1
|
Peña-Díaz S, Olsen WP, Wang H, Otzen DE. Functional Amyloids: The Biomaterials of Tomorrow? ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2312823. [PMID: 38308110 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Functional amyloid (FAs), particularly the bacterial proteins CsgA and FapC, have many useful properties as biomaterials: high stability, efficient, and controllable formation of a single type of amyloid, easy availability as extracellular material in bacterial biofilm and flexible engineering to introduce new properties. CsgA in particular has already demonstrated its worth in hydrogels for stable gastrointestinal colonization and regenerative tissue engineering, cell-specific drug release, water-purification filters, and different biosensors. It also holds promise as catalytic amyloid; existing weak and unspecific activity can undoubtedly be improved by targeted engineering and benefit from the repetitive display of active sites on a surface. Unfortunately, FapC remains largely unexplored and no application is described so far. Since FapC shares many common features with CsgA, this opens the window to its development as a functional scaffold. The multiple imperfect repeats in CsgA and FapC form a platform to introduce novel properties, e.g., in connecting linkers of variable lengths. While exploitation of this potential is still at an early stage, particularly for FapC, a thorough understanding of their molecular properties will pave the way for multifunctional fibrils which can contribute toward solving many different societal challenges, ranging from CO2 fixation to hydrolysis of plastic nanoparticles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
| | - William Pallisgaard Olsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
| | - Huabing Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Clinical Laboratory Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Shuangyong Road 6, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 81, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Prebble DW, Holland DC, Ferretti F, Hayton JB, Avery VM, Mellick GD, Carroll AR. α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitory and Antiplasmodial Activity of Constituents from the Australian Tree Eucalyptus cloeziana. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2023; 86:2171-2184. [PMID: 37610242 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid protein aggregates are linked to the progression of neurodegenerative conditions and may play a role in life stages of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for malaria. We hypothesize that amyloid protein aggregation inhibitors may show antiplasmodial activity and vice versa. To test this hypothesis, we screened antiplasmodial active extracts from 25 Australian eucalypt flowers using a binding affinity mass spectrometry assay to identify molecules that bind to the Parkinson's disease-implicated protein α-syn. Myrtucommulone P (1) from a flower extract of Eucalyptus cloeziana was shown to have α-syn affinity and antiplasmodial activity and to inhibit α-syn aggregation. 1 exists as a mixture of four interconverting rotamers. Assignment of the NMR resonances of all four rotamers allowed us to define the relative configuration, conformations, and ratios of rotamers in solution. Four additional new compounds, cloeziones A-C (2-4) and cloeperoxide (5), along with three known compounds were also isolated from E. cloeziana. The structures of all compounds were elucidated using HRMS and NMR analysis, and the absolute configurations for 2-4 were determined by comparison of TDDFT-calculated and experimental ECD data. Compounds 1-3 displayed antiplasmodial activities between IC50 6.6 and 16 μM. The α-syn inhibitory and antiplasmodial activity of myrtucommulone P (1) supports the hypothesized link between antiamyloidogenic and antiplasmodial activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale W Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Darren C Holland
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Francesca Ferretti
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Joshua B Hayton
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - George D Mellick
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Concha-Marambio L, Pritzkow S, Shahnawaz M, Farris CM, Soto C. Seed amplification assay for the detection of pathologic alpha-synuclein aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:1179-1196. [PMID: 36653527 PMCID: PMC10561622 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00787-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Misfolded alpha-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates are a hallmark event in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. Recently, αSyn seed amplification assays (αSyn-SAAs) have shown promise as a test for biochemical diagnosis of synucleinopathies. αSyn-SAAs use the intrinsic self-replicative nature of misfolded αSyn aggregates (seeds) to multiply them in vitro. In these assays, αSyn seeds circulating in biological fluids are amplified by a cyclical process that includes aggregate fragmentation into smaller self-propagating seeds, followed by elongation at the expense of recombinant αSyn (rec-αSyn). Amplification of the seeds allows detection by fluorescent dyes specific for amyloids, such as thioflavin T. Several αSyn-SAA reports have been published in the past under the names 'protein misfolding cyclic amplification' (αSyn-PMCA) and 'real-time quaking-induced conversion'. Here, we describe a protocol for αSyn-SAA, originally reported as αSyn-PMCA, which allows detection of αSyn aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients affected by PD, dementia with Lewy bodies or multiple-system atrophy (MSA). Moreover, this αSyn-SAA can differentiate αSyn aggregates from patients with PD versus those from patients with MSA, even in retrospective samples from patients with pure autonomic failure who later developed PD or MSA. We also describe modifications to the original protocol introduced to develop an optimized version of the assay. The optimized version shortens the assay length, decreases the amount of rec-αSyn required and reduces the number of inconclusive results. The protocol has a hands-on time of ~2 h per 96-well plate and can be performed by personnel trained to perform basic experiments with specimens of human origin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Pritzkow
- Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mohammad Shahnawaz
- Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Claudio Soto
- R&D Unit, Amprion Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
- Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Voser TM, Hayton JB, Prebble DW, Jin J, Grant G, Ekins MG, Carroll AR. Amphiphilic Polyamine α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitors from the Sponge Aaptos lobata. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2023; 86:475-481. [PMID: 36795859 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bioassay-guided investigation of the sponge Aaptos lobata resulted in the isolation and identification of two new amphiphilic polyamines, aaptolobamines A (1) and B (2). Their structures were determined through analysis of NMR and MS data. MS analysis also indicated that A. lobata contained a complex mixture of aaptolobamine homologues. Both aaptolobamines A (1) and B (2) show broad bioactivity, including cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, moderate antimicrobial activity against a methicillin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus, and weak activity against a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. The mixtures of aaptolobamine homologues were shown to contain compounds that bind to the Parkinson's disease associated amyloid protein α-synuclein and inhibit its aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanja M Voser
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Joshua B Hayton
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Dale W Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Ju Jin
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Gary Grant
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | | | - Anthony R Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Prebble DW, Holland DC, Hayton JB, Ferretti F, Jennings LK, Everson J, Xu M, Kiefel MJ, Mellick GD, Carroll AR. α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitory Procerolides and Diphenylalkanes from the Ascidian Polycarpa procera. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2023; 86:533-540. [PMID: 36787528 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of the neuronal protein α-synuclein (α-syn) is intrinsically linked to the development and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently we screened the MeOH extracts from 283 marine invertebrates for α-syn binding activity using an affinity mass spectrometry (MS) binding assay and found that the extract of the ascidian Polycarpa procera displayed activity. A subsequent bioassay-guided purification led to the isolation of one new α-syn aggregation inhibitory butenolide procerolide E (3) and one new α-syn aggregation inhibitory diphenylbutyrate methyl procerolate A (5). Herein we report the structure elucidation of procerolide E (3) and methylprocerolate A (5) and α-syn aggregation inhibitory activity of procerolides C-E (1-3), methyl procerolate A (5) and procerone A (4). We also report the α-syn binding activity of 3-bromo-4-methoxyphenylacetamide (6) and a synthetic butenolide library, which has allowed us to determine α-syn aggregation inhibitory structure-activity relationships for this class of compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale W Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Darren C Holland
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Joshua B Hayton
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Francesca Ferretti
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Laurence K Jennings
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Jack Everson
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Mingming Xu
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Milton J Kiefel
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - George D Mellick
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Forloni G. Alpha Synuclein: Neurodegeneration and Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065914. [PMID: 36982988 PMCID: PMC10059798 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) is one of the most important molecules involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, synucleinopathies, but also in several other neurodegenerative disorders with a more elusive role. This review analyzes the activities of α-Syn, in different conformational states, monomeric, oligomeric and fibrils, in relation to neuronal dysfunction. The neuronal damage induced by α-Syn in various conformers will be analyzed in relation to its capacity to spread the intracellular aggregation seeds with a prion-like mechanism. In view of the prominent role of inflammation in virtually all neurodegenerative disorders, the activity of α-Syn will also be illustrated considering its influence on glial reactivity. We and others have described the interaction between general inflammation and cerebral dysfunctional activity of α-Syn. Differences in microglia and astrocyte activation have also been observed when in vivo the presence of α-Syn oligomers has been combined with a lasting peripheral inflammatory effect. The reactivity of microglia was amplified, while astrocytes were damaged by the double stimulus, opening new perspectives for the control of inflammation in synucleinopathies. Starting from our studies in experimental models, we extended the perspective to find useful pointers to orient future research and potential therapeutic strategies in neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluigi Forloni
