1
|
Yao W, Yang H, Yang J. Small-molecule drugs development for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1019412. [PMID: 36389082 PMCID: PMC9664938 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1019412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder with no effective therapeutic drugs currently. The complicated pathophysiology of AD is not well understood, although beta-amyloid (Aβ) cascade and hyperphosphorylated tau protein were regarded as the two main causes of AD. Other mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, deficiency of central cholinergic neurotransmitters, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, were also proposed and studied as targets in AD. This review aims to summarize the small-molecule drugs that were developed based on the pathogenesis and gives a deeper understanding of the AD. We hope that it could help scientists find new and better treatments to gradually conquer the problems related to AD in future.
Collapse
|
2
|
Paul R, Bera S, Devi M, Paul S. Inhibition of Aβ 16–22 Peptide Aggregation by Small Molecules and Their Permeation through POPC Lipid Bilayer: Insight from Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:5193-5207. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rabindranath Paul
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam, India 781039
| | - Siddhartha Bera
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam, India 781039
| | - Madhusmita Devi
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam, India 781039
| | - Sandip Paul
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam, India 781039
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Computer Simulations Aimed at Exploring Protein Aggregation and Dissociation. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2340:175-196. [PMID: 35167075 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1546-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregation can lead to well-defined structures that are functional, but is also the cause of the death of neuron cells in many neurodegenerative diseases. The complexity of the molecular events involved in the aggregation kinetics of amyloid proteins and the transient and heterogeneous characters of all oligomers prevent high-resolution structural experiments. As a result, computer simulations have been used to determine the atomic structures of amyloid proteins at different association stages as well as to understand fibril dissociation. In this chapter, we first review the current computer simulation methods used for aggregation with some atomistic and coarse-grained results aimed at better characterizing the early formed oligomers and amyloid fibril formation. Then we present the applications of non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to comprehend the dissociation of protein assemblies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France.
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nguyen PH, Tufféry P, Derreumaux P. Dynamics of Amyloid Formation from Simplified Representation to Atomistic Simulations. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2405:95-113. [PMID: 35298810 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1855-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibril formation is an intrinsic property of short peptides, non-disease proteins, and proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Aggregates of the Aβ and tau proteins, the α-synuclein protein, and the prion protein are observed in the brain of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and prion disease patients, respectively. Due to the transient short-range and long-range interactions of all species and their high aggregation propensities, the conformational ensemble of these devastating proteins, the exception being for the monomeric prion protein, remains elusive by standard structural biology methods in bulk solution and in lipid membranes. To overcome these limitations, an increasing number of simulations using different sampling methods and protein models have been performed. In this chapter, we first review our main contributions to the field of amyloid protein simulations aimed at understanding the early aggregation steps of short linear amyloid peptides, the conformational ensemble of the Aβ40/42 dimers in bulk solution, and the stability of Aβ aggregates in lipid membrane models. Then we focus on our studies on the interactions of amyloid peptides/inhibitors to prevent aggregation, and long amyloid sequences, including new results on a monomeric tau construct.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Hoang Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Tufféry
- Université de Paris, BFA, UMR 8251, CNRS, ERL U1133, Inserm, RPBS, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Paris, France.
