1
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Basha S, Mukunda DC, Pai AR, Mahato KK. Assessing amyloid fibrils and amorphous aggregates: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2025; 311:143725. [PMID: 40324497 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.143725] [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: 01/23/2025] [Revised: 04/23/2025] [Accepted: 04/29/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation play a central role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These aggregates manifest either as structured amyloid fibrils enriched in β-sheet conformations or as irregular amorphous aggregates with diverse morphologies. Understanding their formation, structure, and behavior is critical for deciphering disease mechanisms and developing targeted diagnostics and therapeutics. This review presents an integrated overview of both conventional and advanced techniques used to detect, distinguish, and structurally characterize these protein aggregates. It covers a range of spectroscopic and spectrometric tools, such as fluorescence, Raman, and mass spectrometry that facilitate aggregate identification. Microscopy methods, including atomic force and electron microscopy, are highlighted for morphological analysis. The review also discusses in situ detection strategies using fluorescent dyes, conformation-specific antibodies, enzymatic reporters, and real-time imaging. Separation methods like centrifugation, electrophoresis, and chromatography are outlined alongside structural analysis tools such as X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, the growing utility of computational approaches and artificial intelligence in predicting aggregation propensities and integrating biological data is emphasized. By critically evaluating each method's capabilities and limitations, this review provides a practical and forward-looking resource for researchers studying the complex landscape of protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaik Basha
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Aparna Ramakrishna Pai
- Department of Neurology, Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Krishna Kishore Mahato
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
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2
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Fukase K, Iida-Adachi A, Nabika H. Spectral Heterogeneity of Thioflavin T Binding to Aβ42:Aβ40 Mixed Fibrils: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease Screening. ACS OMEGA 2025; 10:17043-17050. [PMID: 40321538 PMCID: PMC12044488 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c02756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2025] [Revised: 04/07/2025] [Accepted: 04/17/2025] [Indexed: 05/08/2025]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the amyloid β (Aβ) protein self-assembles, whereby Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides interact, forming a mixed fibrillar assembly. Evaluating local Aβ40:Aβ42 mixed fibril conformations remains challenging, requiring a simple method to compare microscopic (molecular-scale) and macroscopic (plaque-scale) findings. The aim of the current study was to design a method to analyze Aβ fibril formation in a single sample without drying via fluorescent thioflavin T (ThT) labeling. The analysis revealed spectral heterogeneity associated with the ThT-binding mixed fibrils. Although the fluorescence wavelength associated with higher Aβ42:Aβ40 fibril ratios remained relatively unchanged, those associated with lower Aβ42:Aβ40 fibril ratios exhibited significant heterogeneity. This suggests that the local β-sheet structure exhibits significant variability at lower Aβ42:Aβ40 ratios. This specific feature can be attributed to differences in the shape of the "funnel" in the energy landscape during Aβ assembly. Thus, our protocol facilitates rapid and efficient screening of fibril conformational alterations compared to conventional techniques. Cumulatively, our results demonstrate that comparing the spectral features of ThT with the kinetic and morphological characteristics of a single sample provides specific molecular insights related to the origin of Aβ42:Aβ40 ratio-dependent molecular mechanism-insights that cannot be detected through conventional kinetic and morphological analyses alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyo Fukase
- Graduate
School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata
University, 1-4-12, Kojirakawa, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan
| | - Akane Iida-Adachi
- Graduate
School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata
University, 1-4-12, Kojirakawa, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan
| | - Hideki Nabika
- Faculty
of Science, Yamagata University, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan
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3
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Puri S, Gadda A, Polsinelli I, Barzago MM, Toto A, Sriramoju MK, Visentin C, Broggini L, Valérie Bonnet DM, Russo R, Chaves-Sanjuan A, Merlini G, Nuvolone M, Palladini G, Gianni S, Hsu STD, Diomede L, Ricagno S. The Critical Role of the Variable Domain in Driving Proteotoxicity and Aggregation in Full-length Light Chains. J Mol Biol 2025; 437:168958. [PMID: 39842712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2025.168958] [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] [Received: 10/15/2024] [Revised: 01/15/2025] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 01/24/2025]
Abstract
Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is the most common systemic amyloid disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of amyloid fibrils derived from immunoglobulin light chains (LCs). Both full-length (FL) LCs and their isolated variable (VL) and constant (CL) domains contribute to amyloid deposits in multiple organs, with the VL domain predominantly forming the fibril core. However, the role and interplay of these domains in amyloid aggregation and toxicity are poorly understood. Characterizing the amyloidogenic λ6-LC AL55, this study explores the properties of both FL and isolated domains and compares them with the available patient-derived data. FL AL55 biophysical features result from the interplay between its VL and CL domains where the limited VL-CL interface might play a major role. Slow refolding kinetic of FL confirms the unfolded VL domain as a kinetic trap possibly shifting the process towards misfolding. The X-ray structure of FL AL55 shows that VL domains may detach from the native dimeric assembly and establish non-native interdimeric interfaces. Additionally, isolated VL domains display significantly lower soluble toxicity compared to FL and do not form fibrils similar to those found ex vivo. Thus the data obtained in this work allowed us to draw a molecular sketch of the aggregation pathway for amyloidogenic LCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarita Puri
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Italy; Biology Department, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India
| | - Angela Gadda
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Polsinelli
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS, Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Monica Barzago
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy
| | - Angelo Toto
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Luca Broggini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Rosaria Russo
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giampaolo Merlini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mario Nuvolone
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Palladini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Gianni
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617 Taiwan; International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM(2)), Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Luisa Diomede
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Ricagno
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Italy; Institute of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS, Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
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4
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Ziaunys M, Sulskis D, Veiveris D, Kopustas A, Snieckute R, Mikalauskaite K, Sakalauskas A, Tutkus M, Smirnovas V. Liquid-liquid phase separation of alpha-synuclein increases the structural variability of fibrils formed during amyloid aggregation. FEBS J 2024; 291:4522-4538. [PMID: 39116032 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Protein liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a rapidly emerging field of study on biomolecular condensate formation. In recent years, this phenomenon has been implicated in the process of amyloid fibril formation, serving as an intermediate step between the native protein transition into their aggregated state. The formation of fibrils via LLPS has been demonstrated for a number of proteins related to neurodegenerative disorders, as well as other amyloidoses. Despite the surge in amyloid-related LLPS studies, the influence of protein condensate formation on the end-point fibril characteristics is still far from fully understood. In this work, we compare alpha-synuclein aggregation under different conditions, which promote or negate its LLPS and examine the differences between the formed aggregates. We show that alpha-synuclein phase separation generates a wide variety of assemblies with distinct secondary structures and morphologies. The LLPS-induced structures also possess higher levels of toxicity to cells, indicating that biomolecular condensate formation may be a critical step in the appearance of disease-related fibril variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Darius Sulskis
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Dominykas Veiveris
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Aurimas Kopustas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
- Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ruta Snieckute
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | | | - Andrius Sakalauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Marijonas Tutkus
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
- Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
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5
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Ziaunys M, Mikalauskaite K, Sakalauskas A, Smirnovas V. Study of Insulin Aggregation and Fibril Structure under Different Environmental Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9406. [PMID: 39273350 PMCID: PMC11395423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179406] [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] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein amyloid aggregation is linked with widespread and fatal neurodegenerative disorders as well as several amyloidoses. Insulin, a small polypeptide hormone, is associated with injection-site amyloidosis and is a popular model protein for in vitro studies of amyloid aggregation processes as well as in the search for potential anti-amyloid compounds. Despite hundreds of studies conducted with this specific protein, the procedures used have employed a vast array of different means of achieving fibril formation. These conditions include the use of different solution components, pH values, ionic strengths, and other additives. In turn, this variety of conditions results in the generation of fibrils with different structures, morphologies and stabilities, which severely limits the possibility of cross-study comparisons as well as result interpretations. In this work, we examine the condition-structure relationship of insulin amyloid aggregation under a range of commonly used pH and ionic strength conditions as well as solution components. We demonstrate the correlation between the reaction solution properties and the resulting aggregation kinetic parameters, aggregate secondary structures, morphologies, stabilities and dye-binding modes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (M.Z.); (K.M.); (A.S.)
