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Yang Y, Zhang Z. α-Synuclein pathology from the body to the brain: so many seeds so close to the central soil. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1463-1472. [PMID: 38051888 PMCID: PMC10883481 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.387967] [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] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT α-Synuclein is a protein that mainly exists in the presynaptic terminals. Abnormal folding and accumulation of α-synuclein are found in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Aggregated and highly phosphorylated α-synuclein constitutes the main component of Lewy bodies in the brain, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. For decades, much attention has been focused on the accumulation of α-synuclein in the brain parenchyma rather than considering Parkinson's disease as a systemic disease. Recent evidence demonstrates that, at least in some patients, the initial α-synuclein pathology originates in the peripheral organs and spreads to the brain. Injection of α-synuclein preformed fibrils into the gastrointestinal tract triggers the gut-to-brain propagation of α-synuclein pathology. However, whether α-synuclein pathology can occur spontaneously in peripheral organs independent of exogenous α-synuclein preformed fibrils or pathological α-synuclein leakage from the central nervous system remains under investigation. In this review, we aimed to summarize the role of peripheral α-synuclein pathology in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. We also discuss the pathways by which α-synuclein pathology spreads from the body to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunying Yang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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2
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Maraldo A, Rnjak-Kovacina J, Marquis C. Tyrosine - a structural glue for hierarchical protein assembly. Trends Biochem Sci 2024:S0968-0004(24)00080-X. [PMID: 38653686 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.03.014] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Protein self-assembly, guided by the interplay of sequence- and environment-dependent liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), constitutes a fundamental process in the assembly of numerous intrinsically disordered proteins. Heuristic examination of these proteins has underscored the role of tyrosine residues, evident in their conservation and pivotal involvement in initiating LLPS and subsequent liquid-solid phase transitions (LSPT). The development of tyrosine-templated constructs, designed to mimic their natural counterparts, emerges as a promising strategy for creating adaptive, self-assembling systems with diverse applications. This review explores the central role of tyrosine in orchestrating protein self-assembly, delving into key interactions and examining its potential in innovative applications, including responsive biomaterials and bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Maraldo
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jelena Rnjak-Kovacina
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Christopher Marquis
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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3
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Saramowicz K, Siwecka N, Galita G, Kucharska-Lusina A, Rozpędek-Kamińska W, Majsterek I. Alpha-Synuclein Contribution to Neuronal and Glial Damage in Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:360. [PMID: 38203531 PMCID: PMC10778752 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010360] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the widespread accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) protein aggregates. αSyn aggregation disrupts critical cellular processes, including synaptic function, mitochondrial integrity, and proteostasis, which culminate in neuronal cell death. Importantly, αSyn pathology extends beyond neurons-it also encompasses spreading throughout the neuronal environment and internalization by microglia and astrocytes. Once internalized, glia can act as neuroprotective scavengers, which limit the spread of αSyn. However, they can also become reactive, thereby contributing to neuroinflammation and the progression of PD. Recent advances in αSyn research have enabled the molecular diagnosis of PD and accelerated the development of targeted therapies. Nevertheless, despite more than two decades of research, the cellular function, aggregation mechanisms, and induction of cellular damage by αSyn remain incompletely understood. Unraveling the interplay between αSyn, neurons, and glia may provide insights into disease initiation and progression, which may bring us closer to exploring new effective therapeutic strategies. Herein, we provide an overview of recent studies emphasizing the multifaceted nature of αSyn and its impact on both neuron and glial cell damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (N.S.); (G.G.); (A.K.-L.); (W.R.-K.)
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4
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Siwecka N, Saramowicz K, Galita G, Rozpędek-Kamińska W, Majsterek I. Inhibition of Protein Aggregation and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress as a Targeted Therapy for α-Synucleinopathy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2051. [PMID: 37631265 PMCID: PMC10459316 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082051] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (α-syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein abundant in the central nervous system. Physiologically, the protein regulates vesicle trafficking and neurotransmitter release in the presynaptic terminals. Pathologies related to misfolding and aggregation of α-syn are referred to as α-synucleinopathies, and they constitute a frequent cause of neurodegeneration. The most common α-synucleinopathy, Parkinson's disease (PD), is caused by abnormal accumulation of α-syn in the dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain. This results in protein overload, activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and, ultimately, neural cell apoptosis and neurodegeneration. To date, the available treatment options for PD are only symptomatic and rely on dopamine replacement therapy or palliative surgery. As the prevalence of PD has skyrocketed in recent years, there is a pending issue for development of new disease-modifying strategies. These include anti-aggregative agents that target α-syn directly (gene therapy, small molecules and immunization), indirectly (modulators of ER stress, oxidative stress and clearance pathways) or combine both actions (natural compounds). Herein, we provide an overview on the characteristic features of the structure and pathogenic mechanisms of α-syn that could be targeted with novel molecular-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (N.S.); (K.S.); (G.G.); (W.R.-K.)
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Zhou Y, Yao Y, Yang Z, Tang Y, Wei G. Naphthoquinone-dopamine hybrids disrupt α-synuclein fibrils by their intramolecular synergistic interactions with fibrils and display a better effect on fibril disruption. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:14471-14483. [PMID: 37190853 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp00340j] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) is an intrinsically disordered protein and its abnormal aggregation into amyloid fibrils is the main hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). The disruption of preformed αSyn fibrils using small molecules is considered as a potential strategy for PD treatment. Recent experiments have reported that naphthoquinone-dopamine hybrids (NQDA), synthesized by naphthoquinone (NQ) and dopamine (DA) molecules, can significantly disrupt αSyn fibrils and cross the blood-brain barrier. To unravel the fibril-disruptive mechanisms at the atomic level, we performed microsecond molecular dynamics simulations of αSyn fibrils in the absence and presence of NQDA, NQ, DA, or NQ+DA molecules. Our simulations showed that NQDA reduces the β-sheet content, disrupts K45-E57 and E46-K80 salt-bridges, weakens the inter-protofibril interaction, and thus destabilizes the αSyn fibril structure. NQDA has the ability to form cation-π and H-bonding interactions with K45/K80, and form π-π stacking interactions with Y39/F94. Those interactions between NQDA and αSyn fibrils play a crucial role in disaggregating αSyn fibrils. Moreover, we found that NQDA has a better fibril destabilization effect than that of NQ, DA, and NQ+DA molecules. This is attributed to the synergistic fibril-binding effect between NQ and DA groups in NQDA molecules. The DA group can form strong π-π stacking interactions with aromatic residues Y39/F94 of the αSyn fibril, while the DA molecule cannot. In addition, NQDA can form stronger cation-π interactions with residues K45/K80 than those of both NQ and DA molecules. Our results provide the molecular mechanism underlying the disaggregation of the αSyn fibril by NQDA and its better performance in fibril disruption than NQ, DA, and NQ+DA molecules, which offers new clues for the screening and development of promising drug candidates to treat PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhou
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yifei Yao
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhongyuan Yang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yiming Tang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
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Peña-díaz S, García-pardo J, Ventura S. Development of Small Molecules Targeting α-Synuclein Aggregation: A Promising Strategy to Treat Parkinson’s Disease. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:839. [PMID: 36986700 PMCID: PMC10059018 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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.
