1
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Johansson L, Sandberg A, Nyström S, Hammarström P, Hallbeck M. Amyloid beta 1-40 and 1-42 fibril ratios and maturation level cause conformational differences with minimal impact on autophagy and cytotoxicity. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 39133499 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16201] [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: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
The amyloid β (Aβ) peptide has a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The peptide length can vary between 37 and 49 amino acids, with Aβ1-42 being considered the most disease-related length. However, Aβ1-40 is also found in Aβ plaques and has shown to form intertwined fibrils with Aβ1-42. The peptides have previously also shown to form different fibril conformations, proposed to be related to disease phenotype. To conduct more representative in vitro experiments, it is vital to uncover the impact of different fibril conformations on neurons. Hence, we fibrillized different Aβ1-40:42 ratios in concentrations of 100:0, 90:10, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 10:90 and 0:100 for either 24 h (early fibrils) or 7 days (aged fibrils). These were then characterized based on fibril width, LCO-staining and antibody-staining. We further challenged differentiated neuronal-like SH-SY5Y human cells with the different fibrils and measured Aβ content, cytotoxicity and autophagy function at three different time-points: 3, 24, and 72 h. Our results revealed that both Aβ1-40:42 ratio and fibril maturation affect conformation of fibrils. We further show the impact of these conformation changes on the affinity to commonly used Aβ antibodies, primarily affecting Aβ1-40 rich aggregates. In addition, we demonstrate uptake of the aggregates by neuronally differentiated human cells, where aggregates with higher Aβ1-42 ratios generally caused higher cellular levels of Aβ. These differences in Aβ abundance did not cause changes in cytotoxicity nor in autophagy activation. Our results show the importance to consider conformational differences of Aβ fibrils, as this can have fundamental impact on Aβ antibody detection. Overall, these insights underline the need for further exploration of the impact of conformationally different fibrils and the need to reliably produce disease relevant Aβ aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovisa Johansson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences and Department of Clinical Pathology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Alexander Sandberg
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences and Department of Clinical Pathology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sofie Nyström
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Hammarström
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Martin Hallbeck
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences and Department of Clinical Pathology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Prasad AK, Samajdar R, Panwar AS, Martin LL. Origin of Secondary Structure Transitions and Peptide Self-Assembly Propensity in Trifluoroethanol-Water Mixtures. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 39088441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Membrane-peptide interactions are key to the formation of helical intermediates in the early stages of amyloidogenesis. Aqueous solutions of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) provide a membrane-mimetic environment capable of promoting and stabilizing local peptide interactions. Uperin 3.5 (U3.5), a 17-residue and amidated antimicrobial peptide, is unstructured in water but self-assembles into fibrils in the presence of salt. Secondary structure transitions linked to U3.5 self-assembly were investigated in TFE/water mixtures, in both the absence and presence of salt, to assess the role of membrane-peptide interactions on peptide self-assembly and amyloid formation. A 5-to-7-fold increase in fibril yield of U3.5 was observed at low TFE concentrations (10% TFE/water v/v) compared with physiological buffer but only in the presence of salt. No aggregation was observed in salt-free TFE/water mixtures. Circular dichroism spectra showed that partial helical structures, initially stabilized by TFE, transitioned to β-sheet-rich aggregates in a saline buffer. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that TFE and salt act synergistically to enhance peptide-peptide interactions, resulting in β-sheet-rich U3.5 oligomers at low TFE concentrations. Specifically, TFE stabilized amphipathic, helical intermediates, leading to increased peptide-peptide attraction through hydrophobic interactions. The presence of salt further enhanced the peptide-peptide interactions by screening positively charged residues. Thus, the study revealed the role of a membrane mimic in stabilizing helical intermediates on the pathway to amyloid formation in the antimicrobial U3.5 peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Kumar Prasad
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800, VIC, Australia
| | - Rajarshi Samajdar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Ajay Singh Panwar
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Lisandra L Martin
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800, VIC, Australia
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3
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Waugh ML, Wolf LM, Moore KA, Servoss SL, Moss MA. Rationally Designed Peptoid Inhibitors of Amyloid-β Oligomerization. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400060. [PMID: 38715149 PMCID: PMC11219258 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400060] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
While plaques comprised of fibrillar Aβ aggregates are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, soluble Aβ oligomers present higher neurotoxicity. Thus, one therapeutic approach is to prevent the formation of Aβ oligomers and reduce their associated harmful effects. We have proposed a peptoid mimic of the Aβ hydrophobic KLVFF core as an ideal candidate aggregation inhibitor due to its ability to evade proteolytic degradation via repositioning of the side chain from the α-carbon to the amide nitrogen. This peptoid, JPT1, utilizes chiral sidechains to achieve a helical structure, while C-terminal addition of two phenylalanine residues places aromatic groups on two sides of the helix with spacing designed to facilitate interaction with amyloid β-sheet structure. We have previously shown that JPT1 modulates Aβ fibril formation. Here, we demonstrate that JPT1 also modulates Aβ oligomerization, and we explore the role of the charge on the linker between the KLVFF mimic and the extended aromatic residues. Additionally, we demonstrate that peptoid-induced changes in Aβ oligomerization correlate with attenuation of oligomer-induced nuclear factor-κB activation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. These findings support the therapeutic potential of peptoids to target early stages of Aβ aggregation and impact the associated Aβ-induced cellular response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihyun Lim Waugh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Lauren M Wolf
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Kelly A Moore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Shannon L Servoss
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Melissa A Moss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2C02 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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4
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Polykretis P, D’Andrea C, Banchelli M, Napolitano L, Cascella R, de Angelis M, Matteini P. Exploring the Aβ 1-42 fibrillogenesis timeline by atomic force microscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1376411. [PMID: 38948077 PMCID: PMC11211275 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1376411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive debilitating neurological disorder representing the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Although the exact pathogenic mechanisms of AD remain unresolved, the presence of extracellular amyloid-β peptide 1-42 (Aβ1-42) plaques in the parenchymal and cortical brain is considered one of the hallmarks of the disease. Methods: In this work, we investigated the Aβ1-42 fibrillogenesis timeline up to 48 h of incubation, providing morphological and chemo-structural characterization of the main assemblies formed during the aggregation process of Aβ1-42, by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), respectively. Results: AFM topography evidenced the presence of characteristic protofibrils at early-stages of aggregation, which form peculiar macromolecular networks over time. SERS allowed to track the progressive variation in the secondary structure of the aggregation species involved in the fibrillogenesis and to determine when the β-sheet starts to prevail over the random coil conformation in the aggregation process. Discussion: Our research highlights the significance of investigating the early phases of fibrillogenesis to better understand the molecular pathophysiology of AD and identify potential therapeutic targets that may prevent or slow down the aggregation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagis Polykretis
- Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Cristiano D’Andrea
- Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Martina Banchelli
- Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Liliana Napolitano
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Marella de Angelis
- Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Paolo Matteini
- Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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5
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Ruttenberg SM, Nowick JS. A turn for the worse: Aβ β-hairpins in Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 105:117715. [PMID: 38615460 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers are a cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). These soluble aggregates of the Aβ peptide have proven difficult to study due to their inherent metastability and heterogeneity. Strategies to isolate and stabilize homogenous Aβ oligomer populations have emerged such as mutations, covalent cross-linking, and protein fusions. These strategies along with molecular dynamics simulations have provided a variety of proposed structures of Aβ oligomers, many of which consist of molecules of Aβ in β-hairpin conformations. β-Hairpins are intramolecular antiparallel β-sheets composed of two β-strands connected by a loop or turn. Three decades of research suggests that Aβ peptides form several different β-hairpin conformations, some of which are building blocks of toxic Aβ oligomers. The insights from these studies are currently being used to design anti-Aβ antibodies and vaccines to treat AD. Research suggests that antibody therapies designed to target oligomeric Aβ may be more successful at treating AD than antibodies designed to target linear epitopes of Aβ or fibrillar Aβ. Aβ β-hairpins are good epitopes to use in antibody development to selectively target oligomeric Aβ. This review summarizes the research on β-hairpins in Aβ peptides and discusses the relevance of this conformation in AD pathogenesis and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Ruttenberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States
| | - James S Nowick
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States.
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6
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Chia S, Cataldi RL, Ruggeri FS, Limbocker R, Condado-Morales I, Pisani K, Possenti A, Linse S, Knowles TPJ, Habchi J, Mannini B, Vendruscolo M. A Relationship between the Structures and Neurotoxic Effects of Aβ Oligomers Stabilized by Different Metal Ions. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1125-1134. [PMID: 38416693 PMCID: PMC10958495 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00718] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Oligomeric assemblies of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) have been investigated for over two decades as possible neurotoxic agents in Alzheimer's disease. However, due to their heterogeneous and transient nature, it is not yet fully established which of the structural features of these oligomers may generate cellular damage. Here, we study distinct oligomer species formed by Aβ40 (the 40-residue form of Aβ) in the presence of four different metal ions (Al3+, Cu2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+) and show that they differ in their structure and toxicity in human neuroblastoma cells. We then describe a correlation between the size of the oligomers and their neurotoxic activity, which provides a type of structure-toxicity relationship for these Aβ40 oligomer species. These results provide insight into the possible role of metal ions in Alzheimer's disease by the stabilization of Aβ oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Chia
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Rodrigo Lessa Cataldi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Francesco Simone Ruggeri
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Itzel Condado-Morales
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Katarina Pisani
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Andrea Possenti
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sara Linse
- Department
of Biochemistry & Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein
Science, Lund University, PO box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Department
of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
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7
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Rinauro DJ, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. Misfolded protein oligomers: mechanisms of formation, cytotoxic effects, and pharmacological approaches against protein misfolding diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:20. [PMID: 38378578 PMCID: PMC10877934 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00651-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of native peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of over 50 human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Increasing evidence implicates misfolded protein oligomers produced during the amyloid formation process as the primary cytotoxic agents in many of these devastating conditions. In this review, we analyze the processes by which oligomers are formed, their structures, physicochemical properties, population dynamics, and the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity. We then focus on drug discovery strategies that target the formation of oligomers and their ability to disrupt cell physiology and trigger degenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA.