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6
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Rosetti B, Kralj S, Scarel E, Adorinni S, Rossi B, Vargiu AV, Garcia AM, Marchesan S. Insulin amyloid fibril formation reduction by tripeptide stereoisomers. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:11081-11089. [PMID: 38742431 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00693c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Insulin fibrillation is a problem for diabetic patients that can occur during storage and transport, as well as at the subcutaneous injection site, with loss of bioactivity, inflammation, and various adverse effects. Tripeptides are ideal additives to stabilise insulin formulations, thanks to their low cost of production and inherent cytocompatibility. In this work, we analysed the ability of eight tripeptide stereoisomers to inhibit the fibrillation of human insulin in vitro. The sequences contain proline as β-breaker and Phe-Phe as binding motif for the amyloid-prone aromatic triplet found in insulin. Experimental data based on spectroscopy, fluorescence, microscopy, and calorimetric techniques reveal that one stereoisomer is a more effective inhibitor than the others, and cell live/dead assays confirmed its high cytocompatibility. Importantly, in silico data revealed the key regions of insulin engaged in the interaction with this tripeptide, rationalising the molecular mechanism behind insulin fibril formation reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Rosetti
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Science Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Slavko Kralj
- Materials Synthesis Department, Jožef Stefan, Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Erica Scarel
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Science Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Simone Adorinni
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Science Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Barbara Rossi
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Attilio V Vargiu
- Physics Department, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Ana M Garcia
- Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Instituto Regional de Investigación Científica Aplicada (IRICA), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Silvia Marchesan
- Chemical Pharmaceutical Science Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
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7
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Farzadfard A, Kunka A, Mason TO, Larsen JA, Norrild RK, Dominguez ET, Ray S, Buell AK. Thermodynamic characterization of amyloid polymorphism by microfluidic transient incomplete separation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2528-2544. [PMID: 38362440 PMCID: PMC10866369 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05371g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils of proteins such as α-synuclein are a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases and much research has focused on their kinetics and mechanisms of formation. The question as to the thermodynamic stability of such structures has received much less attention. Here, we newly utilize the principle of transient incomplete separation of species in laminar flow in combination with chemical depolymerization for the quantification of amyloid fibril stability. The relative concentrations of fibrils and monomer at equilibrium are determined through an in situ separation of these species based on their different diffusivity inside a microfluidic capillary. The method is highly sample economical, using much less than a microliter of sample per data point and its only requirement is the presence of aromatic residues (W, Y) because of its label-free nature, which makes it widely applicable. Using this method, we investigate the differences in thermodynamic stability between different fibril polymorphs of α-synuclein and quantify these differences for the first time. Importantly, we show that fibril formation can be under kinetic or thermodynamic control and that a change in solution conditions can both stabilise and destabilise amyloid fibrils. Taken together, our results establish the thermodynamic stability as a well-defined and key parameter that can contribute towards a better understanding of the physiological roles of amyloid fibril polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azad Farzadfard
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Gustav Wieds Vej 14 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Antonin Kunka
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Thomas Oliver Mason
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Jacob Aunstrup Larsen
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Rasmus Krogh Norrild
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Elisa Torrescasana Dominguez
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Soumik Ray
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
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8
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Ziaunys M, Mikalauskaite K, Sakalauskas A, Smirnovas V. Investigating lysozyme amyloid fibril formation and structural variability dependence on its initial folding state under different pH conditions. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4888. [PMID: 38151910 PMCID: PMC10804668 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4888] [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] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Protein fibril formation and accumulation are associated with dozens of amyloidoses, including the widespread and yet-incurable Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Currently, there are still several aspects of amyloid aggregation that are not fully understood, which negatively contributes to the development of disease-altering drugs and treatments. One factor which requires a more in-depth analysis is the effect of the environment on both the initial state of amyloidogenic proteins and their aggregation process and resulting fibril characteristics. In this work, we examine how lysozyme's folding state influences its amyloid formation kinetics and resulting aggregate structural characteristics under several different pH conditions, ranging from acidic to neutral. We demonstrate that both the initial state of the protein and the solution's pH value have a significant combined effect on the variability of the resulting aggregate secondary structures, as well as their stabilities, interactions with amyloid-specific dye molecules, and self-replication properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius UniversityVilniusLithuania
