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Cranston AL, Kraev I, Stewart MG, Horsley D, Santos RX, Robinson L, Dreesen E, Armstrong P, Palliyil S, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Riedel G. Rescue of synaptosomal glutamate release defects in tau transgenic mice by the tau aggregation inhibitor hydromethylthionine. Cell Signal 2024; 121:111269. [PMID: 38909930 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Glutamatergic neurotransmission, important for learning and memory, is disrupted in different ways in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) tauopathies. We have previously reported that two tau transgenic mouse models, L1 and L66, produce different phenotypes resembling AD and FTD, respectively. The AD-like L1 model expresses the truncated core aggregation domain of the AD paired helical filament (PHF) form of tau (tau296-390) whereas the FTD-like L66 model expresses full-length tau carrying two mutations at P301S/G335D. We have used synaptosomes isolated from these mice to investigate K+-evoked glutamate release and, if abnormal, to determine responsiveness to hydromethylthionine, a tau aggregation inhibitor previously shown to reduce tau pathology in these models. We report that the transgenes in these two mouse lines cause opposite abnormalities in glutamate release. Over-expression of the core tau unit in L1 produces a significant reduction in glutamate release and a loss of Ca2+-dependency compared with wild-type control mice. Full-length mutant tau produces an increase in glutamate release that retains normal Ca2+-dependency. Chronic pre-treatment with hydromethylthionine normalises both reduced (L1) and excessive glutamate (L66) and restores normal Ca2+-dependency in L1 mice. This implies that both patterns of impairment are the result of tau aggregation, but that the direction and Ca2+-dependency of the abnormality is determined by expression of the disease-specific transgene. Our results lead to the conclusion that the tauopathies need not be considered a single entity in terms of the downstream effects of pathological aggregation of tau protein. In this case, directionally opposite abnormalities in glutamate release resulting from different types of tau aggregation in the two mouse models can be corrected by hydromethylthionine. This may help to explain the activity of hydromethylthionine on cognitive decline and brain atrophy in both AD and behavioural-variant FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Cranston
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Igor Kraev
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Mike G Stewart
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - David Horsley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Renato X Santos
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Lianne Robinson
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Eline Dreesen
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Paul Armstrong
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Soumya Palliyil
- Scottish Biologics Facility, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZP, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd, 395 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd, 395 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill AB25 2ZD, UK.
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2
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Schwab K, Lauer D, Magbagbeolu M, Theuring F, Gasiorowska A, Zadrozny M, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Niewiadomska G, Riedel G. Hydromethylthionine rescues synaptic SNARE proteins in a mouse model of tauopathies: Interference by cholinesterase inhibitors. Brain Res Bull 2024; 212:110955. [PMID: 38677558 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110955] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
In clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD), hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) showed reduced efficacy when administered as an add-on to symptomatic treatments, while it produced a significant improvement of cognitive function when taken as monotherapy. Interference of cholinesterase inhibition with HMTM was observed also in a tau transgenic mouse model, where rivastigmine reduced the pharmacological activity of HMTM at multiple brain levels including hippocampal acetylcholine release, synaptosomal glutamate release and mitochondrial activity. Here, we examined the effect of HMTM, given alone or in combination with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, rivastigmine, at the level of expression of selected pre-synaptic proteins (syntaxin-1; SNAP-25, VAMP-2, synaptophysin-1, synapsin-1, α-synuclein) in brain tissue harvested from tau-transgenic Line 1 (L1) and wild-type mice using immunohistochemistry. L1 mice overexpress the tau-core unit that induces tau aggregation and results in an AD-like phenotype. Synaptic proteins were lower in hippocampus and cortex but greater in basal forebrain regions in L1 compared to wild-type mice. HMTM partially normalised the expression pattern of several of these proteins in basal forebrain. This effect was diminished when HMTM was administered in combination with rivastigmine, where mean protein expression seemed supressed. This was further confirmed by group-based correlation network analyses where important levels of co-expression correlations in basal forebrain regions were lost in L1 mice and partially re-established when HMTM was given alone but not in combination with rivastigmine. These data indicate a reduction in pharmacological activity of HMTM when given as an add-on therapy, a result that is consistent with the responses observed in the clinic. Attenuation of the therapeutic effects of HMTM by cholinergic treatments may have important implications for other potential AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Schwab
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Dilyara Lauer
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Mandy Magbagbeolu
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Franz Theuring
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Anna Gasiorowska
- Clinical and Research Department of Applied Physiology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Maciej Zadrozny
- Clinical and Research Department of Applied Physiology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Grażyna Niewiadomska
- Clinical and Research Department of Applied Physiology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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3
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Yang J, Zhi W, Wang L. Role of Tau Protein in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Development of Its Targeted Drugs: A Literature Review. Molecules 2024; 29:2812. [PMID: 38930877 PMCID: PMC11206543 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122812] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein that is widely distributed in the central nervous system and maintains and regulates neuronal morphology and function. Tau protein aggregates abnormally and forms neurofibrillary tangles in neurodegenerative diseases, disrupting the structure and function of neurons and leading to neuronal death, which triggers the initiation and progression of neurological disorders. The aggregation of tau protein in neurodegenerative diseases is associated with post-translational modifications, which may affect the hydrophilicity, spatial conformation, and stability of tau protein, promoting tau protein aggregation and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Therefore, studying the role of tau protein in neurodegenerative diseases and the mechanism of aberrant aggregation is important for understanding the mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases and finding therapeutic approaches. This review describes the possible mechanisms by which tau protein promotes neurodegenerative diseases, the post-translational modifications of tau protein and associated influencing factors, and the current status of drug discovery and development related to tau protein, which may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches to alleviate or treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakai Yang
- Graduate Collaborative Training Base of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Graduate Collaborative Training Base of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
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4
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Dunning EE, Decourt B, Zawia NH, Shill HA, Sabbagh MN. Pharmacotherapies for the Treatment of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Narrative Review. Neurol Ther 2024:10.1007/s40120-024-00614-9. [PMID: 38743312 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-024-00614-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from the deposition of misfolded and neurotoxic forms of tau protein in specific areas of the midbrain, basal ganglia, and cortex. It is one of the most representative forms of tauopathy. PSP presents in several different phenotypic variations and is often accompanied by the development of concurrent neurodegenerative disorders. PSP is universally fatal, and effective disease-modifying therapies for PSP have not yet been identified. Several tau-targeting treatment modalities, including vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and microtubule-stabilizing agents, have been investigated and have had no efficacy. The need to treat PSP and other tauopathies is critical, and many clinical trials investigating tau-targeted treatments are underway. In this review, the PubMed database was queried to collect information about preclinical and clinical research on PSP treatment. Additionally, the US National Library of Medicine's ClinicalTrials.gov website was queried to identify past and ongoing clinical trials relevant to PSP treatment. This narrative review summarizes our findings regarding these reports, which include potential disease-modifying drug trials, modifiable risk factor management, and symptom treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise E Dunning
- Creighton University School of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Boris Decourt
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
- Laboratory on Neurodegeneration and Translational Research, College of Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Nasser H Zawia
- Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Holly A Shill
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Marwan N Sabbagh
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
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5
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Schwab K, Frahm S, Magbagbeolu M, Horsley D, Goatman EA, Melis V, Theuring F, Ishaq A, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Riedel G. LETC inhibits α-Syn aggregation and ameliorates motor deficiencies in the L62 mouse model of synucleinopathy. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 970:176505. [PMID: 38503400 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176505] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation is a pathological feature of synucleinopathies, neurodegenerative disorders that include Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we explored the efficacy of N,N,N',N'-tetraethyl-10H-phenothiazine-3,7-diamine dihydrochloride (LETC), a protein aggregation inhibitor, on α-Syn aggregation. In both cellular models and transgenic mice, α-Syn aggregation was achieved by the overexpression of full-length human α-Syn fused with a signal sequence peptide. α-Syn accumulated in transfected DH60.21 neuroblastoma cells and α-Syn aggregation was inhibited by LETC with an EC50 of 0.066 ± 0.047 μM. Full-length human α-Syn overexpressing Line 62 (L62) mice accumulated neuronal α-Syn that was associated with a decreased motor performance in the open field and automated home cage. LETC, administered orally for 6 weeks at 10 mg/kg significantly decreased α-Syn-positive neurons in multiple brain regions and this resulted in a rescue of movement deficits in the open field in these mice. LETC however, did not improve activity deficits of L62 mice in the home cage environment. The results suggest that LETC may provide a potential disease modification therapy in synucleinopathies through the inhibition of α-Syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Schwab
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Silke Frahm
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mandy Magbagbeolu
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horsley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Elizabeth A Goatman
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Valeria Melis
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Franz Theuring
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ahtsham Ishaq
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - John M D Storey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
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6
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Moorthy H, Kamala N, Ramesh M, Govindaraju T. Biphasic modulation of tau liquid-liquid phase separation by polyphenols. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:4334-4337. [PMID: 38545836 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00473f] [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: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Molecular tools that modulate tau liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) promise to treat tauopathies. We screened a set of polyphenols and demonstrated concentration-dependent biphasic modulation of tau LLPS by gallic acid (GA), showcasing its ability to expedite the liquid-to-gel transition in tau condensates and effectively impede the formation of deleterious fibrillar aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hariharan Moorthy
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India.
| | - Nimsha Kamala
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India.
| | - Madhu Ramesh
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India.
| | - Thimmaiah Govindaraju
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India.
