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Kuznetsov AV. The growth rate of senile plaques is determined by the competition between the rate of deposition of free Aβ aggregates into plaques and the autocatalytic production of free Aβ aggregates. J Theor Biol 2024; 593:111900. [PMID: 38992461 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111900] [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: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) deposits (senile plaques) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigates what processes are primarily responsible for their formation. A model is developed to simulate the diffusion of amyloid beta (Aβ) monomers, the production of free Aβ aggregates through nucleation and autocatalytic processes, and the deposition of these aggregates into senile plaques. The model suggests that efficient degradation of Aβ monomers alone may suffice to prevent the growth of senile plaques, even without degrading Aβ aggregates and existing plaques. This is because the degradation of Aβ monomers interrupts the supply of reactants needed for plaque formation. The impact of Aβ monomer diffusivity is demonstrated to be small, enabling the application of the lumped capacitance approximation and the derivation of approximate analytical solutions for limiting cases with both small and large rates of Aβ aggregate deposition into plaques. It is found that the rate of plaque growth is governed by two competing processes. One is the deposition rate of free Aβ aggregates into senile plaques. If this rate is small, the plaque grows slowly. However, if the rate of deposition of Aβ aggregates into senile plaques is very large, the free Aβ aggregates are removed from the intracellular fluid by deposition into the plaques, leaving insufficient free Aβ aggregates to catalyze the production of new aggregates. This suggests that under certain conditions, Aβ plaques may offer neuroprotection and impede their own growth. Additionally, it indicates that there exists an optimal rate of deposition of free Aβ aggregates into the plaques, at which the plaques attain their maximum size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey V Kuznetsov
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA.
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2
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Ruttenberg SM, Nowick JS. A turn for the worse: Aβ β-hairpins in Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 105:117715. [PMID: 38615460 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers are a cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). These soluble aggregates of the Aβ peptide have proven difficult to study due to their inherent metastability and heterogeneity. Strategies to isolate and stabilize homogenous Aβ oligomer populations have emerged such as mutations, covalent cross-linking, and protein fusions. These strategies along with molecular dynamics simulations have provided a variety of proposed structures of Aβ oligomers, many of which consist of molecules of Aβ in β-hairpin conformations. β-Hairpins are intramolecular antiparallel β-sheets composed of two β-strands connected by a loop or turn. Three decades of research suggests that Aβ peptides form several different β-hairpin conformations, some of which are building blocks of toxic Aβ oligomers. The insights from these studies are currently being used to design anti-Aβ antibodies and vaccines to treat AD. Research suggests that antibody therapies designed to target oligomeric Aβ may be more successful at treating AD than antibodies designed to target linear epitopes of Aβ or fibrillar Aβ. Aβ β-hairpins are good epitopes to use in antibody development to selectively target oligomeric Aβ. This review summarizes the research on β-hairpins in Aβ peptides and discusses the relevance of this conformation in AD pathogenesis and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Ruttenberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States
| | - James S Nowick
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States.
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3
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Du NN, Xu ZY, Lin B, Bai M, Huang XX, Song SJ. Expanded Application of Piper nigrum: Guided Isolation of Alkaloids with Inhibitory Activities of AChE/BuChE and Aβ Aggregation. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:1607-1617. [PMID: 38190504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c07740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Piper nigrum is a popular crop that can be used as seasoning or as an additive but its active ingredients also have an effect on the nervous system. Nineteen new amide alkaloids (1a/1b, 2-5, 6a/6b, 7, 8a/8b, 9, 10a/10b, 11a-11b, 12-14) were isolated from P. nigrum, guided by inhibitory activity of AChE and LC-MS/MS based on GNPS. The configurations were determined by extensive spectral analysis, Bulkiness rule, and NMR calculations. The inhibitory activities of AChE/BuChE and Aβ aggregation were tested, and the results showed compounds 2, 7, and 12 had significant inhibitory activities. These components were identified in the crude fraction and their relative quantities were tested, which suggested that compound 2 was the index component in the active site from P. nigrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Du
- Key Laboratory of Computational Chemistry-Based Natural Antitumor Drug Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Engineering Research Center of Natural Medicine Active Molecule Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Key Laboratory of Natural Bioactive Compounds Discovery & Modification, Shenyang, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Computational Chemistry-Based Natural Antitumor Drug Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Engineering Research Center of Natural Medicine Active Molecule Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Key Laboratory of Natural Bioactive Compounds Discovery & Modification, Shenyang, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Bin Lin
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Ming Bai
- Key Laboratory of Computational Chemistry-Based Natural Antitumor Drug Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Engineering Research Center of Natural Medicine Active Molecule Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Key Laboratory of Natural Bioactive Compounds Discovery & Modification, Shenyang, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Computational Chemistry-Based Natural Antitumor Drug Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Engineering Research Center of Natural Medicine Active Molecule Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Key Laboratory of Natural Bioactive Compounds Discovery & Modification, Shenyang, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Shao-Jiang Song
- Key Laboratory of Computational Chemistry-Based Natural Antitumor Drug Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Engineering Research Center of Natural Medicine Active Molecule Research & Development, Liaoning Province, Key Laboratory of Natural Bioactive Compounds Discovery & Modification, Shenyang, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
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4
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Gharat R, Dixit G, Khambete M, Prabhu A. Targets, trials and tribulations in Alzheimer therapeutics. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 962:176230. [PMID: 38042464 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176230] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by abnormal accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles in the parts of the brain responsible for cognition. The therapeutic burden for the management of AD relies solely on cholinesterase inhibitors that provide only symptomatic relief. The urgent need for disease-modifying drugs has resulted in intensive research in this domain, which has led to better understanding of the disease pathology and identification of a plethora of new pathological targets. Currently, there are over a hundred and seventy clinical trials exploring disease modification, cognitive enhancement, and reduction of neuro-psychiatric complications. However, the path to developing safe and efficacious AD therapeutics has not been without challenges. Several clinical trials have been terminated in advanced stages due to lack of therapeutic translation or increased incidence of adverse events. This review presents an in-depth look at the various therapeutic targets of AD and the lessons learnt during their clinical assessment. Comprehensive understanding of the implication of modulating various aspects of Alzheimer brain pathology is crucial for development of drugs with potential to halt disease progression in Alzheimer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchita Gharat
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, VM Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, 400056, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gargi Dixit
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, VM Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, 400056, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mihir Khambete
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Arati Prabhu
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, VM Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, 400056, Maharashtra, India.
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Gao Y, Guo J, Zhang F, Li Y. Safety Analysis of Bapineuzumab in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2024; 27:40-47. [PMID: 37076966 DOI: 10.2174/1386207326666230419095813] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people worldwide, and very few drugs are available for its treatment. Monoclonal antibodies have shown promising effects in the treatment of various types of diseases. Bapineuzumab is one of the humanized monoclonal antibodies, which have shown promising effects in AD patients. Bapineuzumab has shown efficacy in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. However, its safety is still unclear. OBJECTIVE Thus, the main objective of the current study is to find out the exact safety profile of bapineuzumab in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. METHODS We performed a web-based literature search of PubMed and clinical trial websites using the relevant keywords. Data were extracted from eligible records, and the risk ratio (RR) was calculated with a 95% confidence interval (CI). All the analyses were performed using Review Manager software (version 5.3 for windows). Heterogeneity was measured by Chi-square and I-square tests. RESULTS Non-significant association of bapineuzumab with serious treatment-emergent adverse events [RR: 1.11 (0.92, 1.35)], headache [RR: 1.03 (0.81, 1.32)], delirium [RR: 2.21 (0.36, 13.53)], vomiting [RR: 0.92 (0.55, 1.55)], hypertension [RR: 0.49 (0.12, 2.12)], convulsions [RR:2.23 (0.42, 11.71)], falls [RR: 0.98 (0.80, 1.21)], fatal AEs [RR: 1.18 (0.59, 2.39)], and neoplasms [RR:1.81 (0.07, 49.52)] was reported; however, a significant association was found with vasogenic edema [RR: 22.58 (3.48, 146.44)]. CONCLUSION Based on available evidence, bapineuzumab is found to be safe in the treatment of AD patients. However, vasogenic edema should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Gao
- College of Nursing, Hebi Polytechnic, Hebi, Henan, 458030 China
- College of Health Care, Sehan University, Yeongam-gun, 58447, Korea
| | - Jing Guo
- College of Nursing, Hebi Polytechnic, Hebi, Henan, 458030 China
| | - Fang Zhang
- College of Nursing, Hebi Polytechnic, Hebi, Henan, 458030 China
| | - Yanfang Li
- College of Nursing, Hebi Polytechnic, Hebi, Henan, 458030 China
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6
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Dai S, Qiu L, Veeraraghavan VP, Sheu CL, Mony U. Advances in iPSC Technology in Neural Disease Modeling, Drug Screening, and Therapy. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 19:809-819. [PMID: 37291782 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x18666230608105703] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) including Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease are all incurable and can only be managed with drugs for the associated symptoms. Animal models of human illnesses help to advance our understanding of the pathogenic processes of diseases. Understanding the pathogenesis as well as drug screening using appropriate disease models of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are vital for identifying novel therapies. Human-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models can be an efficient model to create disease in a dish and thereby can proceed with drug screening and identifying appropriate drugs. This technology has many benefits, including efficient reprogramming and regeneration potential, multidirectional differentiation, and the lack of ethical concerns, which open up new avenues for studying neurological illnesses in greater depth. The review mainly focuses on the use of iPSC technology in neuronal disease modeling, drug screening, and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Linhui Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
| | - Chia-Lin Sheu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Ullas Mony
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
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7
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Marković M, Milošević J, Wang W, Cao Y. Passive Immunotherapies Targeting Amyloid- β in Alzheimer's Disease: A Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Perspective. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 105:1-13. [PMID: 37907353 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.123.000726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) protein accumulation in the brain. Passive immunotherapies using monoclonal antibodies for targeting Aβ have shown promise for AD treatment. Indeed, recent US Food and Drug Administration approval of aducanumab and lecanemab, alongside positive donanemab Phase III results demonstrated clinical efficacy after decades of failed clinical trials for AD. However, the pharmacological basis distinguishing clinically effective from ineffective therapies remains unclear, impeding development of potent therapeutics. This study aimed to provide a quantitative perspective for effectively targeting Aβ with antibodies. We first reviewed the contradicting results associated with the amyloid hypothesis and the pharmacological basis of Aβ immunotherapy. Subsequently, we developed a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model that describes the non-linear progression of Aβ pathology and the pharmacologic actions of the Aβ-targeting antibodies. Using the QSP model, we analyzed various scenarios for effective passive immunotherapy for AD. The model revealed that binding exclusively to the Aβ monomer has minimal effect on Aβ aggregation and plaque reduction, making the antibody affinity toward Aβ monomer unwanted, as it could become a distractive mechanism for plaque reduction. Neither early intervention, high brain penetration, nor increased dose could yield significant improvement of clinical efficacy for antibodies targeting solely monomers. Antibodies that bind all Aβ species but lack effector function exhibited moderate effects in plaque reduction. Our model highlights the importance of binding aggregate Aβ species and incorporating effector functions for efficient and early plaque reduction, guiding the development of more effective therapies for this devastating disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Despite previous unsuccessful attempts spanning several decades, passive immunotherapies utilizing monoclonal antibodies for targeting amyloid-beta (Aβ) have demonstrated promise with two recent FDA approvals. However, the pharmacological basis that differentiates clinically effective therapies from ineffective ones remains elusive. Our study offers a quantitative systems pharmacology perspective, emphasizing the significance of selectively targeting specific Aβ species and importance of antibody effector functions. This perspective sheds light on the development of more effective therapies for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Marković
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy (M.M., Y.C.) and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine (Y.C.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Biochemistry (J.M.), University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade, Serbia; and Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development (W.W.), LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania
| | - Jelica Milošević
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy (M.M., Y.C.) and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine (Y.C.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Biochemistry (J.M.), University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade, Serbia; and Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development (W.W.), LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania
| | - Weirong Wang
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy (M.M., Y.C.) and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine (Y.C.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Biochemistry (J.M.), University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade, Serbia; and Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development (W.W.), LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania
| | - Yanguang Cao