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8
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Lian Y, Jia YJ, Wong J, Zhou XF, Song W, Guo J, Masters CL, Wang YJ. Clarity on the blazing trail: clearing the way for amyloid-removing therapies for Alzheimer's disease. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:297-305. [PMID: 38001337 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02324-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a complex pathogenesis. Senile plaques composed of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain are the core hallmarks of AD and a promising target for the development of disease-modifying therapies. However, over the past 20 years, the failures of clinical trials directed at Aβ clearance have fueled a debate as to whether Aβ is the principal pathogenic factor in AD and a valid therapeutic target. The success of the recent phase 3 trials of lecanemab (Clarity AD) and donanemab (Trailblazer Alz2), and lessons from previous Aβ clearance trials provide critical evidence to support the role of Aβ in AD pathogenesis and suggest that targeting Aβ clearance is heading in the right direction for AD treatment. Here, we analyze key questions relating to the efficacy of Aβ targeting therapies, and provide perspectives on early intervention, adequate Aβ removal, sufficient treatment period, and combinatory therapeutics, which may be required to achieve the best cognitive benefits in future trials in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lian
- Department of Prevention and Health Care, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Neurology and Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ageing and Brain Disease, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu-Juan Jia
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Joelyn Wong
- The Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Xin-Fu Zhou
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences and Sansom Institute, Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Weihong Song
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province. Zhejiang Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junhong Guo
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Colin L Masters
- The Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Yan-Jiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Ageing and Brain Disease, Chongqing, China.
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9
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Bigi A, Napolitano L, Vadukul DM, Chiti F, Cecchi C, Aprile FA, Cascella R. A single-domain antibody detects and neutralises toxic Aβ 42 oligomers in the Alzheimer's disease CSF. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:13. [PMID: 38238842 PMCID: PMC10795411 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01361-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) aggregation consists of a complex chain of nucleation events producing soluble oligomeric intermediates, which are considered the major neurotoxic agents in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cerebral lesions in the brain of AD patients start to develop 20 years before symptom onset; however, no preventive strategies, effective treatments, or specific and sensitive diagnostic tests to identify people with early-stage AD are currently available. In addition, the isolation and characterisation of neurotoxic Aβ42 oligomers are particularly difficult because of their transient and heterogeneous nature. To overcome this challenge, a rationally designed method generated a single-domain antibody (sdAb), named DesAb-O, targeting Aβ42 oligomers. METHODS We investigated the ability of DesAb-O to selectively detect preformed Aβ42 oligomers both in vitro and in cultured neuronal cells, by using dot-blot, ELISA immunoassay and super-resolution STED microscopy, and to counteract the toxicity induced by the oligomers, monitoring their interaction with neuronal membrane and the resulting mitochondrial impairment. We then applied this approach to CSF samples (CSFs) from AD patients as compared to age-matched control subjects. RESULTS DesAb-O was found to selectively detect synthetic Aβ42 oligomers both in vitro and in cultured cells, and to neutralise their associated neuronal dysfunction. DesAb-O can also identify Aβ42 oligomers present in the CSFs of AD patients with respect to healthy individuals, and completely prevent cell dysfunction induced by the administration of CSFs to neuronal cells. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data indicate a promising method for the improvement of an early diagnosis of AD and for the generation of novel therapeutic approaches based on sdAbs for the treatment of AD and other devastating neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Liliana Napolitano
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Devkee M Vadukul
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco A Aprile
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
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10
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Kandi S, Cline EN, Rivera BM, Viola KL, Zhu J, Condello C, LeDuc RD, Klein WL, Kelleher NL, Patrie SM. Amyloid β Proteoforms Elucidated by Quantitative LC/MS in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3475-3488. [PMID: 37847596 PMCID: PMC10840081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous Aβ proteoforms, identified in the human brain, possess differential neurotoxic and aggregation propensities. These proteoforms contribute in unknown ways to the conformations and resultant pathogenicity of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD) manifestation owing to the lack of molecular-level specificity to the exact chemical composition of underlying protein products with widespread interrogating techniques, like immunoassays. We evaluated Aβ proteoform flux using quantitative top-down mass spectrometry (TDMS) in a well-studied 5xFAD mouse model of age-dependent Aβ-amyloidosis. Though the brain-derived Aβ proteoform landscape is largely occupied by Aβ1-42, 25 different forms of Aβ with differential solubility were identified. These proteoforms fall into three natural groups defined by hierarchical clustering of expression levels in the context of mouse age and proteoform solubility, with each group sharing physiochemical properties associated with either N/C-terminal truncations or both. Overall, the TDMS workflow outlined may hold tremendous potential for investigating proteoform-level relationships between insoluble fibrils and soluble Aβ, including low-molecular-weight oligomers hypothesized to serve as the key drivers of neurotoxicity. Similarly, the workflow may also help to validate the utility of AD-relevant animal models to recapitulate amyloidosis mechanisms or possibly explain disconnects observed in therapeutic efficacy in animal models vs humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Kandi
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Erika N Cline
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Brianna M Rivera
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Kirsten L Viola
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Jiuhe Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Richard D LeDuc
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - William L Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Steven M Patrie
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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11
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Kepp KP, Robakis NK, Høilund-Carlsen PF, Sensi SL, Vissel B. The amyloid cascade hypothesis: an updated critical review. Brain 2023; 146:3969-3990. [PMID: 37183523 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Results from recent clinical trials of antibodies that target amyloid-β (Aβ) for Alzheimer's disease have created excitement and have been heralded as corroboration of the amyloid cascade hypothesis. However, while Aβ may contribute to disease, genetic, clinical, imaging and biochemical data suggest a more complex aetiology. Here we review the history and weaknesses of the amyloid cascade hypothesis in view of the new evidence obtained from clinical trials of anti-amyloid antibodies. These trials indicate that the treatments have either no or uncertain clinical effect on cognition. Despite the importance of amyloid in the definition of Alzheimer's disease, we argue that the data point to Aβ playing a minor aetiological role. We also discuss data suggesting that the concerted activity of many pathogenic factors contribute to Alzheimer's disease and propose that evolving multi-factor disease models will better underpin the search for more effective strategies to treat the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper P Kepp
- Section of Biophysical and Biomedicinal chemistry, DTU Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nikolaos K Robakis
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Poul F Høilund-Carlsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Stefano L Sensi
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology-CAST, and Institute for Advanced Biotechnology (ITAB), University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, 66013, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, 66013, Italy
| | - Bryce Vissel
- St Vincent's Hospital Centre for Applied Medical Research, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, 2010, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, St Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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12
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Faridi N, Sanjari-Pour M, Wang P, Bathaie SZ. The Effect of Ultrasonication on the Fibrillar/ Oligomeric Structures of Aβ 1-42 at Different Concentrations. Protein J 2023; 42:575-585. [PMID: 37634212 PMCID: PMC10480282 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10138-0] [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] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The number of disease states linked the aberrant regular protein conformations to oligomers and amyloid fibrils. Amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ1-42) peptide is very hydrophobic and quickly forms the β-rich structure and fibrillar protein aggregates in some solutions and buffer conditions. Ultrasonication pulses can disrupt amyloid fibrils to smaller fragments and produce Aβ1-42 peptides of different sizes and oligomers. Herein, we investigated the effects of buffer and ultrasonication on Aβ1-42 structure at low and high concentrations. After ultrasonication, the Western blot results showed that Aβ1-42 fibrils were disaggregated into different sizes. The transmission electron microscopy results indicated Aβ1-42 at low concentration (25 µM) in Ham's/F12 phenol red-free culture medium formed short-size fragments and oligomers. In comparison, Aβ1-42 at higher concentration (100 µM) formed fibrils that break down into smaller fragments after ultrasonication. However, after regrowth, it formed mature fibrils again. Cell viability assay indicated that Aβ1-42 oligomers formed at a low concentration (25 µM) were more toxic to PC12 cells than other forms. In conclusion, by applying ultrasonication pulses and controlling peptide concentration and buffer condition, we can rich Aβ1-42 aggregates with a particular size and molecular structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nassim Faridi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box. 14115-133, Tehran, Iran
- Institute for Natural Products and Medicinal Plants, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Sanjari-Pour
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box. 14115-133, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ping Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, People's Republic of China
| | - S Zahra Bathaie
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box. 14115-133, Tehran, Iran.
