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Zhang J, Luo WC, Zhang Y, Li X, Jiang M, Huang K, Yu X, Xu L. Red emissive fluorescent carbon dots based on ternary carbon source for imaging α-synuclein fibrils. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 670:576-584. [PMID: 38776692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein monomers usually cause the occurrence and development of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is important to develop effective methods for detection of α-synuclein aggregates. Carbon dots (CDs) could be the potential fluorescence probe for this purpose owing to their appreciated optical properties. However, undefined structure of CDs and complicated three-dimensional structure of protein severely hindered the design of fluorescence probe towards protein aggregates. Herein, a red emissive fluorescent amphiphilic CD, named as CL-9, was designed with a high sensitivity to α-synuclein fibrils by a one-step heating process, using the ternary carbon source, including Congo red, l-tryptophan and urea. The CL-9 exhibited turn-on red emissive fluorescence towards α-synuclein fibril, but remained no change towards its monomer. Compared with the original Congo red dye, CL-9 exhibited stronger turn-on red fluorescence towards α-synuclein fibrils with better anti-photobleaching resistance, biocompatibility and signal-to-noise ratio. The CL-9 was successful as a fluorescent probe to image α-synuclein fibrils in NL-5901 C. elegans. The present study provided a feasible approach using the multiple carbon sources to construct the CDs based fluorescence probe targeting amyloid proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Zhang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wan-Chun Luo
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xi Li
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Xu Yu
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Li Xu
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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2
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Santos TB, de Moraes LGC, Pacheco PAF, dos Santos DG, Ribeiro RMDAC, Moreira CDS, da Rocha DR. Naphthoquinones as a Promising Class of Compounds for Facing the Challenge of Parkinson's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1577. [PMID: 38004442 PMCID: PMC10674926 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease that affects approximately 6.1 million people and is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Naphthoquinones have several biological activities explored in the literature, including neuroprotective effects. Therefore, this review shows an overview of naphthoquinones with neuroprotective effects, such as shikonin, plumbagin and vitamin K, that prevented oxidative stress, in addition to multiple mechanisms. Synthetic naphthoquinones with inhibitory activity on the P2X7 receptor were also found, leading to a neuroprotective effect on Neuro-2a cells. It was found that naphthazarin can act as inhibitors of the MAO-B enzyme. Vitamin K and synthetic naphthoquinones hybrids with tryptophan or dopamine showed inhibition of the aggregation of α-synuclein. Synthetic derivatives of juglone and naphthazarin were able to protect Neuro-2a cells against neurodegenerative effects of neurotoxins. In addition, routes for producing synthetic derivatives were also discussed. With the data presented, 1,4-naphthoquinones can be considered as a promising class in the treatment of PD and this review aims to assist the scientific community in the application of these compounds. The derivatives presented can also support further research that explores their structures as synthetic platforms, in addition to helping to understand the interaction of naphthoquinones with biological targets related to PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Barreto Santos
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
| | - Leonardo Gomes Cavalieri de Moraes
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
| | - Paulo Anastácio Furtado Pacheco
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
| | - Douglas Galdino dos Santos
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
| | - Rafaella Machado de Assis Cabral Ribeiro
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
| | - Caroline dos Santos Moreira
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
- Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Paracambi, Rua Sebastião Lacerda s/n°, Fábrica, Paracambi CEP 26.600-000, RJ, Brazil
| | - David Rodrigues da Rocha
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista s/n°, Niterói CEP 24.020-141, RJ, Brazil; (T.B.S.); (L.G.C.d.M.); (P.A.F.P.); (D.G.d.S.); (R.M.d.A.C.R.); (C.d.S.M.)