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7
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Zadrozny M, Drapich P, Gasiorowska-Bien A, Niewiadomski W, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Riedel G, Niewiadomska G. Neuroprotection of Cholinergic Neurons with a Tau Aggregation Inhibitor and Rivastigmine in an Alzheimer's-like Tauopathy Mouse Model. Cells 2024; 13:642. [PMID: 38607082 PMCID: PMC11011792 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic dysfunction, most likely linked with tau protein aggregation, is a characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence suggests that tau protein is a putative target for the treatment of dementia, and the tau aggregation inhibitor, hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM), has emerged as a potential disease-modifying treatment. However, its efficacy was diminished in patients already receiving approved acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. In this study, we ask whether this negative interaction can also be mimicked in experimental tau models of AD and whether the underlying mechanism can be understood. From a previous age profiling study, 6-month-old line 1 (L1) tau transgenic mice were characterized by a severe reduction in several cholinergic markers. We therefore assessed whether long-term pre-exposure with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine alone and in conjunction with the tau aggregation inhibitor HMTM can reverse cholinergic deficits in L1. Rivastigmine and HMTM, and combinations of the two compounds were administered orally for 11 weeks to both L1 and wild-type mice. The brains were sectioned with a focus on the basal forebrain, motor cortex and hippocampus. Immunohistochemical staining and quantification of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), tyrosine kinase A (TrkA)-positive neurons and relative optical intensity (ROI) for vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivity confirmed reversal of the diminished cholinergic phenotype of interneurons (nucleus accumbens, striatum) and projection neurons (medial septum, nucleus basalis magnocellularis) by HMTM, to a greater extent than by rivastigmine alone in L1 mice. Combined administration did not yield additivity but, in most proxies, led to antagonistic effects in which rivastigmine decreased the benefits shown with HMTM alone. Local markers (VAChT and AChE) in target structures of the basal forebrain, motor cortex and hippocampal CA3 seemed to be normalized by HMTM, but not by rivastigmine or the combination of both drugs. HMTM, which was developed as a tau aggregation inhibitor, strongly decreased the tau load in L1 mice, however, not in combination with rivastigmine. Taken together, these data confirm a cholinergic phenotype in L1 tau transgenic mice that resembles the deficits observed in AD patients. This phenotype is reversible by HMTM, but at the same time appears to be subject to a homeostatic regulation induced by chronic pre-treatment with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which interferes with the efficacy of HMTM. The strongest phenotypic reversal coincided with a normalization of the tau load in the cortex and hippocampus of L1, suggesting that tau accumulation underpins the loss of cholinergic markers in the basal forebrain and its projection targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Zadrozny
- Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.); (P.D.); (A.G.-B.); (W.N.)
| | - Patrycja Drapich
- Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.); (P.D.); (A.G.-B.); (W.N.)
| | - Anna Gasiorowska-Bien
- Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.); (P.D.); (A.G.-B.); (W.N.)
| | - Wiktor Niewiadomski
- Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.); (P.D.); (A.G.-B.); (W.N.)
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.); (G.R.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.); (G.R.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.); (G.R.)
| | - Grazyna Niewiadomska
- Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.); (P.D.); (A.G.-B.); (W.N.)
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Horsley D, Rickard JE, Vorley T, Leeper MF, Wischik CM, Harrington CR. Assays for the Screening and Characterization of Tau Aggregation Inhibitors. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:93-104. [PMID: 38512662 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Aggregation of tau protein is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative tauopathies. Inhibition of tau aggregation may provide a method for treatment of these disorders. Methods to identify tau aggregation inhibitors (TAIs) in vitro are useful and here we describe assays for TAIs using purified recombinant tau protein fragments in a cell-free immunoassay format and in a stably transfected cell model to create a more physiological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Horsley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Janet E Rickard
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Thomas Vorley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Matilda F Leeper
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
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9
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Schneeweis A, Pak DTS. Wherefore Art Tau? Functional importance of site-specific tau phosphorylation in diverse subcellular domains. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 164:106475. [PMID: 37778693 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106475] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Tau has canonically been considered as an axonal protein, but studies have observed tau localization in other subcellular domains of neurons. This relocated tau has been identified in both physiological and pathological conditions, and it is often labeled mislocalized. Furthermore, these forms of tau are referred to as "hyperphosphorylated" without specifying the phosphosites involved. On the contrary, we speculate that tau may have multiple physiological functions in various locations regulated via specific phosphorylation sites, although this picture is obscured by a lack of comprehensive phosphosite analysis. Here, we examine findings in the literature on the subcellular location of tau and potential roles tau has in those regions. We intentionally focus on the site-specific phosphorylated patterns involved in governing these properties, which are not well elucidated. To facilitate understanding of these events, we have begun establishing a comprehensive map of tau phosphorylation signatures. Such efforts may clarify tau's diverse physiological functions beyond the axon as well as promote development of novel therapeutic strategies directed against distinct tau subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Schneeweis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Daniel T S Pak
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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10
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Huang Y, Wen J, Ramirez LM, Gümüşdil E, Pokhrel P, Man VH, Ye H, Han Y, Liu Y, Li P, Su Z, Wang J, Mao H, Zweckstetter M, Perrett S, Wu S, Gao M. Methylene blue accelerates liquid-to-gel transition of tau condensates impacting tau function and pathology. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5444. [PMID: 37673952 PMCID: PMC10482834 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41241-6] [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: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing tau aggregation is a potential therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Recently, liquid-liquid phase separation has been found to facilitate the formation of pathogenic tau conformations and fibrillar aggregates, although many aspects of the conformational transitions of tau during the phase transition process remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the tau aggregation inhibitor methylene blue promotes tau liquid-liquid phase separation and accelerates the liquid-to-gel transition of tau droplets independent of the redox activity of methylene blue. We further show that methylene blue inhibits the conversion of tau droplets into fibrils and reduces the cytotoxicity of tau aggregates. Although gelation slows down the mobility of tau and tubulin, it does not impair microtubule assembly within tau droplets. These findings suggest that methylene blue inhibits tau amyloid fibrillization and accelerates tau droplet gelation via distinct mechanisms, thus providing insights into the activity of tau aggregation inhibitors in the context of phase transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqi Huang
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China.
| | - Jitao Wen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Lisa-Marie Ramirez
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eymen Gümüşdil
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, 41400, Gebze Çayirova, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Pravin Pokhrel
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Viet H Man
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Haiqiong Ye
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Han
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunfei Liu
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Li
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Hanbin Mao
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Perrett
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Si Wu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Meng Gao
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, 430068, Wuhan, China.
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11
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Arastoo M, Mazanetz MP, Miller S, Shiells H, Hull C, Robinson K, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Wischik CM. Exploring the Anti-Hypoxaemia Effect of Hydromethylthionine: A Prospective Study of Phase 3 Clinical Trial Participants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13747. [PMID: 37762050 PMCID: PMC10531415 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylthioninium chloride (MTC) is a standard treatment for methaemoglobinaemia. A preparation of reduced MTC has been reported to increase blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and lower respiratory rates in patients with severe COVID-19. We have developed a stable form of reduced methylthionine (hydromethylthionine-mesylate, HMTM) having a benign safety profile in two Phase 3 trials in Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the effects of oral HMTM on SpO2 and methaemoglobin (metHb) levels in a cohort of patients with mild hypoxaemia not due to COVID-19. Eighteen participants randomised to a single dose of 4, 75, 100 or 125 mg doses of HMTM had SpO2 levels below 94% at baseline. Patients were routinely monitored by pulse oximetry after 4 h, and after 2 and 6 weeks of twice daily dosing. Significant ~3% increases in SpO2 occurred within 4 h and were sustained over 2 and 6 weeks with no dose differences. There were small dose-dependent increases (0.060-0.162%) in metHb levels over 2 to 6 weeks. Minimum-energy computational chemistry revealed that HMT can bind within 2.10 Å of heme iron by donating a pair of electrons from the central nitrogen of HMT to d orbitals of heme iron, but with lower affinity than oxygen. In conclusion, HMTM can increase SpO2 without reducing metHb by acting as a strong displaceable field ligand for heme iron. We hypothesise that this facilitates a transition from the low oxygen affinity T-state of heme to the higher affinity R-state. HMTM has potential as an adjunctive treatment for hypoxaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Arastoo
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (M.A.); (C.R.H.)
- Scottish Biologics Facility, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK
| | - Michael P. Mazanetz
- NovaData Solutions Ltd., 15 Monreith Rd, Newlands, Glasgow G43 2NX, UK;
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK;
| | - Sonya Miller
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
| | - Helen Shiells
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
| | - Claire Hull
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
| | | | - John M. D. Storey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK;
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (M.A.); (C.R.H.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (M.A.); (C.R.H.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK; (S.M.); (H.S.); (C.H.)