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy (M.M., Y.C.) and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine (Y.C.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Biochemistry (J.M.), University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade, Serbia; and Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development (W.W.), LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania
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8
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Kandi S, Cline EN, Rivera BM, Viola KL, Zhu J, Condello C, LeDuc RD, Klein WL, Kelleher NL, Patrie SM. Amyloid β Proteoforms Elucidated by Quantitative LC/MS in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3475-3488. [PMID: 37847596 PMCID: PMC10840081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous Aβ proteoforms, identified in the human brain, possess differential neurotoxic and aggregation propensities. These proteoforms contribute in unknown ways to the conformations and resultant pathogenicity of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD) manifestation owing to the lack of molecular-level specificity to the exact chemical composition of underlying protein products with widespread interrogating techniques, like immunoassays. We evaluated Aβ proteoform flux using quantitative top-down mass spectrometry (TDMS) in a well-studied 5xFAD mouse model of age-dependent Aβ-amyloidosis. Though the brain-derived Aβ proteoform landscape is largely occupied by Aβ1-42, 25 different forms of Aβ with differential solubility were identified. These proteoforms fall into three natural groups defined by hierarchical clustering of expression levels in the context of mouse age and proteoform solubility, with each group sharing physiochemical properties associated with either N/C-terminal truncations or both. Overall, the TDMS workflow outlined may hold tremendous potential for investigating proteoform-level relationships between insoluble fibrils and soluble Aβ, including low-molecular-weight oligomers hypothesized to serve as the key drivers of neurotoxicity. Similarly, the workflow may also help to validate the utility of AD-relevant animal models to recapitulate amyloidosis mechanisms or possibly explain disconnects observed in therapeutic efficacy in animal models vs humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Kandi
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Erika N Cline
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Brianna M Rivera
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Kirsten L Viola
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Jiuhe Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Richard D LeDuc
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - William L Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Steven M Patrie
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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Reed AL, Mitchell W, Alexandrescu AT, Alder NN. Interactions of amyloidogenic proteins with mitochondrial protein import machinery in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1263420. [PMID: 38028797 PMCID: PMC10652799 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1263420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Most mitochondrial proteins are targeted to the organelle by N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequences (MTSs, or "presequences") that are recognized by the import machinery and subsequently cleaved to yield the mature protein. MTSs do not have conserved amino acid compositions, but share common physicochemical properties, including the ability to form amphipathic α-helical structures enriched with basic and hydrophobic residues on alternating faces. The lack of strict sequence conservation implies that some polypeptides can be mistargeted to mitochondria, especially under cellular stress. The pathogenic accumulation of proteins within mitochondria is implicated in many aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Mechanistically, these diseases may originate in part from mitochondrial interactions with amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) or its cleavage product amyloid-β (Aβ), α-synuclein (α-syn), and mutant forms of huntingtin (mHtt), respectively, that are mediated in part through their associations with the mitochondrial protein import machinery. Emerging evidence suggests that these amyloidogenic proteins may present cryptic targeting signals that act as MTS mimetics and can be recognized by mitochondrial import receptors and transported into different mitochondrial compartments. Accumulation of these mistargeted proteins could overwhelm the import machinery and its associated quality control mechanisms, thereby contributing to neurological disease progression. Alternatively, the uptake of amyloidogenic proteins into mitochondria may be part of a protein quality control mechanism for clearance of cytotoxic proteins. Here we review the pathomechanisms of these diseases as they relate to mitochondrial protein import and effects on mitochondrial function, what features of APP/Aβ, α-syn and mHtt make them suitable substrates for the import machinery, and how this information can be leveraged for the development of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L. Reed
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Wayne Mitchell
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andrei T. Alexandrescu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Nathan N. Alder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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10
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Kim J, Jeon H, Yun Kim H, Kim Y. Failure, Success, and Future Direction of Alzheimer Drugs Targeting Amyloid-β Cascade: Pros and Cons of Chemical and Biological Modalities. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300328. [PMID: 37497809 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300328] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia and has become a health concern worldwide urging for an effective therapeutic. The amyloid hypothesis, currently the most pursued basis of AD drug discovery, points the cause of AD to abnormal production and ineffective removal of pathogenic aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ). AD therapeutic research has been focused on targeting different species of Aβ in the amyloidogenic process to control Aβ content and recover cognitive decline. Among the different processes targeted, the clearance mechanism has been found to be the most effective, supported by the recent clinical approval of an Aβ-targeting immunotherapeutic drug which significantly slowed cognitive decline. Although the current AD drug discovery field is extensively researching immunotherapeutic drugs, there are numerous properties of immunotherapy in need of improvements that could be overcome by an equally performing chemical drug. Here, we review chemical and immunotherapy drug candidates, based on their mechanism of modulating the amyloid cascade, selected from the AlzForum database. Through this review, we aim to summarize and evaluate the prospect of Aβ-targeting chemical drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- JiMin Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Hanna Jeon
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Hye Yun Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - YoungSoo Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
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11
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Loeffler DA. Antibody-Mediated Clearance of Brain Amyloid-β: Mechanisms of Action, Effects of Natural and Monoclonal Anti-Aβ Antibodies, and Downstream Effects. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2023; 7:873-899. [PMID: 37662616 PMCID: PMC10473157 DOI: 10.3233/adr-230025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapeutic efforts to slow the clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by lowering brain amyloid-β (Aβ) have included Aβ vaccination, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products, and anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies. Neither Aβ vaccination nor IVIG slowed disease progression. Despite conflicting phase III results, the monoclonal antibody Aducanumab received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment of AD in June 2021. The only treatments unequivocally demonstrated to slow AD progression to date are the monoclonal antibodies Lecanemab and Donanemab. Lecanemab received FDA approval in January 2023 based on phase II results showing lowering of PET-detectable Aβ; phase III results released at that time indicated slowing of disease progression. Topline results released in May 2023 for Donanemab's phase III trial revealed that primary and secondary end points had been met. Antibody binding to Aβ facilitates its clearance from the brain via multiple mechanisms including promoting its microglial phagocytosis, activating complement, dissolving fibrillar Aβ, and binding of antibody-Aβ complexes to blood-brain barrier receptors. Antibody binding to Aβ in peripheral blood may also promote cerebral efflux of Aβ by a peripheral sink mechanism. According to the amyloid hypothesis, for Aβ targeting to slow AD progression, it must decrease downstream neuropathological processes including tau aggregation and phosphorylation and (possibly) inflammation and oxidative stress. This review discusses antibody-mediated mechanisms of Aβ clearance, findings in AD trials involving Aβ vaccination, IVIG, and anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies, downstream effects reported in those trials, and approaches which might improve the Aβ-clearing ability of monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Loeffler
- Beaumont Research Institute, Department of Neurology, Corewell Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
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12
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Whitfield JF, Rennie K, Chakravarthy B. Alzheimer's Disease and Its Possible Evolutionary Origin: Hypothesis. Cells 2023; 12:1618. [PMID: 37371088 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The enormous, 2-3-million-year evolutionary expansion of hominin neocortices to the current enormity enabled humans to take over the planet. However, there appears to have been a glitch, and it occurred without a compensatory expansion of the entorhinal cortical (EC) gateway to the hippocampal memory-encoding system needed to manage the processing of the increasing volume of neocortical data converging on it. The resulting age-dependent connectopathic glitch was unnoticed by the early short-lived populations. It has now surfaced as Alzheimer's disease (AD) in today's long-lived populations. With advancing age, processing of the converging neocortical data by the neurons of the relatively small lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) inflicts persistent strain and high energy costs on these cells. This may result in their hyper-release of harmless Aβ1-42 monomers into the interstitial fluid, where they seed the formation of toxic amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) that initiate AD. At the core of connectopathic AD are the postsynaptic cellular prion protein (PrPC). Electrostatic binding of the negatively charged AβOs to the positively charged N-terminus of PrPC induces hyperphosphorylation of tau that destroys synapses. The spread of these accumulating AβOs from ground zero is supported by Aβ's own production mediated by target cells' Ca2+-sensing receptors (CaSRs). These data suggest that an early administration of a strongly positively charged, AβOs-interacting peptide or protein, plus an inhibitor of CaSR, might be an effective AD-arresting therapeutic combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F Whitfield
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Kerry Rennie
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Balu Chakravarthy
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada
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13
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Grover S, Pham T, Jones A, Sinobas-Pereira C, Villoch Diaz Maurino M, Garrad EC, Makoni NJ, Parks A, Domalewski RJ, Riggio G, An H, Chen K, Nichols MR. A new class of monoclonal Aβ antibodies selectively targets and triggers deposition of Aβ protofibrils. J Neurochem 2023; 165:860-873. [PMID: 37002186 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation and accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) are a critical trigger for the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the plaques are the most outstanding Aβ pathological feature, much of the recent research emphasis has been on soluble Aβ species because of their diffusible, proinflammatory, and toxic properties. The focus on soluble aggregated Aβ species has also increased the interest in antibodies that are selective for different Aβ conformations. In the current study, we developed and characterized a new class of monoclonal antibodies (referred to as mAbSL) that are selective for Aβ protofibrils. Cloning and sequencing of the heavy and light chain variable regions for multiple antibodies identified sequence characteristics that may impart the conformational selectivity by the antibodies. Transfection of FreeStyle 293F cells with the plasmids permitted in-house expression and purification of mAbSL antibodies along with non-conformation-selective Aβ monoclonal antibodies (Aβ mAbs). Several of the purified mAbSL antibodies demonstrated significant affinity and selectivity for Aβ42 protofibrils compared with Aβ42 monomers and Aβ42 fibrils. Competition ELISA assays assessing the best overall antibody, mAbSL 113, yielded affinity constants of 7 nM for the antibody-Aβ42 protofibril interaction, while the affinity for either Aβ42 monomers or Aβ42 fibrils was roughly 80 times higher. mAbSL 113 significantly inhibited Aβ42 monomer aggregation by a unique mechanism compared with the inhibition displayed by Aβ mAb 513. Aβ42 protofibril dynamics were also markedly altered in the presence of mAbSL 113, whereby insoluble complex formation and protofibril deposition were stimulated by the antibody at low substoichiometric molar ratios. As the field contemplates the therapeutic effectiveness of Aβ conformation-selective antibodies, the findings presented here demonstrate new information on a monoclonal antibody that selectively targets Aβ protofibrils and impacts Aβ dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Grover
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Thao Pham
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Anna Jones
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Cristina Sinobas-Pereira
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Evan C Garrad
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nyasha J Makoni
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Antanisha Parks
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ryan J Domalewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gabriel Riggio
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Hannah An
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Michael R Nichols
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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14
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Mañucat-Tan NB, Chowdhury A, Cataldi R, Abdullah RZ, Kumita JR, Wyatt AR. Hypochlorite-induced oxidation promotes aggregation and reduces toxicity of amyloid beta 1-42. Redox Biol 2023; 63:102736. [PMID: 37216700 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Exacerbated hypochlorite (OCl-) production is linked to neurodegenerative processes, but there is growing evidence that lower levels of hypochlorite activity are important to protein homeostasis. In this study we characterise the effects of hypochlorite on the aggregation and toxicity of amyloid beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ1-42), a major component of amyloid plaques that form in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. Our results demonstrate that treatment with hypochlorite promotes the formation of Aβ1-42 assemblies ≥100 kDa that have reduced surface exposed hydrophobicity compared to the untreated peptide. This effect is the result of the oxidation of Aβ1-42 at a single site as determined by mass spectrometry analysis. Although treatment with hypochlorite promotes the aggregation of Aβ1-42, the solubility of the peptide is enhanced and amyloid fibril formation is inhibited as assessed by filter trap assay, thioflavin T assay and transmission electron microscopy. The results of in vitro assays using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells show that pre-treatment of Aβ1-42 with a sub-stoichiometric amount of hypochlorite substantially reduces its toxicity. The results of flow cytometry analysis and internalisation assays indicate that hypochlorite-induced modification of Aβ1-42 reduces its toxicity via at least two-distinct mechanism, reducing the total binding of Aβ1-42 to the surface of cells and facilitating the cell surface clearance of Aβ1-42 to lysosomes. Our data is consistent with a model in which tightly regulated production of hypochlorite in the brain is protective against Aβ-induced toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noralyn B Mañucat-Tan
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, SA, Australia, 5048
| | - Ashfaq Chowdhury
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Rodrigo Cataldi
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Rafaa Zeineddine Abdullah
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 2500
| | - Janet R Kumita
- Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK; Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, UK.
