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Paul S, Jeništová A, Vosough F, Berntsson E, Mörman C, Jarvet J, Gräslund A, Wärmländer SKTS, Barth A. 13C- and 15N-labeling of amyloid-β and inhibitory peptides to study their interaction via nanoscale infrared spectroscopy. Commun Chem 2023; 6:163. [PMID: 37537303 PMCID: PMC10400569 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-023-00955-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between molecules are fundamental in biology. They occur also between amyloidogenic peptides or proteins that are associated with different amyloid diseases, which makes it important to study the mutual influence of two polypeptides on each other's properties in mixed samples. However, addressing this research question with imaging techniques faces the challenge to distinguish different polypeptides without adding artificial probes for detection. Here, we show that nanoscale infrared spectroscopy in combination with 13C, 15N-labeling solves this problem. We studied aggregated amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and its interaction with an inhibitory peptide (NCAM1-PrP) using scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy. Although having similar secondary structure, labeled and unlabeled peptides could be distinguished by comparing optical phase images taken at wavenumbers characteristic for either the labeled or the unlabeled peptide. NCAM1-PrP seems to be able to associate with or to dissolve existing Aβ fibrils because pure Aβ fibrils were not detected after mixing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Paul
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- attocube systems AG, Haar, Germany
| | - Adéla Jeništová
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Faraz Vosough
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elina Berntsson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Cecilia Mörman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Jüri Jarvet
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Astrid Gräslund
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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2
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Berntsson E, Vosough F, Noormägi A, Padari K, Asplund F, Gielnik M, Paul S, Jarvet J, Tõugu V, Roos PM, Kozak M, Gräslund A, Barth A, Pooga M, Palumaa P, Wärmländer SKTS. Characterization of Uranyl (UO 22+) Ion Binding to Amyloid Beta (Aβ) Peptides: Effects on Aβ Structure and Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:2618-2633. [PMID: 37487115 PMCID: PMC10401651 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Uranium (U) is naturally present in ambient air, water, and soil, and depleted uranium (DU) is released into the environment via industrial and military activities. While the radiological damage from U is rather well understood, less is known about the chemical damage mechanisms, which dominate in DU. Heavy metal exposure is associated with numerous health conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent age-related cause of dementia. The pathological hallmark of AD is the deposition of amyloid plaques, consisting mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregated into amyloid fibrils in the brain. However, the toxic species in AD are likely oligomeric Aβ aggregates. Exposure to heavy metals such as Cd, Hg, Mn, and Pb is known to increase Aβ production, and these metals bind to Aβ peptides and modulate their aggregation. The possible effects of U in AD pathology have been sparsely studied. Here, we use biophysical techniques to study in vitro interactions between Aβ peptides and uranyl ions, UO22+, of DU. We show for the first time that uranyl ions bind to Aβ peptides with affinities in the micromolar range, induce structural changes in Aβ monomers and oligomers, and inhibit Aβ fibrillization. This suggests a possible link between AD and U exposure, which could be further explored by cell, animal, and epidemiological studies. General toxic mechanisms of uranyl ions could be modulation of protein folding, misfolding, and aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Berntsson
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn
University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Faraz Vosough
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andra Noormägi
- Department
of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn
University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kärt Padari
- Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Fanny Asplund
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maciej Gielnik
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus
University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Suman Paul
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jüri Jarvet
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- CellPept
Sweden AB, Kvarngatan
10B, 118 47 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vello Tõugu
- Department
of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn
University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Per M. Roos
- Institute
of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- University
Healthcare Unit of Capio St. Göran Hospital, 112 81 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maciej Kozak
- Department
of Biomedical Physics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-712 Poznań, Poland
- SOLARIS
National Synchrotron Radiation Centre, Jagiellonian
University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
| | - Astrid Gräslund
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- CellPept
Sweden AB, Kvarngatan
10B, 118 47 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margus Pooga
- Institute
of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Peep Palumaa
- Department
of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn
University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Sebastian K. T. S. Wärmländer
- Chemistry
Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm
University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- CellPept
Sweden AB, Kvarngatan
10B, 118 47 Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Król S, Österlund N, Vosough F, Jarvet J, Wärmländer S, Barth A, Ilag LL, Magzoub M, Gräslund A, Mörman C. Erratum: The amyloid-inhibiting NCAM-PrP peptide targets Aβ peptide aggregation in membrane-mimetic environments. iScience 2023; 26:106576. [PMID: 37091237 PMCID: PMC10119786 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102852.].