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156 Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Development of Small Molecules Targeting α-Synuclein Aggregation: A Promising Strategy to Treat Parkinson’s Disease. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030839. [PMID: 36986700 PMCID: PMC10059018 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, is characterized by the accumulation of protein deposits in the dopaminergic neurons. These deposits are primarily composed of aggregated forms of α-Synuclein (α-Syn). Despite the extensive research on this disease, only symptomatic treatments are currently available. However, in recent years, several compounds, mainly of an aromatic character, targeting α-Syn self-assembly and amyloid formation have been identified. These compounds, discovered by different approaches, are chemically diverse and exhibit a plethora of mechanisms of action. This work aims to provide a historical overview of the physiopathology and molecular aspects associated with Parkinson’s disease and the current trends in small compound development to target α-Syn aggregation. Although these molecules are still under development, they constitute an important step toward discovering effective anti-aggregational therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Collapse
|
8
|
Braun AR, Kochen NN, Yuen SL, Liao EE, Cornea RL, Thomas DD, Sachs JN. Advancements in a FRET Biosensor for Live-Cell Fluorescence-Lifetime High-Throughput Screening of Alpha-Synuclein. ASN Neuro 2023; 15:17590914231184086. [PMID: 37428128 PMCID: PMC10338669 DOI: 10.1177/17590914231184086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a critical need for small molecules capable of rescuing pathophysiological phenotypes induced by alpha-synuclein (aSyn) misfolding and oligomerization. Building upon our previous aSyn cellular fluorescence lifetime (FLT)-Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensors, we have developed an inducible cell model incorporating the red-shifted mCyRFP1/mMaroon1 (OFP/MFP) FRET pair. This new aSyn FRET biosensor improves the signal-to-noise ratio, reduces nonspecific background FRET, and results in a 4-fold increase (transient transfection) and 2-fold increase (stable, inducible cell lines) in FRET signal relative to our previous GFP/RFP aSyn biosensors. The inducible system institutes greater temporal control and scalability, allowing for fine-tuning of biosensor expression and minimizes cellular cytotoxicity due to overexpression of aSyn. Using these inducible aSyn-OFP/MFP biosensors, we screened the Selleck library of 2684 commercially available, FDA-approved compounds and identified proanthocyanidins and casanthranol as novel hits. Secondary assays validated the ability of these compounds to modulate aSyn FLT-FRET. Functional assays probing cellular cytotoxicity and aSyn fibrillization demonstrated their capability to inhibit seeded aSyn fibrillization. Proanthocyanidins completely rescued aSyn fibril-induced cellular toxicity with EC50 of 200 nM and casanthranol supported a 85.5% rescue with a projected EC50 of 34.2 μM. Furthermore, proanthocyanidins provide a valuable tool compound to validate our aSyn biosensor performance in future high-throughput screening campaigns of industrial-scale (million-compound) chemical libraries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Razvan L. Cornea
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Photonic Pharma LLC, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David D. Thomas
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Photonic Pharma LLC, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Controlling amyloid formation of intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides: slowing down or speeding up? Essays Biochem 2022; 66:959-975. [PMID: 35975807 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The pathological assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins/peptides (IDPs) into amyloid fibrils is associated with a range of human pathologies, including neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases and systemic amyloidosis. These debilitating disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and the number of people affected is increasing sharply. However, the discovery of therapeutic agents has been immensely challenging largely because of (i) the diverse number of aggregation pathways and the multi-conformational and transient nature of the related proteins or peptides and (ii) the under-development of experimental pipelines for the identification of disease-modifying molecules and their mode-of-action. Here, we describe current approaches used in the search for small-molecule modulators able to control or arrest amyloid formation commencing from IDPs and review recently reported accelerators and inhibitors of amyloid formation for this class of proteins. We compare their targets, mode-of-action and effects on amyloid-associated cytotoxicity. Recent successes in the control of IDP-associated amyloid formation using small molecules highlight exciting possibilities for future intervention in protein-misfolding diseases, despite the challenges of targeting these highly dynamic precursors of amyloid assembly.
Collapse
|
10
|
De Luca L, Vittorio S, Peña-Díaz S, Pitasi G, Fornt-Suñé M, Bucolo F, Ventura S, Gitto R. Ligand-Based Discovery of a Small Molecule as Inhibitor of α-Synuclein Amyloid Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314844. [PMID: 36499173 PMCID: PMC9738895 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregates are implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), so inhibitors of α-Syn aggregation have been intensively explored. It has been demonstrated that small molecules might be able to reduce α-Syn aggregation in fibrils, thus exerting neuroprotective effects in models of PD. To expand our knowledge about the structural requirements for blocking the recognition process into the oligomeric assembly of α-Syn aggregates, we performed a ligand-based virtual screening procedure using two well-known α-Syn aggregation inhibitors, SynuClean-D and ZPD-2, as query compounds. A collection of thirty-four compounds bearing distinct chemical functionalities and mutual chemical features were studied in a Th-T fluorescence test, thus identifying 5-(2,6-dinitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl)-1-methyl-1H-tetrazole (named MeSC-04) as a potent α-Syn amyloid formation inhibitor that demonstrated similar behavior when compared to SynuClean-D in the thioflavin-T-monitored kinetic assays, with both molecules reducing the number and size of amyloid fibrils, as evidenced by electron microscopy. Molecular modeling studies suggested the binding mode of MeSC-04 through the identification of putative druggable pockets on α-syn fibrils and a subsequent consensus docking methodology. Overall, this work could furnish new insights in the development of α-Syn amyloid inhibitors from synthetic sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura De Luca
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Serena Vittorio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Giovanna Pitasi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marc Fornt-Suñé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Federica Bucolo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosaria Gitto
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abrao‐Nemeir I, Bentin J, Meyer N, Janot J, Torrent J, Picaud F, Balme S. Investigation of α-Synuclein and Amyloid-β(42)-E22Δ Oligomers Using SiN Nanopore Functionalized with L-Dopa. Chem Asian J 2022; 17:e202200726. [PMID: 36038502 PMCID: PMC9826174 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202200726] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Solid-state nanopores are an emerging technology used as a high-throughput, label-free analytical method for the characterization of protein aggregation in an aqueous solution. In this work, we used Levodopamine to coat a silicon nitride nanopore surface that was fabricated through a dielectric breakdown in order to reduce the unspecific adsorption. The coating of inner nanopore wall by investigation of the translocation of heparin. The functionalized nanopore was used to investigate the aggregation of amyloid-β and α-synuclein, two biomarkers of degenerative diseases. In the first application, we demonstrate that the α-synuclein WT is more prone to form dimers than the variant A53T. In the second one, we show for the Aβ(42)-E22Δ (Osaka mutant) that the addition of Aβ(42)-WT monomers increases the polymorphism of oligomers, while the incubation with Aβ(42)-WT fibrils generates larger aggregates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Imad Abrao‐Nemeir
- European Institute of Membranes, UMR5635University of Montpelier, ENCSM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France
| | - Jeremy Bentin
- Laboratory of Nanomedicin, Imagery and Therapeutics, EA4662University hospital center of BesançonUniversity of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques)16 route de Gray25030BesançonFrance
| | - Nathan Meyer
- European Institute of Membranes, UMR5635University of Montpelier, ENCSM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France,Neurological institute of MontpellierUniversity of Montpellier, INSERM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France
| | - Jean‐Marc Janot
- European Institute of Membranes, UMR5635University of Montpelier, ENCSM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France
| | - Joan Torrent
- Neurological institute of MontpellierUniversity of Montpellier, INSERM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France
| | - Fabien Picaud
- Laboratory of Nanomedicin, Imagery and Therapeutics, EA4662University hospital center of BesançonUniversity of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques)16 route de Gray25030BesançonFrance
| | - Sebastien Balme
- European Institute of Membranes, UMR5635University of Montpelier, ENCSM CNRSPlace Eugène Bataillon34095Montpellier cedex 5France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Margiana R, Hammid AT, Ahmad I, Alsaikhan F, Turki Jalil A, Tursunbaev F, Umar F, Romero Parra RM, Fakri Mustafa Y. Current Progress in Aptasensor for Ultra-Low Level Monitoring of Parkinson's Disease Biomarkers. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2022; 54:617-632. [PMID: 35754381 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2022.2091920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