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7
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Guo Q, Kawahata I, Jia W, Wang H, Cheng A, Yabuki Y, Shioda N, Fukunaga K. α-Synuclein decoy peptide protects mice against α-synuclein-induced memory loss. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023; 29:1547-1560. [PMID: 36786129 PMCID: PMC10173724 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS We previously found that a decoy peptide derived from the C-terminal sequence of α-Synuclein (αSyn) prevents cytotoxic αSyn aggregation caused by fatty acid-binding protein 3 (FABP3) in vitro. In this study, we continued to utilize αSyn-derived peptides to further validate their effects on αSyn neurotoxicity and behavioral impairments in αSyn preformed fibrils (PFFs)-injected mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS Mice were injected with αSyn PFFs in the bilateral olfactory bulb (OB) and then were subjected to behavioral analysis at 2-week intervals post-injection. Peptides nasal administration was initiated one week after injection. Changes in phosphorylation of αSyn and neuronal damage in the OB were measured using immunostaining at week 4. The effect of peptides on the interaction between αSyn and FABP3 was examined using co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS αSyn PFF-injected mice showed significant memory loss but no motor function impairment. Long-term nasal treatment with peptides effectively prevented memory impairment. In peptide-treated αSyn PFF-injected mice, the peptides entered the OB smoothly through the nasal cavity and were mainly concentrated in neurons in the mitral cell layer, significantly suppressing the excessive phosphorylation of αSyn and reducing the formation of αSyn-FABP3 oligomers, thereby preventing neuronal death. The addition of peptides also blocked the interaction of αSyn and FABP3 at the recombinant protein level, and its effect was strongest at molar concentrations comparable to those of αSyn and FABP3. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the αSyn decoy peptide represents a novel therapeutic approach for reducing the accumulation of toxic αSyn-FABP3 oligomers in the brain, thereby preventing the progression of synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Guo
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research & Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kawahata
- Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Wenbin Jia
- Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Haoyang Wang
- Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - An Cheng
- Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasushi Yabuki
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Norifumi Shioda
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of CNS Drug Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,BRI Pharma Incorporated, Sendai, Japan
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8
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Pancoe SX, Wang YJ, Shimogawa M, Perez RM, Giannakoulias S, Petersson EJ. Effects of Mutations and Post-Translational Modifications on α-Synuclein In Vitro Aggregation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167859. [PMID: 36270580 PMCID: PMC9922159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar aggregates of the α-synuclein (αS) protein are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Characterization of the effects of mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the αS aggregation rate can provide insight into the mechanism of fibril formation, which remains elusive in spite of intense study. A comprehensive collection (375 examples) of mutant and PTM aggregation rate data measured using the fluorescent probe thioflavin T is presented, as well as a summary of the effects of fluorescent labeling on αS aggregation (20 examples). A curated set of 131 single mutant de novo aggregation experiments are normalized to wild type controls and analyzed in terms of structural data for the monomer and fibrillar forms of αS. These tabulated data serve as a resource to the community to help in interpretation of aggregation experiments and to potentially be used as inputs for computational models of aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha X Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yanxin J Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marie Shimogawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryann M Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sam Giannakoulias
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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9
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Seetaloo N, Zacharopoulou M, Stephens AD, Kaminski Schierle GS, Phillips JJ. Millisecond Hydrogen/Deuterium-Exchange Mass Spectrometry Approach to Correlate Local Structure and Aggregation in α-Synuclein. Anal Chem 2022; 94:16711-16719. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neeleema Seetaloo
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, ExeterEX4 4QD, U.K
| | - Maria Zacharopoulou
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Amberley D. Stephens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Gabriele S. Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CambridgeCB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Jonathan J. Phillips
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, ExeterEX4 4QD, U.K
- Alan Turing Institute, British Library, LondonNW1 2DB, U.K
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10
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Jin M, Matsumoto S, Ayaki T, Yamakado H, Taguchi T, Togawa N, Konno A, Hirai H, Nakajima H, Komai S, Ishida R, Chiba S, Takahashi R, Takao T, Hirotsune S. DOPAnization of tyrosine in α-synuclein by tyrosine hydroxylase leads to the formation of oligomers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6880. [PMID: 36371400 PMCID: PMC9653393 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34555-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the preferential loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we found that TH converts Tyr136 in α-synuclein into dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA; Y136DOPA) through mass spectrometric analysis. Y136DOPA modification was clearly detected by a specific antibody in the dopaminergic neurons of α-synuclein-overexpressing mice as well as human α-synucleinopathies. Furthermore, dopanized α-synuclein tended to form oligomers rather than large fibril aggregates and significantly enhanced neurotoxicity. Our findings suggest that the dopanization of α-synuclein by TH may contribute to oligomer and/or seed formation causing neurodegeneration with the potential to shed light on the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Jin
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585 Japan ,grid.443385.d0000 0004 1798 9548Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541199 China
| | - Sakiko Matsumoto
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585 Japan
| | - Takashi Ayaki
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Hodaka Yamakado
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Taguchi
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Natsuko Togawa
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Ayumu Konno
- grid.256642.10000 0000 9269 4097Department of Neurophysiology & Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511 Japan
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- grid.256642.10000 0000 9269 4097Department of Neurophysiology & Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511 Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakajima
- Division of Molecular Materials Science, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585 Japan
| | - Shoji Komai
- grid.260493.a0000 0000 9227 2257Department of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192 Japan
| | - Ryuichi Ishida
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585 Japan
| | - Syuhei Chiba
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585 Japan
| | - Ryosuke Takahashi
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Toshifumi Takao
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Laboratory of Protein Profiling and Functional Proteomics, Osaka University Institute for Protein Research, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Shinji Hirotsune
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585 Japan
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11
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Jin M, Matsumoto S, Ayaki T, Yamakado H, Taguchi T, Togawa N, Konno A, Hirai H, Nakajima H, Komai S, Ishida R, Chiba S, Takahashi R, Takao T, Hirotsune S. DOPAnization of tyrosine in α-synuclein by tyrosine hydroxylase leads to the formation of oligomers. Nat Commun 2022. [PMID: 36371400 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34555-4.pmid:36371400;pmcid:pmc9653393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the preferential loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we found that TH converts Tyr136 in α-synuclein into dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA; Y136DOPA) through mass spectrometric analysis. Y136DOPA modification was clearly detected by a specific antibody in the dopaminergic neurons of α-synuclein-overexpressing mice as well as human α-synucleinopathies. Furthermore, dopanized α-synuclein tended to form oligomers rather than large fibril aggregates and significantly enhanced neurotoxicity. Our findings suggest that the dopanization of α-synuclein by TH may contribute to oligomer and/or seed formation causing neurodegeneration with the potential to shed light on the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Jin
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, 541199, China
| | - Sakiko Matsumoto
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Takashi Ayaki
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hodaka Yamakado
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Taguchi
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Natsuko Togawa
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ayumu Konno
- Department of Neurophysiology & Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- Department of Neurophysiology & Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakajima
- Division of Molecular Materials Science, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan
| | - Shoji Komai
- Department of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Ishida
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Syuhei Chiba
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Takao
- Laboratory of Protein Profiling and Functional Proteomics, Osaka University Institute for Protein Research, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shinji Hirotsune
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
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12
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Lin Y, Ito D, Yoo JM, Lim MH, Yu W, Kawata Y, Lee YH. Dual Effects of Presynaptic Membrane Mimetics on α-Synuclein Amyloid Aggregation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:707417. [PMID: 35747692 PMCID: PMC9209734 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.707417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of intrinsically disordered α-synuclein (αSN) under various conditions is closely related to synucleinopathies. Although various biological membranes have shown to alter the structure and aggregation propensity of αSN, a thorough understanding of the molecular and mechanical mechanism of amyloidogenesis in membranes remains unanswered. Herein, we examined the structural changes, binding properties, and amyloidogenicity of three variations of αSN mutants under two types of liposomes, 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-Phosphocholine (DOPC) and presynaptic vesicle mimetic (Mimic) membranes. While neutrally charged DOPC membranes elicited marginal changes in the structure and amyloid fibrillation of αSNs, negatively charged Mimic membranes induced dramatic helical folding and biphasic amyloid generation. At low concentration of Mimic membranes, the amyloid fibrillation of αSNs was promoted in a dose-dependent manner. However, further increases in the concentration constrained the fibrillation process. These results suggest the dual effect of Mimic membranes on regulating the amyloidogenesis of αSN, which is rationalized by the amyloidogenic structure of αSN and condensation-dilution of local αSN concentration. Finally, we propose physicochemical properties of αSN and membrane surfaces, and their propensity to drive electrostatic interactions as decisive factors of amyloidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Lin