| | - Amy R Wyatt
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, SA, Australia, 5048.
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15
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Araki W. Aβ Oligomer Toxicity-Reducing Therapy for the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease: Importance of the Nrf2 and PPARγ Pathways. Cells 2023; 12:1386. [PMID: 37408220 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that soluble amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) play a pathogenetic role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Indeed, AβOs induce neurotoxic and synaptotoxic effects and are also critically involved in neuroinflammation. Oxidative stress appears to be a crucial event underlying these pathological effects of AβOs. From a therapeutic standpoint, new drugs for AD designed to remove AβOs or inhibit the formation of AβOs are currently being developed. However, it is also worth considering strategies for preventing AβO toxicity itself. In particular, small molecules with AβO toxicity-reducing activity have potential as drug candidates. Among such small molecules, those that can enhance Nrf2 and/or PPARγ activity can effectively inhibit AβO toxicity. In this review, I summarize studies on the small molecules that counteract AβO toxicity and are capable of activating Nrf2 and/or PPARγ. I also discuss how these interrelated pathways are involved in the mechanisms by which these small molecules prevent AβO-induced neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. I propose that AβO toxicity-reducing therapy, designated ATR-T, could be a beneficial, complementary strategy for the prevention and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Araki
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
- Memory Clinic Ochanomizu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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16
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Chen X, Xing L, Li X, Chen N, Liu L, Wang J, Zhou X, Liu S. Manganese Ion-Induced Amyloid Fibrillation Kinetics of Hen Egg White-Lysozyme in Thermal and Acidic Conditions. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:16439-16449. [PMID: 37179629 PMCID: PMC10173442 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
As manganese ions (Mn2+) are identified as an environmental risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, uncovering their action mechanism on protein amyloid fibril formation is crucial for related disease treatments. Herein, we performed a combined study of Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy assays, in which the distinctive effect of Mn2+ on the amyloid fibrillation kinetics of hen egg white-lysozyme (HEWL) was clarified at the molecular level. With thermal and acid treatments, the unfolding of protein tertiary structures is efficiently accelerated by Mn2+ to form oligomers, as indicated by two Raman markers for the Trp residues on protein side chains: the FWHM at 759 cm-1 and the I1340/I1360 ratio. Meanwhile, the inconsistent evolutionary kinetics of the two indicators, as well as AFM images and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy assays, validate the tendency of Mn2+ toward the formation of amorphous aggregates instead of amyloid fibrils. Moreover, Mn2+ plays an accelerator role in the secondary structure transition from α-helix to organized β-sheet structures, as indicated by the N-Cα-C intensity at 933 cm-1 and the amide I position of Raman spectroscopy and ThT fluorescence assays. Notably, the more significant promotion effect of Mn2+ on the formation of amorphous aggregates provides credible clues to understand the fact that excess exposure to manganese is associated with neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Chen
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Lei Xing
- State
Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xinfei Li
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Ning Chen
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Liming Liu
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jionghan Wang
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xiaoguo Zhou
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Shilin Liu
- Department
of Chemical Physics, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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17
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Ballesteros-Álvarez J, Nguyen W, Sivapatham R, Rane A, Andersen JK. Urolithin A reduces amyloid-beta load and improves cognitive deficits uncorrelated with plaque burden in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. GeroScience 2022; 45:1095-1113. [PMID: 36576642 PMCID: PMC9886708 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00708-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the effects of urolithin A (UA), a metabolite generated from ellagic acid via its metabolism by gut bacteria, as an autophagy activator with potential neuroprotective activity. WT and 3xTg-AD mice were administered long-term intermittent dietary supplementation with UA. UA was found to prevent deficits in spatial memory, cued fear response, and exploratory behavior in this model. It also decreased the Aβ plaque burden in areas of the hippocampus where these protein deposits are prominent in the model. Interestingly, correlation analyses demonstrate that Aβ plaque burden positively correlates with enhanced spatial memory in 3xTg-AD mice on a control diet but not in those supplemented with UA. In contrast, Aβ42 abundance in cortical and hippocampal homogenates negatively correlate with spatial memory in UA-fed mice. Our data suggest that plaque formation may be a protective mechanism against neurodegeneration and cognitive decline and that targeting the generation of proteotoxic Aβ species might be a more successful approach in halting disease progression. UA was also found to extend lifespan in normal aging mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that UA is able to induce autophagy and to increase Aβ clearance in neuronal cell lines. In summary, our studies reveal UA, likely via its actions as a autophagy inducer, is capable of removing Aβ from neurons and its dietary administration prevents the onset of cognitive deficits associated with pathological Aβ deposition in the 3xTg-AD mouse model as well as extending lifespan in normal aging mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wynnie Nguyen
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| | | | - Anand Rane
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
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18
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Di Scala C, Armstrong N, Chahinian H, Chabrière E, Fantini J, Yahi N. AmyP53, a Therapeutic Peptide Candidate for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease: Safety, Stability, Pharmacokinetics Parameters and Nose-to Brain Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113383. [PMID: 36362170 PMCID: PMC9654333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are a major public health issue. Despite decades of research efforts, we are still seeking an efficient cure for these pathologies. The initial paradigm of large aggregates of amyloid proteins (amyloid plaques, Lewis bodies) as the root cause of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases has been mostly dismissed. Instead, membrane-bound oligomers forming Ca2+-permeable amyloid pores are now considered appropriate targets for these diseases. Over the last 20 years, our group deciphered the molecular mechanisms of amyloid pore formation, which appeared to involve a common pathway for all amyloid proteins, including Aβ (Alzheimer) and α-synuclein (Parkinson). We then designed a short peptide (AmyP53), which prevents amyloid pore formation by targeting gangliosides, the plasma membrane receptors of amyloid proteins. Herein, we show that aqueous solutions of AmyP53 are remarkably stable upon storage at temperatures up to 45 °C for several months. AmyP53 appeared to be more stable in whole blood than in plasma. Pharmacokinetics studies in rats demonstrated that the peptide can rapidly and safely reach the brain after intranasal administration. The data suggest both the direct transport of AmyP53 via the olfactory bulb (and/or the trigeminal nerve) and an indirect transport via the circulation and the blood–brain barrier. In vitro experiments confirmed that AmyP53 is as active as cargo peptides in crossing the blood–brain barrier, consistent with its amino acid sequence specificities and physicochemical properties. Overall, these data open a route for the use of a nasal spray formulation of AmyP53 for the prevention and/or treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases in future clinical trials in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coralie Di Scala
- Neuroscience Center—HiLIFE, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nicholas Armstrong
- IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Aix Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Henri Chahinian
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix Marseille University, 13015 Marseille, France
| | - Eric Chabrière
- IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Aix Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Jacques Fantini
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix Marseille University, 13015 Marseille, France
| | - Nouara Yahi
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix Marseille University, 13015 Marseille, France
- Correspondence:
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19
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Transcranial Electromagnetic Treatment Stops Alzheimer’s Disease Cognitive Decline over a 2½-Year Period: A Pilot Study. MEDICINES 2022; 9:medicines9080042. [PMID: 36005647 PMCID: PMC9416517 DOI: 10.3390/medicines9080042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: There is currently no therapeutic that can stop or reverse the progressive memory impairment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, we recently published that 2 months of daily, in-home transcranial electromagnetic treatment (TEMT) reversed the cognitive impairment in eight mild/moderate AD subjects. These cognitive enhancements were accompanied by predicted changes in AD markers within both the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods: In view of these encouraging findings, the initial clinical study was extended twice to encompass a period of 2½ years. The present study reports on the resulting long-term safety, cognitive assessments, and AD marker evaluations from the five subjects who received long-term treatment. Results: TEMT administration was completely safe over the 2½-year period, with no deleterious side effects. In six cognitive/functional tasks (including the ADAS-cog13, Rey AVLT, MMSE, and ADL), no decline in any measure occurred over this 2½-year period. Long-term TEMT induced reductions in the CSF levels of C-reactive protein, p-tau217, Aβ1-40, and Aβ1-42 while modulating CSF oligomeric Aβ levels. In the plasma, long-term TEMT modulated/rebalanced levels of both p-tau217 and total tau. Conclusions: Although only a limited number of AD patients were involved in this study, the results suggest that TEMT can stop the cognitive decline of AD over a period of at least 2½ years and can do so with no safety issues.