- Institute for Natural Products and Medicinal Plants, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
- UCLA-DOE Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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13
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Mei J, Xu W, Gao W, Wang C, Guan Y, Ahmad S, Ai H. Identification and characterization of the conformation and size of amyloid-β (42) oligomers targeting the receptor LilrB2. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:25229-25239. [PMID: 37700616 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02746e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Experimental observations revealed that the amyloid-β 42 oligomer (AβO) can directly bind to the LilrB2 D1D2(LDD) receptor with nanomolar-affinity, leading to changes in synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits. However, the dependence of neurotoxicity on the morphology, size, and aggregation stage (SP1, SP2) of AβO, as well as the specific molecular mechanism of AβO-LDD interaction, remain uncertain. To address these uncertainties, we investigated the interaction between the LDD neuroreceptor and AβO with different Aβ42 species (nontoxic species, toxic species, and protofibril) and sizes. Our results showed that the LDD selectively binds AβO species rather than the Aβ42 monomer, accommodating various Aβ42 dimers and trimers as well as SP2 AβO, in a specific pose in the pocket of the LDD receptor (region I). Additionally, protofibrils with exposed β1/β2 regions can also bind to region I of the LDD receptor, as observed experimentally (Cao, et al., Nat. Chem., 2018, 10, 1213; and Aim et al., Nat. Commun., 2021, 12, 3451). More extensively, we identified two additional regions of the LDD receptor, regions II and III, suitable for binding to larger AβO species at the SP1 with different molecular weights and conformations, accounting for the stronger binding strength obtained experimentally. We suggest that the two regions are more competitive than region I in causing toxicity by AβO binding. The detailed and systematic characterization for the complexes generated between the LDD receptor and various AβO species, including the protofibril, offers deep insight into the dependence of neurotoxicity on the AβO size and conformation at the molecular level, and provides novel and specific targets for drug design of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfei Mei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Wenqi Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Chuanbo Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Yvning Guan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Hongqi Ai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China.
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14
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Saha J, Ford BJ, Wang X, Boyd S, Morgan SE, Rangachari V. Sugar distributions on gangliosides guide the formation and stability of amyloid-β oligomers. Biophys Chem 2023; 300:107073. [PMID: 37413816 PMCID: PMC10529042 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of Aβ peptides is a key contributor to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Being intrinsically disordered, monomeric Aβ is susceptible to conformational excursions, especially in the presence of important interacting partners such as membrane lipids, to adopt specific aggregation pathways. Furthermore, components such as gangliosides in membranes and lipid rafts are known to play important roles in the adoption of pathways and the generation of discrete neurotoxic oligomers. Yet, what roles do carbohydrates on gangliosides play in this process remains unknown. Here, using GM1, GM3, and GD3 ganglioside micelles as models, we show that the sugar distributions and cationic amino acids within Aβ N-terminal region modulate oligomerization of Aβ temporally, and dictate the stability and maturation of oligomers. These results demonstrate the selectivity of sugar distributions on the membrane surface toward oligomerization of Aβ and thus implicate cell-selective enrichment of oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | - Brea J Ford
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | | | - Sydney Boyd
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | | | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA; Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA.
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15
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Saha J, Ford BJ, Boyd S, Rangachari V. Sugar distributions on gangliosides guide the formation and stability of amyloid-β oligomers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.09.540003. [PMID: 37214891 PMCID: PMC10197704 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.09.540003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of Aβ peptides has been known as a key contributor to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Being intrinsically disordered, the monomeric Aβ is susceptible to conformational excursions, especially in the presence of key interacting partners such as membrane lipids, to adopt specific aggregation pathways. Furthermore, key components such as gangliosides in membranes and lipid rafts are known to play important roles in the adoption of pathways and the generation of discrete neurotoxic oligomers. Yet, what roles the carbohydrates on gangliosides play in this process remains unknown. Here, using GM1, GM3, and GD3 ganglioside micelles as models, we show that the sugar distributions and cationic amino acids within Aβ N-terminal region modulate oligomerization of Aβ temporally, and dictate the stability and maturation of oligomers.
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16
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Limbocker R, Cremades N, Cascella R, Tessier PM, Vendruscolo M, Chiti F. Characterization of Pairs of Toxic and Nontoxic Misfolded Protein Oligomers Elucidates the Structural Determinants of Oligomer Toxicity in Protein Misfolding Diseases. Acc Chem Res 2023. [PMID: 37071750 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
ConspectusThe aberrant misfolding and aggregation of peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates occurs in over 50 largely incurable protein misfolding diseases. These pathologies include Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which are global medical emergencies owing to their prevalence in increasingly aging populations worldwide. Although the presence of mature amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of such neurodegenerative diseases, misfolded protein oligomers are increasingly recognized as of central importance in the pathogenesis of many of these maladies. These oligomers are small, diffusible species that can form as intermediates in the amyloid fibril formation process or be released by mature fibrils after they are formed. They have been closely associated with the induction of neuronal dysfunction and cell death. It has proven rather challenging to study these oligomeric species because of their short lifetimes, low concentrations, extensive structural heterogeneity, and challenges associated with producing stable, homogeneous, and reproducible populations. Despite these difficulties, investigators have developed protocols to produce kinetically, chemically, or structurally stabilized homogeneous populations of protein misfolded oligomers from several amyloidogenic peptides and proteins at experimentally ameneable concentrations. Furthermore, procedures have been established to produce morphologically similar but structurally distinct oligomers from the same protein sequence that are either toxic or nontoxic to cells. These tools offer unique opportunities to identify and investigate the structural determinants of oligomer toxicity by a close comparative inspection of their structures and the mechanisms of action through which they cause cell dysfunction.This Account reviews multidisciplinary results, including from our own groups, obtained by combining chemistry, physics, biochemistry, cell biology, and animal models for pairs of toxic and nontoxic oligomers. We describe oligomers comprised of the amyloid-β peptide, which underlie Alzheimer's disease, and α-synuclein, which are associated with Parkinson's disease and other related neurodegenerative pathologies, collectively known as synucleinopathies. Furthermore, we also discuss oligomers formed by the 91-residue N-terminal domain of [NiFe]-hydrogenase maturation factor from E. coli, which we use as a model non-disease-related protein, and by an amyloid stretch of Sup35 prion protein from yeast. These oligomeric pairs have become highly useful experimental tools for studying the molecular determinants of toxicity characteristic of protein misfolding diseases. Key properties have been identified that differentiate toxic from nontoxic oligomers in their ability to induce cellular dysfunction. These characteristics include solvent-exposed hydrophobic regions, interactions with membranes, insertion into lipid bilayers, and disruption of plasma membrane integrity. By using these properties, it has been possible to rationalize in model systems the responses to pairs of toxic and nontoxic oligomers. Collectively, these studies provide guidance for the development of efficacious therapeutic strategies to target rationally the cytotoxicity of misfolded protein oligomers in neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Nunilo Cremades
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Peter M Tessier
- Departments of Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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17
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. An S-Shaped Aβ42 Cross-β Hexamer Embedded into a Lipid Bilayer Reveals Membrane Disruption and Permeability. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:936-946. [PMID: 36757886 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid oligomers with membranes are known to contribute to cellular toxicity. Numerous in vitro experimental studies reported on the insertion of oligomers of different sizes that can induce cell membrane disruption, extract lipids, and form ion-permeable transmembrane pores. The current repertoire of amyloid-beta (Aβ) membrane-inserted folds that was subject to high-resolution structure NMR spectroscopy and computer simulations is devoid of any cross-β fibrillar structure. In this study, we explored the dynamics of an S-shaped Aβ42 cross-β hexamer model inserted into a lipid bilayer membrane by two atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The initial model is characterized by the hydrophobic residues at the central hydrophobic core (residues 17-21, CHC) and the C-terminus (residues 30-42) embedded into the membrane. We observed major structural secondary, tertiary, and quaternary rearrangements leading to two distinct species, hexamer and two trimers, accompanied by membrane disruption and water permeation. The simulations show that some configurations, but not the majority, have the CHC and C-terminus hydrophobic residues exposed to the solvent. Overall, our computational results offer new perspectives to understand the relationship between Aβ42 assemblies and membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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18
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Hebisch M, Klostermeier S, Wolf K, Boccaccini AR, Wolf SE, Tanzi RE, Kim DY. The Impact of the Cellular Environment and Aging on Modeling Alzheimer's Disease in 3D Cell Culture Models. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2205037. [PMID: 36642841 PMCID: PMC10015857 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Creating a cellular model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that accurately recapitulates disease pathology has been a longstanding challenge. Recent studies showed that human AD neural cells, integrated into three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel matrix, display key features of AD neuropathology. Like in the human brain, the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in determining the rate of neuropathogenesis in hydrogel-based 3D cellular models. Aging, the greatest risk factor for AD, significantly alters brain ECM properties. Therefore, it is important to understand how age-associated changes in ECM affect accumulation of pathogenic molecules, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in AD patients and in vitro models. In this review, mechanistic hypotheses is presented to address the impact of the ECM properties and their changes with aging on AD and AD-related dementias. Altered ECM characteristics in aged brains, including matrix stiffness, pore size, and composition, will contribute to disease pathogenesis by modulating the accumulation, propagation, and spreading of pathogenic molecules of AD. Emerging hydrogel-based disease models with differing ECM properties provide an exciting opportunity to study the impact of brain ECM aging on AD pathogenesis, providing novel mechanistic insights. Understanding the role of ECM aging in AD pathogenesis should also improve modeling AD in 3D hydrogel systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hebisch
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
| | - Stefanie Klostermeier
- Institute of Medical PhysicsFriedrich‐Alexander Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91052ErlangenGermany
