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Allnutt MA, Matera KM. Stabilization and Reduced Cytotoxicity of Amyloid Beta Aggregates in the Presence of Catechol Neurotransmitters. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:379-387. [PMID: 37847330 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04036-1] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Oligomeric aggregates of the amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide have been implicated as the toxic species for Alzheimer's disease by contributing to oxidative cytotoxicity and physical disruption in cell membranes in the brain. Recent evidence points to the ability of the catecholamine neurotransmitter dopamine in the presence of copper ions to both stabilize oligomers and decrease the toxic effects of these oligomers. Based on these results, physical characterization of aggregates and subsequent cell studies with a neuroblastoma line were performed that show both dopamine and the related neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, can stabilize oligomers and decrease toxicity of Aβ aggregates without copper present. To investigate this reduction of toxicity, structural characterization of oligomers in the presence of neurotransmitters was compared to aggregates formed with Aβ alone. Gel electrophoresis and transmission electron microscopy show higher levels of oligomers in the presence of dopamine and norepinephrine, yet the oligomer structure is largely amorphous. Aβ aggregated alone forms the predicted highly organized fibrillar species, with increased levels of dityrosine covalent linkages, which are largely absent in the presence of the neurotransmitters. A proposed mechanism for the observed decrease in cell death by Aβ in the presence of dopamine and norepinephrine suggests the neurotransmitters both block the formation of organized oligomer structures and dityrosine stabilizing linkages while also behaving as antioxidants, providing a dual mechanism for increased cell viability.
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Zong B, Yu F, Zhang X, Zhao W, Sun P, Li S, Li L. Understanding How Physical Exercise Improves Alzheimer’s Disease: Cholinergic and Monoaminergic Systems. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:869507. [PMID: 35663578 PMCID: PMC9158463 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.869507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the accumulation of proteinaceous aggregates and neurofibrillary lesions composed of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide and hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau, respectively. It has long been known that dysregulation of cholinergic and monoaminergic (i.e., dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and noradrenergic) systems is involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Abnormalities in neuronal activity, neurotransmitter signaling input, and receptor function exaggerate Aβ deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation. Maintenance of normal neurotransmission is essential to halt AD progression. Most neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter-related drugs modulate the pathology of AD and improve cognitive function through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Exercise therapies provide an important alternative or adjunctive intervention for AD. Cumulative evidence indicates that exercise can prevent multiple pathological features found in AD and improve cognitive function through delaying the degeneration of cholinergic and monoaminergic neurons; increasing levels of acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine; and modulating the activity of certain neurotransmitter-related GPCRs. Emerging insights into the mechanistic links among exercise, the neurotransmitter system, and AD highlight the potential of this intervention as a therapeutic approach for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyi Zong
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fengzhi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyou Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenrui Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shichang Li
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Li
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Li,
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Shityakov S, Skorb EV, Förster CY, Dandekar T. Scaffold Searching of FDA and EMA-Approved Drugs Identifies Lead Candidates for Drug Repurposing in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Chem 2021; 9:736509. [PMID: 34751244 PMCID: PMC8571023 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.736509] [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] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials of novel therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) have consumed a significant amount of time and resources with largely negative results. Repurposing drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), or Worldwide for another indication is a more rapid and less expensive option. Therefore, we apply the scaffold searching approach based on known amyloid-beta (Aβ) inhibitor tramiprosate to screen the DrugCentral database (n = 4,642) of clinically tested drugs. As a result, menadione bisulfite and camphotamide substances with protrombogenic and neurostimulation/cardioprotection effects were identified as promising Aβ inhibitors with an improved binding affinity (ΔGbind) and blood-brain barrier permeation (logBB). Finally, the data was also confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations using implicit solvation, in particular as Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA) model. Overall, the proposed in silico pipeline can be implemented through the early stage rational drug design to nominate some lead candidates for AD, which will be further validated in vitro and in vivo, and, finally, in a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Shityakov
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, Infochemistry Scientific Center, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V. Skorb
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, Infochemistry Scientific Center, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Carola Y. Förster