In today's world, Parkinson's disease (PD) has been introduced as a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system which mainly affects approximately more than ten million people worldwide. The vast majority of diagnostic methods for PD have operated based on conventional sensing platforms, while the traditional laboratory tests are not efficient for diagnosis of PD in the early stage due to symptoms of this common neurodegenerative syndrome starting slowly. The advent of the aptasensor has revolutionized the early-stage diagnosis of PD by measuring related biomarkers due to the myriad advantages of originating from aptamers which can be able to sensitive and selective capture various types of related biomarkers. The progress of numerous sensing platforms and methodologies in terms of biosensors based on aptamer application for PD diagnosis has revealed promising results. In this review, we present the latest developments in myriad types of aptasensors for the determination of related PD biomarkers. Working strategies, advantages and limitations of these sensing approaches are also mentioned, followed by prospects and challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ria Margiana
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Master's Programme Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Indonesia Surabaya
| | - Ali Thaeer Hammid
- Computer Engineering Techniques Department, Faculty of Information Technology, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad Alsaikhan
- College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abduladheem Turki Jalil
- Medical Laboratories Techniques Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Babylon, Hilla, Iraq
| | - Farkhod Tursunbaev
- Independent Researcher, "Medcloud" Educational Centre, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Research Scholar, Department of Science and Innovation, Akfa University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Fadilah Umar
- Department of Sports Science, Faculty of Sports, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Vidović M, Rikalovic MG. Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation Pathway in Parkinson's Disease: Current Status and Novel Therapeutic Approaches. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111732. [PMID: 35681426 PMCID: PMC9179656 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Following Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder, sharing an unclear pathophysiology, a multifactorial profile, and massive social costs worldwide. Despite this, no disease-modifying therapy is available. PD is tightly associated with α-synuclein (α-Syn) deposits, which become organised into insoluble, amyloid fibrils. As a typical intrinsically disordered protein, α-Syn adopts a monomeric, random coil conformation in an aqueous solution, while its interaction with lipid membranes drives the transition of the molecule part into an α-helical structure. The central unstructured region of α-Syn is involved in fibril formation by converting to well-defined, β-sheet rich secondary structures. Presently, most therapeutic strategies against PD are focused on designing small molecules, peptides, and peptidomimetics that can directly target α-Syn and its aggregation pathway. Other approaches include gene silencing, cell transplantation, stimulation of intracellular clearance with autophagy promoters, and degradation pathways based on immunotherapy of amyloid fibrils. In the present review, we sum marise the current advances related to α-Syn aggregation/neurotoxicity. These findings present a valuable arsenal for the further development of efficient, nontoxic, and non-invasive therapeutic protocols for disease-modifying therapy that tackles disease onset and progression in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marija Vidović
- Laboratory for Plant Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +38-16-4276-3221
| | - Milena G. Rikalovic
- Environment and Sustainable Development, Singidunum Univeristy, Danijelova 32, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia;
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Meyer N, Janot JM, Torrent J, Balme S. Real-Time Fast Amyloid Seeding and Translocation of α-Synuclein with a Nanopipette. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:441-448. [PMID: 35505874 PMCID: PMC9052795 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The detection to α-synuclein (αS) assemblies as a biomarker of synucleinopathies is an important challenge for further development of an early diagnosis tool. Here, we present proof of concept real-time fast amyloid seeding and translocation (RT-FAST) based on a nanopipette that combines in one unique system a reaction vessel to accelerate the seed amplification and nanopore sensor for single-molecule αS assembly detection. RT-FAST allows the detection of the presence αS seeds WT and A53T variant in a given sample in only 90 min by adding a low quantity (35 μL at 100 nM) of recombinant αS for amplification. It also shows cross-seeding aggregation by adding mixing seeds A53T with WT monomers. Finally, we establish the dependence between the capture rate of aggregates by the nanopore sensor and the initial seed concentration from 200 pM to 2 pM, which promises further development toward a quantitative analysis of the initial seed concentration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Meyer
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
- INM,
University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34091 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Marc Janot
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Joan Torrent
- INM,
University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34091 Montpellier, France
| | - Sébastien Balme
- Institut
Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 University of Montpellier ENCSM
CNRS, Place Eugène
Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Peña-Díaz S, Pujols J, Vasili E, Pinheiro F, Santos J, Manglano-Artuñedo Z, Outeiro TF, Ventura S. The small aromatic compound SynuClean-D inhibits the aggregation and seeded polymerization of multiple α-synuclein strains. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101902. [PMID: 35390347 PMCID: PMC9079179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, as well as the accumulation of intraneuronal proteinaceous inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. The major protein component of Lewy inclusions is the intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein (α-Syn), which can adopt diverse amyloid structures. Different conformational strains of α-Syn have been proposed to be related to the onset of distinct synucleinopathies; however, how specific amyloid fibrils cause distinctive pathological traits is not clear. Here, we generated three different α-Syn amyloid conformations at different pH and salt concentrations and analyzed the activity of SynuClean-D (SC-D), a small aromatic molecule, on these strains. We show that incubation of α-Syn with SC-D reduced the formation of aggregates and the seeded polymerization of α-Syn in all cases. Moreover, we found that SC-D exhibited a general fibril disaggregation activity. Finally, we demonstrate that treatment with SC-D also reduced strain-specific intracellular accumulation of phosphorylated α-Syn inclusions. Taken together, we conclude that SC-D may be a promising hit compound to inhibit polymorphic α-Syn aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Francisca Pinheiro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jaime Santos
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Zoe Manglano-Artuñedo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, United Kingdom; Scientific Employee With a Honorary Contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Interactions of intrinsically disordered proteins with the unconventional chaperone human serum albumin: From mechanisms of amyloid inhibition to therapeutic opportunities. Biophys Chem 2022; 282:106743. [PMID: 35093643 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human Serum Albumin (HSA), the most abundant protein in plasma, serves a diverse repertoire of biological functions including regulation of oncotic pressure and redox potential, transport of serum solutes, but also chaperoning of misfolded proteins. Here we review how HSA interacts with a wide spectrum of client proteins including intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) such as Aβ, the islet amyloid peptide (IAPP), alpha synuclein and stressed globular proteins such as insulin. The comparative analysis of the HSA chaperone - client interactions reveals that the amyloid-inhibitory function of HSA arises from at least four emerging mechanisms. Two mechanisms (the monomer stabilizer model and the monomer competitor model) involve the direct binding of HSA to either IDP monomers or oligomers, while other mechanisms (metal chelation and membrane protection) rely on the indirect modulation by HSA of other factors that drive IDP aggregation. While HSA is not the only extracellular chaperone, given its abundance, HSA is likely to account for a significant fraction of the chaperoning effects in plasma, thus opening new therapeutic opportunities in the context of the peripheral sink hypothesis.
Collapse
|
17
|
Holland DC, Prebble DW, Er S, Hayton JB, Robertson LP, Avery VM, Domanskyi A, Kiefel MJ, Hooper JNA, Carroll AR. α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitory Prunolides and a Dibrominated β-Carboline Sulfamate from the Ascidian Synoicum prunum. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2022; 85:441-452. [PMID: 35050597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c01172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Seven new polyaromatic bis-spiroketal-containing butenolides, the prunolides D-I (4-9) and cis-prunolide C (10), a new dibrominated β-carboline sulfamate named pityriacitrin C (11), alongside the known prunolides A-C (1-3) were isolated from the Australian colonial ascidian Synoicum prunum. The prunolides D-G (4-7) represent the first asymmetrically brominated prunolides, while cis-prunolide C (10) is the first reported with a cis-configuration about the prunolide's bis-spiroketal core. The prunolides displayed binding activities with the Parkinson's disease-implicated amyloid protein α-synuclein in a mass spectrometry binding assay, while the prunolides (1-5 and 10) were found to significantly inhibit the aggregation (>89.0%) of α-synuclein in a ThT amyloid dye assay. The prunolides A-C (1-3) were also tested for inhibition of pSyn aggregate formation in a primary embryonic mouse midbrain dopamine neuron model with prunolide B (2) displaying statistically significant inhibitory activity at 0.5 μM. The antiplasmodial and antibacterial activities of the isolates were also examined with prunolide C (3) displaying only weak activity against the 3D7 parasite strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Our findings reported herein suggest that the prunolides could provide a novel scaffold for the exploration of future therapeutics aimed at inhibiting amyloid protein aggregation and the treatment of numerous neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren C Holland