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4
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Berntsson E, Vosough F, Svantesson T, Pansieri J, Iashchishyn IA, Ostojić L, Dong X, Paul S, Jarvet J, Roos PM, Barth A, Morozova-Roche LA, Gräslund A, Wärmländer SKTS. Residue-specific binding of Ni(II) ions influences the structure and aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3341. [PMID: 36849796 PMCID: PMC9971182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29901-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. AD brains display deposits of insoluble amyloid plaques consisting mainly of aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, and Aβ oligomers are likely a toxic species in AD pathology. AD patients display altered metal homeostasis, and AD plaques show elevated concentrations of metals such as Cu, Fe, and Zn. Yet, the metal chemistry in AD pathology remains unclear. Ni(II) ions are known to interact with Aβ peptides, but the nature and effects of such interactions are unknown. Here, we use numerous biophysical methods-mainly spectroscopy and imaging techniques-to characterize Aβ/Ni(II) interactions in vitro, for different Aβ variants: Aβ(1-40), Aβ(1-40)(H6A, H13A, H14A), Aβ(4-40), and Aβ(1-42). We show for the first time that Ni(II) ions display specific binding to the N-terminal segment of full-length Aβ monomers. Equimolar amounts of Ni(II) ions retard Aβ aggregation and direct it towards non-structured aggregates. The His6, His13, and His14 residues are implicated as binding ligands, and the Ni(II)·Aβ binding affinity is in the low µM range. The redox-active Ni(II) ions induce formation of dityrosine cross-links via redox chemistry, thereby creating covalent Aβ dimers. In aqueous buffer Ni(II) ions promote formation of beta sheet structure in Aβ monomers, while in a membrane-mimicking environment (SDS micelles) coil-coil helix interactions appear to be induced. For SDS-stabilized Aβ oligomers, Ni(II) ions direct the oligomers towards larger sizes and more diverse (heterogeneous) populations. All of these structural rearrangements may be relevant for the Aβ aggregation processes that are involved in AD brain pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Berntsson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Faraz Vosough
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Teodor Svantesson
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonathan Pansieri
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Igor A. Iashchishyn
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lucija Ostojić
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Xiaolin Dong
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Suman Paul
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jüri Jarvet
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.177284.f0000 0004 0410 6208The National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Per M. Roos
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels Väg 13, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden ,Department of Clinical Physiology, Capio St. Göran Hospital, St. Göransplan 1, 112 19 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ludmilla A. Morozova-Roche
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Astrid Gräslund
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian K. T. S. Wärmländer
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Chemistry Section, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Król S, Österlund N, Vosough F, Jarvet J, Wärmländer S, Barth A, Ilag LL, Magzoub M, Gräslund A, Mörman C. The amyloid-inhibiting NCAM-PrP peptide targets Aβ peptide aggregation in membrane-mimetic environments. iScience 2021; 24:102852. [PMID: 34381976 PMCID: PMC8340127 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial research efforts have gone into elucidating the role of protein misfolding and self-assembly in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aggregation of the Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide into insoluble fibrils is closely associated with AD. Here, we use biophysical techniques to study a peptide-based approach to target Aβ amyloid aggregation. A peptide construct, NCAM-PrP, consists of a largely hydrophobic signal sequence linked to a positively charged hexapeptide. The NCAM-PrP peptide inhibits Aβ amyloid formation by forming aggregates which are unavailable for further amyloid aggregation. In a membrane-mimetic environment, Aβ and NCAM-PrP form specific heterooligomeric complexes, which are of lower aggregation states compared to Aβ homooligomers. The Aβ:NCAM-PrP interaction appears to take place on different aggregation states depending on the absence or presence of a membrane-mimicking environment. These insights can be useful for the development of potential future therapeutic strategies targeting Aβ at several aggregation states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Król
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Nicklas Österlund
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Faraz Vosough
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Jüri Jarvet
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Wärmländer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Leopold L. Ilag
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Mazin Magzoub
- Biology Program, Division of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Astrid Gräslund
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Mörman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
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6
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Berntsson E, Paul S, Vosough F, Sholts SB, Jarvet J, Roos PM, Barth A, Gräslund A, Wärmländer S. Lithium ions display weak interaction with amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and have minor effects on their aggregation. Acta Biochim Pol 2021; 68:169-179. [PMID: 33909969 DOI: 10.18388/abp.2020_5493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable disease and the main cause of age-related dementia worldwide, despite decades of research. Treatment of AD with lithium (Li) has showed promising results, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The pathological hallmark of AD brains is deposition of amyloid plaques, consisting mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregated into amyloid fibrils. The plaques contain also metal ions of e.g. Cu, Fe, and Zn, and such ions are known to interact with Aβ peptides and modulate their aggregation and toxicity. The interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ ions have however not been well investigated. Here, we use a range of biophysical techniques to characterize in vitro interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ ions. We show that Li+ ions display weak and non-specific interactions with Aβ peptides, and have minor effects on Aβ aggregation. These results indicate that possible beneficial effects of Li on AD pathology are not likely caused by direct interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Berntsson
- 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden; 2Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
| | - Suman Paul
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Faraz Vosough
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Sabrina B Sholts
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Jüri Jarvet
- 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden; 2The National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Per M Roos
- 1Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 2Department of Clinical Physiology, Capio St. Göran Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Astrid Gräslund
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
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Vosough F, Barth A. Characterization of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Amyloid-β42 Oligomer Preparations with Biochemical Methods and Infrared Spectroscopy Reveals a Correlation between Infrared Spectrum and Oligomer Size. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:473-488. [PMID: 33455165 PMCID: PMC8023574 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
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Soluble oligomers of the amyloid-β(1-42)
(Aβ42) peptide,
widely considered to be among the relevant neurotoxic species involved
in Alzheimer’s disease, were characterized with a combination
of biochemical and biophysical methods. Homogeneous and stable Aβ42
oligomers were prepared by treating monomeric solutions of the peptide
with detergents. The prepared oligomeric solutions were analyzed with
blue native and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,
as well as with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The IR spectra indicated
a well-defined β-sheet structure of the prepared oligomers.
We also found a relationship between the size/molecular weight of
the Aβ42 oligomers and their IR spectra: The position of the
main amide I′ band of the peptide backbone correlated with
oligomer size, with larger oligomers being associated with lower wavenumbers.
This relationship explained the time-dependent band shift observed
in time-resolved IR studies of Aβ42 aggregation in the absence
of detergents, during which the oligomer size increased. In addition,
the bandwidth of the main IR band in the amide I′ region was
found to become narrower with time in our time-resolved aggregation
experiments, indicating a more homogeneous absorption of the β-sheets
of the oligomers after several hours of aggregation. This is predominantly
due to the consumption of smaller oligomers in the aggregation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faraz Vosough
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91, Sweden
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