| | - Kamile Mikalauskaite
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius UniversityVilniusLithuania
| | - Andrius Sakalauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius UniversityVilniusLithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius UniversityVilniusLithuania
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9
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Kumar M, Ivanova MI, Ramamoorthy A. Non-micellar ganglioside GM1 induces an instantaneous conformational change in Aβ 42 leading to the modulation of the peptide amyloid-fibril pathway. Biophys Chem 2023; 301:107091. [PMID: 37549471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative condition that mainly affects cognition and memory. Recently, distinct clinical and neuropathological phenotypes have been identified in AD. Studies revealed that structural variation in Aβ fibrillar aggregates correlates with distinct disease phenotypes. Moreover, environmental surroundings, including other biomolecules such as proteins and lipids, have been shown to interact and modulate Aβ aggregation. Model membranes containing ganglioside (GM1) clusters are specifically known to promote Aβ fibrillogenesis. This study unravels the modulatory effect of non-micellar GM1, a glycosphingolipid frequently released from the damaged neuronal membranes, on Aβ42 amyloid fibril formation. Using far-UV circular dichroism experiments, we observed a change in the peptide secondary structure from random-coil to β-turn structures with subsequent generation of predominantly β-sheet-rich species upon interaction with GM1. Thioflavin-T (ThT) fluorescence assays further indicated that GM1 likely interacts with an amyloidogenic Aβ42 intermediate species leading to a possible formation of GM1-modified Aβ42 fibril. Statistically, no significant difference in toxicity to RA-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells was observed between Aβ42 fibrils and GM1-tweaked Aβ42 aggregates. Moreover, GM1-modified Aβ42 aggregates exhibited prion-like properties in catalyzing the amyloid fibril formation of both major isomers of Aβ, Aβ40, and Aβ42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Kumar
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Magdalena I Ivanova
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA.
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10
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Panda C, Kumar S, Gupta S, Pandey LM. Structural, kinetic, and thermodynamic aspects of insulin aggregation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:24195-24213. [PMID: 37674360 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03103a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Given the significance of protein aggregation in proteinopathies and the development of therapeutic protein pharmaceuticals, revamped interest in assessing and modelling the aggregation kinetics has been observed. Quantitative analysis of aggregation includes data of gradual monomeric depletion followed by the formation of subvisible particles. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies are essential to gain key insights into the aggregation process. Despite being the medical marvel in the world of diabetes, insulin suffers from the challenge of aggregation. Physicochemical stresses are experienced by insulin during industrial formulation, storage, delivery, and transport, considerably impacting product quality, efficacy, and effectiveness. The present review briefly describes the pathways, mathematical kinetic models, and thermodynamics of protein misfolding and aggregation. With a specific focus on insulin, further discussions include the structural heterogeneity and modifications of the intermediates incurred during insulin fibrillation. Finally, different model equations to fit the kinetic data of insulin fibrillation are discussed. We believe that this review will shed light on the conditions that induce structural changes in insulin during the lag phase of fibrillation and will motivate scientists to devise strategies to block the initialization of the aggregation cascade. Subsequent abrogation of insulin fibrillation during bioprocessing will ensure stable and globally accessible insulin for efficient management of diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmaya Panda
- Bio-interface & Environmental Engineering Lab Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Sachin Kumar
- Viral Immunology Lab Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Sharad Gupta
- Neurodegeneration and Peptide Engineering Research Lab Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382355, India
| | - Lalit M Pandey
- Bio-interface & Environmental Engineering Lab Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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11
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Liu XY, Du SC, Li SL, Jiang FL, Jiang P, Liu Y. Inhibition mechanism of human insulin fibrillation by Bodipy carbon polymer dots and photothermal defibrillation effect of Bodipy carbon polymer dots modified by ThT. Biophys Chem 2023; 297:107009. [PMID: 37037121 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Fibrillation process of human insulin (HI) is closely related to type 2 diabetes (T2D). In the present work, Carbon Polymer Dots (CPDs) was synthesized by Bodipy to control the process of insulin fibrillation. The inhibition process of insulin fibrillation with the existence of CPDs was completed investigated. The hydrophobic interaction of CPDs and insulin was used to inhibit the change of insulin's secondary structure in the lag phase and growth period. ThT fluorescence analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of the CPDs were used to explore the kinetics of insulin fibrillation and regulation process by CPDs. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was applied to explore the regulatory mechanism by CPDs at all stages of the insulin fibrillation process. ThT was used to complete the chemical modification of CPDs by Friedel-Crafts alkylation, which made the CPDs maintain the characteristics of photothermal effect and also obtain the ability to bind specifically to the fibers. Finally, the process of defibrillation of human insulin fibers under the Near-infrared light's irradiation was realized. In this work, we clarified the mechanism of the regulation process by Bodipy CPDs and made CPDs able to defibrillate the insulin fibers by chemical modification.
