1
|
Srivastava T, Tyagi D, Fatima S, Sathyan MTV, Raj R, Sharma A, Chaturvedi M, Sinha M, Shishodia SK, Kumar D, Sharma SK, Shankar J, Satish A, Priya S. A natural small molecule-mediated inhibition of alpha-synuclein aggregation leads to neuroprotection in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Neurochem 2024; 168:1640-1654. [PMID: 37429595 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Small molecules are being explored intensively for their applications as therapeutic molecules in the management of metabolic and neurological disorders. The natural small molecules can inhibit protein aggregation and underlying cellular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases involving multi-factorial mechanisms of action. Certain natural small molecular inhibitors of pathogenic protein aggregation are highly efficient and have shown promising therapeutic potential. In the present study, Shikonin (SHK), a natural plant-based naphthoquinone has been investigated for its aggregation inhibition activity against α-synuclein (α-syn) and the neuroprotective potential in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). SHK significantly inhibited aggregation of α-syn at sub-stochiometric concentrations, delayed the linear lag phase and growth kinetics of seeded and unseeded α-syn aggregation. The binding of SHK to the C-terminus of α-syn maintained α-helical and disordered secondary structures with reduced beta-sheet content and complexity of aggregates. Further, in C. elegans transgenic PD models, SHK significantly reduced α-syn aggregation, improved locomotor activity and prevented dopaminergic (DA) neuronal degeneration, indicating the neuroprotective role of SHK. The present study highlights the potential of natural small molecules in the prevention of protein aggregation that may further be explored for their therapeutic efficacy in the management of protein aggregation and neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tulika Srivastava
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Divya Tyagi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Siraj Fatima
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Malur Thirumalesh Vishnu Sathyan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Ritu Raj
- Department of Advanced Spectroscopy and Imaging, Centre of Biomedical Research (CBMR), Lucknow, India
| | - Aniket Sharma
- Food, Drug and Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Minal Chaturvedi
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Meetali Sinha
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Computational Toxicology Facility, Toxicoinformatics Research Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR) Vishvigyan Bhawan, Lucknow, India
| | - Sonia Kumari Shishodia
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
- University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar
- Department of Advanced Spectroscopy and Imaging, Centre of Biomedical Research (CBMR), Lucknow, India
| | - Sandeep K Sharma
- Food, Drug and Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Aruna Satish
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Smriti Priya
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| |
Collapse
|