- Max‐Planck‐Zentrum für Physik und Medizin91054ErlangenGermany
| | - Katharina Wolf
- Department of Medicine 1Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91054ErlangenGermany
| | - Aldo R. Boccaccini
- Institute of BiomaterialsDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91058ErlangenGermany
| | - Stephan E. Wolf
- Institute of Glass and CeramicsDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91058ErlangenGermany
| | - Rudolph E. Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
| | - Doo Yeon Kim
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
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19
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Wang C, Liu M, Zhang D, Li P, Wang D, Sun S, Wei W. Detection of β-amyloid peptide aggregates by quartz crystal microbalance based on dual-aptamer assisted signal amplification. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1244:340857. [PMID: 36737146 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.340857] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) aggregates are regarded as a typical neuropathology hallmark for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ40 aggregates include soluble oligomers (Aβ40O) and insoluble fibrils (Aβ40F). Both of them can simultaneously bind to two different kinds of its aptamer (Apt1 and Apt2). As a mass-sensitive sensing platform, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) converts changes in mass on the Au chip surface into frequency shift. Here, a dual-aptamer assisted Aβ40 aggregates assay was developed. Taking Aβ40O detection as an example, Apt2 was modified on the surface of Au chip by Au-S bond. Subsequently, the solution consisted of Aβ40O and gold nanoparticles-Apt1 (AuNPs-Apt1) were injected into the QCM chamber. As a result, Aβ40O was specifically recognized and captured by Apt2. AuNPs-Apt1 were also combined on the surface of the Au chip because Aβ40O can simultaneously bind to Apt1. Then, a significant frequency shift occurred because of the large weight of AuNPs. Similarly, this procedure can be used to detect Aβ40F. This QCM biosensor was able to detect Aβ40O with a range of 0.2-10 pM with a detection limit of 0.11 pM, while the linear range for Aβ40F was 0.1-10 pM with a detection limit of 0.02 pM. This QCM biosensor was simple and highly sensitive, which provided a new method for Aβ40 aggregates detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Wang
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Mengke Liu
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Duoduo Zhang
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Peng Li
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Dingzhong Wang
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shihao Sun
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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20
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Bigi A, Cascella R, Fani G, Bernacchioni C, Cencetti F, Bruni P, Chiti F, Donati C, Cecchi C. Sphingosine 1-phosphate attenuates neuronal dysfunction induced by amyloid-β oligomers through endocytic internalization of NMDA receptors. FEBS J 2023; 290:112-133. [PMID: 35851748 PMCID: PMC10087929 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers arising from the aggregation of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) have been identified as the main pathogenic agents in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prefibrillar oligomers of the 42-residue form of Aβ (Aβ42 O) show membrane-binding capacity and trigger the disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis, a causative event in neuron degeneration. Since bioactive lipids have been recently proposed as potent protective agents against Aβ toxicity, we investigated the involvement of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) signalling pathway in Ca2+ homeostasis in living neurons exposed to Aβ42 O. We show that both exogenous and endogenous S1P rescued neuronal Ca2+ dyshomeostasis induced by toxic Aβ42 O in primary rat cortical neurons and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Further analysis revealed a strong neuroprotective effect of S1P1 and S1P4 receptors, and to a lower extent of S1P3 and S1P5 receptors, which activate the Gi -dependent signalling pathways, thus resulting in the endocytic internalization of the extrasynaptic GluN2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Notably, the S1P beneficial effect can be sustained over time by sphingosine kinase-1 overexpression, thus counteracting the down-regulation of the S1P signalling induced by Aβ42 O. Our findings disclose underlying mechanisms of S1P neuronal protection against harmful Aβ42 O, suggesting that S1P and its signalling axis can be considered promising targets for therapeutic approaches for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Fani
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Caterina Bernacchioni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Cencetti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Paola Bruni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Donati
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
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21
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Morel B, Conejero-Lara F. Preparation and Investigation of Crucial Oligomers in the Early Stages of Aβ40 and Aβ42 Aggregation. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2551:15-28. [PMID: 36310193 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2597-2_2] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation is a hallmark in many neuropathologies and other diseases of tremendous impact. It is increasingly evident that neuronal death associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is mainly produced by oligomers of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. Yet little is known about the detailed structural and biophysical mechanisms of their formation. This lack of complete understanding comes from the labile nature and handling complexity of the oligomers. Consequently, providing reproducible and robust protocols for oligomer preparation is of particular importance.In this study, we describe detailed methods for the preparation and isolation of micellar oligomers of Aβ that evolve towards larger and more stable oligomers enriched in beta-sheet structure and able to acquire a higher capacity to fibrillate. We also describe briefly some biophysical experiments allowing oligomer characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Morel
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Conejero-Lara
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
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22
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Kabir ER, Chowdhury NM, Yasmin H, Kabir MT, Akter R, Perveen A, Ashraf GM, Akter S, Rahman MH, Sweilam SH. Unveiling the Potential of Polyphenols as Anti-Amyloid Molecules in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:787-807. [PMID: 36221865 PMCID: PMC10227919 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666221010113812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that mostly affects the elderly population. Mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis are yet to be fully revealed, but there are several hypotheses regarding AD. Even though free radicals and inflammation are likely to be linked with AD pathogenesis, still amyloid-beta (Aβ) cascade is the dominant hypothesis. According to the Aβ hypothesis, a progressive buildup of extracellular and intracellular Aβ aggregates has a significant contribution to the AD-linked neurodegeneration process. Since Aβ plays an important role in the etiology of AD, therefore Aβ-linked pathways are mainly targeted in order to develop potential AD therapies. Accumulation of Aβ plaques in the brains of AD individuals is an important hallmark of AD. These plaques are mainly composed of Aβ (a peptide of 39-42 amino acids) aggregates produced via the proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein. Numerous studies have demonstrated that various polyphenols (PPHs), including cyanidins, anthocyanins, curcumin, catechins and their gallate esters were found to markedly suppress Aβ aggregation and prevent the formation of Aβ oligomers and toxicity, which is further suggesting that these PPHs might be regarded as effective therapeutic agents for the AD treatment. This review summarizes the roles of Aβ in AD pathogenesis, the Aβ aggregation pathway, types of PPHs, and distribution of PPHs in dietary sources. Furthermore, we have predominantly focused on the potential of food-derived PPHs as putative anti-amyloid drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Rahman Kabir
- School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | | | - Hasina Yasmin
- School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Tanvir Kabir
- School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Rokeya Akter
- Department of Pharmacy, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Asma Perveen
- Glocal School of Life Sciences, Glocal University, Mirzapur Pole, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ghulam Md. Ashraf
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shamima Akter
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA
| | | | - Sherouk Hussein Sweilam
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Cairo-Suez Road, Badr City 11829, Egypt
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23
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Törner R, Kupreichyk T, Hoyer W, Boisbouvier J. The role of heat shock proteins in preventing amyloid toxicity. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1045616. [PMID: 36589244 PMCID: PMC9798239 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1045616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The oligomerization of monomeric proteins into large, elongated, β-sheet-rich fibril structures (amyloid), which results in toxicity to impacted cells, is highly correlated to increased age. The concomitant decrease of the quality control system, composed of chaperones, ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy-lysosomal pathway, has been shown to play an important role in disease development. In the last years an increasing number of studies has been published which focus on chaperones, modulators of protein conformational states, and their effects on preventing amyloid toxicity. Here, we give a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of chaperones and amyloidogenic proteins and summarize the advances made in elucidating the impact of these two classes of proteins on each other, whilst also highlighting challenges and remaining open questions. The focus of this review is on structural and mechanistic studies and its aim is to bring novices of this field "up to speed" by providing insight into all the relevant processes and presenting seminal structural and functional investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda Törner
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS CEA Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Grenoble, France,*Correspondence: Ricarda Törner, ; Jerome Boisbouvier,
| | - Tatsiana Kupreichyk
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jerome Boisbouvier
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS CEA Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Grenoble, France,*Correspondence: Ricarda Törner, ; Jerome Boisbouvier,
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24
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Bigi A, Cascella R, Chiti F, Cecchi C. Amyloid fibrils act as a reservoir of soluble oligomers, the main culprits in protein deposition diseases. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200086. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
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25
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Designed peptides as nanomolar cross-amyloid inhibitors acting via supramolecular nanofiber co-assembly. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5004. [PMID: 36008417 PMCID: PMC9411207 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32688-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid self-assembly is linked to numerous devastating cell-degenerative diseases. However, designing inhibitors of this pathogenic process remains a major challenge. Cross-interactions between amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), key polypeptides of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), have been suggested to link AD with T2D pathogenesis. Here, we show that constrained peptides designed to mimic the Aβ amyloid core (ACMs) are nanomolar cross-amyloid inhibitors of both IAPP and Aβ42 and effectively suppress reciprocal cross-seeding. Remarkably, ACMs act by co-assembling with IAPP or Aβ42 into amyloid fibril-resembling but non-toxic nanofibers and their highly ordered superstructures. Co-assembled nanofibers exhibit various potentially beneficial features including thermolability, proteolytic degradability, and effective cellular clearance which are reminiscent of labile/reversible functional amyloids. ACMs are thus promising leads for potent anti-amyloid drugs in both T2D and AD while the supramolecular nanofiber co-assemblies should inform the design of novel functional (hetero-)amyloid-based nanomaterials for biomedical/biotechnological applications.