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12
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Cecon E, Oishi A, Luka M, Ndiaye-Lobry D, François A, Lescuyer M, Panayi F, Dam J, Machado P, Jockers R. Novel repertoire of tau biosensors to monitor pathological tau transformation and seeding activity in living cells. eLife 2023; 12:78360. [PMID: 36917493 PMCID: PMC10014071 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregates of the tau protein are a well-known hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, collectively referred to as tauopathies, including frontal temporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Monitoring the transformation process of tau from physiological monomers into pathological oligomers or aggregates in a high-throughput, quantitative manner and in a cellular context is still a major challenge in the field. Identifying molecules able to interfere with those processes is of high therapeutic interest. Here, we developed a series of inter- and intramolecular tau biosensors based on the highly sensitive Nanoluciferase (Nluc) binary technology (NanoBiT) able to monitor the pathological conformational change and self-interaction of tau in living cells. Our repertoire of tau biosensors reliably reports i. molecular proximity of physiological full-length tau at microtubules; ii. changes in tau conformation and self-interaction associated with tau phosphorylation, as well as iii. tau interaction induced by seeds of recombinant tau or from mouse brain lysates of a mouse model of tau pathology. By comparing biosensors comprising different tau forms (i.e. full-length or short fragments, wild-type, or the disease-associated tau(P301L) variant) further insights into the tau transformation process are obtained. Proof-of-concept data for the high-throughput suitability and identification of molecules interfering with the pathological tau transformation processes are presented. This novel repertoire of tau biosensors is aimed to boost the disclosure of molecular mechanisms underlying pathological tau transformation in living cells and to discover new drug candidates for tau-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Cecon
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Atsuro Oishi
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Marine Luka
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | | | - Mathias Lescuyer
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | - Julie Dam
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | - Ralf Jockers
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
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13
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Role of Tau in Various Tauopathies, Treatment Approaches, and Emerging Role of Nanotechnology in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:1690-1720. [PMID: 36562884 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03164-z] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A few protein kinases and phosphatases regulate tau protein phosphorylation and an imbalance in their enzyme activity results in tau hyper-phosphorylation. Aberrant tau phosphorylation causes tau to dissociate from the microtubules and clump together in the cytosol to form neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which lead to the progression of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Hence, targeting hyperphosphorylated tau protein is a restorative approach for treating neurodegenerative tauopathies. The cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk5) and the glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3β) have both been implicated in aberrant tau hyperphosphorylation. The limited transport of drugs through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for reaching the central nervous system (CNS) thus represents a significant problem in the development of drugs. Drug delivery systems based on nanocarriers help solve this problem. In this review, we discuss the tau protein, regulation of tau phosphorylation and abnormal hyperphosphorylation, drugs in use or under clinical trials, and treatment strategies for tauopathies based on the critical role of tau hyperphosphorylation in the pathogenesis of the disease. Pathology of neurodegenerative disease due to hyperphosphorylation and various therapeutic approaches including nanotechnology for its treatment.
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14
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Conti Filho CE, Loss LB, Marcolongo-Pereira C, Rossoni Junior JV, Barcelos RM, Chiarelli-Neto O, da Silva BS, Passamani Ambrosio R, Castro FCDAQ, Teixeira SF, Mezzomo NJ. Advances in Alzheimer's disease's pharmacological treatment. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1101452. [PMID: 36817126 PMCID: PMC9933512 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1101452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the elderly. Several hypotheses emerged from AD pathophysiological mechanisms. However, no neuronal protective or regenerative drug is available nowadays. Researchers still work in drug development and are finding new molecular targets to treat AD. Therefore, this study aimed to summarize main advances in AD pharmacological therapy. Clinical trials registered in the National Library of Medicine database were selected and analyzed accordingly to molecular targets, therapeutic effects, and safety profile. The most common outcome was the lack of efficacy. Only seven trials concluded that tested drugs were safe and induced any kind of therapeutic improvement. Three works showed therapeutic effects followed by toxicity. In addition to aducanumab recent FDA approval, antibodies against amyloid-β (Aβ) showed no noteworthy results. 5-HT6 antagonists, tau inhibitors and nicotinic agonists' data were discouraging. However, anti-Aβ vaccine, BACE inhibitor and anti-neuroinflammation drugs showed promising results.
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15
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Al-Hilaly YK, Hurt C, Rickard JE, Harrington CR, Storey JMD, Wischik CM, Serpell LC, Siemer AB. Solid-state NMR of paired helical filaments formed by the core tau fragment tau(297-391). Front Neurosci 2022; 16:988074. [PMID: 36570831 PMCID: PMC9774000 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.988074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the tau protein into fibrillar cross-β aggregates is a hallmark of Alzheimer's diseases (AD) and many other neurodegenerative tauopathies. Recently, several core structures of patient-derived tau paired helical filaments (PHFs) have been solved revealing a structural variability that often correlates with a specific tauopathy. To further characterize the dynamics of these fibril cores, to screen for strain-specific small molecules as potential biomarkers and therapeutics, and to develop strain-specific antibodies, recombinant in-vitro models of tau filaments are needed. We recently showed that a 95-residue fragment of tau (from residue 297 to 391), termed dGAE, forms filaments in vitro in the absence of polyanionic co-factors often used for in vitro aggregation of full-length tau. Tau(297-391) was identified as the proteolytic resistant core of tau PHFs and overlaps with the structures characterized by cryo-electron microscopy in ex vivo PHFs, making it a promising model for the study of AD tau filaments in vitro. In the present study, we used solid-state NMR to characterize tau(297-391) filaments and show that such filaments assembled under non-reducing conditions are more dynamic and less ordered than those made in the presence of the reducing agent DTT. We further report the resonance assignment of tau(297-391)+DTT filaments and compare it to existing core structures of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssra K. Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom,Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Connor Hurt
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Janet E. Rickard
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - John M. D. Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom,Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
| | - Ansgar B. Siemer
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Ansgar B. Siemer,
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16
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Barbolina MV. Targeting Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau in Chemotherapy-Resistant Models of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4535. [PMID: 36139693 PMCID: PMC9496900 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsed, recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is the deadliest stage of this disease. Expression of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) has been linked to resistance to paclitaxel treatment. Here, I used models of platinum-resistant and created models of platinum/paclitaxel-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma to examine the impact of reducing tau expression on cell survival and tumor burden in cell culture and xenograft and syngeneic models of the disease. Tau was overexpressed in platinum/paclitaxel-resistant models; expression of phosphoSer396 and phosphoThr181 species was also found. A treatment with leucomethylene blue reduced the levels of tau in treated cells, was cytotoxic in cell cultures, and efficiently reduced the tumor burden in xenograft models. Furthermore, a combination of leucomethylene blue and paclitaxel synergized in eliminating cancer cells in cell culture and xenograft models. These findings underscore the feasibility of targeting tau as a treatment option in terminal-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Barbolina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60091, USA
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17
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Advancements in the development of multi-target directed ligands for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 61:116742. [PMID: 35398739 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial irreversible neurological disorder which results in cognitive impairment, loss of cholinergic neurons in synapses of the basal forebrain and neuronal death. Exact pathology of the disease is not yet known however, many hypotheses have been proposed for its treatment. The available treatments including monotherapies and combination therapies are not able to combat the disease effectively because of its complex pathological mechanism. A multipotent drug for AD has the potential to bind or inhibit multiple targets responsible for the progression of the disease like aggregated Aβ, hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, cholinergic and adrenergic receptors, MAO enzymes, overactivated N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor etc. The traditional approach of one disease-one target-one drug has been rationalized to one drug-multi targets for the chronic diseases like AD and cancer. Thus, over the last decade research focus has been shifted towards the development of multi target directed ligands (MTDLs) which can simultaneously inhibit multiple targets and stop or slow the progression of the disease. The MTDLs can be more effective against AD and eliminate any possibility of drug-drug interactions. Many important active pharmacophore units have been fused, merged or incorporated into different scaffolds to synthesize new potent drugs. In the current article, we have described various hypothesis for AD and effectiveness of the MTDLs treatment strategy is discussed in detail. Different chemical scaffolds and their synthetic strategies have been described and important functionalities are identified in the chemical scaffold that have the potential to bind to the multiple targets. The important leads identified in this study with MTDL characteristics have the potential to be developed as drug candidates for the effective treatment of AD.
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18
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HMTM-Mediated Enhancement of Brain Bioenergetics in a Mouse Tauopathy Model Is Blocked by Chronic Administration of Rivastigmine. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040867. [PMID: 35453617 PMCID: PMC9029156 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040867] [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: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The tau protein aggregation inhibitor hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) was shown recently to have concentration-dependent pharmacological activity in delaying cognitive decline and brain atrophy in phase 3 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trials; the activity was reduced in patients receiving symptomatic therapies. The methylthionine (MT) moiety has been reported to increase the clearance of pathological tau and to enhance mitochondrial activity, which is impaired in AD patients. In line 1 (L1) mice (a model of AD), HMTM (5/15 mg/kg) was administered either as a monotherapy or as an add-on to a chronic administration with the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine (0.1/0.5 mg/kg) to explore mitochondrial function and energy substrate utilization as potential targets of drug interference. Compared with wild-type NMRI mice, the L1 mice accumulated greater levels of l-lactate and of the LDH-A subunit responsible for the conversion of pyruvate into l-lactate. In contrast, the levels of LDH-B and mitochondrial ETC subunits and the activity of complexes I and IV was not altered in the L1 mice. The activity of complex I and complex IV tended to increase with the HMTM dosing, in turn decreasing l-lactate accumulation in the brains of the L1 mice, despite increasing the levels of LDH-A. The chronic pre-dosing of the L1 mice with rivastigmine partially prevented the enhancement of the activity of complexes I and IV by HMTM and the increase in the levels of LDH-A while further reducing the levels of l-lactate. Thus, HMTM in combination with rivastigmine leads to a depletion in the energy substrate l-lactate, despite bioenergetic production not being favoured. In this study, the changes in l-lactate appear to be regulated by LDH-A, since neither of the experimental conditions affected the levels of LDH-B. The data show that HMTM monotherapy facilitates the use of substrates for energy production, particularly l-lactate, which is provided by astrocytes, additionally demonstrating that a chronic pre-treatment with rivastigmine prevented most of the HMTM-associated effects.
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19
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Islam M, Shen F, Regmi D, Du D. Therapeutic Strategies for Tauopathies and Drug Repurposing as a Potential Approach. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 198:114979. [PMID: 35219701 PMCID: PMC9159505 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of abnormal tau in the brain. To date, there are no disease-modifying therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for the treatment of tauopathies. In the past decades, extensive efforts have been provided to develop disease-modifying therapies to treat tauopathies. Specifically, exploring existing drugs with the intent of repurposing for the treatment of tauopathies affords a reasonable alternative to discover potent drugs for treating these formidable diseases. Drug repurposing will not only reduce formulation and development stage effort and cost but will also take a key advantage of the established toxicological studies, which is one of the main causes of clinical trial failure of new molecules. In this review, we provide an overview of the current treatment strategies for tauopathies and the recent progress in drug repurposing as an alternative approach to treat tauopathies.
