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Powell WC, Nahum M, Pankratz K, Herlory M, Greenwood J, Poliyenko D, Holland P, Jing R, Biggerstaff L, Stowell MHB, Walczak MA. Post-Translational Modifications Control Phase Transitions of Tau. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.583040. [PMID: 38559065 PMCID: PMC10979912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.583040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The self-assembly of Tau(297-391) into filaments, which mirror the structures observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, raises questions about the role of AD-specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the formation of paired helical filaments (PHFs). To investigate this, we developed a synthetic approach to produce Tau(291-391) featuring N-acetyllysine, phosphoserine, phosphotyrosine, and N-glycosylation at positions commonly modified in post-mortem AD brains, thus facilitating the study of their roles in Tau pathology. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and a range of optical microscopy techniques, we discovered that these modifications generally hinder the in vitro assembly of Tau into PHFs. Interestingly, while acetylation's effect on Tau assembly displayed variability, either promoting or inhibiting phase transitions in the context of cofactor free aggregation, heparin-induced aggregation, and RNA-mediated liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), phosphorylation uniformly mitigated these processes. Our observations suggest that PTMs, particularly those situated outside the fibril's rigid core are pivotal in the nucleation of PHFs. Moreover, in scenarios involving heparin-induced aggregation leading to the formation of heterogeneous aggregates, most AD-specific PTMs, except for K311, appeared to decelerate the aggregation process. The impact of acetylation on RNA-induced LLPS was notably site-dependent, exhibiting both facilitative and inhibitory effects, whereas phosphorylation consistently reduced LLPS across all proteoforms examined. These insights underscore the complex interplay between site-specific PTMs and environmental factors in modulating Tau aggregation kinetics, enhancing our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of Tau pathology in AD and highlighting the critical role of PTMs located outside the ordered filament core in driving the self-assembly of Tau into PHF structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt C. Powell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - McKinley Nahum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Karl Pankratz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Morgane Herlory
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - James Greenwood
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Darya Poliyenko
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Patrick Holland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Ruiheng Jing
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Luke Biggerstaff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Michael H. B. Stowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Maciej A. Walczak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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Waly OM, El-Sayed SM, Ghaly MA, El-Subbagh HI. Multi-targeted anti-Alzheimer's agents: Synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular modeling study of some pyrazolopyridine hybrids. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 262:115880. [PMID: 37871406 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A new series of compounds bearing a pyrazolopyridine scaffold was synthesized as integrated anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) multi-targeted ligands. Compounds 49 and 51 showed remarkable activity as hAChE inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.17 and 0.16 μM, respectively; and proved to be active hBuChE inhibitors with IC50 values 0.17 and 0.69 μM, eight and two-fold more active than the reference compound rivastigmine, respectively. Compounds 49 and 51 showed potent GSK3β inhibition with IC50 values of 0.21 and 0.26 μM, respectively compared to L807mts. Also, 49 and 51 showed 66.0 and 60.0% as tau protein aggregation inhibitors; and Aβ1-42 self-aggregation inhibitors with 79.0 and 75.0% respectively. Furthermore, 49 and 51 could bind virtually with the PAS affecting Aβ aggregation, thus preventing Aβ-dependent neurotoxicity. They proved to have the ability to chelate bio-metals such as Fe2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ preventing their oxidative damage in the brain of AD patients, in addition to their safety upon WI-38 cell line. Both compounds could virtually penetrate BBB and obeyed Lipinski's rule of five. Compounds 49 and 51 could be considered as MTDLs for AD patients and the obtained model and pattern of substitution could be used for further development of new multi-targeted anti-Alzheimer's agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omnia M Waly
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Pharmacy Center of Scientific Excellence, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Selwan M El-Sayed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Pharmacy Center of Scientific Excellence, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Mariam A Ghaly
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
| | - Hussein I El-Subbagh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Pharmacy Center of Scientific Excellence, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
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Al-Hilaly YK, Marshall KE, Lutter L, Biasetti L, Mengham K, Harrington CR, Xue WF, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. An Additive-Free Model for Tau Self-Assembly. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2551:163-188. [PMID: 36310203 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2597-2_12] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tau is a natively unfolded protein that contributes to the stability of microtubules. Under pathological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), tau protein misfolds and self-assembles to form paired helical filaments (PHFs) and straight filaments (SFs). Full-length tau protein assembles poorly and its self-assembly is enhanced with polyanions such as heparin and RNA in vitro, but a role for heparin or other polyanions in vivo remains unclear. Recently, a truncated form of tau (297-391) has been shown to self-assemble in the absence of additives which provides an alternative in vitro PHF model system. Here we describe methods to prepare in vitro PHFs and SFs from tau (297-391) named dGAE. We also discuss the range of biophysical/biochemical techniques used to monitor tau filament assembly and structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssra K Al-Hilaly
- Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq.
