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Hossain MA, Sarin R, Donnelly DP, Miller BC, Weiss A, McAlary L, Antonyuk SV, Salisbury JP, Amin J, Conway JB, Watson SS, Winters JN, Xu Y, Alam N, Brahme RR, Shahbazian H, Sivasankar D, Padmakumar S, Sattarova A, Ponmudiyan AC, Gawde T, Verrill DE, Yang W, Kannapadi S, Plant LD, Auclair JR, Makowski L, Petsko GA, Ringe D, Agar NYR, Greenblatt DJ, Ondrechen MJ, Chen Y, Yerbury JJ, Manetsch R, Hasnain SS, Brown RH, Agar JN. Evaluating protein cross-linking as a therapeutic strategy to stabilize SOD1 variants in a mouse model of familial ALS. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002462. [PMID: 38289969 PMCID: PMC10826971 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002462] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) cause a subset of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) cases. A shared effect of these mutations is that SOD1, which is normally a stable dimer, dissociates into toxic monomers that seed toxic aggregates. Considerable research effort has been devoted to developing compounds that stabilize the dimer of fALS SOD1 variants, but unfortunately, this has not yet resulted in a treatment. We hypothesized that cyclic thiosulfinate cross-linkers, which selectively target a rare, 2 cysteine-containing motif, can stabilize fALS-causing SOD1 variants in vivo. We created a library of chemically diverse cyclic thiosulfinates and determined structure-cross-linking-activity relationships. A pre-lead compound, "S-XL6," was selected based upon its cross-linking rate and drug-like properties. Co-crystallographic structure clearly establishes the binding of S-XL6 at Cys 111 bridging the monomers and stabilizing the SOD1 dimer. Biophysical studies reveal that the degree of stabilization afforded by S-XL6 (up to 24°C) is unprecedented for fALS, and to our knowledge, for any protein target of any kinetic stabilizer. Gene silencing and protein degrading therapeutic approaches require careful dose titration to balance the benefit of diminished fALS SOD1 expression with the toxic loss-of-enzymatic function. We show that S-XL6 does not share this liability because it rescues the activity of fALS SOD1 variants. No pharmacological agent has been proven to bind to SOD1 in vivo. Here, using a fALS mouse model, we demonstrate oral bioavailability; rapid engagement of SOD1G93A by S-XL6 that increases SOD1G93A's in vivo half-life; and that S-XL6 crosses the blood-brain barrier. S-XL6 demonstrated a degree of selectivity by avoiding off-target binding to plasma proteins. Taken together, our results indicate that cyclic thiosulfinate-mediated SOD1 stabilization should receive further attention as a potential therapeutic approach for fALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Amin Hossain
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Richa Sarin
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Biogen Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Donnelly
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Brandon C. Miller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Weiss
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Luke McAlary
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Svetlana V. Antonyuk
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Biochemistry & Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph P. Salisbury
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jakal Amin
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jeremy B. Conway
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Samantha S. Watson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jenifer N. Winters
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yu Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Novera Alam
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rutali R. Brahme
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Haneyeh Shahbazian
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Durgalakshmi Sivasankar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Swathi Padmakumar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aziza Sattarova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aparna C. Ponmudiyan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tanvi Gawde
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David E. Verrill
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Wensheng Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sunanda Kannapadi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Leigh D. Plant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jared R. Auclair
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lee Makowski
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Petsko
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Rosenstiel Center for Basic Medical Research, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Dagmar Ringe
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Rosenstiel Center for Basic Medical Research, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nathalie Y. R. Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David J. Greenblatt
- School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mary Jo Ondrechen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yunqiu Chen
- Biogen Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Justin J. Yerbury
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Roman Manetsch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - S. Samar Hasnain
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Biochemistry & Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Robert H. Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey N. Agar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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McAlary L, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. The prion-like nature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 175:261-296. [PMID: 32958236 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The misfolding, aggregation, and deposition of specific proteins is the key hallmark of most progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is characterized by the rapid and progressive degenerations of motor neurons in the spinal cord and motor cortex, resulting in paralysis of those who suffer from it. Pathologically, there are three major aggregating proteins associated with ALS, including TAR DNA-binding protein of 43kDa (TDP-43), superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), and fused in sarcoma (FUS). While there are ALS-associated mutations found in each of these proteins, the most prevalent aggregation pathology is that of wild-type TDP-43 (97% of cases), with the remaining split between mutant forms of SOD1 (~2%) and FUS (~1%). Considering the progressive nature of ALS and its association with the aggregation of specific proteins, a growing notion is that the spread of pathology and symptoms can be explained by a prion-like mechanism. Prion diseases are a group of highly infectious neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding, aggregation, and spread of a transmissible conformer of prion protein (PrP). Pathogenic PrP is capable of converting healthy PrP into a toxic form through template-directed misfolding. Application of this finding to other neurodegenerative disorders, and in particular ALS, has revolutionized our understanding of cause and progression of these disorders. In this chapter, we first provide a background on ALS pathology and genetic origin. We then detail and discuss the evidence supporting a prion-like propagation of protein misfolding and aggregation in ALS with a particular focus on SOD1 and TDP-43 as these are the most well-established models in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- L McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - J J Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - N R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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