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20
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. Revisiting the grammar of Tau aggregation and pathology formation: how new insights from brain pathology are shaping how we study and target Tauopathies. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 51:513-565. [PMID: 34889934 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00127b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence continues to point towards Tau aggregation and pathology formation as central events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies. Despite significant advances in understanding the morphological and structural properties of Tau fibrils, many fundamental questions remain about what causes Tau to aggregate in the first place. The exact roles of cofactors, Tau post-translational modifications, and Tau interactome in regulating Tau aggregation, pathology formation, and toxicity remain unknown. Recent studies have put the spotlight on the wide gap between the complexity of Tau structures, aggregation, and pathology formation in the brain and the simplicity of experimental approaches used for modeling these processes in research laboratories. Embracing and deconstructing this complexity is an essential first step to understanding the role of Tau in health and disease. To help deconstruct this complexity and understand its implication for the development of effective Tau targeting diagnostics and therapies, we firstly review how our understanding of Tau aggregation and pathology formation has evolved over the past few decades. Secondly, we present an analysis of new findings and insights from recent studies illustrating the biochemical, structural, and functional heterogeneity of Tau aggregates. Thirdly, we discuss the importance of adopting new experimental approaches that embrace the complexity of Tau aggregation and pathology as an important first step towards developing mechanism- and structure-based therapies that account for the pathological and clinical heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease and Tauopathies. We believe that this is essential to develop effective diagnostics and therapies to treat these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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21
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Kondak C, Riedel G, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Klein J. Hydromethylthionine enhancement of central cholinergic signalling is blocked by rivastigmine and memantine. J Neurochem 2021; 160:172-184. [PMID: 34855998 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The prevention of tau protein aggregations is a therapeutic goal for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and hydromethylthionine (HMT) (also known as leucomethylthioninium-mesylate [LMTM]), is a potent inhibitor of tau aggregation in vitro and in vivo. In two Phase 3 clinical trials in AD, HMT had greater pharmacological activity on clinical endpoints in patients not receiving approved symptomatic treatments for AD (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and/or memantine) despite different mechanisms of action. To investigate this drug interaction in an animal model, we used tau-transgenic L1 and wild-type NMRI mice treated with rivastigmine or memantine prior to adding HMT, and measured changes in hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) by microdialysis. HMT given alone doubled hippocampal ACh levels in both mouse lines and increased stimulated ACh release induced by exploration of the open field or by infusion of scopolamine. Rivastigmine increased ACh release in both mouse lines, whereas memantine was more active in tau-transgenic L1 mice. Importantly, our study revealed a negative interaction between HMT and symptomatic AD drugs: the HMT effect was completely eliminated in mice that had been pre-treated with either rivastigmine or memantine. Rivastigmine was found to inhibit AChE, whereas HMT and memantine had no effects on AChE or on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). The interactions observed in this study demonstrate that HMT enhances cholinergic activity in mouse brain by a mechanism of action unrelated to AChE inhibition. Our findings establish that the drug interaction that was first observed clinically has a neuropharmacological basis and is not restricted to animals with tau aggregation pathology. Given the importance of the cholinergic system for memory function, the potential for commonly used AD drugs to interfere with the treatment effects of disease-modifying drugs needs to be taken into account in the design of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin Kondak
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Translational Neuroscience, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.,Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Gernot Riedel
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Translational Neuroscience, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Charles R Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Translational Neuroscience, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Claude M Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Translational Neuroscience, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Jochen Klein
- Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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22
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Proteomic Analysis of Hydromethylthionine in the Line 66 Model of Frontotemporal Dementia Demonstrates Actions on Tau-Dependent and Tau-Independent Networks. Cells 2021; 10:cells10082162. [PMID: 34440931 PMCID: PMC8391171 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal aggregation of tau is the pathological hallmark of tauopathies including frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We have generated tau-transgenic mice that express the aggregation-prone P301S human tau (line 66). These mice present with early-onset, high tau load in brain and FTD-like behavioural deficiencies. Several of these behavioural phenotypes and tau pathology are reversed by treatment with hydromethylthionine but key pathways underlying these corrections remain elusive. In two proteomic experiments, line 66 mice were compared with wild-type mice and then vehicle and hydromethylthionine treatments of line 66 mice were compared. The brain proteome was investigated using two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify protein networks and pathways that were altered due to tau overexpression or modified by hydromethylthionine treatment. Overexpression of mutant tau induced metabolic/mitochondrial dysfunction, changes in synaptic transmission and in stress responses, and these functions were recovered by hydromethylthionine. Other pathways, such as NRF2, oxidative phosphorylation and protein ubiquitination were activated by hydromethylthionine, presumably independent of its function as a tau aggregation inhibitor. Our results suggest that hydromethylthionine recovers cellular activity in both a tau-dependent and a tau-independent fashion that could lead to a wide-spread improvement of homeostatic function in the FTD brain.
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23
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Riedel G, Klein J, Niewiadomska G, Kondak C, Schwab K, Lauer D, Magbagbeolu M, Steczkowska M, Zadrozny M, Wydrych M, Cranston A, Melis V, Santos RX, Theuring F, Harrington CR, Wischik CM. Mechanisms of Anticholinesterase Interference with Tau Aggregation Inhibitor Activity in a Tau-Transgenic Mouse Model. Curr Alzheimer Res 2021; 17:285-296. [PMID: 32091331 PMCID: PMC7403648 DOI: 10.2174/1567205017666200224120926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Symptomatic treatments of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine are relatively ineffective and there is a need for new treatments targeting the underlying pathology of AD. In most of the failed disease-modifying trials, patients have been allowed to continue taking symptomatic treatments at stable doses, under the assumption that they do not impair efficacy. In recently completed Phase 3 trials testing the tau aggregation inhibitor leuco-methylthioninium bis (hydromethane-sulfonate) (LMTM), we found significant differences in treatment response according to whether patients were taking LMTM either as monotherapy or as an add-on to symptomatic treatments. Methods We have examined the effect of either LMTM alone or chronic rivastigmine prior to LMTM treatment of tau transgenic mice expressing the short tau fragment that constitutes the tangle filaments of AD. We have measured acetylcholine levels, synaptosomal glutamate release, synaptic proteins, mitochondrial complex IV activity, tau pathology and Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity. Results LMTM given alone increased hippocampal Acetylcholine (ACh) levels, glutamate release from synaptosomal preparations, synaptophysin levels in multiple brain regions and mitochondrial complex IV activity, reduced tau pathology, partially restored ChAT immunoreactivity in the basal forebrain and reversed deficits in spatial learning. Chronic pretreatment with rivastigmine was found to reduce or eliminate almost all these effects, apart from a reduction in tau aggregation pathology. LMTM effects on hippocampal ACh and synaptophysin levels were also reduced in wild-type mice. Conclusion The interference with the pharmacological activity of LMTM by a cholinesterase inhibitor can be reproduced in a tau transgenic mouse model and, to a lesser extent, in wild-type mice. Long-term pretreatment with a symptomatic drug alters a broad range of brain responses to LMTM across different transmitter systems and cellular compartments at multiple levels of brain function. There is, therefore, no single locus for the negative interaction. Rather, the chronic neuronal activation induced by reducing cholinesterase function produces compensatory homeostatic downregulation in multiple neuronal systems. This reduces a broad range of treatment responses to LMTM associated with a reduction in tau aggregation pathology. Since the interference is dictated by homeostatic responses to prior symptomatic treatment, it is likely that there would be similar interference with other drugs tested as add-on to the existing symptomatic treatment, regardless of the intended therapeutic target or mode of action. The present findings outline key results that now provide a working model to explain interference by symptomatic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Jochen Klein
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Grazyna Niewiadomska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Constantin Kondak
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom.,Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Karima Schwab
- Charite-Institute of Pharmacology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dilyara Lauer
- Charite-Institute of Pharmacology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mandy Magbagbeolu
- Charite-Institute of Pharmacology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marta Steczkowska
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, 5 Pawinski Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Zadrozny
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, 5 Pawinski Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Wydrych
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, 5 Pawinski Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Cranston
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Melis
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Renato X Santos
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Franz Theuring
- Charite-Institute of Pharmacology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 5RP, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., 395 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 5RP, United Kingdom
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Ingham DJ, Blankenfeld BR, Chacko S, Perera C, Oakley BR, Gamblin TC. Fungally Derived Isoquinoline Demonstrates Inducer-Specific Tau Aggregation Inhibition. Biochemistry 2021; 60:1658-1669. [PMID: 34009955 PMCID: PMC8173610 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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The microtubule-associated
protein tau promotes the stabilization
of the axonal cytoskeleton in neurons. In several neurodegenerative
diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, tau has been found to
dissociate from microtubules, leading to the formation of pathological
aggregates that display an amyloid fibril-like structure. Recent structural
studies have shown that the tau filaments isolated from different
neurodegenerative disorders have structurally distinct fibril cores
that are specific to the disease. These “strains” of
tau fibrils appear to propagate between neurons in a prion-like fashion
that maintains their initial template structure. In addition, the
strains isolated from diseased tissue appear to have structures that
are different from those made by the most commonly used in
vitro modeling inducer molecule, heparin. The structural
differences among strains in different diseases and in vitro-induced tau fibrils may contribute to recent failures in clinical
trials of compounds designed to target tau pathology. This study identifies
an isoquinoline compound (ANTC-15) isolated from the fungus Aspergillus nidulans that can both inhibit filaments induced
by arachidonic acid (ARA) and disassemble preformed ARA fibrils. When
compared to a tau aggregation inhibitor currently in clinical trials
(LMTX, LMTM, or TRx0237), ANTC-15 and LMTX were found to have opposing
inducer-specific activities against ARA and heparin in vitro-induced tau filaments. These findings may help explain the disappointing
results in translating potent preclinical inhibitor candidates to
successful clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Ingham
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
| | - Bryce R Blankenfeld
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
| | - Shibin Chacko
- Synthetic Chemical Biology Core Facility, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Chamani Perera
- Synthetic Chemical Biology Core Facility, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Berl R Oakley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
| | - Truman Christopher Gamblin
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States.,Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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25