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Dale W Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Safak Er
- HiLIFE, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Joshua B Hayton
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Luke P Robertson
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Andrii Domanskyi
- HiLIFE, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Milton J Kiefel
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4221, Australia
| | - John N A Hooper
- Queensland Museum, South Brisbane BC, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Gitto R, Vittorio S, Bucolo F, Peña-Díaz S, Siracusa R, Cuzzocrea S, Ventura S, Di Paola R, De Luca L. Discovery of Neuroprotective Agents Based on a 5-(4-Pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole Scaffold. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:581-586. [PMID: 35179861 PMCID: PMC9937533 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the death of dopaminergic neurons. The common histopathological hallmark in PD patients is the formation of intracellular proteinaceous accumulations. The main constituent of these inclusions is alpha-synuclein (α-syn), an intrinsically disordered protein that in pathological conditions creates amyloid aggregates that lead to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. The main goal of our study was to optimize our previously identified α-syn aggregation inhibitors of 5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole chemotype in terms of in vivo efficacy. Our efforts resulted in the identification of ethyl 2-((4-amino-5-(pyridin-4-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate (15), which displayed the ability to prevent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropiridine-induced bradykinesia as well as to affect the levels of PD markers after the administration of the same neurotoxin. In addition to the in vivo evaluation, for the 5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole-based compounds, we measured the prevention of the fibrillization process using light scattering and a ThT binding assay; these compounds have been shown to slightly reduce the α-syn aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Gitto
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Serena Vittorio
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Federica Bucolo
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,Departament
de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,Departament
de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,ICREA, Passeig Lluis
Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Laura De Luca
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy,
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hideshima M, Kimura Y, Aguirre C, Kakuda K, Takeuchi T, Choong CJ, Doi J, Nabekura K, Yamaguchi K, Nakajima K, Baba K, Nagano S, Goto Y, Nagai Y, Mochizuki H, Ikenaka K. Two-step screening method to identify α-synuclein aggregation inhibitors for Parkinson's disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:351. [PMID: 35013421 PMCID: PMC8748996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04131-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the formation of neuronal inclusions of α-synuclein in patient brains. As the disease progresses, toxic α-synuclein aggregates transmit throughout the nervous system. No effective disease-modifying therapy has been established, and preventing α-synuclein aggregation is thought to be one of the most promising approaches to ameliorate the disease. In this study, we performed a two-step screening using the thioflavin T assay and a cell-based assay to identify α-synuclein aggregation inhibitors. The first screening, thioflavin T assay, allowed the identification of 30 molecules, among a total of 1262 FDA-approved small compounds, which showed inhibitory effects on α-synuclein fibrilization. In the second screening, a cell-based aggregation assay, seven out of these 30 candidates were found to prevent α-synuclein aggregation without causing substantial toxicity. Of the seven final candidates, tannic acid was the most promising compound. The robustness of our screening method was validated by a primary neuronal cell model and a Caenorhabditis elegans model, which demonstrated the effect of tannic acid against α-synuclein aggregation. In conclusion, our two-step screening system is a powerful method for the identification of α-synuclein aggregation inhibitors, and tannic acid is a promising candidate as a disease-modifying drug for Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Hideshima
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuyoshi Kimura
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - César Aguirre
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Keita Kakuda
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshihide Takeuchi
- Department of Neurology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Chi-Jing Choong
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Junko Doi
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kei Nabekura
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Keiichi Yamaguchi
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kichitaro Nakajima
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kousuke Baba
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Seiichi Nagano
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuji Goto
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nagai
- Department of Neurology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Kensuke Ikenaka
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Prebble DW, Er S, Xu M, Hlushchuk I, Domanskyi A, Airavaara M, Ekins MG, Mellick GD, Carroll AR. α-synuclein aggregation inhibitory activity of the bromotyrosine derivatives aerothionin and aerophobin-2 from the subtropical marine sponge Aplysinella sp. RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2022.100472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
|
21
|
Prebble DW, Xu M, Mellick GD, Carroll AR. Sycosterol A, an α-Synuclein Inhibitory Sterol from the Australian Ascidian Sycozoa cerebriformis. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2021; 84:3039-3043. [PMID: 34787419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
During a recent biodiscovery study to identify new α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation inhibitors, we screened 29 Australian marine sponge and ascidian extracts in an MS binding assay. This resulted in an extract from the ascidian Sycozoa cerebriformis showing activity toward α-syn. The bioassay and MS guided isolation process led to the identification of one new polyoxygenated sterol sulfate, sycosterol A (1). The structure of this low-yielding steroid was elucidated from HRMS and NMR analysis. Sycosterol A displayed moderate antiaggregation activity with 46.2% (±1.8) inhibition when screened against α-syn at a 5:1 (sycosterol A:α-syn) molar ratio. The α-syn antiaggregation activity displayed by 1 and the recent discovery of similar sterols with α-syn antiaggregation activity and potent antiprion activity suggest this unique class may be useful antineurodegenerative compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale W Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Mingming Xu
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - George D Mellick
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Ramirez AE, Fernández-Pérez EJ, Olivos N, Burgos CF, Boopathi S, Armijo-Weingart L, Pacheco CR, González W, Aguayo LG. The Stimulatory Effects of Intracellular α-Synuclein on Synaptic Transmission Are Attenuated by 2-Octahydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-ylethanamine. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413253. [PMID: 34948050 PMCID: PMC8705949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) species can be detected in synaptic boutons, where they play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, the effects of intracellular αSyn species on synaptic transmission have not been thoroughly studied. Here, using patch-clamp recordings in hippocampal neurons, we report that αSyn oligomers (αSynO), intracellularly delivered through the patch electrode, produced a fast and potent effect on synaptic transmission, causing a substantial increase in the frequency, amplitude and transferred charge of spontaneous synaptic currents. We also found an increase in the frequency of miniature synaptic currents, suggesting an effect located at the presynaptic site of the synapsis. Furthermore, our in silico approximation using docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulations showed an interaction between a previously described small anti-amyloid beta (Aβ) molecule, termed M30 (2-octahydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-ylethanamine), with a central hydrophobic region of αSyn. In line with this finding, our empirical data aimed to obtain oligomerization states with thioflavin T (ThT) and Western blot (WB) indicated that M30 interfered with αSyn aggregation and decreased the formation of higher-molecular-weight species. Furthermore, the effect of αSynO on synaptic physiology was also antagonized by M30, resulting in a decrease in the frequency, amplitude, and charge transferred of synaptic currents. Overall, the present results show an excitatory effect of intracellular αSyn low molecular-weight species, not previously described, that are able to affect synaptic transmission, and the potential of a small neuroactive molecule to interfere with the aggregation process and the synaptic effect of αSyn, suggesting that M30 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra E. Ramirez
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
| | - Eduardo J. Fernández-Pérez
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.F.-P.); (L.G.A.)
| | - Nicol Olivos
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
| | - Carlos F. Burgos
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
| | - Subramanian Boopathi
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico;
- Center for Bioinformatics, Simulations and Modeling, The Center for Bioinformatics and Molecular Simulations (CBSM), University of Talca, Talca 3530000, Chile;
| | - Lorena Armijo-Weingart
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
| | - Carla R. Pacheco
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
| | - Wendy González
- Center for Bioinformatics, Simulations and Modeling, The Center for Bioinformatics and Molecular Simulations (CBSM), University of Talca, Talca 3530000, Chile;
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases, The Center for Bioinformatics and Molecular Simulations (CBSM), University of Talca, Talca 3530000, Chile
| | - Luis G. Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (A.E.R.); (N.O.); (C.F.B.); (L.A.-W.); (C.R.P.)