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20
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Kwon MJ, Lee JW, Kim KS, Chen H, Cui CB, Lee GW, Cho YH. The Influence of Tyrosol-Enriched Rhodiola sachalinensis Extracts Bioconverted by the Mycelium of Bovista plumbe on Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive, Behavioral, and Physiological Responses in Mice. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144455. [PMID: 35889329 PMCID: PMC9324053 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive deficits, which are accompanied by memory loss and cognitive disruption. Rhodiola sachalinensis (RSE) is a medicinal plant that has been used in northeastern Asia for various pharmacological activities. We attempted to carry out the bioconversion of RSE (Bio-RSE) using the mycelium of Bovista plumbe to obtain tyrosol-enriched Bio-RSE. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Bio-RSE on the activation of the cholinergic system and the inhibition of oxidative stress in mice with scopolamine (Sco)-induced memory impairment. Sco (1 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) impaired the mice’s performance on the Y-maze test, passive avoidance test, and water maze test. However, the number of abnormal behaviors was reduced in the groups supplemented with Bio-RSE. Bio-RSE treatment improved working memory and avoidance times against electronic shock, increased step-through latency, and reduced the time to reach the escape zone in the water maze test. Bio-RSE dramatically improved the cholinergic system by decreasing acetylcholinesterase activity and regulated oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)). The reduction in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling in the brain tissue due to scopolamine was restored by the administration of Bio-RSE. Bio-RSE also significantly decreased amyloid-beta 1–42 (Aβ1–42) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) expression. Moreover, the increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and low total antioxidant capacity in Sco-treated mouse brains were reversed by Bio-RSE, and an increase in Nrf2 and HO-1 was also observed. In conclusion, Bio-RSE protected against Sco-induced cognitive impairment by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and may be developed as a potential beneficial material for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Jin Kwon
- Division of Efficiency Evaluation of Biomolecules, PSA Co., Ltd., Pusan 48513, Korea; (M.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.)
| | - Ju-Woon Lee
- Division of Efficiency Evaluation of Biomolecules, PSA Co., Ltd., Pusan 48513, Korea; (M.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.)
| | - Kwan-Soo Kim
- Greenpia Technology Inc., Yeoju-si 12619, Korea;
| | - Hao Chen
- Suite 18B Sea View Plaza, 18 Tai Zi Road Shekou, Shenzhen 518067, China;
| | - Cheng-Bi Cui
- Key Laboratory of Changbai Mountain Biological Resources and Functional Molecular Education, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China;
| | - Gye Won Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea;
| | - Young Ho Cho
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-42-600-8503
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21
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Zhang DY, Wang J, Fleeman RM, Kuhn MK, Swulius MT, Proctor EA, Dokholyan NV. Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside Promotes Early Aβ42 Oligomer Formation and Maintenance. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1979-1991. [PMID: 35713284 PMCID: PMC10137048 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Cell membrane composition, especially monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1), is known to promote the formation of Aβ fibrils, yet little is known about the roles of GM1 in the early steps of Aβ oligomer formation. Here, by using GM1-contained liposomes as a mimic of the neuronal cell membrane, we demonstrate that GM1 is a critical trigger of Aβ oligomerization and aggregation. We find that GM1 not only promotes the formation of Aβ fibrils but also facilitates the maintenance of Aβ42 oligomers on liposome membranes. We structurally characterize the Aβ42 oligomers formed on the membrane and find that GM1 captures Aβ by binding to its arginine-5 residue. To interrogate the mechanism of Aβ42 oligomer toxicity, we design a new liposome-based Ca2+-encapsulation assay and provide new evidence for the Aβ42 ion channel hypothesis. Finally, we determine the toxicity of Aβ42 oligomers formed on membranes. Overall, by uncovering the roles of GM1 in mediating early Aβ oligomer formation and maintenance, our work provides a novel direction for pharmaceutical research for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Yan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
| | - Rebecca M Fleeman
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Center for Neural Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States
| | - Madison K Kuhn
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Center for Neural Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States
| | - Matthew T Swulius
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Proctor
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Center for Neural Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States.,Department of Engineering Science & Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16801, United States
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22
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Taubel J, Nelson NR, Bansal A, Curran GL, Wang L, Wang Z, Berg HM, Vernon CJ, Min HK, Larson NB, DeGrado TR, Kandimalla KK, Lowe VJ, Pandey MK. Design, Synthesis, and Preliminary Evaluation of [ 68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Insulin as a PET Probe in an Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:892-906. [PMID: 35420782 PMCID: PMC9121347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant insulin signaling has been considered one of the risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and has drawn considerable attention from the research community to further study its role in AD pathophysiology. Herein, we describe the development of an insulin-based novel positron emission tomography (PET) probe, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin, to noninvasively study the role of insulin in AD. The developed PET probe [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin showed a significantly higher uptake (0.396 ± 0.055 SUV) in the AD mouse brain compared to the normal (0.140 ± 0.027 SUV) mouse brain at 5 min post injection and also showed a similar trend at 10, 15, and 20 min post injection. In addition, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin was found to have a differential uptake in various brain regions at 30 min post injection. Among the brain regions, the cortex, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum showed a significantly higher standard uptake value (SUV) of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin in AD mice as compared to normal mice. The inhibition of the insulin receptor (IR) with an insulin receptor antagonist peptide (S961) in normal mice showed a similar brain uptake profile of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin as it was observed in the AD case, suggesting nonfunctional IR in AD and the presence of an alternative insulin uptake route in the absence of a functional IR. The Gjedde-Patlak graphical analysis was also performed to predict the input rate of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin into the brain using MicroPET imaging data and supported the in vivo results. The [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin PET probe was successfully synthesized and evaluated in a mouse model of AD in comparison with [18F]AV1451 and [11C]PIB to noninvasively study the role of insulin in AD pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillissa
C. Taubel
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Nicholas R. Nelson
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Aditya Bansal
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Geoffrey L. Curran
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Lushan Wang
- Department
of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zengtao Wang
- Department
of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Heather M. Berg
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Cynthia J. Vernon
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Hoon-Ki Min
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Nicholas B. Larson
- Department
of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
| | - Timothy R. DeGrado
- Department
of Radiology, University of Colorado Anschutz
Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Karunya K. Kandimalla
- Department
of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States,
| | - Val J. Lowe
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States,
| | - Mukesh K. Pandey
- Division
of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States,
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Krafft GA, Jerecic J, Siemers E, Cline EN. ACU193: An Immunotherapeutic Poised to Test the Amyloid β Oligomer Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:848215. [PMID: 35557606 PMCID: PMC9088393 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.848215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that affects 50 million people worldwide, with 10 million new cases occurring each year. The emotional and economic impacts of AD on patients and families are devastating. Approved treatments confer modest improvement in symptoms, and recently one treatment obtained accelerated approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may have modest disease modifying benefit. Research over the past three decades has established a clear causal linkage between AD and elevated brain levels of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide, and substantial evidence now implicates soluble, non-fibrillar Aβ oligomers (AβOs) as the molecular assemblies directly responsible for AD-associated memory and cognitive failure and accompanying progressive neurodegeneration. The widely recognized linkage of elevated Aβ and AD spawned a comprehensive 20-year therapeutic campaign that focused primarily on two strategies – inhibition of the secretase enzymes responsible for Aβ production and clearance of Aβ peptide or amyloid plaques with Aβ-directed immunotherapeutics. Unfortunately, all clinical trials of secretase inhibitors were unsuccessful. Of the completed phase 3 immunotherapy programs, bapineuzumab (targeting amyloid plaque) and solanezumab (targeting Aβ monomers) were negative, and the crenezumab program (targeting Aβ monomers and to a small extent oligomers) was stopped for futility. Aducanumab (targeting amyloid plaques), which recently received FDA accelerated approval, had one positive and one negative phase 3 trial. More than 25 negative randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have evaluated Aβ-targeting therapeutics, yet none has directly evaluated whether selective blockage of disease-relevant AβOs can stop or reverse AD-associated cognitive decline. Here, we briefly summarize studies that establish the AD therapeutic rationale to target AβOs selectively, and we describe ACU193, the first AβO-selective immunotherapeutic to enter human clinical trials and the first positioned to test the AβO hypothesis of AD.
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24
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Modulation of Amyloid β-Induced Microglia Activation and Neuronal Cell Death by Curcumin and Analogues. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084381. [PMID: 35457197 PMCID: PMC9027876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is not restricted to the neuronal compartment but includes important interactions with immune cells, including microglia. Protein aggregates, common pathological hallmarks of AD, bind to pattern recognition receptors on microglia and trigger an inflammatory response, which contributes to disease progression and severity. In this context, curcumin is emerging as a potential drug candidate able to affect multiple key pathways implicated in AD, including neuroinflammation. Therefore, we studied the effect of curcumin and its structurally related analogues cur6 and cur16 on amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced microglia activation and neuronal cell death, as well as their effect on the modulation of Aβ aggregation. Primary cortical microglia and neurons were exposed to two different populations of Aβ42 oligomers (Aβ42Os) where the oligomeric state had been assigned by capillary electrophoresis and ultrafiltration. When stimulated with high molecular weight Aβ42Os, microglia released proinflammatory cytokines that led to early neuronal cell death. The studied compounds exerted an anti-inflammatory effect on high molecular weight Aβ42O-stimulated microglia and possibly inhibited microglia-mediated neuronal cell toxicity. Furthermore, the tested compounds demonstrated antioligomeric activity during the process of in vitro Aβ42 aggregation. These findings could be investigated further and used for the optimization of multipotent candidate molecules for AD treatment.
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25
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Bartley SC, Proctor MT, Xia H, Ho E, Kang DS, Schuster K, Bicca MA, Seckler HS, Viola KL, Patrie SM, Kelleher NL, De Mello FG, Klein WL. An Essential Role for Alzheimer’s-Linked Amyloid Beta Oligomers in Neurodevelopment: Transient Expression of Multiple Proteoforms during Retina Histogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042208. [PMID: 35216328 PMCID: PMC8875314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Human amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is a brain catabolite that at nanomolar concentrations can form neurotoxic oligomers (AβOs), which are known to accumulate in Alzheimer’s disease. Because a predisposition to form neurotoxins seems surprising, we have investigated whether circumstances might exist where AβO accumulation may in fact be beneficial. Our investigation focused on the embryonic chick retina, which expresses the same Aβ as humans. Using conformation-selective antibodies, immunoblots, mass spectrometry, and fluorescence microscopy, we discovered that AβOs are indeed present in the developing retina, where multiple proteoforms are expressed in a highly regulated cell-specific manner. The expression of the AβO proteoforms was selectively associated with transiently expressed phosphorylated Tau (pTau) proteoforms that, like AβOs, are linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To test whether the AβOs were functional in development, embryos were cultured ex ovo and then injected intravitreally with either a beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1) inhibitor or an AβO-selective antibody to prematurely lower the levels of AβOs. The consequence was disrupted histogenesis resulting in dysplasia resembling that seen in various retina pathologies. We suggest the hypothesis that embryonic AβOs are a new type of short-lived peptidergic hormone with a role in neural development. Such a role could help explain why a peptide that manifests deleterious gain-of-function activity when it oligomerizes in the aging brain has been evolutionarily conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C. Bartley
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Madison T. Proctor
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Hongjie Xia
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Evelyn Ho
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Dong S. Kang
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Kristen Schuster
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Maíra A. Bicca
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Henrique S. Seckler
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (H.S.S.); (S.M.P.)
| | - Kirsten L. Viola
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
| | - Steven M. Patrie
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (H.S.S.); (S.M.P.)
| | - Neil L. Kelleher
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA;
| | - Fernando G. De Mello
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil;
| | - William L. Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (S.C.B.); (M.T.P.); (H.X.); (E.H.); (D.S.K.); (K.S.); (M.A.B.); (K.L.V.)