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Shiells H, Schelter BO, Bentham P, Baddeley TC, Rubino CM, Ganesan H, Hammel J, Vuksanovic V, Staff RT, Murray AD, Bracoud L, Wischik DJ, Riedel G, Gauthier S, Jia J, Moebius HJ, Hardlund J, Kipps CM, Kook K, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Wischik CM. Concentration-Dependent Activity of Hydromethylthionine on Clinical Decline and Brain Atrophy in a Randomized Controlled Trial in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 75:501-519. [PMID: 32280089 PMCID: PMC7306898 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydromethylthionine is a potent inhibitor of pathological aggregation of tau and TDP-43 proteins. OBJECTIVE To compare hydromethylthionine treatment effects at two doses and to determine how drug exposure is related to treatment response in bvFTD. METHODS We undertook a 52-week Phase III study in 220 bvFTD patients randomized to compare hydromethylthionine at 200 mg/day and 8 mg/day (intended as a control). The principal outcomes were change on the Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination - Revised (ACE-R), the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), and whole brain volume. Secondary outcomes included Modified Clinical Global Impression of Change (Modified-CGIC). A population pharmacokinetic exposure-response analysis was undertaken in 175 of the patients with available blood samples and outcome data using a discriminatory plasma assay for the parent drug. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the two doses as randomized. There were steep concentration-response relationships for plasma levels in the range 0.3-0.6 ng/ml at the 8 mg/day dose on clinical and MRI outcomes. There were significant exposure-dependent differences at 8 mg/day for FAQ, Modified-CGIC, and whole brain atrophy comparing patients with plasma levels greater than 0.346 ng/ml with having minimal drug exposure. The exposure-response is biphasic with worse outcomes at the high concentrations produced by 200 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS Hydromethylthionine has a similar concentration-response profile for effects on clinical decline and brain atrophy at the 8 mg/day dose in bvFTD as recently reported in AD. Treatment responses in bvFTD are predicted to be maximal at doses in the range 20-60 mg/day. A confirmatory placebo-controlled trial is now planned.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bjoern O Schelter
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Thomas C Baddeley
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Harish Ganesan
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacodynamics, Schenectady, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Hammel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacodynamics, Schenectady, NY, USA
| | - Vesna Vuksanovic
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Roger T Staff
- Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Alison D Murray
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Damon J Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Serge Gauthier
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jianping Jia
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Alzheimer's Disease Centre, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | | | - John M D Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK.,School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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26
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Ungerleider K, Beck J, Lissa D, Turnquist C, Horikawa I, Harris BT, Harris CC. Astrocyte senescence and SASP in neurodegeneration: tau joins the loop. Cell Cycle 2021; 20:752-764. [PMID: 33818291 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2021.1909260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau accumulation is a core component of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative tauopathies. While tau's impact on neurons is a major area of research, the effect of extracellular tau on astrocytes is largely unknown. This article summarizes our recent studies showing that astrocyte senescence plays a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases and integrates extracellular tau into the regulatory loop of senescent astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity. Human astrocytes in vitro undergoing senescence were shown to acquire the inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and toxicity to neurons, which may recapitulate aging- and disease-associated neurodegeneration. Here, we show that human astrocytes exposed to extracellular tau in vitro also undergo cellular senescence and acquire a neurotoxic SASP (e.g. IL-6 secretion), with oxidative stress response (indicated by upregulated NRF2 target genes) and a possible activation of inflammasome (indicated by upregulated ASC and IL-1β). These findings suggest that senescent astrocytes induced by various conditions and insults, including tau exposure, may represent a therapeutic target to inhibit or delay the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss the pathological activity of extracellular tau in microglia and astrocytes, the disease relevance and diversity of tau forms, therapeutics targeting senescence in neurodegeneration, and the roles of p53 and its isoforms in astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity and neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra Ungerleider
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Beck
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Layfette, Indiana, USA
| | - Delphine Lissa
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Casmir Turnquist
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,University of Oxford Medical School, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Izumi Horikawa
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brent T Harris
- Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Curtis C Harris
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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27
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Biesaga M, Frigolé-Vivas M, Salvatella X. Intrinsically disordered proteins and biomolecular condensates as drug targets. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 62:90-100. [PMID: 33812316 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered domains represent attractive therapeutic targets because they play key roles in cancer, as well as in neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. They are, however, considered undruggable because they do not form stable binding pockets for small molecules and, therefore, have not been prioritized in drug discovery. Under physiological solution conditions many biomedically relevant intrinsically disordered proteins undergo phase separation processes leading to the formation of mesoscopic highly dynamic assemblies, generally known as biomolecular condensates that define environments that can be quite different from the solutions surrounding them. In what follows, we review key recent findings in this area and show how biomolecular condensation can offer opportunities for modulating the activities of intrinsically disordered targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Biesaga
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Frigolé-Vivas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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28
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BIBEROGLU K. Kinetics of human butyrylcholinesterase inhibition by 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue. JOURNAL OF THE TURKISH CHEMICAL SOCIETY, SECTION A: CHEMISTRY 2021. [DOI: 10.18596/jotcsa.853598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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29
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Bengoa-Vergniory N, Velentza-Almpani E, Silva AM, Scott C, Vargas-Caballero M, Sastre M, Wade-Martins R, Alegre-Abarrategui J. Tau-proximity ligation assay reveals extensive previously undetected pathology prior to neurofibrillary tangles in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:18. [PMID: 33509301 PMCID: PMC7844979 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01117-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multimerization is a key process in prion-like disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), since it is a requirement for self-templating tau and beta-amyloid amyloidogenesis. AT8-immunohistochemistry for hyperphosphorylated tau is currently used for the diagnosis and staging of tau pathology. Given that tau-tau interactions can occur in the absence of hyperphosphorylation or other post-translational modifications (PTMs), the direct visualization of tau multimerization could uncover early pathological tau multimers. METHODS Here, we used bimolecular fluorescent complementation, rapamycin-dependent FKBP/FRB-tau interaction and transmission electron microscopy to prove the in vitro specificity of tau-proximity ligation assay (tau-PLA). We then analyzed MAPT KO and P301S transgenic mice, and human hippocampus and temporal isocortex of all Braak stages with tau-PLA and compared it with immunohistochemistry for the diagnostic antibody AT8, the early phosphorylation-dependent AT180, and the conformational-dependent antibody MC1. Finally, we performed proteinase-K treatment to infer the content of amyloidogenic beta-sheet fold. RESULTS Our novel tau-proximity ligation assay (tau-PLA) directly visualized tau-tau interactions in situ, and exclusively recognized tau multimers but not monomers. It elicited no signal in MAPT KO mouse brains, but extensively labelled P301S transgenic mice and AD brain. Two groups of structures were detected, a previously unreported widespread small-sized diffuse pathology and large, neurofibrillary-like lesions. Tau-PLA-labelled diffuse pathology appeared from the earliest Braak stages, mostly unaccompanied by tangle-like tau-immunohistochemistry, being significantly more sensitive than any small-sized dot-/thread-like pathology labelled by AT180-, AT8- and MC1-immunohistochemistry in most regions quantified at stages 0-II. Tau-PLA-labelled diffuse pathology was extremely sensitive to Proteinase-K, in contrast to large lesions. CONCLUSIONS Tau-PLA is the first method to directly visualize tau multimers both in vitro and in situ with high specificity. We find that tau multimerization appears extensively from the earliest presymptomatic Braak stages as a previously unreported type of diffuse pathology. Importantly, in our study multimerization is the earliest detectable molecular event of AD tau pathology. Our findings open a new window to the study of early tau pathology, with potential implications in early diagnosis and the design of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Bengoa-Vergniory
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX UK
- Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX UK
| | | | - Ana Maria Silva
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Connor Scott
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 1, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU UK
| | | | - Magdalena Sastre
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Richard Wade-Martins
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX UK
- Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX UK
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Oakley SS, Maina MB, Marshall KE, Al-Hilaly YK, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Tau Filament Self-Assembly and Structure: Tau as a Therapeutic Target. Front Neurol 2020; 11:590754. [PMID: 33281730 PMCID: PMC7688747 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.590754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau plays an important pathological role in a group of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and corticobasal degeneration. In each disease, tau self-assembles abnormally to form filaments that deposit in the brain. Tau is a natively unfolded protein that can adopt distinct structures in different pathological disorders. Cryo-electron microscopy has recently provided a series of structures for the core of the filaments purified from brain tissue from patients with different tauopathies and revealed that they share a common core region, while differing in their specific conformation. This structurally resolvable part of the core is contained within a proteolytically stable core region from the repeat domain initially isolated from AD tau filaments. Tau has recently become an important target for therapy. Recent work has suggested that the prevention of tau self-assembly may be effective in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Here we review the work that explores the importance of tau filament structures and tau self-assembly mechanisms, as well as examining model systems that permit the exploration of the mode of action of potential inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian S Oakley
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Mahmoud B Maina
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom.,College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria
| | - Karen E Marshall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Youssra K Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom.,Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Charlie R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Louise C Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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Hu Y, Hu X, Lu Y, Shi S, Yang D, Yao T. New Strategy for Reducing Tau Aggregation Cytologically by A Hairpinlike Molecular Inhibitor, Tannic Acid Encapsulated in Liposome. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3623-3634. [PMID: 33048528 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of Tau protein aggregation is an attractive therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. However, most of the inhibitors have failed in clinical trials due to the superficial understanding of inhibition mechanism and drug-transfer pharmacokinetics. Innovation of design strategy has become a top priority. To afford a hairpinlike molecular inhibitor, we introduced tannic acid, a multibranched polyphenol molecule, and its moiety, gallic acid. We showed that tannic acid could effectively inhibit Tau aggregation through a multidentate chelation mode. We then encapsulated tannic acid in a non-neurotoxic liposome by lecithin/β-sitosterol, overcoating with Tween 80. Using transwell devices, we cytologically demonstrated that tannic acid liposome can successfully be transferred across the model of a blood-brain barrier made up of mouse brain microvascular endothelial cell bEnd.3 and effectively reduce Tau aggregation induced by fibrils of Tau peptide R3 in human neuroblastoma cell SK-N-SH. This result indicates the potential therapeutic effect of tannic acid liposome on Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Hu
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaochun Hu
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yonglin Lu