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhao H, Huang X, Tong Z. Formaldehyde-Crosslinked Nontoxic Aβ Monomers to Form Toxic Aβ Dimers and Aggregates: Pathogenicity and Therapeutic Perspectives. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:3376-3390. [PMID: 34396700 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of senile plaques in the brain. However, medicines targeting amyloid-beta (Aβ) have not achieved the expected clinical effects. This review focuses on the formation mechanism of the Aβ dimer (the basic unit of oligomers and fibrils) and its tremendous potential as a drug target. Recently, age-associated formaldehyde and Aβ-derived formaldehyde have been found to crosslink the nontoxic Aβ monomer to form the toxic dimers, oligomers and fibrils. Particularly, Aβ-induced formaldehyde accumulation and formaldehyde-promoted Aβ aggregation form a vicious cycle. Subsequently, formaldehyde initiates Aβ toxicity in both the early-and late-onset AD. These facts also explain why AD drugs targeting only Aβ do not have the desired therapeutic effects. Development of the nanoparticle-based medicines targeting both formaldehyde and Aβ dimer is a promising strategy for improving the drug efficacy by penetrating blood-brain barrier and extracellular space into the cortical neurons in AD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zhao
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Xuerong Huang
- Wenzhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital 3, Department of Neurology, Wenzhou, 325200, China
| | - Zhiqian Tong
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Minh Hung H, Nguyen MT, Tran PT, Truong VK, Chapman J, Quynh Anh LH, Derreumaux P, Vu VV, Ngo ST. Impact of the Astaxanthin, Betanin, and EGCG Compounds on Small Oligomers of Amyloid Aβ 40 Peptide. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:1399-1408. [PMID: 32105466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b01074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
There is experimental evidence that the astaxanthin, betanin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) compounds slow down the aggregation kinetics and the toxicity of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. How these inhibitors affect the self-assembly at the atomic level remains elusive. To address this issue, we have performed for each ligand atomistic replica exchange molecular dynamic (REMD) simulations in an explicit solvent of the Aβ11-40 trimer from the U-shape conformation and MD simulations starting from Aβ1-40 dimer and tetramer structures characterized by different intra- and interpeptide conformations. We find that the three ligands have similar binding free energies on small Aβ40 oligomers but very distinct transient binding sites that will affect the aggregation of larger assemblies and fibril elongation of the Aβ40 peptide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huynh Minh Hung
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Minh Tho Nguyen
- Computational Chemistry Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Phuong-Thao Tran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - Vi Khanh Truong
- School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia
| | - James Chapman
- School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia
| | - Le Huu Quynh Anh
- Department of Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.,Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080, CNRS, Université de Paris, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France.,Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Van V Vu
- NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Son Tung Ngo
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.,Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Viswanathan GK, Paul A, Gazit E, Segal D. Naphthoquinone Tryptophan Hybrids: A Promising Small Molecule Scaffold for Mitigating Aggregation of Amyloidogenic Proteins and Peptides. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:242. [PMID: 31750300 PMCID: PMC6843079 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A current challenge faced by researchers is the lack of disease-modifying therapeutics for amyloid formation that is associated with several human diseases. Although the monomeric proteins or peptides involved in various amyloidogenic diseases do not have amino acid sequence homology, there appears to be a structural correlation among the amyloid assemblies, which are responsible for distinct pathological conditions. Here, we review our work on Naphthoquinone Tryptophan (NQTrp) hybrids, a small molecule scaffold that can generically modulate neuronal and non-neuronal amyloid aggregation both in vitro and in vivo. NQTrp reduces the net amyloid load by inhibiting the process of amyloid formation and disassembling the pre-formed fibrils, both in a dose-dependent manner. As a plausible mechanism of action, NQTrp effectively forms hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, such as π-π stacking, with the vital residues responsible for the initial nucleation of protein/peptide aggregation. This review highlights the effectiveness of the NQTrp hybrid scaffold for developing novel small molecule modulators of amyloid aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guru KrishnaKumar Viswanathan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ashim Paul
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Interdisciplinary Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nguyen PH, del Castillo-Frias MP, Berthoumieux O, Faller P, Doig AJ, Derreumaux P. Amyloid-β/Drug Interactions from Computer Simulations and Cell-Based Assays. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:S659-S672. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-179902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H. Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, Paris, France
| | - Maria P. del Castillo-Frias
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Olivia Berthoumieux
- CNRS, LCC (Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination), Toulouse Cedex 4, France et Université de Toulouse, UPS, INPT, Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - Peter Faller
- Biometals and Biology Chemistry, Institut de Chimie (CNRS UMR7177), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Andrew J. Doig
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mechanistic insights into remodeled Tau-derived PHF6 peptide fibrils by Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan hybrids. Sci Rep 2018; 8:71. [PMID: 29311706 PMCID: PMC5758761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18443-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra-cellular tau protein tangles and extra-cellular β-amyloid plaques are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by the conversion of natively unfolded monomeric protein/peptide into misfolded β-sheet rich aggregates. Therefore, inhibiting the aggregation cascade or disassembling the pre-formed aggregates becomes a pivotal event in disease treatment. In the present study, we show that Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan hybrids, i.e., NQTrp and Cl-NQTrp significantly disrupted the pre-formed fibrillar aggregates of Tau-derived PHF6 (VQIVYK) peptide and full-length tau protein in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner as evident from ThS assay, CD spectroscopy, and TEM. Molecular dynamics simulation of PHF6 oligomers and fibrils with the Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan hybrids provides a possible structure-function based mechanism-of-action, highlighting the role of hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond formation during fibril disassembly. These findings signify the effectiveness of NQTrp and Cl-NQTrp in disassembling fibrillar aggregates and may help in designing novel hybrid molecules for AD treatment.