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, South Korea
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yuxi Lin, ; Young-Ho Lee,
| | - Dai Ito
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Je Min Yoo
- Biographene, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mi Hee Lim
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Wookyung Yu
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
- Core Protein Resources Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Yasushi Kawata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Young-Ho Lee
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, South Korea
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Bio-Analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
- Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
- Research Headquarters, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Yuxi Lin, ; Young-Ho Lee,
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13
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Moretto E, Stuart S, Surana S, Vargas JNS, Schiavo G. The Role of Extracellular Matrix Components in the Spreading of Pathological Protein Aggregates. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:844211. [PMID: 35573838 PMCID: PMC9100790 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.844211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the accumulation of aggregated misfolded proteins. These pathological agents have been suggested to propagate in the brain via mechanisms similar to that observed for the prion protein, where a misfolded variant is transferred from an affected brain region to a healthy one, thereby inducing the misfolding and/or aggregation of correctly folded copies. This process has been characterized for several proteins, such as α-synuclein, tau, amyloid beta (Aβ) and less extensively for huntingtin and TDP-43. α-synuclein, tau, TDP-43 and huntingtin are intracellular proteins, and their aggregates are located in the cytosol or nucleus of neurons. They have been shown to spread between cells and this event occurs, at least partially, via secretion of these protein aggregates in the extracellular space followed by re-uptake. Conversely, Aβ aggregates are found mainly extracellularly, and their spreading occurs in the extracellular space between brain regions. Due to the inherent nature of their spreading modalities, these proteins are exposed to components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), including glycans, proteases and core matrix proteins. These ECM components can interact with or process pathological misfolded proteins, potentially changing their properties and thus regulating their spreading capabilities. Here, we present an overview of the documented roles of ECM components in the spreading of pathological protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases with the objective of identifying the current gaps in knowledge and stimulating further research in the field. This could potentially lead to the identification of druggable targets to slow down the spreading and/or progression of these pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Moretto
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, CNR, Milan, Italy
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Edoardo Moretto,
| | - Skye Stuart
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sunaina Surana
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Norberto S. Vargas
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Giampietro Schiavo,
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14
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Huang S, Mo X, Wang J, Ye X, Yu H, Liu Y. α-Synuclein phase separation and amyloid aggregation are modulated by C-terminal truncations. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:1388-1400. [PMID: 35485974 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) is a key pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to drive amyloid aggregation. How the LLPS of α-Syn is regulated remains largely unknown. Here, we discovered that the C-terminal region modulates α-Syn phase separation through electrostatic interactions. The wild-type (WT) and PD disease-related truncated α-Syn can co-exist in the condensates. The truncated α-Syn could dramatically promote WT α-Syn phase separation. Further studies demonstrated that the truncated α-Syn accelerated WT α-Syn turning to amyloid aggregates by modulation of phase separation. Together, our findings disclose the role of the C-terminal domain in the LLPS of α-Syn and pave the path for understanding the mechanism of truncated α-Syn in PD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xiaoli Mo
- Biology Department, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, 01610, USA
| | - Jieyi Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xinyi Ye
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Haijia Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yinghui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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15
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Ahmed J, Fitch TC, Donnelly CM, Joseph JA, Ball TD, Bassil MM, Son A, Zhang C, Ledreux A, Horowitz S, Qin Y, Paredes D, Kumar S. Foldamers reveal and validate therapeutic targets associated with toxic α-synuclein self-assembly. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2273. [PMID: 35477706 PMCID: PMC9046208 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29724-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no successful prevention or intervention. The pathological hallmark for PD involves the self-assembly of functional Alpha-Synuclein (αS) into non-functional amyloid structures. One of the potential therapeutic interventions against PD is the effective inhibition of αS aggregation. However, the bottleneck towards achieving this goal is the identification of αS domains/sequences that are essential for aggregation. Using a protein mimetic approach, we have identified αS sequences-based targets that are essential for aggregation and will have significant therapeutic implications. An extensive array of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays is utilized to validate αS sequences and their structural characteristics that are essential for aggregation and propagation of PD phenotypes. The study aids in developing significant mechanistic and therapeutic insights into various facets of αS aggregation, which will pave the way for effective treatments for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemil Ahmed
- Molecular and Cellular Biophysics Program, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Tessa C Fitch
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Courtney M Donnelly
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Johnson A Joseph
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Tyler D Ball
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Mikaela M Bassil
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Ahyun Son
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Aurélie Ledreux
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Scott Horowitz
- Molecular and Cellular Biophysics Program, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Yan Qin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Daniel Paredes
- The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Molecular and Cellular Biophysics Program, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA. .,The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA. .,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, USA.
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16
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Abstract
The accumulation of β-sheet-rich α-synuclein (α-Syn) protein in human brain cells is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Moreover, it has been reported that familial PD mutations (A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T) accumulate at an accelerated rate both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, accumulations of various C-terminal α-Syn truncations, such as C-terminal-truncated N103 α-synuclein (N103), were found in an aggregated form in the brain tissue of PD patients. Fluorescent protein-tagged wild-type α-Syn, A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, A53T, and N103 were transfected into HEK293T and SHSY5Y cells, and their diffusion behaviors were investigated with a custom-built fluorescence microscope system. Based on our experimental results, the oligomerization of α-Syn is a time-dependent process in both HEK293T and SHSY5Y cells, and the oligomer state approaches a plateau after 48 h of transfection. The change in the oligomeric state of E46K, H50Q, and G51D exhibited a similar trend to the wild type at a lower concentration but became intense at a higher concentration. A53T and N103 possess smaller diffusion coefficients than wild-type α-synuclein and other family PD mutations, indicating that these two mutants could form higher oligomeric states or stronger interactions in HEK293T and SHSY5Y cells. In contrast, the smallest oligomer and the lowest intracellular interaction among all investigated α-Syn variants were found for A30P. These phenomena indicated the presence of different pathogeneses among familial PD mutants and C-terminal α-Syn truncations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiu-Fang Fan
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung 80424, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung 80424, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung 80424, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Ling Chen
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Zhow Chen
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Wei Huang
- Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung 80424, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Xin Shen
- Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung 80424, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
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17
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Saraiva MA, Florêncio MH. Shear Stress Induces α-Synuclein Aggregation Due to a Less Strained Protein Backbone and Protein Tyrosyl Groups Do Not Intervene in the Aggregation. Applied Sciences 2022; 12:3546. [DOI: 10.3390/app12073546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an increasingly prevalent and currently incurable neurodegenerative disorder. The aggregation of the amyloid disordered protein α-synuclein (Syn) has been implicated in the development of PD. In the literature, it has been suggested that tyrosine residues of Syn play an important role in the interactions established during the fibrillation process. Herein, the prevalence of the referred interactions under shear stress conditions of Nα-acetyl-L-tyrosinamide (NAYA) and of Syn solutions by using membrane centrifugal filters with different cut-off of 200 nm, 100 kDa, 50 kDa and 30 kDa, under centrifugation conditions, were investigated. In order to determine the nature of the interactions involving the protein tyrosine residues the NAYA compound, which mimics the peptide bonds in protein and also possesses a tyrosyl group similar to the tyrosyl groups found in the Syn protein molecular structure, was used. It is expected that for a small molecule, such as NAYA, no molecular association occurs, contrary to what exists in the Syn protein solutions, which can more adequately retrieve the type of interactions formed, involving the tyrosyl group. Therefore, sensing the tyrosyl group absorption, spectroscopic techniques, in particular, were used. For NAYA, an intramolecular interaction between the tyrosyl group and the peptide bond was evidenced. For NAYA and Syn, it was observed that decreasing the membrane centrifugal filters pore size, under centrifugation conditions, was concomitant with the minimization of the intramolecular interactions between the tyrosyl group and the peptide bond. With this, it is likely to assume that shear stress conditions in the Syn solutions propel protein aggregation by a less strained protein backbone. Contrary to the centrifugation of NAYA solutions, centrifuging Syn solutions revealed molecular association and a progressive exposure of protein tyrosyl groups to water. Thus, we can also infer that shear stress conditions in the Syn solutions cause the protein tyrosyl groups to not intervene in the protein aggregation.