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shuo Shi
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Danjing Yang
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tianming Yao
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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32
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Pollack SJ, Trigg J, Khanom T, Biasetti L, Marshall KE, Al-Hilaly YK, Rickard JE, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Paired Helical Filament-Forming Region of Tau (297-391) Influences Endogenous Tau Protein and Accumulates in Acidic Compartments in Human Neuronal Cells. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:4891-4907. [PMID: 32681841 PMCID: PMC7427330 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Assembly of tau protein into paired helical filaments and straight filaments is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease. Aggregation of tau has been implicated in neurodegeneration, cellular toxicity and the propagation, which accompanies disease progression. We have reported previously that a region of tau (297–391), referred to as dGAE, assembles spontaneously in physiological conditions to form paired helical filament-like fibres in vitro in the absence of additives such as heparin. This provides a valuable tool with which to explore the effects of tau in cell culture. Here we have studied the cellular uptake of soluble oligomeric and fibrillar forms of dGAE and examined the downstream consequences of tau internalisation into differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using fluorescence and electron microscopy alongside structural and biochemical analyses. The assembled dGAE shows more acute cytotoxicity than the soluble, non-aggregated form. Conversely, the soluble form is much more readily internalised and, once within the cell, is able to associate with endogenous tau resulting in increased phosphorylation and aggregation of endogenous tau, which accumulates in lysosomal/endosomal compartments. It appears that soluble oligomeric forms are able to propagate tau pathology without being acutely toxic. The model system we have developed now permits the molecular mechanisms of propagation of tau pathology to be studied in vitro in a more physiological manner with a view to development of novel therapeutic approaches. Tau297–391 aggregates to form filaments toxic to cells in the absence of additives. Internalisation of soluble tau297–391 into cells leads to increased insoluble Ptau. Soluble tau297–391 accumulates with endogenous tau in endo-lysosomal compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia J Pollack
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Jasmine Trigg
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Tahmida Khanom
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Luca Biasetti
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Karen E Marshall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Youssra K Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK; Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Janet E Rickard
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, UK; TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Louise C Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E. Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK.
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Pujols J, Peña-Díaz S, Pallarès I, Ventura S. Chemical Chaperones as Novel Drugs for Parkinson's Disease. Trends Mol Med 2020; 26:408-421. [PMID: 32277934 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of deposits of α-synuclein (α-syn) in the brain. The pivotal role of α-syn aggregation in PD makes it an attractive target for potential disease-modifying therapies. However, the disordered nature of the protein, its multistep aggregation mechanism, and the lack of structural information on intermediate species complicate the discovery of modulators of α-syn amyloid deposition. Despite these difficulties, small molecules have been shown to block the misfolding and aggregation of α-syn, and can even disentangle mature α-syn amyloid fibrils. In this review we provide an updated overview of these leading small compounds and discuss how these chemical chaperones hold great promise to alter the course of PD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Irantzu Pallarès
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
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Hashweh NN, Bartochowski Z, Khoury R, Grossberg GT. An evaluation of hydromethylthionine as a treatment option for Alzheimer's disease. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2020; 21:619-627. [PMID: 32037892 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2020.1719066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major cause of morbidity worldwide and its prevalence is expected to rise. Previous studies involving compounds that target the accumulation of amyloid β protein have been unsuccessful, renewing interest in therapies directed against intracellular deposits of tau proteins. Derived from methylene blue, hydromethylthionine is a tau aggregation inhibitor that recently emerged as a promising disease-modifying treatment for AD. AREAS COVERED Herein, the authors cover the chemistry, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of hydromethylthionine and its oxidized form methylthionine chloride (MTC) that was first studied, as well as clinical efficacy and safety of hydromethylthionine in the treatment of mild to moderate AD. EXPERT OPINION Randomized clinical trials with hydromethylthionine failed to show any impact of the doses used on the disease course. Data analysis from a non-randomized cohort showed that a smaller dose of the drug previously thought to be ineffective and used as placebo, prescribed as monotherapy rather than as add-on to AD approved symptomatic therapies may slow cognitive decline. This finding was further confirmed by a pharmacokinetic analysis study showing a dose/response relationship with doses around 16 mg daily. Future trials need to study the pharmacological properties of hydromethylthionine and ascertain the optimal safe and effective dose to be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Nael Hashweh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine , Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zachary Bartochowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine , Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rita Khoury
- Department of Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology, St. George Hospital University Medical Center, Balamand University, Faculty of Medicine , Beirut, Lebanon.,Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy & Applied Care (IDRAAC) , Beirut, Lebanon
| | - George T Grossberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine , Saint Louis, MO, USA
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Crowe A, Henderson MJ, Anderson J, Titus SA, Zakharov A, Simeonov A, Buist A, Delay C, Moechars D, Trojanowski JQ, Lee VMY, Brunden KR. Compound screening in cell-based models of tau inclusion formation: Comparison of primary neuron and HEK293 cell assays. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4001-4013. [PMID: 32034092 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The hallmark pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains are senile plaques, comprising β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides, and neuronal inclusions formed from tau protein. These plaques form 10-20 years before AD symptom onset, whereas robust tau pathology is more closely associated with symptoms and correlates with cognitive status. This temporal sequence of AD pathology development, coupled with repeated clinical failures of Aβ-directed drugs, suggests that molecules that reduce tau inclusions have therapeutic potential. Few tau-directed drugs are presently in clinical testing, in part because of the difficulty in identifying molecules that reduce tau inclusions. We describe here two cell-based assays of tau inclusion formation that we employed to screen for compounds that inhibit tau pathology: a HEK293 cell-based tau overexpression assay, and a primary rat cortical neuron assay with physiological tau expression. Screening a collection of ∼3500 pharmaceutical compounds with the HEK293 cell tau aggregation assay, we obtained only a low number of hit compounds. Moreover, these compounds generally failed to inhibit tau inclusion formation in the cortical neuron assay. We then screened the Prestwick library of mostly approved drugs in the cortical neuron assay, leading to the identification of a greater number of tau inclusion inhibitors. These included four dopamine D2 receptor antagonists, with D2 receptors having previously been suggested to regulate tau inclusions in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. These results suggest that neurons, the cells most affected by tau pathology in AD, are very suitable for screening for tau inclusion inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Crowe
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Mark J Henderson
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850
| | - Johnathon Anderson
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Steven A Titus
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850
| | - Alexey Zakharov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850
| | - Arjan Buist
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Delay
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Diederik Moechars
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Kurt R Brunden
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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Al-Hilaly YK, Foster BE, Biasetti L, Lutter L, Pollack SJ, Rickard JE, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Xue WF, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Tau (297-391) forms filaments that structurally mimic the core of paired helical filaments in Alzheimer's disease brain. FEBS Lett 2019; 594:944-950. [PMID: 31721178 PMCID: PMC7078754 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The constituent paired helical filaments (PHFs) in neurofibrillary tangles are insoluble intracellular deposits central to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Full-length tau requires the addition of anionic cofactors such as heparin to enhance assembly. We have shown that a fragment from the proteolytically stable core of the PHF, tau 297-391 known as 'dGAE', spontaneously forms cross-β-containing PHFs and straight filaments under physiological conditions. Here, we have analysed and compared the structures of the filaments formed by dGAE in vitro with those deposited in the brains of individuals diagnosed with AD. We show that dGAE forms PHFs that share a macromolecular structure similar to those found in brain tissue. Thus, dGAEs may serve as a model system for studying core domain assembly and for screening for inhibitors of tau aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssra K Al-Hilaly
- Dementia Research Group, Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, E Sussex, UK.,Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Bronwen E Foster
- Dementia Research Group, Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, E Sussex, UK
| | - Luca Biasetti
- Dementia Research Group, Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, E Sussex, UK
| | - Liisa Lutter
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Saskia J Pollack
- Dementia Research Group, Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, E Sussex, UK
| | | | - John M D Storey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, UK.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
| | - Wei-Feng Xue
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK.,TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
| | - Louise C Serpell
- Dementia Research Group, Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, E Sussex, UK
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Dubey T, Gorantla NV, Chandrashekara KT, Chinnathambi S. Photoexcited Toluidine Blue Inhibits Tau Aggregation in Alzheimer's Disease. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:18793-18802. [PMID: 31737841 PMCID: PMC6854831 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The aggregates of microtubule-associated protein Tau are considered as a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Tau aggregates accumulate intracellularly leading to neuronal toxicity. Numerous approaches have been targeted against Tau protein aggregation, which include application of synthetic and natural compounds. Toluidine blue is a basic dye of phenothiazine family, which on irradiation with a 630 nm light gets converted into a photoexcited form, leading to generation of singlet oxygen species. Methylene blue is the parent compound of toluidine blue, which has been reported to be potent against tauopathy. In the present work, we studied the potency of toluidine blue and photoexcited toluidine blue against Tau aggregation. Biochemical and biophysical analyses using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ThS fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and electron microscopy suggested that toluidine blue inhibited the aggregation of Tau in vitro. The photoexcited toluidine blue potentially dissolved the matured Tau fibrils, which indicated the disaggregation property of toluidine blue. The cell biology studies including the cytotoxicity assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production assay suggested toluidine blue to be a biocompatible dye as it reduced ROS levels and cell death. The photoexcited toluidine blue modulates the cytoskeleton network in cells, which was supported by immunofluorescence studies of neuronal cells. The studies in a UAS Tau E14 transgenic Drosophila model suggested that photoexcited toluidine blue was potent to restore the survival and memory deficits of Drosophila. The overall finding of our studies suggested toluidine blue to be a potent molecule in rescuing the Tau-mediated pathology by inhibiting its aggregation, reducing the cell death, and modulating the tubulin levels and behavioral characteristics of Drosophila. Thus, toluidine blue can be addressed as a potent molecule against Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Dubey
- Neurobiology
Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, 411008 Pune, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), 411008 Pune, India
| | - Nalini Vijay Gorantla
- Neurobiology
Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, 411008 Pune, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), 411008 Pune, India
| | | | - Subashchandrabose Chinnathambi
- Neurobiology
Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, 411008 Pune, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), 411008 Pune, India
- E-mail: .