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3
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Almeida ZL, Brito RMM. Amyloid Disassembly: What Can We Learn from Chaperones? Biomedicines 2022; 10:3276. [PMID: 36552032 PMCID: PMC9776232 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation and subsequent accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils with cross-β structure is an intrinsic characteristic of amyloid diseases, i.e., amyloidoses. Amyloid formation involves a series of on-pathway and off-pathway protein aggregation events, leading to mature insoluble fibrils that eventually accumulate in multiple tissues. In this cascade of events, soluble oligomeric species are formed, which are among the most cytotoxic molecular entities along the amyloid cascade. The direct or indirect action of these amyloid soluble oligomers and amyloid protofibrils and fibrils in several tissues and organs lead to cell death in some cases and organ disfunction in general. There are dozens of different proteins and peptides causing multiple amyloid pathologies, chief among them Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Amyloid fibril disassembly is among the disease-modifying therapeutic strategies being pursued to overcome amyloid pathologies. The clearance of preformed amyloids and consequently the arresting of the progression of organ deterioration may increase patient survival and quality of life. In this review, we compiled from the literature many examples of chemical and biochemical agents able to disaggregate preformed amyloids, which have been classified as molecular chaperones, chemical chaperones, and pharmacological chaperones. We focused on their mode of action, chemical structure, interactions with the fibrillar structures, morphology and toxicity of the disaggregation products, and the potential use of disaggregation agents as a treatment option in amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rui M. M. Brito
- Chemistry Department and Coimbra Chemistry Centre—Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
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Melatonin Inhibits hIAPP Oligomerization by Preventing β-Sheet and Hydrogen Bond Formation of the Amyloidogenic Region Revealed by Replica-Exchange Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810264. [PMID: 36142176 PMCID: PMC9499688 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is highly related to the abnormal self-assembly of the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) into amyloid aggregates. To inhibit hIAPP aggregation is considered a promising therapeutic strategy for T2D treatment. Melatonin (Mel) was reported to effectively impede the accumulation of hIAPP aggregates and dissolve preformed fibrils. However, the underlying mechanism at the atomic level remains elusive. Here, we performed replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations to investigate the inhibitory effect of Mel on hIAPP oligomerization by using hIAPP20–29 octamer as templates. The conformational ensemble shows that Mel molecules can significantly prevent the β-sheet and backbone hydrogen bond formation of hIAPP20–29 octamer and remodel hIAPP oligomers and transform them into less compact conformations with more disordered contents. The interaction analysis shows that the binding behavior of Mel is dominated by hydrogen bonding with a peptide backbone and strengthened by aromatic stacking and CH–π interactions with peptide sidechains. The strong hIAPP–Mel interaction disrupts the hIAPP20–29 association, which is supposed to inhibit amyloid aggregation and cytotoxicity. We also performed conventional MD simulations to investigate the influence and binding affinity of Mel on the preformed hIAPP1–37 fibrillar octamer. Mel was found to preferentially bind to the amyloidogenic region hIAPP20–29, whereas it has a slight influence on the structural stability of the preformed fibrils. Our findings illustrate a possible pathway by which Mel alleviates diabetes symptoms from the perspective of Mel inhibiting amyloid deposits. This work reveals the inhibitory mechanism of Mel against hIAPP20–29 oligomerization, which provides useful clues for the development of efficient anti-amyloid agents.
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Paul A, Viswanathan GK, Huber A, Arad E, Engel H, Jelinek R, Gazit E, Segal D. Inhibition of tau amyloid formation and disruption of its preformed fibrils by Naphthoquinone-Dopamine hybrid. FEBS J 2021; 288:4267-4290. [PMID: 33523571 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15741] [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: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of tau protein, into pathological amyloids, are hallmarks of a group of neurodegenerative diseases collectively termed tauopathies and their modulation may be therapeutically valuable. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a dopamine-based hybrid molecule, naphthoquinone-dopamine (NQDA). Using thioflavin S assay, CD, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Congo Red birefringence, and large unilamellar vesicle leakage assays, we demonstrated its efficacy in inhibiting the in vitro aggregation of key tau-derived amyloidogenic fragments, PHF6 (VQIVYK) and PHF6* (VQIINK), prime drivers of aggregation of full-length tau in disease pathology. Isothermal titration calorimetry analysis revealed that the interaction between NQDA and PHF6 is spontaneous and has significant binding efficiency driven by both entropic and enthalpic processes. Furthermore, NQDA efficiently disassembled preformed fibrils of PHF6 and PHF6* into nontoxic species. Molecular dynamic simulations supported the in vitro results and provided a plausible mode of binding of NQDA with PHF6 fibril. NQDA was also capable of inhibiting the aggregation of full-length tau protein and disrupting its preformed fibrils in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. In a comparative study, the IC50 value (50% inhibition of fibril formation) of NQDA in inhibiting the aggregation of PHF6 (25 µm) was ~ 17 µm, which is lower than for other bona fide amyloid inhibitors, naphthoquinone-tryptophan, rosmarinic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, ~ 21, ~ 77, or ~ 19 µm, respectively. Comparable superiority of NQDA was observed for inhibition of PHF6*. These findings suggest that NQDA can be a useful scaffold for designing new therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Paul
