurological Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Psychiatry and The NIA-Designated Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,James J Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center and The NIA-Designated Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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45
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Ruiz-Riquelme A, Mao A, Barghash MM, Lau HHC, Stuart E, Kovacs GG, Nilsson KPR, Fraser PE, Schmitt-Ulms G, Watts JC. Aβ43 aggregates exhibit enhanced prion-like seeding activity in mice. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:83. [PMID: 33971978 PMCID: PMC8112054 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
When injected into genetically modified mice, aggregates of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide from the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients or transgenic AD mouse models seed cerebral Aβ deposition in a prion-like fashion. Within the brain, Aβ exists as a pool of distinct C-terminal variants with lengths ranging from 37 to 43 amino acids, yet the relative contribution of individual C-terminal Aβ variants to the seeding behavior of Aβ aggregates remains unknown. Here, we have investigated the relative seeding activities of Aβ aggregates composed exclusively of recombinant Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42, or Aβ43. Cerebral Aβ42 levels were not increased in AppNL−F knock-in mice injected with Aβ38 or Aβ40 aggregates and were only increased in a subset of mice injected with Aβ42 aggregates. In contrast, significant accumulation of Aβ42 was observed in the brains of all mice inoculated with Aβ43 aggregates, and the extent of Aβ42 induction was comparable to that in mice injected with brain-derived Aβ seeds. Mice inoculated with Aβ43 aggregates exhibited a distinct pattern of cerebral Aβ pathology compared to mice injected with brain-derived Aβ aggregates, suggesting that recombinant Aβ43 may polymerize into a unique strain. Our results indicate that aggregates containing longer Aβ C-terminal variants are more potent inducers of cerebral Aβ deposition and highlight the potential role of Aβ43 seeds as a crucial factor in the initial stages of Aβ pathology in AD.
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46
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Duran-Aniotz C, Moreno-Gonzalez I, Gamez N, Perez-Urrutia N, Vegas-Gomez L, Soto C, Morales R. Amyloid pathology arrangements in Alzheimer's disease brains modulate in vivo seeding capability. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:56. [PMID: 33785065 PMCID: PMC8008576 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01155-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) misfolding is one of the hallmark pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD can manifest with diverse symptomatology including variable rates of cognitive decline, duration of clinical disease, and other detrimental changes. Several reports suggest that conformational diversity in misfolded Aβ is a leading factor for clinical variability in AD, analogous to what it has been described for prion strains in prion diseases. Notably, prion strains generate diverse patterns of misfolded protein deposition in the brains of affected individuals. Here, we tested the in vivo prion-like transmission features of four AD brains displaying particular patterns of amyloidosis. AD brains induced different phenotypes in recipient mice, as evaluated by their specific seeding activity, as well as the total amount of Aβ deposited surrounding vascular structures and the reactivity of amyloid pathology to thioflavin S. Our results support the notion that AD-subtypes are encoded in disease-associated Aβ. Further research exploring whether AD include a spectrum of different clinical conditions or syndromes may pave the way to personalized diagnosis and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Duran-Aniotz
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago, Chile
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Medicina, Av. San Carlos de Apoquindo, 2200, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ines Moreno-Gonzalez
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga-IBIMA, 29010, Malaga, Spain
- Networking Research Center On Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Centro Integrativo de Biologia Y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nazaret Gamez
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga-IBIMA, 29010, Malaga, Spain
| | - Nelson Perez-Urrutia
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Laura Vegas-Gomez
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga-IBIMA, 29010, Malaga, Spain
| | - Claudio Soto
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Medicina, Av. San Carlos de Apoquindo, 2200, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, St. Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Centro Integrativo de Biologia Y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile.