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26
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Forloni G, La Vitola P, Balducci C. Oligomeropathies, inflammation and prion protein binding. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:822420. [PMID: 36081661 PMCID: PMC9445368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.822420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central role of oligomers, small soluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is recognized in numerous experimental conditions and is compatible with clinical evidence. To underline this concept, some years ago we coined the term oligomeropathies to define the common mechanism of action of protein misfolding diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson or prion diseases. Using simple experimental conditions, with direct application of synthetic β amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers intraventricularly at micromolar concentrations, we could detect differences and similarities in the biological consequences. The two oligomer species affected cognitive behavior, neuronal dysfunction and cerebral inflammatory reactions with distinct mechanisms. In these experimental conditions the proposed mediatory role of cellular prion protein in oligomer activities was not confirmed. Together with oligomers, inflammation at different levels can be important early in neurodegenerative disorders; both β amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers induce inflammation and its control strongly affects neuronal dysfunction. This review summarizes our studies with β-amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers, also considering the potential curative role of doxycycline, a well-known antibiotic with anti-amyloidogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. These actions are analyzed in terms of the therapeutic prospects.
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27
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Hilt S, Liu R, Maezawa I, Rojalin T, Aung HH, Budamagunta M, Slez R, Gong Q, Carney RP, Voss JC. Novel Stilbene-Nitroxyl Hybrid Compounds Display Discrete Modulation of Amyloid Beta Toxicity and Structure. Front Chem 2022; 10:896386. [PMID: 35720993 PMCID: PMC9204515 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.896386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative diseases are driven by misfolded proteins that assemble into soluble aggregates. These "toxic oligomers" have been associated with a plethora of cellular dysfunction and dysregulation, however the structural features underlying their toxicity are poorly understood. A major impediment to answering this question relates to the heterogeneous nature of the oligomers, both in terms of structural disorder and oligomer size. This not only complicates elucidating the molecular etiology of these disorders, but also the druggability of these targets as well. We have synthesized a class of bifunctional stilbenes to modulate both the conformational toxicity within amyloid beta oligomers (AβO) and the oxidative stress elicited by AβO. Using a neuronal culture model, we demonstrate this bifunctional approach has the potential to counter the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease in a powerful, synergistic manner. Examination of AβO structure by various biophysical tools shows that each stilbene candidate uniquely alters AβO conformation and toxicity, providing insight towards the future development of structural correctors for AβO. Correlations of AβO structural modulation and bioactivity displayed by each provides insights for future testing in vivo. The multi-target activity of these hybrid molecules represents a highly advantageous feature for disease modification in Alzheimer's, which displays a complex, multifactorial etiology. Importantly, these novel small molecules intervene with intraneuronal AβO, a necessary feature to counter the cycle of dysregulation, oxidative stress and inflammation triggered during the earliest stages of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Hilt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ruiwu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Izumi Maezawa
- M.I.N.D. Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Tatu Rojalin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Hnin H. Aung
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Research Division, California Air Resource Board, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Madhu Budamagunta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ryan Slez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Qizhi Gong
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Randy P. Carney
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - John C. Voss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Paramag Biosciences Inc., Davis, CA, United States
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28
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Ghosh S, Ghosh S. Exosome: The “Off-the-Shelf” Cellular Nanocomponent as a Potential Pathogenic Agent, a Disease Biomarker, and Neurotherapeutics. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:878058. [PMID: 35685643 PMCID: PMC9170956 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.878058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are nanosized “off-the-shelf” lipid vesicles released by almost all cell types and play a significant role in cell–cell communication. Exosomes have already been proven to carry cell-specific cargos of proteins, lipids, miRNA, and noncoding RNA (ribonucleic acid). These vesicles can be selectively taken up by the neighboring cell and can regulate cellular functions. Herein, we have discussed three different roles of exosomes in neuroscience. First, we have discussed how exosomes play the role of a pathogenic agent as a part of cell–cell communication and transmit pathogens such as amyloid-beta (Aβ), further helping in the propagation of neurodegenerative and other neurological diseases. In the next section, the review talks about the role of exosomes in biomarker discovery in neurological disorders. Toward the end, we have reviewed how exosomes can be harnessed and engineered for therapeutic purposes in different brain diseases. This review is based on the current knowledge generated in this field and our comprehension of this domain.
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Iyaswamy A, Wang X, Krishnamoorthi S, Kaliamoorthy V, Sreenivasmurthy SG, Kumar Durairajan SS, Song JX, Tong BCK, Zhu Z, Su CF, Liu J, Cheung KH, Lu JH, Tan JQ, Li HW, Wong MS, Li M. Theranostic F-SLOH mitigates Alzheimer's disease pathology involving TFEB and ameliorates cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease models. Redox Biol 2022; 51:102280. [PMID: 35286997 PMCID: PMC8921490 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers and phosphorylated Tau aggregates are crucial pathological events or factors that cause progressive neuronal loss, and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current medications for AD have failed to halt, much less reverse this neurodegenerative disorder; therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of effective and safe drugs for AD therapy. In the present study, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of an Aβ-oligomer-targeted fluorescent probe, F-SLOH, was extensively investigated in 5XFAD and 3XTg-AD mouse models. We have shown that F-SLOH exhibits an efficient inhibitory activity against Aβ aggregation in vivo, and acts as an effective theranostic agent for the treatment of multiple neuropathological changes in AD mouse models. F-SLOH has been found to significantly reduce not only the levels of Aβ oligomers, Tau aggregates and plaques but also the levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its metabolites via autophagy lysosomal degradation pathway (ALP) in the brains of 5XFAD and 3XTg-AD mice. It also reduces astrocyte activation and microgliosis ultimately alleviating neuro-inflammation. Furthermore, F-SLOH mitigates hyperphosphorylated Tau aggregates, synaptic deficits and ameliorates synaptic memory function, and cognitive impairment in AD mouse models. The mechanistic studies have shown that F-SLOH promotes the clearance of C-terminal fragment 15 (CTF15) of APP and Paired helical filaments of Tau (PHF1) in stable cell models via the activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB). Moreover, F-SLOH promotes ALP and lysosomal biogenesis for the clearance of soluble, insoluble Aβ, and phospho Tau. Our results unambiguously reveal effective etiological capabilities of theranostic F-SLOH to target and intervene multiple neuropathological changes in AD mouse models. Therefore, F-SLOH demonstrates tremendous therapeutic potential for treating AD in its early stage.
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30
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Iron accumulation induces oxidative stress, while depressing inflammatory polarization in human iPSC-derived microglia. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1351-1365. [PMID: 35523178 PMCID: PMC9213827 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron accumulation in microglia has been observed in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and is thought to contribute to disease progression through various mechanisms, including neuroinflammation. To study this interaction, we treated human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia (iPSC-MG) with iron, in combination with inflammatory stimuli such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and amyloid β. Both IFN-γ and iron treatment increased labile iron levels, but only iron treatment led to a consistent increase of ferritin levels, reflecting long-term iron storage. Therefore, in iPSC-MG, ferritin appeared to be regulated by iron revels rather than inflammation. Further investigation showed that while IFN-γ induced pro-inflammatory activation, iron treatment dampened both classic pro- and anti-inflammatory activation on a transcriptomic level. Notably, iron-loaded microglia showed strong upregulation of cellular stress response pathways, the NRF2 pathway, and other oxidative stress pathways. Functionally, iPSC-MG exhibited altered phagocytosis and impaired mitochondrial metabolism following iron treatment. Collectively, these data suggest that in MG, in contrast to current hypotheses, iron treatment does not result in pro-inflammatory activation, but rather dampens it and induces oxidative stress. In iPSC-microglia, iron rather than inflammatory activation induces ferritin expression Excessive iron dampens both classic pro- and anti-inflammatory activation Iron uptake leads to upregulation of NRF2 and other oxidative stress pathways Phagocytosis and mitochondrial metabolism are altered following iron uptake
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31
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Kreiser RP, Wright AK, Sasser LR, Rinauro DJ, Gabriel JM, Hsu CM, Hurtado JA, McKenzie TL, Errico S, Albright JA, Richardson L, Jaffett VA, Riegner DE, Nguyen LT, LeForte K, Zasloff M, Hollows JE, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. A Brain-Permeable Aminosterol Regulates Cell Membranes to Mitigate the Toxicity of Diverse Pore-Forming Agents. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1219-1231. [PMID: 35404569 PMCID: PMC9026273 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
The molecular composition
of the plasma membrane plays a key role
in mediating the susceptibility of cells to perturbations induced
by toxic molecules. The pharmacological regulation of the properties
of the cell membrane has therefore the potential to enhance cellular
resilience to a wide variety of chemical and biological compounds.
In this study, we investigate the ability of claramine, a blood–brain
barrier permeable small molecule in the aminosterol class, to neutralize
the toxicity of acute biological threat agents, including melittin
from honeybee venom and α-hemolysin from Staphylococcus
aureus. Our results show that claramine neutralizes
the toxicity of these pore-forming agents by preventing their interactions
with cell membranes without perturbing their structures in a detectable
manner. We thus demonstrate that the exogenous administration of an
aminosterol can tune the properties of lipid membranes and protect
cells from diverse biotoxins, including not just misfolded protein
oligomers as previously shown but also biological protein-based toxins.