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK.
| | - Karen E Marshall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Liisa Lutter
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Luca Biasetti
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Kurtis Mengham
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Charles R Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
| | - Wei-Feng Xue
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Claude M Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
| | - Louise C Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
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Despres C, Di J, Cantrelle FX, Li Z, Huvent I, Chambraud B, Zhao J, Chen J, Chen S, Lippens G, Zhang F, Linhardt R, Wang C, Klärner FG, Schrader T, Landrieu I, Bitan G, Smet-Nocca C. Major Differences between the Self-Assembly and Seeding Behavior of Heparin-Induced and in Vitro Phosphorylated Tau and Their Modulation by Potential Inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:1363-1379. [PMID: 31046227 PMCID: PMC6636790 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Self-assembly of
the microtubule-associated protein tau into neurotoxic
oligomers, fibrils, and paired helical filaments, and cell-to-cell
spreading of these pathological tau species are critical processes
underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other
tauopathies. Modulating the self-assembly process and inhibiting formation
and spreading of such toxic species are promising strategies for therapy
development. A challenge in investigating tau self-assembly in vitro
is that, unlike most amyloidogenic proteins, tau does not aggregate
in the absence of posttranslational modifications (PTM), aggregation
inducers, or preformed seeds. The most common induction method is
addition of polyanions, such as heparin; yet, this artificial system
may not represent adequately tau self-assembly in vivo, which is driven
by aberrant phosphorylation and other PTMs, potentially leading to
in vitro data that do not reflect the behavior of tau and its interaction
with modulators in vivo. To tackle these challenges, methods for in
vitro phosphorylation of tau to produce aggregation-competent forms
recently have been introduced (Despres
et al. (2017) , 114, 9080−908528784767). However, the oligomerization, seeding, and interaction
with assembly modulators of the different forms of tau have not been
studied to date. To address these knowledge gaps, we compared here
side-by-side the self-assembly and seeding activity of heparin-induced
tau with two forms of in vitro phosphorylated tau and tested how the
molecular tweezer CLR01, a negatively charged compound, affected these
processes. Tau was phosphorylated by incubation either with activated
extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 or with a whole rat brain
extract. Seeding activity was measured using a fluorescence-resonance
energy transfer-based biosensor-cell method. We also used solution-state
NMR to investigate the binding sites of CLR01 on tau and how they
were impacted by phosphorylation. Our systematic structure–activity
relationship study demonstrates that heparin-induced tau behaves differently
from in vitro phosphorylated tau. The aggregation rates of the different
forms are distinct as is the intracellular localization of the induced
aggregates, which resemble brain-derived tau strains suggesting that
heparin-induced tau and in vitro phosphorylated tau have different
conformations, properties, and activities. CLR01 inhibits aggregation
and seeding of both heparin-induced and in vitro phosphorylated tau
dose-dependently, although heparin induction interferes with the interaction
between CLR01 and tau.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jianle Chen
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, China
| | - Shiguo Chen
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, China
| | - Guy Lippens
- Lille University CNRS UMR 8576, UGSF, F-59000 Lille, France
| | | | - Robert Linhardt
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, China
| | | | - Frank-Gerrit Klärner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schrader
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany
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