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Guru KrishnaKumar Viswanathan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Adi Huber
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Elad Arad
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology & Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Hamutal Engel
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology & Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel.,Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Campora M, Francesconi V, Schenone S, Tasso B, Tonelli M. Journey on Naphthoquinone and Anthraquinone Derivatives: New Insights in Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14010033. [PMID: 33466332 PMCID: PMC7824805 DOI: 10.3390/ph14010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment, and functional decline leading to dementia and death. AD imposes neuronal death by the intricate interplay of different neurochemical factors, which continue to inspire the medicinal chemist as molecular targets for the development of new agents for the treatment of AD with diverse mechanisms of action, but also depict a more complex AD scenario. Within the wide variety of reported molecules, this review summarizes and offers a global overview of recent advancements on naphthoquinone (NQ) and anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives whose more relevant chemical features and structure-activity relationship studies will be discussed with a view to providing the perspective for the design of viable drugs for the treatment of AD. In particular, cholinesterases (ChEs), β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins have been identified as key targets of these classes of compounds, where the NQ or AQ scaffold may contribute to the biological effect against AD as main unit or significant substructure. The multitarget directed ligand (MTDL) strategy will be described, as a chance for these molecules to exhibit significant potential on the road to therapeutics for AD.
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Paul A, Huber A, Rand D, Gosselet F, Cooper I, Gazit E, Segal D. Naphthoquinone–Dopamine Hybrids Inhibit α‐Synuclein Aggregation, Disrupt Preformed Fibrils, and Attenuate Aggregate‐Induced Toxicity. Chemistry 2020; 26:16486-16496. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.202003374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Paul
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
| | - Adi Huber
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
| | - Daniel Rand
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Ramat Gan 52621 Israel
| | - Fabien Gosselet
- UR 2465 Blood-brain barrier Laboratory (LBHE) Artois University 62300 Lens France
| | - Itzik Cooper
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Ramat Gan 52621 Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
- Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neuroscience Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
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Paul A, Frenkel-Pinter M, Escobar Alvarez D, Milordini G, Gazit E, Zacco E, Segal D. Tryptophan-galactosylamine conjugates inhibit and disaggregate amyloid fibrils of Aβ42 and hIAPP peptides while reducing their toxicity. Commun Biol 2020; 3:484. [PMID: 32879439 PMCID: PMC7468108 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembly of proteins into amyloid fibrils is a hallmark of various diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Type-2 diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Aggregation of specific peptides, like Aβ42 in AD and hIAPP in T2DM, causes cellular dysfunction resulting in the respective pathology. While these amyloidogenic proteins lack sequence homology, they all contain aromatic amino acids in their hydrophobic core that play a major role in their self-assembly. Targeting these aromatic residues by small molecules may be an attractive approach for inhibiting amyloid aggregation. Here, various biochemical and biophysical techniques revealed that a panel of tryptophan-galactosylamine conjugates significantly inhibit fibril formation of Aβ42 and hIAPP, and disassemble their pre-formed fibrils in a dose-dependent manner. They are also not toxic to mammalian cells and can reduce the cytotoxicity induced by Aβ42 and hIAPP aggregates. These tryptophan-galactosylamine conjugates can therefore serve as a scaffold for the development of therapeutics towards AD and T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Paul
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Moran Frenkel-Pinter
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Daniela Escobar Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Giulia Milordini
- The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, Brixton, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Elsa Zacco
- The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, Brixton, London, SE5 9RT, UK.
- RNA Central Lab, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16152, Genova, Italy.