Our results indicate that the investigation of regulators of the physicochemical
properties of cell membranes offers novel opportunities to develop
countermeasures against an extensive set of cytotoxic effects associated
with cell membrane disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P. Kreiser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Aidan K. Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Liam R. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dillon J. Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Justus M. Gabriel
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Claire M. Hsu
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Jorge A. Hurtado
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Tristan L. McKenzie
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - J. Alex Albright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lance Richardson
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Victor A. Jaffett
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dawn E. Riegner
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Kathleen LeForte
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Michael Zasloff
- MedStar-Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, United States
| | - Jared E. Hollows
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
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Mrdenovic D, Pieta IS, Nowakowski R, Kutner W, Lipkowski J, Pieta P. Amyloid β interaction with model cell membranes - What are the toxicity-defining properties of amyloid β? Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 200:520-531. [PMID: 35074328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.01.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of the neuronal membrane by toxic amyloid β oligomers is hypothesized to be the major event associated with Alzheimer's disease's neurotoxicity. Misfolding of amyloid β is followed by aggregation via different pathways in which structurally different amyloid β oligomers can be formed. The respective toxic actions of these structurally diverse oligomers can vary significantly. Linking a particular toxic action to a structurally unique kind of amyloid β oligomers and resolving their toxicity-determining feature remains challenging because of their transient stability and heterogeneity. Moreover, the lipids that make up the membrane affect amyloid β oligomers' behavior, thus adding to the problem's complexity. The present review compares and analyzes the latest results to improve understanding of amyloid β oligomers' interaction with lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusan Mrdenovic
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Izabela S Pieta
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Nowakowski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz Kutner
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, School of Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-815 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Lipkowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Piotr Pieta
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
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33
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Lye YS, Chen YR. TAR DNA-binding protein 43 oligomers in physiology and pathology. IUBMB Life 2022; 74:794-811. [PMID: 35229461 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is an RNA/DNA-binding protein involved in RNA regulation and diseases. In 2006, TDP-43 inclusions were found in the disease lesions of several neurodegenerative diseases. It is the pathological hallmark in both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar dementia. It also presents in a large portion of patients with Alzheimer's disease. TDP-43 is prone to aggregate; however, the role of TDP-43 oligomers remains poorly understood in both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we emphasize the role of oligomeric TDP-43 in both physiological and pathological conditions and discuss the potential mechanisms of oligomer formation. Finally, we suggest therapeutic strategies against the TDP-43 oligomers in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuh Shen Lye
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ru Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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34
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Matsui A, Bellier JP, Kanai T, Satooka H, Nakanishi A, Terada T, Ishibe T, Nakamura Y, Taguchi H, Naruse N, Mera Y. The Effect of Ethanol on Disassembly of Amyloid-β 1-42 Pentamer Revealed by Atomic Force Microscopy and Gel Electrophoresis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020889. [PMID: 35055076 PMCID: PMC8779648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, is associated with senile plaques formed by the filamentous aggregation of hydrophobic amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brains of patients. Small oligomeric assemblies also occur and drugs and chemical compounds that can interact with such assemblies have attracted much attention. However, these compounds need to be solubilized in appropriate solvents, such as ethanol, which may also destabilize their protein structures. As the impact of ethanol on oligomeric Aβ assembly is unknown, we investigated the effect of various concentrations of ethanol (0 to 7.2 M) on Aβ pentameric assemblies (Aβp) by combining blue native-PAGE (BN-PAGE) and ambient air atomic force microscopy (AFM). This approach was proven to be very convenient and reliable for the quantitative analysis of Aβ assembly. The Gaussian analysis of the height histogram obtained from the AFM images was correlated with band intensity on BN-PAGE for the quantitative estimation of Aβp. Our observations indicated up to 1.4 M (8.3%) of added ethanol can be used as a solvent/vehicle without quantitatively affecting Aβ pentamer stability. Higher concentration induced significant destabilization of Aβp and eventually resulted in the complete disassembly of Aβp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuya Matsui
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Jean-Pierre Bellier
- Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan;
- Correspondence: (J.-P.B.); (N.N.); Tel.: +81-77-548-2101 (N.N.)
| | - Takeshi Kanai
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Hiroki Satooka
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Akio Nakanishi
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Tsukasa Terada
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-Cho, Toyonaka 560-8531, Japan; (T.T.); (T.I.); (Y.N.)
| | - Takafumi Ishibe
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-Cho, Toyonaka 560-8531, Japan; (T.T.); (T.I.); (Y.N.)
| | - Yoshiaki Nakamura
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-Cho, Toyonaka 560-8531, Japan; (T.T.); (T.I.); (Y.N.)
| | - Hiroyasu Taguchi
- Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan;
| | - Nobuyasu Naruse
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
- Correspondence: (J.-P.B.); (N.N.); Tel.: +81-77-548-2101 (N.N.)
| | - Yutaka Mera
- Department of Fundamental Bioscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan; (A.M.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (A.N.); (Y.M.)
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35
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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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Dhakal S, Saha J, Wyant CE, Rangachari V. αS Oligomers Generated from Interactions with a Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid and a Dopamine Metabolite Differentially Interact with Aβ to Enhance Neurotoxicity. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4153-4161. [PMID: 34665617 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00530] [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: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly becoming clear that neurodegenerative diseases are not as discrete as originally thought to be but display significant overlap in histopathological and clinical presentations. For example, nearly half of the patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD) show symptoms and pathological features of one another. Yet, the molecular events and features that underlie such comorbidities in neurodegenerative diseases remain poorly understood. Here, inspired to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the overlap between AD and PD, we investigated the interactions between amyloid-β (Aβ) and α-synuclein (αS), aggregates of which form the major components of amyloid plaques and Lewy bodies, respectively. Specifically, we focused on αS oligomers generated from the dopamine metabolite called dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) and a polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The two αS oligomers showed structural and conformational differences as confirmed by the disparity in size, secondary structure, susceptibility to proteinase K digestion, and cytotoxicity. More importantly, the two oligomers differentially modulated Aβ aggregation; while both inhibited Aβ aggregation to varying extents, they also induced structurally different Aβ assemblies. Furthermore, Aβ seeded with DHA-derived αS oligomers showed greater toxicity than DOPAL-derived αS oligomers in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. These results provide insights into the interactions between two amyloid proteins with empirically distinctive biophysical and cellular manifestations, enunciating a basis for potentially ubiquitous cross-amyloid interactions across many neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra Dhakal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Courtney E. Wyant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, 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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Chen Y, Li X, Zhan C, Lao Z, Li F, Dong X, Wei G. A Comprehensive Insight into the Mechanisms of Dopamine in Disrupting Aβ Protofibrils and Inhibiting Aβ Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4007-4019. [PMID: 34472835 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrillary aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) are the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Clearing Aβ deposition or inhibiting Aβ aggregation is a promising approach to treat AD. Experimental studies reported that dopamine (DA), an important neurotransmitter, can inhibit Aβ aggregation and disrupt Aβ fibrils in a dose-dependent manner. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain mostly elusive. Herein, we investigated the effect of DA on Aβ42 protofibrils at three different DA-to-Aβ molar ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 10:1) using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations demonstrate that protonated DA at a DA-to-Aβ ratio of 2:1 exhibits stronger Aβ protofibril disruptive capacity than that at a molar-ratio of 1:1 by mostly disrupting the F4-L34-V36 hydrophobic core. When the ratio of DA-to-Aβ increases to 10:1, DA has a high probability to bind to the outer surface of protofibril and has negligible effect on the protofibril structure. Interestingly, at the same DA-to-Aβ ratio (10:1), a mixture of protonated (DA+) and deprotonated (DA0) DA molecules significantly disrupts Aβ protofibrils by the binding of DA0 to the F4-L34-V36 hydrophobic core. Replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations of Aβ42 dimer show that DA+ inhibits the formation of β-sheets, K28-A42/K28-D23 salt-bridges, and interpeptide hydrophobic interactions and results in disordered coil-rich Aβ dimers, which would inhibit the subsequent fibrillization of Aβ. Further analyses reveal that DA disrupts Aβ protofibril and prevents Aβ dimerization mostly through π-π stacking interactions with residues F4, H6, and H13, hydrogen bonding interactions with negatively charged residues D7, E11, E22 and D23, and cation-π interactions with residues R5. This study provides a complete picture of the molecular mechanisms of DA in disrupting Aβ protofibril and inhibiting Aβ aggregation, which could be helpful for the design of potent drug candidates for the treatment/intervention of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Chen
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuhua Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chendi Zhan
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zenghui Lao
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fangying Li
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuewei Dong
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People’s Republic of China
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Errico S, Ramshini H, Capitini C, Canale C, Spaziano M, Barbut D, Calamai M, Zasloff M, Oropesa-Nuñez R, Vendruscolo M, Chiti F. Quantitative Measurement of the Affinity of Toxic and Nontoxic Misfolded Protein Oligomers for Lipid Bilayers and of its Modulation by Lipid Composition and Trodusquemine. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3189-3202. [PMID: 34382791 PMCID: PMC8414483 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with the self-assembly of peptides and proteins into fibrillar aggregates. Soluble misfolded oligomers formed during the aggregation process, or released by mature fibrils, play a relevant role in neurodegenerative processes through their interactions with neuronal membranes. However, the determinants of the cytotoxicity of these oligomers are still unclear. Here we used liposomes and toxic and nontoxic oligomers formed by the same protein to measure quantitatively the affinity of the two oligomeric species for lipid membranes. To this aim, we quantified the perturbation to the lipid membranes caused by the two oligomers by using the fluorescence quenching of two probes embedded in the polar and apolar regions of the lipid membranes and a well-defined protein-oligomer binding assay using fluorescently labeled oligomers to determine the Stern-Volmer and dissociation constants, respectively. With both approaches, we found that the toxic oligomers have a membrane affinity 20-25 times higher than that of nontoxic oligomers. Circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, and FRET indicated that neither oligomer type changes its structure upon membrane interaction. Using liposomes enriched with trodusquemine, a potential small molecule drug known to penetrate lipid membranes and make them refractory to toxic oligomers, we found that the membrane affinity of the oligomers was remarkably lower. At protective concentrations of the small molecule, the binding of the oligomers to the lipid membranes was fully prevented. Furthermore, the affinity of the toxic oligomers for the lipid membranes was found to increase and slightly decrease with GM1 ganglioside and cholesterol content, respectively, indicating that physicochemical properties of lipid membranes modulate their affinity for misfolded oligomeric species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Errico
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Hassan Ramshini
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
- Department
of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran 19395-4697, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Claudia Capitini
- European
Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Florence, Sesto
Fiorentino 50019, Italy
| | - Claudio Canale
- Department
of Physics, University of Genoa, Genoa 16146, Italy
| | - Martina Spaziano
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Denise Barbut
- Enterin
Inc., 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
| | - Martino Calamai
- European
Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
- National
Institute of Optics, National Research Council
of Italy (CNR), Florence 50125, Italy
| | - Michael Zasloff
- Enterin
Inc., 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
- MedStar-Georgetown
Transplant Institute, Georgetown University
School of Medicine, Washington D.C. 20007, United States
| | - Reinier Oropesa-Nuñez
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala
University, Uppsala SE-751 03, Sweden
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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Identification of transmissible proteotoxic oligomer-like fibrils that expand conformational diversity of amyloid assemblies. Commun Biol 2021; 4:939. [PMID: 34354242 PMCID: PMC8342456 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02466-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and amyloid deposition are associated with numerous diseases. The detailed characterization of the proteospecies mediating cell death remains elusive owing to the (supra)structural polymorphism and transient nature of the assemblies populating the amyloid pathway. Here we describe the identification of toxic amyloid fibrils with oligomer-like characteristics, which were assembled from an islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) derivative containing an Asn-to-Gln substitution (N21Q). While N21Q filaments share structural properties with cytocompatible fibrils, including the 4.7 Å inter-strand distance and β-sheet-rich conformation, they concurrently display characteristics of oligomers, such as low thioflavin-T binding, high surface hydrophobicity and recognition by the A11 antibody, leading to high potency to disrupt membranes and cause cellular dysfunction. The toxic oligomer-like conformation of N21Q fibrils, which is preserved upon elongation, is transmissible to naïve IAPP. These stable fibrils expanding the conformational diversity of amyloid assemblies represent an opportunity to elucidate the structural basis of amyloid disorders. Nguyen et al identified cytotoxic amyloid fibrils with oligomer-like characteristics, which were assembled from an islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) derivative containing an Asn-to-Gln substitution (N21Q). They presented evidence to show that these stable fibrils expand the conformational diversity of amyloid assemblies, which represents an opportunity to elucidate the structural basis of amyloid disorders.