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12
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Reichelderfer VT, Chaparro Sosa AF, Kaar JL, Schwartz DK. Tuning the surface charge of phospholipid bilayers inhibits insulin fibrilization. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 220:112904. [PMID: 36265317 PMCID: PMC10164472 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The interactions between proteins and materials, in particular lipid bilayers, have been studied extensively for their relevance in diseases and for the formulation of protein-based therapeutics and vaccines. However, the precise rules by which material properties induce favorable or unfavorable structural states in biomolecules are incompletely understood, and as a result, the rational design of materials remains challenging. Here, we investigated the influence of lipid bilayers (in the form of small unilamellar vesicles) on the formation of insulin amyloid fibrils using a fibril-specific assay (thioflavin T), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Lipid bilayers composed of equal mixtures of cationic and anionic lipids effectively inhibited fibril formation and stabilized insulin in its native conformation. However, other lipid bilayer compositions failed to inhibit fibril formation or even destabilized insulin, exacerbating fibrilization and/or non-amyloid aggregation. Our findings suggest that electrostatic interactions with lipid bilayers can play a critical role in stabilizing or destabilizing insulin, and preventing the conversion of insulin to its amyloidogenic, disease-associated state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria T Reichelderfer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Andres F Chaparro Sosa
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Joel L Kaar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Daniel K Schwartz
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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13
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Ziaunys M, Sakalauskas A, Mikalauskaite K, Smirnovas V. Rapid restructurization of conformationally-distinct alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils at an elevated temperature. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14137. [PMID: 36199282 PMCID: PMC9528901 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation in the form of amyloid fibrils is linked with the onset and progression of more than 30 amyloidoses, including multiple neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Despite countless studies and years of research, the process of such aggregate formation is still not fully understood. One peculiar aspect of amyloids is that they appear to be capable of undergoing structural rearrangements even after the fibrils have already formed. Such a phenomenon was reported to occur in the case of alpha-synuclein and amyloid beta aggregates after a long period of incubation. In this work, we examine whether incubation at an elevated temperature can induce the restructurization of four different conformation alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils. We show that this structural alteration occurs in a relatively brief time period, when the aggregates are incubated at 60 °C. Additionally, it appears that during this process multiple conformationally-distinct alpha-synuclein fibrils all shift towards an identical secondary structure.
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14
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Exploring Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Autoxidation Products: Specific Incubation Times Required for Emergence of Anti-Amyloid Properties. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11101887. [PMID: 36290609 PMCID: PMC9598636 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11101887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidogenic protein/peptide aggregation into fibrillar aggregates is associated with multiple amyloidoses, including widespread neurodegenerative disorders. Despite years of research and a well-understood mechanism, there are still very few treatments available for the increasing number of amyloid-related disorders. In recent years, the search for potential anti-aggregation compounds has shifted toward naturally occurring molecules, with one of the most promising being epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This polyphenolic compound was shown to inhibit the aggregation of several amyloidogenic proteins/peptides, including amyloid-beta (related to Alzheimer’s disease) and alpha-synuclein (related to Parkinson’s disease). However, multiple reports have indicated its limited stability under physiological conditions and the possibility of EGCG autoxidation products being the actual inhibitory compounds. In this work, we explore how different EGCG autoxidation products associate with non-aggregated insulin, as well as how they affect its aggregation and resulting fibril structure. We also show that there is a specific incubation time required for the emergence of compounds, which alters the amyloid aggregation process.