Tel: +91-20-25902232. Fax: +91-20-25902648
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Venkatramani A, Panda D. Regulation of neuronal microtubule dynamics by tau: Implications for tauopathies. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 133:473-483. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.04.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Liu H, Liu X, Zhou S, An X, Liu H, Yao X. Disclosing the Template-Induced Misfolding Mechanism of Tau Protein by Studying the Dissociation of the Boundary Chain from the Formed Tau Fibril Based on a Steered Molecular Dynamics Simulation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:1854-1865. [PMID: 30665304 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The level of tau aggregation into neurofibrillary tangles, including paired helical filament (PHF) and straight filament (SF), is closely associated with Alzheimer's disease. Despite the pathological importance of misfolding and aggregation of tau, the corresponding mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, to uncover the misfolding mechanism of the tau monomer upon induction of formed PHF and SF, in this study, a conventional molecular dynamics simulation combined with a steered molecular dynamics simulation was performed to study the dissociation of the boundary chain. Interestingly, our results show that the dissociation mechanisms of the boundary chain in PHF and SF are different. In PHF, the boundary chain begins to dissociate from regions β2 and β3 and ends at β8. However, in SF, it is simultaneously dissociated from β1 and β8 and ends at β5. The dissociation of the boundary chain is the reverse of template-induced misfolding of the monomer. Therefore, we can deduce the misfolding mechanism of the monomer upon induction of the template. For PHF, β8 first interacts with the template by hydrophobic interaction. Then β7, β6, β5, β4, and β1 sequentially bind to the template by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. After β1 binds to the template, β2 and β3 very quickly bind to the template through hydrophobic interaction. For SF, β5 of the monomer first interacts with the template by electrostatic attraction. Then β4 and β6, β3 and β7, and β2 and β8 bind to the template in turn. Finally, β1 and β8 are fully bound to the template by hydrophobic interaction. The obtained results will be vital for understanding the earlier events during misfolding and aggregation of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xuewei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuangyan Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoli An
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
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40
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Silva T, Mohamed T, Shakeri A, Rao PPN, Soares da Silva P, Remião F, Borges F. Repurposing nitrocatechols: 5-Nitro-α-cyanocarboxamide derivatives of caffeic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester effectively inhibit aggregation of tau-derived hexapeptide AcPHF6. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 167:146-152. [PMID: 30771602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Polyphenols like caffeic acid and its phenethyl ester have been associated with potent anti-aggregating activity. Accordingly, we screened a library of polyphenols and synthetic derivatives thereof for their capacity to inhibit tau-aggregation using a thioflavin T-based fluorescence method. Our results show that the nitrocatechol scaffold is required for a significant anti-aggregating activity, which is enhanced by introducing bulky substituents at the side chain. A remarkable increase in activity was observed for α-cyanocarboxamide derivatives 26-27. Molecular docking studies showed that the amide bond provides superior conformational stability in the steric zipper assembly of tau, which drives the increase in activity. We also found that derivatives 24-27 were potent chelators of copper(II) - a property of pharmacological significance in abnormal protein aggregation. These small molecules can provide promising leads to develop new drugs for tauopathies and AD. These findings open a new window on the repurposing of nitrocatechols beyond their established role as catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Silva
- CIQUP/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tarek Mohamed
- School of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Campus, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Arash Shakeri
- School of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Campus, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Praveen P N Rao
- School of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Campus, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Patrício Soares da Silva
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal; MedInUP - Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Remião
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Borges
- CIQUP/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
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Schelter BO, Shiells H, Baddeley TC, Rubino CM, Ganesan H, Hammel J, Vuksanovic V, Staff RT, Murray AD, Bracoud L, Riedel G, Gauthier S, Jia J, Bentham P, Kook K, Storey JM, Harrington CR, Wischik CM. Concentration-Dependent Activity of Hydromethylthionine on Cognitive Decline and Brain Atrophy in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 72:931-946. [PMID: 31658058 PMCID: PMC6918900 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although hydromethylthionine is a potent tau aggregation inhibitor, no difference was found in either of two Phase III trials in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) comparing doses in the range 150-250 mg/day with 8 mg/day intended as a control. OBJECTIVE To determine how drug exposure is related to treatment response. METHODS A sensitive plasma assay for the drug was used in a population pharmacokinetic analysis of samples from 1,162 of the 1,686 patients who participated in either of the Phase III trials with available samples and efficacy outcome data. RESULTS There are steep concentration-response relationships for steady state plasma levels in the range 0.3-0.8 ng/ml at the 8 mg/day dose. Using a threshold based on the lower limit of quantitation of the assay on Day 1, there are highly significant differences in cognitive decline and brain atrophy in patients with above threshold plasma levels, both for monotherapy and add-on therapy, but with effect sizes reduced by half as add-on. Plasma concentrations in the range 4-21 ng/ml produced by the high doses are not associated with any additional benefit. CONCLUSIONS Hydromethylthionine has pharmacological activity on brain structure and function at the 8 mg/day dose as monotherapy or as add-on to symptomatic treatments. This combined with a plateau at higher doses is consistent with the lack of dose-response seen in the Phase III trials. Treatment benefit is predicted to be maximal at 16 mg/day as monotherapy. A placebo-controlled trial in mild/moderate AD is now ongoing to confirm efficacy at this dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjoern O. Schelter
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
- Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | | | | | - Harish Ganesan
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacodynamics, Schenectady, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Hammel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacodynamics, Schenectady, NY, USA
| | - Vesna Vuksanovic
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Alison D. Murray
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Serge Gauthier
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit, and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jianping Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Neurology Department, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - John M.D. Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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Abstract
The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and the motor neuron diseases, with AD affecting approximately 6% of people aged 65 years and older, and PD affecting approximately 1% of people aged over 60 years. Specific proteins are associated with these neurodegenerative diseases, as determined by both immunohistochemical studies on post-mortem tissue and genetic screening, where protein misfolding and aggregation are key hallmarks. Many of these proteins are shown to misfold and aggregate into soluble non-native oligomers and large insoluble protein deposits (fibrils and plaques), both of which may exert a toxic gain of function. Proteotoxicity has been examined intensively in cell culture and in in vivo models, and clinical trials of methods to attenuate proteotoxicity are relatively new. Therapies to enhance cellular protein quality control mechanisms such as upregulation of chaperones and clearance/degradation pathways, as well as immunotherapies against toxic protein conformations, are being actively pursued. In this article, we summarize the common pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disease, and review therapies in early-phase clinical trials that target the proteotoxic component of several neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada.
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada.
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada.
- Genome Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2, Canada.
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada.
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Jazvinšćak Jembrek M, Slade N, Hof PR, Šimić G. The interactions of p53 with tau and Aß as potential therapeutic targets for Alzheimer’s disease. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 168:104-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Al-Hilaly YK, Pollack SJ, Rickard JE, Simpson M, Raulin AC, Baddeley T, Schellenberger P, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Cysteine-Independent Inhibition of Alzheimer's Disease-like Paired Helical Filament Assembly by Leuco-Methylthioninium (LMT). J Mol Biol 2018; 430:4119-4131. [PMID: 30121297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a tauopathy characterized by pathological fibrillization of tau protein to form the paired helical filaments (PHFs), which constitute neurofibrillary tangles. The methylthioninium (MT) moiety reverses the proteolytic stability of the PHF core and is in clinical development for treatment of Alzheimer's disease in a stable reduced form as leuco-MT. It has been hypothesized that MT acts via oxidation of cysteine residues, which is incompatible with activity in the predominantly reducing environment of living cells. We have shown recently that the PHF-core tau unit assembles spontaneously in vitro to form PHF-like filaments. Here we describe studies using circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE, transmission electron microscopy and site-directed mutagenesis to elucidate the mechanism of action of the MT moiety. We show that MT inhibitory activity is optimal in reducing conditions, that the active moiety is the reduced leuco-MT form of the molecule and that its mechanism of action is cysteine independent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssra K Al-Hilaly
- Dementia Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom; Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Saskia J Pollack
- Dementia Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - Janet E Rickard
- Institute of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Simpson
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom; Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Ana-Caroline Raulin
- Dementia Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Baddeley
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom; Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Pascale Schellenberger
- Dementia Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - John M D Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom; Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Charles R Harrington
- Institute of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom; Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M Wischik
- Institute of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom; Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom.
| | - Louise C Serpell
- Dementia Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, E Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom.