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Trujillo-Estrada L, Sanchez-Mejias E, Sanchez-Varo R, Garcia-Leon JA, Nuñez-Diaz C, Davila JC, Vitorica J, LaFerla FM, Moreno-Gonzalez I, Gutierrez A, Baglietto-Vargas D. Animal and Cellular Models of Alzheimer's Disease: Progress, Promise, and Future Approaches. Neuroscientist 2021; 28:572-593. [PMID: 33769131 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211001753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting over 45 million people worldwide. Transgenic mouse models have made remarkable contributions toward clarifying the pathophysiological mechanisms behind the clinical manifestations of AD. However, the limited ability of these in vivo models to accurately replicate the biology of the human disease have precluded the translation of promising preclinical therapies to the clinic. In this review, we highlight several major pathogenic mechanisms of AD that were discovered using transgenic mouse models. Moreover, we discuss the shortcomings of current animal models and the need to develop reliable models for the sporadic form of the disease, which accounts for the majority of AD cases, as well as human cellular models to improve success in translating results into human treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Trujillo-Estrada
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisabeth Sanchez-Mejias
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Sanchez-Varo
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Garcia-Leon
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Nuñez-Diaz
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Carlos Davila
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Vitorica
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS)-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Frank M LaFerla
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ines Moreno-Gonzalez
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonia Gutierrez
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Baglietto-Vargas
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
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48
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Microglial Heterogeneity and Its Potential Role in Driving Phenotypic Diversity of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052780. [PMID: 33803478 PMCID: PMC7967159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a highly heterogeneous disorder occurring under distinct clinical and neuropathological phenotypes. Despite the molecular determinants of such variability not being well defined yet, microglial cells may play a key role in this process by releasing distinct pro- and/or anti-inflammatory cytokines, potentially affecting the expression of the disease. We carried out a neuropathological and biochemical analysis on a series of AD brain samples, gathering evidence about the heterogeneous involvement of microglia in AD. The neuropathological studies showed differences concerning morphology, density and distribution of microglial cells among AD brains. Biochemical investigations showed increased brain levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, CCL17, MMP-7 and CXCL13 in AD in comparison with control subjects. The molecular profiling achieved by measuring the brain levels of 25 inflammatory factors known to be involved in neuroinflammation allowed a stratification of the AD patients in three distinct “neuroinflammatory clusters”. These findings strengthen the relevance of neuroinflammation in AD pathogenesis suggesting, in particular, that the differential involvement of neuroinflammatory molecules released by microglial cells during the development of the disease may contribute to modulate the characteristics and the severity of the neuropathological changes, driving—at least in part—the AD phenotypic diversity.
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49
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Pounot K, Grime GW, Longo A, Zamponi M, Noferini D, Cristiglio V, Seydel T, Garman EF, Weik M, Foderà V, Schirò G. Zinc determines dynamical properties and aggregation kinetics of human insulin. Biophys J 2021; 120:886-898. [PMID: 33545104 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.11.2280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a widespread process leading to deleterious consequences in the organism, with amyloid aggregates being important not only in biology but also for drug design and biomaterial production. Insulin is a protein largely used in diabetes treatment, and its amyloid aggregation is at the basis of the so-called insulin-derived amyloidosis. Here, we uncover the major role of zinc in both insulin dynamics and aggregation kinetics at low pH, in which the formation of different amyloid superstructures (fibrils and spherulites) can be thermally induced. Amyloid aggregation is accompanied by zinc release and the suppression of water-sustained insulin dynamics, as shown by particle-induced x-ray emission and x-ray absorption spectroscopy and by neutron spectroscopy, respectively. Our study shows that zinc binding stabilizes the native form of insulin by facilitating hydration of this hydrophobic protein and suggests that introducing new binding sites for zinc can improve insulin stability and tune its aggregation propensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Pounot
- Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Würtemberg, Germany.
| | | | - Alessandro Longo
- Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, CNR, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michaela Zamponi
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science JCNS, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Outstation at MLZ, Garching, Germany
| | - Daria Noferini
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science JCNS, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Outstation at MLZ, Garching, Germany
| | | | - Tilo Seydel
- Science Division, Institut Max von Laue-Paul Langevin, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Martin Weik
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Vito Foderà
- Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Giorgio Schirò
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
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50
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Abstract
The history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) started in 1907, but we needed to wait until the end of the century to identify the components of pathological hallmarks and genetic subtypes and to formulate the first pathogenic hypothesis. Thanks to biomarkers and new technologies, the concept of AD then rapidly changed from a static view of an amnestic dementia of the presenium to a biological entity that could be clinically manifested as normal cognition or dementia of different types. What is clearly emerging from studies is that AD is heterogeneous in each aspect, such as amyloid composition, tau distribution, relation between amyloid and tau, clinical symptoms, and genetic background, and thus it is probably impossible to explain AD with a single pathological process. The scientific approach to AD suffers from chronological mismatches between clinical, pathological, and technological data, causing difficulty in conceiving diagnostic gold standards and in creating models for drug discovery and screening. A recent mathematical computer-based approach offers the opportunity to study AD in real life and to provide a new point of view and the final missing pieces of the AD puzzle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ferrari
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Sandro Sorbi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
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