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-847-591-5510
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26
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Taliyan R, Kakoty V, Sarathlal KC, Kharavtekar SS, Karennanavar CR, Choudhary YK, Singhvi G, Riadi Y, Dubey SK, Kesharwani P. Nanocarrier mediated drug delivery as an impeccable therapeutic approach against Alzheimer's disease. J Control Release 2022; 343:528-550. [PMID: 35114208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
For the past several years, dementia, is one of the predominantly observed groups of symptoms in a geriatric population. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive memory related neurodegenerative disease, for which the current Food and drug administration approved therapeutics are only meant for a symptomatic management rather than targeting the root cause of AD. These therapeutics belong to two classes, Acetylcholine Esterase inhibitors and N-methyl D-aspartate antagonist. Furthermore, to facilitate neuroprotective action in AD, the drugs are majorly expected to reach the specific target area in the brain for the desired efficacy. Thus, there is a huge requirement for drug discovery and development for facilitating the entry of drugs more in brain to exert a specific action. The very first line of defense and the major limitation for the entry of drugs into the brain is the Blood Brain Barrier, followed by Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier. More than a barrier, these mainly act as selectively permeable membranes, which allows entry of specific molecules into the brain. Furthermore, specific enzymes result in the degradation of xenobiotics. All these mechanisms pose as hurdles in the way of effective drug delivery in the brain. Thus, novel techniques need to be harbored for the facilitation of the delivery of such drugs into the brain. Nanocarriers are advantageous for facilitating the specific targeted drug treatment in AD. As nanomedicines are one of the novels and most useful approaches for AD, thus the present review mainly focuses on understanding the advanced use of nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery in the management of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Taliyan
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India.
| | - Violina Kakoty
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - K C Sarathlal
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Sanskruti Santosh Kharavtekar
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Chandrashekar R Karennanavar
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | | | - Gautam Singhvi
- Neuropsychopharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani Campus, 333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Yassine Riadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sunil Kumar Dubey
- Medical Research, R&D Healthcare Division, Emami Ltd, 13, BT Road, Belgharia, Kolkata 700056, India
| | - Prashant Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
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27
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Viola KL, Bicca MA, Bebenek AM, Kranz DL, Nandwana V, Waters EA, Haney CR, Lee M, Gupta A, Brahmbhatt Z, Huang W, Chang TT, Peck A, Valdez C, Dravid VP, Klein WL. The Therapeutic and Diagnostic Potential of Amyloid β Oligomers Selective Antibodies to Treat Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:768646. [PMID: 35046767 PMCID: PMC8761808 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.768646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Improvements have been made in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), manifesting mostly in the development of in vivo imaging methods that allow for the detection of pathological changes in AD by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Many of these imaging methods, however, use agents that probe amyloid fibrils and plaques–species that do not correlate well with disease progression and are not present at the earliest stages of the disease. Amyloid β oligomers (AβOs), rather, are now widely accepted as the Aβ species most germane to AD onset and progression. Here we report evidence further supporting the role of AβOs as pathological instigators of AD and introduce promising anti-AβO diagnostic probes capable of distinguishing the 5xFAD mouse model from wild type mice by PET and MRI. In a developmental study, Aβ oligomers in 5xFAD mice were found to appear at 3 months of age, just prior to the onset of memory dysfunction, and spread as memory worsened. The increase of AβOs is prominent in the subiculum and correlates with concomitant development of reactive astrocytosis. The impact of these AβOs on memory is in harmony with findings that intraventricular injection of synthetic AβOs into wild type mice induced hippocampal dependent memory dysfunction within 24 h. Compelling support for the conclusion that endogenous AβOs cause memory loss was found in experiments showing that intranasal inoculation of AβO-selective antibodies into 5xFAD mice completely restored memory function, measured 30–40 days post-inoculation. These antibodies, which were modified to give MRI and PET imaging probes, were able to distinguish 5xFAD mice from wild type littermates. These results provide strong support for the role of AβOs in instigating memory loss and salient AD neuropathology, and they demonstrate that AβO selective antibodies have potential both for therapeutics and for diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten L Viola
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Maira A Bicca
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Adrian M Bebenek
- Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, United States
| | - Daniel L Kranz
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Vikas Nandwana
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Emily A Waters
- Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Chad R Haney
- Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Maxwell Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Abhay Gupta
- Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, United States
| | | | - Weijian Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Ting-Tung Chang
- Small Animal Imaging Facility, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Laboratory of Translational Imaging, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Anderson Peck
- Small Animal Imaging Facility, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Laboratory of Translational Imaging, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Clarissa Valdez
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Vinayak P Dravid
- Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, United States
| | - William L Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States.,Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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28
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Protection against Amyloid-β Oligomer Neurotoxicity by Small Molecules with Antioxidative Properties: Potential for the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11010132. [PMID: 35052635 PMCID: PMC8773221 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010132] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Soluble oligomeric assemblies of amyloid β-protein (Aβ), called Aβ oligomers (AβOs), have been recognized as primary pathogenetic factors in the molecular pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AβOs exert neurotoxicity and synaptotoxicity and play a critical role in the pathological progression of AD by aggravating oxidative and synaptic disturbances and tau abnormalities. As such, they are important therapeutic targets. From a therapeutic standpoint, it is not only important to clear AβOs or prevent their formation, it is also beneficial to reduce their neurotoxicity. In this regard, recent studies have reported that small molecules, most with antioxidative properties, show promise as therapeutic agents for reducing the neurotoxicity of AβOs. In this mini-review, we briefly review the significance of AβOs and oxidative stress in AD and summarize studies on small molecules with AβO-neurotoxicity-reducing effects. We also discuss mechanisms underlying the effects of these compounds against AβO neurotoxicity as well as their potential as drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of AD.
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29
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Niyangoda C, Barton J, Bushra N, Karunarathne K, Strauss G, Fakhre F, Koria P, Muschol M. Origin, toxicity and characteristics of two amyloid oligomer polymorphs. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1631-1642. [PMID: 34977578 PMCID: PMC8637835 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00081k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that small oligomeric aggregates, emerging during the assembly of amyloid fibrils and plaques, are important molecular pathogens in many amyloid diseases. While significant progress has been made in revealing the mechanisms underlying fibril growth, understanding how amyloid oligomers fit into the fibril assembly process, and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of amyloid diseases, has remained elusive. Commonly, amyloid oligomers are considered to be metastable, early-stage precursors to fibril formation that are either on- or off-pathway from fibril growth. In addition, amyloid oligomers have been reported to colocalize with late-stage fibrils and plaques. Whether these early and late-stage oligomer species are identical or distinct, and whether both are relevant to pathogenesis remains unclear. Here we report on the formation of two distinct oligomer species of lysozyme, formed either during the early or late-stages of in vitro fibril growth. We further observe that the pH change from in vitro growth conditions to cell media used for toxicity studies induced distinct mesoscopic precipitates, two of which resemble either diffuse or neuritic plaques seen in Alzheimer's histology. Our biophysical characterization indicates that both oligomer species share morphological and tinctorial features considered characteristic for amyloid oligomers. At the same time, their sizes, morphologies, their immunostaining, detailed tinctorial profiles and, most prominently, their biological activity are clearly distinct from each other. Probing the conditions promoting the formation of these two distinct oligomer species suggests distinct roles of charge interactions, hydrophobicity and monomer flexibility in directing oligomer assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Barton
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Nabila Bushra
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | | | - Graham Strauss
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Fadia Fakhre
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Piyush Koria
- Dept. of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
| | - Martin Muschol
- Dept. of Physics, University of South Florida Tampa FL 33620 USA
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30
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Jeremic D, Jiménez-Díaz L, Navarro-López JD. Past, present and future of therapeutic strategies against amyloid-β peptides in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 72:101496. [PMID: 34687956 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in ageing, affecting around 46 million people worldwide but few treatments are currently available. The etiology of AD is still puzzling, and new drugs development and clinical trials have high failure rates. Urgent outline of an integral (multi-target) and effective treatment of AD is needed. Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides is considered one of the fundamental neuropathological pillars of the disease, and its dyshomeostasis has shown a crucial role in AD onset. Therefore, many amyloid-targeted therapies have been investigated. Here, we will systematically review recent (from 2014) investigational, follow-up and review studies focused on anti-amyloid strategies to summarize and analyze their current clinical potential. Combination of anti-Aβ therapies with new developing early detection biomarkers and other therapeutic agents acting on early functional AD changes will be highlighted in this review. Near-term approval seems likely for several drugs acting against Aβ, with recent FDA approval of a monoclonal anti-Aβ oligomers antibody -aducanumab- raising hopes and controversies. We conclude that, development of oligomer-epitope specific Aβ treatment and implementation of multiple improved biomarkers and risk prediction methods allowing early detection, together with therapies acting on other factors such as hyperexcitability in early AD, could be the key to slowing this global pandemic.