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18
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Farzadfard A, Pedersen JN, Meisl G, Somavarapu AK, Alam P, Goksøyr L, Nielsen MA, Sander AF, Knowles TPJ, Pedersen JS, Otzen DE. The C-terminal tail of α-synuclein protects against aggregate replication but is critical for oligomerization. Commun Biol 2022; 5:123. [PMID: 35145226 PMCID: PMC8831632 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03059-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the 140-residue protein α-synuclein (αSN) is a key factor in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease. Although the intensely anionic C-terminal domain (CTD) of αSN does not form part of the amyloid core region or affect membrane binding ability, truncation or reduction of charges in the CTD promotes fibrillation through as yet unknown mechanisms. Here, we study stepwise truncated CTDs and identify a threshold region around residue 121; constructs shorter than this dramatically increase their fibrillation tendency. Remarkably, these effects persist even when as little as 10% of the truncated variant is mixed with the full-length protein. Increased fibrillation can be explained by a substantial increase in self-replication, most likely via fragmentation. Paradoxically, truncation also suppresses toxic oligomer formation, and oligomers that can be formed by chemical modification show reduced membrane affinity and cytotoxicity. These remarkable changes correlate to the loss of negative electrostatic potential in the CTD and highlight a double-edged electrostatic safety guard. Farzadfard et al. present a comprehensive analysis of a range of C-terminal truncations of aSN, linking the importance of high C-terminus charge for decreased fibrillation rates. The ability to formation oligomers, to disrupt synthetic vesicles and cell toxicity was reduced with truncated aSN, aiding in understanding of the intramolecular interactions of aSN which promote/inhibit aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azad Farzadfard
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.,School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jannik Nedergaard Pedersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Arun Kumar Somavarapu
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Parvez Alam
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Louise Goksøyr
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Morten Agertoug Nielsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Adam Frederik Sander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.,Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Jan Skov Pedersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. .,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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19
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Robustelli P, Ibanez-de-Opakua A, Campbell-Bezat C, Giordanetto F, Becker S, Zweckstetter M, Pan AC, Shaw DE. Molecular Basis of Small-Molecule Binding to α-Synuclein. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:2501-2510. [PMID: 35130691 PMCID: PMC8855421 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c07591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Intrinsically disordered
proteins (IDPs) are implicated in many
human diseases. They have generally not been amenable to conventional
structure-based drug design, however, because their intrinsic conformational
variability has precluded an atomic-level understanding of their binding
to small molecules. Here we present long-time-scale, atomic-level
molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of monomeric α-synuclein
(an IDP whose aggregation is associated with Parkinson’s disease)
binding the small-molecule drug fasudil in which the observed protein–ligand
interactions were found to be in good agreement with previously reported
NMR chemical shift data. In our simulations, fasudil, when bound,
favored certain charge–charge and π-stacking interactions
near the C terminus of α-synuclein but tended not to form these
interactions simultaneously, rather breaking one of these interactions
and forming another nearby (a mechanism we term dynamic shuttling). Further simulations with small molecules chosen to modify these
interactions yielded binding affinities and key structural features
of binding consistent with subsequent NMR experiments, suggesting
the potential for MD-based strategies to facilitate the rational design
of small molecules that bind with disordered proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Robustelli
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, New York 10036, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | | | | | | | - Stefan Becker
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Albert C Pan
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - David E Shaw
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, New York 10036, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States
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20
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Franco A, Cuéllar J, Fernández-Higuero JÁ, de la Arada I, Orozco N, Valpuesta JM, Prado A, Muga A. Truncation-Driven Lateral Association of α-Synuclein Hinders Amyloid Clearance by the Hsp70-Based Disaggregase. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312983. [PMID: 34884786 PMCID: PMC8657883 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of α-synuclein is the hallmark of a collective of neurodegenerative disorders known as synucleinopathies. The tendency to aggregate of this protein, the toxicity of its aggregation intermediates and the ability of the cellular protein quality control system to clear these intermediates seems to be regulated, among other factors, by post-translational modifications (PTMs). Among these modifications, we consider herein proteolysis at both the N- and C-terminal regions of α-synuclein as a factor that could modulate disassembly of toxic amyloids by the human disaggregase, a combination of the chaperones Hsc70, DnaJB1 and Apg2. We find that, in contrast to aggregates of the protein lacking the N-terminus, which can be solubilized as efficiently as those of the WT protein, the deletion of the C-terminal domain, either in a recombinant context or as a consequence of calpain treatment, impaired Hsc70-mediated amyloid disassembly. Progressive removal of the negative charges at the C-terminal region induces lateral association of fibrils and type B* oligomers, precluding chaperone action. We propose that truncation-driven aggregate clumping impairs the mechanical action of chaperones, which includes fast protofilament unzipping coupled to depolymerization. Inhibition of the chaperone-mediated clearance of C-truncated species could explain their exacerbated toxicity and higher propensity to deposit found in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Franco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain; (A.F.); (J.Á.F.-H.); (A.P.)
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
| | - Jorge Cuéllar
- Department of Macromolecular Structure, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (J.C.); (J.M.V.)
| | - José Ángel Fernández-Higuero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain; (A.F.); (J.Á.F.-H.); (A.P.)
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
| | - Igor de la Arada
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
| | - Natalia Orozco
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
- Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia/Biofisika Bizkaia Fundazioa (FBB), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - José M. Valpuesta
- Department of Macromolecular Structure, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (J.C.); (J.M.V.)
| | - Adelina Prado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain; (A.F.); (J.Á.F.-H.); (A.P.)
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
| | - Arturo Muga
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain; (A.F.); (J.Á.F.-H.); (A.P.)
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (I.d.l.A.); (N.O.)
- Correspondence:
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21
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Saffari B, Amininasab M. Crocin Inhibits the Fibrillation of Human α-synuclein and Disassembles Mature Fibrils: Experimental Findings and Mechanistic Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4037-4057. [PMID: 34636232 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of human alpha-synuclein (hαS) is pivotally implicated in the development of most types of synucleinopathies. Molecules that can inhibit or reverse the aggregation process of amyloidogenic proteins have potential therapeutic value. The anti-aggregating activity of multiple carotenoid compounds has been reported over the past decades against a growing list of amyloidogenic polypeptides. Here, we aimed to determine whether crocin, the main carotenoid glycoside component of saffron, would inhibit hαS aggregation or could disassemble its preformed fibrils. By employing a series of biochemical and biophysical techniques, crocin was exhibited to inhibit hαS fibrillation in a dose-dependent fashion by stabilizing very early aggregation intermediates in off-pathway non-toxic conformations with little β-sheet content. We also observed that crocin at high concentrations could efficiently destabilize mature fibrils and disassemble them into seeding-incompetent intermediates by altering their β-sheet conformation and reshaping their structure. Our atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that crocin molecules bind to both the non amyloid-β component (NAC) region and C-terminal domain of hαS. These interactions could thereby stabilize the autoinhibitory conformation of the protein and prevent it from adopting aggregation-prone structures. MD simulations further suggested that ligand molecules prefer to reside longitudinally along the fibril axis onto the edges of the inter-protofilament interface where they establish hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds with steric zipper stabilizing residues. These interactions turned out to destabilize hαS fibrils by altering the interstrand twist angles, increasing the rigidity of the fibril core, and elevating its radius of gyration. Our findings suggest the potential pharmaceutical implication of crocin in synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Saffari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 14155-6455, Iran
| | - Mehriar Amininasab
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 14155-6455, Iran
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22
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Haque ME, Akther M, Azam S, Kim IS, Lin Y, Lee YH, Choi DK. Targeting α-synuclein aggregation and its role in mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:23-45. [PMID: 34528272 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lewy bodies that contain aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn) in the dopaminergic (DA) neuron are the main culprit behind neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Besides, mitochondrial dysfunction has a well established and prominent role in the pathogenesis of PD. However, the exact mechanism by which α-syn causes dopaminergic neuronal loss was unclear. Recent evidence suggests that aggregated α-syn localises in the mitochondria and contributes to oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in neurons. Therefore, the involvement of aggregated α-syn in mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated neuronal loss has made it an emerging drug target for the treatment of PD. However, the exact mechanism by which α-syn permeabilises through the mitochondrial membrane and affects the electron transport chain remains under investigation. In the present study, we describe mitochondria-α-syn interactions and how α-syn aggregation modulates mitochondrial homeostasis in PD pathogenesis. We also discuss recent therapeutic interventions targeting α-syn aggregation that may help researchers to design novel therapeutic treatments for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ezazul Haque
- Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mahbuba Akther
- Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea
| | - Shofiul Azam
- Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Su Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Research Institute of Inflammatory Disease (RID), Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuxi Lin
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung Buk, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ho Lee
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung Buk, Republic of Korea.,Department of Bio-analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Research Headquarters, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Kug Choi
- Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biotechnology, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Research Institute of Inflammatory Disease (RID), Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea
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23
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Fukui N, Yamamoto H, Miyabe M, Aoyama Y, Hongo K, Mizobata T, Kawahata I, Yabuki Y, Shinoda Y, Fukunaga K, Kawata Y. An α-synuclein decoy peptide prevents cytotoxic α-synuclein aggregation caused by fatty acid binding protein 3. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100663. [PMID: 33862084 PMCID: PMC8131325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (αSyn) is a protein known to form intracellular aggregates during the manifestation of Parkinson’s disease. Previously, it was shown that αSyn aggregation was strongly suppressed in the midbrain region of mice that did not possess the gene encoding the lipid transport protein fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3). An interaction between these two proteins was detected in vitro, suggesting that FABP3 may play a role in the aggregation and deposition of αSyn in neurons. To characterize the molecular mechanisms that underlie the interactions between FABP3 and αSyn that modulate the cellular accumulation of the latter, in this report, we used in vitro fluorescence assays combined with fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance assays to characterize in detail the process and consequences of FABP3–αSyn interaction. We demonstrated that binding of FABP3 to αSyn results in changes in the aggregation mechanism of the latter; specifically, a suppression of fibrillar forms of αSyn and also the production of aggregates with an enhanced cytotoxicity toward mice neuro2A cells. Because this interaction involved the C-terminal sequence region of αSyn, we tested a peptide derived from this region of αSyn (αSynP130-140) as a decoy to prevent the FABP3–αSyn interaction. We observed that the peptide competitively inhibited binding of αSyn to FABP3 in vitro and in cultured cells. We propose that administration of αSynP130-140 might be used to prevent the accumulation of toxic FABP3-αSyn oligomers in cells, thereby preventing the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Fukui
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Hanae Yamamoto
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Moe Miyabe
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Yuki Aoyama
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Kunihiro Hongo
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Mizobata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kawahata
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasushi Yabuki
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuharu Shinoda
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kawata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan.