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
- Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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Palomino-Hernandez O, Buratti FA, Sacco PS, Rossetti G, Carloni P, Fernandez CO. Role of Tyr-39 for the Structural Features of α-Synuclein and for the Interaction with a Strong Modulator of Its Amyloid Assembly. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21145061. [PMID: 32709107 PMCID: PMC7404028 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21145061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that Tyr-39 might play a critical role for both the normal function and the pathological dysfunction of α-synuclein (αS), an intrinsically disordered protein involved in Parkinson’s disease. We perform here a comparative analysis between the structural features of human αS and its Y39A, Y39F, and Y39L variants. By the combined application of site-directed mutagenesis, biophysical techniques, and enhanced sampling molecular simulations, we show that removing aromatic functionality at position 39 of monomeric αS leads to protein variants populating more compact conformations, conserving its disordered nature and secondary structure propensities. Contrasting with the subtle changes induced by mutations on the protein structure, removing aromaticity at position 39 impacts strongly on the interaction of αS with the potent amyloid inhibitor phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (PcTS). Our findings further support the role of Tyr-39 in forming essential inter and intramolecular contacts that might have important repercussions for the function and the dysfunction of αS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Palomino-Hernandez
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9) and Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (O.P.-H.); (G.R.)
- Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences, RWTH Aachen, 52425 Aachen, Germany
- Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Fiamma A. Buratti
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina; (F.A.B.); (P.S.S.)
| | - Pamela S. Sacco
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina; (F.A.B.); (P.S.S.)
| | - Giulia Rossetti
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9) and Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (O.P.-H.); (G.R.)
- Department of Oncology, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Jülich Supercomputing Center (JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9) and Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (O.P.-H.); (G.R.)
- Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences, RWTH Aachen, 52425 Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-11) Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.C.); (C.O.F.); Tel.: +54-341-4237868 (ext. 752) (C.O.F)
| | - Claudio O. Fernandez
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2002LRK Rosario, Argentina; (F.A.B.); (P.S.S.)
- Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.C.); (C.O.F.); Tel.: +54-341-4237868 (ext. 752) (C.O.F)
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10
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Li G, Yang W, Li W, Luo Y, Lim Y, Li Y, Paul A, Segal D, Hong L, Li Y. Rational Design of a Cocktail of Inhibitors against Aβ Aggregation. Chemistry 2020; 26:3499-3503. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201905621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gao Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education)Department of ChemistryTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
- Institute of OceanographyMinjiang University 350108 Fuzhou P. R. China
| | - Wu‐Yue Yang
- Zhou Pei-Yuan Center for Applied MathematicsTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
| | - Wen‐Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education)Department of ChemistryTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
| | - Yun‐Yi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education)Department of ChemistryTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
| | - Yeh‐Jun Lim
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education)Department of ChemistryTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
| | - Yang Li
- Institute for Science and TechnologyShandong University of, Traditional Chinese Medicine 250355 Jinan P. R. China
| | - Ashim Paul
- School of Molecular Microbiology & BiotechnologyTel Aviv University 69978 Tel Aviv Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- School of Molecular Microbiology & BiotechnologyTel Aviv University 69978 Tel Aviv Israel
- Sagol Interdisciplinary School of NeurosciencesTel Aviv University 69978 Tel Aviv Israel
| | - Liu Hong
- Zhou Pei-Yuan Center for Applied MathematicsTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
| | - Yan‐Mei Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education)Department of ChemistryTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders 100069 Beijing P. R. China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua University 100084 Beijing P. R. China
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11
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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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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.