- Programa de Neurociencia, Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Anatomy Building,
Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile
- Correspondence: (E.J.F.-P.); (L.G.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Meade RM, Watt KJC, Williams RJ, Mason JM. A Downsized and Optimised Intracellular Library-Derived Peptide Prevents Alpha-Synuclein Primary Nucleation and Toxicity Without Impacting Upon Lipid Binding. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167323. [PMID: 34695381 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of alpha-synuclein (αS) within dopaminergic neurons is a key factor in the development and progression of a group of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, termed synucleinopathies, that include Parkinson's disease (PD). We previously derived a peptide inhibitor from a 209,952-member intracellular library screen by employing the preNAC region (45-54) as a design template. At least six single-point mutations firmly linked to early-onset Parkinson's disease (E46K, H50Q, G51D, A53T/E/V) are located within this region, strongly implicating a pathogenic role within αS that leads to increased cytotoxicity. A library-derived ten residue peptide, 4554W, was consequently shown to block αS aggregation at the point of primary nucleation via lipid induction, inhibiting its conversion into downstream cytotoxic species. Here we couple truncation with a full alanine scan analysis, to establish the effect upon the αS aggregation pathway relative to 4554W. This revealed the precise residues responsible for eliciting inhibitory interaction and function, as well as those potentially amenable to modification or functionalisation. We find that modification N6A combined with N-terminal truncation results in a peptide of significantly increased efficacy. Importantly, our data demonstrate that the peptide does not directly disrupt αS lipid-binding, a desirable trait since antagonists of αS aggregation and toxicity should not impede association with small synaptic neurotransmitter vesicles, and thus not disrupt dopaminergic vesicle fusion and recycling. This work paves the way toward the major aim of deriving a highly potent peptide antagonist of αS pathogenicity without impacting on native αS function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Meade
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J C Watt
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J Williams
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Jody M Mason
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Mahía A, Peña-Díaz S, Navarro S, José Galano-Frutos J, Pallarés I, Pujols J, Díaz-de-Villegas MD, Gálvez JA, Ventura S, Sancho J. Design, synthesis and structure-activity evaluation of novel 2-pyridone-based inhibitors of α-synuclein aggregation with potentially improved BBB permeability. Bioorg Chem 2021; 117:105472. [PMID: 34775206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative human disorder, continues to be symptomatic. Development of drugs able to stop or at least slowdown PD progression would benefit several million people worldwide. SynuClean-D is a low molecular weight 2-pyridone-based promising drug candidate that inhibits the aggregation of α-synuclein in human cultured cells and prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of PD. Improving SynuClean-D pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties, performing structure/activity studies and testing its efficacy in mammalian models of PD requires the use of gr-amounts of the compound. However, not enough compound is on sale, and no synthetic route has been reported until now, which hampers the molecule progress towards clinical trials. To circumvent those problems, we describe here an efficient and economical route that enables the synthesis of SynuClean-D with good yields as well as the synthesis of SynuClean-D derivatives. Structure-activity comparison of the new compounds with SynuClean-D reveals the functional groups of the molecule that can be disposed of without activity loss and those that are crucial to interfere with α-synuclein aggregation. Several of the derivatives obtained retain the parent's compound excellent in vitro anti-aggregative activity, without compromising its low toxicity. Computational predictions and preliminary testing indicate that the blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability of SynuClean-D is low. Importantly, several of the newly designed and obtained active derivatives are predicted to display good BBB permeability. The synthetic route developed here will facilitate their synthesis for BBB permeability determination and for efficacy testing in mammalian models of PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Mahía
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Units: BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) and GBsC-CSIC, University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Juan José Galano-Frutos
- Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Units: BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) and GBsC-CSIC, University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Irantzu Pallarés
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - María D Díaz-de-Villegas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), CSIC-University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - José A Gálvez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), CSIC-University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Javier Sancho
- Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Units: BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) and GBsC-CSIC, University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gil-Garcia M, Ventura S. Multifunctional antibody-conjugated coiled-coil protein nanoparticles for selective cell targeting. Acta Biomater 2021; 131:472-482. [PMID: 34192568 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nanostructures decorated with antibodies (Abs) are applied in bioimaging and therapeutics. However, most covalent conjugation strategies affect Abs functionality. In this study, we aimed to create protein-based nanoparticles to which intact Abs can be attached through tight, specific, and noncovalent interactions. Initially considered waste products, bacterial inclusion bodies (IBs) have been used in biotechnology and biomedicine. However, the amyloid-like nature of IBs limits their functionality and raises safety concerns. To bypass these obstacles, we have recently developed highly functional α-helix-rich IBs exploiting the natural self-assembly capacity of coiled-coil domains. We used this approach to create spherical, submicrometric, biocompatible and fluorescent protein nanoparticles capable of capturing Abs with high affinity. We showed that these IBs can be exploited for Ab-directed cell targeting. Simultaneous decoration of the nanoparticles with two different Abs in a controllable ratio enabled the construction of a bispecific antibody mimic that redirected T lymphocytes specifically to cancer cells. Overall, we describe an easy and cost-effective strategy to produce multivalent, traceable protein nanostructures with the potential to be used for biomedical applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Functional inclusion bodies (IBs) are promising platforms for biomedical and biotechnological applications. These nanoparticles are usually sustained by amyloid-like interactions, which imposes some limitations on their use. In this work, we exploit the natural coiled-coil self-assembly properties to create highly functional, nonamyloid, and fluorescent IBs capable of capturing antibodies. These protein-based nanoparticles are successfully used to specifically and simultaneously target two unrelated cell types and bring them close together, becoming a technology with potential application in bioimaging and immunotherapy.
Collapse
|
26
|
Potent inhibitors of toxic alpha-synuclein identified via cellular time-resolved FRET biosensors. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2021; 7:52. [PMID: 34183676 PMCID: PMC8238948 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-021-00195-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We have developed a high-throughput drug discovery platform, measuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with fluorescent alpha-synuclein (αSN) biosensors, to detect spontaneous pre-fibrillar oligomers in living cells. Our two αSN FRET biosensors provide complementary insight into αSN oligomerization and conformation in order to improve the success of drug discovery campaigns for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. We measure FRET by fluorescence lifetime, rather than traditional fluorescence intensity, providing a structural readout with greater resolution and precision. This facilitates identification of compounds that cause subtle but significant conformational changes in the ensemble of oligomeric states that are easily missed using intensity-based FRET. We screened a 1280-compound small-molecule library and identified 21 compounds that changed the lifetime by >5 SD. Two of these compounds have nanomolar potency in protecting SH-SY5Y cells from αSN-induced death, providing a nearly tenfold improvement over known inhibitors. We tested the efficacy of several compounds in a primary mouse neuron assay of αSN pathology (phosphorylation of mouse αSN pre-formed fibrils) and show rescue of pathology for two of them. These hits were further characterized with biophysical and biochemical assays to explore potential mechanisms of action. In vitro αSN oligomerization, single-molecule FRET, and protein-observed fluorine NMR experiments demonstrate that these compounds modulate αSN oligomers but not monomers. Subsequent aggregation assays further show that these compounds also deter or block αSN fibril assembly.
Collapse
|
27
|
Jennings LK, Prebble DW, Xu M, Ekins MG, Munn AL, Mellick GD, Carroll AR. Anti-prion and α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitory Sterols from the Sponge Lamellodysidea cf. chlorea. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2020; 83:3751-3757. [PMID: 33269586 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In a study aimed at identifying new anti-prion compounds we screened a library of 500 Australian marine invertebrate derived extracts using a yeast-based anti-prion assay. This resulted in an extract from the subtropical sponge Lamellodysidea cf. chlorea showing potent anti-prion activity. The bioassay-guided investigation of the sponge extract led to the isolation of three new bioactive polyoxygenated steroids, lamellosterols A-C (1-3). These sterols were all isolated in low yield, and their structures elucidated by extensive NMR and MS data analysis. Lamellosterols A-C displayed potent anti-prion activity against the [PSI+] yeast prion (EC50s of 12.7, 13.8, and 9.8 μM, respectively). Lamellosterol A (1) was further shown to bind to the Parkinson's disease implicated amyloid protein, α-synuclein, and to significantly inhibit its aggregation. Our findings indicate that these polyoxygenated sterol sulfates may be useful compounds to study mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurence K Jennings
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Dale W Prebble
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Mingming Xu
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | | | - Alan L Munn
- School of Medical Science and Molecular Basis of Disease Program, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - George D Mellick
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University (Brisbane Innovation Park), Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Camino JD, Gracia P, Chen SW, Sot J, de la Arada I, Sebastián V, Arrondo JLR, Goñi FM, Dobson CM, Cremades N. The extent of protein hydration dictates the preference for heterogeneous or homogeneous nucleation generating either parallel or antiparallel β-sheet α-synuclein aggregates. Chem Sci 2020; 11:11902-11914. [PMID: 33520152 PMCID: PMC7816767 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc05297c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein amyloid self-assembly is the hallmark of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease, although there is still very limited understanding about the factors and mechanisms that trigger this process. Primary nucleation has been observed to be initiated in vitro at hydrophobic/hydrophilic interfaces by heterogeneous nucleation generating parallel β-sheet aggregates, although no such interfaces have yet been identified in vivo. In this work, we have discovered that α-synuclein can self-assemble into amyloid aggregates by homogeneous nucleation, without the need of an active surface, and with a preference for an antiparallel β-sheet arrangement. This particular structure has been previously proposed to be distinctive of stable toxic oligomers and we here demonstrate that it indeed represents the most stable structure of the preferred amyloid pathway triggered by homogeneous nucleation under limited hydration conditions, including those encountered inside α-synuclein droplets generated by liquid-liquid phase separation. In addition, our results highlight the key role that water plays not only in modulating the transition free energy of amyloid nucleation, and thus governing the initiation of the process, but also in dictating the type of preferred primary nucleation and the type of amyloid polymorph generated depending on the extent of protein hydration. These findings are particularly relevant in the context of in vivo α-synuclein aggregation where the protein can encounter a variety of hydration conditions in different cellular microenvironments, including the vicinity of lipid membranes or the interior of membraneless compartments, which could lead to the formation of remarkably different amyloid polymorphs by either heterogeneous or homogeneous nucleation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José D Camino
- Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Unit BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) , University of Zaragoza , 50018 Zaragoza , Spain .
| | - Pablo Gracia
- Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Unit BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) , University of Zaragoza , 50018 Zaragoza , Spain .
| | - Serene W Chen
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases , Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 1EW , UK
| | - Jesús Sot
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU) , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
| | - Igor de la Arada
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU) , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
| | - Víctor Sebastián
- Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragon (INMA) , CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza , 50009 Zaragoza , Spain
- Department of Chemical and Enviromental Engineering , Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragon) , University of Zaragoza , 50018 Zaragoza , Spain
- Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine , CIBER-BBN , 28029 Madrid , Spain
| | - José L R Arrondo
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU) , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
| | - Félix M Goñi
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU) , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of the Basque Country , Campus Universitario, B. Sarriena , 48940 Leioa , Spain
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases , Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 1EW , UK
| | - Nunilo Cremades
- Biocomputation and Complex Systems Physics Institute (BIFI)-Joint Unit BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) , University of Zaragoza , 50018 Zaragoza , Spain .