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15
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Sarkar D, Maity NC, Shome G, Varnava KG, Sarojini V, Vivekanandan S, Sahoo N, Kumar S, Mandal AK, Biswas R, Bhunia A. Mechanistic insight into functionally different human islet polypeptide (hIAPP) amyloid: the intrinsic role of the C-terminal structural motifs. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:22250-22262. [PMID: 36098073 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01650h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Targeting amyloidosis requires high-resolution insight into the underlying mechanisms of amyloid aggregation. The sequence-specific intrinsic properties of a peptide or protein largely govern the amyloidogenic propensity. Thus, it is essential to delineate the structural motifs that define the subsequent downstream amyloidogenic cascade of events. Additionally, it is important to understand the role played by extrinsic factors, such as temperature or sample agitation, in modulating the overall energy barrier that prompts divergent nucleation events. Consequently, these changes can affect the fibrillation kinetics, resulting in structurally and functionally distinct amyloidogenic conformers associated with disease pathogenesis. Here, we have focused on human Islet Polypeptide (hIAPP) amyloidogenesis for the full-length peptide along with its N- and C-terminal fragments, under different temperatures and sample agitation conditions. This helped us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic role of specific functional epitopes in the primary structure of the peptide that regulates amyloidogenesis and subsequent cytotoxicity. Intriguingly, our study involving an array of biophysical experiments and ex vivo data suggests a direct influence of external changes on the C-terminal fibrillating sequence. Furthermore, the observations indicate a possible collaborative role of this segment in nucleating hIAPP amyloidogenesis in a physiological scenario, thus making it a potential target for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibakar Sarkar
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
| | - Narayan Chandra Maity
- Chemical, Biological and Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Gourav Shome
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India
| | - Kyriakos Gabriel Varnava
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Nirakar Sahoo
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, 78539, USA
| | - Sourav Kumar
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
| | - Atin Kumar Mandal
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India
| | - Ranjit Biswas
- Chemical, Biological and Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, EN 80, Sector V, Kolkata 700 091, India.
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16
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Mikalauskaite K, Ziaunys M, Smirnovas V. Lysozyme Amyloid Fibril Structural Variability Dependence on Initial Protein Folding State. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5421. [PMID: 35628230 PMCID: PMC9141980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid fibril formation is associated with several amyloidoses, including neurodegenerative Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. The process of such fibrillar structure formation is still not fully understood, with new mechanistic insights appearing on a regular basis. This, in turn, has limited the development of potential anti-amyloid compounds, with only a handful of effective cures or treatment modalities available. One of the multiple amyloid aggregation factors that requires further examination is the ability of proteins to form multiple, structurally distinct aggregates, based on the environmental conditions. In this work, we examine how the initial folding state affects the fibrilization of lysozyme-an amyloidogenic protein, often used in protein aggregation studies. We show that there is a correlation between the initial state of the protein and the aggregate formation lag time, rate of elongation, resulting aggregate structural variability and dye-binding properties, as well as formation lag time and rate of elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamile Mikalauskaite
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
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17
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Ziaunys M, Sakalauskas A, Mikalauskaite K, Smirnovas V. Polymorphism of Alpha-Synuclein Amyloid Fibrils Depends on Ionic Strength and Protein Concentration. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12382. [PMID: 34830264 PMCID: PMC8621411 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregate formation is linked with multiple amyloidoses, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Currently, the understanding of such fibrillar structure formation and propagation is still not sufficient, the outcome of which is a lack of potent, anti-amyloid drugs. The environmental conditions used during in vitro protein aggregation assays play an important role in determining both the aggregation kinetic parameters, as well as resulting fibril structure. In the case of alpha-synuclein, ionic strength has been shown as a crucial factor in its amyloid aggregation. In this work, we examine a large sample size of alpha-synuclein aggregation reactions under thirty different ionic strength and protein concentration combinations and determine the resulting fibril structural variations using their dye-binding properties, secondary structure and morphology. We show that both ionic strength and protein concentration determine the structural variability of alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils and that sometimes even identical conditions can result in up to four distinct types of aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (A.S.); (K.M.); (V.S.)