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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
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12
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González N, Gentile I, Garro HA, Delgado-Ocaña S, Ramunno CF, Buratti FA, Griesinger C, Fernández CO. Metal coordination and peripheral substitution modulate the activity of cyclic tetrapyrroles on αS aggregation: a structural and cell-based study. J Biol Inorg Chem 2019; 24:1269-1278. [PMID: 31486955 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-019-01711-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of aggregation inhibitors and the elucidation of their mechanism of action are key in the quest to mitigate the toxic consequences of amyloid formation. We have previously characterized the antiamyloidogenic mechanism of action of sodium phtalocyanine tetrasulfonate ([Na4(H2PcTS)]) on α-Synuclein (αS), demonstrating that specific aromatic interactions are fundamental for the inhibition of amyloid assembly. Here we studied the influence that metal preferential affinity and peripheral substituents may have on the activity of tetrapyrrolic compounds on αS aggregation. For the first time, our laboratory has extended the studies in the field of the bioinorganic chemistry and biophysics to cellular biology, using a well-established cell-based model to study αS aggregation. The interaction scenario described in our work revealed that both N- and C-terminal regions of αS represent binding interfaces for the studied compounds, a behavior that is mainly driven by the presence of negatively or positively charged substituents located at the periphery of the macrocycle. Binding modes of the tetrapyrrole ligands to αS are determined by the planarity and hydrophobicity of the aromatic ring system in the tetrapyrrolic molecule and/or the preferential affinity of the metal ion conjugated at the center of the macrocyclic ring. The different capability of phthalocyanines and meso-tetra (N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphine tetrachloride ([H2PrTPCl4]) to modulate αS aggregation in vitro was reproduced in cell-based models of αS aggregation, demonstrating unequivocally that the modulation exerted by these compounds on amyloid assembly is a direct consequence of their interaction with the target protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazareno González
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Iñaki Gentile
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Hugo A Garro
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina.,Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Chacabuco y Pedernera, CP 5700, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Susana Delgado-Ocaña
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla F Ramunno
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Fiamma A Buratti
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudio O Fernández
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina. .,Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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13
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Paul A, Viswanathan GK, Mahapatra S, Balboni G, Pacifico S, Gazit E, Segal D. Antagonistic Activity of Naphthoquinone-Based Hybrids toward Amyloids Associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Type-2 Diabetes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3510-3520. [PMID: 31282646 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and amyloid formation are associated with various human diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Type-2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM). No disease-modifying therapeutics are available for them. Despite the lack of sequence homology between the corresponding proteins, aromatic residues are recognized as common key motifs in the formation and stabilization of amyloid structures via π-π stacking. Thus, targeting aromatic recognition interfaces could be a useful approach for inhibiting amyloid formation as well as disrupting the preformed amyloid fibrils. Combining experimental and computational approaches, we demonstrated the anti-amyloidogenic effect of naphthoquinone-tryptophan-based hybrid molecules toward PHF6 (τ-derived aggregative peptide), Amyloid β (Aβ42), and human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) implicated in AD and T2DM, respectively. These hybrid molecules significantly inhibited the aggregation and disrupted their preformed fibrillar aggregates in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner as evident from Thioflavin T/S binding assay, CD spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. Dye leakage assay from LUVs and cell-based experiments indicated that the hybrid molecules inhibit membrane disruption and cytotoxicity induced by these amyloids. Furthermore, in silico studies provided probable mechanistic insights into the interaction of these molecules with the amyloidogenic proteins in their monomeric or aggregated forms, including the role of hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bond formation, and packing during inhibition of aggregation and fibril disassembly. Our findings may help in designing novel therapeutics toward AD, T2DM, and other proteinopathies based on the naphthoquinone derived hybrid molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gianfranco Balboni
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences - Unit of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, via Ospedale 72, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pacifico
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy
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14