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Anjum S, Ishaque S, Fatima H, Farooq W, Hano C, Abbasi BH, Anjum I. Emerging Applications of Nanotechnology in Healthcare Systems: Grand Challenges and Perspectives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14080707. [PMID: 34451803 PMCID: PMC8401281 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare, as a basic human right, has often become the focus of the development of innovative technologies. Technological progress has significantly contributed to the provision of high-quality, on-time, acceptable, and affordable healthcare. Advancements in nanoscience have led to the emergence of a new generation of nanostructures. Each of them has a unique set of properties that account for their astonishing applications. Since its inception, nanotechnology has continuously affected healthcare and has exerted a tremendous influence on its transformation, contributing to better outcomes. In the last two decades, the world has seen nanotechnology taking steps towards its omnipresence and the process has been accelerated by extensive research in various healthcare sectors. The inclusion of nanotechnology and its allied nanocarriers/nanosystems in medicine is known as nanomedicine, a field that has brought about numerous benefits in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Various nanosystems have been found to be better candidates for theranostic purposes, in contrast to conventional ones. This review paper will shed light on medically significant nanosystems, as well as their applications and limitations in areas such as gene therapy, targeted drug delivery, and in the treatment of cancer and various genetic diseases. Although nanotechnology holds immense potential, it is yet to be exploited. More efforts need to be directed to overcome these limitations and make full use of its potential in order to revolutionize the healthcare sector in near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaira Anjum
- Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.I.); (H.F.); (W.F.); (I.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +92-300-6957038
| | - Sara Ishaque
- Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.I.); (H.F.); (W.F.); (I.A.)
| | - Hijab Fatima
- Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.I.); (H.F.); (W.F.); (I.A.)
| | - Wajiha Farooq
- Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.I.); (H.F.); (W.F.); (I.A.)
| | - Christophe Hano
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures (LBLGC), INRAe USC1328, Université d’Orléans, 28000 Chartres, France;
| | - Bilal Haider Abbasi
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 54000, Pakistan;
| | - Iram Anjum
- Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.I.); (H.F.); (W.F.); (I.A.)
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41
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An evaluation of the self-assembly enhancing properties of cell-derived hexameric amyloid-β. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11570. [PMID: 34078941 PMCID: PMC8172837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90680-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A key hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is the extracellular deposition of amyloid plaques composed primarily of the amyloidogenic amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. The Aβ peptide is a product of sequential cleavage of the Amyloid Precursor Protein, the first step of which gives rise to a C-terminal Fragment (C99). Cleavage of C99 by γ-secretase activity releases Aβ of several lengths and the Aβ42 isoform in particular has been identified as being neurotoxic. The misfolding of Aβ leads to subsequent amyloid fibril formation by nucleated polymerisation. This requires an initial and critical nucleus for self-assembly. Here, we identify and characterise the composition and self-assembly properties of cell-derived hexameric Aβ42 and show its assembly enhancing properties which are dependent on the Aβ monomer availability. Identification of nucleating assemblies that contribute to self-assembly in this way may serve as therapeutic targets to prevent the formation of toxic oligomers.
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42
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Gonçalves PB, Sodero ACR, Cordeiro Y. Green Tea Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) Targeting Protein Misfolding in Drug Discovery for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biomolecules 2021; 11:767. [PMID: 34065606 PMCID: PMC8160836 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) of the major bioactive compound of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), is well documented. Numerous findings now suggest that EGCG targets protein misfolding and aggregation, a common cause and pathological mechanism in many NDs. Several studies have shown that EGCG interacts with misfolded proteins such as amyloid beta-peptide (Aβ), linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and α-synuclein, linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, NDs constitute a serious public health problem, causing a financial burden for health care systems worldwide. Although current treatments provide symptomatic relief, they do not stop or even slow the progression of these devastating disorders. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective drugs for these incurable ailments. It is expected that targeting protein misfolding can serve as a therapeutic strategy for many NDs since protein misfolding is a common cause of neurodegeneration. In this context, EGCG may offer great potential opportunities in drug discovery for NDs. Therefore, this review critically discusses the role of EGCG in NDs drug discovery and provides updated information on the scientific evidence that EGCG can potentially be used to treat many of these fatal brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yraima Cordeiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21949-900, Brazil; (P.B.G.); (A.C.R.S.)
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Cascella R, Cecchi C. Calcium Dyshomeostasis in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094914. [PMID: 34066371 PMCID: PMC8124842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by amyloid β-protein deposition in senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles consisting of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein, and neuronal loss leading to cognitive decline and dementia. Despite extensive research, the exact mechanisms underlying AD remain unknown and effective treatment is not available. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain AD pathophysiology; however, there is general consensus that the abnormal aggregation of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is the initial event triggering a pathogenic cascade of degenerating events in cholinergic neurons. The dysregulation of calcium homeostasis has been studied considerably to clarify the mechanisms of neurodegeneration induced by Aβ. Intracellular calcium acts as a second messenger and plays a key role in the regulation of neuronal functions, such as neural growth and differentiation, action potential, and synaptic plasticity. The calcium hypothesis of AD posits that activation of the amyloidogenic pathway affects neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis and the mechanisms responsible for learning and memory. Aβ can disrupt Ca2+ signaling through several mechanisms, by increasing the influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular space and by activating its release from intracellular stores. Here, we review the different molecular mechanisms and receptors involved in calcium dysregulation in AD and possible therapeutic strategies for improving the treatment.