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Meade RM, Morris KJ, Watt KJC, Williams RJ, Mason JM. The Library Derived 4554W Peptide Inhibits Primary Nucleation of α-Synuclein. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:166706. [PMID: 33186583 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.11.005] [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: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of α-Synuclein (αS) is widely regarded as a key factor in neuronal cell death, leading to a wide range of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's Disease. Development of therapeutics has therefore focused on inhibiting aggregation of αS into toxic forms. One such inhibitor, based on the preNAC region αS45-54 (4554W), was identified using an intracellular peptide library screen, and subsequently shown to both inhibit formation of αS aggregates while simultaneously lowering toxicity. Subsequent efforts have sought to determine the mode of 4554W action. In particular, and consistent with the fact that both target and peptide are co-produced during library screening, we find that the peptide inhibits primary nucleation of αS, but does not modulate downstream elongation or secondary nucleation events. These findings hold significant promise towards mechanistic understanding and development of molecules that can module the first steps in αS aggregation towards novel treatments for Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Meade
- Depart of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Kimberley J Morris
- Depart of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J C Watt
- Depart of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J Williams
- Depart of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Jody M Mason
- Depart of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Peña-Díaz S, Pujols J, Pinheiro F, Santos J, Pallarés I, Navarro S, Conde-Gimenez M, García J, Salvatella X, Dalfó E, Sancho J, Ventura S. Inhibition of α-Synuclein Aggregation and Mature Fibril Disassembling With a Minimalistic Compound, ZPDm. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:588947. [PMID: 33178678 PMCID: PMC7597392 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.588947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a group of disorders characterized by the accumulation of α-Synuclein amyloid inclusions in the brain. Preventing α-Synuclein aggregation is challenging because of the disordered nature of the protein and the stochastic nature of fibrillogenesis, but, at the same time, it is a promising approach for therapeutic intervention in these pathologies. A high-throughput screening initiative allowed us to discover ZPDm, the smallest active molecule in a library of more than 14.000 compounds. Although the ZPDm structure is highly related to that of the previously described ZPD-2 aggregation inhibitor, we show here that their mechanisms of action are entirely different. ZPDm inhibits the aggregation of wild-type, A30P, and H50Q α-Synuclein variants in vitro and interferes with α-Synuclein seeded aggregation in protein misfolding cyclic amplification assays. However, ZPDm distinctive feature is its strong potency to dismantle preformed α-Synuclein amyloid fibrils. Studies in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Parkinson's Disease, prove that these in vitro properties are translated into a significant reduction in the accumulation of α-Synuclein inclusions in ZPDm treated animals. Together with previous data, the present work illustrates how different chemical groups on top of a common molecular scaffold can result in divergent but complementary anti-amyloid activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisca Pinheiro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Santos
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irantzu Pallarés
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Conde-Gimenez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, and Aragon Institute for Health Research (IIS Aragon), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jesús García
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Dalfó
- Medicine, M2, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Sancho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, and Aragon Institute for Health Research (IIS Aragon), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Vittorio S, Adornato I, Gitto R, Peña-Díaz S, Ventura S, De Luca L. Rational design of small molecules able to inhibit α-synuclein amyloid aggregation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2020; 35:1727-1735. [PMID: 32924648 PMCID: PMC7534360 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1816999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in elderly age. One of the mechanisms involved in the neurodegeneration appears related to the aggregation of the presynaptic protein alpha synuclein (α-syn) into toxic oligomers and fibrils. To date, no highly effective treatment is currently available; therefore, there is an increasing interest in the search of new therapeutic tools. The modulation of α-syn aggregation represents an emergent and promising disease-modifying strategy for reducing or blocking the neurodegenerative process. Herein, by combining in silico and in vitro screenings we initially identified 3-(cinnamylsulfanyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (3) as α-syn aggregation inhibitor that was then considered a promising hit for the further design of a new series of small molecules. Therefore, we rationally designed new hit-derivatives that were synthesised and evaluated by biological assays. Lastly, the binding mode of the newer inhibitors was predicted by docking studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Vittorio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Ilenia Adornato
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosaria Gitto
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura De Luca
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Diphenyl triazine hybrids inhibit α-synuclein fibrillogenesis: Design, synthesis and in vitro efficacy studies. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 207:112705. [PMID: 32961434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112705] [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: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) is one of the central hypotheses for Parkinson's disease (PD), therefore, its inhibition and disaggregation is an optimistic approach for the treatment of PD. Here, we report design, synthesis and in-vitro efficacy studies of a series of diphenyl triazine hybrids as potential inhibitors of α-syn fibrillogenesis. From the docking studies, we concluded that compounds A1, A2, A4, A8 and A9 display promising binding affinity with the essential residues of α-syn with binding energy values: -6.0, -7.0, -6.3, -6.6 and -6.7 kcal/mol respectively. The target compounds were synthesized using multistep organic synthesis reactions. Compounds A1, A2 A4, A8 and A9 showed a significant lowering of the α-syn fibril formation during Thioflavin-T assay and fluorescence microscopy. In addition, these compounds A1, A2, A4, A8 and A9 also proved to be good disaggregators in the pre-aggregated form of α-syn. Most of the compounds exhibited no cytotoxicity in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) and human adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549) except A2. Overall, diphenyl triazine-based compounds can be further investigated for the treatment of synucleinopathies and for Lewy body dementia in which α-syn is predominantly observed.
Collapse
|
33
|
A series of helical α-synuclein fibril polymorphs are populated in the presence of lipid vesicles. NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE 2020; 6:17. [PMID: 32864427 PMCID: PMC7438318 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-020-00122-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αS) deposition is a defining characteristic of Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology, and other synucleinopathies. αS aggregates in disease, leading to the generation of neuronal inclusions known as Lewy bodies. These accumulate in the cytoplasmic space of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta region of the brain, causing cell death, resulting in decreased dopamine levels, and ultimately PD symptoms. To date, a significant proportion of structural information has arisen from in vitro studies using recombinantly purified forms of the protein, often failing to acknowledge that αS is natively located in the presence of phospholipids, where it likely plays a direct role in regulating synaptic vesicle function and neurotransmission. Here we present a series of macromolecular αS assemblies not previously described that form in the presence of lipid vesicles. These fibrillar structures are striking in both their large size relative to those previously reported and by their varying helical content, from ribbons to wave-like helices of long pitch shortening to those more compact and bulkier. These studies provide the foundation for more detailed structural analysis, and may offer new possibilities to further define disease-relevant versions of the protein that are accessible to pharmacological intervention.
Collapse
|
34
|
Martinez Pomier K, Ahmed R, Melacini G. Catechins as Tools to Understand the Molecular Basis of Neurodegeneration. Molecules 2020; 25:E3571. [PMID: 32781559 PMCID: PMC7465241 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding as well as the subsequent self-association and deposition of amyloid aggregates is implicated in the progression of several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Modulators of amyloidogenic aggregation serve as essential tools to dissect the underlying molecular mechanisms and may offer insight on potential therapeutic solutions. These modulators include green tea catechins, which are potent inhibitors of amyloid aggregation. Although catechins often exhibit poor pharmacokinetic properties and bioavailability, they are still essential tools for identifying the drivers of amyloid aggregation and for developing other aggregation modulators through structural mimicry. As an illustration of such strategies, here we review how catechins have been used to map the toxic surfaces of oligomeric amyloid-like species and develop catechin-based phenolic compounds with enhanced anti-amyloid activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karla Martinez Pomier
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
| | - Rashik Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
| | - Giuseppe Melacini
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Ryan P, Xu M, Jahan K, Davey AK, Bharatam PV, Anoopkumar-Dukie S, Kassiou M, Mellick GD, Rudrawar S. Novel Furan-2-yl-1 H-pyrazoles Possess Inhibitory Activity against α-Synuclein Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2303-2315. [PMID: 32551538 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of novel furan-2-yl-1H-pyrazoles and their chemical precursors were synthesized and evaluated for their effectiveness at disrupting α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation in vitro. The compounds were found to inhibit α-syn aggregation with efficacy comparable to the promising drug candidate anle138b. The results of this study indicate that compounds 8b, 8l, and 9f may qualify as secondary leads for the structure-activity relationship studies aimed to identify the suitable compounds for improving the modulatory activity targeted at α-syn self-assembly related to Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Ryan
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Mingming Xu
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Kousar Jahan
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar 160062, India
| | - Andrew K. Davey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Prasad V. Bharatam
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar 160062, India
| | - Shailendra Anoopkumar-Dukie
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Michael Kassiou
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - George D. Mellick
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Santosh Rudrawar
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines Network, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Advances in the development of imaging probes and aggregation inhibitors for alpha-synuclein. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2020; 41:483-498. [PMID: 31586134 PMCID: PMC7470848 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-019-0304-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal protein aggregation has been linked to many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). The main pathological hallmark of PD is the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites, both of which contain the presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein (α-syn). Under normal conditions, native α-syn exists in a soluble unfolded state but undergoes misfolding and aggregation into toxic aggregates under pathological conditions. Toxic α-syn species, especially oligomers, can cause oxidative stress, membrane penetration, synaptic and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as other damage, leading to neuronal death and eventually neurodegeneration. Early diagnosis and treatments targeting PD pathogenesis are urgently needed. Given its critical role in PD, α-syn is an attractive target for the development of both diagnostic tools and effective therapeutics. This review summarizes the progress toward discovering imaging probes and aggregation inhibitors for α-syn. Relevant strategies and techniques in the discovery of α-syn-targeted drugs are also discussed.