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Paul A, Zhang BD, Mohapatra S, Li G, Li YM, Gazit E, Segal D. Novel Mannitol-Based Small Molecules for Inhibiting Aggregation of α-Synuclein Amyloids in Parkinson's Disease. Front Mol Biosci 2019; 6:16. [PMID: 30968030 PMCID: PMC6438916 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of the amyloidogenic protein α-synuclein (α-Syn) into toxic oligomers and mature fibrils is the major pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Small molecules that inhibit α-Syn aggregation thus may be useful therapeutics for PD. Mannitol and naphthoquinone-tryptophan (NQTrp) have been shown in the past to inhibit α-Syn aggregation by different mechanisms. Herein, we tested whether the conjugation of Mannitol and NQTrp may result in enhance efficacy toward α-Syn. The molecules were conjugated either by a click linker or via a PEG linker. The effect of the conjugate molecules on α-Syn aggregation in vitro was monitored using Thioflavin T fluorescence assay, circular dichroism, transmission electron microscopy, and Congo red birefringence assay. One of the conjugate molecules was found to be more effective than the two parent molecules and as effective as a mixture of the two. The conjugate molecules attenuated the disruptive effect of α-Syn on artificial membrane of Large Unilamellar Vesicles as monitored by dye leakage assay. The conjugates were found to be have low cytotoxicity and reduced toxicity of α-Syn toward SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. These novel designed entities can be attractive scaffold for the development of therapeutic agents for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Paul
- School of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Bo-Dou Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Satabdee Mohapatra
- School of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Gao Li
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Mei Li
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Institute of Parkinson Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ehud Gazit
- School of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- School of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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15
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Valiente-Gabioud AA, Riedel D, Outeiro TF, Menacho-Márquez MA, Griesinger C, Fernández CO. Binding Modes of Phthalocyanines to Amyloid β Peptide and Their Effects on Amyloid Fibril Formation. Biophys J 2019. [PMID: 29539391 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The inherent tendency of proteins to convert from their native states into amyloid aggregates is associated with a range of human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In that sense, the use of small molecules as probes for the structural and toxic mechanism related to amyloid aggregation has become an active area of research. Compared with other compounds, the structural and molecular basis behind the inhibitory interaction of phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (PcTS) with proteins such as αS and tau has been well established, contributing to a better understanding of the amyloid aggregation process in these proteins. We present here the structural characterization of the binding of PcTS and its Cu(II) and Zn(II)-loaded forms to the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and the impact of these interactions on the peptide amyloid fibril assembly. Elucidation of the PcTS binding modes to Aβ40 revealed the involvement of specific aromatic and hydrophobic interactions in the formation of the Aβ40-PcTS complex, ascribed to a binding mode in which the planarity and hydrophobicity of the aromatic ring system in the phthalocyanine act as main structural determinants for the interaction. Our results demonstrated that formation of the Aβ40-PcTS complex does not interfere with the progression of the peptide toward the formation of amyloid fibrils. On the other hand, conjugation of Zn(II) but not Cu(II) at the center of the PcTS macrocyclic ring modified substantially the binding profile of this phthalocyanine to Aβ40 and became crucial to reverse the effects of metal-free PcTS on the fibril assembly of the peptide. Overall, our results provide a firm basis to understand the structural rules directing phthalocyanine-protein interactions and their implications on the amyloid fibril assembly of the target proteins; in particular, our results contradict the hypothesis that PcTS might have similar mechanisms of action in slowing the formation of a variety of pathological aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel A Valiente-Gabioud
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Facility for Transmission Electron Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration; Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mauricio A Menacho-Márquez
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudio O Fernández
- Max Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC) and Instituto de Investigaciones para el Descubrimiento de Fármacos de Rosario (IIDEFAR, UNR-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina; Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.
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16
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Inhibitory Effect of Naphthoquinone-Tryptophan Hybrid towards Aggregation of PAP f39 Semen Amyloid. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123279. [PMID: 30544943 PMCID: PMC6320874 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PAP248–286, a 39 amino acid peptide fragment, derived from the prostatic acid phosphatase secreted in human semen, forms amyloid fibrils and facilitates the attachment of retroviruses to host cells that results in the enhancement of viral infection. Therefore, the inhibition of amyloid formation by PAP248–286 (termed PAP f39) may likely reduce HIV transmission in AIDS. In this study, we show that the naphthoquinone tryptophan (NQTrp) hybrid molecule significantly inhibited PAP f39 aggregation in vitro in a dose-dependent manner as observed from the ThT assay, ANS assay, and transmission electron microscopy imaging. We found that even at a sub-molar concentration of 20:1 [PAP f39:NQTrp], NQTrp could reduce >50% amyloid formation. NQTrp inhibition of PAP f39 aggregation resulted in non-toxic intermediate species as determined by the vesicle leakage assay. Isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking revealed that the binding of NQTrp and PAP f39 is spontaneous, and NQTrp predominantly interacts with the polar and charged residues of the peptide by forming hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts with a strong binding energy. Collectively, these findings indicate that NQTrp holds significant potential as a small molecule inhibitor of semen amyloids.