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Zou X, Himbert S, Dujardin A, Juhasz J, Ros S, Stöver HDH, Rheinstädter MC. Curcumin and Homotaurine Suppress Amyloid-β 25-35 Aggregation in Synthetic Brain Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1395-1405. [PMID: 33826295 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides spontaneously aggregate into β- and cross-β-sheets in model brain membranes. These nanometer sized can fuse into larger micrometer sized clusters and become extracellular and serve as nuclei for further plaque and fibril growth. Curcumin and homotaurine represent two different types of Aβ aggregation inhibitors. While homotaurine is a peptic antiaggregant that binds to amyloid peptides, curcumin is a nonpeptic molecule that can inhibit aggregation by changing membrane properties. By using optical and fluorescent microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis spectroscopy, we study the effect of curcumin and homotaurine on Aβ25-35 aggregates in synthetic brain membranes. Both molecules partition spontaneously and uniformly in membranes and do not lead to observable membrane defects or disruption in our experiments. Both curcumin and homotaurine were found to significantly reduce the number of small, nanoscopic Aβ aggregates and the corresponding β- and cross-β-sheet signals. While a number of research projects focus on potential drug candidates that target Aβ peptides directly, membrane-lipid therapy explores membrane-mediated pathways to suppress peptide aggregation. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that membrane active drugs can be as efficient as peptide targeting drugs in inhibiting amyloid aggregation in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyuan Zou
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Sebastian Himbert
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Alix Dujardin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Janos Juhasz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Department of Medical Physics, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Samantha Ros
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Harald D. H. Stöver
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Maikel C. Rheinstädter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
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Banchelli M, Cascella R, D’Andrea C, La Penna G, Li MS, Machetti F, Matteini P, Pizzanelli S. Probing the Structure of Toxic Amyloid-β Oligomers with Electron Spin Resonance and Molecular Modeling. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1150-1161. [PMID: 33724783 PMCID: PMC9284516 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural models of the toxic species involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease are of utmost importance to understand the molecular mechanism and to describe early biomarkers of the disease. Among toxic species, soluble oligomers of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides are particularly important, because they are responsible for spreading cell damages over brain regions, thus rapidly impairing brain functions. In this work we obtain structural information on a carefully prepared Aβ(1-42) sample, representing a toxic state for cell cultures, by combining electron spin resonance spectroscopy and computational models. We exploited the binding of Cu2+ to Aβ(1-42) and used copper as a probe for estimating Cu-Cu distances in the oligomers by applying double electron-electron resonance (DEER) pulse sequence. The DEER trace of this sample displays a unique feature that fits well with structural models of oligomers formed by Cu-cross-linked peptide dimers. Because Cu is bound to the Aβ(1-42) N-terminus, for the first time structural constraints that are missing in reported studies are provided at physiological conditions for the Aβ N-termini. These constraints suggest the Aβ(1-42) dimer as the building block of soluble oligomers, thus changing the scenario for any kinetic model of Aβ(1-42) aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Banchelli
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- University of Florence, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, I-50134 Firenze, Italy
| | - Cristiano D’Andrea
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
| | - Giovanni La Penna
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM), Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN),
Section of Roma-Tor Vergata, I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology, 6 Quarter, Linh Trung Ward, Thu
Duc District, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Fabrizio Machetti
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM), Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
- University of Florence, Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
| | - Paolo Matteini
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 FI, Italy
| | - Silvia Pizzanelli
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM), I-56124 Pisa, Italy
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Gomes GN, Levine ZA. Defining the Neuropathological Aggresome across in Silico, in Vitro, and ex Vivo Experiments. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:1974-1996. [PMID: 33464098 PMCID: PMC8362740 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c09193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The loss of proteostasis over the life course is associated with a wide range of debilitating degenerative diseases and is a central hallmark of human aging. When left unchecked, proteins that are intrinsically disordered can pathologically aggregate into highly ordered fibrils, plaques, and tangles (termed amyloids), which are associated with countless disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type II diabetes, cancer, and even certain viral infections. However, despite significant advances in protein folding and solution biophysics techniques, determining the molecular cause of these conditions in humans has remained elusive. This has been due, in part, to recent discoveries showing that soluble protein oligomers, not insoluble fibrils or plaques, drive the majority of pathological processes. This has subsequently led researchers to focus instead on heterogeneous and often promiscuous protein oligomers. Unfortunately, significant gaps remain in how to prepare, model, experimentally corroborate, and extract amyloid oligomers relevant to human disease in a systematic manner. This Review will report on each of these techniques and their successes and shortcomings in an attempt to standardize comparisons between protein oligomers across disciplines, especially in the context of neurodegeneration. By standardizing multiple techniques and identifying their common overlap, a clearer picture of the soluble neuropathological aggresome can be constructed and used as a baseline for studying human disease and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory-Neal Gomes
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Zachary A. Levine
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Mrdenovic D, Zarzycki P, Majewska M, Pieta IS, Nowakowski R, Kutner W, Lipkowski J, Pieta P. Inhibition of Amyloid β-Induced Lipid Membrane Permeation and Amyloid β Aggregation by K162. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:531-541. [PMID: 33478212 PMCID: PMC7877724 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration associated with amyloid β (Aβ) peptide aggregation. The aggregation of Aβ monomers (AβMs) leads to the formation of Aβ oligomers (AβOs), the neurotoxic Aβ form, capable of permeating the cell membrane. Here, we investigated the effect of a fluorene-based active drug candidate, named K162, on both Aβ aggregation and AβO toxicity toward the bilayer lipid membrane (BLM). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and molecular dynamics (MD) were employed to show that K162 inhibits AβOs-induced BLM permeation, thus preserving BLM integrity. In the presence of K162, only shallow defects on the BLM surface were formed. Apparently, K162 modifies Aβ aggregation by bypassing the formation of toxic AβOs, and only nontoxic AβMs, dimers (AβDs), and fibrils (AβFs) are produced. Unlike other Aβ toxicity inhibitors, K162 preserves neurologically beneficial AβMs. This unique K162 inhibition mechanism provides an alternative AD therapeutic strategy that could be explored in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusan Mrdenovic
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Piotr Zarzycki
- Energy Geosciences
Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Marta Majewska
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Izabela S. Pieta
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Nowakowski
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz Kutner
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, School of Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-815 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Lipkowski
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Piotr Pieta
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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48
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Cawood EE, Karamanos TK, Wilson AJ, Radford SE. Visualizing and trapping transient oligomers in amyloid assembly pathways. Biophys Chem 2021; 268:106505. [PMID: 33220582 PMCID: PMC8188297 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2020.106505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oligomers which form during amyloid fibril assembly are considered to be key contributors towards amyloid disease. However, understanding how such intermediates form, their structure, and mechanisms of toxicity presents significant challenges due to their transient and heterogeneous nature. Here, we discuss two different strategies for addressing these challenges: use of (1) methods capable of detecting lowly-populated species within complex mixtures, such as NMR, single particle methods (including fluorescence and force spectroscopy), and mass spectrometry; and (2) chemical and biological tools to bias the amyloid energy landscape towards specific oligomeric states. While the former methods are well suited to following the kinetics of amyloid assembly and obtaining low-resolution structural information, the latter are capable of producing oligomer samples for high-resolution structural studies and inferring structure-toxicity relationships. Together, these different approaches should enable a clearer picture to be gained of the nature and role of oligomeric intermediates in amyloid formation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Cawood
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Theodoros K Karamanos
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Andrew J Wilson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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Simons ES, Smith MA, Dengler-Crish CM, Crish SD. Retinal ganglion cell loss and gliosis in the retinofugal projection following intravitreal exposure to amyloid-beta. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 147:105146. [PMID: 33122075 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathological accumulations of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide are found in retina early in Alzheimer's disease, yet its effects on retinal neuronal structure remain unknown. To investigate this, we injected fibrillized Aβ1-42 protein into the eye of adult C57BL/6 J mice and analyzed the retina, optic nerve (ON), and the superior colliculus (SC), the primary retinal target in mice. We found that retinal Aβ exposure stimulated microglial activation and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss as early as 1-week post-injection. Pathology was not limited to the retina, but propagated into other areas of the central nervous system. Microgliosis spread throughout the retinal projection (retina, ON, and SC), with multiplex protein quantitation demonstrating an increase in endogenously produced Aβ in the ON and SC corresponding to the injected retinas. Surprisingly, this pathology spread to the opposite side, with unilateral Aβ eye injections driving increased Aβ levels, neuroinflammation, and RGC death in the opposite, un-injected retinal projection. As Aβ-mediated microglial activation has been shown to propagate Aβ pathology, we also investigated the role of the Aβ-binding microglial scavenger receptor CD36 in this pathology. Transgenic mice lacking the CD36 receptor were resistant to Aβ-induced inflammation and RGC death up to 2 weeks following exposure. These results indicate that Aβ pathology drives regional neuropathology in the retina and does not remain isolated to the affected eye, but spreads throughout the nervous system. Further, CD36 may serve as a promising target to prevent Aβ-mediated inflammatory damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- E S Simons
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, United States; Kent State Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Kent, OH 44240, United States
| | - M A Smith
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, United States; Kent State Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Kent, OH 44240, United States; Akron Children's Hospital, Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute, Akron, OH 44302, United States
| | - C M Dengler-Crish
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, United States; Kent State Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Kent, OH 44240, United States
| | - S D Crish
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, United States; Kent State Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Kent, OH 44240, United States.
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50
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Bigi A, Loffredo G, Cascella R, Cecchi C. Targeting Pathological Amyloid Aggregates with Conformation-Sensitive Antibodies. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 17:722-734. [PMID: 33167834 DOI: 10.2174/1567205017666201109093848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not directly caused by the presence of senile plaques but rather by the detrimental effects exerted on neuronal cells by toxic soluble oligomers. Such species are formed early during the aggregation process of the Aβ1-42 peptide or can be released from mature fibrils. Nowadays, efficient tools for an early diagnosis, as well as pharmaceutical treatments targeting the harmful agents in samples of AD patients, are still missing. OBJECTIVE By integrating in vitro immunochemical assay with in vivo neuronal models of toxicity, we aim to understand and target the principles that drive toxicity in AD. METHODS We evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of A11 and OC conformational antibodies to target a range of pathologically relevant amyloid conformers and rescue their cytotoxic effects in neuronal culture models using a number of cellular readouts. RESULTS We demonstrated the peculiar ability of conformational antibodies to label pathologically relevant Aβ1-42 oligomers and fibrils and to prevent their detrimental effects on neuronal cells. CONCLUSION Our results substantially improve our knowledge on the role of toxic assemblies in neurodegenerative diseases, thus suggesting new and more effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Gilda Loffredo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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