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24
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Bhak G, Méndez-Ardoy A, Escobedo A, Salvatella X, Montenegro J. An Adhesive Peptide from the C-Terminal Domain of α-Synuclein for Single-Layer Adsorption of Nanoparticles onto Substrates. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:2759-2766. [PMID: 33170662 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The two-dimensional (2D) homogeneous assembly of nanoparticle monolayer arrays onto a broad range of substrates constitutes an important challenge for chemistry, nanotechnology, and material science. α-Synuclein (αS) is an intrinsically disordered protein associated with neuronal protein complexes and has a high degree of structural plasticity and chaperone activity. The C-terminal domain of αS has been linked to the noncovalent interactions of this protein with biological targets and the activity of αS in presynaptic connections. Herein, we have systematically studied peptide fragments of the chaperone-active C-terminal sequence of αS and identified a 17-residue peptide that preserves the versatile binding nature of αS. Attachment of this short peptide to gold nanoparticles afforded colloidally stable nanoparticle suspensions that allowed the homogeneous 2D adhesion of the conjugates onto a wide variety of surfaces, including the formation of crystalline nanoparticle superlattices. The peptide sequence and the strategy reported here describe a new adhesive molecule for the controlled monolayer adhesion of metal nanoparticles and sets a stepping-stone toward the potential application of the adhesive properties of αS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghibom Bhak
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alejandro Méndez-Ardoy
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Albert Escobedo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Montenegro
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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25
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Biswas B, Roy S, Mondal JA, Singh PC. Interaction of α‐Synuclein with Phospholipids and the Associated Restructuring of Interfacial Lipid Water: An Interface‐Selective Vibrational Spectroscopic Study. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202011179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Biswas
- School of Chemical Sciences Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences 2A &2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road Jadavpur Kolkata 700032 India
| | - Subhadip Roy
- Radiation & Photochemistry Division Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Homi Bhabha National Institute Trombay Mumbai 400085 India
| | - Jahur Alam Mondal
- Radiation & Photochemistry Division Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Homi Bhabha National Institute Trombay Mumbai 400085 India
| | - Prashant Chandra Singh
- School of Chemical Sciences Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences 2A &2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road Jadavpur Kolkata 700032 India
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26
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Biswas B, Roy S, Mondal JA, Singh PC. Interaction of α-Synuclein with Phospholipids and the Associated Restructuring of Interfacial Lipid Water: An Interface-Selective Vibrational Spectroscopic Study. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:22731-22737. [PMID: 32865870 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202011179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Interaction of α-Synuclein (αS) with biological lipids is crucial for the onset of its fibrillation at the cell membrane/water interface. Probed herein is the interaction of αS with membrane-mimicking lipid monolayer/water interfaces. The results depict that αS interacts negligibly with zwitterionic lipids, but strongly affects the pristine air/water and charged lipid/water interfaces by perturbing the structure and orientation of the interfacial water. The net negative αS (-9 in bulk water; pH 7.4) reorients the water as hydrogen-up (H-up) at the air/water interface, and electrostatically interacts with positively charged lipids, making the interface nearly net neutral. αS also interacts with negatively charged lipids: the net H-up orientation of the interfacial water decreases at the anionic lipid/water interface, revealing a domain-specific interaction of net negative αS with the negatively charged lipids at the membrane surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Biswas
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, 2A &2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Subhadip Roy
- Radiation & Photochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India
| | - Jahur Alam Mondal
- Radiation & Photochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India
| | - Prashant Chandra Singh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, 2A &2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India
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27
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Bianchi G, Longhi S, Grandori R, Brocca S. Relevance of Electrostatic Charges in Compactness, Aggregation, and Phase Separation of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21. [PMID: 32867340 PMCID: PMC7503639 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The abundance of intrinsic disorder in the protein realm and its role in a variety of physiological and pathological cellular events have strengthened the interest of the scientific community in understanding the structural and dynamical properties of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and regions (IDRs). Attempts at rationalizing the general principles underlying both conformational properties and transitions of IDPs/IDRs must consider the abundance of charged residues (Asp, Glu, Lys, and Arg) that typifies these proteins, rendering them assimilable to polyampholytes or polyelectrolytes. Their conformation strongly depends on both the charge density and distribution along the sequence (i.e., charge decoration) as highlighted by recent experimental and theoretical studies that have introduced novel descriptors. Published experimental data are revisited herein in the frame of this formalism, in a new and possibly unitary perspective. The physicochemical properties most directly affected by charge density and distribution are compaction and solubility, which can be described in a relatively simplified way by tools of polymer physics. Dissecting factors controlling such properties could contribute to better understanding complex biological phenomena, such as fibrillation and phase separation. Furthermore, this knowledge is expected to have enormous practical implications for the design, synthesis, and exploitation of bio-derived materials and the control of natural biological processes.
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28
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Curry AM, Fernàndez RD, Pagani TD, Abeyawardhane DL, Trahan ML, Lucas HR. Mapping of Photochemically-Derived Dityrosine across Fe-Bound N-Acetylated α-Synuclein. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10080124. [PMID: 32726960 PMCID: PMC7459884 DOI: 10.3390/life10080124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurological disease and belongs to a group of neurodegenerative disorders called synucleinopathies in which pathological aggregates of N-terminally acetylated α-synuclein (NAcα-Syn) accumulate in various regions of the brain. In PD, these NAcα-Syn aggregates have been found to contain covalent dityrosine crosslinks, which can occur either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. Cerebral metal imbalance is also a hallmark of PD, warranting investigations into the effects of brain biometals on NAcα-Syn. NAcα-Syn is an intrinsically disordered protein, and metal-mediated conformational modifications of this structurally dynamic protein have been demonstrated to influence its propensity for dityrosine formation. In this study, a library of tyrosine-to-phenylalanine (Y-to-F) NAcα-Syn constructs were designed in order to elucidate the nature and the precise residues involved in dityrosine crosslinking of Fe-bound NAcα-Syn. The structural capacity of each mutant to form dityrosine crosslinks was assessed using Photo-Induced Cross-Linking of Unmodified Proteins (PICUP), demonstrating that coordination of either FeIII or FeII to NAcα-Syn inhibits dityrosine crosslinking among the C-terminal residues. We further demonstrate that Y39 is the main contributor to dityrosine formation of Fe-bound NAcα-Syn, while Y125 is the main residue involved in dityrosine crosslinks in unmetalated NAcα-Syn. Our results confirm that iron coordination has a global effect on NAcα-Syn structure and reactivity.
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29
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Sorrentino ZA, Giasson BI. The emerging role of α-synuclein truncation in aggregation and disease. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:10224-10244. [PMID: 32424039 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.011743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αsyn) is an abundant brain neuronal protein that can misfold and polymerize to form toxic fibrils coalescing into pathologic inclusions in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy. These fibrils may induce further αsyn misfolding and propagation of pathologic fibrils in a prion-like process. It is unclear why αsyn initially misfolds, but a growing body of literature suggests a critical role of partial proteolytic processing resulting in various truncations of the highly charged and flexible carboxyl-terminal region. This review aims to 1) summarize recent evidence that disease-specific proteolytic truncations of αsyn occur in Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy and animal disease models; 2) provide mechanistic insights on how truncation of the amino and carboxyl regions of αsyn may modulate the propensity of αsyn to pathologically misfold; 3) compare experiments evaluating the prion-like properties of truncated forms of αsyn in various models with implications for disease progression; 4) assess uniquely toxic properties imparted to αsyn upon truncation; and 5) discuss pathways through which truncated αsyn forms and therapies targeted to interrupt them. Cumulatively, it is evident that truncation of αsyn, particularly carboxyl truncation that can be augmented by dysfunctional proteostasis, dramatically potentiates the propensity of αsyn to pathologically misfold into uniquely toxic fibrils with modulated prion-like seeding activity. Therapeutic strategies and experimental paradigms should operate under the assumption that truncation of αsyn is likely occurring in both initial and progressive disease stages, and preventing truncation may be an effective preventative strategy against pathologic inclusion formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A Sorrentino
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA .,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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30
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Doherty CPA, Ulamec SM, Maya-Martinez R, Good SC, Makepeace J, Khan GN, van Oosten-Hawle P, Radford SE, Brockwell DJ. A short motif in the N-terminal region of α-synuclein is critical for both aggregation and function. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:249-259. [PMID: 32157247 PMCID: PMC7100612 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0384-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of human α-synuclein (αSyn) is linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology. The central region of the αSyn sequence contains the non-amyloid β-component (NAC) crucial for aggregation. However, how NAC flanking regions modulate αSyn aggregation remains unclear. Using bioinformatics, mutation, and NMR we identify a 7-residue sequence, named P1 (residues 36-42), that controls αSyn aggregation. Deletion or substitution of this ‘master-controller’ prevents aggregation at pH 7.5 in vitro. At lower pH, P1 synergises with a sequence containing the PreNAC region (P2, residues 45-57) to prevent aggregation. Deleting P1 (ΔP1) or both P1 and P2 (ΔΔ) also prevents age-dependent αSyn aggregation and toxicity in C. elegans models and prevents αSyn-mediated vesicle fusion by altering the conformational properties of the protein when lipid-bound. The results highlight the importance of a master-controller sequence motif that controls both αSyn aggregation and function- a region that could be targeted to prevent aggregation in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran P A Doherty
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine M Ulamec
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Maya-Martinez
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah C Good
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Jemma Makepeace
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - G Nasir Khan
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Patricija van Oosten-Hawle
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
| | - David J Brockwell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
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31
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
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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.