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Würzburg University Hospital, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dandekar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Townsend DJ, Mala B, Hughes E, Hussain R, Siligardi G, Fullwood NJ, Middleton DA. Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy Identifies the β-Adrenoceptor Agonist Salbutamol As a Direct Inhibitor of Tau Filament Formation in Vitro. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2104-2116. [PMID: 32520518 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Potential drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be found by identifying compounds that block the assembly of the microtubule-associated protein tau into neurofibrillar tangles associated with neuron destabilization and cell death. Here, a small library of structurally diverse compounds was screened in vitro for the ability to inhibit tau aggregation, using high-throughput synchrotron radiation circular dichroism as a novel tool to monitor the structural changes in the protein as it assembles into filaments. The catecholamine epinephrine was found to be the most effective tau aggregation inhibitor of all 88 screened compounds. Subsequently, we tested chemically similar phenolamine drugs from the β-adrenergic receptor agonist class, using conventional circular dichroism spectroscopy, thioflavin T fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. Two compounds, salbutamol and dobutamine, used widely in the treatment of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, impede the aggregation of tau in vitro. Dobutamine reduces both the rate and yield of tau filament formation over 24 h; however, it has little effect on the structural transition of tau into β-sheet structures over 24 h. Salbutamol also reduces the yield and rate of filament formation and additionally inhibits tau's structural change into β-sheet-rich aggregates. Salbutamol has a good safety profile and a half-life that facilitates permeation through the blood-brain barrier and could represent an expediated approach to developing AD therapeutics. These results provide the motivation for the in vivo evaluation of pre-existing β-adrenergic receptor agonists as a potential therapy for AD through the reduction of tau deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Townsend
- Department of Chemistry, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
| | - Barbora Mala
- Department of Chemistry, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
| | - Eleri Hughes
- Department of Chemistry, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
| | - Rohanah Hussain
- Diamond House, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Didcot OX11 ODE, United Kingdom
| | - Giuliano Siligardi
- Diamond House, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Didcot OX11 ODE, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel J. Fullwood
- Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, United Kingdom
| | - David A. Middleton
- Department of Chemistry, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
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Kou L, Duan Y, Wang P, Fu Y, Darabedian N, He Y, Jiang D, Chen D, Xiang J, Liu G, Zhou F. Norepinephrine-Fe(III)-ATP Ternary Complex and Its Relevance to Parkinson's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2777-2785. [PMID: 31059226 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aberrant autoxidation of norepinephrine (NE) in the presence of oxygen, which is accelerated by Fe(III), has been linked to the pathogenesis of the Parkinson's disease (PD). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), as a neurotransmitter whose release can be stimulated by tissue damage and oxidative stress, is co-stored and often co-released with NE in presynaptic terminals. We have shown previously that ATP inhibits the iron-catalyzed dopamine oxidation, thereby decreasing the production of certain neurotoxins such as 6-hydroxydopamine. Whether ATP plays a similar role in Fe(III)-catalyzed NE oxidation and how it maintains the NE stability have not been investigated. Here, we studied the coordination in a ternary complex among NE, Fe(III), and ATP, and found that Fe(III) is coordinated as a octahedral center by NE and ATP. Voltammetry and mass spectrometry were employed to examine this ternary complex's modulation of the NE autoxidation. NE-Fe(III)-ATP plays a protective role to modulate the autoxidation and Fe(III)-catalyzed oxidation of NE. The ternary complex can be detected in the substantia nigra (SN), locus coeruleus (LC), and striatum regions of C57BL/6 wild-type mice. In contrast, the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse brains displayed a significant decrease of the ternary complex in the SN region and an increase in the LC and striatum areas. We posit that the ternary complex is produced by noradrenergic neurons as a protective regulator against neuronal damage and oxidative stress, contributing to the lower vulnerability of LC neurons with respect to that of SN neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Kou
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yuemei Duan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, P. R. China
| | - Pengcheng Wang
- Institute of Surface Analysis and Chemical Biology, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Yaru Fu
- Institute of Surface Analysis and Chemical Biology, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Nerek Darabedian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0744, United States
| | - Yonghui He
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry in Ethnic Medicinal Resources, State Ethnic Affairs Commission & Ministry of Education, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming 650031, P. R. China
| | - Dianlu Jiang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Los Angeles, California 90032, United States
| | - Dinglong Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, P. R. China
| | - Juan Xiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, P. R. China
| | - Guokun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Feimeng Zhou
- Institute of Surface Analysis and Chemical Biology, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Los Angeles, California 90032, United States
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