Collapse
|
10
|
Doig AJ, del Castillo-Frias MP, Berthoumieu O, Tarus B, Nasica-Labouze J, Sterpone F, Nguyen PH, Hooper NM, Faller P, Derreumaux P. Why Is Research on Amyloid-β Failing to Give New Drugs for Alzheimer's Disease? ACS Chem Neurosci 2017; 8:1435-1437. [PMID: 28586203 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The two hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) made of aggregates of the hyperphosphorylated tau protein and of amyloid plaques composed of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, primarily Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42. Targeting the production, aggregation, and toxicity of Aβ with small molecule drugs or antibodies is an active area of AD research due to the general acceptance of the amyloid cascade hypothesis, but thus far all drugs targeting Aβ have failed. From a review of the recent literature and our own experience based on in vitro, in silico, and in vivo studies, we present some reasons to explain this repetitive failure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Doig
- Department
of Chemistry and Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M7 1DN, United Kingdom
| | - Maria P. del Castillo-Frias
- Department
of Chemistry and Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M7 1DN, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia Berthoumieu
- Biomaterials
and Biology Chemistry, Institut de Chimie UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue B. Pascal, 67081 Strasbourg, France
- Laboratoire de
Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, 205 route
de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Bogdan Tarus
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jessica Nasica-Labouze
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Phuong H. Nguyen
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nigel M. Hooper
- Division
of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological
Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Faller
- Biomaterials
and Biology Chemistry, Institut de Chimie UMR7177, Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue B. Pascal, 67081 Strasbourg, France
- Laboratoire de
Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, 205 route
de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Proteins behaving badly. Substoichiometric molecular control and amplification of the initiation and nature of amyloid fibril formation: lessons from and for blood clotting. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 123:16-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 08/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
12
|
Liu Z, Zhang A, Sun H, Han Y, Kong L, Wang X. Two decades of new drug discovery and development for Alzheimer's disease. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra26737h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease, associated with a decreased cognitive function and severe behavioral abnormalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhidong Liu
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| | - Aihua Zhang
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| | - Hui Sun
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| | - Ying Han
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| | - Ling Kong
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| | - Xijun Wang
- National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry
- Sino-US Chinmedomics Technology Cooperation Center
- Chinmedomics Research Center of TCM State Administration
- Laboratory of Metabolomics
- Key Pharmacometabolomics Platform of Chinese Medicines
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Frenkel-Pinter M, Tal S, Scherzer-Attali R, Abu-Hussien M, Alyagor I, Eisenbaum T, Gazit E, Segal D. Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan Hybrid Inhibits Aggregation of the Tau-Derived Peptide PHF6 and Reduces Neurotoxicity. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 51:165-78. [PMID: 26836184 DOI: 10.3233/jad-150927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), are a group of disorders characterized neuropathologically by intracellular toxic accumulations of abnormal protein aggregates formed by misfolding of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Since protein self-assembly appears to be an initial key step in the pathology of this group of diseases, intervening in this process can be both a prophylactic measure and a means for modifying the course of the disease for therapeutic purposes. We and others have shown that aromatic small molecules can be effective inhibitors of aggregation of various protein assemblies, by binding to the aromatic core in aggregation-prone motifs and preventing their self-assembly. Specifically, we have designed a series of small aromatic naphthoquinone-tryptophan hybrid molecules as candidate aggregation inhibitors of β -sheet based assembly and demonstrated their efficacy toward inhibiting aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide, another culprit of AD, as well as of various other aggregative proteins involved in other protein misfolding diseases. Here we tested whether a leading naphthoquinone-tryptophan hybrid molecule, namely NQTrp, can be repurposed as an inhibitor of the aggregation of the tau protein in vitro and in vivo. We show that the molecule inhibits the in vitro assembly of PHF6, the aggregation-prone fragment of tau protein, reduces hyperphosphorylated tau deposits and ameliorates tauopathy-related behavioral defect in an established transgenic Drosophila model expressing human tau. We suggest that NQTrp, or optimized versions of it, could act as novel disease modifying drugs for AD and other tauopathies.