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32
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Afitska K, Priss A, Yushchenko DA, Shvadchak VV. Structural Optimization of Inhibitors of α-Synuclein Fibril Growth: Affinity to the Fibril End as a Crucial Factor. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:967-977. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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33
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Stephens AD, Zacharopoulou M, Kaminski Schierle GS. The Cellular Environment Affects Monomeric α-Synuclein Structure. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 44:453-66. [PMID: 30527975 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The presynaptic protein α-synuclein (aSyn) is an 'intrinsically disordered protein' that is highly dynamic in conformation. Transient intramolecular interactions between its charged N and C termini, and between its hydrophobic region and the C terminus, prevent self-association. These interactions inhibit the formation of insoluble inclusions, which are the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease and many other synucleinopathies. This review discusses how these intramolecular interactions are influenced by the specific environment aSyn is in. We discuss how charge, pH, calcium, and salt affect the physiological structure of monomeric aSyn, and how they may favour the formation of toxic structures. The more we understand the dynamic conformations of aSyn, the better we can design desperately needed therapeutics to prevent disease progression.
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Ma L, Yang C, Zhang X, Li Y, Wang S, Zheng L, Huang K. C-terminal truncation exacerbates the aggregation and cytotoxicity of α-Synuclein: A vicious cycle in Parkinson's disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018; 1864:3714-3725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Sorrentino ZA, Vijayaraghavan N, Gorion KM, Riffe CJ, Strang KH, Caldwell J, Giasson BI. Physiological C-terminal truncation of α-synuclein potentiates the prion-like formation of pathological inclusions. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:18914-18932. [PMID: 30327435 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αsyn) aggregates into toxic fibrils in multiple neurodegenerative diseases where these fibrils form characteristic pathological inclusions such as Lewy bodies (LBs). The mechanisms initiating αsyn aggregation into fibrils are unclear, but ubiquitous post-translational modifications of αsyn present in LBs may play a role. Specific C-terminally (C)-truncated forms of αsyn are present within human pathological inclusions and form under physiological conditions likely in lysosome-associated pathways, but the roles for these C-truncated forms of αsyn in inclusion formation and disease are not well understood. Herein, we characterized the in vitro aggregation properties, amyloid fibril structures, and ability to induce full-length (FL) αsyn aggregation through prion-like mechanisms for eight of the most common physiological C-truncated forms of αsyn (1-115, 1-119, 1-122, 1-124, 1-125, 1-129, 1-133, and 1-135). In vitro, C-truncated αsyn aggregated more readily than FL αsyn and formed fibrils with unique morphologies. The presence of C-truncated αsyn potentiated aggregation of FL αsyn in vitro through co-polymerization. Specific C-truncated forms of αsyn in cells also exacerbated seeded aggregation of αsyn. Furthermore, in primary neuronal cultures, co-polymers of C-truncated and FL αsyn were potent prion-like seeds, but polymers composed solely of the C-truncated protein were not. These experiments indicated that specific physiological C-truncated forms of αsyn have distinct aggregation properties, including the ability to modulate the prion-like aggregation and seeding activity of FL αsyn. Proteolytic formation of these C-truncated species may have an important role in both the initiation of αsyn pathological inclusions and further progression of disease with strain-like properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A Sorrentino
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Niran Vijayaraghavan
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Kimberly-Marie Gorion
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Cara J Riffe
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Kevin H Strang
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Jason Caldwell
- From the Department of Neuroscience.,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- From the Department of Neuroscience, .,the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and.,the McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
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Rawat A, Langen R, Varkey J. Membranes as modulators of amyloid protein misfolding and target of toxicity. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2018; 1860:1863-1875. [PMID: 29702073 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal protein aggregation is a hallmark of various human diseases. α-Synuclein, a protein implicated in Parkinson's disease, is found in aggregated form within Lewy bodies that are characteristically observed in the brains of PD patients. Similarly, deposits of aggregated human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) are found in the pancreatic islets in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Significant number of studies have focused on how monomeric, disaggregated proteins transition into various amyloid structures leading to identification of a vast number of aggregation promoting molecules and processes over the years. Inasmuch as these factors likely enhance the formation of toxic, misfolded species, they might act as risk factors in disease. Cellular membranes, and particularly certain lipids, are considered to be among the major players for aggregation of α-synuclein and IAPP, and membranes might also be the target of toxicity. Past studies have utilized an array of biophysical tools, both in vitro and in vivo, to expound the membrane-mediated aggregation. Here, we focus on membrane interaction of α-synuclein and IAPP, and how various kinds of membranes catalyze or modulate the aggregation of these proteins and how, in turn, these proteins disrupt membrane integrity, both in vitro and in vivo. The membrane interaction and subsequent aggregation has been briefly contrasted to aggregation of α-synuclein and IAPP in solution. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Aggregation and Misfolding at the Cell Membrane Interface edited by Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anoop Rawat
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, United States
| | - Ralf Langen
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, United States.
| | - Jobin Varkey
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, United States.
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Coskuner-Weber O, Uversky VN. Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases with Molecular Simulations: Understanding the Roles of Artificial and Pathological Missense Mutations in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Related to Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E336. [PMID: 29364151 PMCID: PMC5855558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β and α-synuclein are intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which are at the center of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease pathologies, respectively. These IDPs are extremely flexible and do not adopt stable structures. Furthermore, both amyloid-β and α-synuclein can form toxic oligomers, amyloid fibrils and other type of aggregates in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Experimentalists face challenges in investigating the structures and thermodynamic properties of these IDPs in their monomeric and oligomeric forms due to the rapid conformational changes, fast aggregation processes and strong solvent effects. Classical molecular dynamics simulations complement experiments and provide structural information at the atomic level with dynamics without facing the same experimental limitations. Artificial missense mutations are employed experimentally and computationally for providing insights into the structure-function relationships of amyloid-β and α-synuclein in relation to the pathologies of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Furthermore, there are several natural genetic variations that play a role in the pathogenesis of familial cases of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which are related to specific genetic defects inherited in dominant or recessive patterns. The present review summarizes the current understanding of monomeric and oligomeric forms of amyloid-β and α-synuclein, as well as the impacts of artificial and pathological missense mutations on the structural ensembles of these IDPs using molecular dynamics simulations. We also emphasize the recent investigations on residual secondary structure formation in dynamic conformational ensembles of amyloid-β and α-synuclein, such as β-structure linked to the oligomerization and fibrillation mechanisms related to the pathologies of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. This information represents an important foundation for the successful and efficient drug design studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orkid Coskuner-Weber
- Türkisch-Deutsche Universität, Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, Molecular Biotechnology, Sahinkaya Caddesi, No. 86, Beykoz, Istanbul 34820, Turkey.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
- Laboratory of New Methods in Biology, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia.