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31
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Ugbaja S, Lawal I, Kumalo H, Lawal M. Alzheimer's Disease and β-Secretase Inhibition: An Update With a Focus on Computer-Aided Inhibitor Design. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 23:266-285. [PMID: 34370634 DOI: 10.2174/1389450122666210809100050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an intensifying neurodegenerative illness due to its irreversible nature. Identification of β-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme1 (BACE1) has been a significant medicinal focus towards AD treatment, and this has opened ground for several investigations. Despite the numerous works in this direction, no BACE1 inhibitor has made it to the final approval stage as an anti-AD drug. METHOD We provide an introductory background of the subject with a general overview of the pathogenesis of AD. The review features BACE1 inhibitor design and development with a focus on some clinical trials and discontinued drugs. Using the topical keywords BACE1, inhibitor design, and computational/theoretical study in the Web of Science and Scopus database, we retrieved over 49 relevant articles. The search years are from 2010 and 2020, with analysis conducted from May 2020 to March 2021. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Researchers have employed computational methodologies to unravel potential BACE1 inhibitors with a significant outcome. The most used computer-aided approach in BACE1 inhibitor design and binding/interaction studies are pharmacophore development, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), virtual screening, docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. These methods, plus more advanced ones including quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) and QM, have proven substantial in the computational framework for BACE1 inhibitor design. Computational chemists have embraced the incorporation of in vitro assay to provide insight into the inhibition performance of identified molecules with potential inhibition towards BACE1. Significant IC50 values up to 50 nM, better than clinical trial compounds, are available in the literature. CONCLUSION The continuous failure of potent BACE1 inhibitors at clinical trials is attracting many queries prompting researchers to investigate newer concepts necessary for effective inhibitor design. The considered properties for efficient BACE1 inhibitor design seem enormous and require thorough scrutiny. Lately, researchers noticed that besides appreciable binding affinity and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeation, BACE1 inhibitor must show low or no affinity for permeability-glycoprotein. Computational modeling methods have profound applications in drug discovery strategy. With the volume of recent in silico studies on BACE1 inhibition, the prospect of identifying potent molecules that would reach the approved level is feasible. Investigators should try pushing many of the identified BACE1 compounds with significant anti-AD properties to preclinical and clinical trial stages. We also advise computational research on allosteric inhibitor design, exosite modeling, and multisite inhibition of BACE1. These alternatives might be a solution to BACE1 drug discovery in AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ugbaja
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, Saudi Arabia
| | - Isiaka Lawal
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Applied and Computer Science, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark Campus, Boulevard, 1900, Vanderbijlpark, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hezekiel Kumalo
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monsurat Lawal
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, Saudi Arabia
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Habiba U, Merlin S, Lim JKH, Wong VHY, Nguyen CTO, Morley JW, Bui BV, Tayebi M. Age-Specific Retinal and Cerebral Immunodetection of Amyloid-β Plaques and Oligomers in a Rodent Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 76:1135-1150. [PMID: 32597800 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyloid-β soluble oligomers (Aβo) are believed to be the cause of the pathophysiology underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are normally detected some two decades before clinical onset of the disease. Retinal pathology associated with AD pathogenesis has previously been reported, including ganglion cell loss, accumulation of Aβ deposits in the retina, and reduction of nerve fiber layer thickness as well as abnormalities of the microvasculature. OBJECTIVE This study's aim is to better understand the relationship between brain and retinal Aβo deposition and in particular to quantify levels of the toxic Aβo as a function of age in the retina of a rodent model of AD. METHODS Retinas and brain tissue from 5×FAD mice were stained with Congo red, Thioflavin-T (Th-T), and Aβ plaque-specific and Aβo-specific antibodies. RESULTS We show that retinas displayed an age-dependent increase of Th-T-specific amyloid fibrils. Staining with anti-Aβ antibody confirmed the presence of the Aβ plaques in all 5×FAD retinas tested. In contrast, staining with anti-Aβo antibody showed an age-dependent decrease of retinal Aβo. Of note, Aβo was observed mainly in the retinal nuclear layers. Finally, we confirmed the localization of Aβo to neurons, typically accumulating in late endosomes, indicating possible impairment of the endocytic pathway. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate the presence of intraneuronal Aβo in the retina and its accumulation inversely correlated with retinal Aβ plaque deposition, indicating an age-related conversion in this animal model. These results support the development of an early AD diagnostic test targeting Aβo in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umma Habiba
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Sam Merlin
- School of Science & Health, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremiah K H Lim
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vickie H Y Wong
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christine T O Nguyen
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - John W Morley
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Bang V Bui
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mourad Tayebi
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
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Varshney V, Garabadu D. Ang(1-7) exerts Nrf2-mediated neuroprotection against amyloid beta-induced cognitive deficits in rodents. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:4319-4331. [PMID: 34075536 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06447-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with cognitive deficits in an individual. Ang(1-7) exhibits neuroprotection against amyloid beta (Aβ)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity in experimental conditions. Further, Ang(1-7) also exhibits nrf2-mediated antioxidant activity in experimental conditions. However, its therapeutic role on nrf2-mediated mitochondrial function is yet to be established in the Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. The experimental dementia was induced in the male rats by intracerebroventricular administration of Aβ(1-42) on day-1 (D-1) of the experimental schedule of 14 days. Ang(1-7) was administered once daily from D-1 toD-14 to the Aβ-challenged rodents. Ang(1-7) attenuated Aβ-induced increase in escape latency and decrease in the time spent in the target quadrant during Morris water maze and percentage of spontaneous alteration behavior during Y-maze tests in the rats. Further, Ang(1-7) attenuated Aβ-induced cholinergic dysfunction in terms of decrease in the level of acetylcholine and activity of choline acetyltransferase, and increase in the activity of acetylcholinesterase, and increase in the level of Aβ in rat hippocampus, pre-frontal cortex and amygdala. Furthermore, Ang(1-7) reversed Aβ-induced decrease in the mitochondrial function, integrity and bioenergetics in all brain regions. Additionally, Ang(1-7) attenuated Aβ-induced increase in the extent of apoptosis and decrease in the level of heme oxygenase-1 in all selected brain regions. Trigonelline significantly abolished the therapeutic effectiveness of Ang(1-7) on Aβ-induced alterations in the behavioral, neurochemicals and molecular observations in the animals. Ang(1-7) may exhibit nrf2-mediated neuroprotection in these rodents. Hence, Ang(1-7) could be a potential therapeutic option in the pharmacotherapy of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibhav Varshney
- Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, India
| | - Debapriya Garabadu
- Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, India.
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Madrasi K, Das R, Mohmmadabdul H, Lin L, Hyman BT, Lauffenburger DA, Albers MW, Rissman RA, Burke JM, Apgar JF, Wille L, Gruenbaum L, Hua F. Systematic in silico analysis of clinically tested drugs for reducing amyloid-beta plaque accumulation in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2021; 17:1487-1498. [PMID: 33938131 PMCID: PMC8478725 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Despite strong evidence linking amyloid beta (Aβ) to Alzheimer's disease, most clinical trials have shown no clinical efficacy for reasons that remain unclear. To understand why, we developed a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model for seven therapeutics: aducanumab, crenezumab, solanezumab, bapineuzumab, elenbecestat, verubecestat, and semagacestat. Methods Ordinary differential equations were used to model the production, transport, and aggregation of Aβ; pharmacology of the drugs; and their impact on plaque. Results The calibrated model predicts that endogenous plaque turnover is slow, with an estimated half‐life of 2.75 years. This is likely why beta‐secretase inhibitors have a smaller effect on plaque reduction. Of the mechanisms tested, the model predicts binding to plaque and inducing antibody‐dependent cellular phagocytosis is the best approach for plaque reduction. Discussion A QSP model can provide novel insights to clinical results. Our model explains the results of clinical trials and provides guidance for future therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lin Lin
- Applied Biomath, Concord, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Douglas A Lauffenburger
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark W Albers
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | | | - Lucia Wille
- Applied Biomath, Concord, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Fei Hua
- Applied Biomath, Concord, Massachusetts, USA
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35
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Limegrover CS, LeVine H, Izzo NJ, Yurko R, Mozzoni K, Rehak C, Sadlek K, Safferstein H, Catalano SM. Alzheimer's protection effect of A673T mutation may be driven by lower Aβ oligomer binding affinity. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1316-1330. [PMID: 33025581 PMCID: PMC8246829 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Several mutations conferring protection against Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been described, none as profound as the A673T mutation, where carriers are four times less likely to get AD compared to noncarriers. This mutation results in reduced amyloid beta (Aβ) protein production in vitro and lower lifetime Aβ concentration in carriers. Better understanding of the protective mechanisms of the mutation may provide important insights into AD pathophysiology and identify productive therapeutic intervention strategies for disease modification. Aβ(1-42) protein forms oligomers that bind saturably to a single receptor site on neuronal synapses, initiating the downstream toxicities observed in AD. Decreased formation, toxicity, or stability of soluble Aβ oligomers, or reduction of synaptic binding of these oligomers, may combine with overall lower Aβ concentration to underlie A673T's disease protecting mechanism. To investigate these possibilities, we compared the formation rate of soluble oligomers made from Icelandic A673T mutant and wild type (wt) Aβ(1-42) synthetic protein, the amount and intensity of oligomer bound to mature primary rat hippocampal/cortical neuronal synapses, and the potency of bound oligomers to impact trafficking rate in neurons in vitro using a physiologically relevant oligomer preparation method. At equal protein concentrations, mutant protein forms approximately 50% or fewer oligomers of high molecular weight (>50 kDa) compared to wt protein. Mutant oligomers are twice as potent at altering the cellular vesicle trafficking rate as wt at equivalent concentrations, however, mutant oligomers have a >4-fold lower binding affinity to synaptic receptors (Kd = 1,950 vs. 442 nM). The net effect of these differences is a lower overall toxicity at a given concentration. This study demonstrates for the first time that mutant A673T Aβ oligomers prepared with this method have fundamentally different assembly characteristics and biological impact from wt protein and indicates that its disease protecting mechanism may result primarily from the mutant protein's much lower binding affinity to synaptic receptors. This suggests that therapeutics that effectively reduce oligomer binding to synapses in the brain may be beneficial in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Harry LeVine
- Sanders‐Brown Center on AgingUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
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36
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Pirolla NFF, Batista VS, Dias Viegas FP, Gontijo VS, McCarthy CR, Viegas C, Nascimento-Júnior NM. Alzheimer's Disease: Related Targets, Synthesis of Available Drugs, Bioactive Compounds Under Development and Promising Results Obtained from Multi-target Approaches. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 22:505-538. [PMID: 32814524 DOI: 10.2174/1389450121999200819144544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We describe herein the therapeutic targets involved in Alzheimer's disease as well as the available drugs and their synthetic routes. Bioactive compounds under development are also exploited to illustrate some recent research advances on the medicinal chemistry of Alzheimer's disease, including structure-activity relationships for some targets. The importance of multi-target approaches, including some examples from our research projects, guides new perspectives in search of more effective drug candidates. This review comprises the period between 2001 and early 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália F F Pirolla
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, and Molecular Modelling (LaQMedSOMM), Institute of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Sao Paulo State University - UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55, Jardim Quitandinha, 14800-060, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
| | - Victor S Batista
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, and Molecular Modelling (LaQMedSOMM), Institute of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Sao Paulo State University - UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55, Jardim Quitandinha, 14800-060, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
| | - Flávia Pereira Dias Viegas
- Laboratory of Research on Medicinal Chemistry (PeQuiM), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, 37133-840, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Silva Gontijo
- Laboratory of Research on Medicinal Chemistry (PeQuiM), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, 37133-840, Brazil
| | - Caitlin R McCarthy
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, and Molecular Modelling (LaQMedSOMM), Institute of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Sao Paulo State University - UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55, Jardim Quitandinha, 14800-060, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
| | - Claudio Viegas
- Laboratory of Research on Medicinal Chemistry (PeQuiM), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, 37133-840, Brazil
| | - Nailton M Nascimento-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, and Molecular Modelling (LaQMedSOMM), Institute of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Sao Paulo State University - UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55, Jardim Quitandinha, 14800-060, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
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Varshney V, Garabadu D. Ang (1-7)/Mas receptor-axis activation promotes amyloid beta-induced altered mitochondrial bioenergetics in discrete brain regions of Alzheimer's disease-like rats. Neuropeptides 2021; 86:102122. [PMID: 33508525 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2021.102122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Renin Angiotensin System plays significant role in the memory acquisition and consolidation apart from its hemodynamic function in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been reported that Ang (1-7) ameliorates the cognitive impairment in experimental animals. However, the effect of Ang (1-7)/Mas receptor signaling is yet to be explored in Aβ42-induced memory impairment. Aβ42 was intracerebroventricularly injected into the male rats on day-1 (D-1) of the experimental schedule of 14 days. All the drugs were administered from D-1 to D-14 in the study design. Aβ42 significantly increased the escape latency during Morris water maze (MWM) test on D-10 to13 in the animals. Further, Aβ42 significantly decreased the time spent and percentage of total distance travelled in the target quadrant of the rats on D-14 in the MWM test. Aβ42 also significantly decreased the spontaneous alteration behavior on D-14 during Y-maze test. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the level of Aβ42, decrease in the cholinergic function (in terms of decreased acetylcholine and activity of cholinesterase, and increased activity of acetylcholinesterase), mitochondrial function, integrity and bioenergetics, and apoptosis in all the rat brain regions. Further, Aβ42 significantly decreased the level of expression of heme oxygenase-1 in all the rat brain regions. Ang (1-7) attenuated Aβ42-induced changes in the behavioral, biochemical and molecular observations in all the selected rat brain regions. However, A779, Mas receptor blocker, significantly abolished the beneficial effects of Ang (1-7) in Aβ42-induced cognitive deficit animals. These observations clearly indicate that the Ang (1-7)/Mas receptor activation could be a potential alternative option in the management of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibhav Varshney
- Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura 281 406, India
| | - Debapriya Garabadu
- Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura 281 406, India.