Collapse
|
14
|
Orr AA, Wördehoff MM, Hoyer W, Tamamis P. Uncovering the Binding and Specificity of β-Wrapins for Amyloid-β and α-Synuclein. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:12781-12794. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b08485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asuka A. Orr
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3122, United States
| | - Michael M. Wördehoff
- Institut
für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut
für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute
of Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3122, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Frenkel-Pinter M, Tal S, Scherzer-Attali R, Abu-Hussien M, Alyagor I, Eisenbaum T, Gazit E, Segal D. Cl-NQTrp Alleviates Tauopathy Symptoms in a Model Organism through the Inhibition of Tau Aggregation-Engendered Toxicity. NEURODEGENER DIS 2016; 17:73-82. [PMID: 27760426 DOI: 10.1159/000448518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most abundant tauopathy and is characterized by Aβ-derived plaques and tau-derived tangles, resulting from the unfolding of the corresponding monomeric subunits into ordered β-sheet oligomers and fibrils. Intervening in the toxic aggregation process is a promising therapeutic approach, but, to date, a disease-modifying therapy is neither available for AD nor for other tauopathies. Along these lines, we have previously demonstrated that a small naphthoquinone-tryptophan hybrid, termed NQTrp, is an effective modulator of tauopathy in vitro and in vivo. However, NQTrp is difficult to synthesize and is not very stable. Therefore, we tested whether a more stable and easier-to-synthesize modified version of NQTrp, containing a Cl ion, namely Cl-NQTrp, is also an effective inhibitor of tau aggregation in vitro and in vivo. Cl-NQTrp was previously shown to efficiently inhibit the aggregation of various amyloidogenic proteins and peptides. We demonstrate that Cl-NQTrp inhibits the in vitro assembly of PHF6, the aggregation-prone fragment of tau, and alleviates tauopathy symptoms in a transgenic Drosophila model through the inhibition of tau aggregation-engendered toxicity. These results suggest that Cl-NQTrp could be a unique potential therapeutic for AD since it targets aggregation of both Aβ and tau.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moran Frenkel-Pinter
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Interdisciplinary Sagol School of Neurosciences, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chiricotto M, Tran TT, Nguyen PH, Melchionna S, Sterpone F, Derreumaux P. Coarse-grained and All-atom Simulations towards the Early and Late Steps of Amyloid Fibril Formation. Isr J Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201600048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mara Chiricotto
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC; 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75005 Paris France
| | - Thanh Thuy Tran
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC; 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75005 Paris France
| | - Phuong H. Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC; 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75005 Paris France
| | - Simone Melchionna
- Istituto Sistemi Complessi; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; P. le A. Moro 2 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC; 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75005 Paris France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC; 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75005 Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ngo ST, Fang ST, Huang SH, Chou CL, Huy PDQ, Li MS, Chen YC. Anti-arrhythmic Medication Propafenone a Potential Drug for Alzheimer's Disease Inhibiting Aggregation of Aβ: In Silico and in Vitro Studies. J Chem Inf Model 2016; 56:1344-56. [PMID: 27304669 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.6b00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia caused by the formation of Aβ aggregates. So far, no effective medicine for the treatment of AD is available. Many efforts have been made to find effective medicine to cope with AD. Curcumin is a drug candidate for AD, being a potent anti-amyloidogenic compound, but the results of clinical trials for it were either negative or inclusive. In the present study, we took advantages from accumulated knowledge about curcumin and have screened out four compounds that have chemical and structural similarity with curcumin more than 80% from all FDA-approved oral drugs. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulation and the free energy perturbation method we showed that among predicted compounds anti-arrhythmic medication propafenone shows the best anti-amyloidogenic activity. The in vitro experiment further revealed that it can inhibit Aβ aggregation and protect cells against Aβ induced cytotoxicity to almost the same extent as curcumin. Our results suggest that propafenone may be a potent drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Son Tung Ngo