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Terakawa MS, Lee YH, Kinoshita M, Lin Y, Sugiki T, Fukui N, Ikenoue T, Kawata Y, Goto Y. Membrane-induced initial structure of α-synuclein control its amyloidogenesis on model membranes. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2017; 1860:757-766. [PMID: 29273335 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrillation causes serious neurodegenerative diseases and amyloidosis; however, the detailed mechanisms by which the structural states of precursor proteins in a lipid membrane-associated environment contribute to amyloidogenesis still remains to be elucidated. We examined the relationship between structural states of intrinsically-disordered wild-type and mutant α-synuclein (αSN) and amyloidogenesis on two-types of model membranes. Highly-unstructured wild-type αSN (αSNWT) and a C-terminally-truncated mutant lacking negative charges (αSN103) formed amyloid fibrils on both types of membranes, the model membrane mimicking presynaptic vesicles (Mimic membrane) and the model membrane of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC membrane). Unstructured αSNWT and αSN103 both bound to Mimic membranes in a helical conformation with similar binding affinity. Promotion and then inhibition of amyloidogenesis of αSNWT were observed as the concentration of Mimic lipids increased. We explain this by the two-state binding model: at lower lipid concentrations, binding of αSNWT to membranes enhances amyloidogenicity by increasing the local concentration of membrane-bound αSN and so promoting amyloid nucleation; at higher lipid concentrations, membrane-bound αSNWT is actually in a sense diluted by increasing the number of model membranes, which blocks amyloid fibrillation due to an insufficient bound population for productive nucleation. Meanwhile, αSN103 formed amyloid fibrils over the whole concentration of Mimic lipids used here without inhibition, revealing the importance of helical structures for binding affinity and negatively charged unstructured C-terminal region for modulating amyloidogenesis. We propose that membrane binding-induced initial conformations of αSN, its overall charge states, and the population of membrane-bound αSN are key determinants of amyloidogenesis on membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayu S Terakawa
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Young-Ho Lee
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Misaki Kinoshita
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuxi Lin
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Sugiki
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Naoya Fukui
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ikenoue
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kawata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Yuji Goto
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Izumi Y, Kondo N, Takahashi R, Akaike A, Kume T. Reduction of Immunoreactivity Against the C-Terminal Region of the Intracellular α-Synuclein by Exogenous α-Synuclein Aggregates: Possibility of Conformational Changes. J Parkinsons Dis 2017; 6:569-79. [PMID: 27314756 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-160835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The formation of intracellular aggregates containing α-synuclein (α-syn) is a main pathological feature of Parkinson disease. The propagation of α-syn aggregation via cell-to-cell transmission has been implicated in the progression of Parkinson disease. OBJECTIVE Our aim is to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of intracellular aggregation by extracellular α-syn. METHODS We investigated the effects of exogenous α-syn aggregates on intracellular α-syn immunoreactivity in α-syn-overexpressing SH-SY5Y cells using two antibodies to distinct epitopes of α-syn. To obtain α-syn aggregates, α-syn solution was aged with continuous agitation. RESULTS Immunoreactivity against the acidic C-terminal domain of the intracellular α-syn was reduced by exposure to agedα-syn, whereas that against the hydrophobic non-amyloid component region was not changed. The reduction in immunoreactivity was not suppressed by protease inhibitors but was mimicked by neutralization of the negative charges on the C-terminal of the intracellular α-syn induced by spermine or extracellular acidification. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the reduction in immunoreactivity is attributed not to proteolytic cleavage but to a conformational change at the C-terminus of the intracellular α-syn. The conformational change at the C-terminus of the intracellular α-syn might be involved in an initial step of fibril formation by exogenous α-syn aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiko Izumi
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoto Kondo
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akinori Akaike
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Kume
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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Afitska K, Fucikova A, Shvadchak VV, Yushchenko DA. Modification of C Terminus Provides New Insights into the Mechanism of α-Synuclein Aggregation. Biophys J 2017; 113:2182-2191. [PMID: 28939194 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of neuronal protein α-synuclein leads to the formation of amyloid fibrils, which are associated with the development of Parkinson's disease. The mechanism of α-synuclein pathology is not fully understood and is a subject of active research in the field. To tackle this problem, the fusions of fluorescent proteins to α-synuclein C-terminus are often used in cellular and animal studies. The effects induced by such α-synuclein sequence extension on α-synuclein aggregation propensity are, however, not systematically examined despite the evidence that the negatively charged C-terminus plays a critical role in the regulation of α-synuclein aggregation. In this work, we investigated how the charge and length variations of the C-terminus affect the aggregation propensity of α-synuclein. To address these questions, we prepared mutants of α-synuclein carrying additional moieties of different charge and length at the protein C-terminus. We determined the rates of two different aggregation stages (primary nucleation and elongation) based on a thioflavin T kinetic assay. We observed that all mutants bearing neutrally charged moieties of different length fibrilized slower than wild-type α-synuclein. The primary nucleation and elongation rates strongly decreased with increase of the C-terminal extension length. Meanwhile, charge variation of the C-terminus significantly changed the rate of α-synuclein nucleation, but did not markedly affect the rate of fibril elongation. Our data demonstrate that both the charge and length of the C-terminus play an important role at the stage of initial fibril formation, but the stage of fibril elongation is affected mainly by the length of C-terminal extension. In addition, our results suggest that there are at least two steps of incorporation of α-synuclein monomers into the amyloid fibril: namely, the initial monomer binding to the fibril end (charge-dependent, relatively fast), and the subsequent conformational change of the protein (charge-independent, relatively slow, and thus the rate-limiting step).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kseniia Afitska
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Fucikova
- Department of Chemical Physics and Optics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Volodymyr V Shvadchak
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dmytro A Yushchenko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Gaspar R, Meisl G, Buell AK, Young L, Kaminski CF, Knowles TPJ, Sparr E, Linse S. Secondary nucleation of monomers on fibril surface dominates α -synuclein aggregation and provides autocatalytic amyloid amplification. Q Rev Biophys 2017; 50. [DOI: 10.1017/s0033583516000172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AbstractParkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by proteinaceous aggregates named Lewy Bodies and Lewy Neurites containingα-synuclein fibrils. The underlying aggregation mechanism of this protein is dominated by a secondary process at mildly acidic pH, as in endosomes and other organelles. This effect manifests as a strong acceleration of the aggregation in the presence of seeds and a weak dependence of the aggregation rate on monomer concentration. The molecular mechanism underlying this process could be nucleation of monomers on fibril surfaces or fibril fragmentation. Here, we aim to distinguish between these mechanisms. The nature of the secondary processes was investigated using differential sedimentation analysis, trap and seed experiments, quartz crystal microbalance experiments and super-resolution microscopy. The results identify secondary nucleation of monomers on the fibril surface as the dominant secondary process leading to rapid generation of new aggregates, while no significant contribution from fragmentation was found. The newly generated oligomeric species quickly elongate to further serve as templates for secondary nucleation and this may have important implications in the spreading of PD.
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Longhena F, Faustini G, Missale C, Pizzi M, Spano P, Bellucci A. The Contribution of α-Synuclein Spreading to Parkinson's Disease Synaptopathy. Neural Plast 2017; 2017:5012129. [PMID: 28133550 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5012129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptopathies are diseases with synapse defects as shared pathogenic features, encompassing neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). In sporadic PD, the most common age-related neurodegenerative movement disorder, nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficits are responsible for the onset of motor symptoms that have been related to α-synuclein deposition at synaptic sites. Indeed, α-synuclein accumulation can impair synaptic dopamine release and induces the death of nigrostriatal neurons. While in physiological conditions the protein can interact with and modulate synaptic vesicle proteins and membranes, numerous experimental evidences have confirmed that its pathological aggregation can compromise correct neuronal functioning. In addition, recent findings indicate that α-synuclein pathology spreads into the brain and can affect the peripheral autonomic and somatic nervous system. Indeed, monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillary α-synuclein can move from cell to cell and can trigger the aggregation of the endogenous protein in recipient neurons. This novel “prion-like” behavior could further contribute to synaptic failure in PD and other synucleinopathies. This review describes the major findings supporting the occurrence of α-synuclein pathology propagation in PD and discusses how this phenomenon could induce or contribute to synaptic injury and degeneration.
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Ojha B, Fukui N, Hongo K, Mizobata T, Kawata Y. Suppression of amyloid fibrils using the GroEL apical domain. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31041. [PMID: 27488469 PMCID: PMC4973282 DOI: 10.1038/srep31041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In E. coli cells, rescue of non-native proteins and promotion of native state structure is assisted by the chaperonin GroEL. An important key to this activity lies in the structure of the apical domain of GroEL (GroEL-AD) (residue 191–376), which recognizes and binds non-native protein molecules through hydrophobic interactions. In this study, we investigated the effects of GroEL-AD on the aggregation of various client proteins (α-Synuclein, Aβ42, and GroES) that lead to the formation of distinct protein fibrils in vitro. We found that GroEL-AD effectively inhibited the fibril formation of these three proteins when added at concentrations above a critical threshold; the specific ratio differed for each client protein, reflecting the relative affinities. The effect of GroEL-AD in all three cases was to decrease the concentration of aggregate-forming unfolded client protein or its early intermediates in solution, thereby preventing aggregation and fibrillation. Binding affinity assays revealed some differences in the binding mechanisms of GroEL-AD toward each client. Our findings suggest a possible applicability of this minimal functioning derivative of the chaperonins (the “minichaperones”) as protein fibrillation modulators and detectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bimlesh Ojha
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Naoya Fukui
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Kunihiro Hongo
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan.,Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Mizobata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan.,Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kawata
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan.,Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan
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Tatenhorst L, Eckermann K, Dambeck V, Fonseca-Ornelas L, Walle H, Lopes da Fonseca T, Koch JC, Becker S, Tönges L, Bähr M, Outeiro TF, Zweckstetter M, Lingor P. Fasudil attenuates aggregation of α-synuclein in models of Parkinson's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2016; 4:39. [PMID: 27101974 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-016-0310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, yet disease-modifying treatments do not currently exist. Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) was recently described as a novel neuroprotective target in PD. Since alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation is a major hallmark in the pathogenesis of PD, we aimed to evaluate the anti-aggregative potential of pharmacological ROCK inhibition using the isoquinoline derivative Fasudil, a small molecule inhibitor already approved for clinical use in humans. Fasudil treatment significantly reduced α-Syn aggregation in vitro in a H4 cell culture model as well as in a cell-free assay. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis revealed a direct binding of Fasudil to tyrosine residues Y133 and Y136 in the C-terminal region of α-Syn. Importantly, this binding was shown to be biologically relevant using site-directed mutagenesis of these residues in the cell culture model. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of long-term Fasudil treatment on α-Syn pathology in vivo in a transgenic mouse model overexpressing human α-Syn bearing the A53T mutation (α-SynA53T mice). Fasudil treatment improved motor and cognitive functions in α-SynA53T mice as determined by CatwalkTM gait analysis and novel object recognition (NOR), without apparent side effects. Finally, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a significant reduction of α-Syn pathology in the midbrain of α-SynA53T mice after Fasudil treatment. Our results demonstrate that Fasudil, next to its effects mediated by ROCK-inhibition, directly interacts with α-Syn and attenuates α-Syn pathology. This underscores the translational potential of Fasudil as a disease-modifying drug for the treatment of PD and other synucleinopathies.