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18
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Ziaunys M, Mikalauskaite K, Sakalauskas A, Smirnovas V. Interplay between epigallocatechin-3-gallate and ionic strength during amyloid aggregation. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12381. [PMID: 34733592 PMCID: PMC8544251 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation and accumulation of protein amyloid aggregates is linked with multiple amyloidoses, including neurodegenerative Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. The mechanism of such fibril formation is impacted by various environmental conditions, which greatly complicates the search for potential anti-amyloid compounds. One of these factors is solution ionic strength, which varies between different aggregation protocols during in vitro drug screenings. In this work, we examine the interplay between ionic strength and a well-known protein aggregation inhibitor-epigallocatechin-3-gallate. We show that changes in solution ionic strength have a major impact on the compound's inhibitory effect, reflected in both aggregation times and final fibril structure. We also observe that this effect is unique to different amyloid-forming proteins, such as insulin, alpha-synuclein and amyloid-beta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Kamile Mikalauskaite
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Andrius Sakalauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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19
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Páníková T, Mitrová K, Halamová T, Mrzílková K, Pícha J, Chrudinová M, Kurochka A, Selicharová I, Žáková L, Jiráček J. Insulin Analogues with Altered Insulin Receptor Isoform Binding Specificities and Enhanced Aggregation Stabilities. J Med Chem 2021; 64:14848-14859. [PMID: 34591477 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Insulin is a lifesaver for millions of diabetic patients. There is a need for new insulin analogues with more physiological profiles and analogues that will be thermally more stable than human insulin. Here, we describe the chemical engineering of 48 insulin analogues that were designed to have changed binding specificities toward isoforms A and B of the insulin receptor (IR-A and IR-B). We systematically modified insulin at the C-terminus of the B-chain, at the N-terminus of the A-chain, and at A14 and A18 positions. We discovered an insulin analogue that has Cα-carboxyamidated Glu at B31 and Ala at B29 and that has a more than 3-fold-enhanced binding specificity in favor of the "metabolic" IR-B isoform. The analogue is more resistant to the formation of insulin fibrils at 37 °C and is also more efficient in mice than human insulin. Therefore, [AlaB29,GluB31,amideB31]-insulin may be interesting for further clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terezie Páníková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Katarína Mitrová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Halamová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Karolína Mrzílková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Pícha
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Chrudinová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Andrii Kurochka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Selicharová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Žáková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Jiráček
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 116 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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20
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Fridmanis J, Toleikis Z, Sneideris T, Ziaunys M, Bobrovs R, Smirnovas V, Jaudzems K. Aggregation Condition-Structure Relationship of Mouse Prion Protein Fibrils. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9635. [PMID: 34502545 PMCID: PMC8431800 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are associated with conformational conversion of cellular prion protein into a misfolded pathogenic form, which resembles many properties of amyloid fibrils. The same prion protein sequence can misfold into different conformations, which are responsible for variations in prion disease phenotypes (prion strains). In this work, we use atomic force microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and magic-angle spinning NMR to devise structural models of mouse prion protein fibrils prepared in three different denaturing conditions. We find that the fibril core region as well as the structure of its N- and C-terminal parts is almost identical between the three fibrils. In contrast, the central part differs in length of β-strands and the arrangement of charged residues. We propose that the denaturant ionic strength plays a major role in determining the structure of fibrils obtained in a particular condition by stabilizing fibril core interior-facing glutamic acid residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jēkabs Fridmanis
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (J.F.); (Z.T.); (R.B.)
| | - Zigmantas Toleikis
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (J.F.); (Z.T.); (R.B.)
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.S.); (M.Z.); (V.S.)
| | - Tomas Sneideris
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.S.); (M.Z.); (V.S.)
| | - Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.S.); (M.Z.); (V.S.)
| | - Raitis Bobrovs
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (J.F.); (Z.T.); (R.B.)
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.S.); (M.Z.); (V.S.)
| | - Kristaps Jaudzems
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (J.F.); (Z.T.); (R.B.)