Collapse
|
37
|
Pujols J, Peña-Díaz S, Pallarès I, Ventura S. Chemical Chaperones as Novel Drugs for Parkinson's Disease. Trends Mol Med 2020; 26:408-421. [PMID: 32277934 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of deposits of α-synuclein (α-syn) in the brain. The pivotal role of α-syn aggregation in PD makes it an attractive target for potential disease-modifying therapies. However, the disordered nature of the protein, its multistep aggregation mechanism, and the lack of structural information on intermediate species complicate the discovery of modulators of α-syn amyloid deposition. Despite these difficulties, small molecules have been shown to block the misfolding and aggregation of α-syn, and can even disentangle mature α-syn amyloid fibrils. In this review we provide an updated overview of these leading small compounds and discuss how these chemical chaperones hold great promise to alter the course of PD progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Irantzu Pallarès
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Pena-Diaz S, Pujols J, Ventura S. Small molecules to prevent the neurodegeneration caused by α-synuclein aggregation. Neural Regen Res 2020; 15:2260-2261. [PMID: 32594046 PMCID: PMC7749473 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.284993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Pena-Diaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ryan P, Xu MM, Davey AK, Kassiou M, Mellick GD, Rudrawar S. O-GlcNAcylation of truncated NAC segment alters peptide-dependent effects on α-synuclein aggregation. Bioorg Chem 2020; 94:103389. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.103389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
40
|
Peña-Díaz S, Pujols J, Conde-Giménez M, Čarija A, Dalfo E, García J, Navarro S, Pinheiro F, Santos J, Salvatella X, Sancho J, Ventura S. ZPD-2, a Small Compound That Inhibits α-Synuclein Amyloid Aggregation and Its Seeded Polymerization. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:306. [PMID: 31920537 PMCID: PMC6928008 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) forms toxic intracellular protein inclusions and transmissible amyloid structures in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Preventing α-Syn self-assembly has become one of the most promising approaches in the search for disease-modifying treatments for this neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we describe the capacity of a small molecule (ZPD-2), identified after a high-throughput screening, to inhibit α-Syn aggregation. ZPD-2 inhibits the aggregation of wild-type α-Syn and the A30P and H50Q familial variants in vitro at substoichiometric compound:protein ratios. In addition, the molecule prevents the spreading of α-Syn seeds in protein misfolding cyclic amplification assays. ZPD-2 is active against different α-Syn strains and blocks their seeded polymerization. Treating with ZPD-2 two different PD Caenorhabditis elegans models that express α-Syn either in muscle or in dopaminergic (DA) neurons substantially reduces the number of α-Syn inclusions and decreases synuclein-induced DA neurons degeneration. Overall, ZPD-2 is a hit compound worth to be explored in order to develop lead molecules for therapeutic intervention in PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Conde-Giménez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Anita Čarija
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Dalfo
- Faculty of Medicine, M2, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
| | - Jesús García
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisca Pinheiro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Santos
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institute for Research and Advance Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Sancho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institute for Research and Advance Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Wang W, Navarro S, Azizyan RA, Baño-Polo M, Esperante SA, Kajava AV, Ventura S. Prion soft amyloid core driven self-assembly of globular proteins into bioactive nanofibrils. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:12680-12694. [PMID: 31237592 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr01755k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Amyloids have been exploited to build amazing bioactive materials. In most cases, short synthetic peptides constitute the functional components of such materials. The controlled assembly of globular proteins into active amyloid nanofibrils is still challenging, because the formation of amyloids implies a conformational conversion towards a β-sheet-rich structure, with a concomitant loss of the native fold and the inactivation of the protein. There is, however, a remarkable exception to this rule: yeast prions. They are singular proteins able to switch between a soluble and an amyloid state. In both states, the structure of their globular domains remains essentially intact. The transit between these two conformations is encoded in prion domains (PrDs): long and disordered sequences to which the active globular domains are appended. PrDs are much larger than typical self-assembling peptides. This seriously limits their use for nanotechnological applications. We have recently shown that these domains contain soft amyloid cores (SACs) that suffice to nucleate their self-assembly reaction. Here we genetically fused a model SAC with different globular proteins. We demonstrate that this very short sequence acts as a minimalist PrD, driving the selective and slow assembly of the initially soluble fusion proteins into amyloid fibrils in which the globular proteins retain their native structure and display high activity. Overall, we provide here a novel, modular and straightforward strategy to build active protein-based nanomaterials at a preparative scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Wang
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Rafayel A Azizyan
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, UMR 5237 CNRS, Université Montpellier, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Manuel Baño-Polo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sebastian A Esperante
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Andrey V Kajava
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, UMR 5237 CNRS, Université Montpellier, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Xu M, Loa-Kum-Cheung W, Zhang H, Quinn RJ, Mellick GD. Identification of a New α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitor via Mass Spectrometry Based Screening. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2683-2691. [PMID: 31117342 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of disordered α-synuclein protein is pathogenically connected with Parkinson's disease. Therefore, discovering molecules that can inhibit the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein is an active research area in PD drug development. A key property of such required therapeutic agents is specific binding to the target protein. Mass spectrometry allows rapid detection of direct interactions between molecules and proteins and is an ideal technique for discovering specific α-synuclein binders. Here, by setting up an automated mass spectrometry-based screening system, we were able to screen over 2500 compounds and identify a new α-synuclein inhibitor, 3-[(3-methoxyphenyl)carbamoyl]-7-[( E)-2-phenylethenyl]-4,7-dihydropyrazolo [1,5- a]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid (compound 2). This compound not only significantly inhibits the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein and protects neuroblastoma cells from α-synuclein toxicity, but also has a more specific binding site compared with positive controls. Our work for the first time reports the inhibition of compound 2 on α-synuclein aggregation and also consolidates the capability of mass spectrometry to discover α-synuclein aggregation inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Xu
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Wendy Loa-Kum-Cheung
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ronald J. Quinn
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - George D. Mellick
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Honarmand S, Dabirmanesh B, Amanlou M, Khajeh K. The interaction of several herbal extracts with α-synuclein: Fibril formation and surface plasmon resonance analysis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217801. [PMID: 31185031 PMCID: PMC6559707 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins from their native conformation convert into highly ordered fibrillar aggregation under particular conditions; that are described as amyloid fibrils. α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a small natively unfolded protein that its fibrillation is the causative factor of Parkinson's disease. One important approach in the development of therapeutic agents is the use of small molecules (such as flavonoids) that could specifically and efficiently inhibit the aggregation process. In this study the effect of few herbal extract (Berberis, Quercus robur, Zizyphus vulgaris, Salix aegyptica) containing flavonoids were investigated on fibril formation of α-syn by using conventional methods such as ThT fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The interaction of extracts were also analysed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Among extracts, Salix aegyptica revealed the highest inhibitory effect on fibril formation. As expected, Salix aegyptica extract also exhibited the highest affinity toward α-syn. Cell viability using MTT assay revealed that fibrils alone were more toxic than those containing the extract. Overall, we demonstrated that the affinity of compounds used in this study corresponds to their ability to arrest fibrillation and reduce cellular toxicity of α-syn fibrils.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shokouh Honarmand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University,Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University,Tehran, Iran
- * E-mail:
| | - Massoud Amanlou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Design and Development Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khosro Khajeh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University,Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Formation of Cross-Beta Supersecondary Structure by Soft-Amyloid Cores: Strategies for Their Prediction and Characterization. Methods Mol Biol 2019. [PMID: 30945222 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9161-7_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Proteins with prion-like behavior are attracting an increasing interest, since accumulating evidences indicate that they play relevant roles both in health and disease. The self-assembly of these proteins into insoluble aggregates is associated with severe neuropathological processes such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, in normal conditions, they are known to accomplish a wide range of functional roles. The conformational duality of prion-like proteins is often encoded in specific protein regions, named prion-like domains (PrLDs). PrLDs are usually long and disordered regions of low complexity. We have shown that PrLDs might contain soft-amyloid cores that contribute significantly to trigger their aggregation, as well as to support their propagation. Further exploration of the role of these sequences in the conformational conversion of prion-like proteins might provide novel insights into the mechanism of action and regulation of these polypeptides, enabling the future development of therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe a set of methodologies aimed to identify and characterize these short amyloid stretches in a protein or proteome of interest, ranging from in silico detection to in vitro and in vivo evaluation and validation.