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Janowska MK, Baum J. The loss of inhibitory C-terminal conformations in disease associated P123H β-synuclein. Protein Sci 2015; 25:286-94. [PMID: 26332674 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
β-synuclein (βS) is a homologue of α-synuclein (αS), the major protein component of Lewy bodies in patients with Parkinson's disease. In contrast to αS, βS does not form fibrils, mitigates αS toxicity in vivo and inhibits αS fibril formation in vitro. Previously a missense mutation of βS, P123H, was identified in patients with Dementia with Lewy Body disease. The single P123H mutation at the C-terminus of βS is able to convert βS from a nontoxic to a toxic protein that is also able to accelerate formation of inclusions when it is in the presence of αS in vivo. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of these processes, we compare the conformational properties of the monomer forms of αS, βS and P123H-βS, and the effects on fibril formation of coincubation of αS with βS, and with P123H-βS. NMR residual dipolar couplings and secondary structure propensities show that the P123H mutation of βS renders it more flexible C-terminal to the mutation site and more αS-like. In vitro Thioflavin T fluorescence experiments show that P123H-βS accelerates αS fibril formation upon coincubation, as opposed to wild type βS that acts as an inhibitor of αS aggregation. When P123H-βS becomes more αS-like it is unable to perform the protective function of βS, which suggests that the extended polyproline II motif of βS in the C-terminus is critical to its nontoxic nature and to inhibition of αS upon coincubation. These studies may provide a basis for understanding which regions to target for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Janowska
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854
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Takahashi R, Ono K, Takamura Y, Mizuguchi M, Ikeda T, Nishijo H, Yamada M. Phenolic compounds prevent the oligomerization of α-synuclein and reduce synaptic toxicity. J Neurochem 2015; 134:943-55. [PMID: 26016728 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lewy bodies, mainly composed of α-synuclein (αS), are pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Epidemiological studies showed that green tea consumption or habitual intake of phenolic compounds reduced Parkinson's disease risk. We previously reported that phenolic compounds inhibited αS fibrillation and destabilized preformed αS fibrils. Cumulative evidence suggests that low-order αS oligomers are neurotoxic and critical species in the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies. To develop disease modifying therapies for α-synucleinopathies, we examined effects of phenolic compounds (myricetin (Myr), curcumin, rosmarinic acid (RA), nordihydroguaiaretic acid, and ferulic acid) on αS oligomerization. Using methods such as photo-induced cross-linking of unmodified proteins, circular dichroism spectroscopy, the electron microscope, and the atomic force microscope, we showed that Myr and RA inhibited αS oligomerization and secondary structure conversion. The nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that Myr directly bound to the N-terminal region of αS, whereas direct binding of RA to monomeric αS was not detected. Electrophysiological assays for long-term potentiation in mouse hippocampal slices revealed that Myr and RA ameliorated αS synaptic toxicity by inhibition of αS oligomerization. These results suggest that Myr and RA prevent the αS aggregation process, reducing the neurotoxicity of αS oligomers. To develop disease modifying therapies for α-synucleinopathies, we examined effects of phenolic compounds on α-synuclein (αS) oligomerization. Phenolic compounds, especially Myricetin (Myr) and Rosmarinic acid (RA), inhibited αS oligomerization and secondary structure conversion. Myr and RA ameliorated αS synaptic toxicity on the experiment of long-term potentiation. Our results suggest that Myr and RA prevent αS aggregation process and reduce the neurotoxicity of αS oligomers. Phenolic compounds are good candidates of disease modifying drugs for α-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoichi Takahashi
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Ono
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yusaku Takamura
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | | | - Tokuhei Ikeda
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Iou Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hisao Nishijo
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Masahito Yamada
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
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Lopes da Fonseca T, Villar-Piqué A, Outeiro TF. The Interplay between Alpha-Synuclein Clearance and Spreading. Biomolecules 2015; 5:435-71. [PMID: 25874605 PMCID: PMC4496680 DOI: 10.3390/biom5020435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Revised: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by movement impairment. Pathologically, the most striking features of PD are the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the presence of intraneuronal protein inclusions primarily composed of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) that are known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in surviving neurons. Though the mechanisms underlying the progression of PD pathology are unclear, accumulating evidence suggests a prion-like spreading of α-syn pathology. The intracellular homeostasis of α-syn requires the proper degradation of the protein by three mechanisms: chaperone-mediated autophagy, macroautophagy and ubiquitin-proteasome. Impairment of these pathways might drive the system towards an alternative clearance mechanism that could involve its release from the cell. This increased release to the extracellular space could be the basis for α-syn propagation to different brain areas and, ultimately, for the spreading of pathology and disease progression. Here, we review the interplay between α-syn degradation pathways and its intercellular spreading. The understanding of this interplay is indispensable for obtaining a better knowledge of the molecular basis of PD and, consequently, for the design of novel avenues for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Lopes da Fonseca
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen 37073, Germany.
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa 1649-028, Portugal.
| | - Anna Villar-Piqué
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen 37073, Germany.
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Restorative Research, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen 37073, Germany.
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa 1649-028, Portugal.
- CEDOC, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa 1150, Portugal.
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Ikenoue T, Lee YH, Kardos J, Saiki M, Yagi H, Kawata Y, Goto Y. Cold denaturation of α-synuclein amyloid fibrils. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014; 53:7799-804. [PMID: 24920162 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201403815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Although amyloid fibrils are associated with numerous pathologies, their conformational stability remains largely unclear. Herein, we probe the thermal stability of various amyloid fibrils. α-Synuclein fibrils cold-denatured to monomers at 0-20 °C and heat-denatured at 60-110 °C. Meanwhile, the fibrils of β2-microglobulin, Alzheimer's Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 peptides, and insulin exhibited only heat denaturation, although they showed a decrease in stability at low temperature. A comparison of structural parameters with positive enthalpy and heat capacity changes which showed opposite signs to protein folding suggested that the burial of charged residues in fibril cores contributed to the cold denaturation of α-synuclein fibrils. We propose that although cold-denaturation is common to both native proteins and misfolded fibrillar states, the main-chain dominated amyloid structures may explain amyloid-specific cold denaturation arising from the unfavorable burial of charged side-chains in fibril cores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Ikenoue
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)
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50
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Chi YC, Armstrong GS, Jones DNM, Eisenmesser EZ, Liu CW. Residue histidine 50 plays a key role in protecting α-synuclein from aggregation at physiological pH. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:15474-81. [PMID: 24742669 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.544049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) aggregation is involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). Recently, substitution of histidine 50 in αSyn with a glutamine, H50Q, was identified as a new familial PD mutant. Here, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies revealed that the H50Q substitution causes an increase of the flexibility of the C-terminal region. This finding provides direct evidence that this PD-causing mutant can mediate long range effects on the sampling of αSyn conformations. In vitro aggregation assays showed that substitution of His-50 with Gln, Asp, or Ala promotes αSyn aggregation, whereas substitution with the positively charged Arg suppresses αSyn aggregation. Histidine carries a partial positive charge at neutral pH, and so our result suggests that positively charged His-50 plays a role in protecting αSyn from aggregation under physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Chih Chi
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and
| | - Geoffrey S Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - David N M Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045 and
| | | | - Chang-Wei Liu
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and
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