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21
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Sharafdini R, Mosaddeghi H. Inhibition of Insulin Amyloid Fibrillation by Salvianolic Acids and Calix[ n]arenes: Molecular Docking Insight. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL BIOPHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY 2021. [DOI: 10.1142/s2737416521500332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the ability of salvianolic acids A, B, C, F, G and calix[[Formula: see text]]arenes ([Formula: see text], 5, 6 and 8) with different upper rims in the inhibition of insulin amyloid fibril formation was studied using molecular docking. The results were analyzed from a molecular point of view. All of the considering ligands interacted with significant residues of insulin, which had a crucial role in the process of insulin fibrillation. The interactions among the ligands and insulin residues could be done through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with good binding affinity. So, these ligands could prevent the formation of the insulin fibril. The good consistency of the docking results of [Formula: see text]-sulfonatocalix[4]arene and [Formula: see text]-sulfonatocalix[6]arene with the experimental results in the previous literature represented the capacity of the current theoretical method to supplement and interpret experimental findings. Also, in this study, salvianolic acids A, C, F and G were suggested as new inhibitors of the insulin amyloid fibril.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hamid Mosaddeghi
- Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111 Iran
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22
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Andrade S, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC. Vitamin B12 Inhibits Aβ Fibrillation and Disaggregates Preformed Fibrils in the Presence of Synthetic Neuronal Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:2491-2502. [PMID: 34133880 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide with subsequent formation of fibrils which deposit in senile plaques is considered one of the key triggers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Molecules targeting the inhibition of Aβ fibrillation and/or the disruption of Aβ fibrils are thus promising approaches for the medical prevention and treatment of AD. However, amyloid formation is a complex process strongly influenced by the cellular environment, such as cell membranes, which may affect the effectiveness of therapeutic molecules. In this study, the effect of the vitamin B12 (VB12) on the formation and disaggregation of Aβ1-42 fibrils was investigated in the presence of artificial neuronal membranes mimicked by liposomes. Evidence showed that VB12 slows down the Aβ fibrillization and reduces the content of fibrils in aqueous solution. Moreover, the vitamin exhibited a strong ability to disrupt preformed fibrils. However, the presence of lipid vesicles compromised the VB12's antiamyloidogenic properties due to the competitive interaction of the vitamin with the lipid membrane and the Aβ peptide. Even so, VB12 was effective in inhibiting the fibril formation and disaggregating fibrils in the lipid membrane environment. Thereby, these results indicate that VB12 could be a promising molecule both for the prevention and cure of AD, thus warranting its study in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Andrade
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A. Loureiro
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Pereira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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23
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Temperature-Dependent Structural Variability of Prion Protein Amyloid Fibrils. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105075. [PMID: 34064883 PMCID: PMC8151363 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils is associated with the onset and progression of prion diseases—a group of neurodegenerative amyloidoses. The process of such aggregate formation is still not fully understood, especially regarding their polymorphism, an event where the same type of protein forms multiple, conformationally and morphologically distinct structures. Considering that such structural variations can greatly complicate the search for potential antiamyloid compounds, either by having specific propagation properties or stability, it is important to better understand this aggregation event. We have recently reported the ability of prion protein fibrils to obtain at least two distinct conformations under identical conditions, which raised the question if this occurrence is tied to only certain environmental conditions. In this work, we examined a large sample size of prion protein aggregation reactions under a range of temperatures and analyzed the resulting fibril dye-binding, secondary structure and morphological properties. We show that all temperature conditions lead to the formation of more than one fibril type and that this variability may depend on the state of the initial prion protein molecules.
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24
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Ziaunys M, Sakalauskas A, Mikalauskaite K, Smirnovas V. Exploring the occurrence of thioflavin-T-positive insulin amyloid aggregation intermediates. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10918. [PMID: 33614299 PMCID: PMC7881721 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of proteins is considered to be the main cause of several neurodegenerative diseases. Despite much progress in amyloid research, the process of fibrillization is still not fully understood, which is one of the main reasons why there are still very few effective treatments available. When the aggregation of insulin, a model amyloidogenic protein, is tracked using thioflavin-T (ThT), an amyloid specific dye, there is an anomalous occurrence of double-sigmoidal aggregation kinetics. Such an event is likely related to the formation of ThT-positive intermediates, which may affect the outcome of both aggregation kinetic data, as well as final fibril structure. In this work we explore insulin fibrillization under conditions, where both normal and double-sigmoidal kinetics are observed and show that, despite their dye-binding properties and random occurrence, the ThT-positive intermediates do not significantly alter the overall aggregation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Andrius Sakalauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Kamile Mikalauskaite
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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