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17
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Chemerovski-Glikman M, Mimouni M, Dagan Y, Haj E, Vainer I, Allon R, Blumenthal EZ, Adler-Abramovich L, Segal D, Gazit E, Zayit-Soudry S. Rosmarinic Acid Restores Complete Transparency of Sonicated Human Cataract Ex Vivo and Delays Cataract Formation In Vivo. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9341. [PMID: 29921877 PMCID: PMC6008418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27516-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cataract, the leading cause of vision impairment worldwide, arises from abnormal aggregation of crystallin lens proteins. Presently, surgical removal is the only therapeutic approach. Recent findings have triggered renewed interest in development of non-surgical treatment alternatives. However, emerging treatments are yet to achieve full and consistent lens clearance. Here, the first ex vivo assay to screen for drug candidates that reduce human lenticular protein aggregation was developed. This assay allowed the identification of two leading compounds as facilitating the restoration of nearly-complete transparency of phacoemulsified cataractous preparation ex vivo. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that both compounds reduce cataract microparticle size and modify their amyloid-like features. In vivo studies confirmed that the lead compound, rosmarinic acid, delays cataract formation and reduces the severity of lens opacification in model rats. Thus, the ex vivo assay may provide an initial platform for broad screening of potential novel therapeutic agents towards pharmacological treatment of cataract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Chemerovski-Glikman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Michael Mimouni
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yarden Dagan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Esraa Haj
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Igor Vainer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Raviv Allon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eytan Z Blumenthal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lihi Adler-Abramovich
- Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neurosciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
| | - Shiri Zayit-Soudry
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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18
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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.
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19
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Chen GF, Xu TH, Yan Y, Zhou YR, Jiang Y, Melcher K, Xu HE. Amyloid beta: structure, biology and structure-based therapeutic development. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2017; 38:1205-1235. [PMID: 28713158 PMCID: PMC5589967 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2017.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 919] [Impact Index Per Article: 131.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is produced through the proteolytic processing of a transmembrane protein, amyloid precursor protein (APP), by β- and γ-secretases. Aβ accumulation in the brain is proposed to be an early toxic event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia associated with plaques and tangles in the brain. Currently, it is unclear what the physiological and pathological forms of Aβ are and by what mechanism Aβ causes dementia. Moreover, there are no efficient drugs to stop or reverse the progression of Alzheimer's disease. In this paper, we review the structures, biological functions, and neurotoxicity role of Aβ. We also discuss the potential receptors that interact with Aβ and mediate Aβ intake, clearance, and metabolism. Additionally, we summarize the therapeutic developments and recent advances of different strategies for treating Alzheimer's disease. Finally, we will report on the progress in searching for novel, potentially effective agents as well as selected promising strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. These prospects include agents acting on Aβ, its receptors and tau protein, such as small molecules, vaccines and antibodies against Aβ; inhibitors or modulators of β- and γ-secretase; Aβ-degrading proteases; tau protein inhibitors and vaccines; amyloid dyes and microRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-fang Chen
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ting-hai Xu
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yan Yan
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yu-ren Zhou
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Karsten Melcher
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - H Eric Xu
- VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, CAS-Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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20
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Brahmachari S, Arnon ZA, Frydman-Marom A, Gazit E, Adler-Abramovich L. Diphenylalanine as a Reductionist Model for the Mechanistic Characterization of β-Amyloid Modulators. ACS NANO 2017; 11:5960-5969. [PMID: 28575577 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b01662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The phenomenon of protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils is associated with a large number of major diseases of unrelated etiology. Unraveling the mechanism of amyloid self-assembly and identifying therapeutic directions to control this process are of utmost importance. Research in this field has been hampered by several challenges, including reproducibility, low protein purification yields, and the inherent aggregation propensity of amyloidogenic proteins, making them extremely difficult to study. Herein, on the basis of the similarity in the assembly mechanism, as well as the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, of diphenylalanine nanostructures and aromatic amino acid containing amyloid fibrils, we report a simple, yet robust peptide-based platform that could be used for screening of small molecules potentially capable of interfering with the aggregation process and for mechanistic exploration of their mode of action. The system was validated using four small-molecule inhibitors, and the effect was examined via turbidity assay, thioflavin T fluorescence, and electron microscopy. The aggregation profile of diphenylalanine was very similar to that of β-amyloid polypeptide in the presence of the modulators. Rosmarinic acid emerged as an extremely potent inhibitor and a destabilizer of the aggregates. The effect of stoichiometric variation of rosmarinic acid on the process of destabilization was also probed using a microfluidic technique. Finally, the formation of equimolar complexes of diphenylalanine and inhibitors was detected using mass spectrometry. This approach not only provides a system for high-throughput screening of possible inhibitor molecules from larger libraries of modulators, but is also highly useful for understanding the mechanistic aspects of the interactions leading to the process of inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayanti Brahmachari
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and §Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Zohar A Arnon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and §Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Anat Frydman-Marom
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and §Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and §Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Lihi Adler-Abramovich
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and §Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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α-Synuclein aggregation modulation: an emerging approach for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Future Med Chem 2017. [PMID: 28632413 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2017-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial progressive neurological disorder. Pathological hallmarks of PD are characterized by the presence of α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates known as Lewy bodies. αSyn aggregation is one of the leading causes for the neuronal dysfunction and death in PD. It is also associated with neurotransmitter and calcium release. Current therapies of PD are limited to only symptomatic relief without addressing the underlying pathogenic factors of the disease process such as aggregation of αSyn. Consequently, the progression of the disease continues with the current therapies. Therefore, the modulation of αSyn aggregation is an emerging approach as a novel therapeutic target to treat PD. There are two major aspects that might be targeted therapeutically: first, protein is prone to aggregation, therefore, anti-aggregative or compounds that can break the pre-existing aggregates should be helpful. Second, there are number of molecular events that may be targeted to combat the disease.