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45
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Wilcock GK, Gauthier S, Frisoni GB, Jia J, Hardlund JH, Moebius HJ, Bentham P, Kook KA, Schelter BO, Wischik DJ, Davis CS, Staff RT, Vuksanovic V, Ahearn T, Bracoud L, Shamsi K, Marek K, Seibyl J, Riedel G, Storey JMD, Harrington CR, Wischik CM. Potential of Low Dose Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulphonate) (LMTM) Monotherapy for Treatment of Mild Alzheimer's Disease: Cohort Analysis as Modified Primary Outcome in a Phase III Clinical Trial. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 61:435-457. [PMID: 29154277 PMCID: PMC5734125 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: LMTM is being developed as a treatment for AD based on inhibition of tau aggregation. Objectives: To examine the efficacy of LMTM as monotherapy in non-randomized cohort analyses as modified primary outcomes in an 18-month Phase III trial in mild AD. Methods: Mild AD patients (n = 800) were randomly assigned to 100 mg twice a day or 4 mg twice a day. Prior to unblinding, the Statistical Analysis Plan was revised to compare the 100 mg twice a day as monotherapy subgroup (n = 79) versus 4 mg twice a day as randomized (n = 396), and 4 mg twice a day as monotherapy (n = 76) versus 4 mg twice a day as add-on therapy (n = 297), with strong control of family-wise type I error. Results: The revised analyses were statistically significant at the required threshold of p < 0.025 in both comparisons for change in ADAS-cog, ADCS-ADL, MRI atrophy, and glucose uptake. The brain atrophy rate was initially typical of mild AD in both add-on and monotherapy groups, but after 9 months of treatment, the rate in monotherapy patients declined significantly to that reported for normal elderly controls. Differences in severity or diagnosis at baseline between monotherapy and add-on patients did not account for significant differences in favor of monotherapy. Conclusions: The results are consistent with earlier studies in supporting the hypothesis that LMTM might be effective as monotherapy and that 4 mg twice a day may serve as well as higher doses. A further suitably randomized trial is required to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon K Wilcock
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Serge Gauthier
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Jianping Jia
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Alzheimer's Disease Centre, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Peter Bentham
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Bjoern O Schelter
- Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | | | - Roger T Staff
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Vesna Vuksanovic
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Trevor Ahearn
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - John M D Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics, Aberdeen, UK.,Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- TauRx Therapeutics, Aberdeen, UK.,School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics, Aberdeen, UK.,School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which is considered as one of the most intractable medical problems with heavy social and economic costs. The current drugs for AD, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and memantine, a NMDA receptor antagonist, only temporarily ameliorate cognitive decline, but are unable to stop or reverse the progression of dementia. This paper reviewed the recent advance in AD drug development. The drug discovery programs under clinical trials targeting cholinergic system, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), β-secretase, γ-secretase modulators, tau, inflammatory mediators and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were discussed. Though several drug discovery programs are ongoing, the high failure rate is an outstanding issue. Novel techniques and strategies are desperately needed to significantly accelerate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejing Lao
- a Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University , Xi'an , China
| | - Naichun Ji
- a Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University , Xi'an , China
| | - Xiaohua Zhang
- a Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University , Xi'an , China
| | - Wenwei Qiao
- a Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University , Xi'an , China
| | - Zhishu Tang
- b Institute of Holistic Integrated Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine , Shaanxi , Xianyang , China
| | - Xingchun Gou
- a Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University , Xi'an , China.,b Institute of Holistic Integrated Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine , Shaanxi , Xianyang , China
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47
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Shoeibi A, Olfati N, Litvan I. Preclinical, phase I, and phase II investigational clinical trials for treatment of progressive supranuclear palsy. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2018; 27:349-361. [PMID: 29602288 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2018.1460356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Our understanding of the pathological basis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), as the most common atypical parkinsonian syndrome, has greatly increased in recent years and a number of disease-modifying therapies are under evaluation as a result of these advances. AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss disease-modifying therapeutic options which are currently under evaluation or have been evaluated in preclinical or clinical trials based on their targeted pathophysiologic process. The pathophysiologic mechanisms are broadly divided into three main categories: genetic mechanisms, abnormal post-translational modifications of tau protein, and transcellular tau spread. EXPERT OPINION Once the best therapeutic approaches are identified, it is likely that some combination of interventions will need to be evaluated, but this will take time. It is critical to treat patients at early stages, and development of the Movement Disorder Society PSP diagnostic criteria is an important step in this direction. In addition, development of biological biomarkers such as tau PET and further refinement of tau ligands may help both diagnose early and measure disease progression. In the meantime, a comprehensive, personalized interdisciplinary approach to this disease is absolutely necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Shoeibi
- a Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
| | - Nahid Olfati
- a Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran
| | - Irene Litvan
- b UC San Diego Department of Neurosciences , Parkinson and Other Movement Disorder Center , La Jolla , CA , USA
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48
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Schwab K, Frahm S, Horsley D, Rickard JE, Melis V, Goatman EA, Magbagbeolu M, Douglas M, Leith MG, Baddeley TC, Storey JMD, Riedel G, Wischik CM, Harrington CR, Theuring F. A Protein Aggregation Inhibitor, Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulfonate), Decreases α-Synuclein Inclusions in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 10:447. [PMID: 29375308 PMCID: PMC5767730 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation is a pathological feature of synucleinopathies, neurodegenerative disorders that include Parkinson's disease (PD). We have tested whether N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-10H-phenothiazine-3,7-diaminium bis(hydromethanesulfonate) (leuco-methylthioninium bis(hydromethanesulfonate); LMTM), a tau aggregation inhibitor, affects α-Syn aggregation in vitro and in vivo. Both cellular and transgenic models in which the expression of full-length human α-Syn (h-α-Syn) fused with a signal sequence peptide to promote α-Syn aggregation were used. Aggregated α-Syn was observed following differentiation of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells transfected with h-α-Syn. The appearance of aggregated α-Syn was inhibited by LMTM, with an EC50 of 1.1 μM, with minimal effect on h-α-Syn mRNA levels being observed. Two independent lines of mice (L58 and L62) transgenic for the same fusion protein accumulated neuronal h-α-Syn that, with aging, developed into fibrillary inclusions characterized by both resistance to proteinase K (PK)-cleavage and their ability to bind thiazin red. There was a significant decrease in α-Syn-positive neurons in multiple brain regions following oral treatment of male and female mice with LMTM administered daily for 6 weeks at 5 and 15 mg MT/kg. The early aggregates of α-Syn and the late-stage fibrillar inclusions were both susceptible to inhibition by LMTM, a treatment that also resulted in the rescue of movement and anxiety-related traits in these mice. The results suggest that LMTM may provide a potential disease modification therapy in PD and other synucleinopathies through the inhibition of α-Syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Schwab
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Frahm
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horsley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Janet E. Rickard
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Melis
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. Goatman
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mandy Magbagbeolu
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Morag Douglas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Michael G. Leith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas C. Baddeley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - John M. D. Storey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Franz Theuring
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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49
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Wischik CM, Schelter BO, Wischik DJ, Storey JMD, Harrington CR. Modeling Prion-Like Processing of Tau Protein in Alzheimer's Disease for Pharmaceutical Development. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 62:1287-1303. [PMID: 29226873 PMCID: PMC5870021 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Following our discovery of a fragment from the repeat domain of tau protein as a structural constituent of the PHF-core in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we developed an assay that captured several key features of the aggregation process. Tau-tau binding through the core tau fragment could be blocked by the same diaminophenothiazines found to dissolve proteolytically stable PHFs isolated from AD brain. We found that the PHF-core tau fragment is inherently capable of auto-catalytic self-propagation in vitro, or "prion-like processing", that has now been demonstrated for several neurodegenerative disorders. Here we review the findings that led to the first clinical trials to test tau aggregation inhibitor therapy in AD as a way to block this cascade. Although further trials are still needed, the results to date suggest that a treatment targeting the prion-like processing of tau protein may have a role in both prevention and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude M. Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Björn O. Schelter
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore
- Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Damon J. Wischik
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore
- Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John M. D. Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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50
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Clayton KA, Van Enoo AA, Ikezu T. Alzheimer's Disease: The Role of Microglia in Brain Homeostasis and Proteopathy. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:680. [PMID: 29311768 PMCID: PMC5733046 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain aging is central to late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), although the mechanisms by which it occurs at protein or cellular levels are not fully understood. Alzheimer's disease is the most common proteopathy and is characterized by two unique pathologies: senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the former accumulating earlier than the latter. Aging alters the proteostasis of amyloid-β peptides and microtubule-associated protein tau, which are regulated in both autonomous and non-autonomous manners. Microglia, the resident phagocytes of the central nervous system, play a major role in the non-autonomous clearance of protein aggregates. Their function is significantly altered by aging and neurodegeneration. This is genetically supported by the association of microglia-specific genes, TREM2 and CD33, and late onset Alzheimer's disease. Here, we propose that the functional characterization of microglia, and their contribution to proteopathy, will lead to a new therapeutic direction in Alzheimer's disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clayton
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alicia A Van Enoo
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tsuneya Ikezu
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Medical School, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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