Collapse
|
45
|
Al-Shabib NA, Khan JM, Malik A, Sen P, Ramireddy S, Chinnappan S, Alamery SF, Husain FM, Ahmad A, Choudhry H, Khan MI, Shahzad SA. Allura red rapidly induces amyloid-like fibril formation in hen egg white lysozyme at physiological pH. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 127:297-305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
46
|
Javed H, Nagoor Meeran MF, Azimullah S, Adem A, Sadek B, Ojha SK. Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals Targeting α-Synuclein Aggregation in Parkinson's Disease Models. Front Pharmacol 2019; 9:1555. [PMID: 30941047 PMCID: PMC6433754 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic protein that regulates the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles in the brain. α-Syn aggregates, including Lewy bodies, are features of both sporadic and familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). These aggregates undergo several key stages of fibrillation, oligomerization, and aggregation. Therapeutic benefits of drugs decline with disease progression and offer only symptomatic treatment. Novel therapeutic strategies are required which can either prevent or delay the progression of the disease. The link between α-syn and the etiopathogenesis and progression of PD are well-established in the literature. Studies indicate that α-syn is an important therapeutic target and inhibition of α-syn aggregation, oligomerization, and fibrillation are an important disease modification strategy. However, recent studies have shown that plant extracts and phytochemicals have neuroprotective effects on α-syn oligomerization and fibrillation by targeting different key stages of its formation. Although many reviews on the antioxidant-mediated, neuroprotective effect of plant extracts and phytochemicals on PD symptoms have been well-highlighted, the antioxidant mechanisms show limited success for translation to clinical studies. The identification of specific plant extracts and phytochemicals that target α-syn aggregation will provide selective molecules to develop new drugs for PD. The present review provides an overview of plant extracts and phytochemicals that target α-syn in PD and summarizes the observed effects and the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, we provide a synopsis of current experimental models and techniques used to evaluate plant extracts and phytochemicals. Plant extracts and phytochemicals were found to inhibit the aggregation or fibril formation of oligomers. These also appear to direct α-syn oligomer formation into its unstructured form or promote non-toxic pathways and suggested to be valuable drug candidates for PD and related synucleinopathy. Current evidences from in vitro studies require confirmation in the in vivo studies. Further studies are needed to ascertain their potential effects and safety in preclinical studies for pharmaceutical/nutritional development of these phytochemicals or dietary inclusion of the plant extracts in PD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayate Javed
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Fizur Nagoor Meeran
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sheikh Azimullah
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdu Adem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bassem Sadek
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shreesh Kumar Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Zacco E, Graña-Montes R, Martin SR, de Groot NS, Alfano C, Tartaglia GG, Pastore A. RNA as a key factor in driving or preventing self-assembly of the TAR DNA-binding protein 43. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:1671-1688. [PMID: 30742796 PMCID: PMC6461199 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration are incurable motor neuron diseases associated with muscle weakness, paralysis and respiratory failure. Accumulation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) as toxic cytoplasmic inclusions is one of the hallmarks of these pathologies. TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein responsible for regulating RNA transcription, splicing, transport and translation. Aggregated TDP-43 does not retain its physiological function. Here, we exploit the ability of TDP-43 to bind specific RNA sequences to validate our hypothesis that the native partners of a protein can be used to interfere with its ability to self-assemble into aggregates. We propose that binding of TDP-43 to specific RNA can compete with protein aggregation. This study provides a solid proof of concept to the hypothesis that natural interactions can be exploited to increase protein solubility and could be adopted as a more general rational therapeutic strategy. We found that binding of the RRM domains of TDP-43 to specific RNA competes with protein aggregation. This study provides a solid proof of concept to the hypothesis that natural interactions can be exploited to increase protein solubility. The concept could be adopted as a more general rationale for protein-specific drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Zacco
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, SE5 9RT, United Kingdom; The Wohl Institute at King's College London, London, SE5 9RT, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Graña-Montes
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Natalia Sanchez de Groot
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona 08003, Spain; Institutio Catalan de Recerca I Estudis Avancats (ICREA), 23 Passeig Lluıs Companys, 08010 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biology 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, SE5 9RT, United Kingdom; The Wohl Institute at King's College London, London, SE5 9RT, United Kingdom; Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Bhasne K, Mukhopadhyay S. Formation of Heterotypic Amyloids: α-Synuclein in Co-Aggregation. Proteomics 2018; 18:e1800059. [PMID: 30216674 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201800059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding resulting in the formation of ordered amyloid aggregates is associated with a number of devastating human diseases. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) do not autonomously fold up into a unique stable conformation and remain as an ensemble of rapidly fluctuating conformers. Many IDPs are prone to convert into the β-rich amyloid state. One such amyloidogenic IDP is α-synuclein that is involved in Parkinson's disease. Recent studies have indicated that other neuronal proteins, especially IDPs, can co-aggregate with α-synuclein in many pathological ailments. This article describes several such observations highlighting the role of heterotypic protein-protein interactions in the formation of hetero-amyloids. It is believed that the characterizations of molecular cross talks between amyloidogenic proteins as well as the mechanistic studies of heterotypic protein aggregation will allow us to decipher the role of the interacting proteins in amyloid proteomics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karishma Bhasne
- Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India.,Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Samrat Mukhopadhyay
- Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India.,Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Small molecule inhibits α-synuclein aggregation, disrupts amyloid fibrils, and prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018. [PMID: 30249646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804198115/video-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, a process that current therapeutic approaches cannot prevent. In PD, the typical pathological hallmark is the accumulation of intracellular protein inclusions, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein. Here, we exploited a high-throughput screening methodology to identify a small molecule (SynuClean-D) able to inhibit α-synuclein aggregation. SynuClean-D significantly reduces the in vitro aggregation of wild-type α-synuclein and the familiar A30P and H50Q variants in a substoichiometric molar ratio. This compound prevents fibril propagation in protein-misfolding cyclic amplification assays and decreases the number of α-synuclein inclusions in human neuroglioma cells. Computational analysis suggests that SynuClean-D can bind to cavities in mature α-synuclein fibrils and, indeed, it displays a strong fibril disaggregation activity. The treatment with SynuClean-D of two PD Caenorhabditis elegans models, expressing α-synuclein either in muscle or in dopaminergic neurons, significantly reduces the toxicity exerted by α-synuclein. SynuClean-D-treated worms show decreased α-synuclein aggregation in muscle and a concomitant motility recovery. More importantly, this compound is able to rescue dopaminergic neurons from α-synuclein-induced degeneration. Overall, SynuClean-D appears to be a promising molecule for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
|
50
|
Small molecule inhibits α-synuclein aggregation, disrupts amyloid fibrils, and prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:10481-10486. [PMID: 30249646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804198115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, a process that current therapeutic approaches cannot prevent. In PD, the typical pathological hallmark is the accumulation of intracellular protein inclusions, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein. Here, we exploited a high-throughput screening methodology to identify a small molecule (SynuClean-D) able to inhibit α-synuclein aggregation. SynuClean-D significantly reduces the in vitro aggregation of wild-type α-synuclein and the familiar A30P and H50Q variants in a substoichiometric molar ratio. This compound prevents fibril propagation in protein-misfolding cyclic amplification assays and decreases the number of α-synuclein inclusions in human neuroglioma cells. Computational analysis suggests that SynuClean-D can bind to cavities in mature α-synuclein fibrils and, indeed, it displays a strong fibril disaggregation activity. The treatment with SynuClean-D of two PD Caenorhabditis elegans models, expressing α-synuclein either in muscle or in dopaminergic neurons, significantly reduces the toxicity exerted by α-synuclein. SynuClean-D-treated worms show decreased α-synuclein aggregation in muscle and a concomitant motility recovery. More importantly, this compound is able to rescue dopaminergic neurons from α-synuclein-induced degeneration. Overall, SynuClean-D appears to be a promising molecule for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
|