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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.
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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
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Abstract
It is well recognized that protein product development is far more challenging than that for small-molecule drugs. The major challenges include inherent sensitivity to different types of stresses during the drug product manufacturing process, high rate of physical and chemical degradation during long-term storage, and enhanced aggregation and/or viscosity at high protein concentrations. In the past decade, many novel formulation concepts and technologies have been or are being developed to address these product development challenges for proteins. These concepts and technologies include use of uncommon/combination of formulation stabilizers, conjugation or fusion with potential stabilizers, site-specific mutagenesis, and preparation of nontraditional types of dosage forms-semiaqueous solutions, nonfreeze-dried solid formulations, suspensions, and other emerging concepts. No one technology appears to be mature, ideal, and/or adequate to address all the challenges. These gaps will likely remain in the foreseeable future and need significant efforts for ultimate resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc, 700 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, MO, 63017.,Wang Biologics, LLC, 907 Wellesley Place, Chesterfield, Missouri, 63017
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Zhang T, Xu W, Mu Y, Derreumaux P. Atomic and dynamic insights into the beneficial effect of the 1,4-naphthoquinon-2-yl-L-tryptophan inhibitor on Alzheimer's Aβ1-42 dimer in terms of aggregation and toxicity. ACS Chem Neurosci 2014; 5:148-59. [PMID: 24246047 DOI: 10.1021/cn400197x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the amyloid β protein (Aβ) peptide with 40 or 42 residues is one key feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The 1,4-naphthoquinon-2-yl-L-tryptophan (NQTrp) molecule was reported to alter Aβ self-assembly and reduce toxicity. Though nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and various simulations provided atomic information about the interaction of NQTrp with Aβ peptides spanning the regions of residues 12-28 and 17-42, none of these studies were conducted on the full-length Aβ1-42 peptide. To this end, we performed extensive atomistic replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of Aβ1-42 dimer with two NQTrp molecules in explicit solvent, by using a force field known to fold diverse proteins correctly. The interactions between NQTrp and Aβ1-42, which change the Aβ interface by reducing most of the intermolecular contacts, are found to be very dynamic and multiple, leading to many transient binding sites. The most favorable binding residues are Arg5, Asp7, Tyr10, His13, Lys16, Lys18, Phe19/Phe20, and Leu34/Met35, providing therefore a completely different picture from in vitro and in silico experiments with NQTrp with shorter Aβ fragments. Importantly, the 10 hot residues that we identified explain the beneficial effect of NQTrp in reducing both the level of Aβ1-42 aggregation and toxicity. Our results also indicate that there is room to design more efficient drugs targeting Aβ1-42 dimer against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhang
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080 CNRS, Université
Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551
| | - Weixin Xu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, Department
of Physics, Institute of Theoretical and Computational Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Yuguang Mu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR9080 CNRS, Université
Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 103 Boulevard Saint-Michel, 75005 Paris, France
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Overlapped Metabolic and Therapeutic Links between Alzheimer and Diabetes. Mol Neurobiol 2012; 47:399-424. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-012-8352-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Accepted: 09/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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