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology , Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences , Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Chao-Liang Chou
- Department of Neurology, Mackay Memorial Hospital , New Taipei City, 252 Taiwan
| | - Pham Dinh Quoc Huy
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology , Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences , Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences , Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Nguyen PH, Sterpone F, Campanera JM, Nasica-Labouze J, Derreumaux P. Impact of the A2V Mutation on the Heterozygous and Homozygous Aβ1-40 Dimer Structures from Atomistic Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:823-32. [PMID: 27007027 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The A2V mutation was reported to protect from Alzheimer's disease in its heterozygous form and cause an early Alzheimer's disease type dementia in its homozygous form. Experiments showed that the aggregation rate follows the order A2V > WT (wild-type) > A2V-WT. To understand the impact of this mutation, we carried out replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of Aβ1-40 WT-A2V and A2V-A2V dimers and compared to the WT dimer. Our atomistic simulations reveal that the mean secondary structure remains constant, but there are substantial differences in the intramolecular and intermolecular conformations upon single and double A2V mutation. Upon single mutation, the intrinsic disorder is reduced, the intermolecular potential energies are reduced, the population of intramolecular three-stranded β-sheets is increased, and the number of all α dimer topologies is decreased. Taken together, these results offer an explanation for the reduced aggregation rate of the Aβ1-40 A2V-WT peptides and the protective effect of A2V in heterozygotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H. Nguyen
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Josep M. Campanera
- Departament
de Fisicoquimica, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jessica Nasica-Labouze
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de
Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, Université Paris
Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IBPC, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Tarus B, Tran TT, Nasica-Labouze J, Sterpone F, Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Structures of the Alzheimer's Wild-Type Aβ1-40 Dimer from Atomistic Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2015; 119:10478-87. [PMID: 26228450 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b05593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We have studied the dimer of amyloid beta peptide Aβ of 40 residues by means of all-atom replica exchange molecular dynamics. The Aβ-dimers have been found to be the smallest toxic species in Alzheimer's disease, but their inherent flexibilities have precluded structural characterization by experimental methods. Though the 24-μs-scale simulation reveals a mean secondary structure of 18% β-strand and 10% α helix, we find transient configurations with an unstructured N-terminus and multiple β-hairpins spanning residues 17-21 and 30-36, but the antiparallel and perpendicular peptide orientations are preferred over the parallel organization. Short-lived conformational states also consist of all α topologies, and one compact peptide with β-sheet structure stabilized by a rather extended peptide with α-helical content. Overall, this first all-atom study provides insights into the equilibrium structure of the Aβ1-40 dimer in aqueous solution, opening a new avenue for a comprehensive understanding of the impact of pathogenic and protective mutations in early-stage Alzheimer's disease on a molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Tarus
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thanh T Tran
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jessica Nasica-Labouze
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Phuong H Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080 CNRS, IBPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|