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38
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Damian Guerrero E, Lopez-Velazquez AM, Ahlawat J, Narayan M. Carbon Quantum Dots for Treatment of Amyloid Disorders. ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS 2021; 4:2423-2433. [PMID: 33969279 PMCID: PMC8101282 DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.0c02792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Prion-like amyloids self-template and form toxic oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils from their soluble monomers; a phenomenon that has been implicated in the onset and progress of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), Huntington's, and systemic lysozyme amyloidosis. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), sourced from Na-citrate as a carbon precursor were synthesized and characterized before being tested for their ability to intervene in amyloidogenic (fibril-forming) trajectories. Hen-egg white lysozyme (HEWL) served as a model amyloidogenic protein. A pulse-chase lysozyme fibril-forming assay developed to examine the impact of CQDs on the HEWL amyloid-fibril-forming trajectory used ThT fluorescence as a reporter of mature fibril presence. The results revealed that the Na-citrate-derived CQDs were able to intervene at multiple points along the fibril-forming trajectory by preventing the conversion of both monomeric and oligomeric HEWL intermediates into mature fibrils. In addition, and importantly, the carbon nano material (CNM) was able to dissolve oligomeric HEWL into monomeric HEWL and provoke the disaggregation of mature HEWL fibrils. These results suggest that Na-citrate CQD's intervene in amyloidogenesis by multiple mechanisms. The gathered data, coupled with cell-line results demonstrating the relatively low cytotoxicity of Na-citrate CQDs, suggest that this emerging CNM has the potential to intervene both prophylactically and therapeutically in protein misfolding diseases. The aforementioned findings are likely to enable Na-citrate CQDs to eventually transition to both cell-line and preclinical models of protein-misfolding-related disorders. Importantly, the study outcomes positions Na-citrate CQDs as an important class of chemical, nanotechnological, and biobased interventional tools in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Damian Guerrero
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Angela Marlene Lopez-Velazquez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bioscience Research Building, Border Biomedical Research Center, the Cellular Characterization and Biorepository Core Facility, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Jyoti Ahlawat
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Mahesh Narayan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
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Mitsubori M, Takeda K, Nagashima S, Ishido S, Matsuoka M, Inatome R, Yanagi S. Identification of highest neurotoxic amyloid-β plaque type showing reduced contact with astrocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 549:67-74. [PMID: 33667711 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques are strongly associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it remains unclear how morphological differences in Aβ plaques determine the pathogenesis of Aβ. Here, we categorized Aβ plaques into four types based on the macroscopic features of the dense core, and found that the Aβ-plaque subtype containing a larger dense core showed the strongest association with neuritic dystrophy. Astrocytes dominantly accumulated toward these expanded/dense-core-containing Aβ plaques. Previously, we indicated that deletion of the mitochondrial ubiquitin ligase MITOL/MARCH5 triggers mitochondrial impairments and exacerbates cognitive decline in a mouse model with AD-related Aβ pathology. In this study, MITOL deficiency accelerated the formation of expanded/dense-core-containing Aβ plaques, which showed reduced contacts with astrocytes, but not microglia. Our findings suggest that expanded/dense-core-containing Aβ-plaque formation enhanced by the alteration of mitochondrial function robustly contributes to the exacerbation of Aβ neuropathology, at least in part, through the reduced contacts between Aβ plaques and astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikihiro Mitsubori
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Keisuke Takeda
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan; Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35121, Padova, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, 35129, Padova, Italy
| | - Shun Nagashima
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ishido
- Department of Microbiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1, Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Masaaki Matsuoka
- Department of Pharmacology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Ryoko Inatome
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, 1-5-1 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yanagi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, 1-5-1 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan.
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Naringin Exhibits Mas Receptor-Mediated Neuroprotection Against Amyloid Beta-Induced Cognitive Deficits and Mitochondrial Toxicity in Rat Brain. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:1023-1043. [PMID: 33534126 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with clinical manifestation of loss in cognitive functions in an individual. Though several drug candidates have been developed in the management of AD, an alternative option is still required due to serious adverse effects of the former. Recently, naringin exerts therapeutic benefits through rennin angiotensin system in experimental animals. However, its report on Mas receptor-mediated action against amyloid beta (Aβ)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in AD-like animals is lacking. The experimental dementia was induced in the male rats by intracerebroventricular administration of Aβ(1-42) on day 1 (D-1) of the experimental schedule of 14 days. Naringin treatment for 14 days attenuated Aβ-induced cognitive impairments of the animals in Morris water maze (MWM) and Y-maze tests. Further, naringin ameliorated the Aβ-induced cholinergic dysfunction in terms of decrease in the activity of choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) and level of acetylcholine (ACh) and increase in the activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) in rat hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. Furthermore, naringin attenuated Aβ-induced decrease in mitochondrial function, integrity, and bioenergetics in all the brain regions. Naringin also attenuated Aβ-induced increase in mitochondrial and cytosolic calcium level in all the brain regions. Moreover, naringin reversed Aβ-induced increase in apoptosis and level of mitochondrial calcium uniporter and decrease in the level of hemeoxygenase-1 in all the brain regions. On the contrary, A779 significantly abolished the therapeutic potential of naringin on Aβ-induced alteration in behavioral, biochemical, and molecular observations in these experimental animals. Thus, these observations indicate that naringin could be potential alternative in the management of AD.
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Mustafa I, Awad A, Fgaier H, Mansur A, Elkamel A. Compartmental modeling and analysis of the effect of β-amyloid on acetylcholine neurocycle via choline leakage hypothesis. Comput Chem Eng 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2020.107165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Kabir MT, Uddin MS, Mathew B, Das PK, Perveen A, Ashraf GM. Emerging Promise of Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease: A New Hope for the Development of Alzheimer's Vaccine. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 20:1214-1234. [PMID: 32321405 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200422105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder and the characteristics of this devastating disorder include the progressive and disabling deficits in the cognitive functions including reasoning, attention, judgment, comprehension, memory, and language. OBJECTIVE In this article, we have focused on the recent progress that has been achieved in the development of an effective AD vaccine. SUMMARY Currently, available treatment options of AD are limited to deliver short-term symptomatic relief only. A number of strategies targeting amyloid-beta (Aβ) have been developed in order to treat or prevent AD. In order to exert an effective immune response, an AD vaccine should contain adjuvants that can induce an effective anti-inflammatory T helper 2 (Th2) immune response. AD vaccines should also possess the immunogens which have the capacity to stimulate a protective immune response against various cytotoxic Aβ conformers. The induction of an effective vaccine's immune response would necessitate the parallel delivery of immunogen to dendritic cells (DCs) and their priming to stimulate a Th2-polarized response. The aforesaid immune response is likely to mediate the generation of neutralizing antibodies against the neurotoxic Aβ oligomers (AβOs) and also anti-inflammatory cytokines, thus preventing the AD-related inflammation. CONCLUSION Since there is an age-related decline in the immune functions, therefore vaccines are more likely to prevent AD instead of providing treatment. AD vaccines might be an effective and convenient approach to avoid the treatment-related huge expense.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Md Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Bijo Mathew
- Division of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry Research Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ahalia School of Pharmacy, Palakkad, India
| | | | - Asma Perveen
- Glocal School of Life Sciences, Glocal University, Saharanpur, India
| | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Bigi A, Loffredo G, Cascella R, Cecchi C. Targeting Pathological Amyloid Aggregates with Conformation-Sensitive Antibodies. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 17:722-734. [PMID: 33167834 DOI: 10.2174/1567205017666201109093848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not directly caused by the presence of senile plaques but rather by the detrimental effects exerted on neuronal cells by toxic soluble oligomers. Such species are formed early during the aggregation process of the Aβ1-42 peptide or can be released from mature fibrils. Nowadays, efficient tools for an early diagnosis, as well as pharmaceutical treatments targeting the harmful agents in samples of AD patients, are still missing. OBJECTIVE By integrating in vitro immunochemical assay with in vivo neuronal models of toxicity, we aim to understand and target the principles that drive toxicity in AD. METHODS We evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of A11 and OC conformational antibodies to target a range of pathologically relevant amyloid conformers and rescue their cytotoxic effects in neuronal culture models using a number of cellular readouts. RESULTS We demonstrated the peculiar ability of conformational antibodies to label pathologically relevant Aβ1-42 oligomers and fibrils and to prevent their detrimental effects on neuronal cells. CONCLUSION Our results substantially improve our knowledge on the role of toxic assemblies in neurodegenerative diseases, thus suggesting new and more effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Gilda Loffredo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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Antibody Fragments as Tools for Elucidating Structure-Toxicity Relationships and for Diagnostic/Therapeutic Targeting of Neurotoxic Amyloid Oligomers. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238920. [PMID: 33255488 PMCID: PMC7727795 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of amyloid protein aggregates in tissues is the basis for the onset of diseases known as amyloidoses. Intriguingly, many amyloidoses impact the central nervous system (CNS) and usually are devastating diseases. It is increasingly apparent that neurotoxic soluble oligomers formed by amyloidogenic proteins are the primary molecular drivers of these diseases, making them lucrative diagnostic and therapeutic targets. One promising diagnostic/therapeutic strategy has been the development of antibody fragments against amyloid oligomers. Antibody fragments, such as fragment antigen-binding (Fab), scFv (single chain variable fragments), and VHH (heavy chain variable domain or single-domain antibodies) are an alternative to full-length IgGs as diagnostics and therapeutics for a variety of diseases, mainly because of their increased tissue penetration (lower MW compared to IgG), decreased inflammatory potential (lack of Fc domain), and facile production (low structural complexity). Furthermore, through the use of in vitro-based ligand selection, it has been possible to identify antibody fragments presenting marked conformational selectivity. In this review, we summarize significant reports on antibody fragments selective for oligomers associated with prevalent CNS amyloidoses. We discuss promising results obtained using antibody fragments as both diagnostic and therapeutic agents against these diseases. In addition, the use of antibody fragments, particularly scFv and VHH, in the isolation of unique oligomeric assemblies is discussed as a strategy to unravel conformational moieties responsible for neurotoxicity. We envision that advances in this field may lead to the development of novel oligomer-selective antibody fragments with superior selectivity and, hopefully, good clinical outcomes.
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Flores-Cuadra JA, Madrid A, Fernández PL, Pérez-Lao AR, Oviedo DC, Britton GB, Carreira MB. Critical Review of the Alzheimer's Disease Non-Transgenic Models: Can They Contribute to Disease Treatment? J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 82:S227-S250. [PMID: 33216029 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a growing neurodegenerative disease without effective treatments or therapies. Despite the use of different approaches and an extensive variety of genetic amyloid based models, therapeutic strategies remain elusive. AD is characterized by three main pathological hallmarks that include amyloid-β plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammatory processes; however, many other pathological mechanisms have been described in the literature. Nonetheless, the study of the disease and the screening of potential therapies is heavily weighted toward the study of amyloid-β transgenic models. Non-transgenic models may aid in the study of complex pathological states and provide a suitable complementary alternative to evaluating therapeutic biomedical and intervention strategies. In this review, we evaluate the literature on non-transgenic alternatives, focusing on the use of these models for testing therapeutic strategies, and assess their contribution to understanding AD. This review aims to underscore the need for a shift in preclinical research on intervention strategies for AD from amyloid-based to alternative, complementary non-amyloid approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Flores-Cuadra
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Alanna Madrid
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Patricia L Fernández
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Ambar R Pérez-Lao
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Diana C Oviedo
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá.,Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua (USMA), Panamá
| | - Gabrielle B Britton
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Maria B Carreira
- Centro de Neurociencias, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
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Aβ-Induced Damage Memory in hCMEC/D3 Cells Mediated by Sirtuin-1. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218226. [PMID: 33153131 PMCID: PMC7662699 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well accepted by the scientific community that the accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) may be involved in endothelial dysfunction during Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression; however, anti-Aβ anti-bodies, which remove Aβ plaques, do not improve cerebrovascular function in AD animal models. The reasons for these paradoxical results require investigation. We hypothesized that Aβ exposure may cause persistent damage to cerebral endothelial cells even after Aβ is removed (referred to as cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory exists in endothelial cells. hCMEC/D3 cells were treated with Aβ1–42 for 12 h and then Aβ1–42 was withdrawn for another 12 h incubation to investigate whether cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory exists in endothelial cells. A mechanism-based kinetics progression model was developed to investigate the dynamic characters of the cerebrovascular endothelial damage. After Aβ1–42 was removed, the sirt-1 levels returned to normal but the cell vitality did not improve, which suggests that cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory may exist in endothelial cells. Sirt-1 activator SRT2104 and NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) supplement may dose-dependently relieve the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory. sirt-1 inhibitor EX527 may exacerbate the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory. Kinetics analysis suggested that sirt-1 is involved in initiating the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory; otherwise, NAD+ exhaustion plays a vital role in maintaining the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory. This study provides a novel feature of cerebrovascular endothelial damage induced by Aβ.
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Effects of Novel Tacrine Derivatives on Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism and Monoamine Oxidase Activity-In Vitro Study. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:1102-1113. [PMID: 33089424 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The trends of novel AD therapeutics are focused on multitarget-directed ligands (MTDLs), which combine cholinesterase inhibition with additional biological properties such as antioxidant properties to positively affect neuronal energy metabolism as well as mitochondrial function. We examined the in vitro effects of 10 novel MTDLs on the activities of mitochondrial enzymes (electron transport chain complexes and citrate synthase), mitochondrial respiration, and monoamine oxidase isoform (MAO-A and MAO-B) activity. The drug-induced effects of 7-MEOTA-adamantylamine heterodimers (K1011, K1013, K1018, K1020, and K1022) and tacrine/7-MEOTA/6-chlorotacrine-trolox heterodimers (K1046, K1053, K1056, K1060, and K1065) were measured in pig brain mitochondria. Most of the substances inhibited complex I- and complex II-linked respiration at high concentrations; K1046, K1053, K1056, and K1060 resulted in the least inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. Citrate synthase activity was not significantly inhibited by the tested substances; the least inhibition of complex I was observed for compounds K1060 and K1053, while both complex II/III and complex IV activity were markedly inhibited by K1011 and K1018. MAO-A was fully inhibited by K1018 and K1065, and MAO-B was fully inhibited by K1053 and K1065; the other tested drugs were partial inhibitors of both MAO-A and MAO-B. The tacrine/7-MEOTA/6-chlorotacrine-trolox heterodimers K1046, K1053, and K1060 seem to be the most suitable molecules for subsequent in vivo studies. These compounds had balanced inhibitory effects on mitochondrial respiration, with low complex I and complex II/III inhibition and full or partial inhibition of MAO-B activity.
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Hemion C, Li J, Kohler C, Scholl HPN, Meyer P, Killer HE, Neutzner A. Clearance of neurotoxic peptides and proteins by meningothelial cells. Exp Cell Res 2020; 396:112322. [PMID: 33068559 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Meningothelial cells (MECs) are the cellular component of the meninges that provide physical protection to the central nervous system (CNS). Their main function is the formation of a barrier enclosing the brain including the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Further, MECs are involved in maintaining CSF homeostasis by clearing CSF from bacteria and apoptotic cells. Furthermore, secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines involves MECs in immunological processes in the CNS. We demonstrated that meningothelial Ben-Men-1 cells ingest neurotoxic peptides amyloid-β (Aβ1-40) and protein α-synuclein up to about 10-fold more efficiently compared to neuronal-like SH-SY5Y cells. Aβ1-40 and α-synuclein are mainly taken up via macropinocytosis. Caveolar endocytosis in addition contributes to α-synuclein ingestion. Upon uptake, both are trafficked towards lysosomal degradation. While production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) following exposure to Aβ25-35 and α-synuclein was similar between Ben-Men-1 and SH-SY5Y cells, mitochondrial function in Ben-Men-1 was significantly more robust to Aβ25-35 treatment compared to neuronal-like SHSY5Y cells. Similarly, Ben-Men-1 were significantly less susceptible to Aβ25-35-induced cell death than neuronal-like cells. Furthermore, co-culture with Ben-Men-1 offered significant protection to neuronal-like cells against Aβ25-35-induced apoptosis. This study reveals for the first time the function of MECs as scavengers of neurotoxic Aβ and α-synuclein, thereby connecting these cells to neuroprotective processes and suggesting a new mechanism and pathway for clearing neurotoxic substances from the CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Hemion
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, 2nd Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang St, Changchun, China.
| | - Corina Kohler
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Hendrik P N Scholl
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Mittlere Str. 91, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Mittlere Str. 91, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Meyer
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Mittlere Str. 91, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Hanspeter E Killer
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Herzogstrasse 15, 5001, Aarau, Switzerland.
| | - Albert Neutzner
- Department of Biomedicine, Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology, Hebelstr. 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Mittlere Str. 91, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
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Liu H, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Xu S, Zhao H, He H, Liu X. Modeling mtDNA hypermethylation vicious circle mediating Aβ-induced endothelial damage memory in HCMEC/D3 cell. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:18343-18362. [PMID: 32986015 PMCID: PMC7585070 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
It is well accepted that accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) may involve in endothelial dysfunction during the Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. However, cerebrovascular function cannot be improved by removing Aβ in AD animal models. The reasons for these paradoxical results still remain to be further investigated. We hypothesize that Aβ exposure may cause persistence damage to cerebral endothelial cell even after Aβ is removed (termed as cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory) mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) hypermethylation is assumed to be involved in this process. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Aβ exposure induces cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory in endothelial cells and mtDNA hypermethylation involves in this process. The hCMEC/D3 cell is treated with Aβ1-42 for 12h and then withdraw Aβ1-42 for another 12h incubation to investigate whether cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory exists in endothelial cells. The levels of mtDNA methylation and cell vitality were not improved by removing Aβ1-42 after 12h Aβ1-42 incubation which suggested that the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory may exist in endothelial cells. Kinetics model analysis suggested that mtDNA hypermethylation involves in initiating the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory otherwise α-oxoglutarate (AKG) exhaustion plays a vital role in maintaining this process. DNA methylation inhibitor decitabine and AKG supplement may relieve the cerebrovascular endothelial damage memory dose dependently. This study provides a novel feature of cerebrovascular endothelial damage induced by Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- HaoChen Liu
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yixuan Zhang
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Sheng Xu
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hua He
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - XiaoQuan Liu
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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Price D, Dorandish S, Williams A, Iwaniec B, Stephens A, Marshall K, Guthrie J, Heyl D, Evans HG. Humanin Blocks the Aggregation of Amyloid-β Induced by Acetylcholinesterase, an Effect Abolished in the Presence of IGFBP-3. Biochemistry 2020; 59:1981-2002. [PMID: 32383868 PMCID: PMC8193794 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
It is known that the humanin (HN) peptide binding to amyloid-β (Aβ) protects against its cytotoxic effects, while acetylcholinesterase (AChE) binding to Aβ increases its aggregation and cytotoxicity. HN is also known to bind the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). Here, we examined the regulation of Aβ conformations by HN, AChE, and IGFBP-3 both in vitro and in the conditioned media from A549 and H1299 lung cancer cells. Our in vitro results showed the following: IGFBP-3 binds HN and blocks it from binding Aβ in the absence or presence of AChE; HN and AChE can simultaneously bind Aβ but not when in the presence of IGFBP-3; HN is unable to reduce the aggregation of Aβ in the presence of IGFBP-3; and HN abolishes the aggregation of Aβ induced by the addition of AChE in the absence of IGFBP-3. In the media, AChE and HN can simultaneously bind Aβ. While both AChE and HN are detected when using 6E10 Aβ antibodies, only AChE is detected when using the Aβ 17-24 antibody 4G8, the anti-oligomer A11, and the anti-amyloid fibril LOC antibodies. No signal was observed for IGFBP-3 with any of the anti-amyloid antibodies used. Exogenously added IGFBP-3 reduced the amount of HN found in a complex when using 6E10 antibodies and correlated with a concomitant increase in the amyloid oligomers. Immunodepletion of HN from the media of the A549 and H1299 cells increased the relative abundance of the oligomer vs the total amount of Aβ, the A11-positive prefibrillar oligomers, and to a lesser extent the LOC-positive fibrillar oligomers, and was also correlated with diminished cell viability and increased apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna Price
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Sadaf Dorandish
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Asana Williams
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Brandon Iwaniec
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Alexis Stephens
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Keyan Marshall
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Jeffrey Guthrie
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Deborah Heyl
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
| | - Hedeel Guy Evans
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States
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